Comparative Politics, Constitutional Law, and Electoral Systems Review
Constitutional Foundations, Democratic Theory, and Legal Authority
Spectrum of Governance: Real-world governments do not operate under absolute, rigid binaries; rather, they exist along a political spectrum.
Constitutional Role and Functions:
A constitution serves as the foundational legal document that establishes governmental authority.
The primary enforcement role of a constitution is to enforce established rules.
Within constitutional jurisprudence, entrenched powers are regarded as the same thing as enumerated powers.
Judicial Authority and the Rule of Law:
When interpreting and applying the law, the court system is tasked with establishing legal enforcement.
Principles of Democracy:
Democracy as an ideological system promotes political competition.
In a democratic election, the political leaders are established directly by the voters.
Democracy did not originate from Communist China.
Representative Government vs. Direct Legislation:
In a representative government, legislation is not drafted by the common voter; instead, elected representatives craft and pass laws on behalf of the citizenry.
Perceptions of Covert Influence:
The term "the deep state" is the colloquial nickname used to describe a supposed secret cabal of elites who allegedly exercise comprehensive power and influence behind the scenes of government.
United States Government, Institutions, and Civil Liberties
Separation of Powers:
Power within the United States federal government is formally divided among distinct branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
First Amendment Protections and Media Relations:
Beyond the guarantee of freedom of speech, the First Amendment explicitly establishes freedom of the press.
Executive tensions with the media have manifested directly in the White House Press pool; for example, President Trump barred specific news networks, namely CNN and MS Now, from press pool access.
War Powers and Executive Limits:
The President of the United States is not the sole entity authorized to declare war; the constitutional authority to declare war is reserved for the United States Congress.
The United States is currently classified as being at war with Iran.
Secular State Status and Freedom of Religion:
The United States is not a theocratic state.
The American government does not establish Sharia Law as a chief state religion.
The American government does not institute Christian Evangelical rule over the nation.
Executive Office:
Kamala Harris is not the President of the United States.
The Mechanics of the United States Electoral College
Executive Selection Process: The President of the United States is not chosen by a national direct popular vote, but rather through the Electoral College.
Composition of the Electoral College:
The Electoral College is formally constituted as a group of electors.
There are a total of electors in the Electoral College.
To secure the presidency, a presidential candidate must win a minimum threshold of electoral college points.
Allocation and Calculation of Electors:
The allocation of electors to each state is determined based on the state's population combined with its congressional representation (incorporating its two Senators).
The baseline inclusion of Senators per state is directly integrated into the calculation of state Electoral College points.
Washington, D.C. is allocated electors in the Electoral College, despite the fact that Washington, D.C. is not a state.
The State of Texas holds Electoral College points.
Hawaii holds Electoral College points.
Popular Vote vs. Electoral College Outcome:
A presidential candidate can win the national popular vote but still lose the election in the Electoral College.
European Diplomatic History and the State System
The Treaty of Munster ():
The Treaty of Munster was concluded in the year , not in .
The formal ratification of the Treaty of Munster gave way to the broader diplomatic framework known as the Peace of Westphalia.
The Peace of Westphalia fundamentally restructured Central Europe by splitting up the constituent states of the Holy Roman Empire, thereby formalizing principles of state sovereignty.
The Congress of Baden ():
The Congress of Baden convened in the year .
The assembly served to establish peace between France and the Holy Roman Empire, concluding hostilities from the War of the Spanish Succession.
The Congress of Baden had no role in establishing the State of Texas.
The British did not participate in the Congress of Baden.
Comparative Regimes: Monarchies, Theocracies, and Parliamentary Systems
Monarchical Systems and Succession:
An absolute monarchy does not promote democracy.
In a monarchical system, the paramount concern regarding succession is the preservation of the royal blood line.
Great Britain functions as a Constitutional Monarchy.
Within Great Britain's constitutional framework, the Prime Minister holds significantly more political force and functional power than the Monarchy.
Parliamentary Systems:
Great Britain, Israel, and South Africa all operate under a Parliamentary system of government.
Republican Governance in France:
France does not possess a Supreme Leader endowed with absolute power.
Theocratic Governance vs. Constitutional Protections (The Case of Iran):
When evaluated on human rights protections, a constitutional government provides substantially more human rights than a total theocracy.
Iran is not an absolute democracy.
The Iranian Ayatollah does not establish or maintain a three-branch system of government comparable to the institutional arrangement of the United States.
Iran deploys a specialized enforcement body known as the Morality Police, consisting of groups of men who patrol public streets to enforce strict religious codes and punish women deemed not dressed "correctly."
Iranian men are also targeted and abducted by the Morality Police.
The Iranian Morality Police were responsible for the death of Mahsa Amini.