20.3 - The Supreme Court and Public Policy

Question 1

What is public policy?

Answer 1

Policy and law created by the branches of government that have an effect on the US population.

Question 2

Why are the rulings of the Supreme Court essentially sovereign?

Answer 2

The Supreme Court interprets the Constitution, so its rulings are essentially sovereign.

Question 3

What are the most influential recent Supreme Court rulings?

Answer 3

Citizens United v FEC 2010 - Allowed Super-PACs to raise unlimited amounts for campaigning
McCutcheon v FEC 2014 - Lifted the ‘aggregate cap’ which limited the total amount an individual could spend in an election.

NFIB v Sebelius 2011 - Upheld Obamacare
King v Burwell 2015 - The Court upheld the key principles of Obamacare by upholding federal subsidies in healthcare
Roe v Wade - Overturned this law, no longer making abortion rights a federal law.

Question 4

How can the Supreme Court use their power?

Answer 4

• By creating new policy
• By upholding previous policy
• By removing policy
• By not hearing the case (i.e. allowing the ruling of the lower court to stand.)