20.5 - Race and Rights in Contemporary US Politics Flashcards
What is affirmative action?
A policy that allows minority groups to be intentionally advantaged in order to begin to correct historic disadvantages.
What is racial equality?
The idea that all races should be regarded and treated equally and be given the same legal, moral and political opportunities.
When are projections suggesting minorities will outweight the current white majority?
2042.
Give a brief timeline of rights for African-Americans in the US?
1787 - 3/5ths compromise (slaves as 3/5ths of a person)
1857 - Congress does not have the power to ban slavery in the USA
1861-65 / 1865 - The Civil War leads to the abolition of slavery, 13th Amendment constitutionally abolishes slavery.
1870 - Prohibits the right to vote being denied on the basis of race
1954 - Desegregation of US schools
1964 - Civil Rights Act passed
1978 - Affirmative actions allowed within limited circumstances
What methods have been employed to achieve change?
- Legal action
- Mass demonstrations
- Media and social media
How has legal action helped to achieve societal change?
- Groups themselves can bring cases to be heard before SCOTUS. Schuette v BAMN 2014 challenging a ban on affirmative action in the US.
- Individuals can bring cases to SCOTUS. Brown v Topeka Board of Education 1954 overturned Plessy v Ferguson forcing schools to desegregate.
- Amicus Curiae allows minority groups to submit their opinions to SCOTUS for consideration. More than 60 amicus curiae briefs were submitted in Trump v Hawaii regarding the travel ban.
How has mass demonstration and direct action helped achieve societal change?
Protests can encourage politicians (who are dependent on the public vote) to listen to gain public votes.
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom 1963 - MLK ‘I have a dream’.
How has the media and social media helped achieve societal change?
BlackLivesMatter began on social media, and gave this movement a platform.
A more indirect method, but still gets the attention of high-ranking public officials.
When did affirmative action first appear as a governmental phrase?
JFK Exec. Order 10925. Government contractors must ‘take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed… without regard to their race…’
What did Chief Justice Roberts suggest about affirmative action?
‘the best way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race’ suggesting that affirmative action is a discriminatory policy.
Give a timeline of Obama’s immigration reform?
Couldn’t achieve reform through Congress, passing neither the DREAM act or Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act 2013.
Turned to exec. orders such as DACA and DAPA.
What have been the main cases heard by SCOTUS over immigration reform?
Texas v U.S. (2016) - Court split 4-4 so ruling of lower court stood to strike down DAPA.
Arizona v U.S. (2012) - Court struck down key aspects of SB 1070 which set precedent that state action over immigration is limited.
Trump v Hawaii (2018) - Held up Trump travel ban as it fell within remit of exec. power.
What measures have promoted equality in the US?
- Obama DACA and DAPA
- Numerous SCOTUS cases have upheld policy of affirmative action
- Election of Obama, and more minorities in Congress shows increased diversity in the government of the US
- Growing Hispanic population brings more attention to minority issues
- Ethnic minority voting turnout has increased recently
What measures have failed to promote equality in the US?
- Obama failed to pass any meaningful immigration reform
- Segregation still an issue in the US (housing patterns)
- BLM demonstrates a feeling of a lack of equality in the US
- State ban on affirmative action in Michigan was upheld.
- Wealth gap continues to widen between white households and minority households
How has representation changed in the US?
Hispanics and african-americans have seen more representation in cabinets, Congress and the Courts.
