ALL EXAMPLES FOR PAPER 3 Flashcards
How many amendments are there? how many have been proposed
27 amendments, 11,000 proposed
Supreme Court being used to protect state rights
Texas v US (2016) ruled in favour of Texas Blocking Obama’s executive order of DAPP (Deferred Action for Parents Programme)
Supreme Court check on the executive
2018- Supreme Court ruled that Trump’s travel ban was unconstitutional because it discriminates based on people’s religion
Congress checks on the executive- veto pverride
2021- overturned veto of a defence spending bill, in favour of the National Defense Authorization Act
Example of Bipartisanship
2021- Biden’s Bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill
(Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 2021)
Federalism of Obama (2)
-Role of fed. govt increased due to introduction of Obamacare (2010) +
-BUT Allowed for states to pursue their own policy goals e.g. 2012- Colorado legalised marijuana for recreational use
Example of vagueness of constitution undermining its authority-
- Obergefell v Hodges 2015, in stating that gay
marriage was a constitutional right, some politicians and even a member of the Supreme Court
claimed that the Supreme Court was no longer following the Constitution
Example of federal government departments increasing-
Government has 15 departments, (up from 3 when the constitution was written)
E.g Homeland Security added in 2002
Growing globalisation increasing the role of the federal government
- the physical damage of 9/11 was estimated $55 billion, with New York needing federal money to help clean up
Example of federal law being overturned by the Supreme Court, allowing states greater freedom
Shelby vs Holder 2013: federal law was overturned when parts of the Voting Rights Act were declared unconstitutional.
Example of states deciding their own laws
-e.g cannabis is legal in 21 states
Head of State, the president attends global summits. (2)
the G7 summit
-At the World Economic Forum, Trump met with other world leaders 2020
Cabinet can be ignored
2017, Trump ignored his Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and dropped the “two-state” solution for Middle East Peace
Trump veto
2019- UAE arms sales disapproval resolution
(to block the arms deal)
President has to answer to Congress, only when impeached
E.g 2021 impeachment of Trump from the January 6th trial
President being unable to count on party-
Bush’s Social Security reforms FAILED to pass through Congress
controversial amongst both Republicans and Democrats
National events increasing power
-After 9/11, Bush was able to begin Iraq War and create the Patriot Act 2001
Example of electoral mandate being powerful
- 2008 election, 53% of the vote
- first 2 years- budget stimulus, health care reform and beginning the process of moving troops from Iraq.
executive order 14020
Biden- Establish the White House gender policy Council
Example of national events weakening presidential power
2008 financial crisis- Obama had to prioritise an economic stimulus package;
Opposition to his healthcare policy increased, forcing him to water it down
Example of successful power of persuasion (Obama)
Obama was able to get the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2010
Examples of prominent cabinet members (2)
-Hillary Clinton, as secretary of state in negotiating the START treaty in 2010
-Joe Biden
example of NSA work
2012- Susan Rice was interviewed as Obama’s NSA in the aftermath of the Benghazi attack
example of OMB
2017- Mick Mulvaney, head of the OMB was given the role of repealing Obamacare
How is the president able to influence the Supreme Court
- -Nominations to the Supreme Court- gives the president influence over the ideological balance of the Supreme Court
- -e.g Trump appointing Brett Kavanaugh in 2018 and Amy Coney Barret in 2020
Example of Congress veto override- (201^)
Veto override of 97-1 (in the Senate), of the 9/11’s victims bill 2016
Treaty that weren’t ratified by the Senate
2012- Obama’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Example of president passing executive agreements
Joe Biden rejoining the Paris Agreement in 2021
Example of Congress limiting foreign relations with power of the purse
-Prevented the closure of Guantanamo Bay in 2009,
- National Defence Authorisation Act which prohibited funds
Congress being ineffective- gov. shut down
2018-2019, longest government shutdown. Occurred as Trump and Congress could not agree on an appropriations bills
Lack of bipartisanship - gun control
After Orlando 2016, failure to legislate gun control due to a lack of bipartisan support
Example of Bipartisanship gun legislation
-Biden “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act 2022”
Example of legislative gridlock
Zika virus 2016
-Obama requested 1.9 billion but Republican held Congress wanted to cut to $1.1 billion
-Senate Democrats stopped the bill (saw it as insufficient)
NO AGREEMENT REACHED
Example of states having differing economic policy
Montana- no sales tax
California- 7.25%
Example of states acting in a national crisis:
- 2020- covid-19 pandemic, each state took its own approach
(32 states did this before covid was declared a national crisis)
Example of Congress using power of the purse to limit president
2019- denied Trump funding of the wall
Example of an emergency act passed by Congress
CARES Act 2020
Example of impeachment on district judge
Thomas Porteous (2010)- allegations of bribery and false statements
2023 Congress approval ratings
23%
% of Congress who are PoC (117th)
23%
% of Congress who are women (117th)
27%
% of Congress who are college educated (117th)
94%
Congressional policy differences in the House
Pro-Palestine / Pro-Israel
Pro-Palestinian Democrats (2)
Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Pro-Israel Democrats (2)
Brad Sherman, Chuck Schumer
How many people did Obama pardon in his last month of term
142
Example of successful power of persuasion (Biden)
Inflation Reduction Act 2022 (proposed in his State of Union adress)
Example of unsuccessful power of persuasion (Trump)
Wom party control in both House and Senate
-Unable to ‘repeal and replace’ Obamacare
Unsuccessful power of persuasion (Obama)
DREAM Act filibustered by the Senate 2010
How many ECV does California have
55
How many ECV does Montana have
3
What percentage of the vote did Trump/ Hillary have
Trump- 46%
Clinton- 48%
(3 million vote difference)
How many states did Trump win
30 states
How many electoral college votes did Trump/ Clinton win
Trump- 304
Clinton-227
Super PAC “Right to Rise” (Jeb Bush) raise:
By 2016 raised $121 million
2018 Primary statistics (AOC)
- AOC won with $300,000 funding despite Joseph Crowley $3.3 million in funding
2020 elction turnout
66%
Lobbying spending (NAR)
National Association of Realtors spent over $56 million in lobbying in 2022
Example of AIPAC influence on executive
2016- Obama signed a defence agreement to fund $38 billion Iron dome
How much was spent on lobbying in 2021
$3.7 billion
How many registered lobbyists in 2021
11,500 registered lobbying
How many vetoes did Trump have
10 bills
When was DACA Executive order
2012 and reinstated in 2021
Increase in federal spending example
Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID relief package
-“American Rescue Plan” 2021
Rogue voter 2016
7 rogue voters
illegal in 33 states
main legislation concerning campaign finance:
- 1974 Federal Election Campaign Act
- 1976 Buckley v Valeo
- 2002 Bipartisan Campaign reform Act (McCain-Feingold reform)
- 2010 Citizens United vs FEC
2020 election cost:
- Overall- $14.4 billion
- Presidential-$5.7 billion
- Congress- $8.7 billion
