All Other Evidence Flashcards
Both parties agree on foreign policy e.g
Bipartisan support for Ukraine - strategic importance of supporting a democratic ally against external Russian aggression
Strong support for Israel
R&D agreement over broad economic policy
Neither party typically advocated for major structural changes to the economy
Ability to unite in specific events - illustrated by support for the CARES Act during COVID-19
2020 Green Party received….. of the vote
0.3% of the vote
Independent example
Senator Angus King
Vote in favour of ACA repeal efforts, where his opposition was crucial in preserving the ACA in several close votes in 2017.
Two parties count for …..% of the 118th congress
98%
Why is the two-party system so dominant
Electoral system
Strategic voting in an era of extreme polarisation
Political culture and history
Legal and institutional barriers
Race on voting
2020
87% of African American voters voted Biden
58% of white Americans voted for Trump
Gender on voting
2020
Women - 57% Biden
Men - 52% T
Religion on voting
2020
White evangelical Christian’s - 76% voted Trump
Jews - 68% Biden
Age on voting
2020
Biden - 60% 18-29year olds
Trump - 52% of 65+
Turnout
53% 18-29
71% 65+
Increased polarisation examples
Near-universal Republican opposition to the Affordable Care Act and the Democratic opposition to the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reflect the deep ideological divisions and party loyalty that characterise modern congress.
Marjorie Taylor Green
Known for support of far-right conspiracy theories, won her primary in Georgia in 2020, signifying the GOP’s shift towards more extreme right-wing candidates.
Senate filibuster has become a tool for the minority party to block legislation (gridlock)
Republicans used a filibuster to obstruct the passage of the For the People Act, a major piece of legislation intended to expand voting rights and reform campaign finance.
Affordable Care Act
Passed 2010
Faced intense partisan opposition and numerous attempts at repeal.
American rescue plan passed in with
220-211 house
50-49 senate
No replicant votes, unified democratic support
Infrastructure investment and Jobs Act
13 house republicans and 19 senate republicans joined democrats
National security bipartisan support
National defence authorisation act
84-13 senate
335-78 house
Buckley v Valeo
Opened the door for candidates to spend unlimited amounts of their own money on campaigns
Donald Trump - 2016 - $66million of his own money
Increasing scale of campaign finance in US elections gradually reduced the need for publicly matched funding, further diminishing the power of the FECA
In 2008 Obama opted out of public financing raising $745 million, which far outstripped the public funding limit
2020 presidential election spending
$1.4billion spent by parties, PACs, Super PACs and candidates
Super PACs
America first action - Donald Trump $200million
Campaign funding is not everything
In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump spend considerably less than Hillary Clinton but still emerged victorious.
