Comparative models: The executive branches Flashcards
What will shape the approach of both presidents and PMs
Their personality
What style of government did Trump adopt?
An aggresive one, firing cabinet members and advisors frequenlty
What reflected his self centred style of leadership?
The way he constructed and announced policy
How was Obama more collegiate?
He had a close relationship with his VP and he worked closely with House speaker Pelosi to formulate and pass healthcare reform
How did Thatcher’s personality affect the way she governed?
She liked to dominate policy initiatives and didn’t always listen to advice (e.g. the poll tax)
How were Cameron and Major more collegiate?
They preferred to work with their inner cabinets to create policy
What does the individual PM and president do?
Do what they think is the most sensible thing and do what is in their best interests
What will they both have?
Pet projects that will dominate legislation as it is important to them
What were Clinton and Obama both passionate about?
Healthcare
What was Bush passionate about?
Education and national security
What was Trump passionate about?
Building a wall to keep out illegal immigrants
What was Blair determined the UK should do?
Fight a war on terror
What did Cameron decide on?
The desirability of an EU referendum
What was Johnson focused on?
Brexit
What did Blair sacrifice in his conviction to doing what he saw as the right thing?
Personal popularity
What will both of them rationally decide?
Who to appoint to key positions
While will the PM want potential rivals in cabinet?
So they will be bound by collective security, nullifying them as a threat
What are they rationally deciding here?
To have an enemy they dislike in cabinet to prevent them from doing damage
How did Obama have rational judgements too when appointing judges?
He wanted to appoint liberal judges and increase diversity on the SC, these were key factors in his appointments of Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan
What was Trump’s priority in appointments?
The conservative stance of his appointees and this was the rationale behind his appointment of Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett
What do both the president and the PM do in terms of appointments?
Make the appointment that they feel will give them the biggest advantage
What is the cultural history of both nations important for understanding?
The actions of the PM and president and the extent of their accountability to their respective legislatures
How do the origins of the role of PM and president differ?
The role of president originates from the creation of the nation whereas the role of PM has gradually evolved over time
When is the title of PM considered to have been first used?
Posthumously about Robert Watpole, who acted as First Lord of the Treasury between 1721-42
What does US political culture and tradition give to the president?
A respect and idealisation that the PM does not receive
What might be the structural explanation for this?
Because the president is the head of state whereas the PM is not
What is the cultural explanation for this?
The romanticisation of the American dream and the idea that anyone could grow up to become president
How has party polarisation changed this special status for the president?
The broad respect they used to enjoy from supporters of both parties has turned into a narrower partisan respect
What does this change resemble?
UK culture
What are there cultural expectations about in both countries?
The extent of the powers of both PM and president