comparison Flashcards
electoral mandate similarites
- Elections focused on personality of party leader/presidential candidate
E.g. 2017 Conservative battle bus focus on May (UK); Presidential election debates 2020
Biden-Trump (US)
electoral mandate differences
-Head of government directly elected or not
E.g. Sunak PM without general election
(UK); 2020 presidential elections → Biden
(US)
roles similarities
-Both head of government
E.g. Truss cabinet reshuffle (UK); Article II president has sole executive power (US)
-Both leading military/foreign policy
role
E.g. PM meeting other heads of government at G7 meetings (UK); Trump ordered air strikes on Syria
(US)
roles differences
-Head of government and state separate or
same person
E.g. King Charles is head of state, Sunak head of government (UK); Biden has both symbolic leadership and practical government role (US)
-Is head of government also party leader
E.g. Sunak was selected party leader in October and automatically became PM (UK); Biden, Jeffries and Schumer all ‘leadership’ roles (US)
-Is head of government also member of
legislature
E.g. Obama had to step down as Senator to
become President (US); Sunak is PM and
Mp for Richmond (UK)
powers similarities
-Appoint cabinet members
e.g. Truss cabinet reshuffle (UK); Biden
Neera Tanden (US)
-Persuade legislature
e.g. Johnson convinced cabinet no further COVID measures for Xmas ‘21 (UK); Trump pizza/bowling Freedom Caucus on AHCA (US)
-Negotiate and sign treaties
e.g. Johnson sign EU withdrawal deal 2020 (UK); Obama New START (US)
-Pardon (in UK: ‘mercy’)
e.g. Trump Joe Arpaio, Mike Flynn (US); Alan Turing pardoned by Cameron (UK)
-Pass legislation bypassing the legislature (executive order vs secondary leg.)
e.g. Retained EU Law Bill ‘23 (UK); Biden vaccine mandate (US)
powers differences
-Vote on legislation or not
e.g. Biden not member of Congress (US);
Sunak MP for Richmond (UK)
-Control majority in legislature?
e.g. Johnson 365 MP majority (UK); Biden
now minority in HoR (US)
-Veto legislature or not?
e.g. Johnson could not veto Benn Act ‘19
(UK); Trump veto of Defense Authorisation
Act (US)
-Declare war or not?
e.g. Thatcher declared war in the Falklands
without asking parliament (UK); Congress
declared war on Japan WWII (US)
ability to put a stamp on government similarities
-(Increasingly) dominant over executive
e.g. Johnson recorded speech on easing of 1st lockdown ‘20 (UK); Obama ordered killing
Bin-Laden (US)
-Both limited by popularity, party
divisions, events
e.g. Truss removed by party (UK); Trump bad handling of COVID (US)
-Both limited by courts
e.g. Johnson Miller v. Prime Minister (UK); Biden NFIB v. OSHA (US)
ability to put a stamp on government differences
-Control of majority in legislature?
e.g. Johnson 365 MP majority (UK); Biden
now minority in HoR (US)
-Restricted by entrenched constitution or
not?
e.g. Johnson Dissolution and Calling of
Parliament Act (UK); Bush Federal Marriage
Amendment (US)
-Dominate executive or cabinet
government?
e.g. Cabinet discussion on Xmas ‘21 COVID
measures (UK); Obama ordered killing
Bin-Laden (US)
-Can their appointments be blocked by
the legislature?
e.g. Truss cabinet reshuffle 2022 (UK)
Neera Tanden/Merrick Garland (US)
accountability to the legislature similarities
-Both can be removed from office by the legislature
e.g. Callaghan 1979 (UK); Trump impeachments 2020 + 21 (US)
-Both can have their legislation blocked by the
legislature
e.g. House of Lords Reform Act 2012 (UK); AHCA 2018 (US)
-Both can be investigated by committees
e.g. Windrush scandal inquiry 2018 (UK); January
6th investigation (US)
accountability to the legislature differences
-Can be removed from office for crime only
or any reason?
e.g. Callaghan 1979 (UK); Trump
impeachments 2020 + 21 (US)
-Can their appointments be blocked by the
legislature?
e.g. Truss cabinet reshuffle 2022 (UK) Neera
Tanden/Merrick Garland (US)
-Can their veto be overridden?
e.g. Johnson could not veto ‘Benn Act’ (UK);
Trump Defense Authorization Act (US)
Analyse the differences between the US president
and the UK prime minister in the extent to which
they are able to dominate the executive.
Presidential vs. cabinet government
Ability to appoint cabinet without scrutiny
Electoral mandate/power of persuasion
Analyse the differences between the US president
and the UK prime minister in the extent to which
they are able to dominate the executive. - comparative theory
Checks and balances/separation of powers vs. fusion of powers restricts president more 🡪 structural
Direct presidential elections gives president stronger mandate 🡪 structural
Prerogative powers strengthens PM 🡪 structural
Presidential executive vs. cabinet government,
president dominant within executive 🡪 rational
PM freedom of hire and fire 🡪 rational
President respected as symbol of unity 🡪 cultural
