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Politics A-Level > Constitution USA > Flashcards

Constitution USA Flashcards

1
Q

What is the US equivalent of Parliamentary sovereignty?

A

Constitutional sovereignty

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2
Q

Number of words, articles and amendments of constitution

A

7,000, 7, 27

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3
Q

How was limited government brought about by the FF in the constitution?

A

Separation of powers of Montesquieu (1748), federalism, Bill of Rights

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4
Q

Example of separation of powers in terms of roles

A

Barack Obama and John Kerry leaving Senate on becoming President/Secretary of State

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5
Q

Richard Neustadt on separation of powers

A

Instead proposing ‘separate institutions sharing powers’ ie working together

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6
Q

Example of VC power in Senate

A

2017 Mike Pence using it to split tie on confirmation of Betsey DeVos for Secretary for Education

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7
Q

Number of G. W. Bush vetoes overridden by Congress

A

4 out of 11

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8
Q

Case which discovered power of judicial review

A

1803 Marbury v Madison, laws could then be found unconstitutional

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9
Q

Example of criticism of divided government

A

2013 October government shutdown

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10
Q

2 examples of failed amendments

A

Balanced budget amendment of Gringrich never passing Congress and equal rights amendment not supported by enough states

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11
Q

What was the 17th Amendment?

A

1913, direct elections to Senate

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12
Q

Use of state conventions for amendments

A

21st Amendment of 1933

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13
Q

1909 Chief Justice Hughes

A

‘We are under a Constitution, but the Constitution is what the judges say it is

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14
Q

Example of flexible constitution with judiciary

A

Expanding powers of the President in 1930s being allowed through judicial precedents

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15
Q

Executive example of convention

A

Cabinet and EXOP and federal bureaucracy, no power coming from Constitution

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16
Q

Congressional example of convention

A

Power of congressional committees over bills

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17
Q

Judicial example of convention

A

Judicial review, power not derived from Constitution

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18
Q

3 types of constitutional change

A

Formal process of Article 5, SC changes, developing conventions

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19
Q

Strengths of constitution

A

Avoids whims of a temporary elective dictatorship removing individual’s liberties through institutions such as an independent Supreme Court, with some flexibility and general US public support

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20
Q

Weaknesses of constitution in terms of judiciary and change

A

SC judges given too much power, but also inability to change for times such as with Second Amendment

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21
Q

Weaknesses of Constitution in terms of executive and congress

A

Not enough restraint on federal government over states, divided government leads to gridlock, 2 year terms leads to constant campaigning and increased costs

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22
Q

When were the Articles of Confederation in effect?

A

1781-88

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23
Q

Another name for federalism

A

Dual sovereignty

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24
Q

What are the states built around in terms of institutions?

A

State constitution, governor, bicameral House and Senate apart from unicameral in Nebraska, and a SC

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25
Q

Madison quote supporting federalism

A

Avoids ‘the danger of too much power in too few hands’

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26
Q

3 parts of Constitution supporting federalism

A

Equal state representation in Senate, 3/4 for amendments to pass, and 10th Amendment protection of reserved powers such as electoral law

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27
Q

What are the enumerated and inherent powers in the Constitution?

A

Enumerated are those outlined to Congress in the 1st Article of the Constitution (ability to legislate on defence, currency…). Inherent are those such as foreign policy and war which naturally fall to the federal government

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28
Q

What are the implied powers given in the Constitution?

A

Congress’ ability to make laws which are ‘necessary and proper’ to provide for the ‘general welfare’ of citizens - not clearly outlined but implied, made Obamacare constitutional even though healthcare is not totally outlined in the 1st Article

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29
Q

What was McCulloch v Maryland deciding on?

A

1819 case putting federal law above state law, in this case about the ‘necessary and proper’ clause of the issue of a federal bank

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30
Q

What was the 16th Amendment?

A

1913, allowed a federal income tax to be levied across all states overturning Pollock v Farmer’s Loan and Trust Co. 1895

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31
Q

What are concurrent powers?

A

Those shared by both state and federal government like taxation

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32
Q

How did cooperative federalism work?

A

Federal government would help the states with the new larger demands placed on them such as those during the Great Depression. During the 60s this turned to become abused by the federal government as this aid was only then given with string attached by LBJ

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33
Q

2 ideas behind New Federalism

A

‘Getting government off the backs of people’ and the ‘era of big government is over’

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34
Q

How did Bush Jnr change federalism?

A

He aimed for less intervention as a previous governor, but as the issues such as Katrina became more prevalent he was forced to step in

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35
Q

How did Obama change federalism?

A

Back to cooperative federalism, with a third of the $787 billion spending package being given to states but federally directed

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36
Q

What are the 4 stages of federalism?

A

Dual, cooperative, new and modern

37
Q

Why does federalism create better Presidents?

A

The candidates have greater experience in government rather than merely in opposition, such as Mitt Romney as a governor for Massachusetts

38
Q

2 examples of states as laboratories

A

California 2013 Carbon Cap and Trade policy tested and furthered in 2017 with regulations, as were education vouchers used since 1990 in Wisconsin with 15,000 on the system by 2011

39
Q

What are the disadvantages of federalism?

A

Gridlock/disagreement like on Brown, therefore confusion and lack of cohesion as many laws, and inequalities which only federal government can fix, as well as democratic overload

40
Q

4 examples of state differences

A

32 states with death penalty, open/closed primaries, local sales tax such as not in New Hampshire, and gambling laws

41
Q

Example of 1st amendment upheld with Super PACs

A

Citizens United v FEC in 2010

42
Q

Difference between rights in UK and USA

A

‘Inalienable rights’ of Jefferson upheld in Constitution, while Bill of Rights of UK since 1668 can be overturned in Parliament

43
Q

Example of 2nd Amendment upheld

A

2009 DC V Heller which overturned Washington DC law which had forced individuals to keep their firearms ‘unloaded and disassembled or bound by a trigger lock’

44
Q

What is the 3rd Amendment?

A

Revoking military quartering inside private property

45
Q

What is the 4th Amendment?

A

Protects individuals from ‘unreasonable search and seizures’ of persons or property

46
Q

What is the 5th Amendment?

A

‘Due process’ clause, no deprivation of life, liberty or property without due process of the law - protects silence as well

47
Q

What is the 6th Amendment?

A

Rights of those standing trial (impartial jury) and against arbitrary arrests and imprisonment, used to fight case for Guantanamo Bay inmates

48
Q

What is the 7th Amendment?

A

In civil law cases over £20 have to have a jury

49
Q

Use of 8th Amendment

A

Banning ‘cruel and unusual punishment’ in terms of death penalty for only over 18 year olds (Roper v Simmons 2005)

50
Q

What is the 9th Amendment?

A

Other rights not in the Constitution also exist and must be upheld as well, used in privacy cases such as Roe V Wade

51
Q

What is the 10th Amendment?

A

Reserved powers of states, or the people, are covered in those not mentioned in the Constitution or ‘prohibited to it by the States’

52
Q

Key text in 14th Amendment?

A

Due process and ‘equal protection of the law’

53
Q

War time examples of Constitution rights being ignored

A

Japanese American internment without trial and Guantanamo Bay without ‘due process of law’ and also Patriot Act legalizing wiretapping and electronic surveillance

54
Q

When was the Constitution written?

A

1787

55
Q

What was the Connecticut Compromise?

A

1787 Great Compromise where the idea of House for people and Senate for states was agreed

56
Q

What general powers were given to Congress in Article I?

A

‘General welfare of the United States’ and ‘necessary and proper laws’

57
Q

How many states petitioned for a constitutional convention in 1992 and on what?

A

32 (2 under the required 2/3rds) on a balanced budget amendment

58
Q

What happened with proposed amendments in the 90s?

A

Flag burning and balanced budgets passed the House, but not Senate

59
Q

How many states supported the equal rights amendment in 1979?

A

35, 3 under the requirement

60
Q

Who coined the term layer/marble-cake federalism?

A

Martin Grodzin

61
Q

When was the Department of Defense set up?

A

1949

62
Q

When were the Heath, Education and Welfare Departments set up?

A

1953

63
Q

When was HUD and Department for Transport set up?

A

1965 and 1966

64
Q

During Clinton’s era, how much money was spent on the states each year and how much of this was in categorical grants?

A

$200bn and 90%

65
Q

Between 1976-2000 what proportion of Presidents were outsiders?

A

4/5

66
Q

Example of distrust of Congress in 90s?

A

Term limits on Congress members so they don’t become too engrained in the culture

67
Q

Which amendment made Senators chosen electorally?

A

17th

68
Q

Term to describe changes in constitution due to SC

A

Interpretive amendments

69
Q

How did prohibition change the beliefs on amendments?

A

A realization of their power and decline as a result

70
Q

What did Finer say about the relationship between the legislature and executive in 1970?

A

Like two halves of a bank note - each useless without the other

71
Q

How can the President have power over the legislature in terms of proposing bills?

A

State of the Union, such as with Bush in 2002 and his war on terror

72
Q

How many people did Clinton pardon on his final day, and who was particularly spicy?

A

140 people, including Mark Rich, a tax fugitive

73
Q

Number of veto overrides for Clinton and example of one

A

2, including 1995 Securities Bill

74
Q

Example of de jure power of veto override

A

Trump not vetoing increased Russian sanctions

75
Q

Example of legislative power on President in terms of war

A

1991 Bush received Congress authorization for Operation Desert Storm

76
Q

10th Amendment on remaining powers

A

Are reserved to the states and to the people

77
Q

Example of state responsibility

A

Returning fugitives to their state

78
Q

2 New Federalism spending ideas and examples

A

Block funding (450 up to 700 1980-2001) and revenue sharing (1972-1986 where federal taxes were given to states)

79
Q

Example of SC limiting federal power

A

1995 US v Lopez which deeming unconstitutional Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 as it was not about interstate commerce but too much about the states

80
Q

Example of SC expanding powers of states

A

1989 Webster v Reproductive Health Services, upholding a Missouri law thought to be in violation of Roe, giving states more power to legislate on abortion

81
Q

Key to answering federalism questions

A

Mention enumerated/inherent/reserved/concurrent powers and the history and different types of federalism

82
Q

What did the 21st amendment use to ratify?

A

State Constitutional Convention (a National one is used for proposing amendments)

83
Q

3 important parts of 14th Amendment

A

Privileges and immunities clause (these cannot be denied to Americans), due process (limiting state ability to take away rights) and equal protection

84
Q

Most irritating issue for states due to federal government

A

Unfunded mandates such as Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 with no money for such state programmes

85
Q

Term for Congress control of state government through standards and regulations

A

Regulated federalism

86
Q

Word for supremacy clause

A

Preemption

87
Q

Example of horizontal federalism

A

New Hampshire removing sales tax to attract business

88
Q

Explain rule making in federal bureaucracy

A

Rules put on Federal Register, then since Negotiated Rulemaking Act of 1990 those affected can change it before it comes into force, avoids suing

Politics A-Level (11 decks)

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