'The Senate is the more powerful chamber in Congress.' How far do you agree? Flashcards
What are the 2 agrees in this essay?
Specific powers, position of Senate.
What are the two disagrees in this essay?
Power of the purse, impeachment.
What is a specific power Senate has which checks presidential power?
Confirms presidential appointments, checks appointments thoroughly.
Why is Senate checking presidential appointments important?
Can determine political direction in US for a long time.
Those appointed have high scrutiny levels.
Between 1968-2007 how many nominations failed?
Of last 25, 1/4 + weren’t nominated.
What happened to Merrick Gurland with his hearing?
Hearing was refused in 2016.
What power is in Article 2 Section 2? What does it prevent?
Power to give ‘advice and consent’ to treaties within the section.
Can prevent president reaching foreign policy objectives.
What is an example of Senate using their ‘advice and consent’ power?
Obama’s disability treaty was rejected in 2014.
What can HoR do with treaties?
Can ratify treaties but declined in recent year, president uses executive agreements.
Why is the power of conforming the President and SC nomination more significant than any HoR power?
Provides Senate the chance to shape the political landscape.
What does it mean by HoR’s ‘Power of the Purse’?
HoR can authorise spending, borrowing and raising revenue by taxes.
What does the Origination Clause state?
“All Bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives.”
Why is the ‘Power of the Purse’ important? Give an example.
Acts as a check on the executive, prevents judiciary making financial decisions without the executive and legislative branches.
STOPPED: 1995 Congress withdrew military involvement funding in Bosnia, forced Bill Clinton to withdraw troops.
PASSED: 2015 Obama signed $1.1 trillion spending package, so federal govt spending on childcare, military support etc.
What does it mean by the ‘position of senate’?
Senate’s power.
What’s the difference on how individuals are voted on in Senate and the HoR? What does this mean mandate wise?
Senators voted for by whole state, but representatives by district.
Senators have a larger mandate, more responsibility.
