US Politics Essay Plans Flashcards
To what extent is the constitution unfit for purpose?
(Constitution is still fit for purpose)
Avoids tyrannical and overly powerful government.
Checks and balances not always partisan.
States still retain a great deal of independence.
Evaluate the extent to which the roles of EXOP and the cabinet are significant in the executive branch.
(EXOP more important)
Aid in decisions: EXOP closer proximity to executive branch.
Help to enact policy: Presidents rely more on EXOP.
Represent the country and the president: EXOP has more importance in public image.
Evaluate the view that there is an imperial presidency.
(Yes for foreign policy, no for legislation and appointments)
Foreign policy: EAs bypass congress and president still takes military action without congressional consent.
Legislation: EOs can be revoked by any subsequent president and president relies on congress to pass legislation.
Appointments: President needs senate approval and use of recess appointments limited by the senate’s pro forma sessions.
TWE does the president control foreign policy.
(A lot.)
War: Presidents take military action without congressional consent.
Bypassing Congress: EAs are becoming more significant and a resolution against a state of emergency has never been passed.
Events: During times of crisis the power of the president increases.
Evaluate the extent to which the two main US parties are internally divided.
(Republicans are more divided)
Economy and Free Trade: Democrats are more divided.
Healthcare reform: Republicans are more divided.
Immigration: Republicans are more divided.
Evaluate the extent of the differences in policy between the Republican and Democrat parties.
(Only agree on social policy)
The role and size of government.
Social policy.
Immigration.
Evaluate the extent to which pressure groups promote pluralist democracy/can influence the three branches of government.
(Do not promote pluralist democracy or influence the three branches of government)
Atomisation.
Revolving doors make pressure groups exclusive and influence can only be bought with money.
Difficult to exploit access points.
Evaluate the extent to which Congress is the broken branch of US government.
(Broken branch to a great extent)
Congress struggles to pass enough legislation.
Oversight is either overly partisan or too faint-hearted
Role of representation is flawed
Evaluate the extent to which the Senate is more powerful than the House of Representatives.
(Senate is more powerful)
Legislation.
Exclusive powers.
Term length.
Evaluate the extent to which Congress is a lapdog or watchdog.
(Often a lapdog due to hyper partisanship).
Appointments.
Oversight.
Legislation and constitutional amendments.
Evaluate the view that the Roberts court has become increasingly conservative in its judgements.
(Court has become increasingly conservative)
Gun rights.
First amendment.
Social issues.
TWE has the SC protected constitutional rights/the Bill of Rights.
(SC has protected rights)
First amendment: Freedom of speech.
First amendment: Freedom of religion.
Second amendment.
Fourteenth amendment.
Evaluate the view that the SC has become excessively political in recent years to the detriment of its judicial function.
(Has become excessively political)
President’s nominations to SC.
Senate confirmation process.
Decisions on cases.
Evaluate the extent to which racial equality has progressed in the 20th and 21st centuries.
(Has progressed a significant extent)
Government has done more to progress racial equality.
Affirmative action has mostly been successful.
Racial equality in representation has increased.
Evaluate the view that party polarisation may explain the failure of US immigration policy.
(Does explain the failure of immigration policy)
Party polarisation.
President are forced to turn to independent powers due to the unproductiveness of Congress.
Politicisation of the SC has been affected by party polarisation.
