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A-level Politics Paper 3 ( Edexcel ) - Coggle Diagram
A-level Politics Paper 3 ( Edexcel )
The Constitution and Federalism
The Bill of Rights
- the basic freedoms which the US is built upon
First Amendment: freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of assembly
Second Amendment: the right of the people to keep and bear arms
Third Amendment: restricts housing soldiers in private homes
Fourth Amendment: protects against unreasonable search and seizure
Fifth Amendment: protects against self-testimony, being tried twice for the same crime, and the seizure of property under eminent domain
Sixth Amendment: the rights to a speedy trial, trial by jury, and to the services of a lawyer
Seventh Amendment: guarantees trial by jury in cases involving a certain dollar amount
Eighth Amendment: prohibits excessive bail or fines and cruel and unusual punishment for crimes
Ninth Amendment: listing of rights (in the Bill of Rights) does not mean that other rights are not in effect
Separation of Government Powers
Separation of Powers which are
federal
and
State Rights
Tenth Amendment: power not granted to the Federal Government is reserved for states or individual people
The Necessary and Proper Clause: allows congress maximum flexibility to make whatever laws it chooses to do, as long as these do not conflict with the US constitution or the enumerated presidential powers
power is divided between congress, presidency, and the supreme court
2017 tax cuts and jobs act ( Congress )
Biden's Withdrawal from Afghanistan( President )
June Medical Services vs Russo ( SC )
Vagueness of the Document
done in order to be interpreted in line with changes in society as time moved on
leads to problems such as Plessy V Ferguson
solves the problems it creates e.g Brown vs Board of Education
Intention to Prevent Tyranny of the Majority
through the principle of limited government, they were influenced by the tyrannical rule of the british and desired prevent an overly powerful ruling body
Protection of the Document
requires 2/3 majority in both houses of congress to change
E.g 26th amendment - right to vote at 18
Codified and Entrenched - the US constitution is written in one place and requires hurdles to get through
Equal Rights Amendment
Virginnia ratified it in 2020 ( last to do so )
in 1972 a 7 year deadline was set
Advantages/Disadvantages of the Amendment Process -
Ensures Broad National support
It doesnt protect minorities ( 1996 Defense of Marriage act )
Checks and Balances on Government:
Congress
checks the president through passing legislation
override a presidential veto
try cases of impeachment
ratify treaties
ratify appoints of both the exec and the supreme court
Presidency
suggesting legislation
sign/veto legislation - none of biden's vetoes have currently been overruled
can issue pardons e.g Obama pardoned Chelsea Manning
Nominate SC justices
Supreme Court
-Can strike down laws passed by Congress e.g 2013 ruled that parts of 1996 defense of marriage act were unconstitutional
-ruling that presidents are overpowerful e.g Obama's DAPA reform 2016 Texas VS US
Founding Fathers did this so that each branch of government can undermine one another
Congress
Structure
House of Representatives
435 Members, 218 for majority
California - the most populous state is allocated 53 seats
Seats are allocated every ten years during the census
elected every 2 years - need to be a US citizen for 7 years + atleast 25 and live in the state that the represent
Gerrymandering - setting the congressional boundaries to different in order to disadvantage one candidate and get rid of their safe seats.
The Senate
senate has 100 members ( two per state )
senators are elected every 6 years. every two years 1/3 of the senate is up for re-election
to be a senator must be atleast 30, US citizen for 9 years and live in the state you represent
Average cost of winning a senate and a house seat -
senate : 10.4m
house : 1m
Incumbent Senators and Congressmen/women have a bigger advantage due to having access to more campaign funds, a website, postal franking priviledges, name recognition, re-election rates for incumbents is over 90%
Congress - more unstable compared to the UK government, since elections happen at different times america is more diverse in its views - party views are much more inconsistent - democrat from missisippi is different to one from california
Influences on voting behaviour of Congress
:
Constituents
Political Parties/ Partisanship
Lobbyists
Pressure Groups
Staff and Colleagues
The executive Branch (the bullypulpit)
Concurrent powers of Congress
-
create legislation
override a presidential veto (e.g 2016 congress overode justice against the sponsors of terrorism act)
Propose constitutional amendments (e.g equal rights amendment
declare war : (e.g congress delcared war on japan and germany in 1941)
confirm a VP: (E.G gerald ford in 1973 )
Exclusive Powers of the House:
Power of the purse: only the house can start a budget bill
bring charges of impeachment :(e.g house voted to impeach Trump on charges of inciting violence to overthrow democracy)
Choose the president if the election is a tie (12th amendment)
Studies -
Joe Manchin - Democrat, West Virginia
manchin is arguably one of the most powerful politicians in america due to the 50/50 split of the senate
he was the only democrat to confirm Brett Kavanaugh
opposed the 15 dollar an hour minimum wage
NRA ran a campaign against him saying he was anti-gun, forced him to admit he was pro-gun, shows how impactful constituents and pressure groups can be
Lisa Murkowski - Republican, Alaska
among the moderate of the republican senate caucus
murkowski argued it would be wrong to confirm a new justice so soon to the presidential election, she went on to confirm amy barrett, trumps nominee
shows the influence that the executive branch has on political parties
Bart Stupak, Democrat, Michigan
stupak a catholic said he would not vote for obama's affordable care act if he did not accept the stupak-pitts amendment, barring any federal government money going to abortion services
obama agreed to pass an executive order saying no federal government would be used to fund abortion services
shows the impact of personal beliefs on voting behaviour
Exclusive Powers of the Senate:
ratify treaties(need a 2/3 vote to ratify treaty, (e.g senate rejected a UN treaty on people with disabilities)
Confirm appointments: senate has to confirm all cabinet and white house appointments, + supreme court justices, (e.g brett kavanaugh)
try cases of impeachment - 2/3 majority needed to impeach, e.g Trump
choose the VP if electoral college is deadlocked e.g 1800/24
The senate filibuster - senators can speak for hours on end to kill a debate and pass legislation from being passed, to end a filibuster, 60 votes are needed to move a cloture motion and end it ,
a way around this is a budget reconciliation, in which any bill involving spending can be passed by a simple majority
e.g senator Ted Cruz spoke for 21 hours to kill Obamacare, reading the bible, and Dr Seuss
senators could vote to abolish the filibuster but crucially swing voters such as Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema
Advantages:
congress is able to pass signficant legislation, such as Obamacare
congressional law is superior to state law, this is important during legislation such as the civil rights act and the voting rights act
Disadvantages:
congress passed little legislation, is often gridlocked
president veto is too powerful, none of biden's presidential vetoes have been overturned
laws can be struck down by the supreme court which limits decision-making
examples of bills:
Tax Cuts and Jobs act 2017
vote margin to get out of comittee: 24-16
house rules committee - amended it by delaying removal of tax-free savings
227 to 205 in favour in the house
13 republicans voted against it
The Presidency
the Enumerated Powers of the President:
Commander-in-chief of the military
Establish a Cabinet e.g Anthony Blinken, Janet Yellen
Pardon people: e.g
obama pardoned chelsea manning
Negociate Treaties:
Appoint heads of executive agencies: e.g FBI, CIA, the Federal Reserve
Recess Appointments
propose bills/state of union address
convene a special session of congress
appoint ambassadors and supreme court justices
approve or veto legislation
executive orders
Obama's executive orders, DAPA and DACA were struck down in Texas v US 2016. the court ruled that the president had overstepped his authority with EOs
Lyndon B Johnson, using the bullypulit to get congress to pass the civil rights act
Joe Biden become Obama's VP due to 30 years experience being a senator,
Dick Cheney played a huge role in the immediate response to 9/11 as Bush was on a trip to florida, cheney was in washington
Mike Pence cast 6 tie breaking votes in the senate, shows how significant the presidency can be in legislation
Biden appointing William Burns as head of the CIA
Morner in Chief - a term used to refer to the president during times of crisis, sandyhook elementary, 9/11, Presidents come to the site of the crisis in order to show leadership and rally the country e.g bush during 9/11
President trump exerting power over congress when they refused to fund his border wall, he instated a government shut-down until they acquiesed his request
Democracy and Participation
Interest Groups
AJP action
- a group which lobbies for palestinian rights and called for an immediate ceasefire in the israel-gaza conflict, it uses reporr cards and donations to members of congress to try to influence policy e.g Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are given a high approval rating
NRA
- this group lobbies for gun rights and promotes 2nd ammendment. they campaigned against Joe manchin for west virginnia until he claimed PRO-GUN, the NRA have 5.3 million members making them extremely influential
PACs/SUPER PACs
Monsanto's company citizenship fund PAC - in 2018 donated 500k to the
MAGA inc - Super pac raised 100 million dollars to re-elect trump
factors affecting voting behaviour -
valence
policy
party leader
age
gender
US Supreme Court and Civil Rights
Made up of 9 justices: 1 chief and 8 asociates
Current supreme court has a 6-3 republican majority
John Roberts( Chief Justice )
Obergefell v Hodges
Morse v frederick
Chicago v Mcdonald
NYSPRA V BRUEN
Roe v Wade / Dobbs v Jackson
June Medical Services vs russo
2 Hours - 80 marks
2x 12 markers ( SEE )
2x 30 markers( PEACE )
Comparative Theories
Structural the political system of the US is an enable to a concept e.g the strucure of congress advantages some bills more than others
Rational- people rationally think for themselves to enable a concept e.g richer people voting in lower taxation
Cultural beliefs about concepts right and wrong e.g the principle of limited government, upon which the US was built
Explaining differences in 12 marker