Complete essay plan; received 100 UMS at A2 level US Politics, and am now at University study Politics.
This is a complete essay plan, structured in a way that splits up the questions thematically - rather than simply yes/no - and has substantial debate within each theme, supported by evidence, a...
US Constitution & Federalism - Unit 4C Government & Politics
US Supreme Court - Unit 4C Government & Politics
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Government and Politics
Unit 3A GOV3A - The Politics of the USA
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Pressure groups define the issues that dominate US politics today
PG’s discipline parties and through endorsement
• Discipline
o Decide on the party platform and the selection of candidates
o They can define issues from the outset, but also vicariously through the selection of candidates
• Endorsement
o Capacity to bargain with and lobby parties by exploiting their electoral influence
o The threat of negative endorsement is sometimes enough
o Hence their presence is enough to shape issues
• Evaluation:
o Led to polarisation, which has increased party renewal
o PGs rarely define issues specifically, but rather values – it is down to the parties to define the
issues
o Endorsement doesn’t guarantee PAC success e.g. Republicans for Immigration
PGs utilise finance and PACs to define issues
• Can now define issues by influencing how members vote
o They define the issues from the outset, and then ensure that members vote accordingly
• Money has become the most dominant influence on voting in Congress
• Parties are dependent on donations
o Dependency creates inferiority, thus granting PGs increased influence and insider status
• Evaluation:
o Money isn’t a universal tool for PGs, and is only confined to those with or working with PACs
o There checks on preventing money from becoming the dominant definer of issues
o PAC money doesn’t guarantee success e.g. Right to Rise
Increased party renewal and nationalisation of campaigns
• Nationalisation of campaigns
• Super delegates
• Polarisation and ideological distinctness
o Growth in the Tea Party – it defines issues within the GOP
o The establishment and DLC define issues within the Democrats
o This distinctness within the parties means that homogenous policy and middle-way politics are no
longer evident, and thus the issues are now clearly defined by either faction of the party
• Evaluation:
o Parties have undermined their own ability to define legislation through gridlock and refusing to
compromise – ultimately, nothing is defined
o PGs still have input in the nationalisation of campaigns e.g. Heritage Foundation
o Regardless of how influential parties are becoming, they are becoming more unrepresentative and
thus apathy is increasing – low turnouts means low mandates and low public cooperation, and thus
parties are becoming a less legitimate source of issue definition
§ Instead, PGs provide a platform for representation in between elections, and fill in the
gaps left by dualism
Imperial president
• President defines issues abroad, and many domestically, regardless of the influence of PGs
o PGs have little influence over foreign policy e.g. Stop the War Coalition
• Evaluation:
o President isn’t imperial domestically
o Foreign policy can be checked by PGs during the election cycle – so the incumbent can’t be
checked, but the foreign policy of his successors can be shaped by PG endorsement etc.
Supreme court
• Ultimately the final arbitrator on ‘defining’ the issue through judicial review
• Evaluation:
o PGs can still influence the court
o No power of enforcement or initiation, and although it can define it, it can’t create the issue in the
first place, nor can it implement it after
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