Samenvatting History of the United States of America - Walter Licht
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History of the United States of America
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Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven)
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These United States
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History of the United States of America
Modern American History: The Civil War to the Present
Professor Walter Licht
Course 1: Introduction and Back to the Future
Introduction
Obama experienced pressure from the left (restless) and right (noisy) Domestic (= Binnenlands)
conflict boarders and influx of immigration from Latin-America, Immigration Reform, School Reform,
Labour Law Reform, Spiraling (= Oplopende) Federal Deficits, rising inequality and
unemployment/High Unemployment (< Banking Reform), Global Warming…
o Ultra-right politics/opposition were o Guantanamo
getting noisier and noisier o Troop Pull-Outs
o China o Rising Income Inequalities
o Middle East: Iraq/Afghanistan o Global warming
Images of Recent Times
On January 20, 2017: Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States
after winning the 2016 election
o He didn’t win the popular vote though, Hillary Clinton did
o Other ‘winners’ who lost: Samuel Tilden, Grover Cleveland and Al Gore
Why does this happen? < Has something to do with a difficult to explain system: The United
States Electoral College
o Don’t memorize it!
o The United States Electoral College is a body of electors established by the 12th Amendment of
the US Constitution, constituted every 4 years for the sole purpose of electing the president and
vice president of the US. The Electoral College consists of 538 electors, and an absolute majority
of 270 electoral votes is required to win an election. Pursuant to Article II, Section 1, Clause 2, the
legislature of each state determines how its electors are chosen. Each state's number of electors
is equal to the combined total of the state's membership in the Senate and House of
Representatives; Currently there are 100 senators and 435 representatives. Additionally, the 23 rd
Amendment to the Constitution provides that the District of Columbia is entitled to a few electors
no greater than that of the least populous state (i.e. 3)
o Creating a system of government that is very branches
3 branches of government over history
The system of government is structured with 3 branches: Legislative,
executive, and judicial
Over time, the traditional branch (possibly referring to the legislative
branch) has become very powerful
o Chief executive of society = President
There were discussions on how to elect the President, and historically, decisions
were made by elites
Initially, certain groups, including slaves, poor whites, and women, did not have
the right to participate in the election process
o Small states were often dominated by larger, more populated states like New York and
Pennsylvania
New York and Pennsylvania had already advocated (= gepleit) for reforms in the
system
o Mob rule: Worried classes from below would bring a candidate; There were concerns
about ‘mob rule’, where the lower classes might influence the election process
Voting for an ‘elector’ in the district you live in, you aren’t voting for Biden or Trump
He/She will go to a conference of electors and in a ceremonially way they choose their
president
1
, o The election involves voting for an ‘elector’ in your district rather than directly for the
presidential candidate (e.g., Biden or Trump)
On December 15th, 2021, there was a dispute over the election result, with Trump refusing to
accept his loss: Trump didn’t accept his loss
o Fake electors claimed that the events of 2021 should not be accepted
o The Vice President declared this as unconstitutional
Number in the states = Number of electors (e.g. 38 electors in Texas)
o 2008 Actual: Obama wins the Northeast and Far West
o In 2012: Obama wins less electoral votes, but has still a large victory
o In 2016: Firm democratic states are won by Trump and because of that, he wins the
electoral votes
In Pennsylvania: Clinton was 10% ahead, but Trump still won this state
o Prof: Almost unexplainable
o It’s Alabama that makes Trump victor < Never voted in great numbers, so they used
the wrong algorithm: Only 30% came out to vote, and that’s why Clinton was ahead
The region came out 70%, more than double for Trump; Obviously Alabama was
going for Trump
Democrats didn’t understand what was happening
National riffle association
Surprising outcome of the 2016 U.S. presidential election, noting that Trump won traditionally Democratic
states. Despite Hillary Clinton leading by 10% in Pennsylvania, Trump emerged victorious. The prof finds
this outcome almost unexplainable and attributes Trump's overall win to Alabama, which historically had
low voter turnout. An erroneous algorithm, designed for low turnout, favored Clinton initially. However,
when the region with 70% turnout (more than double) voted, it swung significantly in favor of Trump.
Democrats were perplexed by these developments, and the passage suggests a potential role of the
National Rifle Association (NRA) in influencing the election.
- The National Rifle Association (NRA) is a major American organization advocating for gun rights
and the 2nd Amendment. It plays a significant role in shaping gun-related policies through
lobbying and political activities
January 6, 2022: The RNC called the January 6 events ‘legitimate political discourse’
o Organ of republic party
o Trump finally agrees to peaceful transition: Doesn’t happen
‘US Capitol Attack/Capitol Riot’ (Washington): Man is holding the ‘Flag of the confederacy’
o Civil war: Confederates = People who lost
Biden
o Continuing thundering on the Right
Still right-wing radiocasting (Fox News) who are just highly Trump advocates,
insurrection (= opstand), mass demonstrations…
Voter Suppression, Immigration Reform, Police Reform
o Young people: Key issue is global warming, War in Ukraine
o Pressure from Putin
o Real splits in the Democratic Party
o Troop Pull-Outs, Economic Impacts: Supply Chain Bottlenecks, Inflation, Labor
Shortages…
Where are we dealing with right now?
o Border issues = Key issue if you put in the conservative media: Biden has created
crises of mass invasion (Mexican, Guatemalans…) < They are slamming him on that
issue
o Division between the democrats
2
, o Biden’s Legislative Achievements
American Rescue Plan CHIPS and Science Act
Inflation Reduction Bipartisan
Act Infrastructure Law
In Spite of…
o One of the great practices of Trump is the ability to delay all cases
He can be convicted, get jailtime, and still become president…
Many states have gone to the court to remove him from the valley, because
he violated the 14th amendment (engaging in insurrection)
The Trials of Trump
Felony
o Mishandling of Secret Documents (federal indictment, May 2024 trial)
o Election Interference (federal indictment, conspiracy to defraud the U.S.
government and exploit violence; March 2024 trial, date hangs on claim of
presidential immunity)
o Hush Money Payments (= Zwijggeldbetalingen) (New York City case,
falsification of business records in pay-out to prostitute during 2016
campaign, March 2024 trial)
o Racketeering Charge (Fulton County, Georgia, scheme to illegally overturn
2000 election)
Civil
o Fraudulent Business Practices (New York City, guilty, $355 billion penalty)
o Sexual Assault and Defamation (= laster) Cases (New York City case,
guilty, $88.3 million-dollar total penalty)
Political
o State cases to throw Trump off of ballots for violating the third clause of
the 14th amendment (engaging in insurrection); awaits Supreme Court
decision)
In January 6, 2022, the Republican National Committee (RNC) controversially labeled the events of
January 6 as 'legitimate political discourse.' Despite agreeing to a peaceful transition, Trump's
administration didn't align with this commitment. The US Capitol Attack displayed a man holding the 'Flag
of the Confederacy,' evoking Civil War symbolism. President Biden faces ongoing challenges, with
criticisms from the political right, especially from media like Fox News, focusing on issues like insurrection,
voter suppression, immigration reform, and police reform. Young people prioritize global warming and
the war in Ukraine.
International pressures, notably from Putin, contribute to internal Democratic Party divisions. Biden's
administration grapples with troop pull-outs and economic impacts like supply chain bottlenecks,
inflation, and labor shortages. Current issues include border concerns, with conservative media blaming
Biden for a perceived crisis of mass invasion. There's a visible division within the Democratic Party.
Despite challenges, the Biden administration has achieved legislative milestones.
Former President Trump faces significant legal challenges, including mishandling secret documents,
election interference, hush money payments, racketeering charges, fraudulent business practices, and
sexual assault and defamation cases. His ability to delay cases remains a notable factor. State cases aim to
bar Trump from ballots, alleging violation of the 14th amendment. The Supreme Court decision is pending
(= in afwachting). The complex interplay of legal, political, and social factors underscores the complexity
of the current American political landscape.
5th of March 5, 2024: What now happened with Trump basically says: ‘The 14 th amendment doesn’t exist
anymore’; Anonymous: They can’t forbid disqualifying someone to participate; Congress must do something
about this < Some said: ‘There are probably some Court procedures that we can re-enact’
The US Supreme Court has ruled unanimously that former President Trump can participate in the Colorado
Republican primaries. The state had removed him from the ballot, accusing him of attempting a coup. The
court stated that only Congress has the authority to disqualify someone under the 14 th Amendment, Section 3
of the U.S. Constitution. The ruling doesn't clear Trump of the charges, and a later decision will determine his
immunity for actions while in office. Liberal justices criticized Trump as an ‘insurrectionist who broke his oath’
3
, Back To The Future
The Civil War and Reconstruction, 1860-1877 (or the Unresolved Civil War and Unfinished Business)
Preludes to the War
‘The past is never dead. It’s not even past’ – William Faulkner (novelist, Nobel prize winner for
Literature)
o Statutes in public places
o The 2024 Campaign for the Republican Party Nomination for the Presidency (dia 13)
o Issue which all nations can be involved in
o Germans are the most extraordinary
Inescapable in the street view of Berlin
Publicly they make a traumatically exposition of the Holocaust… of what they
did
o Belgium: The statues of Leopold II and Congo
Lessons about the Congo, and what about the statues?
o After the Civil War, there was a period of reconstruction, and the South was
practically hidden for some time…
o Now: Trump is unspoken about the removal of these statues, like many republicans
When the British colonized America, it wasn’t the British government, but it were people that
created states there
- Big Virginia, big Pennsylvania… but also small states; And they all have different sizes and
shapes
o Different from the Spanish colonization who created big, equal squares to rule over
instead of all these different entities
- Most of them were trading companies who were giving the right to colonize and give back
some land to the crowd
Constitutional Convention to create a central government: The federal government
- 2 chambers: The Senate and the House of representatives
o Each state will have 2 seats in the Senate < 100 senators (because 50 states)
BUT: It is 1 of the most undemocratic institutions in the world!
Because a large state has the samen number of senators as a small state
For example: 62 senators represent 25% of the population
For example: Hillary Clinton has much more votes than Trump, but still lost
because of the Electoral Vote system
Liberty of the states
- Conservative states that undo some federal laws, do it in the name of liberty
- Decision to undo abortus laws was also done in the name of liberty < It’s the decision-right of
each state?
o Still today that the states should be in the right to write laws, and not be dependent
of the federal government
- Civil right movements
- Civil War is about the dichotomy between: States’ rights and federalism (< Restore the
central government)
o Restore borders is illegal under the federal law because migration considered legal
o State right is about liberty, and we don’t want intruders to cross our borders, in the
name of liberty…
Liberty = The unfreedom of people?
Immediate Prelude to the War
1787: Constitution was written and submitted for ratification
4
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