Evaluate the view that the President is the most powerful branch of
government rather than the Supreme Court or Congress.
Paragraph 1:
● Impeachment for example Clinton and Trump twice in 2019 and 2021
● Shows that the President is more powerful as both Trump and Clinton were impeached
yet remained as President as a supermajority in both the House and the Senate was not
achieved
● Clinton impeached due to an affair with a White House intern, Monica Lewinsky
● Trump was impeached in 2019 for coercing the Ukrainian govt for intel on his opponent
for the 2020 Presidential election Joe Biden. As well as this, he was impeached in 2021
for ‘incitement of insurrection’
● Trump’s impeachment failed as the Senate was dominated by Republicans, and a
supermajority was not reached
● However, a president like Nixon proved to be dominated by Congress as he was on the
verge of impeachment, but resigned
Paragraph 2:
● Presidential vetoes
● Formal rejection of bills passed by both houses in Congress
● A supermajority is needed by both Houses in Congress to override a Presidential veto,
and will be difficult in a united govt
● Eg Donald Trump made eight regular vetoes where one was overturned
● July 2019, Trump vetoed a series of bipartisan resolutions that aimed to block sales of
weapons to Saudi Arabia, as a result to combat Iranian aggression
● However, Obama during his last term had a veto overridden by Congress
● In 2016, Obama vetoed the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, which would
have allowed families of the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks to sue to the govt of
Saudi Arabia
● It was overridden by Congress as it was decided that this legislation was too extreme
● Congress proves to be dominant because the Republicans dominated Congress towards
the end of Obama’s second term, limiting his power as President, and he was also a
‘lame duck’
Paragraph 3:
● United Government
● Eg in 2016-17, Trump was a Republican and both houses were dominated by the
Republicans
● Allows the president to pass legislation easily without scrutiny
● In 2017, Trump passed the “Tax cuts and jobs Act”. Lowered corporation tax from
35-20% and made several changes to the tax code
● However, Presidents can be classified as a ‘lame duck’ towards the end of their term
● For example in 2016, Obama was a Democrat and both houses in Congress were
dominated by Republicans. This made it harder for Obama to pass legislation, where his
, last Presidential veto was overridden by Congress-Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism
Act 2016
Evaluate the view that campaign finance is the most significant factor
determine the outcome of elections
For:
● Advantage of wealth can outrun other candidates regardless of experience e.g. influence
of PACs and super PACs, super PAC spending in 2016 reached £1.2 billion
● 90% of candidates who raise more money win, eg Obama beat Romney and McCain
Against:
● Increasing examples of candidates winning on less funds e.g. The super PAC Trump
Make America Great Again committee shelled out approx $600 million in the last election
and he still lost to Biden
● Trump raised more than Biden and lost. Trump raised $1.96bn compared to Biden’s
$1.69bn. This shows that campaign finance is not the most significant factor because
Biden became President in 2020 despite raising/spending less
● Trump raised less than Clinton in 2016 and won. This can show that rather personality of
a candidate is a more significant factor
Evaluate the view that presidential appointments to the Supreme Court
ensure it is a political body rather than a judicial one
Paragraph 1:
● The appointment process is politicised
● Presidents will appoint justices who will likely align with their views for example a
Republican will appoint a Conservative justice, and a Democrat will appoint a liberal
justice
● Obama appointed Sotomayor and Kagan
● Obama also was a senator in 2005 and voted against the appointment of Chief Justice
Roberts, who is a conservative justice and was appointed by President Bush, a
Republican
● Obama stated that a when the constitution is hard to apply, a justice’s personal and
political views will have a role to play
● Trump, a Republican, appointed Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch
● Trump appointed Barrett after the death of Ginsburg in 2020, and this led to a
Conservative majority 6-3 in the S.C
, Paragraph 2:
● Appointment process is politicised because of decisions being overturned
● Eg the McConnell vs FEC 2002-03 case regarding the Bi-partisan campaign reform act
stated that campaign finance must be reformed
● Limited donations by big corporations
● In 2002-03, there was a liberal majority in the S.C and they favoured limits on campaign
finance and advocated for reform
● Sandra Day O’Connor was a liberal justice retired and was replaced by Alito, a
conservative justice appointed by Bush, a Republican
● Citizens United v FEC 2010 overturned McConnell vs FEC as the limit on spending
infringed the 1st amendment
● Donations were unlimited and corporations could donate huge sums of money
● Shows the S.C is politicised as the appointment of Alito gave a conservative majority and
the Republicans favour unlimited donations
● EVALUATION: Obama in 2012 was a Democrat and raised the most money and spent
the most
● Obama benefitted from the decision of Citizens United v FEC as he won the 2012
Presidential election and served his second term
Paragraph 3:
● The appointment process can still be judicial
● Eisenhower appointed two justices, Justice Brennan and Justice Warren
● The appointment of Chief Justice Warren and Justice Brennan was a failed politicised
appointment process which led it to be a judicial one
● Eisenhower was a Republican president which would have led to him appointing a
Conservative justice
● However, Warren and Brennan proved to be more liberal
● Eisenhower stated, “biggest-damned foolish mistake he has ever made”
● Warren and Brennan allowed for a liberal majority under a Republican president and
reversed segregation in schools through Brown vs Board Topeka 1954
● Reversed Plessy v Ferguson 1896 with Brown v Board of Education
