These are the best resources to revise from if you are sitting your A-Level Politics exam. Be prepared for any question from the given topic with these A* essay plans! US Politics can be a tricky paper 3 to navigate after two UK Politics papers, but rest assured, with these at hand, you will be rea...
Evaluate the view that amendments to the Us constitution are both possible and useful
Structural
⚫ De jure, the amendment process to the US Constitution has never not been available as an option
⚫ Requirement of 2/3 majority in both congress chambers plus 3/4 majority in favor across state
legislatures
⚫ 19th Amendment, allowing all women to vote in elections regardless of which state they live in
⚫ A cumulation of political movements resulting in a very useful amendment
Counter
⚫ That was rectified in 1920, there have been no amendments to the constitution in the 21st century.
⚫ Only allowing limited evolution of the constitution in the 20th, 19th,18th century as there are only
27 amendments
Rational
⚫ The process of amendment ensures that change can come but it is still protected form political
whims and mass public system
⚫ Seen with the limited number of amendments since 1787
⚫ That's where the positives to the process end
Counter
⚫ Political polarization has led to congressional gridlock, meaning a 66% consensus in the chambers
can't be met, let alone 75% across state legislatures
⚫ Therefore the possibility of passing useful amendments is jeopardized
Cultural
⚫ The constitution is a product of its time
⚫ As is the amendment process for the constitution
⚫ The amendment process was written by the founding fathers for 13 white, much smaller, states
⚫ Now, the diversity of the US is immeasurable
⚫ States and their legislatives have never been so different, so not only is congressional gridlock a
problem, but finding consensus in such a diverse nation sees the possibility for amendment
diminish, regardless of whether the amendment would be useful
, TWE is the constitution fit for purpose.
Point 1: Democracy
⚫ Elections everywhere, all the time!
➢ Federal Law
➢ Presidential elections every 4 years, HOR every 2 years, senate every 6 years
➢ State Law
➢ Governor and legislature elections
Counter
⚫ Turnout often low, allows for extremism in primaries
⚫ Average turnout for senate is 44%
⚫ Asymmetric Representation: California + Wyoming both 2 senators
Point 2: Protection from Tyranny
⚫ Separation of power (Legislative, Executive, Judiciary)
⚫ Congress: Impeachment
⚫ President: Veto laws by Congress
⚫ SCOTUS: Points on free actions)
⚫ Federalism
⚫ Thus, an AUTOCRACY
⚫ Different electoral systems to ensure different outcomes
➢ Guiding against tyranny of majority and population
Counter:
⚫ Separation of power leads to a gridlock/vetocracy
⚫ Polarized nature of US political leads to nothing happening
⚫ No check on SCOTUS
, Point 3: Primacy of Individual +The State
⚫ Primary of individual
➢ Democracy, Bill of Rights(9th +14th amendments)
➢ Allows the individual to be protected
⚫ Primary of the State
➢ Federalism, Police powers
➢ Bill of Rights 10th amendment
⚫ Concentration of power in federal gov in time of crisis
➢ Post 9/11
⚫ SCOTUS determines where the line is drawn between the states and the gov
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