A-Level Edexcel Politics: 19-Page American Politics Example Bank – Master your American Politics studies with this comprehensive and detailed 19-page resource, designed specifically for the Edexcel A-Level Politics specification. This example bank covers all key topics, including the US Constitut...
Constitution
Articles and Amendments
- Article 1: “Collect taxes”
- Necessary and Proper clause (Article 1 section 8)
- The amendment process didn’t stop the prohibition from being passed
- 2nd amendment= right to bear arms
- 5th amendment= right to remain silent
- 13th amendment= prohibition of slavery
- Only 10 amendments since 1919
- Hielit packard french- giddens socialism
Powers
- Enumerated powers: Eg. VP is also President of the Senate and has the casting vote
in event of a tie
- Implied Powers: Eg. The power to draft people into the armed forces is implied by
Congress's power to raise an army and navy
- Reserved Powers: Marriage and divorce laws in the states
- Concurrent Powers: Highway management and maintenance
Checks and Balances Examples
- Checks by the president on congress
- Veto a bill Iran War Powers Resolution (Trump 2020)
- Checks by the president on federal courts
- Nominate judges Ketanji Brown Jackson 2022
- Pardon Kerik, former New York City police commissioner (Trump 2020)
- Commutation of sentences Stone, political consultant (Trump 2020)
- Checks by congress on the president
- Amend/delay/reject legislative proposals Senate repealed Bidens vaccine
mandate (2021)
- Override veto Trump veto of a defence spending bill
- Refuse to approve appointments (senate) Most recent is John Tower as
secretary of defence nominated by Bush
Refuse to ratify treaties (senate) Convention on the rights of persons with
disabilities
Impeachment and trial Trump in 2019 and in 2021
- Checks by congress on the supreme court
- Propose constitutional amendments Proposed federal marriage arrangement
(2015)
- Refusal to approve appointments (senate) Merrick Garland (2016)
- Checks by the supreme court on congress
- Declare a law unconstitutional Defence of marriage act (1996) in 2013
, - Checks by the supreme court on the president
- Declare actions unconstitutional Declared Trump's refusal to comply with a
subpoena from a New York attorney seeking info on Trump's financial
dealings (2020)
Federalism
Federalism under Biden
- $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan
- A bipartisan, trillion-dollar infrastructure program
- Difficulties in enacting its ambitious, multi-trillion dollar “Build Back Better” (BBB)
program of economic and social welfare spending
Federalism under Trump
- Attempted to make the states subservient to the federal government, mostly in ways
that significantly increased the power of the president:
- Tried to end state lockdowns during Covid
- Policies toward illegal immigrants and opposition to ‘sanctuary cities’
- The use of the national guard and federal troops during the Black Lives
matter movement of 2020
Federalism under Obama
- Increase in federal activity in order to complete his reforms
- Economic stimulus package 2009
- Re-authorisation of the states children’s health insurance program 2009
- Medicaid
- Obamacare (reform of the US healthcare system 2012)
Consequences of Federalism:
- Legal: Variation in state laws (Death penalty, driving age, marriage age)
- Policy: Healthcare and immigration (Dobbs v Jackson gives more healthcare powers
to states)
- Elections: In Kansas you can vote by mail but in Kentucky you can’t
- Parties: Are decentralised and state based
- Economic: income tax is levied by both federal and some state governments
, Congress
Representative function of congress
Resemblance model
- Only 26% of congress are women (35% in Britain)
- 11% are black
- 9% are Hispanic (18% in the population)
- 4% asian
Functional model
Obama vetoed 12 bills in 8 years- only one (his last) was overridden
Trump vetoed 10 bills in his 4 years- only one (his last) was overridden
Between 10,000 and 14,000 bills introduced in a typical congress (two years)- Only 2-4%
become law
Constituency link? Not really.
Engagement with constituents-
- Holding party and town hall meetings
- Conducting surgeries with individual constituents
- Making visits around the state/districts
Impeded by the supreme court- About six-in-ten Americans say abortion should be legal in
all or most cases (61%)
Lobbying is unrepresentative
Around half of Americans (48%) see gun violence as a very big problem in the country
today- NRA distorts this
The speaker is too powerful: they choose which bills come in
Delegate model reflect views of majority of constituents, legislator does not exercise their
own judgement
Trustee model legislator acting act as a trustee - uses their mature judgement - constituents
trust legislator
Committees
Standing committees
- Have around 18 members in the Senate and around 30-40 members in the house
- Are permanent
- For example: Armed services, Foreign relations, Finance, Judiciary
- House rules committee Chairman Tom Cole
Conference committees
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