US Politics

96-3, 1993

52-48, 2020, did not receive a single vote from the minority party (Susan Collins voted against)

filibuster- rule unique to the United States Senate that allows any senator to hold the floor indefinitely and thereby delay a vote on a bill to which they object. ended only when 60 senators vote for cloture nuclear option- 2005 failed attempts to eliminate the filibuster for judicial and executive branch, 2013 eliminated filibuster non-supreme court judicial appointments

Senate Judicial Committee, dominated by Republicans, refused to advance the nomination of Merrick Garland in 2016 as Mitch McConnel argued that it was too close to the election but nominated Amy Coney Barrett weeks before the 2020 election

A Reagan nominee to the SC in 1987 who was forced to withdraw over drug related misconduct

Although appointed for ideological reasons, the President cannot remove them (Bush Sr appointee Souter was somewhat liberal)

a person who interprets the Constitution in a way that allows the federal government to take only those actions the Constitution specifically says it can take (Dobbs vs Women's Health)

Breyer, Ginsburg - the Constitution is a living document and we must take into account the changing needs of society (Obergefell v Hodges 2015)

Ruled that free speech could be curtailed if it created an unsafe school environment, in this case relating to drug use

the supreme court ruled that family run businesses dont have to contribute to health insurance if it might be used to purchase contraception as was laid out in the ACA2010

Struck down a Washington DC ordinance that banned handguns

Use of 14th Amendment's equal protection clause to stop the Florida recount in the election of 2000, decided the result of the election

court decision that declared state laws segregating schools to be unconstitutional. Overturned Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry under the 14th

Abortion rights fall within the privacy implied in the 14th amendment, overturned in 2022 by Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization

a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the court held that the 14th amendment to the Constitution of the United States does not confer a right to abortion.

The US Supreme Court keeps Congress firmly in check (Burwell v Hobby Lobby 2014) whereas the UK SC defends Parliamentary Sovereignty (Miller Case 2017)

Trump visited Texas only once, but both visited Florida 35 times

Candidates seek early supterm-21port and funding, Ron DeSantis launched his campaign in May 2023 and his PAC received $88 Million, Person leading in this stage usually leads (but not Hilary)

The first caucus of the presidential campaign season, which is closely watched and strongly contested, Obama won over Clinton in 2008, allowing him to close a poll gap ("winnowing the field" at early states to narrow options)

Early March, lots of southern states all vote for a candidate on the same day

Sanders delegates deselected after confusion

Announced just before national convention and usually seek to form a balanced ticket (Ford/Dole in 76, Ford selected a more right wing candidate than Rockerfeller to appease Goldwater + Reagan Trump/Pence in 16)

Usually a fait accompli as the result is known before hand, party agrees to a party platform w/ controversial 'planks' (Republicans called for Roe

A last minute surprise, Bush's drink driving campaign in 2000, FBI investigation into Hilary's emails in 2016,Trump Hollywood Access

Ford said there was no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe in 76, Dan Qualye was told he was no Jack Kennedy in 86, 84 million viewers in 2016 and Clinton was more successful

54%

2018 mid-terms, 90.5% incumbents who sought re-election won, Republican Susan Collins kept her seat in Maine despite Trump losing to Biden in polling in Maine

Bush's handling of 9/11 in 2001 was widely approved of and his popularity hit 90%, he was re-elected in 2004. By contrast, his handling of Hurricane Katrina was widely disparaged in 2005 and his approval fell to 38%

Humphrey's "Halloween Peace" with Vietnam during the late stage of the 1968 election cycle

Obama was the first Democratic President to win 51% of the popular vote since Lyndon B. Johnson

McCain and Palin were an extremely weak ticket, only 16% of Americans 'trusted' McCain (because of his age - 72), and 38% trusted Palin

Elector who does not vote for the candidate they promised to vote for. These have never determined outcome of presidential election but is a major problem with electoral college system (3 in 16)

Reverse of incumbency advantage, Bush's failure to maintain his policy caused problems

Bill Weld in April 2019

Created the Federal Election Commission and matching funds, which hasn't been taken up since Obama refused it 2008

Struck down the portion of the Federal Campaign Act limiting the amount of money individuals can contribute to their own campaign; Ruled that spending money on one's own campaign is a form of constitutionally protected free speech

Banned soft money, £2,300 individual donation limit, verbal endorsement of ads

Tax loophole to get around campaign finance regulation, focus on issue advocacy like Swift Boat Veterans for Truth against John Kerry

a private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns, Higher Heights for America PAC donated to Kamala Harris

A 2010 decision by the United States Supreme Court holding that independent expenditures are free speech protected by the 1st Amendment and so cannot be limited by federal law. Leads to creation of SuperPACs & massive rise in amount of third party electioneering (Citizens for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow)

Rebuilding America Now (22.6 mil)

Laws that are placed on the ballot during an election, compulsory condom usage in adult moves in California in 2016

Governor Scott Walker saw enough signatures for a recall election but survived in Wisconsin in 2012

78% of Alabamans approved a law forcing courthouses to display 10 commandments in 2012

1 Vermont vote = 3 Texas votes

Allowed people to register at the DMV

provided funds to the states to help them purchase new electronic voting equipment

65%

In the 1994 congressional elections, Congressman Newt Gingrich had Republican candidates sign a document in which they pledged their support for such things as a balanced budget amendment, term limits for members of Congress, and a middle-class tax cut.

Joe Manchin supported Neil Goursh's appointment to the Supreme Court in 2018

75 members, forced Trump to pull pout of the TPP

Voted against the appointment of Amy Coney Barret in 2020

Court upheld Trump's ban on travel from Muslim majority nations but he had to allow those with a bonafide relationship to citizans

Caused the breakup of Southern support for the democrats

117 Republican Congress People voted for a Democrat bill

91%

Veto power, command armed forces, pardoning power, appointment powers, make treaties, convene Congress

Trump's 2020 budget was $4.8 trillion, Congress bullied Ford into spending increases

a speech given annually by the president to a joint session of Congress and to the nation announcing the president's agenda, Obama threatend 4 vetoes in 2015

4000 posts at the start of their term, 700 thru congress

If Congress adjourns during the 10 days the president has to consider a bill passed by both houses of Congress, the bill is considered vetoed without the president's signature, last used by Clinton in 2000

President must ask congress to approve military action in advance, but this is often ignored, Obama Libya 2011,

The President can lead the USA into conflict, Bush (Iraq 2003), obama (Libya 2011)

John Johnson in 2020 for crossing state lines with a white woman in 1913

Clinton pardoned 140 people in his last day, including his brother over a drugs charge

Ford pardoned Nixon for watergate within his first month in 1974 and his approval dropped from 70% to 50%

Dependent on majority in Congress, Obama had a 98% Pres support score in 2008 but just 45% by 2015

Needed during divided government, Trump made deals to pass the First Steps Act 2018

The President use their platform to draw attention to things, the Squad in 2019, claiming the election was stolen in 2020 saw his impeachment and ban from twitter

Obama led the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015 and Trump withdrew from the WHO in 2020

Orders issued by the President to executive agencies Bush 2007, enhanced interrogation Trump 2018 Muslim Ban Mexico City Policy

Declared unconstitutional in 1996

10, 1 overruled

Constitutional power given to Congress to raise and spend money, can force a government shutdown like in 2019

The Select Committee on Campaign Activities was set up and investigated Nixon in 1973, forcing his resignation

1998, over perjury in the Lewinski scandal (Collins voted to acquit)

Found guilty of impeachment twice, once over compelling the Ukranian president to investigate Hunter Biden 2021 - incitement of insurrection

Gov. Jerry Brown made Cali a sanctuary state after Trump withdrew funding from Sanctuary Cities and joined a subnational coalition similar to Paris Climate Agreement in 2015 after campaign against leaving

Merrick Garland vs Amy Coney Barret

Both spearhead legislation Military action constrained by legislature

2-3%, down from 6-7% in the 80s

27%

12%

Drawing district boundaries to give a minority group a majority

Bill that would have forced Biden to withdraw from Syria failed despite drawing support from Grace Meng

Joe Manchin refused to support the bill until it was modified and then the GOP fillibustered it anyway Would have made voter registration automatic

96-0

(Like British Select Committees) permanent, focused on specific areas (Eg Judiciary Committee and Merrick Garland)

Temporary, usually to investigate specific questions (partisan, Republicans boycotted Jan 6 committee when Pelosi wouldn't let certain Reps onto Committee), Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities forced Nixon's resignation in 1974

2:1 majority for the majority party, decide how and how long for a bill can be debated, closed rules do not allow for amendments

56%

Allows the House and Senate to agree on one version of a bill to be used but has declined in use, only 3 conference reports in 2019-21

A $200 million dollar bridge that was proposed for a small city in Alaska. An example of pointless pork projects

Pat Roberts, a Senator for Kansas, chaired the Senate Agricultural Committee 2015-20

A high-ranking member of the Executive Office of the President appointed to coordinate action in one specific policy area, Obama had Paul Volckner as economic czar

Because he couldn't get legislation through Congress, Obama instead signed an executive order to protect some illegal immigrants from deportation 51

The Bill of Rights is the collective name for the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. Proposed to assuage the fears of Anti-Federalists, protects civil rights and liberties

Gun owners protected by the second but women and LGBT people not (ERA, Roe, Obergefell)

Red N. Carolina elected a dem governer, Blue N. Hampshire elected a rep governor