9 Mark Plans

Question 1

(P1) Explain and analyse three ways in which US presidents use their formal powers

Answer 1

P- uses the power of veto to block legislation passed by Congress
E - this is a key formal power that allows the President to influence or prevent laws they disagree with
E - Reagan vetoed the clean water bill in 1986, showing presidential resistance to legislation
A - this power gives the president leverage over the legislative process, although it can be overridden by a two-thirds majority

Question 2

(P2) Explain and analyse three ways in which US presidents use their formal powers

Answer 2

P - formally appoint key officials, including federal judges and cabinet members
E - these appointments allow the president to shape the direction of the federal govt and judiciary
E - Trump appointed 3 SC justices, shifting the ideological balance of the court (big factor into overturning Roe v Wade)
A - although appointments require Senate confirmation, this power significantly influences ling-term policy outcomes (2 judges appointed by Nixon still served under Reagan)

Question 3

(P3) Explain and analyse three ways in which US presidents use their formal powers

Answer 3

P - is formally the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces
E - allows the president to direct military operations and respond to national security threats
E - Biden ordered the 2021 withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan under his authority
A - while congress declares war, the presidents commander-in-chief power enables swift military action without needing prior approval, is limited by the War Power act 1973 but all presidents have broken this and believe that is it unconstitutional

Question 4

(P1) Explain and analyse three ways presidents have used their informal powers

Answer 4

P - executive orders are a key tool presidents use to direct government operations without needing congressional approval
E - are recognised as an implied power that allows the president to manage the federal bureaucracy and implement policy unilaterally
E - Obama dreamers programme (but later attempt to expand the programme was blocked by the courts in 2016)
A - they can be used to enact policy changes quickly, but are also subject to judicial review, if they are perceived to exceed presidential authority (Trumps Muslim Travel ban was overturned by the courts)

Question 5

(P2) Explain and analyse three ways presidents have used their informal powers

Answer 5

P - executive agreements allow the president to make international commitments without Senate approval
E - unlike treaties, which require a two-thirds senate vote, president can make agreement with foreign power in urgent situations
E - Jeffersons purchase of land in Louisiana, Roosevelt - lend-lease act during WW2
A - while they can enhance presidential efficiency in foreign policy, their legitimacy can be questioned if they conflict with federal law or the constitution, case-zablocki act 1972 - presidents have to inform congress of agreements details

Question 6

(P3) Explain and analyse three ways presidents have used their informal powers

Answer 6

P - executive privilege allows the president to keep certain communications confidential from Congress, the sorts and the public
E - this power is based on the principle that effective executive decision making required privacy and candid discussion among advisers, especially on sensitive matters or those which might breach national security
E - USA v Nixon, the SC acknowledged the existence of executive privileged but ruled that it couldn’t not be used to withhold evidence in a criminal investigation
A - has legal boundaries, its scope remains contested, particularly when used to resist oversight or avoid accountability

Question 7

(P1) Explain and analyse three ways that presidents have used executive orders

Answer 7

P - to implement major domestic policy goals
E - presidents use executive orders to push through through key domestic policy especially when congress is gridlocked
E - Bidens 2021 executive order to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreements
A - shows how presidents can bypass congress to achieve policy objectives, especially on divisive issues

Question 8

(P2) Explain and analyse three ways that presidents have used executive ordersp

Answer 8

P - to respond swiftly in times of crisis
E - allow for immediate action during emergencies or national crises
E - GWB orders following 9/11 which created the Department of Homeland and security
A - highlights how executive orders enhance presidents power in emergencies, but can raise civil liberty issues

Question 9

(P3) Explain and analyse three ways that presidents have used executive orders

Answer 9

P - to reverse policies of previous administration
E - new presidents often issue them to undo the work of their predecessors
E - Trumps attempt to reverse Obamacare, Obama repeal of ‘don’t ask don’t tell’
A - demonstrates the impermanence of executive orders and how they reflect political ideology shifts between administrations

Question 10

(Intro sentence) Explain and analyse three ways that cultural theory can be applied to compare powers of a UK PM and a US president

Answer 10

cultural theory focuses on how shared beliefs, values and traditions influence political behaviour and decision making. It suggests that peoples actions are guided by the norms and ideas of the society they belong to

Question 11

(P1) Explain and analyse three ways that cultural theory can be applied to compare powers of a UK PM and a US president

Answer 11

P - In the UK, PM is viewed as “first among equals”, reflecting a political culture rooted parliamentary sovereignty and collective cabinet responsibility
E - The PM Is expected to work collaboratively with ministers and respect the party consensus
E - Mays leadership during Brexit was shaped bu the need to align the cabinet and parliament around a shared position, despite personal political challenges
P - US political culture celebrates individual leadership with the president seen as a symbolic figure in times of crisis
E - GWB after 9/11
A - helps explain why the PMs role is less about individual authority and more about collective decision making whilst the US political culture is a more individualistic view of leadership

Question 12

Explain and Analyse three ways that pork barrel legislation has influenced politics in the US (1)

Answer 12

P - shaped public perceptions of congress as wasteful and self-serving
E - involved members of congress securing federal funds for local projects to benefit their own district, often to boost re-election prospects rather than address national needs
E - Bridge to nowhere - Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska proposed $223 million in federal funds to build bridge to an island which homed a dozen people
A - Obama and McCain both citied this during the 2008 election as a sign of govt waste, public backlash led to 2011 congressional moratorium on earmarks

Question 13

explain and analyse three ways that pork barrel legislation has influenced politics in the US (2)

Answer 13

P - facilitates political bargaining and vote-trading within congress
E - legislators often exchange support for each others pet projects in order to build majorities for larger projects
E - The Big Dig in Boston was a massively over-budgeted and delayed highway project championed by Speaker Tip O’Neill who was representative for Boston
A - though the project did ultimately improve transport, it suffered from major engineering failures, corruption and cost overruns

Question 14

Explain and analyse three ways that pork barrel legislation has influenced politics in the US (3)

Answer 14

P - presidential resistance to pork barrel spending reveal tensions between congress and the executive over fiscal responsibility
E - presidents often view provisions as unnecessary expenditures that clutter or distort national legislation, leading to vetos or veto threats
E - GWB in 2007 vetoes the Water resources Development Act as he objected to more than 900 earmarks that he argued would lead to wasteful and unaccountable spending
A - can provoke institutional conflict and can influence inter-branch dynamics

Question 15

Explain and analyse three features of Iron Triangles in US politics (1)

Answer 15

Explain and analyse three features of Iron Triangles in US politics (1)

P - mutually beneficial relationship between congressional committees, IG and bureaucratic agencies
E - work together to pursue aligned goals, committees pass legislation that benefits agencies/industries, agencies enforce this law in ways favourable to IG and IG lobby Congress and fund campaigns to maintain this system
E - Lockheed Martin (largest defence contractors) donated over $2.5 million to political campaigns with significant sums going to members of the House Arms Service Committee. In return it received major defence contracts eg: F-35 fighter jet programme
A - these relationships can undermine democratic accountability as decisions may be driven more by political and economic interests than by strategic necessity

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Question 16

explain and analyse three features of Iron Triangles in US politics (2)

Answer 16

P - Can entrench existing policy and resist reform
E - when all 3 parts benefit their is little incentive for reform which slows progress and protects powerful industries from regulation
E - NRA maintains a strong Iron Triangle with members of congress (House and Senate Judiciary Committees) and govt agencies, and have been able to consistently block gun control reforms despite repeated mass shootings and public demand for stricter regulation
A - demonstrate how entrenched Iron Triangles can obstruct reform that benefit public health and safety

Question 17

explain and analyse three features of Iron Triangles in us politics (3)

Answer 17

P - can lead to regulatory capture (agency capture/clientelism)
E - when an agency meant to oversee an industry acts in the interests of that industry
E - the Federal Aviation Administration delegated safety assessments to Boeing which contributed to two fatal crashes and they admitted this was due to industry pressure and close ties
A - shows that regulatory capture can have deadly consequences and fail to protect the public

Question 18

Comparison Essay- “The FPTP electoral system is the most significant determinant of elections in both the US and the UK” arguments for

Answer 18

1. fptp encourages two-party dominance
2. fptp creates disproportional results
3. fptp encourages regional strongholds and tactical voting

Question 19

“The FPTP electoral system is the most significant determinant of elections in both the US and the UK” 1. fptp encourages two-party dominance

Answer 19

Social Sciences

Political Science
Comparison Essay- “The FPTP electoral system is the most significant determinant of elections in both the US and the UK”

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1. fptp encourages two-party dominance

• creates a strong incentive to vote for the two-major parties due tot the ‘wasted vote’ phenomenon
  UK - 2019 GE Cons won 56% of seats with 43.6% vote whilst libdem won just 11 seats with 11.5% vote
  US - 2022 Midterms - despite third parties standing, Reps and Dems won all 435 house seats

Question 20

Comparison Essay- “The FPTP electoral system is the most significant determinant of elections in both the US and the UK”
2. fptp creates disproportional results

Answer 20

• seats won often don’t reflect national vote share
  UK - 2015 GE UKIP received 12.6% vote but only 1 seat
  US - H.Clinton won 3 million more votes but Trump won

Question 21

“The FPTP electoral system is the most significant determinant of elections in both the US and the UK”3. fptp encourages regional strongholds and tactical voting

Answer 21

• leads to safe seats and discourages turnout in those areas
  UK - labours dominance in urban areas like Liverpool Walton where they won 75% of the vote in 2019
  US - Deep blue states like California and deep red Staes like Alabama, swing states like Pennslyvania dominate campaigns

Question 22

arguments against The FPTP electoral system is the most significant determinant of elections in both the US and the UK

Answer 22

4. leadership and party image influences more
5. issues and political context

Question 23

4. leadership and party image influences more The FPTP electoral system is the most significant determinant of elections in both the US and the UK”

Answer 23

shift electoral outcomes regardless of system
UK - Johnsons personal brand of “Get Brexit Done” slogan helped secure a large conservative majority in 2019
US - 2020 Bidens moderate image and Trumps polarisation helped secure a win, especially in swing states

Question 24

5. issues and political contest often drive results comparing fptp

Answer 24

national mood, economic issues or crises affect outcomes more than the electoral system
UK - 1997 labour landslide influenced by discontent with conservatives after recession and sleaze scandals
US - 2022 midterms, dems outperformed expectations due to backlash against Roe v Wade overturning and concerns about democracy and trumpism

Question 25

6. money, media and campaign strategy comparing fptp

Answer 25

6. money, media and campaign strategy - campaign finance and media coverage can decide results UK - social media campaigns and tabloid support eg: Suns "its the Sun Wot Won It" in 1997 US - 2020 Biden raised over $1 billion, outspending Trump in key battlegrounds such as Georgia and Arizona

Question 26

Analyse and explain 3 ways in which the SC influences US public policy (p1)

Answer 26

P - through judicial review the courts can strike down federal or state law that it deems unconstitutional E - Roe v Wade legalised abortion nation wide, overriding many state laws. This decision shaped reproductive rights for nearly 50 years until the Dobbs V Jackson ruling returned the power to regulate abortion to the states A - This gives unelected judges enormous influence over highly contested social issues, sometimes going against majority opinion or congressional intent which can lead to political controversy and polarisation

Question 27

Analyse and explain 3 ways in which the SC influences US public policy (p2)

Answer 27

P - Through interpretation of constitutional rights such as the Bill of Rights E - Obergefell v Hodges, the court ruled that same-sex marriage was a constitutional right under the 14th amendment, effectively legalising it across ass 50 states A - Demonstrates how the court can drive progressive policy even when legislative action is stalled, but it also raises democratic concerns, as significant shifts in public policy are made by unelected justice rather than elected representatives, prompting debates about judicial activism

Question 28

Analyse and explain 3 ways in which the SC influences US public policy (p3)

Answer 28

P - by setting legal preceding for lower courts and future cases which shapes the application of law E - Miranda v Arizona required police officers to inform suspects of their legal rights nationwide A - illustrates the courts capacity to institutionalise national standards of justice and civil liberties, directly affecting public policy. Critics argue that it can limit flexibility for states and can hinder local responses

Question 29

Analyse and explain 3 ways the appointment process affects the composition of the SC (P1)

Answer 29

P - Presidents nominate justices who typically reflect their own ideological views, which can shape the overall balance fo the courts for decades E - Trump was able to appoint 3 justices - Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Barrett, shifting the composition of the SC to be more conservative A - this is significant as it led to decisions such as the Dobbs Ruling, and it shows that the appointment process is a powerful tool for embedding long-term political ideology into the judiciary. Whilst the president has significant influence, this can be limited by the Senates power to confirm/reject nominees which can constrain extreme ideological choices

Question 30

Analyse and explain 3 ways the appointment process affects the composition of the SC (p2)

Answer 30

P - senate confirmation filters candidates E - The senate judiciary committee holds hearings and votes to confirm or reject nominees, this can act as a political filter eg: Merrick Garland, nominated by Obama, was denied a hearing by a republican-led senate A - this shows that senate control can be more influential than the president in shaping the courts composition, turning the process into a partisan battleground R

Question 31

Analyse and explain 3 ways the appointment process affects the composition of the SC(p3)

Answer 31

P - lifetime tenure raises the stakes of each appointment E - each justice serves for life, so each appointment has long-term implications, eg: Clarance Thomas appointed in 1991 still has a key conservative voice over 30 years later A - this amplifies the political pressure during appointments and can lead to highly contentious nomination battles, especially when the balance of the court is at stake

Question 32

Analyse and explain 3 ways the SC exercises its power of judicial review (p1)

Answer 32

P - striking down acts of congress as unconstitutional E - allows the court to limit legislative power and ensure laws comply with the constitution eg: US v Windsor ruled the defence of marriage act was unlawful and that same-sex marriages should be recognised on the same level as heterosexual marriages A - This demonstrates the courts ability to check congress through judicial review, but such rulings are rare and congress can sometimes rewrite legislation to pass constitutional scrutiny

Question 33

Analyse and explain 3 ways the SC exercises its power of judicial review (p2)

Answer 33

P - overturning executive actions by invalidating them and declaring them unconstitutional E - Trump v Vance ruled that presidents don't enjoy absolute immunity from state criminal subpoenas A While this shows the courts acting as a check, the executive can often try alternative routes to achieve similar goals, meaning judicial review may delay but not always prevent policy outcomes

Question 34

Analyse and explain 3 ways the SC exercises its power of judicial review (p3)

Question 35

Comparison essay - power is evenly distributed in both the US and UK constitutions arguments fo

Answer 35

1. checks and balances in the US/Parliamentary oversight in UK 2. Judiciaries in both systems exercise significant power

Question 36

Comparison essay - power is evenly distributed in both the US and UK constitutions 1. checks and balances in the US/Parliamentary oversight in UK

Answer 36

UK - Parliamentary committees and ministerial accountability provide scrutiny eg: Johnsons 2022 resignation after pressure from Cabinet and Parliament US - Seperation of powers ensures each branch checks the other eg: Bidens student loan forgiveness plan struck down by the SC in 2023 shows judicial check on the executive

Question 37

Comparison essay - power is evenly distributed in both the US and UK constitutions 2. Judiciaries in both systems exercise significant power

Answer 37

UK - Judicial review has grown post-HRA 1998, courts can issue declarations of incompatibility eg: 2019 Miller 2 case ruled that Johnsons proroguing of parliament was unlawful US - SC interprets the constitution and has overturned laws (Marbury v Madison sets precedent)

Question 38

Comparison essay - power is evenly distributed in both the US and UK constitutions arguments against

Answer 38

arguments against 3. UK executive dominance vs US separation of powers 4. federalism in the US vs Unitary

Question 39

Comparison essay - power is evenly distributed in both the US and UK constitutions 3. UK executive dominance vs US separation of powers

Answer 39

UK - fusion of powers allows executive dominance when there's a strong majority eg: Blair suffered no defeats in 7 years US - gridlock is common due to divided government eg: Debt ceiling crisis 2023 - Biden administration had to negotiate with Republican-controlled house, Congress only pass 2% of bills which thwarts the presidents wishes

Question 40

Comparison essay - power is evenly distributed in both the US and UK constitutions Uk 4. federalism in the US vs Unitary statin the UK

Answer 40

UK - devolution is not constitutionally entrenched, parliament retains sovereignty eg: UK internal market act 2020 overrode parts of devolved competencies, demonstrating central control US - states have constitutionally protected powers (10th Amendment) eg: Abortion laws post Dobbs v Jackson varied by state showing distributed power

Question 41

Comparison essay - power is evenly distributed in both the US and UK constitutions 5. codified constitution in US limits government more effectively

Answer 41

UK - constitution can be changed by simple majority eg: 2011 FTPA introduced and repealed easily, shows lack of entrenched powers US - Difficult amendment process and written constitutional protect balance eg: 27th amendment process took over 200 years which shows how hard structural change is

Question 42

Explain and analyse 3 ways the committee system may be significant in congress para 1

Answer 42

P- one way that committed cam be significant is due to their advice and consent powers E- This allows them to oversee any appointments made by the president and they can ratify treaties E- for example Brett kavanaugh was appointed due to a majority in the senate even though it was very close 52-48, also Merrick garland was refused to be a judge in senate due to it being to close to election for Obama so Neil gorsuch chosen instead A- However this can be said to be politicised e.g. Harriett myers pulled out of senate appointment process by g bush for not being conservative enough

Question 43

Explain and analyse 3 ways the committee system may be significant in congress para 2

Answer 43

P- play a huge first and most decisive part in the legislative process E- 10,000 bills introduced each year but 90% are rejected in committee stage, they have power to reject and rewright bills E- ensure scrutiny e.g. agricultural bills would go to agricultural committee and money to the ways and means A- But this rejection of bills can sometimes lead to govt shutdown for example Obama budget rejected by WOM in 2016 almost leading to shutdown but can be good intended of founding fathers for scrutiny

Question 44

Explain and analyse 3 ways the committee system may be significant in congress para 3?

Answer 44

P- They can hold investigations E- investigate Hugh profile or specific issues and can influence public opinion E- investigated water gate, impeachment inquiries and Iran contra etc A- This shows extreme significant because it shows that they have teeth due to their subpeona powers meaning people have to attend or there may be reprocussions e.g. mark zuk had to attend American or could go to jail,where as he was able to skip the UK inquiry