US Government

Question 1

What amendment was repealed?

Answer 1

18th amendment - Prohibition

Question 2

Name an example of an interpretive amendment through judicial review

Answer 2

Roe v. Wade 1973 legalised abortion

Question 3

What is needed to approve an amendment

Answer 3

2/3 approval in proposal, as well as 3/4 of states in ratification

Question 4

Name an example of ‘dead-hand control’ in the constitution

Answer 4

2nd Amendment - guns - have become more advanced

Question 5

Name 3 examples of hyperpartisanship affecting the effectiveness of checks and balances

Answer 5

Gridlock (2018 federal gov. shutdown over wall funding)

Ketanji Brown Jackson poorly treated

Trump 2020 impeachment trial for obstruction of Congress was nearly fully along party lines

Question 6

Name a modern case that questions whether original intent can be applied to modern day issues

Answer 6

Carpenter v. US (2018) - searching phone records violates 4th Amendment

Question 7

Name 3 examples of federal government weakening state powers

Answer 7

Obama medicaid: states forced to participate or lose funding

Education ‘race to the top’

Increased international role

Question 8

Name 2 examples of federalism not being eroded

Answer 8

Varied state response to COVID

SC ruled if a state chooses not to participate in the Medicaid expansion, the federal government
cannot take away existing Medicaid funds.

Question 9

Name an example of ratification of an international treaty and ratification being rejected

Answer 9

Ratification: 2010 New START treaty with Russia

Rejection: UN 2012 Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities rejected, Treaty of Versailles

Question 10

Name an example of Congress using their power of investigation

Answer 10

In January 2021 the House Committee on Oversight and Reform requested information regarding the purchase of $70 million worth of potentially ineffective ventilators, to investigate potential fraud

Question 11

Name an example of a supreme court nomination being confirmed, and one being rejected

Answer 11

Confirmed: Amy Coney Barratt

Rejected: Merrick Garland

Question 12

Name an example showing that Congress’ power of impeachment isn’t effective

Answer 12

Trump impeached twice but not removed or disqualified from running from office again, popularity peaked after 1st impeachment

Usually along party lines

Question 13

What % of bills introduced were actually inacted in the 2017-18 period, and what does this say about the legislative process?

Answer 13

3.3%

Shows there is a ‘legislative labryinth’ - very complex

Question 14

Name 2 examples of filibusters

Answer 14

June 2016: two senators spoke for 15hrs to press for tighter gun control

Republicans prevented 2021 Freedom to Vote act from getting to floor for debate

Question 15

Name an example of a President signing bills into law

Answer 15

Obama Affordable Care Act

Question 16

Name an example of a Pres. veto being rejected

Answer 16

Obama - Justice against sponsors of terrorism act

Question 17

Name an example of emergency powers being used by president to bypass power of the purse

Answer 17

trump declared emergency for mexico wall

Question 18

Name a recent act passed that shows a decrease in partisanship in times of crisis

Answer 18

COVID CARES act - financial stimulus

Question 19

Name 2 examples of caucuses in Congress

Answer 19

Problem solvers’ caucus - set up to promote bipartisanship

House Freedom caucus - tea-party movement, very right wing

Question 20

Name an example of pork-barrel politics

Answer 20

2015 aid bill to help with Hurricane Sandy gave aid to Alaska, depsite hitting the East coast

Question 21

How many amendments have been proposed, and how many have been enacted?

Answer 21

Over 11000 proposed, 27 enacted

Question 22

Where are enumerated Presidential powers granted?

Answer 22

In Article 2 of the constitution

Question 23

Name 3 examples of Congress checking Presidential power

Answer 23

Rejecting treaties - UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons 2012

Obama nomination of Garland to SC rejected

Obama veto overriden

Question 24

How many vetoes did Obama use, and which one was overridden and when?

Answer 24

12, Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act 2016

Question 25

What did Biden sending troops to the Ukrainian border show? (2)

Answer 25

Commander-in-chief Executive departments working to achieve President’s objective (department of Defence)

Question 26

Name a person Trump pardoned, and when

Answer 26

2021 - pardoned former advisor Steve Bannon who was charged with fundraising fraud

Question 27

Name an example of Biden using his informal powers

Answer 27

Attending G7 in Cornwall - world leader Speech on anniversary of Capitol riots - setting agenda

Question 28

Name an example of an executive order that was overriden, and who created and overrode it

Answer 28

Paris Agreement: Obama/Trump

Question 29

Name an example of divided government making it harder for the President to pass legislation

Answer 29

Obama after sandy hook - assault weapons ban failed to pass

Question 30

Name an example of Congress exercising it’s power of the purse, and what this led to

Answer 30

Withheld emergency funding for Trump’s wall, led to gov. shutdown

Question 31

Name an example of Obama’s power waxing and then waning (3)

Answer 31

In 2010 passed Affordable Care Act Resorted to executive orders e.g Libya in last 2 terms Merrick Garland nomination rejected

Question 32

What act limits the President’s power as commander-in-chief, increasing the imperilled presidency theory?

Answer 32

War Powers Act 1973

Question 33

Give 2 examples of the President interacting with other institutions

Answer 33

Obama: increased no. of federal employees by 8% Trump: disbanded Pandemic response office in 2018

Question 34

Name an example of a recent SC ruling, influenced by the current 6:3 conservative:liberal balance

Answer 34

2022 ruling rejected new Wisconson districts, preventing reform of gerrymandering

Question 35

Name an amendment that has overruled an SC case, and the case it overruled

Answer 35

26th Amendment - overruled Oregon v. Mitchell which ruled Congress couldn’t lower voting age for state and local elections

Question 36

Name an example of SC acting as guardian of constitution, and which case established this

Answer 36

Clinton v. New York said that it was unconstitutional for a President to veto parts of bills. Marbury v. Madison 1803

Question 37

Name 3 examples of the SC acting as a guardian of citizens’ rights, their date, and which amendment they all violated

Answer 37

Obergefell v. Hodges 2015 Brown v. Board 1954 Roe v. Wade 1973 14th Amendment

Question 38

Name a case where the SC has protected 1st Amendment rights, and what this was

Answer 38

Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores 2014, Freedom of religion, abortion healthcare

Question 39

Name a ruling where the SC has protected the 2nd amendment rights and what this involved

Answer 39

District of Colombia v. Heller, is it constitutional to ban certain guns in the home, no as it violates 2nd amendment

Question 40

Name 4 examples of the Court becoming increasingly politicised

Answer 40

Quasi-legislative effect e.g Roe v. Wade Rule on key election issues e.g abortion, civil rights, gun control Bush v. Gore: court decided election Nomination + confirmation is v. partisan e.g Amy Coney Barratt

Question 41

Name 3 examples of the US SC being less politicised

Answer 41

Cannot be a member of a party Judges shift lean e.g Roberts and June Medical Services v. Russo (found a law restricting abortions was unconstitutional) Rulings not approved by another branch (e.g in contrast to Congress)

Question 42

Name an example of a judge avoiding impeachment

Answer 42

Abe Fortas resigned in 1969 after threats of impeachment due to financial misconduct

Question 43

Name an example of other branches impacting the influence of SC rulings

Answer 43

‘Chipping away’ at Roe v. Wade: Gonzalez v. Carhart 2007 - upheld ban on late stage abortion

Question 44

What did Planned Parenthood v. Casey 1992 rule?

Answer 44

States could regulate abortion in early stages, so long as it wasn’t an ‘undue burden’

Question 45

What did Whole Women’s Health v. Hellerstedt (2016) rule?

Answer 45

Delcared 2 Texas laws restricting abortion access unconstitutional

Question 46

How has Roe v. Wade been ‘chipped away’ under Trump’s conservative court?

Answer 46

Roe V Wade Overturned in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organisation

Question 47

Name an example of Congress using its Investigation power of during oversight

Answer 47

Jan 2021 investigation into fraudulent COVID@19 ventilator purchses

Question 48

Name an example of Congress using its Confirmation power of during oversight

Answer 48

2020 approved Amy Coney Barratt, 2016 rejected Merrick Garland

Question 49

Name an example of Congress using its Impeachment power of during oversight

Answer 49

2020 + 2021 Trump

Question 50

Name an example of Congress using its Ratification power of during oversight

Answer 50

2012 Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities not ratified