Session 4 - Politics and Institutions PDF

POLITICS AND INSTITUTIONS Session 4 S. Gueldry-Chenot  I- FOUNDING DOCUMENTS a) The Constitution Politics and Institutions 1/2 b) The Bill of Rights II- BRANCHES O...

POLITICS AND INSTITUTIONS Session 4 S. Gueldry-Chenot  I- FOUNDING DOCUMENTS a) The Constitution Politics and Institutions 1/2 b) The Bill of Rights II- BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT a) The Legislative Branch: Congress  II- BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT a) The Legislative Branch: Congress Politics and Institutions 2/2 b) The Executive Branch: Presidency c) The Judicial Branch: Supreme Court BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT  II- THE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT a) The Legislative Branch: Congress  Bicameral: two chambers  House of Representatives + Senate L1LAANCI Politics and Institutions 5  POWERS OF CONGRESS CONGRESS SENATE: ADDITIONAL POWERS REPRESENTATION Vote laws Senate: represents the Regulate Confirms Union (2 Senators for presidential each State = 100). commerce Coin money nominations House of Representatives: Vote taxes Ratifies represents the people (435 representatives). Create, eliminate treaties made and fund by the Departments Representative of US Declare war President population ? abroad L1LAANC Institutions and Politics 6 I REPRESENTATION: CHALLENGES - Age L1LAANC Institutions and Politics 7 I  REPRESENTATION: CHALLENGES - Race L1LAANCI Institutions and Politics 8 REPRESENTATION: CHALLENGES - Gender L1LAANC Institutions and Politics 9 I  ELECTIONS TO CONGRESS Representatives: elected for 2 years Senators: elected for 6 years Seats: up for reelection every two years (all of the Representatives’ and one third of the Senators’) Extremely high reelection rate 95% Reality: Congress is hardly ever renewed L1LAANCI Institutions and Politics 10  HIGH REELECTION RATE: WHY?  Financing of politics: corporations and special interests  No limits to the times you can be reelected  Midterms: low turnout L1LAANC Institutions and Politics 13 I  Consequenc President: e: can no Ex: student COALITION no majority in Congress longer count on Congress loan debt  CHECKS AND BALANCES L1LAANC Politics and Institutions 15 I  CHECKS AND BALANCES L1LAANC Politics and Institutions 16 I BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT - THE EXECUTIVE b) The Executive Branch – the Presidency POWERS Chief of the executive Leader of her party Head of the nation Represents the US abroad Commander-in-chief of all armies Power of veto over legislation Nominates all federal judges and high executive officers Elected for 4 years – max 2 terms L1LAANC Politics and Institutions 18 I STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS Before Congress  Each January  Outlines country’s policy L1LAANCI Politics and Institutions 19 THE EXECUTIVE: how does it work? THE VICE-PRESIDENT THE PRESIDENT THE CABINET THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE THE FEDERAL AGENCIES  THE EXECUTIVE THE VICE- PRESIDENT THE CABINET THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE FEDERAL AGENCIES Kamala Harris Heads of the 15 Groups of experts Members: appointed Departments by the President L1LAANC Institutions and Politics 21 I  R E C A P L1LAANC Institutions and Politics 22 I BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT - THE JUDICIARY  THE SUPREME COURT L1LAANC Institutions and Politics 24 I  THE SUPREME COURT Highest court in the land Last court of appeals Final interpreter of the Constitution Examines between 90 to 200 cases every year L1LAANCI Institutions and Politics 25  A CONSERVATIVE SCOTUS Only 9 judges called justices Nominated by the President and approved by the Senate For life Token representation L1LAANC Politics and Institutions 26 I  1896: Plessy v. Ferguson 1954: Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka 1973: Roe v. Wade LANDMAR 2003: Ewing v. California 2003: Lawrence v. Texas K CASES 2015: Obergefell v. Hodges 2020: Bostock v. Clayton County 2022: Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization L1LAANCI Institutions and Politics 27 HOMEWORK Syllabus: p.21 + p.23 + p.26