Unit 4 Extra Credit - JD Sanderson

Stalemate

The concept of gridlock has existed since the country began and is a result of the legislative system. Gridlock cannot be avoided just by having the same party in every seat. Inter-party politics and differing views would still contribute to the phenomenon. The polarization of the parties have also contributed to gridlock by presenting less chance for compromise within legislative debilitations. The larger the moderate section is, the more policy gets considered and moved through. Gridlock occurs between the two houses as well. The House and Senate will not always have the same agenda and, as bills need to pass both houses before being signed, many times bills will be kept in limbo while neither side can agree on compromises. Gridlock can also be used as a tool for some legislators when a bill passing or not passing could present a win either way. Overall, gridlock is mostly a result of politicians with different agendas being elected and having to work together, with little able to be done within the existing system to fix the problem.

The Imperial Presidency

Several presidents, such as Nixon, have tried to extend the Constitutional powers of the Oval Office into areas where they have no real business being. The main regent credited for this change is the “need” for more power and quicker possibility of action during times of foreign crisis. The roots of the problem are able to be seen with FDR’s New Deal and the economic powers it granted the government, setting a precedent of available powers in times of crisis. The decline of party importance is also stated as having made the office appear more as a beacon to the country as it was one place where the structure of the past was still seen. One example of the massive amount of power held by the president being a good thing is the Cuban Missile Crisis. Kennedy has the power to make a decision and carry it out quickly enough to diffuse the situation. However, this power also allowed presidents to shape the administration to how they envisioned it. Nison used it to install a large system of secrecy into the White House and keep major decisions away from the public eye, as well as from many people in the government. Eventually, Nixon stretched his powers too far, resulting in the Watergate scandal causing his resignation. There is also a trend of a 50 year cycle of corruption and public outcry seen in the presidency.

Pursuit of Justice

The president has a significant power in the ability to nominate the Supreme Court justices, provided the Senate confirms them. Many appointees are chosen according to similar political interests with the president, but he also has to consider party politics and what the appointment will do to his own political career. The New Deal and other political events caused a change in the Court’s role and structure. The growth of the Justice Department caused it to have more power within the government, with higher offices having more input into the nominations. The White House staff also grew, putting more people, and thus influences, closer to the president and giving the White House more power in the grand scheme. The president also has more power over appointments to federal courts, as the number of them has grown radically as Congress has had to deal with more issues. The president is able to have more judges with views, as well as being able to “screen” potential justices with lower appointments. The president has to consider the public opinion though. The nomination process has become much more public, with less chance for deliberation to take place and more attention on who the president is going to choose. The American Bar Association has also gained a more prominent role in the nomination process, although it does depend on who is in power at the time. They can “rate” a nominee, which affects the decision to approve the nominee, as well as how the public will perceive the nominee. As always, interest groups also have a large role in the process. They have the resources to run campaigns for or against nominees, as well as having the control of legislators who rely on them for reelection. The media plays a part by digging into nominees’ pasts and shaping public opinion. It has also become easier to find nominees’ past legal actions, opinions, and decisions through software developed for the purpose. The Court has steadily grown in influence due to its reputation of mainly dealing with rights and controversial issues. This causes nominations to garner large amounts of attention due to the potential power the justice could have.

Put this on my test, please.