Politics of the United States Questions

After a group of Des Moines students wore armband in support of protesting a truce to the Vietnam War, they were asked to remove the armbands and if they wore them again would be sent home and would be suspended. After the protest ended, the students with the help of their parents sued the school for violating the students' right of expression.A prohibition against public school students wearing black armbands in school to protest the Vietnam War violated the students' freedom of speech protections in the First Amendment.

After receiving classified information from the Defense Department regarding the history of the Vietnam War, the United States along with President Nixon attempted to hinder the Washington Post and New York Times from publishing the information by arguing its affect upon national security.This case bolstered the freedom of the press protections of the First Amendment, establishing a "heavy presumption against prior restraint" in cases involving national security. The government didn't overcome the prior restraint of the press.

After authorizing a short voluntary prayer for recitation at the start of each school day, the New York Board of Regents was challenged by a group of organizations that claimed it violated the First Amendment.School sponsorship of religious activities violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

After being robbed and feeling threatened in his own neighborhood, Otis McDonald sought to buy a handgun in the state of Chicago to enact his Second Amendment right to own and bear arms however due to Chicago's handgun ban, he couldn't legally own a handgun. He and three other Chicago residents argued that this violated their Second Amendment rights which should apply to states because of its incorporation in the Fourteenth Amendment.The Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms for self-defense is applicable to the states.

A cashier at the Second Bank of the United States, James W. McCulloch, refused to pay the legislation tax imposed on the bank by the state of Maryland.In deciding this case about a national bank and state taxes, the court established supremacy of the U.S. Constitution and federal laws over state laws. Maryland couldn’t impose tax on the bank because the Constitution did not specify that the federal government could charter a bank.

Charles W. Baker and several other Tennessee citizens challenged a 1901 law designed to apportion the seats for the state’s General Assembly and said it was virtually ignored. They also argued how the reapportionment ignored population and economic shifts within the state.This case held that redistricting did not raise political questions, allowing federal courts to hear other cases that challenge redistricting plans that may violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Several groups of parents who were members of the Old Order Amish religion, refused to send their children to school because they claimed it violated their religious beliefs however it also violated Wisconsin's law that required all children to attend public school until age 16.Compelling Amish students to attend school past the eighth grade violates the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.

After creating a congressional reapportionment plan that created two black-majority districts, some North Carolina residents argued against North Carolina saying the unusually shaped 2nd black majority district was made just for the purpose to secure the election of black representatives. Once the district courts ruled that the residents failed to raise a constitutional claim, the residents appealed the case to the Supreme Court.Under the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause, majority-minority districts, created under the Voting Rights Act of 1965, may be constitutionally challenged by voters if race is the only factor used in creating the district

Alfonzo Lopez carried a firearm onto his high school premise and was charged by federal agents for violating the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990. The court ruled upon whether the 1990 Gun-Free School Zones Act was unconstitutional and exceeded the powers of Congress to legislate under the Commerce Clause.Congress exceeded its power under the Commerce Clause when it made possession of a gun in a school zone a federal crime.

After William Marbury was appointed as a judge by John Adams before he left office, he was approved by the Senate but never received his commission. Marbury petitioned the Supreme Court to compel the new Secretary of State, James Madison, to deliver the documents. The Court found that Madison's refusal to deliver the commission was illegal, but did not order Madison to hand over Marbury's commission via writ of mandamus because they didn't have the power until judicial review was established. .In deciding this case about judicial appointments, the court established the principle of judicial review, empowering the Supreme Court to declare an act of the legislative or executive branch unconstitutional.

The Federal Election Campaign Act prohibits corporations from using funds to make electioneering campaigns for federal candidates, therefore, when Citizens United wanted to release a movie about Hillary Clinton during her campaign for President they thought the act would prohibit them from doing so. They sought an injunction relief against the Act.Political spending by corporations, associations, and labor unions is a form of protected speech under the First Amendment.

Charles Schenck was involved in the distribution of leaflets that declared the WWI draft violated the 13th Amendment and encouraged the public to disobey the draft and the US argued that he violate the Espionage Act of 1917. The Court ruled that speech creating a "clear and present danger" was not protected by the First Amendment and could be limited.

The Speaker's principal partisan ally is the _______ _______—a job that has been the main stepping-stone to becoming Speaker. They are elected by their party and is responsible for scheduling bills and rounding up votes on behalf of the party's position on legislation.

Working with the majority leader are the party's __________, whose job it is to convey the party's position to rank-and-file congresspersons. They count votes before they are cast and lean on any waverers whose votes are crucial to the passage of a bill. They also report the views and complaints of the party rank and file back to the House leadership.

The Speaker of the House: - ___________ over the House when it is in session- Plays a major role in making ______________ assignments (which are coveted by all members to ensure their reelection)- Appoints or plays a key role in appointing the party's _______ _______ and ________-- Exercises substantial control over assigning ________ to committees

________ committees exist in a few policy areas, such as the economy and taxation, and draw their membership from both the Senate and the House

The minority party is also organized, poised to take over the Speakership and other key posts if it should win a majority in the House. It has a _______ ________ as well as party whips, who operate much like their counterparts in the majority party.

_______ committees may be temporary or permanent and usually have a specific focus

The Speaker of the House is second in line after the ________ __________.

They are somewhat like interest groups but with a difference: their members are members of Congress, not petitioners to Congress on the outside looking in. Thus __________ —interest groups within Congress—are nicely situated to pack more punch