Modern Studies - USA

• USA voting analysis


  However, not everyone is represented fairly as not everyone is able to vote. Due to felony disenfranchisement laws – many Americans, in particular, Black Americans have the right to vote taken away from them, which leads to voter suppression
• USA joining a political party explain

  They have the opportunity to vote in primary elections - which selects the presidential candidates they can go to conventions which can influence policy making and donate directly to benefit one party and get more votes
• USA joining a political party analysis

  Membership doesn't always equal votes. The Dems have the biggest membership but haven't always been in power. Not everyone has the ability to donate due to financial issues but also not everyone identifies with the 2 party system - so it seems pointless
• USA joining a political party example

  There are 43.7 million dems but the republicans as of 2023 control the senate
• USA standing as a candidate analysis

  However, to stand as a candidate you need a lot of money or support from businesses who may want something in return or who support your policies, this limits who can stand as many people of colour and women who don't have the connections or the finances to do so as only 20% of all donations come from everyday Americans
• USA protesting explain


  This allows those who feel strongly about an issue they want to change to show the government, the media and the rest of the public how they feel out while election times. Protests allow people to participate without needing ID which means more people are able to do so, the more people that protest about an issue the more influential it can be
• USA protesting analysis


  Sometimes protests can turn violent which means that the issue is not taken as serious. Also, unless there is a large number of people and media presence then they are less likely to be effective in making changes as it can be easier for the government to ignore the issue as they face less pressure from the public
• USA example protesting


  Protestors march in Minneapolis on March 7,2021. Approximately a thousand protestors outside a downtown Minneapolis courthouse as Chauvin's trial commenced on March 8, 2021, to call for justice for Floyd and raise broader issues of racial injustice
• HOME explain


  This was introduced to help tackle housing inequality by aiming to provide decent and affordable housing, particularly housing for low and very low income Americans and does this by expanding the supply of decent and affordable housing in the US
• Obamacare example


  For example, the number of Uninsured people after Obamacare was introduced steadily decline each year and a 2024 KEF survey found that 3 in 10 people say it has made it easier for them to get insurance now
• ARRA example


  For example, since the act, hundreds of thousands of jobs have been created and the country has come out of recession, benefitting the poorest Americans, who are Black or Hispanic.
• HOME example


  The HOME program has provided over 415,000 low income families in the past 31 years
• Obamacare analysis


  However, republicans are looking to repeal Obamacare and make changes in Trump's new administration and it is estimated that 22 million would lose medical insurance if Obamacare were to be repealed. 
• ERRA analysis


  As well as this following the act the unemployment rates for Blacks and Hispanics have fallen dramatically since ARRA was enacted demonstrating the government response for income inequality was effective. For example, in 2014, African American unemployment was as higher as 10.5% by October 2018 this had fallen to 6.8%
• HOME analysis


  Although the Federal Government Body Housing and Urban Development provides 75% of the finance for the programme, while states have to make up the other 25% which some states may struggle to do
• Education inequality explain pt.2

  This overall means that young people who come from poorer areas don’t get as good as education, effecting the Black and Hispanic families most as these minorities are more likely to live in poorer areas
• Education inequality example

  Most educational funding comes from state and local governments with only 10% of funding coming from the federal government.
• Education inequality analysis

  Therefore, children brought up in poorer areas are less likely to value education or go to school which is why their education is not as good as it should be leading them to a poorer lifestyle. This becomes a constant cycle
• Health inequality explain


  In the US national health care is limited as you have to pay for health insurance but there are some programmes to provide limited healthcare to older, such as Medicare, and poorer individuals, such as Medicaid. However, most have to pay for their own health care through private medical insurance such as through their employer. With this though Black and Hispanics are more likely to not have private medical insurance as they are more likely to have lower incomes or be unemployed and are more likely to depend on Medicaid or be uninsured.
• Health inequality example


  21% of Backs and 42% of Hispanics were uninsured compared to only 13% of Whites and 14% of Asians.
• Health inequality analysis


  Those in lower pay jobs, such as Black and Hispanics, might not be able to afford healthcare, which means their health might suffer and they will not get treatments or put off treatment to avoid going into medical debt. Those who can’t afford to pay their medical debt end up going bankrupt which means people lose their assets to pay off their debt such as their homes which leaves them homeless or living in extreme poverty as they cannot afford their basic needs.
• Health inequality link


  This shows that mainly Black and Hispanics are most likely to suffer from health inequalities as they either have to rely on healthcare programmes, be uninsured or be in medical debt due to them usually be the ones who are in lower paid jobs or be unemployed
• Housing inequality explain


  Many Americans live in run-down inner city areas or ghettos. Ghetto housing areas are affected by crime, gangs, poor schools and a lack of shops and facilities. A great percentage that live in these poorer areas are ethnic minorities as they were born there and are more likely to remain poor in adult life due to their education facilities and their incomes.
• Housing inequality example


  The rate of home ownership in the United States in 2022 by Blacks was 45%. Compared to 74.4% of Whites.
• Housing inequality analysis


  Therefore, those who have higher paying jobs are more likely to be in wealthier neighbourhoods who are then more likely to have good education attainment and live a rich lifestyle in a wealthy home. These are usually Whites as they are brought up in richer areas and Blacks are most likely to be in a cycle of poverty due to their lack of these things.
• Criminal justice explain

  If an individual in the US is poor an especially is there are apart of an ethnic minority, they are more likely to be a victim of a crime, commit a crime, be arrested of a crime etc. In the US racial disparities have been seen throughout the criminal justice system from routine police stops to imprisonment. There has been clear disparity when ethnic origin is considered.
• Criminal justice example


  In 2022, Blacks made up roughly 13% of the population but about 40% of the prison population.
• Criminal justice analysis


  However, this can be due to poverty as the police are more likely to patrol areas of deprivation as crimes are more suspected in these areas than those in crime areas which is where most ethnic minorities live.
• Criminal justice link

  This shows police are more likely to arrest ethnic minorities as police are usually around poorer areas where they live, and can arrest them for the smallest thing where as Whites are more likely to get away with crimes more easily as police aren’t around wealthier areas as much raising the inequality for ethnic minorities.
• Power of appointment explain & analysis


  The president can appoint members to his own cabinet and the supreme court. This means that they can choose people who may be sympathetic to their causes or issues.

  However, the Senate's advice and consent are required for appointment. This is a significant limit to presidential power as he can find it difficult to make the appointment he wishes to make.
• Commander in chief explain & analysis

  The president is the highest military officer in the US, with control of the entire military establishment. The president can also order the use of troops overseas and can make treaties with other nations but most importantly; the president is responsible for the internal security of the nation.

  However, this presidential power is limited by Congress as only they have the power to declare war with other countries, limiting the president's power if he wishes to intervene in conflicts.
• Proposes bills to congress explain & analysis

  POTUS uses the annual states of union address to expand the legislative role of the presidency. The president suggests laws to Congress and outlines important issues.

  However, the president doesn’t have the power to set laws into motion. The president needs Congress to achieve this, however if it is the opposite party it can make it incredibly more difficult as they will try to make the president look bad to make their party look better.
• Power of veto explain & analysis

  If the president agrees with the Bill, they will sign it and it will become a law. However, if the president doesn’t approve of the Bill he can use his veto. He can return the Bill back to Congress, unsigned, with reasons on why he vetoed it.

  Congress can overturn a presidential veto by ⅔ majority vote in both houses. This, however, is very hard to achieve as both houses are opposition politically opposed to the president, so it is higher unrealistic.
• Executive orders explain & analysis

  The president can bypass congress in certain circumstances but issuing an executive order, which has the power of a law but congress does not need to pass it.

  However, this power is limited by the supreme court. It doesn’t need approval from congress but the supreme court can declare them unconstitutional.
• Power of appointment example

  Joe Biden nominated Ketanji Brown Jackson in the Supreme court in Feb 2022 and the senate confirmed and approved her nomination in April 2022.
• Commander in chief example

  Joe Biden made the decision to pull out the US army out of Afghanistan on April 21 2021 and they were out by September 2021.
• Power of veto example

  Trump vetoed the iron wars powo resolution bill on May 6 2020 and sustained the veto on May 7 2020.
• Executive orders example

  Joe Biden has issued 127 executive orders between 2021 to 2023.
• Power of appointment link

  In theory, the Senate should check the power of the president but in reality if the Senate majority is the same party as the president they are less likely to check his efficiency.
• Commander in chief link

  In theory, Congress should have more power but in reality they don’t as the president can still take part in conflicts without declaring war.