Assignment
You should answer all three topic questions. Remember to follow the Guidelines for Discussion Participation. Responses should be thorough and address all aspects of the topic.
1. How are Supreme Court decisions influenced by the president's selection criteria, nomination process, and the backgrounds of individuals nominated to become justices on the Court. Illustrate your response with one or more examples of Supreme Court justices.
2. There are two parts to this topic. Respond to both a and b. (a) The doctrines of Judicial Restraint and Judicial Activism are discussed on pages 536-540 of Government in America. What do these doctrines mean? (b) On page 536, the Supreme Court decision in Bush v. Gore that ended the vote count in the 2000 presidential election is discussed. Do you think the Court's role in this case was one of judicial restraint or activism? Do you think the Court made the right decision? Explain your responses based on the facts of the case and the Court's ruling, not on who you think should have won the election.
3. In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling on the constitutionality of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Explain the decision and the rationale given by the majority of the Court for upholding the individual mandate provision of the Act.
What other important decision was made concerning the Act? (hint: it relates to Medicaid) How has this affected implementation of the ACA in the states?
Do you think these decisions promote the expansion of powers of the federal government or do they constrain its powers? Justify your view.