NBC ARTICLE QUESTIONS

Josh Rowzee

1. I believe that a consensus is a general agreement between the Democrats and Republicans. Well after Scalia had passed away they have an open seat in the Supreme Court and Republicans don’t want Obama to have it because the Senate is basically filled with Republican minded people. Since Obama term is almost over in his last 17 days in office he become apart of the Supreme Court. Also I don’t think the idea of consensus it really coming to matter because they would want somebody who was actually president because they have more experience in what should matter inside the world.
2. I feel that Obama doesn’t really want to go to the Supreme Court because when he had first started his presidency he had all black hair now he has gray hair. I think all this politics is stressing him out more and so I think that he shouldn’t really go for the Supreme Court. Also if he wants to become the next supreme court he would have to appoint a new democrat before when his term is over January 20th 2017
3. A “lame duck” is a president who really just signs anything because his term is almost over and he really doesn’t have any more power after this. Once Obama is getting close to being over like once the election hits he would probably be having more of an happier smile or maybe even an mad because he knows that he won’t have any more power. Like I believe that Obama will start signing more laws because he want’s America that he will still care about America after his term. I think In Congress will probably agree more with Obama because he was the first African American President.

Kawveh Alagheband

AP Government and Politics

Mrs. Gordon

2/22/2016

Obama and the Supreme Court

1.  A consensus is a position or agreement came to between the President and Senate. If a Republican candidate is elected, the Democrats would then have control over two branches of government, and they would also have a little over two weeks with control of both Senate and President. That is a time when they would be able to push through the candidate of Obama's choosing. Presently, the President and the Senate cannot come into agreement because the Republicans have the Senate and Obama is a Democrat; they can't come to a consensus. During those two weeks in January, Obama and the Senate would easily have a consensus because of similar political views. 
2. President Obama holds the power to keep his view point and thoughts in a major power role in the government. If he picks a replacement for Scalia in the Supreme Court, he will most likely be choosing someone that has the same view point. Even though he does have the power to choose a new person to fill the spot, he needs to come to a consensus with the Senate on who to choose. Since the Republicans have the Senate, there is no consensus in sight since Obama is on his way out of the White house and Republicans have a major chance to get a candidate elected. 
3. A "lame duck" president is one that doesn't do anything while in office during their last, non-influential days as president. President Obama doesn't fit into the "lame duck" mold, yet. He still has time to let go of the reigns and do nothing when nothing is needed of him, especially when he can just wait on the issue of appointing a new Justice. However, Obama hasn't yet shown any letting up of his power in legislature and I believe he will well utilize the power he has during that 17 day window to give a new Justice  to the Supreme Court. 

Malachi Clark

1. If the democrats win back the senate and lose the presidency in November, they would then control both branches of the government for around two weeks. Obama has power until January 20th so he could send a nominee into the democratic majority. Then they would have seventeen days to vote for that nominee. A consensus is a strong broad agreement between political parties.

2. Obama has the ability to pick a candidate but the republican majority senate would not approve them in hope that a republican would be nominated. If the democrats win the senate then this candidate would be approved giving the democrats a better chance at electing the next supreme court justice.

3. A "lame duck" president is one who at a point in time had a lot of power but then quickly lost it all. President Obama doesn't yet fit this but he may. If a democratic majority isn't achieved than his supreme court justice nominee may not even be considered. I think that Obama will not become a "lame duck" because he will use his charisma to do so.

Jordi Amaral --- Obama and The Supreme Court

Jordi Amaral

AP Gov

Gordon 3

2/19/16

Obama and the Supreme Court

1. The upcoming Senate races have a serious effect on the filling of the recently created Supreme Court vacancy. Even if the Democrats were to lose the White House to Republican control, things could still be all right if the incoming Senate were to be a majority liberal or Democrat. Within the 17 day period between the Congress rolling in and the Inauguration, Obama could nominate a judge, and the Senate could ram through with a confirmation. This is where I consensus in Congress is important. Justice Scalia was very conservative, so a loss of him then replaced by a liberal is exactly what the Republicans fear. A consensus, in political terms, means that all parties would come together and agree in negotiations. If a consensus isn’t reached it could lead to even more separation in Congress and could be detrimental to the state of the US.
2. Obama has the power to directly and personally decide who the next Supreme Court Justice is. This power, however, isn’t without limitations thanks to the checks and balances found in the Constitution. He needs to have the Senate back him and nominate his candidate with a majority in a vote. He also doesn't have the power to ensure that a liberal Senate is voted in during the upcoming election, which means the possibility of a liberal Supreme Court Justice coming in is still very much up in the air.
3. A lame duck president is a president whose power starts to wane at the end of his term as Congress and the public become ready for the new president to step in. In a way it is the polar opposite of the honeymoon period of a presidency. Congress is unwilling to reach a consensus and negotiate so not much can be achieved. Obama is currently relying on his charisma and ability to capture the attention of Congress members and the public. The stamp of being a lame duck president at the end of his term is fully reliant as to whether or not he is able to put a liberal Supreme Court Judge on the bench.

Nadav Schoenberg NBC News Article Response

Nadav Schoenberg

Gordon 3

Ap Gov

1. The recent vacancy in the Supreme has a very strong correlation to the Senate races in January of this year. Due to the setup of the dates there is a 17 day gap between when the new Senate is inaugurated and the end of President Obama's term. This short time is very important for the President. By appointing a Democratic justice to the court, Obama would be leaving his views and mark on history. Even if a Republican candidate is elected president, a shift in the Senates majority from Republican to Democratic would allow President Obamas Democrat nominee for the court to be approved by the Senate. All Justices must be approved by the Senate. Having a Democratic Supreme Court Justice would be a huge victory for the Democrats. In recent years, partisanship has increased drastically. Recent cases such as marriage equality have seen Justices have ties to their party. Many justices stay loyal to their party, no matter their personal views. A majority Democrat Supreme Court would allow the Democratic party to advance many of their progressive ideas, even with a Republican president. In political terms, a consensus is a agreement between all parties. When a consensus is reached, negotiations can be made and a gridlock or even shut down of the government is avoided. A consensus is very important in this situation. The Senate must be able to reach a consensus on the new Justice appointee. Without a consensus the whole process will be sent into a gridlock and everything will come to a stall.

2. President Obama actually has little power in the appointing of a new Supreme Court Justice. While under the Constitution President Obama has the power to appoint a Justice, he has little ability to ensure the appointee actually makes their way to the court.  The President has no role in the election of Congress. If the Senate continues to be majority Republican, it is likely that the Presidents nominee will not be approved. Without approval from Senate, a Presidents nominee cannot join the Supreme Court. Due to strong party ties it is likely that a majority republican Senate will not approve any Obama nominee, as many Republicans believe Obama's presidency was a failure.

3. A lame duck president refers to a president who's term is coming to an end in the next few months. When a president is a lame duck, their power as president has largely disappeared. A lame duck president has little influence politically as they are seen as on their way out of office. President Obama is not a completely lame duck president. While Republicans may see him as lame duck, his influence may still be felt among Democrats. President Obamas power and influence has begun to disappear among Senate and House Republicans. However if a Democratic Senate is elected, Obamas influence may be felt until the day he officially leaves the presidency. Due to the 17 day gap President Obama may be able to have a Democratic Justice approved by Senate. This would not only carry the Presidents influence out until his last day in the White House, but a Justice appointed by Obama would allow his influence to be felt for many years to come, years after the end of his presidency.

Nina Kaushikkar: NBC News Article Response

1. The connection between the Supreme Court and the Senate races culminating in January 2017 is the 17 day gap between when Congress resumes work (January 3rd) and when President Obama leaves office (January 20th). The increased partisanship that has gripped the Supreme Court in recent times makes the passing of Justice Scalia-and the person that would succeed him-ever more important, and interlinked with the partisanship that exists within Congress, specifically within the Senate as the party in majority control continually shifts. This is really important to look at, because due to Justice Scalia’s conservative positions while he served on the Supreme Court, in order for President Obama to push and confirm a Democratic nominee to replace Justice Scalia, a couple of events need to occur. First, it doesn’t matter if the next president is Republican; if the Democrats win the Senate in the upcoming elections, then, because only the Senate is needed to confirm a Supreme Court justice, President Obama can still potentially confirm a Democratic nominee. Additionally, a consensus will be necessary for a Democratic justice to be confirmed, regardless of the status in the White House. In political terms, a consensus means that all parties will have to come together and negotiate an agreement. This will be important, because if no consensus is reached, then all parties come to a stand-still and gridlock will occur, which is net detrimental to the state of the country.

2) While President Obama currently has the political power to appoint a nominee to fill Scalia’s role, and has that constitutional authority, he lacks power in a couple of ways. First, he has no way of deciding the outcome of the congressional elections (and the result, specifically in the Senate, will either positively or negatively impact his chance of confirming the nominee of his choice). Additionally, he may be viewed as a lame-duck president, and his current state in politics will start to become less influential as the 2016 presidential race becomes more heated, and the President-elect will be given more weight. Despite his constitutional authority, he still faces major political roadblock.

3) A lame duck president usually refers to a president who is in the last few months of their presidency (or elected office). This state is one in which they are rendered essentially politically incapacitated, because they start to lose the amount of influence that they hold over the decisions of Congress and the people as a whole body. President Obama may fit that definition, as his power starts to wane under the push of the House and Senate Republicans; however, if the Democrats win back the Senate in the upcoming elections, it could be a prime opportunity to establish the final portion of his legacy by confirming and appointing a new Supreme Court Justice. The appointment of the new justice will really determine whether or not he will leave office as a lame duck president, because it is the final showing of how much power he really has over Congress in his final days in office.

NBC News Article

Karin Komiyama
AP Gov
Period 3
2/19/16

NBC News Article

1. If the Republicans in the Senate race loses against the Democrats, there is a less likely chance of a Republican judge being appointed to the vacant seat that once belonged to Justice Scalia. Consensus plays an important role in the government fight for filling the vacant seat, because if the Republicans keep on stalling and blocking an appointee, the president will find someone who is more liberal, thus causing more uproar in the Senate. In political terms, a consensus is the general or widespread agreement between political parties.
2. 2 weeks before Obama leaves the office, the Democrats would control both branches of the government ONLY IF THEY WIN THE SENATE RACE. Then, Obama could send his appointee to the Supreme Court with the now Democratic majority and the judges could vote in the person of choosing through simple majority. Obama could even muscle in a liberal if his appointee keeps on getting blocked by the Republicans in the Senate
3. Lame Duck presidents are at the end of their tenure, and already their influence is waning. Obama won over the public with his charisma, his ideas of equality for EVERYONE (race, gender, sexuality, etc), and his influence in the government. I don't think he will leave the office as a Lame duck president because he accomplished so much (gay marriage equalized under his tenure, etc). 

Anne Hruska: NBC News Article Response

Anne Hruska
AP U.S. Gov
Ms. Gordon
February 19, 2016

NBC News article response

1. The supreme court vacancy is currently such a widely addressed issue because of the timing that seems to dictate it all. With the primary elections right around the corner, the decision as to who assumes the position of Scalia is greatly debated. Because Scalia was a Republican, the republicans that hold senate seats will attempt to stop all efforts that would allow Obama to nominate a judge, until a republican gets into office. However, on Obama’s end, there is a 17-day gap that could occur that would allow for a nomination still to be made on the democratic behalf. Any move will require a consensus made between both parties. Politically speaking, a consensus means that the republicans in the senate, the democrats in the senate, and lastly, the democratic president will need to negotiate and come to an agreement. If the republicans try to block whatever nomination Obama makes then he may try to put forward  someone who is even more liberal than himself, which would, in turn, harm the republican’s presidential candidates. In conclusion, if no consensus is reached it will lead to a stand-still in the process and would end up hurting one of the two parties.

2. Obama is the president, therefore, he is granted the power not nominated anyone who he deems fit to take the position of justice. However, our founding fathers built the United States off of the ideology that no one man should hold final power above all others, therefore, the system of  checks and balances was put into play in order to allow one branch of government to oversee the power of the other. This comes into play in the Judicial nominating process. Though the President may nominate a person they must be confirmed by the senate in order to pass on to the supreme court. The senate is almost always the hardest part of the nomination process for presidents as it’s typically the president’s aim to appoint a judge who reflects his own ideologies, and for obvious reasons, the opposing party residing in the senate would try to block him, so the appointment process is usually altered by the senate.

3. In politics, the idea of a lame duck president refers to a president who is in the last few months or even last year of their elected office. A lame duck president is essentially the opposite of the honeymoon period: the first year of a president’s elected office where presidents typically pass the majority of their bills and get the most support from the media, public, and senate. A lame duck president usually lacks the support from congress and the public which in turn makes him less likely to get bills passed. I personally believe that every president becomes a lame duck, however, some sooner than others. Obama is an extremely charismatic president, however, there is no doubt that he has become a lame duck.  At this point in time, Obama is strictly relying on his support from the public, and the democratic portion of congress. This leaves the rest of congress waiting for Obama to leave office instead of trying to negotiate with him, like they would in the honeymoon period, in their eyes he is on his way out and they won't have to deal with him much longer. Yes, Obama is a “lame duck” president, but it’s inevitable, at this point the presidency is coming to the end of an 8-year run and congress is preparing for a new candidate.

Charlie Evans

Gordon

Gov

2-19-16

NBC New Article Questions

1. Because if the Democrats win back the Senate and lose the presidency in November, then they would control both branches of the government for about 2 weeks.  Obama is in power until January 20th, so Obama could send a nominee into the new Democratic majority.  They would then have 17 days to vote for the nominee that Obama sent in.  A consensus in political terms is a strong and broad agreement between political parties.
2. Obama has power in picking the candidate, but the Republican majority senate would not approve this candidate, in hope that a Republican would become president.  But, if the Democrats win the majority of the Senate in November, Obama would have power to chose a candidate for those 17 days in January.  Obama may have the power to chose the next Supreme Court Justice, but if the Senate has a Republican majority, he will not have a great chance of choosing the next Justice.
3. A “lame duck” president is one who at one time has a lot of power, but then quickly loses most of it.  President Obama fits into this definition, because if the Democrats don’t gain the majority in the November elections, Obama’s nominee for the next Supreme Court Justice may not be considered.  Even if the Democrats don’t gain majority, I believe that Obama use his charisma to influence congress and his cabinet, and not leave office as a lame duck president.

Questions on NBC News Article

Emily Agnew

AP U.S. Government & Politics

Ms. Gordon

February 19, 2016

NBC News Article Response

1. In political terms, a “consensus” is something that both parties can agree on or come to terms with. Both the democrats and republicans would prefer a moderate nominee, because they could potentially come to terms with both sides. The idea of “consensus” is important in this case because if Obama’s nomination is blocked by the Senate’s Republicans, Obama could be tempted to nominate someone even more liberal than himself. This would drastically hurt the Republican’s reelection chances, and the Democrats would end up overpowering the Senate.
2. Obama holds power in getting the next Supreme Court Justice confirmed because he can appoint any nominee he chooses. However, he needs the guidance and consent of the Senate. Right now, the Senate is majority Republican, so it will be difficult to implement himself or someone extremely liberal. The Democrats have a small window of time (approx. two weeks)  where they hold power over both branches of government. During this time, Obama can nominate a new Supreme Court Justice so that the Democrats can get in their majority vote.
3. A “lame duck president” is a president that is coming close to the end of their term, especially one in which the next president has already been elected, that is commonly seen as having a lot less influence at this time, because their term is almost over. Statistics have shown that Obama had one of the highest approval ratings in history. However, now he basically has no power. A political year is barely any time. Although Obama served two terms as a great leader and president, he will most likely leave office as a lame duck, because there will be a new president, and all of the attention will be focused on him/her. Obama being labeled a lame duck also depends on whether a Democrat or Republican takes office next. Obama will utilize his charisma to persuade and convince others to make decisions regardless of his current standings.

Quinn Tucker

Ms. Gordon

February 18, 2016

NBC Article Response

1.     The Senate races in 2016 relate to the Supreme Court nominee in a major way. The nominee is suggested by the president and then approved by the Senate. So depending on how the Senate is divided the approval could lean one way or the other. If a Republican president lands in office but the Senate swings left then the new president would have trouble pushing through certain candidates. This applies vice versa as well. In this situation a “consensus” nominee would be someone who is at middle of the line. Obama right now would try to push through a consensus nominee because they are more likely to be approved by the currently conservative senate. However, if the Senate never approves a justice set by Obama and after the elections in November the Senate swings to the left then Obama has the option of nominating a more extreme candidate and getting them approved. This puts both sides in a sticky situation.

2.     Obama gains power if he gets a liberal candidate into the Supreme Court because currently the court is divided evenly. So if Obama can get a candidate of his choosing in then the Supreme Court would become more liberal and thus fall more progressive on some major issues which are coming to the court soon. His power will get even stronger if the Senate becomes liberal in the new elections because that would allow him more flexibility in his choices on who to pick as his new nominee. However if Obama fails to get anyone into office and the next president is a republican the entire system could shift in the opposite direction then Obama wants it to.

3.      A lame duck “in politics, is an elected official who is approaching the end of their tenure, especially one whose successor has already been elected. The official is often seen as having less influence with other politicians due to their limited time left in office.” There is a possibility Obama could fall into this definition because his ability to win the love of Congress has been weakened recently. Obama has always had amazing charisma which is what got him into office but recently he’s been fighting with Congress and with both parties. However, I believe that Obama is definitely able to turn the tables using his great charisma and make something happen. Lately he’s been a little radical for everyone but he could turn that around and get a nominee in. But I have a feeling he wants someone specific and Congress isn’t going to like them which would be bad news for Obama.

Supreme Court- Alex Moore

Alex Moore

February 19th, 2016

Period 3

Supreme Court NBC News Article

The Supreme Court vacancy left after Justice Antonin Scalia’s death has major correlations to the senate races of 2016. If the Democrats can win back the majority of the seats in the senate, then President Obama will not likely face opposition and he will be able to appoint a liberal Justice in his final days of office. If the Republicans remain in control of the senate then they will turn down all of President Obama’s nominees and they would wait and hope that a Republican becomes the next president. A consensus mean an opinion or position reaches by a group as a whole. Consensus is so important with this decision otherwise, we are going to have to wait until their is a new President in order for a Justice to be appointed.

President Obama wants to get the new Supreme Court Justice approved because this might tip the skill towards the Democrats. Right now the Supreme Court is made up of 8 people, 4 liberals and 4 conservatives. Whatever party the new justice is will be the majority. Since President Obama is a Democrat, he wants the majority in the Supreme Court to be Democrats. He wants this because now any tiebreaker will most likely be in favor of the liberal option. His power lacks because the appointee needs to be approved by the senate, but the problem is the senate is majority Republican. The only chance President Obama has is when the new congress starts early next year. If the senate switches to majority Democrat,he would make a quick appointee.

A lame duck President is a President who is on the last couple days of their tenure. They are often seen as less powerful and often are not able to get anything done. President Obama fits the definition because he is ending his second term and all of the laws has to go through the Republican controlled Senate. I think that President Obama’s charisma will help him to leave the office strong.  He is not going down without a fight and I think that he is going to exercise his power until the very last second. No, I don’t think he will leave office as a lame duck President because I have a feeling the Democrats are going to win the senate and he will be able to appoint a liberal Justice in the beginning of the year.

Kenneth Martin NBC Article Questions

Kenneth Martin

AP US Government & Politics Period 3

Mrs. Gordon

February 19, 2016

1. “Consensus” in political terms is something both parties can agree on. In this case, it would be a moderate Supreme Court nominee that both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate would like. If Senate Republicans block Obama’s nominee even if they are a “consensus” nominee, it could hurt their reelection chances and give the Senate to the Democrats.
2. President Obama can appoint any nominee he chooses but he also needs the advice and consent of the Senate. This means that he probably can’t actually just nominate anyone; he has to nominate someone that the Senate will find acceptable. He could, however, use his public influence and the upcoming election to pressure the Senate into confirming his nominee.
3. A lame duck president is a president in office during the period between the election of a new president and their inauguration. Because a new president has been elected, a lame duck usually has less political influence but also more freedom to do what they want without much fear of consequences because they are leaving office and not being elected again. Obama will by definition leave office as a lame duck because a new president will be elected but I think what will happen during depends on the results of the election, particularly in the Senate and the Presidency. If Republicans take the White House and keep the Senate, he will probably fit into that general trend. But if the Democrats take the Senate and/or the White House, especially Senate because there’s an overlap, Obama will probably have more influence and public support, but will still fit into the lame duck trend of being more free to do what he wants because he will have the Senate and/or a Democratic successor to support him.

NBC News Article Blog Post- Vivi

1) The definition of a consensus, in political terms, is by definition, "a group discussion where everyone's opinions are heard and understood, and a solution is created that respects those opinions. It is not what everyone agrees to. It's the best solution that the group can come up with at the given time". The Supreme Court vacancy, the result of Justice Scalia's passing, comes at an unfortunate time- a time where Obama is forced to make a very quick nomination. The time constraint also gives way to the opposing party (Republicans, in this case) to try and block the nomination considering Obama would appoint someone generally liberal, who would rule against the republican party ideals. A consensus of a new Supreme Court Judge, with Obama leaving office rather soon, is a very difficult goal to achieve considering Scalia was one of the most conservative figures in American Politics for decades.  Republicans will continue to try to block the nomination of a liberal judge, and democrats will continue to push to have their beliefs represented. A consensus is ideal for this situation, but I personally feel as if the nomination will either pass and be implemented or not go anywhere at all.
2) The power that Obama holds in the confirmation of the new Supreme Court is that he gets to initially choose the nominee for the potential Supreme Court judge. However, if the Senate does not confirm this, it is very difficult to get this nomination to go through. The new Congress begins work on Jan 3 while Obama stays in office until the 20th, so if the old Senate doesn't approve it, Obama can use those 17 remaining days to try and turn his nominations luck around. However, after Obama casts his nomination he generally has no power over how it goes other than trying to advocate and convince other members of congress to help him.
3) A "lame duck" president is one who is in power who suddenly is in very little power left. Obama, who was once one of the presidents with the highest approval ranking ever in the history of the United States has virtually lost all of his power. He has about a year left, which politically speaking, is not very much. Legislation, appointments, and other major political changes normally take quite a lot of time. However, even though Obama doesn’t have a ton of time left, his well-respected persona makes him less of a “lame duck”. People on both sides of the aisles are willing to cooperate with Obama under these time constraints due to the ways in which he behaved in the past which were mannerisms that included integrity, politeness, compassion, and bipartisanship. I think personally that his charisma and the legacy he has made for himself in the past years of his two terms will be enough ground to help him hold some sort of power in his last days in the oval office. With this being said, I think he will still leave office with very little power, but instead will leave with immense amounts of respect from members from both ends of the aisle. Obama’s cabinet has advised him well for many years and to an extent the cabinet is to thank for Obama’s soon to be smooth exit out of office. 

Charlie Maxwell NBC Article Supreme Court Response

Charlie Maxwell

Ms. Gordon

AP Gov, Period 3

18 February 2016

NBC Article Response Blog Post

1. The Senate races in 2016 are extremely connected with the Supreme Court vacancy. Whichever political party takes control as of 2016 will have major influence on the replacement of Justice Scalia because, whether Obama or the next United States President suggests the appointment, the proposed justice must pass through the approval of the Senate. If Republicans block a “consensus” nominee proposed by Barack Obama and then the Senate becomes controlled by the Democratic party, Obama may propose an even more liberal Justice than he did before.
2. Obama’s power is limited right now. However, there are 17 days in November where his power may massively increase. As of now, the party division between Justices is completely even, four liberal and four conservatives. If the Senate becomes controlled by the Democratic party, Obama will have 17 days in which he can appoint a liberal Justice who will most likely then be approved by the Senate. Nonetheless, it is extremely difficult to have a Justice approved in such a short amount of time.
3. A “lame duck” president is one who suddenly loses much of his power and then cannot pass the legislation and action he would like. Obama may leave as  “lame duck” President depending on whether or not Senate becomes controlled by the Democrats. Regardless of what happens, I believe Obama will use his charisma to still try to convince those around him to take action, even when much of the legislative power will be out of his hands.