Kenneth Martin
AP US Government & Politics Period 3
Mrs. Gordon
February 19, 2016
- “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.
- 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.
- 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.
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