POL reading response
I need an explanation for this Political Science question to help me study.
Please respond briefly to each question and number your responses.
- What is the difference between discretionary and mandatory spending, and why does the distinction matter? Please cite an example of a program that falls into each category.
- What is the difference between budget deficits and the national debt? What main factors are contributing to higher budget deficits?
- What factors determine whether a federal court nominee gets confirmed by the Senate?
- Why was the failed nomination of Merrick Garland to replace Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court so important?
- How have Senate confirmations of SCOTUS nominees changed since the 1980s and 1990s?
Your response to this paper should be roughly 400-500 words. You may upload a response as either a Word document or PDF.
Reading materials:
Textbook, Chapter 5: Parties and Leaders
Reader, Chapter 15: “Setting the Agenda” (by Cox & McCubbins)
Hetherington, M. J. (2009). Review article: Putting polarization in perspective. British Journal of Political Science, 39(2), 413–448.
Malone, Clare. “The Republican Choice.” June 24, 2020. https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the–republican–choice/
Textbook, Chapter 12: Congress and Budget Politics
Reader, Chapter 38: “Appropriation in the Republican Era” (by Evans)
Textbook, Chapter 10: Congress and the Courts
Reader, Chapter 34: “Senate Voting on Supreme Court Nominees” (by Cameron, Cover, & Segal)
