The World's Best Book Summaries
When was the repeal of “don’t ask don’t tell?” What was that policy and why did President Obama repeal it? The repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” happened in 2010 during the lame-duck session. This repeal meant that LGBTQ Americans could serve openly in the armed forces. Read more about the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” below.
What is institutional forbearance? Why is it important? Institutional forbearance is an important democratic norm that states that those in power won’t use that power to harm their political opponents or other marginalized people and groups. Read more about institutional forbearance and why it’s so important for a democracy.
What is a lame duck session? How did President Obama take advantage of the lame duck session to change and enact new policies? During the lame duck session of 2010, the Obama administration used the time to be as productive as possible. This included rolling back the Bush tax cuts. Keep reading to find out what a lame duck session is and how Obama used this time to enact change.
What was the Obama Cairo speech about? Why did Obama give this speech and what were its effects? The Obama Cairo speech was delivered at Cairo University. The speech touched on human rights, religious tolerance and more. Read more about Obama, the Cairo speech, and what it meant.
How does changing a constitution work? Why is constitutional hardball a tactic of authoritarians? Changing a constitution is often used by authoritarians as a way to maximize their influence and gain more personal power. There are several examples in history of authoritarians using constitutional hardball to get their way. Read more about changing a constitution and what it means.
Who were the cabinet members during the first Obama Administration? Why did he choose them? Obama’s cabinet members were chosen carefully by Obama and his staff. Amongst others, Obama had to select a chief of staff, secretary of the treasury, and secretary of state. Read more about the Obama cabinet members and how they chose him.
What are checks and balances in the U.S. government? Are they effective? Checks and balances in the U.S. government is a system intended to prevent authoritarianism by distributing power equally. Each branch has its own norms and means of operating. Read more about checks and balances in the U.S. government and what they do.
What happened during the 2010 midterm elections? Did it change the Obama administration and policies? The 2010 midterms elections occurred halfway through Obama’s first term. As expected, the 2010 midterm elections went poorly for Democrats. Read more about the 2010 midterm elections and what it meant for the Obama presidency.
What happened at the 2011 White House Correspondents Dinner? What did it mean for tensions between Obama and Trump? At the 2011 White House Correspondents Dinner, Obama had his opportunity to fire back at Trump for political digs and birtherism. Obama mocked Trump, but knew to take Trump seriously. Read more about the 2011 White House Correspondents Dinner below.
What are political norms? How do norms help keep democracy safe? In America, political norms are a critical part of the nation’s history. Politics in the U.S. have always been characterized by fierce party rivalries and difficult elections. But even so, norms held the country together throughout its early history. Read more about U.S. political norms and what they mean.