Ep. 197 Checks & balances = effective government?

Does the constitutional system of checks and balances in the US provide for effective government? That depends on how we define "effective". For the purposes of this pod, I define it thus: 1. The ability of the government to respond to crisis. 2. The levels of accountability that the checks promote. 3. Whether decent legislation is passed. Enjoyed the show? Then why not subscribe to PLUS PLUS PLUS! For just £1.99 per month, you will receive access to every episode and every transcript of the A Level Politics Show. That’s right, the full back catalogue for less than a price of a coffee. Furthermore, you can cancel anytime – no obligations or hidden costs. Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started! For a full list of the back catalogue, organised by topic, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠. Also look out for bonus E. G.4Me episodes, which take you through breaking news stories and attempt to make sense of them. If you listen through Spotify, you can ask follow-up questions to each episode by clicking on the comment section in the show notes. And why not take part in episode-by-episode polls once you have finished listening. If a PLUS PLUS PLUS subscription is not for you at this time then no worries – rest assured that the latest episode of the show will remain free until the next episode comes out. One last thing: don't forget to leave a nice review wherever you listen to your podcasts so that more people can find out about us. Happy listening, dear listener, and thanks for your support of the show. 

This pod delves into the 2025 exam question: To what extent is there more disagreement than agreement within nationalism?I break down the essay into three parts: 1) What a nation should consist of and how it comes to exist, 2) who gets to be a member of a nation and 3) how should nations interact with each other. Enjoyed the show? Then why not subscribe to PLUS PLUS PLUS! For just £1.99 per month, you will receive access to every episode and every transcript of the A Level Politics Show. That’s right, the full back catalogue for less than a price of a coffee. Furthermore, you can cancel anytime – no obligations or hidden costs. Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started! For a full list of the back catalogue, organised by topic, click ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠. Also look out for bonus E. G.4Me episodes, which take you through breaking news stories and attempt to make sense of them. If you listen through Spotify, you can ask follow-up questions to each episode by clicking on the comment section in the show notes. And why not take part in episode-by-episode polls once you have finished listening. If a PLUS PLUS PLUS subscription is not for you at this time then no worries – rest assured that the latest episode of the show will remain free until the next episode comes out. One last thing: don't forget to leave a nice review wherever you listen to your podcasts so that more people can find out about us. Happy listening, dear listener, and thanks for your support of the show. 

Keir Starmer's government has been forced to think again on its plans to reform welfare, as its Commons majority was cut back by backbench rebels. Welcome to the next edition of E.G.4Me, a short pod designed to help you make sense of a breaking news story and how you can use it in your exams.For more on this story, click here.For what this might suggest about future votes in parliament, click here. Enjoyed the show? Then why not subscribe to PLUS PLUS PLUS! For just £1.99 per month, you will receive access to every episode and every transcript of the A Level Politics Show. That’s right, the full back catalogue for less than a price of a coffee. For a full list of the back catalogue, organised by topic, click ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠. Also look out for bonus E. G.4Me episodes, which take you through breaking news stories and attempt to make sense of them. If you listen through Spotify, you can ask follow-up questions to each episode by clicking on the comment section in the show notes. And why not take part in episode-by-episode polls once you have finished listening. Furthermore, you can cancel anytime – no obligations or hidden costs. Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started!If a PLUS PLUS PLUS subscription is not for you at this time then no worries – rest assured that the latest episode of the show will remain free until the next episode comes out. One last thing: don't forget to leave a nice review wherever you listen to your podcasts so that more people can find out about us. Happy listening, dear listener, and thanks for your support of the show. 

To what extent are socialists in agreement over social equality? In today's pod, we'll cover the forms of equality they support (or don't), whether capitalism can co-exist with equality and, finally, the methods different socialists adopt to achieve equality.Enjoyed the show? Then why not subscribe to PLUS PLUS PLUS! For just £1.99 per month, you will receive access to every episode and every transcript of the A Level Politics Show. That’s right, the full back catalogue for less than a price of a coffee. For a full list of the back catalogue, organised by topic, click ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. Also look out for bonus E. G.4Me episodes, which take you through breaking news stories and attempt to make sense of them. If you listen through Spotify, you can ask follow-up questions to each episode by clicking on the comment section in the show notes. And why not take part in episode-by-episode polls once you have finished listening. Furthermore, you can cancel anytime – no obligations or hidden costs. Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started!If a PLUS PLUS PLUS subscription is not for you at this time then no worries – rest assured that the latest episode of the show will remain free until the next episode comes out. One last thing: don't forget to leave a nice review wherever you listen to your podcasts so that more people can find out about us. Happy listening, dear listener, and thanks for your support of the show.  Happy listening, dear listener, and thanks for your support of the show. 

Is Congress effective at performing its scrutiny function? Lots of talk about Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" in this episode. Fancy a listen? Then why not subscribe to PLUS PLUS PLUS! For just £1.99 per month, you will receive access to every episode and every transcript of the A Level Politics Show. That’s right, the full back catalogue for less than a price of a coffee. For a full list of the back catalogue, organised by topic, click ⁠here⁠. Also look out for bonus E. G.4Me episodes, which take you through breaking news stories and attempt to make sense of them. If you listen through Spotify, you can ask follow-up questions to each episode by clicking on the comment section in the show notes. And why not take part in episode-by-episode polls once you have finished listening. Furthermore, you can cancel anytime – no obligations or hidden costs. Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started!If a PLUS PLUS PLUS subscription is not for you at this time then no worries – rest assured that the latest episode of the show will remain free until the next episode comes out. One last thing: don't forget to leave a nice review wherever you listen to your podcasts so that more people can find out about us. Happy listening, dear listener, and thanks for your support of the show.  Happy listening, dear listener, and thanks for your support of the show. 

With Trump back in the White House, it's time to revisit the question of whether the US President is an imperial president. Enjoyed the show? Then why not subscribe to PLUS PLUS PLUS! For just £1.99 per month, you will receive access to every episode and every transcript of the A Level Politics Show. That’s right, the full back catalogue for less than a price of a coffee. Also look out for bonus E. G.4Me episodes, which take you through breaking news stories and attempt to make sense of them. Oh, and those quiz pods - watch out for these from 2025 onwards.  If you listen through Spotify, you can ask follow-up questions to each episode by clicking on the comment section in the show notes. And why not take part in episode-by-episode polls once you have finished listening. Furthermore, you can cancel anytime – no obligations and no hidden costs. Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started!   If a PLUS PLUS PLUS subscription is not for you at this time then no worries – rest assured that the latest episode of the show will remain free until the next episode comes out.  One last thing: don't forget to leave a nice review wherever you listen to your podcasts so that more people can find out about us.  Happy listening, dear listener, and thanks for your support of the show. 

In today's pod, an update to episode 60, I examine which suggestion for English devolution has the greatest chance of succeeding. These include:1. Bringing back English Votes for English Laws2. Creating an English Parliament3. Increasing the number of metro mayors and combined local authorities 4. Establishing regional assembliesEnjoyed the show? Then why not subscribe to PLUS PLUS PLUS! For just £1.99 per month, you will receive access to every episode and every transcript of the A Level Politics Show. That’s right, the full back catalogue for less than a price of a coffee. Also look out for bonus E. G.4Me episodes, which take you through breaking news stories and attempt to make sense of them. Oh, and those quiz pods - watch out for these from 2025 onwards.  If you listen through Spotify, you can ask follow-up questions to each episode by clicking on the comment section in the show notes. And why not take part in episode-by-episode polls once you have finished listening. Furthermore, you can cancel anytime – no obligations and no hidden costs. Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started!   If a PLUS PLUS PLUS subscription is not for you at this time then no worries – rest assured that the latest episode of the show will remain free until the next episode comes out.  One last thing: don't forget to leave a nice review wherever you listen to your podcasts so that more people can find out about us.  Happy listening, dear listener, and thanks for your support of the show. 

Hello dear listener! The number one request I have had is that transcripts be made available. Well, if you listen on Spotify, now they are! The A Level Politics Show now has transcripts of every episode! How about that! What’s great is that Spotify let’s you listen along and read the transcript at the same time as listening to it, or you could have the sound off if you don’t like the sound of my voice (my wife tells me that this is what she does). You can also just skip to the section in the transcript that you find most useful and start playback from wherever you want.    How do you do this? Okay, follow these simply steps.    1)    In the Spotify app, go to The A Level Politics Show podcast page.  2)    Click on the episode you are interested in.  3)    Scroll to the bottom of that page and tap on “Episode Transcripts”. And there you have it!      Plus Plus Plus subscribers will be able to access every single transcript of every podcast ever produced – at the time of recording that’s 140-odd transcripts. Yet another reason why subscribing is such a good idea – for just £1.99 per month you get access to the complete back catalogue of The A Level Politics Show, spanning over four years, lasting longer than three British PMs and hundreds of government ministers (okay in the current environment that’s not too difficult). What is more, you’ll get 2 bonus pods, exclusive to subscribers, along with the standard free episode, every single month. Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started!  You can cancel at anytime and there are no hidden costs.    That’s it from me for 2023 – I hope that you all have a wonderful New Year! 

A Level Politics could easily be renamed A Level current affairs. It’s a live subject and as Politics students you need to use updated examples and explain their significance. This can be hard, especially around revision time when you have got your heads in your books, and class notes going back 18 months, visiting examples that perhaps were current at the time, only to be told by someone somewhere that your examples are out of date. Likewise, you might get news alerts on your phone about this minister or that scandal or that protest, but the sheer number of moving parts can seem overwhelming at times, especially in these febrile times.  Don’t worry though, The Level Politics  Show is here to help, with the release of E.G.4Me. I’m hoping that about once a week, I’ll release a brief episode of no more than five minutes long (I promise it won’t be more than that!) going through a specific UK or US news story that has recently broken. Each EG4Me episode will explain what happened, what does it all mean, and, most importantly, how you use the example for different essay questions. I'm giving away this first episode for free. If you like what you hear, then why not subscribe the Plus Plus Plus! For just £1.99 per month, you will receive access to the full back catalogue of A Level Politics Show podcasts. Oh, and of course, every future release of E.G.4Me! Furthermore, you can cancel anytime - no obligations and no hidden costs. Just lots of learning. Click⁠⁠⁠ here⁠⁠⁠ to get started. On today's E.G.4Me: Housing campaigners welcome ban on no-fault evictions. For more about Acorn, the pressure group detailed in this show, click here.

Why not subscribe to PLUS PLUS PLUS? For just £1.99 per month, you will receive access to every episode and every transcript of the A Level Politics Show. That’s right, the full back catalogue for less than a price of a coffee. Also look out for bonus E. G.4Me episodes, which take you through breaking news stories and attempt to make sense of them. Oh, and those quiz pods - watch out for these from 2025 onwards.  If you listen through Spotify, you can ask follow-up questions to each episode by clicking on the comment section in the show notes. And why not take part in episode-by-episode polls once you have finished listening. Furthermore, you can cancel anytime – no obligations and no hidden costs. Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started!     If a PLUS PLUS PLUS subscription is not for you at this time then no worries. Rest assured that the latest episode of the show will remain free until the next episode comes out, so check it out!   One last thing: don't forget to leave a nice review wherever you listen to your podcasts so that more people can find out about us.    Happy listening, dear listener, and thanks for your support of the show.