H4

(a) Identify three characteristics of Supreme Court nominees.

Three characteristics are ideology, age, and sex.

(b) Discuss how each characteristic has been politically relevant during the appointment process. 

When a president nominates a justice, he typically chooses one with the same ideology as him. If the president is conservative, he will most likely pick a conservative justice.

Age is an important factor in nominating a justice because the older a nominee is, the more experience he/she has and the more rulings that can be seen from their history.

Sex is another important characteristic. The sex of the justice can give new perspective on a case. If there are already 8 men on the court, it's best to include a woman for a different perspective.

(c) USE real facts from the confirmation of Elena Kagan to illustrate at least ONE of these characteristics.

Obama chose Kagan because he "wanted someone who could counter the court's conservative leaders." So he chose her because she was liberal, like him.

2.

(a) Identify two methods that have been used by interest groups to influence the appointment process. 

Interest groups use donations and smear campaigns to influence the appointment process.

(b) Explain how each of these methods has been used to influence that process.

By donating money, interest groups are endorsing a candidate, and more money means  a bigger chance of winning an election. Smear campaign are campaigns that ruin the reputation of a candidate or make them look bad to the people, this lessens their chance of winning.

(c) USE real facts from the confirmation of Elena Kagan to illustrate at least ONE of these methods.