Question

Explain the impact the New York Times v. United States (1971) and Near v. Minnesota (1931) decisions had on the American political process.

a) New York Times v. United States upheld freedom of the press, while Near v. Minnesota expanded government censorship.

b) New York Times v. United States limited freedom of the press, while Near v. Minnesota protected government secrets.

c) New York Times v. United States expanded freedom of the press, while Near v. Minnesota established prior restraint limits.

d) New York Times v. United States and Near v. Minnesota had no significant impact on the American political process.

Answer 1

The landmark rulings in New York Times v. United States and Near v. Minnesota reinforced freedom of the press by establishing severe limits on government's ability to engage in prior restraint against publications.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Supreme Court decisions in New York Times v. United States (1971) and Near v. Minnesota (1931) had significant impacts on the American political process, particularly in reinforcing freedom of the press. In Near v. Minnesota, the Court negated state-level laws that allowed for prior restraints on publications, affirming the free press as protected by the First Amendment and applied to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment. The Pentagon Papers case, New York Times v. United States, further solidified this protection by disallowing the federal government from imposing prior restraint to block the press from publishing material, even when the content pertained to national security concerns such as the Vietnam War documentation.

Therefore, the correct answer to the student's question is: c) New York Times v. United States expanded freedom of the press, while Near v. Minnesota established prior restraint limits. These landmark cases help ensure that the press serves as a crucial watchdog over government power and maintains a critical role in a democratic society, upholding the core American value of free expression.