 Virginia




Plan (James Madison)
Strong central government
Congress gets unrestricted rights to tax
and legislate, the power to veto state law
and use military force against the estates
Bicameral legislature with fixed
representation based on the states
population
Voters elect the lower house; lower house
chooses the upper house from
nominations submitted by the state
legislatures
 New




Jersey Plan (William Patterson)
Recommended a single chamber congress
with each state having equal vote
Congressional laws the supreme law of the
land
Courts could force reluctant states to
accept these measures
Connecticut Compromise
 Equal
vote for each state in the upper
 Proportional voting for the lower

The new document accomplished the
following:

Reconciled conflicting interests between
the large and small states


Established national authority






The Senate and House
Lay and collect taxes
Regulate interstate commerce
Conduct diplomacy
State officials must swear an oath to uphold
the Constitution
Use of military force against any state
This is an abandonment of the Articles of
Confederation

But there was restraint (or at least
their should be if Americans
understand this document and
don’t allow any or all branches to
get too powerful)
 Three distinct branches
 Checks and balances
 Federalism
Legislative: House
 Requirements
for office
 Apportionment of the seats

process by which seats in the United States
House of Representatives are distributed
among the 50 states
 Gerrymandering

manipulate the boundaries of (an electoral
constituency) so as to favor one party or class
 Term
of Office
 Presiding officer
 Powers
 Impeachment
 Taxes
What is the major criticism
of Congress??
 http://video.pbs.org/video/2365007413/
 http://www.kentucky.com/2013
/06/17/2682198/beshear-sayslawmakers-may-redraw.html
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_
of_members_of_the_United_Stat
es_Congress_by_longevity_of_ser
vice
Legislative: Senate
 Requirement
for Office
 Membership
 Term
of Office
 Presiding Officer
 Powers
 2/3 consent (treaties)
 Majority vote to confirm Supreme Court nominations and Cabinet
appointments
 Jury role during impeachment trial
 Foreign Affairs
 Filibuster
 Cloture (3/5 of the Senate present) to shut this down (normally 60
votes)
 Current Senate breakdown = 53 (D), 2 (I), 45 (R)
 http://www.senate.gov/senators/Bio
graphical/longest_serving.htm
Do they represent us?

Age


Education







Law degrees are held by 167 Members of the House (38%
of the total House) and 55 Senators (55% of the total
Senate)
Military service (21.8% of Congress)
Foreign born (8 Reps and 1 Senator)
Women (Ninety-one women-16.8% of the total
membership)


House- 56.7 years; Senate- 62.2 years
House - 74
Senate – 17
http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/classif.htm
African Americans- 44 members (all House)
Hispanic or Latino- 31 members (29 House; 2 Senate)
Congressional Powers
 Expressed

Powers
Article I, Section 8
Necessary and Proper Clause
 Article
I, Section 8, Clause 18 of the U.S.
Constitution"[The Congress shall have
Power] . . . [t]o make all Laws which shall
be necessary and proper for carrying into
Execution the foregoing Powers and all
other Powers vested by this Constitution in
the Government of the United States, or in
any Department or Officer thereof."
Implied Powers

According to the necessary and proper
clause, Congress generally may assume
additional powers not specifically listed in
the Constitution, sometimes called implied
powers, if there is a link to a power that is
listed in the Constitution. For example,
Congress may allocate money to test a
missile-defense system (something not
specifically listed in the Constitution)
because Article I, Section 8, Clause 12 gives
Congress the power to "raise and support
Armies."
Are these Implied Power?







Congress sets a federal minimum wage.
Congress establishes the United States Air Force.
Congress establishes national parks.
Congress creates federal laws against pollution.
Congress makes laws regarding discrimination in
employment.
Congress decides that televisions should have Vchips that enable parents to block certain shows.
Congress passes the Gun-Free School Zones Act
prohibiting anyone from possessing a firearm in a
school zone.
The Executive

I can. . .
 Identify the President’s many roles
 Understand the formal qualifications necessary to
become President
 Discuss issues involving the length of the
President’s term
 Explain how the Constitution provides for
presidential succession
 Understand the Constitutional provisions relating
to presidential disability
 Describe the role of the Vice President
 Explain the framer’s original provisions for
choosing the President
 Understand the function of the electoral college
 Describe the flaws of the electoral college system
Executive
 http://www.gallup.com/poll/28693/w
hich-characteristics-most-desirablenext-president.aspx

Worst


http://www.usnews.com/listings/worstpresidents/zachary-taylor
Best

http://www.gallup.com/poll/146183/americanssay-reagan-greatest-president.aspx

Sexiest (?)

http://www.nerve.com/content/the-top-43-sexiestus-presidents
Executive

Requirements for office



Constitutional vs. societal
Amendments
 12th – Pres. and VP
 20th – Lame Duck
 22nd - Tenure
 25th – Succession
Electoral College
 How is it calculated?
 What if no majority?
 Who has power in this system?
 Roles
of the President
Chief of State

This role requires a president to be an inspiring
example for the American people. In some
nations, the chief of state is a king or a queen
who wears a crown on special occasions,
celebrates national holidays, and stands for the
highest values and ideals of the country. As the
American Chief of State, the president is a living
symbol of the nation. It is considered a great
honor for any citizen to shake the president's
hand
 Awarding medals to the winners of college
scholarships.
 Congratulating astronauts on their journey into
space.
 Greeting visitors to the White House.
 Making a patriotic speech on the Fourth of July
Chief Executive

The president is "boss" for millions of
government workers in the Executive
Branch, deciding how the laws of the
United States are to be enforced and
choosing officials and advisers to help run
the Executive Branch



Appointing someone to serve as head of the
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Holding a Cabinet meeting to discuss
government business.
Reading reports about problems of the
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Chief Diplomat

The president decides what American diplomats
and ambassadors shall say to foreign
governments. With the help of advisers, the
president makes the foreign policy of the United
States



Traveling to London to meet with British leaders.
Entertaining Japanese diplomats in the White
House.
Writing a message or a letter to the leaders of the
Russia
Commander in Chief

The president is in charge of the U.S. armed
forces: the Army, Navy, Air Force, and
Marines. The president decides where troops
shall be stationed, where ships shall be sent,
and how weapons shall be used. All military
generals and admirals take their orders from
the President.
 Inspecting a Navy yard.
 Deciding, in wartime, whether to bomb
foreign cities.
 Calling out troops to stop a riot
Chief Legislator
 Only
Congress has the actual
power to make laws. But the
Constitution gives the
president power to influence
Congress in its lawmaking.
Presidents may urge Congress
to pass new laws or veto bills
that they do not favor.
 Inviting members of
Congress to lunch in the
White House.
 Signing a bill of Congress.
 Making a speech in
Congress.
Chief of the Party

In this role, the president helps members of his
political party get elected or appointed to
office. The president campaigns for those
members who have supported his policies. At
the end of a term the president may
campaign for reelection
 Choosing leading party members to serve in
the Cabinet.
 Traveling to California to speak at a rally for
a party nominee to the U.S. Senate
Chief Guardian of the
Economy
 In
this role, the president is
concerned with such things as
unemployment, high prices,
taxes, business profits, and the
general prosperity of the
country. The president does not
control the economy, but is
expected to help it run smoothly
 Meeting with economic
advisers to discuss ways to
reduce unemployment.
 Meeting with business and
labor leaders to discuss their
needs and problems
Chief Citizen
The Electoral Map
 http://www.270towin.com/
 http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/prima
ries/candidates
 http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/prima
ries/calendar
 http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/prima
ries/results
Executive
 Powers






of the President
Commander in Chief
Head of Cabinet
Grant pardons
Negotiate Treaties
Nominate Supreme Court
Justices
Fill vacancies during Senate
recesses
The Cabinet includes the Vice President
and the heads of 15 executive departments









State (1789)
Treasury
Defense
Justice
Interior (1849)
Agriculture (1862)
Commerce (1913)
Labor (1913)
Health and Human
Service (1953)






Housing and Urban
Development (1965)
Transportation (1966)
Energy (1977)
Education (1979)
Veterans Affairs
(1988)
Homeland Security
(2002)
 http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/re
ference/nominations/Nominations.htm
Judicial
 Chief
Justice John Roberts (56); 6 years
 Antonin Scalia (75); 25
 Anthony Kennedy (75); 23
 Clarence Thomas (63); 20
 Ruth Bader Ginsburg (78); 18
 Stephen Breyer (73); 17
 Sam Alito (61); 5
 Sonia Sotomayor (57); 2
 Elena Kagen (51); 1
The Role of the Court
 http://video.pbs.org/search/?q=framewor
k+constitution+usa
 Article
IV – Relations among
the states
 Article V – Amending
process
 Article VI – Supremacy
Clause
 Article VII - Ratification
Art. IV
 Relations Among the States
 Full faith and credit shall be



given in each state. . .
Privileges & Immunities;
Extradition
New States: congressional
control
Each state is guaranteed a
republican form of govt.
Art. V
Art. VI
 Supremacy

Clause
This is pretty
simple: The U.S.
Constitution is the
ultimate trump
card
Art. VII
Amendment option 1
 All
persons who have been a
naturalized citizen of the
United States for 20 years or
more will be considered
eligible for the office of the
Presidency. This overrides the
current natural-born
qualification, but does not
affect the age and/or
residency requirement.
Amendment option 2
 Purposeful
desecration of the U.S. flag is
hereby established as a criminal act.
Desecration is defined as “the act of
depriving something of its sacred
character.” Burning of the flag in a
retirement ceremony will be allowed as
long as the proper steps in doing so are
followed. Enforcement will be at the
hands of local law authorities. The
following federal guidelines for
punishment are - $5000 fine and up to 5
years in jail).
Amendment option 3
 In
an effort to strength the academic
preparedness of our citizenry, we hereby
establish that children under the age of
18 are barred from contractually
engaging in employment during the
following time: School nights during the
academic year - as defined by their
school district. Full legal employment
may begin on the day of the citizen’s 18th
birthday.
Amendment option 4
 All
senators and representatives to
the U.S. Congress are hereby limited
to a specific number of terms
(consecutive or nonconsecutive) in
that particular office:


Representatives will be allowed a
total of four complete terms in office
(8 years of service).
Senators will be allowed a total of
two complete terms in office (12
years of service).
Amendments and our
Constitution

Our Constitution is a living document


The process is not easy




It can be amended
2/3 of Congress to propose; ¾ of the states to
ratify
States are very politically driven
States are very different
The process preserves the principle of
federalism

Congress proposes; states ratify
 11.
You cannot sue another state except with permission by that state's judicial
system.
 12. The electoral college must have two separate elections for president and vice
president. They now run as a ticket.
 13. Abolishes slavery. Emancipation. All slaves are free.
 14. Every foreign born citizen now has right to "due process"
 15. All men get the right to vote - including ex-slaves
 16. The Federal Income Tax is established
 17. The people elect their own US senators
 18. Alcohol is prohibited
 19. Women get the right to vote
 20. January 20th is the day that a new president takes office (lame duck)
 21. It is no longer illegal to drink Alcohol. The 18th amendment is struck down.
 22. A president can only have 2 terms in office.
 23. Washington DC can vote for the president
 24. You may not charge people money so that they can register to vote (poll tax)
 25. Lays down the rules for who becomes president if the president dies/resigns
etc.
 26. You can vote at the age of 18.
 27. Congressmen cannot vote to give themselves a raise in the same term.