Imperfect Union: The Constitution Didn't Foresee Divided Government - The Atlantic

Size: px
Start display at page:

Download "Imperfect Union: The Constitution Didn't Foresee Divided Government - The Atlantic"

Transcription

1 POLITICS Imperfect Union: The Constitution Didn't Foresee Divided Government Watching the battle between Obama and a Republican Congress for two years may shake Americans' faith in the Framers. 1 of 8 10/18/15 7:13 PM

2 Benjamin Franklin (seated) in the National Constitution Center, Philadelphia Wikimedia 2 of 8 10/18/15 7:13 PM

3 GARRETT EPPS NOV 18, 2014 The president is completely ignoring the will of the American voters, who turned out on Election Day and overwhelmingly elected people who wanted to change the direction of the country, Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee, complained Thursday to The New York Times. Barrasso is right. President Obama is ignoring the will of those who turned out to vote this month. In a different system, he would have already moved out of the White House, replaced by a leader chosen by the Republican majorities in Congress. (For that matter, he would have been gone after his party took, in his words, a shellacking in 2010.) Instead, however, he is president for two more years. When the voters were directly asked their will on his tenure two years ago, they handed him a title deed to the White House good, under our Constitution, until January With that in hand, he has made clear that he plans to go forward with executive actions to further his agenda. R E L A T E D S T O R Y Already, since the election, he has signed an agreement with China setting more strenuous goals for reducing carbon emissions. He has promised to issue soon an executive order providing broader protections against deportation for undocumented immigrants in effect using executive authority to impose a limited form of the comprehensive immigration reform the Senate passed but the House refused to enact. Signals from the White House suggest that other 3 of 8 10/18/15 7:13 PM

4 Is the U.S.-China Climate Pact as Big a Deal as It Seems? executive initiatives may be in the works. Is this an outrage, a defiance of democratic legitimacy? Is it a welcome sign of courageous presidential leadership? How does the coming duel between legislative and executive branch fit into the design of our Constitution? The answer to the last question is easy. What s coming will be painful, frustrating, and dangerous and it will illustrate a constitutional malfunction unforeseen in The country will survive, and it s possible it can even make progress but at tremendous cost in polarization and missed opportunity. The country is like a car driving with the handbrake on: Any movement forward will be accompanied by smoke and internal damage. So we might profitably put a six-month moratorium on paeans to the wisdom of the Framers. The problem of divided government is a bug, not a feature, and the Constitution itself provides no guidance on how to work around it. Obama s response may or may not be outrageous, but it is not novel. Remember 2006? If ever a midterm election delivered a verdict about the will of the voters, it was that one. A single issue the disastrous war in Iraq dominated election rhetoric nationwide, and candidates who opposed the war won almost everywhere. President George W. Bush s response? He escalated the war the people had just repudiated, with the surge of 20,000 new troops into Iraq and extended tours for those already there. That worked brilliantly, rescuing the Baghdad government from imminent collapse or, wait, it postponed inevitable failure long enough for 4 of 8 10/18/15 7:13 PM

5 it to land in Barack Obama s lap in Judging the answer is, mercifully, not part of my remit. But the example shows how, for better or worse, the Constitution created a government consisting of three high places president, Congress, and Supreme Court and the lay of the land looks very different from each. To Republican members of Congress, a sweeping electoral result like this month s is the most important thing in the world. They are legislators, and they think in terms of legislative control; in a sane system, they tend to think, they would be quoting the late Lord Shawcross of Friston, who (unwisely, as it turned out) celebrated the British Labour Party s 1945 victory by telling Parliament, We are the masters at the moment, and not only at the moment but for a very long time to come." From the vantage point of a president particularly a second-term president the world looks different. He has two years left on an eight-year project. Congressional leaders are outraged that Obama proceeded with the U.S.-China Joint Announcement on Climate Change during his long-scheduled trip to Beijing, despite the election results. But the idea that a president would scrap months of talks as part of a multilateral negotiating process designed to last at least until 2015 because of a change in Senate control must seem, from the White House, not just wrong but (to quote the great Vizzini), inconceivable. Similarly, the president has a war to run and a wide variety of policy initiatives to steer through the bureaucracy for the remaining two years of his term; crimes to prosecute, secret counterterrorism operations to supervise, medals to present, etc. Congress, however hostile it may be, must seem largely irrelevant to much of his day-to-day work. 5 of 8 10/18/15 7:13 PM

6 Had the Framers foreseen any of that, they might have made different choices. I m not taking one side against the other; I m trying to illustrate a dangerous weakness of our system, one that the Framers clearly did not foresee. Many of them believed there would not be political parties in the new system. Others no doubt thought that the government they had designed would consist of a Congress that met for a month or so every December and a president who would supervise a slumbering bureaucracy the rest of the year. Some of them assumed the president would be a passive figure, administering directions from Congress; others imagined a chief executive with some of the majesty of the king of England. I don t think any of them anticipated that the two branches would ever clash over which represented the will of the voters. The voters weren t all that important in their design. The House was the only branch directly elected by voters. The Senate was picked by legislatures, the president by electors. Most of them believed the voters should be represented a different thing entirely than being asked their will. Today, however, the active consent of the people is commonly held to be the only true source of legitimacy; the two parties are hostile and polarized; and the day-to-day operations of government are vitally important in terms both of foreign threats and of an integrated global economy. Had the Framers foreseen any of that, they might have made different choices. Something closer to a 6 of 8 10/18/15 7:13 PM

7 parliamentary system would have been one option; it s a much more common system than our own. But they might also have given Congress different terms, so that all members and the president would be selected at the same time. Two years is, by world standards, a very short legislative term; politics has become a non-stop exercise. In addition, midterm elections that don t directly affect executive power create the danger of two antagonistic governments trying to fit into one capital. But they didn t foresee how the system might go awry, and so we have to do the best we can with what we have. The constitutional wisdom is that Congress has the ultimate weapon: the power of the purse. But to use the appropriations power well, Congress has to craft budgets the president will sign or get two-thirds of the votes in each House to override a veto. Neither is going to happen in the present atmosphere. The new congressional leadership are not the masters; they're just players in a complex and dangerous game. Their only real alternative is genuine negotiation with the White House, but a party that has spent six years pretending Obama did not win two national elections is unlikely to want to negotiate with him now. So we know what probably happens next: shutdown, perhaps default, and possibly impeachment. These are the weapons of legislators too weak and divided to govern. The nation has been down this road before, and it doesn t lead anywhere we want to go. L A T E S T V I D E O 7 of 8 10/18/15 7:13 PM

8 How to Compete in the Global Economy Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker discusses how the U.S. will aim to navigate a more competitive and unpredictable global marketplace. A B O U T T H E A U T H O R GARRETT EPPS is a contributing editor for The Atlantic. He teaches constitutional law and creative writing for law students at the University of Baltimore. His latest book is American Justice 2014: Nine Clashing Visions on the Supreme Court. 8 of 8 10/18/15 7:13 PM

Elections and Obama's Foreign Policy

Elections and Obama's Foreign Policy Page 1 of 5 Published on STRATFOR (http://www.stratfor.com) Home > Elections and Obama's Foreign Policy Choices Elections and Obama's Foreign Policy Choices Created Sep 14 2010-03:56 By George Friedman

More information

Separation of Powers

Separation of Powers Separation of Powers Separation of Powers: The Legislative Branch The legislative branch of government is Congress. Congress consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate Members of the House

More information

Unit 4 Learning Objectives

Unit 4 Learning Objectives AP AMERICAN GOVERNMENT Unit Four Part 2 The President and the Bureaucracy 2 1 Unit 4 Learning Objectives Running for President 4.1 Outline the stages in U.S. presidential elections and the differences

More information

Who attended the Philadelphia Convention? How was it organized? We the People, Unit 3 Lesson 12

Who attended the Philadelphia Convention? How was it organized? We the People, Unit 3 Lesson 12 Who attended the Philadelphia Convention? How was it organized? We the People, Unit 3 Lesson 12 A convention has been called to rewrite Redwood school constitution. We need some delegates (representatives).

More information

4 th Grade U.S. Government Study Guide

4 th Grade U.S. Government Study Guide 4 th Grade U.S. Government Study Guide Big Ideas: Imagine trying to make a new country from scratch. You ve just had a war with the only leaders you ve ever known, and now you have to step up and lead.

More information

President v. Prime Minister

President v. Prime Minister The Presidency Introduction The President is the most powerful person in the world agree or disagree? A Johnson had laws passed by Congress to limit his power, and he was impeached Kennedy, Johnson, Bush,

More information

10/23/2012. Chapter 13: The Presidency Section 5

10/23/2012. Chapter 13: The Presidency Section 5 Chapter 13: The Presidency Section 5 Objectives 1. Describe the features of the presidential campaign. 2. Explain how the electoral college provides for the election of the President. 3. Identify several

More information

Chapter 13: The Presidency Section 5

Chapter 13: The Presidency Section 5 Chapter 13: The Presidency Section 5 Objectives 1. Describe the features of the presidential campaign. 2. Explain how the electoral college provides for the election of the President. 3. Identify several

More information

The Electoral College

The Electoral College The Electoral College 1 True or False? The candidate with the most votes is elected president. Answer: Not necessarily. Ask Al Gore. 2 The 2000 Election The Popular Vote Al Gore 50,996,039 George W. Bush

More information

3 Branches of Government

3 Branches of Government 3 Branches of Government FILL IN THE BLANKS IN THE SENTENCES BELOW 1. What are the 3 branches of our government?,,. 2. The Branch of our government makes the laws. 3. The Branch of our government enforces

More information

FOREIGN POLICY AND THE CAMPAIGN September 21-24, 2008

FOREIGN POLICY AND THE CAMPAIGN September 21-24, 2008 CBS NEWS POLL For Release: Thursday, September 25, 2008 6:30 PM EDT FOREIGN POLICY AND THE CAMPAIGN September 21-24, 2008 Friday s first presidential debate is still scheduled to focus on foreign policy

More information

[ 5.1 ] The Presidency An Overview. [ 5.1 ] The Presidency An Overview. The President's Many Roles. [ 5.1 ] The Presidency An Overview

[ 5.1 ] The Presidency An Overview. [ 5.1 ] The Presidency An Overview. The President's Many Roles. [ 5.1 ] The Presidency An Overview [ 5.1 ] The Presidency An Overview [ 5.1 ] The Presidency An Overview The President's Many Roles chief of state term for the President as the ceremonial head of the United States, the symbol of all the

More information

Round 1: The President s Increased Powers Are Necessary

Round 1: The President s Increased Powers Are Necessary Round 1: The President s Increased Powers Are Necessary There is no denying that the power of the presidency has significantly increased over time. The growing complexity and pace of domestic affairs,

More information

Three Branches, One Government

Three Branches, One Government Three Branches, One Government This game can be played by groups of two to three students or be used by individual students for practice and review. Purpose: to review the work of the executive, legislative,

More information

Unit 7 Our Current Government

Unit 7 Our Current Government Unit 7 Our Current Government Name Date Period Learning Targets (What I need to know): I can describe the Constitutional Convention and two compromises that took place there. I can describe the structure

More information

HOW WE RESIST TRUMP AND HIS EXTREME AGENDA By Congressman Jerry Nadler

HOW WE RESIST TRUMP AND HIS EXTREME AGENDA By Congressman Jerry Nadler HOW WE RESIST TRUMP AND HIS EXTREME AGENDA By Congressman Jerry Nadler Since Election Day, many people have asked me what they might do to support those of us in Congress who are ready and willing to stand

More information

What are term limits and why were they started?

What are term limits and why were they started? What are term limits and why were they started? The top government office of the United States is the presidency. You probably already know that we elect a president every four years. This four-year period

More information

Summer Reading Assignment The Surge: 2014 s Big GOP Win and What It Means for the Next Presidential Election: Edited by Larry Sabato

Summer Reading Assignment The Surge: 2014 s Big GOP Win and What It Means for the Next Presidential Election: Edited by Larry Sabato AP U.S Government & Politics Mrs. Rokosny 2018-19 AP U.S. Government and Politics Summer Assignment #1 Due The first day of class Summer Reading Assignment The Surge: 2014 s Big GOP Win and What It Means

More information

9.1 Introduction When the delegates left Independence Hall in September 1787, they each carried a copy of the Constitution. Their task now was to

9.1 Introduction When the delegates left Independence Hall in September 1787, they each carried a copy of the Constitution. Their task now was to 9.1 Introduction When the delegates left Independence Hall in September 1787, they each carried a copy of the Constitution. Their task now was to convince their states to approve the document that they

More information

The POLITICO GW Battleground Poll September 2010

The POLITICO GW Battleground Poll September 2010 The POLITICO GW Battleground Poll September 2010 Democratic Strategic Analysis: by Celinda Lake, Daniel Gotoff, and Matt Price This week s primaries demonstrated once again that conventional wisdom is

More information

THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY: CLASS SCHEDULE

THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY: CLASS SCHEDULE Political Science 229 Fall Semester, 2009 Mr. McFarland THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY: CLASS SCHEDULE This class meets Tuesday and Thursday from 3:30 to 4:45 P.M. The course will be basically a lecture class,

More information

Remarks Presented to the Council of Americas

Remarks Presented to the Council of Americas Remarks Presented to the Council of Americas By Thomas Shannon Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs [The following are excerpts of the remarks presented to the Council of Americas,

More information

MEMORANDUM. I wanted to review for your information how your efforts and your RNC were critical in making those historic gains possible.

MEMORANDUM. I wanted to review for your information how your efforts and your RNC were critical in making those historic gains possible. Republican National Committee MEMORANDUM Michael S. Steele Chairman TO: FROM: Members of the Republican National Committee Michael S. Steele, Chairman DATE: November 18, 2010 RE: RNC Fundraising and turnout

More information

Article I. Article III. Article IV. Article V. Article VI. Article VII

Article I. Article III. Article IV. Article V. Article VI. Article VII Directions: Read the U.S. Constitution and complete the following questions directly on this handout. Be sure to identify the location of each answer in the Constitution (example: Article I, Section 3,

More information

CURRENT ISSUES: THE DEBATE OVER SCHIP AND THE WAR IN IRAQ October 12-16, 2007

CURRENT ISSUES: THE DEBATE OVER SCHIP AND THE WAR IN IRAQ October 12-16, 2007 CBS NEWS POLL For release: Wednesday, October 17 th, 2007 6:30 P.M. EDT CURRENT ISSUES: THE DEBATE OVER SCHIP AND THE WAR IN IRAQ October 12-16, 2007 As Democratic leaders in Congress attempt to wrangle

More information

PARTISANSHIP AND WINNER-TAKE-ALL ELECTIONS

PARTISANSHIP AND WINNER-TAKE-ALL ELECTIONS Number of Representatives October 2012 PARTISANSHIP AND WINNER-TAKE-ALL ELECTIONS ANALYZING THE 2010 ELECTIONS TO THE U.S. HOUSE FairVote grounds its analysis of congressional elections in district partisanship.

More information

THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE AND THE DEBATES October 3-5, 2008

THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE AND THE DEBATES October 3-5, 2008 CBS NEWS POLL For Release: Monday, October 6, 2008 6:30 pm (ET) THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE AND THE DEBATES October 3-5, 2008 The race for president has returned to about where it was before the first presidential

More information

The Frustration Index: What s Bugging America

The Frustration Index: What s Bugging America ABC NEWS FRUSTRATION INDEX EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE AFTER 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, June 8, 2010 The : What s Bugging America Starting today on Good Morning America, ABC News is reporting a new measure of public

More information

NEW GOVERNMENT: CONFEDERATION TO CONSTITUTION FLIP CARD

NEW GOVERNMENT: CONFEDERATION TO CONSTITUTION FLIP CARD NEW GOVERNMENT: CONFEDERATION TO CONSTITUTION FLIP CARD Big Ideas: Imagine trying to make a new country from scratch. You ve just had a war with the only leaders you ve ever known, and now you have to

More information

Ch. 5 Test Legislative Branch Government

Ch. 5 Test Legislative Branch Government Name: Date: 1. In 1998, California had forty-five representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives while Louisiana had seven. What accounts for the difference in these numbers? A. area of the states

More information

APGAP Unit 3 Midterm Exam

APGAP Unit 3 Midterm Exam APGAP Unit 3 Midterm Exam Mr. Steven Anderson, I Think Hawthorne Passed The Learning Free School Zone Act THE CONSTITUTION & FEDERALISM Part 2: Free-Response 1. Of those listed, which of the following

More information

The 2010 Election and Its Aftermath John Coleman and Charles Franklin Department of Political Science University of Wisconsin-Madison

The 2010 Election and Its Aftermath John Coleman and Charles Franklin Department of Political Science University of Wisconsin-Madison The 2010 Election and Its Aftermath John Coleman and Charles Franklin Department of Political Science University of Wisconsin-Madison Wisconsin Credit Union League January 25, 2011 Seat Change in States

More information

YouGov / Sunday Times Survey Results Fieldwork: March 15-16, 2007; sample 1,897 electors throughout Great Bitain For full results click here

YouGov / Sunday Times Survey Results Fieldwork: March 15-16, 2007; sample 1,897 electors throughout Great Bitain For full results click here YouGov / Sunday Times Survey Results Fieldwork: March 15-16, 2007; sample 1,897 electors throughout Great Bitain For full results click here Voting Intention (excluding don't knows, would not vote) Non

More information

Another Billion-Dollar Blunder?

Another Billion-Dollar Blunder? PREVIEW Another Billion-Dollar Blunder? 2017 Mid-Year Progress Report June 2017 Presented by RETURN OF THE MAJORITY: A ROADMAP FOR TAKING BACK OUR COUNTRY JUNE 2017 2016 Spending In 2016, Democratic and

More information

The Legislative Branch

The Legislative Branch The Legislative Branch Despite being the political institution that is closest to the people, Congress is the least popular of the three branches of government Congress approval = 18.6% approve, 72.4%

More information

Electing the President

Electing the President THE PRESIDENCY Electing the President Electing the President THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE Each state receives a specific # of electoral votes. # of Congressmen + 2 Senators = # of Electoral Votes Each electoral

More information

Separation of Powers: History and Theory

Separation of Powers: History and Theory Separation of Powers: History and Theory James E. Hanley Published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license. This work may be freely reproduced for non-commercial

More information

Section 4 at a Glance The Constitutional Convention

Section 4 at a Glance The Constitutional Convention Section 4 at a Glance The Constitutional Convention At the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, delegates debated competing plans the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan for how the new government

More information

STRUCTURE, POWERS, AND ROLES OF CONGRESS

STRUCTURE, POWERS, AND ROLES OF CONGRESS American Government Semester 1, Chapter 4 STRUCTURE, POWERS, AND ROLES OF CONGRESS STRUCTURE In our government, Congress has two parts, or houses. This type of legislature is known as bicameral. One half

More information

War Powers, International Alliances, the President, and Congress

War Powers, International Alliances, the President, and Congress War Powers, International Alliances, the President, and Congress Adam Schiffer, Ph.D. and Carrie Liu Currier, Ph.D. Though the United States has been involved in numerous foreign conflicts in the post-

More information

Name: Class: Date: ID: A

Name: Class: Date: ID: A Class: Date: Ch.13 &14 Test Matching Match each item with the correct statement below. You will not use all the terms. a. electorate b. platform c. keynote address d. electoral college 1. the speech given

More information

Test Use the quotation to answer the question.

Test Use the quotation to answer the question. Test 2 1. The Founding Fathers divided the power to make, enforce, and interpret laws between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. What might have happened if they had given

More information

American History 11R

American History 11R American History 11R 3 Branches of Government Legislative Branch To Make the Laws Executive Branch To Enforce the Laws Judicial Branch To Interpret the Laws Legislative Branch Article I of the Constitution.

More information

Quiz # 5 Chapter 14 The Executive Branch (President)

Quiz # 5 Chapter 14 The Executive Branch (President) Quiz # 5 Chapter 14 The Executive Branch (President) 1. In a parliamentary system, the voters cannot choose a. their members of parliament. b. their prime minister. c. between two or more parties. d. whether

More information

Colorado and U.S. Constitutions

Colorado and U.S. Constitutions Courts in the Community Colorado Judicial Branch Office of the State Court Administrator Updated January 2013 Lesson: Objective: Activities: Outcomes: Colorado and U.S. Constitutions Students understand

More information

Semester One Exam American Government

Semester One Exam American Government Semester One Exam American Government Directions: Please do not write on the exam! Mark all of your answers on the scantron provided. There are two parts to the exam, a scantron portion as well as two

More information

AP United States Government and Politics Constitution Breakdown

AP United States Government and Politics Constitution Breakdown AP United States Government and Politics Constitution Breakdown Part I: The United States Constitution Welcome to AP United States Government and Politics at Cooper High School. We will be using and referencing

More information

Fifty Years Later: Was the War on Poverty a Failure? Keith M. Kilty. For a brief moment in January, poverty was actually in the news in America even

Fifty Years Later: Was the War on Poverty a Failure? Keith M. Kilty. For a brief moment in January, poverty was actually in the news in America even Fifty Years Later: Was the War on Poverty a Failure? Keith M. Kilty For a brief moment in January, poverty was actually in the news in America even seen as a serious problem as the 50 th anniversary of

More information

Health Care Reform Where Will We Be at the End of 2012? Penn-Ohio Regional Health Care Alliance

Health Care Reform Where Will We Be at the End of 2012? Penn-Ohio Regional Health Care Alliance Health Care Reform Where Will We Be at the End of 2012? Penn-Ohio Regional Health Care Alliance Crystal Kuntz, Senior Director Government Policy Coventry Health Care February 23, 2012 Overview of Presentation

More information

Campaigning in General Elections (HAA)

Campaigning in General Elections (HAA) Campaigning in General Elections (HAA) Once the primary season ends, the candidates who have won their party s nomination shift gears to campaign in the general election. Although the Constitution calls

More information

The Constitution. Name: The Law of the Land. What Does Our Constitution Look Like?

The Constitution. Name: The Law of the Land. What Does Our Constitution Look Like? The Law of the Land A constitution is a document that gives the rules for how a government should run. The Framers wrote our Constitution to create a government for the new United States of America. Creating

More information

Learning Objectives. Prerequisites

Learning Objectives. Prerequisites In Win the White House, your students take on the role of presidential candidate from the primary season all the way through to the general election. The player strategically manages time and resources

More information

The Executive Branch

The Executive Branch The Executive Branch Cluster Everything you think of or associate with. The President of the United States Eight Roles of the President 1. Chief of State 2. Chief Executive 3. Chief Administrator 4. Chief

More information

This assignment must be completed in your own words. Copying or sharing answers is unacceptable and will face academic dishonesty consequences.

This assignment must be completed in your own words. Copying or sharing answers is unacceptable and will face academic dishonesty consequences. This assignment must be completed in your own words. Copying or sharing answers is unacceptable and will face academic dishonesty consequences. Directions: Read the U.S. Constitution and complete the following

More information

Chapter 5: Congress: The Legislative Branch

Chapter 5: Congress: The Legislative Branch Chapter 5: Congress: The Legislative Branch Section 1: Congress Section 2: The Powers of Congress Section 3: The House of Representatives Section 4: The Senate Section 5: Congress at Work Congress Main

More information

AP U.S. Government Summer Assignment 2016

AP U.S. Government Summer Assignment 2016 AP U.S. Government Summer Assignment 2016 The U.S. Government summer assignment has three parts that will prepare you for the foundation of the course: the U.S. Constitution, current events, and the presidential

More information

AP Government and Politics POLITICAL NEWS JOURNAL

AP Government and Politics POLITICAL NEWS JOURNAL AP Government and Politics POLITICAL NEWS JOURNAL In order to be successful in A.P. U.S. Government and Politics, it is essential to have some understanding of what is happening in our nation and our world.

More information

Trans-Pacific Partnership: What s the Deal?

Trans-Pacific Partnership: What s the Deal? Name(s): Period: Date: Trans-Pacific Partnership: What s the Deal? Case Study Background & Introduction An SB1070 Project On November 5, 2015, President Barack Obama offered an introduction to the text

More information

The Executive Branch

The Executive Branch The Executive Branch What is the job of the Executive Branch? The Executive Branch is responsible for executing (or carrying out) the laws made by the Congress. Executive Branch The qualifications to be

More information

Chapter 7 Section 1: The President and Vice-President

Chapter 7 Section 1: The President and Vice-President Chapter 7 Section 1: The President and Vice-President Vocabulary: Electoral College the group of people selected by each state to select the president and vice president Electors - a person elected to

More information

Presidents vs. Presidency

Presidents vs. Presidency Today s Agenda 1 Grades on ELC extended office hours next week Presidents vs. Presidency The 44 Presidents Natural born citizen All-powerful President? President s and Foreign Policy President s and Law

More information

The Constitution. Name: The Law of the Land. What Does Our Constitution Look Like? The Constitution s Table of Contents

The Constitution. Name: The Law of the Land. What Does Our Constitution Look Like? The Constitution s Table of Contents The Law of the Land A constitution is a document that gives the rules for how a government should run. The Framers wrote our Constitution to create a government for the new United States of America. Creating

More information

Chapter 5, Section 3 Creating the Constitution. Pages

Chapter 5, Section 3 Creating the Constitution. Pages Chapter 5, Section 3 Creating the Constitution Pages 163-168 It didn t take long for people to realize that the Articles of Confederation had many weaknesses. By the mid-1780s most political leaders agreed

More information

NCLRAF/NCLR/Latino Decisions FLORIDA Poll - Oct 2014

NCLRAF/NCLR/Latino Decisions FLORIDA Poll - Oct 2014 1. Many people are busy and don t get a chance to vote in every election. Thinking ahead to the November 2014 election, what would you say the chances are that you will vote in the election for Congress,

More information

CHAPTER 5: CONGRESS: THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

CHAPTER 5: CONGRESS: THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH CHAPTER 5: CONGRESS: THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH 1 Section 1: Congress Section 2: The Powers of Congress Section 3: The House of Representative Section 4: The Senate Section 5: Congress At Work SECTION 1: CONGRESS

More information

English 120, 121, and 123 Summer Reading

English 120, 121, and 123 Summer Reading English 120, 121, and 123 Summer Reading Summer Reading 2016 Model & Template Introduction: In July, 2016, the Republican Party and Democratic Party will each hold its political convention to select its

More information

Constitution Day Lesson STEP BY STEP

Constitution Day Lesson STEP BY STEP Teacher s Guide Time Needed: One Class Period Materials Needed: Student worksheets Scissors and glue or tape (optional) Transparency or Projector (optional) Copy Instructions: Reading (4 pages; class set)

More information

GCE AS 2 Student Guidance Government & Politics. Course Companion Unit AS 2: The British Political System. For first teaching from September 2008

GCE AS 2 Student Guidance Government & Politics. Course Companion Unit AS 2: The British Political System. For first teaching from September 2008 GCE AS 2 Student Guidance Government & Politics Course Companion Unit AS 2: The British Political System For first teaching from September 2008 For first award of AS Level in Summer 2009 For first award

More information

Station 2 The people are represented in two ways: as states in the Senate and as 435 equally-populated, singlemember districts in the House of Represe

Station 2 The people are represented in two ways: as states in the Senate and as 435 equally-populated, singlemember districts in the House of Represe Station 1 The United States Congress represents the diverse interests of the American people The key concept is representation. But representation of what? Most students (and most Americans) do not fully

More information

Chapter 5.1 I. Understanding the Constitution

Chapter 5.1 I. Understanding the Constitution Chapter 5.1 I. Understanding the Constitution 8.2.6 - The U.S. Constitution balances the powers of the federal government among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. A. The framers of the

More information

Chapter 13 Congress. Congress. Know the terms/names (especially with FRQs) House of Representatives. Senate

Chapter 13 Congress. Congress. Know the terms/names (especially with FRQs) House of Representatives. Senate Chapter 13 Congress Know the terms/names (especially with FRQs) Congress House of Representatives Senate Almost always referred to as Congress A term of Congress is 2 years Term begins on January 3 rd

More information

Council President James A. Klein s memo to members: policy priorities will need to overcome partisan conflict

Council President James A. Klein s memo to members: policy priorities will need to overcome partisan conflict NR 2016-20 For additional information: Jason Hammersla 202-289-6700 NEWS RELEASE Council President James A. Klein s memo to members: policy priorities will need to overcome partisan conflict WASHINGTON,

More information

THE UNITED STATES IN THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION

THE UNITED STATES IN THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION THE UNITED STATES IN THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION 1993-2008 ELECTION OF 1992 REPUBLICAN: George H.W. Bush DEMOCRAT: Bill Clinton PRESIDENT WILLIAM J. CLINTON - # 42 Democrat from Arkansas Commonly known just

More information

Keys to the White House. Keys to the White House 10/1/2011. Professor Allan Lichtman: Keys to the White House 2012

Keys to the White House. Keys to the White House 10/1/2011. Professor Allan Lichtman: Keys to the White House 2012 THE MODERN PRESIDENCY AP Gov Lecture # 18 Professor Allan Lichtman: Keys to the White House 2012 Imagine the next presidential election is being held tomorrow. Read through the handout entitled The 13

More information

The Election What is the function of the electoral college today? What are the flaws in the electoral college?

The Election What is the function of the electoral college today? What are the flaws in the electoral college? S E C T I O N 5 The Election What is the function of the electoral college today? What are the flaws in the electoral college? What are the advantages and disadvantages of proposed reforms in the electoral

More information

Chapter 9 - The Constitution: A More Perfect Union

Chapter 9 - The Constitution: A More Perfect Union Chapter 9 - The Constitution: A More Perfect Union 9.1 - Introduction When the delegates left Independence Hall in September 1787, they each carried a copy of the Constitution. Their task now was to convince

More information

4) Once every decade, the Constitution requires that the population be counted. This is called the 4)

4) Once every decade, the Constitution requires that the population be counted. This is called the 4) MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question. 1) The Founders intended that the House of Representatives be 1) A) professional. B) electorally insulated.

More information

The American Revolution is over but now the colonists have to decide how they want to frame their government. Take the first 5 minutes of class and

The American Revolution is over but now the colonists have to decide how they want to frame their government. Take the first 5 minutes of class and The American Revolution is over but now the colonists have to decide how they want to frame their government. Take the first 5 minutes of class and imagine that you were a colonist that just fought against

More information

AP Government and Politics THE US CONSTITUTION STUDY GUIDE Available at:

AP Government and Politics THE US CONSTITUTION STUDY GUIDE Available at: Name Class Period AP Government and Politics THE US CONSTITUTION STUDY GUIDE Available at: www.constitutioncenter.org PART I: THE OVERALL STRUCTURE OF THE CONSTITUTION A. Read each article of the Constitution.

More information

Congressional Elections, 2018 and Beyond

Congressional Elections, 2018 and Beyond Congressional Elections, 2018 and Beyond Robert S. Erikson Columbia University 2018 Conference by the Hobby School of Public Affairs, University of Houston Triple Play: Election 2018; Census 2020; and

More information

Thursday November 17, 2016 Assignment 43

Thursday November 17, 2016 Assignment 43 Thursday November 17, 2016 Assignment 43 1. Open your workbook to any blank page or use notebook paper. 2. Title it The Checks and Balances Game The Three Branches of Government Assignment 43- copy this

More information

To: Alan J. Balch, PhD and CEO of Patient Advocacy Foundation From: Date: September 27, 2013 Re: Campaign for Patient Access to Health Care

To: Alan J. Balch, PhD and CEO of Patient Advocacy Foundation From: Date: September 27, 2013 Re: Campaign for Patient Access to Health Care To: Alan J. Balch, PhD and CEO of Patient Advocacy Foundation From: Date: September 27, 2013 Re: Campaign for Patient Access to Health Care This year s Patient Congress in Washington D.C. missed an opportunity

More information

Federal Constitution Test Review & Study Guide

Federal Constitution Test Review & Study Guide Name: AP GOPO 2018-2019 AP United States Government & Politics (AP GOPO) Sumer Work Federal Constitution Test Review & Study Guide AP Government will require you to do a high level of work and to have

More information

Anatomy of the Constitution STEP BY STEP. one reading packet to each student. through the first two paragraphs on page one with the class.

Anatomy of the Constitution STEP BY STEP. one reading packet to each student. through the first two paragraphs on page one with the class. Teacher s Guide Anatomy of the Constitution Time Needed: One class period Materials Needed: Student worksheets Projector Transparencies (2, if using overhead) Copy Instructions: Preamble Activity (half

More information

Texas. SUPER DISTRICT A - FIVE SEATS % 2000 Presidential Vote

Texas. SUPER DISTRICT A - FIVE SEATS % 2000 Presidential Vote Texas Racial Representation Of the voting population of 6,232,350, 28.7 are Latino and 11.0 are black. Under the current 32-district system, black voters do not make up the majority in any district and

More information

The Executive Branch 8/16/2009

The Executive Branch 8/16/2009 The Executive Branch 3.5.1 Explain how political parties, interest groups, the media, and individuals can influence and determine the public agenda. 3.5.2 Describe the origin and the evolution of political

More information

US History, October 8

US History, October 8 US History, October 8 Entry Task: Write down your FAVORITE cartoon character. We will narrow it down to 2 or 3 - you ll need a piece of paper (FYI) Announcements Fill out worksheet - ONLY Executive side

More information

The Obama/Romney Amendments

The Obama/Romney Amendments Boise State University ScholarWorks University Author Recognition Bibliography: 2011-2012 The Albertsons Library 10-12-2012 The Obama/Romney Amendments David Gray Adler Boise State University Originally

More information

9.3. The Legislative Branch Makes Laws For the framers of the Constitution,

9.3. The Legislative Branch Makes Laws For the framers of the Constitution, 9.3. The Legislative Branch Makes Laws For the framers of the Constitution, the first step in building a trusted government was to create a fair way to make laws. Article I of the Constitution gives the

More information

Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Politics Summer Assignment. Mr. Green and Ms. Jeanblanc

Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Politics Summer Assignment. Mr. Green and Ms. Jeanblanc Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Politics 2018 Summer Assignment Mr. Green and Ms. Jeanblanc 1. During the summer, go to http://www.annenbergclassroom.org/page/a-guide-to-the-united-states-constitution

More information

Chapter 3: The Constitution Section 1

Chapter 3: The Constitution Section 1 Chapter 3: The Constitution Section 1 Objectives EQ: How does the constitution function in a way that has been flexible over a long period of time? Copyright Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 2 Standards Content

More information

Lesson 13 Writing and Ratifying the Constitution

Lesson 13 Writing and Ratifying the Constitution Lesson 13 Writing and Ratifying the Constitution Doct r. FRANKLIN looking towards the Presidents Chair, at the back of which a rising sun happened to be painted, observed to a few members near him, that

More information

CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS

CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS CONGRESS CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS Who Wins Elections? Incumbent: Those already holding office. Figure 12.1 CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS The Role of Party Identification Most members represent the majority party

More information

2. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Congress is doing?

2. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Congress is doing? 30 September 2010 Polling was conducted by telephone September 28-29, 2010, in the evenings. The total sample is 900 registered voters nationwide with a margin of sampling error of 3 percentage points.

More information

NextGen Climate ran the largest independent young

NextGen Climate ran the largest independent young LOOKING BACK AT NEXTGEN CLIMATE S 2016 MILLENNIAL VOTE PROGRAM Climate ran the largest independent young voter program in modern American elections. Using best practices derived from the last decade of

More information

MERKLEY REELECTION BID LAGGING EXPECTIONS

MERKLEY REELECTION BID LAGGING EXPECTIONS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, December 16, 2013 CONTACT: Fred Shumate fshumate@magellanbr.com MERKLEY REELECTION BID LAGGING EXPECTIONS Only 33% of Likely Voters Believe Oregon Senator Deserves Another

More information

2010 Legislative Elections

2010 Legislative Elections 2010 Legislative Elections By Tim Storey State Legislative Branch The 2010 state legislative elections brought major change to the state partisan landscape with Republicans emerging in the best position

More information

The Six Basic Principles

The Six Basic Principles The Constitution The Six Basic Principles The Constitution is only about 7000 words One of its strengths is that it does not go into great detail. It is based on six principles that are embodied throughout

More information

DAVID H. SOUTER, ASSOCIATE JUSTICE, U.S. SUPREME COURT (RET.) JUSTICE DAVID H. SOUTER: I m here to speak this evening because

DAVID H. SOUTER, ASSOCIATE JUSTICE, U.S. SUPREME COURT (RET.) JUSTICE DAVID H. SOUTER: I m here to speak this evening because DAVID H. SOUTER, ASSOCIATE JUSTICE, U.S. SUPREME COURT (RET.) Remarks on Civic Education American Bar Association Opening Assembly August 1, 2009, Chicago, Illinois JUSTICE DAVID H. SOUTER: I m here to

More information

The Electoral Process STEP BY STEP. the worksheet activity to the class. the answers with the class. (The PowerPoint works well for this.

The Electoral Process STEP BY STEP. the worksheet activity to the class. the answers with the class. (The PowerPoint works well for this. Teacher s Guide Time Needed: One class period Materials Needed: Student worksheets Projector Copy Instructions: Reading (2 pages; class set) Activity (3 pages; class set) The Electoral Process Learning

More information