From Written Assignment #12
I narrowed these topics down, since some have been addressed elsewhere.
Reserved Powers
- The term comes from the 10th Amendment. It refers to the powers that the states continue to have under the new U.S. Constitution. It does not list these powers (not a good idea). Instead, it says that as long as the U.S. Constitution does not prohibit the states from doing something, they can do it.
- 10th Amendment.
- Reserved Powers.
- Prohibited Powers.
Political Cultures
- The concept refers to what people expect a government to do, or not to do. Daniel Elazar argues that there are three distinct types – he calls these the moralistic, individualistic, and traditionalistic. While each is present in all areas of the country, each area tends to be dominated by one or two. The individualistic and traditionalistic dominate Texas. He argues that much of the conflict we see within the United States can be understood as conflict between people who ascribe to one of these types. I think he has a point.
- Political Culture.
- State Political Culture.
Government Shutdown
- This has been in the news recently. It is only happening because some political forces refuse to pass the appropriations bill that will fund the national government for fiscal year 2024 – which began this past October 1. Money cannot be drawn from the U.S. Treasury unless an appropriation has been made – by Congress – for it. This is in the Constitution. Members of Congress have agreed to pass short term laws allowing the appropriations passed last year to continue, but these have to be renewed. Refusing to pass the current appropriations bill is a political maneuver designed to force a compromise on another issue. Example: I’m not going to grandma’s for Christmas unless I can bring my boy or girlfriend.
- Government shutdowns in the United States.
lack of transparency with the public
- Much of what governments do is done in secret. Not everything. Trials must be open to the public so they can be overseen. Other things, depending on what, are not only kept secret from the public, but from other government agencies. Think about covert activities run by the CIA. The same is true of individual activity – like how people run campaigns, decisions to run for reelection. Laws have been passed mandating public disclosure of information of citizens file for it. One of the specific functions of the press is to investigate government activities and publicize them. Sometimes however, this can get them in serious trouble. I’m not sure what else to say about this except that it happens, and is one of the things an educated and literate public is supposed to watch out for.
- Open Government.
- Secrecy.
the process of the electoral college choosing the president despite voters choosing . . .
- Each branch of the national government was originally given its own unique connection with the general public. The House was directly elected. The Senate was selected by the state legislatures. Judges were appointed by the president but subject to approval by the Senate. The president is selected by electors, who are themselves elected by the general public, because it is a different process. The assumption is that people selected by each of these methods are less likely to group together. The use of presidential electors is meant to help maintain the separated powers. The specific process is up to each state – that is laid out in the U.S. Constitution. All they have to do is send a batch of votes for the president to the Senate on the appropriate day after each presidential election so they can be counted officially. Texas chooses its presidential electors by allowing each party to nominate potential presidential electors. The state will accept the slate of electors nominated by the party whose presidential candidate gets the most votes.
- United States Electoral College.
- Electoral College members from Texas, 2020.
What exactly the speaker of the (U.S.) house does
- There is no specific job description for the United States Speaker of the House. The House of Representatives can pass its own rules, and these state that the speaker is the presiding officer when the entire House meets – this means the speaker has no control over the meeting committees and sub-committees. As time has passed and parties in Congress have developed and gained in strength, the speaker has emerged as the majority party’s leader and uses the powers of the presiding officer to ensure that the party’s agenda is passed into law.
- The Speaker of the House’s Constitutional Role.
How easy is it to run for president?
- Not very, at least is you want to win. If so, you should have an organization in each of the 50 states. They have to be funded and effectively organized, which means that a candidate has to tap into the pre-existing political networks across the nation. Effective information has to be gathered – generally through polling (something that is generally not shared) and media strategies have to be developed and implemented. And one has to make and maintain the proper friendships and political connections. This is just a superficial list. It ain’t easy, and it ain’t for everyone. Plus: You have to enjoy living in the spotlight.
- How To Become President Of The United States Poster.
I'm very confused on the way a court is run.
- This depends on whether we’re talking about a trial or an appellate court. I’ll stick to a trial court. Keep in mind that a court is a setting where two sides to a legal dispute can make their case before a jury. In a criminal case, the prosecutor (who works for the executive branch) brings a charge against a defendant (who has a constitutional right to be represented by an attorney). This process is overseen by a judge who must ensure that the trial in conducted in a manner that does not violate a defendant’s due process rights – specifically those contained in the 6th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. There’s much more to say, but this should give you a short digestible description.
- DOJ: STEPS IN THE FEDERAL CRIMINAL PROCESS - Trial.
