Oct 20, 2006: Lab

Announcements

Go watch: "A More Perfect Union"
-Wednesday and Thursday October 25th, 26th
--5:00pm, 7:30pm JSB Auditorium
-Thursday October 26th 6:45am in JSB
 Auditorium

NOTES

Madison in (drawing up the constitution) draws from Aristotle, Plato and other greek philosophers

Guards against Corruption?
-Virtue
--comes from plato
--Republican Motherhood- says that the mother would teach her children what it means to be a good citizen, virtuous etc.

-Structure
--Aristotle: mixed government (separation of powers)- making sure that one person or group of people don't have all the power in governement

James Madison felt that the best check against corruption was: virtue.

"Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely."

The constitution has:
-checks and balances
-3 branches (separation of powers)
-structural devices

Congress is made up of: bicameral legislature
-Upper House- Senate
-Lower House- House of Representatives

The Senate was the 'upper house' because the senate was on the upstairs of the building.

House of Representatives
-Based on population (435 members today)
-"Hot" House- closer to the people
-term length 2 years (they have re-election every 2 years)
-responsible to the people

Senate
-2 per state (100)
-"Cold" House- farther removed from the people
-elected by state legislatures (state governments) (originally)
-term length 6 years (they have re-election every 6 years)
-responsible to the state

Presidential term (maximum term: elected twice)

[Structural Devices]
-Indirect elections
-You vote in an electoral college- they vote for president

Filters of consent (David Hume)
-the farther removed from the people an elected representatives is, the less responsible to the people they are

Electoral College
-There is a # of votes/state

[note from mark]
Okay I figured out the electoral college stuff. Each state is assigned a certain number of votes according to their population. Here is a list of electoral college votes per state. Utah has 5 electoral college votes, so that means if 51% of utah vote for the republican party and 49% vote for the democratic party, all of the 5 of utah's votes will be for the republican party. So then if a presidential candidate has over 270 electoral college votes, they have a majority and win the election. California has the most votes (55 electoral college votes). If you have questions post a comment below.
[end note]

Enumerated Powers
-Powers that the national government has are LISTED in the constitution
-All other powers are given to the people

[Separation of Powers]
-Executive (enforce laws)
-Legislative (create laws)
-Judicial (interpret laws)

Checks and Balances
-the way that the 3 branches interact with each other

--------------------[chart on page 111]--------------------
Legislative
vs Exec
Overrides vetoes
Impeachment
Approve/deny treaties & appointments
Sets up agencies and programs

vs Judicial
Impeach and remove judges
Determines number of supreme court justices
Approves, rejects presidential judicial appointments

Executive
vs Legislature
Vetoes legislation
Suggest legislation, state of the union
Calls for special sessions
Negotiates treaties

vs Judicial
Nominates judges
Pardons for federal offenses

Judicial
vs Legislature
Determines if a law is constitutional or not (Judicial Review)
Interprets laws and treaties
Impeachment

vs Executive
Declares acts of President constitutional or not (Judicial Review)
Interprets treaties
Reviews administrative agency cases
--------------------[end chart]--------------------