Current Political Issues

The US is a country founded on freedom. The founders of this country revolted from Great Britian because of the loss of Freedoms an Taxation.

• National Government couldn't tax
• 9 of 13 states to pass law
• to change and article all 13 needed to pass
• disputes are settled in courts

Positive: set up guidelines for statehood

• Keep order
• Promote liberty
• Resolve conflicts

• Democrtaic Republic
• We have a constitution: definition
• Constitution = highest law in US

• Legislatve
• Executive
• Judicial

• 2 Houses
• US Senate-Import Powers
• US House of Representatives-Important Powers

President-Carry out the law but has other powers:

• -Commander in chief-Military (War powers act)
• -Represents the US Overseas

Congress must be told in 48 hours. Within 60 days congress must give permission for troops or troops have 90 days to return home

Supreme Court- Final decision on the laws passed. Laws must fit the guidelines of the Constitution.

• Two step process
• 1st-Proposal stage
• -2/3rd's of both houses of Congress or
• -2/3rd's of states call for convention to propose amendments

• 2nd-Ratification Stage
• -3/4th's state legislatures agree
• -3/4th's states hold ratifying conventions and pass the ammendment
• -Also changes can be made through interpretation.

• 2 steps. Proposal and Ratification
• Proposal- 1. majority of both houses of Gen Assembly. Or 2. Initiative- 8% of registered voters submit ammendment in each congressional district. Or 3. Constitutional Convention.
• Ratification- majority of the people. Election.