1. Identify and explain the organization of the Legislature
The legislature consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate is considered the more mature part of congress and it has higher requirements for office. You must be at least thirty and have been a citizen for nine years. For the senate, you have to be thirty and have at least been a citizen for at least seven years.
2. Identify and provide an example of the powers of the Legislature, both formal and informal.
Some formal powers include the house’s ability to vote to have pres impeached but the senate must carry out the trial. The only impeachable officials other than the President and Vice President are federal judges and cabinet members. Bill Clinton was impeached from his presidency. Another formal ability includes the house’s ability to elect president if electoral votes are tied. The house also has the formal Power to introduce laws and legislation that specifically deal with revenue and taxes. The senate has the formal ability to introduce laws and legislation revenue. The house has the formal power to be apart of joint committees. Some committees include the economics and commerce committees. Congress has the power to declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water. The president has the informal power for executive orders, executive pacts with foreign countries, and the pocket veto.
3. Identify and explain how Congress shares powers with the Executive, Judiciary, and bureaucracy.
Some of the shared powers include checks and balances. The executive has the ability to veto any bills made by congress One example is the Keystone Pipeline. The president did not feel that congress made a constitutional bill so he vetoed it. The Judiciary has the power to prevent a bill from becoming a law if it is declared unconstitutional. This prevents congress from passing bills that are unconstitutional. The bureaucracy can fund or influence the votes that congress passes based off of their conception of importance.
4. Discuss the implications of Congress sharing powers with each of the following: Executive, Judiciary, and bureaucracy.
The implication of congress sharing powers results in preventing corruption. This is a result of checks and balances. Furthermore, by sharing power, it keeps the separate branches connected and working together and on the same page. It keeps everything together.
5. Discuss the functions that Congress performs.
Congress is the lawmaking branch of government. It is in charge of making laws and bills and then passing them into law. It is separated into two branches, the house and the senate. The purpose of these two branches is to represent the people and what laws the people want in order to benefit their well being. In addition, congress has the ability to check the president by possibly impeaching him. They have to ability to issue taxes and spending in addition to inform the public.
6. Identify how the power of the Congress has/may evolve gradually.
The power of congress may slightly increase because they are getting more powerful and they are the people who create the law. Therefore, people who want influence in government will go to the congress for support and influence rather than other officials.
7. Identify how the power of the Congress has/may changes dramatically as a result of crisis.
In a state of crisis, congress may lose power to the president because of martial law or states of emergency. In addition, the president may take power because reforms and changes to fix the problem need to be made. These changes need to be made quickly and efficiently. Rather than have 435 people bickering over what to do, the single person that is the president can take executive action.
8. Identify and discuss the ties between the Congress and political parties.
Congress is influenced by political parties drastically. For the two major parties, Republican and Democrat, the influence is direct in that the officials in congress are usually one of them. However, certain minor parties may have different focuses. Their presence may cause a disturbance in the two party system by addressing issues that the Republicans or Democrats are not properly addressing.
9. Identify and discuss the ties between the Congress and interest groups.
Interest groups may lobby congressmen to get influence. Furthermore, interest groups have the ability to bring support whether financial or through advertisement. Interest groups form to get their goal accomplished. In order to do this, they need to influence congress through lobbying.
10. Identify and discuss the ties between the Congress and media.
The media inform the public as to what is occurring in congress. Depending on the source of media, it can reveal corruption in congress. In doing so, it serves almost as a watchdog. Furthermore, the media serves as a key method for advertisement to the public about congress. This serves as a method of democracy so the people can be involved in what their representatives are doing.
11. Identify and discuss the ties between the Congress and state and local governments.
State and local governments serve to benefit their community whereas the larger groups serve to benefit the country as a whole. By allowing state and local government influence in congress, congress has to take into consideration the good of individuals according to their own geographical areas. As a result, the government balances the local power and federal power by allowing different responsibilities depending on its application.
The legislature consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate is considered the more mature part of congress and it has higher requirements for office. You must be at least thirty and have been a citizen for nine years. For the senate, you have to be thirty and have at least been a citizen for at least seven years.
2. Identify and provide an example of the powers of the Legislature, both formal and informal.
Some formal powers include the house’s ability to vote to have pres impeached but the senate must carry out the trial. The only impeachable officials other than the President and Vice President are federal judges and cabinet members. Bill Clinton was impeached from his presidency. Another formal ability includes the house’s ability to elect president if electoral votes are tied. The house also has the formal Power to introduce laws and legislation that specifically deal with revenue and taxes. The senate has the formal ability to introduce laws and legislation revenue. The house has the formal power to be apart of joint committees. Some committees include the economics and commerce committees. Congress has the power to declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water. The president has the informal power for executive orders, executive pacts with foreign countries, and the pocket veto.
3. Identify and explain how Congress shares powers with the Executive, Judiciary, and bureaucracy.
Some of the shared powers include checks and balances. The executive has the ability to veto any bills made by congress One example is the Keystone Pipeline. The president did not feel that congress made a constitutional bill so he vetoed it. The Judiciary has the power to prevent a bill from becoming a law if it is declared unconstitutional. This prevents congress from passing bills that are unconstitutional. The bureaucracy can fund or influence the votes that congress passes based off of their conception of importance.
4. Discuss the implications of Congress sharing powers with each of the following: Executive, Judiciary, and bureaucracy.
The implication of congress sharing powers results in preventing corruption. This is a result of checks and balances. Furthermore, by sharing power, it keeps the separate branches connected and working together and on the same page. It keeps everything together.
5. Discuss the functions that Congress performs.
Congress is the lawmaking branch of government. It is in charge of making laws and bills and then passing them into law. It is separated into two branches, the house and the senate. The purpose of these two branches is to represent the people and what laws the people want in order to benefit their well being. In addition, congress has the ability to check the president by possibly impeaching him. They have to ability to issue taxes and spending in addition to inform the public.
6. Identify how the power of the Congress has/may evolve gradually.
The power of congress may slightly increase because they are getting more powerful and they are the people who create the law. Therefore, people who want influence in government will go to the congress for support and influence rather than other officials.
7. Identify how the power of the Congress has/may changes dramatically as a result of crisis.
In a state of crisis, congress may lose power to the president because of martial law or states of emergency. In addition, the president may take power because reforms and changes to fix the problem need to be made. These changes need to be made quickly and efficiently. Rather than have 435 people bickering over what to do, the single person that is the president can take executive action.
8. Identify and discuss the ties between the Congress and political parties.
Congress is influenced by political parties drastically. For the two major parties, Republican and Democrat, the influence is direct in that the officials in congress are usually one of them. However, certain minor parties may have different focuses. Their presence may cause a disturbance in the two party system by addressing issues that the Republicans or Democrats are not properly addressing.
9. Identify and discuss the ties between the Congress and interest groups.
Interest groups may lobby congressmen to get influence. Furthermore, interest groups have the ability to bring support whether financial or through advertisement. Interest groups form to get their goal accomplished. In order to do this, they need to influence congress through lobbying.
10. Identify and discuss the ties between the Congress and media.
The media inform the public as to what is occurring in congress. Depending on the source of media, it can reveal corruption in congress. In doing so, it serves almost as a watchdog. Furthermore, the media serves as a key method for advertisement to the public about congress. This serves as a method of democracy so the people can be involved in what their representatives are doing.
11. Identify and discuss the ties between the Congress and state and local governments.
State and local governments serve to benefit their community whereas the larger groups serve to benefit the country as a whole. By allowing state and local government influence in congress, congress has to take into consideration the good of individuals according to their own geographical areas. As a result, the government balances the local power and federal power by allowing different responsibilities depending on its application.