Famous American poet James Russell Lowell once said, “Democracy gives every man the right to be his own oppressor” (“Quotations” 2011). And it should be just that. James Russell Lowell successfully defined democracy when it is in its truest form; a citizen’s beliefs should be equally represented and considered for. The representative democracy instated in the United States presents the need for three branches in the government; they include the executive, legislative, and judicial branch. The Congress embodies the lawmaking branch of the government, having “all legislative powers” as it is stated in Article I of the Constitution. To prevent one state from having too much power over other states, the Congress was separated into the House of Representatives and the Senate to have checks and balances over each other. Although they have several different functions in society, both legislative bodies play a very important role in representing both the citizens’ and government’s choices.
The United States Congress was the result of two historical moments in United States, the First and Second Continental Congress. Long before he was a president, James Madison wrote the Virginia Plan for the governor of Virginia, Edmund Randolph, to propose at the convention. It basically stated that the Congress should be separated into two houses so it would not become tyrannical (Davidson 152). One of the houses eventually became the House of Representatives and one became the Senate. With the creation of a bicameral legislative branch, the framers had to separate the jobs each House would have to do and set the checks and balance so one body would not have more power than the other. Each House was presented with different responsibilities that are ...
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...e senatorial saucer to cool it” (Longley 2011).”
Works Cited
Davidson, James West. US: A Narrative History. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 152-153. Print.
Harrison, Brigid C., and Jean Harris. "Congress." A More Perfect Union. New York: McGraw Hill, 2011. 408-410. Print.
Longley, Robert. "House and Senate – Why We Have a House and a Senate." About.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2011.
"Quotations." Quotation Book. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2011.
"Responsibilities of Majority and Minority Leaders ." U.S. Senate. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2011.
Trethan, Phaedra. "About the U.S. Senate." About.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2011.
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Show MoreIn our countries government, Congress plays a major role in decision making. They’re primary role is to pass laws. These laws start off as bills. Bills can only be introduced by members of Congress. Although these bills only come from Congressman, there are many people who influence these bills. Such as the president, regular citizens, offices in the executive branch, and many others. The bills right off the bat do not have a very good chance of passage. Only one out of every ten bills even gets any attention at all. This is because they must go through many tests and hearings before they even have a chance of landing on the president’s desk. These steps in a bill becoming a law are very important, and make sure that all bills passed into law are the best of the best.
As having the advantage of being able to attend the Model Senate; a lot of experiences were achieved. Having three days of being in an environment where it places you in a spot where you learn about how the senate debate and vote over bills. This paper will be about how a senate works and how my senator was impacted in the committee, party, etc. First a small recap of my senator in the Model Senate; my Senator was Bob Casey (Senior), senator of Pennsylvania. Currently, Senator Casey is serving his second term he is the first Senator in the history of Pennsylvania to be elected twice who is a democrat. Casey is a “pro-life” and believes that working for the people is the key to a better society not only for his state but for the United States.
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Our government is made up of three branches. These three branches uphold the United States Constitution and the American people rights. Our legislative branch consist of a House of Representatives and the Senate which forms the United States Congress. According to Article 1 in the Constitution, the legislative branch purpose is to enact legislation and declare war, confirm and reject any appointments made by the President and given substantial investigative powers. The legislative branch is very complex but essential to our survival as a nation. The most vital step of the legislative branch is when a bill becomes a law. The legislative branch is an important factor in our American government. Without it, the American people would not have any laws to abide by. This essay will discuss context of the two branches, differences and similarities.
The newly formed Senate was prescribed along different lines. This institution was to be a house of review, a house designed specifically to empower and protect the states from the dangers of domination by the federal government. The Senators were elected in equal...
The House and Senate were established at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 by the Great Compromise to represent each state, and the Population of the United States. The House and Senate are in some ways identical, and in other ways they are very different. At the end of the day both the House and the Senate are ultimately charged with one task, serving the American people.
The United States of America, which is typically characterized as the beacon of democracy, has been surpassed by nations that better exemplify democratic principles. It is common knowledge that decisions are made by representatives rather than through direct democracy. These representatives are not always directly chosen by the people, but rather through convoluted partisan processes. The idea of democracy as opposed to monarchy became popular during the Enlightenment in Europe. The ideals and principles explored during that time are woven into modern government. The idea that protections must be made against tyranny of the majority and minority were also developed in this time. In the United States, one such protection is the Electoral College,
1. An assessment of the strengths of the institutions mentioned implicitly recalls the most central strength of government as outlined in the constitution, namely its division into three major branches: legislative, executive and judicial. Regarding the legislative branch (Congress), its major strength is the opportunity – indeed, the mandate - to represent the interests and preferences of the citizens who elect representatives to conduct “the people’s business.” The laws and programs that guide social action and distribute resources to various interest groups may often be contentious due to the diversity of the American population, but the mechanism by which they are enacted remains one of the most successful in the history of political systems.
Another similarity is they both play an important role in an impeachment trial.Bothe have to be or live in the state that they want to represent.They are both are elected by popularity votes.The senate and house both have a committee of employees that help them. There are many ore but the last that I have that they both argue and voto on bills. These are a few of the similarities that they House and senates
The Constitutional Powers of the House are very important to the country. The House initiates all revenue bills and initiates (and passes or defeats) articles of impeachment. Other structural differences that are important about the House is that it is more hierarchically organized (more centralized, more formal, stronger leadership.) than the Senate. Power is also distributed less evenly because of the large number of members. The members themselves are highly specialized. The House also emphasizes tax and revenue policy. The big difference between the House and Senate is that the House has way more committees and subcommittees. Like, a lot more. Another interesting thing about the house is that it introduces new bills by putting them into “the hopper.” (The representatives introduce bills by placing them in the bill hopper attached to the side of the Clerk’s desk in the Chamber. The term derives from a funnel-shaped storage bin filled from the top and emptied from the bottom, which is often used to house grain or coal. Bills are retrieved from the hopper and referred to committees with the appropriate jurisdiction.)
The American government prides itself on the foundational principle of democracy which allows individual voices to be heard. Afterall, the roots of power in our nation stem from the people. The Constitution was established to ensure the balance of powers among the federal government, state legislature, and the common people. Time, however, has worked against the American people in the battle towards democracy. The idea of a governing body drawing its power directly from its constituents has been undermined by the corrupt nature of modern politics where politicians act out of self-interest. While the Constitution and later amendments had every intention of securing basic liberties, certain limitations later undermined the original intentions of the founding fathers to give power back to the people by placing the larger majority of power in the hands of the state.
Easy-to-understand Explanation of the Foundation of American Government. Avon, MA: Adams Media, 2011. 161-62. Print.
Bicameral legislature- A congress made up of two houses. In the U.S. it is the senate and the House of Representatives. Constitutional convention agreed to a bicameral legislation. Congressional Sessions- Each term of congress starts on January 3 of odd numbered years and lasts for two years. Sessions- a meeting that takes place twice in congress and usually lasts for most of the year. Congress remains in session until its members vote to adjourn. After adjournment the president may call congress back into meeting as a special session. Membership of the House- a total of 435 members make up the house of representatives. Seats are allotted to each state and the number of seats that state is allowed to have is based on its population. Every state is entitled to at least one seat no matter how small the population is. To qualify to be a member of the house you must be at least 25 years of age, a resident of the US for 7 years and a legal resident of the state you represent.(Usually live in the district they represent.) Terms of the house are for two years. Representation and reapportionment- the census bureau takes a national census, or population count, every 10 years to assign representation according to population. The population of each state determines the new number of representatives, which is called reapportionment. Congressional Redistricting- The process of setting up new district lines after reapportionment has been completed. Gerrymandering- means that the political party controlling the state government draws a districts boundaries to gain an advantage in elections. The term gerrymandering can be traced to Elbridge Gerry, a governor of Massachusetts. Membership of the Senate- The senate is c...
Van, B. S. D., & University of Pittsburgh. (1995). Post-passage politics: Bicameral resolution in Congress. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press. 6th edition http://digital.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/t/text/text idx?idno=31735057897302;view=toc;c=pittpress