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US Government Basic Concepts

US Government Basic Concepts. Here’s What We’ll Cover…. Main principles of government Structure of the Constitution Federalism Amending the Constitution You get to change the Constitution!. Basic Constitutional Principles. Social Contract & Popular Sovereignty Limited Government

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US Government Basic Concepts

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  1. US Government Basic Concepts

  2. Here’s What We’ll Cover… • Main principles of government • Structure of the Constitution • Federalism • Amending the Constitution • You get to change the Constitution!

  3. Basic Constitutional Principles • Social Contract & Popular Sovereignty • Limited Government • Representative Government • Written Constitution • Separation of Powers • Checks & Balances • Federalism • Judicial Review

  4. Structure of the Constitution • Preamble • Articles • 1: Congress • 2: Executive • 3: Judicial • 4: Relationship among the states (same rights in each state) • 5: Supremacy clause • Amendments

  5. Powers & Federalism • What is federalism? • Powers • Expressed (Enumerated) • Implied Powers; Necessary & proper (carry out enumerated) • Reserved (states) • Concurrent Powers • Denied Powers (tax exports)

  6. State Guarantees in the Constitution • Denied Powers • No treaties with foreign nations • Can’t coin money • Can’t grant titles of nobility • Bill of Rights applies to states (after passing of 14th Amendment) • What do states get? • Republican government • Protection • Territorial integrity (r-e-s-p-e-c-t!)

  7. The Amendment Process

  8. 109th Congress Proposed Amendments • To ensure reproductive rights of women • To force the Congress and President to agree to a balanced budget, with overspending allowed only in the case of a three-fifths vote of Congress • To ensure that all children who are citizens have a right to a "free and adequate education" • To specifically permit prayer at school meetings and ceremonies • To allow non-natural born citizens to become President if they have been a citizen for 20 years • To specifically allow Congress to regulate the amount of personal funds a candidate to public office can expend in a campaign

  9. More Proposed Amendments • The "Every Vote Counts" Amendment - providing for direct election of the President and Vice President, abolishing the Electoral College • To clarify eminent domain, specifically that no takings can be transferred to a private person except for transportation projects • To allow the President to reduce any Congressional appropriation, or to disapprove of same (akin to a line-item veto)

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