We reformatted the seminar, combining the two sessions into one. The content is the same. Only the format has changed. We also updated slides to reflect changes in the Supreme Court. We will upload the new version soon.
INTRODUCTION - SESSION I
Visit CivicsForGrownups.org - a website to support this seminar
The site presents
The entire slideshow for Session I and II with speaker’s notes
The US Constitution and its Amendments
Links to other sites
Find your Representatives
▪ Federal
▪ State
▪ County
▪ Local
End Gerrymandering in PA (we will discuss Gerrymandering in Session II)
Learn about Civics through online games
Contact us at
Why we are offering these sessions
Some of us had a Civics class in school, but...
▪ Some topics may not have been covered
▪ We forgot some things that were covered
▪ Some things are not part of the ‘written’ system of government
Partisanship is at an all time high and, in our opinion, is damaging our nation
We’ve talked to many people who said they don’t understand important things...
▪ Why we have an Electoral College and how it’s selected
▪ Why voting districts are laid out as they are
▪ How/where to register to vote
▪ How/where to vote in local, state and national elections
Each of us has our own political biases and opinions. In this seminar, however, those leanings should be irrelevant. The seminar is not a forum to debate our positions. It’s an overview of US Democracy and our role as citizens in that Democracy. If you detect a bias in what we present, please let us know so that we can eliminate it.
It is our hope that, by offering this seminar, we can contribute to a community that understands how our government is supposed to work, recognizes areas where government works differently than designed, and feels vested in taking the active role that is necessary for us to ‘own our government’ in the way we should.
This is Session I of a 2-part series. This session is an overview with more details in Session II. We and other organizations will be offering still more seminars that go into greater depth than these two sessions if you express interest.
RIGHTS ARE LIKE MUSCLES - IF YOU DON’T EXERCISE THEM, THEY VANISH.
CIVIC RESPONSIBILITIES
Abide by Laws
Know the laws
Know responsibilities
Know proper methods to protest and change laws
Pay taxes
Only source of government funding
Know how to defer taxes legally
Jury Duty
Civic responsibility if called
Not just people who register to vote (refusing to register does not exempt you)
Selected from drivers’ license registry
Be an Informed Voter
Learn about Issues
Learn about Candidates
Investigate all candidates
Look at sample ballot before voting
It’s not enough to watch news, internet or FB
Lots of fake news
Deliberate lies
Distortions
Shoddy, un-researched, error filled reporting
Deliberately misleading -effort to fool readers
Satire
Tip-offs that the news is questionable
Anonymous author
Excessive exclamation marks!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CAPITAL LETTERS
Misspellings (mispelings?)
Says, “This is not a Hoax!”
Links or phone numbers that are dead or contradict claims
Be Smart
Consider the source
Read beyond the headline
Check the author
Investigate supporting documents
Check the date
Is it satire - a joke - The Onion
Check your own biases
Consult experts
VOTING PROCESS - I
We elect Federal, State, & Local representatives to represent us at all three levels.
If we don’t vote, others choose our representatives and the issues they champion.
Don’t vote? Don’t complain.
The lowest turnout is for local elections - the elections that have the most impact on our daily lives.
You are eligible to vote if you are a US Citizen who is age 18 or older... and register.
When you register, you have to choose a party.
Choose one that aligns with your values and/or one that lets you vote in primary elections. Only Democrats and Republicans vote in primaries in PA.
You can register online, by mail, at a photo license center, at a registration drive.
https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pages/VoterRegistrationApplication.aspx
http://www.dos.pa.gov/VotingElections/Voters/Documents/Votespa/OnlineVoterRegFormBlank.pdf
Know how to reach your county election office. That office can help you register, tell you where your polling station is, provide sample ballots, absentee ballots...
Berks
633 Court St.
Reading
610-478-6490
Lancaster
150 N Queen St.
Lancaster
717-299-8293
Lebanon
400 S 8th St.
Lebanon
717-228-4428
Lehigh
17 S 7th St.
Allentown
610-782-3194
Montgomery
439 Swede St.
Norristown
610-278-3280
Schuylkill
420 N Centre St.
Pottsville
570-628-1467
York
28 E Market St.
York
717-771-9604
You can also find your polling station at https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pages/PollingPlaceInfo.aspx
You must show ID the first time you vote at a polling station. If there is difficulty with your registration, the polling station can accept a provisional ballot from you. If you will be away from home on Election Day, you can get an absentee ballot. If you want to vote for someone who is not on the ballot, you can write in a candidate to vote for him/her.
VOTING PROCESS
Rules and Regulations
You can request assistance in the voting booth if you need it.
You may not take photos inside of the booth.
You should not make calls inside of the booth
You will be allowed to vote if you are in line by 8 PM.
Candidates and their representatives must stay outside of the polling station, at least 10 feet from the door. No one may try to influence you inside of the polling station. No campaign materials are allowed inside of the polling station.
Voter suppression and intimidation
Some voters encounter barriers to registration and voting - Voter suppression is a strategy to influence the outcome of an election by discouraging or preventing people from voting. The tactics of voter suppression range from minor changes to make voting less convenient, to physically intimidating prospective voters - both of which are illegal.
Voter suppression and intimidation most frequently target minorities and people who have lower income.
Fraud and Inaccuracies
Types
False identities - infrequent and unlikely
Compromised technology - infrequent and unlikely (more likely than before)
Gerrymandering - frequent and common - will be covered in Session II
Getting informed
BEFORE ELECTION DAY
Get a list of candidates from your county election office
Do some research
Get sample ballots for your precinct from your county election office
If an online sample ballot is not accessible, call or visit the office to get one
Know how you plan to vote before you walk in
Make a plan for how you will include voting on election day.
How will it fit into your workday, the schedule for picking up kids, etc.
How will you get there? Car, bus, train, taxi? How long will it take?
Fill in the sample ballots for your precinct from your county election office.
Know how you plan to vote before you go.
Go do it.
Vote in EVERY election - the local elections are where we choose people who will influence our daily lives and incubate tomorrow’s state and national leaders.
THE CONSTITUTION
History
The Constitution went into effect in 1791.
It is the supreme law of the land.
Written more than 220 years ago, still outlines our system of government.
The Constitution allows the Federal government to bind states into a nation.
Federalism
The Constitution establishes a government based on Federalism, where two or more entities share control over the same geographic region.
Federal, State, County, and Local governments operate in overlapping territories, but each address different issues. It is a ladder of power, with the most wide-reaching power at the top with the Federal government. It is a set of sieves for issues - sift out large issues for the Federal, more regional issues for the State, and smaller issues that affect a small area for Local action.
If you need help with a local issue, go to your local offices. Similarly, if you need to address an issue that is state-wide, or national, go to your state or national representatives for help.
Division of Power in the Federal Government
Three Branches: Legislative, Executive, Judicial
Checks and Balances
The Constitution gives certain powers to each branch, not to all branches
Avoids too much power in one place
Each branch checks the others
Amendment Process
Allows for changes in Constitution making it a ‘living document’
Requires 2/3 of each House of Congress & a majority of state legislators
the current majority requires 38 state legislatures to adopt a change
First ten amendments are called the Bill of Rights (included immediately - 1791)
Important for anti-federalists who wanted their rights written into the constitution
3rd thru 15th: Civil rights (over about 70 years: 1791 - 1870)
21st and 18th: Prohibition (14 years apart: 1919 to 1933)
19th: Women’s right to vote (1920)
25th: Presidential Succession - (1967 after the Kennedy assassination)
26th: 18-yr-old vote (1971 because of Viet Nam - draft age was 18)
What we need to do…
Become familiar with the Constitution and its Amendments
Understand Federalism
Know what it takes to amend the Constitution
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Legislative Branch
Two “Houses” in Congress
House of Representatives (lower house)
▪ Representation Based on Population
▪ 435 Representatives
Senate (upper house)
▪ Equal Representation
▪ 50 Senators - 2 per State
Qualifications to be a Member
House of Representatives (lower house)
▪ 25 years old
▪ Citizen 7 years
▪ Reside in state they represent
Senate (upper house)
▪ 30 years old
▪ Citizen 9 years
▪ Reside in state they represent
Terms of Office
House of Representatives (lower house)
▪ 2 years
▪ unlimited re-election
Senate (upper house)
▪ 6 years
▪ unlimited re-election
▪ 1/3 of the Senate is re-elected every 2 years
Legislator’s Job Description
Law Maker - How a Bill Becomes a Law
Introduced in Committee in the House or Senate
Presented/Debated on the House or Senate Floor
Goes to other house to repeat the process
(must be identical in both houses)
Presented to President for signature or veto
Congress can override veto with 2/3 majority in both houses
Committee Member - Standing Committees for specific issues
Representative & Servant of Constituents
Politician - more about this in Session II
Your address determines who is your representative.
Find Federal and State Representatives at http://act.commoncause.org/site/PageServer?pagename=sunlight_advocacy_list_page.
Find County officials at
http://www.votespa.com/en-us/voting-and-elections/be-prepared/Pages/County-Contact-Information.aspx.
Find Township/Municipality officials at https://www.civicsforgrownups.org/copy-of-legislators-by-zip-4.
JUDICIAL BRANCH
Judiciary Act of 1789
Established Federal Courts
Divided Country into Circuits
we now have more circuits than we did because we have more states
Provided for Chief Justice and five Associate Justices for Supreme Court
We now have a Chief and 8 Associate Justices (since 1869)
Structure - a hierarchy
Under the Supreme Court are
Appellate Courts that hear appeals from
Lower Courts
US Supreme Court Justices
Appointed by the President
Approved by the Senate
Appointed for life
PA judicial system mirrors the federal structure - a hierarch with over 1000 judges
ALL OF THEM ARE ELECTED, NOT APPOINTED - WE GET TO CHOOSE THEM
What do we need to do?
Unless you prefer to have someone else choose the judges who make decisions about your local issues and our state issues, vote in all elections - the judges are chosen in the ‘small’ elections that most everyone ignores. Is it important? YES!
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Branch of government responsible for enforcing laws
President of the United States (POTUS)
Qualifications stated in the Constitution
Natural-born citizen
At least 35 years old
Resided in USA for 14 years
Unwritten Qualifications
Term Limit - 22nd AMENDMENT
Four-year Term
Two-term Limit
Ten-year limit
Vice-President
Preside over Senate
Decide question of Presidential disability
Acting President as needed
Hand picked to balance ticket
Cabinet: advisors to the President - each confirmed by a specific Senate Committee
ELECTORAL COLLEGE
We do not directly elect our President
We choose representatives who become the Electoral College
This approach was written right into the Constitution: Article II Section I Clause 3
Current: There are 538 Electors
This number equals the number of Senators and House Representatives
100 Senators and 435 Representatives (plus 3 for DC)
A candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win the Presidency (since 1964)
State’s electors equal number of Members in US Congress
Each political party nominates Electors who
who pledge to vote for the party’s candidate
may not be Members of Congress or federal government employees
Popular vote decides which nominees become Electors
Electors meet in State capitals to vote
President
Vice President
Electors ALMOST always vote for the candidate to whom they pledged
Joint session of Congress counts & confirms votes
If no candidate gets 270 votes
House of Representatives chooses Adams (1824)
Number of electors is proportional to the state’s population measured every 10 years
Disadvantages
Can give individual votes unequal weight
CA population is 39M people - 55 electors. RI population is 1M - 4 electors For equal clout, CA would have to have 156 electors - 3 times as many
Works poorly when there is a very small margin of victory within individual state
Tends to favor a two-party system
Candidates who receive more popular votes can lose the election
It’s not a perfect system, but it’s the one we have right now
CONCLUSION
It is our hope that, by attending this seminar, you’ve gained better understanding of how our government is supposed to work, know more about the areas where government works differently than designed, and feel vested in taking the active role that’s needed for us to ‘own our government’ in the way we should.
Please let us know if there is some place where we should offer this two-part seminar.
Please let us know if you need more information about any of these topics or would like to attend seminars that give more details about these topics or other topics - we are providing a handout to help you get that information back to us.
We will notify you when other seminars are available.
Feel free to send questions to us at all.of.us@CivicsForGrownups.org.
Remember...
RIGHTS ARE LIKE MUSCLES - IF YOU DON’T EXERCISE THEM, THEY VANISH.
INTRODUCTION - SESSION II
Location of restrooms
Food (if there is any)
Remember
CivicsForGrownups.org - a website to support this seminar
Contact us at all.of.us@CivicsForGrownups.org
Each of us has our own political biases and opinions. In this seminar, however, those leanings should be irrelevant. The seminar is not a forum to debate our positions.
This is Session II of a 2-part series. This session presents details about topics we touched upon in Session I.
We and other organizations will be offering still more seminars that go into greater depth than these two sessions if you express interest.
REVIEW - CIVIC RESPONSIBILITIES
In the last session, we discussed our responsibilities as citizens - the things we have to do to make Democracy work:
Serve on Juries
Know and follow the law - or change it
Pay taxes
Be an Informed Voter
Learn about Issues and Candidates
Recognize fake or manipulative news
Think critically about the information you gather
REVIEW - VOTING PROCESS
In the last session, we reviewed why we vote, how we vote, who is eligible, and resources to help you know where to vote and to learn about candidates.
We elect Federal, State, & Local representatives.
If we don’t vote, others choose our representatives and the issues they champion.
US Citizens age 18 or older who register are eligible.
You can register online, by mail, at a photo license center, at a registration drive.
https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pages/VoterRegistrationApplication.aspx
http://www.dos.pa.gov/VotingElections/Voters/Documents/Votespa/OnlineVoterRegFormBlank.pdf
Your county election office can help you register, tell you where your polling station is, provide sample ballots, absentee ballots...
We encouraged you to get a sample ballot and decide who you will vote for BEFORE election day. We urged you to vote in EVERY election - the local elections are where we choose people who will influence our daily lives and incubate tomorrow’s state and national leaders
Vote in EVERY election - the local elections are where we choose people who will influence our daily lives and incubate tomorrow’s state and national leaders.
REVIEW - THE CONSTITUTION
In the last session we discussed that the Constitution went into effect in 1791.
It is the supreme law of the land.
It establishes a government based on Federalism
where two or more entities share control over the same geographic region.
It divides Power in the Federal Government
Three Branches - Legislative, Executive, Judicial
Checks and Balances
Some powers to each branch, not to all branches
Avoids too much power in one place
Each branch checks the others
It can be changed (amended)
2/3 of each House of Congress & a majority of state legislators
the current majority requires 38 state legislatures to adopt a change
The 1st 10 amendments are called the Bill of Rights
REVIEW - LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
In the last session, we discussed that the the Legislative Branch consists of 2“Houses”
House of Representatives (lower house) - Based on Population
Senate (upper house) - 2 per State
We discussed Qualifications, Terms of Office, and that
Your address determines who is your representative.
Find Federal and State Representatives at http://act.commoncause.org/site/PageServer?pagename=sunlight_advocacy_list_page.
Find County officials at http://www.votespa.com/en-us/voting-and-elections/be-prepared/Pages/County-Contact-Information.aspx.
Find Township/Municipality officials at https://www.civicsforgrownups.org/copy-of-legislators-by-zip-4.
We touched on Legislator’s Job Descriptions
Law Maker, Committee Member, Representative & Servant of Constituents
We promised to give you more information about
Salary and Benefits
Powers
Who are the leaders of the House and Senate
Which Committees have the most influence
How people become Representatives and Senators and
what it means that your Legislators are also Politicians
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH - SALARY & BENEFITS - NEW MATERIAL
Representatives and Senators earn $174,000 per year
Free Franking (postage)
License Tags
American Flags
Packages wrapped free for mailing
Generous Pension Plan
Expense Accounts for
Travel
Equipment & Office Leasing
Communications
Stationery
Benefits/Discounts/Services
Special Health Care Plan
Health Club
Legal Advice
Library Services
Discounts in Stationery Store
Free Parking
Reduced Barber/Beauty Shop Rates
Use of Recording & TV Studios
Federal Retirement Plan
(not Social Security)
Expressed Powers
Tax
Borrow money
Regulate trade
Coin money
Establish bankruptcy codes
Determine naturalization procedures
Postal power
Grant copyrights and patents
Power over territories
Judicial powers
War powers
What we need to do…
Know which Congressional District you live in
Know who represents the district in Congress
Have the Representative’s contact info (phone, address, email)
Know who your state Senators are
Have the Senators’ contact info (phone, address, email)
Vote in ALL elections
Contact your Representative and Senators
to ask questions
to express concerns
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH - LEADERS IN THE HOUSE/SENATE
Leaders in the House
Speaker of the House - Paul Ryan
Leader of Majority Party
Only votes in a tie
Appoints temporary speaker to debate
3rd in succession for presidency
Earns more than others - $223,500
Leaders in the Senate
President of the Senate - VP Mike Pence
Presides over debates and votes
Only votes in a tie
2nd in line for presidency
Earns $227,300
President Pro Tempore - Warren Hatch
Serves in the absence of VP
Usually member of majority party
Earns $193,400
Leaders in the House and Senate
Floor Leaders
Legislative strategists
Carry out goals of party
Majority and Minority Leader
$193,400
House Floor Leaders
Kevin McCarthy - R
Nancy Pelosi - D
Senate Floor Leaders
Mitch McConnell - R
Chuck Schumer - D
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH - COMMITTEES
Standing Committees
Permanent groups for specific topics
Draft, debate & advance bills
Bills must be identical & pass both houses
President signs or vetoes
Congress can override vetoes
House Committees
Appropriations Judiciary
Armed Services Merchant Marine & Fisheries
Banking, Finance & Urban Affairs Post Office & Civil Service
Budget Public Works & Transportation
District of Columbia Rules
Education & Labor Science, Space & Technology
Energy & Commerce Small Business
Foreign Affairs Standards for Official Conduct
Government Operations Veterans Affairs
House Administration Ways & Means
Senate Committees
Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry
Finance
Appropriations
Foreign Relations
Armed Services
Governmental Affairs
Banking, Finance & Urban Affairs
Judiciary
Budget
Labor & Human Resources
Commerce, Science & Transportation
Rules & Administration
Energy & Natural Resources
Small Business
Environment & Public Works
Veterans Affairs
Joint Committees -
Economic Committee,
The Library, Printing,
Taxation
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH - PATHWAY TO THE LEGISLATURE
The Constitution outlined a system in which citizens would serve one or two terms and go home, but legislators are now often lifetime, career politicians. This change introduces new elements to the pathway to a legislative seat: power games, Gerrymandering, and propaganda.
POWER GAMES
Hedrick Smith is a Pulitzer Prize Winner, former Washington Bureau Chief of the New York Times, and author of The Power Game.
Smith describes games that politicians play to achieve and keep their legislative seats:
Money Game - continuously raise money - dial for dollars daily - there is never enough
Visibility Game - stay in the public eye, take photo opportunities, interviews
Constant Campaigning - the next election is 4 or 6 years from the one that just ended
Favors for the Home Folks - do things that make constituents feel grateful
Inside Game - coalition politics
Opposition Game - make someone else a villain - especially used when the Speaker of the House and President are from different parties
POWER GAMES - NON-ELECTED POWER
Political Action Committees
- differ from lobbyists in that PACs can give money directly to campaigns - lobbyists use money to present arguments to influence legislators
Staff - each legislator has a large staff, including advisors, who we do not elect
Spouses - legislators’ spouses have the legislators’ ears
What we need to do…
Recognize when our legislators are being politicians who are using power games to sway our opinions.
GERRYMANDERING
Gerrymandering is redistricting gone bad, a corruption of a process to keep equal numbers of voters in a state’s voting districts.
GERRYMANDERING - PURPOSE OF VOTING DISTRICTS
PA has three types of voting districts - each district directly elects one legislator
US House of Representatives - 18 districts - 18 Representatives
PA House of Representatives - 203 districts - 203 Representatives
PA Senate - 50 districts - 50 Senators
Districts influence the Electoral College and the Presidential election
GERRYMANDERING - WHY/HOW REDISTRICTING IS DONE
Population shifts over time. The US Census, done every 10 years tracks those changes.
After the Census, we redraw the boundaries of the districts so that they contain equal numbers of voters. Redistricting is supposed to create districts that do not divide towns, townships, school districts unless it is unavoidable.
PA’s Constitution establishes how redistricting is done:
a 5-person Commission
US Congress recommends candidates
PA State House & Senate appoint 4 members - 2 Republicans & 2 Democrats
Those 4 people OR the PA Supreme Court picks 5th member
The people being elected (US House of Representatives and both State Houses) choose who draws the lines - therefore, the people being elected influence elections.
GERRYMANDERING - REDISTRICTING FOR POLITICAL ADVANTAGE
When a Commission draws lines to create a political advantage or disadvantage, the redistricting is Gerrymandering. This process got its name in 1812 - MA Governor Elbridge Gerry signed a district plan that favored Republicans; outraged Federalists gave the name “Gerrymandering” to the corrupt redistricting process.
GERRYMANDERING - WHY IS IT A PROBLEM
Protects favored incumbents
moves lines to support them
inhibits entry of new candidates
limits our choices at the polls
Punishes incumbents who push back on the party
moves lines to oust them
encourages voting with the party
reduces importance of constituent priorities
Fosters partisan gridlock
The problem: politicians choose their voters - voters no longer choose their politicians.
GERRYMANDERING - IS IT A PROBLEM IN PA/HOW TO FIX IT
In 2010, the redistricting commission redrew lines that maintained equal populations in districts, but ignored the requirements to make districts compact and contiguous, and allowed lines to cut through towns, townships, school districts... Berks County has four districts. Their boundaries meander, bisect incorporated entities. Berks’ districts extend into SEVEN other counties.
In 2010, Project RedMap - a PAC, injected money into state elections, influenced who chose the redistricting commission, and helped to make our districts political tools. For 2020, we have both Project Redmap 2020 and Advantage 2020 waiting to do the same.
GERRYMANDERING - AMEND THE PA CONSTITUTION?
Senate Bill 22 and House Bill 722, if passed, would amend the Constitution
to create an 11-person Commission
US Congress does not recommend candidates
4 members from Democrats, 4 m
members from Republicans
3 members from other parties
majority of 7 to pass a redistricting plan
The bills were introduced early in 2017.
To change redistricting process, they must be law before 2020.
By May, 86 legislators supported SB22.
Some legislators like it as is.
Some legislators believe the process is still to politicized.
Some legislators believe that Gerrymandering is NOT a problem in PA.
A recent thrust is raising this issue to the US Supreme Court
What we need to do…
Look at the changes to the voting district boundaries.
Hold our state legislators accountable to have a fair redistricting approach.
Actively support legislators’ efforts to ensure fair redistricting.
PROPAGANDA
A message designed to persuade its intended audience to think and behave in a certain manner - used in advertising and politics
Beware of messages that use propaganda to subconsciously sway your opinion
Types of Propaganda
Plain Folks - Vote for me... I’m just like you...
Bandwagon - Everyone else is doing this... You should too...
Glittering Generalities - Broad, vague generalities - Sound good, say nothing
Transfer - Use of Patriotic Icons/Symbols - Take on meaning by association
Name Calling - Bash your opponent - Say nothing about yourself
Testimonial - Famous, respected person’s endorsement - merit by association
Card Stacking - Tell only one side of the story - Heavy use of statistics
REVIEW - JUDICIAL BRANCH
Judiciary Act of 1789 Established Federal Courts
Divided Country into Circuits - more circuits now because we have more states
Provided for Chief Justice and five Associate Justices for Supreme Court - 9 since 1869
The courts are a Hierarchy with the Supreme Court at the top
PA’s court system mirrors the federal system - over 1000 PA judges - ALL ELECTED
Supreme Court (15), Commonwealth Court (9), Court of Common Pleas (439): 10-yr
Municipal - Philadelphia and Pittsburgh (517) and Magisterial Courts (39): 6-yr
JUDICIAL BRANCH - JURISDICTION - NEW MATERIAL
Foreign governments
Maritime law
Bankruptcy
Two or more state governments
Citizens of different states
US laws and treaties
Interpretation of the Constitution
JUDICIAL BRANCH - FUNCTIONS
Court of Law - Hear cases within Federal Jurisdiction - Not like a TV trial court
Justices read petitions previewed by their clerks
usually cases appealed after local state or federal court
Justices choose which cased to hear
Conflict of law: two or more courts reach different conclusions about an issue of federal or constitutional law
Important Issues
Justices' Interests: issues in their favorite areas of law
Lower Courts Disregard past Supreme Court decisions:
hear the case to correct the lower court,
simply overrule the case without comment
Make Policy - examples: Brown (desegregation), Roe v Wade (abortion)
Interpret the Constitution - rulings based on Justices’ interpretation of the Constitution.
Check actions of Legislative and Executive Branches
Rules on constitutionality of laws passed by legislative branch
In US v Nixon, the court limited Presidential executive privilege
JUDICIAL BRANCH - JUSTICES - NEW MATERIAL
Supreme Court Justices - Appointed by President - Approved by Senate - Appointed for life
John G Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice, 2005, age 62
Anthony Kennedy, 1987, age 80
Clarence Thomas, 1991, age 68
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 1993, age 83
Stephen Breyer, 1994, age 78
Samuel Anthony Alito, Jr., 2005, age 66
Sonia Sotomayor, 2009, age 62
Elena Kagan, 2010, age 56
Neil Gorsuch, 2017, age 50
Ideology
Conservative: Roberts, Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch
Centrist: Kennedy
Liberal: Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan
REVIEW - EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Branch of government responsible for enforcing laws
Appoints heads of Federal agencies and the Cabinet
POTUS Chief of State, Chief Administrator, Chief Diplomat, Legislator, Citizen, Commander in Chief of Armed Services, Two-term/Ten-year limit
VP President of Senate, Next in line for the Presidency
CABINET Advisors to the President
EXECUTIVE BRANCH - POTUS’ COMPENSATION/STAFF - NEW MATERIAL
$400,000/Yr. Salary
$50,000/Yr. Expense Account
Travel Expense Account
$201,700/Yr. Lifetime Pension
White House (132 rooms)
Camp David
Cars/boats/planes/helicopters
Secret Service
34 staff for domestic service
Up to 100 assistants
Temporary consultants & experts
EXECUTIVE BRANCH - VP JOB/COMPENSATION
Preside over the Senate
Decide presidential disability
Serve as acting president
Heartbeat away from being the POTUS
Handpicked to balance ticket
$230,700 annual salary
EXECUTIVE BRANCH - CABINET - NEW MATERIAL VI
Secretary of State (1789)
Secretary of the Treasury (1789)
Secretary of Defense (1947
Attorney General (1789)
Secretary of the Interior (1849)
Secretary of Agriculture (1889)
Secretary of Commerce (1903)
Secretary of Labor (1913)
Secretary of Health & Human Services (1953)
Secretary of Energy (1977)
Secretary of Transportation (1967)
Secretary of Education (1979)
Secretary of Veterans Affairs (1989)
Secretary of Homeland Security (2001)
Secretary of Housing & Urban Development (1965)
EXECUTIVE BRANCH - PATH TO PRESIDENCY - NEW MATERIAL VII, VIII, & IX
Form Exploratory Committee
Declare Candidacy
Fundraise, Campaign, Debate
Win Primary Election
Fundraise, Campaign, Debate
Get National Committee Nomination
Republican or Democratic Convention - two parties powerful enough to choose a ‘best candidate’ so as not to divide the party and allow the other party to win.
Fundraise, Campaign, Debate
Win General Election
Popular Vote
Electoral College
Inauguration
REVIEW - ELECTORAL COLLEGE
Concern over direct popular vote for President
fewer people were educated
ravel & communication limited access
Group of well-informed, respected representatives of the people to choose President
the number of Electors was smaller in 1791 - we now have 538 Electors
equals the number of members of Congress
majority of 270 Electoral votes win the Presidency
ELECTORAL COLLEGE - CHOOSING ELECTORS
The number of Electors from each state equals the number of Members of Congress
Each political party nominates Electors who pledge to vote for the party’s candidate
Electors may not be Members of Congress or employees of the federal government
ELECTORAL COLLEGE - HOW IT WORKS
Parties nominate their Electors
Popular vote decides which nominees become Electors
Electors meet in State capitals to vote for the candidate they pledged
Joint session of Congress counts & confirms votes
If no candidate gets 270 votes, House of Representatives chooses - Adams (1824)
ELECTORAL COLLEGE - ELECTORS PER STATE
The number of electors is proportional to the state’s population
Census every 10 years determines number of congressional representatives and electors
48 States are winner-take all, Maine and Nebraska can split their electoral votes: 2 to state winner, remainder to district winners.
PA has 20 now (equal to 18 Reps plus 2 Senators), likely to lose one after next census
ELECTORAL COLLEGE - ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES - VI, VII, & VIII
Protects small & remote states
Equalizes importance of low & high population centers
Campaigns address more regions to get a majority of votes
Addresses broader base of Americans
Reduces potential for corruption - 51 separate elections, not just one
Recounts are easier in close elections
Can give individual votes unequal weight
CA population - 39M, 55 electors - 709 thousand votes per elector
RI population - 1M, 4 electors - 250 thousand votes per elector
To achieve equally weighted individual vote, CA would need 156 electors
PA would need 51 electors to have the same individual clout as RI
Works poorly when there is a very small margin of victory within individual state
Tends to favor a two-party system
Candidates who receive more popular votes can lose the election
The Electoral College has chosen differently than the populace four times:
1876 - Hayes 1888 - Harrison 2000 - G W Bush 2016 - Trump
To alter the Electoral College requires a Constitutional Amendment.
CONCLUSION
We hope you’ve gained better understanding of how our government is supposed to work, know more about the areas where government works differently than designed, and feel vested in taking the active role that’s needed for us to ‘own our government’ in the way we should.
Please let us know if there is some place where we should offer this two-part seminar.
Please let us know if you need more information about any of these topics or would like to attend seminars that give more details about these topics or other topics - we are providing a handout to help you get that information back to us.
We will notify you when other seminars are available.
Feel free to send questions to us at all.of.us@CivicsForGrownups.org.