Unit Two: Interactions Among Branches of Government
Overview:
Because power is widely distributed and checks prevent one branch from usurping powers from the others, institutional actors are in the position where they must both compete and cooperate in order to govern.
The three key institutions of the federal government are Congress, the presidency, and the courts. The bureaucracy, which implements policy, is seen by some as an extension of the executive branch and by others as, in effect, a fourth branch of government because of the discretion it can exercise in carrying out policy directives. The Constitution grants specific powers to Congress, the president, and the courts, and in addition, each branch exercises informal powers (developed through political practice, tradition, and legislation). Because checks and balances are designed to prevent one branch from becoming too powerful, Congress and the president, for example, will sometimes cooperate and sometimes compete in governance.
PART ONE: THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The powers of Congress are set forth in Article I of the Constitution. Congress is bicameral, with the Senate representing states and the House of Representatives reflecting each state’s population. Congress passes laws that cover a wide range of policy areas, and each chamber has different responsibilities and rules. The federal budget is a good example of how the president and Congress must cooperate and compromise. While Congress is empowered to develop and pass a budget, in the modern era the president typically proposes one, which may lead to ideological debate. There are several reasons it is difficult for Congress to pass legislation, including ideological differences. Much of the work of Congress is done in committees, and congressional committees also exercise oversight to ensure that the bureaucracy is carrying out policies as intended.
Lesson 2.1: Congress: The Senate and the House of Representatives
Enduring Understanding:
The republican ideal in the U.S. is manifested in the structure and operation of the legislative branch.Learning Objectives:
Describe the different structures, powers, and functions of each house of Congress.Essential Knowledge:
The Senate is designed to represent states equally, while the House is designed to represent the population.Different chamber sizes and constituencies influence formality of debate.
Coalitions in Congress are affected by term-length differences.
The enumerated and implied powers in the Constitution allow the creation of public policy by Congress, which includes:
- Passing a federal budget, raising revenue, and coining money
- Declaring war and maintaining the armed forces
- Enacting legislation that addresses a wide range of economic, environmental, and social issues based on the Necessary and Proper Clause
Debrief 2.1: Impeachment!
Read the following excerpt of an article from the Washington Postand answer the questions that follow...
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took the extraordinary step Tuesday of initiating impeachment proceedings against President Trump, accusing him of violating the Constitution in seeking help from a foreign leader to damage a political opponent.
Pelosi’s move came after Trump acknowledged that he urged the Ukrainian president to investigate former vice president Joe Biden, a contender for the Democratic presidential nomination who holds a wide lead over Trump, polls show, in a potential general election matchup. The revelation prompted a rush of moderate House Democrats to call for an impeachment inquiry into Trump, a step they had resisted for months. On Tuesday, Pelosi (D-Calif.) relented as well.
Congress has launched impeachment proceedings against a president only four times in the nation’s history. Pelosi’s move all but ensures that the House will vote on articles charging Trump with “high crimes and misdemeanors” in a matter of weeks, according to senior Democratic lawmakers and top leadership aides, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations.~By Rachael Bade, Mike DeBonis and Karoun Demirjian from the Washington Post. September 24th 2019. Full Article Text
September 24 at 5:24 PM
1. Explain how this article represents the principle of checks and balances.
2. Once the House of Representatives votes on articles to charge President Trump, research what would happen next write down the next steps in the impeachment process.
Activity #1: Congress One Pager
In order to create a "divider" in your notebooks that will serve to separate Unit One and Unit Two Part One, we are going to create a one pager over the Legislative Branch. To get a look at what a one pager looks like click this link. Here is what your one pager should include...
- A title and subtitle across the middle
- A border that includes the 18 powers of Congress
- A Picture in one quadrant
- Congress' checks in another quadrant
- The structure of Congress in another
- A quadrant that has three questions you have about Congress
Activity #2: Legislative Branch Carousel
In your notebooks, we will travel through four stations to learn the basics about the Legislative Branch. You will have about 20 minutes on each station so make sure to work efficiently! Note the answers to each of the "Parts," or stations in your notebooks. You can find a copy of each of the stations with this PDF.
