Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Presidential Debates

The face-off starts friday! The focus should be on foreign policy and national security, and regardless of your opinions, I think it's important to listen to each candidate and keep an open mind. All of the broadcast and cable news networks will carry the four debates (three presidential and one vice presidential), and I think this election's debates will be more crucial than ever. These debates afford candidates an opportunity to win votes, lose votes or just seal the deal. One bad line could end it all, and one good one could give the little push needed in such a close election.

Wall Street Woes

Obama and McCain finally agree on something- that the economy is in ruins, and it's going to take $700 billion to fix it. Both Candidates put out strikingly similiar plans, both calling for greater accountability and independent oversight, a path for taxpayers to recoup the money, and a cap on the executive pay of those companies that take part.

McCain stated that his plan essentially requires a ten thousand dollar tax increase per household.


Obama has been unclear in how he plans to raise the money while keeping his same tax plans, but he is also proposing a second stimulus package that would pump $50 billion into the economy -- $25 billion to the states and another $25 billion for infrastructure projects. His plan also calls checks of $500 per individual or $1,000 per household to offset higher gasoline and other energy costs. Obama would pay for those checks with a windfall profits tax on the oil industry



No matter what happens, or who wins, something has to be done, and it has to be done soon.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Obama!

Like the rest of the 6000 people at Cross Orchards, I was pumped. The six hours of standing in line was very worth it to be that close to a national icon. I’ve watched tons of his speeches before, but watching him in person was AMAZING. The speech was nothing new, but he did touch on some important points, especially for Colorado. I thought it was great how he laid out his plan for our water rights, and how he commented on how the republican economic plan was out of touch, but then again he could have gone up there and sang the Itsy Bitsy Spider and I would have been amazed. I think it's that smile. Overall, it was the opportunity of a lifetime and I'm sooo glad I got to be apart of it all.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Formal vs. Informal Amendment

The founders of the Constitution realized that change was inevitable overtime, and that in order for a government to succeed, it needs to keep up. They thereby constructed the Constitution as an adaptable document, one that would be able to grow and change along with the people it governs. Therefore, the Constitution can be changed both formally and informally.
The formal amendment process of the constitution consists of two phases, proposal and ratification, each of which can be carried out in two different ways. An amendment can be proposed either by a two-thirds vote in each house of Congress, or by a national convention called by Congress at the request of two-thirds of the state legislatures. Once it has been proposed, the amendment moves on to the process of ratification. In order to be ratified, the amendment must either be approved by three-fourths of the states’ legislatures, as in the case of all amendments except for the 21st, or by a special convention called for by three-fourths of the states. If the amendment is ratified, it then becomes part of the official US Constitution, and is made into law.
The Constitution can also be modified in a less official manner. The Constitution can undergo change through judicial interpretation, changes in political practices, changes in technology, and as a result of the increasing demands on policymakers. The most distinct of the informal processes is the practice of Judicial Review, as established in the 1803 case of Marbury v. Madison. Throughout the years, Judicial Review, although not clearly outlined in the constitution, has become an essential part of the Constitution, as evident in cases such as Roe v. Wade and Brown v. Board of Education. Political parties are another informal yet influential aspect of the Constitution. Although they are not mentioned in the constitution, they have come to play a key role in American politics. Advances in technology have also managed to informally change the way we follow the constitution. When the founders originally drafted the constitution, things such as atomic bombs, abortions, and the internet were not even fathomable. As a result, we have come to follow somewhat of an unwritten constitution, in which the rules for the use of new technology are set. Lastly, the increasing demands that are currently placed on policymakers have also affected the way the Constitution is interpreted. America started off as a meager country that barely had the power to rule itself, let alone the world, but as time went on and the US grew, it gradually emerged as a superpower. As the power of the country grows, so does the power in the hands of the president, resulting in increasing demands on all policymakers involved in our government. As you can see, the Constitution originally given to us by the founders of this country has changed a great deal, and will continue to change as time goes on.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Madisonian Model

The Madisonian Model of government established a successful system of government by distributing the powers of the federal government, creating a system of checks and balances, and limiting the control the majority factions held over the government. Madison created a model of government that effectively eliminated the threat of tyranny, and that model is still evident in the Constitution today.
James Madison believed that, in order for a government to succeed, the power of government must be outside the hands of the majority factions. Madison’s idea of restricting the amount of power the people have in government decisions is evident today in the electoral process. The American citizens can only directly vote for the members of the House of Representatives, the President is elected by the Electoral College, and the Supreme Court Justices are appointed by the President with the help of the Senate. Therefore, government officials are elected by a small minority, not the people themselves, making it impossible for the majority factions to takeover. Although Madison’s main idea of limiting majority control is still used today, it has changed over time. The seventeenth amendment established the direct election of senators by popular majority, giving the people more power over government officials.
Madison’s proposal of separating powers is also depicted in the Constitution today. The doctrine of separation of powers creates three main branches of government, the Judicial branch, the Executive branch, and the Legislative branch. By dividing the federal governments power equally among the three branches, the power is separated, eliminating the threat of one group having total control.
Madison also created a system of checks and balances in his model to prevent political corruption from forming in anyone of the branches. The system allots each branch the power to check and balance each other. For instance, the president can veto congressional legislation, but the Senate can override that veto. Also, the Supreme Court was given the power of Judicial Review through the case of Marbury v. Madison in 1803, and therefore can declare laws and rulings made by the other branches of government unconstitutional.
Although Madison created a successful model, as with all governments, it has its problems. While the separation of power and the system of checks and balances eliminates the threat of tyranny, because the separate branches have the ability to check each other, political interests may get in the way, resulting in a political gridlock and a very slow legislative process.