Assignment #3

 Directions: In your blog:  Pick two areas from each of the three section in Chapter 4.  Write a paragraph on those areas and what you have learned in regards to each area.  You should have six total paragraphs.

Chapter 4, Section 1

 The Exclusive and Concurrent Powers

• Most of the powers that the Constitution delegates to the National Government are exclusive powers. Some examples of exclusive powers are coin money, to make treaties with foreign states, and to govern U.S. territories and admit new states. Some powers are not expressly denied to the States.Concurrent power is the powers delegated to the National Government. Some examples are to levy and collect taxes, borrow money, etablish courts, and define crimes and set punishments. The concurrent powers are held and exercised seperatly and simultaneously by the two basic levels of government.
• I have learned that concurrent powers are those powers that make it possible for a federal system of government to function. The federal system determines the way that powers are divided and shared between the National and the State governments. Also, that the states cannot regulate interstate commerce, but they can and do affect it.

Chapter 4, Section 2

Admitting New States- Admission Procedure

• The area desiring Statehood first asks Congress for admission. When the congress chooses, it passes and enabling act, an act directing the people of the territory to frame a prpsed State constitution.If the congress still agrees to Statehood after reviewing the document, then it passes the act of admission. Which is an act creating the new state. If the president would sign the act, the new state would enter the Union.
• I learned that the congress has admitted 37 states since the original 13 formed the Union. Those 5 states are Vermont, Kentucky, Tennessee, Maine, and West Virginia. They were made from parts of already existing states. Also, the two newest states  area Alaska and Hawaii, they are shortened the usual process of gaining admission to the Union.

Chapter 4, Section 3
Extradition

• According to the Constitution " A Person charged in any State with Treason, Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee fom Justice, and be found in another State, shall on Demand of  the excutive Authority of the State fom which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State having Jurisdiction of the Crime." -Article IV, Section 2, Clause 2. This clause refers to extradition which is the legal process by which a fugitive from justice in one State is returned to the State.  It is designed to prevent a person from escaping justice by fleeing a State.
•  I learned that  governors regularly approve the extradition requests they receive from other States' chief excutives, and some of those requests are contested. This is true in strong cases like racial or political overtones, and in cases like parental kidnapping of children involved in custody disputes.

Assignment #2

1.  What does Federalism mean by definition and what does Federalism mean to you?
 
Answer #1: Federalism is a system of government in which a written constitution divides the powers of government on a territorial basis between a central, or national, government and several regional governments, usually called states or provinces. I'm really not sure what it means to me but all i know is that there are laws made for minors and older people but most of the minors get away with them like smoking for example. Thats all i really know about federalism.

2.  List and describe the three powers of the National Government.
Answer #2: 1) Delegated Powers- it has only those poers delegated (granted) to it in the constitution. 2) Expressed Powers are delegated to the National Government in many words expressed in the constitution. These powers are also sometimes called  the "enumerated powers." 3) Implied power is found in one of the expressed powers. Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 gives congress the "necessary and proper power."

3.  Explain the division of powers and why it is important?

Answer #3: The division of powers is the basic principal of federalism; the constitutional provisions by which governmentalpowerss are divided on a geographic basis. It is important because it assigns certain powers to the National Government and certain powers to the States. This division of powers was implied in the original Constitution and then spelled out in the Bill of Rights: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States repectively, or to the people." - 10th Amendment

4.  What is the Supremacy Clause and what is its function?

Answer #4: "This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any state to the Contrary notwithstanding." The Supremacy Clause has been called the 'linchpin of the Constitution" because it joins the National Government and the States into a single governmental unit, a federal government. In other words, The Supremacy Clause holds together the complex sructure that is the American federal system.

5.  Find a site on the Internet that deals with Federalism.  Take 10 minutes and review that site.  Provide the link and provide some of the useful information that you found to help you better understand what Federalism is and how it works.

Website: http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/rightsandfreedoms/a/federalism.htm

Answer #5: The U.S. Constitution establishes a government based on "federalism," or the sharing of power between the national, and state (and local) governments. England and France have a power-sharing form of government, which is the opposite of "centralized" governments. Each of the 50 states has its own constitution. All provisions of state constitutions must comply with the U.S. Constitution.

Some of the exclusive powers of National Government that are reserved to them are: Print money (bills and coins), Declare war, Establish an army and navy, Enter into treaties with foreign governments, Regulate commerce between states and international trade, Establish post offices and issue postage, and make laws necessary to enforce the Constitution.

Some of the powers that are reserved to the State Government are: Establish local governments, Issue licenses (driver, hunting, marriage, etc.), Regulate intrastate (within the state) commerce, Conduct elections, Ratify amendments to the U.S. Constitution, Provide for public health and safety, Exercise powers neither delegated to the national government or prohibited from the states by the U.S., and Constitution (For example, setting legal drinking and smoking ages.)

Assignment #1

1. What are your views on the latest political ads on TV?  What candidate(s) do you like or dislike and why?

Answer: I think that most of them have a really negative message and they have a very attacking feeling when you watch them. I don't really have any likes or dislikes about them because I really only have seen a couple but don't remember whose they were but I just didn't like how they were so negative the whole time through their ad.

2. What role do you feel that you will play in politics and government in the future?  What ways are you participating currently?

Answer: Well, I will be turning 18 in April and kind of can't wait until i actually have a say in which politicians or whoever is good for the government or not. I'm not really sure how the future is going to go with government and politics for me.