¶ … nation's "first constitution," the Articles of Confederation, provided a framework and blueprint for American politics and government (Kernell, Jacobson, Kousser and Vavreck 24). Far more anti-federalist in nature than the Constitution, the Articles of Confederation provided only for a loose confederation of states. States had the power to override almost any federal law. Moreover, the states appoint federal officials rather than reverting to citizen voters to elect national leaders and lawmakers. The Articles of Confederation lacked the balance of powers embedded in the future Constitution, and for which the Constitution is renowned. Without an executive branch in the federal government, and without a federal judiciary, the new nation seemed precariously weak under the Articles. Federalists affirmed the need for stronger centralization, particularly to bolster the American position vis-a-vis its European counterparts. Although the anti-Federalists retained some of the core principles of states' rights in the Constitution, ultimately the federalists gained the upper hand when it came to the structure of government. Unfortunately, though, the anti-Federalists stymied some of the more valuable tenets of centralized government, leading to...
Those weaknesses would have proven disastrous had the United States been forced to defend its boundaries. The Constitution allowed for the creation of a standing army functioning under federal jurisdiction, yet preserving the citizens' rights to bear arms as stated in the Second Amendment. Another core weakness of the Articles of Confederation was the inability to collect federal tax money or create a national bank system. Resolving those economic issues allowed the United States to trade more aggressively and successfully with European counterparts. The Constitution also provided greater popular sovereignty, influenced by Enlightenment philosophers like Locke who believed that only a government that had the tacit consent of its people would be deemed legitimate (Doernberg). Therefore, the Constitution ensured that the government of the United States was legitimately democratic, not comprised of an elite group of appointed officials.
American Politics In the U.S. society, the political powers of groups are determined by the demographic and institution characteristics. The powers is divided into two models, these includes; the pluralism which was created by the Madisonian democracy and the elitism. Pluralism is a system where the decisions of politics are being made resulting to the bargaining and negotiation among the special interested groups. For this case, no one is allowed to
This rule is applicable to all states except North Dakota which does not require registration. Absentee ballots and mail ballot options are also available for voters who could not make it to the election booth. This is the election process in the United States. Problems of the local governments Local governments have a vital role to play in the country because they are the closest government body for the citizens. Despite
The critical part of this decision is its date - 2002. McConnell v. Federal Election Commission decided the manor in which the 2005 election would be campaigned, and while the political world blistered in post-9/11 heat, the Bush v. Kerry campaign was taking on such importance that the Justices' opinion would be immediately decisive in the outcome of yet another election. Although not as direct as their role in the Bush
American Politics Historically, the significance of the executive branch has increased during periods of war, crisis and economic turmoil, while the legislative branch has assumed greater responsibility during peaceful reprieves and ostensibly stable times. The relation between these two branches is complicated, but the increase of power and prestige of the president during crisis times must be approached in two ways: the president as a more efficient executive administrator of policy,
As the world economy grows increasingly interconnected, the president's role as Chief Diplomat and Chief Executive will grow further intertwined. The President is also Commander in Chief of the nation's armed forces. However, given that you are a former law professor, you know that Congress has the official power to declare war. Many Commanders-in-Chief have attempted to circumvent that power, of course, such as when Lyndon Johnson used the Gulf
Latin American Politics United States-Latin American relations have under went many changes during the 20th century, a time of intense U.S. involvement in the region. Describe the shifts as evidence by Gunboat Diplomacy, Good Neighbor Policy, Alliance for Progress, and The Reagan Doctrine. Explain the reasons behind each shift and also the underlying consistencies of U.S. Policy. Because of its geographic proximity to the United States, Latin America has been a key
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