hemorr’s blog

If you did the previous assignment, you now know a great deal about checks and balances in U. S. government.

Now the next step.

Your independent study: Research and read about the unitary executive.

Use google — and try using not only google’s “web” search, but also “news.” I would also suggest — especially for visual learners — that you try clicking on google “image” to see if there aare diagrams, charts, pictures — even cartoons — that help you get the idea of this 9or any) research topic.

Essay Topic: Why is the checks and balances system important for America, and how would a unitary executive impact the system and America?

In your essay compare and contrast the two systems.

REMEMBER: “Compare and Contrast” is a particular style of essay.

*MY ESSAY:     With the Checks and Balances system, each of the three branches of the U.S. government can limit the power of the others; this way no singal branch becomes too powerful. Each branch checks the power of the other branches to make sure that the power balances’s between the three branches. The Unitary Executive Theory is a controversy theory of constitutional interpretation that adresses aspects of the powers seperation. The Checks and Balances system is important to America because it’s a important part of the Constitution.

Checks and Balances are both assoiciated with the three branches and the constitution. They both have equal power over eachother. The power of Congress to divies the President of control of the executive branch is limited. The Unitary Executive would impact the system and America because the Unitary Executive theory says that the President posseses all of the executive powers and can control subordinate officers and agencies of the executive branch. Which means the President over powers the executive branch; which also means it goes against the “Checks and Balances” system, because the power between the three branches “are not balanced.”

Checks and Balances system are different because checks refers to the ability, right, and responsibility of each power to monitor the activities of others, and Balances refers to the ability of each entity to use its authority to limit the pwers of others, whether in general Seope are particilar cases of the government are the Legislative branch, which makes the laws; the Executive branch, which enforces and carrys out the laws, and the last branch is the Judicial branch, wich interprets the laws.

Some examples of the Checks and Balances system are; that congress may pass a law, but the President can veto it; the President can veto it, but congress can override it. Also the President and congress can agree on a law but the supreme court can declare it unconstitutional.

The President has control over all three branches. All three branches of the U.S. government have certain powers. The Checks and Balances make it so each branch has a certain amount of power that they use against eachother so no singal branch takes control or has to much power. Except the Unitary theory because it works against the checks and balances system and can impact America because if the President had full power over the executive branch, the President can carry out and enforce any law he wants. Even if its not for the good of Americans. I think the world would come to an end.

print (or write) out the assignment and bring it to your next appointment. (week of October 16 - 20)

On all answers, link to the source where you found your information.

–I. FILL IN THE BLANKS IN THE SENTENCES BELOW

1. What are the 3 branches of our government? *legislative, Judicial, Executive.

2. The ______________ Branch of our government makes the laws.

3. The ______________ Branch of our government enforces our laws.

4. What are the two parts of our Congress? *Supreme court and Senate.

5. There are *100 senators.

6. The ______________ is elected by eligible United States citizens who vote and by the Electoral College system.

7. ___________ and _______________ are elected by voters in their states.

8. ________________ study laws to see if they are correct according to the Constitution.

9. Where do the major branches of our federal government meet and work?

*At the White House in Washigton D.C

10. The *President is the leader of the Executive Branch of our government.

–II. READ how one writer uses the idea of checks and balances to analyze several recent issues in the U.S. and in her state. WRITE a paragraph summarizing what you learned about checks on the Executive branch. *

–III. Print out (or very neatly draw/write) this work sheet and complete it.
* I printed out the worksheet and completed it.

–IV. Anwer these questions:

1. What happens to a law after it is passed by both houses in Congress?
*It goes to the Executive branch so they can enforce it and carry out the law.

2. What kind of a majority must Congress have to reverse a veto?                    *Congress must have 2/3 majority in each house.

3. Are most presidential vetoes reversed by Congress?
*Yes, Congress is allowed to override the Veto.

4. What is advise and consent?                                                                 *Confirmation by the senate of certain appointees of the Governor.

5. Which of the three branches of government have the power to declare war?          *The Supreme court Judiciary; The Supreme court over the President.

–V. Check back Friday for your Blog Essay Topic                                                        *I got my Blog Essay Topic: IRAQ

1) Read the following article.Here is the article from today’s news: *I read the article.

–Death Toll of Iraqis Exceeds 600,000, Report Says

By Nadine Elsibai

Oct. 11 (Bloomberg) — About 600,000 people have died violent deaths in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion of the country in March 2003, researchers found in a new study by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore and Al Mustansiriya University in Baghdad.

Gunshots were the most common cause of death, with males ages 15 to 44 accounting for 59 percent of the total as of July 2006, according to the report to be published in today’s online edition of The Lancet, a scientific journal. The estimates were made after a nationwide survey of 1,849 Iraqi households between May and July 2006.

“Deaths are occurring in Iraq now at a rate more than three times that from before’’ March 2003 [the date of the American invasion], said Gilbert Burnham, lead author of the study and co-director of the Bloomberg School’s Center for Refugee and Disaster Response, in a statement.

2) In the comment section of this post, write a) your reaction to the artricle and b) tell what you know about why we invaded Iraq.

3) In your blog, write a longer, researched, thought-through, linked and refferenced post using quotes, links, your own critical thinking and information gathered from numerous sources on this topic: Why We Invaded Iraq: what were the reasons, and were they good enough?*

How did you arrive at an understanding of the Tony Snow/Mark Foley/Scandal/Capital Hill/Naughty emails/Spin assignment?

*Yes, because I couldn’t understand anything about the spin assignment and how to do it until I did the four steps to basic problem solving.

What was the problem when you first approached this assignment?

*The problem was that I know where to begin looking to find all the information for this assignment, but I eventually understood it.

“Why did Tony snow say what he said, and why did he choose those particular words to say it?”