POLS 1100 1st Edition Lecture 2State of the UnionPresident delivers a speech to joint congressGives proposals and ideas for the coming yearStart of the to do list Video clip from John AdamsTalking aboutAllianceFreedom from MonarchyPolitics Trying to convince freedom is only courseConstitution - Key topics1. Forces that shaped it2. Federalists versus Anti-Federalists3. Ratification4. New science of government Articles of Confederation1. First attempt at national government2. Confederation: Loose alliance of states 3. Central government weaka. Coin money, but not back up currencyb. Not regulate commerce between states or other nationsi. States were of themselvesii. Could go into trade with other countries/statesb. No executive branchi. No one person working with congress to make decisionsb. No power to taxi. Federal government had no power to levy taxii. Federal government had no moneyiii. States collected their own taxes and then decided if they wanted to give the federal government fundsiv. If there were no funds for the federal government, there were no funds for army/soldiers Shay's Rebellion1. Bad harvests in 1780'sa. Farmers could not pay debtsb. Banks foreclosed2. Had to pay debts in casha. Army veterans had not been paid for serviceThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.2. Daniel Shays and 1500 farmers marched on state court in Massachusetts3. Congress could not raise an army to quell the rebellion Federalist ApproachQuestions:1. What kind of political system do we want/need?a. We need to have some strong governmentb. Something that has enough power to lastc. Protectiond. People have an impact on2. What are the ends of a political system?a. What are we trying to achieve?2. On what were we founding this system?a. Basing on idea all men are created equalb. Come together to form nation not states The Problem of AmbitionFederalist 511. Ambition must be made to counter ambition2. If men were angels no government would be necessary3. Need auxiliary precautiona. Government structureb. Nature of society Curing the Mischiefs of FactionFederalist 10Problem: Tyranny of the majority1. Remove the causes?a. Abolish libertyb. Give everyone the same opinion2. Control the effectsa. Minority factioni. Minority has for some reason more power than majority whether it is money, influence, etc.b. Majority factioni. Keep it from developing and unitingii. Large commercial republic Pluralism1. Large heterogeneous society2. Overlapping interestsa. i.e. North needed products from South and South needed money from North2. Difficult for a majority faction to coalescea. When you have a lot of competing interests harder for coalesceb. Take other opinions into account2. Majority will be moderate New Science of Government1. Structural mechanisms to protect libertiesa. Federalismi. Federal, state, and local governmentb. Separation of powersi. Not one rulerii. Three branches of governmentb. Checks and balancesi. President can veto-Congress can override a veto by 2/3 voteii. Legislative can override president as they were voted in by the people and for the people CompromiseThree major compromises needed to enact Constitution1. Connecticut/Great Compromisea. Congress reps based on populationb. Senate gets 2 reps no matter whatc. Blending of Virginia and New Jersey plansi. Virginia wants representation based on populationii. New Jersey wants representation equally2. 3/5s Compromisea. A slave only counts as 3/5 of a person for the purposes of representation b. The South wanted slaves to count as 1 person for voting with majorityc. The North wanted slaves not to count as they wanted to abolish slavery2. Bill of rightsa. The first 10 amendments of the constitutionb. Federalists against it so there was not too much powerc. If you illuminate rights people are given, they might think those are the only rights given Politics vs. Ideology1. Consensus-buildinga. Had to be all statesb. Wanted to make sure everyone was onboardc. Didn't want to have to ramrod down peoples throats2. Party system develops 3. Amendment processa. Important in terms of making sure constitution is ratifiedAmendment Process1. Crucial to ratification was ability to amend constitutional provisions2. Proposal:a. 2/3 House and Senateb. 2/3 State legislatures2. Ratification:a. 3/4 State legislaturesb. 3/4 constitutional conventions in states Ratification1. The debate over ratification from December 1787-June 17882. New York and Virginia crucial3. North Carolina held out for Anti-Federalist ideas (Bill of Rights)4. Rhode Island last to ratify (1790) Articles of the constitution1. Legislative powers2. Executive power3. Judicial power (Supreme court and lower courts)4. Promote harmony among states5. Amendments to constitution6. Federal government supremacy in foreign affairs7. Ratification of Constitution Membership and responsibilitiesUS House membersRequirements25 yrs oldCitizen for 7 yearsSelection methodsDirect election by botersSmall districts2 year termsSpecial responsibilitiesImpeachmentsOrigination of a revenue billsExplanationHouse members are less mature, frequent elections, small constituencies = responsivenessSensitive to voters on a very sensitive issues US SenatorsRequirements30 years of ageCitizen for 9 yearsSelection methodsState legislature (17th amend changes)Entire stateStaggered 6 yr. termSpecial responsibilitiesTry impeachmentsAdvice and Consent on treaties, ambassadors, judges, ministers, other officersExplanationSenators are more mature, infrequent selection on 1/3 at a time responsibleStable decision making on issues requiring sober judgment PresidentRequirements35 years of ageNatural born citizenSelection methodsElectoral collegeNational election4 year termSpecial responsibilitiesCommander in chiefPower to grand reprieves and pardonsTreaties,