Responsibilities of Govt & the Legislative Process

Lesson 3.4

Abstract

• While the Preamble describes the purposes of government, the legislative process is set forth in Article I of the US Constitution. Legislation is introduced to serve one or more of the purposes of government. Yet, political parties often differ in how they view legislation. These differences are reflected throughout the legislative process.

• Purposes in the Preamble

• Explain to the class that politicians and activists use the ideas set forth in the Preamble to encourage support for their policies and visions for the country.

• Priorities and methods for achieving these goals often reflect the differences in the parties.

Preamble to the U.S. Constitution

• We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Stances on Issues

• Identify a position on each issue and match it to a purpose of government as listed in the Preamble.

The Five Purposes of Government

• Promote Justice – Laws must be reasonable, fair and impartial. – Laws must be fair on their face and in their application.

• Domestic Tranquility - Peace and calm within our borders

• Common Defense – Protection from outside dangers, outside our borders

• Promote the General Welfare – Protect the general well-being its citizens

• Secure the Blessings of Liberty – Protect the freedoms citizens’ now have so that they may exist for future generations

Example

• Democratic Party favors government funding of embryonic stem cell research because embryonic cells are regenerative in nature and may offer a renewable source of replacement cells to treat diseases, conditions, and disabilities. Democrats might argue that embryonic stem cell research could provide cures to diseases which would promote the general welfare.

• The Republican Party supports funding research using adult stem cells, but opposed embryonic stem cell research. Republicans might argue that the government should not support embryonic stem cell research and in fact should ban the use of embryonic stem cells (even privately) to protect the life of the embryo, thereby promoting the general welfare.

I’m Just a Bill

Dynamic Legislative Process

• http://www.centeroncongress.org/modules/Legislative_Process/main.htm

• Look at the 4th segment

Question

• How do pressures from interest groups, media, political party leadership, shape public opinion and affect public policy? – Partner Up – Brainstorm how political parties

can influence the legislative process– Put a star next to each step that may be

influenced by political parties

Flowchart & Questions

• Where in the legislative process might disagreements among the political parties be visible?

• When one party has a majority in the Senate or House, that party controls the chairmanship of the congressional committees in that house. How might action in the committees be affected? What if the sponsor of a bill is from the other party? What if it is from the committee chairman’s party? What is the likely outcome from a committee if one of the bill’s sponsors is the chairman? Why might committee chairmanship matter?

• If a bill makes it out of committee, how does the legislative process differ in the two chambers of Congress? Why might the filibuster be permitted in one but not in the other?

• What is a conference committee? What purpose does it serve?

• Why can bills on taxes only originate in the House?

• What might happen if the House and the Senate are controlled by different political parties?

• What might be different if both houses of Congress are controlled by the same party?

• What role does the president play in creating legislation? How can he stop legislation?

• How might the President’s political party affect his use of veto power?

• If the President is from a different political party than the majority in both Houses, how might the legislature respond to a president veto?

• The legislative process takes a long time. Why do you think the Framers created such a prolonged process?

Homework

• Why must compromise be an essential ingredient in the legislative process?