Sequestration. Government shut down. President Obama isn't going to send out Social Security checks! And you WIC (Women, infants, and children food assistance program) deadbeats, we're cutting you off too because you all have TVs and drive Cadillacs and buy drugs with that welfare money. Out of control spending. No big government! Blahblahblah. TV, radio, print media, e-mails, and Facebook repeat this drivel until our brains are saturated. Thinking prevents saturation.
I'm pretty sure the average American is incapable of thinking. I think a lot and some might say I think too much but at least I THINK!
The Republican conservatives lay our current problems at the feet of President Obama.
The other side places the blame on Congress - and the Republican Party.
Well, it all started long before Obama took office. Probably this country has never been out of debt. The Revolution cost a chunk of change to this start-up nation who had hardly anything in the bank. Some of my ancestors who fought for the American side were paid, not in money, but in land if only they would move and settle it. Seemed like a good idea at the time. "Say, Peter Wickerham, why don't you move the little wife and kiddies out to Kentucky and prove up some land there. Oh, sure, there are Indians, but they'll move off when enough white people move in and if they don't, why just shoot 'em." I think (hope) Peter lived a peaceable life and got along with all the neighbors and never shot anyone.
Well, Peter sold his land in Kentucky and moved to Ohio around 1800. He built an inn on the Zane Trace, considered to be the first brick building in Ohio (it's still standing) and applied for a liquor license. Peter made out pretty good.
But the U.S. Government wasn't formed the day that the British surrendered. Many growing pains. Many fights among friends. Many hours of run-soaked haggling in smoky tap rooms in Virginia and Philadelphia ensued. Our government was meant to be steady but somewhat flexible. When the Constitution was written no one ever thought some wingnut would enter a school with a high-powered rifle and start killing people. For one thing, they didn't know what a high-powered rifle was.
Anyway (finally), here is the Civics Lesson. Anyone remember Civics? They don't teach it much any more. Civics is about how government works, or how it's supposed to work. My high school civics class took a field trip from Tampa to Washington to see government in action. That was back when education really was an education and not some downsized lessons geared to a standardized test. I was glad to go on the trip and excited to visit all those old buildings but politics never really interested me because I'm a girl and politics was a man's game. Well, times have changed and now we have Michelle Bachman, a woman who could screw up thawing a frozen Sara Lee pound cake
So here we go - three branches of government - can you name them? Hint - Look at Articles 1, 2 and 3 of our constitution.
Executive
Legislative
Judicial
Know what they do? Each branch has separate powers. The main thing is to be a check and balance on each other so no one branch gets too much power.
Executive: Comprised of the president, vice president and the
cabinet departments and members. The president
implements and carrys out the laws passed by Congress. He chooses
the heads of the federal agencies (including his cabinet). The agencies
and cabinet are responsible for law enforcement and administration,
according to WhiteHouse.gov. The executive branch can write a bill and
propose it as a law to the legislative branch. Congress can choose to accept or reject the president's bill. Likewise, the president has the power to veto a law passed by Congress. The President and Vice President are elected by the American people.
Legislative: The lawmaking branch made up of the House of Representatives (435 member) and the Senate (100 members). Members are elected by each state. Also known as the Congress. Congress can legislate and declare war, confirm or reject appointees of the
president and has the right to exercise considerable investigations. Congress makes the laws that govern us, NOT the president. Representatives and Senators are elected by the American people.
Judicial: Members of the judicial branch are chosen by the president and
confirmed by the Senate, according to WhiteHouse.gov. The judicial branch comprises
the U.S. courts system and interprets and rules on the law. The highest body in the judicial branch (and the country) is the
Supreme Court. Supreme Court justices are appointed for life but can be impeached and removed by Congress. There are nine justices but Congress has the power to decide how many justices are on the
court.
This is a simple explanation but it explains why the President does not absolutely rule - that would be a monarchy. But it does appear that Congress has the most power. So when you say Obama do this or don't do this understand that he can't without the backing of Congress. This is why is it so important to elect intelligent people to be our representatives and senators and not a dunderhead like Steve Southerland.
