Blog 4

Our freedom of speech is protected by the first amendment. This means we have the liberty to speak openly without fear of government restraint. It protects everyone to think and express themselves freely. This is important because it enables the truth to emerge from diverse opinions, rather than having the government dictate the truth. There are several types of speech that should not be protected such as: perjury, true threats, child pornography, obscenity, fighting words, blackmail, and solicitation to commit crimes.

Separation of church and state government is necessary because mixing religion and government would only lead to civil strife, inequality, and violence in cross-cultural societies. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison opposed government issued religious proclamations. Both men believed strongly that government should not interfere in religious matters.

Defendant’s rights are important to the government because those rights are protected by the fourth, fifth, sixth, and eighth amendment. They protect the manner in which the police conduct investigations, the procedures used at trial, and the punishments that may be given following convictions. Defendants have these rights for a reason. Law enforcement of all stages appears to abuse their power in certain situations. Therefore the defendants need protection from arbitrary police until proven guilty with liable evidence.

I commented on Adrian Arthur's, Kasandra Morgan's, and Ronald Payne's blog.

 

blog 3

A strong national government is needed for a more stable economic growth. National power increased during the great depression because the government had to try to relieve some of the nations' national debt. The power shifted back to state power during the Reagan administration because Ronald Reagan believed that government is not the solution of our problem, the government is the problem. Therefore he cut back on categorical grants, replacing them with fewer, more flexible block grants. I believe the national government should have their input and power on educational problems and opportunities, such as regulating tuitions and fees.

I commented on Jordan Chambers, Kasandra Morgan, and Meagan Zientara.

Chapter 2

1.      Why is the United States Constitution stronger than the articles of confederation? How would the history of the United States be if the country still operated under the articles? The Constitution has survived for over 220 years while the Articles failed after just 8 years. The Articles failed because they did not give Congress the national government power enough power. The new Constitution addressed many of the problems created by the Articles by creating a federal system of government with a much more powerful national government. It gave the national government the power to tax, draft troops, etc. it also created an executive branch and federal court system, both of which were lacking under the Articles of Confederation. These are a few reasons the Constitution is stronger than the Articles. I believe the United States would not have much of a history without the Constitution.

2.      The first three articles of the Constitution establish/define the three branches of government – read these articles. What did you learn that you didn’t already know about our government? The first three Articles of the Constitution establish the rules and separate powers of the three branches of the federal government. The Legislative Branch is the part of the United States government that writes, debates, and passes laws. The Executive Branch is responsible for implementing, supporting, and enforcing the laws made by the legislative branch and interpreted by the judicial branch. The Judicial Branch interprets the laws and administers justice. I learned article 1 divides Congress into a Senate and a House of Representatives. Article 2 establishes an executive department headed by a president and vice president. The article further describes the powers of the offices, the manner of election, and the qualifications for office. Article 3 judicial power of the United States, shall be vested in one Supreme court, and in such inferior courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.

3.      How important is the Supreme Court ruling in Marbury v. Madison and why? Marbury v. Madison was the first U.S. Supreme Court case to apply the principles of judicial review. The power of federal courts to void acts of Congress in conflict with the Constitution. The decision played a key role in making the Supreme Court a separate branch of government on par with Congress and the executive.

4.      Looking at the United States government today, is it more like what the Federalists or the Anti-Federalists envisioned and why? I think our government is more federalist based because the Anti-Federalists believe the government should have zero power over the states.

 

 

American Government

Hello my name is Josh Barbee. I am twenty years of age and seeking my associates degree from Roane State Community College. I am majoring in Wildlife and Fisheries Management. I will be transferring from here to Tennessee Tech next semester to complete the remainder of my courses. After my schooling I look to pursue my career as a fish biologist. I took this class because it fit well with my schedule. I am new to online classes so hopefully it will not be tough to get used to. Im interested in learning about the government that runs or ruins this country.