Chapter 4 Mastery Project By Kenneth Hernandez Haym

Chapter 4 Mastery Project ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ By Kenneth Hernandez, Haym Foronda, Eener Chavez, NAM LE & Daddy Sanders

1. Identify and explain the organization of the Legislature The organization of the Legislature is to make laws, confirm executive appointments, override executive veto, reject foreign treaties, impeach, and create or eliminate courts. separate and powerful chambers because of the Great Compromise - House of Reps. and the Senate. When a bill is introduced a committee refers it to a subcommittee and this subcommittee may hold hearings and legislative staffers may do research on the bill. A speaker of the house is assigned as the presiding officer of the House of Reps.

2. Identify and provide an example of the powers of the Legislature, both formal and informal. The House of Reps. has the power of impeachment, the power formally to to charge the president, vice president, and other civil officers. For example, President Clinton’s impeachment in 1998 and was accused of having a relationship with a white house intern(what a player). Informal powers include gerrymandering to redraw a congressional district to intentionally benefit one political party.

3. Identify and explain how Congress shares powers with the Executive, Judiciary, and bureaucracy. Congress possess several powers and privileges. For example their informal powers include being able to debate and propose changes in laws. And as formal powers, they are able to declare war and veto any presidential proposals. With the executive branch, they can appoint ambassadors and make treaties. With the bureaucracy, congress can make and reinforce laws.

4. Discuss the implications of Congress sharing powers with each of the following: Executive, Judiciary, and bureaucracy. Congress has set up a balanced power between the judicial and executive branches, with some that the bureaucracy possess. For example, the president can veto or sign a bill, and appoints supreme court jurors. While the bureaucracy influences people to change committee priorities. These balanced powers support the idea of separated powers and of checks and balances.

5. Discuss the functions that Congress performs Congress have many different functions that serve to best benefit the people which include oversight of laws that are passed, resolving legislative and judicial differences in the conference committees and make laws. Additionally, they can regulate interstate commerce, establishes taxes, and represent the people of the U. S.

6. Identify how the power of the Congress has/may evolve gradually. The power of congress evolved drastically over the years. Some of these changes are evident through its checks and balance systems along with other various types of protocol that congress goes through.

7. Identify how the power of the Congress has/may changes dramatically as a result of crisis. Some power changes Congress has made during times of crisis would be when we, as a nation were fiscally in danger or when we were being attacked by terrorists. Congressional power is always evident during these time periods because a majority of their decisions tend to be key pivoting points.

8. Identify and discuss the ties between the Congress and political parties Political parties lead congress members into different agendas that the party has. Members of congress tend to follow their party’s platform in most everything they do while those in the senate do not do as much. The reason for this is that taking a stand on the same political issues allows members to gain an upperhand.

9. Identify and discuss the ties between the Congress and interest groups Interest groups provide members in congress with information on topics related to their groups interest rates. They also make their interests the agenda of a member by offering finances for future campaigns.

10. Identify and discuss the ties between the Congress and media. The media plays a big role in the bills congress members pass. Media is the main factor by which a congres member will receive support or backfire on proposed bills. The media is also an important factor by which constituents will re-elect or vote for a different member of congress to represent their state.

11. Identify and discuss the ties between the Congress and state and local governments. When put into comparison Congress, State, and Local Governments all run into the same type of issues just at different levels. They all look to each other when they are in doubt of a certain decision and each has a different type of power that affects the US.