Assignment:
This assignment aligns with Learning Outcomes 1-5.
Select one of the following topics to write about, and submit your completed file in Word or PDF format:
A More Perfect Union? Have we achieved the Constitution's goals today? To answer this question, think about the goals expressed in the preamble to the U.S. Constitution:
- Form a strong union
- Establish equal justice for all
- Insure domestic tranquility (that is, peace at home)
- Provide for the common defense ( today we might say homeland security)
- Promote the general welfare
- Secure liberty for ourselves and posterity
With this in mind, and using an A-F (A, B, C, D, & F) grading scale, assign a grade to each area of the preamble. For instance, assign an "A" if you think the U.S. has lived up to its goal of forming a strong union, and so on and so forth. Your effort here must go beyond mere assertion; that is, simply ascribing a grade to each area. You must qualify the rationale behind your evaluation. You accomplish this task with the use of relevant, scholarly data. You should conclude your paper with one recommendation for improvement in your lowest rated area.
This paper should be approximately five pages in length. A total of four scholarly sources should be used to stake your claims.
What Happened to Our Constitution: Executive Agreements, Executive Orders, and Signing Statements. A functioning legislative branch is paramount to a healthy democracy. To the degree that our Framers embraced this philosophy can be seen in the expansive list of powers granted Congress by the Constitution. However, in recent years, many have pointed to the erosion of the nation's legislature. In particular, it has been noted that the presidential use of executive agreements, executive orders, and signing statements have harmed America's doctrine of separation of powers by circumventing the legislative process itself. To this end:
Select one of the topics to expound upon, either executive agreements, executive orders, or signing statements.
Identify the constitutional basis for such, if any.
Provide an example of this tool at work in American federal government;
Explain the intersection of such use with the doctrine of separation of powers.
Conclude by affirming the strength or weakness of the nation's legislative process.