A More Perfect Union: What We the People Can Do to Reclaim Our Constitutional Liberties by Ben Carson MD, Candy Carson
Authors: Ben Carson MD, Candy Carson
Tags: nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, Retail, Political Science, Politics, Civics & Citizenship, American Government, National, Constitutions
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charged with perjury and obstruction of justice in cases involving alleged infidelity with two different women. The House voted to impeach President Clinton almost strictly along party lines, but the requirement of a two-thirds vote by the Senate was a high bar and was not met. The wisdom of the Constitution kept a politically motivated charge from being upheld.
The Constitution makes it clear that impeachment can’t result in anything more than removal from office. The Senate can punish officials only by removing them from office and denying them positions of honor in any other branch of the federal government. It would clearly be inappropriate and unconstitutional to inflict further significant punishment without an official trial by one’s peers, though the convicted government official is still subject to a subsequent trial in the same court system that tries and exonerates or punishes all American citizens.
ELECTIONS AND CONGRESSIONAL SESSIONS
As mandated by section 4 of Article 1, congressional elections are held on the same day across the nation. The regulations regarding those elections are left in the hands of the states, but Congress has the duty of ensuring that they are fair and honest.To decrease intimidation, Congress mandates that secret ballots be used and that certain forms of identification be required in most states in order to vote.
In recent years some political entities have argued that requiring voter identification is racist, because people in certain ethnic groups have a difficult time obtaining the appropriate identification. However, in virtually all countries of the world, voter identification is required. And in many of those countries the population is quite uniform, so racism doesn’t seem to be the motivation there. I hope that the energy that is expended complaining that voter-identification laws aren’t fair can be harnessed for good and used to get people registered and equipped with appropriate identification well before elections occur.
Because kings of England had tried to suppress Parliament, section 4 of Article 1 requires that Congress assemble at least once per year. By prescribing at least one annual meeting, the founders guaranteed that Congress would meet to conduct business, regardless of who held power in the executive branch of government. The Constitution also gives the president the power to convene special sessions of Congress as necessary. There is no designated length of time for a congressional session, which means a single session can last for several months if necessary.
CONGRESSIONAL ORDER
Our founders recognized that our representatives would be human beings with human failings. They knew that we would always have flawed leaders, so they set in place proceduralrules to mitigate those leaders’ failings. By setting in place plans for discipline, attendance, appropriate punishment, and adequate compensation, the framers did the best they could to protect the people’s interests.
In sections 5 and 6 of Article 1, the Constitution outlines the rules of congressional procedure. First of all, Congress has the power to deny a seat to anyone elected in a dishonest way or who they feel is not worthy to occupy a seat. Without this ability, unsavory characters would contrive all kinds of nefarious plans to capture a seat. Fortunately, a two-thirds majority vote is all that is needed to keep an undesirable person from becoming a member of Congress.
The rules of attendance are simple. A majority or quorum of members of each house is necessary to do business. In practice, smaller numbers than a quorum frequently conduct the business of Congress, as long as none of the members present objects. Congress is also given the power to compel members to attend sessions and perform the duties for which they have been elected.
Both houses are to maintain discipline, keep records of their proceedings, and coordinate their actions when in session. It is also important to be able
The Constitution makes it clear that impeachment can’t result in anything more than removal from office. The Senate can punish officials only by removing them from office and denying them positions of honor in any other branch of the federal government. It would clearly be inappropriate and unconstitutional to inflict further significant punishment without an official trial by one’s peers, though the convicted government official is still subject to a subsequent trial in the same court system that tries and exonerates or punishes all American citizens.
ELECTIONS AND CONGRESSIONAL SESSIONS
As mandated by section 4 of Article 1, congressional elections are held on the same day across the nation. The regulations regarding those elections are left in the hands of the states, but Congress has the duty of ensuring that they are fair and honest.To decrease intimidation, Congress mandates that secret ballots be used and that certain forms of identification be required in most states in order to vote.
In recent years some political entities have argued that requiring voter identification is racist, because people in certain ethnic groups have a difficult time obtaining the appropriate identification. However, in virtually all countries of the world, voter identification is required. And in many of those countries the population is quite uniform, so racism doesn’t seem to be the motivation there. I hope that the energy that is expended complaining that voter-identification laws aren’t fair can be harnessed for good and used to get people registered and equipped with appropriate identification well before elections occur.
Because kings of England had tried to suppress Parliament, section 4 of Article 1 requires that Congress assemble at least once per year. By prescribing at least one annual meeting, the founders guaranteed that Congress would meet to conduct business, regardless of who held power in the executive branch of government. The Constitution also gives the president the power to convene special sessions of Congress as necessary. There is no designated length of time for a congressional session, which means a single session can last for several months if necessary.
CONGRESSIONAL ORDER
Our founders recognized that our representatives would be human beings with human failings. They knew that we would always have flawed leaders, so they set in place proceduralrules to mitigate those leaders’ failings. By setting in place plans for discipline, attendance, appropriate punishment, and adequate compensation, the framers did the best they could to protect the people’s interests.
In sections 5 and 6 of Article 1, the Constitution outlines the rules of congressional procedure. First of all, Congress has the power to deny a seat to anyone elected in a dishonest way or who they feel is not worthy to occupy a seat. Without this ability, unsavory characters would contrive all kinds of nefarious plans to capture a seat. Fortunately, a two-thirds majority vote is all that is needed to keep an undesirable person from becoming a member of Congress.
The rules of attendance are simple. A majority or quorum of members of each house is necessary to do business. In practice, smaller numbers than a quorum frequently conduct the business of Congress, as long as none of the members present objects. Congress is also given the power to compel members to attend sessions and perform the duties for which they have been elected.
Both houses are to maintain discipline, keep records of their proceedings, and coordinate their actions when in session. It is also important to be able
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