Patriot Lessons: American History and Civics (Constitution, Declaration of Independence, etc.) - Congress: Lawmaking, Bicameralism, Bills & Vetoes (Article I, Section 7)

Congress: Lawmaking, Bicameralism, Bills & Vetoes (Article I, Section 7)

01/06/24 • 74 min

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Patriot Lessons: American History and Civics (Constitution, Declaration of Independence, etc.)

Review the origins and debate over the lawmaking provisions of Article I, Section 7 of the United States Constitution. Understand how bicameralism (the division of the federal legislature between the House of Representatives and the Senate) is essential for liberty and good governance for several reasons. It stops passion or corruption from running wild, which can much more easily happen in a single chamber legislative body. It also encourages a more careful and deliberate evaluation of proposed legislation, because each chamber is accountable for its work to the other chamber. It also ensures that each chamber can check the excesses and poor decision-making of the other chamber. Learn how to become law, the Constitution requires each chamber to pass precisely the same legislation. After the passage of a bill, within 10 days (excepting Sundays), the President can sign it or veto it. If the President signs the bill, it becomes law. If the President does not veto or sign the bill, it becomes law after the conclusion of the 10 day waiting period. However, if the congressional session runs out before the expiration of the 10 day period, and the President does not sign it, the bill dies with a pocket veto. Explore how the veto protects the power of the President, and it also allows the single person elected throughout the nation to address key policy issues from a national perspective. If the President vetoes the legislation, the President needs to explain to the Congress the reasons why it was vetoed. The bill is dead unless the Congress overrides the veto by a two-thirds vote in each chamber during the same legislative session. Proposals for an absolute veto and a three-quarters veto threshold were both rejected. The Constitutional Convention found that the two-thirds provision would allow the People’s representatives to act if necessary. The same process applies to legislative resolutions, orders, and other matters requiring Congress to vote, except adjournments of Congress — which are exempt from a veto. For lawmaking and resolutions, the vote of each member of Congress and the reasons for a Presidential veto must be recorded in the journal of the respective chamber, which furthers good governance and accountability. To learn more about the Constitution & Patriot Week, visit www.PatriotWeek.org. Our resources include videos, a TV series, blogs, lesson plans, and more. Read the entire original, unamended Constitution here: https://patriotweek.org/2021/07/27/the-original-constitution-september-17/ Check out Judge Michael Warren’s book America's Survival Guide, How to Stop America's Impending Suicide by Reclaiming Our First Principles and History at www.AmericasSurvivalGuide.com, amazon, or other major on-line retailers. Join us! SUPPORT: Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michael-warren9/support [donations go the nonprofit, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) Patriot Week Foundation]

Previous Episode

Washington Crosses the Delaware — A Christmas Tale of 1776 (Re-Release)

Learn how by mid-December, 1776, the American Revolution was in desperate straits.

Explore that after a series of defeats, the American Army had retreated through New Jersey and was stationed in Pennsylvania — with the British Army across the Delaware River. The Continental Army was on the verge of utter collapse.

Overconfident, the British went into Winter Quarters.

Congress gave George Washington enormous authority, and Washington used the lull in fighting and his new power to reorganize and strengthen his troops.

Washington and his officers designed a daring attack on Hessian forces in Trenton, New Jersey. Before the battle, Washington inspired the troops through the reading of Thomas Paine’s American Crisis . Follow Washington's troops through the winter storm, the crossing of the nearly frozen Delaware River, an arduous march, and the pitched battle. The fate of the new nation depends on it.

Through divine intervention, Washington was able to mount a surprise attack on the hated Hessian troops in Trenton, winning an improbable victory, which became a critical turning point in the war.

Merry Christmas!

Highlights include David Hackett Fisher, Washington’s Crossing , James McPherson, Christmas 1776, Delaware River, Hessian soldiers, Trenton New Jersey, Your Excellency, Battle of Bunker Hill, Battle of Long Island a/k/a the Battle of Brooklyn a/k/a/ the Battle of Brooklyn Heights, Continental Army, Brooklyn Heights, Battle of Harlem Heights, New York City, Thomas Paine, Common Sense , General Charles Lee, General William Howe, The American Crisis , Federalist Papers , Pennsylvania Journal , Second Continental Congress, Henry Steel Commager, Richard B. Morris, James Gant, Colonel Johann Rall, Colonel Joseph Reed, militia, Hessians, Hanoverians, Mechlenburghers, Christmas Day, Fifer John Greenwood, General James Ewing, Colonel John Cadwalader, Highlanders, General Israel Putnam, Christmas Eve, American Crisis No. 1 , “These are the times that try men’s souls,” Lieutenant Andreas Von Wiederholdt, Major Friedrich von Dechow, Captain Thomas Rodney, Daniel Hitchcock, Lieutenant Widerholdt, Victory or Death! , Sergeant Madden, General Nathanael Greene, Captain William Hull, the first use of synchronized watches to time a military battle, Captain George Wallis, Adam Stephens, Virginia’s Fourth Regiment, Major John Sullivan, artillery barrage, future President James Monroe, General Henry Knox, Battle of Trenton, and many others.

To learn more about George Washington the American Revolution & Patriot Week, visit www.PatriotWeek.org. Our resources include videos, a TV series, blogs, lesson plans, and more.

Check out Judge Michael Warren’s book America's Survival Guide, How to Stop America's Impending Suicide by Reclaiming Our First Principles and History at www.AmericasSurvivalGuide.com, amazon, or other major on-line retailers.

Join us!

SUPPORT:

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michael-warren9/support [donations go the nonprofit, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) Patriot Week Foundation]

Next Episode

Congress: Enumerated Powers - The Foundation of the Constitution, Art. I, Section 8

Topics covered: The underlying foundation of the Constitution is the doctrine of enumerated powers. Enumerated powers means that the federal government only has the authority specifically granted to it in the Constitution - the powers must be expressed (that is enumerated). All powers not granted to the federal government, remain with the States. Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution details the powers given to the federal government. Nearly all the drafters and ratifiers of the Constitution agreed that Congress and federal government should be limited to enumerated powers. The Anti-Federalists strongly opposed the Constitution because they believed that the powers that were given to the federal government were too broad and that the federal government would swallow up the States and destroy liberty. In other words, the Anti-Federalists thought that despite the doctrine of enumerated powers, the federal government was all powerful and unchecked. Check out PatriotWeek.org, Judge Warren's book at www.AmericasSurvivalGuide.com, and the Save our Republic! video series on Patriot Week's YouTube Channel. Support this podcast at: https://anchor.fm/michael-warren9