Saturday, February 13th, 2010
If high-school government class taught us anything, it’s that getting bills passed through Congress is a game of numbers: The bill with the most votes wins.
Turns out it’s not that simple. These days, the polarized state of American politics means that major bills need at least 60 votes to avoid an inevitable filibuster by the opposition.
Political scientist Gregory Koger’s new book, Filibustering: A Political History of Obstruction in the House and Senate, addresses the institutionalization of the filibuster — and describes congressional loopholes by way of which fast thinking and hard work can beat the numbers. Koger teaches American politics at the University of Miami. He joins host Terry Gross for a conversation about what has happened to simple majority rule.
Listen to Koger discuss the filibuster in an interview with Terry Gross
Posted in US GOV: Constitution Primer, US GOV: The Judiciary, USH: Constitution & Early Years | No Comments »
Saturday, August 15th, 2009
From Hitler to Pinochet and beyond, history shows there are certain steps that any would-be dictator must take to destroy constitutional freedoms. And, argues Naomi Wolf, George Bush and his administration seem to be taking them all.
From the Guardian
Posted in Dictatorship, US GOV: Constitution Primer, USH: Constitution & Early Years | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 12th, 2007
You may think that the Constitution is your security it is nothing but a piece of paper. You may think that the statutes are your security but they are nothing but words in a book. You may think that elaborate mechanism of government is your security but it is nothing at all, unless you have sound and uncorrupted public opinion to give life to your Constitution, to give vitality to your statutes, to make efficient your government machinery.
-Charles Evan Hughes, Chief Justice U.S. Supreme Court, 1930-1941
Dr. Larry Graggs Article
Order v. Liberty Responses
Contemporary Connection…
Lecture on Alien & Sedition and Espionage and Sedition Acts
My Lesson Plan to Connect Alien & Sedition Acts to USAPA
Time Magazine calls Alien & Sedition Acts the Patriot Act of the 18th Century
Librarians are More Rebellious Than Many Think
Feel free to read all 342 pages of this masterpiece here
Naturally, the ACLU would love nothing more than to see the demise of the USAPA
Posted in US GOV: Constitution Primer, USH: Constitution & Early Years | No Comments »
Saturday, October 7th, 2006
quite dramatic.
Keith Olberman: The Beginning of the Death of America
09:43
Posted in US GOV: Constitution Primer, USH: Constitution & Early Years | No Comments »