Constitution: Articles I and II

Article 1 talks about the house of representatives and the senate. It also talks about the legislative branch which is the branch of government responsible for making law. The members of the house must be elected every two years and must be older than 25 and have been a citizen of the U.S. for at least 7 years and live in the state for which he is running for.
There should be two senators for each state. They are chosen for six years. It is different from the house of reps because these are divided into 3 different classes. Senators have to be at least 30 and have been a citizen at least 9 years. The vice president is the president of the senate even though he only votes in case of a tie. The senators and reps shall be compensated for their services. Every bill passes through the house and the senate before it becomes law and should be a 2/3 of the majority. Article I holds two compromises that were essential to the formation of the Union: equal representation of the states in the Senate, and the valuation of a slave as three-fifths of a person.
I just think it is interesting and efficient to have a large group of people have a say in laws. Democracy is evident in many of these proceedings.

Politicians: Good or Ruthless?

Would you vote for Rudi for president? Do you think politicians (especially the president) should be nice guys, or ruthless people who get the job done? Explain your answer using the information you read about Giuliani. His kids would not vote for him - should you? Should anyone?

Personally, I would vote for Rudi for president if there isn't any other candidate that I consider better than him. He has been a good mayor for New York overall in the many years he has been in power, crime rates have dropped and so have unemployment rates.

I don't think politicians should be nice guys or ruthless. You don't have to be nice because in some situations you would have to make tough decisions that may portray you as either nice or evil. Being ruthless or cruel doesn't get the job done either. I think they should just take each situation as they come, consult with the other people in power, and make the best possible decision for the country and for the people.

So he has been divorced? Who cares? That's his personal life and I know that as a public figure his life is also public but his personal decisions do not have to affect his performance as a mayor or a president. So he is pro-choice, pro-gay rights and pro-gun control? I agree on all three as well. America as a whole could be very judgmental on certain things. Everyone should have the right to believe as they wish and do with their lives what they wish to do as long as they don't hurt others in the process.

If his own children do not want to vote for him-tough. I don't think that those two votes will help or hurt him anyway. I don't think anyone should judge Giuliani on his personal life, they should judge him on the job he has done and the job he would do if he becomes president.

I think he is a very open-minded person and America is afraid of that. We are too used to the original things and the very conservative people and we are afraid of change.

Citizenship Test

1. How many stars are there on our flag?50.
2. What do the stars on the flag mean? The 50 states.
3. What color are the stripes? Red and white.
4. What do the stripes on the flag mean? The initial 13 colonies.
5. What is the date of Independence Day? July 4th, 1776
6. Independence from whom? British.
7. What do we call a change to the Constitution? An amendment
8. How many branches are there in our government? 3 branches.
9. How many full terms can a president serve? 2 terms.
   
10. Who nominates judges of the Supreme Court? The president.
    
11. How many Supreme Court justices are there? 9.
    
12. Who was the main writer of the Declaration
    of Independence? Thomas Jefferson.
    
13. What holiday was celebrated for the first
    time by American colonists? Thanksgiving.
    
14. Who wrote the Star-Spangled Banner? Francise Scott.
    
15. What is the minimum voting age in the
    United States? 18.
    
16. Who was president during the Civil War? Abraham Lincoln.
    
17. Which president is called the "Father of
    our Country?" George Washington.
18. What is the 50th state of the Union? Hawaii.
    
19. What is the name of the ship that brought
    the Pilgrims to America?
    
20. Who has the power to declare war? Congress.
    
21. What were the 13 original states of the
    United States called? MA, RI, CT, NH, NY, DELAWARE, NEW JERSEY, PENNSYLVANIA, VIRGINIA, MARYLAND, N AND S CAROLINA, GA.
    
22. In what year was the Constitution written? 1776.
    
23. What is the introduction to the
    Constitution called?
24. Which president was the first Commander in Chief
    of the United States Army and Navy?
25. In what month do we vote for the president?
26. How many times may a senator be re-elected? 4.
    
27. Who signs bills into law? President.
    
28. Who elects the president of the United States? Electoral college.
    
29. How many states are there in the United States? 50.
    
30. Who becomes president if both the president and
    vice president die? Speaker of the house.