Friday, March 27, 2020 Shutdown Day #12
Grade 12: Participation in Government and Civics
This course aims to provide students with opportunities to become engaged in the political process by acquiring the knowledge and practicing the skills necessary for active citizenship. Content specifications are not included, so that the course can adapt to present local, national, and global circumstances, allowing teachers to select flexibly from current events to illuminate key ideas and conceptual understandings. Participation in government and in our communities is fundamental to
the success of American democracy.
12.G1 FOUNDATIONS of AMERICAN DEMOCRACY: The principles of American democracy are reflected in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and in the organization and actions of federal, state, and local government entities. The interpretation and application of American democratic principles continue to evolve and be debated. 12.G1a Enlightenment ideas such as natural rights, the social contract, popular sovereignty, and representative government greatly influenced the framers of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
bkovalchik@apw.cnyric.org
Permalinks:
C19 Tracker
Amendments Summarized
Constitution of the United States
Lesson on The Electoral College:
The question was asked: "Why do we have the Electoral College?" And so, in response to that question, let us look at the following to try to get a sense of things.
In order to understand the EC, one must first reflect upon Madison's submission to "The Federalist Papers", specifically, Federalist #10. In it, Madison is addressing the dangers of Factionalism, and how a governmental structure can frustrate or break the tendencies of factions to be disruptive. He specifically warns against the danger of "popular democracies" and their tendencies to foment, or incite, violence.
Q: Why the concern over factionalism and does The Electoral College blunt factionalism or encourage it?
To start, take a look at the first link:
Historical Electoral Map
Now, take a look at the most recent electoral map from 2016. This map shows the political preferences of Americans, county by county.
2016 Electoral Map by County
What did you notice by looking at this map? Did any trends or demographic observations jump out at you? Feel free to leave comments!!
Now, let's look at a recent Population Density Map of the United States. What do you notice as related to the 2016 Electoral Map by County?
USA Population Density Map
Next, please take a look at the distribution of where we grow/raise food in this country, and balance that against where you see high density of population.
Map of US Cropland Value
Map of US Cattle Production
Now, take another look at the county by county electoral map of 2016
2016 Electoral Map by County
So, the big question is: What would happen if we did away with the Electoral College, as some are proposing? What would happen to the political rights of those area that currently produce the majority of our crops and cattle? What would happen if the areas of this country which were Net consumers of crops and cattle had their political input for President trampled by the large urban areas of the country? Would future Presidential candidates even have to pay attention to these areas in order to get elected? For a model of this, we could extrapolate how New York State currently operates with the domination of NYC over the political input of the rest of the state - how do you feel about that?
Video: Why we have an Electoral College
Video: Why the Electoral College?
So, what do you think? Is the Electoral College an antiquated vestige of bygone eras, or, a necessary protection against factionalism?
Consider this article on Factionalism from over 30 years ago:
30 Year old article on Factionalism
Consider, also, Article II, Section 1, Clause 2:
2. Each State shall appoint, in such manner as the Legislature may direct, a number of electors, equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or person holding an office of trust or profit under the United States, shall be appointed an elector. The electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by ballot for two persons, of whom one at least shall not be an inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a list of all the persons voted for each; which list they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates, and the votes shall then be counted. The person having the greatest number of votes shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such majority, and have an equal number of votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately choose by ballot one of them for President; and if no person have a majority, then from the five highest on the list the said House shall in like manner choose the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by States, the representation from each State having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the States, and a majority of all the States shall be necessary to a choice. In every case, after the choice of the President, the person having the greatest number of votes of the electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal votes, the Senate shall choose from them by ballot the Vice President.(The clause in italics was superseded by Amendment XII)
Amendment XII:
This course aims to provide students with opportunities to become engaged in the political process by acquiring the knowledge and practicing the skills necessary for active citizenship. Content specifications are not included, so that the course can adapt to present local, national, and global circumstances, allowing teachers to select flexibly from current events to illuminate key ideas and conceptual understandings. Participation in government and in our communities is fundamental to
the success of American democracy.
12.G1 FOUNDATIONS of AMERICAN DEMOCRACY: The principles of American democracy are reflected in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and in the organization and actions of federal, state, and local government entities. The interpretation and application of American democratic principles continue to evolve and be debated. 12.G1a Enlightenment ideas such as natural rights, the social contract, popular sovereignty, and representative government greatly influenced the framers of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Thanks to those of you who have checked in!! If you visit the page, please leave me a comment below. Poke around the resources below. Take good care of yourselves and let me know how you are doing from time to time. Be safe! Much love - K
bkovalchik@apw.cnyric.org
apwhistoryecon@gmail.com
Permalinks:
C19 Tracker
Amendments Summarized
Constitution of the United States
Lesson on The Electoral College:
The question was asked: "Why do we have the Electoral College?" And so, in response to that question, let us look at the following to try to get a sense of things.
In order to understand the EC, one must first reflect upon Madison's submission to "The Federalist Papers", specifically, Federalist #10. In it, Madison is addressing the dangers of Factionalism, and how a governmental structure can frustrate or break the tendencies of factions to be disruptive. He specifically warns against the danger of "popular democracies" and their tendencies to foment, or incite, violence.
Q: Why the concern over factionalism and does The Electoral College blunt factionalism or encourage it?
To start, take a look at the first link:
Historical Electoral Map
Now, take a look at the most recent electoral map from 2016. This map shows the political preferences of Americans, county by county.
2016 Electoral Map by County
What did you notice by looking at this map? Did any trends or demographic observations jump out at you? Feel free to leave comments!!
Now, let's look at a recent Population Density Map of the United States. What do you notice as related to the 2016 Electoral Map by County?
USA Population Density Map
Next, please take a look at the distribution of where we grow/raise food in this country, and balance that against where you see high density of population.
Map of US Cropland Value
Map of US Cattle Production
Now, take another look at the county by county electoral map of 2016
2016 Electoral Map by County
So, the big question is: What would happen if we did away with the Electoral College, as some are proposing? What would happen to the political rights of those area that currently produce the majority of our crops and cattle? What would happen if the areas of this country which were Net consumers of crops and cattle had their political input for President trampled by the large urban areas of the country? Would future Presidential candidates even have to pay attention to these areas in order to get elected? For a model of this, we could extrapolate how New York State currently operates with the domination of NYC over the political input of the rest of the state - how do you feel about that?
Video: Why we have an Electoral College
Video: Why the Electoral College?
So, what do you think? Is the Electoral College an antiquated vestige of bygone eras, or, a necessary protection against factionalism?
Consider this article on Factionalism from over 30 years ago:
30 Year old article on Factionalism
Consider, also, Article II, Section 1, Clause 2:
2. Each State shall appoint, in such manner as the Legislature may direct, a number of electors, equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or person holding an office of trust or profit under the United States, shall be appointed an elector. The electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by ballot for two persons, of whom one at least shall not be an inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a list of all the persons voted for each; which list they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates, and the votes shall then be counted. The person having the greatest number of votes shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such majority, and have an equal number of votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately choose by ballot one of them for President; and if no person have a majority, then from the five highest on the list the said House shall in like manner choose the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by States, the representation from each State having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the States, and a majority of all the States shall be necessary to a choice. In every case, after the choice of the President, the person having the greatest number of votes of the electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal votes, the Senate shall choose from them by ballot the Vice President.(The clause in italics was superseded by Amendment XII)
Amendment XII:
XII - Manner of Choosing a President and Vice-President
This Amendment altered Article 2 Section 1 Part 2
Passed by Congress December 9, 1803. Ratified July 27, 1804.
1. The Electors shall meet in their respective States and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same State with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate; the President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted; - The person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by States, the representation from each State having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the States, and a majority of all the States shall be necessary to a choice. And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as in case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President.(The words in italics were superseded by Amendment XX)
3. The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such numbers be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.
Amendment XX
XX - Terms of the President and Vice-President
Passed by Congress March 2, 1932. Ratified January 23, 1933
1. The terms of the President and the Vice-President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3rd day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.
2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3rd day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.
3. If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice-President elect shall become President. If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice-President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice-President shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice-President shall have qualified.
4. The Congress may by law provide for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the House of representatives may choose a President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them, and for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the Senate may choose a Vice-President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them.
5. Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day of October following the ratification of this article (October 1933).
6. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the Legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission.
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