The Basics of Government

Originally Posted by MetheGelfling

A better place to start if you want info on political theory and how gov't works is to go to the source. Read the Magna Carta, Articles of Confederation, US Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Federalist Papers. As well as writings by people like, John Locke, Adam Smith, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, Voltaire, and Immanel Kant. It's a heavy undertaking as far as the reading goes, but if you really want a well informed opinion, it's the best route.

Gelfling, I have no idea why you just suggested politically-jargon-charged documents to a lady who just made it clear that she has a hard time with political jargon.

While those documents and collections are all important (frankly, Smith, Locke, Paine, Voltaire, Kant &c are philosophy, not actually documenting AMERICAN politics currently ugh), they are not going to help her in her efforts to read about American government TODAY. She didn't inquire as to the philosophy of politics. Thats a whole new can of worms.

Blue, the wiki is a good place to start in learning terms and things. It's important to inform yourself before voting - thank GOD someone cares to do that for themselves before they haphazardly vote for whomever's name sounds more awesome.

Just don't use the wiki to look at the campaign issues of the candidates you're looking at (in the future, obviously).

Here's something that may make life easier once you learn some terms and things: Click.
I hope it helps. I can sympathize. ;_;

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Lord Styphon

You and Sass both need to actually read the Constitution before you try to tell anyone what it says or how it works.

Whoa whoa whoa why are you dragging me into this.

I was under the impression that historical texts (which the Constitution happens to be) is constantly being interpreted. Which means that there's not always one concrete answer.

I was actually ripping off text from a school book I have here in the other thread. I didn't make that up. There's a reason we have the judicial branch, you know. ;_;

Seriously. Please stop being so goddamned critical. It's no way to carry on a conversation, Styphon. SADFACE.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Lord Styphon

When sections of the Constitution are vague on points, the judicial branch can be asked to determine what they're saying. Just what they say can be interpreted different ways as society changes, as when the Court that handed down Brown v. Board of Education read the Constitution differently than the Court that handed down Plessy v. Ferguson.

However, when the Constitution is crystal clear on a point, there isn't (or rather, shouldn't be) any need for interpretation. The Constitutional requirements for overturning a presidential veto are there, and are clear enough, as are the Constitution's rules for assigning electoral votes.

Someone who'd read the Constitution would know that, and if not, finding it would be a simple enough exercise of Just Fucking Googling It.

Look, man. I figured a text book would be a reliable source, since, you know, they teach students that shit. But they also teach students a lot of other bullshit, so.

I apologized for the inaccuracy and I only express that I wish you were a little more hospitable regarding conversations of controversial nature. =/

How ya doing, buddy?