The Basics of Government

Hey, all... I don't really frequent this forum much, mostly because the topics tend to go over my head. It seems that every time I try to learn something about politics, it goes straight over my head, or else I forget what I've learned within a week's time.

So I was wondering if I could have some help. What are some good sources that would explain to me the basics of (US) government--the 3 branches, the positions within them and what they're responsible for, who are currently in those positions, etc.?

Also, I would love some help on some of the "big names" in politics... Like Rumsfield... I know he is (was?) important, but I don't understand what he did.

At any rate, I really would love to learn a bit more about our political system (and world politics, as well), so that I can feel informed enough to vote--I didn't vote in the last election, and I am regretting it.

If this is an inappropriate thread topic, I apologize. Hopefully I'll get some good resources--though explaining things to me yourself would be even better, since most of the sources I've checked out use a lot of political jargon, which doesn't help me out any.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Government is a good place to start.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Lucky for you the world of American politics is not a quickly spinning one. Congress changes its face every two years and it is sometimes infamously slow and others secretly (hopefully, no longer so) fast. Much of what you read about is the President's doing, but Congress is the heart of the American government because it is elected directly by the people, unlike the President which is elected by electors (people selected by a constituency to vote according to how their constituency voted) or the Justices of the Supreme Court (which are nominated by the President and ratified by Senate(?)). Bills are introduced by House committees, deliberated upon, voted upon, and sent to the Senate for the same fun. More often than not, these committees are chaired and mostly populated by the members of the majority in that house. The whole thing is very complex but if you're looking into specifics Wikipedia helps a lot.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by The Dopefish

unlike the President which is elected by electors (people selected by a constituency to vote according to how their constituency voted)...

Yeah there's this weird deal called the electoral college. It's crazy. While you're looking at the US Gov't, it's good to compare and contrast the concentrations/separations of power with the UK's gov't.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

subscribe to Newsweek and Time. read them cover to cover.
but the best way to understand what's going on is to look at the political cartoons.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I have to strongly disagree with the above post. If you do that, you might as well watch the Daily Show and take it seriously. It's dififcult to find good sources on current info. Don't buy into the spin of any news station or publication. They all have their own adgendas. The best you can do is read everything, take a general consensus, and then make your own judegments based on your own philosophy.

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.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by MetheGelfling

Yeah there's this weird deal called the electoral college. It's crazy. While you're looking at the US Gov't, it's good to compare and contrast the concentrations/separations of power with the UK's gov't.

Comparing the US and UK governments is like comparing apples to oranges. You guys have more than two parties that frequently get elected and have had it that way for decades if my knowledge serves me correctly. We haven't had a Presidential candidate outside of the Dems and Reps voted for by a state's electors since Alabama Gov. George Wallace back in the 60s (oh, by the way, in case you didn't know, he was a racist motherfucker) and we haven't had a President outside of the two main parties since the 1800s. We have only had a few independant congressmen in the last few years but they've all swung Democratic. And the electoral college rarely works like it ought to! (Electors tend to give all their votes to one guy instead of splitting them up in case a district votes that way.)

Double Post:

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.

Yeah no, I wouldn't recommend reading all the old stuff because it's all far from what our government is as it exists today. The only relevant stuff is the Constitution. And even that gets flung around, pissed on, kicked and thrown out the window from time to time.

FELIPE NO

What's this "you guys" bit? I'm American in case you missed the flag. All I meant was that Blue should compare and contrast US gov't to other gov't to reveal how unique it is. It's comparing apples and oranges on purpose to show the drastic differences. A lot of people who are completely new to poly sci have no idea how different other gov't are. Based on that, Blue can then form an educated opinion on what systems are the most beneficial means to governening.

What's with the hostility all the sudden?

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I didn't know you were an American.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by The Dopefish

And the electoral college rarely works like it ought to! (Electors tend to give all their votes to one guy instead of splitting them up in case a district votes that way.)

If a state legislature decides to employ a system for assigning electoral votes wherein the winner of the popular vote statewide wins the state's electoral votes, and the electors assign the state's electoral votes to the winner of the popular vote statewide, how is that not working "like it ought to"?

There's nowhere I can't reach.

This might seem off topic but it is far from that:


In reading upon the basics of the US Government, particularly the legislative branch, it's important to always remember the concept of sovereignty.

The people who wait in line to go into the capitol are people who don't understand the concept of sovereignty. Do you wait in line to walk into your house? your school? If you want to visit the Capitol, go through the offices (at the right of the building). You are lending your sovereignty to elected officials, make sure you understand that. If you are an american citizen, you can walk into the capitol, open any door you like, shake the hands of any senator you encounter, walk into congressional meetings, etc... My old history teacher taught in Washington D.C. Every year she would take her class into the capitol. They would ride the underground train (there is a train under the capitol so congressmen can travel faster in order to vote in time), get weird looks from congressmen traveling with them, then she would tell them: "Open any door you like, this place is yours." The students would be intimidated, but soon, would be walking into congressional meetings, offices, etc...

The reason I'm explaining this is because anyone who's learning about the US government needs to know this. If you are researching the subject for a class report or presentation, I suggest you include this as well.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Good luck just waltzing into the West Wing of the Whitehouse and sitting down in the oval office.

"Guys, seriously! This place is mine!"

The people who wait in line at the Capitol are usually waiting for the guided tour. They'd prefer not to have every Tom, Dick, and Harry just barging in on everything and interrupting their work day. They made that underground walkway for a reason. It's difficult to do the job you were elected to do if you've got a bunch of tourists interrupting all the time, or mobbing you like a celebrity. If you wanna talk to your representative, go see them in their office. They're accessible there.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by EmmDoubleEw

This might seem off topic but it is far from that:


In reading upon the basics of the US Government, particularly the legislative branch, it's important to always remember the concept of sovereignty.

The people who wait in line to go into the capitol are people who don't understand the concept of sovereignty. Do you wait in line to walk into your house? your school? If you want to visit the Capitol, go through the offices (at the right of the building). You are lending your sovereignty to elected officials, make sure you understand that. If you are an american citizen, you can walk into the capitol, open any door you like, shake the hands of any senator you encounter, walk into congressional meetings, etc... My old history teacher taught in Washington D.C. Every year she would take her class into the capitol. They would ride the underground train (there is a train under the capitol so congressmen can travel faster in order to vote in time), get weird looks from congressmen traveling with them, then she would tell them: "Open any door you like, this place is yours." The students would be intimidated, but soon, would be walking into congressional meetings, offices, etc...

The reason I'm explaining this is because anyone who's learning about the US government needs to know this. If you are researching the subject for a class report or presentation, I suggest you include this as well.

In today's climate, sounds like a great way to get one's self shot.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Arainach

In today's climate, sounds like a great way to get one's self shot.

Our government isn't THAT paranoid, they'll just tackle you for traipsing in saying, "Hi!" to your Congressperson.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by mindOverMatter

subscribe to Newsweek and Time. read them cover to cover.
but the best way to understand what's going on is to look at the political cartoons.

Hmmm... When I first started reading Time I didn't have any idea on what was going on. It took quite alot of understanding and talking with other people to finally know what on Earth Time was talking about. Thankfully I understand it much better now. The shift from a kid apathetic about world events to a reader of Time sure is difficult if you don't have anyone to explain stuff to you.

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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. ;_;

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Thank you all very much for your suggestions of resources and the like. I shall commence to explore.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by MetheGelfling

I have to strongly disagree with the above post. If you do that, you might as well watch the Daily Show and take it seriously. It's dififcult to find good sources on current info. Don't buy into the spin of any news station or publication. They all have their own adgendas. The best you can do is read everything, take a general consensus, and then make your own judegments based on your own philosophy.

I agree with you in the sense that you can't believe everything you read, and that using just the mentioned as your sources is not the best idea, but I was suggesting this as a start. I assumed that 'blue' is on a schedule, and doesn't have time to read tons of books. I consider both News Week and Time to be accurate sources. It's true, that you will find biased articles, and everything is semi one sided, according to the editor and the author of that article, but if you can discern what is true, and what might be slightly mis-leading, then you should have no problem. I don't use just those as my only information source. I, as you said, read around and come up with my own opinion, this after having discussions about it with family and friends.
but you can't totally blow off those sources as being compared to believing nonsense.
if you were referring other sources as being blogs, then I hate to break it to you, but many blogs get their info from News papers and other periodicals, just like anyone else.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Lord Styphon

If a state legislature decides to employ a system for assigning electoral votes wherein the winner of the popular vote statewide wins the state's electoral votes, and the electors assign the state's electoral votes to the winner of the popular vote statewide, how is that not working "like it ought to"?

Our House of Representatives is elected by Congressional district, so if their constituents can choose their own representatives why can't they have their votes properly applied towards the candidate they choose, not the candidate the whole state wants?

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Originally Posted by The Dopefish

Our House of Representatives is elected by Congressional district, so if their constituents can choose their own representatives why can't they have their votes properly applied towards the candidate they choose, not the candidate the whole state wants?

Because the United States is a federation of 50 states, not 435 congressional districts, and because the state legislatures in 48 of the 50 states have decided that they want to assign their electoral votes based on the winner of the state's popular vote for President. Why can they do it that way?

Originally Posted by U.S. Constitution, Article II, Section 1, Paragraph 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.

Because the Constitution assigns them the power to determine how electors are to be chosen.

If a state legislature wants to assign its electoral votes based on who wins the popular vote in each Congressional district, the Constitution says they can.

If a state legislature wants to assign its electoral votes based on who wins the popular vote nationwide, the Constitution says they can.

If a state legislature wants to disregard the popular vote for President entirely, pick a group of electors and let them vote, either as a group or individually, for whoever they want, the Constitution says they can.

As stated, 48 of 50 states have determined that assigning their state's electors based on the statewide popular vote is the way they want to do it.

Now, I'll repeat my question; if the state legislature decides to assign its electoral votes, as the Constitution says they can, based on which candidate wins the state's popular vote, instructs the electors to vote accordingly, and they do so, how is it "rarely working like it ought to"?

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by mindOverMatter

subscribe to Newsweek and Time. read them cover to cover.
but the best way to understand what's going on is to look at the political cartoons.

The only time I read Newsweek is to exercise my eyes (by rolling them at every article written by Fareed Zakaria).

I was speaking idiomatically.

More like Jewsweek and Hyme.

The American government is a system set up by Zionist conspirators designed to set a stable cash flow into Israel. The Democrats and Republicans are constructs designed to give American voters the illusion of choice, when they are in fact wings of the Zionist Conspiracy and Free Masonic Order, respectively, both of which have goals which fall along the same lines.

Abortion and gay rights are always an issue around election campaigns, but nothing will ever be done about it, because the Jews want the Gay Agenda to lower the population growth of Aryans, while the Free Masons use pools of stem cells from the collected abortion fetuses in their initiation blood rituals.

Skull and Bones? A lie, propagated by the Jew-run Media to distract Americans from the real power: the Triple Alliance. Never heard of the Triple Alliance? It's because the Jews don't want you to know about them.

The Triple Alliance comprises of the Zionist Conspiracy, Free Masonic Order, and the Illuminati. The Illuminati has its tendrils wrapped around Europe, while the Zionists and Free Masons found their new order in the Americas. The entirety of national trade and finance is controlled by the Triple Alliance, including War.

In America, elections are rigged to determine the Free Mason or Zionist canditates dictated by the Blood Truce of 1793. It's why Ross Perot lost every presidential campaign.

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Originally Posted by Lord Styphon

Now, I'll repeat my question; if the state legislature decides to assign its electoral votes, as the Constitution says they can, based on which candidate wins the state's popular vote, instructs the electors to vote accordingly, and they do so, how is it "rarely working like it ought to"?

How it "ought to" work and how it does work are two different things. Electoral votes are assigned by Congressional district, just like Representatives, so why do those 48 states decide, for example, that one district will vote for a Republican Representative and one will vote for a Democratic Representative instead of saying, OK, the majority of voters in the state voted for a Democratic Representative so both districts are now forced to elect their Democratic Representative. I don't think that's fair representation of one's voting voice, and might be one reason why some people are disillusioned by the electoral system.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by The Dopefish

Electoral votes are assigned by Congressional district, just like Representatives

Electoral votes are assigned by state, based on a state's congressional delegation, not by congressional district (strictly speaking, there is no provision for congressional districts, but that's a different issue). Each state has an electoral vote for everyone it sends to Congress, with a minimum of three, as every state has at least one representative in the House of Representatives and two Senators.

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

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Brady, where did you get this info? For they must die the death of 1,000 screams!

(off to anoint my head with stem cells)

How ya doing, buddy?