Our American Politics

In this episode we turn to the primary job of Congress: passing legislation. Article I, Section 1 of the Constitution states: All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives. Those simple words are complex in practice. In this episode of Our American Politics Trey dives into the basic and complex question of the United States Congress' lawmaking function.

In this episode of Our American Politics, Trey overviews the basic structure of the United States Congress. Includes discussions of size, history, and the major differences between the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The U.S. Constitution contains its own ratification process in Article VII. Why? This episode of Our American Politics examines the process whereby the U.S. Constitution was ratified. The discussion includes the Federalists, Anti-Federalists, and the origins of the Bill of Rights.=

The U.S. Constitution is brief. In fact it is only 36 pages long in pocket size and 4,543 words in total including all the signatories. It has been rarely changed. What is in this profound document that gave life to the United States? This episode looks at all seven articles of the U.S. Constitution briefly to give listeners and understanding of the U.S. Constitution.

Some of called the constitutional a second, conservative, revolution. What led to the collection of individuals in Philadelphia in 1787 to propose such a change? What are the key elements to the U.S. Constitution?

The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was the first American Constitution. Shortly after the Revolutionary War there were calls to amend or abolish the Articles. Why? This episode looks at what the Articles were, why some favored ending them, and how our current Constitution is a response to the Articles.

The American colonies' relationship to Great Britain would be hurt by the economic impact of the Seven Years War. The conflict and its aftermath would reveal the gap between colonists' understanding of the British Constitution and the British's view of the British Constitution. This disagreement would ultimately lead to the United States as an independent nation.

What was the philosophic underpinnings of the American revolution? What drove men and women to be willing to engage in revolutionary activity? In this episode we look to the enlightenment and social contract theory as possible explanations for colonies separation from Great Britain.

What is politics? What is power? What is science? In this episode we explore a basic definition of politics as who gets what when and how, useful definitions of power as compelling others to do what you want, and the nature of science. It sets up our overview of the American Political System. Additional Reading Peter Bacharach and Morton S Baratz, "Two Faces of Power," The American Political Science Review. 56(4): 1962 pp. 947-952.  Harold Laswell, Who Gets What When and How