voting in congress:
DESCRIPTION
VOTING IN CONGRESS:. It’s More Than Just “Yea” or “Nay”. (It’s more than thumbs up or down, too. Sorry.). Members of Congress think about. FOUR FACTORS. when deciding whether to vote for a law. FACTOR #1. Does the Constitution give Congress the power to do this?. FACTOR #1. FACTOR #2. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
VOTING IN CONGRESS:VOTING IN CONGRESS:
It’s More Than Just It’s More Than Just “Yea” or “Nay”“Yea” or “Nay”
(It’s more than thumbs up or down, too. Sorry.)(It’s more than thumbs up or down, too. Sorry.)
Members of Congress Members of Congress think about think about
FOUR FACTORSFOUR FACTORS
when deciding whether when deciding whether to vote for a law.to vote for a law.
FACTOR #1FACTOR #1 Does the Does the
Constitution give Constitution give Congress the Congress the powerpower
to do this?to do this?
FACTOR #1FACTOR #1 Does the Does the
Constitution give Constitution give Congress the Congress the powerpower
to do this?to do this?
FACTOR #2FACTOR #2
What is my What is my personal opinionpersonal opinion??
FACTOR #1FACTOR #1 Does the Does the
Constitution give Constitution give Congress the Congress the powerpower
to do this?to do this?
FACTOR #2FACTOR #2
What is my What is my personal opinionpersonal opinion??
FACTOR #3FACTOR #3 What are the views What are the views
of my of my political political partyparty??
FACTOR #1FACTOR #1 Does the Does the
Constitution give Constitution give Congress the Congress the powerpower
to do this?to do this?
FACTOR #2FACTOR #2
What is my What is my personal opinionpersonal opinion??
FACTOR #3FACTOR #3 What are the views What are the views
of my of my political political partyparty??
FACTOR #4FACTOR #4 What do my What do my voters voters
think?think?
FACTOR #1FACTOR #1
The POWERS of CONGRESSThe POWERS of CONGRESS
Congress is limited by what Congress is limited by what the Constitution says.the Constitution says.
The Constitution only gives The Constitution only gives Congress certain powers.Congress certain powers.
Like what?
FACTOR #1FACTOR #1
The POWERS of CONGRESSThe POWERS of CONGRESS Here is what the Constitution Here is what the Constitution says Congress can do:says Congress can do:
•Collect Collect taxestaxes to raise money to to raise money to pay pay debtsdebts, to , to defenddefend the the country, and to provide for the country, and to provide for the general welfaregeneral welfare of the United of the United States.States.
FACTOR #1FACTOR #1
The POWERS of CONGRESSThe POWERS of CONGRESS Here is what the Constitution Here is what the Constitution says Congress can do:says Congress can do:
•Control commerce (Control commerce (businessbusiness) ) that happens across that happens across statestate lines, lines, with with foreignforeign countries, and with countries, and with Indian Indian tribestribes..
FACTOR #1FACTOR #1
The POWERS of CONGRESSThe POWERS of CONGRESS Here is what the Constitution Here is what the Constitution says Congress can do:says Congress can do:
•Make laws about Make laws about immigrationimmigration..
•Make laws about Make laws about bankruptcybankruptcy..
•Establish Establish post officespost offices..
FACTOR #1FACTOR #1
The POWERS of CONGRESSThe POWERS of CONGRESS Here is what the Constitution Here is what the Constitution says Congress can do:says Congress can do:
•Declare Declare warwar..
•Raise and support Raise and support armiesarmies..
FACTOR #1FACTOR #1
The POWERS of CONGRESSThe POWERS of CONGRESS Oh, and here’s one more:Oh, and here’s one more:
•Make all laws that are Make all laws that are ““necessary and propernecessary and proper” for ” for executing any of these powers.executing any of these powers.
Hold on! What does Hold on! What does that mean?that mean?
FACTOR #1FACTOR #1
The POWERS of CONGRESSThe POWERS of CONGRESS That means Congress can That means Congress can sometimes do things that are sometimes do things that are notnot on the list . . .on the list . . .
. . . if it relates to something that . . . if it relates to something that isis on the list! on the list!
MINI QUIZMINI QUIZ
Can Congress pass any law it Can Congress pass any law it wants to?wants to?
A.A. Yes.Yes. Congress has the Congress has the power to do anything. power to do anything.
B.B. No.No. Congress can only do Congress can only do what the Constitution says what the Constitution says it can do.it can do.
MINI QUIZMINI QUIZ
Congress has the power to Congress has the power to create armies.create armies.
A.A. True.True.
B.B. False.False.
MINI QUIZMINI QUIZCongress cannot control Congress cannot control business that happens in business that happens in
more than one state.more than one state.
A.A. True.True.
B.B. False.False.
MINI QUIZMINI QUIZ
Congress may collect taxes Congress may collect taxes for certain reasons.for certain reasons.
A.A. True.True.
B.B. False.False.
MINI QUIZMINI QUIZ
Congress cannot make any Congress cannot make any laws about immigration.laws about immigration.
A.A. True.True.
B.B. False.False.
MINI QUIZMINI QUIZCongress can make any law Congress can make any law as long as it is “necessary as long as it is “necessary
and proper.”and proper.”
A.A. True.True.
B.B. False.False.
MINI QUIZMINI QUIZWhen can Congress do When can Congress do
something that is not listed something that is not listed in the Constitution?in the Constitution?
A.A. Always Always
B.B. NeverNever
C.C. When it relates to When it relates to something that is listedsomething that is listed
D.D. Only on ThursdaysOnly on Thursdays
FACTOR #2FACTOR #2
PERSONAL OPINIONPERSONAL OPINION
Members of Congress are Members of Congress are human beings, just like you!human beings, just like you!
Sometimes they agree with a Sometimes they agree with a bill, and sometimes they are bill, and sometimes they are totally against a bill.totally against a bill.
FACTOR #3FACTOR #3 POLITICAL PARTY VIEWSPOLITICAL PARTY VIEWS
People in a political party share People in a political party share similar values.similar values.
They work for laws that reflect They work for laws that reflect those values.those values.
FACTOR #3FACTOR #3 POLITICAL PARTY VIEWSPOLITICAL PARTY VIEWS
For a member of Congress, being For a member of Congress, being in a political party is like being on in a political party is like being on a team. a team.
Members of the team support Members of the team support each other and try to create bills each other and try to create bills that reflect their values.that reflect their values.
FACTOR #3FACTOR #3 POLITICAL PARTY VIEWSPOLITICAL PARTY VIEWS
Usually members of Congress Usually members of Congress agree with their political agree with their political party about bills. party about bills.
But sometimes they don’t.But sometimes they don’t.
FACTOR #4FACTOR #4 VOTERSVOTERS
There would be too many people There would be too many people in Congress if in Congress if everyoneeveryone went . . . went . . .
So voters choose a few people So voters choose a few people to represent them.to represent them.
FACTOR #4FACTOR #4 VOTERSVOTERS
People in Congress are People in Congress are responsible for responsible for representing the voters representing the voters back home.back home.
So they’d better think about So they’d better think about those voters, because…those voters, because…
FACTOR #4FACTOR #4 VOTERSVOTERS
Voters send people to Voters send people to Congress . . .Congress . . .
. . . and voters can kick . . . and voters can kick people out!people out!
MINI QUIZMINI QUIZMembers of Congress vote Members of Congress vote based based onlyonly on their personal on their personal
opinions.opinions.
A.A. True.True. Personal opinion is Personal opinion is the only factor. the only factor.
B.B. False.False. They consider other They consider other factors too.factors too.
MINI QUIZMINI QUIZMembers of Congress Members of Congress
always agree with their political always agree with their political party about bills.party about bills.
A.A. True.True.
B.B. False.False.
MINI QUIZMINI QUIZWhen considering a bill, When considering a bill, members of Congress members of Congress
should think about...should think about...
A.A. Only themselves Only themselves
B.B. Voters back homeVoters back home
C.C. People on the moonPeople on the moon
MINI QUIZMINI QUIZIf members of Congress do a If members of Congress do a bad job, voters can kick them bad job, voters can kick them
out.out.
A.A. True.True.
B.B. False.False.
MINI QUIZMINI QUIZIn Congress, being in a political In Congress, being in a political
party is like being on a...party is like being on a...
A.A. Team Team
B.B. Game showGame show
C.C. Surf boardSurf board
MINI QUIZMINI QUIZPeople in the same political People in the same political
party share similar…party share similar…
A.A. Eye color Eye color
B.B. Opinions about moviesOpinions about movies
C.C. ValuesValues
MINI QUIZMINI QUIZWhen considering a bill, When considering a bill,
members of Congress usually members of Congress usually think about…think about…
A.A. Their own opinions Their own opinions
B.B. The Constitution The Constitution
C.C. Political party viewsPolitical party views
D.D. What voters think What voters think
E.E. All of the aboveAll of the above