Executive Branch Reflection

During this seminar I greatly expanded my knowledge on the legislative and executive branch. I learned there have been numerous times when neither branch upheld the values of the Constitution. Our government spent money for a phone booth and sued the state of California over the issue of immigrants. Also, I learned more about partisan politics and how disagreements arise because of this. One party wants to do it their way, while the other believes that isn’t the correct path to follow. Lastly, I learned that the U.S government is slowly progressing to become more diverse from Congress to the president and to the Supreme Court.

2. What is each branch responsible for?

Each branch has specific powers that is assigned through the Constitution.

In addition to the powers previously listed, they also include, “the power to declare war, raise and support armed forces, organize the militia, grant citizenship, and establish post offices and courts” (69, Enumerated Powers). Lastly, Congress was given a power called the elastic clause. The elastic clause,”lets Congress stretch it powers… that Congress can make all laws “necessary and proper” to carrying out powers expressed in Article I” (69, Enumerated Powers). Some amendments that limit the legislative branch’s power is the 27th amendment. In the textbook, it states that it ,”Banned Congress from increasing its members’ salaries until after the next election” (88, Other Constitutional Amendments). Thus, this amendment protects and limits the power of Congress because, “The restriction would be necessary in order for Congress to keep in mind the needs of the people of the United States rather than their own. This would prevent members of Congress from immediately causing a salary increase when elected into office” (Internet Source, UNDERSTANDING THE 27TH AMENDMENT). On the other hand, the president is the sole leader of the executive branch.

However, currently Congress has over 400 members; most are predominantly white males (Internet, Membership of the 115th Congress: A Profile). In the executive branch, out of the 45 U.S Presidents, only 7 have been considered half or a mix of African American (Huffington Post, ‘Black Presidents’: 6 United States Commanders In Chief Before Obama). On the Supreme Court 6 out of the 9 judges are male. However, the U.S government has been slowly appealing to a changing america. In Congress, changes have been progressively made, “Overall, nonwhites (including blacks, Hispanics, Asians/Pacific Islanders and Native Americans) make up 19% of the current Congress. By comparison, non white Hispanics and other racial minorities make up 38% of the nation’s population” (Pew Research Center, 115th Congress sets new high for racial, ethnic diversity). In the executive branch, we saw Hillary Clinton run to be the first female president, but ultimately lost to Trump. Although losing the election, Clinton demonstrated that a woman can also be the president of our country and that we shouldn’t allow this election loss break the dreams of a woman being the president. In the judicial branch, Sonia Sotomayor, who was added during presidency of Obama, becoming first hispanic descent judge and one of the few women to be a supreme court judge. Furthermore, a new CIA director was appointed and became the first female to do so. Overall, I