Day 1 Reading: Introduction and Structure of Congress

Text: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence [sic], promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

General Overview (2023): Exploration of how the U.S. government operates as a complex system designed after independence from what was seen as a tyrannical monarchy.
Objective: To create a constitutional republic where government officials are elected by the population to represent their interests, with limits on their powers through a written constitution.
Historical Context: The framers had a narrow view of “the people,” initially including only white, landowning males.
Evolution of Citizenship: Significant changes over 235 years as understandings of citizenship and representation have shifted, but challenges remain in achieving a perfect union.

Legislate:
- Purpose: Establish laws ensuring safety, stability, and prosperity.
- Significance: Legislative power is paramount since laws control governance over its inhabitants.
Execute:
- Purpose: Implement laws through designated institutions, ensuring laws are carried out effectively.
Judge:
- Purpose: Ensure laws are consistently applied and interpret legal boundaries and meanings.

Types of Governance:
- Autocracy: Power centralized in one ruler who legislates, executes, and judges through decrees and force.
- U.S. Government: Power is separated across three branches to prevent concentration of control.
1. Legislative Branch: U.S. Congress (bicameral: House of Representatives and Senate)
2. Executive Branch: The Presidency and its bureaucracy
3. Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court and other federal courts
Checks and Balances:
- Designed to prevent any branch from wielding power without oversight.
- Each branch can influence and restrain actions of others, creating a dynamic governance system.
Bicameral Legislature:
- U.S. House of Representatives: Represents the populace with short, 2-year terms, forced to respond to constituents regularly.
- Senate: Represents state interests with 6-year terms, allowing more consideration for wider national interests.

Concept: Prevents central government overreach by empowering state and local governments to control daily lives.
State Sovereignty: Protections established in the Constitution ensure individual state powers.

Injustice: The system has historically oppressed many, denying citizenship rights to marginalized communities.
Ongoing Efforts: Continuous struggle for full representation by disadvantaged groups; the pursuit of a representative democracy remains challenging due to the interests of privileged groups.

Legislative Power: Resides in Congress as detailed in Article I of the U.S. Constitution.
- Description: Two houses - House of Representatives and Senate.
- House of Representatives:
- Delegate Role: Intended for representatives to directly reflect constituent views.
- Term Length: 2 years, requiring frequent accountability.
- Representation Basis: Population-based; requires a national census every ten years for apportionment.
- Voting Requirements: Citizens eligible must meet state legislature qualifications.
- Average District Size: Approximately 760,000 people.
- Senate:
- Trustee Role: Senators serve the broader interests of the nation, not just their state.
- Term Length: 6 years, permitting longer-term planning without immediate electoral pressures.
- Equal State Representation: Each state has 2 senators regardless of the population size, creating potential misrepresentation.

Madison's Warning (Federalist #10): Concerns about factions acting against public good, sacrificing rights and interests.
Federalist #62 Insights:
- Argument for the necessity of a Senate to balance against sudden collective impulses and factious leadership.
- Historical Example: In the 1950s, civil rights were denied to African Americans despite majority support in southern states.

House of Representatives:
- Speaker of the House: Elected by the majority; controls the legislative agenda significantly.
- Party Leadership: Party-affiliated officers and whips help maintain party unity and strategic vote management.
Senate Leadership:
- President of the Senate: The Vice President only votes in ties, while the President pro tempore, typically the longest-serving senator from the majority party, manages Senate proceedings in the VP's absence.
- Leadership Roles: Each chamber has majority and minority leaders and whips focusing on party agenda rather than entire chamber representation.

Purpose: Essential for managing the complexity and volume of legislative issues.
Committee Assignment: Members align with committees relevant to their constituents' interests (e.g., Agriculture, Housing, etc.).

Section 1: Legislative powers vested in Congress, consisting of Senate and House.
Section 2: House details including election cycle, age, citizenship, residency requirements; population apportionment and numbering; election to fill vacancies.
Section 3: Senate details including number per state, election context, terms, qualifications (age and citizenship), the Vice President's role, and power to try impeachments.