POLI 2051 Lecture : Political Science Lecture 2
Document Summary
Three purposes the framers were trying to achieve. The constitution itself: create a powerful national government. Article i, sections 8,10 - powers of congress: power to coin money, only congress can establish post offices, only congress can declare war. Article ii - established a strong executive: on his own the president is sort of limited , executive much stronger than under the articles of. Article iii - strong judiciary superior to the state courts: laws of the nation prevail over the laws of the land. Article vi - supremacy clause: when the national government suggested something it couldn"t just be ignored by the states, prevent an excess of democracy. Article i, section 3 - senate not elected directly by the people: state legislators chose senators, the senate was not directly elected by the people, later changed by constitutional amendment. Elected for staggered terms: offset so that the entire senate is not up for election at the same time.
