Resolved:
- the framers of the Constitution would approve of the modern presidency
**Please post your three (3) questions for the Pro, Con, or both sides of the debate, as well as indicating a question or two you would like to see asked in class (through submitting a "reply". Make sure you read through the questions posted before you, as repeated questions will not count! Questions should be submitted by 9/15 at noon (12pm).
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ReplyDeleteQuestions for the debate:
ReplyDelete1. How do you think the framers would feel about the numerous agencies and people working in government and in the white house?
2. Do you think the framers would be happy with all the power that has been given to the president?
3. The approval ratings of presidents are going down. What do you think the framers would do or say to try and raise the approval ratings?
One question I would like to see discussed:
Do you think the framers would be happy with having an African American president? Or do you think they would have ever guessed something like this could happen?
I really like question #3!
Delete1.Did the expansion of the full-time staffers help presidents carry out the law better? (think A. Lincoln vs G. W. Bush)
ReplyDelete2.What/who influenced modern presidency?
3.Is it possible to keep the three branches of government at the same level or just have the leadership branch?
1. How would the framers feel that there are now state laws to ensure that electoral college delegates vote according to the popular vote in their state?
ReplyDelete2. The Pro side in the book talks about executive discretion, how would this have pertained to Watergate?
3. How would the framers feel about the cabinet being filled mainly with political allies of the president rather than perhaps those most suited for the job?
Question for class: On page 10 it was mentioned that Hamilton and Madison greatly disliked campaigning, but weren't the Federalist Papers in essence a campaign for ratification?
Question #3 is a good one!
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ReplyDelete1. How did/do you feel about the idea of a plural executive?
ReplyDelete2. The executive branch does not just consist of the President and Vice President, but many other offices and members. Do you think the framers feel as though the executive branch has expanded too much?
3. Today we are most like the Pinckney Plan, but after seeing many different presidencies "fail" or succeed do the framers wish we were more like the New Jersey or Hamiltons plan?
Question:
The Syrian Civil War has been in the news a lot lately and now President Obama is "toying" with the idea of sending American troops over there. How would the framers feel about this idea?
1. Did the framers envision the office of the Vice Presidency to hold more power than it currently does? If not, what is its significance other than having a back up President if the current office holder cannot carry out his term?
Delete2. Which role of the President would the framers view as the most important?
3. How much does the expansion of the executive branch correlate with increasing public mistrust towards the federal government?
question:
How would the framers view the United States alignment with alliance groups like the United Nations?
1. Overtime, the President has been portrayed as the leader of their political party. Does this idea contribute to tensions between Congress and the Executive Branch? Why or Why not?
ReplyDelete2. Upon the founding of the U.S., substantial power was given to the individual states. Has the Executive Branch evolved to compliment individual state authority or control it?
3. Do you believe that our has or is developing to a point were we need a stronger, more involved executive officer?
I think Question #2 is a very interesting one
DeleteReid, I think you raise an interesting point with #2 as Dr. Wanless said also. I would definitely like hearing this discussed more on Monday!
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ReplyDelete1. Whether be fiscal or social issue, government’s involvement have increased extraordinarily. Do you think framers envision the system of government they created to one day become this large and powerful?
ReplyDelete2. Now day political party have become the sole reason for too much division in the country. What do you think framers would feel about the way political parties have become so negative?
3. Modern day presidential election campaign is money driven and candidates are spending hundred millions of dollars just to get into the office. What do you think the framers would feel about this excessive spending for campaign election?
Question:
1. American government is involved in almost every single foreign affairs and justification for this tends to be “spreading peace and democracy”. What do you think framers would feel about this much involvement in foreign affairs?
1. The United States is seen as a world power and through that the president has become a very influential and prominent role in foreign diplomacy. Do you think the framers envisioned the presidency to have such a powerful role not only domestically but also internationally?
ReplyDelete2. We live in a world which is dominated technology, different media sources are constantly informing the people of decisions and comments made by the president and congress and vise versa the American people constantly voicing their opinions. Would the framers see this as positive or negative?
3. The United States has become such a diverse country with many different beliefs and needs which has made our government grow tremendously with different laws and departments. If the framers could have foreseen this, how would they/would they structure the executive branch differently.
I really like Questions #1 & #2!
Delete1. If given a second chance today do you think the framers would add or omit anything from Article II in constitution in order to give more power to weaker presidents or possibly limit power of stronger presidents?
ReplyDelete2. With congress's power to officially declare war becoming less important do you think the framers would have supported something similar to the War Powers resolution to limit the presidents power?
3. With the US being basically a two party race for presidency do you think the framers would have included anything to try and prevent this from happening?
Love Question #1!
Delete1. The framers originally wanted a government with a limited amount of power over the people. How would they feel about "Obamacare"?
ReplyDelete2. Since the terrorist attacks twelve years ago, our government has claimed to be on watch for future attacks by hacking into citizens personal information. Would the framers consider this violating our personal rights or would they agree with the government's officials today?
3. If the framers were able to fast forward in time to today, would they deliberate more on having multiple executives opposed to having a single executive?
Question #3 is fantastic!
DeleteQuestion 3 is golden.
Delete1. Because, as Nichols states, the "framers did not want the president to be a servant of Congress," do you think the modern presidency has actively worked to not be a servant of Congress and that is why we've seen the increase in the executive branch's power?
ReplyDelete2. Do you think presidential power would have increased or decreased had the framers decided to elect the president through a popular vote instead of the electoral college?
3. Has the way modern presidents campaign done anything to increase the power of the executive branch?
I really like question 3, I think it is relevant to the way the executive branch has increased in power--especially in the eyes of the people of the United States.
Delete1. If the framers were alive today, how many would actually prefer how much power the executive branch has today?
ReplyDelete2. Is it possible that the omission of the vesting clause was on purpose in order to create an executive branch that wasn't as restricted by the constitution?
3. If congress was to rewrite the constitution today, how much power would be added or taken away from the executive branch? If the executive branch were to rewrite the constitution today, how much power would be added or taken away from the executive branch?
1. Times have changed drastically since the original drafting of the constitution. Should the constitution be created or rewritten today, what stipulations and considerations would the framers have to make to fit modern society?
ReplyDelete2. Originally, the legislature was meant to be the most powerful branch of government. Would the framers agree with the reasoning behind why the legislature has such atrocious approval ratings, and that the executive has grown to be incredibly more powerful than the legislation in some aspects?
3. How would the framers view presidential elections, since it seems that more power is vested within the Electoral College rather than in a direct democracy?
1. Is it possible in America for the Presidency to morph into a position that is beyond checks and balances?
ReplyDelete2. Has the position of Vice President become unnecessary due to the Presidents power?
3. The power of the Executive has increased exponentially in the last 100 years. Would it be possible for Congress to start taking some of that power away and placing it elsewhere?
1. What does it mean in today's world when the president is largely viewed as a figurehead, as he has many advisors influencing his decisions? How does this impact his role on an international level?
ReplyDelete2. In regards to Federalist 69 being used to defend the role of the executive branch, would you consider the expansion of the executive branch as contradicting this?
3. How has the role of the Vice President changed as the executive branch increased its influence? Could one argue that the image of the Vice President has become MORE important now that the executive branch has gained more influence?
1. With the issues surrounding the electoral college, do you think the framers would be more in favor of the Virginia Plan now and have the legislature elect the president?
ReplyDelete2. Do you think that the framers would consider the power of the president to be moving towards a monarchy or dictator when the president has a prerogative to do whatever he wants as long as its in the interest of the people?
3. Do you think the president's control over the military and foreign affairs today has gotten out of hand?
1)Would the framers approve of the current size of government?
ReplyDelete2)If the framers could have seen how things would be today, do you think they would have been more specific about presidential powers in the constitution?
3)Would the framers be content with the modern interpretation of the constitution and all the powers that have been come under the control of the president?
1. Do you think our nation's current economic problems could be a result of the founders giving a majority of the economic decision making power to the president?
ReplyDelete2. Do you think the founders ever imagined that an African American man would be the president of the U.S. and the man in charge of carrying out the policies they wrote?
3. Imagine what the world would be like if the founders wrote the constitution during our time period. Do you think our nation would be better off carrying out policies written by leaders of our generation? Or do you think we are better off carrying out policies that were written by people who lived hundreds of years ago?