prof.goodman

Discussion 1

Reflect: The federal government of the United States was constructed using the directions provided in the U.S. Constitution. The Founding Fathers had the wisdom and foresight to create a very flexible and intelligently structured government framework that has endured. The entire American political system is based on four constitutionally derived pillars: a national government; separation of powers; federalism; and individual rights/liberties. Write: In your initial post of at least 250 words, briefly describe one pillar of the American government, how it interacts with the other three pillars, and then provide real-world examples of how that pillar supports the democratic system of government. For example, you may want to discuss how the national government interacts with local and state governments and which entity has jurisdiction over the interactions.  

Discussion 2

Reflect: The judicial branch of government was designed not only to serve as a check on the power of the executive and legislative branches but also to be the final arbiter on disputes among states and between the states and the federal government. One important arbitration tool utilized by the judicial branch is judicial review. Judicial review is one of the U.S. Constitution’s most provocative features as it plays an important role in shaping the laws that impact our society. Write: In your initial post of at least 250 words, utilize the Constitution, established case law, and scholarly sources, to complete the following assignments:

· Define judicial review.

· Define judicial activism and judicial restraint.

· Provide one recent example of judicial review by the Supreme Court and explain if the reviews are considered examples of judicial restraint or judicial activism and why.

Support your claims with examples from the required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references according to APA standards.