POLITICS UNSUNG 3
This is lesson 3.
This lesson will teach you who your local officials are, what their responsibilities are and how they help you, and how to find out who they are for each state; as well as definitions to some political terms.
The primaries is coming up here in Green Bay on August 9.
These are the positions up for office; so learn how they affect your life and vote accordingly.
GOVERNOR
The person that will personally affect your community or where you live directly or indirectly is the Governor.
The governor is elected and serve as the Chief executive officers of the 50 states, 5 commonwealths and territories.
Governors are responsible for providing state laws and overseeing the executive branch, changing policies and programs; such as executive budgets, legislative proposals and vetoes. The Governor has the power to appoint state court judges from a list of names submitted by the nominations committee. However; their roles differ from state to state according to the constitution, legislation and traditions. They have the power to take emergency measures in case of natural disasters, energy crisis, and anything requiring immediate action. They manage hiring freezes and discrimination. They handle day to day events such as: tornadoes, power outages, floods, COVID.
Governors need to be able to prepare, prevent, respond, and recover.
LT GOVERNOR
The Lieutenant Governor is the state’s highest officer after the governor and they assume the role of the governor when their out of state or can’t do their job. He also could become the governor if the governor dies, resigns or is removed from office. They preside as the president over the senate or break a tie vote and serve on governor’s cabinets. Lt Governors are the only officials with specific duties and powers in two branches executive and legislative.
ATTORNEY GENERAL
The attorney general is elected and is the head of the state Department of Justice and the chief legal officer for the state. They provide legal advice and represent state agencies as the people’s lawyer. They enforce federal laws, interpret laws and heads the federal jails and prisons. They also examine violations of federal laws.
SECRETARY OF STATE
The secretary of state is appointed by the president with the consent of the senate. They are the president’s chief for foreign affairs and policies. The secretary of state negotiates foreign affairs, grants passports to American citizens, supervises the administration of immigration laws, advises the President on appointments of US ambassadors, ministers, and diplomats. They also advise the President to accept, recall, or dismiss representatives.
STATE TREASURER
The state treasurer signs millions of checks per year from the states checkbook, they oversee how public money is spent and provides transparency for taxpayers.
The treasurer also issues and manages the states debt by bond sales to finance the state’s transportation projects, real estate and equipment for state agencies.
The treasurer is the states chief banker and money manager. They oversee the savings, debts, investments, revenue, and finances.
SENATOR
The next person that really affects your city, community and neighborhood is the Senator.
The senator has sole power to confirm the presidents appointments that require consent, to provide advice and consent to ratify treaties with two exceptions the house must also approve appointments to the vice presidency and any treaty that involves foreign trade.
There are two senators for each state. The senator must be at least 30 years old been a citizen of the US for 9 years and a resident of the state where they run for office.
The senate and the House of Representatives is called the United States Congress which serves as the legislative branch. They make the laws, declares war, regulates interstate and foreign commerce and controls taxing and spending.
Congress is the power of the purse because they can spend public money for the national government. They can also block activity by refusing to give the money to an agency, program or entity.
A senator carries more power than an individual member of the House of Representative because a senator represents an entire state. They spend their days with constituents/people discussing policy issues in committee meetings, making public appearances. They are there to protect the rights of individual states. The senate must agree to consider a piece of legislation by voting on a motion to proceed which requires 60 votes.
REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS
A representative in congress is elected and serves the people for two years in a specific district. They also introduce bills and resolutions offer amendments and serve on committees. They help constituents/people solve problems and educate the people about different issues. They represent their district.
REPRESENTATIVE IN ASSEMBLY
A member of the legislative assembly (MLA) is elected and represents the voters of a state, province, or territory.
BROWN COUNTY SHERIFF
The purpose of the Brown County Sheriff is to protect, prevent, detect, apprehend, and prosecute people who violate criminal, civil, state or local laws.
They investigate, interview, interrogate criminals. They also process the crime scene, and do research.
They also keep records, transport inmates, and they are involved with employment background checks.
BROWN COUNTY CLERK OF COURT
The brown county clerk of courts maintains official court records, manages general business and financial operations of the courts, and provides in court clerks for the courts. The clerk gets money for the county and the state by collecting fines, forfeitures, court costs and fees.
A filibuster is just a way to keep debating about something, by adding other stuff that does not even relate to the issue at hand.
A commonwealth is an independent country or community. There are 4 commonwealths; Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Virginia, and Massachusetts.
There are 5 territories; American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. All of these are still considered as a state just use a different name.
Legislative is the power to make laws.
Qualified immunity is a type of legal immunity that holds public officials accountable and shield officials from harassment when they perform their duties.
Codified is arranging laws and rules into a code so it becomes federal law.
Ratify means to sign or agree to a contract or treaty.
Treaty is a formal agreement between countries.
https://www.senate.gov/reference/reference_index_subjects/Senators_vrd.htm
These websites helps you to find out who your senators are.
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes
This website shows you what congress voted for and who your congressman are.
These two websites will tell you if you are registered and where to vote and who you’re voting for. We now know that they have purged/erased some names from the voting books so check now before the primaries and the November election. They have made some changes. Regarding absentee voting and ballot boxes.
They are trying to take our democracy away from us one VOTE at a time.
DON’T LET THEM!!!
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