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Your complete guide to understanding the U.S. Constitution.
Want to make sense of the U.S. Constitution? This new edition walks you through this revered document, explaining how the articles and amendments came to be and how they have guided legislators, judges, and presidents--and sparked ongoing debates along the way. You'll get the lowdown on all the big issues--from separation of church and state to impeachment to civil rights--that continue to affect Americans' daily lives. Plus, you'll find out about U.S. Constitution concepts and their origins, the different approaches to interpretation, and how the document has changed over the past 200+ years.
Inside, you'll find fresh examples of Supreme Court Rulings such as same sex marriage and Healthcare Acts such as Obamacare. Explore hot topics like what it takes to be elected Commander in Chief, the functions of the House and Senate, how Supreme Court justices are appointed, and so much more.
Trace the evolution of the Constitution
Recognize the power of the U.S. Supreme Court
Get details on recent Supreme Court decisions
Find new examples of the Bill of Rights
Constitutional issues are dominating the news--and now you can join the discussion with the help of U.S. Constitution For Dummies.
Autorentext
As a lawyer who consults with various U.S. firms on constitutional issues and as author of a text on British constitutional law, Dr. Michael Arnheim is uniquely qualified to present an unbiased view of the U.S. Constitution, what it says, what it means, and how it's been interpreted in a variety of situations.
Klappentext
Your complete guide to understanding the U.S. Constitution. Want to make sense of the U.S. Constitution? This new edition walks you through this revered document, explaining how the articles and amendments came to be and how they have guided legislators, judges, and presidents and sparked ongoing debates along the way. You ll get the lowdown on all the big issues from separation of church and state to impeachment to civil rights that continue to affect Americans' daily lives. Plus, you ll find out about U.S. Constitution concepts and their origins, the different approaches to interpretation, and how the document has changed over the past 200+ years. Inside, you ll find fresh examples of Supreme Court Rulings such as same sex marriage and Healthcare Acts such as Obamacare. Explore hot topics like what it takes to be elected Commander in Chief, the functions of the House and Senate, how Supreme Court justices are appointed, and so much more. Trace the evolution of the Constitution Recognize the power of the U.S. Supreme Court Get details on recent Supreme Court decisions Find new examples of the Bill of Rights Constitutional issues are dominating the news and now you can join the discussion with the help of U.S. Constitution For Dummies.
Zusammenfassung
Your complete guide to understanding the U.S. Constitution.
Want to make sense of the U.S. Constitution? This new edition walks you through this revered document, explaining how the articles and amendments came to be and how they have guided legislators, judges, and presidentsand sparked ongoing debates along the way. You'll get the lowdown on all the big issuesfrom separation of church and state to impeachment to civil rightsthat continue to affect Americans' daily lives. Plus, you'll find out about U.S. Constitution concepts and their origins, the different approaches to interpretation, and how the document has changed over the past 200+ years.
Inside, you'll find fresh examples of Supreme Court Rulings such as same sex marriage and Healthcare Acts such as Obamacare. Explore hot topics like what it takes to be elected Commander in Chief, the functions of the House and Senate, how Supreme Court justices are appointed, and so much more.
Inhalt
Introduction 1
About This Book 1
Conventions Used in This Book 2
Icons Used in This Book 2
Beyond the Book 3
Where to Go from Here 3
Part 1: Getting Started with the U.S. Constitution 5
Chapter 1: Identifying the Main Principles and Controversies of the Constitution 7
Defining Constitution 8
Knowing When and Why the Constitution Was Created 8
Summarizing the Main Principles of the Constitution 10
Identifying Some Areas of Controversy 13
Chapter 2: Probing Underlying Concepts: Big Thinkers, Big Thoughts 17
Building on Magna Carta 18
Respecting the Rule of Law (or the Rule of Lawyers?) 20
Analyzing the Concepts Underlying the Declaration of Independence 21
Invoking the law of nature 24
Securing unalienable Rights 24
Deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed 26
Establishing a Republic 27
Getting rid of the king 28
Leaving democracy out of the US Constitution 28
Chapter 3: Untangling Some Confusion and Ambiguities 31
Listing Some Sources of Confusion 32
Discarding Out-of-Date Ideas? 33
Clarifying Uncertainties 35
Giving Some Important Principles the Silent Treatment 35
Interpreting the Constitution 38
Changing the Constitution 38
Identifying methods of interpretation 39
Chapter 4: Catching a Bird's-Eye View of the Constitution 43
Presenting the Preamble: We the People 44
Article I: Setting Up the Congress 45
Magnifying the commerce power 45
(Mis)interpreting the necessary and proper clause 46
Article II: Hailing the Chief 46
Listing presidential powers and duties 48
Identifying the real issues 48
Article III: Understating Judicial Power 49
Article IV: Getting Along with the Neighbors and Uncle Sam 50
Article V: Changing versus Amending the Constitution 51
Article VI: Fudging Federalism 52
Article VII: Ratifying the Constitution 52
Chapter 5: Changing the Constitution by Amendment and Interpretation 53
Noting the Four Paths to an Amendment 54
Explaining What Happens in Practice 55
Listing the Amendments 58
Debating the Need for Judge-Made Law 59
Dissenting views to restricting change 59
Maintaining proper amendment procedure 60
Sampling judge-made amendments 61
Part 2: We The People: How the United States is Governed 65
Chapter 6: Scrutinizing Sovereignty: Who Rules America? 67
Introducing We the People 68
Ordaining and establishing a Constitution 68
Resolving to preserve democracy 69
Defining democracy 71
Testing for democracy today 72
Hailing the Chief 73
Congress: Flexing Its Lawmaking Muscle 74
Giving the States Their Due 75
The High Court: Saying What the Law Is 76
Uncovering Conspiracies 77
Chapter 7: Defining Federalism 79
Tracing the Origins of US Federalism 79
Analyzing the founding documents 80
Forming a more perfect Union 81
Defining sovereignty 82
Can a state secede from the union? 83
Testing State Sovereignty: Some Recent Supreme Court Decisions 84
Foreign Affairs: Looking at the Influence of Treaties 88
Chapter 8: Separation of Powers: Checking and Balancing 89
No Moonlighting for the President 90
Keeping the Branches Apart 92
Membership 93
Functions 94
Checking and Balancing 97
Keeping each branch in line 97 Considering the judiciary's special position 99</p&g...