Civics & Citizenship

Civics

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The Constitution Limits the President

Where in the Constitution is the President getting his authority to make so many changes? This question is swirling around in the minds of Americans, so let’s make some discoveries. The Constitution gives the President Limited and Defined Powers First, any U. S. President’s authority to make various changes during their administration is primarily derived […]

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Preserving the Peaceful Transfer of Power

As we prepare for the peaceful transfer of power in our nation on January 20, perhaps you thought the 2024 election was controversial. History shows our nation had other contentious moments but came together for a peaceful transfer of power.  Controversy and Unity in the Election of 1800 Look up the election in 1800 between […]

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Constitution Be Changed By Passing a Law?

The U.S.  Constitution can be changed, but only by the Amendment process as outlined in Article V. A couple of people on the Common Sense Civics and Citizenship education page have argued that our legislators can pass a law that changes the Constitution. Not understanding how the Constitution works is a civics issue, so let’s […]

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Significance of Inauguration

The Significance of January 3: Swearing in the New Congress (Happy Holidays! Welcome back to Common Sense Civics and Citizenship, where I am answering a few of your questions today. Let’s get started). Why is the new Congress (119th Congress) sworn in on January 3? What is so special about that day? The Twentieth Amendment, […]

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Understanding the 25th Amendment and Presidential Succession

Have you heard rumblings about the 25th Amendment in the past few days? I sure have, and from different sources, too.  To be “in the know,” let’s quickly review this section of the Constitution. You may find one or more of the sections to be of great interest. The Twenty-fifth Amendment concerns presidential succession and […]

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The Seventh and Eighth Amendments: Preserving Justice and Liberty

Have you considered the Seventh and Eighth Amendments as guardians of Justice and Liberty for We the People? The Seventh Amendment protects the right to a jury trial in (federal) civil cases. This was a big deal to the Anti-Federalists, so much so that James Madison had to construct this amendment and add it to […]

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Memorial Day: Preserving the Tradition and Educating the Young

How are you celebrating Memorial Day this year? More importantly, who are you remembering? I was surprised that some of my students had no attachment to this American holiday except to eat food with family. Their response prompted me to ask you about your traditions for celebrating Memorial Day. Our Kids: Do They Understand the […]

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Supreme Court Renders Opinion On the Fourteenth Amendment

The Supreme Court Renders Its Opinion on the Fourteenth Amendment, Sec. 3: The big winner is The U.S. Constitution, 9-0. What Does the Supreme Court’s Decision Say? “Responsibility for enforcing Section 3 (of the fourteenth amendment) against federal officeholders and candidates rests with Congress and not the states.” The judgment of the Colorado Supreme Court, […]

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Checks and Balances

Checks and balances prevent the abuse of power. We’re experiencing, live and in real-time, the checks and balances system of our government under scrutiny. Our Founders foresaw the need to “build in” a process that would take the country through peaceful transitions when the Constitution has been blatantly violated by “the President, Vice-President and all […]

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What Is An American Invasion?

Americans nationwide are talking about an invasion. What is an “invasion” anyway? You may not have the correct answer if your definition comes from a politician, the press, or a professor. When dealing with words in the Constitution, like “invasion,” we cannot automatically ascribe today’s meanings (or feelings) to the same word as it was […]