Global Security, Privacy, & Risk Management

Laws & the US Constitution…a Primer ;) June 28, 2012

Today the US Supreme Court ruled on two laws that have been a major source of debate.  I have already had two knock down arguments on Facebook over these findings.  In light of this, and the fact that we are approaching the 4th of July, I am going to take a moment to interject some levity into the debate.

The Supreme Court upheld the law commonly known as ObamaCare and struck down as the Stolen Valor Act as unconstitutional.  As we have foreign readers…here is a primer to the US Government..the Congress (comprised of the House of Representatives and Senate) in conjunction with the President of the US introduce Bills.  The Bills are debated and then voted on by the Congress.  If passed, they are sent to the President to be signed into ‘law’.  the President has the ability to veto the bill and send it back to Congress for revision.  The Congress can override the veto and pass the bill into law with a 2/3sds Majority in both houses. The Supreme Court is comprised of 9 members who are appointed by the President and serve for life.  Their job is to determine the constitutionality of the laws.  If considered unconstitutional the Law is no longer enforceable.  It is an inefficient, complex process that we American’s love to fight, bicker, argue over and bad mouth.  It is, however, a good system. The basis of the American legal system is the constitution.  There are certain ‘inalienable’ rights codified in our constitution.  It is the debate over the meaning of these that keep our lives interesting.  The 2nd amendment (passed in 1791) for example, protects “the right to keep and bear arms”.  This is where the right to buy, keep, and use guns comes into play.

For your viewing pleasure…please watch…The SchoolHouse Rocks “Preamble to the Constitution” from 1973 AND “I’m just a Bill”…