The United States Government Essay Research Paper — страница 3

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During WWII Reagan patriotically served his country (unlike some other presidents) as a captain in the army. It was soon after this that he became active in Democratic politics, supporting Harry S. Truman for president in 1948 and Douglas over Nixon in the California senatorial race in 1950. In 1952, Ronald Reagan married actress Nancy Davis, a contract actress for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. They had two children. Between the years of 1954 and 1962 Reagan was the host of a television program called General Electric Theater. In the early 1950?s, Reagan wised up and became more conservative, this time supporting Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952 and Richard Nixon in 1960. In 1962, Mr. Reagan switched his voter registration to Republican, and was elected governor of California in 1966 and

1970. He was not able to do everything that he had hoped as governor, because for six of the eight years there was a democratic majority in the state legislature. However, he did find time to cut welfare and start the Medi-Cal program to pay medical bills for the poor. Reagan increased income taxes to avoid a projected deficit but later gave rebates when the state government had a surplus. Reagan also lowered the high property taxes of California. In 1976, Ronald Reagan challenged Gerald R. Ford for the Republican nomination but lost by a small margin. He was not a quitter, however, and in 1980 he chased after the nomination again and easily beat George Bush whom he later chose for his vice president. During the Reagan Administration, Reagan brought conservatives to power both in

the Republican Party and in the nation. Reagan?s economic program, sometimes called Reaganomics, was a tax and spending cuts budget which stimulated economic growth between 1982 and 1987. The Constitution of the United States of America The constitution of the United States is the framework of the government. On it all laws are based, and if there is a conflict, the law will be determined unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. An amendment to the constitution is when a change is made to the constitution. In this section of my Government Booklet, some of the most important amendments will be discussed. Amendment 1: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or

the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. The first amendment is probably the most famous amendment, because it gives citizens of the United States their basic rights and privileges. However, these rights do have limits, and once you go past the limit, you are breaking the law. Amendment 2: A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. Ask any member of the NRA what the second amendment is, and 9 times out of ten, he will be able to quote it for you. With the laws going more and more to the left, it is my guess that this right will be infringed within the next ten years. Amendment 4: The right of the people to be

secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated; and no warrants shall issue but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. This amendment is basically saying that the government, police, etc., cannot come into your house without a warrant and ?just cause? for wanting to search the area. Amendment 8 Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. This amendment is one of the ones for people accused of a crime. In essence, they are not to have bail unreasonably high, fines unreasonably high, or tortured. Many people say that the death penalty

is cruel and unusual punishment, but they are wrong. Amendment 13 Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for a crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction. Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. This amendment totally abolishes any slavery within the legal jurisdiction of the United States. Amendment 19 The right of the citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. This amendment, made in 1920, gives women the right to vote. Previously, women had almost no