This document discusses amending the US Constitution and the balance of power between the president and Congress. It outlines two steps for amending the Constitution - proposing amendments through Congress or a constitutional convention, and then ratifying through state legislatures or conventions. For amending, the main difference between using legislatures or conventions is whether representatives or the people directly vote. The document also notes that the main source of conflict between the president and Congress is differing political parties, and that recent presidents have gained power through executive agreements and aggressively requesting legislation.

1. Chapter 3
The Constitution

2. Common Checks and Balances
• President recommends legislation to congress
• Presidential veto
• Congressional override of veto
• Senate confirmation of presidential
appointments to executive branch and courts
• Senate ratification of treaties
• Impeachment of President or judge
• Constitutional amendments
• Judicial review of laws

3. Amending the Constitution
Step 1
• Proposing the Amendment
– 2/3 vote of both houses of Congress OR
– 2/3 of states petition Congress to hold a
constitutional convention (never used)

4. Amending the Constitution
Step 2
• Ratifying the Amendment
– ¾ of 50 state legislatures vote to ratify OR
– all states hold special constitutional
conventions and ¾ vote to ratify (used only
once – to repeal prohibition)

5. Amending the Constitution
What is the difference?
• In the State Legislature method, representatives
vote for or against the amendment.
• With special conventions, the one time it was
used, delegates ran on a platform either supporting
or not supporting the amendment. People then
voted for delegates, based on their position on that
one issue. So, in effect, the people were voting
directly on the amendment.

6. Presidential Power
What is the main source of conflict between
the president and congress?
• When the president and the majority in congress
are in different political parties!
How has the president gained power in
recent years?
• Conducting foreign policy through executive
agreement rather than treaties.
• Aggressively requesting legislation from congress.

7. Presidential Power
What is the main source of conflict between
the president and congress?
• When the president and the majority in congress
are in different political parties!
How has the president gained power in
recent years?
• Conducting foreign policy through executive
agreement rather than treaties.
• Aggressively requesting legislation from congress.