Time to Revisist 9th Grade Civics: What are and Why "Mid-Term Elections"? (347 hits)
I thought it would be quite intriguing to recall, in this scorchingly caustic election waxing on in the 'mid-term' of President Obama's 4-yr term, that has become beset by so many world and national problems. Old timers might want to follow along-I refer to Wikipedia.org-my user name is Texman2000 on my wikipedia url).
Those for whom this is the first look at the Constitutional foresight the framers had in mind at the founding of our great Republic, should be ever more grateful for the sacrifices made for 'Posterity' in this "Special Place" called America, Land of the Free, Home of the Brave!-those 'brave' men (yes, I am aware there were some women, too, blacks, indians-that point some other time).
First, as Wikipedia cites, this question: Did you know until about the early 20th century, United States Senators were elected by state legislatures? Yes, and the election process for senators became standardized upon ratification by the states (the voters' approval) of the 17th Amendment in 1913.
Congress is now in its 111th session and every 2 years, our nation holds elections. It's the year every state in the union holds these elections to choose its representatives-1/3 Senators explained below-each will send to washington to represent that state in the U.S. House of Representatives. Each state has in the House (usually capitalized; it's not just any 'house') the same number of representatives.
After this point, I can still recall-and hear in my mind's ear-one of the instructor's anology of old, "Rhode Island", you get 2 (representatives), so do you, California". Each state has two members in the House of Representatives, regardless of the state's population. The Senate in our bi-cameral or two chamber legislature is sometimes referred to as the Upper Chamber as compared to the , the lower chamber, as the House, although neither of these terms is a distinction which is mentioned in the U.S. Constitution.
However, the Senate does have several exclusive powers and functions reserved for it in the Constitution , the House can bring charges against and impeach-the process-a sitting U.S. President. It is the Senate which actually 'tries' the President, giving it the name known as the "Greatest Deliberative Body in the World" (Wikipedia.org).
The Senate is charged with the impeachment of other federal officials, such as federal judges, military officials, a vice President but to my knowledge, no president and vice-president have been impeached in our nation at the same time. Sometimes the term 'President Pro Tem is seen (Tempore( but it is a Latin term for 'temporary' or 'for the time being').
The Senate has garnered more prestige since the Republic's founding, partly because it is smaller, being 100 in number, has state-wide constituency, (as opposed to congressional 'districts'), and longer 6-year terms. This difference also promotes more of a brotherhood atmosphere among Senators.
Senate terms are staggered, into so-called 'classes', one third of the Senators are elected every two years and a Senator's 'class is determined by when the state he represents was admitted to the union. The founding Fathers set this arrangement so that both seats from a given state are not contested in a -same year-general election, except when a mid-term vacancy is being filled.
Therefore, why mid-term elections, asker.com?, why, it's the point the House Elections fall during a President's term, within a president' 4-year term: Sort of wraps it up, doesn't it?
