1.
Bicameralism
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A bicameral legislature is one in which the legislators are divided into two separate assemblies, chambers or houses. As of 2015, somewhat less than half of the national legislatures are bicameral. Often, the members of the two chambers are elected or selected using different methods, which vary from country to country and this can often lead to the two chambers having very different compositions of members. However, in many Westminster system parliaments, the house to which the executive is responsible can overrule the other house, some legislatures lie in between these two positions, with one house only able to overrule the other under certain circumstances. For example, one house would represent the aristocracy, and the other would represent the commoners as was the case in the Kingdom of England. Others, such as France under the Ancien Régime had a legislature known as the Estates General, which consisted of separate chambers for the clergymen, the nobility. The Founding Fathers of the United States also favoured a bicameral legislature, the idea was to have the Senate be wealthier and wiser. Benjamin Rush saw this though, and noted that, this type of dominion is almost always connected with opulence, the Senate was created to be a stabilising force, elected not by mass electors, but selected by the State legislators. Senators would be more knowledgeable and more sort of republican nobility—and a counter to what Madison saw as the fickleness. He noted further that the use of the Senate is to consist in its proceeding with more coolness, with system and with more wisdom. Madisons argument led the Framers to grant the Senate prerogatives in foreign policy, an area where steadiness, discretion, the Senate was chosen by state legislators, and senators had to possess a significant amount of property in order to be deemed worthy and sensible enough for the position. In fact, it was not until the year 1913 that the 17th Amendment was passed, as part of the Great Compromise, they invented a new rationale for bicameralism in which the Senate would have states represented equally, and the House would have them represented by population. Many nations with parliaments have to some degree emulated the British three-tier model, nevertheless, the older justification for second chambers—providing opportunities for second thoughts about legislation—has survived. An example of controversy regarding a second chamber has been the debate over the powers of the Canadian Senate or the election of the Senate of France. The relationship between the two chambers varies, in cases, they have equal power, while in others. The first tends to be the case in federal systems and those with presidential governments, the latter tends to be the case in unitary states with parliamentary systems. In the United States both houses of the U. S and this is due to their original location in the two-story building that was to house them. In Canada, the country as a whole is divided into a number of Senate Divisions, each with a different number of Senators, Senators in Canada are not elected by the people but are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister
2.
Democratic Party (United States)
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The Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The Democrats dominant worldview was once socially conservative and fiscally classical liberalism, while, especially in the rural South, since Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal coalition in the 1930s, the Democratic Party has also promoted a social-liberal platform, supporting social justice. Today, the House Democratic caucus is composed mostly of progressives and centrists, the partys philosophy of modern liberalism advocates social and economic equality, along with the welfare state. It seeks to provide government intervention and regulation in the economy, the party has united with smaller left-wing regional parties throughout the country, such as the Farmer–Labor Party in Minnesota and the Nonpartisan League in North Dakota. Well into the 20th century, the party had conservative pro-business, the New Deal Coalition of 1932–1964 attracted strong support from voters of recent European extraction—many of whom were Catholics based in the cities. After Franklin D. Roosevelts New Deal of the 1930s, the pro-business wing withered outside the South, after the racial turmoil of the 1960s, most southern whites and many northern Catholics moved into the Republican Party at the presidential level. The once-powerful labor union element became smaller and less supportive after the 1970s, white Evangelicals and Southerners became heavily Republican at the state and local level in the 1990s. However, African Americans became a major Democratic element after 1964, after 2000, Hispanic and Latino Americans, Asian Americans, the LGBT community, single women and professional women moved towards the party as well. The Northeast and the West Coast became Democratic strongholds by 1990 after the Republicans stopped appealing to socially liberal voters there, overall, the Democratic Party has retained a membership lead over its major rival the Republican Party. The most recent was the 44th president Barack Obama, who held the office from 2009 to 2017, in the 115th Congress, following the 2016 elections, Democrats are the opposition party, holding a minority of seats in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The party also holds a minority of governorships, and state legislatures, though they do control the mayoralty of cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Washington, D. C. The Democratic Party traces its origins to the inspiration of the Democratic-Republican Party, founded by Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and that party also inspired the Whigs and modern Republicans. Organizationally, the modern Democratic Party truly arose in the 1830s, since the nomination of William Jennings Bryan in 1896, the party has generally positioned itself to the left of the Republican Party on economic issues. They have been liberal on civil rights issues since 1948. On foreign policy both parties changed position several times and that party, the Democratic-Republican Party, came to power in the election of 1800. After the War of 1812 the Federalists virtually disappeared and the national political party left was the Democratic-Republicans. The Democratic-Republican party still had its own factions, however. As Norton explains the transformation in 1828, Jacksonians believed the peoples will had finally prevailed, through a lavishly financed coalition of state parties, political leaders, and newspaper editors, a popular movement had elected the president
3.
Republican Party (United States)
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The Republican Party, commonly referred to as the GOP, is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, the other being its historic rival, the Democratic Party. The party is named after republicanism, the dominant value during the American Revolution and it was founded by anti-slavery activists, modernists, ex-Whigs, and ex-Free Soilers in 1854. The Republicans dominated politics nationally and in the majority of northern States for most of the period between 1860 and 1932, there have been 19 Republican presidents, the most from any one party. The Republican Partys current ideology is American conservatism, which contrasts with the Democrats more progressive platform, further, its platform involves support for free market capitalism, free enterprise, fiscal conservatism, a strong national defense, deregulation, and restrictions on labor unions. In addition to advocating for economic policies, the Republican Party is socially conservative. As of 2017, the GOP is documented as being at its strongest position politically since 1928, in addition to holding the Presidency, the Republicans control the 115th United States Congress, having majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The party also holds a majority of governorships and state legislatures, the main cause was opposition to the Kansas–Nebraska Act, which repealed the Missouri Compromise by which slavery was kept out of Kansas. The Northern Republicans saw the expansion of slavery as a great evil, the first public meeting of the general anti-Nebraska movement where the name Republican was suggested for a new anti-slavery party was held on March 20,1854, in a schoolhouse in Ripon, Wisconsin. The name was chosen to pay homage to Thomas Jeffersons Republican Party. The first official party convention was held on July 6,1854, in Jackson and it oversaw the preserving of the union, the end of slavery, and the provision of equal rights to all men in the American Civil War and Reconstruction, 1861–1877. The Republicans initial base was in the Northeast and the upper Midwest, with the realignment of parties and voters in the Third Party System, the strong run of John C. Fremont in the 1856 United States presidential election demonstrated it dominated most northern states, early Republican ideology was reflected in the 1856 slogan free labor, free land, free men, which had been coined by Salmon P. Chase, a Senator from Ohio. Free labor referred to the Republican opposition to labor and belief in independent artisans. Free land referred to Republican opposition to the system whereby slaveowners could buy up all the good farm land. The Party strove to contain the expansion of slavery, which would cause the collapse of the slave power, Lincoln, representing the fast-growing western states, won the Republican nomination in 1860 and subsequently won the presidency. The party took on the mission of preserving the Union, and destroying slavery during the American Civil War, in the election of 1864, it united with War Democrats to nominate Lincoln on the National Union Party ticket. The partys success created factionalism within the party in the 1870s and those who felt that Reconstruction had been accomplished and was continued mostly to promote the large-scale corruption tolerated by President Ulysses S. Grant ran Horace Greeley for the presidency. The Stalwarts defended Grant and the system, the Half-Breeds led by Chester A. Arthur pushed for reform of the civil service in 1883
4.
Oregon State Capitol
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The Oregon State Capitol is the building housing the state legislature and the offices of the governor, secretary of state, and treasurer of the U. S. state of Oregon. It is located in the capital, Salem. The current building, constructed from 1936 to 1938, and expanded in 1977, is the third to house the Oregon state government in Salem, two former capitol buildings were destroyed by fire, one in 1855 and the other in 1935. New York architects Trowbridge & Livingston conceived the current structures Art Deco, stripped classical design, much of the interior and exterior is made of marble. The Oregon State Capitol was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, the Public Works Administration, part of the U. S. government, partially financed construction, which was completed during the Great Depression, in 1938. The building was erected at a cost of $2.5 million for the portion of the building. The wings, which doubled the space of the building to about 233,750 square feet, were added later for $12.5 million. The grounds outside the building contain artwork, fountains, and flora, including the state tree. Before the creation of the Oregon Territory in 1848, the Oregon Country provisional government, through legislation on June 27,1844 and December 19,1845, thus Oregons first capitol was in Oregon City. One of the buildings used by this government was constructed by John L. Morrison in 1850. The designation of Oregon City as the seat of power was by proclamation of Governor Joseph Lane, in 1850, the legislature passed an act designating Salem the capital. However, Governor John P. Gaines refused to relocate and remained in Oregon City along with the Oregon Supreme Court until an act of Congress on May 14,1852 settled the matter in Salems favor. On January 13,1855, the Oregon Territorial Legislature passed a bill moving the seat of government from Salem to Corvallis, Governor George Law Curry and many others objected to the move, since public buildings in Salem were already under construction. Curry sent the matter to the Secretary of the Treasury in Washington, thereafter, Curry and Oregon Secretary of State Benjamin Harding moved back to Salem. On December 3,1855, the legislature convened in Corvallis and this bill passed on December 15,1855. Three days later, the legislature re-convened in Salem, however, the statehouse burned down on the 29th, and the legislature re-opened debate about where to seat the capital. They decided to ask the people of the territory to vote on the question, a vote was to be held in June 1856, after which the two cities receiving the most votes would have a runoff. The initial vote set up a runoff between Eugene and Corvallis, but after some ballots were invalidated due to not being cast in accordance with the law, an October runoff gave Eugene the most votes, but the earlier vote-tossing led to a low turnout
5.
Salem, Oregon
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Salem /ˈseɪləm/ is the capital of the U. S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, the river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood of West Salem is in Polk County. Salem was founded in 1842, became the capital of the Oregon Territory in 1851, Salem had a population of 154,637 at the 2010 census, making it the third largest city in the state after Portland and Eugene. Salem is less than a driving distance away from Portland. Salem is the city of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area. A2013 estimate placed the population at 400,408. The city is home to Willamette University, Corban University, the State of Oregon is the largest public employer in the city, and Salem Health is the largest private employer. Transportation includes public transit from Salem-Keizer Transit, Amtrak service, major roads include Interstate 5, Oregon Route 99E, and Oregon Route 22, which connects West Salem across the Willamette River via the Marion Street and Center Street bridges. When the Methodist Mission moved to the area, they called the new establishment Chemeketa, although it was widely known as the Mill. When the Oregon Institute was established, the community known as the Institute. When the Institute was dissolved, the decided to lay out a townsite on the Institute lands. The Reverend David Leslie, President of the towns Trustees, also wanted a Biblical name, or, the town may be named after Salem, Massachusetts, where Leslie was educated. There were many names suggested, and even after the change to Salem, some people, such as Asahel Bush, believed the name should be changed back to Chemeketa. The Vern Miller Civic Center, which houses the city offices and it is estimated that the Willamette Valley area has been inhabited for over 10,000 years. The Kalapuya peoples would gather on the plateau east and south of the current downtown area in the winter and they fished and harvested in the streams and fields of the area. One staple of life was the root, and periodically the Kalapuya would set fires that would clear. In the early 1850s, the Kalapuya, along with the native peoples west of the Cascade Mountains, were removed by the U. S. government through a combination of treaties. Most Kalapuya people were moved to the Grande Ronde Reservation somewhat to the west of Salem, with numbers ending up at Siletz Reservation
6.
Oregon
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Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Oregon is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean, on the north by Washington, on the south by California, on the east by Idaho, the Columbia River delineates much of Oregons northern boundary, and the Snake River delineates much of the eastern boundary. The parallel 42° north delineates the boundary with California and Nevada. Oregon was inhabited by indigenous tribes before Western traders, explorers. An autonomous government was formed in the Oregon Country in 1843 before the Oregon Territory was created in 1848, Oregon became the 33rd state on February 14,1859. Today, at 98,000 square miles, Oregon is the ninth largest and, with a population of 4 million, the capital of Oregon is Salem, the second most populous of its cities, with 164,549 residents. Portland is Oregons most populous city, with 632,309 residents, Portlands metro population of 2,389,228 ranks the 23rd largest metro in the nation. The Willamette Valley in western Oregon is the states most densely populated area, the tall conifers, mainly Douglas fir, along Oregons rainy west coast contrast with the lighter-timbered and fire-prone pine and juniper forests covering portions to the east. Abundant alders in the west fix nitrogen for the conifers, stretching east from central Oregon are semi-arid shrublands, prairies, deserts, steppes, and meadows. At 11,249 feet, Mount Hood is the states highest point, Oregons only national park, Crater Lake National Park, comprises the caldera surrounding Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the United States. The state is home to the single largest organism in the world, Armillaria ostoyae. Because of its landscapes and waterways, Oregons economy is largely powered by various forms of agriculture, fishing. It is also the top timber-producer of the lower 48 states, Technology is another one of the states major economic forces, which began in the 1970s with the establishment of the Silicon Forest and the expansion of Tektronix and Intel. Sportswear company Nike, Inc. headquartered in Beaverton, is the states largest public corporation with a revenue of $30.6 billion. The earliest evidence of the name Oregon has Spanish origins and this chronicle is the first topographical and linguistic source with respect to the place name Oregon. There are also two other sources with Spanish origins such as the name Oregano which grows in the part of the region. Another early use of the name, spelled Ouragon, was in a 1765 petition by Major Robert Rogers to the Kingdom of Great Britain, the term referred to the then-mythical River of the West. By 1778 the spelling had shifted to Oregon, in his 1765 petition, Rogers wrote, The rout. is from the Great Lakes towards the Head of the Mississippi, and from thence to the River called by the Indians Ouragon
7.
Provisional Government of Oregon
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The Provisional Government of Oregon was a popularly elected settler government created in the Oregon Country, in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Much of the geography and many of the Natives were not known by people of European descent until several exploratory tours were authorized at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. The Organic Laws of Oregon were adopted in 1843 with its preamble stating that settlers only agreed to the laws until such time as the United States of America extend their jurisdiction over us, the government had three branches that included a legislature, judiciary, and executive branch. The executive branch was first the Executive Committee, consisting of three members, in effect from 1843 to 1845, in 1845, a single governor position was created. A series frontiersmen assemblies were held several years across the Willamette Valley. The death of prominent settler Ewing Young on 9 February 1841, jason Lee chaired the first meeting organised to discuss the matter on the 17th. He proposed the creation of an authority over the centered on a governor. French-Canadian settlers blocked the measure and instead a probate judge and a few positions were appointed. Further attempts of a pioneer government floundered until the numbers of American increased from travel over the Oregon Trail, initiated by William Gray, the Wolf Meetings of early 1843 created a bounty system on predators of settler livestock. Further discussions began among the settlers until a gathering was held at Champoeg on May 2, the proposal for forming a provisional government was tabled and voted on twice. The first vote rejected the report due to the inclusion of a governor. The government was, according to pioneers Overton Johnson and William H. Winter, intended from the start as an interim entity, the Organic Laws were drafted by a legislative committee on May 16,1843 and June 28,1843, before being adopted on July 5. Although not a constitution, the document outlined the laws of the government. Two years later, on July 2,1845, a new set of Organic Laws was drafted to revise and clarify the previous version and this constitution-like document divided the government into three departments, a judiciary branch, an executive branch, and a legislature. The definition of the branch had previously been modified, in late 1844, from a three-person committee to a single governor. This union between democrats of a republic and wealthy aristocratic subjects of a monarchy could not be formed without reserving to themselves the right of allegiance to their respective governments. Political jealousy and strong party feeling have tended to thwart and render impotent the acts of a government, from its very nature weak, with the first set of laws, the people created a three-person Executive Committee to act as an executive. The Second Executive Committee was elected on May 14,1844, a December 1844 amendment of the Organic Laws eliminated the Executive Committee in favor of a single governor, taking effect in June 1845
8.
Speaker (politics)
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The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer. The title was first used in 1399 in England, the speakers official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the powers to members who break the procedures of the chamber or house. The speaker often also represents the body in person, as the voice of the body in ceremonial, the title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hungerford in the Parliament of England. By convention, speakers are normally addressed in Parliament as Mister Speaker, if a man, or Madam Speaker, in other cultures other styles are used, mainly being equivalents of English chairman or president. Many bodies also have a pro tempore, designated to fill in when the speaker is not available. The Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives is the officer of the Australian House of Representatives. The President of the Australian Senate is the officer of the Australian Senate. Now constitutional community highlights changes also in this role, in Canada, the Speaker of the House of Commons is the individual elected to preside over the House of Commons, the elected lower house. The speaker is a Member of Parliament and is elected at the beginning of new parliament by fellow MPs. The Speakers role in presiding over Canadas House of Commons is similar to that of speakers elsewhere in countries that use the Westminster system. The Speaker does not vote except in the case of a tie, by convention, if required to vote, the Speaker will vote in favour of continuing debate on a matter, but will not ultimately vote for a measure to be approved. The Speaker of the Senate of Canada is the officer of the Senate of Canada. The Speaker represents the Senate at official functions, rules on questions of procedure and parliamentary privilege. The Speaker of the Senate is appointed by the Governor General of Canada from amongst sitting senators upon the advice of the Prime Minister, the Speaker has a vote on all matters. In the event of a tie, the matter fails, at the provincial level, the presiding officer of the provincial legislatures is called the Speaker in all provinces except Quebec, where the term President is used. The presiding officer fulfills the role as the Speaker of the House of Commons. In the United Kingdom, the Speaker of the House of Commons is the elected to preside over the elected House of Commons
9.
Governor of Oregon
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The Governor of Oregon is the head of the executive branch of Oregons state government and serves as the commander-in-chief of the states military forces. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregons chief executive during the provisional, the current governor of Oregon is Kate Brown, a Democrat who took office following the resignation of Governor John Kitzhaber amid scandal. The Governors current salary was set by the 2001 Oregon Legislature at $93,600 annually, Article V of the Oregon State Constitution sets up the legal framework of the Oregon Executive Branch. Article V, Section 1 states that the governor must be a natural born U. S. citizen, at least 30 years of age, and a resident of Oregon for at least three years before the candidates election. Governors are elected by ballot and serve terms of four years. The formal process of certification of results of a gubernatorial election ends when the Secretary of State delivers the results to the Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives, the Speaker then will publish the results to a joint session of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. Where an election results in a tie, a joint session of the legislative session will vote on the two candidates, and declare the winner governor. Legally contested elections are decided by the full legislature in whichever manner other laws may prescribe. The gubernatorial line of succession was modified in 1920 and 1946, the current list is designated as Article V, Section 8a. It defines who may become or act as the Governor of Oregon upon the incapacity, death, resignation, the new governor will serve out the remainder of the previous governors or incapacitated governors term. A special gubernatorial election is required, if more than two years remaining in the previous governors or incapacitated governors term. Unlike many states, Oregon does not have a Lieutenant Governor The current order is, power is granted to the governor to mobilize and deploy state military forces. The power to grant pardons and reprieves and to commute sentences is granted to the governor, additionally, the governor can remit fines and forfeitures. Any use of powers, however, must be reported to the legislature. In treason cases, the governor may grant reprieves. The final matter of pardons, commuting of sentencing, or further reprieves is referred to the legislature in these cases, if needed, the governor may convene a special session of the legislature by proclamation and is empowered to call for special elections to fill vacant seats. Between the vacancy and special election, the governor is able to appoint a replacement, annually, the governor addresses the legislature in his or her State of the State address. In this speech the governor outlines the current conditions of the state, if the legislature is out of session, the governor may appoint replacements to fill state offices until elections are held or the legislature reconvenes
10.
Provisional Legislature of Oregon
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The Provisional Legislature of Oregon was the single-chamber legislative body of the Provisional Government of Oregon. It served the Oregon Country of the Pacific Northwest of North America from 1843 until early 1849 at a time no country had sovereignty over the region. This democratically elected legislature became the Oregon Territorial Legislature when the authorities arrived after the creation of the Oregon Territory by the United States in 1848. The body was first termed the Legislative Committee and later renamed the House of Representatives, over the course of its six-year history the legislature passed laws, including taxation and liquor regulation, and created an army to deal with conflicts with Native Americans. Many of the legislators would become prominent figures during the years of Oregon. Once the government was dissolved in 1849, all the laws remained in effect, on May 2,1843, by a vote of 52 to 50, the European American settlers of the Oregon Country, created a provisional government at Champoeg. In May and June, a committee met in Oregon City. This document created the government and authorized a provisional legislature of nine people, the group met again for two days starting on June 16, with George LeBreton serving as the recorder and Moore as the chairman for both sets of meetings. The laws drafted became the Organic Laws of Oregon and were ratified on July 5, committees on land claims, appropriations, military, the judiciary, and districting were also formed at that meeting. The organic laws were based on the laws of Iowa Territory, the document outlined the legislative branch and its powers, vested in a unicameral or single body. At that time the title of the legislature was the Legislative Committee, the Organic Laws required the legislature to meet in June and December of each year. The first meeting of the 1844 legislature took place June 18 at the home of Felix Hathaway in Oregon City and this session lasted until June 27, and another session was held from December 16 to 21 at the residence of John E. Long, also in Oregon City. At the December meeting, Executive Committee members Peter G. Stewart and Osborne Russell presented a message to the group regarding the claims of the United States. Members of the legislature and the districts they represented, The 1845 legislature met three different times, under two different structures, first, from June 24 to July 5,1845, the legislature met in Oregon City, first at the home of John E. Long and then the home of Theophilus R. Magruder, with Morton M. McCarver serving as the speaker of the group, after this, the Organic Laws were replaced with the Organic Act of 1845, which altered the legislature in several ways. First the number of representatives was increased to include a minimum of 13, second, the name was changed to the House of Representatives. All members of the body were to be elected by vote with vacancies filled using special elections. Meetings continued to be in June and December, with these changes, a special session of the legislature met August 5 until August 20 in Oregon City
