Changes

Perhaps the most famous Secretary of State in American history was William Jennings Bryan, who resigned from his position in protest about how his President Woodrow Wilson was pushing the United States into World War I.  About ten years later Bryan, who was a skilled attorney and orator, won the Scopes Trial to prohibit the teaching in Tennessee of the theory of human evolution.

Perhaps the most famous Secretary of State in American history was William Jennings Bryan, who resigned from his position in protest about how his President Woodrow Wilson was pushing the United States into World War I.  About ten years later Bryan, who was a skilled attorney and orator, won the Scopes Trial to prohibit the teaching in Tennessee of the theory of human evolution.

There are thousands of employees in the State Department to research and analyze what is going on around the world, in order to inform the Secretary of State, who can then then give advice to the president.  People who are skilled at foreign languages and knowledgeable about foreign cultures and government are wanted as employees by the State Department.  Many State Department employees work in D.C., but some would also work at the United Nations, based in Manhattan, and in embassies around the world.  Georgetown University, located in D.C., is a college that has a program specializing in training future diplomats and employees of the State Department.

There are thousands of employees in the State Department to research and analyze what is going on around the world, in order to inform the Secretary of State, who can then give advice to the president.  People who are skilled at foreign languages and knowledgeable about foreign cultures and government are wanted as employees by the State Department.  Many State Department employees work in D.C., but some would also work at the United Nations, based in Manhattan, and in embassies around the world.  Georgetown University, located in D.C., is a college that has a program specializing in training future diplomats and employees of the State Department.

=== Defense Department ===

=== Defense Department ===

After 9/11, the George W. Bush Administration (the executive branch while George W. Bush was president) sought and achieved new powers to target criminals under the broad Patriot Act.  While nearly everyone favors catching and prosecuting real terrorists, many people (including Ron Paul) opposed the loss of liberty in the War on Terrorism.  After all, some point out, it is liberty that we are defending against terrorism in the first place.

After 9/11, the George W. Bush Administration (the executive branch while George W. Bush was president) sought and achieved new powers to target criminals under the broad Patriot Act.  While nearly everyone favors catching and prosecuting real terrorists, many people (including Ron Paul) opposed the loss of liberty in the War on Terrorism.  After all, some point out, it is liberty that we are defending against terrorism in the first place.

One of the disputes revolved around the Fourth Amendment.  The Patriot Act reduced the requirements for federal investigators to seize evidence and tape-record calls of alleged terrorists.  No longer must a local judge issue a warrant based on a detailed affidavit of probable cause prior to searches of alleged terrorists, broadly defined.  Also, federal investigators can now search certain homes without leaving a copy of a warrant so that the owner knows it has been searched.  This is known as “sneak and peak,” and many criticized this expansion in federal power.

One of the disputes revolved around the Fourth Amendment.  The Patriot Act reduced the requirements for federal investigators to seize evidence and tape-record calls of alleged terrorists.  No longer must a local judge issue a warrant based on a detailed affidavit of probable cause prior to searches of alleged terrorists.  Also, federal investigators can now search certain homes without leaving a copy of a warrant, such that the owner (an alleged terrorist) never knows that his property was searched.  This is known as “sneak and peak,” and many criticized this expansion in federal power.

=== Environmental Protection Agency ===

=== Environmental Protection Agency ===

The Environmental Protection Agency, often called the "EPA" for short, was established only about 40 years ago but has quickly grew to become one of the most powerful.  Its original purpose was to reduce pollution, and it issued regulations to enforce laws such as the Clean Water Act.  The EPA has been credited for reducing the smog in many large cities, which was a major problem in certain areas of the Nation (such as Los Angeles) in the 1970s.

The Environmental Protection Agency, often called the "EPA" for short, was established only about 40 years ago but has quickly grown to become one of the most powerful.  Its original purpose was to reduce pollution, and it issued regulations to enforce laws such as the Clean Water Act.  The EPA has been credited for reducing the smog in many large cities, which was a major problem in certain areas of the Nation (such as Los Angeles) in the 1970s.

But the EPA has since gone far beyond trying to clean air and water.  The EPA limits what people can do on their own land, to the point where it is sometimes a federal crime to chop down a tree or remove some water from private property.  The reach of the EPA extends into private property without any real connection to interstate commerce, and several decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court in recent years have held in favor of private property owners against burdensome EPA regulations.

But the EPA has since gone far beyond trying to clean air and water.  The EPA limits what people can do on their own land, to the point where it is sometimes a federal crime to chop down a tree or remove some surface water from private property.  The reach of the EPA extends into private property without any real connection to interstate commerce, and several decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court in recent years have held in favor of private property owners against burdensome EPA regulations.

The EPA is now central to the "global warming" debate, as it attempts to limit the greenhouse gases that factories produce.  This imposes enormous costs on businesses and results in less jobs available to Americans.  The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the EPA's authority to regulate in this field, and it has been a political controversy as the George W. Bush Administration declined to issue such regulations, but the Obama Administration is doing so.

The EPA is now central to the "global warming" debate, as the EPA attempts to limit the greenhouse gases that factories produce.  This imposes enormous costs on businesses and results in less jobs available to Americans.  The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the EPA's authority to regulate in this field, and it has been a political controversy as the George W. Bush Administration declined to issue such regulations, but the Obama Administration is doing so.

=== Department of Health and Human Services ===

=== Department of Health and Human Services ===

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), more commonly known as "ObamaCare", authorized HHS to develop and impose vast amounts of regulations for health care.  Under this law, HHS could establish the notorious "death panels" criticized by Sarah Palin for their ability to refuse to allow medical care for some elderly individuals.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), more commonly known as "ObamaCare", authorized HHS to develop and impose vast amounts of regulations for health care.  Under this law, HHS could establish the notorious "death panels" criticized by Sarah Palin for their ability to refuse to allow medical care for some elderly individuals.

=== Department of Labor ===

=== Department of Labor ===

The Department of Labor handles issues relating to the labor force in America, such as announcing the unemployment rate at 8:30 am Eastern Time on the first Friday morning of each month.  This created enormous attention last Friday, October 5th, because the number decreased unexpectedly from 8.1% to 7.8%.

The Department of Labor handles issues relating to the labor force in America, such as announcing the unemployment rate at 8:30 am Eastern Time on the first Friday morning of each month.  This created enormous attention last Friday, October 5th, because the number decreased unexpectedly from 8.1% to 7.8%.

Why was that significant?  Because the lower the unemployment rate, the easier it is for the incumbent (President Obama) to win reelection.  Mitt Romney and his supporters were not pleased by Friday'a announcement.

Why was that significant?  Because the lower the unemployment rate, the easier it is for the incumbent (President Obama) to win reelection.  Mitt Romney and his supporters were not pleased by Friday's announcement.

There is a federal minimum wage, which the Department of Labor publicizes and requires compliance with by employers.

There is a federal minimum wage, which the Department of Labor publicizes and requires compliance with by employers.

The Department of Labor, like many other federal agencies, also compiles and produces enormous amounts of data about who does and does not have a job in the United States.

The Department of Labor, like many other federal agencies, also compiles and produces enormous amounts of data.  The Department of Labor data includes information about which types of workers have jobs in the United States.

To illustrate George Orwell's observation that "all issues are political issues," some questioned whether last Friday's announced numbers were correct, or the result of political manipulation in order to boost Obama's reelection chances.  Alan Krueger, chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, responded by saying that "No serious person ... would make claims like that."<ref name="Boston">http://www.boston.com/news/nation/2012/10/06/officials-reject-conspiracies-unemployment-rate/afH0N3vbceJDlNioGP7HfM/story.html</ref>  But the former Chief Executive Office (CEO) Jack Welsh did make that claim, tweeting on Twitter within minutes of the announcement:  "Unbelievable jobs numbers..these Chicago guys will do anything..can’t debate so change numbers.<ref name="Boston"/>  The monthly unemployment rate is based on speaking with about 60,000 American households.  The rate does not include people who have given up on looking for a new job.

To illustrate George Orwell's observation that "all issues are political issues," some questioned whether last Friday's announced employment rate number was correct, or was the result of political manipulation in order to boost Obama's reelection chances.  Alan Krueger, chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, responded by saying that "No serious person ... would make claims like that."<ref name="Boston">http://www.boston.com/news/nation/2012/10/06/officials-reject-conspiracies-unemployment-rate/afH0N3vbceJDlNioGP7HfM/story.html</ref>  But the former Chief Executive Office (CEO) for General Electric, Jack Welsh, did make that claim, tweeting on Twitter within minutes of the announcement:  "Unbelievable jobs numbers..these Chicago guys will do anything..can’t debate so change numbers.<ref name="Boston"/>   

 

The monthly unemployment rate announced by the Department of Labor is based on speaking with about 60,000 American households.  The rate does not include people who have given up on looking for a new job.

=== Department of Education ===

=== Department of Education ===

The Commerce Department, created as the Department of Commerce and Labor in 1903 (the Labor Department split off in 1913), is primarily devoted to promoting trade with foreign countries and certain trade within the United States, as in the examples below.

The Commerce Department, created as the Department of Commerce and Labor in 1903 (the Labor Department split off in 1913), is primarily devoted to promoting trade with foreign countries and certain trade within the United States, as in the examples below.

==== Patent and Trademark Office ====

==== Patent and Trademark Office ====

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) was founded in 1901 to be a non-regulatory agency that establishes scientific standards and seeks to advance technological innovation.<ref>http://www.nist.gov/index.html</ref>

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) was founded in 1901 to be a non-regulatory agency that establishes scientific standards and seeks to advance technological innovation.<ref>http://www.nist.gov/index.html</ref>

==== Federal Communications Commission ====

=== Federal Communications Commission ===

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates television and radio, and seeks to adopt regulations for the internet - which many have opposed.<ref>http://www.fcc.gov/</ref>  With advancing technology, this commission has grown from relative insignificance to become immensely important.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency that regulates television and radio, and seeks to adopt regulations for the internet - which many have opposed.<ref>http://www.fcc.gov/</ref>  With advancing technology, this commission has grown from relative insignificance to become immensely important.

== FOIA ==

== FOIA ==

<br>8.  Which agency decides whether a new adult stem cell therapy will be allowed in the United States, and what political considerations are likely to influence that decision?

<br>8.  Which agency decides whether a new adult stem cell therapy will be allowed in the United States, and what political considerations are likely to influence that decision?

'''Extra credit''' (answer two of the following four questions):

'''Extra credit''' (answer two of the following five questions):

9.  Find a federal regulation that you would have liked to submit a comment on.  What would you have said?

9.  Find a federal regulation that you would have liked to submit a comment on.  What would you have said?

<br>11.  Why do you think many have sought to abolish the U.S. Department of Education, but none have been successful?

<br>11.  Why do you think many have sought to abolish the U.S. Department of Education, but none have been successful?

<br>12.  What is an argument against the constitutionality of the many federal agencies, particularly in how they establish laws through their regulatory process?  Explain.

<br>12.  What is an argument against the constitutionality of the many federal agencies, particularly in how they establish laws through their regulatory process?  Explain.

You can post your answers at [[American Government Homework Four]].

You can post your answers at [[American Government Homework Four]].