The Executive Branch Essay Example for Free

The Executive Branch Essay I.The President of the United States: George W. Bush i.Requirements to Hold Office: You must be at least thirty-five years old, a natural born citizen of the United States, and a resident of the US for no less than fourteen years. ii.Duties and Powers: The President must execute laws, commission all officers of the United States, and adjourn or convene both houses. It is also a duty of the President to pass and regulate laws. With the consent of the Senate he may make treaties. He can appoint ambassadors, public ministers, judges of the Supreme Court, and other officers of the United States. The President is named the commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, as well. iii.Length of Term of Office: The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years. (Article II of the Constitution) Also, according to the twenty-second amendment the President can not hold office more than two terms. iv.Appointment: Presidential elections are held once every four years. In order to vote you must be a U.S. citizen of eighteen years of age or older. The votes are counted by popular and electoral votes. The majority decision of popular votes goes to choose the electoral votes for that state. v.Salary: $400,000-plus $50,000 non-taxable expense account II.Vice President of the United States: Richard B. Cheney i.Requirements: You must be at least thirty-five years old, a natural born citizen of the United States, and a resident of the U.S. for no less than fourteen years. ii.Duties and Powers: Presiding officer of the U. S. Senate. If something were to happen to the President the Vice President will take over his position as President and his duties. In the senate, he may make the decision to break a tied vote. iii.Length of Term of Office: He has a four year term along with the president. iv.Procedure for Election or Appointment: The President and Vice President run as a pair. If the Vice Presidents partner, the candidate for President, is elected then he too will take on the responsibility of the office with him. v.Salary: $192,600-plus $10,000 taxable expense account. III.Cabinet: i.Requirements: Must be approved by the Senate ii.Duties and Powers: Each department has its own set of rules. See each department below for explanations. iii.Length of Term of Office: President may alter at leisure. iv.Procedure for Election of Appointment: Appointed by the President with approval of Senate. v.Salary: $166,700-however, it may vary by department. vi.Departments: a.Department of Agriculture- Secretary, Ann M. Veneman; Watches over agricultural production to make sure prices are fair and food is safe to eat. b.Department of Commerce- Secretary, Donald L. Evans; works to promote  international trade, economic growth, and technological advancement. c.Department of Defense- Secretary, Donald H. Rumsfeld; in charge of overseeing everything related to the nations military security, directs Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. Also responsible for flood control, development of oceanographic resources, and management of oil reserves. d.Department of Education- Secretary, Roderick R. Paige; Administers more than 150 federal education programs, including student loans, migrant worker training, vocational education, and special programs for the handicapped. e.Department of Energy- Secretary, Spencer Abraham; Accountable for the research and development of energy technology; energy conservation. f.Department of Health and Human Services- Secretary, Tommy G. Thompson; Manages Social Security; funds Medicare and Medicaid; offers social services; works to control preventable and infectious diseases. g.Department of Housing and Urban Development- Secretary, Melquiades R. Martinez; Supports community development; conducts fair-housing laws; provides affordable housing and rent subsidies. h.Department of the Interior- Secretary, Gale A. Nortan; Protects the natural environment; develops the countrys natural resources; manages national parks, monuments, rivers, etc.;oversees wildlife refuges, research centers, and environmental protection of public land. i.Department of Justice- Secretary, John Ashcroft; Supervises U.S. district attorneys and marshals, federal prisons and other penal institutions; represents the government in legal matters and gives legal advice to President and/or other members of the Cabinet; administers immigration laws. j.Department of Labor- Secretary, Elaine L. Chao; Protects rights of workers; helps to improve working conditions; encourages good relations between labor and management. k.Department of State- Secretary, Colin L. Powell; Advises the president on foreign-policy issues; maintains relations between foreign countries and the U.S.; negotiates treaties and agreements with foreign nations. l.Department of Transportation- Secretary, Norman Y. Mineta; Sets the nations transportation policy; supervises the coast guard. m.Department of the Treasury- Secretary, Rosario Marin; Reports to Congress and the President on the financial state of the government and the economy; regulates the interstate and foreign sale of alcohol and firearms; regulates tax laws and collects Federal taxes. n.Department of Veterans Affairs- Secretary, Anthony J. Principi; presents benefits and services to veterans and their dependents such as offering a medical care program or education. o.Department of Homeland Security- Secretary, Tom Ridge; its goals are to prevent terrorist attacks within the U.S.; reduce Americas vulnerability to terrorism and minimize the damage and recover from attacks which do occur.

Cnidaria Essay -- essays research papers

Cnidaria is a large phylum composed of some of the most beautiful of all the salt and freshwater organisms: the true jellyfish, box jellyfish, coral and sea anemones, and hydra. Although Cnidaria is an incredibly diverse group of animals, there are several traits that link them together. Most cnidarians are dipoblastic, which means that they are composed of only two layers of cells. The outer layer is known as the ectoderm or epidermis, and the inner layer is known as the endoderm or gastrodermis. These layers contain the nerve nets that control the muscular and sensory functions of the animal. Between these layers is a jelly-like noncellular substance known as mesoglea, which in true jellyfish constitute the vast bulk of the animal (hence their common name). In other species, the mesoglea may be nearly absent. All cnidarians have a single opening into the body which acts as both the mouth and anus, taking in food and expelling waste. In most species the mouth is lined with tentacles which act to capture food. The mouth leads to a body cavity known as the coelenteron, where the food is digested. This body cavity has given this phylum its other, less commonly used, name of Coelenterata. Cnidarians have a complex life cycle that, depending on the species, may alternate between two forms. The first form is known as a polyp, which is sessile (anchored to one spot). The polyps are tubular in shape, with the mouth, often lined with tentacles, facing upwards. The bodies often con...

The trails of OZ

* Three editors of a magazine (OZ) were charged on three counts: conspiracy to corrupt public morals, an obscene article, and an indecent object sent through the post. * The edition of the magazine was not a great edition of the magazine. It had descriptions of oral sex and an offensive ‘Rupert the bear’ cartoon strip. * The judge was Michael Argyle Q. C. ; who would impose heavy sentences ‘if the jury convicted. ’ * The jury was drawn from a particular social group (People who owned property); thus none were pre-disposed to the type of journal OZ was. The prosecution had the magazine as its only exhibit and the court was told that it was ‘unacceptable from a family point of view’. * Dr. Edward De Bono is a better defense witness, as he isn’t intimidated and clever as was Dr. Michael Schofield. The trial goes for sic weeks in the summer of 1971 and the courtroom made for great theater. * The judge was not particularly in favor of the more sexual aspects of the trial and has trouble in coming to terms with slang such as ‘sucking’, ‘blowing’, ‘going down’ and ‘yodeling in the canyon’. Robertson goes on to the point out the conservative nature of Judge Argyle including how he has a glass destroyed because a man who once had a venereal disease drank from it. Robertson tells how the case ‘became a collision of cultural incomprehension’ and caused division even among the press. Tension was also increased because of the ritual and formality of the Old Baily Court. * The ritual disguised much theatre behind the scenes in a criminal trial here everything else rehearsed to some extent and perjury was rife. Also the judge was required to take the evidence down in longhand and this made him very important. In this particular case Judge Argyle showed some bias towards witnesses including Ronald Dworkin, an Oxford professor and also Marty Feldman, the comedian, who didn’t take the oath and failed to impress the judge. * The trial was also held under the strictest security with death threats being made against the judge and the court clerk. It turns out the threats were made by the clerk’s wife who was later prosecuted and sentenced to a psychiatric institution. * Towards the end of the trial the defense seems in ‘good shape’ but the sentencing powers of the judge were still a concern. At times the trial came close to arguing that ‘nothing †¦ could deprave and corrupt’. Studies were used to support this argument that were later found to be misleading. * Later it came down to a battle of semantics over the words indecent and obscene and is the depiction of an indecent act the same as the act itself. It is interesting to note that the charge of conspiring to corrupt public morals carried the penalty of life imprisonment. * Richard Neville used Bob Dylan’s ‘The times are a-Changin’ in his final speech but the tone and body language of the judge was against the defense and he makes this very clear to the jury. The jury come back for a definition of obscene and then retires again to decide. They find the defendants guilty on the last two counts. * The judge asks if the deportation papers had been served on Neville and he gets an affirmative reply. He remands them for three weeks for ‘medical and psychiatric reports’. The defendants are taken to prison and have their hair cut off. * At this point the British tradition of modernization came to the fore and many came out against the remand. Eventually on the day of sentencing the judge is unmoved by the protests and sentences them all to jail for varying terms. He also compliments the ‘obscene Publications Squad’ for their good work. * There were protests and an appeal was prepared as was a bail hearing. The appeal judge granted bail seemingly to appease his young daughter and the three were released. At the appeal the Chief judge seemed to be on the side of the prosecution but after lunch he dismissed all charges because he was convinced there was worse pornography out in the streets. * Later the detective in charge of the case said that ‘I’m doing it for out children’. The magazine itself died off and the editors went their separate ways. The result of the trial was that it opened up the way to eliminate political censorship but also a world of commercial exploration of sex. * The Oz trial also ended these sorts of trials and not many prosecutions are conducted anymore. If they are conducted they only serve to add publicity to the individuals on trial. Two examples that Robertson gives are Johnny Rotten’s ‘Never Mind the Bollocks’ trial and the Spycatcher trial. * Robertson finishes the chapter by telling us about the play that he wrote about the case. Michael X on death row Robertson begins this chapter in Trinidad where he is visiting Michael X in the Royal Goal. He is trying to save him from the death penalty that he was sentenced to for murder. Robertson seems motivated by the desire to save his client and fight the death row lawyers are not ‘opposed to the punishment of the guilty’ but rather opposed to ‘human sacrifice’. * He finds little help in common law, which had been made by English judges in the past, and the death penalties handed out over the years had been used as ‘bulwarks of the constitution’. The death penalty was abolished in England in 1964 and judges had wanted the sentence carried out quickly for a variety of reasons. * At the Roal Goal he finds out that Michael X has not been yet executed. Here, on death row, he sees thirsty men in small cells with only a bed and a slop bucket. The lights are kept on permanently and the men were inside the cells for twenty-tree hours a day. Michael himself seemed ‘quiet and self-contained’, while around him raged. * In the prison death warrants are read on Thursdays between two pm and four pm and a condemned prisioner was allowed to order a final mean. The sentence was carried out on the following Tuesday but they allowed a last visitor on the Monday. Michael tells him that they can hear the trap door open as the man is hung. * During the sentence the official party has a sixty-minute breakfast and the body just hangs there. After this it is taken down and the wrists are slashed, as are the tendons in the feet. The body is then buried in the prison grounds and pragmatically in Jamaica in the vegetable garden. The bodies are not released to families. * Robertson seems convinced that his Michael X is not the murderer of four years ago

The Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver - 1352 Words

Women usually live life going down either two different paths, the path of being successful or the path of trying to be successful. In the beginning of The Poisonwood Bible, Orleanna introduces to the readers in a third person’s point of view, â€Å"The daughters march behind her, each one tensed to fire off a woman’s heart on a different path to glory or damnation† (5). Orleanna, a mother who lives throughout the story of The Poisonwood Bible, acknowledges how women, in great numbers, are found walking down the path of trying to be successful. The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver, involves the Price family of 6, which consists of Orleanna, her husband Nathan, and their 4 daughters. They go on a missionary trip to the Congo in the 1960’s led by Nathan, whose purpose was to spread Christianity in the Congo. Throughout their journey within the Congo, each individual family member faces many hardships. These hardships involve patriarchy. Throughout the Poisonwood Bible, Kingsolver expresses feminist ideologies through Orleanna’s chapters. Orleanna expresses a lot of her thoughts on what she goes through with her family, while connecting to others around the world. Essentially, the reason why Kingsolver expresses these ideologies is because she wants to inform her readers of the patriarchy that existed throughout history, and is still existing today. Kingsolver expresses the feminist ideologies, which takes into the account of the inferiority of women towards men. This meansShow MoreRelatedThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1124 Words   |  5 PagesIn the novel The Poisonwood Bible, written by Barbara Kingsolver, the reader is introduced to the Price family, Baptist missionaries who are attempting to â€Å"Christianize† the country of Congo, more specifically the village of Kilanga. As the story progresses, the family realizes that they are not changing the Congo; instead, the Congo is changing them. The development of the characters within the novel is due to the instrument of cruelty. Although distasteful to regard it as such, cruelty motivatesRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1142 Words   |  5 PagesThe Poisonwood Bible Nowadays, in today’s society, survival is considered the basic instinct of all humans. Commonly defined as the state of â€Å"continuing to live or exist, in spite of an accident, ordeal or difficult circumstance,†(Dictionary) survival teaches us the will to succeed and face adversity despite the challenges and obstacles we may encounter along the way. In Barbara Kingsolver’s novel â€Å" The Poisonwood Bible,† there is a central theme of survival. Whether it includes finding suppliesRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1198 Words   |  5 PagesPeriod 2 Part I Title: The Poisonwood Bible Author: Barbara Kingsolver Date of Original Publication: 1998 Biographical information about the author (five facts): -Kingslover was born in 1955 - Throughout her life, she has lived in England, France, and the Canary Islands, and has worked in Europe, Africa, Asia, Mexico, and South America. - Kingsolver was named one the most important writers of the 20th Century by Writers Digest. - Her work, The Poisonwood Bible, was a finalist for the PulitzerRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1241 Words   |  5 Pagespast and present known society, women have not been treated as the full equals of men. A woman s main value is to support a man, bear children, and housekeeping duties. This is how it has always been in most cultures. The novel, The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, shows the paternalistic society in which the Price family lives in. In 1959 an obstinate Baptist minister named Nathan Price drags his wife and four daughters deep into the heart of the Congo on a mission to save the unenlightenedRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1807 Words   |  8 Pageshalf of humanity, for the benefit of all†. Feminism, the act of advocating for female rights in order for them to be equal to those of men, has been an issue for hundreds of years that is sadly lacking present-day progression. In The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingso lver, five females narrate their experiences in Congo during the sixties under not only the Belgian’s rule, but more terribly, under the tyranny of Nathan Price, a Baptist preacher on a mission to convert â€Å"arrogant† Congolese people intoRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1295 Words   |  6 Pages Imperialism has been a strong and long lasting force, oppressing societies for generations on end. The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver, demonstrates how the Congo is continuously affected by this concept and ideology. Throughout this story, Kingsolver manipulates each family member and individual within the book, to better show Western and European ideas and attitudes, to convey the large amount of hypocrisy, in foreigner’s actions. No one shows the oppression, inflicted upon the Congo’sRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1732 Words   |  7 PagesThe Poisonwood Bible 1998 Historical Fiction Characteristics: Unique location, Primitivism, different ways of speaking and racial views Barbara Kingsolver Barbara Kingsolver, born in 1955, grew up in Kentucky and lived in many different countries such as : England, France, and Canary Islands. She attended Debauw University and University of Arizona where she earned a biology degree. Kingsolver now is a beloved author of eleven books and has been named the most important author of the twentieth centuryRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1961 Words   |  8 PagesThe poisonwood Bible is a book about identity, growing up and family. The main characters throughout the book grow and learn to become new people through new relationships they develop while in the Congo as well as through struggles they face while in the Congo. Barbara Kingsolver uses the literary elements of plot, the characters, and point of view to develop the characterization and relationships between the Price family in the Poisonwood Bible. Throughout the book Kingsolver uses different aspectsRead MoreEssay on The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver919 Words   |  4 Pagesa sure sense of self. But along with all these great things come regret, guilt, and shame of past events. Everyone deals with these in different ways, sometimes turning to religion and denial as coping mechanisms. In the novel The Poisonwood Bible, By Barbara Kingsolver, each member of the Price family deals with a personal guilt either gained while on their mission in the Congo or long before. This novel exemplifies the different types of guilt the Price family experienced throughout their stay inRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver2015 Words   |  9 PagesThe Poisonwood Bible, written by Barbara Kingsolver, details the experiences of a missionary family in the Congo, narrated by the Price women. Multiple questions are introduced over the course of the novel, some being answered and others not so much. One important theme in the novel is the influence of surroundings on the characters, specifically Leah Price. Leah Price arguably went through the most change and development as a result of her surroundings and environment. Her moral, psychological change