Chapter Three: The Constitution

1
Chapter ThreeThe Constitution

• Section Three
• Constitutional Change by Other Means (Informal
  Amendment)

2
Informal Amendments

• Changes made to the Constitution that do not
  result in a written change of the document
• Allows for greater flexibility, and at times,
  greater problems
• Ultimately, it streamlines government

3
Informal Amendment

• Basic legislation
• Executive action
• Court decisions
• Political party practices
• Custom

4
Basic Legislation

• Legislative branch
• Passing of laws that spell out the brevity of the
  Constitution
• Use of powers granted to it by the Constitution
• interpretation

5
Executive Action

• Executive branch
• Each president exercises his powers differently
  from those before, and after

6
Court Decisions

• Judicial branch
• Interprets the Constitution
• multiple interpretations
• The Supreme Court is a constitutional convention
  in continuous session. - Woodrow Wilson

7
Party Practices

• Political parties not in Constitution
• However, it is hard to imagine government without
  them
• organization and business of Congress
• presidential appointments

8
Custom

• Custom has shaped procedures in government
• Examples
• presidential succession (pre-25th Amend.)
• senatorial courtesy