THE ISSUES:

ISSUE	LIBERAL	CONSERVATIVE
Abortion	A woman has the right to decide what happens with her body.  A fetus is not a human life, so it does not have separate individual rights. The government should provide taxpayer funded abortions for women who cannot afford them. The decision to have an abortion is a personal choice of a woman regarding her own body and the government must protect this right.  Women have the right to affordable, safe and legal abortions, including partial birth abortion.	Human life begins at conception.  Abortion is the murder of a human being.  An unborn baby, as a living human being, has separate rights from those of the mother. Oppose taxpayer-funded abortion.  Taxpayer dollars should not be used for the government to provide abortions.  Support legislation to prohibit partial birth abortions, called the "Partial Birth Abortion* Ban" (*Partial Birth Abortion:  the killing of an unborn baby of at least 20 weeks by pulling it out of the birth canal with forceps, but leaving the head inside.  An incision is made in the back of the baby's neck and the brain tissue is suctioned out.  The head is then removed from the uterus.)
Affirmative Action	Due to prevalent racism in the past, minorities were deprived of the same education and employment opportunities as whites.  The government must work to make up for that. America is still a racist society, therefore a federal affirmative action law is necessary.  Due to unequal opportunity, minorities still lag behind whites in all statistical measurements of success.	Individuals should be admitted to schools and hired for jobs based on their ability.  It is unfair to use race as a factor in the selection process.  Reverse-discrimination is not a solution for racism. Some individuals in society are racist, but American society as a whole is not.  Preferential treatment of certain races through affirmative action is wrong.
Death Penalty	The death penalty should be abolished.  It is inhumane and is ‘cruel and unusual' punishment.  Imprisonment is the appropriate punishment for murder.  Every execution risks killing an innocent person.	The death penalty is a punishment that fits the crime of murder; it is neither ‘cruel' nor ‘unusual.'  Executing a murderer is the appropriate punishment for taking an innocent life.
Economy	A market system in which government regulates the economy is best.  Government must protect citizens from the greed of big business.  Unlike the private sector, the government is motivated by public interest.  Government regulation in all areas of the economy is needed to level the playing field.	The free market system, competitive capitalism, and private enterprise create the greatest opportunity and the highest standard of living for all.  Free markets produce more economic growth, more jobs and higher standards of living than those systems burdened by excessive government regulation.
Education -   school vouchers   & charter schools	Public schools are the best way to educate students.  Vouchers take money away from public schools.  Government should focus additional funds on existing public schools, raising teacher salaries and reducing class size.	School vouchers create competiton and therefore encourage schools to improve performance. Vouchers will give all parents the right to choose good schools for their children, not just those who can afford private schools.
Embryonic Stem Cell Research	Support the use of embryonic stem cells for research. It is necessary (and ethical) for the government to fund embryonic stem cell research, which will assist scientists in finding treatments and cures for diseases. An embryo is not a human. The tiny blastocyst (embryos used in embryonic stem cell research) has no human features. Experimenting on embryos/embryonic stem cells is not murder. Embryonic stem cells have the potential to cure chronic and degenerative diseases which current medicine has been unable to effectively treat. Embryonic stem cells have been shown to be effective in treating heart damage in mice.	Support the use of adult and umbilical cord stem cells only for research. It is morally and ethically wrong for the government to fund embryonic stem cell research.  Human life begins at conception. The extraction of stem cells from an embryo requires its destruction. In other words, it requires that a human life be killed. Adult stem cells have already been used to treat spinal cord injuries, Leukemia, and even Parkinson's disease. Adult stem cells are derived from umbilical cords, placentas, amniotic fluid, various tissues and organ systems like skin and the liver, and even fat obtained from liposuction. Embryonic stem cells have not been successfully used to help cure disease.
Energy	Oil is a depleting resource.  Other sources of energy must be explored.  The government must produce a national plan for all energy resources and subsidize (partially pay for) alternative energy research and production. Support increased exploration of alternative energy sources such as wind and solar power. Support government control of gas and electric industries.	Oil, gas and coal are all good sources of energy and are abundant in the U.S.  Oil drilling should be increased both on land and at sea.  Increased domestic production creates lower prices and less dependence on other countries for oil. Support increased production of nuclear energy.  Wind and solar sources will never provide plentiful, affordable sources of power. Support private ownership of gas and electric industries.
Euthanasia &  Physician-assisted suicide	Euthanasia should be legalized. A person has a right to die with dignity, by his own choice. A terminally ill person should have the right to choose to end pain and suffering. It is wrong for the government to take away the means for a terminally ill person to hasten his death. It is wrong to force a person to go through so much pain and suffering. Legalizing euthanasia would not lead to doctor-assisted suicides of non-critical patients. Permitting euthanasia would reduce health care costs, which would then make funds available for those who could truly benefit from medical care.	Neither euthanasia nor physician-assisted suicide should be legalized. It is immoral and unethical to deliberately end the life of a terminally ill person (euthanasia), or enable another person to end their own life (assisted suicide). The goal should be compassionate care and easing the suffering of terminally ill people. Legalizing euthanasia could lead to doctor-assisted suicides of non-critical patients. If euthanasia were legalized, insurance companies could pressure doctors to withhold life-saving treatment for dying patients. Many religions prohibit suicide and euthanasia.  These practices devalue human life.
Global Warming/       Climate Change	Global warming is caused by an increased production of carbon dioxide through the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas).  The U.S. is a major contributor to global warming because it produces 25% of the world's carbon dioxide. Proposed laws to reduce carbon emissions in the U.S. are urgently needed and should be enacted immediately to save the planet. Many reputable scientists support this theory.	Change in global temperature is natural over long periods of time.  Science has not shown that humans can affect permanent change to the earth's temperature. Proposed laws to reduce carbon emissions will do nothing to help the environment and will cause significant price increases for all. Many reputable scientists support this theory.
Gun Control	The Second Amendment does not give citizens the right to keep and bear arms, but only allows for the state to keep a militia (National Guard).  Individuals do not need guns for protection; it is the role of local and federal government to protect the people through law enforcement agencies and the military. Additional gun control laws are necessary to stop gun violence and limit the ability of criminals to obtain guns. More guns mean more violence.	The Second Amendment gives citizens the right to keep and bear arms.  Individuals have the right to defend themselves. There are too many gun control laws--additional laws will not lower gun crime rates.  What is needed is enforcement of current laws.  Gun control laws do not prevent criminals from obtaining guns. More guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens mean less crime.
Health Care	Support free or low-cost government controlled health care. There are millions of Americans who can't afford health care and are deprived of this basic right.  Every American has a right to affordable health care.  The governement should provide equal health care benefits for all, regardless of their ability to pay.	Support competetive, free market health care system. All Americans have access to health care.  The debate is about who should pay for it.  Free and low-cost governement-run programs (socialized medicine) result in higher costs and everyone receiving the same poor-quality health care.  Health care should remain privatized. The problem of uninsured individuals should be addressed and solved within the free market healthcare system--the government should not control healthcare.
Homeland Security NOTE - there are many facets to Homeland Security.  This entry focuses on airport security.	Airport security - Passenger profiling is wrong, period.  Selection of passengers for extra security screening should be random. Using other criteria (such as ethnicity) is discriminatory and offensive to Arabs and Muslims, who are generally innocent and law-abiding. Terrorists don't fit a profile. "...Arabs, Muslims and South Asians are no more likely than whites to be terrorists." (American Civil Liberties Union ACLU) Asked on 60 Minutes if a 70-year-old white woman from Vero Beach should receive the same level of scrutiny as a Muslim from Jersey City, President Obama's Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta said, "Basically, I would hope so."	Airport security - Choosing passengers randomly for extra security searches is not effective.  Rather, profiling and intelligence data should be used to single out passengers for extra screening.  Those who do not meet the criteria for suspicion should not be subjected to intense screening. The terrorists currently posing a threat to the U.S. are primarily Islamic/Muslim men between the ages of 18 and 38.  Our resources should be focused on this group.  Profiling is good logical police work.   "If people are offended (by profiling), that's unfortunate, but I don't think we can afford to take the risk that terrorism brings to us. They've wasted masses of resources on far too many people doing things that really don't have a big payoff in terms of security." - Northwestern University Aviation Expert A. Gellman.
Immigration	Support legal immigration.  Support blanket amnesty for those who enter the U.S. illegally (undocumented immigrants).  Also  believe that undocumented immigrants have a right to: -- all educational and health benefits that citizens receive (financial aid, welfare, social security and medicaid), regardless of legal status. -- the same rights as American citizens It is unfair to arrest millions of undocumented immigrants.	Support legal immigration only.  Oppose amnesty for those who enter the U.S. illegally (illegal immigrants).  Those who break the law by entering the U.S. illegally do not have the same rights as those who obey the law and enter legally.  The borders should be secured before addressing the problem of the illegal immigrants currently in the country.  The Federal Government should secure the borders and enforce current immigration law.
Private Property	Government has the right to use eminent domain (seizure of private property by the government--with compensation to the owner) to accomplish a public end.	Respect ownership and private property rights.  Eminent domain (seizure of private property by the government--with compensation to the owner) in most cases is wrong.  Eminent domain should not be used for private development.
Religion and Government	Support the separation of church and state.  The Bill of Rights implies a separation of church and state.  Religious expression has no place in government.  The two should be completely separate.  Government should not support religious expression in any way. All reference to God in public and government spaces should be removed (eg., the Ten Commandments should not be displayed in Federal buildings). Religious expression has no place in government.	The phrase "separation of church and state" is not in the Constitution.  The First Amendment to the Constitution states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."  This prevents the government from establishing a national church/denomination.  However, it does not prohibit God from being acknowledged in schools and government buildings. Symbols of Christian heritage should not be removed from public and government spaces (eg., the Ten Commandments should continue to be displayed in Federal buildings). Government should not interfere with religion and religious freedom.
Same-sex Marriage	Marriage is the union of people who love each other.  It should be legal for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals, to ensure equal rights for all.  Support same-sex marriage. Opposed to the creation of a constitutional amendment establishing marriage as the union of one man and one woman.  All individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation, have the right to marry. Prohibiting same-sex citizens from marrying denies them their civil rights.  [Opinions vary on whether this issue is equal to civil rights for African Americans.]	Marriage is the union of one man and one woman.  Oppose same-sex marriage. Support Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), passed in 1996, which affirms the right of states not to recognize same-sex marriages licensed in other states.  Requiring citizens to sanction same-sex relationships violates moral and religious beliefs of millions of Christians, Jews, Muslims and others, who believe marriage is the union of one man and one woman.
Social Security	The Social Security system should be protected at all costs.  Reduction in future benefits is not a reasonable option.  [Opinions vary on the extent of the current system's financial stability.] Social Security provides a safety net for the nation's poor and needy.  Changing the system would cause a reduction in benefits and many people would suffer as a result.	The Social Security system is in serious financial trouble.  Major changes to the current system are urgently needed.  In its current state, the Social Security system is not financially sustainable.  It will collapse if nothing is done to address the problems.  Many will suffer as a result.  Social Security must be made more efficient through privitization and/or allowing individuals to manage their own savings.
Taxes	Higher taxes (primarily for the wealthy) and a larger government are necessary to address inequity/injustice in society (government should help the poor and needy using tax dollars from the rich).  Support a large government to provide for the needs of the people and create equality.  Taxes enable the government to create jobs and provide welfare programs for those in need.  Government programs are a caring way to provide for the poor and needy in society.	Lower taxes and a smaller government with limited power will improve the standard of living for all. Support lower taxes and a smaller government.  Lower taxes create more incentive for people to work, save, invest, and engage in entrepreneurial endeavors.  Money is best spent by those who earn it, not the government.  Government programs encourage people to become dependent and lazy, rather than encouraging work and independence.
United Nations (UN)	The UN promotes peace and human rights.  The United States has a moral and a legal obligation to support the United Nations (UN).  The U.S. should not act as a sovereign nation, but as one member of a world community.  The U.S. should submit its national interests to the greater good of the global community (as defined by the UN). The U.S. should defer to the UN in military/peacekeeping matters. The United Nations Charter gives the United Nations Security Council the power and responsibility to take collective action to maintain international peace and security.  U.S. troops should submit to UN command.	The UN has repeatedly failed in its essential mission to promote world peace and human rights.  The wars, genocide and human rights abuses taking place in many Human Rights Council member states (and the UN's failure to stop them) prove this point. History shows that the United States, not the UN, is the global force for spreading freedom, prosperity, tolerance and peace.  The U.S. should never subvert its national interests to those of the UN. The U.S. should never place troops under UN control.  U.S. military should always wear the U.S. military uniform, not that of UN peacekeepers. [Opinions vary on whether the U.S. should withdraw from the UN.]
War on Terror/Terrorism	Global warming, not terrorism, poses the greatest threat to the U.S., according to Democrats in Congress. Terrorism is a result of arrogant U.S. foreign policy. Good diplomacy is the best way to deal with terrorism.  Relying on military force to defeat terrorism creates hatred that leads to more terrorism. Captured terrorists should be handled by law enforcement and tried in civilian courts.	Terrorism poses one of the greatest threats to the U.S. The world toward which the militant Islamists strive cannot peacefully co-exist with the Western world.  In the last decade, militant Islamists have repeatedly attacked Americans and American interests here and abroad.  Terrorists must be stopped and destroyed. The use of intelligence-gathering and military force are the best ways to defeat terrorism around the world. Captured terrorists should be treated as enemy combatants and tried in military courts.
Welfare	Support welfare, including long-term welfare. Welfare is a safety net which provides for the needs of the poor.  Welfare is necessary to bring fairness to American economic life.  It is a device for protecting the poor.	Oppose long-term welfare. Opportunities should be provided to make it possible for those in need to become self-reliant.  It is far more compassionate and effective to encourage people to become self-reliant, rather than allowing them to remain dependent on the government for provisions.

 Copyright 2005, (revised 2010) StudentNewsDaily.com

Conservative vs. Liberal Beliefs

Copyright 2005 (revised 2010) StudentNewsDaily.com
We all want the same things in life. We want freedom; we want the chance for prosperity; we want as few people suffering as possible; we want healthy children; we want to have crime-free streets. The argument is how to achieve them...LIBERALS - believe in government action to achieve equal opportunity and equality for all.  It is the duty of the government to alleviate social ills and to protect civil liberties and individual and human rights.  Believe the role of the government should be to guarantee that no one is in need.

Liberal policies generally emphasize the need for the government to solve problems.


CONSERVATIVES - believe in personal responsibility, limited government, free markets, individual liberty, traditional American values and a strong national defense.  Believe the role of government should be to provide people the freedom necessary to pursue their own goals.

Conservative policies generally emphasize empowerment of the individual to solve problems.


NOTE: The terms "left" and "right" define opposite ends of the political spectrum. In the United States, liberals are referred to as the left or left-wing and conservatives are referred to as the right or right-wing. On the U.S. political map, blue represents the Democratic Party (which generally upholds liberal principles) and red represents the Republican party (which generally upholds conservative principles).

Conservatism

Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism and seek a return to the way things were.

Moderate

1) a sane person;
2) someone with a political belief that sits between the two extremes of liberal and conservative, usually combining aspects of both (example: liberal on social issues yet conservative on economic issues);
3) someone who seeks compromise on political issues and as such gets insulted by the two extremes who just don't get the idea that this form of government survives by compromise;
4) someone whose political beliefs seem quiet and mild, and as such always ignored by the media, which seeks out people from the screechy Left and shrill Right because they make for better sound bites.

 

Neither liberal nor conservative. Contrary to popular belief, does NOT imply a political affiliation or lack thereof; someone with no political party is considered an Independent, but can still be very conservative or very liberal. A moderate is merely someone who isn't conservative enough to be on the right, and isn't liberal enough to be on the left. Another popular (and incorrect) belief is that moderates just can't make up their minds. That's as untrue as it gets; I am an independent moderate myself, and I have no trouble making up my mind. I'm just considered moderate because, for example, I am against both abortion AND capital punishment. The former is a conservative view, and the latter is a liberal view. Therefore I am moderate.

 

 

1. By definition, the greatest political alignment on Earth.

2. A person who actually thinks for themselves instead of automatically adhering to all beliefs of a bipartisan system.

3. Someone who views political issues objectively and in a open-minded manner.

4. Someone who is actually willing to listen to another person's viewpoint without completely bashing their ideas.

1. I am a moderate...yay for me.

 

 

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=moderate

 

Liberal Political Issues

Liberal Political Issues

Taxes, Political Issues

There are many current political issues that dominate the medium airwaves due to their level of importance. Currently, those political issues revolve around the economy and the war in Iraq. However, there are many other political issues politicians address during their campaigns. Democratic liberals will usually take a particular stance on a political issues while Republicans conservatives will take the opposite one.
• One political issue that is always addressed during a political campaign is taxes. The constant debate of whether to raise or lower taxes for different classes of individuals is a constant battle. The conservatives do not believe in raising taxes, especially for the upper class. They claim that lowering taxes can help stimulate the economy. This is a political issue that will not be going away anytime soon. Liberals believe that raising taxes, or keeping them around the same level, will help to improve the average American’s life. Liberals also believe in raising taxes for individuals in a high income bracket.
• Government involvement in the day-to-day lives of American citizens are another political issue that is argued over. Liberals believe that the government should guide people, helping to protect them by regulating rules and laws. On this political issue, conservatives believe that the government should step back and keep involvement in peoples’ live limited. Political issues often tend to revolve around problems like this.
• Another political issue that liberals and conservatives have an opposite viewpoints on is gun control. Liberals believe that this political issue could be solved by enforcing stricter gun laws. Conservatives think that since owning a gun is a constitutional right, the government should step back and allow people to be armed if they choose. Political issues like this tend to be somewhat easier to solve with compromise. When it comes to abortion rights, a major political issue, liberals believe that a woman has the right to choose whether or not to abort their fetus. Conservatives are anti-abortion.
• One of the biggest political issues that exist today, somewhat because of the economic crisis that the United States are facing, is the funding of programs that are meant to aid low income families or individuals. The liberals think that this political issue can be solved by increasing the funding for these government programs, Conservatives believe that there should be less government spending on such programs.
Political issues are dealt with in different was by the conflicting viewpoints of the liberals and the democrats. Depending on what party is dominating Congress and the presidency, certain political issues may be given more attention than other political issues.

The Liberal Political Stance

Liberal Political Stance

There are two main political parties in the United States with drastically different political views. These political parties are the republicans and the democrats, who take an opposite political stance on a number of political issues. While republicans are considered to be conservative, democrats are considered to be liberals. A political stance is the political views that one takes. The political views of the liberal is completely opposite of the political stance of the republicans.
• Since democrats are liberal, The political views are liberal and the stance they take on most issues are liberal as well. The political views of the Democrats rely on increased opportunities for the poor and middle class and protecting civil rights of individuals. The democrats’ political views are that the government is responsible for helping individuals achieve social and economic justice.
• This is in direct contrast to the Republican Party, whose political stance is that the government should not be allowed to be deeply involved with peoples’ day to day lives.
• The political stance of a democrat is a popular one. The Democratic Party has over 72 million registered voters, the largest in any political party in the world. Since the democrats’ political views rely on progress, the political stance that they take on many issues are progressive ones.
• The Democratic political party does believe that taxes should be raised, but their political views are that taxes should not be raised substantially for the poor and middle classes. The republicans’ political stance is that taxes should not be raised at all. They particularly take a strong political stance on the belief that taxes on the rich should not be raised. The political views of the Democratic political party is that the rich should pay higher taxes. The Democratic political party also believes in raising minimum wages as a way of boosting the economic standing of the working class.
• Once an individual’s political stance has been established, then it is possible for them to pick a political party. There are other political parties beside the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Socialist Party follows liberal views as well.
Although a person’s political views can change over time, many individuals stick with the party that they are accustomed to.

Liberal Party

Liberal is often a term associated with the Democratic party, but a small majority of the American population gives credence to the less popular but equally as important Liberal party. There are a variety of different liberal parties around the globe. There is a Liberal party in the UK and in Canada the Liberal party is the oldest federally registered party. In Britain the liberal party was one of the two major political parties until it merged with the Social Democrat party to form the Liberal Democrats. The United States Liberal Party was formed in 1944 in New York City. In New York State the party is the most popular existing third party and has been around for the longest period of time out of any of the existing third parties. The Liberal party still possesses a strong influence in New York State politics and seeks to support candidates that are progressive and can effectively meet challenges. Liberal parties advocate individual and civil rights. The Liberal party has often been criticized for having too close of ties to the Democratic party, however the Liberal party states that they stand for a wider range of social and economic reforms than the Democratic party. The Liberal party promises major parties support in order to influence a candidate regarding certain issues.
Liberal parties are pro-choice and support a woman’s right to choose. Choice is a fundamental and essential civil right that should be extended to all citizens, and should a woman feel that abortion is in her best interest she should have the right to choose abortion. Liberal parties believe that it is extremely important to provide access to good and affordable health care for all American citizens. The party supports universal health insurance. Every American citizen needs to have access to health care when they are sick and should not be denied this because of a lack of financial resources. Liberal parties support detailed civil rights legislation to make sure that members of groups that have been historically discriminated against based on religion, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and economic class, are no longer faced with discrimination within the education system, in the workplace, or anywhere else. The United States and the rest of the world are currently experiencing an environmental crisis. Climate change, excessive pollution and global warming are threatening the survival of struggling and endangered species and also negatively effecting the health of the human population. Liberal parties recognize that a government’s primary duty is to provide protection to it’s citizens and seeks ensure that no harm come to them. All human beings have the right to expect protection and safety from their government. Liberal parties believe that people who are responsible for committing crimes must be punished for their actions with life imprisonment. Though the Liberal party supports life imprisonment without parole, liberal parties are generally opposed to the death penalty. Although the Liberal party seems to have similar ideas as the Democratic party, the two parties’ political agendas differ in multiple areas.

Liberalism

Liberalism is the belief in the importance of individual liberty and equal rights.^[2] Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but most liberals support such fundamental ideas as constitutions, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights, capitalism, fair trade, and the separation of church and state. These ideas are widely accepted, even by political groups that do not openly profess a liberal ideological orientation. Liberalism encompasses several intellectual trends and traditions, but the dominant variants are classical liberalism, which became popular in the eighteenth century, and social liberalism, which became popular in the twentieth century.

Types of Political Views

The three main political views are liberal, moderate, and conservative.

http://home.sprynet.com/~owl1/irrationality.htm

Why People Are Irrational about Politics by Michael Huemer

Abstract: I look for explanations for the phenomenon of widespread, strong, and persistent disagreements about political issues. The best explanation is provided by the hypothesis that most people are irrational about politics and not, for example, that political issues are particularly difficult or that we lack sufficient evidence for resolving them. I discuss how this irrationality works and why people are especially irrational about politics.

1. Introduction: The Problem of Political Disagreement

Politics

is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to behavior within civil governments, but politics has been observed in other group interactions, including corporate, academic, and religious institutions. It consists of "social relations involving authority or power"^[1] and refers to the regulation of public affairs within a political unit,^[2] and to the methods and tactics used to formulate and apply policy.

Define political behavior?

When you do the dishes for your wife after dinner this is the politics of sex. When you cease your chatter after the professor walks in the room this is political behavior. When you bite your tongue so hard there are teeth marks still on your tongue weeks later because your boss was yelling at you for something that was out of your control, this is political behavior. When you want to build or create your dream project so you glad hand your friends and neighbors in an attempt to rally support, this is political behavior. When you vote, this is political behavior. When you engage in deceptions and broken promises this is the politics of power.

Theories of political behavior

Theories of political behavior, as an aspect of political science, attempt to quantify and explain the influences that define a person's political views, ideology, and levels of political participation.

What are John Locke’s arguments in the Second Treatise on Civil Government

Locke argued that humans, in the state of nature, were born equal and that they possessed natural rights that no king had the power to void.  The consent of the governed is the only true basis of a king or sovereign’s right to rule.  Therefore, a chief executive, according to Locke, is limited by this social contract with the governed.

How does Article VI of the Constitution establish the supremacy of the federal government?

Article VI states that the Constitution and the laws of the United States are the supreme law of the land.  The Court ruled in McCulloch v. Maryland (1918) that federal laws are supreme over state laws, and when a state law comes into conflict with a federal law, the federal law prevails.  This has come to be called the supremacy clause.

What is the constitutional basis of separation of powers?

It can be found in several principles, such as the separation of government into three branches, the conception that each branch performs unique and identifiable functions, and the limitation of personnel to a specific branch.

Constitutional Underpinnings of the U.S. Government

Constitutional Underpinning

The government of the United States was created in the late 18th century by men who were reacting to a Europe dominated by imperialism and monarchy. The design of the Constitution reflected the influence of the European Enlightenment and the newly emerging beliefs in democracy, liberty for more individuals in society, and the importance of checking the self-interest inherent in ordinary human interactions. At the same time, the founders were far from unanimous in their admiration for direct democracy, and the Constitution they created reflects restraints on democracy.

Prominent figures of the African-American Civil Rights Movement.

W. E. B. Du Bois, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr..

African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968)

The African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968) refers to the movements in the United States aimed at outlawing racial discrimination against African Americans and restoring Suffrage in Southern states. This article covers the phase of the movement between 1954 and 1968, particularly in the South. By 1966, the emergence of the Black Power Movement, which lasted roughly from 1966 to 1975, enlarged the aims of the Civil Rights Movement to include racial dignity, economic and political self-sufficiency, and freedom from oppression by white Americans.
Many of those who were active in the Civil Rights Movement, with organizations such as NAACP, SNCC, CORE and SCLC, prefer the term "Southern Freedom Movement" because the struggle was about far more than just civil rights under law; it was also about fundamental issues of freedom, respect, dignity, and economic and social equality.
During the period 1955–1968, acts of nonviolent protest and civil disobedience produced crisis situations between activists and government authorities. Federal, state, and local governments, businesses, and communities often had to respond immediately to crisis situations which highlighted the inequities faced by African Americans. Forms of protest and/or civil disobedience included boycotts such as the successful Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955–1956) in Alabama; "sit-ins" such as the influential Greensboro sit-in (1960) in North Carolina; marches, such as the Selma to Montgomery marches (1965) in Alabama; and a wide range of other nonviolent activities.
Noted legislative achievements during this phase of the Civil Rights Movement were passage of Civil Rights Act of 1964,^[1] that banned discrimination based on "race, color, religion, or national origin" in employment practices and public accommodations; the Voting Rights Act of 1965, that restored and protected voting rights; the Immigration and Nationality Services Act of 1965, that dramatically opened entry to the U.S. to immigrants other than traditional European groups; and the Fair Housing Act of 1968, that banned discrimination in the sale or rental of housing. African Americans re-entered politics in the South, and across the country young people were inspired to action.

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) is a multilateral treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 16, 1966, and in force from March 23, 1976. It commits its parties to respect the civil and political rights of individuals, including the right to life, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, electoral rights and rights to due process and a fair trial. As of October 2009, the Covenant had 72 signatories and 166 parties.^[1]
The ICCPR is part of the International Bill of Human Rights, along with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).^[2]
The ICCPR is monitored by the Human Rights Committee (a separate body to the Human Rights Council), which reviews regular reports of States parties on how the rights are being implemented. States must report initially one year after acceding to the Covenant and then whenever the Committee requests (usually every four years). The Committee meets in Geneva or New York and normally holds three sessions per year.

"Civil liberties" typically include basic rights and freedoms that are guaranteed by law -- either explicitly identified in laws and constitutions, or interpreted through the years by courts and lawmakers. Choose a link from the list below to learn more about different types of civil liberties.

"Civil Rights" vs. "Civil Liberties"

It is important to note the difference between "civil rights" and "civil liberties." The legal area known as "civil rights" has traditionally revolved around the basic right to be free from unequal treatment based on certain protected characteristics (race, gender, disability, etc.) in settings such as employment and housing. "Civil liberties" concern basic rights and freedoms that are guaranteed -- either explicitly identified in the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, or interpreted through the years by courts and lawmakers. Civil liberties include:

• Freedom of speech
• The right to privacy
• The right to be free from unreasonable searches of your home
• The right to a fair court trial
• The right to marry
• The right to vote

One way to consider the difference between "civil rights" and "civil liberties" is to look at 1) what right is affected, and 2) whose right is affected. For example, as an employee, you do not have the legal right to a promotion, mainly because getting a promotion is not a guaranteed "civil liberty." But, as a female employee you do have the legal right to be free from discrimination in being considered for that promotion -- you cannot legally be denied the promotion based on your gender (or race, or disability, etc.). By choosing not to promote a female worker solely because of the employee's gender, the employer has committed a civil rights violation and has engaged in unlawful employment discrimination based on sex or gender.

Civil liberties are rights and freedoms that protect an individual from the state. Civil liberties set limits on the government so that its agents cannot use their power and interfere with the lives of citizens.
Common civil liberties include the rights of people, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech, and the right to due process, to a trial, to own property, and to privacy.
The formal concept of civil liberties dates back to the English charter the Magna Carta 1215, which was based on pre-existing documents named the English Charter of Liberties, a landmark document in English history.

Civil Rights

Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.