Center for Education in Law and Democracy

Colorado We the People 2005 Summer Institute
June 14-17, 2005, University of Denver

"The Executive Branch:
The Framers’ Intent to the Bush Doctrine"
 

The content focus of the 2005 Colorado We the People Institute was the executive branch in our constitutional sytem of separated and balanced powers. Scholars for this professional development program included Lauri McNown, political science, University of Colorado at Boulder (pictured below) and Alan Chen, Professor of Constitutional Law, University of Denver Sturm College of Law. From the perspective of their disciplines, institute scholars interacted with participants and helped them to develop responses to the 2005 WTP Institute hearing question, given below:

Veteran WTP teachers served as mentors to introduce participants to the WTP program. They also presented various concurrent sessions on the WTP program for grade level groups. To close the institute on June 17th, 32 teachers (pictured below) provided "testimony" to the hearing question in the format of Congressional hearings-- the same culminating activity for students in the WTP program. Teacher hearings were held in the House hearing rooms of the State Capitol. They responded to the hearing question before panels of judges from the community, representing Congressman Mark Udall's office, the Colorado Court of Appeals, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and Colorado's Deputy Secretary of State.

After the hearings, former Colorado Governor Richard Lamm (pictured below), held a dialogue with WTP participants at the closing luncheon. CELD thanks the University of Denver, Center for Teaching Internatinal Relations for hosting the final luncheon.





Simulated Congressional Hearing Question: 2005 Colorado We the People Institute

In reflecting on the power of the presidency, historian Carol Berkin notes, “In the scheme most delegates envisioned, the executive was to have a decidedly supporting role, more analogous to an errand boy for Congress than a powerful leader who sets the nation’s course of action.” *

What was the Framers’ view of the presidency? What effect does this view of the presidency have on separation of powers and checks and balances?

• How has our understanding of presidential power evolved over the last 200 years? How have the other two branches contributed to or been affected by this evolution? Explain using specific examples.

• What constitutional and other controls exist to balance and counteract executive power? Are they effective? Use historical and contemporary examples to explain your position.

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*Berkin, Carol. A Brilliant Solution: Inventing the American Constitution, New York: Harcourt, Inc., 2002, p.82.