Informed citizens guide our democracy but too many of y’all struggle with civics 101😫

Hey y’all hey 👋🏾 I know it’s been a minute, and while I love blogging and writing and should be doing both consistently… ain’t!

So,  I been on the Twitter (I will never call it anything else), and ever since the DNC (oooh chile, did y’all see it?!), actually since the announcement, uneducated and ill-informed individuals (including one too many celebrities and prominent people) have been showing their WHOLE behind.

Case in point, exhibit a:

The biggest thing is “well why hasn’t it been done in the past 3 years?” Baby, the same reason it wasn’t done the 4 before that or the 4 before that or the 4 before that. There’s levels to this ish and clearly y’all skipped, failed, or were failed by civics 101.

Then y’all got the nerve to be over here demanding people become citizens and take citizenship tests when YOU don’t know a damn thing so YO ASS, and many of these weird ass congress people, would surely fail. Maybe we need tests for voting and eligibility to hold office🤔, but….I digress.

Case in point, exhibit b:

Like…. I really tried not to comment, but it was like the ancestors said, “gather her, chile,” so here we are.

Listen, in the age of the interwebs, there is no reason ANYONE should be uninformed. Even if you don’t know, a quick Google search will usually guide you. But lemme help y’all, “but what is her policy?” face assed people out. By the way, y’all are definitely “but her emails” 2.0.

Now, I do not claim to be an expert, and I am certainly not an authority on anything government related. These are my thoughts based on what I’ve learned.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is probably better equipped to help you understand policy. It’s a bipartisan, nonprofit policy research organization that I learned about when getting my MPA. Check out their website. They have some really good articles, including the one below from a few years ago that talks about how civics education has been deprioritized in schools across the country for DECADES. Which very well may be the reason y’all can’t get it together.

https://www.csis.org/analysis/civics-adults-guide-civics-content-providers

But back to y’all, “but what are her policies?” face assed people. Let’s try and go back to civics 101. Again, I’m no expert. I just enjoy policy discussions, research, and I paid attention in high school, undergrad, and grad school.

Policy influences or is influenced by the law. We’re not gonna go into what else shapes or influences policy because, well, I feel like y’all kinda slow, so we’re keepin’ it basic. Understood? Very good. (Hey Tab!!! I LOVE you, girl)

Who makes the law? Those people you voted (or not) to be in the legislature. Congress is the ONLY branch of government able to make/change laws, set budgets, etc. This is true on ALL levels. The executive branch enforces those laws; the judicial branch interprets those laws. Again, this is true on ALL levels. Law guides people; policy guides governments. Hence, CONGRESS ultimately controls policy implementation by deciding which policies become law🤦🏾‍♀️ executive branches be damned.

Now, children, do we know what happens when the executive branch tries to move policy without congressional approval?

Well…. Congress requests judicial review, the court steps in, interprets existing law, the constitution & powers (or just agrees with either side based on their personal beliefs 😬), anddddddd now we can’t have student loan debt canceled🤷🏾‍♀️

Please note, executive orders are also subject to judicial review, so ummm for the love of all things holy, please stop saying “they can or should just….” Because no TF they can’t!

And children, just wait until you learn which powers each branch of government or each elected official actually has. Because the fact of the matter is the VP who y’all been demanding “a Black agenda” from only has power to preside over tie breaks in the Senate (not the House, stay with me here), preside over impeachment trials, count electoral votes, and become acting President in certain circumstances.

This VP also DOES NOT oversee immigration policy and enforcement; the Department of Homeland Security does that as well customs & border protection. This VP DOES oversee the Biden administration’s efforts to address why migrations are happening and come up with solutions.

By the way, HER name is pronounced comma-la. Say it with me….

Furthermore, neither the President nor the VP can make laws, declare war, determine how federal funds are spent, interpret laws, or choose cabinet members or supreme court justices without approval of the Senate. Can they influence these things? ABSOLUTELY. But Congress makes law. And when you have a legislature filled with petulant children that refuse to be civil,  refuse to govern, refuse to care more about their constituency than being cultlike followers… well, welcome to the consequences of y’all not voting for the most experienced and capable leader in 2016. It’s been a downpour of FAFO ever since.

Can we bring back civics classes? Econ as well because baby y’all scare me, often. Or can the churches start offering classes since y’all want religion (well, one religion, all others be damned) in the schools? While we’re at it, can we go back to knowing the definition of terms before we start throwing them around in every discussion with no clue wtf we’re talking about. Liberal (as well as capitalism and communism) has y’all in a chokehold.

And another thing, please stop saying you’re undecided about the 2024 election. You either know who/what you’re voting for,  you’re ashamed, and don’t want anyone to know who/what you’re voting for or you simply complain and never vote. There is only ONE side. Democracy.

The people you vote for are supposed to govern by the people and for the people. This isn’t about who’s personality you like best, who looks better, what you “heard so n so did one time”, or who has the biggest rally crowds (whew chile the ghetto). No one can say they 100% agree with everything any lawmakers do. Perfection isn’t the goal but civility, and human decency should be. This is why we vote in every election, every time.

You have the power to decide who is or isn’t holding up their end of the bargain.  Check voting records (please do this, like immediately, for any incumbent or policy maker who has put forth or voted on bills… even look at how judges are viewed by the attorneys that come before them) and then make another choice if their positions don’t align with your best interests.

Do your research. Now I know that clearly means different things to different people, it shouldn’t, and I don’t think it means what y’all think it means, but here we are.

I said ALLLLL of that to say, learning how governments work is very necessary, very mindful, very demure.