On State level, why are some laws enacted by congress while others are sent to the voters as ballot proposals?
818777
Excellent question.  Any proposed change that would violate our State Constitution, must be presented to the people so the majority can decide whether or not that constitutional change should be made.  Proposed laws, that don't change the constitution can be voted on in Lansing by our lawmakers.  Hope this helps you understand.
214905
If your state has an initiative process, you can take your idea to the people. If you get enought signatures for your petition, then it goes on the ballet. If the majority of voters say yes, it's law!
1108243
Once a bill is introduced in Congress, it is assigned to a committee.  The committee can pass the bill along to the floor of the senate or it can shelve the bill and not do anything.  This bill was being shelved.\n\n  The Democrats were trying to get the bill on the floor for an up or down vote. \n\nWhat was actually being voted on was a procedure to get the bill out of committee.  That is what requires 60 votes.\n\nIt still only takes a simple majority to pass a bill.
89558
A bicameral legislative branch allows for states with a smaller population to have a more equal voice in government.  If laws were only written and passed by a representative branch then the larger states would have the most say in legislation, thus being able to force their issues to the front to the detriment of the lower population states.\n\nBy having an branch that puts all states on an equal footing, lower population states can excercise power to ensure that their needs are not trampled by the needs of larger populations.
404079
There are essentially two ways spelled out in the Constitution for how it can be amended. One has never been used.\n\nThe first method is for a bill to pass both halves of the legislature, by a two-thirds majority in each. Once the bill has passed both houses, it goes on to the states. This is the route taken by all current amendments. Because of some long outstanding amendments, such as the 27th, Congress will normally put a time limit (typically seven years) for the bill to be approved as an amendment (for example, see the 21st and 22nd).\n\nThe second method prescribed is for a Constitutional Convention to be called by two-thirds of the legislatures of the States, and for that Convention to propose one or more amendments. These amendments are then sent to the states to be approved by three-fourths of the legislatures or conventions. This route has never been taken, and there is discussion in political science circles about just how such a convention would be convened, and what kind of changes it would bring about.\n\nRegardless of which of the two proposal routes is taken, the amendment must be approved by three-fourths of states. The amendment as passed may specify whether the bill must be passed by the state legislatures or by a state convention. See the Ratification Convention Page for a discussion of the make up of a convention. Amendments are sent to the legislatures of the states by default. Only one amendment, the 21st, specified a convention. In any case, passage by the legislature or convention is by simple majority.\n\nIt is interesting to note that at no point does the President have a role in the formal amendment process (though he would be free to make his opinion known). He cannot veto an amendment proposal, nor a ratification. This point is clear in Article 5, and was reaffirmed by the Supreme Court in Hollingsworth v Virginia (3 USC 378 [1798]):
203316
Someone has a crazy idea and tells someone in the government.  Then a politician writes up a draft of it and whoever he works for (either SEnate, COngress, or PRez) votes/approves it. If it is approved, it is passed to the other two sectors where it is voted on again. If it fails, then it is pretty much voted on again over and over again until the guy gives up or it gets passed.
352883
PROCEDURE FOR WHY LAWS ARE MADE\n\nWhen a Representative has an idea for a new law, he/she becomes the sponsor of that bill and introduces it by giving it to the clerk of the House or by placing it in a box, called the hopper.  The clerk assigns a legislative number to the bill. The bill will have an H.R. if it was introduced in the House and an S. if it was introduced in the Senate.  A copy of the bill is then given to all the representatives\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\nNext, the bill is assigned to a committee by the Speaker of the House. The House has 22 standing committees each with jurisdiction over certain bills. The chosen committee studies the bill and hears testimony from experts and people interested in the bill. This process if often called lobbying. The committee may then release the bill with a recommendation to pass it, revise the bill then release it, or lay it aside so that the House cannot vote on it. Releasing the bill is called reporting it out, while laying it aside is called tabling.\n3\nIf the bill goes through, it is then placed on the calendar. Next, the House Rules Committee may call for the bill to be voted on, discussed or amended. Undisputed bills may be passed by unanimous consent, or by a two-thirds vote if members agree to suspend the rules.\n\nThe bill now goes to the floor of the House and is read in its entirety  A third reading  occurs after any amendments have been added. If the bill is passed by a simple majority (281 of 435), it moves to the Senate.\n\nIn order to be introduced in the Senate, a senator must be recognized as the presiding officer and introduce the bill. Sometimes, when a bill has passed in one of the houses, it becomes known as an act.\n\nJust like in the House, the bill then is assigned to a committee It is assigned to one of the Senate's 16 standing committees by the presiding officer.  The Senate committee studies and either releases or tables the bill.
746396
Because they don't like what the voters passed.  So, they plan to find a way to do as they please, cuz they figure they are above the law.  And, it'll probably turn out that they CAN do as they please.  And we wonder why people give up on voting.
361796
California (as well as a few other states) have what is called referendum votes where key issues can be presented to the people depending on how the issue arrived in Congress.  The federal government doesnt have this system.  That is why we have a representative democracy government in the first place.  If you want to speak out on one side of a particular issue - write a letter or e-mail to your rep or senator.  They actually respond back.  I have e-mailed them on a number of occasions and they really do like to hear from their constituents.  Just make sure you are writing something logical and rational or give a personal experience.  Dont say something like "you f*ck*in idiot vote against this stupid f*c*ing bill" or they wont listen.  But they do listen when people write heart felt letters and e-mails stating their opinions.  I have worked with numerous members of our elected government - despite what most people think - they really will listen
57462
Don't listen to "fool".  He&#92;she is wrong.\nIt was a compromise between the states with large populations and the states with small populations.  The states with large populations wanted representation in congress to be based on population like the House of Representatives.  The small states wanted every state to have the same number of votes.  They agreed to the "Great Compromise" which made a bicameral legislature with the Senate and the House of Representatives.  Obviosly the Senate gives each state two votes and the House gives each state based on its population.
499852
It's a problem of logistics.\n\nIt takes a huge amount of effort to program a website to run in another language. Basically, every page would need to be rewritten and re-translated, along with all the utilities and dictionaries being used. So, Yahoo Answers happens to be English-Only so far because it's fairly new and there has not been (I would guess) a sufficient business incentive to warrant the effort required to rebuild/translate it.\n\nThe problem with the legal system is different. The rules (state and federal constitutions) specify how new laws must be passed. There is nothing stopping legislators from passing the same law in english and some other language. However, all of the legislators involved would need to be able to understand that other language to properly cast a knowing and informed vote. \n\nNow, this applies at local, state, and federal levels, so there is nothing preventing the populace from electing officials based on their knowledge of multiple languages. \n\nThen, of course, you run into the problem of what happens if the different language versions have subtle differences in interpretation. What criteria should a judge use to enforce or interpret one version over the other?\n\nThe problem of translating previously-enacted laws is different, and more akin to the website translation problem. But unless the translated version is re-passed by the legislature, then it would not be binding. Many sites offer translations for certain state and local laws. \n\nBut those are for information purposes only, and the courts can only apply the properly passed (legislature approved) versions of the law, not secondary translation.\n\nIn other words, there are already enough existing impediments to trying to have the same law in multiple languages. There is no need to add additional requirements making it more difficult.
625559
If you're taking about the 17th Amendment to the Constitution, it allowed for the direct election of Senators by the people of a state.  Prior to that, the state legislatures had picked each state's 2 Senators.
697818
When a possible reform/new area of law is drafted for voting in Parliament, it goes through it as a Bill. A Bill remains a Bill or proposed law until it has been passed through Parliament, AND given assent by the Head of State (i.e. President). Then it becomes a legislation, a law, or a statute (whichever name you prefer).
863325
depends on the state or local laws.  for presidential elections, it still epends on the state laws.  sometimes people are on the ballot in one state but not the other.
1180966
I can't imagine that any state legislature would create that type of law, but then again, their are some pretty strange laws out there.  I would guess that the answer is no.
1091405
I agree with you.  Many states have an initiative process where people are allowed to vote on issues -- my state, California has this and there are always a lot of issues on the ballot for the people to vote on.  There are many issues where the politicians in Washington somehow are out of step with the people as a whole.  A nation-wide initiative process would be a great solution to this.
441411
Either Congress can pass a bill, or States can call for a convention.  Congress's bill must be passed by a 2/3 majority in BOTH houses, and the President can't veto the bill.  2/3 of the states may also call for a constitutional convention to draft a proposal.