The American Political System 166 H01 (Lehman College)

The Constitution of the United States

Assignment #3

Article 1 (Legislative Branch)

Section 6 (Compensation)

Clause 1: "The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States. They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place."

Clause 2: "No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the United States, which shall have been created, or the Emoluments whereof shall have been increased during such time; and no Person holding any Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either House during his Continuance in Office."

Reference from above passage  (http://hobnobblog.com/2009/08/the-constitution-of-the-united-states-article-i-section-6/)

My interpertation of this section of the Constitution was the clarification of who  grants congressmen their salary which is the government. I also got the understanding that people who serve congress have "legislative immunity", which means they can't be charged with anything they say during congress meeting. To ensure the people who serve this profession that the president can not abuse his power on them for disagreement. The understanding I've got from the second clause of this section was those who serve in either executive or judicial branches of the United State government is unable to serve in Congress and the same in reverse. 

I've selected this section of the Constitution, because it was new to me. I always assumed that people who serve in the House of Representative or Senator was able to take another governmental job. I always thought that majority of the corruption that happens within the political house was due to the fact that chairmen or women was able to take another side of the government if they weren't happy with the work or decision that were taking action in representative house. It was also knew to me that what "happens in congress stays in congress". A congressman or women was unable to be arrested during meeting based on what they said, wheater it was outrages or illegal it was safe within congress. Of course unless it was a major criminal act, but if it was only words they are safe. I founded that inserting, because that clause is due to the fact that the president is unable to abuse his power if a person disagree with him or her.