Biden Disables Online Petitions
On January 20, 2021, the day President Joe Biden took office, the We the People web pages address started redirecting to the White House’s website home address. First reported by the anti-imperialist website antiwar.com and the Ron Paul Institute, the circumstances of the online petitioning system were investigated by Newsweek, reporter Mary Ellen Cagnassola, who received no comment from the White House when seeking comment for a fact-checking article on the Ron Paul Institutes claims on the removal. Newsweek states that the We the People system is no longer to be found on the White House website, noting that, The reason behind its removal has not been released.
In reality, the We the People petition system had very little substantive effect during the ten years of its off-and-on operation. Many federal processes and all criminal proceedings were off-limits to prospective petitioners, leaving the system functioning mainly as a public relations tool for citizens to express themselves and communicate their concerns to the White House. Few, if any petitions were acted on, and many frivolous petitions were created, such as the playful 2012 petition calling on the federal government to create a Death Star as an economy-stimulating enterprise.
Whether the Biden Administration will respond to calls to reactivate the online petitioning system remains in question.
Charles I And The Petition Of Right
The emergency of 1629-60 began with Charles Is conviction that by the legal right he could administer without the guidance and assent of parliament.
This was matched by Parliaments demand that it played an essential part in government, especially in the giving of supple to the Crown and in reviewing the complaints of those controlled by the King.
Where America Stands On Petition
Americans use their right to petition more than they might realize. The latest Freedom Forum survey shows just 14% can name it as a First Amendment freedom. But 73% say they have signed a petition and more than four in 10 have petitioned elected officials in other ways.
Find more of where America stands on the First Amendment at WhereAmericaStands.org.
The First Amendment is the cornerstone of a government of, by and for the people. One of the five freedoms it guarantees is the right of the peopleto petition the government for change.
The right to petition protects our right to ask the government to fix a wrong or change a policy.
Petition is a powerful tool that has supported social change from the birth of our nation to ending slavery, womens suffrage and the civil rights movement.
Signing a petition is one way to exercise this right. But it is not the only way.
More ways to petition are to:
- Testify before the government at any level, from your local school board to the U.S. Congress
- Submit a complaint to a government agency
- Contact a government official
- Circulate a ballot initiative or referendum for others to sign
Voting is often called the ultimate expression of petition. By voting, citizens can reelect or defeat an incumbent, support a cause or deny a policy proposal.
The right to petition does not guarantee a petition will be answered. It does protect the right to complain to the government without fear of punishment.
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Petition Of Right In The United States
In the United States, the option to request is listed in the first amendment to the United States Constitution, which explicitly disallowed Congress from shortening the right of individuals quietly to gather and to appeal to the government for a change of complaints.
Albeit frequently neglected for other more well-known opportunities and once in a while taken for granted, numerous other common freedoms are enforceable against the public authority simply by practicing this essential right.
As indicated by the Congressional Research Service, since the constitution was written:
The petition of right has been extended. It is not generally bound to requests for a review of complaints, in any precise importance of these words. However, fathoms request for an activity by the public authority of its powers to the encouragement of the interest and thriving of the solicitors and their perspectives on politically petulant issues. The right stretches out to the approach of residents or gatherings of them to authoritative organizations and courts, the third part of the government. Surely the option to petition stretches out to all divisions of the government. The right of admittance to the courts is without a doubt yet one part of the right of request.
The Origin Of Petition
The word petition is highly related both to the freedom of petition, as well as with the First Amendment in an in-depth sense, for the reason that the word itself is described as follows:
Any method and approach that is ladened on the dimensional tenet of being non-violent, which legally means encouragement or disapproval of any action performed and initiated by the government, as a direct and immediate response to any of the three branches concerned which are the legislative branch, judicial branch and executive branch.
In addition, the petition clause is heavily provided with the following provisions wherein the freedom of petition can be performed, executed and availed by the change maker and purposefully-driven with the following methodologies, approaches and strategies as follows: letter-writing, filing lawsuits, lobbying, supporting the referendum, testifying before tribunals, email campaigns, peaceful protests and picketing, and most importantly, collecting signatures for ballot initiatives.
Furthermore, the entirety of public articulation should revolve around the presentation of complaints, issues and interests as a specified design that will lead to the direction of spurring any action initiated and performed by the government in terms of being qualified greatly, under the constitutional standards and requirements of the petition clause.
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Preparing And Submitting Petitions
SAMPLE PETITION
A petition is a good tool for a straightforward issue that has widespread support. There are fifteen minutes set aside daily in the House of Commons for petitions to be read. There is no debate following the reading of the petition, but the government is required to respond to your petition within 45 days. Your petition could spark interest among Members of Parliament or it could influence a debate already occurring in the House of Commons.
What Does Freedom Of Petition Mean
As an effect, the right to petition is a means of proving that it is absolutely an inalienable right under the United States government, so to speak. As a means of looking back to the time and era wherein the Civil Rights Movement transpired, the Supreme Court of the United States of America, upholded the rights of numerous groups of concerned
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Which Amendment Gives People The Right To Peacefully Gather Together
Thus, while the Supreme Court recognizes the abstract First Amendment right of people to gather together on streets and in parks for meetings, speeches, parades, protest marches, picketing, and demonstrations, it also grants the police broad discretion to regulate public assemblies in the name of preserving public …
A Brief History Of The First Amendment Right To Petition Government
Kathy Goldschmidt
Imagine rebuilding Congressâ interactions with the American people in ways that:
- Embrace and facilitate First Amendment rights
- Support and enhance Congressâ Article I role in our democracy
- Inform the legislative process without overwhelming Congress with volume
- Prioritize substance over quantity
- Increase the visibility, transparency, and accountability of advocacy and
- Allow for different channels of communication, with clear purpose and instructions for each.
Congress can build such a system. In fact, it had a robust system that accomplished most of these things during its early years. It was the process guaranteed by the First Amendment right to petition government for a redress of grievances, and managing it was originally Congressâ primary activity. The petition laid the foundation for seminal legislation such as the abolition of slavery and the granting of womenâs suffrage. It is also part of the reason Congress has committees and the reason many government entities, including the Patent and Trademark Office, Bureau of Pensions, Board of Patents, and Interstate Commerce Commission exist.
The New Zealand House of Representatives offers a helpful example of what the petition, as it was facilitated in early America, might look like in modern practice. Commonwealth country parliaments still process petitions much the way Congress used to, but the New Zealand House offers the clearest and most user-friendly example online.
Additional Reading
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How Do You Redress A Grievance
Indicating telephone/fax number of the officer whose signature over a communication regarding the decision/reply is to issue to the petitioner. Monitoring of grievances in organisations under Ministries/Departments on a monthly basis. Publicising the grievance redress mechanism through the print and electronic media.
What Are Amended And Supplemental Petitions
A plaintiff who files a petition can follow it up with an amended petition or a supplemental petition.
- An amended petition adds to or revises the particulars described in the original document.
- A supplemental petition adds additional allegations regarding acts that occurred after the original was filed.
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The Four Principles Established In The Petition Of Right
The petition of right of 1628 is perhaps Englands most renowned Constitutional report. It was composed by Parliament as an issue with an excess of power by King Charles I. English residents considered this excess of power to be a significant encroachment on their social liberties.
The petition of right of 1628 contained four central principles:
- No assessments should be imposed without Parliaments assent
- No English subject could be detained without cause accordingly building up the right of habeas corpus.
- No quartering of troopers in residents homes.
- No military regulation might be utilized in peacetime.
All of these focuses listed explicit social liberties that English men felt Charles I had penetrated all through his rule. Even though he had never been that famous as a ruler, his maltreatment of force heightened to an unbearable level after parliament wouldnt back his disagreeable international strategies.
What Does The Right To Petition The Government Mean
The right to petition government for redress of grievances is the right to make a complaint to, or seek the assistance of, ones government, without fear of punishment or reprisals. The Article 44 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union ensures the right of petition to the European Parliament.
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Example Of A Petition
In 2020, the United States Supreme Court heard the case of Seila Law LLC v. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
The case had begun in 2017. The consumer agency had issued a civil investigative demand to Seila Law, a California-based firm that specializes in debt-related legal services. The law firm challenged the consumer agency’s power to conduct investigations on the grounds that its director was unconstitutionally insulated from presidential oversight.
The civil investigative demand sought information and documents related to the firms business practices. Seila Law asked the agency to set aside the demand on the ground that the agencys leadership by a single director removable only for cause violated the constitutional principle of the separation of powers.
When the agency declined, Seila Law refused to comply with the demand. The agency filed a petition to enforce the demand in district court.
The district court granted the petition and ordered Seila Law to comply. Seila Law then appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which affirmed the district court’s decision, citing Supreme Court precedents upholding limits on the President’s power to remove independent agency directors.
Do I Need A Lawyer To File A Petition
The initial document a person must file to begin a legal case is called a complaint or petition. In many states, it is possible for a lay person to fill out the court form herself without hiring an attorney. This is easiest in states that offer assistance and instructions for individuals filing on their own.
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What Is A Petition
A petition is a legal document formally requesting a court order and setting out the petitioners version of the facts at issue.
When a lawsuit is filed, it moves through a series of stages before it is finally resolved. In civil cases, the first stage is the filing of a petition or a complaint by the plaintiff stating the legal basis for the lawsuit. The defendant receives a copy of the document and a notice to appear in court.
Petitions and complaints both are considered pleadings. A pleading is a formal statement outlining one partys version of the matter.
What It Means To Petition The Government
The right of Americans to petition the government is guaranteed under the Constitution’s First Amendment.
The Obama administration, acknowledging the importance of the right, said: “Throughout our nation’s history, petitions have served as a way for Americans to organize around issues that matter to them, and tell their representatives in government where they stand.”
Petitions played important roles, for example, in ending the practice of enslavement and guaranteeing women the right to vote.
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What Does Freedom To Petition The Government Mean
Freedom to Petition the governmentFreedomsfreedomgovernmentmeans
. Subsequently, one may also ask, why is the freedom to petition the government important?
The right to petition grants people not only the freedom to stand up and speak out against injustices they feel are occurring, but also grants the power to help change those injustices.
One may also ask, what is the governments responsibility of the right to petition? The right to petition allows citizens to focus government attention on unresolved ills provide information to elected leaders about unpopular policies expose misconduct, waste, corruption, and incompetence and vent popular frustrations without endangering the public order.
Regarding this, what is an example of petitioning the government?
For example, in the USA, the right to petition is guaranteed by The First Amendment of the US Constitution. People create petitions to address a varying number of matters. Such matters may be: To publicise grievances and appeal to organisations and governments to remedy those grievances.
Which is an example of the right to petition answers?
The following is an example of the right to petition: D. Expressing ones feelings about a controversial issue the local public school is facing. The right to petition is the right citizens have to complain and seek a response from the government about an issue without any negative consequence for the citizens.
The Petition Of The Right
As a precondition to conceding any future duties, in 1628 Parliament constrained the King to consent to the Petition of Right. This requested a settlement of Parliaments grievances against the Kings non-parliamentary tax collection and detainments without preliminary, in addition to the unlawfulness of military regulation and constrained billets.
Nonetheless, the king guaranteed that the petition was signed in such a way that there would be questions about its power as regulation. It was conceded by his effortlessness, instead of right.
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The Bill Of Rights: A Transcription
Note: The following text is a transcription of the enrolled original of the Joint Resolution of Congress proposing the Bill of Rights, which is on permanent display in the Rotunda at the National Archives Museum. The spelling and punctuation reflects the original.
On September 25, 1789, the First Congress of the United States proposed 12 amendments to the Constitution. The 1789 Joint Resolution of Congress proposing the amendments is on display in the Rotunda in the National Archives Museum. Ten of the proposed 12 amendments were ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures on December 15, 1791. The ratified Articles constitute the first 10 amendments of the Constitution, or the U.S. Bill of Rights. In 1992, 203 years after it was proposed, Article 2 was ratified as the 27th Amendment to the Constitution. Article 1 was never ratified.
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How Did The Petition Of Right Influence The American Government
The petition of right 1628 expanded the freedoms of normal people to have a voice in the public authority. The English Bill of Rights 1688 dependable free decisions and privileges for residents blamed for wrongdoing. Even though King George III had some genuine power in 1776, Britain was well along on the way to a majority rule system at that point.
The underpinnings of American government lie soundly in the seventeenth and the eighteenth-century European Enlightenment. The American organizers were knowledgeable in the compositions of the philosophes, whose thoughts affected the forming of the new country. Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, James Madison, and others made fearless strides in making an administration because of the enlightenment upsides of freedom, equity, and another type of equity. Over 200 years after the fact, that administration is as yet unblemished.
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How Many Signatures Does It Take For A Petition To Work
We the People made creating a petition simple anybody could create an account, create a petition online, share it, and collect signatures. Once any petition gathered 100,000 signatures, the We the People team would ensure it was reviewed by appropriate Administration officials and issue an official response.
Discharge Petition Law And Legal Definition
Discharge Petition Law and Legal Definition. A discharge petition is a petition signed by the members of the House of Representatives to bring a bill from committee to the floor for consideration. A discharge petition requires the signature of an absolute majority of the members which is signature of 218 members.
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