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Book a cruise line~~that sails to -Alaska-

have been viewed as tyrannical and would not have been allowed in the constitution. The legislative powers of both the United States and Russia were given to a congress of elected officials. In the United States this isfurther divided into two houses of moreor less equal power. In Russia, the All-Russia Congress of Soviets met only twice a year except in emergencies.During the rest of the year a smaller group called the All-Russia Executive Committee took on the responsibilities of the All-Russia Congress of Soviets. This group was chosen from the congress and remained accountable to it for all its actions. For decisions of major political importance they were required to check with the Congress before taking action. Unlike the United States congress however, both of the Russian bodies also had some degree of executive power, though most executive power was relegated to the Council of People's Commissars. This council was created to exercise "general management of the affairs of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic." This branch is given slightly more power than its American equivalent. In order to fulfill its responsibilities, the council is given the hidom to take "what measures are necessary to ensure the proper course of life of the State."This may seem like limitless power,but they were also required to immediately notify the All-Russia Central Executive Committee of any orders or decisions it made. The Council of People's Commissars was divided into 18 Commissariats: Foreign Affairs, Military Affairs, Maritime Affairs, Interior, Justice, Labor, Social Security, Public Education, Post and Telegraph, Nationalities Affairs, Finance, Transport, Agriculture, Trade and Industry, Food Supply, State Control, the Supreme Economic Council, and Public Health. Each division consisted of the Commissar and a small number of advisors. The All-Russia Executive Committee appointed the Commissars who then appoint advisors to their board. The appointments then had to be approved by the Executive Committee. In this way a system of checks and balances somewhat similar to the American system was put into effect. As spiritual leaders in the community we Catholic Bishops of Texas are acutely aware of the violence in our state. Despite a growing reliance on longer sentences, more prisons, and more executions, our state's crime rate has escalated. Since the reinstatement of the death penalty in the United States in 1976, the Catholic Bishops of the United States have repeatedly condemned its use as a violation of the sanctity of human life. Capital punishment, along with abortion and euthanasia, is inconsistent with the belief of millions of Texans that all life is sacred. It is important that we address this issue at this time. Since 1975 Texas has executed more than 100 men, some of whom were mentally retarded or mentally ill. We currently have more than 400 men and women on death row. We sympathize with the profound pain of the victims of brutal crimes, nevertheless, we believe that the comphisionate example of christ callsus to respect the God-given imagefound even in hardened criminals. We must now take bolder steps to change the attitude of the American people regarding capital punishment as a means of dealing with a complex issue. It is unfortunate that a large majority of Americans, including Catholics, support capital punishment as a means of dealing with crime, even in light of strong evidence of its ineffectiveness, its racially-biased application and its staggering his, both materially and emotionally. .