American-Political-Institution1

AmericanPoliticalInstitutionCONTENTSUSConstitution1FederalSystem&Government2PoliticalParties3Election41.USConstitutionConstitution—basiclaw,drawnupin1787,cameintoeffectin1789.Twocharacters:separationofpowers,checksandbalances;specifiedexactlywhatpowerthecentralgovernmenthadandwhatpowerwasreservedforthestates.1.USConstitutionSignificanceoftheConstitutionTakingprecedenceoverallstateconstitutionsandlaws,andoverlawsmadebythecongress;Firstofitskindintheworld,ithasinspireddozensofothercountriestoseekpoliticalreform.2.FederalSystem&GovernmentTheFederalGovernmentTheExecutiveBranchTheLegislativeBranchTheJudicialBranch2.12.22.32.42.1TheFederalGovernmentTheFederalGovernment—thecentralgovernment.Threeequalandseparatebranches：TheExecutivebranchTheLegislativebranchTheJudicialbranchTheyarecheckedandbalancedbyoneanother.2.1TheFederalGovernmentGovernmentJudicialBranchExecutiveBranchLegislativeBranch2.2TheexecutivebranchDepartments&WhiteHouseFunctionsofThePresidentQualificationsofThePresidentPresidentandScandal2.2.12.2.22.2.32.2.42.2.1Departments&WhiteHouseTheexecutivebranchconsistsof14departmentsandmanyindependentagencies；Cabinetisformedbydepartmentheads—secretaries；sourceofadviceandassistancetothepresidentPresidentischiefoftheexecutive.firstcitizenhiswife—FirstLady(CIA),etc.TheWhiteHouseatChristmasnight2.2.2FunctionsofThePresidentAsChiefExecutive,heisgiventheauthorityorduty:tocommandthearmedforcesandgrantpardons;tomakeappointmentstocertainoffices;toconcludetreaties;tosendandreceivediplomaticandconsularofficials;torecommendlegislation,approveorvetobillspassedbyCongress,andensuretheexecutionoflaws.2.2.2FunctionsofThePresidentThepresident’slimits:majorappointmentswithapprovaloftheSenate;vetooverriddenbyCongresswithtwo-thirdsconsentoftheSenators;allappropriationslegislatedbyCongress;canbeimpeachedbyCongressifabusingpowerorcommittingcrimes;nopowertodismissCongress;hispolicycanbevetoedandabolishedbyTheSupremeCourt.2.2.3QualificationsofThePresidentNatural-bornAmericancitizenofandover35years-old;BeingresidentwithintheUSforatleast14years;Serveoneortwosuccessivetermsoffouryears.FranklinD.Roosevelt—theonlypresidentwhoservedmorethantwosuccessiveterms.AfterWorldWarII,Congressadoptedanamendmentlimitingapresidenttotwosuccessivetermsonly.2.2.4PresidentandScandalWatergateScandalTheWatergatescandaloccurredin1972.Itremainsoneofthetoppresidentialscandalsofmoderntime.2.2.4PresidentandScandalTodefeathisadversary,NixonhiredfiveburglarstosetupwiretapstogetconfidentialinformationintheDemocraticNationalCommitteeoffices;ItwasexposedandbecamethebiggestpoliticalscandalinthehistoryofAmerica;Becauseofthepressureofpublic,Nixonwasimpeachedandresignedin1974.2.3TheLegislativeBranchTheSenateTheHouseofRepresentativesTheFunctionofCongressCongress2.3.12.3.22.3.32.3.42.3.1CongressLaw-makingandthesupremelegislativebody；Twohouses:•theSenate•theHouseofRepresentativesTheCapitolisnolongeropenedtothepublicaftertheterroreventonSept.11th,2001.Capitol2.3.2TheSenate100votingmembers,twofromeachstate;Theymaybereelectedforanunlimitednumberofsix-yearterms,chosenbyadirectelection;Qualificationsforbeingasenator:over30yearsold;aUScitizenforatleast9years;residentinthestatefromwhichheiselected.2.3.3TheHouseofRepresentatives435votingmembersplusanon-votingrepresentativefromPuertoRico,GuamandtheDistrictofColumbia;Statelegislaturedivideseachstateintocongressionaldistricts,eachdistrictelectingoneRepresentative;Qualificationsforbeingarepresentative:atleast25yearsold;aUScitizenfornolessthan7years;serveforatermoftwoyears.2.3.4TheFunctionofCongressFunctionofCongress—passinglawsfortheUnion;EitherhousemayintroducelegislationonanysubjectexcepttherevenuebillswhichmustoriginateintheHouseofRepresentatives.TheconstitutionisgenerousinitsgrantofpowerstoCongress;Amongthesepowersare：thepowerto“spendandtaxinordertoprovideforthecommondefenseandgeneralwelfareoftheUnitedStates”;thepowertoborrowmoney;thepowertoregulatecommercewithforeignnationsandamongstates;2.3.4TheFunctionofCongressthepowertodeclarewar,raiseandsupportarmies,andprovideandmaintainanavy;thepowertoestablishpostofficesandpostroads;thepowertosetupthefederalcourtsundertheSupremeCourt;thepower“tomakealllawswhichshallbenecessaryandproperforcarryingintoexecution”.2.3.4TheFunctionofCongress2.4TheJudicialBranchThejudicialbranchconsistsofaseriesofcourts:theSupremeCourtthecourtsofappeals—12thedistrictcourts—94TheSupremeCourt—highestcourt;OneChiefJusticeandeightAssociateJustices;decisionsaremadebythemajority.appointedbythePresidentwiththeSenate’sapproval;onlyremovedfromofficebyCongressthroughdifficultimpeachment.JurySystemInmostcriminaljusticesystemsandsomecivilcases,panelsareinitiallyselectedatrandomfromtheadultpopulationofthedistrict.Apersonwhoisserv