Unit-4--The-Political-System-in-the-United

Unit4ThePoliticalSystemintheUnitedStates-----HelenChanArticlesofConfederationWhatisthesocialbackgroundforthe“ArticlesofConfederation”?Whatis“ArticlesofConfederation”?WhydidtheArticlesofConfederationfail?ConstitutionWhatis“federalsystem”setupbytheConstitution?MostAmericanssharedtwomainfearsabouttheConstitution.Whatarethey?WhatactionsdiddelegatestaketorelievetheAmericans?THECONSTITUTIONWethePeopleoftheUnitedStates,inOrdertoformamoreperfectUnion,establishJustice,ensuredomesticTranquility,provideforthecommondefence,promotethegeneralWelfare,andsecuretheBlessingsofLibertytoourselvesandourPosterity,doordainandestablishthisConstitutionfortheUnitedStatesofAmerica.—PreambletotheConstitutionTHECONSTITUTIONTheConstitutionoftheUnitedStatesofAmericaisthesupremelawoftheUnitedStates.Empoweredwiththesovereignauthorityofthepeoplebytheframersandtheconsentofthelegislaturesofthestates,itisthesourceofallgovernmentpowers,andalsoprovidesimportantlimitationsonthegovernmentthatprotectthefundamentalrightsofUnitedStatescitizens.StructureoftheGovernmentCentralgovernmentLegislativeBranchExecutiveBranchJudicialBranchLegislativeBranchThelegislativebranchistheonlybranchthatcanmakefederallaws.ItconsistsofaCongressthatisdividedintotwohouses:TheHouseofRepresentativesandtheSenateThemaindutyoftheCongressistomakelaws.THELEGISLATIVEBRANCHEstablishedbyArticleIoftheConstitution,theLegislativeBranchconsistsoftheHouseofRepresentativesandtheSenate,whichtogetherformtheUnitedStatesCongress.TheConstitutiongrantsCongressthesoleauthoritytoenactlegislationanddeclarewar,therighttoconfirmorrejectmanyPresidentialappointments,andsubstantialinvestigativepowers.TheHouseofRepresentativesTheHouseofRepresentativesismadeupof435electedmembers,dividedamongthe50statesinproportiontotheirtotalpopulation.Inaddition,thereare6non-votingmembers,representingtheDistrictofColumbia,theCommonwealthofPuertoRico,andfiveterritoriesoftheUnitedStates.ThepresidingofficerofthechamberistheSpeakeroftheHouse,electedbytheRepresentatives.HeorsheisthirdinthelineofsuccessiontothePresidency.TheHouseofRepresentativesMembersoftheHouseareelectedeverytwoyearsandmustbe25yearsofage,aU.S.citizenforatleastsevenyears,andaresidentofthestate(butnotnecessarilythedistrict)theyrepresent.TheHousehasseveralpowersassignedexclusivelytoit,includingthepowertoinitiaterevenuebills,impeachfederalofficials,andelectthePresidentinthecaseofanelectoralcollegetie.TheSenateTheSenateiscomposedof100Senators,2foreachstate.Untiltheratificationofthe17thAmendmentin1913,Senatorswerechosenbystatelegislatures,notbypopularvote.Sincethen,theyhavebeenelectedtosix-yeartermsbythepeopleofeachstate.Senator'stermsarestaggeredsothataboutone-thirdoftheSenateisupforreelectioneverytwoyears.Senatorsmustbe30yearsofage,U.S.citizensforatleastnineyears,andresidentsofthestatetheyrepresent.TheSenateTheSenatehasthesolepowertoconfirmthoseofthePresident'sappointmentsthatrequireconsent,andtoratifytreaties.Thereare,however,twoexceptionstothisrule:theHousemustalsoapproveappointmentstotheVicePresidencyandanytreatythatinvolvesforeigntrade.TheSenatealsotriesimpeachmentcasesforfederalofficialsreferredtoitbytheHouse.THELEGISLATIVEBRANCHInordertopasslegislationandsendittothePresidentforhissignature,boththeHouseandtheSenatemustpassthesamebillbymajorityvote.IfthePresidentvetoesabill,theymayoverridehisvetobypassingthebillagainineachchamberwithatleasttwo-thirdsofeachbodyvotinginfavor.ExecutiveBranchThechiefexecutiveisthepresident.Apresidentcanbeelectedtoonlytwoterms.Whatarethepowersofthepresident?1.ProposelegislationtoCongress.2.Havetheauthoritytoappointfederaljudges.3.Issueregulationsanddirectives.4.Commanderinchiefofthearmedforces.5.Appointtheheadsandseniorofficials.6.Beresponsibleforforeignrelationswithothernations.THEEXECUTIVEBRANCHThepoweroftheExecutiveBranchisvestedinthePresidentoftheUnitedStates,whoalsoactsasheadofstateandCommander-in-Chiefofthearmedforces.ThePresidentisresponsibleforimplementingandenforcingthelawswrittenbyCongressand,tothatend,appointstheheadsofthefederalagencies,includingtheCabinet.TheVicePresidentisalsopartoftheExecutiveBranch,readytoassumethePresidencyshouldtheneedarise.THEEXECUTIVEBRANCHTheCabinetandindependentfederalagenciesareresponsiblefortheday-to-dayenforcementandadministrationoffederallaws.ThesedepartmentsandagencieshavemissionsandresponsibilitiesaswidelydivergentasthoseoftheDepartmentofDefenseandtheEnvironmentalProtectionAgency,theSocialSecurityAdministrationandtheSecuritiesandExchangeCommission.TheCabinetTheCabinetisanadvisorybodymadeupoftheheadsofthe15executivedepartments.AppointedbythePresidentandconfirmedbytheSenate,themembersoftheCabinetareoftenthePresident'sclosestconfidants.AllthemembersoftheCabinettakethetitleSecretary,exceptingtheheadoftheJusticeDepartment,whoisstyledAttorneyGeneral.JudicialBranchThejudicialbranchisheadedbytheSupremeCourt.Federaljudgesareappointedforlifeorvoluntaryretirement.ThesupremeCourttodayconsistsofachiefjusticeandeightassociatejustices.PoliticalPartiesDemocraticPartyRepubl