American-political-system

PartIAmericanPoliticalCulturePoliticalculture:Thecharacteristicanddeepseatedbeliefsofaparticularpeopleaboutgovernmentandpolitics.Examples:ManypeopleintheIslamicworldbelieveIsraelisacolonialpowerthatishighlyunjust.ThisbeliefmayimpactthedomesticandforeignpoliciesofIslamiccountries.ManyAmericansbelieveintheimportanceofindividualeffortsforpersonalsuccessandthereforeareopposedtogenerouswelfarebenefits.I.America’sCoreValues–TheAmericanCreedDeclarationofIndependence-“Life,LibertyandthePursuitofHappiness”LibertythroughgovernmentalinterventionEqualityasanidealandanhistoricalstruggleSelf-Government–“Ofthepeople,bythepeople,andforthepeople”–peoplearethesourceoflegitimateauthorityIndividualism–Commitmenttopersonalinitiative,self-sufficiency,andmaterialaccumulation–propertyrights,consumerism,anddistrustofgovernmentUnity–FromArticlesofConfederationthroughthesupremacyoftheFederalgovernmentDiversity–“oneoutofmany”–statesrights–multiculturalsocietyII.TheRulesofAmericanPoliticsDemocracy–contrasttooligarchyandautocracy–democracyislessdirectintheUnitedStates–extremefragmentationofgoverningauthorityisadefiningcharacteristicoftheAmericanpoliticalsystemConstitutionalism–ruleoflawandextraordinaryattentiononindividualrightsCapitalism–contrasttosocialismandcommunism–sharpdistinctionbetweenwhatispoliticalandwhatiseconomicIII.IDEOLOGYTheSocialContractThomasHobbes–TheLeviathan(1651)–PeoplesurrenderfreedomtohaveprotectionfromasovereignpowerJohnLocke–SecondTreatiseonCivilGovernment(1690)–Peoplehaveinalienablerights–includinglife,liberty,andpropertyJeanJacquesRousseau–SocialContract(1762)–Governmentislegitimateifitservesthe“GeneralWill”PartIIAmericanpoliticalsystemA.HistoryoftheConstitution:Fromaconfederationtoafederation1777ArticlesofConfederationFeature:eachstate---verymuchlikeanindependentnationHavingtheirownLawsHandlingtheirinternalaffairsImposingtheirowntaxesThefederalgovernment---weakOnlyhandleproblemsandneedsbeyondthestates’capacityInternationalaffairsanddefenseThearticlesofconfederationfailed.Why?1787theConstitutionConvention---callingforastronggovernment---1789Setupafederalsystemwithastrongcentralgovernment---inwhichpowerissharedbybetweenacentralauthorityanditsconstituentparts,withrightsreservedtoeach.CalledfortheelectionofanationalleaderFederallawsbemadeonlybyacongress(elected)NationalcourtsystemheadedbyaSupremeCourtDealingwithtwofears1thefearoftyranny(onepersonorgroup,evenmajority)Inresponse---threebranchesofgovernment---theexecutive,thelegislativeandthejudicial:eachhaspowersthattheothersdonothaveandeachhasawayofcounteractingandlimitinganywrongfulactionbyanotherbranch.2thefearofacentralgovernmentthatistoopowerful(weakenthestate’spower)Itspecifiedthepowerofthecentralgovernmentandthatofthestate.Features1.UnlikeBritainbutlikemostnationstates,theAmericanpoliticalsystemisclearlydefinedbybasicdocuments(written).2TheUSConstitutionhasprovedtobearemarkablystabledocument.3AttheheartoftheUSConstitutionistheprincipleknownas'separationofpowers‘.4.themembersofthosebranchesaredeliberatelygrantedbytheConstitutiondifferenttermsofofficewhichisafurtherbrakeonrapidpoliticalchange.Weakness:Thegreatweaknessofthesystemisthatitmakesgovernmentslow,complicatedandlegalisticTheStructureoftheGovernmentoftheUnitedStatesLegislativeBranch(makesthelaws)ExecutiveBranch(carriesoutthelaws)JudicialBranch(enforcesandinterpretsthelaws)TheCongress•HouseofRepresentatives(Directlyelected2-yearterms)•Senate(Directlyelected6-yearterms)ThePresident•(Directlyvotedfor4-yearterm)•Cabinet(appointedbypresidentandconfirmedbySenate)TheSupremeCourt•(membersappointedforlife)A.LegislativeBranchFunction:madeupofelectedrepresentativesfromallofthestatesandistheonlybranchthatcanmakefederallaws,levyfederaltaxes,declarewarorputforeigntreatiesintoeffect.TheCongressTheHouseofRepresentatives2yTheSenate6yHouseofrepresentativesLowerchamber,lessEachmemberrepresentsadistrictinhisorherownhomestate.Thenumberofdistrictsisdeterminedbyacountofthepopulation.Biggerstateshavemorerepresentativesthansmallstates.1980s,435representativesMuchoftheworkoftheHouseisdonethrough19standingcommitteeswhichperformbothlegislativeandinvestigatoryfunctions.TheSenatetheupperchamberTheoriginalintentionoftheauthorsoftheUSConstitutionwasthattheSenateshouldbearegulatorygroup,lesspoliticallydominantthantheHouse.However,sincethemid19thcentury,theSenatehasbeenthedominantchamberandindeedtodayitisperhapsthemostpowerfulupperhouseofanylegislativebodyintheworld.EachstatehastwoSenators,regardlessofpopulation,and,sincethereare50states,thenthereare100senators.(equalrepresentationforsmallerstates)MuchoftheworkoftheSenateisdonethrough16standingcommitteeswhichperformbothlegislativeandinvestigatoryfunctions.TheSenatemustgive'adviceandconsent'tomanyimportantPresidentialappointments.However,theconsentofbothchambersisrequiredtomakeanylaw.BExecutiveBranchTThePresidentiselectedforafixedtermoffouryearsandmayserveamaximumoftwoterms.hePresident---theheadofstateandtheheadofgovernment,themilita