Understanding the inner workings of government
Legislative
This branch, known as congress, has the power to
make laws There are two houses that comprise congress
▪ Senate-each state is represented by two members ▪ House of Representatives-each state is represented proportionally by population
Executive
This branch is headed by the President. He has no
power to make laws or interpret them, however he is responsible to preserve, protect and defend the laws.
Judicial
This branch is responsible for administering
justice interpreting the law. Upholds the constitution and all statutes and regulations pursuant to it.
President Vice President Speaker of the House Secretary of State
The President is the head of the executive branch and plays a large role in making America’s laws. His job is to approve the laws that Congress creates. When the Senate and the House approve a bill, they send it to the President. If he agrees with the law, he signs it and the law goes into effect. If the President does not like a bill, he can refuse to sign it. When he does this, it is called a veto. If the President vetoes a bill, it will most likely never become a law. Congress can override a veto, but to do so two-thirds of the Members of Congress must vote against the President. Despite all of his power, the President cannot write bills. He can propose a bill, but a member of Congress must submit it for him. In addition to playing a key role in the lawmaking process, the President has several duties. He serves as the American Head of State, meaning that he meets with the leaders of other countries and can make treaties with them. However, the Senate must approve any treaty before it becomes official. The President is also the Chief of the Government. That means that he is technically the boss of every government worker. Also, the President is the official head of the U.S. military. He can authorize the use of troops overseas without declaring war. To officially declare war, though, he must get the approval of the Congress. The President and the Vice-President are the only officials chosen by the entire country. Not just anyone can be President, though. In order to be elected, one must be at least 35 years old. Also, each candidate must be a natural-born U.S. citizen and have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years. When elected, the President serves a term of four years. The most one President can serve is two terms, for a total of eight years
In politics, a vice president is a. politician whose primary job is to replace the president on the event of his or her death or resignation. Vice presidents are either elected jointly with the president as his or her running mate, elected separately, or appointed independently after the president's election. Governments with vice presidents generally have only one person in this role at any time. If the president is not present, dies, resigns, or is otherwise unable to fulfill his or her duties, the vice president will generally serve as president. In many presidential systems, the vice president does not wield much day-to-day political power, but is still considered an important member of the cabinet As President of the Senate, the Vice President has two primary duties: to cast a vote in the event of a Senate deadlock and to preside over and certify the official vote count of the U.S. Electoral College.
The Speaker in the United States is, by tradition, the head of the majority party in the House of Representatives, outranking the Majority Leader. However, the Speaker usually does not participate in debate (though he or she has the right to do so) and rarely votes on the floor. The Speaker is responsible for ensuring that the House passes legislation supported by the majority party. In pursuing this goal, the Speaker may utilize his or her power to determine when each bill reaches the floor. He or she also chairs the majority party's House steering committee. While the Speaker is the functioning head of the House majority party, the same is not true of the President pro tempore of the Senate, whose office is primarily ceremonial and honorary. When the Speaker and the President belong to the same party, the Speaker normally plays a less prominent role as the leader of the majority party.
In the United States federal government, Secretary of State has the unique meaning of the official responsible for foreign policy. In most other countries, this official is called the foreign secretary or foreign minister. The U.S. Secretary of State is head of the United States Department of State. In the presidential line of succession the Secretary of State is the highest-ranking member of the Cabinet, and fourth overall. The Secretary of State is also the first cabinet member in the order of precedence, and there is a space between the Secretary of State and other cabinet members where the order allows room for former presidents and first ladies, and widows of U.S. presidents. The position is widely regarded as the senior most of the cabinet. Performs such duties as the President is required, in accordance with the United States Constitution, relating to correspondence, commission, or instructions to U.S. or consuls abroad, and to conduct negotiations with foreign representatives. The Secretary has also served as principal adviser to the President in the determination of U.S. foreign policy and in recent decades has become responsible for overall direction, coordination, and supervision of interdepartmental activities of the U.S. Government overseas, excepting certain military activities.
Three branches
Executive-headed by the state Governor who
oversees city Mayors Legislative-run by the state Senators Judicial-headed by the state supreme court which hears appeals from the lower state courts
Supreme
Laws as outlined by the Constitution
State
Laws passed by state governor and state
legislator
Local
City laws that are upheld by local law
enforcement
Democrat
Oldest party in the world, Congress majority
Republican
Nicknamed the Grand Old Party (GOP)
Libertarian
Largest third party, founded in 1971
Constitution Green
Generally favors liberal positions and a large government role Historically, the party has favored farmers, laborers, labor unions, and religious and ethnic minorities; it has opposed unregulated business and finance, and favored progressive income taxes Advocates more social freedoms, affirmative action, balanced budget, and a free enterprise system tempered by government intervention (mixed economy). Also favors: affordable and quality healthcare with governments help, environment protection, low cost college tuition, equal opportunity employment, women's right, stem cell research, dependence on other countries in time of war, right to privacy and gun control.
The Republican Party is the more socially conservative and economically libertarian of the two major parties. The party generally supports lower taxes and limited government in most economic areas allowing for more economic freedom. Opposed to abortion, doubt affirmative action (getting minorities represented in higher education) and does not approve stem cell research. In favor of: capital punishment, gun ownership rights, prayer in schools as well as creationism, allowing government to act in time of war without support from other countries. Much more “moral” minded, based on evangelical and fundamentalist teachings.
Adoption of laissez-faire principles which would reduce the state's role in the economy. Protection of property rights. Minimal government bureaucracy, the government's responsibilities should be limited to the protection of individual rights from the initiation of force and fraud. Strong civil liberties positions, including privacy protection, freedom of speech, freedom of association, and sexual freedom. No government interference in reproductive rights, including access to abortion. (Right-libertarians and Libertarians for Life usually do not support abortion, but they believe that the federal government has no say in regulating the procedure). Support for the unrestricted right to the means of self-defense (such as gun rights, the right to carry mace or pepper spray, etc). Abolition of laws against what are called victimless crimes: (prostitution, driving without a seatbelt, use of controlled substances, fraternization, etc.). Opposition to regulations on how businesses should run themselves (e.g., smoking) A foreign policy of free trade and non-interventionism. Support for a fiscally responsible government including a hard currency (commodity-based money supply as opposed to fiat currency). Abolition of all forms of taxpayer-funded assistance (welfare, food stamps, public housing, etc.)
Advocates a Bible-based platform which it claims to reflect original intent of the U.S. Constitution and the principles of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. Supports reducing the role of the United States federal government through cutting bureaucratic regulation, reducing spending, and replacing the income tax with a tariffbased revenue system supplemented by excise taxes. Encourage the idea that the United States terminate its participation in international lending institutions, such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and the ExportImport Bank. It also urges the government to immediately terminate all subsidies, tax preferences, and investment guarantees that encourage U.S. businesses to invest in foreign property; and to seek to collect all foreign debts owed to it. The party is pro-life and thus opposes euthanasia and abortion. The party supports a States' right to administer the death penalty to those convicted of "capital crimes" which, it should be noted, are not necessarily limited to murder but usually equate to such in modern American society. The party also opposes government recognition of same-sex unions, and believes state and local governments have the right to criminalize "offensive sexual behavior". The party further opposes pornography, believing the government needs to take a stand against it. Viewing gambling as destructive and contributing to crime, the party opposes legalized gambling as well as government's support of gambling organizations. However, the party opposes federal anti-drug laws
Emphasize environmentalism, nonhierarchical participatory democracy, social justice, respect for diversity, peace and nonviolence.
Caucus
a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or
movement.
Electoral College
the 538 President Electors who meet every 4 years to cast
the electoral votes for President and Vice President of the United States.
Swing State
those states that are not firmly rooted in either the
Republican or Democratic party
One meaning is a meeting of members of a political party or subgroup to coordinate members' actions, choose group policy, or nominate candidates for various offices. The term is frequently used to discuss the caucuses used by some states to select presidential nominees Another meaning is for a subgrouping of elected officials that meet on the basis of shared affinities or ethnicities, usually to affect policy. At the highest level, in Congress and many state legislatures, Democratic and Republican members organize themselves into a caucus (occasionally called a "conference"). Of the many Congressional caucuses, one of the best-known is the Congressional Black Caucus, a group of African-American members of Congress. Another prominent example is the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, whose members voice and advance issues affecting Hispanics in the United States, including Puerto Rico. In a different vein, the Congressional Internet Caucus is a bipartisan group of Members who wish to promote the growth and advancement of the Internet. Other congressional caucuses such as the Out of Iraq Caucus, are openly organized tendencies or political factions (within the House Democratic Caucus, in this case), and strive to achieve political goals.
Each state is allocated as many electors as it has Representatives and Senators in the United States Congress. Since the most populous states have the most seats in congress, they also have the most electors. Electors are chosen by the state and local representatives, which have been elected by the people living within the state. Although ballots list the names of the presidential candidates, voters within the 50 states and the District of Columbia are actually choosing Electors from their state when they vote for President and Vice President. These Presidential Electors in turn cast the official (electoral) votes for those two offices. Although the nationwide popular vote is calculated by official and media organizations, it does not determine the winner of the election. A candidate must receive a majority of votes from the electoral college (currently 270) to win the Presidency. If in either election for President or Vice-President no one receives a majority, the election is determined by Congress. Potential elector candidates are nominated by their state political parties in the summer before the Election Day. The U.S. Constitution allows each state to choose its own means for the nomination of electors. The system is designed to require presidential candidates to appeal to many different types of interests, rather than those of a specific region or state.
A swing state (also, battleground state) in United States presidential politics is a state in which no candidate has overwhelming support, meaning that any of the major candidates have a reasonable chance of winning the state's electoral college votes. Such states are targets of both major political parties in presidential elections, since winning these states is the best opportunity for a party to gain votes. Non-swing states are sometimes called safe states, because one candidate has strong enough support that they can safely assume they will win the state's votes.
Every four years, Americans elect a President and Vice President, thereby choosing both national leaders and a course of public policy. There are 4 stages:
The pre-nomination-In these elections, state party members get to vote for
the candidate that will represent their party in the upcoming general election. The national conventions -At the end of the primaries and caucuses, each party holds a national convention to finalize the selection of one Presidential nominee. During this time, each Presidential candidate chooses a runningmate (or Vice-Presidential candidate). The general election campaign-Candidates campaign throughout the country in an attempt to win the support of voters. The electoral college phase-in which the President and Vice President are officially elected by state electors