Chapter 3US politics.docx
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Chapter3USpolitics
ChapterthreeU.S.politics
Outline
I.USconstitution
II.USgovernments
NationalflagoftheUSA
NationalAnthem
NationalEmblem
GreatSeal
Federal(national),stateandlocalgovernments
III.Executivebranch
President
IV.Legislativebranch
TheCongress
V.Judicialbranch
Courts
VI.Parties
VII.Interestgroups
VIII.PresidentialelectionintheUSA
IX.NoteworthyChineseAmericanpoliticians
X.Quiz
I.USconstitution
TheBasics
Basically,theConstitutionisthehighestlawintheUnitedStates.AllotherlawscomefromtheConstitutioninsomeway.TheConstitutionalsoprovidesaframeworkforthegovernmentoftheUnitedStates.ItcreatesthingslikethePresidency,theCongress,andtheSupremeCourt.Eachstatehasitsownconstitutionthatisthehighestlawforthestate-buteventhen,theUnitedStatesConstitutionishigher.
Overtime,somethingshavebeenaddedtotheConstitution.Called"amendments,"theseadd-onslistsomeoftherightsofthepeople.Bylistingtheserights,theyaremadespecial,anditisillegalforthegovernmenttoviolatethoserights.Asof2006,thereare27amendmentstotheConstitution.Notalloftheminvolverights,butmanydo.Thefirsttenamendments,inparticular,havethespecialnameoftheBillofRights.
Historyinbrief
TheConstitutionisadocumentwrittenbyagroupofmen,knownastheFramers,in1787.ThemastercopiesarestoredattheNationalArchives(www.archives.gov)inWashingtonD.C.
Amendments
AnamendmenttotheConstitutionisachangethatcanaddtotheConstitutionorchangeanolderpartofit.Anamendmentcanevenoverturnapreviousamendment,asthe21stdidtothe18th.ThereareafewmethodstoamendtheConstitution,butthemostcommonistopassanamendmentthroughtheCongress,onatwo-thirdsvote.Afterthat,theamendmentgoestothestates,andifthree-quartersofthestatespasstheamendment,itisconsideredapartoftheConstitution—ithasbeenratified.
Slavery
(OneverypositivethingemergedfromtheCivilWar,though:
theendofslavery.)Inthe13thAmendment(1865),slaverywasforeverabolishedintheConstitution.The14thAmendment(1868)saidthateverypersonbornintheUnitedStateswasafullcitizenoftheUnitedStates,evenifthatpersonwasaformerslave.The15thAmendment(1870)madesurethatblackpeoplecouldvote.Manypeoplefeltthatevenifblackpeoplewerenotslaves,theywerestillinferiortowhitepeople,andfor100years,somelawswerepassedtokeepblackpeoplefrombeingequaltowhites.(TheelectionofPresidentBarackObama,in2008,wasonefurthersteponthewaytoourfulfillmentofthedreamofequality.)
Women
(FormostofthehistoryoftheUnitedStates,themostimportantpeoplewhohaveshapedthecountryhavebeenmen.ThisisnotbecausewomenwerenotwillingorabletobeapartoftheUnitedStates.Instead,becausemenheldallthepositionsofpower,fromPresidentstomembersofCongress,rightdowntomayorsandownersofcompanies.Womenhadverylittlechancetoadvanceinlife.Forover100yearsaftertheConstitutionwasratified,womenhadnowaytovote.Insomeplaces,itwasactuallyillegalforwomentovote.)In1920,the19thAmendment,whichsaidthatwomencouldvoteinallelections,wasratified.(Today,womenplayaverylargeroleingovernmentandpolitics.)
TheBillofRights
WealreadytalkedaboutwhytheBillofRightswaspassed:
somepeoplewereafraidthatthegovernment,orthepolice,wouldbeabletokeeppeoplefromdoingsomeveryimportantthingssimplybypassinglawsagainstthosethings.
Thefirstofthe10amendmentsguaranteesfreedomofspeech,press,andreligion;therighttoprotest,assemblepeacefully,anddemandchanges.Thefourthprotectsagainstunreasonablesearchesandarrest.Thefifthprovidesfordueprocessoflawinallcriminalcases.Thesixthguaranteestherighttoafairandspeedytrial.Andtheeighthprotectsagainstcruelandunusualpunishment.
TheConstitutionsetsupthreemainbranchesofgovernment.ThesearecalledtheLegislative,theExecutive,andtheJudiciary.
II.USgovernments
NationalflagoftheUSA,NationalAnthem,GreatSeal,NationalEmblem(thebaldeagle)
TherearefourlevelsofgovernmentintheUSA,namingfederalgovernment,stategovernment,localgovernment,andtribalgovernment.
ThethreebranchesofU.S.government—legislative,judicial,andexecutive—carryoutgovernmentalpowerandfunctions.(withafigure)
Figure:
ThegovernmentoftheUSA
III.Executivebranch
Theexecutivebranchofthegovernmentisresponsibleforenforcingthelawsoftheland.Thepresident,vicepresident,departmentheads(cabinetmembers),andheadsofindependentagenciescarryoutthismission.
WhenthedelegatestotheConstitutionalConventioncreatedtheexecutivebranchofgovernment,theygavethepresidentalimitedtermofofficetoleadthegovernment.ThiswasverydifferentfromanyformofgovernmentinEuropeandcausedmuchdebate.Thedelegateswereafraidofwhattoomuchpowerinthehandsofonepersonmightleadto.Intheend,withasystemofchecksandbalancesincludedintheConstitution,asinglepresidenttomanagetheexecutivebranchofgovernmentwasadopted.(ChecksandBalances:
Asystemoflimitsimposedonallbranchesofagovernmentbyvestingineachbranchtherighttoamendorvoidthoseactsofanotherthatfallwithinitspurview(权力的范围).)
WhenGeorgeWashingtonwaspresident,peoplerecognizedthatonepersoncouldnotcarryoutthedutiesofthePresidentwithoutadviceandassistance.TheVicePresident,departmentheads(Cabinetmembers),andheadsofindependentagenciesassistinthiscapacity.UnlikethepowersofthePresident,theirresponsibilitiesarenotdefinedintheConstitutionbuteachhasspecialpowersandfunctions.
∙President:
LeaderofthecountryandCommanderinChiefofthemilitary.
∙VicePresident:
PresidentoftheSenateandbecomesPresidentifthePresidentisunabletoserve.
∙Departments:
DepartmentheadsadvisethePresidentonpolicyissuesandhelpexecutethosepolicies.
∙IndependentAgencies:
Helpexecutepolicyorprovidespecialservices.
ThePresidentoftheUnitedStates:
RequirementsandTerm
ThePresidentandtheVice-Presidentaretheonlyofficialselectedbytheentirecountry.However,therearerequirementsforholdingeitherofthesepositions.Inordertobeelected,onemustbeatleast35yearsold.Also,eachcandidatemustbeanatural-bornU.S.citizenandhavelivedintheU.S.foratleast14years.
Whenelected,thePresidentservesatermoffouryears.Atmost,aPresidentmayservetwoterms.
(NOTE:
Before1951,thePresidentcouldserveasmanytermsashewanted.However,everyPresidenthadfollowedGeorgeWashington’sexampleofsteppingdownaftertwoterms.FranklinD.Rooseveltbrokewithtradition.Rooseveltsuccessfullyranforofficefourtimes.Earlyinhisfourthterm,in1945,hedied.Sixyearslater,Congresspassedthe22ndAmendment,whichlimitsPresidentstotwoterms.)
ThePresidentcanberemovedfromofficethroughtheprocessofimpeachment(Aformalaccusationissuedbyalegislatureagainstapublicofficialchargedwithcrimeorotherseriousmisconduct.).IftheHouseofRepresentativesfeelthatthePresidenthascommittedactsof"Treason,Bribery,orotherHighCrimesandMisdemeanors(不正当的行为)"theycanimpeachhimwithamajorityvote.Animpeachmentisverysimilartoalegalindictment(控告).Itisnotaconviction,however,andnotenoughtoremovethePresidentfromofficealone.
ThecasethengoestotheSenate.OverseenbytheChiefJusticeoftheSupremeCourt,theSenatereviewsthecaseandvoteswhetherornottoconvictthePresident.Iftheyvoteinfavorofconvictionbyatwo-thirdsmargin,thenthePresidentisremovedfromoffice.
ThePresidentoftheUnitedStates:
LegislativePowers
MostpeopleviewthePresidentasthemostpowerfulandinfluentialpersonintheUnitedStatesgovernment.Whilehedoeswieldagreatdealofpoliticalmight,hiseffectonthelaw-makingprocessislimited.OnlyCongresscanwritelegislation;thePresidentmayonlyrecommendit.Ifhedoesso,thenamemberofCongressmayintroducethebillforconsideration.
WhereasonlyCongressmaycreatelegislation,itisdifficultforthemtopassabillwithoutthePresident’sapproval.WhenCongresspassesabill,theysendittotheWhiteHouse.ThePresidentthenhasthreeoptions:
signthebillintolaw,vetothebill,ordonothing.
WhenthePresidentsignsabillintolaw,itimmediatelygoesintoeffect.Atthispoint,onlytheSupremeCourtcanremovethelawfromthebooksbydeclaringitunconstitutional.
WhenthePresidentvetoesabill,itdoesnotgointoeffect.ThePresidentvetoesabillbyreturningittoCongressunsigned.Inmostcases,hewillalsosendthemanexplanationofwhyherejectedthelegislation.Congresscanoverride(不考虑)apresidentialveto,buttodoso,two-thirdsofeachchambermustvoteinfavorofthebill.However,anoverridedoesnotoccurveryoften.
IfthePresidentchoosesthethirdoption,doingnothingwiththebill,oneoftwothingswilloccur.IfCongressisinsessiontenbusinessdaysafterthePresidentreceivesthebill,thelegislationwillbecomealawwithoutthePresident’ssignature.However,ifCongressadjourns(休会)withintenbusinessdaysofgivingthebilltothePresident,thebilldies.WhenthePresidentkillsabillinthisfashion,itisknownasapocketveto(搁置否决/口袋否决).Inthiscase,Congresscandonothingtooverridehisdecision.
ThePresidentialvetoisanextremelypowerfultool.Often,togetCongresstoreconsiderlegislation,thePresidentneedonlythreatentovetoabillif