U.S. Political System Dušan Fischer
Coming up... 1) Federalism and its Roots 2) Government of the People,... 3) Political Parties 4) Issues of Today
1) Federalism and its Roots What is Federalism? Shared government between federal government and smaller units.
1) Federalism and its Roots U.S. Federalism: Three branches (executive, legislative, juridical) Checks & Balances Divided Government
1) Federalism and its Roots Sources and historical milestones of Federalism: Revolutionary War, 1775-1783 Articles of Confederation, 1781 U.S. Constitution, 1788 Civil War + Reconstruction, 1881-1877 Supreme Court Decisions (Gonzales v. Raich, 2005, Gonzales v. Oregon, 2006)
10th Amendment, U.S. Constitution The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
Article IV, Section 1, U.S. Constitution Full faith and credit shall be given in each state to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state. And the Congress may by general laws prescribe the manner in which such acts, records, and proceedings shall be proved, and the effect thereof.
Article IV, Section 2, U.S. Constitution The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. A Person charged in any State with Treason, Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another State, shall on Demand of the executive Authority of the State from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State having Jurisdiction of the Crime.
2) Government of the People Gettysburg Address November 19, 1863 We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
2) Government of the People What is a Government? A group of people and institutions which hold governing power over a state or a country.
2) Government of the People How Big is the Government? That Government is best which governs least. Thomas Jefferson Government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem. Ronald Reagan The era of big government is over. Bill Clinton
2) Government of the People Three Branches of Government: Legislative Executive Judicial
Legislative Branch Senate - 6 yr term - 2 senators per State (100 senators in total) - Vice President of the United States leads the Senate, has one vote in case of a tie House of Representatives - 2 yr term - Proportional allocation (435 representatives in total) - Speaker of the House leads the House of Representatives, is in charge of legislative agenda, is 3rd in line of succession
Executive Branch Presidency President of the United States (POTUS) Vice President of the United States 4 year term, 2 terms in total (23rd Amendment) Impeachment Age 35, natural-born citizen, 14 years of residency
2) Government of the People Judicial Branch Federal courts State courts District courts
Supreme Court of the United States The only one established by the U.S. Constitution 9 justices (one of them Chief Justice) Live tenure Nominated by the President, confirmed by the U.S. Senate
Relationship Between the Branches
3) Political Parties What is a Political Party? A group of people created on base of common values and priorities in order to win a contest and gain governmental powers.
3) Political Parties History of Political Parties in the U.S.: Democratic Party Republican Party Libertarian Party Green Party Constitution Party Communist Party USA United States Marijuana Party
3) Political Parties Republican Party Nicknamed GOP (Grand Old Party) Right from the center, focus on economical issues, conservativism Largest shifts in 1950s and 1980s Party of Ronald Reagan, Dwight D. Eisenhower, George W. Bush Democratic Party The oldest directly elected party in the world Left from the center, focus on social inclusion, income inequality, liberal topics, LBGT Largest shifts in 1940s and 1960s Party of Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Barack Obama
4) Issues of Today States v. Federal Government Partisanship Gerrymandering Money in politics
Partisanship
Money in Politics
I may lie, cheat, and intimidate to get what I want, but at least I get the job done. - rep. Francis J. Underwood (D-SC)