Political system. The Executive branch. Political parties in the USAConsist of: 1. The President 2. The Vice- President 3. The Cabinet 4. Government departments and agencies The US. Constitution defines a federal system of government in which certain powers are delegated to the national government; other powers fall to the states. The national government consists of executive, legislative and judicial branches that are designed to check and balance one another; all are interrelated and overlapping yet each is quite distinct. The executive branch of the Government is responsible for enforcing the laws of the land. The President of the United States The President is both the head of state and the head of government, as well as the military commander-in-chief and chief diplomat. He presides over the executive branch of the federal government. He must be a natural-born citizen of the United States, at least 35 years old and a resident of the country for at least 14 years. The President is elected for a fixed term of four years and may serve a maximum of two terms. The formal responsibilities of the president include those of chief executive, treaty maker, commander in chief of the army and head of state. In practice, they have grown to include drafting legislation, formulating foreign policy, personal diplomacy and leadership of his political party. The functions of the President: · choose the 14 Cabinet members · chose who will run as vice – president · appoint federal judjes · choose heads of agencies such as the FBI and CIA · propose laws, and approve federal laws after the Congress has approval them · choose U.S. Ambassadors to foreign countries · be responsible for relations with foreifn cpuntries · be commander- in- chief of armed forces The members of the president's Cabinet — the secretaries of State, Treasury, Defence, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labour, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Education, Energy and Veterans Affairs and the attorney general — are appointed by the president with the approval of the Senate. The functions of the Cabinet: 1. Form the Government together with the President 2. Advise the President on issues related to their departments Political parties in the USA To an extent quite extraordinary in democratic countries, the American political system is dominated by two political parties: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Democratic Party is sometimes represented as a donkey, while the Republican Party is sometimes featured as an elephant. In order to win a national election, a party must appeal to a broad base of voters and a wide spectrum of interests. The Democrats have favored “liberal” positions. 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. The party has adopted a centrist economic and more socially progressive agenda. The Democratic Party is now strongest in the Northeast, Great Lakes region, and the Pacific Coast. The Democrates: 1. Greater governmental interventor in the economy 2. Loss governmental regulation of the private lives of citizens. 3. Higher taxes particularly on the wealthy to assist the elderly, the poor, the unemployed, and children. The Republicans emphasize the role of free market decision making in fostering economic prosperity. They support the idea of individuals being economically responsible for their own actions and decisions. The Republican Party has always advocated a strong national defense. Today, the Republican Party supports unilateralism in issues of national security. The Respublicans: 1. Limited governmental regulation of the economy 2. More conservative social politics 3. Lower taxes
The national parties contest presidential elections every four years. In elections for president and vice president, voters actually choose among electors committed to the support of a particular candidate, a system called the Electoral College. Each state is allotted one electoral vote for each senator and representative in Congress. 10 Political system. The Judiciary branch. The System of Checks and Balances.
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