蒙大英語國(guó)家-美國(guó)概況課件02 American political system

1、Lecture Two American Political SystemContentsWarm-Up 1Language Study2Detailed Study 3Extension4Warm-Up Discuss the Following Questions1. What are the basic principles of American constitution?2. Do you know any amendment of American constitution? Warm-Up Discuss the Following Questions3. Whats the m

2、eaning of “separation of powers” ? Click here to addA list of new words and expressions Language Study Amendment n. 【美國(guó)憲法的】修正案 Bill of Rights 人權(quán)法案 Charters 【英國(guó)的】憲章 check and balance 權(quán)利的制約與平衡 Congress n. 國(guó)會(huì)Constitutional Convention 制憲會(huì)議 Abortion n. 墮胎delegated powers 代表權(quán)利Language Studypreamble n. 序言r

3、esidual powers 剩余的權(quán)利, 州政府的權(quán)利 Supreme Court 最高法院 empiricism n. 經(jīng)驗(yàn)主義，經(jīng)驗(yàn)論Ambassador 大使Language StudyCircuit （法官的）巡回審判 Chamber 美國(guó)眾（參）議員 Commission 委員會(huì)Defense department 國(guó)防部 Federalism 聯(lián)邦主義 House of Representatives 眾議院CIA （美國(guó)）中央情報(bào)局Language StudyNSA 國(guó)家安全局State department 國(guó)務(wù)院 Senate參議院Civil right 民權(quán)Democra

4、tic Party 民主黨 Electoral College 總統(tǒng)選舉團(tuán)Impeach 彈劾 Language Study Mayor n. 市長(zhǎng) national convention 全國(guó)黨代表大會(huì)plurality system 相對(duì)多數(shù)票選舉制 Ratify v. 正式簽署Republican Party 共和黨 click here to add: 添加 Majority systems 絕對(duì)多數(shù)票選舉制Detailed StudyConstitution and the State System The Federal Government Two-party System an

5、d Elections TextTextTextPart 1. Constitution and the State System American Revolutionary ConstitutionA. a. Prior to independence - Charters from the British Crown; b. instructions given by the Crown to royal governorsc. After independence - state constitutions-democraticd. The most democratic - Penn

6、sylvania constitution of 1776e. The source of political power- the peoplef. legislatures - all-powerful Detailed StudyB. Join or Die Englands colonies in North America were fragmented before the adoption of the United States Constitution in 1788. This illustration highlighted the need to unite as a

7、single nation.Detailed StudyC. Constitutional ConventionUnder the Articles of Confederation, the federal government was too weak to govern the states. After several proposals for reform, the Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia in 1787 to write the document that still forms the basis of the

8、 United States government. The new Constitution delegated extensive powers to the central government, especially economic and war powers, but reserved many powers for the individual states.Detailed StudyII. The U.S. Constitution The Constitution of the United States has been the supreme law of the n

9、ation since 1788. Drafted at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, it calls for a government of limited and delegated powers. Detailed Studya. The first ten of them - the Bill of RightsFirst Through Tenth Amendments: Bill of Rights Because the Constitution of the United States granted the f

10、ederal government so much power, as compared with the earlier Articles of Confederation, several states demanded a list of amendments to guarantee individual rights against intrusion by the federal government. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, embody libertarian ideas in the Uni

11、ted States. The amendments protect such rights as freedom of speech (First Amendment), right against unlawful search and seizure (Fourth Amendment), and the right to a public criminal trial by jury (Sixth Amendment).Detailed Studyb. Abortion Rights Protest Abortion rights advocates demonstrate on th

12、e steps of the Capitol in 1989. The Constitution of the United States provides the national framework for deciding controversial issues such as abortion, school prayer, and gun controlDetailed Studyc. Flag burningOn June 11, 1990, the Supreme Court struck down the constitutionality of the 1989 Flag

13、Protection Act, which outlawed flag burning. The Court maintained that flag burning is a form of political speech and therefore is protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. That same year, President George Bush proposed a new, and much criticized, constitutional amendment o

14、utlawing flag burningDetailed Studyd. Miranda WarningsIn the 1966 case Miranda v. Arizona, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that police officers who arrest or detain suspects must advise them of certain legal rights. The so-called Miranda warnings heard here are recited by an actorDetail

15、ed StudyIII. The State Systema. delegated powers The central government is allowed to deal with problems that are national, such as general taxation, foreign affairs, foreign and interstate trade, the armed forces, postal service, coinage, weight and measures, etc. These are the delegated powers. De

16、tailed Studyb. residual powersThe state government is left free to handle matters that are of local concern, such as raising taxes for state uses, regulating industry and commerce within a state, maintaining law and order, directing education, relief, transportation and communication, supervising lo

17、cal governments, etc. These powers are called residual powers.Detailed Studyc. concurrent powersThe powers that are exercised by both state and national governments are called concurrent powers.Detailed Studyd. The shift of power from the state to the central government After the civil War and espec

18、ially during the 20th century there has been a steady rise in the influence and authority of the federal government. In order to push the policies at home and abroad, the ruling class has gradually strengthened the position of the federal government and assumed direct control.Detailed StudySeparatio

19、n of powersa. It means that the political power of the federal and state governments is divided into three branches: the executive, the legislative and the judiciary. Congress exercises the legislative power, the President the executive power, and the Supreme Court the judicial power. This is a syst

20、em of check and balance based on the theory of separation of powerDetailed Studyb. system of check and balance It is the power of Congress to make laws; it is the power of the President to exercise laws but he has a veto on laws passed by Congress; and the Supreme Court is vested with the authority

21、to declare a law to be constitutional or unconstitutional. Each branch has its respective power but each would be tied into the other two branches and share the power together with them, so that each tries to prevent any one of them from taking over the supreme power. Under this federal system, the

22、central government acts on the people without going through the state government. The system of check and balance or separation of powers is in essence a means of softening the conflicts within the ruling classDetailed StudyPart 2. The Federal Government I. The American governmenta. The American gov

23、ernment functions: to further the common interests of the people.b. Democracy in America is based on six ideals: (1) People must accept the principle of majority rule. (2) The political rights of minorities must be protected. (3) Citizens must agree to a system of rule b law. (4) The free exchange o

24、f opinions and ideas must not be restricted. (5)All citizens must be equal before law. (6) Government exists to serve the people, because it derives its power from the people. These ideals form the basis of the democratic system in the United States, which seeks to create a union of diverse peoples,

25、 places, and interests.Detailed Studyc. To implement its essential democratic ideals, the United States has built its government on four elements:(1) Popular sovereignty, meaning that the people are the ultimate source of the governments authority.(2) representative government;(3) checks and balance

26、s; (4) federalism, an arrangement where powers are shared by different levels of government.(a)The first principle shows that the citizens collectively represent the nations authority. They then express that authority individually by voting to elect leaders to represent them in governmentDetailed St

27、udy(b)The second of U.S democracy is representative government, In a representative government, the people delegate their powers to elected officials. In the United States, candidates compete for the presidency, the Senate, and the House of Representatives, as well as for many state and local positi

28、ons.(c)The third principle of American democracy is the system of checks and balances. The three branches of governmentthe legislative, the executive, and the judicialrestrain and stabilize one another, through their separated functions. The legislative branch, represented by Congress, must pass bil

29、ls before they can become law.(d)The fourth principles of democracy in the United States are federalism. In the American federal system, the states and the national government system, the states and the national government divide authority. This division of power helps curb abuses by either the nati

30、onal or the state governments.Detailed StudyII. The Executive Branch The President 1. Responsibilities of the President In the United States today, the chief executive has many responsibilities. The president appoints personnel-including ambassadors, White House staff, and members of various boards

31、and commissions-to more than 3,000 positions; oversees many components of the executive branch of government; and proposed legislation to Congress-including the yearly federal budget. In conducting foreign policy, the president is helped by professionals at the State and Defense departments, by the

32、National Security Council, by foreign affairs advisers in the White House, and by experts in the NSA and the CIA.Detailed Study2. Executive Branch of Government The President leads the executive branch of government, which comprises 10 offices and councils and 14 departments, as well as a number of

33、independent agencies. The heads of these departments, called secretaries, make up the cabinet, a body that advises the president on matters of policy and government administration. There are also 140 executive agencies. The difference between departments and executive agencies is both historical and

34、 functional. Departments, many of which were created in the 19th century, are authorized by Congress. Executive agencies have expanded in the 20th century to keep pace with a changing society and its growing needs.Detailed Study3. Limitations of Presidential PowerDespite their wide-ranging authority

35、, presidents have limits on their power. While the Supreme Court, the media, and public opinion can affect presidential actions, Congress has the greatest ability to limit the presidents power. Detailed StudyAnother limitation on the power of recent presidents is the independent counsel. In 1978 Con

36、gress enacted a law to authorize the appointment of an independent counsel to investigate any cases of alleged wrongdoing involving the president, vice president, or other major administration officials.Detailed StudyII. The Legislative Branch- CongressCongress is composed of 2 chambers with equal p

37、owers: the 100-member Senate and the 435-member House of Representatives. The primary duty of Congress is to write, debate, and pass bills, which are then passed on to the president for approval. Detailed Study1. The Senate, the smaller of the 2 legislative bodies of the Congress.a. Most Senate camp

38、aigns must reach millions of voters, so they rely on costly television and newspaper advertisements. Most campaigns also spread their campaign messages through direct-mail leaflets sent to voters homes.b. Members of the Senate often have relatively wealthy backgrounds, and many senators are milliona

39、ires. The unusual wealth of senators stems partly from the fact that about three-fourths of senators work in banking, business, or law before winning election to the chamber.Detailed Study 2. The House of Representatives, larger of the 2 legislative chambers that make up the Congress of the United S

40、tates, usually called simply “the House”. It consists of 435 members chosen for two-year terms from district of about equal population.Detailed Studya. House members are usually called representatives; they are also referred to as congressmen or congresswomen, although technically these titles apply

41、 to both House and Senate members.House members are elected by voters in congressional districts. Today each House member represents about 650,000 people.Detailed Studyb. After every ten-year national census, the U.S. Census Bureau uses a mathematical formula to assign a specific number of represent

42、atives to every state. Each state is guaranteed at least one House seat.Most representatives start their political careers in state or local government before they run for election to the House.Detailed Studyc. Advertisements and direct mail are usually the largest expenses in running for a House se

43、at. U.S. Senate elections are usually even more expensive than House races because Senate candidates must try to win votes across an entire state.d. House members tend to come from wealthier family backgrounds than average Americans. Few working class people win election to the House.e. The House ha

44、s special authority over taxing and spending. All tax laws begin in the House of Representatives.Detailed Study3. The Committee SystemBecause of its large size, nearly all of the Houses most important legislative decisions are made by specialized committees and subcommittees. Most are permanent legi

45、slative committees with control over a particular subject area, such as agriculture of the military.The number of committees and subcommittees changes somewhat from year to year. In 1997, for example, the House had 19 standing, or permanent, committees, which in turn had nearly 90 subcommittees.Deta

46、iled Study4. Party LeadershipIn the House, the party with the most seats in the House selects a Speaker of the House, who presides over the chamber and leads the majority party.House majority and minority parties each choose their own officers, including a floor （議員席） leader and assistants called wh

47、ips （議員督導(dǎo)員）. These officers try to organize their party members to support or oppose legislative proposals.In the Senate, the presiding officer is not an important leader and does not exercise influence over proceedings under most circumstances.Detailed StudyIII. The Judicial Branch-The Supreme Cour

48、t of the United States1. The Supreme Court: It is the highest court in the United States and the chief authority in the judicial branch, one of three branches of the United States federal government. The Supreme Court hears appeals from decisions of lower federal courts and state supreme court Detai

49、led Study2. Justices: Nine judges sit on the Court: the chief justice of the United States and eight associate justices. The president of the United Stated appoints them to the Court for life terms.Justices serve lifetime appointments. Under the Constitution they can be removed from the Court only b

50、y first being impeached by a majority vote of the US House of Representatives and then convicted by a two-thirds votes of the Senate. 3. The Supreme Courts authority and major powers: The Supreme Court wields complete authority over the federal courts, but it has only limited power over state courts

51、. The Court has the final word on cases heard by federal courts, and it writes procedures that these courts must follow.Judicial review enables the Court to invalidate both federal and state laws when they conflict with its interpretation of the Constitution. Judicial review thus puts the Supreme Co

52、urt in a key role in the American political system, making it the referee in disputes among various branches of government. 4. The court system The highest level is the Supreme CourtThe second highest level of the federal judiciary is made up of the courts of appeals, which facilitate the dispositio

53、n of cases and ease he burden on the Supreme Court. The US is divided into 12 judicial circuits.The 50 states are divided into 90 districts so that cases may be decided and tried within easy reach. Additionally there is one district court in the District of Columbia and one in the Commonwealth of Pu

54、erto Rico.Part 3. Two-party System and ElectionsDevelopment of political parties Federalist Party: American political party of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It took shape in 1782, advocating the creation of a stronger national government. Its early leaders included Alexander Hamilton1, Joh

55、n Jay2, Gouverneur Morris, James Madison3, and George Washington. These men drafted and ratified the federal Constitution. Their support came from the established elites of old wealth in the commercial cities and in the less rapidly developing rural regions.From 1789 to 1801 the Federalists were the

56、 dominant force in the national government.Democratic-Republican Party, which drove the Federalists from power in the election of 1800.The Federalists dominated the country from 1789-1800 while the Democratic Republican from 1800-1828.The federalists had lost their strength and was disbanded in 1820

57、.Democratic-Republican Party, early political party in the United States, originally led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in the 1790s in opposition to the Federalist Party and the ideas of Alexander Hamilton.b. In 1796 Thomas Jefferson was the first Democratic-Republican candidate to run for p

58、resident. Jefferson lost to Federalist and a vice-president from different parties, creating the only administration with a president and a vice-president from different parties.Whig Party(United States),one of the two dominant political parties in power in the U.S. from the mid-1830s to the mid-185

59、0s.The party was formed about 1834 by members of the defunct National Republican party and others opposed to the policies of President Andrew Jackson. It was composed of many factions, united only in their opposition to the Democratic Party. The Whigs won two president elections of 1840 and 1848. Bu

60、t it came to a steady decline, and it was finally replaced by the Republican Party in 1854 Republican Party also called the Grand Old Party (GOP). The coalition was composed of former members of the Whig, Free-Soil party, and Know-Nothing parties, along with Northern Democrats who were dissatisfied