The United States Government Window on America Center Kirovohrad Oblast Research Library Named After Chizhevsky Country Study Series Karin N. Jones Community Development Volunteer, Peace Corps Ukraine
Introduction •
While often categorized as a democracy, the United States is more accurately defined as a constitutional federal republic of fifty states. What does this mean?
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“Constitutional” refers to the fact that government in the United States is based on a Constitution, which is the supreme law of the United States. − The Constitution not only provides the framework for how the federal and state governments are structured, but also places limits on their powers.
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“Federal” means that there are both a national government and governments of each of the 50 states.
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A “republic” is a form of government in which the people hold power, but elect representatives to exercise that power.
Where the U.S. gets its law • In the United States, the law comes from four sources. − These four sources are constitutional law, statutory law, administrative regulations, and the common law.
• The most important source of law is the United States Constitution. − All other law falls under and is subordinate to it. − No law may contradict the Constitution.
• To ensure that no person or group would have too much power, the founders of the U.S. established a government in which the powers to create, implement, and adjudicate laws were separated. − Each branch of government is balanced by powers in the other two branches. This is called separation of powers.
The role of the U.S. Constitution •
The Constitution is the world’s oldest written constitution in force, and has served as the model for a number of other constitutions around the world.
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The Constitution is the blueprint for the American system of government.
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The document defines three separate branches of government, their powers, and how positions in each are to be filled.
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It also creates a system of checks and balances to distribute power among the three branches. Each branch exercises some form of power over the others. − For example, justices of the Supreme Court (judiciary) are appointed by the President (executive), but subject to the consent of the U.S. Senate (legislative).
The role of the U.S. Constitution •
The government may exercise only those powers specifically granted to it in the Constitution. − Therefore, the Constitution is an important protection of the rights and powers of the people.
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The first ten amendments to the Constitution are collectively known as the Bill of Rights. − The Bill of Rights guarantees important freedoms to every American.
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The Constitution not only defines the structure and powers of the federal government, but also contains general provisions regarding state government.
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Working with the states, the federal government creates certain laws and programs that are funded federally, but administered by the states. − This gives the federal government power to influence the states.
Checks and Balances
Executive Branch
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• Appoints federal judges and justices. • Represents federal government before the court. • President can issue pardons for offenses other than impeachment
Can veto legislation. Vice President is President of the Senate and can break tie votes.
• Senate confirms presidential appointments to executive and judicial posts. • Congress can override a presidential veto. • Congress oversees executive activities. • Congress controls budget. • Congress can impeach and, upon conviction, remove the President from office.
Legislative Branch
• Senate confirms judges and justices. • Can impeach and remove judges and justices. • Sets size of the Supreme Court. • Can initiate constitutional amendments. • Creates federal courts inferior to the Supreme Court.
• Interprets legislation with power to declare it unconstitutional.
• Chief Justice presides over presidential impeachment trials • Can declare presidential acts unconstitutional.
Judicial Branch
Native American Sovereignty •
Federally recognized American Indian tribes are considered sovereign entities within the United States.
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This sovereign status—sometimes called “nation-within-a-nation”—is protected by treaty, federal law, and court rulings.
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Members of tribes are not subject to state or local income, sales, or property taxes, and states have little power to regulate Native Americans in tribal territories.
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Tribes have their own rule-making bodies and judicial systems to settle disputes arising on tribal lands or between tribal members.
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While significant, tribal sovereignty is not absolute; Native Americans are subject to federal taxes and to laws passed by the U.S. Congress.
Differences between the U.S. and other countries’ legislative systems •
Many “democracies” are in fact constitutional republics, and share with the United States long traditions of democratic representation, the rule of law, and constitutional protections.
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One significant difference between the United States and some other major democracies is the selection and role of the head of government. − In parliamentary systems, the head of government is a prime minister selected from the parliament, and is typically the leader of the majority political party or coalition. − The prime minister appoints a cabinet of ministers often consisting of other members of parliament. A separate head of state may be a monarch or an elected President (or comparable official).
Differences between the U.S. and other countries’ legislative system •
In the United States, the President is both head of government and head of state. The President is elected separately from the legislature and may or may not be of the legislature’s majority political party.
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The President’s cabinet consists of individuals who may not, according to the Constitution, serves in Congress at the same time.
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The United States is primarily a two-party system. − This results in clearly defined political lines in the United States, without the formal need for coalition-building often required to create a ruling majority in a parliamentary system.
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Elected officials in the United States serve for a defined period of time before facing reelection.
The Executive Branch •
The largest branch of the federal government.
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At its head is the President, the most powerful person in the government, who serves a four-year term. − The Constitution lists only three qualifications for the Presidency — the President must be 35 years of age, be a natural born citizen, and must have lived in the United States for at least 14 years.
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The President is responsible for the execution and enforcement of the laws created by Congress. − The President also acts as head of state and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces
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The President has the power either to sign legislation into law or to veto bills enacted by Congress. − However, Congress may override a veto with a two-thirds vote of both houses.
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The Executive Branch conducts diplomacy with other nations, and the President has the power to negotiate and sign treaties.
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The President can issue executive orders, which direct executive officers or clarify and further existing laws.
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The President also has unlimited power to extend pardons and clemencies for federal crimes, except in cases of impeachment.
The Executive Branch •
The Vice President is elected at the same time as the President and is first in line to assume the presidency. − This can be because of the President's death, resignation, or temporary incapacitation, or if the Vice President and a majority of the Cabinet judge that the President is no longer able to discharge the duties of the presidency.
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Under the President and Vice President are fifteen departments and different agencies which are responsible for administering and enforcing the law and for delivering various governmental services. Their functions are far-reaching and affect the lives of every American. − Each department is headed by a secretary, who is appointed to the position by the President (subject to Senate confirmation). − The departmental secretaries make up the President’s Cabinet, a group of people who advise the President on any subject relating to their responsibilities.
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In addition to the cabinet-level departments, there are many independent Executive Branch agencies and commissions, some of which are quite large.
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Including members of the armed forces, the Executive Branch employs more than four million Americans.
The Legislative Branch •
The Legislative Branch consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together form the United States Congress.
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The Constitution grants Congress the sole authority to enact legislation and declare war, the right to confirm or reject many Presidential appointments, and substantial investigative powers.
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In order to pass legislation and send it to the President for his signature, both the House and the Senate must pass the same bill by majority vote. − If the President vetoes a bill, they may override his veto by passing the bill again in each chamber with at least two-thirds of each body voting in favor.
The Senate •
Comprised of 100 Senators (two from each state).
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Senators serve six-year terms, with no limit on the number of terms they may serve.
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Senators must be 30 years of age, U.S. citizens for at least nine years, and residents of the state they represent.
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For election purposes, senators are divided into three classes; one class stands for election every two years. − This ensures that there are always experienced legislators serving in Congress.
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The Vice President serves as the President of the Senate, voting only in cases of a tie.
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The Senate must confirm presidential appointments to the Supreme Court, lower federal courts, and some positions within the Executive Branch before the appointees can take office.
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The Senate approves or rejects international treaties negotiated by the President.
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In cases of impeachment of the President or a member of the Supreme Court, the full Senate conducts the trial and acts as jury.
The House of Representatives •
Comprised of 435 Representatives, divided among the states according to population.
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Six U.S. territories and possessions also have nonvoting representation in the House.
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Each Representative is elected from a defined geographic area within a state called a Congressional District.
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Members of the House are elected every two years and must be 25 years of age, a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and a resident of the state they represent.
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All Representatives serve two-year terms with no limit on the number of terms they may serve, and all are elected at the same time.
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Members of the House elect a Speaker of the House, who is the leading officer of the chamber and, in practice, is a member of the majority party.
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All bills for raising revenue must originate in the House.
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The House selects the President in cases where no presidential candidate receives a majority of electoral votes. In such cases, each state delegation has one vote.
The Judicial Branch •
The Judicial Branch consists of the Supreme Court and the lower federal courts, including the Courts of Appeal, federal district courts, bankruptcy courts, and courts of federal claims.
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Members of the Judicial Branch are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
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The Judicial Branch is responsible for passing judgment on legal cases that challenge or require interpretation of acts of Congress and for trying criminal cases in which the defendant is accused of violating federal law.
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The judiciary is independent of the other two branches, subject only to the checks and balances defined in the Constitution.
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Federal courts enjoy the sole power to interpret the law, determine the constitutionality of the law, and apply it to individual cases.
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Federal judges can only be removed through impeachment by the House of Representatives and conviction in the Senate. Judges and justices serve no fixed term — they serve until their death, retirement, or conviction by the Senate.
The Judicial Branch •
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the land and the only part of the federal judiciary specifically required by the Constitution. − The Supreme Court currently has nine justices, a number set by law.
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Lower federal courts, including their jurisdictions, number of judges, and budgets, are established by Congress. All federal judges require confirmation by the Senate in order to take office permanently.
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Where Congress enacts a statute that conflicts with the Constitution, the Supreme Court may find that law unconstitutional and declare it invalid
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American judges not only apply the law, they also make the law, to the extent that their decisions in the cases before them become precedent for decisions in future cases.
State Governments •
Each state is sovereign and does not report in any constitutional way to the federal government.
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The U.S. Constitution guarantees each state a republican form of government—that is, a government run by popularly elected representatives of the people.
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The U.S. Constitution and federal law, however, supersede state constitutions and state laws in areas where they are in disagreement.
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State governments generally mirror the federal government: − In each state there is an elected head of the executive branch (the governor), an independent judiciary, and a popularly elected legislative branch. − Each state has its own written constitution, and these documents are often far more elaborate than their federal counterpart.
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State governments have primary responsibility for providing many important services that affect the everyday lives of their residents.
Local Government •
Each state constitution provides for the establishment of local governmental entities.
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In all states, these local entities include counties and cities, but most states also provide for other types of local government, including wards, school districts, conservation districts, townships and transportation authorities.
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There are over 500,000 elected officials in the United States. Of these, fewer than 8,500 are at the national and state level. − The rest are local government officials — city council members, school board members, mayors, sheriffs, and an array of other individuals who serve in various capacities.
The role of the citizen •
Citizens of the United States have a great many rights that give them freedoms all peoples hold dear: − the freedom to think what they like; − to voice those opinions, individually to their elected representatives or collectively in small or large assemblies; − to worship as they choose or not to worship at all; − to be safe from unreasonable searches of their persons, their homes, or their private papers.
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However, the theory of democratic government holds that along with these rights come responsibilities: − − − − −
to obey the laws; to pay legally imposed taxes; to serve on juries when called to do so; to be informed about issues and candidates; and to exercise the right to vote.
The role of the citizen •
Another major responsibility is public service. − Millions of American men and women have entered the armed forces to defend their country in times of national emergency. − Millions more have served in peacetime to maintain the country’s military strength. − Americans, young and old alike, have joined the Peace Corps and other volunteer organizations for social service at home and abroad.
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The responsibility that can make the most lasting difference, however, is getting involved in the political process.
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increased citizen participation in community and workplace decision-making is important if people are to recognize their roles and responsibilities as citizens within the larger community
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In a true participatory setting, citizens do not merely act as autonomous individuals pursuing their own interests, but instead, through a process of decision, debate, and compromise, they ultimately link their concerns with the needs of the community
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Virtual Communities − −
The Internet is a powerful instrument for collective action. Quick access the Internet gives people to information about government, politics, and issues.
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