The Linguistic Culture-9-10 (Political Parties and Elections_ Media_ Soap Operas)(Education and Science in the USA) (1157947)
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Possible topics for the USA projects (compositions):
Are two- stage presidential elections democratic or anti-democratic?
The USA, Britain and the Russian Federation education systems in comparison. Their respective advantages and disadvantages.
Why American English can be called “A linguistic melting pot”.
Global English. What are the reasons of the influence of American English on its mother tongue and many other languages of the world?
English and the Internet.
Personalities in American science.
Famous Russian Americans.
Silicon Valley – what it is now.
Joint space research projects of the USA and the RF.
Favorite American writers.
Favorite American movies, directors and actors.
Music in the USA.
New World, New Architecture.
New Pop Culture.
Lecture N 9. The Governmental and Political System of the USA. Media.
Mount Rushmore. Gutson Borglum memorial of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt.
Key words and phrases: to be in force, to amend, fellow citizens, to override a veto, nominate, to go to the polls, a nominee, Electoral College, swing states.
The governmental systems of the United States is based on the US Constitution (1785), which serves as the basic form of government: three separate branches, each one having powers (“check and balances”) over the others. It specifies the powers and duties of each federal branch of government, with all other powers and duties, belonging to the states.
To meet the changing needs of the nation, the constitution has been repeatedly amended. Ten amendments in the Bill of rights (1791) guaranteed the basic rights of individual Americans. The other sixteen amendments included the one (besides banning slavery (1865) to give women the right to vote (1920)
The Bill of Rights
The first 10 amendments to the Constitution and their purpose
Protections afforded fundamental rights and freedoms:
Freedom of religion, speech, press, and assembly; the right to petition the government.
Although the constitution has been amended 26 times it is still the “supreme law of the land” and
provides three main branches of government: the executive branch (the president, the vice president, the cabinet), the legislative branch (the Congress) and the judicial branch (the Supreme Court).
Political Parties and Elections.
The US has developed a two-party system: the Democratic and Republican parties. Other small parties such as the Liberation Party and the Labor Party do not play any important role in national politics. The Democratic Party is older than the Republican Party. It was founded in 1828 representing Southern planters. The Republican Party founded in 1854, united industrial and trade bourgeoisie from Northeast. Sometimes, the Democrats are thought of as associated with labor and the Republicans with business and industry. Republicans also tend to oppose the greater involvement of the federal government in some areas of public life, which they consider to be the responsibility of the states and communities. Democrats, on the other hand, tend to favor a more active role of the central government in social matters.
Y
et it is still more difficult for ordinary Americans to distinguish between the parties. After the Civil War the differences between the two parties became minimal.
Furthermore, the traditional European terms of “right” and “left”, or “conservative” and “liberal” do not quite fit the American system. While some voters vote a “straight ticket’ in other words, for all of the Republican or Democratic candidates in an election, many other vote for one party’s candidate for one office, and another’s for another one whom they like.
American citizens, over 18 years of age, have a right to take part in elections. The Americans who want to vote must register in advance. There are 50 different registration laws in the U.S Legislators (Senators and Congressmen) are elected from geographical districts directly by the voters according to the principle: the candidate who wins the largest number of votes in a Congressional district is the winner.
The national presidential election consists of two separate campaigns: one is for the nomination of candidates at national party conventions. The other is to win the actual election. The nominating race is a competition between members of the same party. They run in a succession of state primaries and caucuses (which take place between March and June). They try to gain a majority of delegate votes for their national party conventions (in July of August). At the party convention having now almost theatrical character (bands, balloons, lot of noise, etc.) the party’s official candidate for the presidency is selected. The presidential campaign that follows continues until election in early November when the candidates make final television appearances and appeal for the votes. In November of the election year (years divisible by four, e.g. 1988, 1992, 1996, etc.), the voters across the nation go to the polls. The President and Vice President are not elected directly by the voters. Instead, they are elected by "electors" united into so-called Electoral College which is elected by popular vote The US Electoral College is the institution that officially elects the President and Vice President of the United States every four years. The number of electors in each state is equal to the number of members of Congress . In total, there are 538 electors, corresponding to the 435 members of the House of Representatives, 100 senators, and the 3 additional electors from the District of Columbia.
Critics argue that the Electoral College is inherently undemocratic and gives swing states disproportionate influence in electing the President and Vice President. In recent years there has been discussion about eliminating the Electoral College procedure as undemocratic. Opponents of the Electoral College favor the direct election of the president. On four occasions, most recently in 2000, the Electoral College system has resulted in the election of a candidate (Bush) who did not receive the most popular votes in the election. A number of constitutional amendments have been proposed but not passed seeking to alter the Electoral College or replace it with a direct popular vote.
In January of the following year, in a joint session of Congress, the new President and Vice – President are officially announced. The ceremony of inauguration always takes place at noon on January 20.
The President and the vice – president of the United States are elected to a four–year term of office, with no more than two full terms allowed.
The President chooses the fourteen cabinet members who head departments, such as Justice, Defense, or Education; chooses a vice president; appoints federal judges; chooses heads of agencies such as the FBI and CIA; proposes laws, and approves federal laws; appoints US ambassadors to foreign countries; bears the responsibilities of relations with foreign countries and commander- in chief of armed forces.
Since the time the very first American President so – called “father of the nation” George Washington was elected there have been 42 presidents in the USA. Nine presidents were elected for two terms. Four American presidents were assassinated: Abraham Lincoln (1865), James Garfield (1881), William McKinley (1901) and John Kennedy (1963).
The Vice President leads the Senate and combined meetings of both houses of Congress, serves on special government committees and becomes president if the president must leave office.
The Cabinet together with the president and vice-president forms the government.
The USA Congress, the legislative branch of the federal government, is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
There are 100 Senators, two from each state. One third of the Senators are elected every two years for six – year terms of office. The Senators represent the interests of the people in a state.
The House of Representatives has 435 representatives. They are elected every two years for two – year terms. They represent the population of “congressional districts” into which each state is divided. The number of Representatives from each state is based upon its population. For instance, California, the state with the largest population, has 45 Representatives, while Delaware has only one. There is no limit to the number of terms a Senator or a Representative may serve (« lame duck”).
Congress proposes and approves federal laws; can declare war; decides upon taxes and budget; approves the choice of federal judges; regulates commerce among the states and with foreign countries; sets rules for the naturalization of foreign citizens.
A new Congress session begins on the 3PrdP of January each odd – numbered year and continues for two years. The most of congressmen’s work is done in committee meetings. There are 16 permanent committees in the Senate and 22 in the House of Representatives. Here the bills (offered by either house) are studied, experts are consulted, and recommendations are made. Because the Congressmen in a committee are experts in that field, they accept and improve some bills, that were not rejected. The committee responsible for a particular bill holds hearings on it. Experts appear before the committee and offer suggestions and opinions about the bill. After the hearings, the committee reports its recommendations to the House. These recommendations may include suggested changes in the bill, or the committee may propose an entirely new ones. Generally Congress goes along with the decisions of its committees. For a bill to become a law it must be passed by both the House and the Senate and signed by President. If President vetoes the bill it is sent back to Congress. To overcome President’s veto the bill must get a two-thirds majority in each chamber.
In the previous centuries people who wanted to hand in petition or to discuss some project went to Washington, to the Capitol and there met the Congressmen from their states. The tradition is still alive, only today it is big corporations or organizations, who try to influence law – making in their favor. This is done with the help of so-called “pressure” groups, political lobbies, public action committees (PACs), or special interest groups who arrange meetings with Congressmen and through bribery and persuasion make them vote for measures favorable to the group they represent. Practically a lobbyist (backstage influencing on legislation) has become legal, it means, that the passing of a bill can be prevented if it does not suit the interests of a definite group of Big Business.
The third branch of the government is the Judiciary branch. The judiciary, especially the Supreme Court, makes sure that laws are constitutional. The Supreme Court consists of a chief justice and eight associate justices, nominated by the President. Nine Supreme Court judges are appointed for life.
The US introduced and often boasts of the Policy of Checks and Balances (политика сдерживания и противовесов).
The USA Congress has the power to make laws, but the President may veto any act of Congress. Congress, in its turn, can override a veto by a two-thirds vote in each house. Congress can also refuse to provide funds requested by the President. The President can appoint important officials of his administration, but they must be approved by the Senate. The Supreme Court has the power to determine if all acts of Congress and presidential actions coincide with the constitution.
The system of checks and balances makes compromise and consensus necessary.
Federalism: State and Local Governments.
Although Federal Laws apply to all citizens wherever they live, each of the fifty USA states also has its own Constitution and three branches of the Government: Executive, with a governor, a legislative assembly, and a judiciary.
Each state has its own state police and its own criminal laws. The same is true with marriage and divorce laws, driving laws and licenses, alcohol laws, voting procedures. In turn, each county has its own police force that it hires. Police departments of counties are often called “sheriffs’ departments” and are usually elected.
Most states and some cities have their own income taxes. Many counties and cities also have their own laws saying who may not own a gun. Many airports are owned and controlled by cities or counties and have their own airport police. Among the areas under the local concern there are also the opening and closing hours for stores, street and road repair, or architectural laws and other regulations.
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