US political system + presidential election

US political system + presidential election

• the supreme law of the land is the Constitution of the United States; the Constitution provides for a union of states, now numbering 50, each with its own constitution, republican form of government, and reserved powers, within a federal system; the national government is responsible for external affairs, and has concurrent powers with states, commonwealths, and self-governing territories over domestic matters

Executive :
• the American president typically has a greater range of functions than prime ministers in parliamentary governments because the president serves as ceremonial chief of state as well as head of government; article II of the Constitution provides for a president and vice president chosen by a majority of voters in the Electoral College, for a fixed term of four years, the 22nd Amendment (1951) limits presidents to two terms in office.

Presidential elections :
• the Electoral College nominally chooses the president and vice president of the United States; this group comprises the electors from the separate states who are selected by the voters in presidential elections. Each state is entitled to a number of electors equal to the total number of senators and representatives it sends to the US Congress, therefore at least three electors; than the House of Representatives votes state by state to choose the president, and the Senate votes as individuals to elect the vice president

Legislature :
• congress consists of two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives; the Senate contains 100 senators, two representing each state, the 435 members of the House are elected by the different states on the basis of their population at the most recent US census; representatives serve two-year terms, and senators six-year terms, Every two years all 435 members of the House are elected, and one-third of the senators.

• the Senate tries all impeachments, with a two-thirds vote necessary to convict

Judiciary :
• the federal court system derives its powers from Article III of the Constitution, the system includes the Supreme Court, established by the Constitution and some more courts established by Congress

• the federal courts perform two constitutional functions : first, they interpret the meaning of laws, second, the courts determine whether any law passed by Congress or state legislatures violates the US Constitution

Political parties :
• two major political parties exist in the United States : The Democratic party founded in the 1790s and The Republican party founded in 1854