POUTICAL SYSTEM OF THE USA
The United States of America is a
federal republic consisting of 50 states. Each state has its own government
(estate government*). In some ways the United States is like-50 small
countries.
The government of the USA act
according to the Constitution which was signed by the first thirteen
representatives of thirteen original American states in 1787. The document was
written in 1787 and since that time twenty six Amendments have been added. The
first ten Amendments were sim* ply rights or the Bill of
rights. According to the Constitution the USA is a republic. So, the officials
of any rank are elected by US citizens. Every citizen has rights which can not
be violated.
The Constitution proclaims a
federal system of government which keeps both the states and the federal power
from get-
ting too much
power. It means that the federal government is given certain powers, for
example, to make peace or war, to issue money and to regulate the trade and so
on.
The
federal power is located in Washington, D.C. It is based on legislative,
executive and juridical branches of power.
The
legislative power is vested in Congress, which consists of two houses: the
Senate and the House of Representatives. There are 435 members ih the House of
Representatives and 100 senators in Congress. Each state elects two members for
the Senate.
The
executive branch is headed by the President who is assisted by the Vice
President. The President enforces federal laws, serves as commander-in-chielof
the Armed Forces. The President can veto a bill unless Congress by a two-thirds
vote shall overrule him. The Vice President, elected from the same political
party as the President, acts as chairman of the Senate, and in the event of the
death of the President, assumes the Presidency. The President of the USA is
chosen in nationwide elections every 4 years together with the Vice-President,
The President can not be elected for more than two terms. The Cabinet is made
up of Department Secretaries. The most important of them is the Secretary of
State, who deals with foreign affairs.
The
judicial branch is made up of Federal District Courts, 11 Federal Courts and
the Supreme Court. Federal judges are appointed by the President for life. Federal
courts decide cases involving federal law, conflicts between citizens of different
states.
Constitution
has been amended twenty six times. The Bill of Rights guarantees individual
liberties: freedom of word, religion and so on. Later amendments abolished
slavery, granted the vote to women and colour people and allowed citizens to
vote at the age of 18.
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