US POLITICA SYSTEM I.

Executive power

the decision to close the clinic because he was anti-abortion. She took her case to the Supreme Court which decide in her favor. From then on, no other federal law can stop a woman to have an abortion in the 3 first moths. Its a crucial issue in the USA.

The American constitution was written in 1787. It organizes a strong government with 3 branches: the executive, the legislative and the judicial powers which are clearly separated. The chief of the executive is the President and the vice-president (Joe Biden currently), the second ranking person after the president. His role is to take the place of the president in case of death (Kennedy in 1963) or in case of resignation. The president is to sworn into office and January 20 th by the chief of Justice. He is elected every 4 years and can be elected only for two terms. The first role of the president is to make sure the laws passed by Congress are enforced, respected. His second task is to rule the foreign policy. Obama is the one to decide to withdraw some forces from Iraq. Hes the chief of State, he represents his country abroad. He appoints a number of head official buddies (ambassadors, Supreme Court members) Hes helped by a cabinet: the administration. Theyre mainly 13 departments (=ministers) and some agencies (secretariats dtat) like the EPA (Environment protection agency). Their roles are to advice and help the President.

IV.

A system of cheeks and balance

The 3 separate powers are counterbalance by the other two. The president can veto a bill from the legislative power. Congress can pass a law despite the presidents opposition. The Supreme Court can make decisions which will prevail over states laws. If someone belongs to one power, he cant be in another.

V.

State governments

50 states = 50 gvts + the gvt of USA. Each state has his own constitu and government. Local Laws (business, educa, criminality : in some states we have death penalty). The chief is the governor. Most presidents of the USA have been governors. Corporate Welfare in the USA The USA gvt despite its supposed market-fundamentalism (= liberalism pur et dur) actually spends more than $90 billion of the federal budget each year on handouts (= alloca, aides publiques) to business : farm subsidies, research grants (=bourse dtude pour la recherche), export-credit guarantees (garantie du credit a lX). This form of public assistance is denounced by critics as corporate welfare.

II.

The legislative power

Is Represented by Congress composed of 2 chambers: the House of Representatives and the senate. The representatives are elected every 2 years: during the term of the president, they are elected twice. In 2010, Obama lost his majority in the House of Representatives.

Democratic Party/Democrats in the US

They are 435 seats. Every 10 years, there is a census. The number of the representatives for each state is proportional of the pop. This number can change. The house of representatives is chaired by the house speaker, chosen among the members of the majority (currently John Boehner) The senate is composed of 100 senators: 2 senators for each state. They are chaired by the vice president. The role of the 2 chambers is to propose and elected laws. Bills of the president had to examine by each chambers. If its accepted, its send for approval by the president. If the president is not accepted the law, he can veto the bill in which case the bill return to chambers. If the bill is accepted by 2/3 of congressmen, the bill become a law even if the president is against.

The Democratic Party is one of two current major political parties. For the most part, particularly since the early 1930s, the Democrats have been considered the party of less affluent people and have supported an activist role for the federal gvt in the economic and social sectors. The First Democratic president, Andrew Jackson was elected in 1828. The Democratic Party is generally considered to be more liberal or less conservative. The donkey (lne) has been a long-time unofficial symbol.
The Republican Party

III.

The judicial Power

The Republican Party (The Grand Old Party GOP) is one of two major US political parties. During the th 20 Century , the Republican Party has generally been the party of more affluent and conservative voters, and has favored economic and social policies that are somewhat less redistributive than Democratic Party policies. The first Republican president was Abraham Lincoln elected in 1980. The Republicans emerged in a major party realignment, replacing the now defunct (dead) Whig party as a major US party. The elephant is their symbol.

Represented by the Supreme Court, the higher trade union in the country. The Supreme Court is composed of 9 members: chief justice and his 8 associate justices. Theyre appointed by the president for life. Its role is to be the guardian of the constitution, to make sure the laws correspond of the Constitution. Its also a court of appel (if a citizen put his case, the Supreme Court judges it). Usually when a case is a party (tat partie civile). Case of Roe Us wade in 1973: a woman called Roe sue the states of Texas because she was unable to have an abortion following