Government and Politics in the United States.docx

Government and Politics in the United States A wise and frugal Government shall restrain men from injuring one another, and shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvements. Thomas Jefferson Unit Goals To get a general knowledge of American constitution and the federal system To be aware of American peoples understanding about government To learn how American political system works in reality To learn some political terms on government and politics in the United States To learn useful words and expressions concerning American government Before You Read 1. Preview Vocabulary. Read the quotation and find the words with the following meanings. Write each word next to its meaning. _ 1) the act of trying to get something _ 2) prevent someone from doing something _ 3) to control the activity by rules _ 4) hurting _ 5) thickly populated _ 6) give up a post, etc. 2. Work with your partner and consider the following questions. 1) Do you agree with the quotation by Thomas Jefferson? Paraphrase the quotation in your own words. 80 An Introduction to American Society & Culture 2) How do you understand the statement “Government is a necessary evil”? 3) What are the two major political parties in the United States? What is the main difference in their beliefs? 4) What personal qualities do you think political leaders should have? Who do you admire? Recognize the following Presidents in American history. Who are the Presidents? Tell your classmates what you know about them. Start to Read Text A The Organization of the American Government A Suspicion of Strong Government 1. The ideal of the free individual has had a profound effect on the way Americans view their government. Traditionally, there has been a deep suspicion that government is the natural enemy of freedom, even if it is elected by the people. The bigger and stronger the government becomes, the more dangerous many Americans believe it is to their individual freedom. 2. This suspicion of strong government goes back to the men who led the American Revolution in 1776. These men believed the government of Great Britain wanted to discourage the freedom and economic opportunities of the American colonists by excessive taxes and other measures which would ultimately benefit the British aristocracy and monarchy. Thomas Paine, the famous revolutionary 81 An Introduction to American Society & Culture 82 writer, expressed the view of other American revolutionists when he said, “Government even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.” In fact, the way in which the national government is organized in the U.S. Constitution provides an excellent illustration of the American suspicion of governmental power. The Constitution 3. The Constitution of the United States was adopted on June 21, 1788. It is the oldest written constitution still in use. What is this Constitution? It is the basic law from which the U.S. government gets all its power. It is the law that protects those who live in the U. S. A. from unreasonable actions by the national government or any state government. 4. The Constitution defines three branches of government. They are the legislative branch, which enacts laws; the executive branch, which enforces those laws; and the judicial branch, which interprets them. 5. The legislative branch is called Congress. It is made up of two groups of legislatorsthe Senate and the House of Representatives. A member of the Senate is addressed as Senator. Members of the House of Representatives are called congressmen or congresswomen. The Senate is often referred to as the upper house. It has 100 memberstwo senators from each state. Both senators represent the entire state. Senators are elected for six-year terms. Every two years, one-third of all senators face reelection. 6. The lower house, which is called the House of Representatives, has 435 members, all of whom are elected every two years. The number of representatives from each state is determined by that states population. While the seven smallest states have only one representative each, California, the most populous state, had 52 representatives in the 106th Congress (1998-2000). For the purpose of electing representatives, each state is divided into congressional districts. The districts within a state are about equal in population. One representative is elected from each district. One of a representatives major duties is to protect the interests of the people in that district. An Introduction to American Society & Culture 83 7. The job of Congress is to pass laws. Before a law is passed, it is called a bill. In order to become a law, a bill must be approved by a majority of each house of Congress and by the president. If the president vetoes a bill, it can still become law if at least two-thirds of the members of each house of Congress override the veto by voting for it when it is voted on again. 8. The president is the nations chief executive. As such, he must see that all national laws are carried out. The president also spends much of his time making decisions about foreign policy. Of course, a very large staff of advisers and other employees assist the president. The most important group advisers is called the cabinet. The cabinet consists of the heads of the 14 departments of the executive branch, such as the Secretaries of Education, Defense and Agriculture. Cabinet members are chosen by the president with the approval of the Senate. The president also appoints ambassadors and other consular heads who represent the U.S. abroad. In addition, he appoints judges of the federal courts. 9. The vice president is the only other elected person in the executive branch. One important constitutional duty of the person holding this office is to serve as president of the Senate. The vice presidents most important function is to become president upon the death, resignation, or disability of the president. Out of 37 presidents elected, eight have died in office, and one resigned. In each case, the vice president became president. 10. The judicial branch consists of the federal courts, including the highest court of the U.S., the Supreme Court. One of the unusual features of the American judicial system is the power of the courts to declare legislation unconstitutional and, therefore, void. The power of the federal government is limited by the Constitution. Federal laws cannot violate the terms of the Constitution. 11. Federal laws are in some way controlled or affected by all three branches of governmentCongress makes them; the president approves and enforces them; and the courts determine what they mean and whether they are constitutional. This is one example of the governments system of checks and balances, by which each branch of government prevents improper actions by the other branches; if any one of the three branches starts to abuse its power, the other two An Introduction to American Society & Culture 84 may join together to stop it. After You Read Knowledge Focus 1. Fill in this graphic organizer with information about how U. S. government is organized. First write the names of the three branches of government. Then write who the people are in each branch. Finally, write what the responsibilities are for each branch. Branch People Responsibilities Executive ( ) Cabinet ( ) ( ) Congress 100 ( ) 435 ( ) make laws ( ) Supreme Court ( ) ( ) 2. Put a check () in the correct column for each job listed. Whos elected? Whos appointed? Government employees Elected Appointed the president the cabinet the vice president senators Federal judges c. they are much more concerned with national glory d. they are strong enough to build one 2) The Constitution of the United States _. a. gives by far the most power to congress b. gives by far the most power to the president c. gives by far the most power to the supreme court d. tries to give each branch enough power to balance the others 3) In the U.S., the president can _ a bill from Congress, but the bill can still become law if at least _ of the members in each house vote for it when it is voted on again. a. void, 2/3 b. veto, 1/3 c. veto, 2/3 d. void, 1/3 Language Focus 1. Complete the following sentences with the proper key vocabulary words. veto representative unconstitutional interpret congress senator federal 1) One of the jobs of the Supreme Court is to _ the Constitution. 2) In a(n) _ system of government, the governing powers are divided between the state government and the national government. 3) If Congress votes in favor of making a bill a law, the president can still stop that bill from becoming law by using the _ power. 4) Every state elects two _ to the Upper House, but in the Lower House, the number of _ from each state varies, depending on the states population. 5) The House of Representatives and the Senate together make up _. 6) When a law violates the U.S. Constitution, the judicial branch of government will declare it _. 2. Which word does not belong? This unit contains a number of words that have to do with An Introduction to American Society & Culture 86 of words, and decide which one does not belong with the bogovernment and politics. Look at each group ldfaced word. Underline the word which does not belong. EXAMPLE: parties: Republican, Democrat, FBI 1) executive branch: president, cabinet, congress, policy, veto, vice president 2) legislative branch: Congress, Supreme Court, Senate, House of Representatives, bill 3) judicial branch: federal courts, Supreme Court, judges, secretary of Defense Comprehensive Work 1. Interpret the following government quotes. How do you interpret the Quotes on government? Do you agree with the statements? Work with your partners and share your understandings with each other. We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. Aesop By definition, a government has no conscience. Sometimes it has a policy, but nothing more. Albert Camus A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves. Edward R. Murrow F