The United States Constitution

Goddess of Democracy Statute in Washington, D. C. by Thomas Marsh

For a brief video describing American political structure, link here.

CROSS-LINKS: For more on the structures of American Government:

• Checks and Balances in United States Government

• Branches of American Government and the Separation of Powers

• Evolution of Political Parties in American Politics

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

US Capitol Building

The Legislative Branch contains the United States Congress, which is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Congress has authority to make, enact laws and declare war on foreign nations.

The House of Representatives is made up of 435 elected members, who get elected every two years.

• See Misrepresentation in the House of Representatives, Brookings (February 22, 2017).

• 2016 Republican Party's Seat Bonus--higher percentage of seats than votes 
• As high as any advantage by any party since 1946

Each state is given a number of representatives directly proportionate to the population of that state and its number of districts.

A Speaker of the House is elected by the members of the House of Representatives, and is third in line for the presidency.

The House has the exclusive power to impeach the President and elect the President in the case of an electoral tie.

The Senate is made up of 100 elected members, two from each state. Senators are elected for six year terms and must be members of the state they represent. The Vice President is the head of the Senate.

Once a President is impeached by the House, the Senate must convict the impeachment. In order for a bill to pass and become law, there must be a majority vote in both the House and the Senate, and then it is passed along to the President.

The process for a bill becoming a law is incredibly difficult, but here is a video that helps not only explain the process, but also show how difficult it is. 

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

The White House

The Executive Branch is headed by the President, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.

The President appoints the members of their Cabinet including the Secretaries or heads of the fifteen executive departments, for example Secretary of State.

The President is responsible for implementing and enforcing the laws passed by Congress or if finding them unfit, vetoing laws passed by Congress.

The President is also responsible for handling affairs with foreign nations and issuing State of the Union addresses, which are typically done in front of a joint-congress in January.

As of May 2023, there have been 46 presidents.  To learn the order of the presidencies and what each president did to and for the country, click here.  


Which American Presidents Were Generals?

JUDICIAL BRANCH

The Supreme Court

List of the current supreme court justices. https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/biographies.aspx

The Judicial Branch is made up of federal courts and most importantly the Supreme Court.

The Justices apart of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

There is typically one Chief Justice and other Associate Justices.

A Justice can only be removed from impeachment by the House and conviction from the Senate.

The federal courts hold the power of interpreting the law, determining the constitutionality of that law and then applying it to individual cases.

Once a decision is made by the Supreme Court, inferior courts must apply that decision.

The makers of the constitution made sure that each branch of government could control the other branches.

For example, the President can "check" Congress by vetoing, or rejecting laws it passes.

On the other hand, Congress can remove the president if enough members feel that they have violated the law. Thus, both are kept in balance.

Supreme Court decisions can be revolutionary, and they can also be oppressive.  Landmark Supreme Court Cases are cases that had a major effect on the American system and the American people, for better or for worse.

 The American Two Party System

FOCUS QUESTION

Why do we have a two party system and why do the democratic party and the republican party act the way they do?

 This Video explains how we have a "winner take all system" that selects the candidate with the most votes.

This has resulted in the two parties have very broad ideas and policies that will attract the most votes which leaves other parties being "spoilers" that only take votes away from one of the two.

The speaker also explains how to make your voice heard in our current two party system.

Since we only elect one President it would be difficult to proportionately represent American voters who vote outside the two parties but this could be possible in Congress which could be a great step towards a more more representative government. 

• THIS VIDEO from Vox explains alternative methods of democratic voting that could result in a more representative congress.

The video explains five different methods of voting that are being used around Europe and how they could apply to the US to possibly improve our system. 

This change in congress would need to be made by congress.

• George Washington Warned About Parties

" However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines,

by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of

government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion. "

Farewell Address | Saturday, September 17, 1796

Washington warned about parties and the situation where one party controls all three branches. As of January 2025 Republicans control the three branches with Donald Trump as President