Running head: CURRENT SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT 1
Current System of Government in United States of America
Name
Institution
Professor
Course
Date
1
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The government of United States of America is mostly divided in two where we have the
Federal government represented as the national government. The other part of the government is
the state government governing the current50 states in US. These states are al so called the
Federal district where they contain their own state self-governing regions as well as possession
of several islands.
Federal Government
The federal government is the overall governing body in United States where it is
composed of three branches consisting of the judicial, legislature and executive where all the
body powers are controlled by the U.S Constitution through the federal courts, Congress and the
president. This government is based on two principles of the Republican and the Democratic of
how powers are to be shared between the states and the federal government. In addition, due to
the American Civil war there have been the expansion of the federal government powers when
all the states’ rights opponents had much succeeded in reducing the powers of this government.
This type of government mostly pillars its self in the U.S Constitution where the main
idea lies on “balances and checks” on the three branches of the government. However, this
comes in that the legislation or the Congress has the power to make the laws, Judicial or the
Supreme Court can nullify all the unconstitutional law made by the Congress and finally the
executive under the president can prohibit all the legislation.
Legislative
Under the article 1 of the U.S constitution the United States Congress is the only branch
of legislative in the federal system of government. This branch is bicameral meaning it
comprises of two houses the Senate and the House of Representative.
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House of Representative
This house comprises of only 435 voting members of which each voting member
represents the congressional district. All the representatives only serve a two year term and after
that another election is held to choose other representatives and in order for one to be elected in
these seat minimum requirements are needed. They include one must be a U.S citizen for at least
seven years and probably must live in the state he/she represents and must be at least 25 years
and above of age. Moreover, the number of state representative in each state depends on the
state’s population according to a recent census done in U.S.
However there is no limits of the years and terms that a member of the House of
Representative should serve this giving more chances to the members to develop their area of
representation so as to retain the seat regularly. In addition there are 6 members who are non-
voting, one resident commissioner 435 voting members and 5 delegates. These delegates come
from the resident commissioner of Puerto Rico, District of Columbia and Commonwealth of
Northern Mariana Islands.
The Senate
The Senate unlike the House of Representative contain two senators from each states
adding up to 100 Senators because there are 50 states and they serve for six years meaning
senates elections are done every six years. This house have great powers unlike the other house
which may include they consent and advice to all the presidential appointees which may include
ambassadors, cabinet officers, federal judges, naval officers and U.S military. The Senate also
give the approval and pass the laws and then taken to the president for presidential assent.
However all the powers of the Congress are only limited by the Constitution through the states
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powers and the citizens of United States of America. In addition it is stated that all the members
of the senate and the House are only elected in the voting of the first past the post in each state
except in Georgia and Louisiana which contain excess.
The Executive
The executive powers in a federal government are vested in the president of the United
States of America, although less powers are shared to the Cabinet and other officials. The
president have the mandate to choose his/her running mate who is referred to as the vice
president who are as well elected by the Electoral College in which the District of Columbia and
each state are allocated representation according to their representation in the Congress.
However, only the president is limited to serve a term of two terms each term made up of four
years only.
The President
In the Article II of the U.S Constitution the president is stated as both the head of
government, head of state, chief diplomat and commander-in-chief. The other main function the
president is delegated is that he/she defend, execute, preserve and protect the constitution
faithfully. However the U.S president is always at risk of impeachment if two third of members
in the senate accuse him/her of high crimes, bribery and treason.
The Vice President
The vice president is usually the highest second in the rank of the federal government
who has the powers to create a legislative headquarters of federal government and known as the
president of the senate meaning he/she presides over the matters of the senate. He/she also
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provides over all the joint sessions that the senate’s holds. The vice president can take over the
powers of the president in case the current president is impeached, dies or resigns.
The Cabinet
The Cabinet are the appointees of the president with a duty to administer and enforce all
the federal laws in each of their departments as per the congress creation to specific areas. They
also oversee the government budget and implementation.
The Judiciary
Article III of the Constitution the Judiciary has a mandate to apply and explain the laws
through the hearing and making of decision of legal cases. The Supreme Court is the highest
authorized by the United States Congress in the judicial matters where the judges are appointed
by the president of the United States. The Supreme Court decides on matters appertaining to
disputes between states, interpretation of Constitution of the United States, and nullifying the
laws and makes way for the future once.
Connection between the Federal Courts and State Courts
The Federal courts are made to be entirely independent in that they each state contain
their own laws and court procedures. In many cases the Supreme Court is the final authority in
the application of state laws as well as the interpretation of the U.S constitution.
The Budget
This document is made as a proposal by the president of U.S to the Congress
recommending on the amount of money to be used in the next fiscal year that always begin on
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October 1st and ends in September 30th. This money is collected as taxes by the national
government in the country where it is equally shared between the state and federal government.
The Elections and the Voting Process in United States
In the United States Constitution defines that the federal districts and the illustration of
the U.S territories is always limited to the congress. However, a person who is over 18 years
regardless of wealth, race or gender have equal protection by the law and is entitled to universal
suffrage.
The State Government
However, the state government has a great impact in the lives of the American lives.
According to the Constitution there is the prohibition of the national government as the federal to
delegate any power not stated in the Constitution where the state government is left to handle its
own matters within their own jurisdiction. Minimal powers are left to the state government as
they are not allowed to print their own currency as they are left to collect taxes. The state
government is headed by the Governor and other executive who are openly elected by the
citizens in each state. Each state has its own executive departments appointed by the Governor
and work according to how their government is organized.
Moreover, the state legislature has a bicameral legislature meaning there are two
chambers except the state of Nebraska which is unicameral which only consist of the “Senate”.
However, the judiciary is in most states where they have a supreme court that is the last option in
a state as it hears cases from lower states courts. The structure of the judicial process differs from
every state according to their system of government but can be over ruled by only a federal law
of the U.S Supreme Court.
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In conclusion the system of government in U.S is divided into two as federal which is
governed by the president and the state government where it is headed by a governor. Where the
federal government cannot and has no mandate to oversee the work of the state government.
