1. American Political System

2. Background:
Early settlers came to the USA because of religious persecution and a lack of political rights
Basic American Values
Rights of the individual, personal freedom private enterprise, little government involvement (justice, national defense and public order)
‘Government of the people, by the people, for the people’
Historically a two party system:
Democrats (donkey)
In the centre of the political system
Voice of liberalism
Hillary and Bill Clinton
JFK
Republicans (elephant)
On the right of the political spectrum
Voice of conservatism (religion and morality)
George Bush SR/JR

3. Political Spectrum Centre Left Right Democrats Republicans
Socialist Party
Radical
Liberal
Conservative
Reactionary
Centre
Left
Right
Democrats
Republicans
Socialist Party
Democrats
Republicans
Considered the voice of American Liberalism
Introduced programs for the poor, minorities
JFK
Bill and Hillary Clinton
Barak Obama
Voice of American Conservatism
Values of: Patriotism, National expansion, limited Government involvement Local community Family, Christian Values
1990s smaller Government lower taxes Neoconservative beliefs
Regan, Bush Jr/Sr Eisenhower
Socialist ideals of collectivism
1917 changes this in the USA
No support after 1945
Independents

4. 2008 Presidential Election

5. The American Political System:
Presidential system
Voters choose the President and VP
Federal system
States are more autonomous than Provinces in Canada
Presidential Democracy
USA
Legislative
Executive
Judicial
The Congress
The Senate
House of
Representatives
The President and
Vice President
The Cabinet
Supreme
Court

6. Presidential Democracy
USA
Legislative
Executive
Judicial
The Congress
The Senate
House of
Representatives
The President and
Vice President
The Cabinet
Supreme Court

8. Executive Branch: Office of the President Cabinet
Head of Sate and Head of Government, commander and Chief of Armed Forces
Limited to only two terms
Directly elected by Americans
Must be supported by 2/3 of the 538 member electoral college
Responsibilities:
Appoints the cabinet and signs bills (also can veto them)
Cannot be a member of the legislative branch or appear in the legislature to introduce a Bill
Cabinet
Secretary: of defense, state homeland security, Federal Reserve
Appointed by President

9. Legislative Branch: The Senate: House of Representatives:
The elected upper chamber
Every state is represented 2 senators
Elected for 6 year terms
No restrictions on # of terms
Senators have the right to unlimited debate
Filibuster
Can introduce new legislation or modify/reject
Cabinet has to be approved by senate
Can impeach president if they are abusing power
House of Representatives:
The elected lower chamber
Assigned to states based on population
Elected to 2 year terms
No limit to reelection
Three main powers:
Right to introduce money bills
Power to elect president when no candidate receives the majority of votes
Have right to impeach

10. Steps for a Bill to Become Law:
Introduction:
Any Member of legislature (Congress) can introduce a bill
Presidential bills are introduced by the senior member of the President’s party
Committee Action:
Bills are referred to a full committee for approval or rejection
Representation refers to the proportion of each part in the Senate or House
Committees determine which bills they will consider if a bill is not considered it is killed
Sub committees will then amend the bill, study it and report back to the full committee
The committee then votes on the bill and if favorable will report it to the legislature (House or Senate)
Floor Action:
Bill is then placed on Calendar for Debate
After debate the chamber will vote on the bill depending on the type will determine how the Legislature will vote
Tax or money bills all members must vote

11. Steps for a Bill to Become Law…:
Action in the Second Chamber:
Once passes in one chamber the other chamber for debate and approval
This chamber can either pass the bill, amend it (minor), ignore the bill, or pass its own bill different from the original
Conference Action:
If the changes are significant then senior members from both chambers will meet and reconcile the bills differences
Sometimes this results in both chambers being ok with the bill other times the bills die
Presidential Veto:
If the president approves the bill then it is dated and signed
If the President does not agree with the bill then can reject it
Veto
If a 2/3 majority in the legislature is achieved then the veto is overturned and the bill becomes law
Checks and Balances:
All branches have the ability to override one another

12. Judicial Branch The Supreme Court Highest court in the land
Most important political function is to review challenges to legislation (bills) brought before it and decide if they are constitutional or not
9 judges appointed by president and approved by senate
Serve for life

13. Representatives Senate
Reviews
executive decisions
Appoints
members
EXECUTIVE
President
JUDICIARY
Supreme Court
Cabinet
Appoints
judges
Proposes laws
Electoral
College
Confirms
appointments
Makes
laws
Departments
Reviews
laws
LEGISLATURE
(Congress)
House of
Representatives Senate
Administer and implement laws
Decides
cases
VOTERS

14. American Elections

15. Elections and Voting: Presidential Campaigns: Congressional Campaigns
Primaries
Select the candidate from each party to attend the convention
At the convention the nomine and running mate will be selected
The presidential candidates will run head to head from September to November
Voters will select their candidate which nominate a member to the electoral college (senate/House of Representatives) 538
This body will actually choose the president
Congressional Campaigns
Every two years
House of Representatives are up for election
1/3 of the Senate are up for election

16. 2004 Presidential Election

17. 2008 Presidential Election

18. These are the results of the four most recent US elections.
Candidates
Popular Vote
As %
E.C.*
John Macain (R)
Barrack Obama (D)
46%
53%
173
365
32%
68%
2008
Candidates
Popular Vote
As %
E.C.*
George W. Bush (R)
John Kerry (D)
50.75%
48.27%
286
252
53.16%
46.84%
2004
Candidates
Popular Vote
As %
E.C.*
George W. Bush (R)
Al Gore (D)
50,460,110
51,003,926
47.87%
48.38%
271
266
50.37%
49.44%
2000
Candidates
Popular Vote
As %
E.C.*
Robert Dole (R)
Bill Clinton (D)
39,198,755 47,400,125
40.72%
49.23%
159
379
29.55%
70.45%
1996
*E.C. = Electoral College

19. Does the system Work? Criticisms: Positives:
Rage Against the Machine: Testify
Apathy
Voting irregularities
Polarized electorate
Positives:
Lots of opportunity to vote and participate
Checks and balances

20. Canadian and American Political Systems Comparison Chart
Branch of Government:
American System:
Canadian system:
Executive:
Responsibilities:
Components:
Elected:
Legislative:
Judicial:

21. How are the Canadian and American Systems Similar/Different?
Similarities:
Differences: