American system of Government

[ríomhaire]

Can someone please answer my questions
What power does the President/Vice President have?
How many divistions are there and what power do they have?
Is a referendom needed to amend the constitution?
If not, who can?
What is the percentage votes needed to intuduce a law/amend the constitution?
I have heard it is a 2 party system, what does that mean?
What is meant by Liberal/Conservitive?
Thank you.

 

[Hapless]

The President is the Chief Executive. The Vice President has little actual power but is the President of the Senate, and acts as a tie-breaker. There are three branches of government, the Executive (President), Legislative (Congress) and Judicial (The Supreme Court.) THis system is generally the same in all levels of government from Federal to State to County to City. The legislative branch makes law, the executive enforces and administrates the law and the judicial interprets the law. That's a fairly simplified explanation. The system is set up so that no one branch has more power than the others. You may have heard the expression, "checks and balances." As far as amending the constitution, it is a fairly complicated process involving passage by a large majority of Congress and then ratification by the States. Not sure as to the technicalities, however.

Most laws require a simple majority in both houses of Congress, then passage in joint session, then must be signed by the President. This is statutory law, but there is also case law which is made by the courts when deciding cases and generally governs how statutes are enforced or administered. An example of case law would be the Miranda v. Arizona case, which brought about the famous, "You have the right to remain silent..." warning. The US is a two-party system in that for all intents and purposes only the Democratic and Republican parties have any real chance on the national level. As far as liberals and conservatives, the meaning has shifted several times over the years. There are already numerous threads related to that particular debate.

 

[Sulkdodds]

What he said.

Apparently:

Liberals are scum-sucking freedom-hating tree-hugging commie hippy pinkos.

Conservatives are gun-toting war-mongering gay-hating evil nazi bastards.

I hope that answers your question.

 

[ríomhaire]

only the Democratic and Republican parties have any real chance on the national level.

What?! That is absolutly crazy! Is that law?

So congres can amend the constitution? If it can what's the point in a constitution?

 

[jonbob]

Because some parts of the constitution aren't relevant in today's world. And today's world has aspects that the founding fathers couldn't have foreseen. I think the rights afforded citizens for freedom of speech were in an amendment.

 

[Cole]

founding fathers couldn't have foreseen.

Like the internet!

What?! That is absolutly crazy! Is that law?

No. But throughout our history many parties have faded and come.
There is no law about who has a real chance, because technically anyone has a chance.

Anyway our System of Goverment does work real well, though there is "corruption".

 

[Kyorisu]

Seperation of powers people a very wise system.

 

[jonbob]

America needs to be careful if she doesn't want to find herself a plutocracy. That said, Venice didn't turn out too bad.

 

[ríomhaire]

Because some parts of the constitution aren't relevant in today's world. And today's world has aspects that the founding fathers couldn't have foreseen. I think the rights afforded citizens for freedom of speech were in an amendment.

That is what referendems are for.Oh, and what is 'The Bill of Rights'?

 

[Glirk Dient]

That is what referendems are for.Oh, and what is 'The Bill of Rights'?

That would be the first 10 amendments to the constitution protecting certain rights of citizens. It added freedom of speech, press, religion, assembly, and petition. right to speedy trial. It also says citizens may bear arms as well as other important rights I can't think of off the top of my head.

 

[jonbob]

That's not what referendums are for. Referendums are instances of a public vote on one particular issue, which may well be the drafting of a new constitution, an amendment or simply an act of law. I believe that 9 have been held in the UK, one of which was conducted in Northern Ireland to determine if she should remain part of the UK (the outcome was yes, as you will know).

The Bill of Rights forms part of the US constitution.