American political system
The United States is a federal republic composed of a national
government and 50 state governments.
The constitution: this document guarantees freedom of religion, free
speech, free press, the right of citizens to bear arms, the right to a fair trial
and protection against cruel and unusual punishment and went into effect
in March 1787. The Constitution divides the national government's power
among three coequal branches: the executive, the legislative, and the judicial.
The legislative branch: is made up of elected representatives. The main
body is called Congress – its seats is in the Capitol. The Congress is divided
into two parts – the House of Representatives consists of 435 lawmakers
who are elected according to the population of each state and serve for two
years and the second part is 100-member Senate. Each state elects two
senators to six-year terms. The main task of the Congress is to make federal
laws, declare war and deal with foreign treaties.
The executive branch: highest executive authority rests with the
President, who is elected to four-year terms by democratically chosen
electors from each of the 50 states. The president serves as head of state,
commander in chief of the armed forces, and treaty maker. He is also head of
government, initiating legislation and formulating foreign policy.
The judicial branch: is headed by the Supreme Court, a nine-member
body appointed by the president with the consent of the Senate. Using its
powers of judicial review, the court can cancel legislative, executive, and
administrative acts that do not conform to the Constitution and the court is
last resort in appeals from lower court decisions.
Two political parties dominate in politics in the United States: the
(largely centre-left) Democratic Party and the (largely centre-right)
Republican Party along with other minor groups and parties. When
members of a political party form a majority in the Congress, they have great
power to decide what kinds of laws will be passed.
zákonodárce
smlouva, dohoda, pakt
postup, taktika, plán, postoj, přístup
stanovený, určený
přezkoumání, kontrola
vyhovovat
American political system