America - Politics Flashcards
What are the two main political parties in America?
• REPUBLICANS
- Trump - Rich ppl - Elephant
• DEMOCRATS
- Obama - For the ppl - Donkey
Describe the FEDERAL government
- TRUMP (president)
- in charge of whole f**** country
- controls: - immigration
- defence - post
Describe the STATE GOVERNMENT
• Controls
- death penalty - gun control - age of consent
Name the three levels of government
FEDERAL
STATE
LOCAL
Who can you vote for at federal level?
President
Senator
Who can you vote for at state level?
Governor
E.g. Jerry Brown, CA
Who can you vote for at local level?
Dog catcher
Sheriff
E.g. former sheriff of YOLO Ed Prieto
How can US citizens participate in politics?
- Vote in elections
- Vote in propositions
- Join a political party
Describe propositions
- YES/NO votes
- E.g. Colorado + California voted to legalise cannabis for recreational use
- California voted NO to condoms in pornography
What is the US constitution
A set of rules which lays out how the country should be run
What are the three branches of government in the US?
- Executive
- Legislative (US Congress)
- Judicial
Who leads the executive branch of the US govt?
The US president
E.g. Donald Trump
What is the Congress (legislative branch of govt) split into?
US House of Representatives (435 ppl)
US Senate (100 ppl)
Who leads the Judicial branch of govt.?
US Supreme Court
Supreme Court Justices
Eg Sonya Sotomayor
What does the Executive branch of govt do?
Suggest laws to Congress such as Affordable Health Care Act
Implement laws passed by Congress eg 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
What does Congress (legislative branch) do?
Debate and pass laws before being sent to President for approval
Approve budgets eg 2018/19 govt shutdown as refused to approve money in budget to pay for wall
What does the Judicial branch of govt do?
Make sure laws Congress pass don’t break the constitution
Eg overruled Trump’s original travel ban in 2017
Recently ruled that all 50 states have to allow same sex marriage
Describe checks and balances
President controls the military
But only Congress can declare was. Such as air strikes on IS in Syria
What is the US Bill of Rights?
The US Bill of Rights contains the rights of US citizens
Describe the rights and responsibilities of citizens in America
Right to vote
Right to Protest
Right to bear arms (own a gun) - 2nd Bill
Right to freedom of speech - 1st Bill
Describe in detail the type of government which exists in the world power you have studied (political system)
- The USA is a democratic Federal republic
- This means it has a federal government which is headed by a President who is elected by the people. Elections are held every 4 years and it is currently Donald Trump 💩
- The federal Government is spilt into 3 branches: legislative, judicial and executive
- Legislative branch is the law making branch called Congress and is made up of the Senate (100) and the House of Representatives (435)
- Members of Congress are elected by the public
- The federal government makes decisions which affect all 50 states (whole country)
- Postal
- Defence/war eg Afghanistan
- Power is shared between Federal and State governments
- Individual states allowed to pass their own laws on some issues:
- death penalty
- age of consent
- gun ownership
Explain in detail why more groups are participating in politics in your world power
PROGRESS OF ROLE MODELS
- Obama
- black turnout exceeded white in 2012
- Clinton
- Ed Prieto
- Sonya Sotomayor
- 3 women on Supreme Court
SOCIAL MEDIA ENCOURAGEMENT
- used by young ppl
- led to increase in young ppl vote
- FB I voted button
- celebs eg Beyoncé for Obama
- Obama won youth vote in 2012 67% to 30%
Explain in detail why groups in your world power do not participate in politics
WOMEN
- put off running as candidate due to lack of role models
- <24% congress is female
- many feel women’s place is in the home
- never female president
- 51% population
ETHNIC MINORITIES
- lack of role models
- only ever 1 ethnic min pres
- white Men = 38% pop hit 71% Senate 60% House so not reflect ethnic make up
POOR PPL
- less likely to vote
- more concerned w/ meeting their needs
- tends to be less educated
- feel politics isn’t relevant to them
- 2012: only 46% ppl earning $150,000
Explain why some consider your world power to be representative
- citizens are able to vote for ppl to represent them at 3 levels. Eg Trump, Jerry Brown, Ed Prieto
- Freedom to protest. Petitions or mass protests to persuade the govt to alter laws. Eg March for our lives/ fight for $15
Explain why some do not consider your world power to be representative
- Ppl face difficulty voting: ex felons + native Americans
- restriction on protesting. Since trump in office 18 states passed laws to curb mass protests. Eg seize assets of protestors if turns violent
Explain in detail why many groups feel they have made political progress in your world power
WOMEN
- 3/9 judges on Supreme Court are female
- Clinton ran as democratic presidential candidate
ETHNIC MINORITIES
- Obama
- Successful standing for election at local level eg. Ed Prieto
- Sonya Sotomayor is 1st Hispanic SC judge
NATIVE AMERICANS
- jump from 2 to 4 ppl in Congress
Explain in detail why ppl feel the govt in your world power isn’t representative
WOMEN
- no female president
- <24% congress is female but women are 51% of population
- only ever been 4 female SC judges
POOR PPL
- majority congress = millionaires
RELIGIONS
- congress remains overwhelmingly Christian
- 90.7%
