US Political System overview (for Pecha Kucha)

« To show understanding of the US political system, present an overview of it. The political system of the United States is often described as one of the most complex and sophisticated in the world. The country operates as a federal republic, with power divided between the national government in Washington, D.C., and individual states. The American political system is also characterized by : - a two-party system, - third parties, - political polarization, - lobbies and special interest groups, - and a unique system of voting. What does all this mean? Let’s see: The United States Constitution serves as the supreme law of the land and establishes the framework for the country's political system. The federal government consists of three branches: - the legislative branch, - the executive branch, - and the judicial branch. The legislative branch is responsible for creating laws and is composed of two houses: _ the Senate _ and the House of Representatives. The executive branch, led by the President, is responsible for enforcing laws. The judicial branch interprets laws and resolves disputes through the court system. This political system is subject to various checks and balances to prevent any one branch or actor from becoming too powerful. For example, the president's power is limited by the judicial branch’s ability to strike down executive orders and by legislative branch’s ability to override presidential vetoes. The US operates under a two-party system, which means that the Republican and Democratic parties dominate the political landscape. Both parties have a broad range of views on issues such as : taxes, healthcare, and national security, but they generally represent different political ideologies. The Republican Party is generally seen as more conservative, favoring smaller government and lower taxes, while the Democratic Party is seen as more liberal, closer to minorities issues, favoring larger government programs and higher taxes to fund them. Did you know? The first president of the United States, George Washington, never aligned with any political party and warned against them in his farewell address to the nation. Ironically, the first political parties came from his advisors, including Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and Thomas Jefferson. Madison and Jefferson founded the Democratic-Republican party which advocated for a smaller central government, while Alexander Hamilton led the Federalist Party which preferred a strong central government Third parties also exist in the US political system, although they have not been as successful as the major parties in winning elections. Third parties often emerge around a particular issue, or set of issues and can influence the political debate by drawing attention to these issues. Some examples of third parties in the US include : the Libertarian Party, the Green Party, and the Constitution Party. Many believe that third parties don't affect American politics by winning elections, but they can act as "spoilers" by taking votes from one of the two major parties. As we said before, they act like barometers of change in the political mood since they push the major parties to consider their demands. The US political system is also characterized by political polarization, which refers to the increasing ideological divide between the two major parties. This polarization has been driven by a variety of factors, including : the rise of cable news and social media, the increasing influence of special interest groups, and the changing demographics of the country. Political polarization has made it more difficult for the two parties to work together and has led to increased partisanship in government. Hence, the nation has alternated between periods of intense party rivalry.... »