The separation of powers in state government

State governments are similar in structure to each other and to the federal government. Under the principle of the separation of powers, the government of each state has three branches- the legislative, the executive, and the judicial. In the system of checks and balances, each branch has some control over other two branches.

The governor may veto bills from the legislature (the Senate and the house or assembly), in some states, the governor uses a “line-item veto”. This way, he or she does not have to reject an entire law in order to veto parts of it. The governor also appoints judges in the judicial branch. With enough votes in both houses, the legislature can override the governor’s veto.

Like the federal courts, state courts also explain and interpret laws. They can declare state laws unconstitutional (contradictory to the state constitution).

State government includes a system of direct democracy. Through the initiative process, citizens may put proposed laws on the ballot for the people to vote on. They may decide on proposed constitutional amendments or important state issues in a referendum. Through a recall, they can sometimes remove an elected government official from office.

The federal government also has power over state governments. For example, a state constitution or court may not contradict the U.S Constitution, and the U.S. Supreme Court may overrule the decision of a state supreme court. Also, the U.S. President may withhold money from a state if the state refuses to obey federal laws.

 

 

Vocabulary:

line-item veto- вето, наложенное на статью закона

to remove- отозвать

to override- перешагивать, переступать

contradictory- противоречивый

to overrule- отменять

to withhold money- удерживать деньги

 

5. Say if the following statements are true or false (see the text above):

1. All state governments are similar to one another, but they differ in structure from the federal government.

2. The principles of the separation of powers and checks and balances apply to state as well as the federal government.

3. In a “line-item veto”, the governor can reject parts of initiatives, referendums, or recalls.

4. Citizens may propose law, vote on constitutional amendments, and recall elected officials in the federal system of direct democracy but not in a state system.

5. The U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. President have some direct power over state governments.

UNIT III.

I. MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES

1. Read and translate the text:

The United States began as a one-party political system. George Washington and many others among the Revolutionary leaders wanted it to stay that way. In 1787, when the Constitution was written, the people were divided over whether to ratify it, although they were not yet organized into definite political parties.

The question is about who should be the new President began to divide people into political organizations. On one hand there were the Federalists, representing business, finance and the middle classes of city folk. On the other hand there were the “Republicans” led by Thomas Jefferson. They represented mainly the country folk from Virginia. Thus by 1800 the one-party Revolutionary government of the United States quickly split up into a two-party system.

The parties chose their own names, Republican and Democratic, but not their party emblems. The cartoonist Thomas Nast invented the Republican elephant and the Democratic donkey in the early 1870s, and they soon became fixed types.

The differences between these two parties are so small that a voter will see no intellectual inconsistency in voting for a Republican President, a Democratic state governor, a Republican Senator and a Democratic member of the House.

How is an individual’s party affiliation determined, or how does a person choose sides in the game of party politics? The first and perhaps the most important determinant is family tradition. Most voters take the party of their parents. Recently there has been an increasing tendency for the well-to-do to vote the Republican Party and for the less fortunate to vote the Democratic Party. National origin plays the role too; descendants of northern Europeans tend to the Republican Party, while those of southern and eastern Europeans prefer the Democratic Party.

The traditional bipartisan system is highly cherished by Big Business, for it creates a sort of illusion that voters are free to choose between the candidates of these two parties, whereas both of them faithfully serve Big Business interests.

Many people say that there is not much difference between the Republican and Democratic Parties. “Liberal” politicians usually favor reforms and progress. “Conservative” politicians usually oppose changes. Both liberal and conservative members belong to the two major political parties, and their ideas are often changed with the times and the issues.

Vocabulary:

one-party system- однопартийная система

bipartisan system- двухпартийная система

city folk- городское население

country folk- сельское население

inconsistency- несовместимость; противоречие

affiliation- присоединение

to cherish- лелеять

2. Give the English equivalents for:

- ратифицировать;

- средний класс;

- потомок;

- на партийном уровне.

3. Match each word on the left with the right definition on the right:

1) leader	a) someone who works in politics, especially an elected member of the government
2) party	b) ideas and activities relating to the gaining and using power in a country, city, etc.
3) voter	c) the person who directs or controls a team, organization, country etc.
4) politician	d) an organization of people with the same political aims that you can vote for in elections
5) politics	e) someone who votes or has the right to vote

4. Answer the questions:

1. What kind of system was characteristic of the United States at the time of George Washington?

2. What were the first reasons of people’s division into political parties?

3. Whom did the Federalists represent?

4. Who were the Republicans?

5. What are the party emblems and who invented them?

6. What distinguishes the two parties?

6. Read the text without a dictionary. Try to catch the main idea:

The Democratic Party is the oldest party in the United States. In 1829, Andrew Jackson became the first Democratic President. Since that time, the issues of the nation and the ideas of the party have changed. Both the major parties have liberal and conservative members but in general people consider the Democrats today more liberal than the Republicans.

Democrats often want the government to establish social programs for people in need, such as the poor, the unemployed, and the elderly. They usually say they believe in equal rights for women and minorities and they oppose nuclear weapon and too much military spending. The symbol of the Democratic Party is the donkey.

The Republican Party, sometimes called the G.O.P. (the Grand Old Party), began in 1854 over the issue of slavery. Republicans oppose slavery. The first Republican candidate to become President was Abraham Lincoln. After the Civil War, Republicans got interested in farm, land, and business issues. In general, Republicans vote more conservatively than Democrats. They want government to support big business but not to control the lives of citizens. They often oppose government spending for social programs but support military spending. The party symbol is the elephant.

Vocabulary:

nuclear weapon- ядерное оружие

military spending- расходы на вооружение

 

Notes to the text:

G.O.P. (the Grand Old Party) - великая старая партия (неофициальное название Республиканской партии США)

 

6. Say what party is spoken about in each sentence:

1. It is the oldest political party in the United States.

2. It is sometimes called the G.O.P.

3. Its first President was Abraham Lincoln.

4. Its first President was Andrew Jackson.

5. It is generally more liberal than the other party.

6. Its members usually prefer to spend tax money for military purposes rather than for social programs.

7. Its members do not want the government to control the lives of individuals.

8. The party symbol is the donkey.

 

7. Speak on:

1. The political parties in your country.

 

II. ELECTIONS

1. Read and translate the text:

Anyone who is an American citizen, at least 18 years of age, and is registered to vote may vote. Each state has the right to determine registration procedures. A number of civic groups, such as the League of Women Voters, are actively trying to register as many people as possible. Voter registration and voting among minorities has dramatically increased during the last twenty years, especially as a result of the Civil Rights Movement.

There is some concern, however, about the number of citizens who could vote in national elections but do not. In the national elections of 1984, for instance, only 57.4 per cent of all those who could have voted actually did. In 1992 it was 61.3. But then, Americans who want to vote must register, that is to put down their names in register before the actual elections take place. There are 50 different registration laws in the US- one set for each state. In the South, voters often have to register not only locally but also at the county seat. In European countries, on the other hand, “permanent registration” of voters is most common. Of those voters in the United States who did register in the 1988 Presidential elections, 86 per cent cast their ballots, in 1992- 89.8 per cent.

The National Presidential elections consist of two separate campaigns. One is for the nomination of candidates at national party convention; the other is to win the actual election. The first stage is called “primaries”. The party convention votes to select the party’s official candidate for the presidency. Then Presidential campaigns by the candidates start.

In November of the election year (years divisible by four, e.g. 1988, 1992, 1996, etc.), the voters across the nation go to the polls. If the majority of the popular votes in a state go to the Presidential (and vice-presidential) candidate of one party, then that person is supposed to get all of that state “electoral votes”. These electoral votes are equal to the number of Senators and Representatives each state has in the Congress. The candidate with the largest number of these electoral votes wins the election. Each state’s electoral votes are formally reported by the “Electoral College”. In January of the following year, in a joint session of Congress, the new President and Vice-President are officially announced.

Vocabulary:

a county- избирательный округ

party convention – партийный съезд

“Electoral College”- коллегия выборщиков

nomination- выдвижение кандидата

to cast a ballot- проголосовать

 

2. Find the English equivalents for:

- зарегистрироваться для голосования;

- президентские выборы;

- избирательный бюллетень;

- избирательная кампания.

 

3. Look through all the numbers in the sentences and say if they are true or false. Give your variant if necessary:

1. American citizens under 18 may vote.

2. In 1988, at the Presidential elections, only 86 per cent of the registered voters took part in the elections.

3. There are 40 registration laws in the USA which are obligatory for the country.

4. In 1990 only 50 per cent cast their ballots.

4. Place the sentences in a right order. Try to retell the text:

1. Americans who want to vote must put down their names in a register before the election.

2. Each state can determine its own registration procedure.

3. Any American citizen, over 18 years of age has the rights to vote.

4. There is always a number of citizens who can vote but don’t.

5. There is a different registration law for each state.

 

5. Speak on:

1. The elections in your country.

 

SUPPLEMENTARY READING