THE US SYSTEM OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT

TEXT

Overview of the United States Government and Policies

Vocabulary

1. the system of checks and balances – система сдержек и противовесов

2. to be vested in the Supreme Court – быть возложенным на Верховный Суд

3. the electoral college – коллегия выборщиков

4. judicial review – судебный пересмотр, судебный контроль

5. a major political party – главная политическая партия

6. voter-turn-out – явка избирателей

7. “winner-take-all” principle – принцип «победителю достаётся всё»

8. to reign supreme – царствовать

1. Прочитайте текст и найдите подтверждение следующим предложениям.

1. Конституция США – это живой документ.

2. Конгресс является законодательной властью в США.

3. Исполнительная власть обеспечивает организацию исполнения законов и президент должен выполнять правительственные программы.

 4. Верховный суд является высшей судебной инстанцией в стране.

5. В США есть две наиболее крупные политические партии.

6. В различных штатах США выборы проводят по-разному.

Government of the United States is based on a written constitution. This constitution consists of a Preamble, seven Articles, and 27 Amendments. From this document, the entire federal government was created. It is a living document whose interpretation has changed over time. The amendment process is such that while not easily amended, US citizens are able to make necessary changes over time. Three Branches of Government. The USA is a presidential republic. The US Constitution was adopted by Congress in 1787.

The Constitution created three separate branches of government. Each branch has its own powers and areas of influence. At the same time, the Constitution created a  system of checks and balances that ensured no one branch would reign supreme.

The three branches are: Legislative Branch. This branch consists of the Congress (the Senate and the House of Representatives) which is responsible for making the federal laws. The Congress can pass the law anyway if it gets a two-thirds majority votes. The President can veto (reject) it. Congress also plays an informative role. It informs the public about different and important subjects. Executive Branch.

The executive power lies with the President of the United States who is given the job of executing, enforcing, and administering the laws and government. The president is to carry out the programmes of the Government, to recommend much of the legislation to the Congress.

Judicial Branch. The judicial power of the United States is vested in the Supreme Court – the highest judicial organ of the state and the federal courts. Their job is to interpret and apply US laws through cases brought before them. Another important power of the Supreme Court is that of Judicial Review whereby they can rule laws unconstitutional.

The Constitution is built on six basic principles: Popular Sovereignty; Limited Government; Separation of Powers; Checks and Balances; Judicial Review; Federalism. Political Process. While the Constitution sets up the system of government, the actual way in which the offices of Congress and the Presidency are filled is based upon the American political system.

The US exists under a two-party system. The two major parties in America are the Democratic and Republican parties. Sometimes, a special issue produces a third party, but the third party often loses strength. Parties perform a wide variety of functions. They act as coalitions and attempt to win elections.

Elections. In the United States elections are held at all levels including local, state, and federal. There are numerous differences from locality to locality and state to state. Even when determining the presidency, there is some variation with how the electoral college (a body of people representing the states of the USA, the system that is used in presidential elections) is determined from state to state. While voter-turn-out is barely over 50% during Presidential election years and much lower than that during midterm elections, elections can be hugely important.

2. Закончите предложения в соответствии с содержанием текста.

1. The Constitution of the USA consists of …

2. The Constitution created …

3. The President of the USA is given the job of …

4. The judicial branch of the government is the system of courts in the USA. Its job is …

5. The USA exists under a two-party system. Sometimes, a special issue produces a third party, but …

6. Elections are held in the United States at all levels …

3. Выразите согласие/несогласие со следующими утверждениями, используя известные вам речевые модели.

1. The Constitution of the USA consists of 27 Amendments.

2. A written constitution is a living document. It can be altered with ease.

3. The Constitution created three separate branches of government.

4. Congress, the legislative branch of the federal government, is made up of an upper house, called the Federation Council, and a lower house, the State Duma.

5. Power is concentrated in the executive branch, which is headed by the President who is given the job of executing, enforcing and administering the laws and the government.

6. The judicial power of the United States is vested in the US District Courts.

7. The two major parties in America are the Democrats and the Republicans. They perform a wide variety of functions.

8. Elections are held at all levels and there are numerous differences in registration laws from locality to locality and state to state.

4. Укажите, какие предложения содержат информацию из текста.

1. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights illustrated two different sides of American political life.

2. The Constitution was adopted by Congress in 1789.

3. In 1791 two amendments were made to the Constitution.

4. The USA is a presidential republic.

5. There are 100 Senators, two from each state in the Senate and 435 members in the House of Representatives.

6. The President of the United States is elected for a term of four years by electors of each state, must be a native born citizen, resident in the country for 14 years and at least 35 years old.

7. The Supreme Court - the highest judicial organ of the state has the power of Judicial Review.

8. The two political parties in America act as coalitions and attempt to win elections.

9. Almost all elections in the United States follow the “winner-take-all” principle: the candidate who wins the largest number of votes in a Congressional district is the winner.

5. Выберите правильный вариант ответа.

1. What is the United States of America?

a) an absolute monarchy

b) a federation of states

c) a presidential republic

2. What does the Constitution of the USA consist of?

a) a Preamble, ten Articles, thirty Amendments

b) a Preamble, seven Articles, twenty seven Amendments

c) statutes, customs, constitutional conventions

3. How many branches is the Government in the United States divided into?

a) two

b) three

c) four

4. How is the legislative branch of the Government called?

a) Parliament

b) Congress

c) the Supreme Court

5. What branch of the Government has the responsibility to carry out the law?

a) the executive branch

b) the legislative branch

c) the judicial branch

6. What branch of the Government is the most powerful?

a) legislative

b) executive

c) judicial

7. What is the highest executive power in the United States?

a) the President

b) the House of Representatives

c) the Senate  

8. What does the judicial branch do?

a) makes and passes laws

b) interprets and applies US laws

c) executes, enforces and administers laws

9. What party system does the United States have?

a) a one-party system

b) a multi-party system

c) a two-party system

6. Прочитайте, на каких шести принципах была создана конституция США, и назовите их.

Since the people give government its power, government itself is restrained to the power given to it by them. In other words the US government doesn’t derive its power from itself. It must follow its own laws and it can only act using powers given to it by the people. In order to protect citizens, the constitution sets up the system of government with balanced powers to make compromise and consensus necessary. This system limits the duties of each branch and separates powers for each branch. Basically, each branch of government has a certain number of checks it can use to ensure the other branches do not become too powerful.

The US Government is divided into three branches so that no one branch has all the power. Each branch has its own purpose: to make the laws, execute the laws and to interpret the laws. This principle is one of the most complicated foundations of the US. This is the idea that the central government doesn’t control all the power in the nation. States also have powers reserved to them. Central government exercises exclusively such powers as defence and matters of state security, whereas the regions exercise power over such things as planning, regional development and taxation. This principle states that the source of governmental power lies with the people.

The Government of the United States is truly national in character and should be for the benefit of its citizens. If the Government is not protecting the people, it should be dissolved. This power allows the Supreme Court to decide whether acts and laws are unconstitutional. This was established with Marbury v. Madisonin 1803.

7. Соотнесите английские словосочетания в левой колонке с их эквивалентами из правой колонки.

1) “winner-take-all” principle

2) an absolute monarchy

3) the system of checks and balances

4) to be vested in the Supreme Court

5) the electoral college

6) Judicial Review

7) to alter the constitution

8) federal state

9) voter-turn-out

10) a major political party

11) unitary state

a) унитарное государство

b) коллегия выборщиков

c) явка избирателей

d) судебный пересмотр

e) федеральное государство

f) принцип «победителю достаётся всё»

g) неограниченная монархия

h) главная политическая партия

i) быть возложенным на Верховный Суд

j) система сдержек и противовесов

k) изменить конституцию

8. Составьте аннотацию к тексту (не более 10 – 12 предложений). Используйте предложенный ниже план.

1) System/form of government.

2) The US Constitution.

3) Branches of power (legislative, executive, judicial).

4) Six basic principles of the US Constitution.

5) The two major parties in America.

6) Elections.