THE UNIVERSITY OF DA NANG

THE UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
----------

Subject: Introducing America

TOPIC: THE U.S. GOVERNMENT

Teacher in charge: Dinh Thi Hoang Trieu

Group 5: Le Thi Phuong Ly – 20CNA02
Le Hong Lam – 20CNA08
Phan Thu Trang – 20CNA08
Vu Thi Hong Nhung – 20CNA13
Nguyen Thu Hang – 21CNA01
VHM – 02

Da Nang, 2023
OUTLINE
I. Introduction:.....................................................................................................................5
II. Body:...............................................................................................................................5
II.1. Definitions:...............................................................................................................5
II.2. The Three Branches of Government:.......................................................................6
II.2.1. Legislative branch (Congress):.........................................................................6
II.2.1.1. The Senate:.................................................................................................6
II.2.1.2. The House of Representatives:..................................................................6
II.2.1.3. The responsibility of Congress:.................................................................7
II.2.2. Executive branch:..............................................................................................7
II.2.2.1. The President:............................................................................................7
II.2.2.2. Vice President:...........................................................................................8
II.2.2.3. The Cabinet, the Departments and the Agencies:......................................9
II.2.2.3.1. The Cabinet:........................................................................................9
II.2.2.3.2. The Departments and the Agencies:...................................................9
II.2.3. Judicial branch:...............................................................................................10
II.2.3.1. The Supreme Court:.................................................................................10
II.2.3.2. Circuit Court of Appeals:.........................................................................11
II.2.3.3. District Courts:.........................................................................................12
II.2.4. The Government of Vietnam:.........................................................................12
II.2.4.1. The National Assembly of Vietnam.........................................................12
II.2.4.1.1. Member of the National Assembly of Vietnam................................13
II.2.4.2. Vietnam’s four pillars..............................................................................13
II.2.4.2.1. General Secretary:.............................................................................13
II.2.4.2.2. The President.....................................................................................14
II.2.4.2.3. The Prime Minister...........................................................................14
II.2.4.2.4. The President of the National Assembly...........................................15
II.2.4.3 Some points between the US and Vietnamese governments:...................15
II.3. The President..........................................................................................................15
II.3.1. The Functions of the President........................................................................15
II.3.1.1. Executive Powers.....................................................................................15
II.3.1.1.1. Enforcement of Law..........................................................................15
II.3.1.1.2.Presidential Appointments.................................................................16
II.3.1.1.3. Diplomatic Powers............................................................................16
II.3.1.1.4. Role in defense..................................................................................16
II.3.1.2. Legislative Powers...................................................................................16
II.3.1.2.1. Presidential Veto...............................................................................16
II.3.1.2.2. Messages...........................................................................................16
II.3.1.2.3. Special Sessions................................................................................16
II.3.1.2.4. Executive Decrees and Delegated Legislation..................................16
II.3.1.3. Financial Powers......................................................................................16
II.3.1.4. Judicial Powers........................................................................................16
II.3.2. The relation between the President and Congress..........................................17
II.3.2.1. Legislation................................................................................................17
II.3.2.2. Budget......................................................................................................17
II.3.2.3. War Powers..............................................................................................18

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 II.3.2.4. About Impeachment.................................................................................18
II.3.3. The U.S. Presidents:........................................................................................19
II.3.3.1. List of U.S. Presidents:............................................................................19
II.3.3.2. America’s best Presidents:.......................................................................19
II.3.4. The current president:.....................................................................................21
II.3.4.1. Introducing the current president:............................................................21
II.3.4.2. Road to the Presidency:............................................................................21
II.4. Political parties:......................................................................................................22
II.4.1. Two main political parties in the USA:..........................................................22
II.4.1.1. The Democratic:.......................................................................................22
II.4.1.1.1. History:..............................................................................................22
II.4.1.1.2. Name and symbols............................................................................23
II.4.1.1.3. Current structure and composition....................................................24
II.4.1.1.4. Ideology............................................................................................25
II.4.1.1.5. Political positions..............................................................................26
II.4.1.1.6. Composition......................................................................................28
II.4.1.1.7. Democratic presidents.......................................................................30
II.4.1.2. The Republican........................................................................................30
II.4.1.2.1. History...............................................................................................30
II.4.1.2.2. Name and symbols............................................................................31
II.4.1.2.3. Political positions..............................................................................31
II.4.1.2.4. Composition......................................................................................33
II.4.1.2.5. Republican presidents.......................................................................33
II.4.1.2.6. Recent electoral history.....................................................................34
II.4.2 Other political parties.......................................................................................34
II.4.2.1. Libertarian Party......................................................................................34
II.4.2.2. Green Party..............................................................................................35
II.4.2.3. Constitution Party....................................................................................36
II.4.2.4. Alliance Party...........................................................................................36
II.5. Elections.................................................................................................................37
II.5.1 The election campaign.....................................................................................37
II.5.2. Electoral precinct............................................................................................37
II.5.3. Congressional, State, and Local Elections......................................................38
II.5.3.1. Congressional Elections and Midterm Elections.....................................38
II.5.3.2. State and Local Elections.........................................................................38
II.5.4. Inauguration of the President of the United States:........................................39
II.5.5. Presidential Election Process..........................................................................39
II.5.5.1. U.S. Constitutional Requirements for Presidential Candidates...............39
II.5.5.2. Overview of the Presidential Election Process........................................39
II.5.5.2.1. State Primaries and Caucuses...........................................................40
II.5.5.2.2. National Conventions........................................................................40
II.5.5.2.3. General Election................................................................................41
II.5.5.2.4. The Electoral College........................................................................41
II.5.6. Voting and Election Laws and History...........................................................41
II.5.6.1. Voting and Election Laws........................................................................41
II.5.6.2. Who Can and Can’t Vote in U.S. Elections?...........................................41

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 II.5.6.2.1. Who Can Vote?.................................................................................41
II.5.6.2.2. Who CAN’T Vote?...........................................................................41
II.5.7. Elections in Vietnam.......................................................................................42
II.5.7.1. Overview of the Presidential Election Process........................................42
II.5.7.2. Electoral system.......................................................................................42
III. Conclusion:..................................................................................................................42
References..........................................................................................................................43

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 THE U.S. GOVERNMENT
I. Introduction:
The United States government operates under a system of checks and
balances, ensuring that no single government branch has too much power. The
government of the United States is known for its stability and continuity, with
regular elections and peaceful transfers of power between different political
parties. The country has a long history of democracy, dating back to its founding,
and remains a model for democratic government around the world. The
government of the United States is a complex and dynamic system that reflects the
diversity and vibrancy of the country as a whole. Through study and discussion,
students can gain a deeper understanding of how the government operates and how
it has shaped the nation's history and identity.
This study provides students with a basic understanding of the
characteristics of the US government such as how they run the country, and how
they developed the country to make the United States the great power it is today.
In addition, it provides students with the opportunity to learn about aspects of the
U.S. government throughout its formative period and U.S. history, including
factors related to the Constitution, presidents, election campaigns, departments,
etc... It provides students with many opportunities to enhance independence and
cooperation through exercises and group discussions.
II. Body:
II.1. Definitions:
 Bill of Rights: Bản tuyên ngôn dân quyền
A statement of the basic laws to protect the rights of a country's citizens to
have justice and fairness.
 Amendment: Sửa đổi
A change to a law that is not yet in operation and is still being discussed.
 Circuit Court of Appeals: Tòa phúc thẩm lưu động
A court in any of eleven areas in the US in which lawyers can argue that a
decision made in a lower court should be changed
 Pocket Veto: Quyền phủ quyết
An indirect veto of a legislative bill by the president or a governor by
retaining the bill unsigned until it is too late for it to be dealt with during
the legislative session.
 The commander-in-chief: Bộ Tổng tư lệnh
A commander in charge of all the armed forces of a country or of all the
forces fighting in a particular area or operation
 Federalism: Chủ nghĩa liên bang
A system of government in which states unite and give up some of their
powers to a central authority.

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  Constitution: Hiến pháp
The set of political principles by which a state or organization is governed,
especially in relation to the rights of the people it governs.
 Impeachment: Cáo buộc
The act of making a formal statement that a public official might be guilty
of a serious offense in connection with his or her job, especially in the US.
 Ideology: Hệ tư tưởng
A system of ideas and ideals, especially one which forms the basis of
economic or political theory and policy.
II.2. The Three Branches of Government:
II.2.1. Legislative branch (Congress):
II.2.1.1. The Senate:

The Senate is composed of 100 Senators, 2 for each state. Until the ratification of
the 17th Amendment in 1913, Senators were chosen by state legislatures, not by
popular vote. Since then, they have been elected to six-year terms by the people of
each state. Senators’ terms are staggered so that about one-third of the Senate is up
for reelection every two years. Senators must be 30 years of age, U.S. citizens for
at least nine years, and residents of the state they represent.
II.2.1.2. The House of Representatives:

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The House of Representatives is made up of 435 elected members, divided among
the 50 states in proportion to their total population. In addition, there are 6 non-
voting members, representing the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, and four other territories of the United States: American Samoa,
Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana
Islands. The presiding officer of the chamber is the Speaker of the House, elected
by the Representatives. He or she is third in the line of succession to the
Presidency.
II.2.1.3. The responsibility of Congress:
Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government that represents the
American people and makes the nation's laws. It shares power with the executive
branch, led by the president, and the judicial branch, whose highest body is the
Supreme Court of the United States. Of the three branches of government,
Congress is the only one elected directly by the people.
Congress has the power to:
 Make laws.
 Declare war.
 Raise and provide public money and oversee its proper expenditure.
 Impeach and try federal officers.
 Approve presidential appointments.
 Approve treaties negotiated by the executive branch.
 Oversight and investigations.
II.2.2. Executive branch:
II.2.2.1. The President:

Current US President: Joe Biden

 Election Requirements:
The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of
America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together
with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term.
The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation,
which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the Period for which he
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shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that Period any other
Emolument from the United States, or any of them.
 Roles and Duties:
The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the
United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual
Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the
principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating
to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant
Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of
Impeachment.
The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen
during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at
the End of their next Session.
II.2.2.2. Vice President:

Current US Vice President: Kamala Harris

The Vice President of the United States, also known as VPOTUS or Veep, is an
important position in the executive branch of the federal government. The Vice
President is probably best known as being “a heartbeat away from the presidency”,
meaning that if a sitting President dies or is impeached, the Vice President takes
over. However, constitutionally, the main responsibility of the Vice President is
the role of President of the Senate.
The only other formally recognized duty of the Vice President is to preside
over and certify the tally of electoral college votes after a Presidential election has
taken place.
However, the role also brings with it many visible, informal
responsibilities. These would typically vary depending upon the relationship
between the President and Veep of the day, but have typically included:
 Making public appearances representing the President.
 Performing ceremonial duties in place of the President.
 Acting as an adviser to the President.
 Meeting with heads of state or government of other countries.
Potential US Vice Presidents must fulfill the following criteria by being:
 A natural born US citizen.

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  At least 35 years old.
 A US resident for at least the previous 14 years.
Other than this, vice presidential candidates don't require any special
qualifications. In practice, however, most candidates have served in Congress, and
some have been high ranking military officers or state Governors.
II.2.2.3. The Cabinet, the Departments and the Agencies:
II.2.2.3.1. The Cabinet:
The Cabinet’s role is to advise the President on any subject he or she may require
relating to the duties of each member’s respective office.
President Joe Biden’s Cabinet includes Vice President Kamala Harris and the
heads of the 15 executive departments - the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce,
Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security,
Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury,
and Veterans Affairs, and the Attorney General. Additionally, the Cabinet includes
the White House Chief of Staff, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, the
Director of National Intelligence, and the US Trade Representative, as well as the
heads of the Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Management and
Budget, Council of Economic Advisers, Office of Science and Technology Policy,
and Small Business Administration.
President Biden’s Cabinet reflects his pledge to appoint leaders of government
agencies that reflect the country they aim to serve.
II.2.2.3.2. The Departments and the Agencies:

Executive departments are government units under the direct President

supervision. The President's Cabinet includes the Vice President, heads of the 15
executive departments below, and the Attorney General. There are hundreds of
federal agencies and commissions with various responsibilities.

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 Updated by the Federal Register, includes a list of all 438 agencies and
sub-agencies. VP, Secretary of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education,
Energy, HHS, Homeland Security, HUD, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury,
Veterans Affairs & Attorney General.
There are 15 main Departments:
 Department of Agriculture
 Department of Commerce
 Department of Defense
 Department of Education
 Department of Energy
 Department of Health & Human Services
 Department of Homeland Security
 Department of Housing & Urban Development
 Department of the Interior
 Department of Justice
 Department of Labor
 Department of State
 Department of Transportation
 Department of the Treasury
 Department of Veterans Affairs
II.2.3. Judicial branch:
The Judicial branch is defined as the body of government responsible for
interpreting laws and applying them to real-life situations in order to resolve
disputes.
The US Judicial Branch was created by Article III of the Constitution, which
states that "the judicial power of the United States shall be vested in one Supreme
Court..." In 1789, Congress set up the federal judiciary of six Supreme Court
Justices as well as the lower federal courts. It wasn't until
Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1891 that the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals
were created. These Circuit Courts of Appeals are intended to take some of the
appellate pressure off the Supreme Court.
Members of the Judicial Branch are appointed by the President and are
confirmed by the Senate. Congress has the power to shape the federal judiciary
which means Congress can determine the number of Supreme Court justices.
There are currently nine Supreme Court Justices - one Chief Justice and eight
Associate Justices. However, at one point in U.S. history, there were only six
Justices.
II.2.3.1. The Supreme Court:

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 The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is
the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate
appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases
that involve a point of U.S. Constitutional or federal law. It also has original
jurisdiction over a narrow range of cases, specifically "all Cases affecting
Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall
be Party." The court holds the power of judicial review, the ability to invalidate a
statute for violating a provision of the Constitution.
Established by Article Three of the United States Constitution, the
composition and procedures of the Supreme Court were initially established by the
1st Congress through the Judiciary Act of 1789. As later set by the Judiciary Act
of 1869, the court consists of the chief justice of the United States and eight
associate justices. Justices have lifetime tenure, meaning they remain on the court
until they die, retire, resign, or are impeached and removed from office. When a
vacancy occurs, the president, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoints
a new justice.
II.2.3.2. Circuit Court of Appeals:

There are 13 appellate courts that sit below the U.S.

Supreme Court, and they are called the U.S. Courts of Appeals. The 94 federal
judicial districts are organized into 12 regional circuits, each of which has a court
of appeals. The appellate court’s task is to determine whether or not the law was
applied correctly in the trial court. Appeals courts consist of three judges and do
not use a jury.

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 A court of appeals hears challenges to district court decisions from
courts located within its circuit, as well as appeals from decisions of federal
administrative agencies.
In addition, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has nationwide
jurisdiction to hear appeals in specialized cases, such as those involving patent
laws, and cases decided by the U.S. Court of International Trade and the U.S.
Court of Federal Claims.
II.2.3.3. District Courts:

The nation’s 94 district or trial courts are called

U.S. District Courts. District courts resolve disputes by determining the facts and
applying legal principles to decide who is right.
Trial courts include the district judge who tries the case and a jury that
decides the case. Magistrate judges assist district judges in preparing cases for
trial. They may also conduct trials in misdemeanor cases.
There is at least one district court in each state, and the District of
Columbia. Each district includes a U.S. bankruptcy court as a unit of the district
court. Four territories of the United States have U.S. district courts that hear
federal cases, including bankruptcy cases: Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam,
and the Northern Mariana Islands.
There are also two special trial courts. The Court of International Trade
addresses cases involving international trade and customs laws. The U.S. Court of
Federal Claims deals with most claims for money damages against the U.S.
government.
II.2.4. The Government of Vietnam:
The Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, also known as the
Vietnamese Government or the Government of Vietnam, is the executive branch
and body of the State Administration of Vietnam. The members of the
Government are appointed by the President of Vietnam on the advice of the Prime
Minister of Vietnam, and approved by the National Assembly. The government is
led by the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), which is headed by the CPV
General Secretary, the top position in Vietnam.
II.2.4.1. The National Assembly of Vietnam

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 Unlike the US Congress, the National Assembly of Vietnam does not have
The Senate and The House of Representatives. The National Assembly is the
highest representative body of the people and the only organization that holds
legislative power. This agency has great responsibility for overseeing all functions
of the Government.
Vietnam does not have many parties, but only the Communist Party of
Vietnam leads.
II.2.4.1.1. Member of the National Assembly of Vietnam
• Mission
Vietnamese National Assembly deputies are members of the National Assembly of
Vietnam, directly elected by Vietnamese voters on the principles of universal,
equal, direct and secret suffrage. Delegates are elected according to constituencies,
are representatives and are accountable to voters and the people who elect them.
Delegates are also accountable to voters nationwide. Through the delegates and
through the National Assembly, the Vietnamese people use their power to decide
the country's affairs.
• The number of Delegates is not fixed for each session of the National
Assembly. In the most recent election in 2021, the 15th National Assembly of
Vietnam had a total of 499 Deputies. The Communist Party of Vietnam won 486
seats, while non-partisan (independent) candidates (still affiliated with the
Communist Party) won the remaining 14. However one delegate was disciplined
and released from his duties due to legal offenses. Therefore the current National
Assembly of Vietnam consists of 499 delegates instead of 500 delegates.
• Standard
Deputies to the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam must, by
law, be Vietnamese citizens, aged full 21 years or older, have the right to stand for
election, and be included in the list of candidates for National Assembly deputies
by the Vietnam Fatherland Front through people's consultations, has enough votes
to become a National Assembly member in the general election, and is determined
to be eligible to be a National Assembly deputy by the Commission for
Examination of National Assembly deputies.
II.2.4.2. Vietnam’s four pillars
II.2.4.2.1. General Secretary:
• General Secretary is the title for the highest leader in the political system in
Vietnam, concurrently the title of Secretary of the Central Military Commission is
the supreme leader of the Vietnam People's Army.
• General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of
Vietnam is the highest leadership title of the Communist Party of Vietnam. The
General Secretary is the head of the Communist Party's Central Committee,
presides over the work of the Central Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat and
other powers. Currently, the General Secretary is also the Secretary of the Central

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Military Commission and the Head of the Central Steering Committee on anti-
corruption and anti-corruption.
• Term:
According to the charter of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the National
Congress of the Communist Party will elect the Central Committee, the Central
Committee elects the Politburo and the General Secretary from one of the
members. The political. Since 2001, the term of the General Secretary is
equivalent to the term of the Central Committee; The General Secretary will hold
his position until the new General Secretary is elected by the Central Committee of
the new term.
II.2.4.2.2. The President
• The President is the Head of State, the representative of the State, and the
second most powerful figure in the political system.
• The President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (referred to as the
President) is the head of state of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the head of
State of Vietnam, on behalf of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Socialist
Association of Vietnam on domestic and foreign affairs. The President dominates
the people's armed forces and holds the position of Chairman of the Vietnam
National Defense and Security Council. The President is one of the members of
the National Assembly of Vietnam elected by the entire National Assembly.
• Term of the President: According to the 2013 Constitution - Article 87:
“The term of office of the President of the State follows the term of the National
Assembly. When the National Assembly's term expires, the President continues to
perform his duties until the new National Assembly elects the President.’’. The
term of a National Assembly session is 5 years. Therefore, the term of the
President is also 5 years.
II.2.4.2.3. The Prime Minister
• The Prime Minister is the head of the executive branch, the third most
powerful figure.
• The Prime Minister (often referred to as the Prime Minister for short) is the
head of the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The Prime Minister
is elected by the National Assembly from among the National Assembly deputies
on the nomination of the State President. The Prime Minister is responsible to the
National Assembly for the activities of the Government and assigned tasks; to
report on the Government's and its own work to the National Assembly, the
National Assembly Standing Committee and the State President.
• The term of office of the Prime Minister according to the term of the
Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is 5 years. Article 97 of the
Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 2013 stipulates the term of
the Government according to the term of the National Assembly. Article 71
stipulates that the term of each National Assembly term is 5 years. The

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Government continues to perform its duties until the new National Assembly
forms a new Government.
II.2.4.2.4. The President of the National Assembly
• The President of the National Assembly is the head of the National
Assembly's legislature, and is the number 4 most powerful figure.
• The President of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of
Vietnam (formerly known as the Head of the Standing Committee of the National
Assembly (1945-1960) or the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the
National Assembly (1960-1976)) is the head of the National Assembly. Assembly
and the National Assembly Standing Committee - the standing body of the
National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
According to the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (2013):
"The National Assembly is the highest representative body of the People, the
highest organ of state power of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The National
Assembly exercises constitutional rights, legislative powers, and decides on issues.
importance of the country and supreme supervision over the operation of the
State."
 Term
The National Assembly elects the President from among the National Assembly
deputies and has the same term as the National Assembly of the same term. The
President of the National Assembly cannot concurrently be a member of the
Government and work on a full-time basis. The President of each National
Assembly shall perform his/her duties and powers until the new National
Assembly elects a new Standing Committee of the National Assembly. Since the
term of a session of the National Assembly is 5 years, the term of the President of
the National Assembly is also 5 years.
II.2.4.3 Some points between the US and Vietnamese governments:
 Vietnam also has 3 branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.
 The head of the executive branch of Vietnam is not the president but the
prime minister.
 The head of the judiciary is the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme
People's Procuracy. While the court exercises trial and exercises judicial
powers, the procuracies exercise the power to prosecute and supervise
judicial activities. The powers of the two bodies restrain each other.
II.3. The President
II.3.1. The Functions of the President
II.3.1.1. Executive Powers
II.3.1.1.1. Enforcement of Law

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It is the responsibility of the President to enforce the Constitution as well as
federal laws.
II.3.1.1.2.Presidential Appointments
He has the power to make all important appointments but all such appointments
are to be approved by the Senate. Except, the Senate does not interfere in the
appointments of the Secretaries, Ambassadors, and other diplomats. The president
has the power to remove any person appointed by him except judges.
II.3.1.1.3. Diplomatic Powers
The American President is regarded as the Chief Spokesman of America in its
relations with foreign governments. His most important function is to formulate
foreign policy. He is empowered to make treaties subject to the ratification by the
Senate with two-thirds majority vote.
II.3.1.1.4. Role in defense
He is the supreme Commander-in-Chief of the US-armed forces. He appoints
Higher military-officers with the consent of the Senate and can remove them at
will. He can make rules and regulations for execution of the acts of the Congress
relating to Defense. He can send American forces to any part of the world.
II.3.1.2. Legislative Powers
II.3.1.2.1. Presidential Veto
Every bill passed by the Congress needs assent of the President.
II.3.1.2.2. Messages
The President may send messages proposing some legislative measures, either
orally or in writing. Many laws owe their origin to the President's messages.
II.3.1.2.3. Special Sessions
The President has the right to convene special sessions of the Congress. The
practice of convening special sessions of the Congress was very common
previously, but after the twentieth amendment a new calendar was introduced, thus
the need for special sessions has become less because the interval between the
regular sessions has been lessened.
II.3.1.2.4. Executive Decrees and Delegated Legislation
The President is empowered to promulgate executive decrees and orders and these
are as valid as laws. The executive can also make new rules and regulations
necessary for putting into execution the laws of the Congress.
II.3.1.3. Financial Powers
The President is the general manager of the financial affairs of the Government.
II.3.1.4. Judicial Powers

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An American President appoints federal judges with the approval of the Senate.
He can grant pardon, reprieve clemency, with the exception of sentences given
through impeachment.
II.3.2. The relation between the President and Congress
II.3.2.1. Legislation
The president can propose and veto legislation. Congress can amend and
block legislation and override the veto.
The Framers of the Constitution gave the President the power to veto acts
of Congress to prevent the legislative branch from becoming too powerful. The
veto power does not give the President the power to amend or alter the content of
legislation—the President only has the ability to accept or reject an entire act
passed by Congress.
The veto allows the President to “check” the legislature by reviewing acts passed
by Congress and blocking measures he finds unconstitutional, unjust, or unwise.
Congress’s power to override the President’s veto forms a “balance” between the
branches on the lawmaking power.
The President, however, can influence and shape legislation by a threat of a veto.
By threatening a veto, the President can persuade legislators to alter the content of
the bill to be more acceptable to the President.
Congress can override a veto by passing the act by a two-thirds vote in both the
House and the Senate. (Usually an act is passed with a simple majority.)
II.3.2.2. Budget
The president can submit the annual budget. Congress can amend and block the
budget.
The United States budget process begins when the President of the United States
submits a budget request to Congress. The President's budget is formulated over a
period of months with the assistance of the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB), the largest office within the Executive Office of the President.
The annual federal budget process traditionally starts when the President submits a
detailed budget request for the coming fiscal year, which begins on October 1st.
(The request is supposed to come by the first Monday in February, but sometimes
the submission is delayed, particularly when a new administration takes office or
congressional action on the prior year’s budget has been delayed.) This budget
request — developed through an interactive process between federal agencies and
the President’s Office of Management and Budget that begins the previous spring
(or earlier) — plays three important roles.
First, it tells Congress the President’s recommendation for overall federal fiscal
policy.
Second, the President’s budget lays out the administration’s relative priorities for
federal programs — how much should be spent on defense, agriculture, education,
health, and other areas.

17
Third, the President’s budget typically includes some proposals to alter some
mandatory programs and some aspects of revenue law, even if Congress is
unlikely to consider those proposals.
II.3.2.3. War Powers
The president is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Congress must
declare war and has the power of the purse.
Article II Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, the Commander in Chief clause,
states that "The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of
the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the
actual Service of the United States."
The questions of whether and to what extent the President has the authority to use
the military absent a Congressional declaration of war have proven to be sources
of conflict and debate throughout American history. Some scholars believe the
Commander in Chief Clause confers expansive powers on the President, but others
argue that even if that is the case, the Constitution does not define precisely the
extent of those powers. These scholars tend to construe the Clause narrowly,
asserting that the Founders gave the President the title to preserve civilian
supremacy over the military, not to provide additional powers outside of a
Congressional authorization or declaration of war.

Congress - and in particular, the House of Representatives - is invested with the

“power of the purse,” the ability to tax and spend public money for the national
government. Massachusetts’ Elbridge Gerry said at the Federal Constitutional
Convention that the House “was more immediately the representatives of the
people, and it was a maxim that the people ought to hold the purse-strings.”
II.3.2.4. About Impeachment
The president acts as chief executive. Congress has powers of investigation,
impeachment, trial and removal.
As chief executive, the president presides over the cabinet and has responsibility
for the management of the executive branch. With the advice and consent of the
Senate, the president also has the power to make treaties and to appoint
ambassadors, U.S. officers, and judges to federal courts.

The United States Constitution provides that the House of Representatives "shall
have the sole Power of Impeachment" (Article I, section 2) and "the Senate shall
have the sole Power to try all Impeachments … [but] no person shall be convicted
without the Concurrence of two-thirds of the Members present" (Article I, section
3). The president, vice president, and all civil officers of the United States are
subject to impeachment.

18
The practice of impeachment originated in England and was later used by many of
the American colonial and state governments. As adopted by the framers of the
Constitution, this congressional power is a fundamental component of the system
of “checks and balances.” Through the impeachment process, Congress charges
and then tries an official of the federal government for “Treason, Bribery, or other
high Crimes and Misdemeanors.” The definition of “high Crimes and
Misdemeanors” was not specified in the Constitution and has long been the subject
of debate.

II.3.3. The U.S. Presidents:

As the head of the government of the United States, the president is
arguably the most powerful government official in the world. The president is
elected to a four-year term via an electoral college system. Since the Twenty-
second Amendment was adopted in 1951, the American presidency has been
limited to a maximum of two terms.
II.3.3.1. List of U.S. Presidents:
The table provides a list of presidents of the United States.

There have been 46 presidencies (including the current president, Joe

Biden, whose term began in 2021), and 45 people have served as president. Grover
Cleveland was elected to two nonconsecutive terms, and as such is considered the
22nd and 24th president of the United States.
II.3.3.2. America’s best Presidents:
Abraham Lincoln has taken the highest ranking in each survey and George
Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Theodore Roosevelt have always ranked
in the top five.

19
 Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)
Among all the U.S. presidents, Lincoln is almost always in the top five for
crisis leadership ability, his dedication to keeping the United States together and
for pursuing equal justice for all.
He led the country through one of its most trying periods, the Civil War,
and in 1863 signed the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves.
One of Lincoln's great leadership traits was his sense of integrity and strong
principles. He was willing to compromise but his core principles did not change.
He inspired loyalty and dedication. Lincoln's communication skills were
extraordinary.

George Washington (1789-1797)

George Washington knew that his presidency would set a precedent for
future presidents, and he took the responsibility seriously. His vision was for the
future of the country, so he was determined to set an example by leading
prudently, fairly, and with the utmost integrity.
The nation's first president ranked highly for his moral authority and overall
performance within the context of his time.
Washington fought hard for the Constitution, feeling that the Articles of
Confederation were not functioning well for the country. He was disappointed to
see the country becoming more politically divided toward the end of his first term,
and set a precedent by choosing to retire after his second.

20
 Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945)
Historians laud Franklin D. Roosevelt for his extraordinary popularity and
his devotion to economic justice.
FDR assumed the presidency during the worst of the Great Depression, but
assured the American people: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." He
also led the U.S. through the perilous years of World War II.
He is the only American president ever elected to four terms, though he
died before completing the last one.
II.3.4. The current president:
II.3.4.1. Introducing the current president:
President Joseph R. Biden is the 46th President of the United States.
He is, however, only the 45th person ever to serve as President;
President Grover Cleveland served two nonconsecutive terms, and
this is recognized as both the 22nd and the 24th President.
II.3.4.2. Road to the Presidency:
After earning a law degree (1968) from Syracuse University in New York, he
briefly worked as an attorney in Delaware before turning to politics.
In 1972 he was elected to the U.S. Senate as a member of the Democratic Party.
He went on to win reelection six times and became Delaware’s longest-serving
senator (1973–2009). As a senator, Biden focused on foreign relations, criminal
justice, and drug policy.
After two unsuccessful bids for the Democratic presidential nomination (1988,
2008), he was Barack Obama’s running mate in 2008 and served two terms (2009–
17) as vice president.
In 2020 Biden became the Democratic presidential nominee, and he chose Kamala
Harris, an African American senator, as his running mate. In one of the most
contentious elections in U.S. history, Biden defeated Pres. Donald Trump, who
alleged voter fraud (without providing evidence) and sought to overturn the
results. As Congress met to certify Biden’s win, Trump supporters stormed the
U.S. Capitol. It took several hours to secure the building, and the election was
eventually certified. Biden was inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2021.

21
 II.4. Political parties:
II.4.1. Two main political parties in the USA:

II.4.1.1. The Democratic:

II.4.1.1.1. History:
Democratic Party officials often trace its origins to the Democratic-Republican
Party, founded by Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and other influential
opponents of the conservative Federalists in 1792. That party died out before the
modern Democratic Party was organized; the Jeffersonian party also inspired the
Whigs and modern Republicans Historians argue that the modern Democratic
Party was first organized in the late 1820s with the election of Andrew Jackson. It
was predominantly built by Martin Van Buren, who assembled a wide cadre of
politicians in every state behind war hero Andrew Jackson of Tennessee, making it
the world's oldest active political party.

Since the nomination of William

Jennings Bryan in Political derivation. The dotted line means unofficially.
1896, the party has generally positioned itself to the left of the Republican Party
on economic issues. Democrats have been more liberal on civil rights since 1948,
although conservative factions within the Democratic Party that opposed them
persisted in the South until the 1960s. On foreign policy, both parties have
changed positions several times.
 Background
The Democratic Party evolved from the Jeffersonian Republican or Democratic-
Republican Party organized by Jefferson and Madison in opposition to the
Federalist Party. The Democratic-Republican Party favored republicanism; a weak

22
federal government; states' rights; agrarian interests (especially Southern planters);
and strict adherence to the Constitution.
Before 1860, the Democratic Party supported expansive presidential power, the
interests of slave states, agrarianism, and expansionism, while opposing a national
bank and high tariffs.

Andrew Jackson was the seventh president of the United

States (1829–1837) and the first Democratic president.
II.4.1.1.2. Name and symbols
The Democratic-Republican Party splintered in 1824 into the short-lived National
Republican Party and the Jacksonian movement which in 1828 became the

Democratic Party. Under the Jacksonian era, the term "The

Democracy" was in use by the party, but the name "Democratic Party" was
eventually settled upon and became the official name in 1844. Members of the
party are called "Democrats" or "Dems".
The most common mascot symbol for the party has been the donkey, or
jackass. Andrew Jackson's enemies twisted his name to "jackass" as a term of
ridicule regarding a stupid and stubborn animal. However, the Democrats liked the
common-man implications and picked it up too, therefore the image persisted and
evolved. Its most lasting impression came from the cartoons of Thomas Nast from
1870 in Harper's Weekly. Cartoonists followed Nast and used the donkey to
represent the Democrats and the elephant to represent the Republicans.
In the early 20th century, the traditional symbol of the Democratic Party in
Indiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Ohio was the rooster, as opposed to the
Republican eagle. This symbol still appears on Oklahoma, Kentucky, Indiana, and
West Virginia ballots. The rooster was adopted as the official symbol of the

23
national Democratic Party. In New York, the Democratic ballot symbol is a five-

pointed star.
In September 2010, the Democratic Party unveiled its new logo, which
featured a blue D inside a blue circle. It was the party's first official logo; the
donkey logo had been only semi-official.
As a traditional anthem for its presidential nominating convention, Aaron
Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man" is traditionally performed at the
beginning of the Democratic National Convention.

II.4.1.1.3. Current structure and composition

 National Committee
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is responsible for promoting
Democratic campaign activities. While the DNC is responsible for overseeing the
process of writing the Democratic Platform, the DNC is more focused on
campaign and organizational strategy than public policy. In presidential elections,
it supervises the Democratic National Convention. The national convention is
subject to the charter of the party and the ultimate authority within the Democratic
Party when it is in session, with the DNC running the party's organization at other
times. The DNC is chaired by Jaime Harrison.
 State parties
Each state also has a state committee, made up of elected committee members as
well as ex officio committee members (usually elected officials and
representatives of major constituencies), which in turn elects a chair. County,
town, city, and ward committees generally are composed of individuals elected at
the local level. State and local committees often coordinate campaign activities
within their jurisdiction, oversee local conventions, and in some cases primaries or
caucuses, and may have a role in nominating candidates for elected office under
state law. Rarely do they have much funding, but in 2005 DNC Chairman Dean
began a program (called the "50 State Strategy") of using DNC national funds to
assist all state parties and pay for full-time professional staffers.
 Major party groups
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) assists party
candidates in House races and its current chairman (selected by the party caucus)
is Representative Sean Patrick Maloney of New York. Similarly, the Democratic
Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), headed by Senator Gary Peters of
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Michigan, raises funds for Senate races. The Young Democrats of America (YDA)
and the High School Democrats of America (HSDA) are young adult and youth-
led organizations respectively that attempt to draw in and mobilize young people
for Democratic candidates but operate outside of the DNC. The Democratic
Governors Association (DGA) is an organization supporting the candidacies of
Democratic gubernatorial nominees and incumbents. Likewise, the mayors of the
largest cities and urban centers convene as the National Conference of Democratic
Mayors.
II.4.1.1.4. Ideology
Upon foundation, the Democratic Party supported agrarianism and the
Jacksonian democracy movement of President Andrew Jackson, representing
farmers and rural interests and traditional Jeffersonian democrats. From the 1890s,
especially in northern states, the party began to favor more liberal positions (the
term "liberal" in this sense describes modern liberalism, rather than classical
liberalism or economic liberalism). In recent exit polls, the Democratic Party has
had broad appeal across all socio-ethno-economic demographics.
Historically, the party has represented farmers, laborers, and religious and
ethnic minorities as it has opposed unregulated business and finance and favored
progressive income taxes. In foreign policy, internationalism (including
interventionism) was a dominant theme from 1913 to the mid-1960s. In the 1930s,
the party began advocating social programs targeted at the poor. The party had a
fiscally conservative, pro-business wing, typified by Grover Cleveland and Al
Smith, and a Southern conservative wing that shrank after President Lyndon B.
Johnson supported the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The major influences for
liberalism were labor unions (which peaked in the 1936–1952 era) and African
Americans.
The Democratic Party, once dominant in the Southeastern United States, is
now strongest in the Northeast (Mid-Atlantic and New England), the Great Lakes
region, and the West Coast (including Hawaii). The party is also very strong in
major cities (regardless of region).
 Centrists
Centrist Democrats, or New Democrats, are an ideologically centrist faction within
the Democratic Party that emerged after the victory of Republican George H. W.
Bush in the 1988 presidential election. They are an economically liberal and
"Third Way" faction that dominated the party for around 20 years starting in the
late 1980s after the United States populace turned much further to the political
right. They are represented by organizations such as the New Democrat Network
and the New Democrat Coalition. The New Democrat Coalition is a pro-growth
and fiscally moderate congressional coalition.
The New Democrat Network supports socially liberal and fiscally moderate
Democratic politicians and is associated with the congressional New Democrat
Coalition in the House. Suzan DelBene is the chair of the coalition and former

25
senator and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton was a member
while in Congress. In 2009, President Barack Obama was self-described as a New
Democrat.
 Conservatives
A conservative Democrat is a member of the Democratic Party with
conservative political views, or with views relatively conservative with respect to
those of the national party. While such members of the Democratic Party can be
found throughout the nation, actual elected officials are disproportionately found
within the Southern states and to a lesser extent within rural regions of the United
States generally, more commonly in the West. Historically, Southern Democrats
were generally much more ideologically conservative than conservative
Democrats are now.
Split-ticket voting was common among conservative Southern Democrats in
the 1970s and 1980s. These voters supported conservative Democrats for local and
statewide office while simultaneously voting for Republican presidential
candidates.
 Liberals
Social liberals (modern liberals) are a large portion of the Democratic base.
According to 2018 exit polls, liberals constituted 27% of the electorate, and 91%
of American liberals favored the candidate of the Democratic Party. White-collar
college-educated professionals were mostly Republican until the 1950s, but they
now compose a vital component of the Democratic Party.
 Progressives
Progressives are the most left-leaning faction in the party and support strong
business regulations, social programs, and workers' rights. Progressive ideological
stances have much in common with the programs of European countries as well as
many East Asian countries. Many progressive Democrats are descendants of the
New Left of Democratic presidential candidate Senator George McGovern of
South Dakota whereas others were involved in the 2016 presidential candidacy of
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.
II.4.1.1.5. Political positions
The platform of the Democratic Party of the United States is generally
based on American liberalism, contrasting with the conservatism of the
Republican Party. The party has large centrist and progressive wings, as well as
smaller fiscal conservative and democratic socialist elements.
Democratic platforms seek to promote social programs, labor unions,
consumer protection, workplace safety regulation, equal opportunity, disability
rights, racial equity, regulations against environmental pollution, and criminal
justice reform. Democrats tend to support abortion rights and the LGBT
community, as well as a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
Democrats typically agree with the scientific consensus on climate change and
favor a multilateral approach in foreign policy.

26
  Economic issues
- Expand Social Security and safety-net programs.
- Increase the capital gains tax rate to 39.6% for taxpayers with annual
income above $1 million.
- Cut taxes for the working and middle classes as well as small businesses.
- Change tax rules to discourage shipping jobs overseas.
- Increase federal and state minimum wages.
- Modernize and expand access to public education and provide universal
preschool education.
- Support the goal of universal health care through a public health insurance
option or expanding Medicare/Medicaid.
- Increase investments in infrastructure development as well as scientific and
technological research.
- Offer tax credits to make clean energy more accessible for consumers and
increase domestic production of clean energy.
- Uphold labor protections and the right to unionize.
- Reform the student loan system and allow for refinancing student loans.
- Make college more affordable.
- Mandate equal pay for equal work regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity
 Social issues
- Decriminalize or legalize marijuana.
- Uphold network neutrality.
- Implement campaign finance reform.
- Uphold voting rights and easy access to voting.
- Support same-sex marriage and ban conversion therapy.
- Allow legal access to abortions and women's reproductive health care.
- Reform the immigration system and allow for a pathway to citizenship.
- Expand background checks and reduce access to assault weapons to address
gun violence.
- Improve privacy laws and curtail government surveillance.
- Oppose torture.
- Abolish capital punishment.
- Recognize and defend Internet freedom worldwide.
 Legal issues
Gun control
With a stated goal of reducing crime and homicide, the Democratic Party
has introduced various gun control measures, most notably the Gun Control Act of
1968, the Brady Bill of 1993 and the Crime Control Act of 1994.
In the national platform for 2008, the only statement explicitly favoring gun
control was a plan calling for a renewal of the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban. In
2022, Democratic president Joe Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities
Act, which among other things expanded background checks and provided
incentives for states to pass red flag laws.
27
 Death penalty
The Democratic Party currently opposes the death penalty. Although most
Democrats in Congress have never seriously moved to overturn the rarely used
federal death penalty, both Russ Feingold and Dennis Kucinich have introduced
such bills with little success. Democrats have led efforts to overturn state death
penalty laws, particularly in New Jersey and New Mexico. They have also sought
to prevent the reinstatement of the death penalty in those states which prohibit it,
including Massachusetts, New York, and Delaware. During the Clinton
administration, Democrats led the expansion of the federal death penalty. These
efforts resulted in the passage of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty
Act of 1996, signed into law by President Clinton, which heavily limited appeals
in death penalty cases. In 1972, the Democratic Party platform called for the
abolition of capital punishment. In 1992, 1993 and 1995, Democratic Texas
Congressman Henry González unsuccessfully introduced the Death Penalty
Abolition Amendment which prohibited the use of capital punishment in the
United States. Democratic Missouri Congressman William Lacy Clay, Sr.
cosponsored the amendment in 1993.
Torture
Many Democrats are opposed to the use of torture against individuals
apprehended and held prisoner by the United States military and hold that
categorizing such prisoners as unlawful combatants does not release the United
States from its obligations under the Geneva Conventions. Democrats contend that
torture is inhumane, damages the United States' moral standing in the world, and
produces questionable results. Democrats are largely against waterboarding.
Torture became a divisive issue in the party after Barack Obama was
elected president.
 Legal issues
The foreign policy of the voters of the two major parties has largely overlapped
since the 1990s. A Gallup poll in early 2013 showed broad agreement on the top
issues, albeit with some divergence regarding human rights and international
cooperation through agencies such as the United Nations.
In June 2014, the Quinnipiac Poll asked Americans which foreign policy they
preferred:
A) The United States is doing too much in other countries around the world, and it
is time to do less around the world and focus more on our own problems here at
home. B) The United States must continue to push forward to promote democracy
and freedom in other countries worldwide because these efforts make our own
country more secure.
Democrats chose A over B by 65% to 32%; Republicans chose A over B by
56% to 39%; and independents chose A over B by 67% to 29%.
II.4.1.1.6. Composition
 Upper-class and higher-income voters

28
 Upper-class voters, including those with high incomes, are more likely to vote
for the Democratic Party. Since the mid-2010s, affluent voters have been more
likely to vote for the Democrats. As of 2023, by income, "the top 33%, top 20%,
top 10%–15%, top 5%–10%, and top 1%", in addition to those in "stock-owning
and high-income occupations" are more likely to vote for the Democratic Party.
According to The New Yorker, by 2022 "the most affluent congressional
districts in the country will be largely represented by Democrats". Upper-class
voters are more likely to be in favor of culturally liberal policies.
 Postgraduates and professionals
Professionals, those who have a college education and those whose work
revolves around the conception of ideas, have tended to support the Democratic
Party since 2000. While the professional class was once a stronghold of the
Republican Party, it has become increasingly in favor of the Democratic Party.
The highly educated constitute an important part of the Democratic voter base.
The party has strong support among scientists, with 55% identifying as
Democrats, 32% as independents, and 6% as Republicans in a 2009 study. Those
with a college education have become increasingly Democratic in 1992,
1996,2000, 2004, and 2008 elections. In exit polls for the 2018 elections, 65% of
those with a graduate degree said they voted Democratic, and Democrats won
college graduates overall by a 20-point margin.
 Labor
Since the 1930s, a critical component of the Democratic Party coalition has been
organized labor. Labor unions supply a great deal of the money, grassroots
political organization, and voters for the party. Democrats are far more likely to be
represented by unions, although union membership has declined in general during
the last few decades. This trend is depicted in the following graph from the book
Democrats and Republicans—Rhetoric and Reality.[290] It is based on surveys
conducted by the National Election Studies (NES).
 Younger Americans
Younger Americans, including millennials and Generation Z, tend to vote
mostly for Democratic candidates in recent years.
 Women
Although the gender gap has varied over many years, women of all ages are
more likely than men to identify as Democrats.
Since the 1990s, women have supported Democratic Party candidates for
various offices at higher rates than men. Polls in 2009 indicated that 41% of
women identify as Democrats while only 25% of women identify as Republicans
and 26% as independents whereas 32% of men identify as Democrats, 28% as
Republicans and 34% as independents. Among ethnic minorities, women also are
more likely than men to identify as Democrats.
Marital status and parenthood
 LGBT Americans

29
  African Americans
 Latino Americans
 Asian Americans
 Native Americans
 Christian Americans
 Religious minorities

II.4.1.1.7. Democratic presidents

As of 2021, there have been a total of 16 Democratic Party presidents.
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (November 20, 1942) is an American politician who is
the 46th and current president of the United States. A member of the Democratic
Party, he previously served as the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 under
President Barack Obama, and represented Delaware in the United States Senate
from 1973 to 2009.
II.4.1.2. The Republican

II.4.1.2.1. History
The Republican Party was founded in the northern states in 1854 by forces
opposed to the expansion of slavery, ex-Whigs and ex-Free Soilers. The
Republican Party quickly became the principal opposition to the dominant
Democratic Party and the briefly popular Know Nothing Party. The party grew out
of opposition to the Kansas–Nebraska Act, which repealed the Missouri

Compromise and opened Kansas Territory and Nebraska

30
Territory to slavery and future admission as slave states. They denounced the
expansion of slavery as a great evil, but did not call for ending it in the southern
states. While opposition to the expansion of slavery was the most consequential
founding principle of the party, like the Whig party it replaced, Republicans also
called for economic and social modernization.
The first public meeting of the general anti-Nebraska movement, at which the
name Republican was proposed, was held on March 20, 1854, at the Little White
Schoolhouse in Ripon, Wisconsin. The name was partly chosen to pay homage to
Thomas Jefferson's Democratic-Republican Party. The first official party
convention was held on July 6, 1854, in Jackson, Michigan.
II.4.1.2.2. Name and symbols
The party's founding members chose the name Republican Party in the mid-
1850s as homage to the values of republicanism promoted by Thomas Jefferson's
Democratic-Republican Party. The idea for the name came from an editorial by the
party's leading publicist, Horace Greeley, who called for "some simple name like
'Republican' [that] would more fitly designate those who had united to restore the
Union to its true mission of champion and promulgator of Liberty rather than
propagandist of slavery".
The term "Grand Old Party" is a traditional nickname for the Republican
Party, and the abbreviation "GOP" is a commonly used designation. The term

originated in 1875 in the Congressional Record,

referring to the party associated with the successful military defense of the Union
as "this gallant old party". The following year in an article in the Cincinnati
Commercial, the term was modified to "grand old party". The first use of the
abbreviation is dated 1884.
The traditional mascot of the party is the elephant. A political cartoon by
Thomas Nast, published in Harper's Weekly on November 7, 1874, is considered
the first important use of the symbol.
Traditionally the party had no consistent color identity. After the 2000
election, the color red became associated with Republicans. During and after the
election, the major broadcast networks used the same color scheme for the
electoral map: states won by Republican nominee George W. Bush were colored
red and states won by Democratic nominee Al Gore were colored blue. The party
and its candidates have also come to embrace the color red.
II.4.1.2.3. Political positions

31
  Economic policies
Republicans believe that free markets and individual achievement are the primary
factors behind economic prosperity. Republicans frequently advocate in favor of
fiscal conservatism during Democratic administrations; however, they have shown
themselves willing to increase federal debt when they are in charge of the
government. Despite pledges to roll back government spending, Republican
administrations have, since the late 1960s, sustained or increased previous levels
of government spending.
 Taxes
The modern Republican Party's economic policy positions, as measured by votes
in Congress, tend to align with business interests and the affluent. Modern
Republicans advocate the theory of supply-side economics, which holds that lower
tax rates increase economic growth.
Republican lawmakers have also sought to limit funding for tax enforcement and
tax collection. At the national level and state levels, Republicans tend to pursue
policies of tax cuts and deregulation.
 Welfare
Republicans believe individuals should take responsibility for their own
circumstances. They also believe the private sector is more effective in helping the
poor through charity than the government is through welfare programs and that
social assistance programs often cause government dependency.
 Minimum wage
Most Republicans oppose increases in the minimum wage, believing that such
increases hurt businesses by forcing them to cut and outsource jobs while passing
on costs to consumers.
 Health care
The party opposes a single-payer health care system, describing it as socialized
medicine. The Republican Party has a mixed record of supporting the historically
popular Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid programs, and opposing the
Affordable Care Act and expansions of Medicaid.
 Foreign policy
The Republican Party has a persistent history of skepticism and opposition to
multilateralism in American foreign policy. Neo-conservatism, which supports
unilateralism and emphasizes the use of force and hawkishness in American
foreign policy, has been a prominent strand of foreign policy thinking in all
Republican presidential administrations since Ronald Reagan's presidency. Some,
including paleo conservatives, call for non-interventionism and an America-First
foreign policy. This faction gained strength starting in 2016 with the rise of
Donald Trump.
 Social policies
The Republican Party is generally associated with socially conservative policies,
although it does have dissenting centrist and libertarian factions. Social

32
conservatives support laws that uphold their traditional values, such as opposition
to same-sex marriage, abortion, and marijuana. The Republican Party's positions
on social and cultural issues are in part a reflection of the influential role that the
Christian right has had in the party since the 1970s. Most conservative
Republicans also oppose gun control, affirmative action, and illegal immigration
II.4.1.2.4. Composition
In the Party's early decades, its base consisted of northern white Protestants
and African Americans nationwide. Its first presidential candidate, John C.
Frémont, received almost no votes in the South. This trend continued into the 20th
century. Studies show that southern whites shifted to the Republican Party due to
racial conservatism.
The Party's 21st-century base consists of groups such as white voters;
particularly male, but a majority of white women as well, heterosexual married
couples; rural residents; and non-union workers without college degrees, with
urban residents, ethnic minorities, the unmarried and union workers having shifted
to the Democratic Party. The suburbs have become a major battleground.
According to a 2015 Gallup poll, 25% of Americans identify as Republican and
16% identify as leaning Republican. In comparison, 30% identify as Democratic
and 16% identify as leaning Democratic. The Democratic Party has typically held
an overall edge in party identification since Gallup began polling on the issue in
1991. In 2016, The New York Times noted that the Republican Party was strong
in the South, the Great Plains, and the Mountain States. The 21st-century
Republican Party also draws strength from rural areas of the United States.
II.4.1.2.5. Republican presidents
As of 2021, there have been a total of 19 Republican presidents.
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media
personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United
States from 2017 to 2021.

Trump's political positions have been described as populist,

protectionist, isolationist, and nationalist. He won the 2016 United States
presidential election as the Republican nominee against Democratic nominee
Hillary Clinton despite losing the national popular vote. He became the first U.S.

33
president with no prior military or government service. His election and policies
sparked numerous protests.
Trump is the only American president to have been impeached twice. After
he tried to pressure Ukraine in 2019 to investigate Biden, he was impeached in
December by the House of Representatives for abuse of power and obstruction of
Congress and acquitted by the Senate in February 2020.
Scholars and historians rank Trump as one of the worst presidents in American
history.
II.4.1.2.6. Recent electoral history
II.4.2 Other political parties
II.4.2.1. Libertarian Party
 History
The Libertarian Party was founded on December 11, 1972. As of March 2021,
it is the largest third party in the United States, claiming nearly 700,000 registered
voters across 28 states and the District of Columbia. As of August 2022, it has 309
local elected officials, and one state representative: Marshall Burt of Wyoming.
Former Representative Justin Amahs, a former Republican and later independent
from Michigan, switched to the Libertarian Party in May 2020, to become the first
Libertarian Party member of Congress. Amahs declined to run for reelection in
2020 and left office on January 3, 2021.
The 2012 Libertarian Party nominee for United States President was former
New Mexico governor, Gary Johnson. He achieved ballot access in every state
except for Michigan (only as a write-in candidate) and Oklahoma. He received
over one million votes in the election. In 2016, Johnson ran again, receiving over
four million votes, or 3.3% of the popular vote.
The Libertarian Party's core mission is to reduce the size, influence, and
expenditures in all levels of government. To this effect, the party supports
minimally regulated markets, a less powerful federal government, strong civil
liberties, drug liberalization, open immigration, non-interventionism and neutrality
in diplomatic relations, free trade and free movement to all foreign countries, and a
more representative republic. As of October 2020, it is the third-largest political
party in the United States based on voter registration.
 Name and symbols
In 1972, the "Libertarian Party" was chosen as the party's name, selected

over "New Liberty Party". The first official slogan of the

34
Libertarian Party was "There aren’t no such thing as a free lunch", a phrase
popularized by Robert A. Heinlein in his 1966 novel The Moon Is a Harsh
Mistress, sometimes dubbed "a manifesto for a libertarian revolution". The slogan
of the party is "The Party of Principle".
Also in 1972, the "Liber sign"—an arrow angling upward through the
abbreviation "TANSTAAFL"—was adopted as a party symbol. By the end of the
decade, this was replaced with Lady Liberty until 2015, with the adoption of the
"Torch Eagle" logo.

In the 1990s, several state Libertarian parties adopted the

Liberty Penguin ("LP") as their official mascot. Another mascot is the Libertarian
porcupine, an icon that was originally designed by Kevin Breen in March 2006
and inspired by the logo of the Free State Project (FSP).
II.4.2.2. Green Party
The Green Party of the United States (GPUS) is a federation of Green state
political parties in the United States. The party promotes green politics,
specifically environmentalism; nonviolence; social justice; participatory
democracy; grassroots democracy; anti-war; anti-racism; libertarian socialism and
eco-socialism. On the political spectrum, the party is generally seen as left-wing.
The GPUS was founded in 2001 as the Association of State Green Parties
(ASGP) split from the Greens/Green Party USA (G/GPUSA). After its founding,
the GPUS soon became the primary national green organization in the country,
surpassing the G/GPUSA, which was formed in 1991 out of the Green

Committees of Correspondence (CoC), a collection of local green groups

active since the year 1984. The ASGP, which was formed in 1996, had
increasingly distanced itself from the G/GPUSA in the late 1990s. John
Rensenbrink and Howie Hawkins were co-founders of the Green Party.
The Greens gained widespread public attention during the 2000 presidential
election, when the ticket composed of Ralph Nader and Winona LA Duke won
2.7% of the popular vote. Nader was accused by Democrats of spoiling the
election for Al Gore. Nader maintains that he was not a spoiler in the 2000
election. As of 2022, it is the fourth-largest political party in the United States by
voter registration, behind the Libertarian Party.
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II.4.2.3. Constitution Party
The Constitution Party, formerly the U.S. Taxpayers' Party until 1999, is a
political party in the United States that promotes a religious conservative view of
the principles and intents of the United States Constitution. The party platform is
based on originalism interpretations of the Constitution and shaped by principles
that it believes were set forth in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of
Rights, the Constitution and the Bible.

The party was founded by Howard Phillips, a

conservative activist, after President George H. W. Bush violated his pledge of
"read my lips: no new taxes". During the 1992 and 1996 presidential elections, the
party sought to give its presidential nomination to prominent politicians including
Pat Buchanan and Ross Perot, but was unsuccessful and instead selected Phillips
as its presidential nominee in three successive elections. Michael Peroutka was
given the presidential nomination in 2004, followed by Chuck Baldwin in 2008
(although he faced opposition from multiple state affiliates), Virgil Goode in 2012,
Darrell Castle in 2016, and Don Blankenship in 2020.
As of November 2022, the Constitution Party has 20 members who have
been elected to city council seats and other municipal offices across the United
States. In terms of registered members, the party ranks fifth among national parties
in the United States.
II.4.2.4. Alliance Party

The Alliance Party is a centrist American

political party that was formed in 2018 and registered in 2019. The Alliance Party
gained affiliation status with multiple other parties, including the American Party
of South Carolina, the Independence Party of Minnesota, and the Independent
Party of Connecticut. During the 2020 Presidential Elections Alliance Party
Presidential Candidate Roque De La Fuente placed fifth in terms of the popular
vote. Following the presidential election, the American Delta Party and the
Independence Party of New York joined the Alliance Party. The Independence
Party of New York disaffiliated in 2021.
II.5. Elections
II.5.1 The election campaign

36
 The process of selecting CANDIDATES from dozens of registered party
members until the official candidate is selected to represent the party to run for
office takes about 2 years.
In the race for the White House, the majority of CANDIDATES withdrew
in turn after campaigning in some typical states such as Iowa, New Hampshire,
South Carolina... and after debates organized by the media. organization,
especially based on the results of the state primaries.
In addition to the densely populated states, there are a number of states that
represent voter inclinations and test candidates, such as Iowa, which represents
agricultural voters. The Democratic Party views the initial success in Iowa as a
good sign of success across the country.
The second test is typically conducted in New Hampshire, where voters are
neither D.C. tri independent or not. In addition, the Republican Party also
considers South Carolina as a good place to measure voter sentiment and
candidate ability.
Parties will be forced to support the CANDIDATE with the most votes to
represent their party for the presidency. There is no such thing as the party sending
unworthy CANDIDATES. Therefore, like it or not, the candidate who wins the
election will become the president of the entire people.
II.5.2. Electoral precinct

37
 A precinct, voting district, polling division, or polling district, is a
subdivision of an electoral district, typically a contiguous area within which all
electors go to a single polling place to cast their ballots.
In the United States, an electoral precinct or voting district is the smallest
unit into which electoral districts are divided. A larger geographic unit such as a
county, township, or city council district is typically subdivided into precincts and
each address is assigned to a specific precinct. Each precinct has a specific polling
station where its residents go to vote; however, more than one precinct may use
the same polling station. Electoral precincts usually do not have separate
governmental authorities, but there are limited exceptions in some states.
In a political party, individuals, known by various titles such as precinct
committeeman, precinct captain, or Precinct Committee Officer, are elected by
ballot or county party executive committee, to represent precinct residents in every
level of party operations. They report to the party on how the voters in a precinct
feel about candidates and issues, and encourage people to vote
II.5.3. Congressional, State, and Local Elections
Congressional elections take place every two years. A variety of state and local
races happen every year. Learn about upcoming elections near you.
II.5.3.1. Congressional Elections and Midterm Elections
Congressional elections determine who represents your state in the U.S.
House of Representatives and Senate. They also decide which political party will
hold a majority in each chamber of Congress for the next two years.
 How Congressional Elections works?
Congressional elections happen every two years. Voters choose one-third of
senators and every member of the House of Representatives.
Midterm elections take place halfway between presidential elections. The
congressional elections in November 2022 were "midterms."
II.5.3.2. State and Local Elections
State and local elections can take place in any year, at various times
throughout the year. There can be statewide elections for governor or state
legislature. A city may elect its mayor. There may be elections for judges and local
officials. Ballot initiatives may be up for a vote.
II.5.4. Inauguration of the President of the United States:
On this federal holiday, the president-elect and vice-president-elect are sworn in
and take office
 When is Inauguration Day?
Inauguration Day occurs every four years on January 20 (or January 21 if
January 20 falls on a Sunday) at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, DC. The
next presidential inauguration is scheduled to be on January 20, 2025.
 What events take place on Inauguration Day?

38
 The inauguration is planned by the Joint Congressional Committee on
Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC). Inaugural events include the swearing-in
ceremony, the inaugural address, and the pass in review.
II.5.5. Presidential Election Process
 Electoral College

In other U.S. elections, candidates are elected directly by popular vote. But the
president and vice president are not elected directly by citizens. Instead, they are
chosen by “electors” through a process called the Electoral College.
 The Electors
Each state gets as many electors as it has members of Congress (House and
Senate). Including Washington, D.C.’s three electors, there are currently 538
electors in all.
Each state’s political parties choose their own slate of potential electors. Who is
chosen to be an elector, how, and when varies by state.
II.5.5.1. U.S. Constitutional Requirements for Presidential Candidates
The president must:
 Be a natural-born citizen of the United States
 Be at least 35 years’ old
 Have been a resident of the United States for 14 years
Anyone who meets these requirements can declare their candidacy for president.
Once a candidate raises or spends more than $5,000 for their campaign, they must
register with the Federal Election Commission. That includes naming a principal
campaign committee to raise and spend campaign funds.
II.5.5.2. Overview of the Presidential Election Process
An election for president of the United States happens every four years
on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in
November. The most recent presidential election
was on November 3, 2020.

39
 II.5.5.2.1. State Primaries and Caucuses
People with similar ideas usually belong to the same political party. The
two main parties in the U.S. are Republican and Democrat.
Many people want to be President. They campaign around the country and
compete to try to win their party’s nomination.
In caucuses, party members meet, discuss, and vote for who they think
would be the best party candidate.
In primaries, party members vote in a state election for the candidate they
want to represent them in the general election.
II.5.5.2.2. National Conventions
After the primaries and caucuses, each major party, Democrat and
Republican, holds a national convention to select a Presidential nominee.

The party’s Presidential nominee announces his or her choice for Vice
President.
The Presidential candidates campaign throughout the country to win the
support of the general population.
On election day, people in every state cast their vote.
II.5.5.2.3. General Election
People in every state across the country vote for one President and Vice President.

40
When people cast their vote, they are actually voting for a group of people called
electors.
II.5.5.2.4. The Electoral College
In the electoral college system, each state gets a certain number of electors
based on its representation in Congress.
Each elector casts one vote following the general election. The candidate
who gets 270 votes or more wins.
The newly elected President and Vice President are then inaugurated on January
20th.
II.5.6. Voting and Election Laws and History
II.5.6.1. Voting and Election Laws
Federal election laws can help protect your voting rights and the election process.
Learn about limits on campaign contributions, accessibility laws for voters with
disabilities or language barriers, and more.
II.5.6.2. Who Can and Can’t Vote in U.S. Elections?
II.5.6.2.1. Who Can Vote?
You can vote in U.S. federal, state, and local elections if you:
 Are a U.S. citizen (some areas allow non-citizens to vote in local elections
only)
 Meet your state’s residency requirements
 You can be homeless (PDF, Download Adobe Reader) and still meet these
requirements.
 Are 18 years old on or before Election Day (some areas allow 16 year olds
to vote in local elections only)
 In almost every state, you can register to vote before you turn 18 if you will
be 18 by Election Day.
 Are registered to vote by your state’s voter registration deadline. North
Dakota does not require voter registration.
II.5.6.2.2. Who CAN’T Vote?
You can’t vote in U.S. federal, state, and local elections if you:
Non-citizens, including permanent legal residents cannot vote in federal, state,
and most local elections.
Some people follow felony convictions or who are currently serving time for
other types of crimes. Rules are different in each state. Check this guide
from the Department of Justice (PDF, Download Adobe Reader) to
understand the laws in your state.
Some people who are mentally incapacitated. Rules vary by state. For
president in the general election: U.S. citizens residing in U.S. territories

41
II.5.7. Elections in Vietnam
Elections in Vietnam occur under a single-party authoritarian political
system of the Vietnamese Communist Party (VCP). Vietnam is among the few
contemporary party-led dictatorships to not hold any direct elections at the
national level. The competitive nature of the elections is highly constrained by the
Communist Party's monopoly on power in Vietnam, limitations on free speech,
and government interference with the elections.
II.5.7.1. Overview of the Presidential Election Process
The President of Vietnam (Chủ tịch nước) is elected by the National
Assembly, thus an indirect system. The Prime Minister of Vietnam (Thủ tướng)
and Chief Justice (Chánh án Tối cao) of Vietnam are appointed by the President
and approved by the National Assembly. The Ministers are then appointed by the
Prime Minister and also approved by the National Assembly.
At the May 20, 2007 election only the Vietnamese Fatherland Front, a front
consisting of the Communist Party of Vietnam, mass organizations and affiliated,
and some non-partisans were allowed to participate. 1 member is self-nominated
and is not a member of the VFF. 42 seats were won by non-party candidates. The
president is elected for a five-year term by the parliament. More than 99% of all
candidates were selected by Communist Party and most of them were from their
own party. Human rights organizations and activists labeled the country's post-
reunification polls as fraudulent show elections in 2016.
II.5.7.2. Electoral system
The deputies of the National Assembly are elected using a bloc voting system
from multi-member electoral units. The National Election Council is the authority
that promulgates rules and guidelines for, and oversees, general elections in the
country. The Vietnam Fatherland Front controls the nomination process, which
holds consultative conferences to narrow down a field of candidates for election.
The selection process considers factors such as proportional representation from
the country's major regions, gender balance, and the inclusion of ethnic minorities
as well as representation of mass organizations. Generally, 90% of seats are
directly reserved for the Communist Party of Vietnam, with the remaining 10%
reserved for non-party members approved by the Fatherland Front.
III. Conclusion:
The United States government is a complex and sophisticated system that
has evolved and developed over the course of its history. Despite facing various
challenges and obstacles, the American political system has proven to be resilient
and effective in serving its citizens. Through its three branches of government -
the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches - the United States government
has been able to maintain a system of checks and balances that prevents any one
branch from becoming too powerful.

42
 Beyond the mechanics of its political system, the United States is a country
with a rich and diverse culture, shaped by its history, geography, and people. From
its national anthem to the duties of the President, the United States has a unique set
of symbols, traditions, and institutions that reflect its values and identity. These
cultural elements, along with its political system, have made the United States a
formidable force in the global community, with a significant impact on the world
stage.
In conclusion, the United States government is a complex and dynamic
system that has been shaped by its history, geography, and people. From its three
branches of government to its political parties, the American political system has
proven to be effective in serving its citizens and maintaining a system of checks
and balances. By studying the American political system, we can gain valuable
insights into the strengths and weaknesses of our American’s political systems and
appreciate the unique features that make each country's government distinct.

References
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of Da Nang, The University of Foreign Language Studies, Faculty of English.
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powers-given-specifically-to-the-federal-government-by-the-constitution.
3. The President Joe Biden. https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Biden.
4. The government in Viet Nam.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_Vietnam.
5. The Cabinet. https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/cabinet/.
6. Political parties.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_(United_States)#:~:text=H
istorians%20argue%20that%20the%20modern,the%20election%20of
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_the_Democratic_Party
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http://scf.usc.edu/~oflahert/itp104/survey.html
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_Party_(United_States)
10. Elections. https://www.usa.gov/midterm-state-and-local-elections
11. About Impeachment.
https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/impeachment.htm
12. The responsibility of Congress.
https://wenstrup.house.gov/about/congress.htm#:~:text=Congress%20is
%20the%20legislative%20branch,Court%20of%20the%20United
%20States.

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13. Overview of the Presidential Election Process.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_Vietnam
14. The Departments and the Agencies.
https://guides.lib.uw.edu/research/govpubs-quick-links/exec-
departments_agencies
15. Who Can and Can’t Vote in U.S. Elections? https://www.usa.gov/who-
can-vote
16. Electoral precinct http://www.rockncdems.org/precincts.html
17. Member of the National Assembly of Vietnam
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Assembly_(Vietnam)

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