The American Political System
The United States of America consist of fifty (50) separate states united under a federal system of government.
Each state operates independent of each other with its own government and look after its own affairs. The Federal
Government consist of three branches namely the legislative, executive and the judicial.
The legislative branch which makes the laws is called the congress and consists of the Senate and the House of
Representatives. The Senate consists of one hundred (100) members, two being from each state, while the house
of representative has four hundred and thirty five members. The members of the senate are called senators and
serve for six year terms. Roughly a third of the senate, thirty three (33) members, is elected every two years on a
revolving basis so at no time are all the members new. The party with the greater number of senators will elect the
Senate Majority Leader from among the group, while the other party will elect the Senate Minority Leader from their
group. A member of the house of representative is called a congressman. They serve for a term of two years and
they are all elected at the same time. The number of congressman from each state is dependent on it’s percentage
of the population and will vary as the population shift. All members of the congress are elected directly by the
members of their constituents.
The executive branch consists of the president, the cabinet and the departments under the cabinet members. The
president is elected by the Electoral College. Each state, depending on it’s population, has a certain number of
electoral votes and these votes usually goes to the person who receive the most votes from the electorates in that
state. The person with the most Electoral College votes becomes the president and serves for a four year term and
can serve for a maximum of two terms. The cabinet members are nominated from member of the public by the
president and must be approved by a majority in the senate. The cabinet members are called Secretary, an
example being the Secretary of Agriculture, and serve for the same term as the president.
The judicial branch consists of the Trial Courts, Appellate Courts and the Supreme Court. There are nine judges
sitting on the bench of the Supreme Court. Each is nominated by the president whenever a vacancy occurs and
must be approved by the senate after a hearing during which the prospective judge is questioned as to their views
on various topics and any allegation made against them. Once appointed, these judges serve for life unless they
retire. This is the highest and final court in the United States of America. There are federal courts in each of the
state in which federal offences such as mail fraud and kidnapping are tried. Persons tried for federal offences are
tried under federal laws and if convicted they face federal penalties and will serve the time in federal prisons.
Persons sentenced by the state are sentence under state law, faces state penalties and serve their time in state
prison.
The state government is structured similarly to the Federal Government. Like the federal government, the state
government consists of the legislative, the executive and the judicial arm. It is lead by a governor with his deputy
being the lieutenant governor. Each state organized its own affair and therefore the political arrangements and
laws will vary from one state to another state. As an example, some states have the death penalty and others do
not, while some states do not allow persons with a felony conviction to vote. The legislative branch of the
government in each state consists of the state senators and the assembly members. All the laws of the state must
conform to those made by the federal government otherwise they are not valid. For example California State has
legalized the use of ganja for medical purposes but someone can still be charge by the federal government as this
is against federal laws. The executive branch of the state government is lead by the governor who is elected by
voters in the state. The members of the executive are directly elected or appointed into their post depending on
the post and laws of the state. The judicial branch in each state is headed by the state supreme court. The state
courts will deal with all matters which are not of a federal nature. In some states certain judges, prosecuters and
the police commissioner are directly elected by the voters.
The state is divided into counties which are subdivided into cities. Each city raises its own revenue from taxes,
looks after its own municipal affairs and makes its own local laws. For example, the Mount Vernon police and Fire
Department operates only in Mount Vernon city. This contrasts with the State Police which operates throughout the
entire state of New York. The head of the local or city government is called the mayor who along with the council
members is directly elected by the constituents.
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The United States of America consist of fifty (50) separate states united under a federal system of government.
Each state operates independent of each other with its own government and look after its own affairs. The Federal
Government consist of three branches namely the legislative, executive and the judicial.
The legislative branch which makes the laws is called the congress and consists of the Senate and the House of
Representatives. The Senate consists of one hundred (100) members, two being from each state, while the house
of representative has four hundred and thirty five members. The members of the senate are called senators and
serve for six year terms. Roughly a third of the senate, thirty three (33) members, is elected every two years on a
revolving basis so at no time are all the members new. The party with the greater number of senators will elect the
Senate Majority Leader from among the group, while the other party will elect the Senate Minority Leader from their
group. A member of the house of representative is called a congressman. They serve for a term of two years and
they are all elected at the same time. The number of congressman from each state is dependent on it’s percentage
of the population and will vary as the population shift. All members of the congress are elected directly by the
members of their constituents.
The executive branch consists of the president, the cabinet and the departments under the cabinet members. The
president is elected by the Electoral College. Each state, depending on it’s population, has a certain number of
electoral votes and these votes usually goes to the person who receive the most votes from the electorates in that
state. The person with the most Electoral College votes becomes the president and serves for a four year term and
can serve for a maximum of two terms. The cabinet members are nominated from member of the public by the
president and must be approved by a majority in the senate. The cabinet members are called Secretary, an
example being the Secretary of Agriculture, and serve for the same term as the president.
The judicial branch consists of the Trial Courts, Appellate Courts and the Supreme Court. There are nine judges
sitting on the bench of the Supreme Court. Each is nominated by the president whenever a vacancy occurs and
must be approved by the senate after a hearing during which the prospective judge is questioned as to their views
on various topics and any allegation made against them. Once appointed, these judges serve for life unless they
retire. This is the highest and final court in the United States of America. There are federal courts in each of the
state in which federal offences such as mail fraud and kidnapping are tried. Persons tried for federal offences are
tried under federal laws and if convicted they face federal penalties and will serve the time in federal prisons.
Persons sentenced by the state are sentence under state law, faces state penalties and serve their time in state
prison.
The state government is structured similarly to the Federal Government. Like the federal government, the state
government consists of the legislative, the executive and the judicial arm. It is lead by a governor with his deputy
being the lieutenant governor. Each state organized its own affair and therefore the political arrangements and
laws will vary from one state to another state. As an example, some states have the death penalty and others do
not, while some states do not allow persons with a felony conviction to vote. The legislative branch of the
government in each state consists of the state senators and the assembly members. All the laws of the state must
conform to those made by the federal government otherwise they are not valid. For example California State has
legalized the use of ganja for medical purposes but someone can still be charge by the federal government as this
is against federal laws. The executive branch of the state government is lead by the governor who is elected by
voters in the state. The members of the executive are directly elected or appointed into their post depending on
the post and laws of the state. The judicial branch in each state is headed by the state supreme court. The state
courts will deal with all matters which are not of a federal nature. In some states certain judges, prosecuters and
the police commissioner are directly elected by the voters.
The state is divided into counties which are subdivided into cities. Each city raises its own revenue from taxes,
looks after its own municipal affairs and makes its own local laws. For example, the Mount Vernon police and Fire
Department operates only in Mount Vernon city. This contrasts with the State Police which operates throughout the
entire state of New York. The head of the local or city government is called the mayor who along with the council
members is directly elected by the constituents.
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THE JAMAICA ACTION PARTY
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