The Executive Branch (President and Cabinet) executes spending and Congressional instructions, makes appointments to certain governmental posts, and is the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. The Judicial Branch (Supreme Court) exercises judicial review over the constitutionality and interpretation of laws; determines how Congress meant the law to apply, and has a panel that serves for life (Constitutional Topic: Separation of Powers).
There are a number of criticisms focused on the actual level of democracy or even democratic representation in the United States of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. First, many governmental officials (Supreme Court justices, etc.) are appointed, not elected, and therefore may operate outside the will of the populace. Second, in order to be elected to a state or national office now requires a huge amount of funding; putting elected office outside the purview of most people. Thus, it is not necessarily the "best" people who are electable, but those who can garner support and/or funding to go through the process. Third, because of the way political influence is organized, it is often the larger, more affluent interests (big business) that have the most influence in Washington due to Political Action Committees, the ability to hire Lobbyists, and larger campaign donations that provide greater access to politicians.
There are a number of things that could happen to move the United States to a more democratic philosophy, while still keeping the idea of representation viable. First, technologically, we are in an easier place to now allow more of the electorate to express their opinion on issues; perhaps not as a complete voting bloc, but at...
The Supreme Court is the most powerful body of men in the United States, contrary to what many people believe. The powers of the three branches of government are enumerated in the three charters of freedom: The Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States, and the Bill of Rights. Together, these documents enumerate the rights and freedoms of the citizens of the United States, inherent by virtue of their
United States and Russia After the Cold War After taking oath of office in January 1989, President George H. Bush was determined to strengthen the new found relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union. His administration reviewed the United States policy towards the countries of the Eastern bloc. In 1991, he met president Mikhail Gorbachev of Russia in Moscow to sign the Second Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START II)
P). Regarding freedom of association, the same concerns itself with permitting people in a given society to collectively defend, pursue as well as express those interests they regard or consider common. This freedom by virtue of inclusion into various human rights instruments as well as constitutions is considered one of the basic freedoms. Sometimes used synonymously with freedom of assembly, freedom of expression could also entail the freedom to gather for
USA Hegemony There are no fundamental differences between now and what international politics used to be in the first half of the 20th Century. It is true that the post-WWII period has been more peaceful, but it is not because of a fundamental transformation in the way international politics works. To state that there are no fundamental differences between international politics in 1900-45 and afterwards would be to carry the argument to
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has stated that up to 50% of the heroin coming into the United States passes through Nigeria. Concern over progress towards democracy -- that Nigeria is backsliding towards military dictatorship, and human rights violations. In specific terms, the strategic importance of Nigeria from U.S. perspectives lies in the country's economic, political and military power (which) has provided some anchor of stability for the region. If the
United States has become preoccupied with the internal affairs at the expense of the foreign affairs after the civil war. It started interfering in overseas conflicts and interacting with the World after the diplomatic inactivity from Latin America and Spain to the China and Philippines. This interaction made the America to become a major World power. The first conflict of America was with the Hawaii in Pacific which was governed by
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