The Main Roles and Powers

The executive branch of US government is composed of the President, his advisors and all federal agencies and their heads. The executive was created by article II of the Constitution.

Chief Executive

• Enforce the laws passed by Congress

• Issue executive orders, enforcing the law

• Act as the head of the federal bureaucracy and all federal agencies

• Nominate judges (including those to the Supreme Court, requiring Senate confirmation)

• Appoint government officials (some requiring Senate confirmation, some not)

Chief Diplomat

• Act a representative of the United States to foreign governments

• Make treaties with foreign nations (require 2/3 vote in Senate for approval)

• Extend or rescind diplomatic recognition of foreign nations

Chief Legislator

• Propose a federal budget

• Recommend proposed laws to Congress

• Veto legislation

• Approve legislation passed by Congress

Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces

• Supreme commander of all branches of US military

• Authorize use of US military for up to 60 days (without approval of Congress or declaration of war)

Chief of State

• Serve as ceremonial head of US Government

Special Powers and Responsibilities

Judicial

• Grant pardon (forgiving an individual of his/her crime(s))

• Grant amnesty (forgiving a group of people of a specific class of crime)

Requirements and Terms of Service

• Terms: President serves a maximum of 2 terms of 4 years (note: the original Congress allowed of unlimited terms of service, this was revised by the 22^nd amendment in 1951)

• Requirements: President (or Vice President) must be over 35, a natural born citizen and a 14 year resident of the United States.

Scanning

1. Read the following sentences and say whether they are true or false.

1. The Executive branch of power consists of the President and Congress.

2. The power of the President are confined to issuing executive orders and executing laws.

3. The President has the right to sign or veto any bill or resolution of Congress.

4. Under the Constitution the President possesses the right to grant amnesty or pardon.

5. The Vice President is the third-highest executive official of the government after the President and the State Secretary.

6. Both the President and Vice President are elected for 6-year terms by the population of the USA.

7. The federal departments are in charge of dealing with national and international affairs.

2. Answer the following questions.

1. The President is the head of the executive branch and chief diplomat, isn’t he?

2. What important legislative and judicial powers does the President have?

3. How can you characterize the functions and responsibilities of the President within the executive branch?

4. Why may the President be impeached and removed from office?

5. What happens if the President dies, resigns or removes?

6. How many times has it taken place?

7. Is all executive power vested only in the President?

8. What is understood by the President’s ‘Cabinet’? What is it composed of?

9. What constituent parts of the Executive Office of the President can you name?

10. What independent agencies do you know? What specific spheres are they concerned with?

11. Government-owned corporations are part of the Executive Office of the President, aren’t they? What do they deal with?

Word Study

1. Translate the following lexical units from the text from English into Russian, prepare questions with these lexical units, based on the text.

A delegate, to execute, to issue executive orders, to affect internal policies, to impeach, to pardon criminals, to enact executive orders, to break a tie vote, to evolve into, to be allocated, ostensible representation, government-owned corporations, a federal agency, to extend/rescind diplomatic recognition of foreign nations, to authorize.

2. Translate the following word combinations from Russian into English, restore the context of their use.

Обладать обширными конституционными полномочиями, разрешать вопросы национальной политики, подписывать/(запрещать) накладывать вето на законопроект, государственная измена, взяточничество, мисдиминор (категория наименее опасных преступлений, граничащих с административными правонарушениями), Исполнительное управление президента, Административно-бюджетное управление, Совет национальной безопасности, Совет экономических консультантов, Управление торгового представительства США, Управление национальной политики контроля за наркотиками, Управление по разработке политики в области науки и техники, помиловать, Национальное управление по аэронавтике и исследованию космического пространства (НАСА), Центральное разведывательное управление, Агентство по охране окружающей среды, Федеральная корпорация страхования депозитов, Национальная корпорация ж/д перевозок, Почтовая служба США.

3. Define the following words and word-combinations, use these lexical units in the examples of your own.

• a delegate

• to impeach

• treason

• bribery

• misdemeanor

• to evolve into

• to be allocated

• ostensible representation

• a federal agency

• to extend/rescind diplomatic recognition of foreign nations

4. Fill in the gaps using the words and word-combinations from the exercises above.

1. According to the Constitution, the President has such important legislative _______ as vetoing _______ , proposing _____ _____.

2. In addition, the President has broad _______ powers to manage _____ _____.

3. As the Chief Executive the President may _______ the laws passed by Congress, ______ executive ______.

4. Apart from being the second-highest executive official of the government the Vice President has also the duty to break ______ _______.

5. Being elected as _______ _______, the President and Vice President serve a 4-year term.

6. Cabinet, executive departments and agencies include not only the President’s “Cabinet” and the _______ _______ of the President, but also independent agencies and _______ corporations.

Speaking

Use the following words and word-combinations to make up the summary of the text (not more than 15 sentences).

• a delegate

• to execute laws

• to have broad constitutional powers

• to impeach

• treason

• bribery

• to enact executive orders

• to break a tie vote

• running mate

• government-owned corporations

• a federal agency

• to extend-rescind diplomatic recognition of foreign nations

Talking Point

1. Compare the executive branch of power in the USA and the UK of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Fill in the following table

	The Structure	The Functions
The USA
The UK

On the basis of the table outline the differences and similarities.

2. Analyze the role and functions of the US President and the UK Prime Minister. Prepare a list of them.

3. What is common and what is different about the role of Government departments and agencies in the USA and the UK? How important and effective is their activity for the well-being of the countries? Substantiate your answers with examples.

Part 2. The System of Checks and Balances

Warm-up

Discuss the following questions in pairs. Share your ideas with your groupmates.

1. What is understood by the separation of powers?

2. How can the powers be interconnected?

3. How can the abuse of power be prevented by any of the branches?

Pronunciation

Watch the pronunciation of the following words and word combinations.

• distinct

• to misuse

• to veto

• amnesty

• vital

• prosecution

• jury

• a nominee

• judicial review

Reading

Read the following text.

The Constitution provides for three main branches of government which are separate and different from one another. The powers given to each are carefully balanced by the powers of the other two. Each branch serves as a check on the others. This is to keep any branch from gaining too much power or from misusing its powers.

The system of checks and balances makes compromise and consensus necessary. Compromise is also a vital aspect of other level of government in the United States. This system protects against extremes. It means, for example, that new presidents cannot radically change governmental policies just as they wish. In the US, therefore, when people think of the “government”, they usually mean the entire system, that is, the Executive Branch and the President, Congress, and the courts. In fact and in practice, therefore, the President (i.e. “the Administration”) is not as powerful as many people outside the US seem to think he is. In comparison with other leaders in systems where the majority party forms “the government”, he is much less so.

The list below shows how the US System of checks and balances works:

The Executive Branch checks on the Legislative Branch:

• President has the power to veto law passed by Congress

• Proposes laws to Congress

• Submits the Federal Budget to the House of Representatives

• Appoints federal officials, who carry out and enforce laws.

The Executive Branch checks on the Judicial Branch:

• Nominates judges to the Supreme Court

• Nominates judges to the federal court system

• President has the power to pardon individuals convicted of crimes

• President can grant amnesty, forgiving a class of crime.

The Legislative Branch checks on the Executive Branch:

• Congress can overturn a Presidential veto with a 2/3 vote of both houses

• Senate can reject proposed treaties (2/3 vote to approve)

• Senate can reject Presidential nominations of federal officials or judges

• Congress can impeach and remove the President (House serves as the prosecution, Senate serves as jury).

The Legislative Branch checks on the Judicial Branch:

• Congress can create lower courts

• Senate can reject nominees to the federal courts/Supreme Court

• Congress can amend the Constitution to overturn decisions of the Supreme Court

• Congress can impeach judges and remove from the bench.

The Judicial Branch checks on the Executive Branch:

• The Supreme Court can use the power of judicial review to rule laws unconstitutional.

The Judicial Branch checks on the Legislative Branch:

• The Supreme Court can use the power of judicial review to rule presidential actions unconstitutional

• The Supreme Court can use the power of judicial review to rule treaties unconstitutional.

Scanning

1. Finish the following sentences.

1. The Constitution provides for three main branches of government, which are …

2. The System of checks and balances keeps …

3. The System of checks of balances protects against extremes, which means that …

4. The System of checks and balances makes …

5. The President has the power to …

6. The power to impeach and remove the President belongs to …

7. This is the Senate that can …

8. Possessing the power of judicial review the Supreme Court can

2. Read the following sentences and say whether they are true or false.

1. Under the US Constitution the three branches are absolutely separate and independent from one another.

2. The US citizens associate the government with Congress.

3. The US President doesn’t have the absolute power in the country.

4. The Executive branch nominates judges to the Supreme Court and the federal court system.

5. The President can amend the Constitution to overturn decisions of the Supreme Court.

6. Congress can impeach and remove the President.

7. It is the Senate that can overturn a Presidential veto.

8. The federal court system can use the power of judicial review to rule laws, presidential actions or treaties unconstitutional.

Word Study

1. Translate the following lexical units from the text from English into Russian, prepare questions with these lexical units, based on the text.

to gain power, to misuse power, to submit smth (the Federal Budget) to smth (the House of Representatives), to carry out laws, to grant amnesty, to overturn smth (a veto, decisions), to reject (treaties/nominations/nominees, etc), the power of judicial review, to rule laws/actions/treaties unconstitutional.

2. Look through the text and find the words or word-combinations that mean the following, make up examples of your own with these words or phrases.

1. Clearly different or belonging to a different type;

2. An idea that is the result of an agreement between 2 people /groups who want different things;

3. An opinion that everyone in a group will agree with or accept;

4. Pivotal;

5. To officially refuse to allow smth to happen, especially smth that other people/organizations have agreed;

6. To ensure observance of or obedience to smth;

7. To officially allow smn to be free without being punished, although a court has proved that they are guilty of a crime;

8. To charge a public official with a serious crime;

9. To force smn out of an important position or dismiss them from a job;

10. The lawyers who represent the person bringing a criminal charge against smn in a court of law;

11. A group of people who listen to details of a case in court and decide whether smn is guilty or not;

12. Smn who has been suggested for a prize, duty or honour;

3. Fill in the gaps.

1. The system of checks and balances was created to keep any branch from ________ its powers.

2. The President has the right to _______ laws, _______ individuals and grant _______.

3. Congress can _______ a veto, _______ and _______ the President.

4. Senate can ________ treaties and Presidential ________.

5. The Supreme Court can use the _______ of judicial _______ to _______ laws, Presidential actions or treaties _______.

Speaking

1. Use following words and word-combinations to make up the summary of the text(not more than 15 sentences).

• to gain powers

• to misuse power

• compromise

• consensus

• to veto

• to submit smth to smth

• to carry out laws

• to enforce laws

• to pardon individuals

• to overturn

• to reject

• to impeach

• to remove

• the power of judicial review

• to rule laws/actions/treaties unconstitutional

Talking Point

Discuss the following questions in groups of 3 or 4

1. How are the powers of

1. The President

2. Congress

3. The Supreme Court

limited by the system of checks and balances?

2. What is the role of compromise in the American system of running the country?

3. Why do people abroad tend to exaggerate the power of the US President?

Compare your answers with the rest of the class.

Part 3. Elections in the USA

Warm-up

Discuss the following questions in pairs. Share your ideas with your groupmates.

1. What are the main criteria of elections classifications?

2. What are the main types of elections?

3. What requirements must a person meet to run for elections?

4. What actions does a candidate and his/her team have to carry out while an election campaign?

Pronunciation

Watch the pronunciation of the following words and word combinations.

• nominee

• primaries

• caucuses

• crescendo

• ideological

• affiliated

• a ballot

• a stance

• to impact

Reading

Read the text and answer the following questions.

1. What are the main stages of US elections?

2. Does this process have any peculiarities? Name and characterize them.

According to the United States Constitution, a presidential election is to be held once every fourth year. The process of electing a President and Vice-President begins long before Election Day(on Tuesday after the first Monday in November). Candidates from both major and minor political parties and independent candidates begin to raise money and campaign at least one year in advance of the general presidential election. In order to officially represent a political party, a candidate must be nominated by that party.

This primary nomination process is a contest that often produces factions within political parties. These divisions impact the policy stances and agendas of the candidates running for nomination as they attempt to garner the support of party leaders and activists. The nominating process officially begins with the first primaries and caucuses, which usually occur in February of the election year.

The spring of an election year is characterized by vigorous campaigning for primaries and caucuses all over the nation. This process reaches its crescendo at the national conventions of the political parties. Once at the national party conventions, the delegates from the states cast votes for the person who will represent the political party in the November general election. In order to secure a party’s nomination, a candidate must receive a majority of the votes from the delegates. It is not unusual for delegates to vote several times before one candidate secures the majority of the votes and officially becomes that party’s candidate for the election to determine the next President of the USA. The candidate for President then must choose a vice-presidential candidate. Generally, a running mate is chosen that will in some way balance the party’s ticket for the general election. This balance may be geographic (choosing a running mate that is very popular in one region where the Presidential candidate is not) or ideological (choosing a running mate with a different ideological framework than the presidential candidate), and the balance is intended to make the overall general election ticket of a political party acceptable to as wide a range of voters as possible.

If a President is running for re-election, this nomination process must be completed. Even if the President does not face any opposition from within his own political party the national convention will still occur.

The national conventions of the political parties are the culmination of the primary election process. Some people choose to run for president without being affiliated with a political party. Such independent candidates need not be nominated by a party, but must meet such requirements as, for example, to collect a large number of signatures to support their nominations.

The candidates campaign right up until Election Day. The candidates travel throughout the country, making public appearance and giving speeches. The parties and the candidates use media advertising, direct mailings, telephone campaigns, and other means to persuade the voters to choose one candidate over the others.

In this national presidential election, every citizen of legal age has an opportunity to vote. However, the President is not chosen by direct popular vote. The Constitution requires that a process known as the Electoral College ultimately decides who will win in the general election.

The Electoral College is a method of indirect popular election of the President of the US. Voters in each state cast a vote for a block of electors who are pledged to vote for a particular candidate. These electors, in turn, vote for the presidential candidate. Each state is apportioned a number of electors equal to the total number of their Congressional delegation.

After Election Day, on the Monday after the second Wednesday in December, these electors assemble in their state capitals, cast their ballots, and officially select the next president of the United States. Legally, the electors may vote for smn other than the candidate for whom they were pledged to vote. This phenomenon is known as the “unfaithful” or “faithless” elector. Generally, this does not happen. Therefore, the candidate who receives the most votes in a state at the general election will be the candidate for whom all the electors of this state later cast their votes (“the winner-takes-it-all principle”). Two voters are taken, one for President and one for the Vice President. Electors are restricted from voting for two candidates from their state.

The votes of the electors are then sent to Congress where the President of the Senate opens the certificates, and counts the votes. Should no presidential candidate receive an absolute majority, the House of Representatives determines who the next president will be. Each state may cast one vote and an absolute majority is needed to win. Similarly, the Senate decides who the next Vice President will be if there is no absolute majority at the Electoral College vote.

Scanning

1. Finish the following sentences.

1. Under the US Constitution Presidential elections are to be held…

2. Election Day is on…

3. To represent a political party officially a candidate…

4. The first stage of the election process is known as…

5. At the national party conventions the delegates from the states…

6. Having gone through the nomination process the candidate for President must…

7. A running mate is chosen that will balance the party’s ticket. This balance may be geographic - …, or ideological - …

8. This balance is aimed to…

9. Independent candidates must meet such requirements as…

10. While the election campaign the candidates …

11. The Electoral College is …

12. The phenomenon of the “unfaithful” or “faithless” elector means…

13. Should no presidential candidate receive an absolute majority, the House of Representatives …, similarly, the Senate…

2. Answer the following questions.

1. When does the process of elections begin?

2. What process can be characterized as a contest that produces factions within political parties?

3. Why do these divisions impact the policy stances and agendas of the candidates?

4. When do primaries and caucuses take place? What happen during this election stage?

5. Where and how does the candidate for presidency secure a party’s nomination?

6. What is the main principle of choosing a running mate?

7. What is peculiar about the nomination process, if a President runs for re-election?

8. Are independent candidates affiliated with political parties? What requirements must they meet?

9. How do candidates and their team promote their public image?

10. Is the President chosen by direct popular vote?

11. Who do American citizens cast their votes for?

12. What do the electors constitute?

13. What are they pledged to do?

14. What happens on the Monday after the second Wednesday in December?

15. How many electors vote for the candidate who receives the most votes in a state?

16. Where are the votes counted?

17. What happens in case no candidate has secured an absolute majority?

Word Study

1. Translate the following lexical units from the text from English into Russian, prepare questions with these lexical units, based on the text.

to be nominated, to produce factions, to run for nomination/elections, to garner the support (of the party), to reach crescendo, to secure the majority of votes, to balance the party’s ticket, to be affiliated with a political party, to make public appearance, to give speeches, the Electoral College, to be pledged, to assemble, the “unfaithful”/”faithless” elector, “the-winner-takes-it-all” principle.

2. Define the following words and word-combinations, use these lexical units in the examples of your own.

Factions, to cast votes for, the party’s ticket, a policy stance, party affiliation, a ballot, “the-winner-takes-it-all” principle.

Speaking

Use the following words and word-combinations to make up the summary of the text (not more than 15 sentences).

• to be nominated

• to produce factions

• to impact the policy stances

• to run for nomination/elections

• primaries

• caucuses

• to cast votes for

• a running mate

• ideological framework

• to make public appearance

• the Electoral College

• indirect popular election

• to be pledged

• to assemble

• the “unfaithful”/”faithless” elector

• “the-winner-takes-it-all” principle

Talking Point

1. Can you call the American elections effective?

2. What are the pluses and minuses of the US electoral system? Make up a list of them.

3. Do the Russian elections differ much from the American ones? In what way?

UNIT V