CROSS CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING

AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

Parlindungan Pardede
Universitas Kristen Indonesia Jakarta

A system designed to guarantee basic human rights

AMERICANS’ UNDERLYING PRESUPPOSITION ON GOVERNMENT

• Due to their idealism of individual freedom, Americans

are suspicious that government is the natural enemy of
freedom, even it is elected by the people
• The stronger the government, the more dangerous it is
to individual freedom.
• Thus a government’s main duty must be to create
conditions favorable for the freedom of the individual
• The constitution should concern more on preventing
the government from doing evil than enabling it to do
good by dividing it into legislative, excecutive and
judicial branch.
BASIS

Declaration of independence,
Constitution & Bill of Rights

FEDERAL
DIVISION

Wyoming
E
STATUtah
Nevada
The Declaration of
Independence

The want, will, and hopes

of the people
 Declaration of independence (1776)

ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL.

ALL MEN HAVE THE RIGHT TO LIFE, LIBERTY,
AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

CONSTITUTION (1787)

DIVIDES POWERS TO NATIONAL (FEDERAL)

The Declaration Of Independence &
the U.S. Constitution displayed at
The National Archives, Washington.
AND STATES GOVERNMENT.
THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT IS DIVIDED
INTO THREE BRANCHES: LEGISLATIVE,
EXCECUTIVE, AND JUDICIAL. EACH
BRANCH HAS CERTAIN DUTIES,
SUBSTANTIAL INDEPENDENCE & SOME
AUTHORITY OVER THE OTHERS THROUGH A
SYSTEM OF CHECKS & BALANCES.
THREE MAIN PRINCIPLES OF US CONSTITUTION

THE SEPARATION OF POWERS OF

THE THREE BRANCHES OF
GOVERNMENT;
THE PRINCIPLE OF GOVERNMENT
OF, FOR, AND BY THE PEOPLE;
THE GUARANTEE ON BASIC
HUMAN RIGHTS.
BILL OF RIGHTS
BACKGROUND: SINCE THE CONSTITUTION WRITTEN IN 1787
HADN’T YET EXPLICITLY GUARANTEED THE RIGHT OF THE
INDIVIDUALS, 10 ISSUES (COLLECTIVELY KNOWN AS BILLS OF
RIGHTS), WERE THEN ADDED TO IT. THE BILLS OF RIGHTS
GUARANTEES THE FOLLOWINGS:

1. Freedom of Speech
2. Freedom of Religion
3. Freedom of The Press
4. Right to Assemble in Public Places
5. Right to Protest Government Actions
6. Right to Demand Change
7. Right to Own Firearms
8. Protection Against Unreasonable Searches,
Seizures of Property & Arrest
9. Protection Against Cruel & Unusual Punishment
10. Right To a Fair & Unusual Punishment
 LEGISLATIVE (CONGRESS)

EXCECUTIVE (PRESIDENT)

FEDERAL
JUDICIARY (COURTS)

TO SERVE PEOPLE’S
NEEDS IN: POLICE, FIRE
DIVISIONS OF PROTECTION,
AMERICAN DUTIES EDUCATION, PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION,
GOVERNMENT HOUSING, ETC.

Wyoming
TE LEVELS
STA
Utah
Nevada
LEGISL., EXCEC. & JUDIC.
1. STATE
2. CITY CENTRAL COUNCIL
& EXC. OFFICER
3. COUNTY
4. TOWN & BOARD/COUNCIL
VILLAGE
& EXC. OFFICER
 PROFILE OF U.S. GOVERNMENT BRANCHES
LEGISLATIVE
(CONGRESS)
DIVIDED INTO 2 CHAMBERS:
100 SENATES (ELECTED
STAGGERDLY TO A SIX-YEAR
TERM & REPRENTS HIS/HER
HOME STATE)
435 HOUSE OF REPRE-SENTATIVE
MEMBERS (ELECTED
STAGGERDLY TO A TWO-YEAR
TERM & REPRENTS HIS/HER
DISTRICT)
MAIN DUTIES:
TO MAKE FEDERAL LAWS
TO LEVY FEDERAL TAXES
TO DECLARE A WAR
TO PUT TREATIES INTO EFFECT
PERFORMANCES, A.0.:
IN 1988-1990 PROPOSED 15,682
BILLS, PROCESSED 15,000 BILLS,
ENACTED 664 BILLS
EXCECUTIVE JUDICIARY
(PRESIDENT) (COURTS)
PRESIDENT: CONSISTS OF:
TOGETHER WITH VICE SUPREME COURT (1 CHIEF
PRESIDENT, WAS ELECTED FOR A JUSTICE & 8 ASSOCIATES)
4-YEAR TERM (MAX. 2 TERMS) FUNCTIONING AS THE HEAD OF
DUTIES: JUDICIAL BRANCH
1. FORMULATE NATIONAL POLICY 13 FEDERAL COURTS OF APPEAL
2. PROPOSE LEGISLATION TO 95 FEDERAL DISTRICT COURTS
CONGRESS
MEMBERSHIP IS FOR LIFE
3. CHIEF COMMAND OF ARMED
UNTILVOLUNTARILY
FORCES
4. LEAD FEDERAL AGENCIES & RETIREMENT.
DEPARTMENT
DUTIES: TO HANDLE
5. APPOINT FEDERAL JUDGES
CASES ARISING OUT OF
WHEN VACANCIES OCCUR
CONSTITUTION & FEDERAL
LAWS
VICE PRESIDENT: TREATIES CASES
SUCCEEDS PRESIDENT IN CASE MARITIME CASES
OF DEATH OR DISABLED
FOREIGN-LINKED CASES
DUTIES:
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
1. PRESIDES OVER THE SENATE INVOLVED CASES
HOW CHECKS & BALANCES WORK IN PRACTICE

If Congress passes a proposed law (bill) that the President

considers unwise, he can veto it. Thus, the
the bill
bill is
is dead
dead
unless 2/3 members of the House
House & & Senate
Senate vote
vote to to enact
enact it
despite the President’s veto.

If Congress passes, and the President signs, a law that is

challenged in the Federal Courts as contrary to the
Constitution, the courts can nullify that law.

The President has the power to make treaties with other

nations and toto make
make appointments
appointments to
to federal positions,
positions,
including judgeships. The senate, however, must approve
all treaties and confirm the appointments before they can
go into effect.
 EVOLVED FROM THE PARTY FORMED BY JEFFERSON
BEFORE 1800. CONSIDERED TO BE MORE LIBERAL; WANTS
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE SOCIAL PROGRAM FOR THE
POOR, UNEMPLOYED & ELDERLY; OPPOSES NUCLEAR
WEAPONS & TOO MUCH MILITARY SPENDING.

ESTABLISHED BY LINCOLN IN 1850S.

MAJOR REPUBLICAN CONSIDERED TO BE MORE CON-SERVATIVE;
WANTS GOVERNMENT TO ENCOURAGE
PRIVATE ENTERPRISE TO MAKE CITIZENS
LESS DEPENDENT ON GOVERNMENT; SUP-
PORTS MILITARY SPENDING.
POLITICAL
PARTIES
MINOR GENERALLY REFERRED TO THIRD
PARTIES RARELY SUCCEED THEIR
POLITICAL CANDIDATE TO OFFICE. THEY USUALLY
CALL ATTENTION TO INTERESTING
PARTIES & ISSUE FOR VOTERS BUT IS NEGLECTED
ELECTIONS BY THE MAJOR PARTIES. IF THE ISSUE
HAS BEEN ADRESSED, THE MINOR
PARTIES DISAPPEAR.

ELECTIONS

HELD EVERY TWO YEARS, IN EVEN NUMBERED YEARS, ON THE FIRST

TUESDAY AFTER THE FIRST MONDAY IN NOVEMBER. AMERICANS ARE
FREE TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH OR HOW LITTLE THEY GET INVOLVED
IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS. SOME ACTIVELY PROMOTE A CAUSE OR A
CANDIDATE, SOME OTHERS MERELY VOTE ON ELECTION DAY.
 THE END

CREATED BY:

PARLIN PARDEDE
THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT OF FKIP UKI
JAKARTA
© 2009

THANK YOU