Government and Politics in the United States
A wi and frugal Government shall restrain men from injuring one another, [and] shall leave them otherwi free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvements.
——Thomas Jefferson
Unit Goals
To get a general knowledge of American constitution and the federal system 闲情赋
To be aware of American people’s understanding about government
To learn how American political system works in reality
To learn some political terms on government and politics in the United States
To learn uful words and expressions concerning American government
Before You Read
梦见抓了好多鱼
1. Preview Vocabulary.
Read the quotation and find the words with the following meanings. Write each word next to its meaning.
_____ 1) the act of trying to get something
毛笔的拼音
_____ 2) prevent someone from doing something
_____ 3) to control the activity by rules
_____ 4) hurting
_____ 5) thickly populated
_____ 6) give up a post, etc.
2. Work with your partner and consider the following questions.
心有多宽1) Do you agree with the quotation by Thomas Jefferson? Paraphra the quotation in yo
ur own words.
80 An Introduction to American Society & Culture
如何培养学习兴趣
2) How do you understand the statement “Government is a necessary evil”? 意欲捕鸣蝉全诗
3) What are the two major political parties in the United States? What is the main difference in their beliefs?
4) What personal qualities do you think political leaders should have? Who do you admire?
Recognize the following Presidents in American history.
Who are the Presidents?
Tell your classmates what you know about them.
Start to Read
Text A The Organization of the American Government
A Suspicion of Strong Government
1. The ideal of the free individual has had a 关于环保的标语profound effect on the way Americans view their government. Traditionally, there has been a deep suspicion that government is the natural enemy of freedom, even if it is elected by the people. The bigger and stronger the government becomes, the more dangerous many Americans believe it is to their individual freedom.
2. This suspicion of strong government goes back to the men who led the American Revolution in 1776. The men believed the government of Great Britain wanted to discourage the freedom and economic opportunities of the American colonists by excessive taxes and other measures which would ultimately benefit the British aristocracy and monarchy. Thomas Paine, the famous revolutionary
81 An Introduction to American Society & Culture 82
writer, expresd the view of other American revolutionists when he said, “Government even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable 元宵节one.” In fact, the way in which the national government is organized in the U.S. Constitution provides an excellent illustration of the American suspicion of governmental power.
The Constitution
3. The Constitution of the United States was adopted on June 21, 1788. It is the oldest written constitution still in u. What is this Constitution? It is the basic law from which the U.S. government gets all its power. It is the law that protects tho who live in the U. S. A. from unreasonable actions by the national government or any state government.
4. The Constitution defines three branches of government. They are the legislative branch, which enacts laws; the executive branch, which enforces tho laws; and the judicial branch, which interprets them.
5. The legislative branch is called Congress. It is made up of two groups of legislators—t
he Senate and the Hou of Reprentatives. A member of the Senate is addresd as Senator. Members of the Hou of Reprentatives are called congressmen or congresswomen. The Senate is often referred to as the upper hou. It has 100 members—two nators from each state. Both nators reprent the entire state. Senators are elected for six-year terms. Every two years, one-third of all nators face reelection.
6. The lower hou, which is called the Hou of Reprentatives, has 435 members, all of whom are elected every two years. The number of reprentatives from each state is determined by that state’s population. While the ven smallest states have only one reprentative each, California, the most populous state, had 52 reprentatives in the 106th Congress (1998-2000). For the purpo of electing reprentatives, each state is divided into congressional districts. The districts within a state are about equal in population. One reprentative is elected from each district. One of a reprentative’s major duties is to protect the interests of the people in that district. An Introduction to American Society & Culture 83
