This lecture is designed for first year students of English, and for anyone interested in a simple explanation of what is at stake in current political debates in America

2. Legislative Executive Judicial

3. Legislative
 Carried out by Congress
 New national laws
 Modify existing ones
 Federal taxing and spending
 Coin money
 Declare war on other countries
 Oversee the executive branch of government

4. Capitol in Washington, D.C
Congress
 Bicameral
body:
 House of
Representatives
 Senate

5. Two chambers of Congress
House of
Representatives
 Lower house
 Proportion to
population
 Two-year terms
 435 members
Senate
 Upper house
 Each state 2 senators
(regardless of population)
 Six-year terms
 100 members
The Legislative

6. Two chambers of Congress
House of Representatives
 Power of impeachement
Senate
 Deliberative, prestigious (longer
terms, smaller size)
 Approves Cabinet members and
Supreme Court justices

7. President
The Executive

8. “Most powerful man on Earth”
Characteristics
 Head of executive
branch
 Head of state
 Commander in chief of
the military
 Chief diplomat
Duties
 Negotiates international
treaties
 Signs or vetoes bills
 Appoints members of the
Cabinet, Supreme Court &
ambassadors
 Pardons for federal offences
The President

9. Political parties
 Two-party system
 Republican Party (1854)
 and Democratic Party (1824)
 “Red states” won by Republican party
 “Blue states” won by Democratic

10. Ideologies
Republican Party
 Pro free markets and
individual
achievement
 Against universal
health care
Democratic Party
 Favored farmers, laborers
and religious and ethnic
minorities
 Against unregulated
business and finance
 Interventionism
SOCIALLY LIBERAL,
ECONOMICALLY CONSERVATIVE

11. Symbols/General Beliefs
 Democrats: Liberal: Avoid having
extremely rich and extremely poor.
 Republicans: Conservative: Free market, let
wealth distribute naturally.


12. Republicans or Democrats?

13. Poll: Are you Republican or Democrat?
Do you agree that governement should:
A (agree) D (disagree)
1. Take care of poor people
2. Reduce income inequality
3. Guarantee a basic income.
4. Make you pay more taxes
5. Provide more health care
6. Grant the right to
abortion
7. Allow gay marriage
8. Prohibit guns &
weapons
9. Abolish death penalty
10. Accept all illegal
immigrants

14. Republican vs. Democrat
 Small Government
 Lower Taxes
 National Security
 Family Values
 Favor 2nd Amendment
 Free Market Capitalism
 Pro-Life
 Large Government
 Higher Taxes
 Individual Rights
 Gay Rights
 Gun Control
 Environmental Issues
 Pro-Choice

15. Economic Policy
 Democrats: Tax the
rich more and tax the
middle and lower class
less.
 Republicans: Tax
everyone as little as
possible. Flat tax rate
for all.

16. Health Care
 Democrats: government regulation and oversight of the
health care system, to make health care accessible to
everyone.
 Republicans: less government involvement in the industry

17. Social programs
 Democrats: government
responsible for welfare,
unemployment benefits, food
stamps, and Medicaid to
support people in need.
 Republicans acknowledge
need, but favor less funding
and tighter control +
supporting private
organizations.

18. Education
 Democrats :Common Core System and giving students
more money in the form of loans and grants
 Republicans: longer hours and more focused programs
and promoting the private sector giving loans and not
the government.

19. Social Issues
 Democrats: Favor abortion and gay marriage.
 Republicans: Oppose abortion and gay
marriage.

20. Death Penalty
 Democrats: Death penalty only when 100%
necessary
 Republicans: death penalty lessens crime rates

21. Gun Control
 Republicans: oppose all gun control or anti-
hunting provisions
 Democrats: In the past, supported gun control.
Now, share the same beliefs as Republicans.

22. Illegal Immigration
 Republicans: Illegals must leave, stricter border
control
 Democrats: They can stay, this is how America
was built

23. Foreign Policy
 Republicans: full military effort to displace regimes
that are totalitarian and detrimental to their interests
 Democrats: targeted strikes and limited use of
American soldiers

24. History
 1856 Birth of the Republican
Party
 From 1860 through 1932
Republicans control White
House
 From 1932 to 1968 Democrats
 1968 to 2008 Republicans

25. Famous Members
 Democrats: Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR), John F.
Kennedy (JFK)
 Republicans: Ronald Reagan, George Bush ( W and
HW)

26. History
Contemporary Party
 Republican Ascendance?
 1968 to 2017 Republicans control
White House for all except:
 Carter (1976-1980)
 Clinton (1992-2000)
 Obama (2009- 2016)