The Political System of the United States of America - Essay Example

The parties who are predominant in the State are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. There are other minor parties as well and all these came into existence since the American Civil War. The three parties in the presidential system apart from the two main ones, there are Libertarian Party, Green Party, and the Constitution Party. The significant characteristics of the United States incorporate the upper hand of the Senate, which is also the upper tier of the legislature, the distinction between the powers of the executive and the legislature, the two-party dominance, and the range of power vested with the Supreme Court. (O’Connor and Sabato)

      Apart from the federal government the state government, as well as the local governments, also govern people. These help in carrying out the functions of the state effectively. These local administrative bodies include townships, counties, and municipalities. Here the government is accountable to the people of the country through the right to vote exercised by the citizens at the discretion. Freedom of religion and expression are granted by the Constitution and therefore even the highest power in the government had only that much power which would help them prevent the abuse of these powers. According to the Constitution, the people are all equal and no special privilege will be granted to any individual. Also, every person has equal right to voice their disagreement against any component of the government’s functioning and the system of administration. 

      There are fifty states that contribute towards the votes to elect their government and this also includes the District of Columbia. All citizens of 18 years and above have the right to exercise their voting right. The election of the president is through a process of indirect voting where the general citizens vote the voters who vote for their president. The scenario is gradually becoming commercialized. Every voter has the right to vote for their favorite candidate belonging to one political party and one who is a non-voting candidate. The level of publicity and campaign is increasing and so is the expenditure for these. Therefore the political parties depend on large donors and corporate houses for their advertisement and promotion. While Republicans usually depend on donations from business houses, the fund from organized labor organizations flows in for the Democrats. Thus the structure of the government in the USA conforms to the ideology of a government ‘of the people, for the people, and by the people. Thus, the parties are packed up loosely within the administrative structure. The White House is headed by the ruling party, which is led by the President. (Eisinger)

      When the USA was founded, the livelihood mainly depended on agriculture and small privately-owned businesses. At that time, the State left the welfare issues to the local administrative bodies. The ideology of laissez-faire was not preferred as the government expenditure component was emphasized after the Great Depression. However, from the late 70s onwards laissez-faire became predominant and popular once again especially as the government itself began to depend on the large corporates for their nomination and the financial backup required to maintain their position. Thus, their function is gradually becoming oriented towards the priorities of the business houses rather than that of the citizens and perhaps this is damaging the ideology of a true democracy.