Parliamentary & Presidential Systems PDF

PARLIAMENTARY & PRESIDENTIAL SYSTEMS  PARLIAMENTARY & PRESIDENTIAL A. FUSION/ SEPARATION OF POWERS B. SELECTION OF THE EXECUTIVE C. TERM & REMOVAL D. POWERS E. CONSTRAINTS  FUSION OF POWERS LEGISLATIVE E...

PARLIAMENTARY & PRESIDENTIAL SYSTEMS  PARLIAMENTARY & PRESIDENTIAL A. FUSION/ SEPARATION OF POWERS B. SELECTION OF THE EXECUTIVE C. TERM & REMOVAL D. POWERS E. CONSTRAINTS  FUSION OF POWERS LEGISLATIVE EXECUTIVE Prime Minister Senate Cabinet House of Commons JUDICIARY Parliamentary System Fusion of Powers Executive controls the legislative in majority government  SEPARATION OF POWERS LEGISLATIVE EXECUTIVE President Senate Cabinet House of Reps Administration JUDICIARY Presidential System Separation of Powers Overlapping/Shared Powers Checks and Balances SEPARATION OF POWERS  SELECTION OF THE EXECUTIVE PRIME MINISTER 1. Win the leadership of their party – In a vote by members of the party [online/phone/mail] – May involve a party convention – If the party is the governing party, the new leader becomes PM. 2. General election: votes are cast for candidate/party – the party wins the majority of seats in a general election → forms a majority government – the party wins a plurality of seats in a general election → forms a minority government – Must maintain the confidence of the House in order to continue governing  SELECTION OF THE EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT Presidential elections - every 4 years 1. Win the nomination for their party’s nomination for the presidency – A year-long series of nomination races state-by-state (Primaries or caucus conventions) – Delegates are chosen to attend the national convention  SELECTION OF THE EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT (CONT’D) 2. General election: votes are cast for candidate/party ‒ Voters vote directly for a presidential candidate ‒ The electoral college determines who is elected president ‒ 538 electoral college votes - need 270 to win ‒ Each state’s electoral college votes = number of legislators; 2 senators + # of House of Representatives seats. ‒ Each state determines how they are distributed 48 states = winner take all Nebraska & Maine split the votes based on the popular vote  SELECTION OF THE EXECUTIVE B. ELECTIONS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS – Every 4 years – President [4-year terms] – “Down ballot races” – 1/3 of Senate [6-year terms] Two Senators from each state 100 – House of Representatives [2-year terms] # of ‘congressmen’ based on state’s population 438 538 MIDTERM ELECTIONS – Every 2 years – 1/3 of Senate – House of Representatives  TERM & REMOVAL PRIME MINISTER Maximum 5-year terms No maximum number of terms Removable by ‒ A vote of confidence ‒ A party forcing their leader’s resignation  TERM & REMOVAL PRESIDENT Maximum 2 terms [8 years] Removable by impeachment ‒ Bring charges against someone in a ‘political trial’ Applies to President, VP & civil officers in the US Grounds: ‘Treason, Bribery or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors’ ‒ The House of Representatives decides whether to proceed Andrew Johnson Bill Clinton Donald Trump [x2] ‒ The Senate holds the trial: requires 2/3 vote to convict PRIME MINISTER POWERS Crown’s constitutional power exercised by PM + cabinet Appointments ‒ Cabinet - appoint, dismiss, shuffle ‒ Responsible to the House of Commons Supreme Court and federally appointed judges ‒ Superior trial courts, appeal courts, federal courts Senate Senior civil servants Heads of central agencies - e.g. PMO, PCO Introduce legislation directly in the House of Commons Power to call an election any time within 5 years  POWERS PRESIDENT Foreign policy ‒ Commander-in-Chief of the army, navy & state militia ‒ Power to make treaties, appoint ambassadors Appointments ‒ Cabinet ‒ With Senate approval Supreme Court & federal judges Ambassadors Senior government officials Power to grant pardons  POWERS PRESIDENT (CONT’D) Addresses Congress in State of the Union Address Recommends legislative proposals to Congress Veto power ‒ Can be overridden by 2/3 majority in both houses Congress has the power to declare war and has taxing and spending powers  CONSTRAINTS PRIME MINISTER Confidence of the House of Commons Party support PRESIDENT Institutional checks and balances Cooperation between legislative and executive branch is necessary to govern  THIS WEEK LOOKING FORWARD Next Discussion Post (Topic 4) Due Friday, November 8 or 15 2024 (Midnight MDT) Max 200 words Assessment Post (Topic 4) Due Sunday, November 10 or 17 2024 (Midnight MDT) Max 150 words