Essential Facts of US Government and Political Systems

Posted on Oct 11, 2025 in Police Sciences and Public Security

Key Political Systems and Government Types

  • Democracy: A system where citizens exercise power by voting, typically through elected representatives.
  • Republic: A government in which the country is considered a “public matter” and officials are elected by the people.
  • Monarchy: A system ruled by a king, queen, or emperor, often with power inherited by family lineage.
  • Constitutional Monarchy: A monarchy limited by a constitution, where elected bodies share or limit the monarch’s powers.
  • Dictatorship: A government controlled by one leader with absolute power, often taken and maintained by force.
  • Theocracy: A government based on religious law and led by religious leaders.
  • Oligarchy: A system where a small group of people, often from the same elite class, controls the government.
  • Anarchy: The absence of any formal government or authority.
  • Federalism: A system in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units (like states or provinces).
  • Unitary State: A government where central authority holds most of the power, with limited local autonomy.
  • Parliamentary System: A system where the executive branch derives its legitimacy from and is accountable to the legislature (parliament).
  • Presidential System: A system where the president is both head of state and government, elected independently of the legislature.
  • Communism: A political and economic system where all property and resources are owned collectively by the community or state, aiming for a classless society with equal distribution of wealth and no private ownership.

Composition of the Federal Government Branches

U.S. Legislative Branch (Congress)

U.S. House of Representatives

  • 435 voting members.
  • 52 representatives from California.

U.S. Senate

  • 100 senators.
  • Two senators per state, regardless of population.

U.S. Supreme Court Composition

9 justices total (One Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices).

Key Amendments to the U.S. Constitution

There are 27 amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The following are foundational examples:

  1. First Amendment: Freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition – Guarantees basic civil liberties.
  2. Second Amendment: Right to bear arms – Allows people to own and carry weapons.
  3. Third Amendment: No quartering of soldiers – Prohibits forcing citizens to house soldiers in peacetime.
  4. Fourth Amendment: No unreasonable searches or seizures – Protects privacy from arbitrary government intrusion.
  5. Fifth Amendment: Rights of the accused – Protects against self-incrimination, double jeopardy, and guarantees due process.
  6. Sixth Amendment: Right to a fair trial – Ensures a speedy, public trial with an impartial jury.
  7. Seventh Amendment: Right to a jury trial in civil cases – Guarantees jury trials in civil disputes over a certain monetary amount.
  8. Eighth Amendment: No cruel or unusual punishment – Bans excessive bail, fines, and torture-like punishments.
  9. Ninth Amendment: Rights retained by the people – Affirms that people have other rights not specifically listed in the Constitution.
  10. Tenth Amendment: Powers reserved to the states – States retain powers not delegated to the federal government.
  11. Thirteenth Amendment: Abolishes slavery – Ends slavery and involuntary servitude.
  12. Nineteenth Amendment: Women’s suffrage – Grants women the right to vote.

California Congressional Representation (As of May 2025)

U.S. Senators for California

  • Alex Padilla (D): Serving as California’s senior senator since January 2021.
  • Adam Schiff (D): Elected in 2024 to complete the term of the late Senator Dianne Feinstein and to serve a full term beginning in 2025.

Local Representation (Cerritos, CA Example)

Cerritos, California, is part of California’s 45th Congressional District, currently represented by Derek Tran (D).

Constitutional Convention: Plans and Compromises

Major Plans Proposed

  • Virginia Plan: Proposed a two-house legislature with representation based on population (favored large states).
  • New Jersey Plan: Proposed a one-house legislature with equal representation for all states (favored small states).
  • Hamilton Plan: Advocated for a strong central government with lifetime terms for the executive and senators (modeled after the British system).

Key Compromises Reached

  • Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise): Established a two-house Congress: the House of Representatives based on population, and the Senate with equal representation per state.
  • Three-Fifths Compromise: Determined that enslaved people would count as three-fifths of a person for purposes of taxation and representation.
  • Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise: Allowed Congress to control interstate and foreign trade but prohibited interference with the slave trade until 1808.
  • Electoral College: Established the system where the President is chosen by electors, rather than by direct popular vote.

Presidential Succession Order

  1. Vice President
  2. Speaker of the House of Representatives
  3. President pro tempore of the Senate

The U.S. Federal Court System

Breakdown of Federal Court Levels

1. Supreme Court (Top Level)

  • 1 court, 9 justices.
  • The highest court; hears appeals primarily on constitutional or federal issues.

2. U.S. Courts of Appeals (Middle Level)

  • 13 circuits.
  • Hears appeals from district courts; focuses on legal review, not trials.

3. U.S. District Courts (Bottom Level)

  • 94 courts.
  • Trial courts for federal cases (both civil and criminal).

State Court Systems

State court systems operate separately from the federal system and usually include:

  • State Supreme Court (top)
  • Appellate Courts (middle)
  • Trial Courts (bottom)

Supreme Court Functions and Procedures

  • Judicial Review: The power of the Court to declare laws or executive actions unconstitutional.
  • Case Selection: Mostly hears appeals on federal and constitutional issues, usually granted by a writ of certiorari (requiring four justices to agree to hear a case).
  • Decisions: Made by majority vote of the 9 justices; opinions can be majority, concurring, or dissenting.
  • Term: Justices serve for life unless they resign, retire, or are removed via impeachment.
  • Original Jurisdiction: Rare cases where the Court acts as the first and only court (e.g., disputes between states).
  • Checks and Balances: The Court interprets laws but cannot enforce them; it relies on other branches to implement its rulings.

The U.S. Presidency: Facts and Roles

Presidential Facts

  • Current Number of Presidents: 46 (as of 2025).
  • Term Limits: 4 years per term; maximum 2 terms (8 years) established by the 22nd Amendment.
  • Youngest President: Theodore Roosevelt (42, upon succession); youngest elected: John F. Kennedy (43).
  • Oldest President at Inauguration: Joe Biden (78).
  • Longest Serving President: Franklin D. Roosevelt (4 terms).
  • Non-Elected VP to President: Gerald Ford (after Nixon’s resignation).
  • First President: George Washington (1789).

Key Presidential Powers

  • Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.
  • Veto legislation passed by Congress.
  • Appoint federal officials (with Senate approval).
  • Make treaties (with Senate approval).
  • Grant pardons and reprieves.

The Nine Roles of the President

The President fulfills multiple roles simultaneously:

  • Chief of State: Symbolic representative of the nation.
  • Chief Executive: Enforces federal laws and oversees the executive branch.
  • Commander-in-Chief: Leader of the armed forces.
  • Chief Diplomat: Manages foreign relations and treaties.
  • Chief Legislator: Influences Congress and the lawmaking process.
  • Chief Administrator: Head of the federal government bureaucracy.
  • Chief of Party: Leader of their political party.
  • Chief Guardian of the Economy: Oversees economic policy and the federal budget.
  • Chief Citizen: Represents the interests and moral leadership of the people.