美式民主（1）在线视频

Do you know the saying
你听过

“Of the People,
“民有

By the People,
民治

For the People.” ?
民享”这句话吗？

This is delivered by President Abraham Lincoln
这是亚伯拉罕林肯总统

in Gettysburg Address,
在盖茨堡演说中提出的

which shows the origin and power
它展示了美国政治制度的

of the American political system
起源和力量

Let's get started.
现在我们开始吧

The American Constitution
美国宪法

outlines the basic political structure of the nation
概述了这个国家的基本政治结构

and settles the foundational principles of the country.
并确定了这个国家的基本原则

This power goes to the people
它授予选民

who are entitled the right to select proper persons
推选合适的国家法律管理者

to make or administrate laws for the nation.
和制定者的权利

The United States is an indirect democracy,
美国是一个间接民主的国家

that is,
也就是说

the people rule through the representatives they elect.
民治是通过选举产生的代表实现的

In the beginning,
一开始

only white men with property could vote.
只有有钱的白人才能投票

Over time
随着时间的推移

the vote has been given to more and more people.
越来越多的人享有投票权

Today any citizen who is at least 18 years old can vote.
如今 任何年满18岁的公民都可以投票

The main characteristic of the US political system
美国政治制度一个主要的特点

is its federalism.
是它的联邦制

What is Federalism then?
何为联邦制？

Federalism means the division of the powers
联邦制指

of government
在国家与州之间

between the nation and the state.
分割政府权力

Each division is subject to two governments.
每个分权都要服从两个政府的支配

The states have the primary functions
各州的主要职能是

of providing law and order,
制定法律和维持秩序

education, public health and most of the things,
以及管理大多数与日常生活有关的事情

which concern day-to-day life.
如教育 公共卫生

The federal government at Washington
华盛顿的联邦政府专注于

is concerned with foreign affairs
外交事务

and with matters of general concern to the states,
以及综合影响各州的事务

including commerce between the states.
包括各州之间的贸易

The Federal Government is composed of three Branches
联邦政府由三个分支组成

The US federal government
美国联邦政府由

is composed of three branches,
三个分支组成

which is also known as the Separation of Power.
也被称为三权分立

Separation of Power
权力的分离是为了

is designed to divide the governmental power horizontally,
横向划分政府权力

for example,separating power among the executive,
例如 在各级政府的行政

legislative and judicial branches
立法和司法部门之间

in the government of each level.
分配权力

Each branch has part of the power
每个分权只行使一部分权力

but not all the power.
而不是所有的权力

Each branch of government can check,
政府的每一个部门都可以检查

or block the actions of the other.
或者限制另一个部门的行动

The 3 branches are in balance.
这三个分支是平衡的

The first one,Legislative Branch
立法部门

The bicameral Congress is the legislative branch
两院制国会是由参议院

that made up of the Senate
和众议院

and the House of Representatives.
组成的立法机构

It makes federal law, declares war,
它可以制定联邦法律、宣战

approves treaties,
批准条约

has the power of the purse,
控制财权

and has the power of impeachment,
通过弹劾权

by which it can remove sitting members of the government.
可以罢免政府的现任成员

The Senate has 100 members
参议院有100名成员

with each state having two senators,
每个州有两名参议员

elected at-large to six-year terms.
一般来说被选举的议员有6年任期

Only one third of Senate is elected every two years.
参议员总数三分之一得于每二年改选一次

That assures that
这确保了在每次选举后

there are some experienced Senators in Congress
国会中能保留部分

after each election.
有经验的参议员

Senators are chosen directly by all the voters
参议员是由本州的

in their state.
所有选民直接选出的

Even a small state
即使是一个小州也能

can assure an equal voice
保证在国会两院中的一个院

in one of the houses of Congress.
有平等的发言权

A Senator must be over 30 years old,
每一个参议员必须年满30岁

and a resident in the state
并且是他们是所代表的州的居民

which they represent

and must have been a U.S. citizen
同时为美国公民满九年

for at least nine years.

The House of Representatives
众议院

has 435 voting members
有435名投票成员

plus a non-voting representative
还有分别来自波多黎各

from Puerto Rico, Guam
和关岛 哥伦比亚特区的

and the District of Columbia respectively,
无投票权代表

each representing a congressional district
每位议员分别代表一个国会选区

for a two-year term.
任期两年

The Representatives must be at least 25 years old
这些代表必须年满25岁

and must have been U.S. citizens
为美国公民满七年

for no less than seven years.

The House member represents
众议院议员

a district in his or her home state.
代表他或她的家乡的一个选区

The number of districts in a state
一个州的选区数

is determined by a court of the population
是由每10年一次的

taken every 10 years.
人口普查决定的

The most heavily populated states
人口众多的州

have more districts and, therefore,
有更多的选区 因此

more representatives than the smaller states,
代表比小州也更多

some of which only have one.
其中一些州只有一个选区

Both houses have the power to introduce legislation
两院都有权对任何议题

on any subject
进行立法

except the revenue bills
除了税收法案

which must originate in the House of Representatives.
必须由众议院提出

Do you know how a bill becomes a law?
你知道一个提案是如何成为法律的吗？

Now I'll introduce the process.
现在我将介绍这个过程

Firstly,A member of Congress introduces a bill.
首先 国会议员提出了一项提案

Secondly,Committees
接着

that are made up of small groups of senators
由参议员或众议员组成的小组

or representatives review and vote on the bill.
对该提案进行审查和投票

The committee may reject the bill and “table” it,
委员会可能会拒绝该提案并将其搁置

meaning it is never discussed again.
这意味着它将不再被讨论

Or it may hold hearings
或者举行听证会

to listen to facts and opinions
听取事实和意见

make changes in the bill and cast votes.
对提案进行修改并进行投票

If most committee members vote in favor of the bill,
如果大多数委员会成员投票支持该提案

it is sent back to the Senate and the House for debate.
它将被送回参议院和众议院进行讨论

Secondly,
其次

The Senate and the House debate and vote on the bill.
参议院和众议院就该法案进行讨论和投票

Separately,
参议院和

the Senate and the House debate the bill,
众议院分别就该提案进行辩论

offer amendments and cast votes.
提出修改意见并投票表决

If the bill is defeated
如果该提案在参议院

in either the Senate or the House, the bill dies.
或众议院被否决 该提案就会被否定

If a majority of both the Senate and the House
如果参议院和众议院的大多数人

votes for the bill,
都投票支持该提案

it goes to the President for approval.
那么它将交由总统判决

This bill becomes an “Act”.
这个提案成为法案

Thirdly,the President signs the bill―or not.
然后 总统将决定是否签名通过

If the President approves the bill and signs it,
如果总统批准该法案并签署

the bill becomes a law.
该法案将成为一项法律

However,
然而

if the President disapproves,
如果总统不同意

he can veto the bill by refusing to sign it.
他可以否决该法案 拒绝签署

Congress can try to overrule a veto.
国会可以试图推翻否决

If both the Senate and the House
如果三分之二的参议院和众议院

pass the bill by a two-thirds majority,
成员依然同意该提案

the President's veto is overruled
总统的否决就是无效的

and the bill becomes a law.
法案还是能成为一项法律

Second,Executive Branch
第二 行政部门

The executive branch of Federal government
联邦政府的行政部门是由

is headed by the chief executive officer,
首席执行官

the President,
即总统领导

who is also the head of the state
同时他也是国家元首和

and the commander of the armed force.
武装部队的指挥官来领导的

The executive branch consists of 14 departments
行政部门由14个部门

and many independent agencies.
和许多独立的机构组成

The heads of the departments,
这些部门的负责人被称为“秘书”

called secretaries, selected by the President
由总统挑选

and approved by the Senate,
并经参议院批准

form a council of advisers
组成一个顾问委员会

generally known as the President’s Cabinet
通常被称为“总统内阁”

Third,Judicial Branch
第三 司法部门

The judicial branch of the federal government
联邦政府的司法部门

consists of a series of courts,
由一系列法院

the Supreme Court,
最高法院

the courts of appeals, and the district courts.
上诉法院和地方法院组成

The Supreme Court and lower federal courts,
最高法院和下级联邦法院的

whose judges are appointed
法官由经参议院批准的

by the president with Senate approval,
总统任命

interpret laws
负责解释法律

and overturn those they find unconstitutional.
并推翻他们认为违宪的法律

The Supreme Court
美国最高法院是

is the highest court of the United States.
美国最高审判机构

It now has one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices.
现在它有一名首席大法官和八名副大法官

Decisions are made by the majority,
每个法官有一票

with each justice having one vote.
以多票数作出决定

Only Congress can remove them from office
只有国会才能通过

through a difficult impeachment process.
严格的弹劾程序将他们赶下台

Besides the federal judicial system,
除了联邦司法系统体系之外

each state has its own judicial system courts of law,
每个州还有自己的司法系统 法院

a police force and a prison system.
警察和监狱系统

All cases concerning ordinary crimes
凡涉及普通犯罪的案件

come under the jurisdiction of the state.
都属于州管辖

State judges and police officers
州法官和警官

are responsible for upholding state law,
负责维护州法律

not the Supreme Court.
而不是最高法院

All American courts use the jury system and common law.
美国所有的法院都使用陪审团制度和普通法

All laws and governmental procedures
所有法律和政府程序

are subject to judicial review,
都要接受司法审查

and any law ruled in violation of the Constitution is voided.
任何违反宪法的法律都将被废除

All right.Everyone.
现在大家

After learning this part.
学习完这一部分后

Do you know:What are the major powers
你知道:美国政府

of the three branches of the U.S. government?
三个部门的主要权力是什么吗

I hope you can get the answer.
我希望你能得到答案

I'll see you next time.Bye bye.
那么 我们下次见