2 - Aeronautica Militare Italiana

The election sYstem in the u.s.a.
Let's learn how it works
This year Americans elected a new president. In these elections President Obama ran againist the
Republican candidate Mitt Romney. It was very important for Obama win this elections, so that he
could gain again Americans trust. Now for President Obama it’s time to bring America out of this social
and economical crysis that is weakening the U.S.A. and Europe. Behind elections there’s an electoral
system, sometimes unknown to people.
The parties
Every four years Americans elect a new president.
The voters can choose between the two main parties:
the Democrats and the Republicans. The Democratic
party, since the 1930s, has always promoted
a social liberal and progressive platform. The Republican
party (or “Grand Old Party) was founded
by anti-slavery activists in 1854 and it dominated
the United States scenery for most period between
1860 and 1932. their party platform reflects American
conservatism in the U.S. political spectrum.
The campaign
To become a party’s presidential nominee, the
candidate has to win the primary election, held in
the first half of the election year in each state of
the United States. Usually, it’s clear who will win
the primary election altought in the past elections
choosing a nominee has been a difficult process.
Once the nominees have been selected, in the
second half of the year, the candidates start to
campaign all over the countries travelling by plane,
car, bus or train. They cross the counties giving
speeches. These speeches, called “stump”
speeches because in the 19th century candidates
would stand on tree stump to deliver speeches,
are held in order to better understand the
candidate’s point of view that usually reflects
the general beliefs and policies a party holds.
During the campaign every party makes attack
ads against the other one, these attack ads are
commercials that distort the truth or something
that the other candidate has said or done in
order to give a bad image of the rival party.
The voters
Many people believe that campaigns have become
too negative and this opinion reflects
the voters turnout. This year less than 60%
turnout for national elections. Lots of people
don’t register to vote and somebody doesn’t
even show up during the elections.
America is divided in this two opinions:
• one side is the people that feel that voting is
the main responsibility of any citizen;
• the other side doesn’t vote because they
have no intent.
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The Electoral
College
The United States maintains a voting system based
on the Electoral College, a process that consists
of the selection of the voters, the meeting
of the electors where they vote for the President
and for the Vice President. Each State is assigned
electoral votes based on the number of senators,
each state has got 2, and representatives, whose
number is based on the state’s population and
it is never less than 1. If a candidate wins in one
state, he wins all the electoral votes of that state.
Even though Obama won the elections, the
difference between the party’s votes was less
than 300.000 and the electoral votes were 303
for the Democrats and 206 for the Republicans.
All. Roberto Giovanzanti
DAL MONDO