Political Science 001

Federalism

FEDERALISM / FEDERAL FORM OF GOVERNMENT IN THE UNITED STATES = two governments--national and state--sharing power and/or competing for power.

FEDERAL LEVEL
(also called national Government, 
central government or simply 
"the government") 
Headquarters: Washington D.C.
X. LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
CONGRESS
     U.S. Senate                House of
                                 Representatives
        (100)                       ( 435)
      6 Years                    2 Years      {1}
Y.  EXECUTIVE BRANCH
PRESIDENT
Vice-President 
Cabinet 
 
 
   Law enforcement agents:              {2}
Z. JUDICIAL BRANCH
U.S. SUPREME COURT
(1 Chief Justice; 
8 Associate Justices) 
 
 
                                                              {3}
STATE LEVEL
Headquarters for California:
Sacramento
STATE LEGISLATURE
      State Senate           State Assembly 
          (40)                                 (80) 
       4 Years                           2 Years        
  {4}
GOVERNOR
Cabinet
 
 
Law enforcement agents:                 {5}
STATE SUPREME COURT
(1 Chief Justice;
6 Associated Justices)
                                        
                                                              {6}
COUNTY LEVEL
Headquarters for Los Angeles
County: City of Los Angeles
(County Seat)
58 counties in California
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
                                       (5)

4 Years
                                                                            {7}
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
         Chief Administrative Officer
 
 
Law enforcement agents:                 {8}
SUPERIOR COURT
 
 
 
                                                         {9} 
CITY LEVEL
(also called municipal government) 
Headquarters for Los Angeles: 
Civic Center (First and Spring 
Streets) 88 in LA county
CITY COUNCIL
(5 but 15 for City of L.A.)

4 Years 
                                              
    {10}
MAYOR AND/OR
CITY COUNCIL
City Manager 
 
 
    Law enforcement agents:           {11}
MUNICIPAL COURT
 
 
 
 
                                                           {12}
SPECIAL DISTRICT LEVEL
(for example, community college school district; air pollution control district)
Headquarters: various offices
5000 in California
 
 
GOVERNING BOARD OF THE DISTRICT
 
(may be the county Board of Supervisors)
for example: L.A. Community College Board of Trustees
(number varies)
4 Years
{13}
GOVERNING BOARD of District
or Board of Supervisors
(Administrative officials)
for example: Chancellor of the L.A. Community College District; Superintendent of the L.A. Unified School District
{14}



(Administrators make decisions
which may be appealed to Superior Court)

{15}
 
                                                       Which is better--national uniformity of law or state diversity of law? (ADA, insurance)
 
 

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  • levelcirclesapdf.pdf - on Aug 31, 2009 2:55 PM by Bill Loiterman (version 1)
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