As many of us should know, the United States holds elections every four years. The president is chosen by the people and for the people through a process called voting. To vote you must be 18 or older and must be a U.S. citizen. However, it is significant for us to understand that what constitutes an election is more than just the buttons we press.
Running for president starts about 1 year before Election Day. This gives time for the people who want to run to choose their party, make sure they are adequate for the position, raise money and begin their campaigns. To make sure they are adequate they must fulfill certain criteria. They must:
Be a native born citizen of the U.S.
Must be at least 35 years old
Must have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years.
The potential candidates, people who want to run for president, then go through a series of presidential primary elections which narrow down the candidates per party. These are the people who are represented by the delegates, people who are elected to represent a party.
After the potential candidates are narrowed down to candidates, they execute many campaigns. In these campaigns they travel around the state making themselves acquainted with the people and their needs, demonstrating care and seeking genuine approval from the citizens which they hope to rule. This process is quite expensive since it is in charge of the advertisements, the meetings and the places that the candidate can afford to go. People enjoy the campaigning time because it gives them a chance to get to know the candidate and observe and research any whereabouts that would influence their decision.
Later, having heard the candidates speak formally in debates, and informally one-to-one, the people of the U.S. vote on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The people enter a room where there are booths. Inside the booths there are voting machines which have the names of the candidates. The person pushes the buttons and has just cast a vote. Nonetheless, the person is not voting directly for the president, he or she is voting for an elector, that which constitutes the Electoral College. The electoral college constitutes a group of 583 people chosen by the popular vote on election day who in accordance to their party will be the ones who cast your vote.
Last but not least, the votes are counted and the winner is announced.
DIFFERENT PARTIES:
Main Two:
Democrats- people who believe in the political or social equality of all people; Promotes the election of candidates by the people.
Republicans- having the supreme power lying in the body of citizens entitled to vote for officers and representatives responsible to them or characteristic of such government;
Third Parties:
Libertarians- emphasize liberty in trade and is in accordance with complete protection of the individual from the government.
Green- democratic ideas however, includes interest in environmentalism and local autonomy (self-rule).
Constitution- emphasizes patriotism and traditional ways. Anti-communist and Anti-authoritarian.
Independents- candidate with no political party. Signifying neutrality between parties or dissatisfaction towards what they stand for to adequately represent his/her point of view.
2008 US PRESIDENTIAL CANIDATES
DEMOCRATS
-Hilary Clinton
-Joe Biden
-Christopher Dodds
-John Edwards
-Mike Gravel
-Dennis Kucinich
-Barack Obama
-Bill Richardson
REPUBLICANS
-Rudy Giuliani
-Sam Brownback
-Mike Huckabee
-Duncan Hunter
-John McCain
-Ron Paul
-Mitt Romney
-Tom Tancredo
-Fred Thompson
LIBERTARIANS
-Daneiel Imperato
-Bob Jackson
-Mike Jingozian
-Steve Kubby
-Alden Link
-George Phillies
Wayne -Allyn Root
-Christine Smith
GREEN
-Jared Ball
-Elaine Brown
-Jesse Johnson
-Jerry Kann
-Kent Mesplay
-Kat Swift
INDEPENDENTS
-Steve Adams
-Donald K. -Allen
-Blake Ashby
-John Taylor Bowles
-Don Cordell
-Jon A Greenspon
-Bob W. Hargis
-David Koch
-Thomas J. Kozee
-Brad Lord-Leutwyler
-David J. Masters
-Charles T.Maxham
-James H. Mccall
-Joe Schriner
-Kelcey Wilson
CONSTITUTION
-Don J Grundman
-Bryan Malatesta
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