Mr. Kevin Sexton©
PS 103 – United State Political Systems
Southeast Missouri State University
THE UNITED STATES IS A DEMOCRACY
In a TRUE DEMOCRACY:
Decisions are made by ALL citizens.
In the United States, or any large society TRUE DEMOCRACY is impossible.
In the United States:
We allow ALL the citizens to take part in selecting
People to act on our behalf (or represent us) at
each level of government.
The United States has two basic levels of government.
The National or Federal Government
Each of the Fifty State Governments
ACTUALLY, THE UNITED STATES IS AN
REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY
The people we elected to represent us:
Represent us only on issues related to the level at which
they work, either the FEDERAL/NATIONAL level or the
STATE Level.
We elect two DIFFERENT groups of people to represent us, one group at
each of the two major levels of government.
At the FEDERAL/NATIONAL level:
We elect two members of US Senate to represent us
&
We elect one member of the US House of Representatives
to represent us.
At the STATE level:
We elect one member of our STATE Senate to represent us
&
We elect one member of our STATE House of Representatives to
represent us.
If you live in the State of Indiana:
You have three senators that represent
you:
One in the Indiana Senate (on state issues)
&
Two In the United States Senate (on national issues)
You have two members of the houses of
representatives that represent you:
One in the Indiana House of Reps. (on state issues)
&
One In the United States Reps. (on national issues)
In short:
State senators and state representatives
deal with issues that relate to the
powers that the US Constitution have
given to the states.
US Senators and US Representatives deal with
issues that relate to the powers that the
US Constitution have
given to the federal/national government.
Lets take a look at who each member of the US Senate is
supposed to represent by looking at map of the State of Indiana.
1. There are two US Senators that are elected from Indiana,
and there are two from every other state as well.
2. Notice that there are no boundary lines on this map other
than the state boundaries. This is because BOTH
US Senators from Indiana represent the WHOLE state.
3. You must keep in mind that the US Senators represent
Indiana in the US Senate. Many people believe the
US Senators represent the US because they work in the US
Senate, that is not true.
Lets take a look at who each member of the US House of Representatives is
supposed to represent by looking at a map of the State of Indiana.
1. There are currently (could change) nine
members of the US House of Representatives
from Indiana.
2. Notice that there are nine clearly separated
districts on this map.
3. Each of the districts is represented by one
member of the US House of Representatives.
4. This is important to understand. The person that
is elected from that specific district is elected to
represent the people of that particular district.
The representative from the 9th Congressional
District of Indiana does not work for, or on
Once again, remember that the
behalf of the people from the 7th Congressional
US Representative does not represent the
District of Indiana even though both of those
US just because they are in the US House
congressional districts are in Indiana. They work
of Representatives. They represent the
for the people that elected them, the people
district from which they are elected.
that live in their district.
Lets take a look at who each member of the Indiana State Senate is
supposed to represent by looking at map of the State of Indiana.
There are 50 state senators that are
elected from Indiana, each state decides
how many they will have.
Notice that there are 50 distinct districts
on this map. Each district is represented by
one state senator that represents the
citizens of that district in the INDIANA
STATE SENATE on state issues.
You must keep in mind that the state
senators represent citizens of their district
in the state senate. Many people believe
the state senators represent the whole
state because they work in the state
senate, that is not true.
Lets take a look at who each member of the Indiana State House of Representatives is
Supposed to represent by looking at map of the State of Indiana.
There are 100 members of the Indiana State House of
Representatives that are elected from Indiana, every
state gets to decide how many members there will be.
Notice that there are 100 distinct districts on this map.
Each district is represented by one state representative
that represents the citizens of that district in the
INDIANA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES on state issues.
You must keep in mind that the state representatives
represent citizens of their district in the state house of
representatives. Many people believe the state
representatives represent the whole state because they
work in the state house of representatives, that is not
true.
When looking at the two basic levels of government in the United States, the national/federal
and the state each person has five people that represent them.
Each person has:
Two members of the US Senate
One member of the US House of Representatives
One member of their state senate (some states have two state senators from each state senate district)
One member of their state house of representative (Nebraska has no state house of representatives)
If someone asks you who is the senator that represents you.
You must ask them at least one question……
DO YOU MEAN MY STATE SENATOR OR MY US SENATORS.
THIS ALSO APPLIES IF YOU ARE ASKED ABOUT YOUR MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESNTATIVES