3 Qs and 1 Def

How does one gain power? 

The President is directly elected by a simple majority of registered voters in the thirty-one states and the Federal District (Mexico City).

How is power divided? 

Similar to the United States, Mexico is divided into three major branches of government:

Executive-President holds 6-year term (sexenio)

Legislative-consists of a bicameral congress (Congreso de la Unión) divided into an upper chamber, or Senate (Cámara de Senadores), and a lower chamber, or Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados).

Judicial-divided into federal and state systems. Mexico's highest court is the Supreme Court of Justice, located in Mexico City. The Mexican Supreme Court of Justice is prohibited by the constitution from applying its rulings beyond any individual case.

Explain political system: 

President makes his list in last two years of sexenio, of his candidates for the PRI (Ruling Political Party). One of the unique features of the Mexican presidency has been the highly secretive process of presidential succession. Since the 1930s, Mexico's PRI presidents have enjoyed the right to personally name their successor, a privilege known as the dedazo (tap).

The Mexican legal system is based on Spanish civil law with some influence of the common law tradition.

State government: Mexico is divided into thirty-one states and a Federal District that includes Mexico City, similar to the U.S.'s Washington D.C. Each state has its own constitution, modeled on the national charter, with the right to legislate and levy taxes other than interstate customs duties. State (and local) governments also have executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Local government: The basic unit of Mexican government is the municipality (municipio), more than 2,000 of which were legally in existence in 1996. Municipal governments are responsible for numerous public services, including water and sewerage; street lighting; cleaning and maintenance; public safety and traffic; supervision of slaughterhouses; and the maintenance of parks, gardens, and cemeteries

Define externalities: an effect of a purchase or use decision by one set of parties who did not have a choice and whose interests were not taken into account.