Introducing Government in America

1. “There has never been, nor ever will be, a people who are politically ignorant and free?” Thomas Jefferson What does this quote means? What do you think he is saying about American people?

2. Americans showed their pride in their country and support for their government in the wake of the terrorist attacks on the world trade center and the Pentagon. Why do you think so many Americans suddenly felt so patriotic? Do you think people are more or less patriotic during times of crisis in American history? Explain.

3. Introducing Government in America Chapter 1

4. How government impacts your life Silverado is a public school therefore it is prohibited by the federal government from discrimination. School boards regulate your education and make your teachers get state certified. The ages at which you could get your drivers' license, drink alcohol, and vote. Federal government issues you a social security number and when you start working you must pay your taxes. Some student loans come from the government. School holidays

5. Intro into American Government • Politics and government matter. • Americans are apathetic about politics and government. • Americanyouth are less likely to be informed about government and politics and participate less in politics.

6. The Political Disengagement of College Students Today (Figure 1.1)

9. Presidential Election Turnout Rates by Age (Figure 1.2)

10. Government • Definition: • The institutions and processes through which public policies are made for society. • This definition leads to two basic questions: • How should we govern? • What should government do? Governments typically maintains a national defense, provide services, collect taxes, and preserve order.

11. Politics • Definition: • The process by which we select our governmental leaders and what policies these leaders produce. Politics produces authoritative decisions about public issues. • Also consider Harold Lasswell’s definition: • Who gets what, when and how.

12. The media focus on the who of politics - the voters, candidates, groups and parties. The what refers to the substance of politics and government – benefits, such as medical care for the elderly ad new taxes. The how makes up political participation.

13. According to Harold Lasswell, “politics” is concerned with determination, by official governmental decision-making and action, of (1)who in political society receives what benefits, rewards, and advantages and how much of them they receive, (2) whenthey receive the benefits, rewards, and advantages, and (3) the methods by which they receive them. Conversely, "politics" is also concerned with determining, by governmental decision-making and action, (1) who in society is denied what benefits, rewards, and advantages, (2) when and how long they are denied them, and (3) the methods by which they are subjected to such deprivations.

14. The Policymaking System The process by which policy comes into being and evolves over time. Figure 1.3

15. People • Interests • Problems • Concerns

16. Linkage Institutions • Definition: Linkage institutions are the political channels through which people’s concerns become political issues on the policy agenda. • Political Parties • Elections • News & Entertainment Media • Interest Groups • PAC: Political Action Committee

17. Policy Agenda • Political Issues • These arise when people disagree about a problem and how to fix it. That attracts attention form public officials. • Items at the top of the policy agenda are taken care of first. • It may take years to get an item on the policy agenda, and then several more years to get it acted on. • http://change.gov/agenda/

18. Policymaking Institutions • Definition: Policymaking institutions are the branches of government charged with taking action on political issues. Includes all decisions and non decisions made by government. • Legislature (Congress) • Executive (President) • Courts (Federal and State) • Bureaucracies (Federal and State)

19. Public Policy: a choice that government makes in response to a political issue.

20. Policies Impact People • Impacts of Policies: • Does it solve the problem? • Does it create more problems? • Depending on the answer, policy impacts carry the political system back to its point of origin: the concerns of people.

21. The Communist Manifesto "The history of all hitherto societies has been the history of class struggles…” • Written by Karl Marx in 1848. It has been noted as one of the most famous political documents ever written. • “ A specter (ghost) is haunting Europe. It is the specter of Communism.”

22. Democracy • Definition: A system of selecting policymakers and of organizing government so that policy represents and responds to the public’s preferences. • Robert Dahl 5 criteria: • Equality in voting • Effective participation • Enlightened understanding: Free speech and a free press • Citizen control of the agenda • Inclusion

23. American Political Culture and Democracy • Political Culture: An overall set of values widely shared within a society. • American culture is diverse and comprised of: • Liberty: “Give me Liberty or give me death” Patrick Henry • Majority Rule: choosing among alternatives required the majority’s desire to be respected.

24. Theories of U.S. Democracy… • Pluralist Theory • A theory of government and policies emphasizing that politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies. • Groups will work together • Public interest will prevail through bargaining and compromise • Many groups fight for power with no one group dominating politics.

25. Theories of U.S. Democracy… • Elite and Class Theory • A theory of government and politics contending that societies are divided along class lines and that an upper-class elite will rule, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization. • Not all groups are equal • Policies benefit those with money / power

26. Theories of U.S. Democracy… • Hyperpluralism • A theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government is weakened. • A state in which many groupsor factions are so strong that a government is unable to function. • Exaggerated / perverted form of pluralism • Confusing / contradictory policies • Gridlock- inability to act at all

27. Challenges to Democracy • Increased Technical Expertise • Limited Participation in Government • Escalating Campaign Costs • Diverse Political Interests

28. Individualism is the belief that individuals should be left on their own by the government. • Individualism is highly valued in the United States with a strong preference for free markets and limited government.

29. How Active is American Government? • It spends about $3.1 trillion annually • It employs over 2.2 million people • It owns one-third of the land • It occupies 2.6 billion square feet of office space • It owns and operates 400,000 nonmilitary vehicles • It is almost 17 trillion dollars in debt.

30. Questions about the Scope of Government • How big a role does the Constitution say should be played by the federal government? • Does a bigger, more involved (active) government limit the people’s freedoms? • Do we need a bigger, more involved government to protect our freedoms?

31. Questions about the Scope of Government, continued… • Do competing political parties make for better policies? • Do more interest groups create a bigger government? • Does the media help control the size and policies government?

32. Questions about the Scope of Government, continued… • Can the president control the government, or has it gotten too big? • Can Congress respond to the needs of the people, or just to the interest groups? • Do members of Congress expand government by seeking to be re-elected?

33. Questions about the Scope of Government, continued… • Do the federal courts overstep their bounds and intrude on the powers of other branches of government? • Are the federal agencies too large and unresponsive to the public they are supposed to serve?