Introducing Government and Politics

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Introducing Government and Politics

• Chapter 1

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• Americans are apathetic about politics and
  government.
• American youth are less likely to be informed
  about government and politics.

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• The Political Disengagement of College Students
  Today (Figure 1.1)

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• Presidential Election Turnout Rates by Age
  (Figure 1.3)

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Government

• Definition
• The institution through which a society makes and
  enforces its public policies.
• How is this institution selected?

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Politics

• Definition
• The process by which we select our governmental
  leaders and what policies these leaders produce.
  Politics produces authoritative decisions about
  public issues.
• Who gets what, when and how.

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The Policymaking System

• The process by which policy comes into being and
  evolves over time.
• Figure 1.4

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People

• Interests
• Problems
• Concerns

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Linkage Institutions

• Political Parties
• Elections
• News Entertainment Media
• Interest Groups

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Policy Agenda

• Political Issues
• These arise when people disagree about a problem
  and how to fix it.
• Some issues will be considered, and others will
  not.
• A governments policy agenda changes regularly.

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Policymaking Institutions/Government Powers

• Legislative Power
• Congress, makes laws
• Executive Power
• POTUS and cabinet, execute and enforce laws
• Judicial Power
• Courts, interpret laws

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Representative Democracy

• Definition
• A system of selecting policymakers and of
  organizing government so that policy represents
  and responds to the publics preferences.
• Equality in voting
• Effective participation
• Enlightened understanding
• Citizen control of the agenda
• Inclusion

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Constitution

• Body of fundamental laws setting out principles,
  structures, and processes of government.
• Benefits? Drawbacks?

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The State

• Dominant political unit in the world
• A body of people living in a defined territory,
  organized politically, and with the power to make
  and enforce law without the consent of any higher
  authority.
• Varies greatly in size, power, resources.
• Why is this important?

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A state must have Population

• People
• Varies greatly
• San Marino 30,000
• China 1,330,000,000
• U.S. 350,000,000
• May or may not be homogenous

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A state must have Territory

• Land
• Set boundaries
• San Marino 24 sq. miles
• Russia 6,600,000 sq. miles
• U.S. 3.5 mill sq. miles

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A state must have Government

• State must be organized politically
• Needed to accomplish goals of state
• Varies in
• Type
• Effectiveness

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A state must haveSovereignty

• State has supreme and absolute power within its
  own territory
• Not subordinate to another
• Not responsible to another
• But, what about today?
• Do you have sovereignty?

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What is the Purpose of the U.S. Government?

• Answers in the Preamble

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Form a More Perfect Union

• Ruled by Britain, then Articles of the
  Confederation
• Needed stronger union in 1787

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Establish Justice

• Justice hard to define, it is a subjective
  concept
• The law, in content and administration, must be
  reasonable, fair, and impartial
• Has the U.S. always fulfilled this goal?

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Insure Domestic Tranquility

• Keep order in society, peace at home
• Anarchy without a govt

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Provide for the Common Defense

• National defense
• Must defend state against foreign aggression
• Foreign policy is part of this

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Promote the General Welfare

• Make life better for citizens
• Services not likely to be provided by private
  sector

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Secure the Blessings of Liberty

• Keep us free
• Not an absolute though
• Thomas Jefferson said, When governments fear the
  people, there is liberty. When people fear the
  government, there is tyranny.

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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

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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

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Theories of U.S. Democracy

• Hyperpluralism
• A theory of government and politics contending
  that groups are so strong that government is
  weakened.
• There are too many ways for groups to control
  policy.
• Confusing / contradictory policies

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Challenges to Democracy

• Increased Technical Expertise
• Limited Participation in Government
• Escalating Campaign Costs
• Diverse Political Interests (policy gridlock)

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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 peoples freedoms?

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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?

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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?

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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?