Introducing Government in America

1
Introducing Government in America

• Chapter 1

2
Introduction

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

3
Introduction

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

4
Introduction
5
Introduction

• Presidential Election Turnout Rates by Age
  (Figure 1.3)

6
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?

7
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 Lasswells definition
• Who gets what, when and how.

8
The Policymaking System

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

9
People

• Interests
• Problems
• Concerns

10
Linkage Institutions

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

11
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.

12
Policymaking Institutions

• Legislature (Congress)
• Executive (President)
• Courts (Federal and State)
• Bureaucracies (Federal and State)

13
Policy Impacts People
14
Policy Impacts People

• Impacts of Policies
• Does it solve the problem?
• Does it create more problems?

15
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

16
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

17
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

18
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

19
Challenges to Democracy

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

20
Questions About Democracy

• Are the people knowledgeable- and do they apply
  what they know?
• Do interest groups help the process, or do they
  get in the way?
• Do political parties offer clear consistent
  choices for voters?
• Does the President Congress work in the best
  interests of ALL the people?

21
American Individualism

• 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.

22
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?
• Do we need a bigger, more involved government to
  protect our freedoms?

23
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?

24
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?

25
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?