Introducing Government in America With cartoons!

Government Institutions that make decisions for society American national government institutions:  Congress, president, courts, federal administrative agencies (bureaucracy) What kind of government is best? What should government do?  Maintain national defense, provide public services, preserve order, socialize youth, collect taxes

Politics “Who gets what, when, and how”  Harold D. Lasswell  How society chooses governmental leaders and their policy agendas = process Who?  Voters, candidates, groups, parties What?  Benefits and burdens / Rights and responsibilities How?  Voting, supporting, compromising, lobbying

Public Policy Course of action that government makes regarding a political issue  Political issue = arises when people disagree about a problem and its solution e.g., health care  Policy agenda = the issues that people are focused on at a given time Public policy is shaped by people, linkage institutions, political issues, and political institutions  Linkage institutions = how people’s concerns become important political issues Elections, parties, interest groups, media

Values Community Cooperation Democracy Equality Freedom Justice Security Self-reliance Stability Tolerance How do values affect:  Government?  Politics?  Public Policy?  Health care policy?

Democracy Government by the people How policymakers (politicians) are selected and how government is organized reflects what the people want  Direct democracy  Representative democracy

Traditional Democratic Theory 5 Cornerstones of an Ideal Democracy 1. Equality in voting 2. Effective participation 3. Enlightened understanding 4. Citizen control of the agenda 5. Inclusion Majority rule Minority rights

In what ways is the U.S. NOT an ideal democracy?

Contemporary Theories of American Democracy Pluralist theory  Politics is mainly a competition among groups that each have preferred policies  Groups of minorities work together vs. majority rule  Based on complex bargaining and compromise Elite and class theory  Upper-class elite will rule no matter what

Contemporary Theories of American Democracy Hyperpluralism  Groups are so strong that they make it impossible for government to govern  Interest groups hold all the power

What aspects of American society make it more difficult to be democratic?

Challenges to Democracy Increased technical (in)expertise  Harder to be well-informed Limited participation in government  Low voter turnout Especially for young voters  33% for people under 25 in 2000  49% in 2008 = anomaly? Escalating campaign costs  Dependent on PACs for funding Diverse political interests   policy gridlock

Presidential Turnout Rates for Voting-Age Population (VAP) and Eligible Population (VEP)

Group activity:  Devise three to five ways to make VHS student government more democratic  Consider: How government is organized How policymakers are selected How policy is made  Utilize the criteria of traditional democratic theory