Ch. 1 – Introduction to American Government

You Are SLACKERS!!!! Statistics prove time and again that voters age are slackers compared to those over 65. – Why?

Why are year old slacking? Let’s review the decades: – 1960s – radical period, civil rights movement Youth very involved politically – 1970s – Vietnam War, 26 th Amendment Still protesting, now 18 year olds can vote – 1980s – Iran Hostage Crisis, Reagan Interest dropping faster and faster – 1990s – Clinton Scandals Faster and faster still – 2000s – Bush, War on Terror, Obama I’m on the internet, looking at cat pictures.. The differences: – Over-65s outvote you in every election. – In 1996 election, turnout was below 50% total. – Too much media coverage of politics?

Define “Government”: – The institutions and processes by which public policy is made for a society. There are four key institutions that make policy at the national level: – Legislature – Executive – Courts – Bureaucracy – Don’t make policy, but have wide discretion as to how policy is implemented.

Functions of Government There are certain functions that all governments do: – Maintain a national defense – Provide public goods (which cannot be denied to anyone_ Ex - roads – Have police powers to preserve order – Provide public services Ex – schools, hospitals – Socialize the young Ex – knowledge, pride in the USA – Collect taxes

Political Scientist Harold Lasswell defines politics as “Who gets What, When, and How? – Govt must distribute limited resources among the population. “Political Participation”. – Refers to the ways people get involved in politics. – How? “Single-Issue Groups”. – Groups so concerned with one issue that members cast votes based on that one issue alone. – Ex -

The Policy-Making System People shape policy (especially in a democracy) People express opinions via linkage institutions. – Political parties, elections, interest groups, media. – Linkage institutions transmit citizens’ preferences to policymakers. Public Policy (Govt action) is shaped by linkage institutions, creating a Policy Agenda. – Issues that attract serious attention of public officials and active citizens. If people aren’t in agreement about the public policy, it becomes a Political Issue. – Must argue and debate what steps to take to fix problem. The end product of government is Public Policy. – Steps govt will take to achieve a goal.

Policymakers stand at the core of the political systems, working within three policy-making institutions: – Congress (Legislative) – Presidency (Executive) – Federal Courts (Judicial) These institutions translate the people’s desires into policy.

Democracy Define Democracy: – Government run by the citizens. Political Scientist Robert Dahl gives 5 criteria for the ideal democracy: – Equality in voting All votes count – Effective participation Everyone has to be able to participate without hindrance – Enlightened understanding Population should be educated and informed – Citizen control of agenda People should decide what is to be decided – Inclusion of all

Other fundamental requirements for democracy: Majority Rule with protection of Minority Rights. – The majority gets what they want, but cannot remove rights and protections of the minority. Representation. – Desires of the people should be replicated in govt thru choices of elected officials.

Contemporary Theories of American Democracy Pluralist Theory – Groups with shared interests influence public policy by pressing their concerns through organized efforts. Groups compete for influence; no one group dominates. Elite & Class Theory – US society is divided along class lines; upper-class elites control govt. Wealth = power. Doesn’t matter who is in office. 1% of Americans control most policy decisions. Hyperpluralism – Groups competing for influence are so strong that government is weakened. Govt is servant to groups; ability to make policy is crippled.

Challenges to Democracy Increased technical expertise – Policy issues are so many & so complex, average citizen or policymaker can’t know them all. – Increased reliance on “experts” Limited participation – Most citizens know little about policy or their elected officials; few vote – A minority elects the representatives Escalating campaign costs – Expensive to run for office; average person can’t raise that kind of money – Many candidates get money from PACS; gives PACS great influence on how officials vote Diverse political interests – Policy groups may not have enough power to push through their agenda, so they try to block the other groups. – Results in policy gridlock; nothing gets done.

Scope of Government in America Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – Total value of all goods & services produced annually in a country. – 2012 USA GDP - $15.68 Trillion. – 2012 USA Govt spending - $3.8 Trillion Sounds good, right? Not really. We can’t tax all of that $15.68 trillion. Size of Govt: – 2012 – USA was 15 th largest govt in world. Top 5 – Sweden, France, Belgium, Italy, Netherlands – 2010 – USA had 30 th highest tax burden. Top 5 – Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Italy, Norway