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CHAPTER ONE: THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

Who Participates? Voting statistics for 2000: 64% of all eligible voters are registered; 45% of 18-25 year-olds registered but only 32% actually voted; 67% of all seniors (55+) vote

Young People Vote Less Percentages Young Voters Older Adults

Immigration and Ethnic Diversity America’s ethnic and racial composition has broadened: In 1910 15% of all residents of US were foreign-born; In 2003 the number declines to 11.5, but is three times higher than in 1970

Immigrants Admitted to the United States, 1900 –2000

Religious Diversity Most Americans (83%) still identify themselves as Christians; 1600 religious denominations in the U.S. today; Social fragmentation or social and political liberty as the result?

Economic and Demographic Diversity Rich vs. poor distinctions are difficult to overcome; Regional distinctions tend to parallel economic status; The age of Americans is increasing with one in every eight being over 65 years of age

Diversity and Identity Politics Identity Politics – the practice of organizing on the basis of one’s ethnic or racial identity, sex, or sexual orientation to compete for public resources and to influence public policy.

Political Culture “The shared body of values and beliefs that shapes perception and attitudes toward politics and government and in turn influences political behavior.”

The Issues of Political Culture What values should be commonly-held by the public in shaping a national identity? Should only educated citizens be allowed to vote? Should citizens have to speak a common language? Are there competing political cultures to the common set of values?

Core Values, I Individual Liberty: The Judeo-Christian belief holds that all are created equal before God; Should some individual rights be given up for the sake of the common good? Communitarianism claims that an overemphasis on individual freedoms causes a loss to community interests which can be corrected by reshaping public life

Core Values, II Political Equality: All citizens are (theoretically) born with equal standing before government and thus may expect equal rights. This leads to: Popular sovereignty – rule by the people; Democracy – authority of the people

Core Values, III Majority Rule: Equality requires that the greatest number of “equals” must prevail; The minority can expect that they may be in the position of the majority someday; The minority expects that their rights will be upheld as a condition of accepting the principle

Core Values, IV Minority Rights: the majority is not all there is to “the people” so the majority must accept protection of minority rights, but: Minorities are frequently disenfranchised; Protecting minority rights must be constantly relearned from time to time

Core Values, V Economic Rights: Largely summed up in the right to own property Political equality frequently clashes with economic inequities leading to the need for government regulation

Democracy in a Republic Indirect democracy implies that citizens do not make policy but select policymakers who make decisions on their behalf; Direct democracy exists where citizens vote on most issues and legislate for themselves; The Founders left few instructions for getting citizens to actually participate

Political Participation Questions about participation: Why don’t Americans participate? Can we be democratic without greater participation? Is it democracy if interest groups dominate the political process?

Who Has the Power? Many Americans believe that a few big interests control the system and not for the benefit of all Altering the status quo is nearly impossible with the “hyperpluralism” of interest groups The existence of numerous interest groups requires that law be about compromises

Conclusions Citizens’ love of country and patriotism do not mean that they desire to get involved; The public does not see itself as the cause of government problems; In contrast, there are more ways to get involved than ever before