INTRODUCTION AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction Summer is OVER!

INTRODUCTION AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction I WANT TO LEARN! Alemany

U.S. Government The institutions and processes through which public policies are made for a society Policies = Actions taken by the government AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Government Institutions include: * Congress * President * Courts * Bureaucracy AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Some Common Views AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction That government is best that governs the least... because its people discipline themselves. ~ Thomas Jefferson Founding Father, President

Some Common Views AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction Government is not the solution to our problems, government is the problem. ~ Ronald Reagan Conservative Hero, President

Some Common Views AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction Our goal is to shrink the government to the size where we can... drown it in a bathtub. ~ Grover Norquist Influential Conservative

Some Common Views AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction The only sure bulwark of continuing liberty is a government strong enough to protect the interests of the people... and a people strong enough and well enough informed to maintain its sovereign control over the government.

Some Common Views AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt Savior or Devil, President

Two Fundamental Questions 1.How should we govern? Related: Who should hold power? Who should have influence? 2. What should the government do? AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Basic Functions of Gov’t. * National defense * Preserve order * Provide public goods & services * Socialize the young AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Basic Functions of Gov’t. * Collect TAXES * To pay for Defense, Order, Goods & Services, and Education AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Comments on Taxes The power of taxing people and their property is essential to the very existence of government. ~ James Madison Founding Father, President AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Comments on Taxes Taxes are what we pay for a civilized society. ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes Supreme Court Justice AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Politics Process by which we select our governmental leaders and influence the policies these leaders pursue AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Politics: Key Questions * Who serves as leaders? * Who selects them? Notable Quote: The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter. ~ Winston Churchill AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Politics: Key Questions * Who serves as leaders? * Who selects them? * What do they do? * Why? AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Politics Politics is about who gets what, when, and how. ~ Harold Lasswell Yale Political Scientist AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

American Political Culture The United States is a country organized around an ideology which includes a set of dogmas about the nature of a Good Society. ~ Seymour Martin Lipset Stanford Political Sociologist AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

American Political Culture Five Elements of the “American Creed” * 1.Liberty Give me liberty or give me death.... life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness * according to Lipset AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

American Political Culture Five Elements of the “American Creed” 2. Egalitarianism All men are created equal. AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

American Political Culture Five Elements of the “American Creed” 3. Individualism You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go. AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

American Political Culture Five Elements of the “American Creed” 4. Laissez-Faire “Let Do”... Let it be... Leave it alone AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

American Political Culture Five Elements of the “American Creed” 5. Populism Government of the people, for the people, and by the people. ~ Abe Lincoln President AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Dialectics Tension or opposition between two interacting forces or elements: ~ Individualism v. Community ~ Private interest v. Public purpose ~ Private action v. Public action AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Dialectics Tension or opposition between two interacting forces or elements: ~ Rich v. Poor ~ Men v. Women ~ “Whites” v. “Non-Whites” ~ Educated v. Non-Educated AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Reading Government Text: Pages 8 – – 22 AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction