1. Government in America

2. Government Institutions that make public policy decisions for society
Congress, President, and the courts
500,000 elected officials in the united states

3. Major Questions How should we govern? What should government do?
“ideal democracy”
What should government do?
Does the government do what we want it to do?

4. Functions of national government
Maintain a national defense
military
Provide public goods and services
Schools, libraries, hospitals, highways
Preserve order
Police and national guard
Socialize the young
Knowledge and pride in ones nation and political system
Collect taxes
Provide revenue for government to function

5. Politics
Determines who is elected as our leaders, and which policies to pursue
Who gets what, when and how
political participation
one of the lowest voter turnouts in the world
Distorted sample of public as a whole
Single Issue groups
Cast vote only based on one issue

6. The Policymaking system
Government responds to the priorities of its people
People shape policy then in turn impacted by them

7. People shape policy Policymaking system begins with people
Invested interest, concerns
Linkage institutions
Parties, elections, interest groups, and the media
Policy agenda
Pay attention to problems that concern voters(policy issues)
Policymaking institutions
Legislative, executive (the government)
Policy
Taxes, laws, regulations

8. Policies Impact People
Public Policy
Congressional Statue
Presidential action
Court Decision
Budgetary choices
Regulation
Policy Impact
Effect policy has on people
Having a policy implies having a goal

9. Democracy In America
Democracy- selecting policymakers or organizing government so that policy reflects citizens preference
Writers of constitution not fond of democracy
Government of the people, by the people and for the people
Democratic Republic

10. Traditional Democratic Theory
Equality in voting
One person one vote
Effective participation
People can express opinion
Enlightened understanding
Free press and speech
Citizen control of the agenda
Inclusion
Extend rights to all

11. Traditional Democratic Theory
Majority rule
Minority rights
representation

12. Tree Contemporary Theories of American Democracy
Pluralism
Elitism
Hyperpluralism

13. Pluralism
Groups with shared interests influence public policy by pressing their concerns through organized efforts
Ex: NRA, NOW(national organization for women)
Open access to officials
No one group dominates
public interest will prevail through bargaining and compromise
Speak through groups of minorities rather than majority rule
Interest groups and lobbyists
Groups have become isolated from one another

14. Elitism
That our society is divided along class lines, and that an upper class elite pull the strings of government
Wealth the basis of power
1/3 of nations wealth held by 1% of Americans
Can afford to influence campaigns and politicians
Elite are the policymakers
Rise of “occupy wall street” and of Bernie Sanders

15. Hyperpluralism Pluralism gone sour
Groups are so strong that the government is weakened, crippling governments ability to make policy
Too many ways for groups to control policy
Use fragmented system to advantage
Use courts, legislatures, local official, etc to get their way
NRA

16. Challenges to democracy
Increase complexity of issues
Harder for citizens to make well informed decisions
Limited participation in government
Low voter turnout
Escalating campaign costs
Creating of PACs
Diverse political interests
Policy gridlock

17. American Political Culture and Democracy
Overall set of values widely shared within American Society
Liberty
Freedom of speech and religion, willing to fight for it
Egalitarianism
Equality of opportunity, equal chance to participate in democratic gov
Individualism
People can and should get ahead on their own, use of frontier
Laissez-Faire
Lighter tax burden, stay out of economy
Populism
Government by the people

18. A Culture war? Liberal vs Conservative Polarization
More polarized today than ever in our history

19. The Scope of American Government
Argument of should government be more or less involved
How active is American Government?
Spends $3.7 Trillion a year
Employees 2.8 million
Owns 1/3 of the land
Occupies 3.2 billion sq ft of office space
Should not be surprised by size of government considering all that it does