1. Government and You
GOVT 2305, Module 1

2. When I say the word government, what comes to mind?

3. Defining Government
Government: The system for implementing decisions made through the political process.
Government: The formal institutions through which a land and its people are ruled.
Government: The system of people, laws, and officials that define and control the country in which you live.

4. Structures of Government
What are some of the structures or units of government?
Congress, presidency, governor, courts, city government, county government, Texas legislature, Metro, etc.
What is that?
Houston City Hall

5. Levels of Government
The structures or units of government we named represent different levels of government—federal (or national), state, and local.
Note for future reference: The division of political power among levels of government is known as federalism.
We will learn about the levels of government this term.

6. How does government affect you?
College
Public utilities
Highways and streets
Police and fire
Sales taxes
Potential employment opportunities
Financial aid

7. How does government affect grandma?
Social Security
Medicare
Maybe Medicaid

8. How does government affect fast food workers?
Minimum wage
Non-discrimination laws
Payroll taxes
Heath regulations affect work rules

9. How does government affect nurses?
Licensing
Healthcare programs (Medicare & Medicaid)
Training programs

10. How does government affect drivers?
Licensing
Traffic laws
Taxes for registration, gasoline, automotive purchase
Road construction & maintenance

11. Impact of Government
Taxes
Services
Regulations

12. How does government affect society as a whole?
Law and order
Clean air and water
Educated population
Social safety net for sick, disabled, elderly, unemployed
Infrastructure of roads, waterways, bridges, public buildings
Support of fine arts
National security
Promotion of international trade
Support for strong economy with low unemployment and stable prices
Government is not just about you and me; it’s about all of us—society as a whole.

13. What Does Government Do?
Sell gasoline?
Set gasoline prices?
Provide pensions to the elderly?
Operate grocery stores?
Provide nutrition assistance to the poor?
Provide cable TV?
Operate liquor stores?
Offer higher education services?
Regulate prescription drug sales?
Set interest rates for consumer purchases? No
Only tangentially
Yes No
Yes No
Not in Texas
Yes
Yes
Not directly

14. What You Have Learned
What is government and what are some structures of government?
How does government affect you personally?
How does government affect particular individuals, such as nurses, teachers, and older Americans?
How does government affect society as a whole?