Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman. Introducing Government in America...

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman.

Introducing Government in America

Chapter 1

Edwards, Wattenberg, and LineberryGovernment in America: People, Politics, and

PolicyFourteenth Edition


Introduction

Politics and government matter.Americans are apathetic about politics and government.American youth are not likely to be informed about government and politics and rarely participate in politics.


Introduction


Introduction


Introduction


GovernmentDefinition: Government is the institutions and processes through which public policies are made for society.This definition leads to two basic questions:– How should we govern?– What should government do?

Governments typically maintain a national defense, provide services, collect taxes, and preserve order.


Politics

Definition:– Politics is the process by which we select

our governmental leaders and what policies they produce—politics produces authoritative decisions about public issues.

Also consider Lasswell’s definition:– Who gets what, when and how.


The Policymaking System

The process by which policy comes into being and evolves over time


People

InterestsProblemsConcerns


Linkage Institutions

Definition: Linkage institutions are the political channels through which people’s concerns become political issues on the policy agenda.– Political Parties– Elections– News & Entertainment Media– Interest Groups


Policy Agenda

Definition: The policy agenda are issues that attract the serious attention of public officials.Political issues arise when people disagree about a problem and how to fix it.Some issues will be considered, and others will not.A government’s policy agenda changes regularly.


Policymaking Institutions

Definition: Policymaking institutions are the branches of government charged with taking action on political issues.– Legislature (Congress)– Executive (President)– Courts (Federal and State)– Bureaucracies (Federal and State)


Policies Impact People

Public Policy: a choice that government makes in response to a political issue.


Policies Impact People

Impacts of Policies:– Does it solve the problem?– Does it create more problems?

Depending on the answer, policy impacts carry the political system back to its point of origin: the concerns of people.


DemocracyDefinition: Democracy is a system of selecting policymakers and of organizing government so that policy represents and responds to the public’s preferences.Components of Traditional Democratic Theory:– Equality in voting– Effective participation– Enlightened understanding– Citizen control of the agenda– Inclusion


Theories of U.S. Democracy

Pluralist Theory– A theory of government and policies

emphasizing that politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies

Groups will work togetherPublic interest will prevail through bargaining and compromise



Elite and Class Theory– A theory of government and politics

contending that societies are divided along class lines and that an upper-class elite will rule, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization

Not all groups equalPolicies benefit those with money and power



Hyperpluralism– A theory of government and politics contending

that groups are so strong that government is weakened.

Groups control policy and prevent government from actingDifficulty in coordinating policy implementationConfusing and contradictory policies result from politicians trying to placate every group


Challenges to Democracy

Increased Technical ExpertiseLimited Participation in GovernmentEscalating Campaign CostsDiverse Political Interests (policy gridlock)


American Political Culture and Democracy

Political Culture: An overall set of values widely shared within a society.American culture is diverse and comprised of:– Liberty– Egalitarianism– Individualism– Laissez-faire– Populism


Questions About Democracy

People– Are people knowledgeable about policy?– Do they apply what the know when they

vote?– Do elections facilitate political

participation?

Institutions– Is Congress a representative institution?– Does the president look after the

general welfare?


Questions About Democracy

Linkage Institutions– Do interest groups help the process, or

do they get in the way?– Do political parties offer clear consistent

choices for voters or do they intentionally obscure their positions?

– Do media help citizens understand choices?


How Active is American Government?

It spends about $3.1 trillion annuallyIt employs over 2.2 million peopleIt owns one-third of the landIt occupies 2.6 billion square feet of office spaceIt owns and operates 400,000 nonmilitary vehicles


Questions about theScope of Government

Constitution and Federalism– What role does the Constitution’s authors

foresee for the federal government?– Does the Constitution favor government

with a broad scope?– Why did functions of federal government

increase?– Has a more active government

constrained or protected civil rights and liberties?


Questions about the Scope of Government

Public and Linkage Institutions– Does the public favor a large, active

government?– Do competing political parties force

government to provide more public services?– Do elections control the scope of government?– Does pressure from interest groups create a

bigger government?– Has the media helped control the size of

government and its policies?


Questions about theScope of Government

Elected Institutions– Has the president been a driving force

behind increasing the scope and power of government?

– Can the president control a large government?

– Is Congress predisposed to support big government?

– Is Congress too responsive to the public and interest groups?


Questions about the Scope of Government

Nonelected Institutions– Are the federal courts too active in policy

making, intruding on the authority of other branches of government?

– Is the bureaucracy constantly try to expand its budget or is it simply reflecting the desires of elected officials?

– Is the federal bureaucracy too large and thus wasteful and inefficient in the implementation of policy?


Summary

Young people are apathetic about government and politics, even though they affect everyone.Democratic government, which is how the United States is governed, consists of those institutions that make policy for the benefit of the people.What government should do to benefit the people is a topic central to questions of American government.


The Constitution

Chapter 2

Edwards, Wattenberg, and LineberryGovernment in America: People, Politics, and

PolicyFourteenth Edition


Constitution

Definition– A constitution is a nation’s basic law. It

creates political institutions, assigns or divides powers in government, and often provides certain guarantees to citizens.

Sets the broad rules of the gameThe rules are not neutral; some participants and policy options have advantages over others.


Origins of the Constitution

The Road to Revolution– Colonists faced tax increases after the

French and Indian War.– Colonists lacked direct representation in

parliament.– Colonial leaders formed the Continental

Congress to address abuses of the English Crown.





Declaring Independence– In May and June 1776, the Continental

Congress debated resolutions for independence.

– The Declaration of Independence, which listed the colonists grievances against the British, is adopted on July 4, 1776.

– Politically, the Declaration was a polemic, announcing and justifying revolution.



The English Heritage: The Power of Ideas– Natural rights: rights inherent in human

beings, not dependent on government– Consent of the governed: government

derives its authority by sanction of the people

– Limited Government: certain restrictions should be placed on government to protect natural rights of citizens





Winning Independence– In 1783, the American colonies prevailed

in their war against England.

The “Conservative” Revolution– Restored rights the colonists felt they

had lost– Not a major change of lifestyles


The Government That Failed

The Articles of Confederation– The first document to govern the United

States, it was adopted in 1777 and ratified in 1781.

– It established a confederation, a “league of friendship and perpetual union” among 13 states and former colonies.

– Congress had few powers; there was no president or national court system.

– All government power rested in the states.



Changes in the States– Liberalized voting laws increased

political participation and power among a new middle class.

– An expanding economic middle class of farmers and craft workers counterbalanced the power of the old elite of professionals and wealthy merchants.

– Ideas of equality spread and democracy took hold.


The Government that Failed



Economic Turmoil– Postwar depression left farmers unable to pay

debts– State legislatures sympathetic to farmers and

passed laws that favored debtors over creditors

Shays’ Rebellion– Series of attacks on courthouses by a small band

of farmers led by Revolutionary War Captain Daniel Shays to block foreclosure proceedings.

– Economic elite concerned about Articles’ inability to limit these violations of individual’s property rights



The Aborted Annapolis Meeting– An attempt to discuss changes to the

Articles of Confederation in September 1786

– Attended by only 12 delegates from 5 states

– Called for a meeting in May 1787 to further discuss changes—the Constitutional Convention


Making a Constitution:The Philadelphia Convention

Gentlemen in Philadelphia– 55 men from 12 of the 13 states– Mostly wealthy planters and merchants– Most were college graduates with some

political experience– Many were coastal residents from the

larger cities, not the rural areas


The Philadelphia Convention

Philosophy into Action– Human Nature, which is self-interested– Political Conflict, which leads to factions– Objects of Government, including the

preservation of property– Nature of Government, which sets power

against power so that no one faction rises above and overwhelms another


The Agenda in Philadelphia

The Equality Issues– Equality and Representation of the States

• New Jersey Plan—equal representation in states• Virginia Plan—population-based representation• Connecticut Compromise

– Slavery• Three-fifths compromise

– Political Equality and voting left to states





The Economic Issues– States had tariffs on products from other

states– Paper money was basically worthless– Congress couldn’t raise money– Actions taken:

• Powers of Congress to be strengthened• Powers of states to be limited





The Individual Rights Issues– Some were written into the Constitution:

• Prohibits suspension of writ of habeas corpus• No bills of attainder• No ex post facto laws• Religious qualifications for holding office prohibited• Strict rules of evidence for conviction of treason• Right to trial by jury in criminal cases

– Some were not specified• Freedom of speech and expression• Rights of the accused


The Madisonian Model

To prevent a tyranny of the majority, Madison proposed a government of:– Limiting Majority Control– Separating Powers– Creating Checks and Balances– Establishing a Federal System







The Constitutional Republic– Republic: A form of government in which

the people select representatives to govern them and make laws

– Favors the status quo – change is slow

The End of the Beginning– The document was approved, but not

unanimously. Now it had to be ratified.


Ratifying the Constitution



Federalist Papers– A collection of 85 articles written by Alexander

Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison under the name “Publius” to defend the Constitution

Bill of Rights– The first 10 amendments to the U.S.

Constitution, drafted in response to some of the Anti-Federalist concerns about the lack of basic liberties





Ratification– Lacking majority support, the Federalists

specified that the Constitution be ratified by state conventions, not state legislatures.

– Delaware first ratified the Constitution on December 7, 1787.

– New Hampshire’s approval (the ninth state to ratify) made the Constitution official six months later.


Constitutional Change


Constitutional Change

The Informal Process of Constitutional Change– Judicial Interpretation

• Marbury v. Madison (1803): judicial review

– Changing Political Practice– Technology– Increasing Demands on Policymakers


The Importance of Flexibility

The Constitution is short, with fewer than 8,000 words.It does not prescribe every detail.– There is no mention of congressional

committees or independent regulatory commissions.

The Constitution is not static, but flexible for future generations to determine their own needs.


Understanding the Constitution

The Constitution and Democracy– The Constitution is rarely described as

democratic.– There has been a gradual democratization of the

Constitution.

The Constitution and the Scope of Government– Much of the Constitution reinforces individualism

and provides multiple access points for citizens.– It also encourages stalemate and limits

government.


Summary

The Constitution was ratified to strengthen congressional economic powers, even with disagreements over issues of equality.Protection of individual rights guaranteed through the Bill of Rights.Formal and informal changes continue to shape our Madisonian system of government.


FederalismChapter 3

Edwards, Wattenberg, and Lineberry

Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy

Fourteenth Edition


Defining FederalismWhat is Federalism?– Federalism: a way of organizing a nation so that

two or more levels of government have formal authority over the land and people

– Unitary governments: a way of organizing a nation so that all power resides in the central government

– Confederation: The United Nations is a modern example.

– Intergovernmental Relations: the workings of the federal system- the entire set of interactions among national, state and local governments


Defining Federalism


Defining Federalism

Why Is Federalism So Important?– Decentralizes our politics

• More opportunities to participate

– Decentralizes our policies• Federal and state governments handle

different problems.– States regulate drinking ages, marriage, and

speed limits.

• States can solve the same problem in different ways and tend to be policy innovators.


The Constitutional Basis of Federalism

The Division of Power– Supremacy Clause: Article VI of the

Constitution states the following are supreme:• The U.S. Constitution• Laws of Congress• Treaties

– Yet, national government cannot usurp state powers.• Tenth Amendment





Establishing National Supremacy– Implied and enumerated powers

• McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

– Commerce Powers • Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

– The Civil War (1861-1865)– The Struggle for Racial Equality

• Brown v. Board of Education (1954)



States’ Obligations to Each Other– Full Faith and Credit: Each state must recognize

official documents and judgments rendered by other states.

• Article IV, Section I of Constitution

– Privileges and Immunities: Citizens of each state have privileges of citizens of other states.

• Article IV, Section 2 of Constitution

– Extradition: States must return a person charged with a crime in another state to that state for punishment.


Intergovernmental Relations Today

Dual Federalism– Definition: a system of government in

which both the states and the national government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies

– Like a layer cake– Narrowly interpreted powers of federal

government– Ended in the 1930s



Cooperative Federalism– Definition: a system of government in

which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government

– Like a marble cake– Shared costs and administration– States follow federal guidelines



Fiscal Federalism– Definition: the pattern of spending, taxing,

and providing grants in the federal system– The cornerstone of the national

government’s relations with state and local governments





Fiscal Federalism (continued)– The Grant System: Distributing the Federal

Pie• Categorical Grants: federal grants that can be

used for specific purposes; grants with strings attached

– Project Grants: based on merit– Formula Grants: amount varies based on formulas

• Block Grants: federal grants given more or less automatically to support broad programs

• Grants are given to states and local governments.



Fiscal Federalism (continued)– The Scramble for Federal Dollars

• $460 billion in grants every year• Grant distribution follows universalism—a

little something for everybody.

– The Mandate Blues• Mandates direct states or local governments

to comply with federal rules under threat of penalties or as a condition of receipt of a federal grant.

• Unfunded mandates


Understanding Federalism

Advantages for Democracy– Increases access to

government– Local problems can

be solved locally– Hard for political

parties or interest groups to dominate all politics

Disadvantages for Democracy– States have

different levels of service

– Local interest can counteract national interests

– Too many levels of government and too much money







Federalism and the Scope of Government– What should the scope of national

government be relative to the states?• National power increased with

industrialization, expansion of individual rights, and social services.

• Most problems require resources afforded to the national, not state governments.




SummaryAmerican federalism is a governmental system in which power is shared between a central government and the 50 state governments.The United States has moved from dual to cooperative federalism; fiscal federalism.Federalism leads to both advantages and disadvantages to democracy.

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