US Government CP

Principles of American Democracy

Lead Questions

• Do the decisions of government in fact represent the will of the people?

• Do the opinions expressed by elected leaders reflect the views of Americans more generally?

• If not, why does the system not link the representatives and the represented more closely?

Course Road Map• The context of American elections and political parties• Theory of Modern Government• Constitutional Framework• Federalism• Bill of Rights• Civil Rights• The Presidency• The Congress• The Judiciary• The Bureaucracy• Political Parties/Political Action• Nominations/Campaigns/Elections• Public Opinion and Media• Special Interest Groups/Lobbyists/PACs• Budgeting/Social Welfare/Entitlements• Foreign Policy/National Defense

The context of American elections and political parties

• Direct Democracy vs. Representative Government

• The Constitution• Federal Republic• Separation of Powers• The Electoral College System• The two-party system• Political Campaign• Congress

Measuring the Effectiveness of Democracy

• Is the process open?• Do those out of power have a chance to contest

for office successfully?• How often does party control shift?• Do citizens participate easily and freely in the

political process? What level of participation?• To how much information do citizens have

access before reaching a voting decision?• How free are candidates and parties to express

their views on the issues of the day?

Theory of Modern Government

• Conservatism• Liberalism• Political parties• Single-issue groups• Interest groups• Public policy/linkage institutions/policy making

institutions • Federalists/Anti-federalists/loose construction/strict

construction• Elite/class theory• Pluralism/hyperpluralism

Liberalism/Conservatism

• Identify two ways liberals and conservatives differ from one another? (personal freedom/social order; freedom/economic equality)

• Apply these differences to two policies

Political parties/single-issue & interest groups

• Two major parties; Democrats & Republicans• Part of the political system aimed at resolving

specific political issues and guide public policy

• Political parties represent people with similar needs, values, beliefs, and goals on a national platform

• Single-issue groups interested in examining/guiding specific issues

Linkage Institution (informal policy making)

• Part of the political system linking government, politics, public policy

• Means by which individuals express preferences regarding the development of public policy– Political parties– Media– Single-issue groups– Interest groups

Policy Making Institutions (formal)

• The Constitution directly effects policy – Presidency (legislative agenda/budget/veto)– Congress (committee system)– Supreme Court (activist court/judicial

restraint)

• Bureaucracies [the fourth branch] have independent regulatory powers (FDA, FAA, FTC, FCC)

Federalists/Anti-federalists

• Federalists-concentrated power and strong national government

• Anti-federalists-limited role of a central government

Loose Construction/Strict Construction

• Loose construction–liberal interpretation of the constitution (Federalists-Hamilton)

• Strict construction-limited government (Democratic-Republicans-Jefferson)

Elite/Class Theory

• Political control or policy agenda rested in a particular economic strata of society

• Upper class controls linkage institutions, which is an informal policy making institution

Pluralism/Hyperpluralism

• Bargaining and compromise is an essential element of democracy

• Consideration for a variety of viewpoints

• Attempt to satisfy the needs of the majority/or large majority

The Constitutional Framework

• Articles of Confederation• Connecticut Compromise• Consent of the governed• Federalist Papers• Great Compromise• Limited Government• Natural rights• New Jersey Plan• Three-Fifths Compromise• Unalienable rights• Virginia Plan

Declaration of Independence

• Grievences– Taxation without representation– Unjust trials– Quartering of British soldiers– Abolition of colonial assemblies– Mercantilism

• Statement of separation– Right and duty of people to change government– Consent of the governed to derive government power– Equality and unalienable rights applied only to white

male colonists

Articles of Confederation

• Colonists recognized need for central government• Articles created two levels of national government

– One house congress– Dominant state governments

• National gov’t could borrow money but could not tax states

• National Army and Navy• No executive branch, no national courts, congress was

to pass laws with two-thirds majority• State tariffs, state currency• No foreign policy mechanism• Amendment required unanimous consent by all states• [Northwest ordinance abolished slavery]

Constitutional Convention

• Philadelphia 1789• Merchants, lawyers, bankers, “farmers” (rich

property owners & new middle class)• Delegates felt amendments would not be

enough, new constitution to be written• Franklin(81) [signed both the Declaration of

independence and Constitution]• Recognized existence of factions [Federalist

#10]• Checks and balances [Federalist #47] became

fiber of Constitution

Constitutional Convention

• New Jersey (small) for equal representation/Virginia (large) population based representation

• Connecticut Compromise/Great Compromise for Bicameral Congress The House (population) and Senate (equal)

• Counting slaves…not “all men created equal” leads to Three-Fifths Compromise

• Taxing imports to protect manufactured goods and effectively export cash crops

Constitution

• Bicameral legislature• Checks and balances• Concurrent power• Elastic clause• Electoral college• Enumerated powers• Ex post facto laws• Executive privilege• Full faith and credit• Unwritten constitution

• Implied power• Inherent power• Judicial review• Recess appointment• Reserved Power

Amendment• Supremacy clause• Writ of habeas corpus• Separation of powers

Constitution

• Objectives– form a more perfect union– Establish justice– Ensure domestic tranquility– Provide for common defense– Promote general welfare– Secure the blessings of liberty

Constitution

• Longevity– Separation of powers– Checks end balances – Elastic clause– Reserved power clause– Rights guaranteed to citizens– Precedents and traditions creating unwritten

constitution– Judicial review growing out of interpretation of

Supreme Court power– Amending process flexible enough– Inherent powers of the president

Constitution

• Legislative Powers (Article I)– Collect taxes, pay debts, common defense, general

welfare– Borrow money– Regulate commerce (foreign & interstate)– Establish uniform laws immigration & bankruptcies– Coin money/laws to punish counterfeiting– Post offices– Copyright laws– Establish federal courts– Declare war

Constitution

• Executive powers– Commander in chief– Power to obtain information from members of

executive branch– Grant pardons– Make treaties (Senate consent)– Appoint justices, ambassadors (Senate

consent)– Sign/veto legislation

Constitution

• Supreme Court– ?

The Electoral Process