American National
Government
1. Politics Defined
2. Federalism
PS 101
POLITICS
“synonyms:”
confidence in government
The process of who gets what when and how;
“the rules of the game”
What is Political Science?
The study of government and political processes, institutions and behavior.
How does a nation decide who gets what, when and how?
POWER
AUTHORITY
ability to influence behavior
legitimate power
GOVERNMENT
created to make the “rules of the game,”
determining distribution of society’s values
What Do We Value as Americans?
“American DNA”
LIBERTY
LAW AND ORDER
COMPETITION
EDUCATION
HARD WORK
PROSPERITY
LIMITED POWER
PATRIOTISM
OPTIMISM JUSTICE
FIRST AMENDMENT
OPPORTUNITY
4
Who holds the majority of the power (the MOST) important
player in our Republic?
The electorate.
Who, “Regner sez,” can be the greatest threat
to health of our republic today?
The electorate.
Outside Independence Hall when the Constitutional Convention of 1787
ended, Mrs. Powel of Philadelphia asked Benjamin Franklin,
"Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?"
With no hesitation whatsoever, Franklin responded,
"A republic…if you can keep it.”
6
The Cancer
us voter turnout
The Cancer
Apathy:
Having little interest or concern.
The electorate does not do its job in keeping our
government accountable.
“Vicious Circle
of Apathy”
1. Because the Congress ignores those who do not vote.
2. “Bad representatives get elected by good citizens who do not vote.”
8
“Consent of the governed”
9
American Constitution
The rules for the government
Basic Constitutional Principles
What issue – more than any other –
concerned the founding fathers the most in
writing the new set of “rules for the game.”?
Established the structure of government.
Federalism
POWER
Distributed certain powers.
Checks and Balances; Separation of Powers
Restrained government power.
Divided, checked, balanced, delegated, reserved, shared…
Power is both granted and limited.
Judicial Review
11
FEDERALISM:
Divided Power between one national and several
regional authorities
How is the concept of FEDERALISM in 1789 gone from
a bowl of cereal to like a stack of pancakes?
FEDERAL
GOV’T
POWER
What is the proper role of the federal
government? How much power should
the sovereign states have?
(1790) first National Bank…..
FEDERAL EXPANSION
Progressive Era (1901-1917)
New Deal Era (1933-1942)
Great Society Era (1964-1968)
National Health Care (2009)
“New Federalism”
Reagan Revolution (1981-1989)
“Government IS the problem.”
14
Recent Federal Government Power
Expansion vs. State Government
Sovereignty Issues
No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
School Lunch Election Reforms
Federal Mandates
v.
States’ Rights
National Health Care: Obamacare
Immigration Reform
Transgender Bathrooms
15
FEDERALISM
advantages
Laws may be written to
address specific problems of
the diverse states
Creates “Laboratories of
Democracy;” pragmatic
solutions
disadvantages
Prevents Creation of
National Policy
Regional governments lack
resources needed to address
big problems
Leads to political stability
Nation more susceptible to
splitting apart (regionally)
Prevents tyranny/concentration
of power
Can be confusing – lack of
accountability (bureaucracy)
225 Years Later…
Legislation
Amendments
Judicial Interpretation of the Constitution
Protectorate of our basic cultural values
The Constitution keeps going, and going…
17