Government I Chapter One American Government Democracy in Action.docx

Government I Chapter One American Government Democracy in Action.docx

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GovernmentIChapterOneAmericanGovernmentDemocracyinAction

GOVERNMENTILECTURESFOREXAMONE

CHAPTER1:

PEOPLE,POLITICS,ANDPARTICIPATION

Prof.MichaelNojeim,PVAMU（mjnojeim@pvamu.edu）

I.WhyshouldyoustudyAmericandemocracynow?

a.BecauseAmerica'syouthcaresnow

b.Youthactivism（volunteering）todaynearlytwicewhatitwas30yearsago.

c.Youngvoters（18-21）hadthebiggestincreaseinturnoutin2004

d.Theassignedtextisgearedtowardreachingouttoyou

II.BasicDefinitionsandWhatGovernmentDoes

a.Politics:

Theprocessofdecidingwhogetsbenefitsinsocietyandwhoisexcludedfrombenefiting（or“whogetswhat,whenandhow”）

b.Government:

Asetofinstitutionsthatcreateandimplementthepoliciesandlawsthatguidetheconductofanationanditscitizens.

i.TypesofGov’t:

1.Monarchy:

Kingorqueenrulew/dynastic,family-inheritance

2.Oligarchy:

Onlyasmallgroupofeliteholdpower,suchasthemilitary

3.Democracy:

gov’tofthepeople,bythepeople&forthepeople

a.Directdemocracyvs.indirectdemocracy

4.Totalitarianism–tyrannicalstructure,controlsALLofsociety

a.ExamplesincludeHitler’sGermany,NorthKoreatoday

5.Authoritariansim–verystrong,butslightlylimitedbysocialorgans.

a.Usuallyjustonepoliticalpartyisallowed

6.Constitutionalism–gov’toflaws（notmenorwomen）andisstructuredandlimitedbyformaldocumentsthatallmustobey

c.Functionsofgovernment

i.Toprotectsovereignterritoryandcitizenryandtoprovidenationaldefense

ii.Topreserveorderandstability:

localpolice,FBI

iii.Toestablishandmaintainalegalsystem:

criminaljustice

iv.Toprovideservices:

SocialSecurity,Medicare

v.Toraiseandspendmoney:

taxingandspendingforschools,roads.

vi.Tosocializenewgenerations:

pledgeofallegiance,nationalanthem.

III.TheOriginsofAmericanDemocracy

a.Democracy’smodernorigins:

TheReformationandtheEnlightenment

i.First“American”documentofself-governmentwastheMayflowerCompact

ii.ObjectiontotheDivineRightofKings

iii.PeoplecouldchallengetheCrownandtheChurch

iv.PeoplecouldcommunicatedirectlywithGodandchoosetheirownleaders

v.Peoplecouldthink,usescienceandactrationallybasedontheirself-interest

b.Modernpoliticalphilosophers:

Hobbes（1588-1679）,Locke（1632-1704）andJean-JacquesRousseau（1712-1778）

i.SocialContractTheory:

peopleagreetogiveupsomefreedomsogov’tcanprotectothers;ifgov’tbreaksthecontract,thepeoplehavearighttorevolt

ii.AccordingtoNaturalLaw,peoplehavenaturalrights

iii.RepresentativeDemocracy

iv.Peoplepossessedpopularsovereignty

IV.PoliticalCultureandValues:

thepeoples’beliefsandattitudestowardgov’tandpolitics

a.Liberty:

theFiveFreedomsoftheFirst

b.Equality:

ofopportunityforwhom?

c.Capitalism:

privateenterpriseandprivateownershipofbusinessesrunforprofitwithlittlegov’tintervention

i.Thefreeworkingsofthemarketplaceiswherethepowerresides,notgov’t

d.Consentofthegoverned:

gov’texistsandworkstotheextentthepeopleletit

e.Individual,family,andcommunity

V.TheChangingFaceofAmericanDemocracy

a.Apopulationthatisgrowing,aging,movingandbecomingincreasinglydiverse

b.In1980,80%ofUSpopulationwaswhite;in2000itwentdownto70%andtodaytheestimateisabout66%

c.Latinopopulationisbooming,Blackpopulationremainingstagnant

d.ThesechangeshavehugeimplicationsforAmericangov’tandpolitics

VI.Ideology:

APrismforViewingAmericanDemocracy

a.Liberalism:

favorchangeinsocial,politicalandeconomicareastobetterprotectindividualfreedomsandequality.Oftenseearoleforactivegov’t

b.Conservatism:

opposechange,favorpreservingtradition,emphasizefamilyandcommunity.Preferalimitedroleofgov’t,onethatactsinadecentralizedway

c.Socialism:

gov’towned,operatedbusinessandindustrytoensureequalityforall

d.Libertarianism:

gov’tshouldtakeahands-offapproachinnearlyeverything;averylimitedroleforgov’t

e.Neoconservatism:

“hawks”onforeignpolicy,advocatesofU.S.militarysuperiority

f.NeoconswereverypowerfulintheBushyears,esp’llyhisfirstterm

CHAPTER18:

INTRODUCTIONTOTEXASGOVERNMENT

I.Texas:

AHugeState,aLandofContrasts

a.Secondlargestintermsofpopulationandland

i.Populationwentfrom11millionin1970to>22milliontoday

b.Anglo,AfricanAmerican,HispanicandasmallAsianAmericanpopulation

c.Asouthernstatewithasouthernheritage

d.Awesternstatewithawesternheritage

e.Also,averystrongSpanishandMexicanheritage

f.ThesoutherncultureofEastTexasisdifferentfromthewesterncultureoftheplainsregions.

g.TheHispaniccultureoftheRioGrandeandSanAntonioaredistinctivefromtherestofTexas.

h.Urbancultureisdistinctfromruralculture

II.TexasDiversityisReflectedinthePopularThemePark:

“SixFlags”foreachnewgov’t:

a.ASpanishcolony,partiallyunderFrenchcontrol,aMexicanstate,anindependentrepublic,astateintheUnitedStates,aConfederatestate

III.SettlementPatternsorHowTexasCametoLookLikeitDoes

a.1600s:

TejanosorMexicanssettledmostlyintheRioGrandeValleyandSouthTexas

i.CameafterNativeAmericans,theseSpanish-originpeoplemostlyadvocatethetraditionalsub-culture（seebelow）

b.1820s:

SouthernAnglossettledandbroughtAfricanAmericanslaves

i.AntebellumEastTexas-migratedfromDeepSouth（traditionalsub-culture）

ii.FrontierWestTexas-migratedfromUpperSouth（individualsub-culture）

c.1840s:

GermanssettledtheHillCountry（centralTX）&followtheindividualculture

i.Objectedtoslavery,shunnednon-Germans

IV.PopulationGrowth,ChangingDemographicsandtheImpactonPolitics

a.Urbanization:

80%nowliveinurbanareas

b.Immigration:

mostlyfromMexico,butalsofrominsidetheUSAandelsewhere

c.Birthratesandpopulationchange

i.Anglo:

lowbirthrates,decliningpopulation

ii.African-Americans:

decliningbirthrates,stagnatingpopulation

1.Remains10-12%ofTXpopulationfordecades

iii.Mexican-Americans:

highbirthrates,rapidpopulationincreases

iv.Asian-Americans:

smallbutconcentratedinHouston

v.EastTexasAnglosdemandingEnglish-onlyamendmentstothestateconstitution,viewingdemandsforbilingualeducationbySouthTexasHispanicswithcontempt

1.32%ofTXpopulationin2000,willbemajorityWhitesby2030

vi.HighPlainsRepublicansfromAmarillooftenclashwithEastTexastraditionalDemocrats

d.Changingdemographicsleadtopoliticalchange

i.1870sthrough1970s—onepartyDemocraticstate

ii.1970sthroughtoday—Republicansreturntodominance

V.TypesofPoliticalculture

a.Traditional:

maintainexistingorderonbehalfoftheelite,keeplowvoterparticipation,lessgovernmentservices

b.Individual:

politicsasagameofself-interest,littlegovernmentregulationandpresence

c.Moral:

politicsascommongood,improvesociety,moregovernmentservices

d.ThepoliticalcultureofTexasismostlyacombinationoftraditionalandindividual

i.TheimpactofTexas’spoliticalcultureongovernmentandpoliticsinTexas

1.Astrongcynicismanddistrustofgovernmentasreflectedin1876Const’n

2.Powerisdividedamongmanyelectedofficials

3.Executiveauthorityisweak;mostpowerrestswiththestatelegislature

a.Sowehaveaweak,decentralizedstategovernment

4.Fewstateregulationsplacedonbusinesses;oppositiontolaborunions

5.Regulationoftheenvironmentismodest

6.Thestatelegislatureusuallyprotectsthestatusquoandplacesfewrestrictionsonlobbyingandotheractivitiesofinterestgroups

7.Texasoftenranksnearthebottomofthefiftystatesonexpenditures

8.Lowtaxesbutthatmeanslessspendingongovernmentservices

9.Oppositiontoexpandedcivilrights

10.Favoringstates’rightsovercentral（federal）governmentrights

VI.Texas’sChangingEconomy

a.Itusedtoberural,land-based,agricultural:

cotton,cattle,oilandgas

b.Inthe21stcenturythereisamuchmorediversifiedeconomy

i.Today,oilandgasaccountforonlyabout10%oftheeconomy

ii.Manufacturing,technology,healthcareandfinance

iii.InEastTexas:

agrandoildeclining,buttimberisstillimportant,withmanufacturingincreasing.

iv.InthePlainsregion:

morediversifiedbutcattleandranchingstillverystrong

v.GulfCoastregion:

dominatedbypetrochemicalindustries,manufacturing,shippingandfishing,thisregionhasthemosteconomicdiversity

vi.BorderareaandtheRioGrandeValley:

NAFTAincreasedtradew/Mexico

1.40%ofallUSA'sexportstoMexicocomefromTexas

2.6%ofTexas’sentireeconomyisfromexportstoMexico

vii.TheMetroplexofDallas/FortWortharea:

thefinancialcenterofthestate.

viii.TheCentralCorridorormid-stateregion:

High-techinAustinandSanAnton

1.MajormilitarybasesintheWacoandSanAntonioareas.

2.TexasA&MandtheUniversityofTexasatAustinstronglyinfluencetheeconomyinthisregion

c.But,TXremainsoneoftheworstamongthestatesin:

i.thosewithouthealthinsurance,drunkdrivingfatalities,lowvoterturnout,crime,salestaxrates,poverty,

ii.Butamongthelowestincostofliving

CHAPTER2:

THECONSTITUTIONOFTHEUNITEDSTATES

I.WhatisaConstitutionandWhatareitsPurposes?

a.Describesaninstitution’smission

b.Describesaninstitution’sstructure

c.Describesaninstitution’sprocedures

d.HowmanyconstitutionsaremostAmericanssubjectto?

II.TheConstitutionoftheUSA,ratifiedin1788

a.MissionoftheUSConstitution

i.To“formamoreperfectunion”

1.ItistheBasicLaw,orthebasiclegalsystemofacountry