CHAPTER ONE NOTES

Political knowledge
-fosters civic virtues, such as political tolerance
-helps citizens to identify what policies would truly benefit them and then
incorporate this information in their voting behavior
-promotes active participation in politics
Government
-the institutions that make authoritative decisions for any given society
—congress, the president, the courts, and federal administrative agencies
-how should we govern
-what should government do
— maintain a national defense
— provide public services
— >>public goods — services that can be shared by everyone and cannot be denied to anyone (ie not
college education/medical care)
— preserve order
— socialize the young
— collect taxes
Politics
-determines whom we select as our governmental leaders and what policies they
pursue
-“who gets what, when, and how”
— who: voters, candidates, groups and parties
— what: substance of politics and govt: benefits and burdens
— how:voting, supporting, compromising, lobbying, etc
-political participation
— ways in which people get involved in politics
— voting
—>> single-issue groups — groups so concerned with one issue that members cast their votes
on basis of that issue only, ignoring a politician’s stand on everything else — abortion rights, for
example
—>>>> get in the way of effective policy making
The Policymaking System
-people shape policy
— linkage institutions — transmit the preferences of americans to the policymakers in
government
— help shape the government’s policy agenda — issues that attract the serious
attention of public officers and others actively involved in politics at any given time
(changes regularly)
— political issue — result of people disagreeing about a problem or about the public
policy needed to fix it
— US — three policy-making institutions — congress, presidency, courts
-policies impact people
— public policy — every decision that government makes, can be established through
action or inaction
— people want policies that address their interests, problems and concerns
— policy translates into goals
Democracy
-defining democracy
— a means of selecting policy makers and of organizing government so that policy
reflects citizens’ preferences
— originally doubted by founding father
-traditional democratic theory
— equality in voting: one person, one vote (maybe not universal but representative)
— effective participation: must have adequate and equal opportunities to express
preferences throughout decision making process
— enlightened understanding: market place of ideas: free press and speech
— citizen control of the agenda: citizens should control government’s policy agenda
— inclusion: govt must include and extend rights to all subject its laws. citizenship must
be open to all within the nation
— majority rule: will of over half should be followed
— minority rights: majority cannot infringe upon
— representation: close relationship between leaders and followers
-three contemporary theories of american democracy
— pluralist theory: groups with shared interests influence public policy by pressing the
concerns through organized efforts
—>>public interest will eventually prevail
—>>groups of minorities working together rather than majority rule
—elite and class theory: society is divided along class lines and that an upper-class elite
pulls the strings of government
—>>basis of power being wealth
—>>center being big business
— hyperpluralism: many groups, not just the elite ones, are so strong that the
government is unable to act
—>> too many ways for groups to control policies
—>> groups have become sovereign, with government being their servant
—>> courts are a battleground to bend policy
—>> groups divide government and authority
-Challenges to Democracy
— increased technical expertise
—>> harder to make well-informed decisions
— limited participation in government
—>> challenges foundation of democracy
— escalating campaign costs
—>> winning a house seat costs at least half a million dollars for campaigning
—>> congress starts to get ruled by Political Action Committees, who give money to campaigns
— diverse political interests
—>> policy gridlock: when there is no majority to establish policy, leads to nothing getting done
The Scope of Government in America
-what can the government do, and what can’t it do
-American Government Activity
— governments spend 1/3 dollars of our GDP, spending and employing
— spends $2 trillion a year (national defense, social security, medicare, state and local
governments)
— employs near 5 million people, owns 1/3 of the land etc
— congress is expected to solve national problems through legislation
-comparative perspective
— smaller percentage of resources to government
— no health care
-american individualism
— the belief that peep can and should get ahead on their own
— founding fathers fleeing from turmoil
— existence of frontier
CHAPTER TWO NOTES
constitution-nation’s basic laws, creates political institutions, allocates
power within government and often provides guarantees to citizens;
unwritten accumulation of traditions and precedents that have
established acceptable styles of behavior and policy outcomes, sets
biased rules for the board game of politics
articles of confederation-one legislative house, one vote per state, no
president, no court, no power to tax, shays rebellion
philidelphia convention-revise AoC, wrote constitution, four issues-
human nature, political conflict (factions), objects of govt, nature of
govt
agenda for it-representation-conn comp-2 houses in congress
(senate-new jersey plan, HoR-virginia plan), slavery-recognized, 3/5s
comp, political equality-left to states, economic issues-congress=cheif
policy maker, protection of property, ind rights-no suspending writ of
habeas corpus (reason for imprisoning), public trial, laws broken
before law made, no religious nonsense for holding pol power,
conviction of treason, trial by jury
madisonian model-sep of powers, checks and balances, limit majority
control, elect gov officials with small minority, est federal system
republic-based on consent of the governed where reps exercise power
ratifying-feds+antifeds, fed papers, bill of rights, ratified through
conventions, not legislatures
constitutional change-constitution=living doc, amendments-2/3 in each
house or convention, 3/4 in state convention/legislature, ERA
informal-judicial review, electoral college, technology-mass media,
nuclear, increasing demands
flexibility-permitted movement toward democracy, nothing about who
could vote, who to elect (senators),, limit gov action, promote
hyperpluarism