Levels of US Government

1. Levels of US Government Federal Government State Government City/ County Government

2. Federal Government • The Federal Government deals with matters concerning foreign affairs and the entire country. • The Federal Government is based in Washington DC. Its leader is the President (Currently Donald Trump – Republican). A President is elected every 4 years. • Part of the Federal Government is called Congress – Congress is split into the Senate (100 Senators) and the House of Representatives (435).

3. Powers of the Federal Government • The Armed Forces • The Post office • The currency of the USA (Dollar $) • Disputes between states • Foreign relations, including declaring war

4. State Governments • Each of the 50 states has its own government. • The person that runs the state is called a Governor • California’s current Governor is Jerry Brown (Democratic Party). • Each state elects its own version of Congress – State Senate and State House of Representatives. • The State Government can pass laws on matters that only effect the people of that state e.g. on education, law and order, housing etc. Kim Reynolds, Republican. Current Governor of Iowa

5. Powers of the State Governments • Local laws e.g. age you can drink alcohol, age you can drive a car etc. • Punishments e.g. the form of capital punishment used in a state e.g. firing squad. • Provision of roads, schools and local taxes.

6. City/County Governments • Although each of the states has its own government, these states still have a lot of people in them or cover a large area. • The states are divided into smaller areas called counties (a bit like our councils). • The leader of the city/ county government is the Mayor e.g. L.A’s mayor is Eric Garcetti (Democratic Party).

7. Explain, in detail, why one political institution or group has dominance over decision-making in a world power you have studied. (8 marks) In the USA, the President (part of the Executive branch) has many powers that allow him to dominate the Congress such the power to veto. The President has the power to veto any bills put forward by the Congress by refusing to sign them. The President may decide to veto a bill if he believes the proposed law is not in the best interests of the American people. For example, in 2015, President Obama vetoed a bill which would have allowed a brand new pipeline to be built across many northern states. Powers of the President • Checks and balances • State governments/ Separation of Powers

8. Starter Task Match the correct % to the correct grouping to show the ethnic make-up of the US population. White 13.3% African American Hispanic 1.3% 5.9% Asian/Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (API) 17.8% Native American 61.3%

9. Representation at Federal Level

10. TASK - Fact file – Presidents by race/ethnic group and gender to 2016/ ethnic/ gender make up of congress 2014/2014/2016/2018 • In the post on the blog you are going to see a fact file on the number of American Presidents that there have been and the number of minority groups in the US Congress in 2012, after the mid terms in 2014, following the 2016 election and the 2018 mid-terms. • Copy the tables into your jotter. • With your shoulder partner, discuss any of the statistics that stand out for you and write these in your jotter (Pay particular attention to the differences in the make up of Congress between 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018.)

11. 2016 US Government Facts:US Presidents

12. Minorities in Congress (2012)

13. Minorities in Congress 2014 (After the mid terms)

14. Minorities in Congress following the 2016 election

15. 116th Congress (2019-2021) is the most diverse Congress ever

16. 116th Congress (2019-2021) will be the most diverse Congress ever • In total, almost half of the newly elected Congressional representatives are not white men. • Among the most notable changes, given the recent cultural shifts in the wake of the #MeToo movement and the Brett Kavanaugh hearings, is the addition of 35 female lawmakers. • This brings the total number of women in the 116th Congress to a record 127, up from 107 in the 115th Congress.

17. Here's a quick breakdown of how Congress is set to change on religious, gender and racial lines in 2019: • 13 of the newly elected female representatives are non-white. • LGBT breakthroughs include Democrat members-elect ShariceDavids (D.-Kan.), the first LGBT Kansan elected to Congress, and KyrstenSinema (D.-Ariz.), the first openly bisexual person ever elected to the U.S. Senate. • The first Muslim women were elected to the House: Ilhan Omar (D.-Minn.), a Somali-American, and RashidaTlaib (D.-Mich.), a Palestinian-American. • Two Native American women were elected to the House: Deb Haaland (D.-N.M.) and Sharice Davids (D.-Kan.). • Ayanna Pressley (D.-Mass.) is the first black woman elected to Congress in Massachusetts. • Sylvia Garcia (D.-Tex.) is the first Latina to represent Texas in the House.

18. Those changes come almost entirely from Democrats; Republican members-elect are all white men except for one woman.

20. REPRESENTATION In the USA, Blacks and Hispanics have never been properly represented in Congress in proportion to their numbers in population. However, the situation has started to improve.

21. Task • On the next few slides there is information regarding the representation of different ethnic groups in the US Congress. • For each slide, make up a spider diagram containing information from the slides. • Once you have completed this your teacher will give you 3 minutes in your groups to discuss your spider diagrams.

22. African-Americans in Congress • Collectively called the Black Caucus • Very influential • Special interests as a group – look out for rights of African Americans • Currently all Democrats • Examples - Karen Bass, Bobby L Rush, Marcia L. Fudge

23. African-Americans in Congress • Despite the strength of the Black Caucus, Blacks are still under-represented in Congress. • African-Americans are 13% of the population • There has been one African American President – Barack Obama

24. Hispanics in Congress • Hispanics make up 17% of the population • Hispanics are still under-represented in Congress • Examples – Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Juan Vargas • Hispanics are participating much more in politics than in previous years

25. Asians in Congress • Asians make up 5.9% of the population • Asians are still under-represented in Congress with Examples – Judy Chu, Grace Meng, Mark Takano • Asians are participating much more in politics than in previous years

26. Native Americans in Congress • There are currently only 4 Native American Congressmen and NO Native American SENATORS. • Markwayne Mullin – Cherokee Nation (Oklahoma)

27. Political Progress? • Although the number of ethnics in the US Government has increased over the years, there is not equality in participation in relation to the population e.g. Blacks make up 13% of the US population yet only 9.3% of Congress. Hispanics make up 17% of the US population but only 7% of Congress. Asians make up 5.9% of the US population and 2.8% of the Congress.

28. Take the heading: Political Progress of Ethnic Minorities Copy and complete the table by putting the following information into the correct column of the table.

29. Many ethnic minorities cannot vote because they cannot fill in the complicated registration forms. • Many Hispanics cannot register to vote or stand as candidates because they are illegal immigrants. • The growing African American middle class participate in voting and show great support for the Democratic party. • Asian Americans believe participation through voting has helped many of them achieve the American Dream. • Many ethnic minorities now see voting as a waste of time as participation has not helped them get out of the poverty trap. • More role models- Barack Obama was elected in 2008. Number of African Americans elected to Congress is on the increase. • Hispanics do not have as many role models in important political positions as Blacks do – e.g.. Obama. • As Blacks and Hispanics are under-represented in the richest group of Americans, they may find it very difficult to get the financial backing required to run a national election campaign.

30. LESSON STARTER Give three reasons as to why ethnic minorities are under represented

31. Why are minorities under-represented? • Traditionally, ethnic minorities were less likely to join political parties or stand for election. Partly, this was due to discrimination and prejudice: white voters were reluctant to vote for minority candidates and political parties were reluctant to put forward candidates in areas with a large majority of white voters.

32. Why are minorities under-represented? 2. Candidates in US elections also have to raise enormous sums of money to fight elections.Ethnic minorities are more likely to live in poverty, meaning that they have more important priorities – such as finding a job – than thinking about becoming involved in politics, let alone set about trying to raise funds for an election campaign.

33. Why are minorities under-represented? 3. Lack of role models have also been seen in the past as an obstacle to progress – with few significant role models to look up to for inspiration, many minority voters felt the system was white, middle class and middle aged and would deliver nothing for them. Many simply felt their vote would make no difference. There has only ever been 1 black President – Barack Obama.

34. Why are minorities under-represented? 4. Language barrier/poorer education than white majority. Many citizens from ethnic minority backgrounds find it difficult to participate as English is not their first language; the voter registration process is notoriously difficult in the USA. Furthermore, linking to the fact that ethnic minority citizens are more likely to be poor,they are also more likely to have a poorer educational background than many white people, again making registering and voting difficult.

35. Post-it Brainstorming orSay-Write-Stick Academic Task: Create a list facts about representation in politics and whether progress has been made. Social Task: Contributing to the best of your ability • Each member of the team will get some post-it notes. • As you answer the question, you will say what you are going to write, write it down and plunk it in the middle of the table.( one answer per post-it.) Continue until your thoughts are exhausted. • You do not need to take turns-just go with the natural flow of ideas being presented. QUESTION: Have ethnic minorities AND women made progress in politics?

36. Trump’s Angry America Watch “Trump’s Angry America” and take notes on the issues that exist for: • White Americans • Ethnic Minority Americans • The problems that exist between White and Ethnic Minority Americans. Trump's Angry America

37. Structured Sort Academic Task : Sort your data set Social task: Expressing your opinion Divide all the post-its evenly around the group. • Number 1 will start by choosing one post-it and placing it on the sheet explaining where and why that skill might fit in the category. Other members will see if any of their post-its “fit” with that one and give an explanation. . The categories are PROGRESS/ NO PROGRESS

38. Women in US Politics

39. Women in US Politics • The Nineteenth Amendment to the American Constitution was passed in 1920. The amendment prohibited the denial of voting rights based upon an individual’s gender - women in the United States could now vote on the same basis as men. However, by 1979 women made up less than five per cent of the seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, and only about ten per cent of state legislative offices in the USA. • A recent report from the Congressional Research Service has found that despite the fact that women make up over 50% of the population of the United States, their presence in congress has never been over 18%. The table on the next slide shows that, in fact, women are under represented in every area of government in the USA.

40. Women in US Politics

41. Worldwide Rankings of Women in National Parliaments

42. Task • With your shoulder partner, write down 3 important points/ issues from the 2 tables. • What do the statistics show you?

43. Progress for Women • Not everything is negative. There hasbeen some progress for women. In recent years, women have reached high office in the USA: • Condoleezza Rice was President George W. Bush’s Secretary of State– one of the highest offices in the country and the person responsible for leading US foreign policy. • Nancy Pelosi is the leader of the Democratic Party in the House of Representatives

44. Progress for Women • Hillary Clinton ran for the Democratic candidacy for the Presidency in 2008 and was only narrowly defeated by Barack Obama. After Obama was elected she was appointed US Secretary of State, serving in office from 2009-2013. She was the Democratic candidate in 2016. • Sarah Palin was the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 election and a leading figure in the ‘Tea Party’ movement, which advocates low taxes and strict interpretations of the constitution.

45. Women in Federal Politics • The 113th Congress (2013-2015) saw 20 women elected as Senators and 81 as members of the House of Representatives, the most ever in U.S. history…until the most recent Congress (Check back to your tables!) • These women include Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts), Tammy Baldwin (Wisconsin), and Mazie Hirono (Hawaii), who are all the first female Senators from their states. Baldwin is the first openly gay Senator, and Hirono is the first Asian-American woman in the Senate.

46. Task • Using the tables that you have just copied down, describe the progress of women in the House of Representatives and in the Senate. • Your answer should include evidence that explains the progress of women since 2001 and also explains how much more progress they may still have to make.

47. Why are women under-represented? • Women are not unelectable and many are popular candidates and held in high regard in opinion polls. • Hillary Clinton had the highest ratings of any member of the first Obama Administration of 2008-2012. • She also received more actual votes in the 2016 Presidential election than Donald Trump, the winner.

48. Why are women under-represented? • When it came to elected office, however, the picture was different. 84 per cent of the members of the 112th Congress (2011-2013) were men. So why are women so under-represented? • Women simply do not run for office. Many women are reluctant to stand for election and do not put themselves forward as candidates as they lack the confidence to do so. • One other reason may be that women are still responsible for most childcare and household tasks so have little/no time to participate.

49. Why are women under-represented? 3. Women also tend to view political activities more negatively than men. More than 50% of women see politics as male dominated and believe that the media more negatively treats women. About two-thirds of potential female candidates believe that Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin were subjected to sexist media coverage in the 2008 presidential campaigns e.g. covering their appearance instead of policies. • Women are much less likely to be given encouragement to run for office from family membersetc. Where women are given encouragement to run for office, 72% consider doing so. Where women do not receive encouragement, 78% say they would not consider running for office.

50. Why are women under-represented? 5. In many parts of the U.S.A – particularly the Mid West ‘Bible Belt’, there is the assumption that a woman should be a wife, mother and homemaker rather than being politically active and working for a living. • Most single parents are women, trying to combine family life with a political career can be too difficult to achieve. • Women are ‘poorer’ than men – average earnings are less (despite being better educated!). Running a political campaign to get elected costs money – richer people (more likely to be men) are better able to afford to try and become elected.