Introduction to Government

1. Introduction to Government

2. Goals of Government • How large or small should government be? • How much should government regulate our lives? • Does government have a responsibility to provide a safety net for the poor? • Should government attempt to regulate the economy?

3. What is a Government? • Government is the institution through which a society makes & enforces its public policies. • Public Policies – Acts or Things that a government decides to do. • Income Tax – Do you have to pay it? • Minimum Wage – Should it be higher? • Armed Forces – Should it be mandatory to serve in the armed forces after graduation? • Tax Incentives? Big Business or Individuals?

4. Who runs the Government? • Governments aren’t necessarily ran by the best and brightest of people. What type of leaders would be the best for a country? • Dynasties - The Bush’s? • Religious Leaders – Romney or Huckabee? • Tribal Leaders • Rule by Force – Hitler – Stalin – Mussolini? • Popular Election

5. Who decides and enforces Policy? • Legislative • Create Public Policy = Law • Executive • Administer and Enforce Policy • Judicial • Interpret laws, determine their meaning, and to settle disputes that arise within society.

6. Politics • Politics enable a society to decide who will reap the benefits and who will pay the costs of its public policies. • Politics is the means by which government is conducted. It is necessary. • Government is an institution.

7. What is a State? State – body of people, living in a defined territory, organized politically • Can make and enforce law w/o consent of higher authority. • Has to enforce/obey federal law. • How many states are there today? • 195 – Why so many? Only 192 in U.N.

8. Characteristics of a State • Population • Vatican City – Smallest – 900 • China – Biggest – 1,325,639,982 • Territory • Sovereignty – Has to have its own power within its own territory. – Is Iraq sovereign? Guam? Virgin Islands? • 1771-1781 - AOC • 1788 – New Constitution • Government – personnel by which a state is ruled.

9. Characteristics of a State • Sovereignty • A nation can decide Foreign and Domestic Policy • How does the U.S. affect foreign policy of other countries? • Economic and Social Structure • Is there a standard? • Is Nebraska sovereign? • Are all people sovereign? Is one person sovereign over another?

11. Origins of the State There are Four (4) Theories • Force – forced submission to accept a ruler or ruler’s ideas and government • Evolution – Government evolved through the evolution of family. • Ex. Family to clan, to tribe, to state • Divine Right – The right to rule given by God. • Social Contract – The state arises through volunteer contract by the people.

12. Origins of the State • Social Contract • Were individuals safe? • How much power did the state need to have? • Do we have a social contract with Congress today? • How do people today withhold or give more power to Congress? • How limited should the government be today? • Are there any rights that we should have that we don’t?

13. Purpose of Government • To form a more perfect union. How perfect? • National Language? Border Control? • Sanctuary Cities? Fair Tax? • Legal Documents to Illegal immigrants? • Establish justice. Reasonable, Fair, Impartial • Is justice found in courtrooms today? • Insure domestic tranquility. • Provide law and order to the society and state. • What limits do police have on maintaining order in the U.S.? • What can the governor do in regards to policing the state?

14. Purpose of Government • Provide for the Common Defense. • How far does the common defense go? • To other countries? To our borders? • Iran and North Korea? Are they threatening the U.S. and its people? • Foreign Policy and Defense go hand in hand. • To promote general welfare for the people of the state. – Promote or Provide? • To secure Liberty. • Freedom for the people.

15. Purpose of Government • To promote general welfare for the people of the state. • Public Schools FDIC • EPA Federal Student Loans • OSHA Federal Grants • FDA Welfare • Medicare/Aid NHTSA • SEC Breaking Trusts? • To secure Liberty. • Freedom for the people. How much freedom? • Patriot Act?

16. Patriot Act Research

17. Types of Governments • Unitary – All government power held through single central power. • Federal – Powers are divided b/w a central gov. and local governments. • Confederate – Alliance of independent states. • Presidential – Exe. And Leg. Branches are = but co = • Parliamentary – Members of the exe. are the maj. leaders of the leg. branch. • Dictatorship – Majority leaders have absolute and unchallengeable authority over the people. – Old & Common.

18. Democracy • People have authority. • Two Types of Democracies • Direct – people directly decide on public policy. • Works well in small communities. • Representative – people elect a group of politicians to represent them. • Politicians are responsible for the day-to-day conduct of government. We are this.

19. Parliament • Executive = King/Queen • Top Official = Prime Minister • What exactly is the Prime Minister? • Head of the Party that is in power in parliament. Many different parties unlike the U.S. • If the public does not like what the K or Q or PM is doing, then the K or Q often times calls for a Vote of Confidence

20. Parliament • How does the PM elect his or her cabinet? • Who is the PM responsible to? • Who is the President of the U.S. responsible to? • If the PM loses his job, what happens? • All of parliament is re-elected. How are Congressmen elected in the U.S.?

21. Parliament • Which system is better? • Presidential = Checks and Balances • Parliament = Legislative and Executive are Equal and Coequal

22. Concepts of Democracy • Democracy is not inevitable. It does not exist in the U.S. simply because Americans regard it as the best of all possible political systems. • Rather, democracy exists because people believe in its basic concepts.

23. Concepts of Democracy • Fundamental worth of the individual. • No matter what his or her beliefs are. • Each person must be recognized and respected by all individuals, and by society, at all times. • However, the welfare of individuals may be subordinated to the interests of the many others in the democracy. • What would some examples be? • Registering for the Draft, STOP, Taxes • Where is the line drawn from individuals to individuals?

24. Concepts of Democracy • Equality of All Persons. • All men are created equal… • We aren’t all born equal are we? • We don’t all have a right to inherit millions of dollars. • It means… • Equality of Opportunity. • Equality before the Law. • Can’t be held back on race, color, religion, or gender.

25. Concepts of Democracy • Majority Rule and Minority Rights. • Will of the People, not of the ruling few. • Democracy argues that a majority of the people will be right more often than they will be wrong, and that the majority will also be right more often than will any one person or small group. • Searches for satisfactory solutions to public problems. A never-ending endeavor. • Unchecked it could destroy democracy.

26. Concepts of Democracy Concepts of Democracy • Minority Rights. • Majority must always recognize the right of any minority to become, by fair and lawful means, the majority. • Majority must be willing to listen to a minority’s argument, hear its objections, bear its criticisms, and welcome its suggestions.

27. Concepts of Democracy • Necessity of Compromise. • Compromise – the process of blending and adjusting, of reconciling competing views and interests. Never compromise equality of people. • Why Compromise? • Democracy puts the individual first • Few questions can be answered with only two sides. There are usually several ways to answer. • City Street… • All of the taxpayers, or only the ones living on the road? Other people?

28. Concepts of Democracy • Individual Freedom. • Absolute freedom only exists in a state of anarchy. • Anarchy – total absence of government. • Each individual must be as free to do as he or she pleases as far as the freedom of all will allow. • Where is the line with individual freedom? Liberty or Authority? • Government authority must be adequate to the needs of society. But this authority can’t restrict and individual beyond necessity.

29. Concepts of Democracy • Does the United States government have the authority to administer an income tax on the American people? • What is the history behind the income tax? • Why have people argued that the government cannot tax income? • Do you believe that you have to file for income taxes? Why or why not? • 2 Pages – 12 Point Times New Roman – Double Spaced.