UNIT ONE: CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES

1. UNIT ONE: CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES

2. A: INTRODUCTION • Americans have a love/hate relationship with their government. • Many see government as a necessary evil. • Many do not want to pay higher taxes but also do not want any of their benefits or government programs they benefit from to be cut. • Many want to limit the scope of government but want government to solve all problems, protect them from foreign threats, provide social security, keep law and order, provide for the general welfare, and ensure domestic tranquility.

3. A: INTRODUCTION • Why does this love/hate relationship exist? • USA is the oldest constitutional democracy. • It has survived for more than two centuries, yet it is still an experiment, still a work in progress.

4. A: INTRODUCTION • We think of it as an enduring, strong government, but in a real sense, our constitutional political system is built on a fragile foundation. • The Const., and Bill of Rights survive not because of the parchment they were written on is still with us but because each generation of America respects, renews, and works at understanding the principles and values found in these precious documents. • Different generations have faced different challenges in preserving, protecting and defending our way of government. • Yet we all have a very healthy skepticism of the government.

5. A: INTRODUCTION: SOME IMPORTANT QUESTIONS • 1. What is government? • 2. What is the role of government? • 3. What is politics? • 4. What are politicians? • 5. What is citizenship? • 6. What is patriotism? • 7. How does the govt., balance the need for security with freedom? • 8. What is political leadership?

6. A: INTRODUCTION: SOME ANSWERS • Government: The procedures and institutions by which people govern and rule themselves. • Role of government: In the USA – stated in the Preamble of the Const.,: “… form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility; provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty …”

7. A: INTRODUCTION: SOME ANSWERS • Politics: The process by which people decide, at least in our system of govt., who shall govern and what policies should be adopted. Such processes invariably involve discussions, debates, and compromise over tactics and goals. • Politicians: People who fulfill the tasks of an operating government.

8. A: INTRODUCTION • The challenge to our govt., and people posed by the events of 9/11, will never be forgotten. • Rarely in our history has the USA been directly attacked; most of our military actions have been on foreign soil. • In a fundamental way, the events of 9/11 have forced people to rethink the meaning of citizenship, the successes and failures of govt., the role of political leadership, and the need for strong defense and homeland security.

9. A: INTRODUCTION • Before 9/11, many Americans believed that govt., was either irrelevant to solving problems or was itself the problem. • The downsizing of govt., in the 1980s and 1990s, reflected hostility toward govt., but was also a reaction to massive budget deficits and the presumed reduced threat to our national defenses.

10. A: INTRODUCTION • More fundamentally skeptics of the influence of govt., contended that what really mattered was not who was elected president or which party controlled Congress but rather what the Federal Reserve Board was doing to keep the economy humming?

11. A: INTRODUCTION • Cynicism about govt., carried over to politicians and was widespread. • Neither Bush nor Gore generated much passion in the Election of 2000. • Trust in the new president, Bush, was further limited by the fact that Gore won 500,000 more popular votes than Bush had and by a ballot-counting controversy in FL., that had to be resolved by the Supreme Court in a bitter 5-4 decision.

12. A: INTRODUCTION • The campaign and election of 2004 further heightened the distrust and cynicism many Americans have about their govt. • John Kerry, a war hero, had his patriotism and heroism questioned by supported of Pres. Bush.

13. A: INTRODUCTION • Despite the historic nature of the Election of 2008, the bitterness and hatred that followed has further eroded the confidence Americans have in their government. • There are several more reasons for this love/hate relationship.

14. A: INTRODUCTION • The Clinton/Lewinsky Affair and impeachment and near conviction of Clinton. • Rep. Gary Condit initially denied and later admitted to having an affair with an intern, Chandra Levy, who mysteriously disappeared and was ultimately found to have been murdered. • The switch in the summer of 2001 by Senator Jim Jeffords from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party gave the Democrats control of the U.S, Senate. • The take-over of the Tea Party by right-wing extremists. • Yet for a brief time after 9/11 people realized the importance of government.

15. A: INTRODUCTION • The attacks of 9/11 and an outbreak of anthrax bioterrorism dramatically altered people’s attitudes, at least for a time. • The terrorist acts reminded people of the vital role of govt., in dealing with domestic and international crises.

16. A: INTRODUCTION • The scope of the attacks created a sense of vulnerability and heightened concerns about national defense. • The attacks, at least initially, unified elected officials and the public. • The controversy over the election of 2000 faded. • Pres. Bush’s job approval rating soared to 90%. • There was a time of genuine interparty cooperation.

17. A: INTRODUCTION • In responses to 9/11, there was widespread agreement that govt., should play a role in rebuilding lower Manhattan, securing airports, and fighting terrorism abroad and at home. • There was a renewed sense of patriotism. • Politicians were seen more favorably. • But the rising bipartisanship could not survive the economic recession that worsened due to the events of 9/11.

18. A: INTRODUCTION • Democrats tried to focus the economic debate on the adverse consequences of the tax cut urged by Pres. Bush and enacted in June 2001. • Republicans countered that Democrats had obstructed Pres. Bush’s economic recovery proposals and that the terrorist attacks deserved much of the blame for the country’s economic problems. • Both vigorously pushed their positions during the midterm elections of 2002.

19. A: INTRODUCTION • Bush campaigned aggressively for Republican candidates and reaped a substantial reward. • Republicans gained more seats in the House and Senate. • The economy and jobs were a major concern on the minds of voters but so was the looming war with Iraq and homeland security. • The Republicans did a good job of making issues like the solvency of social security less important.

20. A: INTRODUCTION • The Democrats picked up more governorships. • Going into the lection of 2004, the country continued to have two parties essentially tied in terms of state and federal offices but with the Republicans in charge of both houses of Congress and the White House

21. A: INTRODUCTION • The Election of 2004 kept the Republicans in charge of the government. • By 2007-2008, the nation was mired in an economic recession. • The Bush Admin., in order to stave off further damage bailed out the nation’s biggest banks. • The economy continued to slow down. • The Election of 2008 restored some hope to many Americans. • But even that was short-lived.

22. B: AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICANS IN CONTEXT

23. B: AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICIANS IN CONTEXT • The American Republic had endured for 236 years. • During that time, we have held 110 presidential and midterm elections. • The transfer of power from one political party to another has been peaceful. • Few democracies have survived this long. • Why has the American Republic survived so long?

24. B: AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICIANS IN CONTEXT • The USA has succeeded in large part because Americans love their country, revere the Constitution, and respect the free enterprise system. • Most believe that our differences can be reconciled by debate, compromise, and free elections. • Even though we are critical of our elected leaders, we recognize the need for political leadership. • What problems do we face today?

25. B: AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICIANS IN CONTEXT • Many are concerned with: • persistence of racism • religious bigotry • the gap in economic opportunities between rich and poor • gun violence that disproportionally afflicts children and minorities • war on terror • despite the current political atmosphere, most Americans want the govt., to provide health care and eduction.

26. B: AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICIANS IN CONTEXT • But what is this govt., of which we expect so much? • The reality is that “government” is merely a shorthand term to refer to the tens of thousands of Americans – the people we elect and the people they appoint to promote the general welfare, provide for domestic tranquility, and secure the blessings of liberty for us.

27. B: AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICIANS IN CONTEXT • More than any other form of govt., the kind of democracy that has emerged under the Const., requires active participation and a balance between faith and skepticism. • Govt., by the people, however, does not require that everyone be involved in politics and policy-making. • It does require a substantial segment of public to be attentive, interested, involved, informed, and willing, when necessary, to criticize and change the direction of govt.

28. B: AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICIANS IN CONTEXT • TJ believed in the common sense of the people and in the flowering possibilities of the human spirit. • He warned that every govt., degenerates when it is left only in the hands of the rulers. • The people, he wrote, are the only safe repositories of govt.

29. B: AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICIANS IN CONTEXT • To TJ, his govt., was a robust commitment to popular control, representative processes, and accountable leadership. • But he was no believer in the simple participatory democracy of Ancient Greece or revolutionary France. • The power of the people, too, must be restrained from time to time. • What does our constitutional democracy require?

30. B: AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICIANS IN CONTEXT • Govt., by the people requires faith concerning our common human enterprise: This is the belief that if the people are informed and caring, they can be trusted with their own self-govt., and an optimism that when things go wrong, the people can set them right. • But a healthy skepticism is needed as well. • Democracy requires us to question our leaders and never trust a group or institution that holds too much power. • The majority is not always right.

31. B: AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLTICIANS IN CONTEXT • Const., democracy requires constant attention to protecting the rights and opinions of others: • This is necessary to ensure that our democratic processes are effectively serving the principles of liberty, equality, and justice. • Thus a peculiar blend of faith and skepticism is warranted when dealing with the will of the people.

32. B: AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICIANS IN CONTEXT • Const., democracy necessarily govt., by representative politicians: • A central feature of democracy is that those who hold power do so only by winning a free and fair election. • In our system, the fragmentation of powers requires elected officials to mediate among factions, build coalitions, and work out compromises among and within branches of the govt., to produce policy and action.

33. B: AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICIANS IN CONTEXT • What do we expect from our politicians? • Do we expect to much?

34. B: AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICIANS IN CONTEXT • We expect them to operate within the rules of democracy and to be honest, patriotic, compassionate, sensitive to the needs of others, well-informed, humble, competent, fair-minded, self-confident, and inspirational.

35. B: AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICIANS IN CONTEXT • They must be candidates of all the people, not just the ones with money. • They must not want power for itself but lead because of their concern for the public good. • They must be willing to do the job and get out when finished.

36. B: AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICIANS IN CONTEXT • Why does such a gap persist between our image of the ideal politician and our views about actual politicians? • The gap exists in part because our expectations are unrealistic. • We want politicians to be perfect, have all the answers, have all the “correct” values. • We want them to solve the nation’s problems, be scapegoats for the things we dislike about government. • But politicians, like us, live in a world in which perfection may be the goal but compromise, ambition, fund raising, and self-promotion are necessary.

37. B: AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICIANS IN CONTEXT • Americans will never be satisfied with their political candidates and politicians. • The ideal politician is probably a fictional entity, for the perfect official would be able to please everyone, make conflict disappear, and not ask us to make sacrifices. • Politicians become “ideal” only when they are dead.

38. B: AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICIANS IN CONTEXT • But the love of liberty invites disagreements of ideology and values. • Politicians, candidates and the people, have different ideas about what is best for the nation. • That is why we have politics, candidates, opposition parties, heated political debates, and elections.

39. C: DEFINING DEMOCRACY

40. C: DEFINING DEMOCRACY • How do you define democracy? • Is America a democracy? • Are there different types of democracies?

41. C: DEFINING DEMOCRACY • Significantly, the word democracy is nowhere found in the Declaration of Independence or in the Constitution. • Nor was it a term used by the Founding Fathers. • It is both a very old term and a modern term. • It was used at the time of the founding of this nation to refer to undesirables: mobs, lack of standards, and a system that encourages leaders to gain power by appealing to the emotions and prejudices of the rabble.

42. C: DEFINING DEMOCRACY • The distinguishing feature of democracy is that govt., derives its authority from its citizens. • The word comes from two Greek words: demos (the people) and kratos(authority or power). • Thus democracy means govt., by the people, not govt., by one person or govt., by a few.

43. C: DEFINING DEMOCRACY • Ancient Athens and a few other Greek citi-states had a direct democracy in which citizens came together to discuss and pass laws and select their rulers. • These Greek city-states did not last. • Most degenerated into mob rule and then resorted to dictators. • When the word “democracy” came into use in English in the 17th century, it denoted this kind of direct democracy. • It was a term of derision, a negative word, a reference to power wielded by an unruly mob.

44. C: DEFINING DEMOCRACY • JM, in TheFederalist No. 10, reflected the view of many of the framers of the Const.., when he wrote, “Such democracies… have ever been found incompatible with personal security, or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives, as they have been violent in their deaths.”

45. C: DEFINING DEMOCRACY • Today it is impossible to have a direct democracy. • We have invented a system of representation. • Today democracy means representative democracy, or to use Plato’s term, a republic.

46. C: DEFINING DEMOCRACY • In a republic, those who have governmental authority get and retain authority directly or indirectly as a result of winning elections in which all adult citizens are allowed to vote. • The Framers preferred to use the term “republic” to avoid any confusion between direct democracy and representative democracy.

47. C: DEFINING DEMOCRACY • When defining democracy, several other terms need to be clarified. • Constitutional democracy refers to a govt., in which individuals who exercise substantial govt., powers do so as a result of winning free and relatively frequent elections.

48. C: DEFINING DEMOCRACY • It is a government in which there are recognized, enforced limits on the power of all governmental officials. • It also generally involves a written set of govt., rules and procedures, a constitution.

49. C: DEFINING DEMOCRACY • Constitutionalism is a term we apply to arrangements: • Checks and balances • Federalism • Separation of powers • Rule of law • Due process • A Bill of Rights • Constitutionalism requires that our leaders listen, think, bargain, and explain before they make laws. • We then hold the politically and legally accountable for how they exercise their powers.

50. C: DEFINING DEMOCRACY • Democracy encompasses many ideas and has many meanings. • It is: • A way of life • A form of government • A way of governing • A type of nation • A state of mind • A variety of processes.