introduction ap u.s. government & politics - introduction summer is over!

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INTRODUCTION AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction Summer is OVER!

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INTRODUCTION

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Summeris OVER!

INTRODUCTION

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

I WANT TO

LEARN!

Alemany

U.S. Government

The institutions and processes through which public policies are made for a society

Policies =

Actions taken by the government

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Government

Institutions include:

* Congress

* President

* Courts

* Bureaucracy

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Some Common Views

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

That government is best that governs the least . . .

because its people discipline themselves.

~ Thomas Jefferson

Founding Father, President

Some Common Views

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Government is not the solution to our problems, government is the problem.

~ Ronald Reagan

Conservative Hero, President

Some Common Views

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Our goal is to shrink the government to the size where we can . . .

drown it in a bathtub.

~ Grover Norquist

Influential Conservative

Some Common Views

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

The only sure bulwark of continuing liberty is a government strong enough to protect the interests of the people . . .

and a people strong enough and well enough informed to maintain its sovereign control over the government.

Some Common Views

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

~ Franklin D. Roosevelt

Savior or Devil, President

Two Fundamental Questions

1. How should we govern?

Related: Who should hold power?

Who should have influence?

2. What should the government do?

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Basic Functions of Gov’t.

* National defense

* Preserve order

* Provide public goods & services

* Socialize the young

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Basic Functions of Gov’t.

* Collect TAXES

* To pay for Defense, Order, Goods &

Services, and Education

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Comments on Taxes

The power of taxing people and their property is essential to the very existence of government.

~ James Madison

Founding Father, President

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Comments on Taxes

Taxes are what we pay for a civilized society.

~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

Supreme Court Justice

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Politics

Process by which we select our governmental leaders

and influence the policies these leaders pursue

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Politics: Key Questions

* Who serves as leaders?

* Who selects them?

Notable Quote:

The best argument against democracy is a

five minute conversation with the average voter.

~ Winston Churchill

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Politics: Key Questions

* Who serves as leaders?

* Who selects them?

* What do they do?

* Why?

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Politics

Politics is about who gets what, when, and how.

~ Harold Lasswell

Yale Political Scientist

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

American Political Culture

The United States is a country organized

around an ideology which includes a set of

dogmas about the nature of a

Good Society.

~ Seymour Martin Lipset

Stanford Political Sociologist

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

American Political Culture

Five Elements of the “American Creed” *

1. Liberty

Give me liberty or give me death.

. . . life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

* according to Lipset

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

American Political Culture

Five Elements of the “American Creed”

2. Egalitarianism

All men are created equal.

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

American Political Culture

Five Elements of the “American Creed”

3. Individualism

You’re on your own.

And you know what you know.

And YOU are the one who’ll decide

where to go.

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

American Political Culture

Five Elements of the “American Creed”

4. Laissez-Faire

“Let Do”

. . . Let it be

. . . Leave it alone

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

American Political Culture

Five Elements of the “American Creed”

5. Populism

Government of the people,

for the people,

and by the people.

~ Abe Lincoln

President

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Dialectics

Tension or opposition between two interacting forces or elements:

~ Individualism v. Community

~ Private interest v. Public purpose

~ Private action v. Public action

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Dialectics

Tension or opposition between two interacting forces or elements:

~ Rich v. Poor

~ Men v. Women

~ “Whites” v. “Non-Whites”

~ Educated v. Non-Educated

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction

Reading

Government Text:

Pages

8 – 10

19 – 22

AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS - Introduction