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Case Study: United States World’s largest economy Only military superpower Large in population (4th) and territory Resource-rich Incredibly diverse Unique among LDs
Political development/political culture, political system, process, and policies
US “exceptionalism”?
Political Development
Colonial Era (1607-1776) State-building (1776-1865) Reconstruction and Growth
(1865-1945) Pax Americana (1945-present) America’s place in the future?
Colonial Era (1607-1776) European (mainly British, but also
French, German, etc.) colonization/ settlement
Colonial resistance to British control led to Revolution (1775) and Independence (1776)
State-building (1776-1865) Articles of Confederation fail Constitution (1788) ratified 1800s westward expansion;
economic development/diversification; increasing immigration
1861-1865 Civil War between North and South
Reconstruction and Growth (1865-1945) Mechanization in agriculture Industrial economy becomes
dominant US shirks isolationism (active in
Asia, Pacific, Caribbean) Great Depression (1929) ushers in
FDR’s New Deal (social security, public work programs)
US joins Allies in WWII
Pax Americana (1945-present) Cold War = ideological, political, and
economic conflict between U.S. and Soviet Union “very hot” in Latin America, Africa, and Asia
Domestic economic expansion; mass production; consumerism
Civil Rights movement (1950s-1960s) Great Society (Johnson’s war on poverty
and discrimination) Reagan Revolution (Reaganomics)
U.S. Today Growing division between Conservatives
and Liberals over role of government; social, economic, and foreign policies (“class and culture wars”)
Enduring Paradoxes Wealth and poverty Extensive medical technology and widespread
lack of access Commitment to equality and discrimination
against women, ethnic minorities, gays… 9/11 and the War on Terrorism
Next to impossible to overstate significance
Unique Political Culture
Most patriotic of all LDs (“the good, the bad, and the ugly”)
Highly optimistic; forward-looking; faith in political institutions and government despite persistent problems
Strong sense of individualism; belief in limited government (“frontier mentality”)
Aspirational politics = opportunity, initiative, hard work will bring success, material wealth
Puritan streak = salient moral issues (e.g., abortion; criminalization of drugs; gay marriage)
Unique Political System Republican = major officeholders are elected (or
appointed by elected officials) More elected offices than other LDs
Federalism = sharing of power between federal and state governments (vertical federalism)
Separation of powers and Checks and Balances (horizontal federalism; “divided government”) divides powers and responsibilities between branches of
government (legislature makes laws; executive administers laws; judicial interprets constitutionality of laws); each checks the other
Most LDs have parliamentary executives Executive/legislative power fused (see McCormick, 78-
79)
U.S. Constitution (1788) Defined structures of
government Defined powers of branches Distributed powers between
federal government and states Described limits on powers of
national government Bill of Rights (1791)
The Executive: President Enormous resources Powers limited by Constitution,
Congress, and the Courts Must build coalitions of support inside and
outside Congress 19th Century Congress dominant 20th Century Executive power increased
(more active in domestic and foreign policy making; growing executive branch)
Roles of the President Head of state (symbolic leader) Head of government Commander-in-chief Chief executive Agenda setter Foreign policy maker Economic leader Crisis manager Party leader
The Legislature: Congress Powers = make laws; oversight; federal
budget (tax and spend, “power of the purse”); confirmation of presidential appointees; override vetoes (2/3s)
Senate = 100 members; 2 senators from each state; 6-year terms (confirms presidential nominees)
House of Representatives = 435 members; elected from districts reapportioned every 10 years based on the census
Judiciary: Supreme Court 9 members; nominated by the
president, confirmed by the Senate Judicial Review = interpreting
constitutionality of laws and actions of government
Accepts a limited number of cases (from lower federal/district courts and courts of appeal) with constitutional implications
State Governments States have their own constitutions,
governors, legislatures, and courts National government responsible for
economic, foreign, and defense policy State governments responsible for welfare
provision, highways, land use, executing federal laws/regulations, education, and policing
Advantages and disadvantages to federalism
Unique Political Process More elected offices and elections than
other LDs (Republicanism) Political parties play a weaker role in
government than other LDs Low voter turnout rates (50-55%
presidential elections; 35% mid-term elections) than other LDs
Few real choices (?; “tweedle-dee, tweedle-dumb”)
Plurality elections vs. PR (common among LDs)
Ironies of Representation and Participation More offices and elections than other
LDs; among the lowest turnout rates in the world
Despite emphasis on democracy and civic duty, number of eligible voters has increased, but turnout has declined
Old political parties, few real choices and weak parties
Why Citizens Don’t Vote Declining party identification Differences between political parties are
minor (unlike other LDs) Parties don’t effectively mobilize
voters Too many, too long elections Registration can be time-consuming Economic man/woman? Apathy? TV? Declining social capital,
“Bowling Alone”
Should We Care About Low Voter Turnout? Reduces legitimacy Reduces accountability
Elected officials likely to look like and reflect views of active voters
Clear Socioeconomic (SES) bias SES best predictor of participation at all levels;
stronger when you move up the ladder of commitment (voting; working on a campaign; running/holding office)
Increases power of interest groups and dominant class over policy
Elections and Electoral System Winner-take-all rule = whoever wins a
plurality (the largest number of votes); unlike most LDs, which use PR voting systems
Plurality elections in single-member districts perpetuate two-party system
Elections longer, more numerous, and more expensive than any other LD
Increasing personalization and professionalization of campaigns (weak parties, declining party id)
Need for electoral system reform and public financing of elections
Political Parties Relatively weak; political face of class
politics Republicans (GOP)
minimize role of government in the economy; new conservatives motivated by need to return to
“traditional” moral values tend to gain support from higher SES individuals
Democrats moderate left-wing party supports welfare provision, regulation of big business,
environmental protection support from lower SES individuals
Minor parties = Greens, Libertarians, Reform
Interest Groups = Organized groups who attempt to
influence policy/policymakers to their advantage; power function of resources and numbers Institutional interests Economic interest groups Single- and multiple-issue groups Public interest groups
Dominant interest groups = Corporations and business/professional associations
Media Diverse and active mass media TV particularly important/dominant Shape public opinion, set public
agenda, provide a political forum Coverage tends to be highly
superficial Main goals = entertainment and
profits
Policies and Policymaking Actors = public opinion, elected
officials, voters, parties, interest groups, media, private corporations
Limited expectation regarding the role of government makes U.S. unique among LDs
Government action = regulation; welfare; subsidies to states; contracts
Factors that Influence Policy/Policymaking Diverse needs Action at all levels constrained (due
to horizontal and vertical federalism) Entails compromises for continued
cooperation Budget constraints (limited
uncommitted funds) Global responsibilities Incredible influence of private sector
Economic Policy Classical liberalism (free-market capitalism)
until Great Depression Keynesian policy (demand-side government
involvement; taxing/spending aimed at maximizing employment) until 1970s
Reagan revolution and supply-side economics lower taxes and “trickle-down” theory Reduce federal spending except on defense Result: growing trade deficit, national debt
Clinton returns to demand-side policies
Current Economic Policy Return to supply-side economics under
Bush II (what his father called, “voodoo economics”)
Growing trade deficit (value of imports exceeding exports)
Lack of comprehensive energy policy/dependence on foreign oil
Steady loss of manufacturing jobs Increasing gap between rich and poor Increasing international competition
Foreign Policy Isolationism (1776-1941)
Monroe Doctrine; ended with WWII Cold War (1945-1990)
US/Soviet global confrontation (“hot wars” throughout the world)
New World Order (Disorder?) (1990-present) Multiple centers of power; new/emerging issues
(economic, environmental, regional conflicts) World’s policeman War on Terrorism Increasing unilateralism Policy of pre-emption?
Discussion Questions -- Looking In1. How is the U.S. unique, even among LDs?2. How does American political culture impact government and
politics in the U.S.? How might it explain the limited role of government?
3. Is the governmental system of the U.S. as good as it gets? What features should be emulated/avoided by other nations?
4. What is the relationship between national and state levels of government in the U.S.? What are the advantages/disadvantages of federalism?
5. Why don’t citizens participate more in the U.S. political process? Is low voter turnout a problem?
6. How does money impact the political process and what can/should be done about it?
7. Why are the Democratic and Republican parties dominant in the U.S.? How might minor parties become more competitive?
Discussion Questions -- Looking Out8. To what extent should the U.S. involve itself in the affairs
of other nations? What types of actions/goals are acceptable?
9. Has the U.S. government effectively responded to the events of 9/11? What might it do differently?
10. What are the causes of the terrorism that the U.S. has faced since 2001?
11. Should the U.S. be taking a unilateral or a multilateral approach to addressing global problems?
12. What factors point toward the 21st century being another American Century? What factors indicate the time of U.S. dominance is over?
13. What issues (domestic or foreign) do you think are the most pressing for politics in the U.S.?