John Paul Tabakian, Ed.D.Political Science 1 – US Government

Spring 2018 / Fall 2018 – Power Point 7

Course Lecture Topics1. Bureaucratic Power2. Iron Triangles3. Presidential Control Of The Bureaucracy4. Congress And Its Members5. Congress Versus The Executive Branch6. Supreme Court7. Legitimacy Factor In Law Making8. Federal Court Structure9. Elite Propaganda & Cinemocracy10.Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense”

Bureaucratic EliteTHE BUREAUCRATIC ELITE

Bureaucratic Power comes from technological advances,information explosions, societal growth and complexity.1. The Washington Bureaucratic Elite is a major base of power.2. Iron Triangles are three major power bases coming together

to decide an issue outcome.3. Revolving Doors are public-private sector power trades of

knowledge, experience, and contacts.4. The Power of Regulatory Commissions derives from

independence and oversight responsibilities.5. Fiscal Responsibility is the power to establish national

priorities within the boundaries of available resources.

Iron TriangleCongressional Committee

Issue

Interest Groups Bureaucracy

Revolving Doors

• Learn the value of revolvingdoors: working in the publicand private sector.

• Work in government first andthen market yourself to theprivate sector.

• Multiple local / state / federalcareer opportunities.

How People View Special Interests

Ariana Huffington Campaign Commercial

American Military PowerThe United States possesses themost advanced military hardwareknown to man. Here is a sample ofour overwhelming firepower.Students will be asked thefollowing question following thisvideo presentation: “What preventsthe United States from utilizing itsfull military capacity?

The Final Option

Presidents & BureaucraciesPresidential Control of the Bureaucracy is a powerdelegated by the Constitution.

1. Appointments allow the president to manage programsand enforce policy using loyal officials.

2. Reorganization allows the president to prioritize hispolicy initiatives.

3. The Budget with Congress allows the president to makea policy statement about the role of government.

Presidents & Bureaucracies1. The tradition of the Cabinet dates back to the

beginnings of the Presidency itself. Established inArticle II, Section 2, of the Constitution, the Cabinet'srole is to advise the President on any subject he mayrequire relating to the duties of each member'srespective office.

2. The Cabinet includes the Vice President and theheads of 15 executive departments — the Secretariesof Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education,Energy, Health and Human Services, HomelandSecurity, Housing and Urban Development, Interior,Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and VeteransAffairs, as well as the Attorney General.

President’s Cabinet1. Vice President of the United States2. Department of State3. Department of the Treasury4. Department of Defense5. Department of Justice6. Department of the Interior7. Department of Agriculture8. Department of Commerce9. Department of Labor10. Department of Health and Human Services11. Department of Housing and Urban Development12. Department of Transportation13. Department of Energy14. Department of Education15. Department of Veterans Affairs16. Department of Homeland Security

Masses & PartiesActivists are most likely toparticipate in campaign activities.These are the most partisan amongtypical voters. Political panderingrefers to how parties cater to theircore base of activists. RepublicanParty activists tend to be moreconservative than the averageRepublican voter. Democraticactivists are more liberal than theaverage Democratic voter.

Masses & PartiesSuper PACs came following the July 2010outcome of SpeechNow.org versus FederalElection Commission (FEC). Super PACsmay raise unlimited sums of money fromcorporations, unions, associations andindividuals, then spend unlimited sums toovertly advocate for or against politicalcandidates. Super PACs must report theirdonors to the FEC on a monthly or quarterlybasis -- the Super PAC's choice -- liketraditional PACs. Unlike traditional PACs,Super PACs are prohibited from donatingmoney directly to political candidates.Source: Opensecrets.org

Masses & Parties

Cold War ManipulationPropaganda is a necessary tool.“Make Mine Freedom” is a 1948Cold War-era cartoon that useshumor to tout the dangers ofCommunism and the benefits ofcapitalism. Various points madein this presentation touch onJohn Locke’s “Second TreatiseOf Government”. Can you pickthem out?

Make Mine Freedom

Cold War ManipulationElite manipulation has existedin our country even prior to thedays of our founding. Massesare susceptible to manipulationas they are highly emotional.Elites utilize symbolism to pullthese emotional heartstrings atwill. Enjoy this 1952government sponsored filmvilifying communism.

Communism

Cold War ManipulationThe “Kitchen Debate” was held inMoscow on July 24, 1959. Vice-President Richard Nixon debatesSoviet Leader Nikita Khrushchev in amake-believe kitchen. The day before,Vice-President Richard Nixon hadflown to Moscow in a "culturalexchange" program between the twocountries. The stated goal of theexchange was to promoteunderstanding about the cultures ofthe two superpowers. Both men werefocusing on promoting their respectivesystems to the non-aligned countries.

The Kitchen Debate

CongressCongress is a less representative branch than theFounding Fathers intended.1. Members of Congress are political entrepreneurs recruited

from the upper classes of their home constituencies.2. Members of Congress represent the elites of their districts

and responsibly vote on their behalf with strong regularity.3. Members of Congress have a reputation for using

incumbency advantages and consistently raising money toseek reelection.

4. Leadership procedures and structures in Congress appearto form interlocking conglomerates of policy responders,iron triangle members, and status quo protectors.

Congressional Millionaire Club (1)1. The Center for Responsive Politics analyzed the

personal financial disclosure data from 2012 ofthe 534 current members of Congress and foundthat, for the first time, more than half had anaverage net worth of $1 million or more: 268 tobe exact, up from 257 the year earlier. Themedian for congressional Democrats was $1.04million and, for Republicans, $1 million even.

2. To calculate the net worth of lawmakers, theCenter added together members’ significantassets, such as corporate bonds and stocks, thensubtracted major liabilities such as loans, creditcard debt and property mortgages.

Congressional Millionaire Club (2)3. Here’s the breakdown: the

median net worth for all Housemembers was $896,000

4. Democrats averaged $929,000.5. Republicans averaged $884,000.6. Senators averaged $2.5 million.7. The median net worth for Senate

Democrats was $1.7 million,down from $2.4 million in 2011.

8. The median net worth forRepublicans was $2.9 million, upfrom $2.5 million in 2011.

Congressional Millionaire Club

Congress Vs. The PresidentThe Constitution gives Congress an Invitation to Strugglewith the President.

1. Congress responds to policy proposals initiated by thepresident.

2. Congress and the president have engaged in highlypublicized budgetary battles.

3. Congress has used investigations and impeachment in anattempt to control the president’s actions for perhapspurely political reasons.

Courts (1)Judicial decision making by the Supreme Court involvesmost important policy questions.

1. Judicial review gives the federal court system power tosay whether actions of the two political branches areconstitutional or unconstitutional.

2. Jurisdiction gives the Court the opportunity to hear anddecide a case and seek compliance with its ruling.

3. Judicial philosophy gives justices the tools to make wisedecisions about constitutional issues.

4. Politics is a useful decision making aid when a case doesnot present a liberal-conservative dimension.

Courts (2) 5. The backgrounds of all Supreme Court justices generally

reflect ties with the upper social strata that rule thenation.

6. The style of judicial policy making contributes to thepower of the Supreme Court.

7. The hierarchical structure of the federal court system andthe Supreme Court contribute to their influence in thepolitical system.

8. The Court as ruler of the nation is an appropriatedescription for an institution that resolves key conflicts insociety and is not even elected.

PropagandaGovernmental elites may believethat their national policies are soconcrete that it is necessary to utilizevarious forms of propaganda toincite specific reactions from itscitizens. Various forms ofpropaganda have been utilized todrum up mass support to betterassure elite legitimacy. Cinemocracy,the relationship between motionpictures and government is one waygovernmental elites sell theiragenda. Enjoy this classic cartoon,“The Ducktators”.

The Ducktators

Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” (1)

Arguments against British rule in Common Sense:1. It is ridiculous and against natural law for an island to rule a

continent.2. Europe is unlikely to see peace for long and whenever a

war breaks out between England and a foreign power, thetrade of America would go to ruin due to the economicconnection.

3. It is no longer a "British nation"; it is composed ofinfluences from all of Europe.

4. Even if Britain was originally the "mother country" ofAmerica, that makes her current actions all the morehorrendous, for no true mother would harm her children sodeplorably.

Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” (2)

5. Remaining a part of Britain will drag America intounnecessary European wars, and keep it from theinternational commerce at which America excels.

6. That government is best that governs least. Societyrepresents all that is good about humanity, governmentrepresents all that is bad about it.

7. The distance between the two nations makes the lag incommunication time about a year for something to go roundtrip. If there was something wrong in the government, itwould take a year before the colonies would hear back.

Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” (3)

1. The New World was discovered shortly after theReformation. This was evidence for the Puritans that Godwanted to give them America as a safe haven free from thepersecution of British rule.

2. Criticizes the English Constitution, saying that the right forthe House of Commons to "check" the king is ridiculous, asthe king is given the right to rule by God, therefore, heneeds no "checking".