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137 views28 pagesChapter 7 American Studies
Uploaded by
Hieu Nguyen TrungCopyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF or read online on Scribd
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS IN THE UNITED STATES
A wise and frugal Government shall restain men from injuring one another, [and] shal
leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuls of industry and improvements
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)
What role do Americans think their government should play in their lives? How do
American values affect how the United States government functions?
States * 149
Government and Politics in the BEFORE YOU READ
Preview Vocabulary
A. Read the following sentences from the chapter and notice the words in
italics. These key AWL words will help you understand the chapter reading.
Use context clues to help you figure out the meanings. Then choose which
definition is best for the italicized word.
1. The way in which the national government is organized in the
USS. Constitution provides an excellent illustration of the American
suspicion of governmental power.
a, example that shows the truth very clearly
b. argument against an idea
2. The judicial branch both interprets the law and determines whether
the law is constitutional—that is, whether the law is permitted under
the U.S. Constitution.
a. explains
b. rejects
3. The Senate has certain powers over foreign treaties and military
actions.
a. relating to law
b, relating to war
—— 4. This requires the president to have “the advice and consent of the
Senate” before taking certain action on the international front.
a. permission to do something
b. acareful plan for action
5. The Bill of Rights guarantees the right of a fair criminal procedure for
those accused of breaking laws,
a. punishment
b, method
—— 6. Aftera series of legal challenges, the U.S. Supreme Court decided
about a month after the election that the Florida state legislature had
a right to stop recounting the ballots and certify the electoral votes.
a, events that are related and have a particular result
b. events that break the law and have consequences
_— 7. The Great Depression of the 1930s greatly weakened the
businessperson’s position as the American ideal of the free individual,
and big business lost respect.
a. a time when there was not much business activity and many
people had no jobs
b. a time when there was much corruption and greed among
business leaders
150 % Chopter7 —— 8. The widespread unemployment and other economic hardships of the
Depression gave rise to the assumption that individuals could not be
expected to rely solely on themselves in providing for their economic
security.
a, promise that something will happen in the future
b. belief (that you think is true although you have no proof)
—— 9. There is an ideological divide over the role and size of the national
government—Republicans have traditionally believed that big
government is not only inefficient, it also endangers individual rights
and freedoms, while Democrats have called for more government
regulation of financial institutions and corporate polluters and higher
‘taxes on upper income Americans to fund social programs.
a. based on a particular set of beliefs or ideas
b. based on historical differences
—— 10. Still, itis individuals, their rights, their interests, and their ambitions,
not those of the nation as a whole, that are the focus of attention,
a. the most important part
b, the most difficult part
There are four AWL words in the quotation by Thomas Jefferson at the
beginning of the chapter. Read the quotation and find the words with the
following meanings. Write each word next to its meaning.
1. acts of trying to get something
2, prevent someone from doing something
3, to control an activity by rules
4. hurting
Preview Content
A. Before you read, preview the chapter by looking at the illustrations and
reading the headings and the captions under the pictures. Work with a partner
and answer these questions.
1. Do you agree with the quotation by Thomas Jefferson? Paraphrase (rewrite)
the quotation in your own words.
2. In the United States, who has more power, the president or Congress? Why
do you think so?
3. What are the two major political parties in the United States? What is the
main difference in their beliefs?
(Government and Polities in the United % 151 B. Make a graphic organizer about government. Write the word government in
the center of a piece of paper: Then draw lines out from the center, as you
did on page 29. Write all the things you think a government should do for its
people.
government
C. Predict five topics that will be discussed in this chapter. Write your predictions
here.
1
2.
152% Chapter 7 A SUSPICION OF STRONG GOVERNMENT
1 The ideal of the free
individual has had a
profound effect on the
way Americans view
their government.
‘Traditionally, there has
been a deep suspicion
that government is,
the natural enemy of
freedom, even if itis
elected by the people.
‘The bigger and stronger
the government
becomes, the more
dangerous many
Americans believe it
is to their individual
freedom."
2 This suspicion of strong government goes
back to the men who led the American
Revolution in 1776. These men believed
the government of Great Rritain wanted
to discourage the freedom and economic
opportunities of the American colonists
by excessive taxes and other measures
that would ultimately benefit the British
aristocracy and monarchy. Thomas Paine,
the famous revolutionary writer, expressed
the view of other American revolutiontsts
when he said, "... Government even in
its best state is but a necessary evil; in its
‘worst state, an intolerable! one...”
The Organization of the American
Government.
3. The way in which the national
government is organized in the US.
Constitution provides an excellent
illustration of the American suspicion
of governmental power. The provisions
‘The Signing ofthe Declaration of Indapendence, a palning by John Trumbull
of the Constitution are more concerned
‘with keeping the government from doing
evil than with enabling it to do good.
The national government, for example, is
divided into three separate branches. This
division of governmental power is based
on the belief that if any one part or branch
of government has all, or even most of
the power, it will become a threat to the
freedom of individual citizens.
‘The legislative or lawmaking branch of
the government is called the Congress.
Congress has two houses—the Senate,
with two senators from each state
regardless of the size of its population,
and the House of Representatives, consisting
of a total of 435 representatives divided
among the fifty states by population. (In
the House, states with large populations
have more representatives than states with
small populations, while in the Senate,
each state has equal representation.) The
Its important to note that all 50 states have state governments, and within the states there are local governments at
the city and/or county level, all of which have their own laws, police, and court systems. According to the Constitution,
tates have all powers not given to the national (or federal) government. If there isa conflict between a state law and a
national law, the national law prevails.
‘intolerable: too difficult, bad, or armoying to acceptor deal with
‘Government and Politics in the United States * 153 president, or chief executive, heads the
executive branch, which has responsibility
to carry out the laws. The Supreme Court
and lower national courts make up the
Judictal branch. The judicial branch settles
disputes about the exact meaning of the
law through court cases. It both interprets
the law and determines whether the law is
constitutional—that is, whether the law is
permitted under the US. Constitution,
5 If any one of the three branches starts
to abuse? its power, the other two may
Join together to stop it, through a system
of checks and balances. The Constitution
is most careful in balancing the powers
of the legislative and executive branches
of the government because these two
(Congress and the president) are the most
powerful of the three branches. In almost
every important area of governmental
activity, such as the power to make laws,
to declare war, or to conclude treaties with
foreign countries, the Constitution gives
each of these two branches enough power
to prevent the other from acting on its
own.
6 Observers from other countries are
often confused by the American system.
‘The national government may seem to
speak with two conflicting voices, that
of the president and that of Congress.
For example, a treaty with a foreign
government signed by the president dies if
the Senate refuses to ratify it—that is, if the
Senate doesn't vote to accept it. The Senate
‘has certain powers over foreign treaties
and, with the House, military actions
This requires the president to have “the
advice and consent of the Senate” before
taking certain actions on the international
front. The Senate also must approve all the
members of the president's cabinet, such as
the Secretary of State and the Secretary of
Defense.
On the other hand, the president may
prevent a bill passed by Congress from
becoming law. When both houses of
Congress have agreed on a piece of
legislation or a resolution, itis sent to the
president. The president has ten days to
act, not counting Sundays. At that point,
there are four possibilities:
1. The president agrees with the bill, signs
it, and it becomes law.
2. The president disagrees with the bill,
vetoes it, and sends it back to the
‘Congress with his or her reasons for
refusing to sign it. If two-thirds of
both the House and the Senate vote to
override the president's veto, the bill
becomes law.
3. The president may take no action and
after ten days (not counting Sundays),
the bill becomes law without his
signature,
Ifthe Congress adjourns® before the
ten-day period is over, and the president
has neither signed nor vetoed the bill,
it is defeated. This is called a pocket veto.
Presidents sometimes do this with bills
they do not like but do not want to go
on record as having vetoed.
Although the American system of
divided governmental power strikes
many observers as inefficient and even
disorganized, most Americans still strongly
believe in it for two reasons: (1) It has been
able to meet the challenges of the past, and
(2) it gives strong protection to individual
freedoms.
In addition to dividing government powers
into three branches. the Constitution
includes a Bill of Rights that is designed
to protect specific individual rights and
freedoms from government interference.
Some of the guarantees in the Bill of
Rights concern the freedom of expression.
‘The government may not interfere with an
individual's freedom of speech or freedom.
abuse: to deliberately use power or authority for the wrong purpose
2adjourns: stops meeting fora short time
154 % Chopter7 of religious worship, or the right to
assemble (get together). The Bill of Rights
also guarantees the right of a fair criminal
procedure for those accused of breaking
laws. These rights are sometimes called
“due process.” They include provisions
that someone accused of a crime must be
charged with the crime and is presumed
innocent until proven guilty. The accused
has the right to an attorney, and there
must be a trial declaring someone guilty
before punishment is given. Thus, the
Bill of Rights is another statement of the
American belief in the importance of
individual freedom.
The Election of the President and the
Congress
10. The president and both houses of
Congress have almost complete
political independence from each other
because they are all chosen in separate
elections. For example, the election
of the Congress does not determine
‘who will be elected president, and the
presidential election does not determine
who will be elected to either house of
Congress. This system is quite different
from the way a parliamentary system of
government chooses a prime minister.
Another difference is that there are only
two important political parties in the
United States: the Democrats, who are
traditionally liberal or progressive, and the
Republicans, who are more conservative.
In parliamentary systems, there may be a
number of significant political parties that
must agree to form a government, while
in the United States this is not the case.
‘The president, the representatives, and the
senators are all chosen by the American
citizens in elections.
11 Because the elections of the president and
members of the two houses of Congress
12
13
are separate from each other, it is quite
possible in the American system to have
the leader of one political party win the
presidency while the other major political
party wins a majority of the seats in
Congress. Thus, the Republicans may
control one house, while the Democrats
may control the other. During the late
1900s, while most of the presidents
were Republican, the Democrats often
controlled one or both of the houses of
Congress. In 1994, the reverse happened:
While Bill Clinton, a Democrat, was
president, the Republicans won control
of both the House of Representatives and
the Senate. Then in the early 2000s, for a
time, the Republican Party controlled the
presidency (George W. Bush) and both
houses of Congress. The presidency of
Barack Obama (a Democrat) has again
seen divided government; after the first
‘two years, in both of his terms the House
‘was controlled by the Republicans, and the
Senate was controlled by Democrats.
In order to understand what is happening
in Washington, it is important to know
not only the party of the president, but
also which parties control the House
and the Senate. Because both the House
of Representatives and the Senate must
agree on all legislation before it gues to de
president, legislation may pass one house
but be blocked in the other. Furthermore,
the party in control of the House or
Senate has the potential of changing every
two years. Members of the House of
Representatives are elected for two-year
terms, while senators serve six-year terms,
‘The Senate terms are staggered’ so that
only one-third of the senators run for re-
election each time the House elections are
held, every two years.
Presidential elections are held every four
years, on the first Tuesday in November.
“staggered: arranged so that their terms of office (time serving as a senator or representative) do not all begin and end at
the same time
Government and Poltcs in the United States & 155 ‘When the Constitution was written, the
founding fathers had a disagreement about
how the president should be elected, Some
did not want the members of Congress
to choose the president, and others were
afraid to leave the choice entirely to the
voters. The result was a compromise—the
electoral college, a system for indirectly
electing the president. The system persists
today. In presidential elections, people
are actually voting for representatives
called electors, and it is these electors who
officially choose the president. With the
electoral college system, the winner of the
plurality® (the highest number) of each
state's popular votes gets all of that state's
electoral votes, in most cases. (There are
several exceptions.) The number af each
state's electoral votes is equal to the total
number of their representatives in the
House and the Senate. Though the number
of electoral votes varies according to each
state's population, it is stil possible for
a person to be elected president without
getting the highest number of the popular,
or individual, votes.
14 Although Americans were aware of the
electoral college system, the average voter
did not give it much thought until the
election of 2000. There had been only
three previous instances of presidents
ever losing the popular vote but winning
the electoral vote, and it seemed a remote
possibility. The last time it had happened
was in 1888, when Benjamin Harrison
won the presidency, even though Grover
Cleveland had the majority of popular
votes. All through the 1900s, the presidents
who were elected had won at least a
plurality, (the highest number of the
popular votes), in addition to winning the
electoral votes. However, in the election of
2000, Al Gore, the Democratic candidate,
won more popular votes than George W.
Bush, the Republican candidate, but Bush
‘won the most electoral votes and became
president. (In the 2004 election between
George W. Bush and John Kerry, the
electoral college was not an issue, because
Bush won both the popular vote aud the
electoral vote)
15 The result of the election of 2000 sent
shock waves through the American
political system. One reason was that the
vote was incredibly close, and several
states had to count their votes a second
time, The state with the most controversial
results was Florida, where the governor
of the state was Jeb Bush, George W.
Bush's brother. Although Gore had won
the popular vote nationwide, whoever
‘won the twenty-five Florida electoral votes
‘would win the election. The recounts of
the votes in Florida showed Bush winning
by fewer than 1,000 votes out of almost
six million votes cast. After a series of
legal challenges, the US. Supreme Court
decided about a month after the election
that the Florida state legislature had the
right to stop recounting the ballots and
certify the electoral votes. The Supreme
Court ruled that a state has the ultimate
right to determine how its electors are
chosen.
The Ideal of the Free Individual
46 In the late 1700s, most Americans
expected the new national government
created by the Constitution to leave them
alone to pursue their individual goals.
‘They believed the central purpose of
government was to create the conditions
most favorable to the development of the
free individual.
17. Before the Civil War of the 1860s, the
American ideal of the free individual was
the frontier settler and the small farmer.
President Thomas Jefferson expressed this
ideal when he said, “hose who labor in
$ plurality: the number of votes received by the winning person in an election where there are thee or more people trying,
tobe elected
156 & Chapter 7 the earth are the chosen people of God, if
ever he had a chosen people. ....” Jefferson
glorified farmers for being free individuals
who relied on no one but themselves for
their daily needs, Reing dependent on none
but themselves, farmers, he believed, were
the most honest of citizens, Throughout
his life Jefferson favored a small, weak
form of government, which he believed
would encourage the development of a
nation of free, self-reliant farmer citizens.
18 From the end of the Civil War until
the Great Depression of the 1930s, the
successful businessperson replaced the
farmer and the frontier settler as the
ideal expression of the free individual.
The prevailing view of Americans was
that government should not interfere
in business. If it were to do so, it would
threaten the development of free
individuals whose competitive spirit, self-
reliance, and hard work were developing
the United States into a land of greater and
greater material prosperity.
19 Government, therefore, remained small
and inactive in relation to the great size
of the nation and the amount of power
held by business corporations. Some
government regulations were in place
during this period, but these had only
a small impact on business practices.
From the 1870s until the 1930s, business
organizations and ideas dominated
American government and politics. During
much of this time, the Republican Party
‘was in power, and it strongly supported
these policies.
The Development of Big Government
20 Traditionally, Republicans have favored
letting businesses compete with little
or no government regulation: Let the
free enterprise system regulate itself
in the marketplace. On the other hand,
Democrats have traditionally favored using
a4
2B
government to regulate businesses, protect
consumers and workers, and also to solve
social problems. Not surprisingly, it was a
‘Democratic president who presided over
the creation of “big government.”
‘The Great Depression of the 1930s
greatly weakened the businessperson’s
position as the American ideal of the free
individual, and big business lost respect.
‘The Depression also created the need for
emergency government action to help the
needy on a scale never before seen in the
‘United States in peacetime. As a result, the
idea that government should be small and
inactive was largely abandoned. Moreover,
the ideal of the free individual underwent
some very important changes.
‘The widespread unemployment and other
economic hardships of the Depression
gave rise to the new assumption® that
individuals could not be expected to
rely solely on themselves in providing
for their economic security. This new
assumption, in turn, led to a large and
active role for the national government
in helping individuals meet their daily
needs. The Democratic Party, led by
President Franklin Roosevelt, brought
about a number of changes in the 1930s,
which he referred to as a “New Deal” for
Americans.
Even with the return of prosperity after
‘the Depression and World War II (1941—
1945), the growth of government's role in
helping to provide economic security for
individuals did not end. It continued in
(he prosperous postwar years, aud il was
greatly expanded during the presidency
of another Democrat, Lyndon Johnson,
in the 1960s. Roosevelt's New Deal grew
into what some saw as a permanent
“welfare state” that provided payments
for retired persons, government checks
for the unemployed, support for families
“assumption: something you think is true although you have no proof
Government and Poltics inthe United States *& 157 with dependent children and no father to
provide income, health care for the poor
and the elderly, and other government
benefits. Johnson called the new welfare
programs “The Great Socicty.”
The Controversy over Entitlements
24 The development of big government, and
the establishment of government social
programs, is not without controversy.
On the one hand, some Americans fear
that economic security provided by the
government will weaken self-reliance, an
ideal that is closely associated in the minds
of Americans with individual freedom. At
‘worst, it presents a danger to individual
freedom by making an increasing
number of Americans dependent on the
government instead of on themselves.
In this way, the strong traditions of
individualism and self-reliance have
made Americans less accepting of social
programs than the citizens of other
democracies such as those in Western
Europe, which have more extensive social
programs than those of the United States.
25 A Pew Research study reveals the contrast
between European and American attitudes:
WHICH Is More IMPORTANT
Nobody rredom to pursue
inneed life's goals
Cie
- no
American opinions continue to differ
considerably rom those of Western
Europeans when it comes to views of
individualism and the role ofthe stale
Nearly sicimten (58%) Americans believe
Britain
Germany
France
158 % Chapter 7
it is more important for everyone to be
free fo pursue their life's goals without
interference fom the slate, while just 36%
say it is more important for the state to play
an active role in society so as to guarantee
that nobody is in need.
26 Americans generally are not in favor of
European-style socialism that guarantees
benefits for all who are needy. Indeed,
some consider socialism a potentially
dangerous, foreign economic system. Some
conservatives have accused President
Obama of being a socialist for some of his
liberal stands. On the other hand, most
Americans believe that their national,
government should provide some kind
of “safety net” to take care of people in
certain circumstances such as temporary
Joss of employment, damages from a
natural disaster such as a hurricane, and of
course retirement. It is interesting that the
term for these benefits has changed. We
used to make a distinction between welfare
benefits and entitlements. Programs such
as uneuploysnent benefits, food staiups,
and Medicaid (health care for the poor),
were known as “welfare.” Social Security
and Medicare (health care for the retired)
‘were seen as “entitlements,” because
‘working Americans and their employers
pay into these systems. Therefore, when
workers retire, they consider that they have
paid for these benefits and they are entitled
to them. Now the term welfare is almost
never used, and all these government
benefits are referred to as entitlements.
27 While most Americans would believe
that the national government should
provide them with some support, if
they should need it, they may disagree
about how much support and for how
long. Democrats generally favor more
generous support from the government
than Republicans do. Republicans believe
ina smaller role for the government
and a greater emphasis on individual
responsibility. During the 2012 election, 28
29
Republican presidential candidate Mitt
Romney was overheard saying that 47
percent of Americans were dependent on
government support and saw themselves
as victims who could not take care of
themselves
30
There ore 47 percent of the people who
will vole for the president no matier what
. who are dependent ypon government,
who believe that they ore victims.
These are people who pay no income
tox... and so my job is not to worry
about those people. Il never convince
them that they should take personal
responsibilty and care for their lives.
In fact, about half of all American
households have someone who receives
some aid from the federal gnverament 31
However, this number includes people
who are retired and are receiving Social
Security and Medicare benefits, now about
14 percent of the population, plus another
2 percent who are receiving other Social
Security benefits. Most Americans believe
that they have earned the right to having
Social Security and Medicare when they
retire, but the problem is that these benefits
now take about one-third of the federal
budget.
‘As the population ages, there are fewer
younger workers and their employers
paying Social Security taxes into the
system, and more retired workers taking
‘money out. Americans are living longer
in retirement, and their medical expenses
are rising. Because older Americans are
more likely than young people to vote,
politicians pay particular attention to their
needs. They want the older Americans’
votes. However, as budget deficits? grow,
the reality is that some adjustments to
all entitlements are likely to be needed,
including Social Security and Medicare.
The Role of Special Interest Groups
Over time, practically all social and
economic classes of Americans have
seen the need to take advantage of, or
to protect themselves from, the actions
of government, especially the national
government. To accomplish this, Americans
‘with similar interests have formed
special interest groups to more effectively
influence the actions of government. These
special interest groups are often called
“lobbying? groups” or “pressure groups.”
Although lobbying groups have existed
throughout the nation’s history, they have
grown significantly in both numbers and
power since the late 1900s.
‘The National Rifle Association (mentioned
in Chapter 4) is an example of a powerful
and effective lobby. Its members are mostly
people who own guns for hunting, target
practice, and personal protection. The
NRA, however, receives a great deal of
money from business corporations that
manufacture guns. Because of the attitudes
and interests of its members, the NRA
strongly opposes almost all government
restrictions on the sale of all handguns,
rifles, shotguns, and even semi-automatic
and assault weapons. Even though most of
the general public favors some gun control
measures, the NRA has always been able
to block the passage of most gun-control
legislation. (See poll on page 167.)
? deficit: the difference between the amount of money that a government spends and the amount that it takes in from
taxes and other activities
“lobbying: trying to influence the government or someone with political power so that they make laws favorable to you
Government and Politics in the United States & 159 GUN RIGHTS PROPONENTS
Moke POLITICALLY ACTIVE
“nog ths who prize
Wi units Gunconzl
Cote money oan
cageizaton tht les a
poston on gn pay
Contacte pub
‘ofl to expres
epinn ong paley
Eoreeal soi an
icy on a socal neto
Fike Facebook orwiter NNN 15
Signed a petition IH 12
on gun policy 40
Fierce
eiommeenith
a
Soc ev asc ater
32. Those who are concerned about the
right to own guns are more likely to be
politically active, The public sees both
parties as being supportive of their views
on gun control/gun rights—conservative
Republicans are more concerned about
their right to own guns, and liberal
Democrats are more likely to favor stricter
‘gun control laws.
Incerest groups representa variety of populations inthe United States
160 % Chapter 7
33. Although few interest groups have been as
successful as the NRA, most well-organized
interest groups have achieved a large
measure of success. By organizing into
groups which put pressure on government
officials, people can gain more rewards and
avoid more government restrictions than if
they tried to do it as individuals.
34 With this principle in mind, business interest
groups have multiplied in recent decades so
that most major trades, businesses, aud event
professions have their lobbyists in Washington.
‘There are influential lobbies representing
labor unions, farm groups, teachers, doctors,
lawyers, and specific industries such as oil and
natural gas, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology.
Interest groups representing ethnic groups
such as African Americans, Native Americans,
‘Mexican Americans, and Jewish Americans
have also expanded. There are also interest
‘groups representing a variety of ideals or causes
that want government support. These include
groups pressing for a clean environment
and those promoting greater protection for
consumers. As one congressman exclaimed,
“Everybody in America has a lobby!”
35. The political tendency of recent decades is
for the size of the
government to bring
about an increase in the
number and size of
interest groups, and for
the greater demands
made on the government
by interest groups to
increase the size of the
government, Groups
such as the AARP
(American Association
of Retired Persons)
not only demand new
government programs,
regulations, and benefits
for their members, they
also strongly resist any attempts to reduce existing programs that they
believe protect their interests, such as Social
Security and Medicare, The result of this
continuing cycle can be referred to as “interest
group government.” No single interest
dominates government and politics as business
groups did before the Great Depression.
Instead, government and politics are based on
reaching compromises with a large number of
groups and pleasing as many as possible.
The New Individualism: Interest-Group
Government
36. Interest-group government can be seen
as expressing a new form of American
individualism. Unlike the old frontier or
business individualism, individuals do not
claim to succeed on their own, but rather by
forming groups to influence the government.
Still itis individuals, their rights, their
interests, and their ambitions, not those of the
nation as a whole, that are the focus of their
attention. The interest group is no more than
a tool to achieve the goals of the individual
by influencing the government.
37 Although many Americans have benefited
in some way from government-sponsored
programs, some experts believe that
interest-group government is harmful to
the United States. The effect on politicians
is enormous, First, interest groups often
focus on one issue that is more important to
their members than all others. For example,
some people feel very strongly that abortion
should not be legal in the United States.
They may choose to vote for candidates
primarily because of their stand on the
abortion issue. Generally, because their
members feel so strongly, lobby groups are
able to promise that their members will
vote for a candidate if he or she promises to
support their issue once elected. The NRA
gives members of Congress grades for their
voting record on gun control, and it has
been particularly effective in re-electing or
defeating senators and representatives.
38 Second, members of special interest groups
contribute large sums of money to election
campaigns. Because candidates must rely
mostly on private, not public, funding, they
are often forced to depend on special interest
groups for their campaign funds. Candidates
at all levels of government—national, state,
and local—miust spend enormous amounts of
their time raising funds for their re-election.
For example, because members of the House
of Representatives are elected every two
years, they engage in continual fundraising,
Senators and presidential candidates are also
pressured. The situation has become so bad
that many people are agreeing with the
statement, “We have the best government
that money can buy!" There have been
efforts to reform the system. but the
‘Supreme Court's Citizens United decision in
2010 ruled that corporations, individuals, and
labor unions could make unlimited
contributions to political campaigns through.
‘Super PACs (Political Action Committees).
In the presidential election of 2012, Super
PACS speut over $524 million, according
to the Federal Election Commission.
The Political Landscape in the 2000s: Red
States vs. Blue States
39 In reporting the results of presidential
elections, TV news reports show the map of
the United States with red states (awarding
the state's electoral votes to the Republican
candidate), and blue states (giving the
electoral votes to the Democratic candidate).
These colors have come to symbolize the
deep divisions in America. In Obama's
first national speech at the Democratic
‘Convention in 2004, he offered his vision
of a country where we are not red states or
blue states—we are one people—the United
States of America. But the divisions persist.
40. In Barack Obama and the New America:
The 2012 Election and the Changing Face
of Politics, Alan Abramowitz says the
American voters are strongly divided
‘Government and Politics in the United Sicies *& 161 at
along party lines, In an unusually partisan
election, over 90 percent of the Democrats
voted for Obama, and over 90 percent of
the Republicans voted for Romney. Even
the Independents, now about one-third of
the electorate, were split 50/50 Obama/
Romney. Also, more than 90 percent
of voters chose their House or Senate
representatives according to their party.
Abramowitz says that this unusual degree
of party loyalty reflects the deep divisions
in American society:
A close examination of the voling patterns
in 2012 demonstrates the existence of
three mojor divisions between Democrais
ane Republcanso racial dds behween
«@ Democratic Party increasin. nt
peewee
overwhelmingly white Republican Party, an
ideological divide over the role and size
of government, and a cultural divide over
values, morality, and lifestyle.
First, the racial divide, Barack Obama's
‘winning the presidency in 2008 was
truly a historical event. For the first time
ever, the United States had an African-
American president. The Democrats had
42
* fluke: something that only happens because of chance or luck
162 % Chopter 7
eee
ve
NH,
M
ot
NL
ot
‘MO,
oe
traditionally had more support from non-
white Americans than the Republicans,
but this election brought people of all
races together behind a candidate that
promised “hope and change"—an America
where the ultimate American Dream could
come true. Some believed that it was a
fluke,’ something that happens only by
chance or luck. But Obama captured the
imagination of millions of Americans.
‘Young voters were energized for the
first time since the anti-war movements
of the 1960s and early 1970s, and also
for the first time, social media played an
important role, Obama built a grass-roots
organization where his campaigners came
to know potential voters personally, and
many Americans felt like they were part
of history. Well over a million people stood
outside in the freezing weather on the
Washington, DC, Mall in January, 2009,
to watch Obama's inauguration on huge
‘TV screens.
Obama’s re-election in 2012 proved that
his winning in 2008 was not a uke.
Obama lost a number of white voters, but his coalition of non-white PERCENTAGE OF EACH STATE'S POPULATION THAT
voters held. By 2012, 28 AFFILIATES WITH EVANGELICAL PROTESTANT TRADITION
percent of the voting public
were non-white: African
Americans, Hispanics,
Asian Americans, and other
non-white. Republicans
were greatly surprised by
‘Obama's victory and realized
that it reflected a new
reality in the United States: oe
In spirit, the country has na
already become the multi- 21-30
racial, multicultural country tee
the demographers predicted 35
for 2050. We do not have to *--~* Source: Pen Research Center oe
‘wait thirty or forty years to
see the political effects of being a majority- and environmental regulations; and the
minority country—the demographic repeal of the Obama health care law,
shift is already affecting elections. The while cutting taxes on upper income
Republican Party is in search of a new households and corporations. Obama and
direction. Because the Republican Party ‘the Democrats called for more government
‘hopes to attract new voters, it will have to regulation of financial institutions and
appeal to Hispanics, African Americans, corporate polluters, higher taxes on
Asian Americans, aud other nuu-white ‘upper income Americans to fund social
voters. The color of the electoral map is programs, and full implementation of the
also changing, as Democratic Hispanic ‘new health care law.
populations in states such as New Mexico,
Colorado, and Nevada are starting to turn
these red states blue.
44 Third, the cultural divide over values,
‘morality, and lifestyles. Republicans have
increasingly built an alliance with religious
Second, the ideological divide over the conservatives of all faiths, particularly
role and size of the national government. evangelical Christians. Republicans have
Republicans have traditionally believed become associated with traditional values
that big government is not only inefficient, and lifestyles, such as limiting access to
it also endangers individual rights abortions and opposition to gay marriage
and freedoms. In 2012, the Tea Party* and other rights for homosexuals. They
pushed the Republican Party more to the have also been against some birth control
very conservative right, insisting that methods, including the “morning after”
government spending is the cause of pill. In the meantime, the Democratic
all economic problems and demanding Party has moved further left on these
severe budget cuts. Romney campaigned issues. Obama allowed gays to serve
on a plan to reduce huge budget deficits openly in the military, and he called for
through significant cuts in social programs; _gays' right to marry and other minority
the elimination of many health, safety, rights in his second inaugural address.
The Tea Party i a very conservative grass-roots movement originally organized by people who were worried about
growing government debe (the artount of money owed). The name refers o the Boston Tea Party when American
‘Colonists threw tea into the Boston Harbor to protest the British tax on tea
Government and Polties in the United Stotes %& 163 45. The country as a whole has become
‘more liberal on these social issues, with a
majority now favoring gay marriage and
the right to abortion in early months of a
pregnancy. Most young people are more
liberal and less religious than their parents,
so the demographics favor the Democrats
in the future. Other lifestyle differences
include the legalization of marijuana
and the passage of laws recognizing gay
marriage in a number of states. A look
at the red state/blue state map shows
the Democratic strength in the liberal
Northeast and West coast states and the
big cities, while Republicans find their
supporters in the more conservative South
and in rural areas.
Finding the Way Forward
46 Both the Republicans and the Democrats,
truly believe that they have the roadmap
that will lead the United States to a
safe and prosperous future. Republicans
believe the country’s economic difficulties
are due to a spending problem, while
Democrats believe it is an income problem.
Republicans believe that dependence on
entitlements seriously weakens individual
freedom and responsibility. They believe
that Americans are living beyond their
means, borrowing money they need to
run a larger and larger government, and
creating a terrible financial burden for
their children and grandchildren.
47, Democrats are concerned about the
widening gap between those who are very,
very wealthy and those who are very, very
poor. They believe that the government
can protect individual freedom by
passing laws that ensure equal access to
health care and jobs for all Americans,
and by showing the way forward with
government programs that will engage
private businesses in conperative projects
to rebuild needed infrastructure, roads and
bridges, and create partnerships between
164 4 Chapter 7
48
49
schools and businesses to provide the
educated workforce of the future,
‘In Our Divided Political Heart: The Battle for
the American Idea in an Age of Discontent,
EJ. Dionne, Jr. urges Americans to look
back at their history to understand who
they are as a people. They must recognize
that from the beginning, Americans have
lived with a tension between two core
values: their love of individualism and
their respect for community. These two.
values work together to give the nation
balance, and both values interact with the
important value of equality.
‘Obama has spoken about this need for
balance between the individualism of
private business and the community of
common government:
From our first days as a nation, we have
put our faith in free markets and free
ont as the engine of Americas
wealth and prosperity. More than citizens
of any other county, we are rugged
Individvalists, selfreliant people with o
healihy skepticism of foo much government.
But there has always been another thread
running throughout our history—a belief
that we are all connecled; and that there
are some things we can only do together,
as a nation. The America | know is
generous and compassionate; a kand
of opporiunily and optimism. We take
responsibilty for ourselves and each other;
for the couniry we wan! and the future we
share.
‘Obama is expressing a belief in the role
traditional American values play in the
nation and its government. The twenty-
first century will continue to offer
challenges to the United States citizens and
its government leaders. Hopefully, the six
basic cultural values—individual freedom,
self-reliance, equality of opportunity,
competition, material wealth, and hard
work will continue to guide and direct the
United States and its people in the future. AFTER YOU READ
Understand Main Ideas
Check the predictions you made on page 152 before reading the chapter. Next to
‘each of your predictions, write the number of the paragraph where you found the
information you predicted.
Work with a partner and answer these questions about main ideas from each
section of the chapter. Skim the sections for the main ideas if you do not
remember them.
1.
2.
10,
A Suspicion of Strong Government: Why are Americans suspicious of a strong
government?
The Organization of the American Government: What are the four possible
things that can happen once Congress sends a bill to the president?
The Election of the President and the Congress: What is the Electoral College?
How does it work?
‘The Ideal of the Free Individual: What effect did the two tdeals of the free
individual have on the development of the government before the Great
Depression of the 1930s? Why?
The Development of Big Government: What major effect did the Great
Depression have on the government?
The Controversy over Entitlements: What are entitlements and why are they
controversial?
The Role of Special Interest Groups: What are special interest groups? Why are
they formed and whom do they represent?
The New Individualism: Interest-Group Government: How do special interest
groups affect how the government operates?
The Political Landscape in the 2000s: Red States vs. Blue States: What are the
traditional beliefs of the Republican and the Democratic parties? What are
three important differences?
Finding the Way Forward: What do the two political parties believe should
happen in the future? What is the balance needed between their two
ideologies?
Understand Details
Write the letter of the best answer according to the information in the chapter.
1. Americans do not want to have a strong national government because
a. they are afraid of their political leaders.
b. they are afraid it will put limits on their individual freedom.
. they are much more concerned with national glory.
2. The Constitution of the United States
a. gives by far the most power to Congress.
b. gives by far the most power to the president.
¢. tries to give each branch enough power to balance the others.
ad Polics in the United Stotes 165 10.
166 % Chapler7
‘The president of the United States
a. has the power to make official treaties with foreign governments
without the approval of Congress.
b. can veto a law that has been passed by Congress.
¢, is elected if his political party wins most of the seats in Congress,
‘The Bill of Rights
a. explains the rights of Congress and the rights of the president,
b. guarantees citizens of the United States specific individual rights
and freedoms.
. is part of the Declaration of Independence.
. The American ideal of the free individual
a, was exemplified by the farmers and the frontier settlers in the late
1700s and early 1800s.
, was exemplified by the businessman before the Civil War of the
18605.
c. caused the national government to grow in size and strength
during the late 1800s,
. The number of electoral votes a candidate receives
a, is determined by who wins the total popular vote nationwide.
b. is determined by the electoral votes of the states the candidate
wins.
c. isequal to the number of seats each state has in the House of
Representatives.
Which of these statements ts true about the 2000 presidential
election?
a, George W. Bush became president in 2000 because he won a
plurality of votes nationwide.
b. The Supreme Court played a major role in the 2000 election.
c. Jeb Bush played an important role in the election because he was
governor of California.
Stronger gun-control laws are favored by
a. the National Rifle Association.
b. most of the American people.
c. very few Americans.
Which statement about lobby groups is not true?
a. They have become less powerful in recent years.
b. They try to influence the government and public opinion.
c. They have caused the government to get larger.
‘Which statement about the traditional beliefs of the political parties
is false?
a. The Democrats believe that government should play a major role
in solving society’s problems.
b. The Republicans believe that business and the free market can
solve society’s problems.
c. The Republicans and the Democrats basically agree about the role
of government and they have the same political beliefs. Talk About It
Work in small groups and choose one or more of these questions to discuss.
1. How is the government of your country organized? Which system do you
think works better, one that has separate elections for the different branches
and divides the power, ora parliamentary system? Why?
What personal qualities do you think political leaders should have? What
kind of leader do you admire?
3. How do lobby groups affect the operation of a government? Who do you
think is more trustworthy—business or government leaders?
4, Lookat the following poll about gun control policy proposals in the United
States. Why do you think its so difficult for Americans to agree on what
gun control policy should be? What are the limits on gun ownership in your
country? Compare the policies in your country with what is proposed in the
United States.
x
BRoab Pustic SuPPoRT FOR MANY
GUN Pouicy PROPOSALS.
Oppose | Favor
a
atts
‘Prevesting people with mental 16%
a
irons
ve ES
=
‘Ban on high-capacity
ammunition clips Be
sacxoe
oe
sein
nampa
Source: Pow Recoareh Center Jan. 8-13, 2073.
Government and Politics in the United States x 167 SKILL BUILDING
Improve Your Reading Skills: Note Taking
Fill in this graphic organizer with information about how the USS. government is
organized. Take notes about each branch and fill in the boxes with your notes.
First, write the names of the three branches of government. Then write who
the people are in each branch. Finally, write what the responsibilities are for each
branch. When you have finished, share your notes with a partner.
BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT
Branch People Responsibilities
Executive
Cabinet
Congress, Enact laws,
Senate and
100
435
Supreme Court
2 Justices:
Note: There are many possible
responses for responsibilities.
168 % Chapter 7 Develop Your Critical Thinking Skills
One of the sections in this chapter is The Controversy over Entitlements. Reread
that section and think about why there is a controversy aver entitlements in the United
States. Then consider this: The Pew Research Center asked Americans if they had ever
received any of six different government benefits or services. They found that 27% had
received unemployment benefits, 26% had received Social Security, 22% had received
Medicare, and 8% had received welfare benefits. Pew then studied different demographic
_groups and reported on how many benefits each group had received. The results are in
the chart that follows.
ToTAL NUMBER OF BENEFITS RECEIVED
BY SELECTED DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS
‘in each group who received esch rumber of government benefits
in their lifetimes
No | One | Two | Three
Benefits | Benefit | Benefits | or More
all 45 2B ” 15
Men 51 2B 6 2
‘Women 3 2 19 19
Wiite “ 2 19 4
Black 36 2 a 7
Hispanic 50 2 2 "
Republican 48 a 19 2
Democrat 0 2 ” 0
Independent a a 7 "
Family income
-<$30,000 30 24 a 2»
$30-49,999 4 a a 15
$50-99,999 37 26 n 6
$100,000 a 2 10 4
‘Community type
Rural 38 2 2 20
Suburban 47 2B 16 4
Urban 46 2 7 14
‘Note: Based on total sample N = 2511. Whites an blacks includ only
nom-Hspanics. Hispanics are of any race. “Don't knowiRefused” responses
not shown,
Government and Politics in the United States * 169 Work with a partner to use information from these different sources—the
chapter section and the poll—to make generalizations about who is most likely
to receive government benefits in the United States. Be sure your generalizations
\clude all the demographic categories: sex, race, political party, family income,
and community type. Take notes, and then share your findings with another pair
of students. Include answers to these questions:
Who is more likely to receive more than one benefit: a man or a woman?
Who is more likely to receive benefits: someone living in a city or someone
living in a rural area?
What impact do you think age has on who is likely to receive benefits?
+ What impact does income have on who is li
What is the relationship between the positions that the Republican Party and
the Democratic Party have on entitlements and the people who are actually
receiving them?
ly to receive benefits?
Build Your Vocabulary
More AWL Words
TTest your knowledge of these AWL words by matching the words and definitions.
—— Larea a. ina noticeable or important way
—— 2. challenge b, a particular subject or range of activities
—— 3. conclude c. existing or happening in many places or
situations
— 4. core 4. basic structures or systems a country needs
—— 5. considerably. a length of time with a beginning and an end
—— 6. grades £. something that tests strength, skill, or ability
—— 7. impact & particular
—— 8. infrastructure _h. the most important or central part
—— 9. period i, to continue doing something, even though it is
difficult
—— 10. persist j. happening before
—— 11. previous k, the effect or influence that an event has on
something
—— 12. specific 1. marks (numbers or letters) that show how well
you have done
_— 13. widespread _m. to complete successfully
170 % Chapter 7 Fill in the blanks with the correct words to complete these sentences:
1, EJ. Dionne, Jr,, urges Americans to look back at their history to understand
who they are as a people. They must recognize that from the beginning,
Americans have lived with a tension between two
values: their love of individualism and their respect for community.
2. The NRA gives members of Congress, for their voting
record on gun control, and it has been particularly effective in re-clecting or
defeating senators and representatives.
3. Republicans believe that the government can protect individual freedom,
by passing laws that ensure equal access to health care and jobs for all
Americans, and by showing the way forward with government programs
that will engage private businesses in cooperative projects to rebuild needed
toads and bridges, and create partnerships between
schools and businesses to provide the educated workforce of the future.
4, Some government regulations were in place during this period, but these had
onlyasmall___ on business practices.
5. Inalmost every important of governmental activity,
such as the power to make laws, to declare war, or to
treaties with foreign countries, the Constitution gives each of these two
branches enough power to prevent the other from acting on its own.
Which Word Doesn't Belong?
This chapter contains a number of words that have to do with government and
politics. Look at each group of words, and decide which one does not belong with
the boldfaced word. Circle the words that do not belong. Then, on a separate
piece of paper, use each one in a sentence.
Exampte: parties: Republican, Democrat
1. executive branch: president, cabinet, bureaucracy, Congress, policy, veto
2. legislative branch: Congress, Supreme Court, Senate, House of
Representatives, bill
3. judicial branch: national courts, Supreme Court, judges, vice president
Government and Politics in the United States %* 171 4, elections: candidate, vote, veto, plurality, electoral college, convention
5. politics: party, campaign, lobby, fund-raisers, strategy, Bill of Rights
Collocations
This chapter contains many verb + noun object collocations. Read the sentences
below. Fill in the blanks with the missing nouns to complete the collocations.
ballots bill disputes law tem ‘realy
1, The Supreme Court both interprets a and determines
whether it is constitutional.
2, The president may veto a he doesn’t like and send it
back to Congress.
3. The Senate has to ratify a that the president has signed.
4. Ifan election is very close, a candidate may request that the officials recount
the.
5. The president serves a of four years.
6. The judicial branch settles about the exact meaning of
the law through court cases.
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Group Project
Work in a small group to create the profile of a perfect candidate for public office.
+ First decide what office your candidate is running for.
+ Then describe what the person would look like (female or male, age,
appearance) and what qualifications he or she would have.
+ Think about how you would run the campaign.
+ What kinds of advertisements would you create? What activities and
appearances would you have?
+ Make poster for your candidate, perhaps with a collage of pictures that
illustrate the issues your candidate is supporting in the campaign. Look on
the Internet or in newspapers and magazines for ideas.
+ When you have finished, present your candidate to the rest of the class.
172% Chopter7 Ask Yourself / Ask Americans
Who do you trust? Look at the list below, and put a check next to the people you
would trust. Put two checks next to your top three choices. Share your list with a
group of classmates. Then compare your opinions with the poll results that follow.
Advertising practitioners Journalists
Bankers Lawyers
Business executives Medical doctors
Car salespeople Members of Congress
Chiropractors Nurses
Clergy Pharmacists
College teachers Police officers
Dentists Psychiatrists
Engineers Senators
HMO Managers State governors
Insurance salespeople Stockbrokers
HONESTY/ETHICS IN PROFESSIONS
Pease tell me how you woud rat the honesty and ethical standard of people
in these ferent flds—very high high average, lw or very low?
ee a 25
i Ts
