U.S. Political Culture May 8, 2006

Who is this?

George Washington

Colonial Life Under British control for 100+ years Property, free religion & other rights Had about 4 million non-natives

“Rugged Individualism” Success in life is pretty much determined by forces outside of your control (% Disagree)

“It is the responsibility [of the state] to take care of very poor people who cannot take care of themselves,” % Agree

It’s a Small Welfare State After All Low spending… Low taxes…

Colonial Life Was there an ethos of the “frontier” There were “no cats in America.”

Constitution

Constitutional Design Article I: Legislative Article II: Executive Article III: Judicial 6 other articles Only 8,000 words!

Checks & Balances (Separation of Powers)

1 Federal Government 50 State Governments 550 Federally-Recognized Indian Tribes 3,043 County Governments 19,279 Municipal Governments 14,422 School Districts 16,656 Townships and Towns 31,555 “Special Districts” Federalism in the US

Anyone care to guess how many people hold elected office in the United States?

Ohio Congressional Districts

Changing Locations of “Government”

The Size of the Election Reform Problem 1.4 million poll workers 700,000 voting machines 200,000 polling places 7,000 + election-district jurisdictions 3,000 + counties Each state with different rules F ederalism

Who are the Partisans? Democrats Minorities esp. blacks Least and most educated Lowest income Northeast Single and female Unionized Jewish and nonreligious Liberal Republicans White Higher incomes Married with children South Male Protestant and religious Conservative

U.S. Voter Turnout is Low

Why Two Parties?

Minor Parties in U.S. History

Denmark -- Proportional Representation

U.S. Political Institutions May 10, 2006

The Basics House –435 Members –2 Year Terms –Committee Dominant –Majority Party Dominant –109th Congress –Lots of Staff Senate –100 Members –6 Year Terms –Committees Important –Majority Party Important –109th Congress –Even More Staff

Introduction & Referral Committee Hearings Committee Markups Committee Reports Schedule Floor Action (Rules, UCRs) Floor Votes Conference Committee Conference Report & Floor Vote Presidential Signature (or Veto) How a Bill Becomes a Law

The 2.6 Trillion Dollar Budget

The Basics Presidents elected to 4 year terms. May serve no more than 2 terms. (22nd Amendment) Must be a U.S. born citizen, at least 35 years old, who has lived in the U.S. for a minimum of 14 years.

Formal Presidential Powers Administrative head of government Commander-in-Chief of military Veto (or sign) legislation Nominate judges, cabinet secretaries Treaties, pardons, convene Congress Formal Presidential Powers

May not introduce legislation (cf. prime minister) May not declare war Legislative oversight Judicial review Impeachment possible Must use “bully pulpit” and persuasion “Go public” Limits on Presidential Power

1. Chief of State (ceremonial) 2. Chief Legislator (State of the Union) 3. Chief Executive 4. Opinion Leader (set national priorities) 5. Chief Diplomat 6. Commander in Chief 7. Party Leader Presidential Roles

Congress (Article 1, Section 8, “elastic clause.” States (10th Amendment -- reserves powers to the states) President (Inherent Powers -- largely through Congressional delegation of powers.) Review of Various Powers

Presidency is Many People EOP: OMB, NSC, CEA, “czars,” VP, and WHO WHO: close advisors, no Senate approval

Civilian Employees in Cabinet Departments Agriculture109,000 Commerce 36,000 Defense834,000 Education 5,000 Energy 21,000 Health and Human Services 62,000 Housing and Urban Development 13,000 Interior 76,000 Justice102,000 Labor 18,000 State 25,000 Transportation 65,000 Treasury 161,000 Veterans Affairs 224,000

The Basics Article 3 creates the Supreme Court, but specifics of design were left to Congress 9 Justices on the Supreme Court, and they may serve for life State & Federal Courts are Separate Civil and Criminal treated differently –300,000 federal cases filed annually, 80% are civil.

Qualifications Federal judges serve for life (“good behavior”) Chosen by president with “advice and consent” of the Senate No age limits or other requirements Size of Court? age? citizenship? education?

Powers Original jurisdiction: ambassadors, U.S. is a party, where states are the parties Appellate jurisdiction: all other cases (99%) (court of last resort, final interpreter) Judicial review? Lower courts to be created by Congress

Greatest Supreme Court power not in Constitution! Established by Marbury v. Madison (1803) Judicial Review has come to encompass: – Power to declare national, state and local Laws invalid if they violate the Constitution – Supremacy of federal laws or treaties – Role of Supreme Court as final authority on the meaning of the Constitution Judicial Review

Structure of Federal Judiciary Supreme Court 9 Justices Mostly appellate Hears about 100 out of 5,500 requests U.S. Courts of Appeals 13 districts with 170 judges 3-judge panels hear appeals 33,000 cases per year U.S. District Courts 94 district courts with 650 judges Trial courts with original jurisdiction 225, 000 cases per year State courts

State Courts Each state has its own court system States handle 100 million cases per year 98% of criminal cases handled by states Types of Cases  Criminal = charged by gov for breaking law  Civil = dispute between parties

How the “Constitution” Changes Amendments (27 of them) –Amendment is proposed by a vote of at least 2/3rds of both houses of Congress –Amendment is ratified by the legislatures of at least 3/4ths of the states (process for 26 of 27 amendments) Judicial reinterpretations –Stare Decisis

Judge-Made Law We are under a Constitution, but the Constitution is what the judges say it is, and the judiciary is the safeguard of our liberty and our property under the Constitution. –Chief Justice Hughes, 1907