Lesson 2

Government  The organization set up with the power to protect the community, provide services, and enforce its rules. Democracy Monarchy Dictatorship Theocracy

Levels of Government  Federal Makes laws for the entire country. Handles relations with other countries. Resolves disputes between states.  State Makes laws for one state. Resolves disputes between citizens within the state.  Local- County, Town and Township, Municipality, Special District, School District Makes laws for a small area within a state. Enforces local laws and ordinances.

Responsibilities of Government National: - U.S. military- Passports and visas - Coining money- International trade - Interstate highways- Federal income tax - Social Security- Interstate commerce

Responsibilities of Government State: - State Police- Automobile registration and driver’s licenses - Property- Intrastate commerce - State highways- State sales tax - Welfare- Education

Responsibilities of Government Local: - Police and Fire- Voter registration - Planning and zoning- Recreation - Local roads- Property tax - Trash collection- School districts

Constitution  A list of values and basic ideas that explain how a nation is to be put together and what rights citizens will have under that government.

Branches of Government  Executive Branch Attends to the daily operations of government ○ Includes such things as enforcing the laws of the country  Legislative Branch Makes, amends (changes) and repeals or throws out laws.  Judicial Branch Made up of a system of courts who interpret and apply the laws ○ This is where conflict and disputes are settled

Checks and Balances  designed to limit power a single individual or body of government  provide a harmonious relationship of the people and all parts/individuals of government or other social institutions  No one branch can have too much power

Example of Checks and Balances

Political Parties/Elections  Political organizations that try to get and keep political power within the government, usually by backing/supporting candidates in elections An electorate is a person that is entitles to vote in an election because they have reached the age to vote  Each party has a viewpoint or ideology that represents the interests of the people and groups within the party

Example- Types of Political Parties (in the United States) RepublicanDemocrat Role of GovernmentLess government / taxesMore government / taxes View of WarRoot out and destroy terrorist groups wherever found! Nations that harbor or support terrorists "face the full wrath" of the United States. No “U.N. Permission Slip” required! “Global Test” will be required seeking permission from foreign governments before any pre-emptive action protecting America… thus “Iraq is the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time.” HealthcareMaintain private health care with tax breaks to individuals. Reform Medicare. Nationalize health care. Expand Medicare in numerous ways. Traditional ValuesPromote fair, traditional American values and work ethic. Affirmative Action and special rights for minorities and "different points of view"

Other Parts of Government  Infrastructure All the internal items that are needed to keep a country running or functioning. ○ Highways, postal service, water supply, power plants, telecommunications, government buildings, etc.  National Defense Everything that a nation uses or produces to safeguard its survival. ○ Armed forces, political power, and economic force.