1. The United States: American Politics in the Comparative Perspective
Kelly Walker
AP Comparative
Government

2. The United States
Federal System- National government shares power with states, cities, and other jurisdictions
Separation of Powers: A system of checks and balances ensures that the three branches of government are kept separate

3. The United States Classified as a weak state Reasons:
Politicians must compromise on all policy matters, difficult to act in a rapid and decisive manner
Stalls the system
Presidential System

4. The United States: Difficult to Define
Political Culture: Based on the rule of law and civil society-follow the rules
Decline in civic engagement (politics, churches, interest groups, etc.)
Decrease in trust of politicians
Widespread acceptance of the regime
Americans criticize politicians, rarely the constitution, or the regime

5. The United States: An Overview
Established democratic institutions smoothly
Strict separation of church and state
Issues:
Manifest Destiny
Civil War
Industrialization
Suffrage
1872/John Gast American Progress. Allegorical representation of Manifest Destiny. Here Columbia, intended as a personification of the United States, leads civilization westward with American settlers, stringing telegraph wire as she travels; she holds a schoolbook.. The Indians and wild animals flee.

6. The United States: A Brief History
After the Revolution
Articles of Confederation ineffective
Allowed each state to set tariffs
Caused Violence
1787: Constitution goals
Centralize the government
Protection against the arbitrary exercise of power
Economic Liberalism- (Adam Smith)
advocates minimal
interference by government
in the economy.

7. The United States: Factions
No way to avoid them
One group eventually dominates: “tyranny of the majority”
Solution: Concentrate power in a central government and developed a totally new system (presidential)
System based on Compromise and incremental change (checks and balances)

8. The United States: Bill of Rights
Ensured civil liberties
Established relations between central government and the states
Separated the church

9. The United States
The Industrial Revolution created an interventionist state
Developed anti-trust laws, not welfare programs
New Deal-expanded the national and state governments
Never developed a strong socialist party

10. The United States: American Political Culture
Three Trends:
Few question the regime
Accept the idea of a weak state
Individualism: “If you don’t make it, its your own fault”

11. The United States: Civic Culture
Paradox:
Individuals believe they can impact the system, but fail to vote or join a political party.
Functional apathy- allows leaders more power to govern
Result:
Faith in politicians declines

12. The United States: Parties and Elections
2 party system: Democrats and Republicans
Parties are weak- set up at the state level and does not chose its own candidates for office (hold primaries)
Both parties have become catch-all parties
First past the post system
Electoral college chooses the president

13. The United States: Social Movements
New Left (1960’s): promoted civil rights/ opposed the Vietnam War/environment/feminism/gay and lesbian rights. Middle class
New Right (1980’s): Oppose legalized abortion/multicultural education/undermining of American values. Evangelical Christians/Reagan Democrats

14. The United States: The Legislative Process
President appoints four thousand appointments to policy making positions
Result: many are not qualified and difficult to streamline authority (Homeland Security)
Once the executive branch agrees on proposed legislation, it has to persuade congress

15. The United States: The Legislative Process
Bicameral legislature
House of Representatives (435) lower house
Senate (100) upper house
Both sides must agree on legislation

16. The United States: Legislative Process
President
House Of
Representatives
Senate
Committees
And
Subcommittees
Committees
And
subcommittees
Rules
Committee
Floor debate
And vote
Floor debate
and Vote
Conference
Committee

17. The United States: The Legislative Process
How do members of Congress vote on legislation?
Party Lines
Influence from the president
Peer influence
Constituents influence
Own views

18. The United States
Other factors which the US to be classified as a weak state:
Bureaucracy: Appointees are not experts
Judicial Review: Allows non-elected judges to change policy
Federal System: Shares power-difficult for national government to impose national standards

19. The United States: Shift toward a Consensus Policy?
Consensus policy making: Decision- making procedures that emphasize win/win outcomes.

20. The United States and Public Policy
In comparison to other pluralist nations, the United States:
Does not have universal health care
Offers Low unemployment and pension payments
Has difficulty in coordinating economic and social policy (control of interest groups)