1. Government, Politics, and Policy The Role of Government in our Lives

2. What is Government? Government The Mechanism Institutions People Rules Structure “The form or system of rule by which a state, community, etc is operated” Politics The process Negotiations Compromise Tactics Public opinion Everything “ Who gets what, when, where, how and why.” Policy The Result Laws Implementation of Laws Procedures Values “A course or principle of action adopted or proposed by a government….”

3. Is Government Important?

4. Read the half sheet given out. With a partner next to you identify any points at which government plays a part.

5. The Problem With Government We all notice the things government stops us from doing…. “I can’t believe the cops pulled me over… I was just doing 15 mph over the speed limit by that school” “The second amendment says I have a right to bear arms… so why can’t I have a rocket launcher?” “I’m sorry I tried to kill Ben Affleck but damnit nobody wants to see him as Batman, Mr. Officer.” We don’t notice/acknowledge is what government helps us do

6. Policymaking Policymaking begins with “people.” (Or in the name of the “people.”) All Americans have Interests Problems Concerns Policy Agenda Definition: The policy agenda are issues that attract the serious attention of public officials. A political issue arises when people disagree about a problem or about a public policy choice made to fix a problem.

7. Policymaking Institutions Definition: Policymaking institutions are the branches of government charged with taking action on political issues. BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT FEDERAL LEVELSTATE LEVEL LegislativeCongressState Legislature ExecutivePresidentGovernor JudicialSupreme CourtState Supreme Court BureaucracyAgency Workers

8. Policies Impact People Policy impacts are the effects that a policy has on people and on society’s problems. Does it solve the problem? Does it create more problems? Depending on the answer, policy impacts carry the political system back to its point of origin: the concerns of people. Questions How is policy made? In whose name is policy made?

9. Quotes about Politics “Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies.” – Groucho Marx “Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich, by promising to protect each from the other.” – Oscar Ameringer “Politics, n: [Poly "many" + tics "blood-sucking parasites"] ” – Larry Hardiman “Politics is war without bloodshed, while war is politics with bloodshed.” ~Mao Zedong “Everything is Politics” – Dead Prez F/ Taleb Kweli “Sharp Shooters”

10. So where do we come in? Government PoliticsPolicy The People Linkage Institutions Elections, Political Parties, Media, Public Opinion, Interest Groups