Formal Branches of the U.S. Government

text

Legislative

Branch

CongressHouse of

Representatives &

Senate

Judicial Branch

Supreme CourtFederal Court System

Executive Branch

PresidencyCabinet

White House Offices

The Bureaucracy

The Peoplefully informed on

facts and ideological

possibilities;

fully engaged in political life

Political Institutions in the U.S.

Persistent structures and mechanisms of social order, control, and

cooperation in a human collectivity

The formal and informal “rules of the game” which, in a democracy,

should be a complex, multiparty system with multiple “winners”

Civil Society

Voluntary civic and social organizations and institutions(government institutions are backed by force)

(markets are commercial institutions created and maintained by business and

government)

This provides the social glue which allows people to work together,

nurture one another, and take collective action(contrast with atomizing, anti-democratic institutions)

Political Institutions in the U.S.

Political Socialization – how get our foundational, background ideas

Public Opinion – what “the people” think and how we know it

Mass Media – the means for acquiring information or distributing

propaganda

Interest Groups (lobbyists) – organizations with hired staff expert in

pressuring Congress

Social Movements – large groupings of individuals or organizations for

social change.

Political Parties – formal organizations seeking to elect and appoint

political officials

Voting – formal and informal regulation of who can vote, where, and

when

Campaigns – public information and pressure to gain election for a

candidate

Elections – the process of selecting political officials

Government Policy

• Domestic– enforce law and order, private property, contracts

– strengthen civil society, social relations: e.g. education

– mitigate the effects of industrial capitalism; e.g. health/welfare,

regulation

– create mechanisms for social justice

• Foreign– safeguard the nation’s and citizens’ interests around the world

– achieve the nation’s goals in international relations

– project U.S. power around the globe

– project and protect the interests of U.S. corporations

Link Political Institutions and Policy

A major issue in

society

(e.g. the

availability of oil

and the

consequences of

its use)