The U.S. political system A brief introduction By Greg Nowell 10 August 2011.
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Transcript of The U.S. political system A brief introduction By Greg Nowell 10 August 2011.
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The U.S. political system
A brief introduction
By Greg Nowell 10 August 2011
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Red vs Blue states, as seen through gasoline prices and income
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2008 U.S. presidential election by county
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Adjusting visual size by county population (2008 presidential election)
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Sources of divided government: institutional
• Three branches: legislative, judicial, executive
• Judiciary can veto legislation; lifetime appointments
• Legislature relatively impervious to rapid turnovers (gerrymandering for House, Senate terms of 6 years and only 1/3 up each election)
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Sources of divided government: institutional
• Federal system of states where each state contains entire apparatus (legislature, executive, judicial) to be completely self-governing
• Electoral college’s effect on presidential campaign strategies
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Supreme court and partisan politics
• Six justices in 1789• Seven in 1807• Nine in 1837• Ten in 1863• Nine in 1866• Eight in 1867• Nine in 1869
• Attempt to increase to 15 in 1937, “Packing the Supreme Court” controversy leads to “switch in time saves nine.”
• Governed by Article III of constitution “as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish”
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Sources of divided government: historical
• Tudor polity• U.S. divided along a geographic political
economy (North versus South) in 19th c while Europe divided more on class lines
• Upper legislature was never “marginalized” like House of Lords or French Senate (17th amendment 1913 reinforced instead of limited Senate’s power)
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Sources of divided govt: Historical (cont)
• Relatively minor losses in conflicts with other states reduced social pressure for welfare state
• Anti-communism of cold war led to an ideological movement that conflates any government initiative with “socialism”; contrasts with Christian Democratic support for “organic unity” in Europe
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Sources of conflict: historical (cont.)
• Civil rights movements of 1960s and two decade rise of a Republican South
• Returning U.S. to pre-civil war political system of N vs S with the mid-west in play
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Sources of divided government: cultural
• Fragmented educational system and standards; fragmented funding--Lack of history: “memory-less” culture--Lack of geographic consciousness, combined with world’s most homogeneous consumer culture (Home Depot, Wal-mart, McDonalds from sea to sea)--Market relationships as social relationships
• Decline of unions
• Decline of dominant 20th century media leading to “cocoons” (Internet, talk radio, home schooling, etc.)
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Sources of divided government: cultural
• Religion, especially abortion/reproduction issues
• Populist “radicalism” as both progressive (Wilson/Bryan) and conservative (contemporary) force
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