Outline Topic: Government and politics in the United States I.Introduction II.Body II.1- A suspicion of strong government II.2- The organization of the American Government II.3- The ideal of the free individual II.4- The development of Big Government: Welfare State II.5- The role of special Interest Groups II.6- The new individualism versus the old individualism III- Conclusion It serves as the supreme law of the United States.Government and politics in the United States Government and politics in the United States I. Traditionally.S. II.1: A Suspicion of Strong Government The ideal of the free individual has had a profound effect on the way Americans view the government. a type of government characterized by limitations on government power spelled out in a written constitution. Body II. Written in 1787. the executive branch (the presidency). and the judicial branch (the courts). there has been a deep suspicion that government is the natural enemy of . Introduction The United States is a constitutional democracy. Constitution is both the oldest and shortest written constitution in the world. The Constitution outlines a federal government with three separate branches: the legislative branch (Congress). the U. In its place is widespread belief that government is not only not the solution to our problems. Cynicism and disillusionment are the bywords.freedom.” The Great Society era of confidence that government can solve all our problems is gone. People of every race. The survey showed that 51 percent believe it is either "very likely" that federal officials were "directly responsible for the assassination of President Kennedy" in 1963. age. These men believed that the government of Great Britain was determined to discourage the freedom and economic opportunities of the American colonists by excessive taxes and other measures that would ultimately benefit the British aristocracy and monarchy. An even higher percentage suspect federal agents deliberately set the fires that killed 81 Branch Davidians in Waco four years ago. and political leanings think that what the government is doing is making their lives worse rather than better. but is probably the cause of many of them. An amazing 41 percent said they believe it "very likely" that federal authorities are responsible for at least one of the above four tragedies. The bigger and stronger the government becomes. the famous revolutionary writer. even if it is elected by the people. an intolerable one. education level. probably forever." . And." while only 21 percent labeled all four as "unlikely. expressed the view of other American revolutionists when he said. in its worst state. economic status. the more dangerous most Americans believe it is to their individual freedom. “Government even in its best state is but a necessary evil. A majority believe it is possible that the CIA intentionally permitted Central American drug dealers to sell cocaine to inner-city blacks. and 66 percent now say that people are more angry with the Federal Government than they used to be. 38 percent said they believe at least one of these theories is "somewhat likely. This suspicion of strong government goes back to the men who led the American Revolution in 1776. Thomas Paine. " The malaise about government is particularly acute today among those who voted for a change in government in 1994 and 1996 and thought that Republicans would prove the old adage that "a new broom sweeps clean. Those who want one-party government can find it in plenty of other countries all around the world. and energetic debate about real issues that people care about. and campaign finance "reform. When asked about the belief that "President Roosevelt knew in advance that the Japanese were going to bomb Pearl Harbor. the new Congressional leaders began to enjoy the perks of power and publicity. Americans just don't believe their government is honest. but did not warn our troops because he wanted to get the United States involved in World War II".Nearly half of Americans believe it is "very likely" that our government is "withholding what they know about nerve gas or germ warfare attacks on American troops during the Persian Gulf War. Watergate. travelgate. some said it is the legacy of Vietnam. Others blamed it on the fact that seven of Hollywood's ten highest-grossing films last year featured anti-government themes. But Republicans were not elected to make deals with Clinton. the answer was a tossup: 42 percent said that is "very likely" and 43 percent said it is "unlikely." Instead of fulfilling their promises to end the era of big government. or Iran-Contra." The common denominator of all these poll results is government coverup. But suspicion of government dates from long before Vietnam. Democracy isn't about . based on confrontation. they were elected to find opportunities to defeat and checkmate him. When observers were asked for their explanations for this depressing news. The media demanded that Republicans show "fairness" and "civility" by being "bipartisan" in their investigations of Waco. America is supposed to be a country with two parties." and in their confirmations of Clinton's nominees. The Republican leadership allowed the media to dictate their strategy and Clinton to choose the battleground. advocacy. out of affirmative action. the perception outside the Beltway is that the leaders of both parties lie to us and to each other. Unfortunately. a $500 child tax credit. Republicans' numberone goal should be to cut taxes across the board for all taxpayers based on a significant cut in federal spending mischief. . a line item veto. capital gains cuts. The Republican Congressional leadership's agenda is all wrong. and that both parties fundamentally agree on all major issues while they go on TV talk shows to tilt with windmills about details. out of television.e. you'll get a break only if you spend your money the way the government wants you to). Their three years of tinkering around with targeted tax cuts (i. out of health care. out of judicial activism. a balanced budget. phony "saving" of Medicare. out of social engineering.. out of financing abortions. all wholly predictable. the executive and the judicial branch. The Republican leadership squabbles are not problems of "message" or "communication" that a Dick Morris can fix. out of the arts. with Clinton winning the PR battle every time. out of leftwing litigation.2: The organization of the American Government The government is divided into 3 braches: The legislative. block grants. a balanced budget amendment. In the USA. the head of government (the President) share his powers with Congress and the Judiciary system which are independent on each other but the same time depend on each other’s decision to function correctly. and out of foreign wars that are none of America's business? II. and flood relief have led Republicans into one dead-end disaster after another. Where are Republican leaders who will stand up and demand an across-the-board income tax cut? Where are Republican leaders who will say we are going to get the federal government out of the public school classroom.getting along with the other branches or passing bills that the President is sure to sign. the other two may join together to stop it. with two Senators from each state regardless of its size. if he refuses to sign it – the bill dies unless two-third of both The Houses and Senate vote to override the veto. each state has equal representatives). the national government often seems to speak with two conflicting voices. The Judicial branch settles disputes about the exact meaning of the law through court cases. through a system of checks and balances. (In the house. and the House of Representative. If anyone of e branches starts to abuse its power. the vice President and Executive Office of the President. Although the American system of divided government power strikes many observers as inefficient and even disorganized. It is quite possible in the American system to have the leader of one political party win the presidency while the other major political party wins most of the seats in Congress.that is. The President and both houses of the Congress have almost complete political independence from each other because they are all chosen in separate elections. while in the Senate. that of President and that of Congress. most Americans still believe in it strongly because it . a treaty with foreign government signed by president dies if the Senate refuses to ratify it. The Constitution is most careful in balancing the power of the legislative and executive branches because these two are the most powerful of three branches. consisting of a total of 435 Representatives divided among the 50 states by population. However. The legislative or lawmaking branch of the government is called the Congress. states with larger population have more representatives than state with small population. If the president vetoes a legislative bill passed by Congress. Congress has two houses: the Senate. On the other hand. The Supreme Court and lower national courts make up the judicial branch.The executive branch includes the President who has responsibility to carry out the law. Jefferson favored a small. President Thomas Jefferson expressed this ideal when he said: “those who labor in the earth are the chosen people of God.. Government. therefore..3: The Ideal of the Free Individual In the late 1700s. They believed that the central purpose of government was to create the conditions most favorable to the development of the free individual. II. weak form of Government. which he believed would encourage the development of a nation of free. The prevailing view of Americans during this time was that government should not interfere in the activities of business.has been able to meet the challenges in the past and it gives strong protection to individual freedoms. it would threaten the development of free individuals whose competitive spirit. If it were to do so. He believed that farmers. most Americans expected the new national government created by the Constitution to leave them alone to pursue their individual goals. remained small and inactive in relation to the great size of the . From the end of the Civil War until the Great Depression of the 1930s. being dependent on none but themselves. the successful business person replaced the farmer and the frontier settler as the ideal expression of the free individual. and hard work were developing the US into a land of greater and greater material prosperity. were the most honest of citizens. Throughout his life. the American ideal of the free indidividual was the frontier settler and the small farmer.. if ever he had a chosen people…” Jefferson glorified farmers for being free individuals who relied on no one but themselves for their daily needs. self-reliance. Before the Civil War of the 1860s. self-reliant farmer citizens. The Republican party. the Democrats. business organizations and ideas dominated American government and politics. On the other hand. millions of Americans lost their jobs and found themselves without adequate means of financial support. and “big business” lost respect. From the 1870s. Traditionally. In the face of this . one of the nation’s two major political parties. There were some government regulations over business during this period. but these had only a small impact on business practices. provided the means for maintaining this dominance. After the stock market crash of 24 October 1929. The Great Depression of the 1930s greatly weakened the businessperson’s position as the American ideal of the free individual. The Republicans were more successful than their rivals..2 percent to 24. in electing presidents and congressmen during this period. Republicans have favored letting businesses compete with little or no government regulation. History of the welfare state in America. II. the unemployment rate skyrocketed from 3.4: The development of Big Government: The Welfare State 1.9 percent. The severity of the Great Depression created new demands for government relief. It was. until the 1930s. and the Republicans strongly supported government policies favorable to business. Between 1929 and the summer of 1932. Democratic president who presided over the creation of “big government”.nation and the amount of power of business corporations. Democrats have traditionally favored using government to regulate businesses and protect consumers and also to solve social problems. and other benefits for needy persons. who took office in 1933. President Herbert Hoover stressed that relief for the needy should be the responsibility of private. the true expansion of the American welfare system came during the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt. both in the form of direct cash grants and on a matching basis. the CWA. the United States had become a world leader in social spending. an idea that is closely associated in the minds of Americans with individualism freedom. By the end of the 1930s. government checks for the unemployed. Although the welfare state has continued to grow. it has never been fully accepted by many Americans. Many Americans believe that although the welfare state began . and the CCC combined reached 28 million people. Work projects to provide jobs to the unemployed were administered by FERA. local. as well as the Civil Works Administration (CWA) and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)—both created in 1933. The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) provided funds to the states for the needy. By February of 1934. the federal government committed itself to providing economic security for its citizens. For the first time. However. Yet the need for assistance was staggering and could not be met by the institutions Americans had traditionally relied upon to provide public aid. the funds were distributed by the states with federal supervision. Congress established the Reconstruction Finance Corporation. which was authorized to lend $300 million in relief funds directly to the states.economic crisis. 20 percent of the American population. health care for the poor and the elderly. In 1932. FERA. They fear that economic security provided by the Government will weaken self-reliance. and state relief agencies. support for families with dependent children and no father to provided income. Roosevelt’s New Deal grew into what became a permanent “welfare state” that provided payments for retired persons. For the most part. It placed limits on the number of years people can receive welfare payments. a welfare reform bill was passed. and any crisis situation such as medical emergencies. For this reason. Even people who have beenn supported by welfare payments for much of thier lives complaint that the system is degrading and causes them to lose self-respect. 2. They will gather all the necessary information to determine the . it presents a danger to individual freedom by making an increasing number of Americans dependent on the government instead of on themselves. Eligibility is determined using gross and net income. a large number of people who receive welfare benefits are black Americans. Sadly. Eligibility Requirements for State Welfare Program Eligibility for a Welfare program depends on numerous factors. Reforming the welfare system has become an important political issue for both the Republicans and the Democrats.it is now at best a necessary evil.with good intentions. Although Americans blacks have made significant gains in the last thirty years. Because welfare programs go against the basic value of self-reliance. At worst. In this way. many Americans believe that having no to “go on welfare” to meet daily needs is a personal embarrassment nad a mark of failure. size of the family. The welfare system in the United States has aslo been troubled by racial problems that began with black slavery before the Civil War of the 1860s and conitnued with racial segregation in the South in the 1960s. A case worker is assigned to those applying for aid. homelessness or unemployment. pregnancy. the strong traditions of individualism and self-reliance have made Americans less accepting of welfare programs than the citizens of other democracies such as those in Western Europe. many are still unable to escape from poverty and unemployment. In 1996. some of the old racial prejudices against black Americans have been transferred to welfare programs. and housing assistance. cash aid. An appointment is made with a case worker. Most states offer basic aid such as health care. applications and information provided at the meeting. How to Apply for a Welfare Program To apply for a welfare program one must contact the local Human Service Department located in the government pages of the phone book. TANF is a grant given to each state to run their own welfare program. To help overcome the former problem of unemployment due to reliance on the welfare system. It may be listed as Human Services. 4. ID.amount and type of benefits that an individual is eligible for. unemployment. Common documents asked for are proof of income. When the Federal Government gave control back to the states there was no longer one source and one set of requirements. The case worker will give a list of required documents needed at the appointment. the TANF grant requires that all recipients of welfare aid must find work within two years of receiving aid. Family Services or Adult and Family Services. Failure to comply with work requirements could result in loss of benefits. child care assistance. Once an appointment is completed a case worker will review all required documents. The Federal government provides assistance through TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families). food stamps. including single parents who are required to work at least 30 hours per week opposed to 35 or 55 required by two parent families. 3. and utility bills or other proof of residency. They will use this information to determine eligibility . Types of Welfare Available The type and amount of aid available to individuals and dependent children varies from state to state. people can get more rewards. government restrictions than if they try to do individuals avoid more . and the protection of hunting and self-defense in the United States. Practically all social and economic classes of Americans have seen the need to take advantage of. Its political activity is based on the principle that gun ownership is a civil liberty protected by the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights.II. The NRA sponsors firearm safety training courses. and it calls itself the oldest continuously operating civil rights organization in the United States. they have grown significantly in both numbers and power in recent year. According to a 1999 Fortune survey. or to protect themselves from the actions of government. firearm safety. Although lobbying group have existed throughout the nation’s history. the NRA has 4. According to its website. lawmakers and congressional staffers considered NRA the most influential lobbying group.. as well as marksmanship events featuring shooting skill and sports. By Organizing into groups that put pressure on government offices. most well-organized interest group have achieve a large measure of success. American with similar interests have formed specially group to more effectively influence the actions of government. and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship. To accomplish this. especially the action of national government.5: The role of special interest group The great expansion of government programs since 1930s is only part due to the growth of welfare programs that help the poor and the needy.3 million members. The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is an American non-profit lobbying group that advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights. Although few interest groups have been as successful as NRA. Unlike frontier individualism or business individualism. and economics. The Democracy party emerged from the New Deal as the supporter of the idea thar government should not do more for all classes and all kinds of Americans. poorer and . and has much in common with generally non-political activities such as management consulting and public relations. As an activity. although there have been efforts to influence executive agency officials as well as US Supreme Court appointments. They believe it places emphasis on people’s ability to influence the government rather than their ability to produce goods and services that enrich the society. lobbying usually targets congresspersons. It has been the subject of academic inquiry in various fields. those with real clout number in the dozens. and requires skill and sensitivity.6: The new individualism and the old individualism Interest group government can be seen as expressing a new form of American individualism. including law. “Every body in American has lobby” No single interest dominate governments and politics as business groups did before the Great Depression. lobbying takes time to learn.In Washington. DC. Although most Americans have benefits in some way from government-sponsored programs. II. and depends on deft persuasion. public policy. individuals do not claim to succeed on their own but rather by forming groups to influence the government.000 people. and a small group of firms handles much of lobbying in terms of expenditures. many experts believe that interest group government is harmful to the US. While the number of lobbyists in Washington is over 12. Instead government and politics and based on reaching compromises with a large number of groups and pleasing ad many as possible. The Republican party was not changed by the New Deal as much as the Democrats were. the Democratic party has traditionally been more racially and ethnically diverse than its political rival. The Republicans continued to stress anti-government and pro-business ideas much as they has before the Great Depression. Therefore. Many observers have questioned whether the traditional stances of either party truly serve the needs of the country.less-privileged Americans tended to support the Democracy party. . Blacks and other nonwhite minorities ( such as Hispanics ) are often underprivileged and have tended to vote for Democrats. The diversify was reflected when the Democrat Bill Clinton was elected president in 1992 after 12 years of Republican president. the Republicans. Republicans argued that Democrats gave too much attention to the complaints of women’s rights groups and racial and ethnic minority groups. The National . Legislative branch legally allowed to hold effective Called the Congress which is The National responsible for making the Assembly (Vietnamese: Quoc hoi) is federal laws.Comparision of government and politics between America and Vietnam Party America The two major parties Vietnam in Vietnam is a single-party state or one political party. Congress consists a unicameral legislative body. It is the of two houses: the Senate and highest representative organ and the the House of Representatives. the Communist Party of Vietnam is America are the Democratic only and Republican parties. highest state organ. government. Election day is the Tuesday Two months before the National November. President is also part of the ministers and other members. Elections occur in the United Vietnam elects on national level States at all levels including a head of state . The candidate who The president is elected for a five gets elected is the one who gets year term by the parliament. More the highest number of votes in than 99% of all candidates were their respective state. in Assembly or People's Council’s term is up. after the first Monday Election is implemented per 5 years. and federal. The President is in office for four years. government. selected by Communist Party and most of them were from their own Election is implemented per 4 party. ready to assume the Presidency should Elections the need arise. It is headed by the prime minister. The Government is the executive arm of the National Assembly and the highest The President is both the chief administrative body of the Vietnamese of state and the head of state. elected to a five-year term by Assembly. a legislature. Executive Branch.Assembly is the only organ vested with constitutional and legislative powers Executive branch The Executive power lies with The President and Vice President is chief the President of the United States who is given the job of executing.the president .and local. The Vice and consists of deputy prime ministers. . the new National Assembly shall be elected. state. years. enforcing. and administering the laws and the National of state. Both A & B 4. The Supreme Court and the federal highest court to appeal in Vietnam is courts. Their job is to interpret the Supreme and apply US laws through Vietnam. Question 1-What are the three separate branches of the American government? -> The Congress. the other two may join together to stop it by a system.Why most Americans still strongly believe in the American system of divided governmental power? .Which is the branch that carrys out the laws? A. The judicial power of the The Vietnamese judicial system is United States is vested in the based upon Socialist legality. cases brought before them. The President. people’s there Court are of the Also provincial small municipal courts to look after the provincial matters.Why the government power’s divided into three separate branches? If any one part or branch of government has all. The Supreme Court D.The President C. what is it? Checks and balances 5.The Congress B.Judiciary Election Day is set to be a Sunday. or even most of the power. 3. it will become a threat to the freedom of individual citizens. The Supreme Court 2.If any one of the three branches starts to abuse its power. 10. 2 reasons: It has been able to meet the challenges of the past and it gives strong protection to individual freedoms 6. . and other benefits for needy persons. Conclusion Government and politics in the United States are different from other countries. government checks for the unemployed.What’s the thing which is designed to protect specific individual rights and freedoms from government interference? Bill of Rights 7.When was business organizations and ideas dominated American government and politics? From the 1870s until the 1930s 8.What does “welfare state” forward? Providing payments for retired persons. and personal protection. support for families with dependent children and no father to provide income. Because individual freedom and self-reliance are the most basic of all the American values. It goes against the basic value of self-reliance. the Welfare State has never been fully accepted by many Americans. It leads to establish special interest groups which can be seen as expressing a new form of American individualism.Who are the members of The National Rifle Association? Mostly people who own guns for hunting. target practice. Who’s The president that talked about when mentioned to “New Deal”? -> Franklin Roosevelt 9. III. health care for the poor and the elderly. Therefore.