Download Sociology, CH17, Part 2

Politics in the United States
Sociology
Chapter 17, Part 2
7/7/2017
1
Overview
• The United States
fought a revolutionary
war against Britain,
defeating a monarchy
and establishing a
republic (representative
democracy)
• Political developments
reflect cultural history
and capitalist economy
George Washington
7/7/2017
2
U.S. Culture and the Rise of the
Welfare State
• The U.S. political culture
is based on
individualism
• Found in Bill of Rights
– Freedom from undue
government interference
7/7/2017
3
U.S. Culture and the Rise of the
welfare State
• Ralph Waldo Emerson:
“The government that
governs best is the
government that
governs least”
• In recent years,
government has
increased in size and
influence
Ralph Waldo Emerson
7/7/2017
4
U.S. Culture and the Rise of the
Welfare State
• The U.S. has evolved into a welfare state
• Welfare State: a system of government
agencies and programs that provides benefits
to the population
7/7/2017
5
U.S. Culture and the Rise of the
Welfare State
7/7/2017
6
U.S Culture and the Rise of the
Welfare State
• Government programs begin before birth and
during old age
– Prenatal programs
– Social Security and Medicare
• Some programs important to the poor
• Students, farmers, homeowners, small
businesses, veterans, performing arts, and
executives of corporations are said to get help
7/7/2017
7
U.S. Culture and the Rise of the
Welfare State
• A majority of adults
look to government for
part of their income—
according to the text
• However, government
doesn’t have any
money
• What??
7/7/2017
8
U.S. Culture and the Rise of the
Welfare State
• Government takes our
money and
redistributes it to
people they want to
redistribute it to
• Our money is taken in
the form of taxes and
“at the point of a gun”
(try not paying taxes)
7/7/2017
9
U.S. Culture and the Rise of the
Welfare State
• In 1789, the entire American budget was $4.5
million
– $1.50 for each person in America
• In 2006, the budget is $2.7 trillion
– $9,000 for each person
7/7/2017
10
U.S. Culture and the Rise of the
Welfare State
7/7/2017
11
U.S. Culture and the Rise of the
Welfare State
• At the founding of our nation, one
government employee served 1,800 citizens
• Today, one in six workers is a government
employee—more people than engaged in
manufacturing
7/7/2017
12
U.S. Culture and the Rise of the
Welfare State
• As a percentage of the
Gross Domestic Product
(GDP), (36.6%) the U.S.
welfare state is still
smaller than other highincome nations
– E.G. Denmark, Sweden,
etc
7/7/2017
13
The Political Spectrum
• Some people want to expand the welfare state
while others want to reduce it
– The political spectrum encompasses beliefs that
range from extremely liberal “on the left” to
extremely conservative “on the right”
– Generally, liberals want to expand it while
conservatives what to reduce it
7/7/2017
14
The Political Spectrum
•
•
•
•
25% are left wing
33% are right win
40% are moderates
Two issues on the
spectrum
– Economic issues focus
on economic inequality
– Social issues involve how
people should live
7/7/2017
15
Economic Issues
•
•
•
•
•
Liberals
Support extensive
government regulation of
the economy
Generally, larger welfare
state
Reduce income inequality
Tax the “rich” more
More government
7/7/2017
•
•
•
•
•
Conservatives
Limit government influence
in the economy
Allow market forces more
freedom
Freedom produces more
jobs and makes economy
more productive
Cut taxes across the board
Less government
16
Social Issues
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Liberals
Support equal rights
Abortion is a choice
Oppose the death penalty
Support gay marriage
Supports Affirmative Action
programs
For comprehensive
immigration policy
(including amnesty)
More gun control
7/7/2017
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Conservatives
Support equal rights
Anti-abortion
Support the death penalty
Against gay marriage
Against Affirmative Action
programs
Against comprehensive
immigration policy (against
amnesty)
Support for 2nd amendment
17
Social Issues
Democrats
• More liberal on economic
and social issues
• Has a conservative wing
7/7/2017
Republicans
• More conservative on
economic and social issues
• Has a liberal wing
18
Class, Race, and Gender
Wealthy
• Economic conservatives
• Social liberals
7/7/2017
Low Income
• Economic liberals
• Social conservatives
19
Class, Race, and Gender
African Americans
• More liberal, both rich and
poor
• Vote mostly Democratic
(almost 90%)
7/7/2017
Whites
• More men vote
conservatively and
therefore for Republicans
• More women vote liberally
and therefore for
Democrats
20
Class, Race, and Gender
• Latinos, Asian
Americans, and Jews
have supported
Democrats
• College women vote
more liberally than
college men
President Kennedy
7/7/2017
21
Party Identification
Democrats
• 44%
• 16% strong Democrats
7/7/2017
Republicans
• 38%
• 14% strong Republicans
22
Party Identification
• 18% call themselves independents
– Results in gains and losses for both parties
depending on the year
– Democrats had White House in 1992 and 1996-gained congressional seats in 1996, 1998, 2000
– Republicans made gains in 2002 and 2004 in
congress and kept the White House
– In 2006, Democrats gained control of congress
and promised the “most honest and open
congress in history”
7/7/2017
23
Party Identification
• Urban areas generally vote Democrat
• Rural areas generally vote Republican
• In 2004, President Bush won 80% of the
counties and 51% of the popular vote to
Senator Kerry’s 20% and 48%, respectively
• Reference the special reading on “The RuralUrban Divide: Election 2004”
7/7/2017
24
Special Interest Groups
• Special-interest group:
people organized to
address some economic
or social issues
• Are special interests
controlling most of the
country and most
states, e.g.
environmentalists vs
drilling for oil?
7/7/2017
25
Special Interest Groups
• Unions
– Teachers
– Truckers
– Steel Workers
– Garment
– Automotive
7/7/2017
26
Special Interest Groups
• Environment groups particularly unmoving
and not willing to negotiate
– Oil drilling
– Millions of African children dying because of
malaria
• But the answer is the use of DDT—banned by Rachel
Carson years ago—OK for humans, but deadly to the
mosquito that carries the virus
• Senator Obama has always spoken about malaria
problem in Africa—Dear Senator, it’s called DDT.
7/7/2017
27
Special-Interest Groups
• The shooting of
President Reagan and
Jim Brady led to the
Brady Campaign to
Prevent Gun Violence
by supporting stricter
gun control laws
President Reagan shoved
into car after being shot
7/7/2017
28
Special-Interest Groups
• The National Rifle
Association strongly
opposes stricter gun laws
and has a powerful lobby
• Teachers unions,
environmentalists, church
groups, business
organizations, gay rights
groups, etc., also have
strong lobbies
• There are 27,000
lobbyists in Washington
7/7/2017
29
Special-Interest Groups
• Political Action Committee (PAC): an
organization formed by a special-interest
group, independent of political parties, to
raise and spend money in support of political
goals
– Channel money to candidates supporting their
positions
– Created in 1970, there are now 4,200
7/7/2017
30
Special-Interest Groups
• 26% of all campaign
funding came from
PACs in 2006
congressional elections
• On average, each
senator receives $1
million
7/7/2017
31
Special-Interest Groups
PAC Supporters
• Represent the interests of a
vast assortment of
businesses, unions, and
church groups
• Increases political
participation
7/7/2017
PAC Critics
• PACs try to buy political
influence/favors
• Makes participation
unequal
32
Special-Interest Groups
• In 2006, the
presidential candidates
spent $4 billion on their
campaigns
• Another $4 billion was
spent on other political
campaigns in America
7/7/2017
33
Special-Interest Groups
• 90% of candidates with
the most money end up
winning their elections
• In 2002, a law was
passed to limit the
amount of unregulated
money candidates are
allowed to collect
– Not significant change
Al Gore
7/7/2017
34
Voter Apathy
• Citizens less likely to
vote today than 100
years ago
– In 2000 presidential
election, only half of
registered voters voted
– 2000 campaign won by
less than 500 votes
– 60% of voters voted in
2004 campaign
President George W. Bush
7/7/2017
35
Voter Apathy
Likely to Vote
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Women
People over 65
Non-Hispanic white people
Homeowners
Educated people
People with good jobs
People earning more than
$75,000/year
7/7/2017
Likely Not to Vote
• College-age adults
• Hispanics
• People earning less than
$10,000/year
• Note: African Americans,
Hispanics, and college-age
people are expected to vote
in higher proportions this
election
36
Voter Apathy
• Liberals state that apathy may have more to
do with feelings of alienation from politics,
that is, there is a doubt that elections make a
difference
• Conservatives believe there is often an
indifference to politics, that is, there is general
content with ones’ lives
7/7/2017
37
Should Convicted Criminals Vote?
• All states but Vermont and Maine have laws
barring people in prison from voting
• Half the states bar people convicted of serious
crimes from voting if on probation
• Ten states ban voting for people completing
their criminal sentences and offenders must
appeal to get voting rights back
7/7/2017
38
Should Convicted Criminals Vote?
• About 5 million people
are ineligible from
voting due to their
criminal records
• Convicted felons are 2
to 1 more likely to vote
for Democrats than for
Republicans
• What does that say?
7/7/2017
39