Civic Responsibility

Citizen participation in a democratic society

Preamble to the US Constitution

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

CIVIC PARTICIPATION

National Voter

Turnout in US Federal Elections: 1960–2008

YearVoting-agepopulation

Voterregistration Voter turnout

Turnout of voting-age

population (percent)

2008 231,229,580 NA 132,618,580 56.8 2006 220,600,000 135,889,600 80,588,000 37.12004 221,256,931 174,800,000 122,294,978 55.3 2002 215,473,000 150,990,598 79,830,119 37.02000 205,815,000 156,421,311 105,586,274 51.3 1998 200,929,000 141,850,558 73,117,022 36.41996 196,511,000 146,211,960 96,456,345 49.1 1994 193,650,000 130,292,822 75,105,860 38.81992 189,529,000 133,821,178 104,405,155 55.1 1990 185,812,000 121,105,630 67,859,189 36.51988 182,778,000 126,379,628 91,594,693 50.1 1986 178,566,000 118,399,984 64,991,128 36.41984 174,466,000 124,150,614 92,652,680 53.1 1982 169,938,000 110,671,225 67,615,576 39.81980 164,597,000 113,043,734 86,515,221 52.6 1978 158,373,000 103,291,265 58,917,938 37.21976 152,309,190 105,037,986 81,555,789 53.6 1974 146,336,000 96,199,0201 55,943,834 38.21972 140,776,000 97,328,541 77,718,554 55.2 1970 124,498,000 82,496,7472 58,014,338 46.61968 120,328,186 81,658,180 73,211,875 60.8 1966 116,132,000 76,288,2833 56,188,046 48.41964 114,090,000 73,715,818 70,644,592 61.9 1962 112,423,000 65,393,7514 53,141,227 47.31960 109,159,000 64,833,0965 68,838,204 63.1

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0781453.html

Congress Approval Rating

http://www.gallup.com/poll/107242/congress-approval-rating-ties-lowest-gallup-records.aspx

http://www.gallup.com/poll/150038/Congress-Approval-Ties-Time-Low.aspx

US population who volunteered

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/volun.nr0.htm

Civic Engagement1970s – 1990s

Putnam, Robert D. Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Renewal of American Community. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2000. Print.

The Center for Information & Research onCivic Learning & Engagement

http://www.civicyouth.org/PopUps/youthdemo_2006.pdf

The Center for Information & Research onCivic Learning & Engagement

http://www.civicyouth.org/PopUps/FactSheets/FS07_College_Volunteering.pdf

The Center for Information & Research onCivic Learning & Engagement

http://www.civicyouth.org/PopUps/FactSheets/FS07_College_Volunteering.pdf

The Center for Information & Research on

Civic Learning & Engagement

http://www.civicyouth.org/PopUps/FactSheets/FS_Characteristics_Group_Membership.pdf

The Center for

Information & Research

onCivic

Learning & Engagement

http://www.civicyouth.org/PopUps/FactSheets/FS_06_Sports_and_Civic_Engagement.pdf

MOST PRESSING PROBLEMS

GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media/Stanford Environment Poll (2009)

http://www.ap-gfkpoll.com/pdf/AP-Stanford_University_Environment_Poll_Topline.pdf

THE ECONOMY

1970 1980 1990 2000 20090

10

20

30

40

50

60

39.5 40.3

37

33.736

53

49.347.9

45.643.7

7.6

10.4

15

20.6 20.1

10.7

16.2

20.3

24.4

28.8

Income and educational attainment

L < $35KM $35K - $90KU > $99KBachelor's or higher

(in 2009 dollars)

Perc

enta

ge o

f U.S

. Pop

ulati

on

Source: U.S. Census Population Data 1970-2010, General Population Survey; Economic Policy Institute.

Source: Changes in U.S. Family Finances from 2004 to 2007: Evidence from the Survey of Consumer FinancesBrian K. Bucks, Arthur B. Kennickell, Traci L. Mach and Kevin B. MooreFederal Reserve Bulletin, vol. 95 (February 2009), pp. A1-A55.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://data.bls.gov/

HEALTH CARE

http://www.kff.org/insurance/snapshot/chcm010307oth.cfm

http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/4/36/46796773.pdf

http://www.ap-gfkpoll.com/pdf/AP-GfK%20Poll%20011411.pdf

http://www.ap-gfkpoll.com/pdf/AP-GfK%20Poll%20011411.pdf

THE ENVIRONMENT

GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media/Stanford Environment Poll (2009)

http://www.ap-gfkpoll.com/pdf/AP-Stanford_University_Environment_Poll_Topline.pdf

So What?

• What are the most pressing concerns facing our society?

• What is your responsibility in addressing these concerns?

• How can games help us address these concerns?