Why does our book say that our constitutional political system is built on a fragile foundation? Do you agree?

Our Source…..

Because each generation of Americans respects, renews and works at understanding the principles and values found in these precious documents.

Different generations have faced different challenges……

Terrorism#1 on the political agenda when this book was

written, still very high on the list.

EconomyAlways has been and always will be a major

issue…..especially in today’s current global market/recession.

Purpose of the Book..Perception of the U.S. in the eyes of other countries.

Analyze our relationships with countries over our War on Terror.

Look at different perspectives due to our economic status with an “interdependent” globalizing economy.

Government

…merely a shorthand term to refer to tends of thousands of our fellow Americans: the people we elect and the people they appoint to promote the general welfare, provide the domestic tranquility, and secure the blessings of liberty for us.

Jefferson Government degenerates

when left to the hands of rulers…..but power of people must be restrained from time to time.

Expectations of our leadersLike all individuals, politicians live in a world in which

perfection may be the goal but compromise, ambition, fund raising and self-promotion are necessary.

“Politicians are only ‘ideal’ when they are dead.

Democracy

Government by the people, either directly or indirectly, with free and frequent elections.

Direct DemocracyGovernment in which citizens vote on laws and select

officials more directly.

Democracy perceived negative

Mob rule: violent.

Representative DemocracyGovernment that derives its powers indirectly from the

people, who elect those who will govern, also called a REPUBLIC.

Constitutional DemocracyA government that enforces recognized limits on those

who govern and allows the voice of the people to be heard through free, fair, and relatively frequent elections.

Constitutionalism Set of arrangements, including checks and

balances, federalism, separation of powers, rule of law, due process, and a bill of rights, that requires leaders to listen, think, bargain and explain beofre they act or make laws. We then hold them politically and legally accountable for how they exercise their powers.

Personal Liberty “self-determination”--

meaning that all individuals must have the opportunity to realize their own goals.

Respect for the Individual Jefferson: “all men are

created equal”

Statism The idea that the rights of the

nation are supreme over the rights of the individuals residing in that nation.

Popular Consent The idea that a just

government must derive its powers from the consent of the people it governs.

Majority RuleGovernance according to the expressed preferences of

the majority.

MajorityThe candidate or party that wins more than half the

votes cast in an election.

PluralityCandidate or party with the most votes cast in an

election, not necessarily more than half.

Conditions Conducive to Constituional Democracy

1) Educational Conditions

Are people smart enough? Does that always matter? “Miseducated” like Germany.

2. Economic ConditionsToo poor for food you do not care to vote.

Private ownership of property and market economy are related.

“Cannot have democracy without a middle class.”

3. Social ConditionsSocial fragmentation

“overlapping associations”

Ethnicity, religion, job, education--overall socioeconomic status.

4. Ideological IdeasIdeology is a consistent pattern of beliefs about political

values and the role of government.

Usually due to socioeconomic conditions: education, money, social conditions an individual experiences.

The ColoniesGrievances against King George III of Britain

Colonists complain about the passage of the Intolerable Acts

These acts basically took many rights away from the citizens of Massachusetts and continued “taxation without representation”

Boston Massacre

Boston Tea Party

Declaration of Independence

Articles of Confederation

No taxation

No national executive

No centralized government

No army or navy

No real communication. 13/13 needed to vote and to ratify.

Basically 13 separate states.

Shay’s Rebellion

Annapolis ConventionNot enough showed to this meeting out of the

13 colonies.

At least started the process of realizing the needed for a stronger centralized government.

Virginia PlanBig states like this

Called for representation based off of state populations

Lower house elected by voters.

Upper house elected by lower

New JerseyAdvantageous to small states.

Centralized government, with a single house.

States would be represented equally.

Connecticut CompromiseBicameral legislature

Lower elected by people based off of state populations.

Upper house elected by state legislatures. Each state gets two representatives.

Three-fifths compromiseNorthern vs. Southern states on the issues of

slavery.

The south wanted slaves to count in order to bolster their representation in the election.

The Northern states did all not necessarily agree with slavery, and did not feel slaves should be part of representation.

The founding fathers ignored the issue of slavery in order to ratify the constitution. Every 5 slaves would count as three votes.

Federalists vs. Antifederalists

Federalists pushed for a strong centralized government. They felt the AOC were too weak to run the country.

Antifederalists did not trust the idea of a strong centralized government. Thought the government would eventually be tyrannical.

Federalist PapersWritten by John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and

James Madison

Written under different names, persuading citizens of the need for for a strong centralized government.

Federalist # 10 and #51 are two of the more popular papers cited historically.

Federalist #10This paper discusses factions.

“Liberty is to faction what air is to fire, an aliment without which it instantly expires…but it could not be less follow to abolish liberty, which is essential to political life, because it nourishes faction, than it would be to wish the annihilation of air, which is essential to animal life, because it impart to fire its destructive agency.”

Federalist #10“The smaller the number of individuals

composing a majority, and the smaller the compass within which they are placed, the more easily will they concert and execute their plans of oppression. Extend the sphere, and you take in a greater variety of parties and interests; you make it less probably that a majority of the whole will have a common motive to invade the rights of other citizens.

Federalist #51If men were angels, no government would be

necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on the government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this; you must first enable the government to control the governed, and in the next place, oblige it to control itself.

Federalist #78“all judges who may be appointed by the United

States are to hold their offices during good behavior….”

“the judiciary, from the nature of its functions, will always be the least dangerous to the politic rights of the Constitution… “will ultimately depend on the aid of the executive arm”

Judges ought to be governed by the latter, not the former”