TheU.S.politicalsystem-UniversityatAlbany,SUNY.pptVIP

* * * * * * * The U.S. political system A brief introduction By Greg Nowell 10 August 2011 Red vs Blue states, as seen through gasoline prices and income 2008 U.S. presidential election by county Adjusting visual size by county population (2008 presidential election) 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) 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 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” 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) 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 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-wes