Week Power Points Dr. Rabidoux

Page 1: Introduction

• Course Title: Intro to American Government

• Institution: CCU Fall 2025

• Instructor: Dr. Rabidoux

Page 2: Three Branches of Government

• Federal Level

  • Key Institutions: U.S. Capitol, The White House, U.S. Supreme Court

• Branches of Government:

  • Legislative: Makes Laws

    • Congress:

      • Senate

      • House of Representatives

  • Executive: Enforces Laws

    • Key Figures: President, Vice President, Cabinet

  • Judicial: Interprets Laws

    • Key Institution: Supreme Court

Page 3: The Cabinet

• Cabinet Departments:

  • Department of State

  • Department of the Treasury

  • Department of Defense

  • Department of Justice

  • Department of the Interior

  • Department of Agriculture

  • Department of Commerce

  • Department of Labor

  • Department of Transportation

  • Department of Health and Human Services

  • Department of Housing and Urban Development

  • Department of Education

  • Department of Veterans Affairs

  • Department of Homeland Security

  • Department of Energy

Page 4: U.S. Federal Budget, Deficit, and Long-Term Debt

• FY 2024 Annual Budget:

  • Total: $6.8 Trillion

  • Actual Revenue: $4.92 Trillion

  • Deficit: $2.6 Trillion

• Long-Term Public Debt: $32 Trillion

Page 5: Government and Politics

• Current events as context for government's role:

  • David Blevins on social media discussing political events

  • Biden's statements regarding Trump's polling and election dynamics

Page 6: The Cabinet Nomination Process

• Process Overview:

  • The President nominates candidates

  • Requires Senate's 'Advise and Consent' for confirmation

  • Simple majority vote needed in the Senate

  • Nominees undergo scrutiny by the Senate Judiciary Committee

Page 7: Civic Engagement Questions

1. What does civic engagement look like in different types of governance?

   • Democracy

   • Oligarchy

   • Communist State

   • Dictatorship

2. Comparison of legitimate vs. illegitimate forms of engagement/participation

Page 8: Basic Purpose of Government

• Key Functions:

  • Ensure Safety

  • Provide Security

  • Educate Citizens

  • Guarantee Outcomes

Page 9: Role of Government and Politics

• Impact of natural disasters on governance (e.g., LA wildfires)

  • Factors contributing to the situation: budget management, mayoral leadership

  • Issues of crime and resource mismanagement highlighted

Page 10: Immigration as a Political Issue

• Results of recent polling on immigration concerns under Biden Administration

  • Significant border encounters reported, raising issues of national security

Page 11: Class Gameplan

• Teaching Structure:

  1. In-Person Components (Lectures, Discussions)

  2. Online Moodle Platform for Readings and Assignments

  3. Submit Exams through Moodle

  4. Strict Late Work Policy

  5. Exam Format: Subject to change

  6. Attendance Policy: Mandatory

  7. Procedure for Excused Absences

Page 12: Understanding Government

• Conceptual Framework:

  • From Ideals and Ideology to Policy Making

  • Difference between Aspirational Goals and Practical Implementations

  • Discussion on personal interpretations of "blessings of liberty"

Page 13: Governance Theories

• Key Concepts:

  • Elitism vs. Pluralism

Page 14: Types and Forms of Government

• Governance Questions:

  1. Are governance choices made by citizens or imposed?

  2. What rights do citizens possess vs. government powers?

  3. Mechanisms for citizens to change government

  4. Guarantees against government overreach

  5. Comparison of Direct Democracy and Representative Democracy

  6. Discussion on the existence of "Pure Democracy"

Page 15: Public vs. Private Goods

• Key Considerations:

  • Payment Structures

  • Access Issues

  • Provision Models

  • Distinction between Collective and Individualized Goods

  • Comparison of Free vs. Toll Goods

Page 16: Influences on Civic Engagement

• Key Factors:

  • Differences between Engagement and Participation

  • The role of Partisanship and Ideology

  • Importance of Knowledge in Civic Participation

Page 17: Team Activity

1. Identify past forms of civic engagement or political participation

2. Discuss barriers to civic engagement

Page 18: Team Activity #1

• Identify top three issues for Trump's administration to address

• Discuss strategies or advice for engagement

Page 19: Weekly Recap and Assignments

• Required Readings:

  1. Complete Chapter 1 from American Government text (Open Stax Online)

  2. Submit CRAW 1 by designated deadline

  3. Late work policy reiterated

  4. Instructor contact for questions