US Politics: Core Concepts
Page 4: Why Do We Have Labor Day?
Origin: Debate between McGuire vs. Maguire in .
Recognition: Oregon first state; states before national.
National Holiday: President Grover Cleveland, .
Original Intent: Day off for workers, framed as a "strike" day.
Modern View: End of summer, political campaign kick-off, sports.
Page 5: Labor Day and Politics
Historical Impact: History is messy; states matter; government is slow.
Societal Impact: Class matters; American Exceptionalism; original intent isn't always final outcome.
Political Metaphor: Politics is a sport.
Page 6: The Enduring Democracy
Political Science Focus: Study of power (who has it, wants it, gets it).
Goal: How to collectively structure institutions/processes for a "better" society.
Page 7: Why Do We Have Government?
Hobbes: Avoid a "solitary, nasty, brutish, and short" existence.
Rousseau: Social contract—people trade some freedom for stability, order, and protection.
Page 8: What Does Government Do?
Exercises power over and with citizens.
Creates rules, laws, and structures.
Addresses grievances.
Lasswell's Definition: "Who gets what, when and how?"
Page 9: What Government Needs to Function?
Legitimacy, Authority, Money.
Power to sanction and reward.
Consent of the governed.
Page 10: What Do You Want From Government?
Varied desires: individualism (left alone, lower taxes) to collective good (law/order, schools, infrastructure, equal opportunity, protection).
Page 11: America vs. Other Democracies
America: Individualistic, optimistic, self-belief, control destiny, overcome class/race.
Other Democracies: Collectivist, realist, belief in government, collective destiny, class/race as defining properties.
Page 17: Are We in Trouble? (Concerns and Counterpoints)
Concerns: Rise of other economic/military powers, hyper-partisanship, meanness, decline in optimism, weakening institutions.
Counterpoints: People still immigrate to the US; the US dollar remains internationally strong.
Ongoing Process: Reformulating the social contract.