American Politics E-Book

Laura Locker

• Herausgeber: Icon Books
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Serie: Graphic Guides
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 171

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Beschreibung

Following in the footsteps of the highly successful Queer: A Graphic History, illustrator Jules Scheele teams up with Dr Laura Locker in this comic-book introduction to the political history of the Land of Opportunity. How did a political outsider like Trump win the 2016 presidential election? Why do some Americans feel so strongly about gun rights? Is there a role for more than two political parties in the system? Politics isn't something that just occurs in the West Wing or the gleaming Capitol building – it comes from the interaction between state and society, the American people living their daily lives. In this unique graphic guide, we follow modern citizens as they explore everything from the United States' political culture, the Constitution and the balance of power, to social movements, the role of the media, and tensions over race, immigration, and LGBT rights. Step right up, and see what lies beneath the pageantry and headlines of this great nation.

Leseprobe

Published by Icon Books Ltd, Omnibus Business Centre, 39–41 North Road, London N7 9DPEmail: [email protected]

ISBN: 978-178578-346-3

Text and Illustrations copyright © 2018 Icon Books Ltd

The author and illustrator have asserted their moral rights

Originating editor: Kiera Jamison

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, or by any means, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Part I: The Foundations

American Political Culture

The Evolution of Core Values

Political Ideology

Social Liberalism

Economic Liberalism

Social Conservatism

Economic Conservatism

Overlapping Memberships

A Divided Nation?

Political Parties

Evolution of Political Parties

Political Parties and Machine Politics

The Republican Party

The Republican Party Platform

Republican African-American Voters

The Republican Party and The National Rifle Association

The Democratic Party

The Democratic Party Platform

Third Parties: A Wasted Vote or A Necessity?

Third Parties: Barriers to Election

The Libertarian Party

Green Party

The Pew Center Typology

Political Socialization

The Constitution

Establishing Federalism

Express And Implied Powers

Powers of the State Government: Reserved Powers

Amending The Constitution: Procedures

The Supreme Court and Constitutional Interpretation

The Bill of Rights

The Bill of Rights: History

Due Process

The Bill of Rights: Incorporation

First Amendment: Freedom of Religion

Freedom of Religion: The Lemon Test

First Amendment: Freedom of Speech

First Amendment: Freedom of Assembly

Second Amendment: Right to Keep and Bear Arms

Fourth Amendment: Search and Seizure

Fifth Amendment: Self-Incrimination and Double Jeopardy

Sixth Amendment: Right to Counsel

Sixth Amendment: Speedy Trial

Eighth Amendment: Cruel and Unusual Punishment

A Right To Privacy

Part II: The Balance of Power

The Presidency

Electing The President: The Electoral College

Arguments in Favor of The Electoral College

Powers of The President

Presidential Powers: Military

Presidential Powers: Legislative

Presidential Powers: Executive Orders

Executive Orders: Limits

Presidential Directives

Presidential Powers: Diplomatic

Presidential Powers: Appointment

The Presidency: Impeachment and Removal from Office

The Presidency: Succession

The Vice President

The Cabinet

The Executive Office of The President

Congress’s Role in The Balance of Power

Constitutional Powers

Congressional Oversight

Party and Power in Congress

Congressional Elections

Campaign Finance

Redistricting, Reapportionment, and Gerrymandering

How Congress Works: The Committee System

How A Bill Becomes A Law

Lobbying Congress

The Judiciary’s Role In The Balance of Power

The History of The Judiciary

The Structure of The Courts

The Supreme Court

The Supreme Court: Originalism

The Supreme Court: Non-Originalism

District and Appeals Court

The Federal Bureaucracy

Tribal Government

Tribes As Sovereign Nations

Tribal, State, and Federal Law

Federal Indian Trust Responsibility

Bureau of Indian Affairs

Tribal Termination

Making Public Policy

Foreign Policymaking

Power in the International Arena

Collective Defense Agreements

Trade Agreements

Foreign Aid

Social Policymaking

New Deal Programs

Social Security

The War On Poverty

Medicare and Medicaid

Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act

The Affordable Care Act

Environmental Policy

Global Warming

The War On Drugs

Legalizing Marijuana

The Opioid Epidemic

Prisons And The Criminal Justice System

Military Prisons

Immigration

Mexican Immigration

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

Gun Control

Federal Gun Restrictions

State Gun Restrictions

Economic Policymaking

Monetary Policy: The Central Bank

Fiscal Policy

Taxation

Government Spending

National Debt

Regulatory Policymaking

Regulatory Policymaking in Business

Regulatory Policymaking: Labor

Part III: The Fourth Branch of Government - The People

The Media: Early History

The Media: Relationship to The White House

The Media: Satire

The Media: Social Media

The Media: The 24-Hour News Cycle

The Media: Fake News?

Interest Groups: The Dangers of Faction

The Professionalization of Groups

Campaign Finance

Campaign Finance: Reform Efforts

Campaign Finance: The BCRA and Citizens United

A Nation of Joiners

Social Movements

The Abolitionist Movement

Women’s Rights: Voting

Women’s Rights: The Feminist Movements

Women’s Rights: 3rd and 4th Waves

Labor Movement

LGBT Rights: Marriage Equality

Trans Rights

Civil Rights

Black Lives Matter

Opposition to and Evolution of Black Lives Matter

The Tea Party

The Tea Party: Legacy

The Alt-Right “Movement”?

The KKK

Neo-Nazi Groups

Antifa

Towards A More Perfect Union

Conclusion

PART I: THE FOUNDATIONS

In this book we will consider governmental institutions as the product of a mutually transformative interaction between state and society. Politics doesn’t happen in a vacuum. As we will see, the ways in which the American government decides on laws and policies depends upon the mindset of the citizens, which is in turn shaped by their political socialization, their relationship to media, the influence of lobbyist and interest groups that have the money to sway ideas, and so forth. In this book, you will meet a diverse group of voters (and non-voters) who, through their engagement with the ideas central to American politics at a personal level, exemplify the American motto, “e pluribus unum” or “out of many, one.”

AMERICAN POLITICAL CULTURE

We often talk about “American values,” but what are these shared values that set the US apart from other nations? And can we say that there is a definable set of “core values” that most Americans share, given the vast diversity of beliefs and understandings in the nation? While there are many political subcultures in the US, there are indeed certain ideas, institutionalized in the Constitution, that shape how Americans view their economic, political, and personal lives, regardless of their political affiliation. What are some values that are generally shared in the United States?

WE BELIEVE IN THE VALUE OF COMPETITION AND FREE ENTERPRISE. WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF THE MARKET.

AMERICANS BELIEVE IN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE.

GOVERNMENT SHOULDN’T MEDDLE IN PEOPLE’S LIVES. WE SHOULD HAVE THE LIBERTY TO MAKE OUR OWN CHOICES, SO LONG AS THEY DON’T HURT OTER PEOPLE.

THE EVOLUTION OF CORE VALUES

These core values have been interpreted differently though history. While the Declaration of Independence (1776) declared that “all men are created equal,” equality in the United States meant something very different at the time of the ratification of the Constitution (1787) than it does today. For example, slavery was not abolished until 1865, 246 years after slaves were first brought to America, and it wasn’t until the passage of the Voting Rights Act (1965) that most African Americans truly gained not just the right but the ability to vote. Before that, “Jim Crow” laws (at the time, “Jim Crow” was a derisive slang term for a black man) in the South were based on white supremacist ideologies, and they enforced segregation between whites and blacks.

MY FATHER GREW UP IN ALABAMA AT A TIME WHEN VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION MADE IT NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO VOTE SAFELY.

DESPITE ALL OF THIS, HE VOTED EVERY CHANCE HE COULD.

BECAUSE OF THIS STRUGGLE OF THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE ME, I TREASURE MY RIGHT TO VOTE FREELY AND TEACH MY CHILDREN TO DO THE SAME.

POLITICAL IDEOLOGY

While we can identify shared, “core” values that are more or less widely held, there are many values that are interpreted differently by, or are unique to, different groups in society. These values tend to be bundled into a political ideology, which provides a roadmap with which we make sense of our world. A political ideology can be held by an individual or a group, but it tends to contain values, understandings, and beliefs about how the political and social world can and should work. In the United States, as in many parts of the world, we can broadly divide political ideologies into two different camps: liberal (also referred to as “left-wing”) and conservative (or “right-wing”). Both ideologies have economic and social components. Unlike other nations, we do not have widely-shared communist or socialist ideologies.

SOCIAL LIBERALISM

We can divide liberalism in terms of its social and economic components, although the two often go hand-in-hand. Social liberals believe in equality of opportunity – everyone has the same access to economic, social, and political opportunities – and, to some degree, equality of results – opportunity leads to more equal social and material conditions. They feel that government can play a key role in promoting both.

Social policy tends to inform economic policy, as, for example, through government programs to aid poor and marginalized members of society. Social liberals tend to be in favor of affirmative action: government policies that give advantage to groups which have historically faced discrimination. Other key liberal social issues include upholding access to abortion, protecting immigrant rights, restricting gun access, protecting same-sex marriage, abolishing the death penalty, providing universal health care, and protecting the environment.

PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE A RIGHT TO CHOOSE WHAT HAPPENS TO THEIR BODY AND WHO THEY LOVE. THOSE ARE FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS.

LIBERALISM MEANS BEING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY AND ADDRESSING THE WRONGS OF THE PAST.

ECONOMIC LIBERALISM

Modern economic liberalism in the United States is quite different from the “liberalism” of classic economic theory or of other modern nations. Liberal economic theory, based on the ideas of the economist Adam Smith (1723–90), believes in the power of a market entirely free from regulation, with open economic borders, and in the idea that people are naturally inclined to “truck, barter, and exchange.” Modern American liberals deviate from this, believing that the government’s role is to intervene in the market to correct for the human and economic toll of “unbridled capitalism.”

This ideology came to full fruition in the wake of the Great Depression (1929–39). During this time, the economist John Maynard Keynes (1883–1946) inspired what was known as the Keynesian Revolution, and governments around the world (including that of Franklin D. Roosevelt) began to adopt his policy recommendation that deficit spending – where government spending exceeds revenue – was not only okay but necessary for economic recovery and growth.

FDR CREATED JOBS FOR MILLIONS BY SETTING UP PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMS, BUILDING SCHOOLS, PARKS, HOSPITALS AND ROADS.

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY

HOOVER DAM

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT

SOCIAL CONSERVATISM

Generally, conservatism centers around a preference for tradition and social order, and a distrust of change. It can look very different from one country to the next, as what is perceived as “traditional” differs culturally and historically. Universally, social conservatism tends to be rooted in religious moralism. The majority of social conservatives in the US are Christians and tend to vote Republican. They are firmly against abortion and would like to overturn Roe v. Wade (1973), the landmark ruling that affirmed a woman’s right to have access to abortions. They also share an opposition to same-sex marriage and support the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), signed into law by President Bill Clinton, which defined marriage as being only between one man and one woman. (The act was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court ruling United States v. Windsor in 2013.)

MY PARENTS RAISED ME WITH TRADITIONAL VALUES THAT CONTINUE TO SHAPE HOW I VOTE AND RAISE MY KIDS, AND THE KIND OF FUTURE I WANT FOR OUR NATION.

ECONOMIC CONSERVATISM

Traditional economic conservatives keep their eye on the government’s budget, seeing many government programs as wasteful. They echo the classic economic liberal view that the economy works best when it is less regulated, and they find the ideas behind Keynesian economics, with its belief that politicians can stimulate growth through government spending, fairly repugnant. They generally focus on fewer government regulations, lower taxes, and economic and fiscal policies aimed at promoting the growth of business and reducing the barriers to trade. Strains of economic conservatism can be found in all of the major parties. It was actually during the presidency of Democrat Bill Clinton (1993–2001) that the nation experienced its largest budget surplus in history.

RONALD REAGAN’S “TRICKLE-DOWN” THEORY OF ECONOMICS IS A FINE EXAMPLE OF ECONOMIC CONSERVATISM. REDUCING TAXES ON THE WEALTHY LEADS TO AN INCREASE IN INVESTMENT AND GROWTH.

EXCEPT IT HAD THE OPPOSITE EFFECT! HIS TAX REDUCTIONS LED TO HUGE AMOUNTS OF DEBT!

OVERLAPPING MEMBERSHIPS

Many people sit more on an ideological spectrum than rigidly defining themselves as “liberal” or “conservative.” These people have “overlapping memberships.” Take, for example, a woman (who tend to be more liberal), who is deeply religious (tending towards conservatism), the parent of a disabled child (relying on “liberal” social programs and safety nets), and from a military family (tending towards conservatism). Her “membership” in each of these groups makes her overall ideology more complicated and difficult to categorize. Different parts of her identity may be “activated” by different ideological messages.

A DIVIDED NATION?

The presidential election of 2016 left many with the feeling that the nation was deeply divided. Among liberals, debates ran hot between supporters of Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. Some conservative voters were uneasy with Donald Trump’s rhetoric towards women, the disabled, and immigrants, among other groups, and some doubted his sincerity towards conservative, traditional values. Trump’s election was met with large protests throughout the nation, which were exacerbated by his issuance of controversial executive orders soon after his taking office. Both sides sought to send the message that their party was the true defender of American core values. The Democratic Party stated, “This election is about more than Democrats and Republicans. It is about who we are as a nation, and who we will be in the future.”

I SUPPORTED HILLARY. I LIKED HER AND WAS EXCITED TO VOTE FOR A WOMAN.

BUT SO MANY OF MY FRIENDS WERE STAUNCHLY FOR BERNIE.

I STILL FEEL LIKE THERE’S A DISTANCE BETWEEN US, EVEN THOUGH SHE LOST.

POLITICAL PARTIES

While the level of partisanship (a strong bias or prejudice towards a particular party) in the United States can seem overwhelming at times, political parties do play an important role in the American political process. They act as an intermediary between politicians and the people, bundling information and ideological stances into a political platform – a formal declaration of principles – with which individuals can affiliate themselves. Parties can simplify choice and make the voting process easier. We may know nothing about a candidate for office but, based on their party affiliation, we can usually make a number of assumptions about their stance on key issues.

I RUN MY OWN BUSINESS AND I DON’T HAVE TIME TO READ UP ON EVERY POLITICIAN. IF THEY’RE A REPUBLICAN, I CAN BE PRETTY SURE THEY HAVE MY INTERESTS IN MIND, AND THEY USUALLY GET MY VOTE.

EVOLUTION OF POLITICAL PARTIES

While it’s hard to imagine a time when parties didn’t play such a strong role in American politics, when the Constitution was written there were no formal political parties, although people identified as Federalists (in favor of a stronger centralized government) or Anti-Federalists (strong proponents of state rights). The earliest parties were the Federalists and the Democratic Republicans. Since then, they’ve experienced a few evolutions. The Federalist party died out after an unpopular opposition to the War of 1812.

By 1828, the Democratic Republicans split in two: the Democratic Republicans (led by Andrew Jackson, who would become president the following year) and the National Republicans (led by John Quincy Adams, the president at the time). In 1834, the National Republican Party dissolved and the Whig party became prominent. The Whigs elected two presidents before merging with a third party called the Free-Soilers to form the Republican Party, electing Abraham Lincoln as president in 1861. While the Civil War (1861–5) brought about some factioning, the Democrats and Republicans remain the two dominant parties today.

POLITICAL PARTIES AND MACHINE POLITICS

We can’t talk about the evolution of parties without understanding that for over 150 years they controlled the democratic process in a way that seems rather, well, undemocratic. From the late 18th century, party-based political “machines” ran many major cities. Typically, the political machine exchanged favors for the voter’s acquiescence in matters of public policy. It had a tight hierarchy, led by the “boss,” with agents throughout the grassroots level. Immigrants, particularly the Irish, comprised a large part of the machine’s base. George W. Plunkitt, leader of New York City’s Tammany Hall Democratic machine, defended the system, arguing that through graft – using politics for personal gain by leveraging the jobs, contracts, and “gifts” available through government spending – he was able to further the interests of the party, the city, voters, and, of course, himself. As immigration declined and the middle class grew, opposition to the machine gained force. By the 1940’s, most machines were in a state of collapse.

THINGS ARE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME TODAY. POLITICIANS AND BUSINESS ARE IN BED TOGETHER. AT LEAST BACK THEN LITTLE PEOPLE LIKE ME SOMETIMES GOT A PIECE OF THE PIE.

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY

The Republican Party, known as the “GOP” (Grand Old Party), was originally an antislavery party. After the election of Abraham Lincoln, it was dominant, winning 8 of the next 12 races for president, but if we conjure an image of the iconic conservative Republican president, we may well think of Ronald Reagan (President: 1981–9).

“WHENEVER WE LOWER THE TAX RATES, OUR ENTIRE NATION IS BETTER OFF.”

“THE TRUTH IS THE PEOPLE I CARE MOST ABOUT ARE THE MIDDLE-INCOME PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY WHO HAVE GOTTEN SCREWED. AND IF THERE’S UPWARD REVISION IT’S GOING TO BE ON HIGH-INCOME PEOPLE.”

“UNTIL SOMEONE CAN PROVE THE UNBORN HUMAN IS NOT ALIVE, WE MUST GIVE IT THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AND ASSUME IT IS. AND THUS, IT SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.”

“I AM PRO-LIFE, AND I WILL BE APPOINTING PRO-LIFE JUDGES.”

“I BELIEVE IN THE IDEA OF AMNESTY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE PUT DOWN ROOTS AND WHO HAVE LIVED HERE, EVEN THOUGH SOMETIME BACK THEY MAY HAVE ENTERED ILLEGALLY.”

“IT’S OUR RIGHT, AS A SOVEREIGN NATION, TO CHOOSE IMMIGRANTS THAT WE THINK ARE THE LIKELIEST TO THRIVE AND FLOURISH AND LOVE US.”

Today’s Republican Party has a complex voter base, who see it as the protector of the conservative values, smaller government, and patriotic sentiment. Among other things, Rep. President Donald Trump campaigned to end Obama’s Affordable Care Act, to greatly expand the military, and to build a wall between the US and Mexico to reduce illegal immigration – all as part of his promise to “make America great again.”

I WORK HARD FOR A LIVING AND I’M TIRED OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO LIVE OFF THE GOVERNMENT!

MOST EVERYONE IN MY CHURCH ALWAYS VOTES REPUBLICAN. I’M PRO-LIFE AND JUST CAN’T SUPPORT THE DEMOCRACTIC PRO-ABORTION AGENDA. THE REPUBLICAN PARTY REMAINS THE BEST CHOICE TO PROTECT THE SOCIAL MORALS OUR COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED UPON.

WHEN YOU’RE A BUSINESS PERSON, VOTING REPUBLICAN JUST MAKES SENSE. WHEN YOU GIVE ME A TAX BREAK, I CAN CREATE MORE JOBS WITH THE MONEY I SAVE. THE REPUBLICAN PARTY GETS THIS.

What is the demographic breakdown of the modern Republican Party? In 2016, 57% of white voters supported Trump, compared to 8% of black voters, 28% of Latino voters, and 27% of Asian voters. Support had increased in the previous ten years among white men, particularly those without a college degree. 25% of Republican voters are 65 or older. However, statistics show that by 2044 whites will be in the minority in the US, so the Republican Party may have to find a way to appeal to minority voters in order to remain dominant.

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY PLATFORM

The Republican Party platform, like the party itself, has evolved over time. Its first party platform, written in 1856, focused on slavery, declaring it antithetical to the “inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” of all members of the nation. The contemporary party platform opens with an appeal to nationalism, stating, “We believe in American exceptionalism. We believe the United States of America is unlike any other nation on earth.” Among other things, the party is grounded in beliefs in lower taxes, conservative values, greater rights for states, gun rights, tighter borders, military strength, and an “America first” policy in international relations.

REPUBLICAN AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTERS

Today, fewer than 10% of African American voters identify as Republican. In the past it was seen as the party of Lincoln, the Emancipator (of the slaves), and so was the preferred party of African Americans, particularly in the South.

MY GRANDFATHER WAS LOYAL TO THE REPUBLICAN TARTY UNTIL THE 40’S, WHEN HE MOVED TO CHICAGO.

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY’S MACHINE HELPED HIM FIND A JOB AND EVEN A PLACE TO LIVE.

HIS LOYALTY STRENGTHENED WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMAN PROMISED TO IMPROVE CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS IN 1948.