Concluding%20Remarks

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Concluding Remarks
POLS 21 The American Political System
How shall freedom be defended? By arms when it
is attacked by arms, by truth when it is attacked
by lies, by democratic faith when it is attacked
by authoritarian dogma. Always, in the final act,
by determination and faith. Archibald MacLeish
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https//youtu.be/ObsQ8_58V3Q
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The first 100 days of Donald Trumps presidency
have been chaotic and unpredictable. Reporters
who covered it recount the events that dominated
the news. (Alice Li, Jayne Orenstein, Julio
Negron/The Washington Post)
http//wapo.st/2oRitjw
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Evaluating Government

• How well does the American system of government
  work?
• What are the most appropriate indicators?
• What do citizens really want from government?
• Are those expectations reasonable?

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Evaluating Government

• Policy outcomes
• Shared commitment to democratic values (e.g.,
  popular sovereignty, equality, political liberty)
• Trust in government (e.g., confidence,
  transparency, ethics)
• Participation and representation
• Resilience to threats

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Evaluating Government

• Policy outcomes
• Shared commitment to democratic values (e.g.,
  popular sovereignty, equality, political liberty)
• Trust in government (e.g., confidence,
  transparency, ethics)
• Participation and representation
• Resilience to threats

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Is the American political system dangerously
broken?
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Evaluating Government

• Policy outcomes
• Shared commitment to democratic values (e.g.,
  popular sovereignty, equality, political liberty)
• Trust in government (e.g., confidence,
  transparency, ethics)
• Participation and representation
• Resilience to threats

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Evaluating Government

• Policy outcomes
• Shared commitment to democratic values (e.g.,
  popular sovereignty, equality, political liberty)
• Trust in government (e.g., confidence,
  transparency, ethics)
• Participation and representation
• Resilience to threats

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Evaluating Government

• Policy outcomes
• Shared commitment to democratic values (e.g.,
  popular sovereignty, equality, political liberty)
• Trust in government (e.g., confidence,
  transparency, ethics)
• Participation and representation
• Resilience to threats

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Not too long ago our leading media lights were
using Mussolini and Hitler analogies to describe
the new American Presidents threat to
democratic norms. So much for all that. The
real story of the Trump Presidency so far is that
the normal checks and balances of the American
system are working almost to a fault. His
Presidency is young, and perhaps Mr. Trump will
still find his bearings and make some progress on
his reform agenda. We cant say the same about
the lost credibility of the many worthies who
sold American institutions short while predicting
fascist doom. The Wall Street Journal,
editorial
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A Flawed Democracy?
The 2016 Democracy Index, produced by the
Economist Intelligence Unit in the United
Kingdom, now lists the U.S. as a "flawed
democracy" instead of the "full democracy"
ranking it's held previously, citing the
declining trust in government as the cause. The
economic organization gives grades through five
categories Electoral process and pluralism,
functioning of government, political
participation, political culture, and civil
liberties. It then ranks countries as either a
full democracy, flawed democracy, hybrid regime
and authoritarian regime.
By tapping a deep strain of political
disaffection with the functioning of democracy,
Mr. Trump became a beneficiary of the low esteem
in which US voters hold their government, elected
representatives and political parties, but he was
not responsible for a problem that has had a long
gestation.
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Around Election Day, a prescient 2012 statement
from retired Supreme Court Justice David Souter
resurfaced on social media. Souter was speaking
at the University of New Hampshire School of Law,
and a member of the audience asked about the role
of schools in producing civically engaged
students. Ill start with the bottom line,
the justice said, sighing deeply. I dont
believe there is any problem of American politics
and American public life which is more
significant today than the pervasive civic
ignorance of the Constitution the United States
and the structure of government. He went on to
express concern that an ill-informed and
disgruntled electorate would turn toward an
authoritarian ruler and suggested a revival of
civics education in American high schools. An
ignorant people, Souter said, channeling Thomas
Jefferson, can never remain a free people.
Dana Goldstein, How to Inform a More Perfect
Union
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It falls to each of us to be those anxious,
jealous guardians of our democracy to embrace
the joyous task weve been given to continually
try to improve this great nation of ours, he
said. Because for all our outward differences,
we all share the same proud title Citizen.
Ultimately, thats what our democracy demands. It
needs you. President Barack Obamas farewell
address
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How well does our system of government work?
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