Citizen's Guide

This Guide was made possible by a grant from THE CHARLES STEWART M OTT FOUNDATION Printing and distribution of instructors’ and citizen’s guides were also supported by THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION Funding for the public television series was provided by THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING PBS THE JOHN D. AND CATHERINE T. MACARTHUR FOUNDATION THE CARNEGIE CORPORATION OF NEW YORK THE CHARLES STEWART MOTT FOUNDATION THE DILLON FUND THE CHARLES H. REVSON FOUNDATION THE NORTH STAR FOUNDATION THE JEROME KOHLBERG FUND The People and the Power Game This guide was produced was produced by in cooperation with HEDRICK SMITH PRODUCTIONS HEDRICK SMITH PRODUCTIONS by the in association with OUTREACH DEPARTMENT SOUTH CAROLINA ETV AT SC ETV HEDRICK SMITH, Correspondent and PATRICIA P. DRESSLER, Director Senior Executive Producer MICHELE M. REAP, Editor PATRICK M. RODDY, Executive Producer and Program Producer MARGARET B. WALDEN, Writer BARAK GOODMAN, Program Producer FOSTER WILEY, Principal Camera Design by PAUL GALLAGHER, STEVE JOHNSON and BLJ PUBLISHING RESOURCES, INC. MARK SHAFFER, Field Producers Photos by HEDRICK SMITH, PATRICK M. RODDY, WALTER CALAHAN, CAMERON DAVIDSON BARAK GOODMAN and MARK SHAFFER, Writers and HEDRICK SMITH PRODUCTIONS SANDRA L.UDY, Coordinating Producer and Production Manager Teachers and public television stations ENNIFER CHRISTIANO, RACHEL ENGLEHART, J have the right to download and copy Production Associates this guide for educational use JANINA RONCEVIC, Executive Assistant from The People and the Power Game AMY MALL, Researcher World Wide Web site. http://www.pbs.org/powergame Making Democracy Work By Hedrick Smith The history and institutions of American democracy The Constitution provides a system of separated are a source of national pride to Americans. For most and shared powers—the executive, legislative and people, the trip to Washington is a rite of passage, judicial branches of government. But few people a moment of homage beneath the vaulting dome of understand that constitutional checks and balances Congress or of silent awe at the simple, stately ele- have been accentuated—some say aggravated—by gance of the White House. The monument to George the political divisions of government during the last Washington towers above the city, a symbol of un- six presidencies. For 22 out of the last 28 years, the wavering strength. Thomas Jefferson, tall and far- White House and the Congress (or part of Congress) seeing, gazes out across the Potomac River. Abraham have been controlled by the opposite political parties— Lincoln, thoughtful and compassionate, looks down on sometimes Republican presidents facing Democratic us, his wisdom inscribed on his majorities in Congress, or memorial. vice versa under President Clinton. And yet today, Americans are profoundly dissatisfied with the Such partisan divisions have performance of our national contributed to some of the government. Opinion polls show policy deadlocks over the fed- that public trust in the leaders eral budget, the war in Central and institutions of government America in the 1980s or Ameri- has been declining for several can intervention in Bosnia in decades. One survey in May the 1990s, the level of military 1994 found that 75 percent of spending, and debates about those polled thought that “major the proper size and role of the changes” were needed in “the federal government. With way the federal government partisan divisions, no one is in works.” full control of government. The voters do not know whom to Popular discontent was dramati- blame when the government is cally expressed in the 1994 not working well. election, when voters swept Democrats out of control in the Another important influence House of Representatives for the on how government operates first time in 40 years. Just two Hedrick Smith. and on how the public views years earlier, 19 percent of the Washington is “the shadow voters rejected the presidential candidates of the two government” of the media and the organized lobbies. major political parties to support a political neophyte, They are not mentioned in the Constitution, but they Ross Perot, in what was the most massive repudiation exercise great power in the name of the people. In of the political establishment in an American election. the 1990s, the size of the government has actually shrunk, but the growth of the “shadow government” Voter participation has been declining, because many has been explosive. Some scholars believe that the Americans feel powerless and think that Washington media and special interest lobbying have helped does not care about them and their problems. “The nation undermine public confidence in government and as a whole is losing all respect for the political pro- made it harder for Congress and the President to do cess,” asserted an automotive worker from Michigan. their jobs. “There’s a sense that the system is broken,” said a medical marketing manager from California. A bank Still another important influence on how Washing- officer from Georgia was critical of elected officials: ton works is the way our election campaigns are “They’re on an ego trip. They sit around playing power financed. Throughout much of our history, politi- games with each other.” cal parties organized and financed most election campaigns. But since World War II, and especially People are frustrated but they do not understand in the 1980s and 1990s, individual politicians have why. They focus on personalities though the obsta- taken an increasing role in organizing and funding cles to better government may lie deeper—in the their own campaigns. This has given them much system itself. greater independence from their party leaders. 1 As a result, many go their own way rather than and interesting people and events to show how the working together, but it is only in working together constitutional system of checks and balances has been that they can achieve results. changed by the techniques and technology of modern politics. Our documentary and discussion series, The People and the Power Game, examines these trends to show Finally, we bring together a representative sample how our political system actually works and to help of American voters from all over the country to explain public discontent with government. From talk with experts and political professionals about how extensive research and interviews with virtually all the we can make American democracy work better. Their important political participants, we have put together discussion generated ideas for reform, which are a stories and case studies that take voters and students model for classroom discussions and for debate among inside government to see the President, Vice President, voters and civic groups all across America. The goal is House Speaker, Senate Majority Leader, members of to go beyond the personalities of campaign politics to Congress, top lobbyists and major network anchors in think about the strengths, the weaknesses, and the action. Then we talk to them about what they do and future of American democracy and how we can all why they do it. Our approach is to use real life stories make it fairer and more effective. Why a Citizen’s Guide for The People and the Power Game? “Our democracy will not work better and will the Pew Center for Civic Journalism, has identified the not be strengthened unless we the people as citizens following five areas of civic life: engage ourselves in the great enterprise of making our democracy work better.” With these words Hedrick • Official spaces: public meetings or government Smith closes his production, The People and the forums; Power Game. To jump-start you, the American citizen, • Quasi-official spaces: civic clubs or asso- to engage you in democracy, ciations; to call you to action, we present this citizen’s guide. • Third places: socials, beauty parlors, barber The Harwood Group, under the sponsorship of shops, churches; • Incidental conversations: on sidewalks, standing in line at a checkout; and • Private spaces: in the home. We believe the material in this guide will give you background material and offer suggestions for civic discourse in all of these arenas. If you are a parent of a student in high school or in college, your children may be using another form of this guide to foster discussion on the nature of engagement in our democracy. Ask them to bring the discussion home. Share your ideas as a family on these pressing issues. But most of all, use The People and the Power Game and these Left to right: Republican leaders Senator Robert Dole, Senator Trent thoughts for discussion to initiate Lott, Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and Chairman of the dialogue. Appropriations Committee, Congressman Bob Livingston. 2 2 Program Summary The Elected: The Presidency and Congress The Elected: The Presidency and Congress takes the of a chosen body of citizens, whose wisdom may viewer into the world of legislative politics. The best discern the true interest of their country, and United States government was created to decentral- whose patriotism and love of justice will be least ize power, to protect the American public from a likely to sacrifice it to temporary or partial consider- tyrannical leader as envisioned by ations.” Madison expected our our founding fathers, having re- elected representatives to cently fought to overthrow such look toward compromise to tyrannical leadership. Perhaps achieve the best response one can they did much too good a job. hope to achieve given the many viewpoints about how The federal government is best to govern. divided into three branches—the executive, the legislative and the Many Americans are becoming judicial. Each branch has powers cynical over what they see as granted to it by the Constitution, gridlock in our government, and each branch is able to impose the inability to accomplish the checks and balances on the other most basic of legislative actions.

Load more