POL SCI 40 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Social Insurance, Los Angeles Times, National Journal
14 Oct 2016
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Midterm (30%: all material up to the midterm. Final (40%: cumulative for the whole class. Materials in lectures different to textbook and sections. Constitution = the rules of the game: how to change policies and laws, the game itself is about laws. Laws as rules: examples of rules we all abide by. Who gets to come here or be a citizen: birthright citizenship, h1-b, family-based immigration, terrorist screening, border security. What actions are criminal: marijuana, abortion, obscenity. How do companies have to treat workers: labor unions, overtime, maternity leave. How should markets be regulated: minimum wages, financial regulation. Federal gov = an insurance company with an army (with a lot of debt) funded by a progressive (income) tax system. We all pay into the insurance, which is used for those that actually need it (victims of unexpected events). Social insurance = compulsory and paid for by taxes. Social security: risk of poverty in retirement.
