2 essays.

Publish.  Post. 

For the essays that were due today (assigned yesterday), and the essays today, read and comment on the essays of 3 other classmates.  Then make whatever changes you'd like to make to your essays.

The US Constitution has endured for more than 2 centuries as the framework of government. However, the meaning of the Constitution has been changed both by formal and informal methods.
a) identify 2 formal methods for adding amendments to the constitution
b) describe 2 informal methods that have been used to change the meaning of the Constitution. Provide one specific example for each informal method you described.
c) Explain why informal methods are used more often than the formal amendment process.

The framers of the United States Constitution created a federal system.

 a) Define federalism

 b) Explain how the following has been used to increase the power of the federal

 government relative to the states.

• Categorical Grants
• Federal mandates

 c) Explain how the following have been used to increase the power of the states relative to

 the federal government.

• Block grants
• Tenth amendment

Essays

Outline today.  Work with classmate. Post on blog tonight.

 1) In The Federalist paper number 10, James Madison expressed concern over the possibility that both majority and minority factions would have too much power over government, and he presented ways of minimizing that danger. The United States Constitution established a democratic government but also contained several provisions that limited majority rule. Throughout the next two centuries, the role of majority rule in the United States government and politics continued to change.

a. Identify the part of the national government that was originally most closely tied to citizens and explain how it was tied to citizens.

b. Explain two ways the United States constitution limited majority rule.

c. Choose two of the following twentieth-century developments and explain how each moved the United States from a less democratic system to a more democratic system. (you will have to research either 17th amendment or expansion of suffrage)

•       Primary elections

•       The Seventeenth Amendment

•       Expansion of suffrage

2) Citizens often choose to participate in the political process in ways other than voting.

(a)  Identify two forms of participation in the political process other than voting.

(b)  Explain two advantages of each form of participation you identified in (a). 

Blog Address, Political Spectrum

Here is a link to share your blog address:


For the survey on 'political philosophy,' Go to this link.

THISONE

Read and reflect about the "new american center."

Write a page or so, reflecting on your opinions from the survey you did yesterday, in comparison, or in contrast to this information.


Post on your blog, or turn in on Thursday.

survey responses

And put your survey response here.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1m-GpINbVLt9iI0sYuAGG-804GNM5bEjja9pHvvCtpvw/viewform

Chapter 9 stuff.

Describe  how the caucus and presidential primary differ from one another in selecting delegates to the national party nominating conventions.  Which do you think is a better method? Why?

Why are Iowa and /new Hampshire especially important to each party in the process of selecting national convention delegates? Should they have this sort of power? Explain?

Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the present primary and caucus system of selecting natinal convention delegates.  Would you favor a move to a different system, or prefer to keep the process as is?  Be specific, and explain?


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Why are Iowa and New Hampshire especially important to each party in the process of selecting national convention delegates?  Should they have this sort of power?  Explain?

How have national party conventions changed over time?  What happens at the convention and what are the major functions of the convention today?

How has campaigning changed in the modern high – tech society?  Evaluate how technology has changed campaigning?  Are thse changes good or bad for American society?

*Describe the significance of money in in a modern presidential election campaign.  How does the government regulate the fund-rasiing and expenditures of presidential campaigns?  Is the government regulation adequate? Explain

Describe the current funding system for federal elections in the United States.  Assess the advantages and disadvantages of "full public financing of federal elections.  Who would benefit from such a policy?  Why?

Explain how a PAC works.  How are politial action committees regulated?  Evaluate the influence of PACs.

Here are some things you should understand (have in notes).

2) What does Anthony King argue of American politicians.
3) What are the 2 facets of campaigning?
4) Define nomination
5) Define campaign strategy
6) Def: national party convention
7) Def: caucus
8) Importance of caucuses (2 ex)
9) Why primaries?
10) What are presidential primaries?
11) What happened in 1968 Chicago?
12) What is the McGovern – Fraser Commission?
13) What is a superdelegate?
14) What is frontloading?
15) How are delegates allocated?
16) Role of money in Campaigns.
17) What is ‘mo’ and how do you get it?
18) 5 criticisms of primary and caucus system

19) What is a national primary
20) What is a regional primary
21) Describe trends in Convention coverage, and why.
22) Describe delegates
23) Define Party platform
24) How has media/tech changed the campaign?
25) What is direct mail
26) What factors determine media coverage?
27) Role of ads in campaigns?
28) How has media coverage changed?
29) Describe the process of organizing a campaign?
30) What is the mother’s milk of politics.
31) When did momentum for campaign finance reform begin?
32) Why did momentum for campaign finance reform begin?
33) What is the Federal Election Campaign Act?
34) What is the Federal Election Commission?
35) What is the Prsidential Election Campaign fund?
36) What is matching funds?
37) What is the role of public funding in the General elections?
38) Evaluate Fig. 9.3
39) What is full disclosure?
40) How are campaign contributions limited?
41) What is Buckley v. Valeo?
42) What is Soft Money?
43) What is McCain Feingold?
44) What are PAC’s?

45) Buckley v. Valeo and PAC’s
46) Why do candidate’s need pacs.
47) Criticism of PAC’s. Is it fair?
48) Criticism of Electyion cost?
49) Is there a correlation between money spent and election victory?
50) Spending enough is key.
51) Evaluate table 9.1
52) What is the Impact of Campaigns
53) Selective perceptions.
54) Evaluate passage dealing with Nominations and Campaigns.
55) Do Campaigns lead to an increase scope of government?

Government Survey.

For Wednesday, 1st 10 pages of chapter 9 done. Read notes taken.

Write down:  On a scale of one to 7, do you think of your self as liberal or conservative?

Take THIS QUIZ.

Write down the results.

Write down a short paragraph.
Were you surprised at your results?

If you did not collect the data for the first assignment, if you get one of your parents to take the FULL quiz, you can get the five points.  You will need to bring a note with their results.

We will create a plot of our classes results, and compare it to the rest of the respondents.

Here are some sample notes

Hey I took some notes for you-- to show you how I do it.
Are you getting all this?


Sample notes page from chapter 6 - 1
Sample notes page from chapter 6-2
Sample notes page from chapter 6-3

test corrections

Click Here

Test correction format:
For each one you got wrong

1) Single-issue groups have little sympathy for compromise.
page number correct answer on.

If you don't finish in one session, finish in two.

Gov Homework, and reading questions.

Pick one of the two at the bottom (**), Copy the question to your blog, write a response, and then by friday, post a question or comment about a classmate's blog WHO chose the other question!!! Describe what is meant by  the “graying of America”?

What is meant by the term minority majority?  Describe the major minority groups identified in the text, including their relative size, political power and socioeconomic status?

What effect does the census have on the make-up of Congress?  What states showed the greatest gains in population in the last census?  How are they rewarded? Is this a fair system? Explain the rationale behind it and your opinion.?

Describe the major influences on one’s political socialization, and how this comes about.  From your own perspective, which influences do you think contributed most to your political attitude today?  Explain?

Explain how public opinion is measured.  What factors affect the accuracy of public opinion polls?

**Are public opinion polls a benefit or a curse to American politics?  What influence do they have on campaigns?  On governing?  What do critics point to as the key weaknesses of public opinion polls? Do you agree?  Explain?

**What is the effect of ideology on public opinion in America?  Do people really think in ideological terms?  Does the liberal conservative dimension adequately capture how Americans feel about political issues?

Describe President Reagan’s view on the scope of government in America. To what extent are these views reflected in American public opinion.?

To what extent does political participation reflect a bias in favor of the privileged?  Should this matter? Why?

Define protest and why it is employed in the political process.  What is civil disobedience?

Should it be tolerated in American politics or strictly curtailed?  How can civil disobedience be defended?  Explain.

Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Reading/Lecture Guide
For Next Class
Answer 1-18
1. Give examples of US unanimity after 9-11.
2. Describe US racial diversity.
3. Define public opinion.
4. Demography?
5. Census?
6. Weaknesses of census?
7. Describe first wave of immigration?
8. 2nd?
9. Third?
10. Political view of Miami Cubans?
11. How have immigrants fostered individualism?
12. Melting Pot
13. Minority Majority.
14. Describe Black Economic status?
15. Describe change in black political involvement?
16. Largest ethnic minority?
17. Describe status of Recent asian immigrants?
18. Which ethnic minority is in the worst position?
19. Describe the regional shift of population with time?
20. What is reapportionment?
21. What does ‘the graying of America mean?
22. What does graying of America mean for social security?
23. What is political socialization?
24. Sources of Informal socialization?
25. Describe relationship between parent’s political party affiliation and that of child?
26. What is the ‘new parent?’
27. Who watches TV news?
28. School as a political socialization agent?
29. Relationship between education and voting?
30. Describe relationship between aging and party attachment?
31. Who invented public opinion polling?
32. What is a sample? How large must it be?
33. Def. random sampling?
34. Sampling error?
35. Great example of polling error:
36. Random digit dialing?
37. Roll of Polls in American Democracy?
38. Criticism of polling?
39. Are polls really used to determine policy?
40. What is an exit poll?
41. Give an example of how wording affects outcome?
42. describe the different opinions Jefferson and Hamilton had about the ‘people’
43. Provide specific evidence of public knowledge about politics.
44. Demonstrate (w/ regard to George Bush (41)) how the media focuses on trivia, not substance.
45. What does it mean to say people lack cultural literacy?
46. What is the ‘paradox of politics’
47. Explain trends in ‘trust’ of governement.
48. Define political ideology.
49. Age and political ideology. Discuss
50. What is the role of enfranchisement and liberalization of policy?
51. What is the gender gap?
52. What is an ideologue?
53. What is a group benefit voter?
54. What are nature of the times voters?
55. What are no issue content groups.
56. List 5 ways Americans participate in politics?
57. Define political participation?
58. Define democracy?
59. Define protest?
60. Define civil disobedience?
61. Explain conventional participation?
62. Define unconventional participation?
63. Relate social0economic statue and participation

Test forms.

I will give you the paper test.  Click the appropriate link, and work away.  Please don't hit submit until you are done.  If you're worried, make an answer key

TEST FORM EAGLE

TEST FORM SHARK

Chapter 3 review

1. US VS Lopez

2. Define Federalism

3. Unitary Gov

4. Intergovernmental Relations

5. Why is federalism important

6. Copy Table 3.1

7. Why are more layers important?

8. Role of federalism, and Judicial Power

9. How does state policy affect national policy

10. Copy table 3.2

11. Why was central power impossible in 1787?

12. Def. Supremacy Clause

13. Def. Tenth Amendment

14. US v. Darby

15. National League v. Usery

16. 11th Amendment

17. Why has fed power gained relative to states?

18. McCulluch v. Maryland

19. Implied Powers

20. Enumerated Powers

21. Implied Powers

22. Elastic Clause

23. Gibbons v. Ogden

24. Power over Commerce

25. Civil War

26. Brown v. Board

27. Full faith and Credit

28. (and same sex marriage).

29. Extradition

30. Privileges and immunities

Part 2.

1. Changes in Federalism over the past 200 years.

2. Define dual federalism

3. Cooperative federalism

4. How is the move from dual to cooperative federalism described (it's a metaphor).

5. What standard operating procedures does cooperative federalism involve.

6. How do highways demonstrate cooperative federalism

7. Explain shared costs

8. What are federal guidelines

9. Explain shared administration.

10. Explain table 3.3

11. Define fiscal federalism

12. Explain figure 3.1

13. Where do most federal grants go? Draw figure 3.2.

14. What are categorical grants.

15. What are project grants

16. What are formula grants

17. What are block grants.

18. (give 2 examples for each of the above).

19. What are the mandate blues (two ways it can be underfunded).

20. Why did the founders establish a federal system?

21. What are the advantages for democracy of federalism?

22. What are the disadvantages of federalism for democracy?

23. How are local interests able to thwart the national majority?

24. Explain figure 3.3

25. Explain 3.4

26. How many US Governments?

27. What is the role of Federalism and the scope of National Governement?

28. Explain figure 3.5