Friday, June 22, 2007
Introduce Yourself!
Welcome to your class blog! Please take a few moments to introduce yourself to everyone. Provide as much or as little information as you like, but at a minimum, tell us your major and why you're taking POL 101. If you're not familiar with blogging, click where it says "comments" and you will be taken off to a different page where you can comment.
Week 1, Chapter 1
Comment on ONE topic from the list below:
1) Should the United States government restrict immigration in a very strict fashion or adopt an approach such as the temporary worker program? Why or why not?
2) What are some of the pros and cons of the high value placed on individualism in the United States? Can you provide some examples as well as an explanation of your opinion?
1) Should the United States government restrict immigration in a very strict fashion or adopt an approach such as the temporary worker program? Why or why not?
2) What are some of the pros and cons of the high value placed on individualism in the United States? Can you provide some examples as well as an explanation of your opinion?
Week 1, Chapter 2
Comment on ONE topic from the list below:
1) Should the United States abolish the electoral college? Why or why not?
2) What do you think about direct democracy versus representative democracy? Should states place more public policy issues on the ballot and let the people directly vote on the "issues of the day" or do you favor representative democracy where legislators make policy decisions? In truth, we have a mixture of the two, but would you prefer to see more direct democracy or less direct democracy? What are the pros and cons of each?
1) Should the United States abolish the electoral college? Why or why not?
2) What do you think about direct democracy versus representative democracy? Should states place more public policy issues on the ballot and let the people directly vote on the "issues of the day" or do you favor representative democracy where legislators make policy decisions? In truth, we have a mixture of the two, but would you prefer to see more direct democracy or less direct democracy? What are the pros and cons of each?
Week 1, Chapter 3
Comment on ONE topic from the list below:
1) What do you think about legalizing medicinal marijuana? In the context of federalism, what do you think about the federal govenment having the authority to prevent states from legalizing medicinal marijuana?
2) Select a topic in the news this week, tell us about it, and why it is important to you. It must be a national news story and it must be political in nature. Provide either an internet link or information regarding the news source (which newspaper, which newscast, etc.) so we can learn more if we are interested.
1) What do you think about legalizing medicinal marijuana? In the context of federalism, what do you think about the federal govenment having the authority to prevent states from legalizing medicinal marijuana?
2) Select a topic in the news this week, tell us about it, and why it is important to you. It must be a national news story and it must be political in nature. Provide either an internet link or information regarding the news source (which newspaper, which newscast, etc.) so we can learn more if we are interested.
Week 2, Chapter 4
Comment on ONE topic from the list below:
1) Should flag burning be declared unconstitutional? What are some of the arguments for and against?
2) Do you think the FCC fine for the Justin Timberlake/Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction during the the 2004 Super Bowl was appropriate or too much? Discuss that in the broader context of obscenity.
3) Prayer is not permitted in public schools, though it is well-known that many public schools still engage in this practice. What do you think about prayer in public schools in the context of the First Amendment?
4) Do you think the death penalty should be abolished on the grounds that it violates the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution?
1) Should flag burning be declared unconstitutional? What are some of the arguments for and against?
2) Do you think the FCC fine for the Justin Timberlake/Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction during the the 2004 Super Bowl was appropriate or too much? Discuss that in the broader context of obscenity.
3) Prayer is not permitted in public schools, though it is well-known that many public schools still engage in this practice. What do you think about prayer in public schools in the context of the First Amendment?
4) Do you think the death penalty should be abolished on the grounds that it violates the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution?
Week 2, Chapter 5
Comment on ONE topic from the list below:
1) Should same-sex marriage be legalized? Why or why not?
2) Is affirmative action still needed? If you think not, how would you propose we deal with race and gender discrimination in employment and housing?
1) Should same-sex marriage be legalized? Why or why not?
2) Is affirmative action still needed? If you think not, how would you propose we deal with race and gender discrimination in employment and housing?
Week 2, Chapter 6
Choose ONE topic from the list below:
1) Should Representatives make decisions on the basis of public opionion polls? What would be the positive and negative aspects of this basis for decision-making?
2) Which one of the "agents of socialization" do you think had the biggest impact on your political beliefs? How and why?
3) How would you classify yourself based on the descriptions in Chapter 6 of liberals, conservatives, libertarians, and populists? Why? (You might also look at Figure 6-3 for information about policy opinions of Republicans and Democrats.)
1) Should Representatives make decisions on the basis of public opionion polls? What would be the positive and negative aspects of this basis for decision-making?
2) Which one of the "agents of socialization" do you think had the biggest impact on your political beliefs? How and why?
3) How would you classify yourself based on the descriptions in Chapter 6 of liberals, conservatives, libertarians, and populists? Why? (You might also look at Figure 6-3 for information about policy opinions of Republicans and Democrats.)
Week 3, Chapter 7
Comment on ONE of the following topics:
1) Do you vote for the party, the person, or a particular issue?
2) Find a story in the news that is political in nature and comment on it here. Be sure to provide a source so we can read the story for more information. In addition to telling the facts of the story, provide your opinion as well.
1) Do you vote for the party, the person, or a particular issue?
2) Find a story in the news that is political in nature and comment on it here. Be sure to provide a source so we can read the story for more information. In addition to telling the facts of the story, provide your opinion as well.
Week 3, Chapter 8
Comment on ONE of the following topics:
1) Do you prefer a minor (third) party to the two main parties that dominate our political system? Which is it? Why do you like that party? Does your party have a chance at winning in the US?
2) How could we radically change our campaign system to remove the influence of money?
3) What do you think the Democrats do right? What do you think the Republicans do right? What do you think the Democrats do wrong? What do you think the Republicans do wrong? (Must answer ALL parts of that question for credit, so if you cannot think of a single thing the ____ party does right because you're such an ardent _______, choose a different topic!)
1) Do you prefer a minor (third) party to the two main parties that dominate our political system? Which is it? Why do you like that party? Does your party have a chance at winning in the US?
2) How could we radically change our campaign system to remove the influence of money?
3) What do you think the Democrats do right? What do you think the Republicans do right? What do you think the Democrats do wrong? What do you think the Republicans do wrong? (Must answer ALL parts of that question for credit, so if you cannot think of a single thing the ____ party does right because you're such an ardent _______, choose a different topic!)
Week 3, Chapter 9
Comment on ONE of the following topics:
1) Your book makes a pretty strong argument against single-issue voting. Do you agree, disagree? Why?
2) Are you a member of an interest group? Which one? Why? How effective do you think your interest group is politically? Why?
3) Do interest groups have too much power in the political process, or not enough power? Explain. If you think too much power, then who should have more relative to interest groups? If you think not enough power, where/how should groups acquire greater power to influence the political system?
1) Your book makes a pretty strong argument against single-issue voting. Do you agree, disagree? Why?
2) Are you a member of an interest group? Which one? Why? How effective do you think your interest group is politically? Why?
3) Do interest groups have too much power in the political process, or not enough power? Explain. If you think too much power, then who should have more relative to interest groups? If you think not enough power, where/how should groups acquire greater power to influence the political system?
Week 4, Chapter 10
Comment on ONE topic from the list below:
1) Why is conservative talk radio so much more popular than liberal talk radio?
2) What is your primary news source and why?
3) How has the internet changed mainstream media? What impact you think the internet is having on politics?
1) Why is conservative talk radio so much more popular than liberal talk radio?
2) What is your primary news source and why?
3) How has the internet changed mainstream media? What impact you think the internet is having on politics?
Week 4, Chapter 11
Use the following website to find a bill proposed in Congress THIS SESSION. You may search by keyword or by sponsor (House or Senate). Be sure to tell us the bill number (it will begin with S. or H.R. and then the number) so we can look at it if we want to. Tell us about the bill. What do you think about it? Does our country need that law? Why or why not?
http://thomas.loc.gov/
http://thomas.loc.gov/
Week 4, Chapter 12
Choose one Democrat seeking the nomination for President and one Republican seeking the nomination for President. Explore his/her websites and then focus in on the hopefuls' positions on policy issues. Choose ONE issue to discuss from each website (Dem and Rep) and tell us where they stand on the issue. You may choose different issues for each person. What you may NOT do is comment on an issue someone else has already posted a comment on. It's fine to choose the same person, but not the same issue.
Do you think either of the people you chose has a shot at winning the nomination of their party? Do you think they have a shot at the White House? Why or why not?
Do you think either of the people you chose has a shot at winning the nomination of their party? Do you think they have a shot at the White House? Why or why not?
Week 5, Chapter 13
Blog on a current national news event. If the story is on-line, provide a link. If it is in the paper or news, provide information about where we can find additional information (name/date of paper, etc.). And, yes, the current event has to be political in nature.
Week 5, Chapter 14
Explore this website: http://www.oyez.org/.
I especially encourage you to LISTEN to a case argued in front of the Court. You can scroll down to "New Media Releases" and you will see all the 2005 cases are now available. Alternatively, you may search by issue under "Browse Cases" in the top left corner. Some have audio and some only have transcripts. It is well worth finding one with audio - it provides a very different perspective.
Report back on the blog and tell us what you found on this website that was interesting to you. Be sure to read the comments that precede your's. A bunch of comments talking about looking at the Justices' chambers would be rather boring.
I especially encourage you to LISTEN to a case argued in front of the Court. You can scroll down to "New Media Releases" and you will see all the 2005 cases are now available. Alternatively, you may search by issue under "Browse Cases" in the top left corner. Some have audio and some only have transcripts. It is well worth finding one with audio - it provides a very different perspective.
Report back on the blog and tell us what you found on this website that was interesting to you. Be sure to read the comments that precede your's. A bunch of comments talking about looking at the Justices' chambers would be rather boring.
Week 5, Chapter 15
Let's do another current event for our final blog comment. This one must be about something happening in state or local politics.
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