Unit IV: Judiciary, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

Fri. 4/27   The Judiciary: An Overview of the System

DUE:  read pp. 295-310 . See chapter self-test pp.315-316 10.1 through 10.4

Tuesday 5/1  Landmark Supreme Court Cases: Meet in Founders Lecture Hall: 

DUE: No homework weekend!!

Supreme Court Case Assignment: shared Google doc  Complete in class today.

Thursday 5/3  Civil Liberties

DUE: read pp. 321-334 on Civil Liberties.  You know some of this information, but please read carefully--possible reading quiz?  Look at chapter self-test, p. 345 11.1 through 11.4


Monday 5/8  Due Process Rights


DUE:  read pp. 334-344,  349-354, chapter self-test 345. 11. 5 through 11.7, p.374, 12.1, 12.2


Just for "fun":  9/11 Defendants Face Arraignment in Military Court


Wednesday 5/10   Civil Rights


DUE:  pp.  354-372, self-test 374-375, 12.3 -12.7. Reading quiz?


Friday 5/12  The Media: Fourth Branch of Government


DUE:  read. pp. 202 -212, chapter self-test p. 214, 6.4 & 6.5 Reading quiz?


Looking ahead: Political Bias in the National Media Assignment

Here's what's new this week, and might work for this assignment (I'll keep adding items this week):


•Terrorist bomb plot thwarted
•Senate Republican filibusters the bill to maintain the current student loan interest rate
•North Carolina voters go to the ballot to vote on state constitutional amendment against gay marriage, and against civil union protections
•Senator Dick Lugar loses his primary election in Indiana (5/8) (Tea Party challenger wins)
•Campaign stories:
--Romney and the auto bailout
--Romney: high school bullying story 5/10 or 5/11
--Obama big Hollywood fundraiser  5/10


**Big news 5/9: President Obama supports same-sex marriage






Tuesday 5/13  Computer Lab (upstairs)--no personal laptops needed after all


DUE:  Get started on the media assignment by picking the two networks you want to compare and choosing an issue that works.


Thursday 5/15  Computer Lab (upstairs)


Monday 5/21  Computer lab (upstairs)


Wednesday 5/23  Classroom: How biased is our broadcast media?


DUE: by class, please email me your reflection: Name_Media

Unit III: Policy Making Institutions: Congress, the Presidency and the Bureaucracy

News Report Schedule REVISED AGAIN...


3/6  Tues.  Finish Presentations/ Congressional Elections

DUE:  Read. Pp. 216-217, 219-224. Review p. 241 7.1 self-test.

3/8  Congress: The People's Branch

News Report: Elba

DUE:

1) Blog: How do the results of the "Super Tuesday" affect the race to the Republican nomination?
2) read pp. 224-39, review 7.2 through 7.5 self test, pp. 241-42.


3/13  How the Legislature "Works"
News Reports: Greig and Isaac, coordinate stories
DUE: 1) Finish reading the chapter on Congress and 2) read this article: Senator Snowe's Decision to Quit


3/15  COME TO THE UPSTAIRS COMPUTER LAB TODAY
News Report: Charlotte
DUE: Work on Senator research assignment, due Mon. 3/19.   We'll start with these sources for information : Thomas: Library of Congress Research or Congressional Data Base/Washington Post  Also, Open Secrets provides up-to-date information about campaign finance statistics


3/19  The Senate in Action
DUE: Senator research assignment. Please bring a hard copy with you to class.


3/21  Making Congress Work: An Assessment of the Legislative Branch c. 2012
News Report: Jen and Alec coordinate stories (extension given for homework assignment today)


In class:  Obama One-on-One with Scott Pelley on Debt Ceiling Crisis
                 Can the Filibuster be Fixed?  
                 Make Congress Work    
DUE:
 1) Write a one paragraph response in your blog: What chance does a bill containing your senator's favorite issue have for passage this year in the 112^th Congress? Explain why or why it may not pass in the Senate. If it passes in the Senate, why or why not might it pass in the House? Include one outside source to back up your opinion; (could be one you already read for the research assignment). 
2) Read pp. pp. 245-257 in text, look at 8.1 and 8.2 Chapter self-test, pp. 267-268. Possible reading quiz


3/23  The Presidency: What Makes a Good President?
News Report: Andrew (extension given for homework today)
DUE: Read pp. 257-266, Chapter self-test, p. 268, 8.3 through 8.6.  Possible reading quiz.


3/27  Is the President Too Powerful? Not Powerful Enough?
News Report: Isaac (extension given for homework today--please post by 3/29)
DUE: On your blog, post the bibliographical information of at least three sources for your Congress essay. CORRECT format please!! Take notes on those sources separately, i.e., don't post the notes to the blog.


3/29  Capitol Crimes
DUE: Work on essay 


SPRING BREAK!!


4/16  
DUE: Work on essay.


4/18  The Federal Bureaucracy: gets a bad rap?


DUE: Op-Ed Essay: Making Congress Work due. Please email me a copy of the essay: title your file: Name_Congress.


Check this link out: The most (and least) lucrative committee assignments in Congress 
Here's another: Lawrence Lessig Interviews Jack Abramoff  Abramoff is now out of jail and working with Lessig to reform the financing of Congressional campaigns.


4/23  "Iron Triangles," Issue Networks and the Federal Budget


DUE: Read the top of p. 178, "The Federal Workforce", then read pp. 279-290.  Look over Chapter self-test p. 19, sections 9.3, 9.4 and 9.5.


4/25 Be a Budget Hero!


DUE: Play the Budget Hero game. Get briefed on the rules, play the game, and then answer the questions on this Read this handout and then get briefed on the rules, play the game, and then answer the questions on p. 2.  Bring a hard copy of p. 2 with answers to class.  


Just for fun: President Obama on Jimmy Fallon Here's the entire clip

Fri. 4/27   The Judiciary: An Overview of the System

DUE:  read pp. 295-310 . See chapter self-test pp.315-316 10.1 through 10.4

Tuesday 5/1  Meet in Founders Lecture Hall

DUE: No homework weekend!!

Supreme Court Case Assignment: shared Google doc

Unit II Political Process: Political Beliefs, Participation, Parties & Elections

Tues. 1/31 POLITICAL IDEOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR

DUE: Read from p. 158 top “Political Ideology and Attitudes Toward Government” through 166 on Political Ideology and Public Opinion. Review Chapter Self-Test 5.2 and 5.3 questions on p. 177.

Thurs. 2/2 POLITICAL PARTICIPATION

News Report: Nikko

DUE:

1) On your blog respond:  How do the results of the Florida primary affect the race to the Republican nomination?

2) Read pp.167-176, and review Chapter Self-Test 5.4 and 5.5 questions on p. 177-178.


Mon. 2/6 POLITICAL PARTIES: HOW DO THEY SHAPE OUR POLITICAL EXPERIENCE?
News Report: David


DUE: Read pp.115-126 Review Chapter Self-Test 4.1 4.2  questions 1-5 p. 148. (Revised) Keep the project in mind as you read (but also be ready for reading quizzes in the next week!)


Wed. 2/8 HOW MUCH POWER AND INFLUENCE DUE INTEREST GROUPS HOLD?
News Report: Andreas
Campaign Project assigned
Project Rubric


DUE: Read pp. 130-144, checking review questions  for 4.4, 4.5 and 4.6 p. 149. Check News Report Schedule below--some dates changed.


Fri. 2/10  Lit Fest! Meet in BBLC Lecture Hall


DUE: Read pp. 181-195 checking review questions for 6.1, 6.2 p.p.213


Tues. 2/14 US ELECTIONS: HOW DEMOCRATIC?
News Report: Albert and E.G.


DUE: 1) Read pp. 196-201 checking review questions for 6.3 p.214. 2) Find a news article that describes the decision Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission, post the link to the source on your blog, and respond on your blog: how does this decision compare to the earlier congressional efforts to limit campaign spending?


Thurs. 2/16 Work Session: meet in upstairs Computer Lab


DUE: If you haven't already, complete some background reading on your candidate and an additional assignment you have given to each other.


Fri. 2/17 Lunch in BBLC: Rocky Anderson, candidate for President!


Here's a link to an interview
Here's the link to the Justice Party


Tues. 2/21  Work Session: meet in upstairs Computer Lab
DUE: Upload powerpoint file to google docs with your classmates (and invite me to be a reader, not an editor). Complete any work needed for your group.


Thurs 2/23  Campaign 2012 Project Due: post final powerpoint in google docs by 8:00 and bring in the poster, your research notes and bibliography to class. 

Unit I: Constitutional Underpinnings of Federalism

Unit I Syllabus

News Report Schedule REVISED

Course Overview

The election of Barack Obama in 2008 seemed to mark the beginning of a new era of a more inclusive, more civil democratic society. The first African American President! Young people active in politics! Yet has American politics changed since his election? In this class, we will learn about how our government works by analyzing Obama’s first term in office. How effective is the President in responding to economic problems, foreign affairs or other domestic crises? Who has more power in making change: the President, Congress or the Supreme Court? What role does political party play in our government? Should we consider the media the “fourth branch” of government in effecting change? With the first primaries beginning in January, we will study how candidates prepare for primaries, respond to public opinion and try to predict voter behavior.
Be ready to engage in daily discussions of current events, a rigorous schedule of reading and a variety of assessments. Through hard work, students will explore how they as U.S. citizens can improve democracy in America.

We will cover most topics contained on the American Government and Politics Advanced Placement exam, which is given in May. Those who wish to take the exam will be provided with additional materials and review sessions to help them prepare

The course involves both the study of general concepts used to interpret U.S. politics and the analysis of specific case studies. All students are encouraged to keep up with current events—we will have lots of interesting discussions, debates, and disagreements about the nature of modern U.S. politics. There will be a special project that is connected to the election. \ Homework assignments will always be posted on this following class website: amergovtap.blogspot.com

COURSE EXPECTATIONS:

All homework assignments will be posted online. Occasionally, I will email pdf files to you, so you must check your email daily. Expect frequent reading quizzes; it's important to keep up with the reading.

Late work:

Any assignments turned in late will be docked 1/3 grade credit for each DAY that it is late. For example, if we meet on Day 2 (Wednesday) and you turn in an assignment that would merit a "B" on Thurs., the grade is lowered to a B-. If you wait until the next class day, then the grade goes down 2/3, i.e., B to a C+.

ATTENDANCE:

You all understand that you need to be in class in order to do well in school. While there are absences that cannot be controlled (athletic departures, illness) please avoid scheduling appointments, vacations, etc. during class time. You risk not receiving credit for this course if you miss more than 5 classes in a semester.

Below is an outline of the topics that we cover in this course:

I. Constitutional Underpinnings of the U.S. Government
A. Considerations that influenced the formulation and adoption of the Constitution
B. Separation of Powers
C. Federalism
D. Theories of democratic government

II. Political Beliefs and Behaviors
A. Beliefs that citizens hold about their government and its leaders
B. Processes by which citizens learn about politics
C. The nature, sources, and consequences of public opinion
D. The ways in which citizens vote and otherwise participate in political life
E. Factors that influence citizens to differ from one another in terms of political beliefs and behaviors

III. Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media
A. Political parties and elections
1. Functions
2. Organization
3. Development
4. Effects on the political process
5. Electoral laws and systems
B. Interest groups, including political action committees (PACS)
1. The range of interests represented
2. The activities of interest groups
3. The effects of interest groups on the political process
4. The unique characteristics and roles of PACS in the political process
C. The mass media
1. The functions and structures of the media
2. The impacts of media on politics

IV. Institutions of National Government: The Congress, the Presidency, the Bureaucracy, and the Federal Courts
A. The major formal and informal institutional arrangements of power
B. Relationships among these four institutions, and varying balances of power
C. Linkages between institutions and the following
1. Public opinion and voters
2. Interest groups
3. Political parties
4. The media

V. Public Policy
A. Policy making in a federal system
B. The formation of policy agenda
C. The role of institutions in the enactment of policy
D. The role of the bureaucracy and the courts in policy implementation and interpretation
E. Linkages between policy processes and the following:
1. Political institutions and federalism
2. Political parties
3. Interest groups
4. Public opinion
5. Elections
6. Policy networks

VI. Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
A. The development of civil liberties and civil rights by judicial interpretation
B. Knowledge of substantive rights and liberties
C. The impact of the Fourteenth Amendment on the constitutional development of rights and liberties