POL
201 American National Government Entire Course
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POL 201 American National Government
Entire Course
POL 201 Week 1 DQ 1 Separation of
Powers Checks and Balances
Separation of Powers/Checks and
Balances. For much of 2011 and 2012, public
dissatisfaction with Congress rose to all time highs, with 70-80% expressing
disapproval with how Congress does its job. Many commentators note that
Americans are fed up with Washington “grid-lock” that makes government
apparently unable to address important problems. Other observers believe that
the national government is acting according to its design, based on separation
of powers and checks and balances.
In your initial post of at least
200-250 words, analyze how the U.S. Constitution implements separation of
powers and checks and balances. Briefly explain why the constitutional framers
based the new government on these ideas. Evaluate how separation of powers and
checks and balances are working out in practice, today, justifying your
assessment with persuasive reasoning and examples.
POL 201 Week 1 DQ 2 Amending the
U.S. Constitution
Amending the U.S. Constitution. The formal process of amending the Constitution is
cumbersome and slow. While this fact explains why relatively few amendments
have been adopted, it does not discourage advocates of constitutional change
from proposing them. Four amendment proposals that have gained considerable
attention are the Balanced Budget Amendment, the Birthright Citizenship
Amendment, the Equal Rights Amendment, and the Overturn Citizens United
Amendment. Select one of these proposals as the topic of your initial
post and use the assigned resources to inform yourself about its purpose and
the arguments of its supporters and critics.
POL 201 Week 2 DQ 1 Policy-making in
the Federal System
Policy-making in the Federal System. The U.S. government’s expansive role in public policy is
caught in a swirl of conflicting cross-currents. On the one hand, popular
expectations about government’s responsibility to solve problems often exceed the
capacity of state and local authorities to respond effectively. On the other
hand, policies developed at the national level may not sufficiently reflect the
great diversity of interests across the U.S. to be effective at the local
level. Moreover, the search for effective policy is further complicated by
theoretical debates about the constitutional framework of federalism, e.g.,
what limits on national power can be derived from the Tenth Amendment?
A policy area in the middle of these
cross-currents is elementary and secondary education – a subject traditionally
under local control, with some oversight by the states. However, during the
last four decades – especially since 2001 – the national government’s role in
education has grown significantly as a result of initiatives by Republican and
Democratic administrations. Use the assigned resources to inform yourself about
this role and the arguments of its supporters and critics.
POL 201 Week 2 DQ 2 Meet Your Rep
Meet Your Rep. The Constitution states, “The House of Representatives
shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the
several States…” (Art. I, Sec. 2). Contrast this with the original
constitutional language for the other house of Congress, “The Senate of the
United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the
Legislature thereof for six Years…” (Art. I, Sec. 3). The phrase “chosen by the
Legislature” was changed to “elected by the people” by the 17th Amendment, but
not until 1912. In other words, from the beginning the House of Representatives
was intended to be exactly what its name suggests –representative of the
people. (Note that in 2010 the Tea Party, and some Republican politicians,
called for repeal of the 17th Amendment, eliminating the popular vote for
Senators. While most Republican politicians have backed away from that view,
many Tea Party chapters continue to demand its repeal.
POL 201 Week 2 Short Essay
Policy-making in the Federal System
Short Essay – Policy-making in the
Federal System. The U.S. government’s expansive
role in public policy is caught in a swirl of conflicting cross-currents. On
the one hand, popular expectations about government’s responsibility to solve
problems often exceed the capacity of state and local authorities to respond
effectively. On the other hand, policies developed at the national level may
not sufficiently reflect the great diversity of interests across the U.S. to be
effective at the local level. Moreover, the search for effective policy is
further complicated by theoretical debates about the constitutional framework
of federalism, e.g., what limits on national power can be derived from the 10th
Amendment?
POL 201 Week 3 DQ 1 Presidential
Leadership and the Electoral College
Presidential Leadership and the
Electoral College. Americans expect their presidents
to get things done, to solve problems, to govern effectively, and to be strong
leaders. The framers of the Constitution did not envision such presidential
leadership. A scholar of the presidency points out that Article II of the
Constitution gives the president scant formal power to influence congressional
policy-making (Simon, n.d.). He also notes that the framers intentionally
designed a process for selecting presidents that would minimize their political
power – the Electoral College. They hoped this institution would insulate the
chief executive from the public because they feared the power of presidents who
might be elected by the people. Therefore, the Constitution provides that “Each
State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a
Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives
to which the State may be entitled in the Congress…” Having state legislatures
“appoint” the Electors who select the chief executive would minimize the
president’s capacity to lead on the basis of his popular support. In a very
real sense, the president would not be accountable to the people but rather to
the state legislatures who appoint Electors. This procedure was also seen as a
way to encourage the selection of statesmen with “characters preeminent for
ability and virtue” rather than mere politicians with “talents for low
intrigue, and the little arts of popularity” (Hamilton, 1788).
POL 201 Week 3 DQ 2 Defense Spending
and the Military-Industrial Complex
Defense Spending and the
Military-Industrial Complex.
Levin-Waldman (2012, pp. 186-89) analyzes how “iron triangles” link Congress,
the bureaucracy, and interest groups in self-serving relationships that
influence policy in ways that are contrary to the public interest. In 1961, at
the end of President Eisenhower’s second term, he gave a farewell address to
the nation in which he warned of the dangers of a “military-industrial
complex.” Many commentators today see the military-industrial complex as an
example of an iron triangle that bloats the defense budget and distorts
national priorities. Not everyone would accept this analysis, however,
especially defense “hawks” in Congress, the military bureaucracies, and defense
industries.
In your initial post of at least
200-250 words, briefly explain the iron triangle model of policy-making
involving Congress, the bureaucracy, and interest groups. Analyze information
about relationships among Congress, the military bureaucracies, and defense
industries. Draw your own conclusion, and support it with facts and with
persuasive reasoning, about the impact of these relationships on defense
spending. Evaluate the accuracy of the iron triangle model as a basis for
understanding the process of making defense spending policy.
POL 201 Week 4 DQ 1 The Supreme
Court and Judicial Review
The Supreme Court and Judicial
Review. In a recent lecture at Yale
University, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer cautioned that while most
citizens assume that judicial review is an enduring part of American
government, judges should not take it for granted. He advises that if judges
wish to preserve this undemocratic power they should follow a judicial philosophy
that will “build confidence in the courts” (Breyer, 2011). Justice Breyer goes
on to describe the kind of judicial philosophy he has in mind. However, some of
his colleagues on the Supreme Court would reject his ideas about what
philosophy should guide judges.
The role of judicial philosophy (or
ideology) in Supreme Court decision-making, especially in its exercise of
judicial review to invalidate laws enacted by a democratically elected Congress
or state legislature, has become a highly contentious issue both within the
Court’s deliberations and in the larger political environment. As the nation
becomes more divided over programs and policies that inevitably seem to come
before the Supreme Court, politicians and ordinary citizens are caught up in rhetoric
about judicial activism or judicial restraint, often with little understanding
of what these terms really mean.
Moreover, as public perceptions of
the Supreme Court become more politicized, the legitimacy of its power becomes
clouded.
POL 201 Week 4 DQ 2 Habeas Corpus
and the War on Terror
Habeas Corpus and the War on Terror. Soon after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, the
Bush administration developed a plan for holding and interrogating prisoners
captured during the conflict. They were sent to a prison inside a U.S. naval
base at Guantanamo Bay on land leased from the government of Cuba. Since 2002,
over 700 men have been detained at “GITMO.” Most have been released without
charges or turned over to other governments. In 2011, Congress specifically
prohibited the expenditure of funds to transfer GITMO prisoners to detention
facilities in the continental United States, making it virtually impossible to
try them in civilian courts. As of April 2012, 169 remained in detention at
GITMO (Sutton, 2012).
An assumption made by the Bush
administration in selecting this location was that it was beyond the
jurisdiction of U.S. courts. The administration wanted to avoid any judicial
oversight of how it handled detainees, characterized as “enemy combatants.” A
possible legal challenge to indefinite detention with no formal charges or
judicial proceedings might arise from the habeas corpus provision of the
Constitution.
POL 201 Week 5 DQ 1 Party Platforms
and Winning Elections
Party Platforms and Winning
Elections. Political parties mobilize voters
to win elections and implement policy goals. Parties use their stated policy
goals (i.e., their platforms) as a way to mobilize voter support. Generally, in
order to be successful in a two-party system, parties must have policy goals
across a broad range of issue areas to appeal to a broad range of voters.
For this discussion, you will
identify one issue area that you want investigate. Use the resources required
for this discussion to gather information about the goals and proposals, in
that issue area, of three political parties – the Democratic and Republican
parties and a third party.
POL 201 Week 5 DQ 2 Voting and
Turnout
Voting and Turnout. The U.S. has one of the lowest voter turnout rates among modern
democratic political systems. One study ranks the U.S. 120th on a list of 169
nations compared on voter turnout (Pintor, Gratschew, & Sullivan, 2002).
While during the last decade many initiatives have been undertaken to increase
voter participation, concerns about the possibility of election fraud have also
increased. Additionally, some political interests feel threatened by the
increase in turnout among some traditionally low-turnout ethnic minorities.
Several states have recently passed
legislation imposing new registration and identification requirements. This has
sparked debate about whether these are tactics intended to suppress turnout or
to prevent fraud.
Soon after the U.S. invasion of
Afghanistan in 2001, the Bush administration developed a plan for holding and
interrogating captured prisoners. They were sent to a prison inside a U.S.
naval base at Guantanamo Bay, on land leased from the government of Cuba. Since
2002, over 700 men have been detained at “GITMO.” Most have been released without
charges or turned over to other governments. In 2011, Congress specifically
prohibited the expenditure of funds to transfer GITMO prisoners to detention
facilities in the continental United States, making it virtually impossible to
try them in civilian courts. As of April 2012, 169 remained in detention at
GITMO (Sutton, 2012).
An assumption made by the Bush
administration in selecting this location was that it was beyond the
jurisdiction of U.S. courts. The administration wanted to avoid any judicial
oversight of how it handled detainees, characterized as “enemy combatants.” A
possible legal challenge to indefinite detention with no formal charges or
judicial proceedings might arise from the habeas corpus provision of the
Constitution.
POL 201 Week 5 Final Paper Civil
Liberties, Habeas Corpus, and the War on Terror
The final assignment for this course
is a Final Paper. The purpose of the Final Paper is to give you an opportunity
to apply much of what you have learned about American national government to an
examination of civil liberties in the context of the war on terror. The Final
Paper represents 20% of the overall course grade.
Soon after the U.S. invasion of
Afghanistan in 2001, the Bush administration developed a plan for holding and
interrogating captured prisoners. They were sent to a prison inside a U.S.
naval base at Guantanamo Bay, on land leased from the government of Cuba. Since
2002, over 700 men have been detained at “GITMO.” Most have been released
without charges or turned over to other governments. In 2011, Congress
specifically prohibited the expenditure of funds to transfer GITMO prisoners to
detention facilities in the continental United States, making it virtually
impossible to try them in civilian courts. As of April 2012, 169 remained in
detention at GITMO (Sutton, 2012).
An assumption made by the Bush
administration in selecting this location was that it was beyond the
jurisdiction of U.S. courts. The administration wanted to avoid any judicial
oversight of how it handled detainees, characterized as “enemy combatants.” A
possible legal challenge to indefinite detention with no formal charges or
judicial proceedings might arise from the habeas corpus provision of the
Constitution.
Article I, Section 9 of the
Constitution states, “The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be
suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may
require it.” Under this provision, persons detained by the government are
entitled to a judicial hearing to determine if there is any legal basis for
their detention. Some legal commentators refer to the right of habeas corpus as
the “great writ of liberty” because it is a prisoner’s ultimate recourse to an
impartial judge who can review the possibility that he is being held illegally
by the executive (e.g., the police or the military). In nations that do not
honor habeas corpus, people simply disappear into prisons without ever having
their day in court.
Several controversial Supreme Court
cases have come out of GITMO. One fundamental question that has been debated,
but not clearly resolved, is to what extent the war on terror justifies the
President’s indefinite detention of “enemy combatants” without the possibility
of the minimal judicial review protected by habeas corpus? Another issue in the
debate is to what extent Congress must clearly authorize the President to
conduct extra-judicial detentions in order for them to be legal? In 2008, the
Supreme Court’s decision in Boumediene v. Bush offered some answers to
these questions. However, the deeply divided 5-4 Court and the likelihood of
the protracted nature of the war on terror suggest that debate around these
important questions will continue. Writing the Final Paper in this course will
prepare you to participate intelligently as a citizen in this ongoing debate.
Write an essay about the right of habeas corpus in the context of the war on
terror. Your essay should address the following subtopics:
1. The general meaning of the right
of habeas corpus in the U.S. Constitution and its relationship to the
protection of other civil liberties.
2. The historical evolution of
habeas corpus, including its English and American traditions.
3. Examples from U.S. history of the
“suspension” of habeas corpus and their applicability to the present.
4. The relevance of habeas corpus to
the contemporary U.S. situation during the war on terror, especially with
respect to persons characterized by the President as “enemy combatants” or
“illegal combatants.”
5. The U.S. Supreme Court’s
interpretation of the right of habeas corpus with respect to “enemy combatants”
or “illegal combatants” (i.e., the views of the five justices making up the
majority in Boumediene v. Bush as well as the views of the four
dissenting justices).
6. Your evaluation of various
perspectives on this topic expressed by justices of the Supreme Court, leaders
in other branches of government, and commentators in both the academic and
popular media. Your assessment should consider several perspectives on this
topic, including :
a. The role of the President as
commander-in-chief.
b. The role of Congress in
determining when habeas corpus can be “suspended.”
c. The role of the Supreme Court in
protecting civil liberties, including the judicial philosophy which should
guide the Court in this role, and
d. Your personal philosophy, values
or ideology about the balance between civil liberties and national security in
the context of an unending war on terror.
Follow these requirements when
writing the Final Paper:
1. The body of the paper (excluding
the title page and reference page) must be at least 1,500 words long.
2. The paper must start with a short
introductory paragraph which includes a clear thesis statement. The thesis
statement must tell readers what the essay will demonstrate.
3. The paper must end with a short
paragraph that states a conclusion. The conclusion and thesis must be
consistent.
4. The paper must logically develop
the thesis in a way that leads to the conclusion, and that development must be
supported by facts, fully explained concepts and assertions, and persuasive
reasoning.
5. The paper must address all
subtopics outlined above. At least 20% of the essay must focus on subtopic 6,
above (your evaluation of arguments about the topic).
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