The College of Charleston Fall 2015 POLI 101.01 American Government Tuesday-Thursday 8 A.M. 9:15 A.M. Maybank Hall 307 Instructor: Office Hours: Marguerite Archie-Hudson, Ph.D. Wednesdays 10:00 A.M. 3:00 P.M. and by appointment Office Location: 114 Wentworth Street, Room 101 Telephone: 843-953-8138 E-mail: archiehudsonm@cofc.edu; mjasper11@aol.com Course Description and Objectives As Americans we are constantly reminded of the benefits, challenges and conflicts of citizenship in our constitutional form of government. The legislative enactments, judicial rulings and executive decisions made by officials that we elect or appoint to public office have broad consequences for how we conduct our daily lives. As major shifts and changes in the political, social and demographic landscapes of America occur, we look to our government for rational, effective responses. The current gridlock in our national government challenges us to consider some thorny questions: why do our leaders in government federal, state and local-appear to be so ineffective in addressing the complex issues currently before the American public the domestic and global economy, immigration, education, the environment, voting rights, global conflicts, civil rights, gun control,etc. Why is our political environment so polarized both by party and by ideology and what is the effect of this gridlock on government s ability to function? This semester we will focus on the institutions and processes that shape our American system of government and the candidates who are vying to become our national leaders. In November 2016 the American electorate will elect a new President, 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives and 1/3 of the U.S. Senate. Political parties, political action committees, national polls, televised debates and key endorsements will all help to shape candidates political and policy positions as they design what they hope will be winning campaigns. At least 20candidates are currently vying to succeed President Barack Obama. The new President will have major influence on the national and foreign policy priorities of the nation, represent the interests of the nation abroad, recommend all Cabinet Officers for Senate confirmation, and may have the opportunity to appoint at last one new member of the U.S. Supreme Court. The winner will instantly become among the world s most recognizable Head of State. 1
We will also examine the major current debates in the Congress, the Executive Branch, the Judicial Branch and the electorate that are centered on the previously noted issues as we consider the question: what is our primary responsibility as citizens to engage these issues- are we merely spectators or should we be actively involved in the processes of making certain that we elect officials who will be accountable to us as citizens in a representative democracy? At the end of the semester students should be able to(a) apply social science concepts, models or theories to explain human behavior, social interactions or social institutions; (b) identify and explain the central principles, institutions, procedures and decision-making processes of the American political system; (c) evaluate the basic strengths and weaknesses of the American political system through the application of political concepts and ideas; (d) relate historical events and/or developments to contemporary political issues, debates and outcomes in the United States and (e) develop an analytical, social scientific disposition toward American politics. Course Requirements 2 A. Regular class attendance is expected of all students and will constitute 10% of your final grade. Attendance will be recorded via a daily sign-in sheet. Absences will be excused only if they are officially validated. B. Expectations for class participation include reading assignments prior to class, joining in class discussions, respecting the opinions of others and turning in assignments on time. Late assignments will incur severe grade penalties. Daily class attendance will be taken via a sign-in sheet. C. The use of cellphones, I pads, tablets or any other electronic device during class is not permitted. Personal computers may be permitted for the exclusive purpose of taking notes and verification may be required at any time. Failure to observe this policy will result in severe grade penalties and may result in expulsion from the class. D. Students are strongly encouraged to utilize office hours and/or schedule appointments to discuss assignments and readings. E. Students who are receiving services through the Center for Disability Services, are scheduled to travel with an athletic team or will participate in a student-government related or other official off-campus activity during the semester must present a letter of verification signed by the appropriate college official. F. Students who plan personal (i.e., non-emergency) off- campus trips prior to a scheduled exam ( ex. Midterm or Final) will not receive excused absences or opportunity to make-up the exam. G. Each student is required to select a topic for research and study during the semester from a list provided by the instructor. At the end of the semester students studying the same topic will be required to make a group presentation to the class. Grading Grades will be based on a five part research paper that examines a current political issue of great interest, Midterm Examination, a Final Examination and individual and group class participation as follows: A. Research paper, part I 10% B. Research paper, part II 10% C. Research paper, part III 10% D. Research paper, Part IV 10% E. Research paper, Part V 10% F. Midterm Examination 15% G. Final Examination 15%
H. Class attendance/participation individual 10% I. Class participation-group 10% Required Textbook Ginsberg, Benjamin; Lowi, Theodore J; Weir, Margaret and Tolbert, Carolyn J.: We The People (10 th Edition), 2014, W.W. Norton and Company, Inc., New York. You are encouraged to keep abreast of contemporary political and social issues, many of which may be the subject of class discussions. You are also encouraged to share relevant articles, reports, etc. with the class. Several national newspapers, including the New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal are available on-line at no charge. Local and state political news is reported in the Post and Courier and The State. Students are encouraged to utilize the Center for Student Learning (CSL) academic support services for assistance in study strategies and course content. The Center offers tutoring, supplemental instruction, study skills appointments and workshops. These services are available to you at no extra cost. You may visit the CSL website at http://csl.cofc.edu or call (843) 953-5635. Course Outline and Reading Assignments AUGUST 2015 TU 25 TH 27 Introductions and class overview Class overview and semester assignments SEPTEMBER 2015 TU 1 American Political Culture Ginsberg- Chapter One TH 3 American Political Culture Ginsberg -Chapter One TU 8 The Foundation and the Constitution (Handout) Ginsberg- Chapter Two TH 10 The United States Constitutions The Bill of Rights Ginsberg Chapter Two Assignment # 1 Due TU 15 Federalism and the Separation of Powers Ginsberg -Chapter Three 3
TH 17 Federalism Ginsberg- Chapter 3 The Institutions of Government TU 22 Legislative Branch Constitutional Powers and Authority Ginsberg- Chapter Twelve TH 24 The Legislative Branch: The U.S. Congress Assignment # 2 Due TU 29 The Legislative Branch: The U.S. Congress OCTOBER 2015 TH 1 TU 6 MIDTERM EXAMINATION The Executive Branch Constitutional Powers and Authority Ginsberg, Chapter Thirteen TH 8 TU 13 The Presidency Constitutional Powers and authority The Presidency- The Executive Office of the President Assignment # 3 Due TH 15 TU 20 TH 22 TU 27 TH 29 The Executive Branch- The Federal Bureaucracy Fall Break- No Class The Executive Branch- The Federal Cabinets The Executive Branch- the Federal Agencies Funding the operations of government NOVEMBER 2015 TU 3 TH 5 Funding the operations of government The Judicial Branch Constitutional powers and authority Ginsberg- Chapter Fifteen 4
TU 10 TH 12 The Federal Court system The Federal Court system Assignment # 4 Due TU 17 TH 19 TU 24 The power of judicial review Class Presentation Research Group One Class Presentation Research Group Two Assignment # 5 Due TH 26 THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY NO CLASS DECEMBER 2015 TU 1 Class Presentation -Research Group 3 Th 3 Class Presentation -Research Group 4 TU 8 Reading Day No Class Tu 15 FINAL EXAMINATION 8:00 A.M.- 11:00 A.M. MAYBANK 307 REQUIRED ASSIGNMENTS Currently at least twenty Americans with varying qualifications are vying to replace Barack Obama as President of the United States. The required assignment offers an opportunity for students to investigate the qualifications, key policy positions, supporters, campaign financing and political party relationships of the four current leaders and make a judgment as to why you think the person you select is qualified or not qualified to be elected President. You will select a candidate from the following: 5 1. Jeb Bush Republican Group One 2. Hillary Clinton- Democrat Group Two 3. Bernie Sanders Independent Group Three 4. Donald Trump Republican Group Four Your five-part research paper will be divided as follows: Part I Describe the following: (a) the specific constitutional requirements for serving as President of the United States including age and citizenship requirements;(b) The number of electoral votes required to affirm the election of a candidate and the processes by which electoral votes are earned and certified; (c) the procedures for being
sworn into office and (d) the constitutionally defined duties and responsibilities of the President of the United States. Part II (a) Identify the political party to which your candidate belongs, describe its governing structure (i.e. Chair, governing board, etc.) and state the criteria, if any, for being identified as an official member of the party; (b) give the date and location of its 2016 national convention and the number of delegates your candidate must receive in order to secure the party s nomination; (c) State your candidate s position on the following issues of national interest: immigration, climate change, same sex marriage, sending ground troops to Iraq to combat ISIS and abortion rights. Part III (a) State your candidate s current standing in three of the following national polls in comparison to the other candidates : New York Times, Quinnipiac, Washington Post, Gallup and CNN; (b) Identify the federal agency to which candidates are required to report funds raised and the three largest contributors to date; State how much money, if any, the candidate has contributed to his/her campaign to date Part IV State the specific qualifications and/or experiences your candidate has to provide leadership to the Congress and the nation in the following policy areas if elected President: (a) domestic policy; (b) foreign policy. (Ex: been elected to a public office; held a cabinet position; provided advice to the country on economic matters, held a national leadership position, etc.). Part V Make an argument for why your candidate should be elected President based on the following: (His/her public/legislative/leadership experience in comparison to the other three candidates; acceptability to the American voter based on national polls; domestic and foreign policy experience; public positions on immigration, climate change, same sex marriage, sending ground troops to Iraq and abortion rights. State if your candidate s positions on these issues are supported by the views of the American electorate as described by public polls. Please note: Several members of the class will be researching the same candidate as you. Together you will make a presentation to the class at the end of the semester in which you will discuss the qualifications of your candidate, including his/her positions on the key issues noted. In preparation for the group presentation you are expected to participate in at least one group meeting with members of your research group. Discuss the pros and cons of the candidate s fitness for the Office of President, offer your views on why this candidate is/is not the most qualified and seek group consensus on whether he/she should be elected. This is an exercise in listening, dialogue, friendly debate, information sharing and consensus building around a specific position. Maximum length for papers 1-4 is four pages, single spaced. Maximum length for paper 5 in 8 pages, single spaced, excluding charts, graphs and appendices. Citations are required for each source or authority cited. The MLA citation format is recommended for creating your Works Cited list. 6