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Instructor: Dr. Harbour
Office: East Ruffner 228
Office telephone: 395-2219
Office hours:
MWF 11:00-12:00 TR 9:30 - 10:30
harbourwr@longwood.edu
Table of Contents
Course
Description
Texts
Course
Objectives
Class
Schedule
Course
Requirements
Grading
Attendance
Policy
Honor
Code
Class
Discussion
Critical
Thinking Writing Exercises
Taking
Exams
Bibliography
Course Description:
An introduction to the American political system, with an emphasis upon the
national political institutions, processes, groups, public behavior, and issues
which shape contemporary society.
Texts:
Edwards, Wattenberg, Lineberry. Government in America
15th Edition. New York:
Person/Longman, 2011. Hardback
Students are expected to follow news items of national and international importance found in The National Journal (a good nonpartisan source of news found at: http://www.nationaljournal.com/ ) and other news sources found below. Being aware of current political developments is important to good citizenship. Each exam will have at least one essay question requiring students to reflect on current political news.
Other Reading:
Students may also keep up with current political events and may follow the news
through the following online sites:
http://www.nyt.com/
http://www.cnn.com/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
http://www.foxnews.com/index.html
http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5
A useful site for checking on the facts presented in public forums:
http://www.factcheck.org/
Many thoughtful students sometimes wonder how much they can trust
information about politics they encounter when viewing political ads and
reading political editorials. They also worry about the objectivity of media
news reports. Both conservatives and liberals complain about the distortion of
facts found in the political ads run by the other side and various websites
sponsored by opposition ideological groups. Distorting the views and positions
of the opposition to make them look as bad as possible is an all too typical
campaign technique. As a citizen and a student you not only should consider
examining many different perspectives and sources of information but also make
use of above site sponsored by the Annenberg Public Policy Center. The experts at this site checks out the factual accuracy of many
political speeches, ads, and news releases. They take on both the left
and the right, finding errors put out by democrats and republicans. This site
is especially useful when elections approach in examining current political
debates over public policy.
Students may also read the Online editions of CQ Weekly and The CQ Researcher published by Congressional Quarterly Inc. These may be found by going to the CQ Library site at: http://library.cqpress.com/
Students can also make use of Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports
and Issue Briefs found online at:
http://www.opencrs.com/
There will be specific assignments from the above and other Web sources.
Click HERE for the Study Guide which contains questions for reading and thinking about the assignments, links to useful web sites containing materials on the topics being explored, and suggestions on developing your research for the critical thinking writing assignments.
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate a capacity for critical and analytical thought about issues central to the American political system.
2. Demonstrate an ability to communicate in writing their knowledge and beliefs about the institutions and forces shaping the American political system.
3. Describe the essential features of the American political system.
4. Identify information regarding the American political system which is necessary for useful and responsible citizenship.
5. Discuss important philosophical and ethical issues associated with the practice of politics and the challenges facing this nation's system of government.
6. Describe the major ways in which political scientists have tried to understand American politics.
7. Discuss how American government and politics have shaped and been shaped by the dynamic social forces of the last hundred years.
8. Demonstrate an awareness of the diversity of persuasions and interests within American society.
9. Discuss elements of both continuity and change within the American political system.
Class Schedule:
Click HERE for the Study Guide which contains
questions for reading and thinking about the assignments, links to useful web
sites containing materials on the topics being explored, and suggestions on
developing your research for the critical thinking writing assignments.
Week 1 (Aug. 22-26) Introduction to the Study of American Politics; The Constitutional System
Read: Edwards, Chpts, 1, 2
The Constitution
The Federalist, No. 51
Special Topics:
What is politics all about? How do political scientists try to understand
politics?
What are the most important features of the American constitutional system?
Critical Thinking Writing Exercise No. 1
First read The Federalist, No. 10 and No. 51. Then write a three
page essay on what you believe to be the core principles of Madison's political
theory and what he hoped the system of checks and balances in the
constitutional system would both prevent and achieve. What are his key
values? What are his goals? How does he hope to protect his most
important values?
This assignment is due by 4:00 on Thursday.
Week 2 (Aug. 29 - Sept. 2) The Constitutional System; Federalism
Read: Edwards, Chpts. 2, 3
The Constitution
Special Topics:
How have the rules governing American institutions and politics been changed by
amendments added to the Constitution?
What are the essential attributes of American federalism?
Critical Thinking Writing Exercise No. 2
This assignment is based upon your reading the Supreme Court decision:
McCulloch v. Maryland, 1819. You can read this decision online by using the
Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe at: http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe/
There you will find a summary and outline of the case,
the arguments presented to the Court by both sides, and the opinion handed down
by the Court. In your three page essay you should explain why this case was so
important to the evolution of the federal system.
This assignment is due by 4:00 on Thursday.
Week 3 (Sept. 5-9)
(No classes on Monday, September 5, Labor Day)
Constitutional Liberties; Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
Read: Constitutional Amendments
Edwards, Chpts. 4, 5
Special Topics:
What are the most important rights protected by the Bill of Rights?
What are the most important equal rights issues facing this country?
Critical Thinking Writing Exercise No. 3
This assignment is based upon your reading the Supreme Court decision: Brown v.
Board of Education of Topeka, 1954. You can read this decision online by using
the Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe at: http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe/
There you will find a summary and outline of the case,
the arguments presented to the Court by both sides, and the opinion handed down
by the Court. In your three page essay you should explain the constitutional
and public policy issues at stake in this case as well as the arguments used by
Chief Justice Earl Warren in overturning the doctrine used by the defenders of
government mandated segregation in education. In this essay you should also
explain how knowledge from different academic disciplines played a role in how
one could look at the practice of state mandated segregation in education.
This assignment is due by 4:00 on Thursday.
Week 4 (Sept. 12-16) American Political Culture
Read: Declaration of Independence; Federalists 10, 51
Edwards, Chpt. 1
Poll data on levels of trust and distrust in different institutions: http://www.gallup.com/poll/141512/Congress-Ranks-Last-Confidence-Institutions.aspx
Poll data on levels of trust and distrust in the three branches of the
federal government:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/143225/Trust-Legislative-Branch-Falls-Record-Low.aspx
You may encounter debates involving some
important aspects of our political culture by going to the Congressional
Quarterly Library online at: http://library.cqpress.com/
Go to the link on the Congressional Researcher (CQ Researcher
Online). Then go to the link to the
article “Conspiracy Theories: Do they threaten democracy?” by Peter Katel in the October, 23, 2009 Volume 19, Issue 37at: http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2009102300
Also go to the link on the article “Government and Religion: Was the United
States founded as a “Christian nation?” by Thomas J. Billiteri
in the January 15, 2010 Volume 20, Issue 2 at: http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2010011500
Special Topics:
What are the most important features of American political culture?
First test
NOTE: You will have your first test on Thursday, Sept. 15.
This test will count for 1/5 of your semester grade.
Week 5 (Sept. 19-23) Public Opinion; Political Ideology; Political
Participation
Read: Edwards, Chpt. 6
To follow public opinion polls on a wide range of political issues go to the Gallup
site at: http://www.gallup.com/Home.aspx
There are important think tanks on both
the left and right and each produce informative research on contemporary
political issues.
You may read studies
representing contemporary liberalism by going to the online site of the Center
for American Progress at:
http://www.americanprogress.org/ and Brookings at: http://www.brookings.edu/
There are important political
magazines found on both the left and right that feature stories and editorials
on contemporary political issues.
You may read articles
representing different contemporary liberal views by going to the online
version of The New Republic at:
http://www.tnr.com/
You may read studies
representing contemporary conservatism by going to the online site of The
Heritage Foundation at:
http://www.heritage.org/ and the American Enterprise Institute For
Public Policy Research at: http://www.aei.org/
You may read articles representing
different contemporary conservative views by going to the online version of The
National Review at:
http://www.nationalreview.com/#
Special Topics:
What are some of the most important observations which can be made about public
opinion in American politics? What are the most important observations one can
make about citizen participation in American politics?
What role does ideology play in American politics?
Critical Thinking Writing Exercise No. 4
After reading the text material on political ideologies and reading some of the
online articles dealing with debates taking place in contemporary American
politics, do some web-based research on the views advanced by these different
ideologies. Then write a three page essay in which you explain the most
important differences between contemporary liberalism and conservatism in
American politics. What really sets these two schools of thought apart?
This assignment is due by 4:00 on Thursday.
Week 6 (Sept. 26-30) Voters, Elections, and Campaigns
Read: Edwards, Chpts. 9, 10
Presidential Election Results, 1789-2008
Study the exit poll and results from 2004 at: http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/
and: http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/US/P/00/epolls.0.html
Study the exit poll and results from 2008 at: http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/president/
and: http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/polls/#USP00p1
Study the electoral vote map for 2008 (and access maps from earlier elections)
at: http://www.270towin.com/
Study the electoral vote maps for 2008 and 2004 by state and county at: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/2008/
Gallup data on voting by different demographic groups in presidential elections
1952-2008:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/139880/Election-Polls-Presidential-Vote-Groups.aspx#1
If the above site is difficult to use, then the following one may do the job: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/elections.php
Check out election results and exit polls for last fall’s 2010 Congressional
elections at the sites below.
Check out election results at: http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2010/results/main.results/#val=S
Check out exit polls at: http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2010/results/polls/#USH00p1
Check out the change in
voting patterns seen in the 2010 election: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/11/03/us/politics/election-results-house-shift.html?ref=politics
Special Topics:
What are the most important observations one can make about voting behavior in
the United States?
How has research and knowledge about voting behavior developed by political
scientists influenced how political consultants plan campaigns? How are
election campaigns driven by the empirical knowledge developed by the social
sciences?
What are the principal aspects of the presidential selection process?
Critical Thinking Writing Exercise No. 5
Write a three page essay explaining why and how Barack Obama won the 2008 presidential
election.
This assignment is due by 4:00 on Thursday.
Week 7 (Oct. 3-7) Political Parties; Interest Groups
Read: Edwards, Chpts. 8, 11
The Federalist, No. 10 and No. 51
Data on Partisan Identification found at: http://www.gallup.com/poll/15370/Party-Affiliation.aspx
For information on the Democratic
Party go to the website of the National Democratic Committee at: http://www.democrats.org/
For information on the Republic party go to the website of the National
Republic Committee at: http://www.gop.com/
Study the electoral vote map for 2008 (and access maps from earlier
elections) at: http://www.270towin.com/
If the above site is difficult to use, then the following one may do the job: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/elections.php
To follow the role of money in political campaigns, go to the following site: http://www.opensecrets.org/
An excellent site tracking the connection between money and politics is found
at: http://maplight.org/
Check out election results and exit polls for last fall’s 2010 Congressional
elections at the sites below.
Check out election results at: http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2010/results/main.results/#val=S
Check out exit polls at: http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2010/results/polls/#USH00p1
Check out the change in voting
patterns seen in the 2010 election: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/11/03/us/politics/election-results-house-shift.html?ref=politics
Special Topics:
What are the most important of characteristics of American political parties?
What is the role played by interest groups in American politics?
Do interest groups advance or diminish democracy in America? Do Interest
groups advance or diminish the common good?
Critical Thinking Writing Exercise No. 6
Write a three page essay on why the Republicans were able to do so well in
the 2010 Congressional elections.
This assignment is due by 4:00 on Thursday.
FALL BREAK OCTOBER 10-11
Week 8 (Oct. 12-14) Mass Media Politics
Read: Edwards, Chpt. 7
Poll data on public distrust of the mass media: http://www.gallup.com/poll/143267/Distrust-Media-Edges-Record-High.aspx
Poll data on public distrust of newspapers and TV news: http://www.gallup.com/poll/142133/Confidence-Newspapers-News-Remains-Rarity.aspx
Poll data on growing use of cable and internet news sources: http://www.gallup.com/poll/113314/Cable-Internet-News-Sources-Growing-Popularity.aspx
Read a debate about the media regarding its coverage of sex scandals by going
to the Congressional Quarterly Library online at: http://library.cqpress.com/
Go to the link on the Congressional Researcher (CQ Researcher
Online). Then go to the article “Sex
Scandals: Do the media pay too much attention to adultery?” by Alan Greenblatt in the January 22, 2010 Volume 20, Issue 3 at:
http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2010012200
For balanced information on the role of the media in American politics and
useful public opinion polls, go to the PEW Research Center for the People &
the Press at: http://people-press.org/
There are popular websites on the left and right that carry links to stories
advancing left-wing and right-wing political agendas.
A popular site on the left is the Huffington Post found at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
A popular site on the right is the Drudge Report found at: http://www.drudgereport.com/
Special Topics:
Fall Break (No classes on Monday and Tuesday of this week.)
How has the media influenced politics in the United States?
What does content analysis (a method used by social scientists to analyze
communication) employed by political scientists tell us about important changes
taking place in American politics? How has the study of the media's impact on
American politics modified our overall understanding of the political system?
Week 9 (Oct. 17-21) Second Test and The Congress
Read: Edwards, Chpt. 12
In order to become thoroughly familiar with how bills make their way through
the House of Representatives, you must read the following: "HOW OUR
LAWS ARE MADE" Revised and Updated by John V. Sullivan,
Parliamentarian, United States House of Representatives, Presented by Mr. Brady
of Pennsylvania – July 24, 2007. This
manual may be found online by going to the Thomas website at: http://thomas.loc.gov/and going to: http://thomas.loc.gov/home/lawsmade.toc.html
For an excellent study of ideological polarization in Congress go to the
following site: http://nationaljournal.com/magazine/congress-hits-new-peak-in-polarization-20110224
The following cites gives students the ideological ratings of all members of
Congress as well as additional information on party and committee leaders: http://www.nationaljournal.com/2010voteratings
Special Topics:
Second Test
The Congress
NOTE: You will have your second test on Tuesday, Oct. 18.
This test will count for 1/5 of your semester grade.
What is the role of Congress in the American political system? Who has power in
Congress?
What is the role of political parties in Congress?
Week 10 (Oct. 24-28) The Congress
Read: Edwards, Chpt. 12
For extra information on the House of Representatives, go to: http://www.house.gov/
For extra information on the Senate, go to: http://www.senate.gov/
Congress has important agencies helping it to analyze public policy issues and
serve as a watchdog on the Executive Branch:
You may go to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) site at: http://www.cbo.gov/
You may go to the Government Accountability Office (GA0) site at: http://www.gao.gov/
You may go to the Congressional Research Service (CRS) site at: http://www.loc.gov/crsinfo/about/
You may access many of the CRS reports at the following site: http://www.opencrs.com/
Special Topics:
What is the role played by committees in Congress?
What processes must a bill go through in order to become a law?
Critical Thinking Writing Exercise No. 7
Write a three page essay in which you discuss the debate going on in the
Congress and the country about the national debt. What does that debate tell us about how
structural aspects of our political system, ideology, and party politics shape
how Congress functions? Before writing
your essay carefully read the article “National Debt” by Marcia Clemmitt in the March 18, 2011 – Volume 21, Issue 11
edition of the Congressional Researcher (CQ Researcher Online). You must start by going to the Congressional
Quarterly Library online at: http://library.cqpress.com/
Go to the link on the Congressional Researcher (CQ Researcher
Online). You may also be able to access
the article at: http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2011031800
Be sure to make use of what we have been studying
about Congress and all the news stories you have been reading about the debate
over the national debt and high federal deficits. This assignment is due by 4:00 on Thursday.
Week 11 (Oct. 31 - Nov. 4) The Presidency
Read: Edwards, Chpts. 13, 14
The President has a number of important offices and agencies assisting him:
You may go to the Executive Office of the President (EOP) site at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop
You may go to the White House Staff site at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/staff
You may find out information on the cabinet at the following site: http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/cabinet
Special Topics:
What functions are performed by the presidency in the American political system?
What are the key elements of presidential power?
What institutional forces shape the modern presidency? How important is
presidential personality to the office?
Critical Thinking Writing Exercise No. 8.
What factors account for the success or failure of presidents as they attempt
to lead the country?
This assignment is due by 4:00 on Thursday.
Week 12 (Nov. 7-11) The Bureaucracy; The Judiciary
Read: Edwards, Chpts. 15, 16
For a balanced treatment of the debate over the level of pay given to Federal
workers, go to the FactCheck.org (http://factcheck.org)
article at: http://factcheck.org/2010/12/are-federal-workers-overpaid/
Check out extra information on the Supreme Court at: http://www.supremecourt.gov/
Students might find the following video rather funny. It was sent to me by a former student who is
very successful in her legal career, but it makes fun of going to law
school. Enjoy…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMvARy0lBLE
The Federalist, No. 78
Special Topics:
What are the most important characteristics of the federal bureaucracy?
What role does the judiciary play in the American Political System?
Critical Thinking Writing Exercise No. 9
Write a three page essay on the debate over the level of pay for federal
workers. You must make use of the FackCheck article listed above and any other sources you
find useful in trying to explore the debate over whether federal workers are
paid too much or not enough.
This assignment is due by 4:00 on
Thursday.
Week 13 (Nov. 14-18) Domestic Policy Making; Economic and Budget
Policies; Social Welfare Policies; Health Care
Read: Edwards, Chpts. 14, 17, 18, 19
You may check out federal budget
information at the following sites:
OMB: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/
CBO: http://www.cbo.gov/
There is also a libertarian site at: http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/index.php
You may read about the Federal Reserve System at: http://www.federalreserve.gov/
Examine the links and data found on the federal budget at this site: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/budget-2010/
Special Topics:
What are the most important political characteristics of domestic policy
making?
What are the major steps in the policy making process?
What are the principal forces shaping economic and budget policies?
What are the most important features of American social welfare policies?
Understand some of the challenges to Social Security and Medicare posed by the
aging of the population and the impending retirement of the "Baby
Boom" generation. You may also want to understand this issue in a
broader global context.
You must start by going to the Congressional Quarterly Library online at: http://library.cqpress.com/
Go to the link on the Congressional Researcher (CQ Researcher
Online). Look for the October 19, 2007 article by Alan Greenblatt, "Aging Baby Boomers."
http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2007101900
Also read the Nov. 21, 2008 article by Sarah Glazer, "Declining
Birthrates." http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2008112100
Critical Thinking Writing Exercise No. 10
Write a three page essay in which you examine the problems facing entitlement
programs such as Social Security and Medicare because of the aging of the
population.
The following study by Eugene Steuerle and Stephanie Rennane has a good analysis of the impact on the federal
budget created by the problems facing Social Security: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/412095-social-security-budget.pdf
In addition to all you have been reading in the news this semester about this
issue, you should also go to the Congressional Quarterly Library online at: http://library.cqpress.com/
Go to the link on the Congressional Researcher (CQ Researcher
Online). Examine the July 15, 2011 Volume 21, Issue 25 article by Alan Greenblatt, “Aging Population.” It may also be found at: http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2011071500
Also look for the October 19, 2007 article by Alan Greenblatt,
"Aging Baby Boomers."
http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2007101900
Also read the Nov. 21, 2008 article by Sarah Glazer, "Declining
Birthrates." http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2008112100
You may also want to examine the main issues involved in the debate over
national health care reform legislation passed by Congress in 2010. It may be
useful to read the article “Health-Care Reform” by Marcia Clemmitt
in the June 11, 2010 – Volume 20, Issue 22 edition of the Congressional
Researcher (CQ Researcher Online). You
must start by going to the Congressional Quarterly Library online at: http://library.cqpress.com/
Go to the link on the Congressional Researcher (CQ Researcher
Online). You may also be able to access
the article at: http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2010061100
Another good source to use in dealing with misleading claims about health care
reform is to go the following nonpartisan site: http://www.factcheck.org/
An article on the challenges of defining poverty and changes in poverty rates: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/04/us/experts-say-bleak-account-of-poverty-missed-the-mark.html?_r=1&hp
This assignment is due by 4:00 on Tuesday.
Week 14 (Nov. 21-22) Third Test
Read: Edwards, Chpts. 19, 20
NOTE: You will have your third test on Tuesday, Nov.
22.
This test will count for 1/5 of your semester grade.
Thanksgiving Vacation November 23-27
Week 15 (Nov. 28 – Dec. 2) The Environment; Foreign and Defense
Policies; State and Local Politics
Read: Edwards, Chpts. 19, 20, 21
Special Topics:
What are some of the most important environmental issues facing the country?
What forces have shaped the making of American foreign policies and defense
policies since World War II?
How is American foreign policy evolving?
What are the most important aspects of state and local governments within the
American federal system of government?
What are the key features of Virginia government?
Classes end Dec. 2
Reading Day: Dec. 3
Exam Period: Dec. 5-9
Final Exam: The final exam for section 03
will be on Monday,
Dec. 5 at 8:00 A.M. - 10:30 A.M.
The final
exam for section 05 will be on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 8:00 A. M. – 10:30 A.
M.
The final exam will be worth 1/5 of
your semester grade.
Course Requirements:
Ten critical thinking writing assignments
Three tests
Final comprehensive examination
Daily reading of newspapers
Grading:
Your semester grade will be based on three tests, the combined score on 10
critical thinking writing exercises, and the final exam. Each will count
for 1/5 of your semester grade.
Grading: This course
uses the + and – grading scale.
The total possible number of points to earn for the
course is 500. Grades will be assigned
according to the following percentages:
A+ = 98-100%
A = 92-97%
A- = 90-91%
B+ = 88-89%
B = 82-87%
B- = 80-81%
C+ = 78-79%
C = 72-77%
C- = 70-71%
D+ = 68-69%
D = 62-67%
D- = 60-61%
F = 59% and below
Students with Disabilities:
If you have a documented disability and require accommodations
to obtain equal access in this course, please let me know at the beginning of
the semester or when given an assignment for which an accommodation is
required. The Director of Disability
Support Services can be reached at x2391.
Attendance Policy:
The attendance policy for this course is the college policy found in the
College Catalog and Student Handbook.
Honor Code:
Students are expected to live by the Longwood College Honor Code. All work done
for the class must be pledged. Your instructor will not tolerate any form of
cheating.
Class Discussion:
Your instructor values class participation. Those students who make consistent
contributions to class discussion will discover that if their semester average
is on the borderline between two grades that they will receive the higher of
the two grades. Students are encouraged to ask questions and to express their
knowledge and beliefs about the material and issues being dealt with in
class. Be prepared to relate what we are studying to current political
events.
Critical Thinking Writing Exercises:
There will be 10 critical thinking writing exercises. These assignments will be
three pages in length. They will be done in Microsoft Word with a Font size 12
and double spaced. Any documentation for these exercises will be done according
to the Turabian format for a research paper. A
shorter version of that style manual can be found on the History style manual
at the following web address: <http://www.longwood.edu/history/HDPTSTS2.htm>
All of these essays will also be turned in to <turnitin.com>
Your essays also must demonstrate reading beyond what is required for class
assignments and must reflect knowledge of current political events.
Taking Exams:
All tests and exams must be taken on time. You are expected to provide
proof for any legitimate reason (illness, participation in a college sponsored
activity, or recognizable emergency) you have for missing a test or exam.
Quizzes, critical thinking worksheets, and papers handed in past the time they
are due will lose points. You must be prepared in all the exams to relate
the material being studied to current political events.
Bibliography:
Required Reading:
The Edwards, Wattenberg, and Lineberry and Serow & Ladd texts required for the course
Online CQ Library publications
Students will also be required to purchase a discounted subscription to the New
York Times from the Bookstore. Being aware of current political
developments is important to good citizenship. Each exam will have at
least one question requiring the student to reflect on current political news
and relate such developments to the material we are studying about the American
political system.
Current online news sites
Any special assignments of web based materials posted
on Blackboard
Suggested Reading or Reference:
James David Barber. The Presidential Character.
4th Edition. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey:
Prentice-Hall, 1992.
Colin Campbell & Bert A. Rockman.
Editors. The Clinton Legacy.
New York: Chatham House Publishers, 2000.
Thomas E. Cronin & Michael A. Genovese. The Paradoxes of the American Presidency. New
York: Oxford University Press, 1998.
Byron W. Daynes & Glen Sussman. The American
Presidency and the Social Agenda. Upper Saddle River, New
Jersey:
Prentice-Hall, Inc., 2001.
Byron W. Daynes, Raymond Tatalovich,
Denis L. Soden. To Govern a Nation: Presidential
Power
and Politics. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1998.
Robert E. DiClerico. The
American President. Fifth Edition.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2000.
Robert E. DiClerico. Political
Parties, Campaigns, and Elections. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey:
Prentice Hall, 2000.
George C. Edwards III & Philip John Davies. New Challenges for the
American Presidency. New York:
Longman, 2004.
E.J. Dionne. Why Americans Hate Politics. New York: Simon and Schuster,
1992.
James M. Fallows. Breaking the News: How the MediaUndermine
American Democracy. New York: Pantheon, 1996.
Steven W. Hook and John Spanier. American Foreign Policy Since
World War II. Eighteenth
Edition. CQ Press: Washington,
D.C., 2009.
Abraham J. Henry and Barbara Perry. Freedom
and the Court. 5th Edition. New
York: Oxford University Press, 1994.
John S. Jackson III & William Crotty.
The Politics of Presidential Selection. Second Edition. New York: Longman, 2001.
Bruce W. Jentleson. Editor.
Perspectives on American Foreign Policy. New
York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2000.
Lance T. LeLoup & Steven A.
Shull. Congress and the The
President: The Policy Connection.
Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1993.
James P. Pfiffner & Roger H.
Davidson. Editors. Understanding the Presidency. Second Edition. New York: Addison
Wesley Longman, Inc., 2000.
Nelson W. Polsby and Aaron Wildavsky. Presidential
Elections. 10th Edtion.
New York: Chatham House Publishers, 2000.
Gerald M. Pomper et. al. The Election of 2000.
New York: Chatham House Publishers, 2001.
Larry Sabato. Editor.
Overtime: The 2000 Election Thriller. New York: Longman, 2002.
Larry Sabato.
The Year of Obama: How Barack Obama Won the White House. New York: Longman. 2010.
John Spanier and Eric Uslaner.
American Foreign Policy and the Democratic Dilemmas.
Sixth Edition. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company,
1994.
Sidney Verba, Kay Lehman Schlozman, and Henry Brady. Voiceand
Equality: Civic Voluntarism in
American Politics. Chicago: University of Chicago
Press, 1995.
Shirley Anne Warshaw. The Domestic Presidency:
Policy Making in the White House. Boston:
Allyn and Bacon, 1997.
Martin P. Wattenburg. The Decline of American
Political Parties, 1952-1992. Cambridge, Mass.:
Harvard University Press, 1994.
Stephen P. Wayne. The Road to the White House 1996: The Politics of
Presidential Elections. New
York: St. Martin's Press, 1997.
Academic Journals:
American Political Science Review
Presidential Studies Quarterly
Journal of Politics
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