Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics
Required text for Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics:
American Government (Tenth Edition) Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006 by James Q. Wilson and John J. Dilulio, Jr.
Supplemental Readings Include: Classic Ideas and Current Issues in American Government edited by Meena Bose and John Dilulio. Houghton Mifflin, 2007.
The Raleigh News & Observer
Overview:
The Advanced Placement Program offers the opportunity for secondary students to earn college credit. Consequently, students are expected to accept the challenges of an introductory, college-level course with high expectations for personal responsibility and a commitment to invest the requisite time necessary for success. There is a substantial amount of reading and writing for the course. Advanced Placement courses emphasize the learning processes of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Analysis is the ability to break down material into its component parts so that the organizational structure can be understood. Analysis permits students to see the relationships among parts for an understanding of both content and structure. Synthesis refers to the ability to assemble the parts to creatively assemble a new perspective and evaluation demonstrates the ability to use definite criteria to create a value judgment. Advanced Placement American Government students will be expected to demonstrate competence in the use of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation in developing an understanding of government and politics in the United States.
Advanced Placement American Government will offer the opportunity to use primary and secondary source documents to examine and evaluate the institutions of American government, political parties and elections, mass media, political participation, public policies, and the development of civil rights and civil liberties in American political history. Students will become acquainted with a variety of perspectives and explanations for the causes and effects of American political behavior.
Students will use maps, charts, graphs and political cartoons to enrich and enhance their study of United States Government and Politics. Students must demonstrate proficiency in interpreting data presented in different formats to be successful on the AP exam.
Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics is a one semester course and there will be a final exam for the course. The Advanced Placement exam for college credit is given the first week of May each year. Opportunities for review will be provided for seniors who will not be in the class next semester. It is imperative that students have an exceptional attendance record and that a rigorous schedule be followed.
Advanced Placement students must stay informed on national issues and the public agenda. Students will use the internet to research topics for discussion. Students will be expected to apply current events and topics to discuss the issues presented in the text throughout the semester. We will also use Frontline, C-Span, and other on-line newspapers and websites to learn about current issues and events.
Students must develop the knowledge and skills requisite for answering free-response questions on the Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics examination. The four mandatory essays – free-response questions – count fifty percent of the AP grade so practice is an important component of the class. We will gradually implement timed test so that students will become accustomed to completing the free-response questions in the time allotted on the exam. There will be a free-response question with every chapter studied as part of the chapter test, a take home assignment or as a daily assessment.
Course Objectives
* Students will be prepared to take the Advanced Placement Exam in May. The exam is
not required but must be taken to receive AP credit for the course.
* Students will develop their ability to write more effective and persuasive essays.
* Students will learn important facts, concepts, and theories about the United States
government and politics.
* Students will learn to interpret and analyze charts, graphs, cartoons, statistics,
quotes, and other data relevant to United States government and politics.
* Students will accept the challenge of the rigorous Advanced Placement Government
curriculum.
Topics for AP American Government
I. Constitutional Underpinnings of United States Government
II. Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
III. Political Beliefs and Behaviors
IV. Political Parties, Interest Groups, and the Mass Media
V. Institutions of the National Government: Congress, The Presidency, and The Federal
Judiciary
VI. Public Policy
Grading System
Advanced Placement United States Government is a second semester course. There are three six weeks grading periods in the semester. In the second semester the six weeks are designated as the 4th, 5th, and 6th six weeks. Each six weeks will be graded on the following scale.
Tests – 70% of six weeks grade. Tests may include essays, oral
presentations, cooperative activities, and
other assessments.
Daily Assessments – 30% of six weeks grade Daily assessments may include daily quizzes,
reflections, internet lessons, and other
participation grades.
Fourth six weeks grade = 25%
Fifth six weeks grade = 25%
Sixth six weeks grade = 25%
Final Exam = 25%
The state grading scale is as follows:
A = 93-100
B = 85-92
C = 77-84
D = 70-76
F = below 70
Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics
Course Readings
Required text:
Wilson, James Q. and John J. Dilulio, American Government. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 2006.
Supplementary text:
Bose, Meena and John J. Dilulio. Classic Ideas and Current Issues in American Government. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 2007.
PART I
The American System 1
1 The Study of American Government
Objectives
Students should be able to:
1. Explain what is meant by “political power.” Relate political power to authority, legitimacy, and democracy.
2. Distinguish between direct and participatory democracy. Explain in what sense the United States government is democratic.
3. Differentiate between majoritarian politics and elitist politics.
4. Explain how values effect political change.
8/25/10 Introduction
Introduction to Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics
8/26/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 4-10
What is Political Power? 4
What is Democracy? 6
Is Representative Democracy Best? 7
How is Political Power Distributed? 8
8/27/10 - read Wison and Dilulio pages 10-15
Is Democracy Driven by Self-Interest? 10
What Explains Political Change? 11
The Nature of Politics 12
8/30/10 - Evaluation
Test on the chapter with appropriate daily assessments
2 The Constitution 16
Objectives
Students should be able to:
1. Explain the notion of “higher law” by which the colonists felt they were entitled to certain “natural rights.”
2. List and discuss the shortcomings of government under the Articles of Confederation.
3. Compare and contrast the Virginia and New Jersey plans, and describe how they led to the “Great Compromise.”
4. Explain why separation of powers and federalism became key parts of the Constitution.
5. Explain why a bill of rights was not initially included in the Constitution and why it was added.
6. List and explain the two major types of constitutional reform advocated today.
Supplementary Reading – Classic Ideas and Current Issues
The Federalists No. 10 & No. 51 1787-1788) James Madison
The Anti-Federalists, Cato No. 3 and Brutus, No. 2
Map Interpretation Wilson and Dilulio text page 31:
Ratification of the Federal Constitution by State Conventions
8/31/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 17-27
The Problem of Liberty 17
The Colonial Mind 18
The Real Revolution 20
Weaknesses of the Confederation 21
The Constitutional Convention 22
The Lessons of Experience 22
The Framers 24
The Challenge 25
The Virginia Plan 25
The New Jersey Plan 25
The Compromise 26
9/01/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 27-37
The Constitution and Democracy 27
Key Principles 28
Government and Human Nature 29
The Constitution and Liberty 30
The Antifederalists View 31
Need for a Bill of Rights 35
The Constitution and Slavery 36
9/02/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 37-40
The Motives of the Framers 37
Economic Interests at the Convention 37
Economic Interests and Ratification 38
The Constitution and Equality 39
9/03/10 read Wilson and Dilulio pages 40-47
Constitutional Reform: Modern Views 40
Reducing the Separation of Powers 40
Making the System Less Democratic 43
Who is Right? 45
9/07/10 - Evaluation
Test on the chapter with appropriate daily assessments
3 Federalism 48
Objectives
Students should be able to:
1. Explain the difference between federal and centralized systems of government, and give examples of each.
2. Show how competing political interests at the Constitutional Convention led to the adoption of a federal system.
3. Outline the ways in which national and state powers have been interpreted by the courts.
4. State the reasons why federal grants-in-aid to the states have been politically popular. Distinguish between categorical grants and block grants.
5. Distinguish between mandates and conditions of aid with respect to federal grant programs to states and localities.
6. Evaluate the effect of devolution on relationships between the national and state governments. Assess its implications for citizens as taxpayers and as clients of government programs.
Supplementary Reading - Classic Ideas and Current Issues
The Federalists No. 39 (1788) James Madison
Hard Road Ahead: Block Grants and the “Devolution Revolution” (1995) Richard P. Nathan
Chart Interpretation - Wilson and Dilulio
The Changing Purpose of Federal Grants to State and Local Governments (p.62)
Federal Grants to State and Local Governments 1984-2004 (p.63)
9/08/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 49-59
Government Structure 50
Federalism: Good or Bad? 50
Increased Political Activity 52
The Founding 52
A Bold, New Plan 52
Elastic Language 53
The Debate on the Meaning of Federalism 54
The Supreme Court Speaks 54
Nullification 56
Dual Federation 57
State Sovereignty 58
9/09/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 60-68
Federal-State Relations 60
Grants-in-Aid 60
Meeting National Needs 61
The Intergovernmental Lobby 62
Categorical Grants Versus Revenue Sharing 63
Rivalry Among the States 65
Federal Aid and Federal Control 66
Mandates 66
Conditions of Aid 67
9/10/10 read Wilson and Dilulio pages 68-74
A Devolution Revolution? 68
Block Grants for Entitlements 69
What’s Driving Devolution? 70
Congress and Federalism 70
9/13/10 -Evaluation
Test on the chapter with appropriate daily assessments
4 American Political Culture
Objectives
Students should be able to:
1. Define what scholars mean by political culture, and list some of the dominant aspects of political culture in the United States.
2. Discuss how American citizens compare with those of other countries in their political attitudes.
3. List the contributions to United States political culture made by the Revolution, by the nation’s religious heritages, and by the family. Explain the apparent absence of class consciousness in the U.S.
4. Define internal and external political efficacy.
Supplementary Reading - Classic Ideas and Current Issues
Democracy in America (1835-1840) Alexis De Tocqueville
Bowling Alone: America’s Declining Social Capital (1995) Robert D. Putnam
Chart Interpretation - Wilson and Dilulio
Public Tolerance for Advocates of Unpopular Ideas (p. 92)
Views of Toleration and Morality (p.93)
9/14/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 76-84
Political Culture 76
The Political System 77
The Economic System 79
Comparing America with Other Nations 80
The Political System 80
The Economic System 81
The Civic Role of Religion 82
Religion and Politics 83
9/15/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 84-96
The Sources of Political Culture 84
The Culture War 86
Mistrust of Government 87
Political Efficacy 89
Political Tolerance 91
9/16/10 - Evaluation
Test on the chapter with appropriate daily assessments
5 Civil Liberties 97
Objectives
Students should be able to:
1. Discuss the relationship of the Bill of Rights and majority rule.
2. Explain how civil liberties may at times be a matter of majoritarian politics.
3. Explain how the structure of the federal system affects the application of the Bill of Rights.
4. Describe how the Supreme Court has used the Fourteenth Amendment to expand the inclusion of the Bill of Rights to the states.
5. List the categories under which the Supreme Court may classify “speech.” Explain the distinction between “protected” and “unprotected” speech and name the various forms of expression that are not protected under the First Amendment.
6. State what the Supreme Court decided in Miranda v. Arizona, and explain why that case illustrates how the Court operates in most such due process cases.
Supplementary Reading
Landmark decisions of the Supreme Court – Internet research
9/17/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 98-105
Culture and Civil Liberties 99
Rights in Conflict 99
Cultural Conflicts 100
Applying the Bill of Rights to the States 102
Interpreting and Applying the First
Amendment 102
Speech and National Security 102
9/20/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 105-113
What is Speech? 105
Libel 105
Obscenity 105
Symbolic Speech 108
Who is a Person? 108
Church and State 110
The Free-Exercise Clause 110
The Establishment Clause 111
9/21/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 113-123
Crime and Due Process 113
The Exclusionary Rule 114
Search and Seizure 116
Confessions and Self-Incrimination 117
Relaxing the Exclusionary Rule 118
Terrorism and Civil Liberties 119
9/22/10 - Evaluation
Test on the chapter with appropriate daily assessments
6 Civil Rights 124
Objectives
The student should be able to:
1. Describe the strategies used by African American leaders and explain why the civil rights movement has become more conventional.
2. Summarize the legal struggles of African Americans to secure rights under the Fourteenth Amendment.
3. Discuss the rationale used by the Supreme Court in ordering busing to achieve desegregation.
4. Trace the campaign launched by African Americans for civil rights laws.
5. Describe the differences between the African American civil rights movement and the women’s movement.
6. Explain why the Equal Rights Amendment was not ratified.
7. Explain what is meant by “affirmative action,” and discuss how the ideals of equality of opportunity and equality of result play roles in the debate surrounding affirmative action.
8. Discuss the role of the states in the gay rights movement. Explain the difference between gay marriage and civil unions.
Supplementary reading
Affirmative Action –www.PublicAgenda.org
Chart Interpretation - Wilson and Dilulio
Changing White Attitudes Toward Differing Levels of School Integration (p. 136)
Growing Support Among Southern Democrats in Congress for Civil Rights Bills (p. 139)
9/23/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 125-134
The Black Predicament 126
The Campaign in the Courts 127
“Separate but Equal” 128
Can Separate Schools Be Equal? 129
Brown v. Brown of Education 129
9/24/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 134-144
The Campaign in Congress 134
Racial Profiling 139
Women and Equal Rights 139
Sexual Harassment 142
Privacy and Sex 142
9/27/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 144-152
Affirmative Action 144
Equality of Results 144
Equality of Opportunity 145
Gays and the Constitution 149
9/28/10 - Evaluation
Test on the chapter with appropriate daily assessments
PART II
Opinions, Interests, and Organizations 153
7 Public Opinion 154
Objectives
The student should be able to:
1. List the sources of our political attitudes and indicate which are the most important.
2. Explain why there are crosscutting cleavages between liberals and conservatives in this country. Assess the significance of race, ethnicity, and gender in explaining political attitudes.
3. Define political ideology and give reasons why most Americans do not think ideologically. Summarize the liberal and conservative positions on the economy, civil rights, and political conduct.
4. Discuss the basic elements of polling and explain how polling reflects the attitudes of people generally.
Supplementary reading - Classic Ideas and Current Issues
Culture War? The Myth of a Polarized America. (2005) Morris Fiorina
Selected Public Opinion Issues at PollingReport.com
The Pew Research Center for The People & the Press - Political Typology
Chart Interpretation – Wilson and Dilulio
Generational Gaps on the Issues (p. 159)
Religious Influence on Public Opinion, by Issue (p. 161)
The Gender Gap: Differences in political Views of Men and Women (p. 161)
9/29/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 155-167
What is Public Opinion? 156
How Polling Works 157
How Opinions Differ 157
Political Socialization: The Family 158
Religion 159
The Gender Gap 160
Schooling and Information 161
Cleavages in Public Opinion 162
Social Class 163
Race and Ethnicity 164
Region 167
9/30/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 167-176
Political Ideology 167
Consistent Attitudes 168
What Do Liberalism and Conservatism
Mean? 168
Various Categories 169
Analyzing Consistency 169
Political Elites 171
Political Elites, Public Opinion, and
Public Policy 172
10/01/10 - Evaluation
Test on the chapter with appropriate daily assessments
8 Political Participation 177
Objectives
The student should be able to:
1. Explain why the text believes that the description, the analysis, and many of the proposed remedies for low voter turnout rates in the United States are generally off base.
2. Compare the way that turnout statistics are tabulated for the United States and for other countries, and explain the significance of these differences.
3. Describe how control of the elections has shifted from the states to the federal government, and explain what effect this shift has had on Blacks, women, and youth.
4. State both sides of the debate over whether voter turnout has declined over the past century, and describe those factors that tend to hold down voter turnout in the United States.
5. Discuss those factors that appear to be associated with high or low political participation.
Supplementary reading - Classic Ideas and Current Issues
The Myth of the Vanishing Voter. (2001) Michael P. McDonald and Samuel L. Popkin
Where Have all the Voters Gone? (2002) Martin P. Wattenberg
Chart Interpretation - Wilson and Dilulio
Sources of Voter Registration Applications (p. 180)
Voter Registration in the South (p. 183)Voter Turnout in presidential Elections by Age, Schooling, and Race, 1964-2000
How Citizens Participate (p. 1910)
Electoral and Non-electoral Political Participation Among Anglo Whites, African Americans and Latinos
10/04/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 178-187
A Closer Look at Nonvoting 178
The Rise of the American Electorate 180
From State to Federal Control 181
Voter Turnout 184
10/05/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 187-196
Who Participates in Politics? 187
Forms of Participation 187
The Causes of Participation 188
The Meaning of Participation Rates 191
10/06/10 - Evaluation
Test on the chapter with appropriate daily assessments
9 Political Parties
Objectives
The student should be able to:
1. Define the term “political party” and contrast the structures of the European and American parties.
2. Trace the development of the United States party system through its four periods.
3. Describe the structure of a major party. Distinguish major from minor parties.
4. Indicate whether there are major differences between the Democrats and Republicans. Describe some of the issue differences between delegates at Democratic and Republican conventions, and compare these differences with those of the party rank and file.
Supplementary reading - Classic Ideas and Current Issues
Dynamics of the Party System: Alignment and Realignment of the Political Parties in the United States. (1984) James L. Sundquist
Chart Interpretation – Wilson and Dilulio
Decline in Party Identification (p. 199)
Party Voting (p. 219)
Map Interpretation – Wilson and Dilulio
The Election of 1828 (p. 204)
The Election of 1860 (p. 204)
The Election of 1896 (p. 205)
The Election of 1932 (p. 205)
10/07/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 198-207
Parties – Here and Abroad 198
Political Culture 200
The Rise and Decline of the Political Party 201
The Founding 201
The Jacksonians 202
The Civil War and Sectionalism 203
The Era of Reform 204
Party Realignments 205
Party Decline 207
10/08/10 read Wilson and Dilulio pages 207-217
The National Party Structure Today 207
National Conventions 209
State and Local Parties 213
The Machine 213
Ideological Parties 215
Solidary Groups 215
Sponsored Parties 216
Personal Following 216
10/13/10 read Wilson and Dilulio pages 217-226
The Two-Party System 217
Minor Parties 220
Nominating a President 223
Are the Delegatess Representative of the
Voters? 224
Who Votes in Primaries? 224
Who Are the New Delegates? 225
Parties Versus Voters 225
10/14/10 - Evaluation
Test on the chapter with appropriate daily assessments
10 Elections and Campaigns 230
Objectives
The student should be able to:
1. Demonstrate the differences between the party-oriented campaigns of the nineteenth century and the candidate-oriented ones of today.
2. Discuss how important campaign funding is to election outcomes.
3. Identify the major sources of campaign funding under current laws and how successful reform legislation has been in removing improper monetary influences from United States elections.
4. Outline the processes for electing presidents and for electing members of Congress.
5. Describe what the Democrats and Republicans each must do to put together a successful national coalition to win an election.
6. Outline the major arguments on either side of the question of whether elections do or do not result in major changes in public policy in the United States.
Supplementary reading - Classic Ideas and Current Issues
Even With Campaign Finance Laws, Money Talks Louder Than Ever. (2004) Glen Justice
Reforming the Electoral System. ( 2004) Stephen J. Wayne
Map Interpretation – Wilson and Dilulio
The Election of 2004, by County (p.249)
Chart Interpretation – Wilson and Dilulio
The Costs of Winning (p. 245)
Growth of PACs (p. 246)
10/15/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 231-244
Presidential Versus Congressional Campaigns 232
Running for President 232
Getting Elected to Congress 234
Primary Versus General Campaigns 237
Two kinds of Campaign Issues 239
Television, Debates, and Direct Mail 240
10/18/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 244-253
Money 244
The Sources of Campaign Money 244
Campaign Finance Rules 246
A Second Campaign Finance Reform 250
New Sources of Money 251
Money and Winning 252
10/19/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 253-263
What Decides the Election? 253
Party 254
Issues, Especially the Economy 255
The Campaign 256
Finding a Winning Coalition 257
The Effects of Elections on Policy 259
10/20/10 - Evaluation
Test on the chapter and appropriate daily assessments
11 Interest Groups 264
Objectives
The student should be able to:
1. Explain why the characteristics of United States society and government encourage a multiplicity of interest groups.
2. Indicate the historical conditions under which interest groups are likely to form and specify the kinds of organizations Americans are most likely to join.
3. Describe relations between leaders and rank-and-file members of groups.
4. Describe several methods that interest groups use to formulate and carry out their political objectives.
5. Explain why courts have become an important forum for public-interest groups.
6. List the laws regulating conflict of interest and describe the problems involved with revolving door government employment.
Supplementary reading - Classic Ideas and Current Issues
The Nader Calculation (p. 247)
Chart Interpretation – Wilson and Dilulio
The Decline in Union Membership (p. 275)
The Rise in Four Government Employee Unions (p. 276)
10/21/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 265-273
Explaining Proliferation 265
The Birth of Interest Groups 266
Kinds of Organizations 268
Institutional Interests 268
Membership Interests 269
Incentives to Join 270
The Influence of the Staff 272
10/22/10 – read Wilson and Dilulio pages 273-279
Interest Groups and Social Movement 273
The Environmental Movement 274
The Feminist Movement 274
The Union Movement 275
Funds for Interest Groups 276
Foundation Grants 276
Federal Grants and Contracts 276
Direct Mail 277
The Problem of Bias 278
10/25/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 279-290
The Activities of Interest Groups 279
Information 279
Public Support: The Rise of the New
Politics 280
Money and PACS 282
The “Revolving Door” 284
Trouble 285
Regulating Interest Groups 286
10/26/10 -Evaluation
Test on the chapter with appropriate daily assessments
12 The Media 291
Objectives
The student should be able to:
1. Describe the evolution of journalism in United States political history and indicate the differences between the party press and the mass media of today.
2. Demonstrate how the characteristics of the electronic media have affected the actions of public officials and candidates for national office.
3. Describe the impact of the pattern of ownership and control of the media on the dissemination of news.
4. Discuss the issue of “media bias” and how this bias might manifest itself.
5. Assess the impact of the media on politics and indicate why it is so difficult to find evidence that can be used to make a meaningful and accurate assessment.
Supplementary reading - Classic Ideas and Current Issues
Whereas, He Is an Old Boy, If a Young Chief, Honor Him. (1994) Maureen Dowd
Media Research Center Report: The Liberal Media (2004) Rich Noyes
Supplementary viewing
Frontline: The News War
Chart Interpretation- Wilson and Dilulio
Decline in Viewership of the Television Networks (p. 297)
Young People Have Become Less Interested in Political News (p298)
Journalistic Opinion Versus Public Opinion (p. 303)
10/27/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 292-298
Journalism in American Political History 293
The Party Press 294
The Popular Press 295
Magazines of Opinion 295
Electronic Journalism 296
The Internet 297
10/28/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 298-303
The Structure of the Media 298
Degree of Competition 298
The National Media 299
Rules Governing the Media 300
Confidentiality of Sources 301
Regulating Broadcasting 301
Campaigning 302
10/29/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 303-314
Are the National Media Biased? 303
Government and the News 307
Prominence of the President 307
Coverage of Congress 308
Why Do We Have So Many News Leaks? 308
Sensationalism in the Media 310
Government Constraints on Journalists 311
11/01/10 - Evaluation
Test on the chapter with appropriate daily assessments
PART III
Institutions of Government 315
13 Congress 316
Objectives
The student should be able to:
1. Explain the differences between a congress and a parliament.
2. Discuss the role that the Framers expected the United States Congress to play.
3. Pinpoint the significant eras in the evolution of Congress.
4. Describe the characteristics of members of Congress and outline the process for electing members of Congress.
5. Identify the functions that party affiliation plays in the organization of Congress.
6. Describe the formal process by which a bill becomes a law.
7. Identify the factors that help to explain why a member of Congress votes as he or she does.
Supplementary reading - Classic Ideas and Current Issues
The Federalists No. 57 (1788) Alexander Hamilton or James Madison
The Federalists No. 63 (1788) Alexander Hamilton or James Madison
Policy Making in Congress:
Congress as Watchdog: Asleep on the Job? (2004) David Nather
Senate Races Against the Nuclear Clock on Judges (2005) David Nather
Supplementary viewing
Ken Burns “Congress”
Chart Interpretation – Wilson and Dilulio
Blacks, Hispanics, and Women in Congress (p. 325)
Changing Percentage of First-Time members in Congress (p.326)
Percentage of Incumbents Reelected to Congress (p.327)
Congressional Caucuses (p. 341)
How a Bill Becomes a Law (p349)
Cartoon Interpretation (p.356) – Wilson and Dilulio
11/02/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 317-330
Congress Versus Parliament 318
The Evolution of Congress 321
Who is in Congress? 325
Sex and Race 325
Incumbency 326
Party 328
11/03/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 330-333
Do Members Represent Their Voters? 330
Representational View 331
Organizational View 332
Attitudinal View 332
11/04/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 333-341
Ideology and Civility in Congress 333
The Organization of Congress: Parties and
Caucuses 334
Party Organization of the Senate 334
Party Structure in the House 335
The Strength of Party Structures 337
Party Unity 338
Caucuses 340
11/05/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 341-347
The Organization of Congress: Committees 341
The Organization of Congress: Staffs and
Specialized Offices 345
Tasks of Staff Members 346
Staff Agencies 347
11/08/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 347-358
How a Bill Becomes Law 347
Introducing a Bill 350
Study by Committees 350
Floor Debate – The House 353
Floor Debate - The Senate 353
Methods of Voting 355
11/09/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 358-366
Reducing Power and Perks 358
The Post-9/11 Congress 359
11/10/10 - Evaluation
Test on the chapter with appropriate daily assessments
14 The Presidency 367
Objectives
The student should be able to:
1. Explain the differences between the positions of president and prime minister.
2. Discuss the position of the Founders in regard to executive power.
3. Sketch the evolution of the presidency from 1789 to the present.
4. List and describe the various offices that make up the executive branch.
5. Review discussions of presidential character, and explain how these relate to the achievements in office of various presidents.
6. Enumerate and discuss the various facets—formal and informal—of presidential power.
Supplementary reading - Classic Ideas and Current Issues
Federalists No. 70 (1788) Alexander Hamilton
The Presidential Difference (2004) Fred I. Greenstein
Map Interpretation – Wilson and Dilulio
Electoral Votes Per State (p. 377)
Chart Interpretation – Wilson and Dilulio
Partisan Gains or Losses in Congress in Presidential Election Years (p. 391)
Presidential Popularity (p. 392-393)
Presidential Victories on Votes in Congress (p. 393)
Partisan Gains or Losses in Congress in Off-Year Elections (p. 394)
Presidential Vetoes (p. 395)
11/12/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 368-372
Presidents and Prime Ministers 368
Divided Government 370
Does Gridlock Matter? 370
Is Policy Gridlock Bad? 371
11/15/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 372-379
The Evolution of the Presidency 372
Concerns of the Founders 372
The Electoral College 373
The President’s Term of Office 374
The First Presidents 374
The Jacksonians 375
The Reemergence of Congress 377
11/16/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 379-389
The Powers of the President 379
The Office of the President 380
The White House Office 381
The Executive Office of the President 383
The Cabinet 384
Independent Agencies, Commissions, and
Judgeships 385
Who Gets Appointed 385
Presidential Character 388
11/17/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 390-400
The Power to Persuade 390
The Three Audiences 390
Popularity and Influence 390
The Decline in Popularity 392
The Power to Say No 394
Veto 394
Executive Privilege 396
Impoundment of Funds 396
The President’s Program 397
Putting Together a Program 397
Attempts to Reorganize 399
11/18/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 401-407
Presidential Transition 401
The Vice President 401
Problems of Succession 402
Impeachment 403
How powerful is the President? 406
11/19/10 - Evaluation
Test on the chapter with appropriate daily assessments
15 The Bureaucracy 409
Objectives
The student should be able to:
1. Compare and contrast the United States and British models of government bureaucracy.
2 . Sketch the history of the executive branch bureaucracy.
3 . Discuss the recruitment, retention, and demographic profiles of federal bureaucrats.
4 . Show how the roles and missions of the agencies are affected by internal and external factors.
5 . Review congressional measures to control the bureaucracy and evaluate their effectiveness.
6 . List the “pathologies” that may affect bureaucracies and discuss why it is so difficult to reform the executive branch bureaucracy.
Supplementary reading - Classic Ideas and Current Issues
Government by Proxy: A Faithful Overview (2003) John J. Dilulio
Bureaucracy: What Government Does and Why They Do It (1989) James Q. Wilson
Chart Interpretation – Wilson and Dilulio
The “Real” Washington Bureaucracy (p. 415)
Federal Government: Money, People, and Regulations (p. 416)
Characteristics of federal Civilian Employees (p. 421)
Cartoon Interpretation (p. 419)- Wilson and Dilulio
11/22/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 410-414
Distinctiveness of the American Bureaucracy 410
The Growth of the Bureaucracy 411
The Appointment of Officials 412
A Service Role 412
A Change in Role 414
11/23/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 414-427
The Federal Bureaucracy Today 414
Recruitment and Retention 415
Personal Attributes 421
Do Bureaucrats Sabotage Their Political
Bosses? 422
Culture and Careers 423
Constraints 424
Agency Allies 426
11/24/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 427-435
Congressional Oversight 427
The Appropriations Committee and
Legislative Committees 428
The Legislative Veto 429
Congressional Investigations 429
Bureaucratic “Pathologies” 430
Reforming the Bureaucracy 432
11/29/10 - Evaluation
Test on the chapter and appropriate daily assessments
16 The Judiciary 437
Objectives
The student should be able to:
1 .Explain the principle of judicial review how the principle was institutionalized.
2 .List and comment on the three eras of varying Supreme Court influences on national policy.
3 .Explain what is meant by a dual court system and describe its effects on how cases are processed, decided, and appealed.
4 .List the various steps that cases go through to reach the Supreme Court.
5 .Discuss the dimensions of power exercised today by the Supreme Court and the opposing viewpoints on an activist Supreme Court.
Supplementary viewing
The Supreme Court: One Nation Under Law (PBS)
Supplementary Reading - Classic Ideas and Current Issues
The Federalists No. 78 (1788) Alexander Hamilton
Map Interpretation – Wilson and Dilulio
U.S. District and Appellate Courts (p. 445)
Chart Interpretation – Wilson and Dilulio
The Jurisdiction of the Federal Courts
11/30/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 438-445
The Development of the Federal Courts 439
National Supremacy and Slavery 441
Government and the Economy 442
Government and Political Liberty 443
The Revival of the State Sovereignty 445
12/01/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 446-454
The Structure of the Federal Courts 446
Selecting Judges 446
The Jurisdiction of the Federal Courts 448
Getting to Court 451
Fee Shifting 452
Standing 452
Class-Action Suits 453
12/02/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 454-460
The Supreme Court in Action 454
The Power of the Federal Courts 456
The Power to Make Policy 456
Views of Judicial Activism 459
Legislation and the Courts 460
12/03/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 460-466
Checks and Judicial Power 460
Congress and the Courts 461
Public Opinion and the Courts 463
12/06/10 -Evaluation
Test on the chapter with appropriate daily assessments
PART IV
The Politics of Public Policy 467
17 The Policy-Making Process 468
Objectives
The student should be able to:
1 . Explain how certain issues at certain times are placed on the political agenda.
2 . Define the terms “costs,” “benefits,” and “perceived” as used in the policy-making process.
3 . Explain the four types of politics: majoritarian, client, interest group, and entrepreneurial.
4 . Discuss the roles played in the process of public policy formation by people’s perceptions, beliefs, interests, and values.
12/07/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 469-475
Setting the Agenda 469
The Legitimate S cope of Government Action 470
Action by the State 473
Making a Decision 473
12/08/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 475-479
Majoritarian Politics: Distributed Benefits,
Distributed Costs 475
Interest Group Politics: Concentrated Benefits,
Concentrated Costs 476
Client Politics: Concentrated Benefits, Distributed
Costs 477
Entrepeneurial Politics: Distributed Benefits,
Concentrated Costs 478
12/09/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 479-490
The Case of Business Regulation 479
Majoritarian Politics 480
Interest Group Politics 481
Client Politics 482
Entrepreneurial Politics 484
Perceptions, Beliefs, Interests, and Values 487
Deregulation 488
The Limits of Ideas 489
12/10/10 - Evaluation
Test on the chapter with appropriate daily assessments
18 Economic Policy 491
Objectives
The student should be able to:
1 . Show how voters have contradictory attitudes about the economy.
2 . Discuss the origin, size, and possible solutions to the national debt.
3 . List and briefly explain four competing economic theories.
4 . List the four major executive branch agencies involved in setting economic policy and explain the role of each.
5 . Describe federal fiscal policy.
6 . Trace the history of federal government budgeting practices.
Chart Interpretation – Wilson and Dilulio
The National Debt as a Percentage of the GDP (p. 493)
Bad Economic Guesses (p. 494)
History of the National Debt. (p. 504)
Cartoon Interpretation (p. 509) – Wilson and Dilulio
12/13/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 492-499
The Politics of Economic Prosperity 494
What Politicians Try to Do 495
The Politics of Taxing and Spending 496
Economic Theories and Political Needs 497
Monetarism 497
Keynesianism 497
Planning 497
Supply-Side Tax Cuts 498
Ideology and Theory 498
“Reaganomics” 498
12/14/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 499-510
The Machinery of Economic Policy-Making 499
The Fed 500
Congress 501
Spending Money 502
The Budget 503
Reducing Spending 504
Levying Taxes 505
The Rise of the Income Tax 507
12/15/10 -Evaluation
Test on the chapter with appropriate daily assessments
19 Social Welfare 511
Objectives
The student should be able to:
1 . Describe the four factors that shape the American approach to welfare policy.
2 . Describe the major elements of the social welfare system.
3 . Explain why some welfare policies involve majoritarian politics, while others involve client politics. .
4 . Discuss the politics of welfare reform.
Chart Interpretation – Wilson and Dilulio
Public Views on Reforming Social Security (p. 520)
Health Care Spending in the United States and Abroad, 2001 (p. 521)
12/16/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 512-523
Social Welfare in the United States 513
Majoritarian Welfare Programs: Social
Security and Medicare 516
Reforming Majoritarian Welfare Programs 519
Client Welfare Programs: Aid to Families with
Dependent Children 522
12/17/10 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 523-528
Two Kinds of Welfare Politics 523
Majoritarian Politics 523
Client Politics 524
12/17/10 - Evaluation
Test on the chapter with appropriate daily assessments
20 Foreign and Military Policy 529
Objectives
The student should be able to: SEQ NL1 \r 0 \h
1 . List the constitutional powers of the president in foreign affairs and compare them with Congress in foreign affairs.
2 . Explain why checks on the powers of the national government in foreign affairs are primarily political rather than constitutional.
3 . Give reasons for the volatility of public opinion on foreign affairs.
4 . Explain the worldview concept and describe the containment strategy. Summarize essential elements of the anti-appeasement, disengagement, and human-rights worldviews.
5 . Analyze the key decisions in allocating the defense budget.
6 . Explain why the 1947 and 1949 Defense Reorganization Acts did not merge the armed services.
7 . Explain why the cost-overrun problem is due to bureaucratic and political factors, and describe proposed reforms of the system.
Map Interpretation – Wilson and Dilulio
U.S. Military Intervention in the Middle East (p. 546)
U.S. Military Intervention in Central America and the Caribbean Since 1950 (p. 547)
Chart Interpretation – Wilson and Dilulio
Trends in Military Spending (in constant dollars)
Public Sentiment on Defense Spending, 1960-2002 (p. 550)
1/03/11 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 530-537
Kinds of Foreign Policy 531
The Constitutional and Legal Context 532
Presidential Box Score 532
Evaluating the Power of the President 534
Checking on Presidential Power 536
1/04/11 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 537-547
The Machinery of Foreign Policy 537
Foreign Policy and Public Opinion 539
Backing the President 540
Mass Versus Elite Opinion 541
Cleavages Among Foreign Policy Elites 542
How a Worldview Shapes Foreign Policy 542
The Use of Military Force 545
1/05/11 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 547-558
The Defense Budget 547
Total Spending 547
What Do We Get with Our Money? 549
The Structure of Defense Decision-Making 553
Joint Chiefs of Staff 554
The Services 554
The Chain of Command 554
The New Problem of Terrorism 555
1/06/11 - Evaluation
Test on the chapter and appropriate daily assessments
21 Environmental Policy 559
Objectives
The student should be able to:
1 . List three reasons why environmental policy tends to be so controversial.
2 . Describe the role of (a) the United States political system and (b) local politics in shaping environmental policy.
3 . Describe the role of entrepreneurial politics in the government’s response to global warming.
4 . Describe the role of majoritarian politics in the government’s efforts to reduce automobile emissions.
5 . Describe the role of interest-group politics in the government’s efforts to resolve the acid rain controversy.
6 . Describe the role of client politics in the government’s efforts to regulate the use of agricultural pesticides and logging in U.S. forests.
Supplementary Viewing
Frontline: Hot Politics (The Issue of Global Warming)
1/07/11 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 560-566
The American Context 561
Entrepreneurial Politics: Global Warming 563
Majoritarian Politics: Pollution from
Automobiles 564
1/10/11 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 566-574
Interest Group Politics: Acid Rain 566
Client Politics: Agricultural Pesticides 568
The Environmental Uncertainties 569
The Results 572
1/11/11 - Evaluation
Test on the chapter and appropriate daily assessments
PART V
The Nature of American
Democracy 575
22 Who Governs? To What Ends? 576
Objectives
The student should be able to:
1 . Identify the key factors associated with the growth of government.
2 . Describe the restraints on the growth of government.
3 . Discuss the consequences of activist government.
4 . Assess the influence of the political structure and of ideas on the process of serving some goals rather than others.
1/12/11 - read Wilson and Dilulio pages 577-588
Restraints on the Growth of Government 577
Relaxing the Restraints 578
The Old System 579
The New System 580
Consequences of Activist Government 582
The Influence of Structure 585
The Influence of Ideas 585
1/13/11 - Evaluation
Test on the chapter with appropriate daily assessments
1/14/11
Review