Fall 1998, Tuesday and Thursday 12:45-2:00pm.
Government 110
Professor David Lublin
Nebraska Hall 322
Office Hours: Mon. 2-3:30pm, Wed. 2-5pm, Thurs. 2-3:30pm, and by appointment.
Office Telephone: (202) 885-2913
Office Email: dlublin@american.edu
Home Email: dlublin@aol.com.
Karen O'Connor and Larry J. Sabato, American Government: 1997 Alternate Edition(Allyn and Bacon 1997).
William Lasser, Perspectives on American Government, 2nd Edition (D.C. Heath and Company 1996).
There are also two readings that will be placed on reserve in the library. I suggest that you borrow and copy them in advance of the dates for which they are assigned.
The purpose of this course is to give you a broad understanding of the American political process. It is intended to give you a more thorough knowledge of how government in the United States was created, evolved, and operates today. Since this is an election year for Congress and many governors, I hope that you gain an appreciation of the campaigns and elections process as well as the institutions of government. In addition to examining concepts and ideas basic to American politics, the course will examine highly publicized issues such as term limits and voting rights in order to provide a deeper understanding of the practice as well as the theory of politics.
Students are expected to attend class. For each absence beyond two, the course grade may be reduced by one number or point (e.g. 89 to 88) from the final earned grade. Attendance for only part of a class also counts as an absence. In order to facilitate class discussion, students should complete all of the assigned readings before class. Ten percent of the final grade will be based on class participation.
You are responsible for writing two papers. One paper of 2-3 pages in length requires that you succinctly analyze the pros and cons of controversial subject currently being debated on the political stage. The point and counterpoint that you provide should be persuasive and entail ample documentation that goes beyond the assigned readings. This short paper is due at the beginning of class on September 24 and counts for 10 percent of the final grade.
The second paper of 10 pages in length necessitates that you do original research using government documents and the mass media to piece together the legislative history of a national policy that came before two branches of government, preferably the Congress and the Supreme Court. Describe the major players, their positions and motives (if they can be discerned), public sentiment, and the media's portrayal of events. If this was a controversial issue that aroused conflict, be sure to characterize the main protagonists and the nature of the conflict. (Hint: It may be easier to find a Supreme Court ruling and work backwards to investigate how the policy changed and who the major players were. Avoid issues about which very little is documented). Substantive accuracy and the quality of writing (including argumentation, organization, grammar, syntax, clarity, and format) are both important. The long paper is due at the beginning of class on December 3 and counts for 25 percent of your grade. Late papers will be docked 1/3 of a grade (i.e. a B+ paper become a B) for each day late.
Two one-hour in-class examinations will be held during the course. The first exam is scheduled for October 8. The second exam will be held on November 9. The exams will include at least one essay question as well as a short-answer section. Failure to attend an exam will result in the student receiving a grade of zero on the exam unless the student has made appropriate arrangements to makeup the exam in advance. Each exam will count for 15 percent of the final grade. The final exam is scheduled for December 17 at 11:20am and will count for 25 percent of the final grade.
August 31: Introduction
September 3: No Class -- Professor at APSA Conference
September 7: No Class -- Labor Day
FOUNDATIONS OF GOVERNMENT
The Federal System
September 10: O'Connor and Sabato, Chapter 2, Appendix I and II (pp. 38-73, 641-54). The Declaration of Independence (Appendix I). The Constitution (Appendix II). "The Articles of Confederation and the Constitution of the United States: A Comparison," (Lasser, pp. 40-41). First Assignment Due.
Focus: Why did the Articles of Confederation fail? How was the Constitution an improvement? What compromises made possible the adoption of the Constitution? How may the Constitution be amended?
September 14: O'Connor and Sabato, Appendix III and IV (p. 655-62). Federalists #10 and 51 (Appendix III and IV). "The Address and Reasons of Dissent of the Minority of the Convention of Pennsylvania to Their Constituents" (Lasser, pp. 31-8). Martin Luther King, Jr., "I Have a Dream" (Lasser, pp. 8-9).
Focus: Why did the anti-federalists oppose ratification? What did Madison consider the dangers of "faction" and why did he believe the Constitution would avoid or control them? What is the point of the separation of powers and the federal system? How were the values expressed within the Constitution used by the Civil Rights Movement to promote social change?
September 17: O'Connor and Sabato, Chapter 3 (pp. 74-107).
Focus: What is federalism? What powers were granted to the federal government and the states, respectively, by the Constitution? Examine different models of federal systems.
September 21: Herbert Storing, "What the Antifederalists Were For" (Lasser, pp. 61-5). Federalists #39 and 45 (Lasser, pp. 67-74). Forrest McDonald and Ellen Shapiro McDonald, "Federalism in America: An Obituary" (Lasser, pp. 80-84). "States' Rights" (Lasser, pp. 80-81). Michael A. Pagano and Ann O'M. Bowman, "The State of American Federalism" (Lasser, pp. 85-95).
Focus: Has the federal government become too powerful? Are the Republicans correct to want to give more power to the states? What are the political as well as philosophical reasons that the Republicans tend to support, and the Democrats tend to oppose, states rights?
Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
September 24: O'Connor and Sabato, Chapter 5 (pp. 142-81). Short Paper Due
Focus: What are the rights guaranteed to all Americans in the Bill of Rights? What are the limits on these rights? What are the rights of criminal defendants? Is there a right to privacy?
September 28: Nat Hentoff, "The Gospel According to Catherine McKinnon," in Free Speech for Me -- But Not for Thee (HarperCollins 1992), Chapter 12 (pp. 336-55).
Focus: What limits are there to free speech? Should government have the right to ban pornography or to more generally regulate offensive speech? Why does McKinnon support such regulations and Hentoff oppose them?
October 1: O'Connor and Sabato, Chapter 6 (pp. 182-225).
Focus: Study the post-Civil War amendments to the Constitution. Why did these amendments fail to protect the rights of African Americans? How have views on racial and gender equality changed over time in America? Examine the legal and legislative strategy that eventually resulted in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
October 5: Plessy v. Ferguson (Lasser, pp. 532-5). Brown v. Board of Education (Lasser, pp. 535-8). Stanley Fish, "Affirmative Action Is Still Necessary" (Lasser, pp. 554-9). Thomas Sowell, "Affirmative Action Is Unfair" (Lasser, pp. 559-64). Richard Kahlenberg, "Class, Not Race" (Lasser, pp. 564-8).
Focus: Examine the Court's different and opposed rationales for upholding and then striking down the "separate but equal" doctrine in Plessy and Brown. What is affirmative action? What are the costs and benefits of affirmative action? Is it still necessary?
October 8: Exam #1
POLITICAL BEHAVIOR
Public Opinion, Participation, and Parties
October 12: O'Connor and Sabato, Chapter 11, and portion of Chapter 12 (pp. 408-45, 482-88).
Focus: How do you conduct a good poll? What pitfalls should a good pollster avoid? Why did the Literary Digest poll fail? How do people form political opinions and their party identification? Why are some people Democrats and others Republicans?
October 15: Michael Barone, "The Power of the Presidents' Pollsters" (Lasser, pp.142-8). The Bennington Study
Focus: Why did a majority of students enter Bennington College as Republicans and leave as Democrats? How did the political choices of students influence their college experience? How do polls influence politicians?
October 19: O'Connor and Sabato, Chapter 12 (pp. 446-91).
Focus: What are the various functions of a political party? How have American political parties evolved since the Founding? What is a political machine? Why do third parties fail? Have parties become more or less important over the last two decades?
October 22: O'Connor and Sabato, portion of Chapter 13 (pp. 516-518). Stephen Gettinger, "Was 1994 a Realignment?" (Lasser, pp. 194-200). V.O. Key, "The Nature and Foundation of Political Parties" (Lasser, pp. 180-4). V.O. Key, "'Political Parties' -- A Term with Many Meaning" (Lasser, p. 183). Paul S. Herrnson, "American Political Parties: Growth and Change" (Lasser, pp. 185-93).
Focus: What is a realignment? What explains party realignments? Did American politics realign toward the Republicans at some point over the last two decades? How has the rise of candidate-centered campaigns changed American politics?
October 26: O'Connor and Sabato, Chapter 13 (pp. 492-535).
Focus: How do people decide to cast their vote? Contrast prospective v. retrospective choices. What are the different types of primary elections? What is a caucus? What are the differences between the Democratic and Republican presidential primary system? Why does the Republican system advantage their party? What is the "incumbency advantage" in congressional elections and what explains it?
October 29: No Class -- Professor at SPSA Conference
November 2: Ruy Teixeira, "Why Is American Voter Turnout Going Down?" (Lasser, pp. 151-8). Ruy Teixeira, "Turnout in the 1992 Election" (Lasser, pp. 158-60). Kevin Phillips, "Virtual Washington" (Lasser 167-9). Robert Kuttner, "Why Americans Don't Vote--And Why They Should" (Lasser, pp. 170-5). Charles Krauthammer, "In Praise of Low Voter Turnout" (Lasser, pp. 176-7). "Voter Registration and Turnout" (Lasser, pp. 172-3).
Focus: Why do people vote or choose not to vote? Does it matter that many Americans do not vote? Why did the South have very low turnout during the first part of this century? Can legislation like the Motor-Voter Law address the "problem" of low voter turnout? Does Motor-Voter aid the Democrats or the Republicans?
November 3: Election Day -- Don't Forget to Vote!
Campaigns and the Media
November 5: O'Connor and Sabato, Chapter 14 (pp. 536-71).
Focus: What is a PAC? What are different types of PACs? What are matching funds? Are PACs good or bad for American campaigns? How would proposed changes in campaign finance laws affect campaigns? Examine the 1996 presidential campaign and results.
November 9: Exam #2
November 12: O'Connor and Sabato, Chapter 15 (pp. 572-603).
Focus: How has American journalism and its role in politics evolved over time? Is it legitimate for the press to report on the character or the personal lives of politicians? How do politicians attempt to manipulate the media?
November 16: Charles Peters, "How Washington Really Works: The Press" (Lasser, pp. 278-84). Kiku Adatto, "The Incredible Shrinking Sound Bite" (Lasser, pp. 284-90). S. Robert Lichter, Stanley Rothman, and Linda S. Lichter, "The Media Elite" (Lasser, pp. 291-98). Herbert J. Gans, "U.S. Journalists Are Not Dangerously Liberal" (Lasser, pp. 298-301). Ted J. Smith III, "The Media Bias Debate Misses the Point" (Lasser, pp. 301-10).
Focus: Is the media biased in favor of Democrats and liberals? How has press coverage of presidential campaigns changed over the last twenty years? How do reporters get most stories?
INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT
The Congress
November 19: O'Connor and Sabato, Chapter 7 (pp. 226-82).
Focus: What is the difference between reapportionment and redistricting? Is racial redistricting constitutional and does it truly help African Americans and Latinos gain access to the political process? How is Congress organized? What are the differences between the House and the Senate? What are the different types of congressional committees? How does a bill become a law? How do members of Congress decide their positions on issues?
November 23: Irving Kristol, "Twelve Years and Out" (Lasser, pp. 339-40). Hodding Carter III, "Limits on Congressional Terms: A Cure Worse Than the Disease" (Lasser, pp. 340-42). Rhodes Cook, "Incumbent Advantage Lose in November 1994 Elections" (Lasser, pp. 342-3).
Focus: What is the incumbency advantage? Does it prevent substantial turnover in Congress? Are term limits a good idea?
November 24: O'Connor and Sabato, Chapter 16 (pp. 604-39).
Focus: I have scheduled this special Tuesday class before Thanksgiving as a "catch- up" class. If we have time, we will discuss interest groups. In any case, I strongly recommend you read the chapter as it will greatly enhance your knowledge of the legislative process.
The Presidency
November 26: No Class -- Thanksgiving
November 30: O'Connor and Sabato, Chapter 8 (pp. 284-323).
Focus: What are the powers of the president? What are the limits on the president's ability to accomplish his agenda? What can president's do to advance their goals despite the legal limits on presidential power?
The Judiciary
December 3: O'Connor and Sabato, Chapter 10 (pp. 360-407). Long Paper Due
Focus: What is judicial review? How is the federal court system organized? How are federal judges and Supreme Court justices selected? How does the Supreme Court operate?
December 7: Frank M. Johnson, "The Constitution and the Federal District Judge" (Lasser, 424-8). Edwin Meese III, "End Judicial Activism" (pp. 443-8). William Brennan, "A Defense of Judicial Activism" (Lasser, pp. 448-53). Lino A. Graglia, "Judicial Activism: Even on the Right, It's Wrong" (Lasser, pp. 450-1).
Focus: What is "judicial activism" and is it good or bad for courts to be activist? Should congressional Republicans continue their efforts to shape judicial decisions?
December 17: FINAL EXAM at 11:20am.
The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author. The contents of this page have not been reviewed or approved by the American University. If you have any questions about this page, please email David Lublin at dlublin@american.edu. This page was last updated on August 31, 1998.