AP US Government Homework
Homework (No Number)
Come to class prepared to talk about your thesis paper and its findings.
OTHER POLITICS NEWS:
Was Joe Biden the winner of last night's debate?
At the debate, Sanders's most vociferous opponent was CNN.
The bill that could make California livable again.
-Due Thursday, January 16th
Special Project
To be eligible for this assignment, you have to have scored below the test average on one of the four tests that we have had this term. Here are the averages:
Test 1: 87
Test 2: 89
Test 3: 91
Test 4: 89
I will be awarding a maximum of ten points on the assignment, to be added to the test score of your choice, but I will cap the score at the test average. So if you got a 79 on Test 1, the most you could end up with would be an 87. On the other hand, a grade of 70 could potentially go up to 80 for that same test. So your grade is out of ten or out of the number of points you need to get to the class average for that test.
The actual assignment is a three to four page paper written about something from chapters 14, 15 or 16 in the textbook. Feel free to choose any topic as long is it is in those three chapters.
Also, on the assignment, please write which test you are hoping to add on to, and what your grade was on that test.
Please title this PDF as Special Project.
This assignment is due by 11:59 on the night of Sunday, January 19th
-Due Sunday, January 19th
Homework (No Number)
So... should we worry about the national debt? Yes we should! No, we shouldn't! Further info on the issue here.
For Discussion Only:
To what extent should we be freaked out by the national debt?
Other Politics News:
Elizabeth Warren gets her turn with the NYTimes editorial board.
A new fight between Warren and Sanders! Of course they're fighting...
Bret Stephens and the danger of the tapped out columnist.
Also:
Due to licensing and printing costs, some African theaters gave the task to artists to paint the posters for movies being shown... Some artists had no reference to what movie they was drawing so some just guessed.
-Due Wednesday, January 15th
Homework (No Number)
Please watch the video entitled "Humans Need Not Apply" by CGP Grey.
For Discussion Only:
To what extent do you agree with Grey's hypothesis?
Other Politics News:
The New York Times editorial board interviews (most) all of the major Democrats running for President here.
Could Trump's Iran strategy cost him the 2020 election?
The case for a single-day national primary.
Also:
Two states, eight textbooks, two American stories.
-Due Tuesday, January 14th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 16.5 "Budgeting and Tax Policy". Also, please read "A Progressive's Case For Moving To The Flat Tax--Maybe"
For Discussion Only:
Should we scrap progressive income taxes for a flat tax? Why or why not?
Other Politics News:
How Donald Trump has made us all stupid.
Against tribal America.
Is Trump's presidency basically the third term of George W. Bush?
Also:
The curious case of the stolen gospel--scandal hits the cloistered word of the Oxford classics department.
-Due Monday, January 13th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 16.4 "Policymakers".
For Discussion Only:
To what extent do lobbying groups like AARP have too much power over policymaking?
Other Politics News:
What did each side actually win in the Iranian standoff?
The American-Iranian psychosis, next chapter.
Offing Soleimani gives Trump an excellent chance to exit Iraq.
Also:
The woman who can't feel pain.
-Due Friday, January 10th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 16.3 "Policy Arenas". Also, please read this piece, "The Necessity and Impossibility of Entitlement Reform."
For Discussion Only:
Do we spend too much money on entitlements? Is reform possible?
Other Politics News:
If this was Iran's response, Trump won a major victory... indeed Iran says it does not seek war... and a mysterious plane crash on the same night as the missile attack.
Mike Pompeo emerges as the most powerful secretary of state in decades.
Joe Biden: a man in full.
Also:
Don't want to fly? Take a cargo ship instead.
-Due Thursday, January 9th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 16.1 "What is Public Policy?" as well as Section 16.2 "Categorizing Public Policy"
For Discussion Only:
To what extent is it fair to say that public goods can be protected by exclusively private actions?
Other Politics News:
Is Iran a rational actor? We're about to find out.
Overrated Soleimani made so many miscalculations.
Andrew Jackson in the Middle East.
Also:
The amazing Kowloon Walled City.
-Due Wednesday, January 8th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 15.4 "Controlling the Bureaucracy". Also, check out this piece about America's increasingly privatized military.
For Discussion Only:
To what degree is privatization a good thing?
Other Politics News:
The Soleimani killing: an extraordinarily dangerous moment? Or a bold and justified gamble that may pay off?
Unsinkable Joe Biden.
Is the Democratic party a movement or a coalition?
Also:
How a former green beret, black roadie cases, and two private jets got Carlos Ghosn to Lebanon
-Due Tuesday, January 7th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 15.3 "Understanding Bureaucracies and Their Types".
For Discussion Only:
Which model of bureaucracy makes the most sense to you--Weberian, acquisitive, or monopolistic? Why?
Other Politics News:
An American drone strike just killed Qassim Suleimani arguably the second most powerful man in Iran. Who was he? And are we now at war with Iran?
How the two party system broke the constitution.
An interview with the editor of Christianity Today--a rare evangelical who has publicly condemned Trump.
Also:
The great subway seat debate.
-Due Monday, January 6th
Homework 22
Please read Section 15.2 "Toward a Merit-Based Civil Service". Also, please read "The Trouble with Public Sector Unions" as well as "All Public Sector Workers Should Have the Right to Join a Union."
Written Work:
Should public sector employees be allowed to join unions?
Other Politics News:
A decade in which everything was great, but felt terrible.
An old battle resumes at the Supreme Court.
Four lies about America's perpetual wars.
Also:
OG French electronic music from the 1970s.
-Due Friday, January 3rd
Homework (No Number)
The next section in the textbook is like only one page, so read it--Section 14.5 "County and City Government", but also please read the next section in the textbook, Section 15.1 "Bureaucracy and the Evolution of Public Administration"
For Discussion Only:
Might there not be advantages to political patronage? Is it right that our bureaucracy has become so undemocratic?
Other Politics News:
Trump impeached! Here's how everybody voted. Will Pelosi try to slow-walk things? John Chait says that in the end, impeachment was the only choice. Matthew Walter says that it's going to make the American political system very weird.
Don't forget--tonight is another Democratic debate! Andrew Yang is the last non-white candidate.
And is Pete Buttigieg the next Emmanuel Macron?
Also:
A glimpse of Paraguay's Japanese community.
-Due Thursday, January 2nd
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 14.4 "State Legislative Term Limits". Also, please read this 2014 Washington Post piece about the question.
For Discussion Only:
Are there special reasons why state legislators should have term limits? Should they be seen as different than federal lawmakers in Congress? Why or why not?
Other Politics News:
What to expect during today's impeachment vote. And read Trump's rambling letter to Nancy Pelosi here, annotated by the New York Times.
The NRA and its head, Wayne LaPierre, are extremely embattled these days.
There are no children here--only life-sized dolls: the collapse of Japanese village life.
Also:
An oral history of the "Moves Like Bloomberg" hoax.
-Due Thursday, December 19th
Homework 21
Please read Section 14.3 "Governors and State Legislatures". Here's a piece about how state politics is becoming an all-or-nothing phenomenon.
Written Work:
Are professional state legislatures a good thing? Or should they get a staff and a salary? Why?
Other Politics News:
While you were watching the impeachment, the House was passing a small $1.4 trillion, 2300+ page spending bill.
How the fall of Elizabeth Warren has shaken up the Democratic race.
We are Republicans, and we want Trump defeated.
Also:
Milestones--moving into adulthood. And moving through adulthood. Figures are British, but still relevant.
-Due Wednesday, December 18th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 14.2 "State Political Culture" . Also, check out this piece arguing that there are eleven distinct cultures in (North) America.
For Discussion Only:
To what extent do you agree with all these divisions of the United States into different regions?
Other Politics News:
Why do young progressives hate Mayor Pete?
The House Judiciary committee lays out its 658-page report, arguing that Trump betrayed the nation. And a step-by-step guide to the process can be found here.
"Get woke, go broke"--identity politics are destroying the Democratic party.
Also:
Keen on Keys--reviews of Casio keyboards from the 1980s.
-Due Tuesday, December 17th
Study Sheet for Test 4
Is now available here!
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 14.1 "State Power and Delegation" .
For Discussion Only:
Do the states have too much power in the American system of government?
Other Politics News:
Two small articles of impeachment are pathetic but necessary.
The New York Times guide to the Trump impeachment.
A photographic look at the impeachment's most intriguing moments.
Also:
All you ever wanted to know about eels used as rent in old England.
-Due Monday, December 15th
Thesis Paper Assignment
Please check out this instruction sheet for the thesis paper!
After reading the sheet, please submit your thesis statement HERE before 11:59pm, Sunday, December 15th. The sooner you submit, the sooner you can start reading and/or writing. Once you submit, you can see my response on this Google spreadsheet. The essay paper will be due at 11:59pm, Sunday, January 5th.
Also, to spur your creativity, here are links to some previous years' topics:2018-9, 2017-8, 2015-6 and 2014-5.
Other Politics News:
Impeach Trump, save America.
How Democrats lost the impeachment war--and probably 2020.
Time's person of the year...Greta Thunberg.
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 13.5"Judicial Decision-Making and Implementation by the Supreme Court" Also please read this article by Howard Bashman, which argues that the Supreme Court is too swayed by public opinion.
For Discussion Only:
To what extent is the Court too ruled by public opinion?
Other Politics News:
Another Pentagon Papers? US officials repeatedly lied about the 18-year (!) war in Afghanistan to the press. Here's five "infuriating takeaways". Douthat's take here.
Joe Biden's old-guy machismo is a serious flaw – but also what voters love about him.
Why Europe will choose the US over China.
Also:
The lie that helped build Nintendo.
-Due Wednesday, December 11th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 13.4 "The Supreme Court" Also, please check out this piece which makes an interesting proposal for changing the composition of the Supreme Court.
For Discussion Only:
Should the selection method for the Supreme Court change? Should the number of justices be increased? Should they only serve a limited amount of time?
Other Politics News:
Finland is a capitalist paradise.
The indispensable man--how Giuliani led Trump to the brink of impeachment.
Is candidate Bloomberg actually good for Biden?
Also:
The inside story of the Motorola RAZR--possibly the last cool flip phone.
-Due Tuesday, December 10th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 13.3 "The Federal Court System." Also, here's a pretty incendiary piece from Slate arguing that Supreme Court Justices "are not really judges."
For Discussion Only:
Should there be a different, potentially more democratic method to select federal judges?
Other Politics News:
The most consequential moment of the 2020 primary?
How the Trump campaign profits from impeachment.
"I was once a socialist. Then I saw how it worked," writes David Brooks.
Also:
The deep sea. Scroll down and keep scrolling.
-Due Monday, December 9th
Homework 20
Please read Section 13.2 "The Dual Court System". Also: almost no one in American history has had anything bad to say about judicial review--that's why this 1825 opinion by Pennsylvania judge John Gibson is so notable. Please read it in Eakin v. Raub
Written Work:
Was John Marshall right to grab the power of judicial review? Do you agree with Gibson’s critique? Explain.
Other Politics News:
How to revive Madison's Constitution.
The weaponization of impeachment.
New York's self-inflicted energy crunch.
Also:
This might be even dumber than Toad singing Chandelier.
-Due Friday, December 6th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 13.1 "Guardians of the Constitution and Individual Rights.
For Discussion Only:
Are we wrong to rely so much on an unelected and arguably unrepresentative branch of government to protect our civil rights?
Other Politics News:
Kamala Harris: the juggernaut that flopped.
Do polls exaggerate the challenges for gay candidates?
The savage injustice of Trump's military pardons.
Also:
Did one million years of rain jumpstart dinosaur evolution?
-Due Thursday, December 5th
Homework 19
Please read Section 12.5 "Presidential Governance: Direct Presidential Action". Also, please read this article executive orders gone wild and check out the executive order page on Wikipedia.
Written Work:
To what extent should the President's power to issue executive orders be curtailed? Should it be limited at all? Expanded? Explain.
Other Politics News:
Is there a true Democratic centrist in the race?
Are liberals against marriage?
Donald Trump is the founders' worst nightmare.
And what happened to recession fears?
Bonus from July: The astonishing and radical shift of liberals on gender.
Also:
Adam's apples. Just a guy who really loves apples.
-Due Wednesday, December 4th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 12.4 "The Public Presidency". Also read this article on social media and the Trump presidency.
For Discussion Only:
To what extent is social media use by politicians and policy makers fundamentally different from earlier inventions in communications technology?
Other Politics News:
Why does the Christian right idolize Donald Trump?
Democrats are running into Trump's economic buzzsaw.
Maybe we're all underestimating Mike Bloomberg?
Also:
Cooking with wool--extreme cuteness alert.
-Due Tuesday, December 3rd
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 12.3 "Organizing to Govern". Also read this article from John Dickerson on the decline of the cabinet. It's from 2004, but is still relevant.
For Discussion Only:
Is there anything that can be done to make the cabinet more effective? Should it be made more effective?
Other Politics News:
They voted Democratic in 2018, but now they support Trump.
The method to Bloomberg's madness.
New poll shows Buttigieg surge, Warren collapse--Biden stays strong.
Also:
Big Calculator: How Texas Instruments Monopolized Math Class
-Due Monday, December 2nd
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 12.2 "The Presidential Election Process". Also, check out this CGP Grey videos on the sneaky plan to subvert the electoral college.
For Discussion Only:
Should we get rid of the electoral college?
Other Politics News:
When it comes to household income, Sweden and Germany rank with Kentucky?
The real class war is between the 0.1 percent and (at most) the 10 percent.
How Trump survives.
Also:
Bonus CGP Grey: The race to win... Staten Island? And NY and NJ tangle over Liberty Island and the Statue of Liberty. Finally, Humans Need Not Apply--the basis of the Andrew Yang candidacy.
-Due Wednesday, November 27th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 12.1 "The Design and Evolution of the Presidency". Also, please listen to this Podcast from the National Constitution Center: Is the President Too Powerful? If you prefer, you can read the transcript here.
For Discussion Only:
To what extent is it fair to say that the president is too powerful?
Other Politics News:
Josh Hawley's mission to remake the GOP.
Looks like Trump got his wall after all.
Bloomberg's official entry: but can money buy love?
Also:
I Wanna Be Sedated--on a dulcimer
-Due Tuesday, November 26th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 11.5 "The Legislative Process". Also, please read this blog entry by enormously prolific former judge Richard Posner on the filibuster.
For Discussion Only:
Should we abolish the filibuster?
Other Politics News:
Why didn't Democrats attack Buttigieg more the other night?
What Joe Biden can't bring himself to say.
What e-cigarette bans get wrong.
Also:
Hit the high notes--how high can you go compared to some famous singers?
-Due Monday, November 25th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 11.4 "House and Senate Organization". Here's a link to the standing committees of the House, and here's the equivalent list for the Senate.
For Discussion Only:
To what extent is it fair to say that the committee system gives too much power to well-connected insiders?
Other Politics News:
The unbearable persistence of Joe Biden.
Sondland's revenge.
The dishonesty of the abortion debate.
Also:
Movies set in a future that is now the past.
-Due Friday, November 22nd
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 11.3 "Congressional Representation".
For Discussion Only:
How necessary is "descriptive representation"? Can a representative effectively advocate for people of a different race, gender, age, etc"
Other Politics News:
Prepare for Democratic primary chaos.
Which Democrat will most savagely attack Buttigieg at tonight's debate?
The audacity of Pete Buttigieg.
Also:
The cash railway site.
-Due Thursday, November 21st
Homework 18
Please read Section 11.2 "Congressional Elections". Here's an argument in favor of term limits, and here's five against.
Written Work:
Should we have term limits for members of Congress? Why or why not? Explain?
Other Politics News:
Northwestern's bungling student journalists were just copying the professionals.
Trump's dangerous vendetta against the Washington Post.
What both parties could learn from John Bel Edwards in Louisiana.
Also:
A very interesting look at the dating market in 2019--"basically, the same thing is happening in the dating market as is happening in the Hedge Fund market: things are getting more efficient, very few are pleased about it, and there are lots of strange advice books, blogs, and videos coming out. "
-Due Wednesday, November 20th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 11.1 "The Institutional Design of Congress". Here's a bunch of resources about Gerrymandering:
1)A (somewhat old) article by Jeffrey Toobin about the increasingly sophisticated techniques behind gerrymandering.
2) A website that lets you create your own gerrymandered districts. Wow!
3) A video defense of gerrymandering from the Washington Post
4) Finally, a Politico article that debunks gerrymandering myths and argues that it isn't evil.
For Discussion Only:
So, should we get rid of partisan gerrymandering or not?
Other Politics News:
How Elizabeth Warren misread health care politics.
Inexperience is Buttigieg's greatest asset.
Bloomberg's tough talk dissolves.
Also:
The salaries of 800 occupations visualized.
-Due Tuesday, November 19th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 10.5 "Free Speech and the Regulation of Interest Groups". Also check out these two defenses of the Citizens United case.
For Discussion Only:
To what extent is it legitimate to make the argument that interest groups should have the right to free speech?
Other Politics News:
Inside the Buttigieg moment.
The sober clarity of the impeachment witnesses or a bad theory.
Are Republicans betting the farm on absolute cynicism?
Also:
Extremely stylish Australian mugshots from the 1920s.
-Due Monday, November 18th
Homework 17
Please read Section 10.4 "Pathways of Interest Group Influence" . Also check out this list from OpenSecrets of the top interest group donor groups. Finally, please read this article showing the more subtle side of interest group politics.
Written Work:
To what degree should interest group involvement in politics be limited or banned entirely? Explain!
Other Politics News:
The "take down Trump" project? Or Trump brutally exposed?
Why is former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick making a late entry into the race?
The Kentucky re-canvass continues.
Also:
Turn down your speakers before playing this cover of "Chandelier" by Toad from Mario.
-Due Friday, November 15th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 10.3 "Interest Groups as Political Participation". Also please read this old Ross Douthat piece talking about pluralism in the context of American religion and liberalism.
For Discussion Only:
To what extent do we have too many interest groups in the United States?
Other Politics News:
Do we resolve policy disputes by election, not impeachment? Or is this a fiasco that will damage the Republicans for a generation?
Social media is making it feel like everything is going haywire.
Can Trump legally end DACA? The Supreme Court will decide.
Also:
We bought a $1 house in Italy--here's what happened next.
-Due Thursday, November 14th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 10.2 "Collective Action and Interest Group Formation". Also, check out this obituary of Mancur Olson--the father of collective action problems in group formation. Finally, please read this 2008 New York Times article that argues against Olson's collective action thesis.
For Discussion Only:
How can policy-makers solve collective action problems?
Other Politics News:
Is this how America ends?
Is the Democratic Party coalition too large?
The Daily Northwestern apologizes to its students for doing journalism.
Also:
Can any shell lure this octopus out of its plastic cup?
-Due Wednesday, November 13th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 10.1 "Interest Groups Defined" Also, please listen to this chapter from This American Life: The Hamster Wheel (here's a transcript, though it's of the entire one hour episode)
For Discussion Only:
To what extent can our system survive without the help of lobbyists?
Other Politics News:
Trump's populism has nothing to offer the populace.
The suburban backlash against the GOP is growing.
How climate change enthusiasts jump the shark.
Also:
The cursing (gasp!) president.
-Due Tuesday, November 12th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 9.4 "Divided Government and Political Polarization" Also, please read this piece "Too much democracy is bad for democracy"--a critique of primaries from the Atlantic magazine.
Also, I signed us up for Albert.io--you should have received and invitation in your stuy.edu account. Please accept this invite as soon as you can.
For Discussion Only:
Is polarization necessarily a bad thing? Would the United States be better if fewer people held radical ideas?
Other Politics News:
Democrats win big in Virginia, get just enough in Kentucky--though Bevin is still (as of 9am) refusing to concede.
Liberalism's Latinx problem.
Amy Klobuchar has a Pete Buttigieg problem.
Also:
Surprise! Colleges are running a scam with the SAT to make themselves look more exclusive.
-Due Thursday, November 7th
Study Sheet for Test 3
Is now available here!
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 9.3 "The Shape of Modern Political Parties"
For Discussion Only:
In some local elections, voters do not know the parties of the candidates. Should this system be implemented for all American elections?
Other Politics News:
Liz Warren's Medicare For All plan just killed her political chances.
...or is it just a smart storytelling device?
An odd couple teams up to fight free-speech bans.
Also:
Top songs of 1979 remixed into one three minute clip by the Hood Internet.
-Due Wednesday, November 6th
Homework 16
Please read Section 9.1 "What are Parties and How Did They Form" as well as Section 9.2 "The Two Party System" . Also read "Let a Thousand Parties Bloom," an article that argues that the United States should reform itself to encourage more than two parties as well as this defense of two parties.
Written Work:
What do you think of the two-party system? If it were possible, should we scrap it in favor of the use of proportional representation to create a multiparty system? Why or why not?
Other Politics News:
Could the fifth circuit court kill Obamacare?
What happened to Kamala Harris's campaign?
Impeach Trump. Then move on.
Also:
The threads of our game--a comprehensive database of 19th century baseball uniforms.
-Due Monday, November 4th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 8.3 "Regulating the Media" and Section 8.4 "The Impact of the Media". The Facebook controversy--to what extent should it regulate ads? Here's Mark Zuckerberg's speech defending the status quo. And an attack on that speech--"Why doesn't Mark Zuckerberg get it?"
For Discussion Only:
Should Facebook police the political content advertised on its site?
Other Politics News:
The toughest job in journalism is defending Donald Trump on CNN.
When JFK was Trump.
Divorce rates are falling, but put a hold on the celebration.
Also:
You can clone your pet. But should you?
-Due Friday, November 1st
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 8.2 "Evolution of the Media"
For Discussion Only:
To what extent is it fair to say that social media is bad for America?
Other Politics News:
Impeachment is testing how far Republicans will go to defend Trump.
Pelosi still worried about impeachment.
California's politicians keep avoiding reality.
Also:
Probably the oldest photograph containing a human being.
-Due Thursday, October 31st
Homework 15
Please read Section 8.1 "What is the Media".
Written Work:
How do you get your news? Do you think you are informed enough? What about your friends and peers? Should media organizations change to capture the younger generation? How so?
Other Politics News:
Today’s radical green movement demands submission to an elite governing class.
Why does Wall Street fear Elizabeth Warren more than Bernie Sanders?
The House will vote on impeachment proceedings this week. Why now?
Also:
How did menus at diners get so big?
-Due Wednesday, October 30th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 7.4 "Campaigns and Voting" and Section 7.5 "Direct Democracy" Also, please read this piece from the Economist "The Perils of Extreme Democracy."
For Discussion Only:
Are referendums a bad idea? Can a state or nation have too much democracy?
Other Politics News:
Apparently the United States killed an "austere religious scholar"?
The blob strikes back.
Inside Joe Biden's zombie campaign.
Also:
Some evidence that money doesn't matter in politics?
-Due Tuesday, October 29th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 7.3 "Elections". Also, take a look at this fascinating article, "Too Much Dark Money in Almonds" arguing that, given the stakes, there is too little money in politics.
For Discussion Only:
Would it be a good idea to ban all private funding of campaigns and instead have a system where candidates can only get money from a government-run agency?
Other Politics News:
Biden is raising big money from big donors, so why is he behind in fundraising?
America's overdue reckoning with China.
Will Trump's abandonment of the Kurds turn Democrats into born-again neocons?
Also:
An interesting piece from Ross Douthat about Watership Down and the crisis of liberalism. Spoilers for Watership Down.
-Due Friday, October 25th
Homework 14
Please read Section 7.1 "Voter Registration". Also, please read Section 7.2 "Voter Turnout"
Written Work:
Some countries have mandatory voting--you must vote or face a fine. These nations also allow a person to vote for "none of the above" so as to prevent compulsory voting for a candidate they might not like. If it were constitutional and logistically possible, should we enact a similar system in the United States?
Other Politics News:
Anxious Democratic establishment asks "is there anybody else?"
Will the real Mitt Romney please shut up?
The wheels have come off the Trump Administration.
Also:
No, social media has not destroyed a generation.
-Due Thursday, October 24th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 6.4 "The Effects of Public Opinion".
For Discussion Only:
To what degree are we right to condemn politicians when they change their views to match the changing preferences of the voting public?
Other Politics News:
The pronoun primary for Democrats.
The impeachment needle may soon move on Trump.
Who is the real Rudy Giuliani?
Also:
Hypnotic letter painting skillz.
-Due Wednesday, October 23rd
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 6.3 "What Does the Public Think? ".
For Discussion Only:
What has affected your political views? Friends, family, religious figures?
Other Politics News:
Trump's second term could be even crazier than his first.
The liberation of Mitt Romney... and who is Pierre Delecto anyway?
How Florida Republicans are talking about impeachment.
Also:
-Due Tuesday, October 22nd
Homework 13
Please read Section 6.1 "The Nature of Public Opinion". Also, please read Section 6.2 "How Is Public Opinion Measured?"
Written Work:
Some countries ban all polls a month prior to an elections. Would it be a good idea to do this in the United States? Why or why not?
Other Politics News:
Two person race? Moderates and Bernie say not so fast.
Democrats have reason to worry after the last debate.
Lebron James turns out to be just another employee.
Also:
How Amazon has transformed the life of New York's Hasidic community.
-Due Monday, October 21st
Study Sheet for Test 2
Is now available here!
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 5.5 "Equal Protection for Other Groups". The study sheet for this Friday's test can be found here.
Also, please note that the calendar has been updated--see here for the changes.
For Discussion Only:
Are there other groups that deserve more protection from the state?
Other Politics News:
Warren's charmed campaign just entered a brutal new phase.
Turkey's aggression demands a firm response.
The Warren-Klobuchar smackdown America needs?
Also:
Was the death of cars greatly exaggerated?
What could go wrong if a city decided to release 1.5 million balloons to break a Guinness World Record?
-Due Thursday, October 17th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 5.4 "Civil Rights for Indigenous Groups"
For Discussion Only:
What can or should be done to make up for the economic underdevelopment of Native American populations?
Other Politics News:
Tonight's debate has two front-runners and more also-rans than ever.
The Bidens concede.
Mike Bloomberg is strongly considering entering the presidential race as a Democrat.
Also:
The most disgraceful moment of LeBron's career?
-Due Wednesday, October 16th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 5.3 "The Fight for Women's Rights"
For Discussion Only:
Should sex/gender be considered a suspect class?
Other Politics News:
What was Rudy Giuliani doing in Ukraine?
The only conservative running for president is Joe Biden.
We investigated the Watergate scandal--we believe Trump should be impeached.
Also:
How, exactly, do barcodes work?
-Due Tuesday, October 15th
Homework 12
Please read Section 5.2 "The African American Struggle for Equality". Also, please read this ACLU pro and con site on affirmative action.
Written Work:
Should race-based discrimination be allowed for college admissions? Why or why not? Explain.
Other Politics News:
The truths that the White House letter just laid bare.
The Malthusian roots of climate extremism.
Punch back on China's NBA boycott.
Also:
Interesting piece on procrastination from the New Yorker. Read it AFTER you finish the homework...
Amazing mashups (of Youtubers) by Kutiman and (of Muppets) by Pogo.
-Due Friday, October 11th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 5.1 "What Are Civil Rights and How Do We Identify Them?"
For Discussion Only:
It has been said that in a democratic society, minorities only gain civil rights once majorities think they should. To what extent is this a true statement?
Other Politics News:
Does Donald Trump know what his Syria policy is?
The world's wokest sports league bows to China.
Inside the making of Andrew Yang 2.0.
Also:
Behold the amazing hexaflexagon!
-Due Thursday, October 10th
Homework 11
Please read Section 4.4 "Interpreting the Bill of Rights". Also, please read this conservative take on the right to privacy as well as Roe v. Wade.
Written Work:
Did the court go too far in its "discovery" of the right to privacy? What do you think of the idea of "penumbras and emanations?" Explain!
Other Politics News:
Will Trump's swing voters remain loyal in 2020?
What a Trump v. Warren race would look like.
Don't be fooled--Chief Justice Roberts is as partisan as they come.
Also:
Richard Feynman explains how rubber bands work. Fascinating stuff.
-Due Tuesday, October 8th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 4.3 "The Rights of Suspects".
For Discussion Only:
To what have we gone too far in protecting the rights of the accused?
Other Politics News:
LOOK AT THIS PHOTOGRAPH!
Did Trump just self-impeach?
A crazy idea to get things done in Washington.
Also:
Elites against western civilization?
-Due Monday, October 7th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 4.2 "Securing Basic Freedoms".
For Discussion Only:
To what extent should religion be removed from the public square entirely?
Other Politics News:
If Trump goes down, he's taking everyone with him.
The impeachment trap.
Why Biden won't survive the Trump impeachment.
Also:
Why are some languages spoken faster than others?
-Due Thursday, October 3rd
Homework 10
Please read Section 4.1 "What Are Civil Liberties?". Also, please check out this short video on the potentially oxymoronic concept of "Substantive Due Process"
Written Work:
To what extent does the existence of "substantive due process" enable an activist court--liberal or conservative--to read whatever rights it wants into the Constitution? Is substantive due process a bad idea?
Other Politics News:
The 48 hours that sealed Trump's impeachment.
Nancy Pelosi will regret rushing into impeachment push.
Like everything else, impeachment divides voters.
Also:
The fastest growing religion in America? Atheism.
And the first randomized study of restorative justice shows that it more or less doesn't work--especially for African American students.
-Due Wednesday, October 2nd
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 3.5 "Advantages and Disadvantages of Federalism". Also, check out this article from the New York Times from a couple of years ago.
For Discussion Only:
Given the tremendously low turnout in local elections, to what extent should we be worried about our federalist system?
Other Politics News:
Did Nancy Pelosi just make one of the most colossal blunders in modern American politics? Or is this the time to act?
Did Trump betray his country?
And here's a basic primer on impeachment.
Also:
How, exactly, does TikTok hold our attention?
-Due Thursday, September 26th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 3.4 "Competitive Federalism Today".
For Discussion Only:
Is "venue shopping" a bug or a feature of American federalism? What do you think and why?
Other Politics News:
How will Elizabeth Warren's rise shake up the Democratic field?
Does Donald Trump actually want to be impeached?.... and a playbook for Republicans on Ukraine?
The Democrats' platform of urban decline.
Also:
Just a normal video of a guy in a kayak being slapped in the face by a seal with an octopus.
Should invasive species be killed?
-Due Wednesday, September 25th
Study Sheet for Test 1
Is now available here!
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 3.3 "Intergovernmental Relationships"
For Discussion Only:
To what degree is it fair for the states to take the lead in policymaking due to their closer proximity to the people?
Other Politics News:
Could the latest Trump scandal actually lead to impeachment?
But actually, impeachment won't solve any of our problems.
We are not doomed.
Also:
Impressed by the eloquence of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, but hate his conservative opinions? Here's a roundup of some of the times that he sided with liberals--or at least civil libertarians.
-Due Tuesday, September 24th
Homework (No Number)
Please read Section 3.2 "The Evolution of American Federalism"
For Discussion Only:
The book lays out three different types of federalism--dual, cooperative and "new." Which do you think is best, or is there another type of relationships that would be even better?
Other Politics News:
The global climate strike is showcasing a new effective generation of climate activists!
...or is it all just about indoctrination?
And David Brooks writes a column from the year 2050.
Also:
This is a pretty cool video.
-Due Monday, September 23rd
Homework 9
Please read Section 3.1 "The Division of Powers." Also, please read James Madison's Federalist 45 on the powers of the states. Finally, check out this link to Forum of Federations--a network of all the nations in the world that are federations.
Written work:
If it were politically possible, would it be better to transform the United States into a unitary state? Why or why not? Explain. (Assume that we could still be divided into states/regions for administrative purposes, but that the central government would decide all major issues.)
Other Politics News:
Jamelle Bouie from the New York Times argues that Democrats need to start playing hardball and pack the courts.
The National Review's Kevin Williamson totally disagrees.
Is Tucker Carlson the most important pundit in America?
Also:
Amazing Japanese mochi making.
-Due Friday, September 20th
Homework 8
Please read Section 2.5 "Constitutional Change." Also, take a look at these failed amendments and these proposed amendments.
Also, please read James Madison's Federalist 10 and 51
Finally--here's a fantastic site that allows you to explore the ratification of the Constitution in depth.
Written work:
Did the Framers make the Constitution too difficult to amend? What do you think of the amendment process in general? Did seeing the failed or proposed amendments change your mind? Explain.
Other Politics News:
The New York Times's travesty of journalistic ethics.
Does Joe Biden have a race problem?
The abortion mysticism of Pete Buttigieg
Also:
Here's an interesting map of the United States with 50 new states--all with more or less equal population.
-Due Thursday, September 19th
Homework 7
Please read Section 2.4 "The Ratification of the Constitution." Also, THE CONSTITUTION. Read it in FULL! Get thee to the interactive Constitution. Even if you do have a physical copy, the site is worth a visit.
Written work:
Pick a scholarly article from the Interactive Constitution website and creatively disagree with it.
Other Politics News:
The media has officially lost its damn mind.
How the Kavanaugh confirmation process silenced women.
America is a foreign policy control freak.
Also:
Proof that my no laptop policy is awesome?
Drilling. It kills your desire to learn... doesn't it?
-Due Wednesday, September 18th
Homework 6
Please read Section 2.3 "The Development of the Constitution." Also read this article about the Constitutional Convention, which gives a bit more of a behind-the-scenes look.
Here's a quote from famous abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison, on the Constitution:
There is much declamation about the sacredness of the compact which was formed between the free and slave states, on the adoption of the Constitution. A sacred compact, forsooth! We pronounce it the most bloody and heaven-daring arrangement ever made by men for the continuance and protection of a system of the most atrocious villany ever exhibited on earth. Yes—we recognize the compact, but with feelings of shame and indignation, and it will be held in everlasting infamy by the friends of justice and humanity throughout the world. It was a compact formed at the sacrifice of the bodies and souls of millions of our race, for the sake of achieving a political object—an unblushing and monstrous coalition to do evil that good might come. Such a compact was, in the nature of things and according to the law of God, null and void from the beginning. No body of men ever had the right to guarantee the holding of human beings in bondage. Who or what were the framers of our government, that they should dare confirm and authorise such high-handed villany—such flagrant robbery of the inalienable rights of man—such a glaring violation of all the precepts and injunctions of the gospel—such a savage war upon a sixth part of our whole population?—They were men, like ourselves—as fallible, as sinful, as weak, as ourselves. By the infamous bargain which they made between themselves, they virtually dethroned the Most High God, and trampled beneath their feet their own solemn and heaven-attested Declaration, that all men are created equal, and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights—among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. They had no lawful power to bind themselves, or their posterity, for one hour—for one moment—by such an unholy alliance. It was not valid then—it is not valid now. Still they persisted in maintaining it—and still do their successors, the people of Massachusetts, of New-England, and of the twelve free States, persist in maintaining it. A sacred compact! A sacred compact! What, then, is wicked and ignominious?
Written work: Do you agree or disagree with the above quote? If you do agree, were there any alternatives? What do you think?
Other Politics News:
The emoluments clause is meaningless.
Joe Biden is problematic.
Why treating Uber and Lyft drivers in California as company employees is not going to work.
Also:
Moore's Law graphed vs real CPUs & GPUs 1965 - 2019--surprisingly fascinating.
-Due Tuesday, September 17th
Homework 5
Please read section 2.2 "The Articles of Confederation." Also, please read the Articles of Confederation in its entirety, found here.
Written work:
1) To what extent were the Articles of
Confederation feasible blueprints for the new nation?
2) Analyze at least one article in the Articles. Show why it's a good or bad idea.
Other Politics News:
Debate verdicts! Who won? Warren! Biden! Trump!
No matter what, a Warren v. Sanders fight to the death is looming.
The meritocracy is ripping America apart.
Also:
Can you make bread out of weeds growing on the side of the road?
How Japan's bullet trains changed travel.
-Due Monday, September 16th
Homework 4
Please read section 2.1 "The Pre-Revolutionary Period." Also, please read the Declaration of Independence in its entirety, found here.
Written work: To what extent has the United States lived up to the revolutionary ideals of the Declaration of Independence? Explain.
Other Politics News:
Biden is leading because electability is a thing.
The Biden-Warren confrontation we've been waiting for.
Zak Cheney-Rice's response to Ross Douthat's piece on white nationalism here.
Also:
Want to engage in a bit of military procurement through the Department of Defense? No problem! Simply master this organizational chart.
And... why are window ACs stuck in the past?
-Due Friday, September 13th
Homework 3
Please read section 1.3, "Engagement in a Democracy." Also, check out this backgrounder on Robert Putnam as well as this piece he wrote for the New York Times a couple of years ago. For an opposing POV, check out this piece from Pacific Standard as well as this one.
Written work: Have you ever gotten involved in trying to change society? If yes, how and why? If no, why not? Also, what degree of confidence do you have in your own ability to cause change in the world?
Other Politics News:
How John Bolton got himself fired.
I was a Chinese nationalist. The Hong Kong protests changed my mind.
San Francisco's assault on the NRA is dangerous to our democracy.
Also:
Would terraforming Mars be a bad idea?
Bonkers animation from last year showing how devastating a storm surge during a hurricane can be.
-Due Thursday, September 12th
Homework 2
Please read section 1.2, "Who Governs?" Also, check out this very interesting interview with Robert Dahl. You can watch the video, or just read the transcript below it.
Written work: Which perspective do you think does a better job of describing the United States: pluralism or elite theory? Why? Explain
Other Politics News:
Dear Bernie: here's how you can still win--before your chances slip away.
Four things that are not white nationalism.
The hate-crime spike in New York City has nothing to do with white supremacy.
Also:
Myers-Briggs--the bogus personality test that conned the world.
-Due Wednesday, September 11th
Homework 1
We are beginning to use the OpenStax textbook. It can be found here. Please note that OpenStax also has iOS and Android apps if you prefer to read the text on your phone or tablet. For class, please read section 1.1, "What is Government?" Also, please read these excerpts from John Locke's Second Treatise of Government. Finally read this short George Orwell essay about good writing: "Politics and the English Language." Let it be your guide.
Written work: What are Locke's hypotheses, and to what extent do you agree with them?
What format should this work be in? It should be:
1) In PDF form. You should be able to use Word or any other word processing software to save as PDF. Also Macs and some other programs allow you to print to PDF. Also, Google Docs allows you to save as a PDF. PLEASE NOTE THAT HOMEWORK SUBMITTED IN .DOC OR .DOCX FORM IS NOT GRADABLE!
2) Double spaced
3) No longer than two, but no shorter than one page.
4) Titled "HW 1, John Smith" if your name were John Smith
5) Uploaded into our shared Dropbox account by the start of class Monday.
Other Politics News:
Dismissing Donald Trump as a crumbling, unfit fool will get us four more years--don't buy it!
CNN's climate change town hall was insane.
The enduring mystery of Tulsi Gabbard.
Also:
Mike Diva is getting a lot of attention for directing Lil Nas X's new video, but who can forget the amazing "Japanese Donald Trump commercial" that he made back in 2016?
-Due Monday, September 9th
Homework
Please go to this form and enter in your information! Also, check out this interesting video about the tiny subway that runs under the U.S. Capitol.
ALSO:
1) Make sure you have a Dropbox account!
2) Share a folder with me. The format should be as follows: If your name were Joe Biden and you were in my 9th period AP US Gov class, the folder would be entitled: Joe Biden, 9. My e-mail address for sharing is mpolazzo@gmail.com
3) Upload a headshot (not a whole body picture) of yourself that (a) is not too large and (b) actually looks like you. Place it in the shared folder. Name it joebiden.jpg (substitute your first and last names). Please note that all headshots should be in JPEG form!
-Due Friday, September 6th