Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Am Govt Homework 8 Answers - Student Five

2012-11-22T01:00:15Z

MorganBT: Created page with "'''~~~’s Homework for Lecture #8''' 1. The Democrats “spread the word” very effectively to remind fellow Democrats to vote. By doing this, Democrats ensured that a vast pe..."

'''[[User:MorganBT|MorganT]]’s Homework for Lecture #8'''

1. The Democrats “spread the word” very effectively to remind fellow Democrats to vote. By doing this, Democrats ensured that a vast percent of Democrats voted. The Republicans did not spread the word as effectively; therefore, more Democrats showed up to vote during the election period. The Democrats won the “ground game” through spreading the word more effectively than their Republican counterparts. It is also important to note that Conservatives tend to be loyal to the old practice of voting on Election Day. Because most Conservatives are Republicans, this means that fewer Republicans used the long voting period to their advantage.

2. An initiative is when people write a proposed law directly on their ballot. A referendum can be one of two things. Either a bill is placed on the state legislature ballot for the people to vote on, or the people approve or repeal a bill the legislature has already passed.

3. Obama showed himself far more likeable than Romney. When Romney tried to appear more likeable, the plan backfired in his face. During the final presidential debate, for example, Romney agreed with nearly everything Obama said. Because Romney “liked” what the president had done in the past, the undecided voters suddenly found Obama more appealing.

4. Divided government and gridlock take place when the government is split between two parties. For example, when the Democrats control the Senate and the Republicans control the House. I believe that a house divided cannot stand. Likewise, a government that counteracts and fights itself cannot accomplish any good.

5. New Jersey does not allow an initiate. New Jersey should allow an initiative because an initiative gives the people the ability to create laws. Although initiatives are tedious work, citizens of all states should be given the opportunity to undergo such work.

6. No, it was not presidential for Chis Christie to praise Obama so close to Election Day. Chris Christie was helping the “other team” earn more likeability points by approving of the president’s actions. However, during the crisis of Hurricane Sandy, Chis Christie mentioned that he was not thinking about the election; rather, he was concerned about the wellbeing of the citizens. By not carefully considering the political components of his actions, and by purposefully ignoring the presidential election, Chris Christie put his party at risk.

8. Yes, I agree with Ron Paul’s quote. Pure democracy is dangerous, but America is not a pure democracy. America is a democratic republic that separates the powers so that the majority (the people) cannot rule above the minority (the elected officials.)

Am Govt Homework 6 Answers - Student Five

2012-10-26T02:07:48Z

MorganBT:

[[User:MorganBT|MorganT]]’s Homework for Lecture #6

'''Answer Questions One Thru Five'''

1. The president’s most influential powers are the power to determine foreign policy as commander-in-chief and the power to nominate the leaders of all executive departments.

2. Before the final presidential debate, I would have advised Gov. Romney to strive for likeability.

3. A “lobbyist” is a spokesperson, often hired by interest groups to meet with legislators to suggest the imposing or neglecting of laws.

4. An interest group is a group of like-minded people that tries to achieve a political goal. For example, the pro-choice and pro-gay interest groups want to vote for a candidate that expresses pro-choice and pro-gay policies. When President Obama generated the Democratic Platform, Obama used pro-choice and pro-gay policies to win the vote of that interest group.

5. A Hindu is likely to vote for the Republican Party, because the Hindu culture is against abortion. An evangelical Christian is likely to vote for the Republican party, although in this case, because Romney claims to profess Mormonism, many evangelical Christians will discriminate Romney and give their vote to Obama.

'''Special Option:'''

During the final presidential debate, moderator Bob Schieffer asked Governor Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama questions regarding foreign policy. The questions provided the candidates with the opportunity to inform the people of the United States about where the candidates stood on foreign issues. I think Romney utilized this opportunity to appear more presidential. Romney spoke with firmness on issues where Obama had been more lenient. For example, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad openly tells the world that America and Israel must be die. In the past, President Obama has allowed Ahmadinejad to come to speak at the United Nations in New York City. Although Romney did not mention this specific issue in the presidential debate, Romney clearly stated that as president he would indict Ahmadinejad under the Genocide Convention. Thus indicted, the threatening Iranian president will not be allowed on American soil. I do not think Obama is firm enough on the people who want to harm America and America’s allies. While Obama used his time to attack Romney’s policies on certain issues, Romney mainly used his time to praise the president, to praise America, and to offer new policies that will help return America to a place of utmost desirability among the nations. I think the final debate made Obama look like a good refuter, but I think the final debate helped Romney appear more presidential.

Am Govt Homework 6 Answers - Student Five

2012-10-26T02:07:29Z

MorganBT: Created page with "~~~’s Homework for Lecture #6 Answer Questions One Thru Five 1. The president’s most influential powers are the power to determine foreign policy as commander-in-chief and ..."

[[User:MorganBT|MorganT]]’s Homework for Lecture #6

Answer Questions One Thru Five

1. The president’s most influential powers are the power to determine foreign policy as commander-in-chief and the power to nominate the leaders of all executive departments.

2. Before the final presidential debate, I would have advised Gov. Romney to strive for likeability.

3. A “lobbyist” is a spokesperson, often hired by interest groups to meet with legislators to suggest the imposing or neglecting of laws.

4. An interest group is a group of like-minded people that tries to achieve a political goal. For example, the pro-choice and pro-gay interest groups want to vote for a candidate that expresses pro-choice and pro-gay policies. When President Obama generated the Democratic Platform, Obama used pro-choice and pro-gay policies to win the vote of that interest group.

5. A Hindu is likely to vote for the Republican Party, because the Hindu culture is against abortion. An evangelical Christian is likely to vote for the Republican party, although in this case, because Romney claims to profess Mormonism, many evangelical Christians will discriminate Romney and give their vote to Obama.

Special Option:

During the final presidential debate, moderator Bob Schieffer asked Governor Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama questions regarding foreign policy. The questions provided the candidates with the opportunity to inform the people of the United States about where the candidates stood on foreign issues. I think Romney utilized this opportunity to appear more presidential. Romney spoke with firmness on issues where Obama had been more lenient. For example, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad openly tells the world that America and Israel must be die. In the past, President Obama has allowed Ahmadinejad to come to speak at the United Nations in New York City. Although Romney did not mention this specific issue in the presidential debate, Romney clearly stated that as president he would indict Ahmadinejad under the Genocide Convention. Thus indicted, the threatening Iranian president will not be allowed on American soil. I do not think Obama is firm enough on the people who want to harm America and America’s allies. While Obama used his time to attack Romney’s policies on certain issues, Romney mainly used his time to praise the president, to praise America, and to offer new policies that will help return America to a place of utmost desirability among the nations. I think the final debate made Obama look like a good refuter, but I think the final debate helped Romney appear more presidential.

Am Govt Homework 5 Answers - Student Five

2012-10-19T18:58:58Z

MorganBT: Created page with "~~~’s Homework for Lecture #5 Answer the first five questions, and then two of the remaining three: 1. My favorite part of the Bill of Rights is Amendment Nine, because this ..."

[[User:MorganBT|MorganT]]’s Homework for Lecture #5

Answer the first five questions, and then two of the remaining three:

1. My favorite part of the Bill of Rights is Amendment Nine, because this amendment keeps the Constitution from destroying itself.

2. Amendment Four (protection from searches and seizures), Amendment Five (the right to remain silent), and Amendment Six (the right to a quick and speedy trial) primarily protect the rights of defendants.

3. No, the federal courts should not apply the Bill of Rights against state and local government. The original constitution strove to protect state and local government against the overpowering federal government, and the constitution’s amendments should not be used to return the bulk of power to federal government.

4. The police violated the Fourth Amendment, which includes my right to be protected from unreasonable searches in my home.

5. I would make an amendment that restated the inalienable right to life and defined the right to life, in respect to abortion laws and the ability to earn money without excessive taxation and income plunges.

6. On average, one district will have 1157 civil cases a year and 3250 criminal cases a year.

7. No, the stare decisis should not prevent the U.S. Supreme Court from overturning Roe versus Wade. After all, the stare decisis did not prevent the Supreme Court from overturning a previous contrary issue.

Extra Credit (answer two of the following five questions):

9. America was founded on principles that promote equal treatment and justice for the innocent. Protecting innocent lives is more important than throwing people in jail. Because Americans are innocent until proven guilty and not the other way around, it is better for 50 guilty Americans to be considered innocent than for one innocent man to go unjustly convicted.

11. A Con Con should not be held, because a Con Con will likely end with a complete rewriting of the constitution. A complete rewriting of American values, which are already heavily misconstrued, will likely result in a heavily liberal constitution.

Am Govt Homework 4 Answers - Student Four

2012-10-12T01:52:48Z

MorganBT:

[[User:MorganBT|MorganT]]’s Homework for Lecture 4

'''Answer the first five questions, and then two of the remaining three:'''

1. The Federal Communications Commission (inside the Commerce Department) is responsible for issues concerning the Internet. The FCC strives to promote safety, diversity, localism, and strength in the nation’s media. I think the FCC should regulate the Internet in these ways.

2. The three most important federal agencies are the State Department, the Defense Department, and the Department of Justice. People’s safety (the right to life) should be the federal government’s first priority. Security in foreign policy and protection from federal crime help ensure the people’s safety.

3. The Cabinet is a group of officials who advise the president. The Cabinet consists of the heads of the different federal departments.

4. If Mitt Romney is elected president, he might nominate current NJ Governor Chris Christy as a member of his Cabinet. If this happened, New Jersey would need a new governor.

5. I wish to write an FOIA to the Department of Education. I would ask the DOE for all the facts behind the federal regulation of school lunches under the Obama administration. I do not believe that this regulation is constitutional, and by getting all the facts, I can actively protest against it.

6. Executive Orders are unconstitutional because they endow the President with kingly power. The President (as one man) should not be able to give unwise orders. The people (even if it is a small group of people) should hold him accountable.

7. The FEC (Federal Election Commission) is an independent agency. That is, the FEC is not in a federal department and is not connected to the President’s Cabinet. This is a good thing, though, because that means the President does cannot choose who is a part of the FEC. The FEC, then, is neutral in the Presidential Election. Obama, as the incumbent, does not have an unfair advantage over Romney.

'''Extra Credit (answer two of the following five questions):'''

10. Ordinarily, a Congress tries to win the people’s favor when they go to pass a law. A “lame duck” Congress means that a portion of the Congress has been voted out already and only has a few months before it leaves. Because they have been voted out already, the Congressmen have nothing to lose. Consequentially, the Congressmen try to pass laws the laws they want to pass without thinking of what the people want. This is detrimental to the future of the nation, because the wellbeing of the nation is not considered in a “lame duck” Congress.

11. Many have unsuccessfully sought to abolish the U.S. Department of Education. They failed due to economics. If an area or organization stops supporting the DOE, the DOE will stop funding that area or organization. Therefore, no one wants vote against the DOE. (If Governor Rick Perry were President, he would abolish the DOE altogether instead of slowly removing it by voting.)

Am Govt Homework 4 Answers - Student Four

2012-10-12T01:49:18Z

MorganBT: Created page with "~~~’s Homework for Lecture 4 '''Answer the first five questions, and then two of the remaining three:''' 1. The Federal Communications Commission (inside the Commerce Departm..."

Am Govt Homework 3 Answers - Student Five

2012-09-27T23:40:57Z

MorganBT: Created page with "~~~’s Homework for Lecture 3 '''Answer the first five questions, and then two of the remaining three:''' 1. A case in federal court begins in a local court. If the case is de..."

[[User:MorganBT|MorganT]]’s Homework for Lecture 3

'''Answer the first five questions, and then two of the remaining three:'''

1. A case in federal court begins in a local court. If the case is deemed worthy of further dispute, the case is sent to one of thirteen Courts of Appeals. In most cases, the lawsuit ends at the Court of Appeals. But in some cases, the lawsuit is brought to a second level of appeal: the Supreme Court. Consider a case beginning in New Jersey. If the local court granted “cert” to the case, the case would be sent to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. If the case involves an issue of immense national interest or if the case involves conflict between various Courts of Appeals, the Supreme Court justices vote to hear the case. If four out of nine justices decide they want to hear the case, the Supreme Court gets to hear the lawsuit.

2. “The Rule of Four” means that if four of the nine Supreme Court Judges vote to hear a case, the case’s petition for cert is granted.

3. Federal judges (or Article III judges) are not elected; rather, Article III judges are appointed by the president and approved by the Senate. Non-Article III judges are elected by the people to serve for fixed terms. Because judges elected by Americans tend to be more conservative than judges appointed lawyers and politicians, Americans should be able to elect federal judges who agree with voters’ principles.

4. Cases involving conflict in different parts of the Nation and cases involving an issue of immense national interest are litigated in federal courts.

5. Regarding politics, the media tends to have a strong democratic and liberal bias. Media has an incredible influence on the public. The media controls the public’s perception, and “perception is reality.” Because of its ability to control the way American citizens perceive a particular candidate, the media has the ability to alter the way people vote.

6. Yes, I think it was brilliant of the Framers of the U.S. Constitution to agree to withhold information from the media. The media, due to its biases, often misconstrues information. Sometimes the media can stir up the public and incite wars and rebellions. Especially during a nation-altering event, it was better for the public to be uninformed than to be misinformed.

7. “All issues are political issues,” even in seemingly nonpolitical circumstances. Consider fast food joints. The media declares that American obesity is directly linked to American consumption of fast food. In response, the fast food chains react by striving to create healthy options for costumers. When Wendy’s® succeeds in creating healthy and inexpensive food, the media is for Wendy’s®. Sometimes fast food and politics are literally involved in one another’s business. For example, certain politicians attempted to ban large soda consumption in a liberal plot to cure American obesity.

'''Extra Credit (Answer two of the following four questions):'''

9. The Federal Circuit would handle the appeal, since the case involves the specific issue of patents.

10. The federal appellate judge meant that the U.S. Supreme Court could not “catch” and reverse every decision he made. Because a 3-judge panel renders decisions in an appellate court, this particular judge will only need one other federal judge to side on his decision. The odds of the judge’s decisions getting reversed or not are 50/50. So although all of his decisions thus far have been reversed, he will likely agree with another judge at some point. When that agreement happens, it will create a 2/3-majority vote and the Supreme Court cannot reverse that decision.

Am Govt Homework 2 Answers - Student Five

2012-09-21T21:38:40Z

MorganBT: Created page with "~~~’s Homework for Lecture Two '''Answer the first five questions, and then two of the remaining three:''' 1. I think the six most important powers of Congress are Taxing Pow..."

[[User:MorganBT|MorganT]]’s Homework for Lecture Two

'''Answer the first five questions, and then two of the remaining three:'''

1. I think the six most important powers of Congress are Taxing Powers, Spending Powers, War Powers, Citizenship Powers, Property Powers, and Commerce Powers.

2. Homeschoolers added a clever clause to the “No Child Left Behind” law, declaring that the federal government could no longer give money to public schools if public schools made homeschoolers take annual public school exams.

3. Approximately one-third of the Senate is elected every two years on a given Election Day. Every senator, therefore, is elected for a six-year term. Only a fraction of the senators are up for election each election year to prevent significant manipulations in the Senate.

4. First, a committee in the House drafts a bill and proposes the bill at a public hearing. Then the committee sends the bill to the House Rules Committee for debating and amendment guidelines. All House members vote on the bill, and if the bill receives the House’s approval, the House sends the bill to the Senate. The Senate edits and approves the bill. Then the House and Senate versions of the bill are compared for discrepancies. and if changes occur, the bill is rewritten to suit both bodies.) If both bodies agree on the bill, they send the bill to the President for approval or rejection.

5. According to Article I, Section IX, Clause VIII of the U.S. Constitution, the federal government lacks the power to grant and accept titles of nobility.

6. Textualism is the theory that the text of a document defines the text’s meaning. In other words, no commentaries or “legislative histories” are needed to interpret a text. I believe that legislative history should be considered when interpreting the law, because laws are often ambiguous and open to interpretation. One person’s connotation of a law will not match another person’s interpretation.

7. The political system in England is a constitutional monarchy, while the political system in the U.S. is a democratic republic. The head of England’s executive branch (the Queen) possesses sovereign immunity, while the United States’ president is subject to the law. The Parliament governs the people within the parameters of a constitution, just like the U.S. federal government governs within the parameters of the U.S. Constitution.

Conservapedia:American Government Fall 2012

2012-09-12T15:49:28Z

MorganBT: /* Enrollment (add your id here) */

"American Government Fall 2012" is a 14-week course that teaches the basics of government, both federal and state. It covers the political process and operation of the U.S. government, and may be the most important course you will ever take. It includes review of the U.S. Constitution, including concepts like the separation of powers among the branches of government.

'''''To enroll, click the "edit" link to the right of the Enrollment section below, and then click 10th tab from the left above to automatically add your user name'''''.

''The first lecture is available at [[American Government Lecture One]].''
 ''The second lecture is available at [[American Government Lecture Two]].''
 ''The third lecture is being developed at [[American Government Lecture Three]].''
 ''A full set of lectures is available at [[American Government Lectures]].''
 ''Key terms for the course are being listed and explained at [[American Government Key Terms]]''

The final exam from the last time this course was taught is available at [[American Government Final Exam 2010]], and the top scores on that exam are posted at [[Talk:American Government Final Exam 2010]]. Debate topics are being developed at [[American Government Debate Topics]].

Students in this class will make predictions at three different points about the outcome of the national elections this November. Students seeking to earn college credit can take the CLEP or AP exams upon successful completion of this course.

The instructor is Andy Schlafly, who has taught about 20 courses, including one as an adjunct professor at a major law school.

== Enrollment (add your id here) ==
I would like to enroll in the American Government course in the fall. Is there any cost for the course?
--MorganT

:Answer: there is no cost for the course.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 22:22, 13 August 2012 (EDT)

== Special concepts ==

This course will include many concepts not included in most run-of-the-mill government courses, such as:

*the difference between politics and history, and the similarity between politics and team sports; impediments to teamwork and communication

*political cycles

*political factions, such as Big Labor, anti-war, pro-life, Second Amendment, etc.; interest groups and their scorecards and endorsements, such as the NRA and Elena Kagan and the effect on Harry Reid

*Tea Party: the decentralized political party

*declining role of newspapers, and increasing role of the internet

*the effect of low voter turnout, discuss in the context of initiatives; effect of initiatives on candidates on the ballot

*free speech and campaign finance

*pending court cases concerning the structure of government

*[[media bullying]] (e.g., post-election interviews for [[Rand Paul]]), media bias, [[double standard]]s in reporting news, effect of the bias in misleading the public

*famous expressions and special vocabulary (as in sports): "all politics is local," "if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!" "coattails", "political capital," "midterm elections," "filibuster", "voice vote," (add more)

*election process: various signature requirements to qualify for the ballot, use of convention rather than public elections in some areas, primary election, general election, concept of endorsements, term and qualifications for various offices

*correlations of voting patterns by "voting blocs"; "single issue" voters

*initiatives and referenda: how different states handle this differently, track record of various issues, effect on others on the ballot

*polling, pollsters, and their impact (e.g., Scott Brown upset)

*contrast the two-party system in America with multiple-party systems in other nations, how the power of political parties ebbs and flows with changes in campaign finance and the strength of interest groups like the NRA

*elements of a political campaign, including who gets involved and why and how

*the role of the Courts: the "least dangerous branch," or now the most powerful branch of government?

*the U.S. Supreme Court, and how it accepts cases for review and its October through June annual Terms

*administrative law, federal and state agencies, and the most cited U.S. Supreme Court decision: ''Chevron''

*"strict scrutiny," "intermediate scrutiny," and "rational basis" as three levels for judicial review in civil rights

*[[consumer confidence]] and the effect of the economy on elections

*[[think tank]]s and their influence; example of Robert Rector's analysis of proposed immigration changes

*the [[political benefit]] to a side from promoting a particular policy

*the concept of "[[political capital]]"

*commenting on proposed regulations

*[[FOIA]]

*line-item veto at state level, not at federal level

*office of county commissioner, or [[freeholder]]

*political asylum and example of homeschooling family that fled Germany to the U.S.

*pundits, talking heads, talk radio, editorials, endorsements

*Biblical basis for our three branches of government: Isaiah 33:22 ("The LORD is our judge, the LORD our lawgiver, the LORD our king ....").

*role of internet news sources and bloggers; example: Shirley Sherrod firing.

*swing state

*trial balloon

*[[safe seat]]

*plurality vote, majority vote, [[cloture]], and two-thirds vote (supermajority)

*The [[U.S. Supreme Court]] decision in ''Citizens United'', and the liberals' response with the [[DISCLOSE Act]]

*[[Presidential candidates, 2012]] and the political and social undercurrents associated with that contest

(add to list)

== Homework questions ==

*Are politicians leaders or followers of the direction of the nation? Does your answer vary depending on the political position?

*Why is this a famous saying: "All politics is local." Do you agree?

*"Politics is like icebergs: 90% is below the surface." Explain.

*''Why'' should it matter what the original meaning of the U.S. Constitution was?

*Should legislative history be relevant to interpreting a statute?

*Define conservative and liberal. Do you think our nation is becoming more conservative, or more liberal? Are the political cycles oscillating above and below a line that has positive or negative conservative slope?

*Teaching more people how to read: that benefit one political side more than the other? The oil spill in the Gulf: on which side that does that confer greater political benefit? (add more examples)

*Was Jesus pro-life?

== References ==

<references/>

Am Govt Homework 1 Answers - Student Five

2012-09-12T15:48:43Z

MorganBT: Created page with "~~~’s Homework for Lecture One '''Complete questions 1 through 3, and then any 2 out of the remaining 3 questions:''' 1. Participating in politics is important because polit..."

[[User:MorganBT|MorganT]]’s Homework for Lecture One

'''Complete questions 1 through 3, and then any 2 out of the remaining 3 questions:'''

1. Participating in politics is important because politics is about the future. Every U.S. citizen has the right to vote, and every citizen should insert his or her vote as a say into the nation’s future. Also, in a given election, every vote counts. If multitudes of people did not show up to vote at an election, the election’s results would differ greatly from the results of a fully attended election.

2. The first three Articles of the U.S. Constitution establish the three branches of government: the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches. Article II, which has four sections, establishes the authority of the Executive branch.

3. (C)
Article II, Section 1, Clause 5 establishes that only a natural born citizen may become president of the United States.

4. When delivering his acceptance speech, Mitt Romney spoke about how his wife’s occupation as a mother was more difficult and more important than Romney’s job as a politician. This portion of Romney’s speech was designed to increase Romney’s likeability among women.

6. I think the election between Romney and Obama will be more like the 1948 election than the 1980 election. In both historical elections, the economy was worsening and the incumbent president had low approval ratings. In 1948, however, the low approval president won because the challenger was wealthy and not well liked. If the election is a close call, the undecided votes may shift to Obama because Obama is considered more likeable than Romney.

'''Extra Credit (complete 2 out of 4):'''

7. If a governor knows which neighborhoods vote heavily Democratic or heavily Republican, he or she can manipulate the shapes of the voting districts to help a particular political party be elected. This process, known as “gerrymandering,” was named after a Massachusetts governor who redistricted the state to help his political party win the election.

9. The study of history, as it pertains to this government course, is about the nation’s past. The study of politics, on the other hand, is about the nation’s future. While history remains constant, politics is always changing and moving the nation forward.

Conservapedia:American Government Fall 2012

2012-09-10T14:40:29Z

MorganBT: /* Enrollment (add your id here) */

"American Government Fall 2012" is a 14-week course that teaches the basics of government, both federal and state. It covers the political process and operation of the U.S. government, and may be the most important course you will ever take. It includes review of the U.S. Constitution, including concepts like the separation of powers among the branches of government.

'''''To enroll, click the "edit" link to the right of the Enrollment section below, and then click 10th tab from the left above to automatically add your user name'''''.

''The first lecture is available at [[American Government Lecture One]].''
 ''The second lecture is available at [[American Government Lecture Two]].''
 ''The third lecture is being developed at [[American Government Lecture Three]].''
 ''A full set of lectures is available at [[American Government Lectures]].''
 ''Key terms for the course are being listed and explained at [[American Government Key Terms]]''

The final exam from the last time this course was taught is available at [[American Government Final Exam 2010]], and the top scores on that exam are posted at [[Talk:American Government Final Exam 2010]]. Debate topics are being developed at [[American Government Debate Topics]].

Students in this class will make predictions at three different points about the outcome of the national elections this November. Students seeking to earn college credit can take the CLEP or AP exams upon successful completion of this course.

The instructor is Andy Schlafly, who has taught about 20 courses, including one as an adjunct professor at a major law school.

== Enrollment (add your id here) ==
I would like to enroll in the American Government course in the fall. Is there any cost for the course?
--MorganT

:Answer: there is no cost for the course.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 22:22, 13 August 2012 (EDT)
Hello, Mr. Schlafly. On which student page should I post my homework? (e.g. under the "Am Govt Homework Student Three" page) --[[User:MorganBT|MorganT]]

== Special concepts ==

This course will include many concepts not included in most run-of-the-mill government courses, such as:

*the difference between politics and history, and the similarity between politics and team sports; impediments to teamwork and communication

*political cycles

*political factions, such as Big Labor, anti-war, pro-life, Second Amendment, etc.; interest groups and their scorecards and endorsements, such as the NRA and Elena Kagan and the effect on Harry Reid

*Tea Party: the decentralized political party

*declining role of newspapers, and increasing role of the internet

*the effect of low voter turnout, discuss in the context of initiatives; effect of initiatives on candidates on the ballot

*free speech and campaign finance

*pending court cases concerning the structure of government

*[[media bullying]] (e.g., post-election interviews for [[Rand Paul]]), media bias, [[double standard]]s in reporting news, effect of the bias in misleading the public

*famous expressions and special vocabulary (as in sports): "all politics is local," "if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!" "coattails", "political capital," "midterm elections," "filibuster", "voice vote," (add more)

*election process: various signature requirements to qualify for the ballot, use of convention rather than public elections in some areas, primary election, general election, concept of endorsements, term and qualifications for various offices

*correlations of voting patterns by "voting blocs"; "single issue" voters

*initiatives and referenda: how different states handle this differently, track record of various issues, effect on others on the ballot

*polling, pollsters, and their impact (e.g., Scott Brown upset)

*contrast the two-party system in America with multiple-party systems in other nations, how the power of political parties ebbs and flows with changes in campaign finance and the strength of interest groups like the NRA

*elements of a political campaign, including who gets involved and why and how

*the role of the Courts: the "least dangerous branch," or now the most powerful branch of government?

*the U.S. Supreme Court, and how it accepts cases for review and its October through June annual Terms

*administrative law, federal and state agencies, and the most cited U.S. Supreme Court decision: ''Chevron''

*"strict scrutiny," "intermediate scrutiny," and "rational basis" as three levels for judicial review in civil rights

*[[consumer confidence]] and the effect of the economy on elections

*[[think tank]]s and their influence; example of Robert Rector's analysis of proposed immigration changes

*the [[political benefit]] to a side from promoting a particular policy

*the concept of "[[political capital]]"

*commenting on proposed regulations

*[[FOIA]]

*line-item veto at state level, not at federal level

*office of county commissioner, or [[freeholder]]

*political asylum and example of homeschooling family that fled Germany to the U.S.

*pundits, talking heads, talk radio, editorials, endorsements

*Biblical basis for our three branches of government: Isaiah 33:22 ("The LORD is our judge, the LORD our lawgiver, the LORD our king ....").

*role of internet news sources and bloggers; example: Shirley Sherrod firing.

*swing state

*trial balloon

*[[safe seat]]

*plurality vote, majority vote, [[cloture]], and two-thirds vote (supermajority)

*The [[U.S. Supreme Court]] decision in ''Citizens United'', and the liberals' response with the [[DISCLOSE Act]]

*[[Presidential candidates, 2012]] and the political and social undercurrents associated with that contest

(add to list)

== Homework questions ==

*Are politicians leaders or followers of the direction of the nation? Does your answer vary depending on the political position?

*Why is this a famous saying: "All politics is local." Do you agree?

*"Politics is like icebergs: 90% is below the surface." Explain.

*''Why'' should it matter what the original meaning of the U.S. Constitution was?

*Should legislative history be relevant to interpreting a statute?

*Define conservative and liberal. Do you think our nation is becoming more conservative, or more liberal? Are the political cycles oscillating above and below a line that has positive or negative conservative slope?

*Teaching more people how to read: that benefit one political side more than the other? The oil spill in the Gulf: on which side that does that confer greater political benefit? (add more examples)

*Was Jesus pro-life?

== References ==

<references/>

Conservapedia:American Government Fall 2012

2012-09-10T13:47:08Z

MorganBT: /* Enrollment (add your id here) */

"American Government Fall 2012" is a 14-week course that teaches the basics of government, both federal and state. It covers the political process and operation of the U.S. government, and may be the most important course you will ever take. It includes review of the U.S. Constitution, including concepts like the separation of powers among the branches of government.

'''''To enroll, click the "edit" link to the right of the Enrollment section below, and then click 10th tab from the left above to automatically add your user name'''''.

''The first lecture is available at [[American Government Lecture One]].''
 ''The second lecture is available at [[American Government Lecture Two]].''
 ''The third lecture is being developed at [[American Government Lecture Three]].''
 ''A full set of lectures is available at [[American Government Lectures]].''
 ''Key terms for the course are being listed and explained at [[American Government Key Terms]]''

The final exam from the last time this course was taught is available at [[American Government Final Exam 2010]], and the top scores on that exam are posted at [[Talk:American Government Final Exam 2010]]. Debate topics are being developed at [[American Government Debate Topics]].

Students in this class will make predictions at three different points about the outcome of the national elections this November. Students seeking to earn college credit can take the CLEP or AP exams upon successful completion of this course.

The instructor is Andy Schlafly, who has taught about 20 courses, including one as an adjunct professor at a major law school.

== Enrollment (add your id here) ==
I would like to enroll in the American Government course in the fall. Is there any cost for the course?
--MorganT

:Answer: there is no cost for the course.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 22:22, 13 August 2012 (EDT)
Hello, Mr. Schlafly. On which student page should I post my homework? (e.g. under the "Am Govt Homework Student Three" page) [[User:MorganBT|MorganT]]

== Special concepts ==

This course will include many concepts not included in most run-of-the-mill government courses, such as:

*the difference between politics and history, and the similarity between politics and team sports; impediments to teamwork and communication

*political cycles

*political factions, such as Big Labor, anti-war, pro-life, Second Amendment, etc.; interest groups and their scorecards and endorsements, such as the NRA and Elena Kagan and the effect on Harry Reid

*Tea Party: the decentralized political party

*declining role of newspapers, and increasing role of the internet

*the effect of low voter turnout, discuss in the context of initiatives; effect of initiatives on candidates on the ballot

*free speech and campaign finance

*pending court cases concerning the structure of government

*[[media bullying]] (e.g., post-election interviews for [[Rand Paul]]), media bias, [[double standard]]s in reporting news, effect of the bias in misleading the public

*famous expressions and special vocabulary (as in sports): "all politics is local," "if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!" "coattails", "political capital," "midterm elections," "filibuster", "voice vote," (add more)

*election process: various signature requirements to qualify for the ballot, use of convention rather than public elections in some areas, primary election, general election, concept of endorsements, term and qualifications for various offices

*correlations of voting patterns by "voting blocs"; "single issue" voters

*initiatives and referenda: how different states handle this differently, track record of various issues, effect on others on the ballot

*polling, pollsters, and their impact (e.g., Scott Brown upset)

*contrast the two-party system in America with multiple-party systems in other nations, how the power of political parties ebbs and flows with changes in campaign finance and the strength of interest groups like the NRA

*elements of a political campaign, including who gets involved and why and how

*the role of the Courts: the "least dangerous branch," or now the most powerful branch of government?

*the U.S. Supreme Court, and how it accepts cases for review and its October through June annual Terms

*administrative law, federal and state agencies, and the most cited U.S. Supreme Court decision: ''Chevron''

*"strict scrutiny," "intermediate scrutiny," and "rational basis" as three levels for judicial review in civil rights

*[[consumer confidence]] and the effect of the economy on elections

*[[think tank]]s and their influence; example of Robert Rector's analysis of proposed immigration changes

*the [[political benefit]] to a side from promoting a particular policy

*the concept of "[[political capital]]"

*commenting on proposed regulations

*[[FOIA]]

*line-item veto at state level, not at federal level

*office of county commissioner, or [[freeholder]]

*political asylum and example of homeschooling family that fled Germany to the U.S.

*pundits, talking heads, talk radio, editorials, endorsements

*Biblical basis for our three branches of government: Isaiah 33:22 ("The LORD is our judge, the LORD our lawgiver, the LORD our king ....").

*role of internet news sources and bloggers; example: Shirley Sherrod firing.

*swing state

*trial balloon

*[[safe seat]]

*plurality vote, majority vote, [[cloture]], and two-thirds vote (supermajority)

*The [[U.S. Supreme Court]] decision in ''Citizens United'', and the liberals' response with the [[DISCLOSE Act]]

*[[Presidential candidates, 2012]] and the political and social undercurrents associated with that contest

(add to list)

== Homework questions ==

*Are politicians leaders or followers of the direction of the nation? Does your answer vary depending on the political position?

*Why is this a famous saying: "All politics is local." Do you agree?

*"Politics is like icebergs: 90% is below the surface." Explain.

*''Why'' should it matter what the original meaning of the U.S. Constitution was?

*Should legislative history be relevant to interpreting a statute?

*Define conservative and liberal. Do you think our nation is becoming more conservative, or more liberal? Are the political cycles oscillating above and below a line that has positive or negative conservative slope?

*Teaching more people how to read: that benefit one political side more than the other? The oil spill in the Gulf: on which side that does that confer greater political benefit? (add more examples)

*Was Jesus pro-life?

== References ==

<references/>

American Government Lecture One

2012-09-05T14:10:54Z

MorganBT: /* Major components of an election */

{{Government Lectures}}

'''Welcome to this course in American Government & Politics!''' The full title is "Government" '''''and''''' "Politics" because it is impossible to understand one without the other. Government policies are dictated by elected officials, and they care most about being reelected. To understand why government acts in certain ways, it is necessary to understand elections first.

Tonight, September 6, 2012, President Barack Obama will accept the nomination by the Democratic Party for his candidacy to be reelected as president of the United States. As is customary, he will deliver an acceptance speech that tries to persuade millions of Americans to reelect him. A week earlier, on August 30th, Mitt Romney accepted the nomination by the Republican Party to be elected to this same position. In every year divisible by four, including this 2012, the United States elects (or reelects) a president. At the same time, officially the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November ("Election Day"), American voters also elect the entire House of Representatives (435 officers) and one-third of the U.S. Senate. (One third of the U.S. Senate is elected every two years, such that by every six years the entire Senate has been elected.) Many state and local offices are also on the ballot on Election Day.

Unlike most nations, American government is run by persons who stand for election or reelection on fixed days determined by law, and every political leader focuses on that election the way that sports stars and fans focus on the Super Bowl, the World Series, or the Olympics. Billions of dollars are spent in political advertisements on television, radio and the internet, and in mailings sent to nearly every household in American. in attempts by political campaigns to win. This is more exciting than sports contests, and the outcomes of political struggles make an enormous difference in which direction our Nation goes in the future.

There are three branches of government, and at the national ("federal") level only the first two stand for election:

*Executive branch (president, the military, and nearly all federal government agencies)
*Legislative branch (Congress and its staff)
*Judicial branch (federal courts, including hundreds of federal judges and their staff and the U.S. Supreme Court)

In addition, there is state government, which is completely independent of the federal government in our unique system of dual sovereigns. There is also free enterprise (the free market), which is regulated by government but has an independent influence on elections, as the economy has good times and bad and thereby affects how people vote.

== Difference Between Politics and History ==

History is about the past; politics is about the future. Unlike history, politics is constantly changing. In some ways, politics is similar to a game in sports: what happened on the last football play or baseball pitch is not likely to be copied for the next play or pitch. Instead, the way the game is played is constantly changing. How an election was won two or four years ago is probably not how it will be won next time.

But history can be a guide in predicting the future, and the presidential election between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama is being compared to two prior presidential elections:

*the 1980 presidential election between Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter
*the 1948 presidential election between Tom Dewey and Harry Truman

In both 1980 and 1948, the economy was doing terribly, as it is now. In both 1980 and 1948, an unpopular incumbent president was running for reelection, just as Barack Obama has low approval ratings today. In 1980, the Republican challenger Ronald Reagan won by a landslide. But in 1948, the Republican challenger Tom Dewey lost to the incumbent Harry Truman. Will this year's election be more like 1980, or more like 1948? What do you think?

== Major components of an election ==

The five major components of a modern election are:

*candidates background, positions, speeches, and debates
*the position of the media (television and newspapers) about the candidates
*endorsements by interest groups, such as pro-life groups or unions, of certain candidates
*the amount of money spent in favor or against candidates
*influence exerted by polling organizations in telling the public who is likely to win

In the contest between Romney and Obama, polling indicates a close race with the public nearly equally divided in choosing between the candidates. For example, the polling done by "Rasmussen" (a New Jersey resident) says that Romney is supported by 48% compared with only 44% who support Obama.<ref>http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll (Rasmussen poll as of Sept. 3, 2012).</ref>

Rasmussen polling indicated that Romney received a "bounce" (improved results in the polling) due to the Republican National Convention the prior week, including Romney's acceptance speech.

Does that mean that Romney will win the election? Not at all. It's customary for presidential candidates to receive a "bounce" in the polls after their political party's national convention. Indeed, national conventions by political parties are staged events designed to boost the popularity of the candidate receiving the nomination. Nearly everything at the convention is scripted to make the party and the candidate look as good as possible.

Also, Rasmussen polling typically reports more public support for the Republican candidate than polls by other groups show. Polls by other groups show Obama to have a slight lead over Romney.

A side comment about the Republican National Convention: in addition to making the nomination of Mitt Romney official (Romney had already defeated other Republican contenders in the "primaries" which occurred from January through June in many states), the Republican National Convention also approved the "Republican Party Platform," which set forth the official position of the Party on numerous controversial issues. This "Platform", which will next be adopted by nearly every Republican Party state organization and cited by many Republican candidates over the next four years, is available online.<ref>http://www.gop.com/2012-republican-platform_home/</ref> Two Republicans from each state, a man and a woman, served on the platform committee to write this document.<ref>http://www.gop.com/2012-republican-platform_Committee/</ref>

== Romney's Acceptance Speech ==

Polls are surveys of voters, which provide details about '''''which groups''''' support a candidate and which ones do not. In most elections, there is a "gender gap" between men and women, such that men tend to prefer one candidate while women tend to prefer the other. In Romney v. Obama, Romney has a lead among male voters, but Obama has a lead among women voters.

Polling also reveals that while most disapprove of the job performance by Obama, he is more "likable" than Romney is. In fact, Romney has a particularly low "likability" rating: only 26% of likely voters considered Romney to be likable prior to the Republican National Convention in August 2012.

In light of the polling information, Romney's acceptance speech attempted to make himself more "likable" and to try to increase his popularity by women voters. Here are some examples from his speech:<ref>http://www.marketwatch.com/story/text-of-mitt-romneys-convention-speech-2012-08-30?pagenumber=1</ref>

{{cquote|I knew that her [Mitt Romney's wife Ann's] job as a mom was harder than mine. And I knew without question, that her job as a mom was a lot more important than mine.}}

{{cquote|[A friend and Mitt Romney] started a new business called Bain Capital. The only problem was, while WE believed in ourselves, nobody else did. We were young and had never done this before and we almost didn’t get off the ground. In those days, sometimes I wondered if I had made a really big mistake.}}

The text of Obama's acceptance speech will be posted online Thursday night, September 7. Can you find statements in it designed to boost his poll numbers with any particular group?

== Politics as an Iceberg ==

The average person does not realize that politics is like an iceberg: 90% of it is hidden from view. Far more goes on behind the scenes, outside of public awareness, then most people realize.

Statements by candidates are the product of much planning by a "team" that includes speechwriters, pollsters, consultants and others. Politics is ''team'' sport that is never fair to individuals. You might be the greatest wide receiver to play the game of football, but if the running back on your team repeatedly fumbles the ball, then you will lose. If you play in a game where the referees are against you on every play, then you will also lose no matter how good your team is. If a massive snowstorm occurs in the middle of the game just as your team is about to win, then you may lose through no fault of your own.

In American politics, the two biggest "teams" are the Republicans and the Democrats. Problems with one member of the team affect the ability of other members of the team to win. The "referees" are the media, and they have a big impact also. So does "weather" conditions like the state of the economy, or foreign relations.

This model for politics as a team sport goes far beyond Republicans versus Democrats. Within each political party there are also alliances and teams that form to help candidates win nominations by the party.

Attempts to win elections are called "campaigns" because there are many contributing forces that determine the outcome. Much of the activity is fun. There are campaign contributions to the candidate for his use in printing materials, paying workers, and buying ads. There are volunteer efforts such as "phone-banking" (calling voters on lists), "door-to-door" (walking up to houses and knocking on doors in support of a candidate), "literature drops" (such as handing out campaign literature at a subway station or bus stop), passing out bumper stickers, and attending public meetings to discuss issues relating to the election. There are also "independent expenditures," in which other groups buy advertisements without any approval or coordination with the candidate.

Due to an important decision known as ''Citizens United'' by the U.S. Supreme Court in January 2010, corporations can now spend money directly to elect or defeat a candidate. Corporations may not donate money to a candidate's campaign, but they spend millions of dollars on campaign ads urging voters to elect or defeat someone. As a result, "Super PACs" have developed for the first time in 2012, which can raise hundreds of millions of dollars from big corporations and then spend the money to elect or defeat a candidate and influence the outcome of an election.

So when a candidate wins or loses, it is really his side that wins or loses. His opponent may have put together a stronger team, or had better strategy, or the "referee" (media) may have been biased, or events outside of the control of the candidate (such as the economy) may have determined the outcome. Often, but not always, the side that raises and spends the most money wins, because many voters are influenced by ads and mailings they receive.

=== Why Participate? ===

Many Americans fail to participate in the political process; they do not help ''any'' "team". They are too lazy, or fail to understand the process, or fail to see the benefits in participating. They are making a mistake.

There is no "free lunch." Participation in the political process is necessary just as exercise, a good diet, or going to church is needed. Participating in politics is beneficial both to the individual and to the nation.

One of the greatest statesman (a politician whose speeches have a lasting influence) in all of history, Irishman Edmund Burke (who served in the British Parliament and defended the American colonies in the 1700s), observed:

{{cquote|All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.}}

One side cannot win a game by not showing up. And the other side will show up in politics. How would a Yankees fan feel if the New York Yankees failed even to show up for the games?

Also, many political groups (including the conservative movement) are growing rapidly. There are job opportunities. Paul Ryan, the Vice Presidential candidate for the Republican Party in 2012, obtained a good job on the staff of a Congressman, and was later elected to Congress himself, earning a very good salary with a fantastic pension, and then was selected by Mitt Romney to be his running mate as Vice President. His career was far better by participating in politics then it would likely have been outside of politics.

== The Swing States ==

'''Swing states''' in a presidential election are [[state]]s in which neither the [[Republican]] nor [[Democratic]] candidate has a clear majority of the voters' support prior to a Presidential election, and a victory by either candidate in these states could swing the overall result in his favor. They are also known as "battleground states" because they are where the majority of the campaigning takes place for both parties.

States that consistently express a preference for the Democratic presidential nominee are known as "blue states"; states that consistently vote for the Republican presidential candidate are usually referred to as [[red state|red states]]. Swing states are sometimes called "purple states" because either side might win in a given year. Super PACs will likely spend millions of dollars in negative ads in these states. (A "negative ad" is a television advertisement that criticizes one candidate as a way of helping his opponent; often negative ads are most effective than positive ones.)

Here are the key swing states for the [[Presidential Election 2012]]: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia, for a total of 100 electoral votes.<ref>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/05/26/national/a080145D80.DTL#ixzz1w1roz7XG</ref>

== The Legislative Branch ==

Most of our discussion above has concerned the presidential election. The office of president (and the Executive branch) is established by Article II of the U.S. Constitution, which is the document that defines how our national (federal) government works. Our Founders who wrote the U.S. Constitution in 1787 and ratified it in 1788 felt that the Legislative branch, which consists of the bicameral Congress (comprised of the House of Representatives and Senate), would be more important than the presidency. The Founders defined the Legislative branch in Article I of the U.S. Constitution:

*Article I: Congress and the Legislative branch
*Article II: the Presidency and the Executive branch
*Article III: the Judiciary and the U.S. Supreme Court

On Election Day, all 435 House seats are up for election, and at least 33 out of 100 (U.S.) Senate seats are likewise on the ballot. (Sometimes more Senate seats are on the ballot due to special elections to fill vacancies; without vacancies the number would be 33 one year, 33 two years later, and 34 two years after that.)

Due to gerrymandering, fewer than 100 out of the 435 House seats are "in play," such that either party could win it. Gerrymandering is one many new terms you will learn as part of this course. Its name comes from a political cartoon making fun of Governor Eldridge Gerry of Massachusetts in 1812, who signed into law a redistricting for state that used odd shapes in order to help his political party be elected. This is possible because voting patterns become predictable over time: many neighborhoods are known to vote heavily Democratic or heavily Republican based on prior elections.

For example, San Francisco is a heavily Democratic area, and the leader of Democrats in Congress is Nancy Pelosi, who represents a "safe seat" there. Indeed, more than 335 out of the 435 House seats represent districts that are safely Republican or safely Democratic. In those districts, the only way to defeat an incumbent (the person in office running for reelection) is to defeat him in the primary.

With the advent of the internet, there is up-to-the minute analysis of the likely outcomes in every election. One site, "RealClearPolitics", is a good source of the latest polling information.

== State Government ==

The federal government, based in Washington, D.C., is only one part of government in the United States. There is also state and local government, which can be more important in many cases.

For example, the police are part of state and local government, not the federal government. There are state police officers who give tickets on the highways, and local police officers in each town. Public schools, which spend more than $500 billion (that's billion, not million) each year, are part of local government.

An important part of this course is to know '''''which''''' government is responsible for which issue. If you saw that a bridge collapsed during a rainstorm, then whom would you call to tell them to fix it, or at least close off the road?

== Review ==

Article II of the U.S. Constitution establishes the office of the president, and the entire Executive branch under his authority. 99% of the employees who work for the federal government work in the Executive branch, including all the armed forces (the president is the "Commander-in-Chief" of the military), all the agencies headquartered in D.C. (such as the Department of Labor, Department of Education, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services, etc.).

The president is elected in years divisible by four (e.g., 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016). By virtue of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, which was passed by a Republican-controlled Congress shortly after World War II and ratified by at least 3/4th of the states, the office of president has a "term limit" that prevents election by the same person to more than two elected terms. The presidency is the only office in all of the federal government that has "term limits."

== Homework ==

1. Can you identify a portion of the acceptance speeches of Mitt Romney or Barack Obama that was designed to improve their poll numbers with a particular demographic group (e.g., women, Hispanics, the elderly, independent voters, etc.)?

2. If a police officer pulls over a car on the New Jersey Turnpike, which part of government does that police office likely work for?

3. Briefly describe the first three Articles of the U.S. Constitution.

4. Give a specific example of an influence by pollsters (people who conduct polls).

5. Explain what gerrymandering is.

'''Extra credit''' (complete any 2 out of 4):

6. Why is it important to participate in politics?

7. Do you think the presidential election this year is more like 1980, or more like 1948, and why?

8. How does the study of politics differ from history?

9. Which part of the Republican Party Platform do you like best?

You can post your answers at [[American Government Homework One]].

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:American Government lectures]]

Conservapedia:American Government Fall 2012

2012-08-14T02:07:58Z

MorganBT: /* Enrollment (add your id here) */

"American Government Fall 2012" is a 14-week course that teaches the basics of government, both federal and state. It covers the political process and operation of the U.S. government, and may be the most important course you will ever take. It includes review of the U.S. Constitution, including concepts like the separation of powers among the branches of government.

'''''To enroll, click the "edit" link to the right of the Enrollment section below, and then click 10th tab from the left above to automatically add your user name'''''.

''The first lecture is available at [[American Government Lecture One]].''
 ''The second lecture is available at [[American Government Lecture Two]].''
 ''The third lecture is being developed at [[American Government Lecture Three]].''
 ''A full set of lectures is available at [[American Government Lectures]].''
 ''Key terms for the course are being listed and explained at [[American Government Key Terms]]''

The final exam from the last time this course was taught is available at [[American Government Final Exam 2010]], and the top scores on that exam are posted at [[Talk:American Government Final Exam 2010]]. Debate topics are being developed at [[American Government Debate Topics]].

Students in this class will make predictions at three different points about the outcome of the national elections this November. Students seeking to earn college credit can take the CLEP or AP exams upon successful completion of this course.

The instructor is Andy Schlafly, who has taught about 20 courses, including one as an adjunct professor at a major law school.

== Enrollment (add your id here) ==
I would like to enroll in the American Government course in the fall. Is there any cost for the course?
--MorganBT

== Special concepts ==

This course will include many concepts not included in most run-of-the-mill government courses, such as:

*the difference between politics and history, and the similarity between politics and team sports; impediments to teamwork and communication

*political cycles

*political factions, such as Big Labor, anti-war, pro-life, Second Amendment, etc.; interest groups and their scorecards and endorsements, such as the NRA and Elena Kagan and the effect on Harry Reid

*Tea Party: the decentralized political party

*declining role of newspapers, and increasing role of the internet

*the effect of low voter turnout, discuss in the context of initiatives; effect of initiatives on candidates on the ballot

*free speech and campaign finance

*pending court cases concerning the structure of government

*[[media bullying]] (e.g., post-election interviews for [[Rand Paul]]), media bias, [[double standard]]s in reporting news, effect of the bias in misleading the public

*famous expressions and special vocabulary (as in sports): "all politics is local," "if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!" "coattails", "political capital," "midterm elections," "filibuster", "voice vote," (add more)

*election process: various signature requirements to qualify for the ballot, use of convention rather than public elections in some areas, primary election, general election, concept of endorsements, term and qualifications for various offices

*correlations of voting patterns by "voting blocs"; "single issue" voters

*initiatives and referenda: how different states handle this differently, track record of various issues, effect on others on the ballot

*polling, pollsters, and their impact (e.g., Scott Brown upset)

*contrast the two-party system in America with multiple-party systems in other nations, how the power of political parties ebbs and flows with changes in campaign finance and the strength of interest groups like the NRA

*elements of a political campaign, including who gets involved and why and how

*the role of the Courts: the "least dangerous branch," or now the most powerful branch of government?

*the U.S. Supreme Court, and how it accepts cases for review and its October through June annual Terms

*administrative law, federal and state agencies, and the most cited U.S. Supreme Court decision: ''Chevron''

*"strict scrutiny," "intermediate scrutiny," and "rational basis" as three levels for judicial review in civil rights

*[[consumer confidence]] and the effect of the economy on elections

*[[think tank]]s and their influence; example of Robert Rector's analysis of proposed immigration changes

*the [[political benefit]] to a side from promoting a particular policy

*the concept of "[[political capital]]"

*commenting on proposed regulations

*[[FOIA]]

*line-item veto at state level, not at federal level

*office of county commissioner, or [[freeholder]]

*political asylum and example of homeschooling family that fled Germany to the U.S.

*pundits, talking heads, talk radio, editorials, endorsements

*Biblical basis for our three branches of government: Isaiah 33:22 ("The LORD is our judge, the LORD our lawgiver, the LORD our king ....").

*role of internet news sources and bloggers; example: Shirley Sherrod firing.

*swing state

*trial balloon

*[[safe seat]]

*plurality vote, majority vote, [[cloture]], and two-thirds vote (supermajority)

*The [[U.S. Supreme Court]] decision in ''Citizens United'', and the liberals' response with the [[DISCLOSE Act]]

*[[Presidential candidates, 2012]] and the political and social undercurrents associated with that contest

(add to list)

== Homework questions ==

*Are politicians leaders or followers of the direction of the nation? Does your answer vary depending on the political position?

*Why is this a famous saying: "All politics is local." Do you agree?

*"Politics is like icebergs: 90% is below the surface." Explain.

*''Why'' should it matter what the original meaning of the U.S. Constitution was?

*Should legislative history be relevant to interpreting a statute?

*Define conservative and liberal. Do you think our nation is becoming more conservative, or more liberal? Are the political cycles oscillating above and below a line that has positive or negative conservative slope?

*Teaching more people how to read: that benefit one political side more than the other? The oil spill in the Gulf: on which side that does that confer greater political benefit? (add more examples)

*Was Jesus pro-life?

== References ==

<references/>

Conservapedia:American Government Fall 2012

2012-08-14T02:07:06Z

MorganBT: /* Enrollment (add your id here) */

"American Government Fall 2012" is a 14-week course that teaches the basics of government, both federal and state. It covers the political process and operation of the U.S. government, and may be the most important course you will ever take. It includes review of the U.S. Constitution, including concepts like the separation of powers among the branches of government.

'''''To enroll, click the "edit" link to the right of the Enrollment section below, and then click 10th tab from the left above to automatically add your user name'''''.

''The first lecture is available at [[American Government Lecture One]].''
 ''The second lecture is available at [[American Government Lecture Two]].''
 ''The third lecture is being developed at [[American Government Lecture Three]].''
 ''A full set of lectures is available at [[American Government Lectures]].''
 ''Key terms for the course are being listed and explained at [[American Government Key Terms]]''

The final exam from the last time this course was taught is available at [[American Government Final Exam 2010]], and the top scores on that exam are posted at [[Talk:American Government Final Exam 2010]]. Debate topics are being developed at [[American Government Debate Topics]].

Students in this class will make predictions at three different points about the outcome of the national elections this November. Students seeking to earn college credit can take the CLEP or AP exams upon successful completion of this course.

The instructor is Andy Schlafly, who has taught about 20 courses, including one as an adjunct professor at a major law school.

== Enrollment (add your id here) ==
I would like to enroll in the American Government course in the fall. Is there any cost for the course?

-MorganBT

== Special concepts ==

This course will include many concepts not included in most run-of-the-mill government courses, such as:

*the difference between politics and history, and the similarity between politics and team sports; impediments to teamwork and communication

*political cycles

*political factions, such as Big Labor, anti-war, pro-life, Second Amendment, etc.; interest groups and their scorecards and endorsements, such as the NRA and Elena Kagan and the effect on Harry Reid

*Tea Party: the decentralized political party

*declining role of newspapers, and increasing role of the internet

*the effect of low voter turnout, discuss in the context of initiatives; effect of initiatives on candidates on the ballot

*free speech and campaign finance

*pending court cases concerning the structure of government

*[[media bullying]] (e.g., post-election interviews for [[Rand Paul]]), media bias, [[double standard]]s in reporting news, effect of the bias in misleading the public

*famous expressions and special vocabulary (as in sports): "all politics is local," "if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!" "coattails", "political capital," "midterm elections," "filibuster", "voice vote," (add more)

*election process: various signature requirements to qualify for the ballot, use of convention rather than public elections in some areas, primary election, general election, concept of endorsements, term and qualifications for various offices

*correlations of voting patterns by "voting blocs"; "single issue" voters

*initiatives and referenda: how different states handle this differently, track record of various issues, effect on others on the ballot

*polling, pollsters, and their impact (e.g., Scott Brown upset)

*contrast the two-party system in America with multiple-party systems in other nations, how the power of political parties ebbs and flows with changes in campaign finance and the strength of interest groups like the NRA

*elements of a political campaign, including who gets involved and why and how

*the role of the Courts: the "least dangerous branch," or now the most powerful branch of government?

*the U.S. Supreme Court, and how it accepts cases for review and its October through June annual Terms

*administrative law, federal and state agencies, and the most cited U.S. Supreme Court decision: ''Chevron''

*"strict scrutiny," "intermediate scrutiny," and "rational basis" as three levels for judicial review in civil rights

*[[consumer confidence]] and the effect of the economy on elections

*[[think tank]]s and their influence; example of Robert Rector's analysis of proposed immigration changes

*the [[political benefit]] to a side from promoting a particular policy

*the concept of "[[political capital]]"

*commenting on proposed regulations

*[[FOIA]]

*line-item veto at state level, not at federal level

*office of county commissioner, or [[freeholder]]

*political asylum and example of homeschooling family that fled Germany to the U.S.

*pundits, talking heads, talk radio, editorials, endorsements

*Biblical basis for our three branches of government: Isaiah 33:22 ("The LORD is our judge, the LORD our lawgiver, the LORD our king ....").

*role of internet news sources and bloggers; example: Shirley Sherrod firing.

*swing state

*trial balloon

*[[safe seat]]

*plurality vote, majority vote, [[cloture]], and two-thirds vote (supermajority)

*The [[U.S. Supreme Court]] decision in ''Citizens United'', and the liberals' response with the [[DISCLOSE Act]]

*[[Presidential candidates, 2012]] and the political and social undercurrents associated with that contest

(add to list)

== Homework questions ==

*Are politicians leaders or followers of the direction of the nation? Does your answer vary depending on the political position?

*Why is this a famous saying: "All politics is local." Do you agree?

*"Politics is like icebergs: 90% is below the surface." Explain.

*''Why'' should it matter what the original meaning of the U.S. Constitution was?

*Should legislative history be relevant to interpreting a statute?

*Define conservative and liberal. Do you think our nation is becoming more conservative, or more liberal? Are the political cycles oscillating above and below a line that has positive or negative conservative slope?

*Teaching more people how to read: that benefit one political side more than the other? The oil spill in the Gulf: on which side that does that confer greater political benefit? (add more examples)

*Was Jesus pro-life?

== References ==

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