For Class on 3/6: Civil Liberties

As we near the end of the course it is time to put many of the elements of the American political system together in order to discuss some of the most important policy issues and debates in a more complete manner. We will frame many of these final issues through the lenses of civil liberties and civil rights. One of the most important and enduring debates was perhaps most famously expressed by Ben Franklin when he said:

“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety,
deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
- Benjamin Franklin (1755)

The balance between security and liberty is especially difficult during times of crisis or physical threat. Examples include Abraham Lincoln’s suspension of habeas corpus during the Civil War and the PATRIOT Act and the use of warrantless wiretapping after 9/11 along with dozens of examples in between. For this week, interpret Ben Franklin’s quote above and weigh in on how to best balance liberty and security in America. Does the proper balance change during times of crisis? Is there really any balance at all or is one clearly more dominant? Can we maximize both at the same time? How does this impact current debates such as the increased security used at airports across the nation and use of drones that many feel invades their privacy?

For Class on 2/27: Congress and Representation

There are 535 members of the United States Congress emanating from 435 districts and 50 states across the country. The legislative branch is generally known as the most “democratic” branch in our constitutional system due to each member representing their constituents in terms of interests, values, and decision-making. Yet, according to David Mayhew, one of the leading congressional scholars of the last half century, the members of congress act with one goal in mind: that of reelection. Furthermore, he argues that congressional staff, committees, and political parties play a role in this. This single-minded goal is debatable and will require more discussion in class. But if we assume it is true for now, is it a bad thing that members of congress are motivated by the desire to be reelected? Does this constant pursuit of reelection have a positive or negative impact on representation? How might this affect whether congress can get anything done? Feel free to expand this discussion to representation in general.

2/25 edit: In the discussion of congress one truly unique aspect of the American Senate is the filibuster. However how it is used by various Senators and parties has evolved a lot. You can listen to the podcast below for a really interesting perspective on what it is today and what might happen to the filibuster in the future: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/12/11/166993494/episode-422-schoolhouse-rock-is-a-lie-or-how-the-filibuster-ate-washington

After listening, if you would like to comment on the use of the filibuster in your blog, feel free.

For Class on 2/20: We The People

Over a year ago the Obama administration launched We The People, a new way to create, view, and sign petitions that go directly to the Obama Administration. You can view the official video about how it works by clicking here. You should definitely look around the We the People site and get more information and see the petitions that are currently open (and sign some if you agree with them!!). The Obama administration has promised to be more accessible and transparent than any other presidency. What do you think about this method of communicating with the President? Do you think this is a positive step? How effective do you think these petitions will be? Finally, if you are interested, would you create a petition and what would it be about?

As always, feel free to comment on any of these prompts or respond generally to the We the People site. The key is to have a conversation with your classmates so respond to one another.

For Class on 2/13: Obama for better or worse?

This week I would like you to start to discuss what will be your research paper topic for the quarter. The details are below and it is not due until Monday March 4. You do not need to do any research for your blog post but you can start to think about how you might want to tackle the analytical paper topic below. In short, use this blog as a brainstorming opportunity regarding your reflection paper and as a general forum regarding President Obama. Try to be as specific as possible in your initial thoughts. I am not concerned about whether you love Obama or hate him (OK I am but not in this blog post) but start to talk about his job as president based on what you know about the man and about the position. See the details below.

Analytical Paper: Obama and the 2012 Election

Due March 4

For this assignment you are to write a 3-4 page analytical paper (12 point font, double spaced, normal 1” margins) evaluating the Obama Presidency up to this point. In addition you are required to add a works cited page based on your outside research. Over the next two weeks we will gain a greater understanding about the roles, powers, goals, and limitations of the presidency as well as the personal characteristics of President Obama and some of the strategies he has used. This is a reflection paper where you share your thoughts and opinions (defended by research) in a well thought out, concise paper. You are required to use a minimum of three sources for your research, which should be cited in the text and in a works cited page not included in the 3-4 page requirement (please ask about appropriate sources of information if you have questions about this and start with the political news links on the course website, I highly recommend the NY Times, Washington Post, Real Clear Politics, and Politico.com). You are to pick a specific area of his presidency to evaluate. Some suggestions may include:

• His handling of the economy (or specific areas of the economy)
• His handling of the War in Iraq
• His handling of the War in Afghanistan
• His relationship with the media
• How “transparent” his administration has been (Is most of the work being done behind closed doors or does the public have access to it?)
• His relationships with his party or bipartisanship
• His foreign policy
• His use of technology
• Whether he has followed up on campaign promises or not
• His effect on the Judicial Branch/Supreme Court
• His decision making style
• His public speaking
• His management of the executive bureaucracy
• How he relates or does not relate to the American public
• His handling of the health care reform

You are not limited to these choices and if you have other ideas please e-mail them to me. The main point is that you should pick some specific aspect of his presidency so far. Regardless of what topic you choose you should discuss the following questions in your paper:

1. What has he accomplished/failed to accomplish so far during his first term relating to your topic of choice?
2. What does this suggest about his overall effectiveness as a president?