15 Jan Pick one international organization

POLI330 Political Science

Week 1 Discussion

Why Study Political Science?

Identify why students should learn about political science. Use evidence (cite sources) to support your response from assigned readings or online lessons, and at least one outside scholarly source.

POLI330 Political Science

Week 2 Discussion

DQ1 Political Systems

What is the Marxist critique of capitalism? Do you agree or disagree? Explain your reasoning and provide examples to support your argument.

DQ2 Utopian Ideas

Explain one of the perfect political systems of Plato, Bacon, Marx, or Skinner. Use evidence (cite sources) to support your response from assigned readings or online lessons, and at least one outside scholarly source.

POLI330 Political Science

Week 3 Discussion

Stability and Governing

“The US is a stable government.” Develop an argument for why you think this is true or false. Use specific historical examples. Use evidence (cite sources) to support your response from assigned readings or online lessons, and at least one outside scholarly source.

POLI330 Political Science

Week 4 Discussion

DQ1 Petition the Government for Redress of Grievances”

Analyze why older, white adults vote in elections more than other groups while describing how each political party cultivates voters and the role an interest group plays in turning people out to the polls.

You can explore political voting data at the United States Census Bureau’s website here: https://www.census.gov/topics/public-sector/voting.html (Links to an external site.)

Use evidence (cite sources) to support your response from assigned readings or online lessons, and at least one outside scholarly source.

DQ2 US Supreme Court

Using the Supreme Court’s website, research one case that deals with a contentious issue of your choice. (These issues can be racial discrimination, right to bear arms, same-sex marriage, hate speech, suicide, etc.) After finding a case, describe the Constitutional issue at the heart of the case. Summarize the points, the opinion, and at least one dissent used to come up with their conclusions. Did you agree with the majority opinion or the dissent?

US Supreme Course Case Search Job Aid

POLI330 Political Science

Week 5 Discussion

Learning Politics

Think about conversations around politics when you were in primary school (around age 10). What were some of the ways you learned about the political establishment through family members and friends? How were you politically socialized as a child? Use evidence (cite sources) to support your response from assigned readings or online lessons, and at least one outside scholarly source.

POLI330 Political Science

Week 6 Discussion

DQ1 Presidential Advisor

You are an advisor to the President tasked with cutting at least $300 billion from the budget. The president wants your recommendations to cut lines, not large categories. Explain why you chose those cuts.

Note: These are not true US budget numbers.

DOMESTIC PROGRAMS AND FOREIGN AID

Cut some foreign aid to African countries

?$17 billion

?

Eliminate farm subsidies

?$14 billion

?

Cut pay of civilian federal workers by 5 percent

?$14 billion

?

Reduce the overall federal workforce by 10%

?$12 billion

?

Cut aid to states by 5%

?$29 billion

MILITARY

Cut the number of nuclear warheads, and end the “Star Wars” missile defense program

?$19 billion

?

Reduce military to pre-Iraq War size and further reduce troops in Asia and Europe

?$25 billion

?

Cancel or delay some weapons programs

?$19 billion

HEALTHCARE

Enact medical malpractice reform by reducing the chances of large malpractice verdicts

?$ 8 billion

?

Increase the Medicare eligibility age to 68

?$ 8 billion

?

Raise the Social Security retirement age to 68.

?$ 13 billion

EXISTING TAXES

Return the estate tax to Clinton-era levels, passing on an estate worth more than $1 million to their heirs would have portions of those estates taxed.

?$ 50 billion

?

End tax cuts for income above $250,000 a year

?$ 54 billion

?

End tax cuts for income below $250,000 a year

?$ 172 billion

?

Payroll tax increase for people making over $106,000 annually contributing more to Social Security and Medicare.

?$ 50 billion

NEW TAXES

Institute a Millionaire’s tax on income above $1 million

?$ 50 billion

?

Add a national 5% sales tax

?$ 41 billion

?

Add a tax on carbon emissions

?$ 40 billion

?

Tax banks based on their sizes and the amount of risk they take.

?$ 73 billion

Total gap covered by your budget plan

?

$_________________

Use evidence (cite sources) to support your response from assigned readings or online lessons, and at least one outside scholarly source.

DQ2 Political Theory and the Budget

Explain how a liberal and conservative would approach developing the US budget. Use evidence (cite sources) to support your response from assigned readings or online lessons, and at least one outside scholarly source.

POLI330 Political Science

Week 7 Discussion

Our Global Neighborhood

Pick one international organization (UN, EU, ICC, etc.). Explain its mission and function. Assess how issues of state sovereignty are dealt with for member countries. Use evidence (cite sources) to support your response from assigned readings or online lessons, and at least one outside scholarly source.

POLI330 Political Science

Week 8 Discussion

Political Compass Results

Go to the site: https://www.politicalcompass.org. (Links to an external site.)

Scroll to the end of the site where it says “take the test.”

Answer all of the questions.

After you answer the questions, there will be a chart with your Economic and Social numbers.

After taking the political compass test, tell the class what your scores are and what they mean. Then, analyze why you believe the results or do not believe the scores. Finally, discuss how this course has been beneficial to your daily life and career choice. Use evidence (cite sources) to support your response from assigned readings or online lessons, and at least one outside scholarly source.

POLI330 Political Science

Week 1 Assignment

Essay – Benefiting the Public Good

One role of government is to ensure that policies benefit the people within their jurisdiction.

For local governments, it would be the townspeople or city dwellers.

For the state governments, it would be the people living within the state.

For the federal government, it would be everyone within the borders of the country.

Using an ideology discussed in the textbook, construct an argument explaining how this ideology upholds the public good by examining power, order, and justice.

Select an ideology discussed in the textbook. In an essay, examine how power, order, and justice as it relates to the ideology you choose promotes the public good.

POLI330 Political Science

Week 3 Assignment

Essay – Developing a Democracy

Many countries have gone through various ways of governing-by one, by a group, or by the people. Pick one developing country. Examine this country’s political history and current barriers in developing their democracy. Create a concise argument on the type of democracy they should institute and why.

Use the following list to select your developing country: https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1876/310mab.pdf

POLI330 Political Science

Week 5 Assignment

Essay – Ideal Citizen in a Totalitarian Government

Aristotle defined tyranny as an illegitimate form of government by one individual that tightly controlled every part of life and government. Adolf Hitler is the most notorious tyrant. Using a totalitarian society from the past or present, discuss how the state and its leader attempt to impede citizens from exercising their rights. In your discussion, explain some components of an “ideal citizen,” consequences of voter apathy, and ways the state controls the citizen.

POLI330 Political Science

Week 7 Assignment

Essay – Creating Your Ideal State

Your country just overthrew its dictator, and you are the newly elected President. Unfortunately, due to the divisions in the country and the years of war, economic, military, and political structures are non-existent. A group of loyalists to the old dictator have been detonating bombs, murdering civilians, assassinating leaders, and terrorizing towns with help from a neighboring country’s dictator.

Create a comprehensive plan for your new government. While creating this government identify 1) the governing style of your government and the principles that govern your leaders (see rubric); 2) the functions of various branches of government; 3) how to maintain public good in domestic areas through at least two programs; 4) an economic structure that is most beneficial to your citizens; 5) ways to create national unity; 6) ways to combat terrorism and violence; and, 6) international organizations to join.

See rubric for specific ways to meet the requirements of the paper.

Paper headings: (Use of APA paper format with headings required!)

Introduction (1 paragraph)

Introduce your country

Briefly outline all of the parts of the paper

Domestic Concerns (1-2 pages)

Identify governing style and principles that correlate to this style

Identify the branches of government and its functions

Development of two public good domestic programs and how they will meet the public good

Economic structure and reason why this should be used

Socializing citizens is noted with rationale for how it creates national unity

Foreign Concerns (1-2 pages)

Two international organizations are noted, one for economics and one for security

Descriptions of both organizations

Rationales for joining these organizations

Steps to joining

Two ways your country will combat the neighboring country’s terrorist threat and the domestic threat

Two ways these will be effective

Conclusion (1 paragraph)

Summarize information

POLI330 Political Science

Week 2 Quiz

POLI330 Political Science

Week 4 Quiz

POLI330 Political Science

Week 6 Quiz

POLI330 Political Science

Week 8 Quiz