GOVT 2305
U.S. GOVERNMENT
ROY EDWARD
CASAGRANDA
Assistant Professor of Government
Fall 2007
Section:
07127
Lec 024
Time:
TTh
12:00 noon - 1:15 pm
Location: Pinnacle
Room:
410
Session:
August 27
- December 16
Office Hours: MW 11:50 to 1:15
TTh 1:15 to 2:40
Email:
rcasagra@austincc.edu
Office:
PIN 407
Website: http://gov.casagranda.com
Textbook: The Struggle for
Democracy,
Pearson
Longman, Eighth Edition, 2006
ISBN 0-321-42083-7
James Madison (1751-1836)
The
best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the
average voter.
Winston Churchill
COURSE OBJECTIVES AND DESCRIPTION
This course is an introduction to United States government. The
course includes a framework for understanding United
States government and politics, the constitutional basis for United
States government and politics, the processes of United States
government and politics, the institutions of United States government
and politics, and the policies of United States government. The basic
objectives of the course are for the student to:
1. Gain an awareness of the principles that guided the founders of the
U.S. and the manner in which our definition of these principles have
changed over the years.
2. Understand the basic structure of the U.S. government.
3. Develop an awareness of the political process and its impact on
government.
4. Become aware of the ways in which government affects/is affected by
its citizens.
5. Think in political terms as part of the process of becoming a more
effective citizen.
6. Develop independent critical thinking skills.
7. Understand the theoretical nature of what government is.
8. Critically explore such concepts as republic, democratic theory, and
liberalism.
The course will begin with a theoretical overview of politics.
This beginning will include a discussion about what the very nature,
role, and functions of government are. We will explore the
difference between the political, economic, and normative sphere of
action and how they interact to create politics.
In the second part of the course we will look at the evolution of the
U.S. political system through the lens of political history. The
objective here will be to discover what we have and how we got it.
Next we will focus on the political process by looking at public
opinion, interest groups, political parties, elections, voting, and the
media. In the process we will explore such concepts as single
member district representation, republic, proportional representation,
and campaign financing.
Then we will look at the institutions of the U.S. government, namely
the Congress, the Presidency, the Supreme Court, and the federal
bureaucracy.
We will conclude the semester by examining foreign policy.
While this is primarily a lecture course, the class may also include
videos, transparencies, role-playing simulations, internet activities,
writing assignments, and classroom discussions. Students must
attend and participate regularly.
It is
perfectly true that the government is best which governs least.
It is equally true that the
government is best which provides most.
Walter Lippmann
CLASS POLICIES
OFFICE FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented
physical or psychological disabilities. Students with
disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the Office
for Students with Disabilities on the campus where they expect to take
the majority of their classes. Students are encouraged to do this
three weeks before the start of the semester.
POLICY ON ATTENDANCE AND WITHDRAWAL
Each student is expected to attend and participate in each class
meeting and to complete the assigned reading PRIOR to each class.
Although class attendance is not a direct component of the final grade,
absences do limit the student’s opportunity to participate fully in
class activities and will almost certainly impact the student’s final
grade. Should it be necessary to miss a class a student should
contact other class members for copies of the notes amd materials
covered in that
class. Attendance is required on test days and on oral
presentation days. Should you miss a test day there will be no
make up exams, instead your final grade will be based on the tests
taken. Should you miss two or more exams you should consider
dropping the course rather than suffering a failing grade.
Cell phones and text-messaging devices must be turned off and should
not be in evidence in the classroom unless you have prior approval from
the instructor. Late arrivals and early departures are disruptive
so please be on time and plan to stay the entire period unless you have
previously spoken to the instructor. Excessive tardiness or failure to
follow class policies on cell phones may result in the student being
dropped from the course. Do NOT get up during class to throw
something away.
The professor reserves the right to withdraw (drop) anyone from the
class for any reason. This does not mean that you will
automatically be
withdrawn if you are failing or if you are not attending class.
If you wish to drop the course please make sure to do so
yourself. The instructor will not do it for you.
If, for any reason, you decide to withdraw from the course you must
complete the required forms in the Admissions and Records office.
The last day to withdraw from the Fall session
(initiated by instructor or student) is Monday, November 26,
2007.
This may not be the same date for High School students, so be sure to
be
in compliance with your High School. Incompletes will not be
given to any student. If it becomes clear
that you will not be able to complete the course please consider
dropping the course by the November 26, 2007 deadline. Failure to
complete the required coursework will likely result in an F grade.
We
enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought. I hope
to bring some of that discomfort of thought to the American people.
John Anderson
SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY
Acts prohibited by the college for which discipline may be administered
include scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating on
an exam or quiz, plagiarizing, and unauthorized collaboration with
another in preparing outside work. Academic work submitted by
students shall be the result of their thought, research, or
self-expression. Academic work is defined as, but not limited to
tests, quizzes, whether taken electronically or on paper, projects,
either individual or group; classroom presentations, and homework.
If a student commits any of these actions, I will seek disciplinary
action in the form of an academic penalty, which will likely include a
course grade of ‘F’.
Look, I take this very seriously and it has a real simple
solution. If you want to include text from someone else feel free
to cite the original author. It will strengthen your argument and
suggest that you have done research on the subject. Otherwise, I
am ruthless and will show no mercy when it comes to plagiarism.
Failure to comply with this rule is almost certain to cause you to fail
the course.
I'll
be the one to protect you from
A will to survive and a voice of
reason
I'll be the one to protect you from
Your enemies and your choices son
They're one in the same
I must isolate you
Isolate and save you from yourself
Swayin to the rhythm of the new world
order and
Count the bodies like sheep to the
rhythm of the war drums
The boogeymen are coming
A Perfect Circle
CLASS PARTICIPATION AND ACADEMIC FREEDOM
Just as each student is expected to attend class, each student is also
expected to participate in the class discussion. This not only
includes preparing for class and listening in class, but also includes
asking questions, answering questions, providing examples, and
expressing opinions. This class will be much more educational (as
well as interesting) in an atmosphere of active participation and
lively exchange of ideas. There will be numerous opportunities
throughout the semester to use current events to explore and expand
upon our understanding of the concepts we are studying. As a
result I
also expect students to keep up with current events. If you are
not normally in the habit of doing, then so you must plan to begin
looking at a
reliable news source. The BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/ and Reuters
http://today.reuters.com/news/home.aspx are two examples of the sort.
In any classroom situation that includes discussion and critical
thinking, there are bound to be many differing viewpoints. These
differences enhance the learning experience and create an atmosphere
where students and instructors alike will be encouraged to think and
learn. On sensitive and volatile topics, students may sometimes
disagree not only with each other but also with the instructor.
It is expected that faculty and students will respect the views of
others when expressed in classroom situations.
Each person has the right to express his or her opinion. Our Bill
of Rights not only guarantees us the right to express our opinions but
also provides us the opportunity to learn from our fellow citizens as
they express their opinions.
All
our beliefs are being challenged now, and rightfully so – they're
stupid.
Bill Hicks
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND SCHEDULE
EVALUATION
Three exams will be given during this semester as noted on the Course
Schedule. The exams will include both objective and essay
questions. Essays may be conducted as take-home exams due by the
following class period or as in-class exams according to the
professor's whim. It may be tempting to miss the first exam since
it
only counts for 100 points. This is a mistake in at least two
ways.
First, should
you miss an exam I will calculate your grade based as if you took the
2nd and Final
Exams, regardless of which exam that you missed (this is important
since there are no make up exams). In other words if you miss an
exam the highest grade that you can receive for the class will be a
90%. If you miss two exams the highest grade that you can receive
for the class will be a 60%. Sometimes things come up in life
that we cannot control. The first exam can serve as a sort of
insurance policy to cover for such events, so don't throw it away.
Second, there seems to be a high learning curve on my
exams. It has been my experience that people tend to do poorly on
the first exam even if they ultimately earn an ‘A’ in the class.
The first exam should be regarded as a lesson in learning how to take
my exams.
Classroom participation is important. It is worth 100 points or
an
entire letter grade. There is no formal attendance grade,
however, it will be difficult to participate in classroom discussions
if you are not in attendance. The best way to earn a high
participation grade is to ask questions, answer questions, and
contribute insights when appropriate.
POINTS TOWARDS
REQUIREMENT
FINAL GRADE
| EXAM 1 |
100
|
EXAM 2
|
300
|
FINAL EXAM
|
500
|
| PARTICIPATION
_ |
_100 |
TOTAL
|
1000
|
LETTER GRADE ASSIGNMENT
Final letter grades will be assigned after determining total points
earned, as follows:
Final Grade Scale
Letter
Grade
900 –
1000
A
800 –
899
B
700 –
799
C
600 –
699
D
0 –
599
F
HOW TO BEST COMPLETE THIS COURSE
1. Attend all class sessions; if you miss a class get copies of the
handouts/notes from a classmate.
2. Do not miss tests. It may be tempting to miss the first exam,
but don’t.
3. Read the assigned material prior to each class session.
4. Study the materials; prepare for and take each exam as scheduled.
5. Complete and turn in all assignments as assigned and on time.
NO LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR ANY REASON AFTER CLASS BEGINS
ON THE DUE DATE.
6. Contact the instructor if, at any time, you feel your performance is
not up to your standards.
FUNDAMENTAL ACADEMIC FORCES (STRONGEST TO WEAKEST)
1. Writing Ability
2. Reading Ability
3. Critical Thinking and Analytical Sills
4. Memorization
If you can master these four forces, then you can succeed in
academia.
To the extent possible this class will attempt to assist in developing
all four skills further. However, it should be obvious that
English classes are generally where the above skills (especailly the
first two) are formally
taught. It is assumed that you have had English classes and
that
you will apply that skill set to all writing
assignements.
EXAMS
The text may be conducted as an in class test or with an in class
multiple-choice test with a take-home essay. If an essay is
assigned as
take-home, that portion of the exam must be turned
into http://www.turnitin.com (instructions will be provided at that
time). All turned in material must be
double spaced and in a traditional font and size (e.g. Times New Roman,
11).
COURSE SCHEDULE
| DATE |
TOPIC |
EXAM |
TEXT |
In the Beginning
|
| 8-28 |
Introduction |
|
|
8-30, 9-4
|
The Origin & Nature of
Government |
|
Chapter 1 |
|
Who
controls the past controls the future;
who
controls the present controls the past.
George Orwell, 1984 (1949)
|
The Birth of a
Republic
|
| 9-6 |
The British
Government |
|
Chapter 2 |
| 9-11 |
Origins of the Revolution |
|
The Declaration of Independence |
9-13
|
The Articles of Confederation
|
|
Federalist Paper #10 |
| 9-18, 9-20 |
The Constitution
|
|
The Constitution |
9-25
|
|
FIRST
EXAM |
|
|
If
these observations be just, our government ought to secure the
permanent interests of the country against innovation. Landholders
ought to have a share in the government, to support these invaluable
interests, and to balance and check the other. They ought to be so
constituted as to protect the minority of the opulent against the
majority.
James Madison
|
The Façade
|
9-27, 10-2
|
Ideology & Parties
|
|
Chapters 5 and 9 |
10-4, 10-9
|
Iraq
|
|
http://govinfo.ucsd.edu/iraq/
|
10-11
|
Elbridge Gerry & the
Salamander |
|
Chapter 10 |
| 10-16, 10-18 |
Voting |
|
Chapter 10 |
10-25, 10-30
|
The Role of the Media
|
|
Chapter 6 |
| 11-1 |
|
SECOND
EXAM |
|
|
Successful
politicians are insecure and intimidated men. They advance politically
only as they placate, appease, bribe, seduce, bamboozle or otherwise
manage to manipulate the demanding and threatening elements in their
constituencies.
Walter Lippmann
|
| The Machine |
11-6
|
Congress & Parliament |
|
Chapter 11 |
11-8, 11-13
|
A History of the Presidency |
|
Chapter 12 |
11-15, 11-20
|
The Presidency & Power |
|
Chapter 12 |
11-22
|
THANKSGIVING
|
|
NO
CLASS
|
| 11-27 |
The Federal Bureaucracy |
|
Chapter 13
|
11-29
|
The Supreme
and the Federal Courts |
|
Chapter 14 |
|
What
the mass media offers is not popular art, but entertainment which is
intended to be consumed like food, forgotten, and replaced by a new
dish.
W. H. Auden
|
Foreign Policy
|
| 12-4, 12-6, 12-11 |
Foreign Policy
|
|
Chapter 18 |
12-13
|
|
FINAL
EXAM
|
|
There
is nothing so good for the human soul as the discovery that there
are ancient and flourishing civilized societies which have somehow
managed to exist for many centuries and are still in being though they
have had no help from the traveler in solving their problems.
Walter Lippmann
Elbridge Gerry (1744-1814)
The instructor reserves the right to modify any portion of the syllabus
at any time. The Course Schedule is meant as a guide; treat the
rest as law.