POL 201 American National Government

Follow Link Below To Get Tutorial

https://homeworklance.com/downloads/pol-201-american-national-government/

Description:

( POL 201 Complete Course quizzes Included )

POL 201 Week 1 DQ 1 Separation of Powers Checks and Balances

Separation of Powers/Checks and Balances. For much of 2011 and 2012, public dissatisfaction
with Congress rose to all time highs, with 70-80% expressing disapproval with how Congress
does its job. Many commentators note that Americans are fed up with Washington grid-lock
that makes government apparently unable to address important problems. Other observers
believe that the national government is acting according to its design, based on separation of
powers and checks and balances.
In your initial post of at least 200-250 words, analyze how the U.S. Constitution implements
separation of powers and checks and balances. Briefly explain why the constitutional framers
based the new government on these ideas. Evaluate how separation of powers and checks and
balances are working out in practice, today, justifying your assessment with persuasive reasoning
and examples.

POL 201 Week 1 DQ 2 Amending the U.S. Constitution

Amending the U.S. Constitution. The formal process of amending the Constitution is
cumbersome and slow. While this fact explains why relatively few amendments have been
adopted, it does not discourage advocates of constitutional change from proposing them. Four
amendment proposals that have gained considerable attention are the Balanced Budget
Amendment, the Birthright Citizenship Amendment, the Equal Rights Amendment, and the
Overturn Citizens United Amendment. Select one of these proposals as the topic of your initial

post and use the assigned resources to inform yourself about its purpose and the arguments of its
supporters and critics.

POL 201 Week 2 DQ 1 Policy-making in the Federal System

Policy-making in the Federal System. The U.S. governments expansive role in public policy is
caught in a swirl of conflicting cross-currents. On the one hand, popular expectations about
governments responsibility to solve problems often exceed the capacity of state and local
authorities to respond effectively. On the other hand, policies developed at the national level may
not sufficiently reflect the great diversity of interests across the U.S. to be effective at the local
level. Moreover, the search for effective policy is further complicated by theoretical debates
about the constitutional framework of federalism, e.g., what limits on national power can be
derived from the Tenth Amendment?
A policy area in the middle of these cross-currents is elementary and secondary education a
subject traditionally under local control, with some oversight by the states. However, during the
last four decades especially since 2001 the national governments role in education has
grown significantly as a result of initiatives by Republican and Democratic administrations. Use
the assigned resources to inform yourself about this role and the arguments of its supporters and
critics.

POL 201 Week 2 DQ 2 Meet Your Rep

Meet Your Rep. The Constitution states, The House of Representatives shall be composed of
Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States (Art. I, Sec. 2).
Contrast this with the original constitutional language for the other house of Congress, The
Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the
Legislature thereof for six Years (Art. I, Sec. 3). The phrase chosen by the Legislature was
changed to elected by the people by the 17th Amendment, but not until 1912. In other words,
from the beginning the House of Representatives was intended to be exactly what its name
suggests representative of the people. (Note that in 2010 the Tea Party, and some Republican
politicians, called for repeal of the 17th Amendment, eliminating the popular vote for Senators.
While most Republican politicians have backed away from that view, many Tea Party chapters
continue to demand its repeal.

POL 201 Week 2 Short Essay Policy-making in the Federal System

Short Essay Policy-making in the Federal System. The U.S. governments expansive role in
public policy is caught in a swirl of conflicting cross-currents. On the one hand, popular
expectations about governments responsibility to solve problems often exceed the capacity of
state and local authorities to respond effectively. On the other hand, policies developed at the
national level may not sufficiently reflect the great diversity of interests across the U.S. to be
effective at the local level. Moreover, the search for effective policy is further complicated by
theoretical debates about the constitutional framework of federalism, e.g., what limits on national
power can be derived from the 10th Amendment?

POL 201 Week 3 DQ 1 Presidential Leadership and the Electoral College

Presidential Leadership and the Electoral College. Americans expect their presidents to get
things done, to solve problems, to govern effectively, and to be strong leaders. The framers of the
Constitution did not envision such presidential leadership. A scholar of the presidency points out
that Article II of the Constitution gives the president scant formal power to influence
congressional policy-making (Simon, n.d.). He also notes that the framers intentionally designed
a process for selecting presidents that would minimize their political power the Electoral
College. They hoped this institution would insulate the chief executive from the public because
they feared the power of presidents who might be elected by the people. Therefore, the
Constitution provides that Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof
may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to
which the State may be entitled in the Congress Having state legislatures appoint the
Electors who select the chief executive would minimize the presidents capacity to lead on the
basis of his popular support. In a very real sense, the president would not be accountable to the
people but rather to the state legislatures who appoint Electors. This procedure was also seen as a
way to encourage the selection of statesmen with characters preeminent for ability and virtue
rather than mere politicians with talents for low intrigue, and the little arts of popularity
(Hamilton, 1788).

POL 201 Week 3 DQ 2 Defense Spending and the Military-Industrial Complex

Defense Spending and the Military-Industrial Complex. Levin-Waldman (2012, pp. 186-89)
analyzes how iron triangles link Congress, the bureaucracy, and interest groups in self-serving
relationships that influence policy in ways that are contrary to the public interest. In 1961, at the
end of President Eisenhowers second term, he gave a farewell address to the nation in which he
warned of the dangers of a military-industrial complex. Many commentators today see the

military-industrial complex as an example of an iron triangle that bloats the defense budget and
distorts national priorities. Not everyone would accept this analysis, however, especially defense
hawks in Congress, the military bureaucracies, and defense industries.
In your initial post of at least 200-250 words, briefly explain the iron triangle model of policymaking involving Congress, the bureaucracy, and interest groups. Analyze information about
relationships among Congress, the military bureaucracies, and defense industries. Draw your
own conclusion, and support it with facts and with persuasive reasoning, about the impact of
these relationships on defense spending. Evaluate the accuracy of the iron triangle model as a
basis for understanding the process of making defense spending policy.

POL 201 Week 4 DQ 1 The Supreme Court and Judicial Review

The Supreme Court and Judicial Review. In a recent lecture at Yale University, Supreme
Court Justice Stephen Breyer cautioned that while most citizens assume that judicial review is an
enduring part of American government, judges should not take it for granted. He advises that if
judges wish to preserve this undemocratic power they should follow a judicial philosophy that
will build confidence in the courts (Breyer, 2011). Justice Breyer goes on to describe the kind
of judicial philosophy he has in mind. However, some of his colleagues on the Supreme Court
would reject his ideas about what philosophy should guide judges.
The role of judicial philosophy (or ideology) in Supreme Court decision-making, especially in its
exercise of judicial review to invalidate laws enacted by a democratically elected Congress or
state legislature, has become a highly contentious issue both within the Courts deliberations and
in the larger political environment. As the nation becomes more divided over programs and
policies that inevitably seem to come before the Supreme Court, politicians and ordinary citizens
are caught up in rhetoric about judicial activism or judicial restraint, often with little
understanding of what these terms really mean.
Moreover, as public perceptions of the Supreme Court become more politicized, the legitimacy
of its power becomes clouded.

POL 201 Week 4 DQ 2 Habeas Corpus and the War on Terror

Habeas Corpus and the War on Terror. Soon after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001,
the Bush administration developed a plan for holding and interrogating prisoners captured during
the conflict. They were sent to a prison inside a U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay on land
leased from the government of Cuba. Since 2002, over 700 men have been detained at

GITMO. Most have been released without charges or turned over to other governments. In
2011, Congress specifically prohibited the expenditure of funds to transfer GITMO prisoners to
detention facilities in the continental United States, making it virtually impossible to try them in
civilian courts. As of April 2012, 169 remained in detention at GITMO (Sutton, 2012).
An assumption made by the Bush administration in selecting this location was that it was beyond
the jurisdiction of U.S. courts. The administration wanted to avoid any judicial oversight of how
it handled detainees, characterized as enemy combatants. A possible legal challenge to
indefinite detention with no formal charges or judicial proceedings might arise from the habeas
corpus provision of the Constitution.

POL 201 Week 5 DQ 1 Party Platforms and Winning Elections

Party Platforms and Winning Elections. Political parties mobilize voters to win elections and
implement policy goals. Parties use their stated policy goals (i.e., their platforms) as a way to
mobilize voter support. Generally, in order to be successful in a two-party system, parties must
have policy goals across a broad range of issue areas to appeal to a broad range of voters.
For this discussion, you will identify one issue area that you want investigate. Use the resources
required for this discussion to gather information about the goals and proposals, in that issue
area, of three political parties the Democratic and Republican parties and a third party.

POL 201 Week 5 DQ 2 Voting and Turnout

Voting and Turnout. The U.S. has one of the lowest voter turnout rates among modern
democratic political systems. One study ranks the U.S. 120th on a list of 169 nations compared
on voter turnout (Pintor, Gratschew, & Sullivan, 2002). While during the last decade many
initiatives have been undertaken to increase voter participation, concerns about the possibility of
election fraud have also increased. Additionally, some political interests feel threatened by the
increase in turnout among some traditionally low-turnout ethnic minorities.
Several states have recently passed legislation imposing new registration and identification
requirements. This has sparked debate about whether these are tactics intended to suppress
turnout or to prevent fraud.
Soon after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, the Bush administration developed a plan
for holding and interrogating captured prisoners. They were sent to a prison inside a U.S. naval
base at Guantanamo Bay, on land leased from the government of Cuba. Since 2002, over 700

men have been detained at GITMO. Most have been released without charges or turned over to
other governments. In 2011, Congress specifically prohibited the expenditure of funds to transfer
GITMO prisoners to detention facilities in the continental United States, making it virtually
impossible to try them in civilian courts. As of April 2012, 169 remained in detention at GITMO
(Sutton, 2012).
An assumption made by the Bush administration in selecting this location was that it was beyond
the jurisdiction of U.S. courts. The administration wanted to avoid any judicial oversight of how
it handled detainees, characterized as enemy combatants. A possible legal challenge to
indefinite detention with no formal charges or judicial proceedings might arise from the habeas
corpus provision of the Constitution.

POL 201 Week 5 Final Paper Civil Liberties, Habeas Corpus, and the War on Terror
The final assignment for this course is a Final Paper. The purpose of the Final Paper is to give
you an opportunity to apply much of what you have learned about American national
government to an examination of civil liberties in the context of the war on terror. The Final
Paper represents 20% of the overall course grade.
Soon after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, the Bush administration developed a plan
for holding and interrogating captured prisoners. They were sent to a prison inside a U.S. naval
base at Guantanamo Bay, on land leased from the government of Cuba. Since 2002, over 700
men have been detained at GITMO. Most have been released without charges or turned over to
other governments. In 2011, Congress specifically prohibited the expenditure of funds to transfer
GITMO prisoners to detention facilities in the continental United States, making it virtually
impossible to try them in civilian courts. As of April 2012, 169 remained in detention at GITMO
(Sutton, 2012).
An assumption made by the Bush administration in selecting this location was that it was beyond
the jurisdiction of U.S. courts. The administration wanted to avoid any judicial oversight of how
it handled detainees, characterized as enemy combatants. A possible legal challenge to
indefinite detention with no formal charges or judicial proceedings might arise from the habeas
corpus provision of the Constitution.
Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution states, The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall
not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require
it. Under this provision, persons detained by the government are entitled to a judicial hearing to
determine if there is any legal basis for their detention. Some legal commentators refer to the
right of habeas corpus as the great writ of liberty because it is a prisoners ultimate recourse to
an impartial judge who can review the possibility that he is being held illegally by the executive
(e.g., the police or the military). In nations that do not honor habeas corpus, people simply
disappear into prisons without ever having their day in court.

Several controversial Supreme Court cases have come out of GITMO. One fundamental question
that has been debated, but not clearly resolved, is to what extent the war on terror justifies the
Presidents indefinite detention of enemy combatants without the possibility of the minimal
judicial review protected by habeas corpus? Another issue in the debate is to what extent
Congress must clearly authorize the President to conduct extra-judicial detentions in order for
them to be legal? In 2008, the Supreme Courts decision in Boumediene v. Bush offered some
answers to these questions. However, the deeply divided 5-4 Court and the likelihood of the
protracted nature of the war on terror suggest that debate around these important questions will
continue. Writing the Final Paper in this course will prepare you to participate intelligently as a
citizen in this ongoing debate. Write an essay about the right of habeas corpus in the context of
the war on terror. Your essay should address the following subtopics:
1. The general meaning of the right of habeas corpus in the U.S. Constitution and its relationship
to the protection of other civil liberties.
2. The historical evolution of habeas corpus, including its English and American traditions.
3. Examples from U.S. history of the suspension of habeas corpus and their applicability to the
present.
4. The relevance of habeas corpus to the contemporary U.S. situation during the war on terror,
especially with respect to persons characterized by the President as enemy combatants or
illegal combatants.
5. The U.S. Supreme Courts interpretation of the right of habeas corpus with respect to enemy
combatants or illegal combatants (i.e., the views of the five justices making up the majority in
Boumediene v. Bush as well as the views of the four dissenting justices).
6. Your evaluation of various perspectives on this topic expressed by justices of the Supreme
Court, leaders in other branches of government, and commentators in both the academic and
popular media. Your assessment should consider several perspectives on this topic, including :
a. The role of the President as commander-in-chief.
b. The role of Congress in determining when habeas corpus can be suspended.
c. The role of the Supreme Court in protecting civil liberties, including the judicial philosophy
which should guide the Court in this role, and
d. Your personal philosophy, values or ideology about the balance between civil liberties and
national security in the context of an unending war on terror.

Follow these requirements when writing the Final Paper:

1. The body of the paper (excluding the title page and reference page) must be at least 1,500
words long.
2. The paper must start with a short introductory paragraph which includes a clear thesis
statement. The thesis statement must tell readers what the essay will demonstrate.
3. The paper must end with a short paragraph that states a conclusion. The conclusion and thesis
must be consistent.
4. The paper must logically develop the thesis in a way that leads to the conclusion, and that
development must be supported by facts, fully explained concepts and assertions, and persuasive
reasoning.
5. The paper must address all subtopics outlined above. At least 20% of the essay must focus on
subtopic 6, above (your evaluation of arguments about the topic).