POL110 U.S. Government
Week 1 Discussion
Rewrite an Amendment – Please respond to the following:
You have the chance to rewrite one of the constitutional amendments besides the 2nd Amendment. Which amendment would you choose and why? What changes would you make in rewriting this amendment? How would this affect the day-to-day lives of U.S. citizens and residents today? Utilize the attachment of the U.S. Constitution I have provided as guidance.
 
POL110 U.S. Government
Week 2 Discussion
DQ1 Immigration and “Sanctuary Cities”
regarding the topic of federalism, and the issue of immigration, assess the recent Department of Justice lawsuit against the state of California and its limitation on assisting immigration agents in their duty of enforcement (e.g., arrest, detainment, and deportation). Do these “sanctuary cities” in states trump (pardon the pun) the federal government’s ability and power to enforce law. In this power play of federal vs state, in your opinion, who is right?
DQ2  Abortion Abatement?
Review the issue below. With which side do you agree?
In a recent, and relevant, example of a federalism issue, the Supreme Court impeded a California law “requiring anti-abortion pregnancy centers to inform women about publicly funded abortion and contraception services.”
“The 5-4 ruling by Justice Clarence Thomas, with the court’s conservatives in the majority, said the law ‘likely’ violates the First Amendment as a form of compelled speech.
‘Licensed clinics must provide a government-drafted script about the availability of state-sponsored services, as well as contact information for how to obtain them,’ Thomas said. ‘One of those services is abortion — the very practice that petitioners are devoted to opposing.’”
“In a concurring opinion, Justice Anthony Kennedy said the law is ‘a paradigmatic example of the serious threat presented when government seeks to impose its own message in the place of individual speech, thought and expression.’”
“Justice Stephen Breyer read a synopsis of the four liberal justices’ dissent from the bench. ‘If a state can lawfully require a doctor to tell a woman seeking an abortion about adoption services … why should it not be able to require a medical counselor to tell a woman seeking prenatal care about childbirth and abortion services?’ he said.”
Supreme Court rules against California law targeting anti-abortion pregnancy centers. (2018, June 26). Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/06/26/supreme-court-nixes-california-law-regulating-anti-abortion-clinics/645842002/
 
POL110 U.S. Government
Week 3 Discussion
“With-Stand”
considering the recent uproar and divisive nature of symbolic protest by professional athletes’ kneeling for the national anthem, does the U.S. Constitution First Amendment’s freedom of speech provides standing (or the “right”) for such a protest? Support your argument with sound logic and specific examples.
 
POL110 U.S. Government
Week 4 Discussion
The “Permanent Campaign”
consider the description of the “permanent campaign,” a concept widely publicized by journalist Sidney Blumenthal, “as a combination of image making and strategic calculation that turns governing into a perpetual campaign and ‘remakes government into an instrument designed to sustain an elected official’s popularity.'” Given this description of the “permanent campaign,” in your opinion, has politics, particularly U.S. politics, coalesced the twenty-four news cycle into a bastion of partisan mud-slinging, political beauty contest, and public opinionated journalism?
 
POL110 U.S. Government
Week 5 Discussion
Interest Groups and Political Parties
The National Rifle Association (NRA), and its lobbying arm, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA), have filed a lawsuit challenging the state of Florida recently enacted ban on the purchase of firearms by individuals between the ages of 18-21. Citing Chris Cox, executive director of the NRA-ILA, “swift action is needed to prevent young adults in Florida from being treated as second-class citizens when it comes to the right to keep and bear arms…we are confident that the courts will vindicate our view that Florida’s ban is a blatant violation of the Second Amendment” (“NRA Files Suit,” 2018).
Discuss the impact of the NRA, as an Interest Group, and its lobbying arm (ILA) impact on Political Parties and policymaking. Additionally, as we are addressing this week’s topics, Political Parties and Interest Groups, observe the court decision’s effect on the last two topics – Federalism and Civil Liberties.
Prof. O.
NRA Files Suit Challenging Florida Gun Control Law. (2018, March 9) Retrieved from https://www.nraila.org/articles/20180309/nra-files-suit-challenging-florida-gun-control-law
 
 
POL110 U.S. Government
Week 6 Discussion
Not Invited To The Party
American politics has been dominated by the two-party system. Not since Abraham Lincoln, and the then minority-party (Republican Party), has a third party elected a President. Additionally, if you were to research third-party success in presidential elections since the mid-turn of the century, you would find minimal electoral success of a third-party candidate based on an issue. As third-party platforms are often linked to a “single-issue” perspective, what would it take for a third-party candidate to break through with some significant success? Can it be done? If not, is the two-party system indicative of democracy in this manner?
 
POL110 U.S. Government
Week 7 Discussion
Identification of Legislation
research the “Dream Act” legislation that supports the program known as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). In your research identify both chambers of Congress (House and Senate) version of the bill. Your research should include: 1. Chamber nomenclature (e.g., S. f/ Senate and H.R. f/ House of Representatives with the bill number behind it) 2. Sponsor (full name and party-state-district representation) 3. Committee(s) (from which it originated) and 4. Latest Action (with date and action)
 
POL110 U.S. Government
Week 8 Discussion
Executive Orders
research and identify an executive order from the last two presidential administrations. Cite the executive number (e.g., 123xx), the title of the executive order, and did the President attempt to get Congress to pass the order as law. Additionally, does the executive order seemingly circumvent any congressional legislation?
 
POL110 U.S. Government
Week 9 Discussion
DQ1 Research the recent U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Carpenter v. United States (2018). How does this case provide information for much of the material already studied in the class (e.g., privacy vs. security concerns)? What were the facts of the case concerning the civil liberty issue, and how was the case decided concerning the ideological divide?
DQ2 usually the word bureaucracy is considered a pejorative term that connotes waste, fraud, and abuse. Considering the “problems confronting bureaucracies” (see Instructor Insights), which one of the “problems” is most pervasive in your opinion? Why?
POL110 U.S. Government
Week 10 Discussion
Utilizing the attachment below, and that we viewed in class, and considering the recent India-Pakistani Conflict, at which level did the conflict start (i.e., A, B, C, D, E). Additionally, at which level was the conflict escalated with India air strikes and the shooting down of an Indian fighter plane by Pakistan (i.e., A, B, C, D, E). Explain.
 
POL110 U.S. Government
Week 11 Discussion
Self-review of Course – Please respond to the following:
Near the beginning of this Course Guide, you will find 15 course outcomes. Based on these outcomes, address the following:
Select at least one outcome that was well accomplished from your point of view and explain why.
Select at least one outcome that was not well accomplished and that you believe needed further coverage.
Provide at least one enlightening experience you had in this course. For example, what fact or concept was new, surprising, or very interesting and you would not have known if you had not taken the course. Explain why this is valuable to you.