MWF 10–10:50
Professor Mikel Wyckoff
Hours: MW 12-1:30 & By Appointment
753-7056 mwyckoff@niu.edu
I. INTRODUCTION
This course provides a college level introduction to the American political system and serves as a prerequisite for many upper level courses in American Government. Three general topics will be covered during the semester: (1) politics and the democratic process in the United States; (2) basic principles of the Constitution and Bill of Rights; and (3) the national policy making institutions of the United States. In addition to the standard textbook topics, we will also keep an eye on this President as he seeks to maintain support for the War in Iraq following the losses suffered by his party in the 2006 midterm congressional elections.
Teaching Assistants:
Section 3 (DU 452) – Mr.
Scott LaDeur sladeur@niu.edu
Section 4 (DU 206) – Mr.
Neil Wright nwright3@niu.edu
Section 5 (DU 446) – Ms. Bethanee Boeh bboeh@niu.edu
II. REQUIRED READINGS
The following textbook is required and should be available at either of the campus bookstores:
· Janda, Berry and Goldman, The Challenge of Democracy(8th edition, 2005).
Additional required reading assignments are to be located at various Internet web sites. Consult the outline below for specific assignments. Occasionally this may involve using a computer at an NIU computing lab to gain access to sites for which NIU has paid subscription fees (for example, www.jstor.org ).
Cell Phones. With rare exceptions, cell phones should be turned off upon entering the auditorium. Conspicuous violators will be asked to leave. If you have a special need to keep your phone turned on during class, please discuss your situation with me.
General Advice. Your best strategy for doing well in the course is to keep up with the assigned readings, attend class regularly, take good notes, focus on issues presented in the lecture, and then study(!) for the exams. If you find you’re having trouble please seek help early in the semester. We will be glad to provide assistance.
Exams. Three hourly exams will be given. All will be multiple choice in format and each will contribute 22.5% to your final grade. Even though it is not a comprehensive final, Exam III will be administered during finals week. Barring extraordinary circumstances everyone must take Exam III at that time.
Written Assignments. About every other week you will prepare a brief essay (1-2 pages of text, typed and double-spaced) reacting to one of the lecture topics for that week. The course outline (see below) will tell you exactly when papers are due. Papers not submitted in person during your Friday morning discussion session will normally receive a grade reduction of at least one letter. Exceptions will be made for persons experiencing extraordinary circumstances as defined below under “makeup exams.” Please submit your papers directly to your discussion leader, not to me. My TAs and I regard these papers as a serious part of the course, so spelling, grammar, and sentence structure will be taken into account when assigning grades. Together, your short essays will contribute an additional 22.5% to your final grade.
Participation in Discussion Sections. Attendance at your Friday morning discussion section is strongly recommended because: (1) participation in those meetings will contribute 10% to your final course grade; (2) your discussion leaders are the ones who will be grading your written assignments (worth 22.5% of your course grade) and who will be there for help when you need it; (3) this is a great chance to discuss issues of government and politics in a small group setting. Those who take the course seriously will want to attend.
Makeup exams and grades of incomplete will be provided cheerfully when needed, but only for reasons of significant illness, personal tragedy, or other similarly extraordinary circumstances. Furthermore, evidence of the extraordinary circumstance must be documented by the student. Should makeup exams be necessary, I reserve the right to switch to an essay format.
Extra Credit. Sorry, none is available. No exceptions. If you find you’re having trouble, seek help early in the semester. We will be glad to provide assistance if you request it in a timely fashion.
Students with Disabilities. NIU abides by
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which mandates reasonable accommodations for
qualified students with disabilities.
If you have a disability and may require some type of instructional
and/or examination accommodation, please contact me early in the semester so that
I can help you obtain needed assistance. If you have not already done so, you
will need to register with the Center for Access-Ability Resources (CAAR), the
designated office on campus to provide services for students with disabilities. The CAAR office is located on the 4th floor
of the University Health Services building (753-1303). I look forward to
working with you to enhance your academic success in this course.
COURSE
OUTLINE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS
I will do my best to adhere to the following schedule, but I reserve the right to delay a particular exam or modify a reading assignment if I find it necessary or useful to do so.
PART
I: POLITICS AND THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS
IN THE U.S.
A. Organizational Issues and Basics of Government and Politics (Week of January 17 & Monday, January 22)
Read:
· JBG, Ch. 1, pp. 1-24 and bar graphs on pages. 411, 418, & 595.
· John Locke, Chapter 9 from The Second Treatise of Civil Government (1690); locate at:
http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/l/locke/john/l81s/chapter9.html
·
W. Saletan, "What Reagan Got Wrong," at www.slate.com/id/2101835
B. Public Opinion and Ideology in America (January 24, 26 and 29)
Read:
· JBG, Ch. 19, pp. 611-620 (the Great Depression and its legacy).
· JBG, Ch. 1, pp. 24-27; Ch. 5, pp. 143-160; Ch. 6, pp.183-191.
· S. Chapman, "Minimum Wage High Jinks," and "Is Gay Marriage a Threat to Marriage" locate both at
www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists
Write:
· First, run IDEALOG at www.uspolitics.org (do the readings and the survey you find there).
· Then write a 1-2 page essay briefly summarizing the value preferences and policy views of each ideological type (liberal, conservative, libertarian or communitarian). Finally, cite examples of politicians, political parties, or political commentators that provide illustrations of each type. Due January 26.
C. Thinking about Democracy (Wednesday, January 31)
Read:
· JBG, Ch. 2 and p. 265.
· Federalist 10, in JBG, pp.A15-A18. In Federalist 10,founding father James Madison is worried about self-interested groups (factions) and how to design a democratic system to protect the nation from them. Where do factions come from? Can they be eliminated? In dealing with factions does he favor: (1) direct or indirect democracy? (2) majority rule or pluralistic democracy? (3) a large nation or a small nation?
D. Political Parties (Week of February 5)
Read:
· JBG, Ch. 8.
· V.O. Key, “A Theory of Critical Elections,” Journal of Politics (1955), pp. 3-11. (Find at www.jstor.org using an NIU
Internet connection).
Write:
· In this article, Key argues that some Presidential elections are much more important than others. What are the essential characteristics of a critical election? In his examination of Massachusetts, why did Key choose the particular communities that appear in his analysis (Figure A)? What do the trends for those two communities reveal about the voter realignment that occurred in this era? Explain in a 1-2 page paper due Friday, February 9.
E. Interest Group Politics (Week of February 12)
Read:
· JBG, Ch. 10.
· Review Ch. 2, pp. 42-45 (pluralistic democracy).
EXAM I: Friday, February 16 (administered in your regular
Friday morning discussion section)
(Note:
review questions for exams 1-3 can be found at the end of this online
syllabus.)
A. Constitutional Origins (Week of February 19)
Read:
· JBG, Ch. 3, pp. 56-72, 79-86.
· The Declaration of Independence, in JBG, pp. A1-A2.
·
Skim the Articles of Confederation, pp. A2-A5.
· John Roche, “The Founding Fathers: A Reform Caucus in Action,” American Political Science Review (1961), Intro and
Parts 2-4, pp. 799-800 and 803-811 (www.jstor.org) (Save pp. 810-811. You will need them for Part III.B below.)
B. Principles of the Constitution I (Week of February 26)
Read:
· JBG, Ch. 3, pp. 73-78, 86-end; Federalist 51,in JBG, pp. A18-A19.
· You may also want to review Federalist 10.
Write:
· Still concerned about the dangers of factions, in Federalist51 Madison hopes to use the very structure and organization of government to create a system of checks and balances. How will his scheme of checks and balances work? One requirement is that every branch should have a “will” of its own. How does the Constitution encourage that? Are some branches naturally stronger or weaker than others, and if so how does Madison adjust for this? Comment and explain in a 1-2 page paper due March 2.
C. Principles of the Constitution II: Federalism (Monday, March 5)
Read:
· JBG, Ch. 4, pp. 98-112, 121-end.
· U.S. v. Lopez,1995 (locate at www.findlaw.com). Read the first 3-4 pages of Justice Rehnquist's opinion for the Court and the first 3-4 pages of Justice Breyer's dissent (scroll down some 30 pages to find it). Compare and contrast these opposing interpretations of Congress' authority stemming from the commerce clause.
D. Civil Liberties and the Bill of Rights (March 7, March 9 and week of March 19)
Read:
· JBG, Ch. 15, pp. 472-497 and Amendment 1-3 & 14, p.A11-A12.
· Engel v. Vitale (locate at www.findlaw.com)
· C. Krauthammer, “Phony Theory, False Conflict,” locate at
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/17/AR2005111701304.html
Write:
· Read Justice Black’s opinion of the Court in Engel v. Vitale and Justice Stewart’s dissenting opinion. Compare and contrast these two conflicting interpretations of the establishment clause. Which is most convincing to you? Why? (1-2 page paper due Friday, March 23)
Read:
· JBG, Ch. 15, pp. 497-end and Amendments 4-10, p. A11.
E. Civil Rights (Week of March 26)
Read:
· JBG, Ch. 7, pp. 214-217 and Ch. 16.
· Loving v. Virginia (1967). Locate at www.findlaw.com.
· S. Coontz, "The Heterosexual Revolution," (stephaniecoontz.com/articles/article21.htm)
EXAM II: Friday, March 30 (administered in your
regular Friday morning discussion section)
(Note:
review questions for exams 1-3 can be found at the end of this online
syllabus.)
A. The Supreme Court and Judicial Review (Week of April 2)
Read:
· JBG, Ch. 14, pp. 442-end (organization of court system).
· Article III of the Constitution, pp. A9-10.
·
JBG, Ch. 14, remainder (judicial review and judicial
decision making).
·
C. Krauthammer, "From Thomas, Original Views," locate at:
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/09/AR2005060901726.html
B. Presidential and Congressional Elections (Week of April 9)
Read:
· JBG, Ch. 9, pp. 268-293 and Ch. 11, pp. 341-349.
· Federalist Paper #68 (locate at www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/federal/fed.htm).
· John Roche, “The Founding Fathers: A Reform Caucus in Action,” American Political Science Review(1961), Part V, pp. 810-811 (at www.jstor.org ).
Write:
· Writing in Federalist 68,Alexander Hamilton argues that the Electoral College is a sophisticated institution carefully designed by the great thinkers at the Constitutional Convention. Based on his reading of the debates that actually occurred at the Convention, political scientist John Roche has a different analysis of the origins of this peculiar institution. Who is more persuasive? Explain and discuss in a 1-2 page paper due Friday, April 13.
C. The U.S. Congress (Week of April 16 & April 23)
Read:
· JBG, Ch. 11.
· Article I of the Constitution, pp. A6-A8, especially sections 8 & 9.
Write:
·
Go to thomas.loc.gov (not www.thomas).
· Click on “House Committees.” Investigate several of these standing committees.
· Then write a paper explaining which committee you would like to work on if you were a member of the House of Representatives. Among the questions you should consider: (a) What kinds of bills would you be dealing with? (b) How would this committee help you represent the district from which you were elected? (1-2 page paper due April 27)
D. The Presidency & the Executive Branch (April 25 & 27 and Week of April 30)
Read:
· JBG, Ch. 12, pp. 372-379, 384-end and Article II, pp. A8‑A9(presidential powers).
· S. Chapman, “The Return of Divided Government” locate both at:
www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists
· JBG, Ch. 12, pp. 379-384 and Ch. 13, pp. 406-423 (Executive Branch organization).
EXAM
III: Monday, May 7 from 10:00-11:50 in
Cole Auditorium
POLS 100, Professor
Wyckoff
Exam 1 Review
Questions
1. Define: government, politics, public policy. What functions do governments perform for
society?. What alternatives to
government are available to us?
2. Be familiar with
basic terms: (1) totalitarianism, libertarianism, anarchism; (2) socialism, capitalism, laissez-faire.
3. Be familiar with the
values of freedom, order and equality as defined in the textbook and
lecture.
4. In 20th Century
America the most commonly used ideological labels are “liberal” and
“conservative.” Know what these terms
mean in the context of: (1) economic
policy; and
(2) social/moral issues.
Furthermore, know how economic liberalism emerged in the era of the
Great Depression and how this kind of liberalism relates to the policies of the
New Deal. Be familiar with the
historical circumstances that led to a debate over social and moral issues
instead of economics in the 1960s.
5. By
cross-classifying economic liberalism-conservatism with social/moral
liberalism-conservatism Janda generates four different ideological
classifications. Be familiar with them
(liberals, conservatives, libertarians, communitarians) and the value tradeoffs
that underlie them.
6. Define “political
party.” What functions do political
parties perform for democratic political systems, according to the lecture? Be familiar
with “responsible party democracy" as one approach to majority rule
democracy.
7. What is a
"critical" or "realigning" election and how did V.O. Key
demonstrate that critical realignment occurred in the New England region in the
late 1920s? Using the New Deal
realignment as an example, explain how critical elections have helped promote
democracy in America. What kind of
party era do we find ourselves in now and how did it come about?
8. How do interest
groups differ from political parties? How
do interest groups try to influence public policy? What type of democracy do interest groups tend to promote? What are the pitfalls of relying too much
on interest groups to provide democracy?
9. There are many ways to think about democracy and how democratic
political systems work. Discuss and
evaluate democracy in America using the ideas encountered in this course (in
the lecture and in Chapter 2 of Janda, Berry and Goldman).
10. In Federalist 10,
founding father James Madison is worried about self-interested groups
(factions) and how to design a democratic system to protect the nation from
them. Where do factions come from? Can they be gotten rid of? In dealing with
factions does he prefer: (1) direct or indirect democracy? (2) majority rule or
pluralistic democracy? (3) a large nation or a small nation? Explain.
POLS 100, Professor
Wyckoff
1. In the 1760s and
1770s, the British government adopted a variety of policies that greatly
offended the colonists. Why, given their history, did the colonists
react so negatively?
2. What body served
as a national government for the colonists during the Revolutionary War? What two significant founding documents were
adopted by this body (one with the help of Thomas Jefferson)?
3. What kind of
national government operated in the U.S. during most of the 1780s? What factors led to its demise?
4. What kinds of
people attended the Constitutional Convention of 1787? What major issues were debated and what
major agreements were achieved there?
According to Roche, what does all of this tell us about the founders of
the Constitution?
5. Still concerned about the dangers of
factions, in Federalist 51 Madison
hopes to use the very structure and organization of government to create a
system of checks and balances. Discuss
the logic of his separation of powers/checks and balances system. One requirement is that every branch have a
“will” of its own. How does the
Constitution encourage that? Also,
certain branches deserve special attention.
Explain.
6. Over the course
of our history, the relative powers of the national and state governments have
varied with the outcomes of presidential elections, wars, and Supreme Court
decisions (e.g., McCulloch v. Maryland).
Be familiar with major events and turning points discussed in the
lecture on federalism.
7. Be able to identify the basic contents of Articles I - VII (e.g., Article I defines the legislative branch of government).
8. Why isn’t the Bill
of Rights found in the main body of the Constitution? Identify: the
federalists, the anti-federalists, the Federalist Papers.
9. Know the opinion
of the Supreme Court in Barron v. Baltimore (1833). Why is Amendment 14 such an important addition to the original
Bill of Rights? Define: “selective
incorporation of the Bill of Rights.”
10. Know the key provisions of Amendment I (discussed in
class) and how those provisions have been interpreted by the Supreme Court in
Near v. Minnesota (1931), N.Y. Times v. U.S. (1971), Miller v. California
(1973), Schenck v. U.S. (1919), Engel v. Vitale (1962) and Lemon v. Kurtzman
(1971).
11. Know the key provisions of Amendments IV- VIII (discussed in class) and how those provisions have been interpreted by the Court in Mapp v. Ohio (1961), Miranda v. Arizona (1966), and Gideon v. Wainwright (1963).
12. Know how a Constitutional “right to privacy” was defined
by the Supreme Court in Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) and know how that right
has a bearing on the decision of Roe v. Wade (1973).
13. Be familiar with
major events and turning points in the struggle for racial equality (e.g., Dred
Scott v. Sandford, 1857; Civil Rights Cases, 1883; Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896;
Brown v. Board of Education, 1954; the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Voting
Rights Act of 1965) discussed in the lecture on civil rights in America.
14. Be familiar with
major events and turning points in the struggle for women’s equality.
POLS 100, Professor Wyckoff
Study Questions for
Exam III
1. The American
court system: (1) in reality we have
two different court systems; why? (2)
within each system there are courts with different functions; what are those
functions and what names do the courts go by?
(3) how do judges in Illinois differ from federal court judges with
regard to manner of selection and terms of office? (4) what conditions must be met to bring a case before the U.S.
Supreme Court? (5) what happens when a
case is heard by the U.S. Supreme Court?
2. Judicial
Interpretation: (1) what is the power
of judicial review, and what is the source of that power? (2) There are two general schools of thought
with regard to how judges should go about interpreting the Constitution:
“judicial activism” and “judicial restraint.”
Be familiar with the basic tenets of each.
3. According to
Madison, "In a republic the legislative authority necessarily
predominates." What did he mean by
that and what evidence do we have that the founders really believed in this
principle?
4. Be familiar with
legislative reapportionment redistricting.
When do these processes occur and why?
Who is responsible? What is
gerrymandering?
5. What factors
favor incumbents in House and Senate races?
6.
Bicameralism: Know the basic differences
between the House and Senate.
7. Be familiar with
the various stages in the legislative process: (1) introduction and referral; (2) processing in committee; (3)
scheduling (e.g., by the House Rules Committee); (4) floor debate (note House
and Senate differences here); (4) conference committee adjustments; (5)
presentment to the president.
8. Regarding party
leadership and organization: (1) what is a party caucus? (2) who are the
day-to-day party leaders in the House and Senate? (3) who are the
Constitutional presiding officers in each house and why are two of them
relatively unimportant most of the time? (4) why is it advantageous to be a
member of the majority party in Congress?
9. Nominations: (1) what are primary elections and how did
we come to use primaries as the principal method of making nominations in the
U.S.? (2) how do primary elections
differ from state to state?
10. Presidential
nominations involve both primaries and conventions. Explain. What does it
take to win a presidential nomination?
11. Know the basic
rules and procedures involved in the Electoral College. What potentially undesirable outcomes can
occur with this method of presidential selection? Why did the Framers of the Constitution adopt the Electoral
College?
12. What major
Constitutional roles or powers are granted to the President in Article I and
II? What other kinds of informal powers
and resources are required for effective presidential leadership? Why are some presidents more successful
with their legislative proposals than others?
13. What are the
major elements of the White House Executive Office and why are these groups
sometimes more important than the Cabinet?
14. Define the term
“bureaucracy.” Know the major kinds of
bureaucratic organizations found in the federal government (departments,
independent executive agencies, independent regulatory boards, and government
corporations).