The American Presidency
POLS 308- Section 01
Spring 2010
Room: DU 459
Time: MWF 11-11:50am
Instructor: Neil Wright
Office Hours (Dusable
476):
Mondays:
11:55am-1:25pm
Wednesdays:
11:55am-1:25pm
Contact:
Email: nwright3@niu.edu
Phone:
815.753.1818
Course
Overview:
The
objective of this course is to introduce students to the theoretical
justifications for the American Presidency, its historical development, the
role it has played and currently plays in the American political system, and
the various contemporary debates concerning the presidency. We will examine the
formal and informal powers of the office, the factors influencing presidential
leadership and success, the influence of the presidency on American politics
and American political culture, and how these have changed over time. The
instructor will encourage students to think critically about these issues and
challenge students to consider the appropriate role for and powers of the
President.
Prerequisite:
At least sophomore standing or consent of department. Recommended: POLS 100 or
150.
Required
Texts:
Kernell,
Samuel. Going Public: New Strategies of
Presidential Leadership. 4th Edition.
Washington, DC: CQ Press, 2007. ISBN:9781568028996
Milkis,
Sidney and Michael Nelson. The American
Presidency: Origins and Development, 1776-2007. 5th Edition.
Washington, DC: CQ Press, 2008. ISBN: 9780872893368
Neustadt,
Richard E. Presidential Power and the
Modern Presidents: The Politics of Leadership from Roosevelt to Reagan. New
York, NY: The Free Press, 1990. IBSN:9780029227961
Pika,
Joseph A. and John Anthony Maltese. The
Politics of the Presidency. 7th Edition.
Washington, DC: CQ Press, 2008. ISBN:9780872894686
Note:
There are several other readings and supplemental materials that will be
distributed or presented by the instructor in class. If you fail to attend
these classes, it is your responsibility to see to it that you receive them.
Preparation, Attendance,
and Participation: Each
student must complete and give serious thought to each session's readings. Each must come to class prepared to discuss
these readings and to ask for any needed clarification.
Attendance
will be taken at the start of each class. Students not in the room when
attendance is taken will be considered absent. Students who leave class early
without prior permission will also be considered absent. Attendance accounts for half of your
participation grade. Students are
responsible for any material missed due to absence.
Participation
is also an important factor in your evaluation.
Obviously, one cannot participate in class if they are not present
in that class, so again, come to class. All students will be expected to
participate in class discussions. The instructor will see to it that he fosters
a classroom environment conducive to open, civil, and productive
discussion.
Classroom Decorum: This
is a 50 min class, so come on time. Late arrivals are disruptive not only to your peers but to your
instructor as well. Cell phones and other communication devices should be
turned off (except in special circumstances cleared with the instructor). Be
respectful both in your behavior and comments. We will discuss issues many feel
passionate about, and though lively debate is encouraged, disrespectful
comments will not be tolerated.
Grading:
Blog
Entries and Responses:
Throughout the course, each student will
submit a total of 2 three-page original blog entries and 4 one-page blog
responses in their group's “Discussion Board” forum on BlackBoard. The
purpose of the blogs is to refine your writing and critical thinking skills,
establish a dialogue with your fellow students about key topics from the class,
and to provide a forum for applying ideas from class to analyses of current
events. Your
blog entries and responses are essentially short papers, which I expect to be
of the quality you would submit as such. This means they are structured and
written like a formal essay, use standard formatting, and cite sources
properly.
All
students will be assigned a blog group and a member number within that
group. Your member number corresponds to the order in which your
entries are due.
Member 1 from each blog group will post a blog entry first on the first
entry due date. The other group members
will then each respond to this entry on the first response due date. Member 2 will post the next blog entry
likewise, and so on. Due dates for entries and responses are listed in the
course schedule. If your group ends up having less than
three members, you will need to write a response to the group whose number is
directly below yours (so, if you were in Group 8, you'd write your extra
response to Group 7. If Group 1 loses a
member, the remaining will write their extra response to Group 8). If your group member has not posted his or
her blog by the time you go to write your response, go ahead and write a blog
response to the blog group directly below yours in number.
Your first entry will make an argument about some controversial
topic related to the presidency discussed in class (the topic is up to you, but
you must run your topic by me first). Your second entry will provide an
analysis of a recent newspaper opinion article (you must provide a link to your
article in your entry), relating it back to ideas discussed in the course.
Responses must engage in dialogue with the original entry, making a case for
your disagreement, agreement, and/or points of contention with the original
entry. In all entries and responses be sure to utilize concepts and information
from the course effectively, as this factor is an important part of how they
will be evaluated.
The instructor will make himself available for any help you might
need with this and other assignments.
Research
Paper:
Each
student will submit a 10 page research paper on some aspect of the modern
presidency. Topics must be relevant to the course and approved by the
instructor. Topics must be approve by March 19th. Students should
utilize standard formatting and cite their sources properly. Excellent papers
will include the concise and coherent development of a strong thesis backed by
compelling evidence. Although you are encouraged to make use
of materials covered in class, this paper must also include at least 3
scholarly sources outside the course material.
PAPERS MUST BE SUBMITTED
VIA BLACKBOARD. ALL PAPERS WILL BE RUN THROUGH SAFEASSIGN.
Late
Paper Policy:
Both
the blogs and the research paper will be docked a full letter grade for each
day (not each class period, but each calendar day) that they are late. The instructor will only make exceptions in extreme
circumstances, at his discretion. It is very important not only for your own
grade, but also for the convenience of both the instructor and your fellow
group members that you submit your written work on time.
Quizzes:
6 quizzes will be given over the span of this course. Only the highest 5 quiz
grades will count toward final grades. Quizzes will cover the required text
materials, material presented in class/discussions, and all other supplementary
material, including hand-outs and videos. They will be administered on dates to
be determined by the instructor. There will be NO MAKE-UPS granted for quizzes.
Exams:
There will be a mid-term and final exam. Both exams will consist of a mix of
multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions. Students will need to
bring their own bluebooks. The final exam will not be cumulative.
Points Breakdown:
Blackboard
Blog: 100pts (30 pts per blog entry, 10pts per blog response)
Class
Participation and Attendance: 50pts
Quizzes:
50pts (6 quizzes, lowest dropped)
Research
Paper: 100pts
Mid-Term
Exam: 100pts
Final
Exam: 100pts
Grading Scale:
|
A |
450-500pts |
|
B |
400-449pts |
|
C |
350-399pts |
|
D |
300-349pts |
|
F |
0-299pts |
Incompletes
Incompletes
will only be given in rare circumstances, such as illness, death in the immediate
family, or other unusual and unforeseeable circumstances. Incompletes are given
at the discretion of the instructor and only when it is possible that the
completion of the remaining work could result in a passing grade. An incomplete
must be resolved within the appropriate time limit or it will automatically be
changed to an F. The student is responsible for seeing that incompletes are
made up before the expiration date.
Academic Dishonesty
Regarding plagiarism, the NIU
Undergraduate Catalog states: "Students are guilty of plagiarism,
intentional or not, if they copy material from books, magazines, or other
sources without identifying and acknowledging them. Students guilty of, or
assisting others in, either cheating or plagiarism on an assignment, quiz, or
examination may receive a grade of F for the course involved and may be
suspended or dismissed from the university." The above statement
encompasses a paper written in whole or in part by another; a paper copied
word-for-word or with only minor changes from another source; a paper copied in
part from one or more sources without proper identification and acknowledgment
of the sources; a paper that is merely a paraphrase of one or more sources,
using ideas and/or logic without credit even though the actual words may be
changed; and a paper that quotes, summarizes or paraphrases, or cuts and pastes
words, phrases, or images from an Internet source without identification and
the address of the web site. Still unsure what constitutes plagiarism? Take a
lot at this website: http://polisci.niu.edu/polisci/audience/plagiarism.shtml
Students with Disabilities
Under Section
504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, NIU is committed to making reasonable
accommodations for persons with documented disabilities. Those students with
disabilities that may have an impact on their course work must register with
the Center for Access-Ability Resources (CAAR) on the fourth floor of the
Health Services Building (753-1303). CAAR will assist students in making
appropriate instructional and/or examination accommodations with course
instructors. It is important that CAAR and instructors be informed of any
disability-related needs during the first two weeks of the semester.
Department of Political Science Web
Site
Undergraduates
are strongly encouraged to consult the Department of Political Science web site
on a regular basis. This up-to-date, central source of information will assist
students in contacting faculty and staff, reviewing course requirements and
syllabi, exploring graduate study, research career options, tracking department
events, and accessing important details related to undergraduate programs and
activities. To reach the site, go to http://polisci.niu.edu
Undergraduate Writing Awards
The
Department of Political Science will recognize, on an annual basis, outstanding
undergraduate papers written in conjunction with 300-400 level political
science courses or directed studies. Authors do not have to be political
science majors or have a particular class standing. Winners are expected to
attend the Department’s spring graduation ceremony, where they will receive a
certificate and $50.00. Papers, which can be submitted by students or faculty,
must be supplied in triplicate to a department secretary by the end of March.
All copies should have two cover pages – one with the student’s name and one
without the student’s name. Only papers written in the previous calendar year can be considered for the award.
However, papers completed in the current spring semester are eligible for the
following year’s competition even if the student has graduated.
Political Science Website
Students are encouraged to consult the
Department of Political Science website on a regular basis. This central source
of information will assist students in contacting faculty and staff, reviewing
course requirements and syllabi, exploring graduate study, and researching
career options. Undergraduates may find this website especially useful in
tracking down department events and for accessing important details related to
undergraduate programs and activities. To reach this site, go to
http://polisci.niu.edu/.
Tentative
Schedule:
BB= Reading available in the “Course
Documents” section on BlackBoard
MN= Sidney M. Milkis and Michael Nelson
PM= Joseph A. Pika and John Anthony
Maltese
K= Samuel Kernell
N= Richard Neustadt
Note:
The instructor reserves the right to adjust the schedule and readings as he
deems appropriate.
|
Week 1 01/11/10 |
Introductions and
Course overview |
|
01/13/10 |
Part I: The Origins and Establishment
of the Presidency Lecture 1: Is an Executive Necessary? Readings: MN: Ch. 1 p. 1-22, BB: Mikhail Bakunin “Power Corrupts the Best” BB: Selected Writings of Abraham Lincoln “Reverence for
the Law” p 42-47 |
|
01/15/10 |
Lecture
2: Is an Executive Necessary (cont.)?/ If
an Executive is needed, what should it look like? Readings: MN: Ch. 2 p. 26-63 BB: Anti-Federalist Papers “Cato V” |
|
Week 2 01/18/10 |
No Class: Martin Luther King Jr. Day |
|
01/20/10 |
Lecture
3: Should there be Bounds to Executive
Power? Readings: BB: John Locke p 226-231 (paragraphs 159-168) BB: Federalist #23 |
|
01/22/10 |
Lecture
4: The Presidency in the Constitutional
System Readings: PM: Selections from the US Constitution BB: Federalist #51 BB: Federalist #71 |
|
Week 3 01/25/10 |
Lecture
5: The President's Constitutional Power
(cont.) BB: Pacificus-Helvidius Debate (Abridged) or p. 19-25,
52-65 In Class: Quiz 1 |
|
01/27/10 |
Lecture
6: The Vice President Readings: MN: Ch. 2 p. 63-64, Ch. 16 p. 451-461 PM: 267-269 Assignment: Blog Entry 1 Due |
|
01/29/10 |
Lecture 7: Studying the Presidency Readings: PM:
Ch. 1 p. 1-33 |
|
Week 4 02/01/10 |
Part II:Development of the Presidency
in the 18th and 19th Centuries Lecture 8: Washington's
Legacy and the Presidency of John Adams Readings: MN: Ch. 3 p. 68-93 Assignment: Blog Response 1 Due |
|
02/03/10 |
Lecture 9: Jeffersonianism and the
Presidency Readings: MN: Ch 4 p. 97-115 |
|
02/05/10 |
Lecture
10: Jacksonian Democracy: The President
as Demagogue? Readings: MN: Ch. 5 p. 121-147 |
|
Week
5 02/08/10 |
Lecture
11: Lincoln and the Expansion of
Presidential Power Readings: MN: Ch. 6 p. 151-170 Assignment: Blog Entry 2 Due |
|
02/10/10 |
Lecture
12: Reaction to Expansion Readings: MN:
Ch. 7 p. 173-203 |
|
02/12/10 |
Lecture
13: TR and the Revival of Presidential Power Readings: MN: Ch. 8 p . 208-232 In Class: Quiz 2 |
|
Week
6 02/15/10 |
Lecture
14: Woodrow Wilson Readings: MN: Ch. 9 251-255, Ch. 10 p. 258-277 BB: Woodrow Wilson Constitutional
Government in the United States (selection) BB: Espionage Act of 1917 and Sedition Act of 1918 Assignment: Blog
Response 2 Due |
|
02/17/10 |
Part III: The Modern Presidency Lecture 15: The
Evolution of Presidential Selection Readings: PM: Ch. 2 p. 36-42 MN: Ch. 12 p. 341-342 |
|
02/19/10 |
Lecture
16: Presidential Nomination and Campaigning Readings: PM: Ch. 2 p. 49-59, Ch. 3 p. 136-137 BB: Browse OpenSecrets.org's data on
President Obama's Campaign Financing |
|
Week
7 02/22/10 |
Lecture
17: General Election, the Electoral College, the Permanent Campaign Readings: PM: Ch. 2 p. 59-83 In Class Video: 2000 PBS Debate on Electoral College Assignment: Blog
Entry 3 Due |
|
02/24/10 |
Lecture
19: Laissez Faire and Capitalism's Crisis Readings: MN: Ch. 10 p. 258-277 |
|
02/26/10 |
Lecture
20: FDR and the Modern Presidency Readings: MN: Ch. 11 p. 280-298 BB: FDR “Commonwealth Club Campaign Speech” In Class: Quiz
3 |
|
Week
8 03/01/10 |
Lecture
21: Sustaining the Modern Presidency Readings: MN: Ch. 11 p. 298-317 Assignment: Blog Response 3 Due |
|
03/03/10 |
In Class Review |
|
03/05/10 |
Mid-Term Exam |
|
Week 9 03/08/10-03/12/10 |
No Class: Spring Break!!! |
|
Week 10 03/15/10 |
Part IV: Institutional Environment of
the Modern Presidency Lecture 22: Executive
Politics Readings: PM: Ch. 6 p. 246-289 |
|
03/17/10 |
Lecture
23: EOP and Bureau of Budget Readings: PM: Ch. 9 p. 388-407 MN: Ch. 11 p. 285-308 |
|
03/19/10 |
Lecture
24: The President's Formal Legislative Role Readings: PM: Ch. 5 p. 200-221 Must have topic approved by this
date. |
|
Week
11 03/22/10 |
Lecture
25: The President's Informal Legislative Role Readings: PM: Ch. 5 p. 221-238 Assignment: Blog
Entry 4 Due |
|
03/24/10 |
Lecture
26: The President and the Judiciary Readings: PM: Ch. 7 p. 298-327 |
|
03/26/10 |
Part V: Presidential Leadership Lecture 27:
Presidential Leadership Readings: N: Preface-p. 49 In Class: Quiz
4 |
|
Week
12 03/29/10 |
Lecture
28: Professional Reputation and Public Prestige Readings: N: 50-90 Assignment: Blog
Response 4 Due |
|
03/31/10 |
Lecture
29: The Personalization of the Presidency and Presidential Character Readings: MN: Ch. 12 p. 323-360 |
|
04/02/10 |
Lecture
30: The President and his Public Readings: PM: Ch. 3 p. 93-119 In Class: Informal discussion of research papers. Research Paper Due |
|
Week
13 04/05/10 |
Lecture
31: The President and the Media Readings: PM: Ch. 3 p. 120-136 |
|
04/07/10 |
Lecture
32: Going Public Readings: K: 1-45 |
|
04/09/10 |
Lecture
33: Going Public (cont.) Readings: K: 48-106 In Class: Quiz
5 |
|
Week
14 04/12/10 |
Lecture
34: Going Public (cont.) Readings: K: 110-144 |
|
04/14/10 |
Lecture
35: Going Public (cont.) Readings: K: 148-177 MN: Ch. 11 p. 311-317 |
|
04/16/10 |
Part VI: Public Policy Lecture 37: President
and Domestic Policy Readings: PM: Ch. 8 p. 333-362 |
|
Week 15 04/19/10 |
Lecture
36: National Security and Foreign Policy Readings: PM: Ch. 10 p. 412-446 In Class: Quiz
6 |
|
04/21/10 |
TBA |
|
04/23/10 |
TBA |
|
Week
16 04/26/10 |
In Class: Discussion
of the expansion of Executive power and how it has been used. |
|
04/28/10 |
In Class: Review |
|
04/30/10 |
No Class: Reading Day |
|
Week
17 05/05/10 |
Final Exam: Wednesday 10-11:50AM DU 459 |