Marriah Star

Lehman College
Department of Political Science
American Political Systems
POL166 G02FY Block 19 Carmen 308

Prof. Marriah Star Fall 2004
Office: Carmen 363 MW 11:00-12:15

Email: marriahstar@yahoo.com

Assigned Text:
1. Thomas E. Patterson, We The People.
2. The Federalist Papers
3. Handouts

This is a critical election year! Indeed, many people are calling this election the most important election of our lives. I want you to understand why this election is different than previous elections. Therefore, this course will help you understand this election by analyzing the different systems that characterize American politics. First, we will examine the most basic kind of system: the social system, as exemplified by rallies and protests. Then we will examine the basic political system in which the social system operates. This will include close study of the Constitution and the Federalist Papers, and how the federal system of government works. We will move on to an examination of political parties, which act as mediators between the social system and the political system. We will then look at civil liberties and the media, because the media has increasing influence on both people and political parties, and civil liberties are usually the tool to exercise that influence. After that, we will conduct an in-depth study of the 2004 election, and the institutions that are affected by it: the Presidency, the Congress, and the Supreme Court. Finally, we will look at how this election affects the rest of the world, in terms of our foreign policy and in terms of combatting terrorism around the world.

Papers
You will be required to write two papers. One is a midterm paper of 5 pages that will give you a chance to explain how American politics works in your own words, based on the material we have covered up to that point. This paper will count as 25% of your grade. The second paper will be a final paper of 10 pages that will serve as your opinion/editorial piece for the class. This paper will count as 50% of your grade.

Class participation
Politics requires participation, which means discussion and debate. You will be required to attend class, because showing up is half of political participation. Your attendance counts for 25% of your grade. You will earn .9 points for every class you attend, starting Sept. 1. For every class you miss, you lose .9 points. I will consider you absent if you come in after 11:15 am. If you come to every class before 11:15, you will get the full 25% automatically.

1. 8/30 (Monday)
Introduction: Social systems - Political Participation and Protest

2. 9/1 (Wednesday)
Systems: economic, political, legal, social, philosophical
Read: Robert Jervis, System Effects, Ch. 1 (Handout)
Barry Schwartz, The Paradox of Choice, Ch. 3 (Handout)
Patterson, We The People, Ch. 1

Economic system: Industrial/market capitalism
Political system: republican form of government, federalism
Legal system: criminal law, civil law, state law, federal law
Social system: Anglo-Saxon heritage, history of slavery, immigrant groups, women
Philosophical system: Western moral and political philosophy, individual rights, liberty, separation of powers

9/6 (Monday) No Class: Labor Day

3. 9/8 (Wednesday)
Social Systems
Read: Federalist 10: The nature, causes and effects of factions
Patterson, We The People, Ch. 9: Interest Groups
Robert Jervis, System Effects, Ch. 2(Handout)

4. 9/13 (Monday)
Social Effects: Interest Groups
Read: Federalist 51: Interest groups
Robert Jervis, System Effects, Ch. 7 (Handout)

9/15 (Wednesday) No Class

5. 9/20 (Monday)
The Constitution
Patterson, We The People, Ch. 3: Constitutional Democracy

# View the Original Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights
# Links to The National Constitution Center / The Federalist / Political Theory

6. 9/22 (Wednesday)
Federalism
Patterson, We The People, Ch. 2: Federal Government

7. 9/27 (Monday)
Political Participation
Patterson, We The People, Ch. 7: Voting and participation

Links to Project Vote Smart / Rock the Vote / League of Women Voters /
Idealist.org /

8. 9/29 (Wednesday)
Political Parties
Patterson, We The People, Ch. 8: Political Parties

# Links to American Political Parties
# The Republican National Committee / The Democratic National Committee
# The Green Party / The Libertarian Party
# The British Monster Raving Looney Party

9. 10/4 (Monday)
Equality
Patterson, We The People, Ch. 5: Equal Rights

10. 10/6 (Wednesday)
Civil Liberties
Patterson, We The People, Ch. 4: Civil Liberties

10/11 (Monday) - No Class: Columbus Day

11. 10/13 (Wednesday)
Public Opinion
Patterson, We The People, Ch. 6: Public Opinion and Political Socialization

12. 10/18 (Monday)
The Media
Patterson, We The People, Ch. 10: The News Media

13. 10/20 (Wednesday)
Voting and Elections

# Links to Federal Election Commission / Center for Voting and Democracy

14. 10/25 (Monday)
Election 2004

# Links to Real Clear Politics / Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball 2004 Presidential Election Site /

#Electoral-Vote.com/ Electionprojection.com
# The 2004 Electoral College Calculator / Electoral College FAQs
# George W. Bush for President / John F. Kerry for President

15. 10/27 (Wednesday)
The Patriot Act and Congress
Patterson, We The People, Ch.11: Congress

16. 11/1 (Monday)
The presidency
Patterson, We The People, Ch. 12: The Presidency

Link to the White House / the First Lady

17. 11/3 (Wednesday)
The Executive Branch

18. 11/8 (Monday)
Bureaucracy
Patterson, We The People, Ch. 13: Bureaucracy and Bureaucrats

Link to the Federal Bureaucracy / U.S. Government Manual
Jobs in the Federal Government / Government Executive / Federal Register

19. 11/10 (Wednesday)
Economic Policy
Patterson, We The People, Ch. 15: Economic Policy

Links to Economic Report of the President / the Office of Management and Budget / the Treasury Department / the Joint Economic Committee / the Congressional Budget Office / the General Accounting Office

20. 11/15 (Monday)
Election Postmartem
Retro vs. Metro

21. 11/17 (Wednesday)
Social Policy
Patterson, We The People, Ch. 16: Social Welfare Policy

# Links to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services / Healthfinder
Social Security Online / U.S. Department of Education

22. 11/22 (Monday)
Foreign Policy
Patterson, We The People, Ch. 17: Foreign and Defense Policy

# Links to The Electronic Embassy / The United Nations /
Comparing Nations /
U.S. Department of State / U.S. Department of Defense

11/24 (Wednesday) No Class

23. 11/29 (Monday)
The Judiciary
Patterson, We The People, Ch. 14: Judiciary

Links to the Federal Courts / Court TV

24. 12/1 (Wednesday)

Civil Rights

# View Exhibits on African-American Civil Rights and on Women's Suffrage
# Links to National Civil Rights Museum / Civil Rights /
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
# Links to Rutgers' Center for American Women and Politics / Women in Government
/ Feminist.com

25. 12/6 (Monday)

26. 12/8 (Wednesday)

27. 12/13 (Monday)

28. 12/14 (Tuesday class on Wednesday Schedule)

12/16-23 (Final exam week)