PS 201, CRN: 34665 Fall 2009, Mon/Wed, 10-11:20, 101 Living Learning Center South Gerry Berk Office: PLC 924 Office Hours: Mon/Wed, 1-2:30 tel: 346-4887 email: gberk@uoregon.edu
This course introduces students to U.S. politics by asking how democratic is the American political system. Do common people control American government? Or do business, professional and government elites have undue influence on government? Your textbook, The Democratic Debate, argues that who should control government—common people or elites--has been the central problem of American democracy since the founders wrote the Constitution in 1787. This debate continues to inform the way citizens participate in politics and the way government officials make decisions. In this course, we will look at how the democratic debate informs our understanding of a variety of topics in American politics, from the Constitution and elections to congress, the presidency and bureaucracy. Students will be asked to take a position on the democratic debate as we discuss pressing issues in American politics, such as campaign finance reform, the power of the presidency, and the influence of the media on elections and public policy.
All required readings come from your textbook or are available on Blackboard or on-line (web address provided). Your textbook, Miroff, Seidelman, Swanstrom and De Luca, The Democratic Debate (5th edition), is available for purchase in the university bookstore. Readings on blackboard are listed under the title of the topic of the week.
In addition to readings, the course syllabus, exam study sheets, and all lecture overhead slides will be posted on blackboard.
1. 3 Multiple Choice Pop Quizzes. 10%
• Each quiz will cover all material after the previous quiz and up to the previous lecture. Only 2 quizzes count (5 % each); so you can drop your lowest score.
2. In-Class Essay on the Constitution or the Media (internet). Monday, October 26. 25%
• One of the two discussion questions will be announced at the exam. You must be prepared to answer both, but will only have to write on the one we choose. 7-9 examination book pages. Bring an exam book.
3. Short Essay/ID/Multiple Choice Midterm Exam. Wednesday, November 4. 25%
• Bring an exam book
4. Final Examination. Tuesday, December 8 at 10:15 in our lecture classroom, 40%
OFFICE HOURS: We are available for help. If you receive a C+ or less on your quizzes or exams and you are completing all the required reading and attending class, please come talk with us. We want to help. Of course, we are also happy to meet with anyone who just wants to talk or wants help regardless of your grade.
ACADEMIC HONESTY: Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated in this class. All examinations will be monitored closely. Students caught with crib sheets, written outlines or essays, or other aids during examinations will be reported to the Director of Student Judicial Affairs for appropriate action.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS: All students with documented needs in note taking, attending lectures and discussions or in taking examinations will be accommodated. Please be sure to talk to both your discussion leader and to me early in the quarter.
LAPTOPS and CELL PHONES: There are no laptops allowed in ether lecture or discussion sections. Please turn off cell phones before class begins.
Introduction September 30
The Constitution October 5 & 7 The Democratic Debate, chapters 1 & 2 and Madison, “Federalist No. 10” and Brutus, “Anti-Federalist Paper, October 18, 1787” in the Appendix of The Democratic Debate
Public Opinion and Media October 12 & 14
The Democratic Debate, chapters 4 & 8 Scott Rosenberg, “How Blogs Changed Everything,” http://www.salon.com/books/excerpt/2009/07/06/scott_rosenberg/index.html On Blackboard – Read “Media and Internet” Cass Sunstein, “The Daily We” Robert McChesney, “The Power of the Producers”
Voting, Campaigns and Elections October 19 & 21 The Democratic Debate, chapters 5 & 6
Read on-line Tim Dickinson, “The Machinery of Hope: Inside the grass-roots field operation of Barack Obama, who is transforming the way political campaigns are run,”http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/obamamachineryofhope/page
On Blackboard -Read “Elections” Bradley Smith, “Free Speech Requires Campaign Money” Dan Clawson, et al, “Dollars and Votes”
We will also see the Film “Washington’s Other Scandal” this week.
Monday, October 26: IN CLASS ESSAY EXAM (on the Constitution or the Internet)
Monday, October 26 : Study Sheet for Short Essay/Multiple Choice Exam Distributed
Parties and Interest Groups October 28 & November 2 The Democratic Debate, chapters 7 & 9 On Blackboard – Read “Party Realignment” Ross Douthat, “It’s His Party: Bush Republicanism Is Here to Stay” Lawrence Goodwyn, “The Coming Party Realignment”
Wednesday November 4: SHORT ESSAY/ID EXAM
Social Movements November 9 The Democratic Debate, chapter 3 (44-57) & all of chapter 10 Henry Payne, “Labor Pains,” The National Review, Nov. 9, 2005;
http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/payne200511290819.asp
James Sherk, “Auto Bailout Ignores Excessive labor Costs,” Heritage Foundation, Nov.
19, 2008.
http://www.heritage.org/research/economy/wm2135.cfm
The Presidency November 11 & 16
The Democratic Debate, chapter 12
On Blackboard – Read “Presidency”
John Yoo, “How the Presidency Regained Its Balance”
Frederick A. O. Schwarz Jr. and Aziz Huq,”You Go Too Far, Mr. President —The Founders
Would Disapprove”
Eric A. Posner, “All Hail . . . King George?”
Congress November 18 & 23
The Democratic Debate, chapter 11
On Blackboard – Read “Congress”
Morris Fiorina, “The Rise of the Washington Establishment”
William Connelly & John Pitney, “The House Republicans”
Film: “The Power Game” on the Iron Triangle
Bureaucracy November 25 & 30
The Democratic Debate, chapter 13
On Blackboard – Read “Bureaucracy”
Chris Edwards, “Downsizing the Federal Government”
Si Kahn and Elizabeth Minnich, “The Fox in the Henhouse: How Privatization Threatens
Democracy”
Wrap Up and Review December 2
FINAL EXAM: Tuesday, December 8 at 10:15 in 101 Living Learning Center South
DISCUSSION SECTION SCHEDULE WITH ESSAY QUESTIONS
Week 1: Introduction and Open Discussion Week of September 28
Week 2: Elite and Popular Democracy Week of October 5 (Practice question)
What’s the difference between elite and popular democracy? Think of examples of each. Is popular democracy viable and realistic in a large, complex, industrialized nation like the United States? Or is elite democracy more practical and realistic?
Week 3: The Constitution Week of October 12
Suppose you were a small farmer in Massachusetts in the 1780s. Would you have voted to ratify the Constitution? What, if anything, do you like about the form of government the founders devised at the constitutional convention? What, if anything, do you dislike about it? On balance, does the form of government proposed by the Constitution fit with your views of human nature and democracy and the views of people like you? Or would you prefer another form of government?
Week 4: Public Opinion and the Media Week of October 19
What promise does the Internet hold for revitalizing “the public sphere” in American democracy? Will it help inform the public better, link politicians better to voters, and advance informed debate over important policies? Or is it more likely to be a tool by which elites manipulate and control public opinion even more effectively than they have in the past? Be sure to explain what is meant by the term “public sphere” and to recount the recent challenges to it.
Week 5: Multiple Choice/Short ID Question Examination Review Week of October 26
Week 6: Political Parties and Interest Groups Week of November 2
Did the 2008 signal a new political party realignment, in which the Democrats will become the majority party for a generation? Or does it look the Republicans will continue to vie for control over congress and the presidency for some time to come? Be sure to 1) define the term “party realignment,” and 2) compare the current situation to earlier realignments, such as 1932 or 1896.
Week 7 November 9, Social Movements
Does the US need a new labor movement? Would stronger unions, with a much larger membership, be good or bad for American society and democracy? If yes, what does the labor movement need to do in order to increase its strength? If not, how can the power of the labor movement be held in check?
Week 8: The Presidency Week of November 16
Do we have an “imperial presidency?” If so, what difference does it make for American democracy? If not, how would you describe the office of the presidency and assess its effects upon American democracy?
Week 9: Sections will not meet this week Week of November 23
Week 10: Final Exam Review Week of November 30