Thu 2/23

- Test next Tuesday 2/28

Wed 2/22

- The Case for Eliminating Private Health Insurance.  Read and bring this to class.

- The proposal for a Single Payer System to reform our current health care system (here). Read more about the Single Payer System here.

- Read and bring to class Statement of Dr. Marcia Angell Introducing the Single Payer System here.

- Current Health Care Reform -- What and Why?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-Ilc5xK2_E

Tue 2/21

- Do Citizens Have the Right to Health Care?  What is the Role of the Government?  Read and bring to class (here).
- Watch PBS Documentary “Sick Around the World” here.

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Fri 2/17

- How Are We Insured? Read it here.

- Obama’s Health Reform signed into law in March 2010 “Affordable Care Act” – see it here.

Thu 2/16

- Read Chapter 19 – up to p. 611
- Print out, read and bring to class “The US Health Care System 2010″.

Wed 2/15

- Read Chapter 19 – up to p. 605

Tue 2/14

- In-class AP Free Response Question

- Tonight’s HW: Read Chapter 19 – up to p. 596

Mon 2/13

- Test on Chapter 18

-  Tonight’s HW: Review Chapter 18 for AP essay question tomorrow

Fri 2/10

- Chapter 18 Review
- Test on Chapter 18 Monday 2/13
- Answers to multiple choice questions for Chapter 18 Outline is here.

Thu 2/9

- Read “Should We Privatize Social Security?” p. 730
- Read “The Anti-Entitlement Strategy” here.  And read the opposite piece “Welfare Reform Leaving More in Poverty” here. Print out both articles and bring to class for discussion.

Wed 2/8

- Please Chapter 18 – up  p. 585

Tue 2/7

- Read Chapter 18 – up to p. 580

Mon 2/6

- Read Chapter 18 – up to p. 574

- Write an essay (300 words or more) using the prompt below.  You must incorporate textbook reading as well as readings from the two articles assigned on Thursday (see above) .  This essay is due Tuesday 2/14 :

Describe the debate concerning the causes of poverty and whether social welfare policies really work in our democracy. Take sides on the debate and defend your position.

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Tue 1/31

Write a 300-word essay on the following prompt.  Due Friday 1/3

Describe how American government has sought to regulate the workings of corporations. What has shaped the way government regulations has changed over time?

Thu 1/26

- Read “How the U.S. Lost out on iPhone Work”
- Read Chapter 17 – p.  546-552

Fri 1/20

- Finish reading Chapter 11
- Test on Chapter 11 – Wed 1/25
- Review flash cards for Chapter 11 here.
- Answer to Multiple-choice questions are here.
- For Essay Questions, think about these topics: (a) are interest groups good for democracy?; and (b) the role of money in interest groups and PACs.
- Watch this video debate on Interest Group & Representation here.

Thu 1/19

- What is Lobbying? Watch it here.

- Jack Abramoff – A Lobbyist.  Watch CBS 60 Minutes interview here.
- How Lobbyists Rule America? Watch CBS 60 Minutes here.
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Fri 1/13

- Test on Chapters 9 & 10 on Tuesday 1/17 – Check back here for more info.

- Download answers to multiple choice questions for Chapter 9 and 10.

- Possible essay questions for this test are from your Chapter 9 Hand-out (#1, #3) and from Chapter 10 Hand-out (#2, #4, #6)

- Flash cards for Chapter 9 and 10

Wed 1/11

- Electoral College – How does it work?
- What happened in presidential election of 2000? Gore v. Bush.
- Finish reading Chapter 10 tomorrow

Wed 1/11

Read Chapter 10, pages 296-310

 Wed 1/11 – New Hampshire, New Hampshire!

- Mitch Romney’s Victory Speech after NH Primary on 1/10/12 here.
- Ron Paul – Second place in NH. Watch here.
- Pro Romney PAC – $7 millions in ad spent.  Watch here.
- The size of all Super PACs spending so fare, read here.

 Tue 1/10

1. Review and discuss New Hampshire Primary
2. Watch video 1 here (Will Ron Paul become a third party candidate?)
3. The Proliferation of PACs and then, Super PACs.  See NBC video here.
4. Winning Our Future (Gingrich’s Super PAC) http://www.winningourfuture.com/
5. “Bain” Attack Campaing on Mitt Romney.  See http://www.kingofbain.com/
6. Political Commentary on the “Bain” Attack

Essay (250-300 words) – Due THU 1/12:

What are Political Action Committees (PACs)? What are the positive and negative aspects of Political Action Committees? How might they affect politicians and policymaking?

Review and discuss Iowa’s Caucus

Fri 12/23

Choose a Republican candidate for president and get to know them. What is your candidate background? What are his/her political agendas?  You can find out more about them here.

Mon 12/19

1. Chapter 8 Test Review
2. Study all vocab words, click here for the online flash cards.
3. Understand tasks of the parties (p. 243), party organization (p. 247), party in government (p. 251), southern realignment and the era of divided government (p. 257)
4. Understand third parties and their impact (p. 260).
5. Essay questions will cover: Democracy & Responsibility of Party Government (p. 262) and Third Parties (p. 260), Types of Primaries

Thu 12/15

Read Chapter 8, up to p. 266

Wed 12/14

Read Chapter 8, up to p. 260.

Write a 300 words essay on the following prompt, due on Fri 12/16 (remember to abide by the proper essay requirements for this class):

What is the meaning of a political party? What functions do parties in America perform?  How well do you think they perform them?

Tue 12/13

Chapter 7 Test

Read Chapter 8, up to p. 247.

Mon 12/12

Finish discussion on Chapter 7 – Mass Media.
Discuss PBS’s “Buying the War”

Fri 12/8 -- Understanding Mass Media

The media act as key linkage institutions between the people and the policymakers and have a profound impact on the political agenda. Benard Cohen once said “No major act of the American Congress, no foreign adventure, no act of diplomacy, no great social reform can succeed unless the press prepares the public mind.”

How does the media shape public opinion? What are the consequences of the media’s influence on public opinion?  To answer this, we will take a look at PBS’s “Buying the War” and learn how the press help the Bush Administration sell the the war in Iraq to the American people right after 9/11.  Watch PBS’s “Buying the War” here (watch all 4 parts here) and be ready to discuss it this Monday.

Test on Chapter 7 on Tue 12/13.  Check this website this weekend for further info.

Thu 12/7 -- Development of Media Politics

An example of investigative journalism.  Read “Air Force Dumped Remains of 274 Troops in Landfill”

Television entered a new era of bringing new to people.  See CBS’s Walter Cronkite reporting on the Tet Offensive of the Vietnam War in 1968.

Wed 12/7

Read Chapter 7 -- Mass Media (up to p. 215)

Listen to FDR’s “fireside chats” here.

Watch the very first television broadcast of a presidential debate in 1960 between Nixon and Kennedy here

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QazmVHAO0os

Tue 12/6

Test on Chapter 6

Mon 12/5

Test review on Chapter 6 -- Public Opinion

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