2015 Interest Group Mini-Research Projects

2015 Interest Group Mini-Research Projects

 

Please post your assigned interest group report here no later than Tuesday, December 8.  Then read all the posts and use them to help address the writing prompt, "What makes interest groups powerful?" which must be turned in no later than Friday, December 11.

2015 Third Party Mini-Research Projects

 

By Friday, November 20, please post your third party report here.  PLEASE BE SURE TO PUT YOU NAME ON IT SO I CAN GRADE THEM.  Over Thanksgiving Break, read all the reports posted by your classmates and draw general conclusions about why third parties have not been successful in the U.S.

2014 AP U.S. Government: 

Interest Group Mini-Research Project

After you complete your research on your assigned interest group, post your findings here no later than Friday, December 5.  Students must read ALL posts and respond to the writing prompt provided no later than Friday, December 12.

AP U.S. Government: 2014 3rd Party Projects

Why have third parties had such difficulty becoming effective in the American political system?  Each pair of students must post your findings on your assigned third party on this thread no later than FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21.  All students must read each post and respond in writing to the prompt by the time you return from Thanksgiving break. 

AP U.S. Government: Interest Groups Mini-Research Project

2012 Election Interest Group Campaign Contributions by Sector, 

from opensecrets.org

What Makes Interest Groups Powerful?  Post your findings about your assigned interest group here no later than MONDAY, DECEMBER 16.  You must read them, form conclusions and respond in writing to the prompt by THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19 before you go on break.

AP U.S. Government: Third Party Mini-Research Projects

Why have third parties had such difficulty becoming effective in the American political system?  Each pair of students must post your findings on your assigned third party on this thread no later than FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21.  All students must read each post and respond in writing to the prompt by the time you return from Thanksgiving break.

Patriot Act: Security or Privacy as the Priority?

Using the following two pages and other reputable sources, compare and contrast the arguments for and against the Patriot Act. Be prepared to cite specific reasons for your argument.

http://www.aclu.org/reform-patriot-act

http://www.justice.gov/archive/ll/highlights.htm


If you find a statistic or interesting fact that you want to share with the class, please post it here:

http://corkboard.me/Cg89pSaQcJ

U.S. Incarceration Stats

1. Go to www.nationmaster.com and compare your country with the United States. Look for statistical differences in crimes such as robbery, drugs, murders, etc... You may also use any other statistic that you find to be of significance to the incarceration rate comparison. Spend a little time reviewing the information so that you are prepared for the blog prompt.

2. Record the information you find important into Pages for later.

3. Use google.com to find the penalty for at least three of the previous crimes that you have found. Do these crimes have a harsher penalty in the US or in your country? Does this affect the prison http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifpopulation difference?

4. If you find something in particular that you would like to share with the class go to http://corkboard.me/s1oQNOvFhO and post.

5. Post to the blog a paragraph detailing your findings. Be sure to answer the http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.giffollowing prompt: What are the contributing factors to the differences between your country and the United States in terms of incarceration rates, crime and punishment?

6. When finished, go to https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B7LL8WNDFlw8U18xS1Q4clZRdWU5TFp6cVpCN2RpZw and watch the video on the Texas prison reform. In a separate discussion, post an answer to the following question: Do you think the new model in Texas will help curb incarceration rates in the United States? If not, what do you think is the answer to our current prison problem. Be sure to substantiate your position.

President Obama's Jobs Speech

In his speech to a joint session of Congress, President Obama urged Congress to "Pass this bill right away", referring to his plan to create jobs for Americans. Click here to read an article about the President's speech, and then respond to one or more of the prompts below.

1. How does television give the President the ability to put pressure on Congress to pass his plan to create jobs for Americans?

2. Do you think Americans will react favorably to the President's speech? Why or why not?

3. How important was it that the President proposed ways to pay for his $450 billion jobs proposal? Explain why you think so.

4. Which parts of the President's jobs plan did you like, and why? Which parts didn't you like, and why?

What did you think of the Republican Presidential Debate?

Tonight, Republican candidates for their party's presidential nomination with face off in a televised debate. Click here to read an article describing five things to watch for in the debate. Then respond to one or more of the following writing prompts:

1. Did you see evidence of any or all of the 5 things the article said to watch for? If so, which ones? Describe what happened in the debate in one or more of the 5 areas. Why does what you saw matter?

2. In general, what would make a candidate successful in a debate of this type? Are these the same qualities that would make a presidential candidate a good president? Why or why not?

3. Of all the candidates who participated in the debate, which one impressed you the most? What specifically did he/she do that impressed you? Was it enough to make you want to vote for that candidate?

4. Of all the candidates who participated in the debate, which one was the least impressive? Why do you think so?

Should the U.S. stop subsidizing fossil fuels?

Fossil fuels like coal and oil run the world, but we are slowly running out of them, and they are causing severe damage to the environment. Some people think we need to get more serious about developing and using alternative energy sources and lessening our dependence on fossil fuel energy.

Click here to read an article from the BBC about a proposal to stop fossil fuel subsidies. Then address the following writing prompts:

Do you think the U.S. should stop subsidizing fossil fuels? Explain why or why not.

Do you think the U.S. should stop subsidizing fossil fuels if other countries do not? Explain why you think the way you do.

2010 SUMMER PROJECT: Troublesome Higher Education Stats

The United States is still the world's superpower in many ways, but not in percentages of people with college degrees anymore. Click here to read an op-ed piece from the New York Times about this issue, and then address one or more of the following prompts:

There are many causes for the statistics on college degrees in this article. Describe the ones you think are the most important.

How might the U.S. having lower percentages of college grads than other developed nations impact our country?

What solutions can you think of to solve this problem and increase our college graduation numbers?

2010 SUMMER PROJECT: Elena Kagan Confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court

Today the U.S. Senate confirmed Elena Kagan as the 112th U.S. Supreme Court Justice, but only the 4th woman in history to serve on the highest court in the land. Click here to read an article about her confirmation, and then address one or more of the prompts below:

The U.S. Constitution stipulates that all federal judges, including U.S. Supreme Court justices, are appointed for life. Do you agree with this concept? Why or why not?

Does it matter that Elena Kagan is only the 4th woman ever to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court? Explain why.

Why do you think the nomination and confirmation of federal judges has become so much more political,partisan and controversial in recent years? Is this good or bad for our political system? Why?

2010 SUMMER PROJECT: Is it OK to say the F Bomb on TV?

Back in the 70s, comedian George Carlin did a routine called "The 7 Words You Can't Say on Television". (Bet your parents remember it.) A lot has changed since then, but there is still controversy over obscene language on the public airwaves (TV or radio consumers don't pay for). Today, a federal appeals court ruled on a case that challenged the 2004 FCC (Federal Election Commission) Fleeting Expletive policy which established a fine for the use of obscenity on TV or radio. Click here to read an article about how the court ruled. Then address one or more of the following prompts:

Do you agree with the appeals court's ruling? Why or why not? Be sure you understand specifically what the court's decision actually was before you respond.

Do you think obscene language should be allowed over the public airwaves (TV or radio)? Why or why not? Note: This is a DIFFERENT question than the first one.

2010 SUMMER PROJECT: Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Democracy?

California voters don't think so. On June 8 of this year, they voted in favor of Proposition 14, a ballot referendum. For this post, you need to first find out what a primary election is and also what a referendum is.

Next, click here to read an article that appeared in the New York Times before the June 8 referendum was held. Afterwards, address one or more of the following prompts:

Why is Proposition 14 called "the latest ballot initiative to act as an electoral protest for California voters"? What might they be protesting?

Californians have made a number of changes in their electoral process in the past decade. Do you think people voting on such issues is helpful or harmful to democracy? Explain why.

What are some possible advantages and disadvantages of the new election process Californians adopted when they voted for Proposition 14?

If you were a California voter, would you have voted for or against Proposition 14? Why?

2010 Summer Project: A New Way to Fight a War

The war in Afghanistan is the longest in American history. Yet even with the 30,000 additional troops sent this year to Afghanistan by President Obama, most experts think we are a long way from achieving success there. During the 1980s, the Soviet Union occupied Afghanistan militarily but eventually had to withdraw after 10 years of frustration. Why is military success so difficult to achieve there, even for world superpowers? With this question in mind, the U.S. military has been forced to develop a different way to fight. Click here to read (or listen to!) an article about what the U.S. military is doing to achieve success in Afghanistan. Then address the following prompts:

Do you think this new strategy will work? Why or why not?

President Obama pledged to begin bringing our troops home from Afghanistan by next summer, but now that commitment is in question due to the unexpectedly strong resistance of Taliban forces. Should the President stick to his original pledge, or do we need to stay until we achieve our goals in Afghanistan? Explain why you think so.

2010 SUMMER PROJECT: Should the U.S. Mandate Paid Parental Leave?

The goal of a business is to make a profit, right? Or do American businesses have additional obligations to promote the good of our society? The issue of mandatory paid parental leave is an example of this debate. Click here to find out where the U.S. stands among the nations of the world in terms of our status on this issue. Be sure to look at the chart at the end of the article. Then address the following prompts:

State your position on this issue and explain why you feel the way you do. For a challenge, argue the opposite of what you actually believe!

Does it matter to the U.S. what other nations in the world are doing on this issue? Why or why not?

2010 SUMMER PROJECT: To Drill or Not to Drill

Shortly after the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, the Obama administration declared a moritorium (go look it up!) on deepwater oil drilling. Today, a federal judge struck down that moritorium. Find out why the judge did this and how the Obama administration is reacting by clicking here to read an article about the decision. Then address the following prompts:

Do you agree or disagree with the judge's ruling? Why or why not?

Why do you think the Obama administration imposed the moritorium in the first place?

If you agree with the moritorium, what kind of regulations do you think should be in place before deepwater drilling is allowed again?

According to Gallup polling data, Americans' perception of how President Obama is handling the oil spill is lower than his overall approval rating. Should we hold the President accountable for the spill? Why or why not?

2010 SUMMER PROJECT: Deliberative Democracy

Hopefully, some of you followed the fierce debate over healthcare reform this past year. Now that the legislation has passed, many Americans are fearful of its impact, at least in part because the issue is so complex that most of us don't have the time or inclination to understand its intricacies (It's over 2000 pages long!). As our society becomes more and more complex, it seems that only the technocrats (look it up by clicking the link)have the ability to understand and make decisions about how to govern. Doesn't sound much like a democracy, does it? Have we outgrown democracy? Or can democracy be adapted enough to survive and thrive in our complex modern world?

Click here to read a recent article on a possible solution, "deliberative democracy", from The Economist magazine. Then address one or more of the following prompts:

Do you think there is currently a problem with our democracy due to the increasingly complex nature of our society? Why or why not?

Do you think deliberative democracy, as described in the article, would be a better system for creating public policy than our current system, which involves the election of representatives who make complex decisions for us? Why or why not?

What obstacles might be faced in trying to implement such changes to our current system of governing?

2010 SUMMER PROJECT: Take It Global

"Take it Global". That's the advice First Lady Michelle Obama gave the graduates of the George Washington University Class of 2010 when she gave the commencement address in May. She was suggesting that the graduates continue their community service and expand it to other areas of the world. This is a reflection of the ever increasing globalization with which the United States and all other nations are faced, due economic, environmental, cultural and other interdependence. More than any other generation before you, this is the world you will enter shortly. "...We are no longer isolated from what happens on the other side of the world....it’s in our best interest to look beyond our immediate self-interest, and look out for one another globally....so many of today’s challenges are borderless, from the economy to terrorism to climate change, and that solving those problems demands cooperation with others", Mrs. Obama said.

Clearly, her message applies to all of you, as well as the GW grads. Why should you consider service abroad? Michelle Obama gave several reasons in her speech. "When you serve others abroad, you’re serving our country, too. You’re showing the world the true face of America –- our generosity, our strength, the enduring power of our ideals, the infinite reservoir of our hope. And yes, serving abroad will make you stronger, more competitive, a more valuable asset for a career in the public or private sectors."

This blog post is designed to help you explore one avenue of global community service: the Peace Corps. First, click here to find out what the Peace Corps is. Next, discover where Peace Corps volunteers serve by clicking here. Then, to learn more about what types of things Peace Corps volunteers do, click here. Finally, click here to choose at least one location on the world map to explore in depth the activities of a Peace Corps volunteer. Just move your cursor over the various blue dots to see the different types of work the volunteers are doing, and click on one or more that interest you. Many of the stories have slide shows or videos or audio reports that accompany them and make them more interesting.

Having done all of the above, address at least 2 of the following prompts:

Do you agree with Michelle Obama that global community service makes a difference to U.S. relations with the rest of the world? Why or why not?

Based on the specific volunteer and location you learned about, how is this volunteer impacting the community he or she is serving? Provide specific examples from what you read, watched, etc.

Do you think you would be interested in global community service such as the Peace Corps? If so, where would you want to serve? What type of work would you like to do? Why is this type of service personally important to you?