The course is designed to examine basic and fundamental principles of  American political values, the political structure of the United States, its Constitution, the institutions, the participants, the politics, and the policymaking process. 

American Government, Tenth Edition, Wilson, James Q, John J. Dilulio, Jr., Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, c2006.

Classic Ideas and Current Issues in American Government, Meena Bose and John J. Dilulio, Jr., Houghton Mifflin, 2007.

Course Organization

1. Introduce the question theme of the text.
2. What is the difference between power / authority?

1. Source of Natural Rights and Rule of Law.
2. Founding Fathers' distrust of popular rule.
3. Understanding proposed Plans and Compromises.
4. Who were the Framers?

1. Differences -- Unitary, Centralized, Federalism
2. Which level has which power?
3. How has Federalism changed?

1. Define political culture.  Dominate aspects of U.S. culture?
2. Internal and external political efficacy.

1. Tension between majority rule and minority rights
2. Federal system affects the application of the Bill of Rights.
3. Role of the Supreme Court and benchmark cases.

1. Primary focus on African Americans.
2. Leadership and civil rights movement.
3. Timeline and significant Supreme Court cases.
4. Compare and contrast the Women's movement with African Americans'.

1. Significance of race, ethnicity, gender in political attitude
2. Political ideology a factor in U.S. public opinion.
3. Role of polling in the measure of public opinion.  Methods of polling.

1. Lack of voter turnout and political participation.
2. Must understand apportionment and States' control of district lines.
3. Difference in federal and state election controls.

1. Concept of party identification
2. Development of the party system.
3. Political party organizational structure.
4. Role of minor and third parties.

1. Contrast in contemporary elections, compared to party-oriented campaigns of the 19th century.
2. Presidential elections and the nominating process.  Monetary influences and the F.E.C.
3. Does a political change in the White House change public policy?

1. Explain the multiplicity of groups in the U.S.  Understand the historical context that prompted this.
2. Describe the characteristics of various kinds of interest groups and their tactics with the policymakers.
3. Problems involved with the revolving door government employment.

1. Describe the evolution of journalism in U.S. political history.  Compare the party press to the mass media.
2. Electronic media's impact on public officials, candidate, and elections.
3. Is there a media bias and does ownership impact the national press?  Can this be assessed?

1. Differences between a congress and a parliament.  Role that the Framers expected Congress to play.
2. Pinpoint the significant eras of Congress.
3. Characteristics of congressional members.  Differences between the Senate and the House.
4. Role of the parties and leadership structure.

1. Differences between the positions of president and prime minister.  Founders approach to executive power.
2. Understand the structure of the executive branch.
3. Enumerate and discuss the formal and informal presidential powers.

1. Compare and contrast the U.S. and British models of government bureaucracy.
2. Demographic profiles of bureaucrats.
3. Goals and missions of agencies are affected by internal and external factors.
4. Why is it difficult to reform bureaucracies?

1. Power of Judicial Review, three eras of the Supreme Court
2. Dual court impact on process.
3. An activist Court.

1. How does public policy reach the agenda?  Understand the relationship of costs, benefits, perceived.
2. Four types of politics.
3. People's perceptions, beliefs, interests, and values.

1. Contradictory attitudes between individual and society's.
2. Understand the four competing economic theories.
3. Identify and explain the four major executive branch agencies and their role.

1. Four factors that shape the U.S. approach to welfare policy.  How does America compare with Europe?
2. Major elements of the system, starting with the Social Security Act of 1935.
3. Majoritarian politics vs. client politics.

1. Compare executive and legislative powers in foreign policy.
2. Are these powers to check foreign policy powers primarily political or constitutional?
3. The President's difficulty with public opinion and foreign policy (examples, Viet Nam/Iraq wars).
4. Challenges in the fight on terrorism.
5. Various acts (1947, 1949, 1989) and contributions to inter-service rivalries.

1. Why are environment policies controversial?  Three reasons why.
2. Role of the U.S. political system and local politics.
3. Entrepreneurial vs. government's shaping of environmental policy to global warming.
4. Terms of compromise between Bush Administration and Congress over acid rain, for example