AMERICAN GOVERNMENT Political Science 120 Dickinson College Professor Mark Ruhl Fall 2004

Tuesday-Thursday, 9:00 p.m.                                                    Office Tel: 1501/1280/ Home: 243-2552
Office Hours: Tues., 10:15-12, 2:45-4; Thurs. 10:15-12            Denny 207/ ruhl@dickinson.edu
 

                                                                     "Here sir, the people govern."
                                                                                             Hamilton

        How accurate is Alexander Hamilton's observation today?  Two centuries after its founding, can the American political system be described as a majoritarian democracy guided by the popular will?  Or is is more accurately characterized as a pluralist or elitist political system in which the mass public generally plays a peripheral role?  If so, why, and with what negative or positive consequences?  In spite of the quotation above, we know that Hamilton himself doubted the wisdom of majoritarian democracy.  The purpose of this course is to introduce students to American politics and government and to analyze 1) the factors that promote or inhibit majoritarian democracy in the United States and 2) the advantages and disadvantages of our less than fully democratic system of government.
 

Required Books:

Robert E. DiClerico and Allan S. Hammock (eds.).  Points of View: Readings in American Government and Politics (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004).

Bruce Allen Murphy (ed.).  Portraits of American Politics: A Reader  (Boston: Houghton-Mifflin, 2000).

Thomas E. Patterson.  The American Democracy  (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003).
      Click on the line above for chapter summaries, practice tests, and Web resources.

Recommended Reading: The New York Times or Washington Post
     For more current news on line visit: CNN/Politics
                                                  

Course Requirements:

1.        First Examination on September 23  (25% of the final grade)

Exams are composed of long essays (40% to 60%), short essays, and short-answer questions (fill-ins and multiple choice).  Detailed knowledge of the assigned readings and lecture/discussion material is necessary for success.  Documented illness or confirmed personal emergency at home are the only acceptable reasons for rescheduling an exam.  Please do not request a rescheduled exam because of other exams on the same day or vacation plans.

2.        Second Examination on October 26  (25%)

A non-cumulative exam focusing on material covered since the first exam.

3.        Congressional Simulation on Saturday, December 4,  9:00 a.m.  (25%)

During November and December, we will simulate the politics leading up to a congressional hearing on gun control.  Students will be divided into teams representing the National Rifle Association, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Inc., several Senators and their staffs, and the Bush Justice Department.  Each student team will role-play one of these groups and write a research paper (3,000 words minimum) which analyzes the gun control issue and discusses their efforts to achieve team goals during the simulation.  The paper is due at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 3, the day before the simulated congressional hearing.

4.        Final Examination on December 13  (25%)

A non-cumulative exam focusing on material covered since the second exam.

5.        Class Participation

The final course grade is based on an average of the four grades above, but strong class participation is also taken into account by adding one or more extra points into the final grade calculation for consistently active, well-informed class participation.  Regular attendance is expected and frequent absences from class (five or more) will result in a reduced final course grade (one letter grade for every additional class missed).  Students are also required to attend the evening film showing listed below unless the scheduled time conflicts with prior College commitments.

Course Outline and Assigned Readings:

I.         Introduction to American Politics:  Who Governs?          August 31

II.       American Political Culture: Core Ideals                           September 2

           Patterson, 3-33
           G.W. Bush, 2001 Inaugural Address (Michael Gerson)
           Declaration of Independence in Patterson, A2-A4

III.     The Constitutional Framework

           A.        Separation of Powers            September 7

           Patterson, 34-65
           Mee in Murphy Reader, 14-30
           Parliamentary Alternative (handout)
           Federalist Papers #10 and #51 (Madison) in Patterson, A18-A24

           B.        Federalism                        September 9

           Patterson, 66-95
           Friendly and Elliot in Murphy, 37-43 on McCulloch v. Maryland only
           U.S. Constitution in Patterson, A5-A17
           Turn in one-page pre-discussion paper offering a reform to the Constitution with rationale.

           C.        Reforming the Constitution        September 14

           Schlesinger versus Weissburg in DiClerico and Hammock Reader (D&H), 119-129

IV.      Mass Politics

            A.         American Public Opinion and the News Media       September 16

           Patterson, 166-195
           Handout on Current U.S. Public Opinion
           Visit Polling Report and RealClearPolitics websites
           Morris versus Ornstein & Mitchell in D&H, 77-86

           Patterson, 292-295, 307-319
           Required Evening Film (Sept. 16)--The Power Game: The Unelected, 6:30 p.m. 

            B.         Political Participation and Non-Participation        September 21

           Patterson, 196-223
           Lijphart versus Ranney in D&H, 87-97

                  <<First Examination:  September 23>>

            C.         Political Parties and Elections             September 28, 30, October 5

           Exam Return
           Patterson, 224-259
           Judis&Teixeira and Barone in D&H, 130-144
           Visit the National Committees of the Republican and Democratic Parties           

            D.         Interest Groups            October 7, 12

           Patterson, 260-291
           In-Class Film on Interest Group Politics
           Lewis in Murphy, 153-166
           CRP versus Sabato in D&H, 145-160
          
V.         Governing Institutions

             A.         Congress          October 14, 21

           Patterson, 321-342
           Schroeder in Murphy, 116-124

           Patterson, 342-359
           Harkin versus Frenzel in D&H, 174-184
           Optional one-page paper on: Virginia, Kennedy, and Galloway in D&H, 162-173  (Due 10/26)
           Visit  Thomas Website and Congress.org Website for information on the U.S. Congress

                    <<Second Examination:  October 26>>

            B.         Presidency            October 28, November 2, (4*), 9

            For Oct. 28: Patterson, 360-379

            For Nov. 2: Verhovek on George Bush in Murphy, 364-379
            The New Yorker article on John Kerry (2003)

            For Nov. 9: Patterson, 384-397
            Lind versus Hoxie in D&H, 185-199
            Mayer and McManus in Murphy, 78-88

            <<2004 Election Discussion and Congressional Simulation Introduction:  Nov. 4*>>
                                  Visit NRA and Brady Campaign Websites         

             C.         Bureaucracy         November 11

           Patterson, 398-429
           Carroll in Murphy, 281-293
           Norton in Murphy, 272-280

            D.         Judiciary

                         1.        Supreme Court and the Federal Judicial System        November 16, 18

                       Patterson, 430-463
                       Lewis in Murphy, 184-195
                       Garrow in Murphy, 226-239
                       Rosen in Murphy, 240-251
                       Meese versus Kaufman in D&H, 210-222

                         2.         Civil Liberties         November 23, 30, December 2

                      Patterson, 96-116                      
                      Estrich-Sullivan versus Bopp-Coleson in D&H, 308-336
                      Patterson, 117-129
                      Gavzer versus Kilwein in D&H, 260-276

            <<Congressional Hearing Simulation:  Saturday, December 4>>

                        3.          Equal Rights          December 7

                      Patterson, 130-163
                      Eastland versus Bergmann in D&H, 277-295

VI.        Conclusions:  Who Governs?       December 9

                   <<Final Examination:  December 13>>
                                          2:00 p.m.

Professor Ruhl's Home Page
Dickinson College