Introduction to American Politics and Government

PS 111

Winter, 1999
Mon/Wed 2:00-3:00 p.m.
MLB Auditorium 3

Assistant Professor Chris Fastnow

Office Hours: Tuesday 1:00-3:00 p.m.
and by appointment
6635 Haven Hall
763-2216
cfastnow@umich.edu

Graduate Student Instructors:
Debra Cohan
Laura Evans
Harwood McClerking
Kris Miler
Eddie Miller
Susan Moffitt
Francisco Sanchez
Michael Sherman

Help! I don't know who my GSI is!

Some interesting info on impeachment

The Undergraduate Political Science Association

About this course

The purpose of this course is twofold. First you will learn about and understand the processes of American government and politics. Second, you will be able to analyze and comment on the strengths and weaknesses of the American system. This means you will develop knowledge of how, when, why, and how well the constitutional branches of government, the public, organized groups, the media, and bureaucracy work together. If you are able at the end of the term to assess news coverage of a current event according to the accuracy of the coverage and its claims about the broader American political experience, this course will have satisfied its goals.

There are two themes in this class. The first is that the rules matter. The second is that elections, one of the rules, affect every aspect of American political life. Lectures will focus on the first theme, while your text takes on the second.

The course will be organized into several units. At the beginning of each unit, we will explore the initial rules of the game as they pertain to that topic. For instance, we will examine the rules that govern political participation in the U.S as set out in the constitution. We will then look at changes in the rules over time. How have the rules governing participation changed legally and socially? Why did the rules change? What was the outcome of the change? Who benefits most or least from the new rules? Understanding why the system changed in the past and what the consequences were will help you to imagine the consequences of proposed changes to the system today.

Grading and Requirements

To meet the purpose of the course, you will be expected to both consume and digest readings from scholarly and journalistic sources. You are also expected to be aware of current events, especially relating to American politics. You may choose to subscribe to and READ a national newspaper, such as the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, or the Christian Science Monitor. I highly recommend it. Many newspapers have free web access for students. You might also regularly (daily) listen to or watch the news. I suggest Monitor Radio, National Public Radio's Morning Edition or All Things Considered, or the News Hour with Jim Lehrer on PBS.

You are expected to attend lecture and discussion sections. You are further expected to come prepared. Please read the assigned materials before class on the date they are listed. I cannot learn from you, nor you from each other, if you are not prepared. Feel free to ask questions about current events, assigned readings, or lecture material during or after lecture.

In addition to regular attention to current events and prepared attendance, your grade in this course will be based on two exams and assignments given in discussion sections.

ASSIGNMENTS
The midterm exam will be given in class on Wednesday, February 24. The final will be given during the scheduled exam period for this class, 10:30-12:30, April 27. There will be no rescheduled finals. Both exams will consist of short answer and essay questions. Assignments in discussion section may consist of quizzes, papers, classroom participation, or other graded material. It should go without saying that I will not tolerate cheating or plagiarism. Any student caught cheating or commiting plagiarism will receive at a minimum an automatic failing grade on the exam or assignment. If you do not know what constitutes unacceptable behavior, please consult LS&A's academic standards. Finally, because there are so many students, we ask that you write legibly and carefully on exams. Unintelligible answers receive no credit.

MAKEUP POLICY
There are no makeup midterm exams without prior consent. If you are unable to take the midterm at the scheduled time for a valid reason, it is your responsibility to contact your GSI before the exam to schedule a make-up. There are no rescheduled finals whatsoever.

Sections taught by Cisco Sanchez, Kris Miler, and Michael Sherman will take the final in Lorch 140 (the old room). All others will take the final in MLB Aud. 3 (the regular room).

The midterm exam is worth 25% and the final is worth 35%. Section grades will account for the remaining 40% of your final grade.

Texts and Readings

All texts are available at area bookstores. Any additional readings will be in a coursepack available at Dollar Bill Copying and on reserve at the undergraduate library. Your GSI will assign readings from a text and may assign additional material in a coursepack or on reserve.

Required Texts:

Morris P. Fiorina and Paul E. Peterson. The New American Democracy, Revised Alternate Edition (paperback). Allyn and Bacon Press.
Richard Cohen. Washington at Work: Back Rooms and Clean Air, 2nd edition. Allyn and Bacon Press. (packaged with the main text)
Herbert Asher. Polling and the Public: What Every American Should Know. Congressional Quarterly Press.
Alan Cigler and Burdette Loomis. American Politics: Classic and Contemporary Readings, 4th edition. Houghton-Mifflin Press. (for discussion section)
Coursepack from Dollar Bill Copying.

Persons with disabilities

Students with disabilities who will be taking this course and who need disability-related classroom or testing accommodations are encouraged to see me as soon as possible. I also encourage you to visit and take advantage of the Services for Students with Disabilities office, located at G625 Haven Hall (3-3000). Please notify me or your GSI at least a week before exams if you need different testing accomodations.

Contacting Me

For questions about exams, please come see me in person. I will always be in my office during office hours specifically to see you. You do not need an appointment to see me during office hours. You are welcome to make an appointment with me outside of those times. To schedule an appointment, please email me with a proposed time as I do not bring my calendar to lecture.

For other matters, you can either email (cfastnow@umich.edu ), call (763-2216), or stop by my office. I will usually respond promptly to emails and voicemails (unless it's a weekend). Please do not call me at home.

Course Schedule

Where do we begin? The Constitution and Federalism

1. 1/6: Introductions: The rules, the game.

2. 1/11: Constitution and the basic structure of American Government
Read New American Democracy, chapters 1 and 2.

3. 1/13: Federalism
Read New American Democracy, chapter 3.

4. 1/20: The basic structure of the American populace
Read New American Democracy, chapter 4.
Read Polling and the Public, chapters 1-5.

We the People: Public Opinion and Individual Political Behavior

1. 1/25: Public Opinion: How do we know it?
(click here for a great article on sampling)
Read New American Democracy, chapter 5.
Read Polling and the Public, chapters 6-9.

2. 1/27: The Context of Much Political Activity: Campaigns and Elections
Read New American Democracy, chapters 10 and 11.

3. 2/1, 2/3: Voting: Why vote? Who votes? How do they vote?
Read New American Democracy, chapter 6.

4. 2/8: Other political activities
Read "Women's Political Participation" in Women and Political Participation by Conway, et al. (coursepack).

Linking us to DC: Parties and Interest Groups

1. 2/10, 2/15: The American party system: is the party over?
Read New American Democracy, chapter 8.
"The Wizard of Oz" as political allegory (note: Frank L. Baum and his family deny this was the intention)

2. 2/17, 2/22: Interest Groups: Development and maintenance
Read New American Democracy, chapter 7.

Midterm Exam - Wednesday, February 24, in class

Spring Break

Linking us to DC, Part 2: the Media

1. 3/8: The Media's Changing Role
Read New American Democracy, chapter 9
Read prologue in Out of Order, by Thomas Patterson (coursepack).

Article I: The Congress (click here for good links on Congress)

1. 3/10, 3/15: The Institution of Congress
Note: we are meeting on Wednesday, March 10. Students will be responsible for the material covered in class and readings that day.
Read New American Democracy, chapter 12.

2. 3/17: How a Bill Becomes a Law
Read Washington at Work, chapters 1-6.

3. 3/22: How a Bill Really Becomes a Law
Read Washington at Work, chapters 7-12.

Article II: The President (Click here for interesting links on the executive branch)

1. 3/24:The Office of the Presidency
Read New American Democracy, chapter 13.

2. 3/29: Presidential Power and the Congress
Read "The Power to Persuade" in Presidential Power and the Modern Presidents, by Richard Neustadt (coursepack)

Article III: The Courts

1. 3/31: Overview of the Court System
Read New American Democracy, chapter 15.

2. 4/5: How Justices Decide
Read "Roe v. Wade, the Burger Court, and American Politics," in Abortion and American Politics, by Craig and O'Brien (coursepack).

The Fourth Branch? Bureaucracy

1. 4/7, 4/12: What is the Bureaucracy? How Can I Get a Bureaucratic Job?
Read New American Democracy, chapter 14.

Putting it all together: case study of religious freedom

1. 4/14, 4/19: Overview of Civil Rights and Liberties. Religious Freedom in the Bill of Rights
Read New American Democracy, chapters 16 and 17

Final Exam - Tuesday, April 27, 10:30 am -12:30 pm. No exceptions.
Sections taught by Cisco Sanchez, Kris Miler, and Michael Sherman meet in Lorch 140 (old room).
All others meet in MLB Aud 3 (regular room).

created by Chris Fastnow
Department of Political Science
Date Created: January 4, 1999
Last updated: April 23, 1999. This page changes often. Check back regularly!