AP US Government Homework
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 475-479
For Discussion: In the United Kingdom, political advertisements are forbidden--except for those on billboards. Do you think we should have a similar system in the United States?
-Due Monday, January 18th
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 464-470
For Discussion: Many people have criticized party primaries by noting that they tend to be won by the most extreme candidates--thus polarizing the nation. Do you agree with this critique? Should we go back to nominating conventions? What do you think?
-Due Friday, January 15th
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 458-462
For Discussion: What do you think the future holds for political parties in the United States? Will they grow stronger? Weaker? Will either of the two major parties disappear? What do you think?
Here's an interesting graphic representation of the increase in polarization between parties in the Senate.
-Due Thursday, January 14th
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 453-57.
For Discussion: Are political parties good or bad for the United States? What do you think?
ALSO: Dollree Mapp, the plaintiff in the famous Mapp case died not too long ago. Here's a really interesting obituary from the New York Times.
...and for those of you smarting over college deferrals/rejections, I recommend this piece from 2004.
-Due Tuesday, January 12th
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 436-443 (if you have the old book, pp. 398-402)
For Discussion: Have we gone too far in the creation of protections for the rights of the accused?
-Due Thursday, January 7th
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 422-435 NOTE THAT THIS IS TWO SECTIONS. (if you have the old book, pp. 430-443.) Also, check out this article from the Economist in 2005 on tort reform.
Should tort law be modified in the United States? Why or why not?
ALSO: HERE is the study sheet for this Friday's exam.
-Due Wednesday, January 6th
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 415-420 (if you have the old book, pp. 423-428)
Evaluate the major legal principles of the American legal system. Do you agree with them? If not, what might work better?
-Due Tuesday, January 5th
Thesis Paper Assignment
Please check out this instruction sheet for the thesis paper!
After reading the sheet, please submit your thesis statement HERE before 11:59pm, January 3rd. The sooner you submit, the sooner you can start reading and/or writing. Once you submit, you can see my response on this Google spreadsheet. The essay paper will be due at 12:01am, Monday January 11th.
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 404-410
For Discussion: Do you agree with the Court's ruling in the Bakke case? Why or why not?
-Due Monday, January 4th
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 398-402.
For Discussion: Have we gone too far in the creation of protections for the rights of the accused?
-Due Monday, December 21st
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp.392-397.
For Discussion: Many have criticized the doctrine of jus soli and claim that it is subject to abuse. Should jus soli be abolished? Why or why not? Also, read this article from the 2011 New York Times on birthright citizenship. And check out this article and flowchart showing who is eligible for non-deportation according to Obama's recent executive order.
-Due Wednesday, December 16th
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp.387-391
For Discussion: Are our current immigration laws too harsh? Or should we have a less permissive policy? Why?
Also, if you are interested in learning more about the diversity lottery, check out this Dan Baum piece from December 5th, 2005 New Yorker (PDF).
AND: For those of you interested, the Supreme Court has released the audio of the oral arguments in the Fisher v. Texas affirmative action hearing. It can be found here--to play the audio, just go to the speaker icon on the bottom left, under the Media heading.
-Due Tuesday, December 15th
Homework (No Number)
There is no written work, but do the reading and be prepared to discuss the question below.
Read Remy, pp. 376-382
Do you agree with the outcome of the case of the Nazi march in Skokie? Why or why not?
ALSO: Check out this Planet Money podcast called "Schoolhouse Rock Is A Lie"--though the filibuster has changed a bit since Reid's reforms.
-Due Monday, December 14th
Homework (No Number)
There is no written work, but do the reading and be prepared to discuss the question below.
Read Remy, pp. 371-375. Also check out this justification from New York Times of their decision to publish the WikiLeaks info dump of diplomatic cables a couple of years ago.
For Discussion: Do you agree with the New York Times here?
ALSO: For those of you interested in the Supreme Court, here is a scholarly comparison of the strict originalism (also called textualism) employed by Justices Scalia and Black when making decisions.
AND: The famous Brandeis concurrence to the Whitney case.
-Due Thursday, December 10th
Homework (No Number)
There is no written work, but do the reading and be prepared to discuss the question below.
Read Remy, pp. 366-370. Also please read this interview "Plain Words and Constitutional Absolutes," with Justice Black from 1962. Additionally, here's a pretty incendiary piece from Slate arguing that Supreme Court Justices "are not really judges."
For Discussion: Is "clear and present" danger the proper test for legal free speech? Or are you inclined to agree with Justice Black?
ALSO:
World leaders holding koalas!!!1!!
-Due Wednesday, December 9th
Homework (No Number)
There is no written work, but do the reading and be prepared to discuss the question below.
Read Remy, pp. 358-364. Also check out this piece on the attempt to abolish "under God" from the pledge of allegiance.
For Discussion: Should religion be totally banished from the public sphere? Should "In God We Trust" be expunged from our currency, for example? Use the info in the reading to answer this question.
-Due Thursday, December 3rd
Homework (No Number)
There is no written work, but do the reading and be prepared to discuss the question below.
Read Remy, pp. 355-357
For Discussion: Justice Hugo Black believed in total incorporation--he thought that all of the rights in the bill of rights should apply to the states. In the end, we now use selective incorporation. Do you agree or disagree with Black? Why or why not?
-Due Wednesday, December 2nd
Homework (No Number)
There is no written work, but do the reading and be prepared to discuss the question below.
Read Remy, pp. 343-348
Do the other branches have enough power to really stop the Supreme Court?
-Due Tuesday, December 1st
Homework (No Number)
There is no written work, but do the reading and be prepared to discuss the question below.
Read Remy, pp. 336-341
For Discussion: Does the Supreme Court have too much power in shaping public policy?
-Due Monday, November 30th
Homework 18
Read Remy, pp. 331-335. Also read this article by Howard Bashman.
To what extent to you agree with Bashman's argument?
ALSO:
The time Richard Nixon met Robocop--and was lucky to avoid arrest!
Probably the oldest photograph containing a human being.
-Due Tuesday, November 24th
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 320-326
Is it right that Supreme Court Justices serve a life term? Why or why not? What alternatives might there be? I also want you to read this article from The Atlantic magazine on law clerks. It's a short and interesting piece.
ALSO:
Watch 15 different sorting algorithms do their job! With sound effects! More fascinating than you might think.
-Due Monday, November 23rd
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 312-317
For Discussion: Evaluate the process for
the selection of federal judges.
ALSO:
Recapture the archery techniques of
the ancient masters!
-Due Friday, November 20th
Homework 17.
Read Remy, pp. 305-310
For Discussion: Almost no one in American history has had anything bad to say about judicial review--that's why this 1825 opinion by Pennsylvania judge John Gibson is so notable. Please read it in Eakin v. Raub
Was John Marshall right to grab the power of judicial review? Do you agree with Gibson’s critique?
ALSO:
Here's the link to the study sheet for Test 3.
-Due Thursday, November 19th
Homework (No Number).
Read Remy, pp. 291-298
For Discussion: As you can see from the reading, bureaucrats have a great deal of power--yet they are totally unelected. Should our bureaucracy be more democratic? Should we introduce some sort of election system?
ALSO:
The Republican debate in 90 seconds.
-Due Friday, November 13th
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 284-289
For Discussion: Given how hard it is to fire incompetent federal employees, was the move towards civil service reform such a good thing?
ALSO
-Due Thursday, November 12th
Homework (No Number)
Please note that we are skipping the beginning of Chapter 9, Section 3, but read Remy, pp. 266-7--just the section on Executive Privilege. and Chapter 10, Section 1: pp. 275-283. Also, please check out this piece by David Iglesias, "Out of Bounds," from back in 2008.
For Discussion: Does executive privilege give the President too much power to keep secrets? Why or why not?
-Due Tuesday, November 10th
Homework 16
Read Remy, pp. 252-259. Also, check out this editorial about the Senate's treaty powers. For fun, Google the authors!
Do executive orders and executive agreements undermine the powers of Congress?
ALSO
The site you've been waiting for: Vice-presidents with cephalopods on their heads.
-Due Monday, November 9th
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 234-239
Has the President consolidated too much power for himself through the growth of the Executive Office of the President?
-Due Friday, November 6th
ALSO
Ranked by scientists and historians--the greatest 50 inventions of humanity.
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 228-232. Also read this article from John Dickerson on the decline of the cabinet. It's from 2004, but is still relevant.
For Discussion: Is there anything that can be done to make the cabinet more effective? Should it be made more effective?
-Due Thursday, November 5th
ALSO
This map showing the evolution of the top name for girls since 1960 is fascinating--like watching generals slug it out for territory.
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 220-226.
For Discussion: Should the Electoral College be scrapped? Why or why not? If so, what should be put in its place?
Also, check out Five Reasons to keep the Electoral College by Judge Richard Posner.
-Due Wednesday, November 4th
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 213-219
For Discussion: Evaluate the constitutional requirements for becoming president. Are they a good idea? Why or why not?
Also, here's the study sheet for test.
-Due Thursday, October 29th
ALSO
Hypnotic letter painting skillz.
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 198-203. Also read this article, advocating the return of earmarks.
Should earmarks, also known as pork, be returned to the House?
-Due Wednesday, October 28th
ALSO
How much does Marco Rubio hate the Senate? A lot!
Also--a really fascinating piece: The 24 Hours that (Maybe) Sank Chris Christie.
Homework 15
Read Remy, pp. 194-198
To what extent do constituents have too much influence on their members?
-Due Tuesday, October 27th
Optional Reading
Richard Fenno is a political scientist who became famous through his exploration of how members of Congress act in their home districts and how these actions aid in their reelection. He wrote a book called Home Style on these matters, but the book grew out of an academic article entitled House Members in Their Constituencies: An Exploration. Here's the article--it's great; but its not required.
Here is a really fantastic interactive budget (requiring Flash), though it is based on the 2010 fiscal year. It focuses on how small a percentage of the budget is discretionary non-defense spending.
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 189-192
For Discussion: Does the federal government spend too much money?
-Due Monday, October 26th
Bonus Graphics
A great graphic design visualization of how a bill becomes a law.
The North Carolina gerrymander
ALSO
Here is a great article about the way that the Senate circumvents the requirement that the House pass tax legislation first.
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 181-188
Have the founders created an overly cumbersome legislative process? Or should it be easier to make a bill into a law?
-Due Friday, October 23rd
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 172-176
For Discussion: Given the breakdown in communication between Congress and the President, should reforms be undertaken to improve this relationship? Can they?
-Due Thursday, October 22nd
Optional
Homework 14
Read Remy, pp. 167-171.
The reading spoke about the practice of legislative oversight, and also how limited it is. Scholars Matthew McCubbins and Thomas Schwartz published a very influential defense of Congress in their 1984 piece "Congressional Oversight Overlooked: Police Patrols versus Fire Alarms." (PDF) Please check it out.
To what extent are McCubbins and Schwartz correct? Explain.
-Due Tuesday, October 20th
Homework 13
Read Remy, pp. 157-165.
THE COMMERCE CLAUSE! Read the opinion of the Supreme Court in the 1942 case Wickard v. Filburn. Also, please watch this video from Reason Magazine on this issue--Wheat, Weed and Obamacare. Note that Reason has a strong libertarian bias--they are affiliated with the Cato Institute. Note, as an opposing point of view, that it was via the commerce clause that the Civil Rights Act was applied to private businesses.
Has Congress overstepped its bounds when interpreting the commerce clause?
-Due Monday, October 19th
Homework
12
Read Remy, pp. 146-150
Check out this article on the powers and responsibilities of Congressional Staffs.
Also, check out Legistorm--a website that shows all of the staffers in Washington and their salaries. If you're challenged to log in, I have created an account for the class:
username: stuystudent
password: imastuystudent
Here is a link to the staff of Senator Schumer--note that there are two such pay periods, so the numbers you see can be multiplied by two to see what yearly salary the staffer makes. And here is a link to the salaries of the staffers on the House Energy and Commerce Committee--the committee fought over by Waxman and Dingell. Note that there are four pay periods in the House, so to determine yearly salaries, multiply the numbers you see by four.
"Members of Congress have become cripplingly over-reliant on their staffs. Staff budgets must be slashed in order to force our legislators to do the work for which they were elected." Do you agree or disagree with this quote? What do you think?
-Due Friday, October 16th
Homework 11
Read Remy, pp. 141-145
Also, check out this article from the New York Times about the struggle for control of the House Energy and Commerce Committee between auto industry advocate John Dingell and environmental activist Henry Waxman. Also look at this piece about the Senate finance committee.
Do committee chairs have too much power? Why or why not?
-Due Thursday, October 15th
Optional Multimedia
Fascinating audio piece that asks: Why do we blink?
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 138-140
Also, please read this blog entry by enormously prolific Judge Richard Posner on the filibuster.
Should the filibuster be abolished?
-Due Wednesday, October 14th
Optional Stuff
Interesting piece on procrastination from the New Yorker. Read it AFTER you finish the homework...
Amazing mashups (of Youtubers) by Kutiman and (of Muppets) by Pogo.
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 132-137
Also, click on this link to the web site of the radio program "This American Life." If you want to save it, you can right click on the link and download the mp3 to play on your iPod or whatever.
For Discussion: I want you to listen to a segment about life in the minority in the House of Representatives called "Bully's Pulpit"--it comes 42 minutes into the show and is about 13 minutes long. (Note: it might take a couple of minutes for the program to load in its entirety)
Do you think that the House is too dominated by the majority party? Should anything be done to change this?
Extras
Behold the amazing hexaflexagon!
-Due Thursday, October 8th
Homework (No Number)
Read Remy, pp. 123-130
1. Read this article by Jeffrey Toobin about the increasingly sophisticated techniques behind gerrymandering.
2. For fun, check out this website that lets you create your own gerrymandered districts. Wow!
For Discussion:Has gerrymandering made a mockery of the House of Representatives? What realistic solutions are there to the problems that Toobin explains?
ALSO: Richard Feynman explains why rubber bands work. Fascinating stuff
AND: Go Pizza Rat!
-Due Wednesday, October 7th
Homework (No number)
Read Remy, pp. 112-116. Also, check out this article from the New York Times from a couple of years ago.
Given the tremendously low turnout in local elections, should we be worried about our federalist system?
AND, check out the review sheet for next Friday's test.
-Due Monday, October 5th
Homework 10
Read Remy, pp. 106-110
Also, please read "Why the Worst Governments in America are Local Governments," by Jonathan Chait from New York Magazine.
“States' rights, as our forefathers conceived it, was a protection of the right of the individual citizen. Those who preach most frequently about states' rights today are not seeking the protection of the individual citizen, but his exploitation. . . . The time is long past - if indeed it ever existed - when we should permit the noble concept of States' rights to be betrayed and corrupted into a slogan to hide the bald denial of American rights, of civil rights, and of human rights.” --Robert Kennedy
Do you agree or disagree with this quote? Note that today, some states are more progressive than the nation as a whole, passing laws legalizing marijuana use, same sex marriage and imposing tighter restrictions on industrial pollution and emissions.
-Due Friday, October 2nd
Optional Stuff
Impressed by the eloquence of Justice Antonin Scalia, but hate his conservative opinions? Here's a roundup of some of the times that he sided with liberals--or at least civil libertarians.
Homework 9
Read Remy, pp. 103-105
Question
Do you think it is fair that state universities can charge out-of-state students more tuition? Why or why not? Explain.
-Due Thursday, October 1st
Optional Reading
What is it really like to be a baby?
This is a pretty cool video.
Homework 8
The Constitution! Please read it in its entirety. If you don't have your pocket constitution handy, it is in Remy--pp. 775-799. Or you can find it online. Then check out this critique, which calls our sacred national document imbecilic.
Also: Read Remy, pp. 95-102
To what extent is our constitution "imbecilic"?
-Due Tuesday, September 29th
Optional Stuff
Also, check out this article about the departure of John Boehner from the Speakership.
Homework 7
Read Remy, pp. 84-90.
If you could add any amendment to the US Constitution, what would it be and why?
Due Wednesday, September 26th
Optional Stuff
Here it is: The Last Place You Ever Live.
Homework 6
Read Remy, pp. 76-81. PLEASE NOTE THAT WE ARE SKIPPING A SECTION.
Also take a look at these failed amendments and these proposed amendments.
Additionally--here's a fantastic site that allows you to explore the ratification of the Constitution in depth.
Did the Founding Fathers make the Constitution too difficult to amend? What do you think of the amendment process in general? Did seeing the failed or proposed amendments change your mind? Explain.
Also: for those who are curious to see James Madison's notes of the Philadelphia Convention, they can be found here.
-Due Tuesday, September 25th
Optional Reading
Here's an interesting map of the United States with 50 new states--all with more or less equal population.
Homework 5
Read Remy, pp. 63-67. Also check out this review of Robert Dahl's book "How Democratic Is the American Constitution?", written by Hendrick Hertzberg (the editorial editor at the New Yorker magazine).
Is the American Constitution truly democratic? Why or why not? Try to reference the article as well as Remy.
-Due Tuesday, September 22nd
ALSO: The course schedule is now online.
Optional Reading
Drilling. It kills your desire to learn... doesn't it?
Why are some languages faster than others?
"No Evidence of Disease"--this is a hell of a story.
Homework 4
Read Remy, pp. 53-58. Also read this article about the Constitutional Convention.
Here's a quote from famous abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison, on the Constitution:
There is much declamation about the sacredness of the compact which was formed between the free and slave states, on the adoption of the Constitution. A sacred compact, forsooth! We pronounce it the most bloody and heaven-daring arrangement ever made by men for the continuance and protection of a system of the most atrocious villany ever exhibited on earth. Yes—we recognize the compact, but with feelings of shame and indignation, and it will be held in everlasting infamy by the friends of justice and humanity throughout the world. It was a compact formed at the sacrifice of the bodies and souls of millions of our race, for the sake of achieving a political object—an unblushing and monstrous coalition to do evil that good might come. Such a compact was, in the nature of things and according to the law of God, null and void from the beginning. No body of men ever had the right to guarantee the holding of human beings in bondage. Who or what were the framers of our government, that they should dare confirm and authorise such high-handed villany—such flagrant robbery of the inalienable rights of man—such a glaring violation of all the precepts and injunctions of the gospel—such a savage war upon a sixth part of our whole population?—They were men, like ourselves—as fallible, as sinful, as weak, as ourselves. By the infamous bargain which they made between themselves, they virtually dethroned the Most High God, and trampled beneath their feet their own solemn and heaven-attested Declaration, that all men are created equal, and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights—among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. They had no lawful power to bind themselves, or their posterity, for one hour—for one moment—by such an unholy alliance. It was not valid then—it is not valid now. Still they persisted in maintaining it—and still do their successors, the people of Massachusetts, of New-England, and of the twelve free States, persist in maintaining it. A sacred compact! A sacred compact! What, then, is wicked and ignominious?
Then read this piece by historian Sean Wilentz
Do you agree or disagree with the above quote? If you do agree, were there any alternatives? What do you think?
-Due Friday, September 21st
Optional Reading
A fascinating article about a guy who was the best at putting hidden compartments in cars. Who could possibly use or need such a service?
Homework 3
Read Remy, pp. 48-52. Also read the Articles of Confederation. These also
can be found in the back of our textbook (pp. 808-811). Also, read this
article comparing the EU to the Articles.
1) To what extent were the Articles of
Confederation totally unworkable as a blueprint for the new nation?
2) Analyze at least one article in the Articles
for HW. Show why it's a good or bad idea.
3) Check out this article about the Republican debate last night.
-Due Friday, September 18th
Homework 2
Read Remy, pp. 42-7 and the Declaration of Independence.
Also, check out this piece about the impact of the Declaration in early US history.
Additionally, please try to watch the Republican debate tonight. It's on CNN at 8pm--if you don't have cable, you may be able to watch it on cnn.com
Question: To what extent did the United States live up to the revolutionary ideals of the Declaration of Independence? Should it have?
-Due Thursday, September 17th
Optional Stuff
A really great piece from Vox: 38 Maps that Explain the Global Economy
Homework 1
We are beginning to use the textbook, henceforth known as "Remy." Read pp. 35-40. Also, take a look at these excerpts from John Locke's Second Treatise of Government.
Written work: What do you think of Locke's work? What are his hypotheses and do you agree with them? Why?
What format should this work be in? It should be:
1) In PDF form. You should be able to use Word or any other word processing software to save as PDF. Also Macs and some other programs allow you to print to PDF. If none of this works, here is a free converter that creates PDFs. PLEASE NOTE THAT HOMEWORK SUBMITTED IN .DOC OR .DOCX FORM IS NOT GRADABLE!
2) Double spaced
3) No longer than two, but no shorter than one page.
4) Titled "HW 1, John Smith" if your name were John Smith
5) Uploaded into our shared Dropbox account by the start of class Wednesday.
-Due Wednesday, September 16th
Optional Stuff
An amazing map showing the spread of (mostly western) culture by graphically tracking the birthplaces and deathplaces of notable people through history.
Homework
1) Make sure you have a Dropbox account.
2) Share a folder with me. The format should be as follows: If your name were Joe Biden and you were in my 5th period AP US Gov class, the folder would be entitled: Joe Biden, 5. My e-mail address for sharing is mpolazzo@gmail.com
3) Upload a headshot (not a whole body picture) of yourself that (a) is not too large and (b) actually looks like you. Place it in the shared folder. Name it joebiden.jpg (substitute your first and last names). Please note that all headshots should be in JPEG form!
4) All uploaded data is due by the start of the period that I teach you tomorrow!
Also, please read this piece from the (left-leaning) Nation Magazine entitled "14 Years After 9/11, the War on Terror Is Accomplishing Everything bin Laden Hoped It Would." Be prepared to discuss
Optional Stuff
Here is a short George Orwell essay about good writing: "Politics and the English Language." Let it be your guide.
Here are some fascinating charts. Curious about where the federal budget goes? This chart by Death and Taxes is a nice graphical representation here (I know they are trying to sell the poster, but you can still look at all the spending and taxes using the magnifier tool).
Also: want to engage in a bit of military procurement through the Department of Defense? No problem! Simply master this organizational chart.
AND: check out this great comic on the Assad family in Syria
Homework
Please go to this form and enter in your information!
-Due Thursday, September 10th
