(Introduction to)
American Politics
PS 125(D)
My info
• Dr. Casey Dominguez
• caseydominguez@sandiego.edu
• http://home.sandiego.edu/~caseydominguez/pols125
• Office: 254B IPJ
• Office Hours:
– After class 1 hour
– also MWF 11:05-12:05
• E-Reserve Password POLS125
Policies
• Tardiness: It’s rude. I notice. I do not
repeat information.
• Late papers: 1/3 grade for every day late
• Cheating: I will report you to the Dean for
even a minor infraction.
– All papers must be uploaded to turnitin.com.
Get to know a classmate!
What did we disagree about
most?
Do you approve or disapprove of the job that
George W. Bush is doing as president?
Approve
Disapprove
34
63
CNN/Opinion Research Corp.1/19-21/07
Do you approve or disapprove of the way
Bush is handling terrorism and homeland security?
Approve
Disapprove
41
53
Newsweek Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research
Associates International. Jan. 17-18, 2007. N=1,003 adults
nationwide. MoE ± 3.
Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way
things are going in the United States at this time?
Approve
Disapprove
30
62
Newsweek Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research
Associates International. Jan. 17-18, 2007. N=1,003 adults
nationwide. MoE ± 3.
Do you favor or oppose President Bush's plan to
send about 20,000 more U.S. troops to Iraq in an
attempt to stabilize the situation there?
Favor
Oppose
35
63
Don’t
Know
2
CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Jan. 19-21, 2007. N=1,008
adults nationwide. MoE ± 3 (for all adults).
Thinking specifically about the additional troops President
Bush plans to send to Iraq, what would you want your
members of Congress to do? Should they vote to allow
the government to spend money in order to send more
troops to Iraq, or vote to block the government from
spending money to send more troops to Iraq?
Allow
Block
36
61
Don’t
Know
2
CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Jan. 19-21, 2007. N=1,008
adults nationwide. MoE ± 3 (for all adults).
Which of the following statements comes closest to your
view of global warming? Global warming is a proven fact.
Global warming is a theory that has not yet been proven.
Proven
Unproven
57
38
Don’t
Know
5
CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Jan. 19-21, 2007. N=approx.
500 adults nationwide. MoE ± 4.5.
Do you think the government should or should not put
new restrictions on emissions from cars and industrial
facilities such as power plants and factories in an attempt
to reduce the effects of global warming?
New
restrictions
No
restrictions
Don’t Know
75
21
4
CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Jan. 19-21, 2007. N=1,008
adults nationwide. MoE ± 3 (for all adults).
Many of the tax cuts passed in 2001 were temporary and
are set to expire in a few years. Should those tax cuts be
made permanent or should they be allowed to expire?
Favor
Oppose
39
39
Don’t
Know
22
CBS News Poll. Jan. 18-21, 2007. N=1,168 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.
Do you think the United States has a responsibility to do
something about the ethnic genocide in the Darfur region
of Sudan, or doesn't the United States have this
responsibility?
Does
Doesn’t
51
36
Don’t
Know
13
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press survey conducted by
Princeton Survey Research Associates International. Dec. 6-10, 2006.
N=1,502 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.
Would you favor or oppose a law that would ban gay
marriage, requiring that marriage should be between a
man and a woman?
Favor
Oppose
51
45
Don’t
Know
4
Associated Press/AOL poll conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs. Jan. 16-18,
2007. N=1,005 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.1.
Why do we disagree?
Why do we disagree?
• Upbringing & values
• Information sources & processing
How can we decide on common
rules when we disagree?
• Dictatorship
• Simple majority/plurality rules
• Supermajorities, Checks and balances,
that protect the status quo and minority
interests
PS 125 Democracy Project
• As a class, you will decide how much of
your grade each assignment will be worth.
• Goals:
• Think about your own learning goals
• Think about the challenges of reaching
agreement by democratic means when
people have different values, and different
personal interests.
Class assignments
•
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•
•
•
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Midterm #1
Midterm #2
Final Exam
Project essay
Class presentation about project
“Democracy project” review essay
Pop Quizzes
Daily Attendance and participation
Projects
•
•
•
•
•
•
Media, Feb. 15
Participation, Feb. 20
Gay marriage, Mar. 1
Representation, Mar. 20
Parties in Congress, Mar. 22
Presidential Election, Mar. 27
– when you sign up, please list which 2 candidates you
will profile, and try not to duplicate!
• Global Warming Project, April 24
• National Security Project, May 3
PS 125 Democracy Project
• As a class, you will decide how much of
your grade each assignment will be worth.
• Goals:
• Think about your own learning goals
• Think about the challenges of reaching
agreement by democratic means when
people have different values, and different
personal interests.