Issues in American Politics
POSC 20123:070 – Spring 2013
Bailey 101
M W 2:00-3:20 PM
Professor: Dr. Marie Courtemanche
Office: Scharbauer Hall 2012A
Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 12:50- 1:50, or by appointment
E-mail: m.courtemanche@tcu.edu
Phone: (817) 257-5004
Course Description:
This course is a college level introduction to American government. Students will begin
to develop the body of knowledge necessary for informed civic participation. More
specifically, students will learn about democratic principles, the structures and
institutions of government, as well as the many actors choosing to participate within
political processes.
Course Objectives:
As citizens and potential leaders, your job will be to interpret principles of democracy
and to apply them to current issues in American politics. To help you accomplish this,
you will be introduced to basic principles of democracy and the workings of our political
system. You will be expected to apply this body of knowledge to contemporary political
problems. The course will develop your understanding of American government,
American politics and democracy through lectures, group discussions, and outside
research.
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Demonstrate understanding of the foundations of American democracy
Demonstrate understanding of the role of actors (i.e. politicians, interest groups,
individuals, political parties and the mass media) within the political spectrum
Be able to critically analyze current political and governmental events
Apply concepts learned in class to contemporary issues in American government
Demonstrate the ability to participate thoughtfully and respectfully in class
discussions
Expectations: This course is only successful if students participate; therefore, students
should:
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Come to class on time and turn off all electronic devices beforehand.
Read the required assignments BEFORE class.
Participate in class discussion (it’s a component of your grade). Be prepared with
questions, comments, insights, confusions, or other responses to the texts.
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Contribute to an open and supporting learning environment by respecting the
views of others.
Required Text:
The reading assignments are chosen to buttress and expand on the analytic foundation
laid in class. Please notify the instructor about problems obtaining the readings as soon as
possible. The following materials are required.
Morris P. Fiorina, Paul E. Peterson, Bertram Johnson, and William G. Mayer. The New
American Democracy. 7th Edition (2011). ISBN: 0-205-78016-4.
Richard J. Ellis and Michael Nelson (eds). Debating Reform: Conflicting Perspectives on
How to Fix the American Political System (2011). ISBN: 978-1-60426-552-1
Anthony Weston. A Rulebook for Arguments, 4th edition (2009). ISBN: 978-0-87220954-1
You are also responsible for any additional readings, podcasts and videos posted on
Pearson Learning Studio (PLS).
In addition to the required readings, you are required to stay up to date with current
events. For this reason, please read a major daily newspaper (e.g., The New York Times
or The Wall Street Journal), listen to NPR and/or watch the news on a regular basis.
Course Requirements:
The final grade1 is based on participation, assignments, debate execution and three tests
▪ Class Participation and Attendance: 20%
▪ Debate execution: 20%
▪ Three exams: 60% (Exam 1-20%; Exam 2- 20%; Exam 3-20%)
Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
C-
Score
94-100
90-93.99
87-89.99
84-86.99
80-83.99
77-79.99
74-76.99
70-73.99
D+
D
DF
67-69.99
64-66.99
60-63.99
0-59.99
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Please note that I reserve the right to change this policy and to use my discretion in making grading
decisions. Moreover, if it appears as though the class isn’t reading the material I reserve the right to give
pop quizzes.
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Exams:
There will be three examinations during the session which will fall on the following
dates:
1st Exam- Monday, February 18th
2nd Exam-Wednesday, March 27th
3rd Exam- Wednesday, May 1st
These exams will be a combination of true/false, multiple choice, fill in the blank, short
answers, and essays. They will not be cumulative. Because questions on the exams will
be drawn from the required reading, lectures and current events it is imperative that you
keep up with the material and attend class.
There will be NO make-up exams except under the most extraordinary of circumstances
as determined by the instructor. “Extraordinary circumstances” consist exclusively of
student illness or death in the family. In either case, adequate documentation will be
required. For illness excuses, a note that you visited the infirmary will not be sufficient; a
doctor or nurse must indicate that you were unable to take the exam at the regular time.
Class Participation:
In order to gain a better understanding of American government and related political
phenomena, we will spend a great deal of time learning about particular issues in greater
depth. This could take the format of informal discussions, in-class assignments or brief
group activities. No matter the format, the activities will always be based in part upon the
class readings. This means you MUST READ the material before class. Moreover,
students not directly participating in debates will be required to evaluate debaters. These
evaluations count toward class participation. Be forewarned - if you do not attend class
frequently, this part of your grade will suffer. If you are absent from class there will be
absolutely no opportunities to redeem these points.
Debates:
We will hold ten debates throughout the semester with each student directly participating
in three. Each debate will be based on the readings from the Ellis and Nelson text. The
topics are related to the material being covered in lecture so they should be familiar to the
entire class. Students are required to build on these materials as well as search for
additional information from other sources (printed and electronic). If more than one
person is assigned to a position, the individuals involved must meet outside of class to
organize and prioritize their arguments. Every student is expected to have read the
material beforehand, even if not participating in a debate. Grades are based upon peerevaluations as well as my own assessment. Detailed expectations and debate guidelines
are to follow.
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Academic Integrity:
Each student must pursue his or her academic goals honestly and be personally
accountable for all submitted work. Representing another person's work as your own is
always wrong. This includes cheating on an exam. Any suspected instance of academic
dishonesty will be reported. Moreover, the student will receive a zero for the assignment.
Accommodations:
Student Disabilities: Texas Christian University complies with the Americans with
Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 regarding students
with disabilities. Eligible students seeking accommodations should contact the
Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities in the Center for Academic
Services located in Sadler Hall, 11.
Class Schedule
Listed below are the reading assignments for each class. Please complete these
assignments before the class in which they will be discussed.
Part I. History and Framework of American Government
Monday, January 14th – Syllabus Review and Introduction
Wednesday, January 16th – Introduction to Argumentation
Read: Weston, pages 1-36
Monday, January 21st – NO CLASS (Martin Luther King Day)
Wednesday, January 23rd – Introduction to Argumentation
Read Weston, pages 49-85
We will pick debate days during class
Monday, January 28th – The American Constitution
Read Fiorina, Chapter 2 and The Constitution (pages 616-628)
Wednesday, January 30th – The American Constitution, continued
1st Debate on Gun Control
Reading on PLS- “Guns, Safety and the Constitution’s Meaning”
Monday, February 4th – Federalism
Read Fiorina, Chapter 3
Wednesday, February 6th – Federalism, continued
2nd Debate on Drinking Age
Read Ellis and Nelson, Chapter 2
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Part II. American Governing Institutions
Monday, February 11th – Presidential Powers
Read Fiorina, Chapter 13
Wednesday, February 13th – Presidential Powers, continued
3rd Debate on Line Item Veto
Read Ellis and Nelson, Chapter 13
Monday, February 18th – Exam I
Wednesday, February 20th – Legislative Politics
Read Fiorina, Chapter 12
Monday, February 25th – Legislative Politics, continued
4th Debate on Proportional Representation
Read Ellis and Nelson, Chapter 7
Wednesday, February 27th – The Judiciary
Read Fiorina, Chapter 15
Monday, March 4th – The Judiciary, continued
5th Debate on Term Limits
Read Ellis and Nelson, Chapter 15
Part III. Mass Politics: Citizens and Linkages in their Government
Wednesday, March 6th – Presidential Elections
Read Fiorina, Chapter 10
Monday, March 11th – NO CLASS (Spring Recess)
Wednesday, March 13th – NO CLASS (Spring Recess)
Monday, March 18th – Presidential Elections, continued
6th Debate on the Electoral College
Read Ellis and Nelson, Chapter 6
Wednesday, March 20th – Congressional Elections
Read Fiorina, Chapter 11
Monday, March 25th – Congressional Elections, continued
Wednesday, March 27th – Exam II
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Monday, April 1st – Individual Voting and Political Participation
Read Fiorina, Chapter 6
Wednesday, April 3rd – Individual Voting and Political Participation, continued
7th Debate on Allowing Felons to Vote
Read Pro/Con article on PLS “Should Felons be Allowed to Vote?”
Monday, April 8th – Interest Group Politics
Read Fiorina, Chapter 7
Wednesday, April 10th – NO CLASS (MidWest Conference)
Monday, April 15th - Interest Group Politics, continued
8th Debate on the Courting of Politicians by Interest Groups
Read Ellis and Nelson, Chapter 8
Wednesday, April 17th – Party Politics
Read Fiorina, Chapter 8
Monday, April 22nd – Party Politics, continued
9th Debate on Nomination System
Read Ellis and Nelson, Chapter 5
Wednesday, April 24th – The Media
Read Fiorina, Chapter 9
Monday, April 29th – The Media, continued
10th Debate on Treatment of the President by the Media
Reading on PLS, “The Media are Too Hard on the President”
Wednesday, May 1st –Exam III
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