Class+Discussion

This Wikispace is designed to be a forum in which you analyze and discuss topics in contemporary politics with your classmates. Your grade will be based on the quality of your participation over the course of the term, this includes: timeliness of posts, use of evidence and research in your arguments, and your civil consideration of the opposing viewpoints of your classmates. Click on the "discussion" tab above and have a conversation about the following topics:

Freedom vs. Equality by George Will, Washington Post February 1, 2004.  The Case for Conservatism by George Will, Washington Post  In Defense of Liberalism by Wayne Besen, The Huffington Post Now apply your philosophy to one of the following current issues: legalization of gay marriage in the state of New York, whether taxes should be raised to help balance the federal budget, and Massachusetts' recent decriminalization of marijuana. First, utilizing your political philosophy, argue in your own post to what extent the federal government should play a role in this issue. Second, you must respond to at least one other classmate's written on a different topic.
 * DISCUSSION #1**: After our class discussion on political philosophy and different perspectives of the United States' history read the following articles:

[|Holy Sheet]  [|The Perils of Constitution Worship] To hear an overview of the debate, click on [|Program 2: "The Constitution: Fixed or Flexible?"] Video from the Annenberg Foundation. (Click on the VoD button next to program to watch video.)
 * DISCUSSION #2:** Do you think the Constitution is "fixed or flexible?" Should we look at it as a living document that should change with the times, or as a sacred document, set in stone? State your opinion and respond to at least ONE other classmate using evidence from the articles and any other relevant sources.


 * DISCUSSION #3:** In the article "The Federalism Flip-Flop," James Gimpel argues that the issue of national versus local/state sovereignty should be decided on a case-by-case basis. When it comes to the issues of gay marriage and the legalization of marijuana, do you agree? Why? Below is a list of links to a variety of articles about Federalism and a pro and con article for both of these issues. Read at least one of the background articles to get an overview of what the debate over Federalism is all about, then choose between the two topics to write your opinion, reading both the pro and con arguments. Be sure to keep you comments primarily limited to a discussion of federalism, rather than an opinion as to whether or not you support legalizing either marijuana or gay marriage.


 * Federalism Background**
 * **[|The Federalism Flip-Flop] **
 * **[|The Late Great States] **
 * **[|The New Blue Federalists] **


 * The Gay Marriage Debate**
 * [|A Federalist Case for Gay Marriage]
 * [|Why We Need a National Definition of Marriage]


 * The Medical Marijuana Debate**
 * [|Testing the Limits of Big Government]
 * <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px;">[|Dude? Where's My Integrity?]


 * Discussion #4 ** Bush v. Gore is one of the most controversial modern Supreme Court decisions. Conservatives, such as Peter Berkowitz, argue that the decision was the right one and helped settle the contentious Presidential election so the country could move forward with a new government. Others, like Alan Dershowitz, believe this case was a horrible miscarriage of justice where justices let their political biases affect their legal justifications and thus forever tainted the hard earned reputation of the Court. After reading the two articles respond in the Discussion #4 thread whether or not you agree with the Supreme Court's decision.


 * Federalism issues in Bush v. Gore**
 * <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px;">[|Tribe v. Truth: Don't Let Laurence Tribe interpret Bush v. Gore for the generations of law students to come by Peter Berkowitz, The Weekly Standard.]
 * Bush v Gore: What Were They Thinking? David A. Strauss

America, like every other country or society, has unique elements of its culture. Read the following articles about American culture as preparation for the articles on class consciousness in America.
 * DISCUSSION #5**:

<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;">[|**Foreign //Office//**] <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #001ee6; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11pt; padding-right: 10px; text-decoration: none;">[|: THE FRENCH AND GERMANS HAVE REMADE THE BBC SERIES. WHY? by Liesl Schillinger, Slate.com] This article, although having nothing to do with actual politics, describes how the four different versions of the sitcom "The Office" communicates essential differences between German, French, British and American cultures.

<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #001ee6; font-family: Geneva; font-size: 11pt; padding-right: 10px; text-decoration: none;">[|Why Everyone You Know Thinks the Same as You by Shankar Vedantam, The Washington Post]

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">After reading these two articles on American culture consider the question of whether or not America is a meritocracy and whether we are or at least should be concerned with issues of class. What do you think? Using the articles below (you don't have to read all of them, but you should read at least two from each perspective) as well as any outside research, debate this question.

<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;">[|The Death of Horatio Alger (Paul Krugman)] <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;"> [|Class Warfare Obscures the Tax-Cut Debate (Heritage Foundation)] <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;"> [|In Class Warfare, Guess Which Class is Winning (Ben Stein)] <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;"> [|The Class Warfare Gambit (National Review)] <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;"> [|The Rockefellers and the Angry Commoners (Slate)] <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;"> [|Class-War Games (Slate)]

===<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;">Discussion #6: === In light of our class discussion today I serendipitously stumbled upon these articles after following some links from Andrew Sullivan's blog. Read these three links and respond to the questions in discussion #6. (This will be counted on term 2).

<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;">America is Not the Greatest Country Ever (Michael Kinsley ) <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;">Patriotism as Status Socialism (or, America: F**k Yeah!) (Julian Sanchez) <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;">An Exceptional Debate The Obama administration’s assault on American identity (RICHARD LOWRY & RAMESH PONNURU) <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;">The Big Lie-Andrew Sullivan, The Atlantic

===<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">Discussion #7: === After reading the CQ Researcher briefing "Abortion Debates: Should States Enact New Restrictions?" discuss whether you think the Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade was correctly decided and whether states should and can place more limits on access to abortion services.

===<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">Discussion #8: === <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;">Dissecting the 2008 Electorate: Most Diverse in U.S. History by the Pew Research Center

Download the .pdf file of this report and respond to this question prompt:

What are the implications, if any, for the changing demographic makeup of the U.S. electorate?

===<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">Discussion #9: ===

Many people wonder why the United States' two party system continues to endure. Many people continue to struggle to define the Tea Party movement in relation to America's two party system. After reading the following articles put the Tea Party in to the proper context in America's history of third party/minor party movements.
 * <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px;">Gauging the scope of the tea party movement in America, Washington Post-October 24, 2010
 * <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px;">Matt Taibbi on the Tea PartyHow corporate interests and Republican insiders built the Tea Party monster by Matt Taibi, Rolling Stone-October 15, 2010
 * <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px;">The Two Faces of the Tea Party Rick Santelli, Glenn Beck, and the future of the populist insurgency. JUN 28, 2010, VOL. 15, NO. 39 • BY MATTHEW CONTINETTI The Weekly Standard
 * <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px;">Birthers, Health Care Hecklers and the Rise of Right-Wing Rage by Rick Pearlstein-The Washington Post, Sunday, August 16, 2009
 * <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;">Tea Parties Old and New Some parallels between 1773 and today. National Review <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">FRED SCHWARZ APRIL 1, 2010 12:00 P.M
 * <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px;">My Country, Tis of Me There’s nothing patriotic about the Tea Party Patriots. By MICHAEL KINSLEY, The Atlantic-June 2010

===<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">Discussion #10: ===

Money in politics is a contentious issue. After completing the webquest from class today and reading the following articles on money in politics, 527s, 501c3 groups and the Supreme Court's Citizens United v. FEC decision discuss campaign finance with your classmates.


 * <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Is money in politics a problem? Specifically why or why not.
 * <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">How would you change, if at all, the campaign finance system.
 * <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">What do you think about where Democrats and Republicans get their money. What does it tell us about parties, campaigns, politics and policy in this country.


 * <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px;">Justices, 5-4, Reject Corporate Spending Limit By ADAM LIPTAK Published: January 21, 2010, New York Times
 * <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px;">Who is helped, or hurt, by the Citizens United decision?--Washington Post, January 24, 2010
 * <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px;">What the Supreme Court got right BY GLENN GREENWALD, Salon.comFRIDAY, JAN 22, 2010 13:23 ET
 * <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px;">Interest Groups Gain In Election Cash Quest Analysis Shows Giving To Parties Has Dipped; Beyond 'Swift Boating'--Wall Street Journal DECEMBER 19, 200

===<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**Discussion #11:** === Discuss your personal feeling about Social Security reform having now completed the Congressional Committee simulation.

===<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">Discussion #12: === Presidential powers and the War on Terror.

What powers should the President exercise in conducting the War on Terror and what should be done about people currently held at Guatanomo Bay? Read the following articles (and relevant links) and discuss.

President's Executive Order <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;">Obama Clears Way for Guantánamo Trials By SCOTT SHANE and MARK LANDLER Published: March 7, 2011 New York Times

Arguments for a Change in the Government's Detention Policy at Guantanamo Bay <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;">The "Bush-tortured" excuse for indefinite detention BY GLENN GREENWALD

<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;">FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2009 10:23 ET Facts and myths about Obama's preventive detention proposal BY GLENN GREENWALD

Arguments in Favor of the Government's Detention Policy at Guantanamo Bay <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;">Catch and Release The Guantanamo Recidivism Problem. DEC 28, 2009, VOL. 15, NO. 15 • BY STEPHEN F. HAYES

Thoughts About Obama's most recent Executive Order on Guantanamo Bay <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">Some preliminary thoughts on the Gitmo Executive Order by Deborah Pearlstein

===<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">Discussion #13: === <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">Post Debate Discussion on Presidential Powers

<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;"> After listening to the debate on Presidential Powers argue whether or not the Presidency has grown too powerful since World War II.

<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;"> Coincidently, Andrew Sullivan posted this on his blog today. <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;"> The Imperial Presidency-Andrew Sullivan's The Daily Dish, March 18, 2011