Odessa College - GOVT2302

Federal
Government 2305--Web

ASSIGNMENTS (WEB)

Students must complete four (4) web assignments. Two are required--the Unit 6 Web Assignment on Political Parties and the Unit 8 Web Assignment on Congress. Students should then select and complete two (2) additional web assignments of their choice from units 1-13.

IMPORTANT

All assignments are to be posted in Blackboard's   Digital Drop Box, accessed by clicking on "Tools."

Make sure you include the following information in the text of all posted Assignments:

Your name

Title of Assignment (ex.: Summary #1)

Date assignment posted

Course (ex.: Govt. 2305 Web)

Last 4 numbers of your social security number (ex.: 0138)

Failure to include the above information will lead to the loss of one letter grade on the assignment.
-All late assignments will lose one letter grade.

-No assignments accepted more than 4 days after the due date.

RECOMMENDED

I STRONGLY recommend typing up all assignments in Microsoft Word and saving them to your disk and/or hard drive and printing out a hard copy BEFORE posting them. In the event an assignment gets "lost" or for some reason is not posted correctly, you will have a backup copy to email me as an attachment.

UNIT 1

Government and the People

Web Activity

Visit the Direct Democracy Center.

In California the Direct Democracy Center has proposed an amendment to the California constitution that would create a direct democracy in California. First, the proposal calls for the creation of an electronic network that would allow every citizen to vote from their homes in all elections. Citizens would also participate directly in all legislative decision making through the network by instructing their representatives in the state legislature how they (the citizens) want their representatives to vote on each issue before the legislature. The representative would then be bound by law to follow the majority vote that comes over this network.

Your job is to evaluate this proposal. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of such a proposal.

Then take a position and add one to two paragraphs why California should or should not adopt this amendment.

To access the necessary information:

Once you reach the website, look at the menu--the right hand side, bottom corner or square and you will see : DDC Page 2 Click on it and it will take you to that page and scroll down to two links to get the necessary info:

IT'S TIME TO CLAIM OUR SOVEREIGNTY WITH DIRECT DEMOCRACY
Condensed Proposal

WHY WE NEED DIRECT DEMOCRACY - IN BRIEF
With direct democracy, we could change and improve these things and much more with our informed votes:

UNIT 2

The U.S. Constitution

Web Activity

Visit The U.S. Constitution Online and discuss the subjects that are not addressed in the U.S. Constitution. Which were most surprising to you? What conclusions have you reached?

UNIT 3

Federalism

Web Activity

Contact the web page for the Texas Department of Public Safety and the web page for the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.

Determine the state speed limits established on the interstate since the national government has relinquished speed limit control to the states.

Evaluate the roles of the national, state, and local governments regarding interstate highways in your area.

Gather information about the speed limits relative to the increase in accidents. Determine the increase of automobile accidents with the increase of speed limits.

Evaluate the advantages versus the disadvantages of the speed limits on the interstate highways in your state.

Compare your findings to the Washington, D.C. based group, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.

Prepare a written summary of your findings and your conclusions about states' rights to determine interstate highway policies in our national system.

UNIT 4

Public Opinion

Web Activity

Visit the "Gallup Poll News Releases" web page and review the list of their most recent surveys. Choose a survey that addresses a political topic that interests you. Print off the survey (to be turned in with your assignment)

Describe the issue the survey is attempting to study. Report the results of the study. Explain the questions asked in the survey. If analysis over time is presented, identify any trends.

Analyze the results of the report in regard to different groups' positions on your issue. What might account for the differences?

Evaluate the survey itself-are the questions asked really getting at the public's attitudes on this issue? Are there additional questions that should have been asked? Is the wording of the questions appropriate? Are the questions objectively worded?

Additional Web Sites

2. The PEW Center for the People and the Press regularly surveys people regarding their attitudes toward the media's coverage of politics, and measures which news events people follow most closely.

3. The Annenberg Public Policy Center conducts studies that analyze the content of TV coverage of politics, which they post at this site.

__________

Alternate Unit 4 Web Activity
(This alternate web assignment can be completed as one of your four web assignments.)

Visit the news web pages of ONE of the major networks on television (CBS, ABC, NBC, and CNN's political coverage.

Compare the major network and CNN for their coverage of political news using the following criteria:

How many stories on their front-page/home page deal with politics

Do they have links to other news stories in the paper,

If so, approximately how many news stories were about politics and government and how many stories were about international affairs or world politics,

Do they have a search feature in which you can find political news, and

If so, do you have to pay to copy the articles or are they available at no charge?

Next, visit the National Public Radio's web page and :

Evaluate its coverage based on the above criteria.

Compare its coverage with that of the television stations.

UNIT 5

Interest Groups

Web Activity

Visit the web page of a major interest group (AARP, NOW, NRA, NAACP, LULAC, Christian Coalition, Common Cause, or the Cato Institute) You may use a search engine to locate the homepage of other organizations that you are interested in.

Identify and summarize in a couple of paragraphs the key issues that the organization is concerned with and identify its position on those issues.

In several paragraphs, report on the group's efforts to influence these issues and evaluate their success/failure.

Identify and discuss the benefits that the interest group offers as incentives to get people to become members.

Web Sites of Major Interest Groups
3. American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)

4. AFLCIO - The nation's largest labor association, the AFL-CIO posts material at this site.

5. National Education Association (NEA)

6. National Organization of Women (NOW)

7. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) - The oldest black civil rights organization.

8. League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) - The oldest Hispanic civil rights organization.

9. The Christian Coalition - A conservative religious group.

10. The Common Cause - A leading public interest group.

11. National Rifle Association (NRA) - The leading anti-gun control group.

12. The National Right to Life - The leading pro-life group.

13. Planned Parenthood - The leading pro-choice group.

14. American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) - A civil liberties organization fighting to protect constitutional rights.

15. Handgun Control - The leading pro-gun control group.

16. The Sierra Club - The oldest environmental group.

TEXAS GROUPS:
17. Texas Association of Business and Chambers of Commerce - An Association representing business interests and promoting economic development, tourism and conventions.

18. Texas Municipal League - An organization representing municipal (city) governments in Texas.

19. Texas State Teacher's Association - The leading organization representing public school teachers in Texas.

20. Texas Trial Lawyers Association - The professional association representing trial lawyers in Texas.

21. Texas Medical Association - The professional association representing Texas physicians.

22. Texas Association of School Boards - The association representing Texas school board members.

UNIT 6

Political Parties

Web Activity

REQUIRED WEB ASSIGNMENT

THIS IS THE FIRST OF THE TWO REQUIRED WEB ASSIGNMENTS THAT MUST BE DONE BY ALL STUDENTS.)
Visit the web site Select Smart, click on "Politics Selectors", then click on "Most Comprehensive Political Selector" by Robert LeMichael Carter, Jr. (in the right-handed column of the menu, 7th one down) and take the political party questionnaire (25 questions)-the third one listed- and then print out the rankings. Then find the web site of the party listed at the top of your rankings (the one you are most in agreement with) and print off a copy of their most recent party platform.

Some party web sites:
Democrats
Republicans
Libertarians
Reform Party
U.S. Taxpayers Party
Natural Law Party
Green Party

Identify the key issues of the party.

Write a paper discussing your findings and what you learned about the party--especially all of their issue stands. Were you surprised by the party ranked as most in agreement with your beliefs. If so, go visit the web site of the party you have traditionally supported and compare their platform and issue stands with those of the party at the top of your rankings? What are the differences? Have your political party loyalties changed as a result of this web assignment?

UNIT 7

The Presidency

Web Activity

1. Go to the American Presidents Web site at www.americanpresidents.org/ and write brief political biographies of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt and one other of YOUR choice. What were their challenges as presidents? What were their triumphs and defeats? What is their legacy for future presidents?

UNIT 8

Congress

Web Activity

REQUIRED WEB ASSIGNMENT

1. Using www.house.gov and www.senate.gov answer the following questions regarding Congress:

Go to the web sites of the two US Senators from your state and your US Representative and discuss:

their party affiliation,

their political experience prior to being elected to the Congress,

their committee assignments,

the length of time they have served,

legislation they have sponsored, co-sponsored (IMPORTANT!)

their major legislative priorities.

Evaluate the job they are doing based on the information available on their web site. Would you support each of them when they run for re-election--why or why not?

UNIT 9

The Judiciary

Web Activity

1. Go to the U.S. Supreme Court Web site at www.supremecourtus.gov and write on the following points:

a. The history of the Supreme Court

b. How many justices have sat on the Court, and who served as chief justice?

c. What are the traditions and procedures of the institution?

d. Briefly discuss any three cases the Court has heard in the last year and their decision in each.

Alternate Unit 9 Web Activities
(Any of the following alternate web activities can be completed as one of your four web assignments.)

1. Visit the Sentencing Project Web site at www.sentencingproject.org/ and discuss the following:

a. how many persons are incarcerated in the U.S.?

b. What are the demographics of those in prison?

c. How many are on probation?

d. What is the estimated amount of money spent on building new prison facilities?

e. Why won't the "Three Strikes You're Out" law reduce crime?

f. What is the current policy regarding crack/cocaine sentencing?

g. What are the proposed changes in the crack/cocaine sentencing laws?

______

2. Visit the Death Penalty Web site at http://deathpenaltyinfo.org and discuss the following:

a. What are the national statistics (by gender and by race) of the death row population?

b. How many were executed since 1976 and 2000? How many of those were executed in Texas?

c. What are the goals of Moratorium 2000, ACLU Death Penalty Campaign, or Amnesty International Death Penalty Campaign?

d. Why does the Web site argue that the death penalty is ineffective?

UNIT 10

The Bureaucracy

Web Activity

1. List the 14 cabinet departments by year of establishment using the FirstGov Web site at www.FirstGov.gov (click on to the "Executive Branch" link) and list the secretaries of each department. Also, list the duties and functions for each department, the number of employees, their latest budget, and what services each provides for the American government. Which ones are more relevant, and which would you eliminate from government? Explain the reasons for your answer.

Alternate Unit 10 Web Activities
(Any of these can be completed as one of your four web assignments.)

2. Visit the FirstGov Web site at www.FirstGov.gov and click on to the "Executive Branch" link. Discuss the functions and duties of the following agencies: Council of Economic Advisors, National Security Council (NSC), and Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Who chairs these agencies? What are their priorities?

______

3. Visit the FirstGov Web site at www.FirstGov.gov and click on to the "Executive Branch" link and then click onto the "Independent Establishments and Government Corporations" site. Using this list, find the Social Security Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Chart out the duties and functions of each (including services provided to citizens), the staff and budgets. In what ways are they important to the functioning of government?

______

4. Visit the FirstGov Web site at www.FirstGov.gov and click on to the "Executive Branch" link and hen click onto the "Boards, Commissions, and Committees site. Choose any four and describe and discuss the purpose, the commission staff and budgets of each.

______

5. Go to the Government Accountability Project Web site at www.whistleblower.org and discuss the following:

a. Describe the programs, resources, and campaigns offered by the Project.

b. Who are some of the Whistle-blowers in the news?

c. What problems did they uncover?

d. What are some of the "survival tips" offered by the project?

UNIT 11

Civil Liberties

Web Activity

1. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is an organization devoted to protecting basic civil liberties. Access the ACLU home page at: http://www.aclu.org and answer the following questions:

a. What specific issues does the organization protect? In what ways does the ACLU attempt to protect civil liberties? Comment on the necessity of the methods and identify current court cases in which the ACLU is involved. Finally, describe the reasons why the organization is involved.

b. Choose any three (3) issues and discuss how the ACLU addresses them--their position or stand on those issues.

c. What are your conclusions about the ACLU? Would you join the organization? Why or why not? On which issues do you agree with their position and on which do you disagree?

Alternate Unit 11 Web Activities and Sites
(Any of these additional Web activities are optional and can be done as one of your remaining four in the course.)

1. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) at http://www.aclu.org and the America Center for Law & Justice (ACLJ) at www.aclj.org take opposite positions on the issue of separation of church and state, which is based on the establishment clause in the First Amendment. Access the Web sites of both organizations and compare and contrast their positions on this topic (which includes such issues as school prayer, Bible reading, posting of the Ten Commandments, Christmas decorations purchased by taxpayers' money, the teaching of evolution versus creationism). Compare their positions to Supreme Court decisions. The courts have seemed to adopt the legal reasoning of which group? Which organization's position and issue stands do you agree with more and why? (Other organizations with the same perspective as the ACLJ (and which you can also use to compare to the ACLU) are: Liberty Legal Institute at www.freemarket.org/liberty_legal.htm and the Alliance Defense Fund at www.alliancedefensefund.org

_______

2. The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) at http://uscis.gov/graphics/index.htm oversees immigration in the United States. The National Network for Immigration and Refugee Rights (NNIRR) at http://www.nnirr.org is a national organization of local coalitions that seeks to promote a just immigration and refugee policy. Access their Web sites and answer the following questions:

a. What are the similarities and differences between the roles of these two organizations regarding immigration?

b. What strategies do they use in addressing immigration?

c. In what ways can/does each organization benefit the other?

______

3. The Freedom Forum (at: http://www.freeedomforum.org) is a nonpartisan foundation dedicated to the freedoms covered by the First Amendment. Access this site and define, in your words, their mission statement. What are their issues? Define and discuss the issues of free press, speech, religious freedom, and school prayer.

______

4. Access the Find Law (at http://www.findlaw.com) legal resources site and answer these questions:

a. What are the similarities and differences between the Miranda (1966) and the Dickerson (2000)n cases?

b. Do citizens have the right to be told of their constitutional rights when detained by police? Why or why not?

______

5. The Supreme Court of the 1980s and 1990s issued a number of rulings on abortion that affirmed the Roe v. Wade (http://members.aol.com/abtrbng/41Ous113.htm) decision of 1973. Identify those cases (using the following Web sites) and discuss the significance of each ruling as they relate to Roe v. Wade.

a. National Organization of Women (NOW) at www.now.org

b. National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL) at www.naral.org

c. Planned Parenthood at www.plannedparenthood.org

d. National Right to Life at www.nationalrighttolife.org

e. Christian Coalition at www.cc.org

UNIT 12

Civil Rights

Web Activity

1. When the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) (http://www.now.org/issues/economic/eratext.html) failed in 1982, some claimed that the ERA was "dead in the water." Supporters now seem to have renewed their commitment to see it passed. What is the ERA, and what will it provide (according to both its critics and its supporters)? Access these Web sites for additional assistance in your research to complete this assignment:

a. National Organization of Women (NOW) at www.nor.org

b. Eagle Forum at http://eagleforum.org

Based on your research, do you favor or oppose the ERA and WHY?

Alternate Unit 12 Web Activities and Sites
(Any of these additional Web activities are optional and can be done as one of your four web assignments in the course.)

1. Compare and contrast the following Web sites. What are the goals of these organizations? In what ways do they encourage their members to promote their cause(s)? How do they differ from one another?

a. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) at www.naacp.org and the Nation of Islam at www.noi.org

b. The Human Rights Center at www.hrc.org and the Log Cabin Republicans at www.lcr.org

c. National Organization of Women at www.now.org and the Eagle Forum at www.eagleforum.org

d. The American Indian Movement (AIM) at http://members.aol.com/nowacumig/aim.html and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) at http://www.doi.gov'bureau-indian-affairs.html

e. The United Farm Workers (UFW) at http://www.//ufw.org and Latino Web at www.latinoweb.com

  ______

2. The trend to overturn affirmative action has grown in popularity in recent years. The National Center for Public Policy Research at www.nationalcenter.org/AA.html takes a position that is different from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) at www.aclu.org/congress/affirmative.html. Which one supports the trend to do away with affirmative action and which one seeks to keep it on the law books? In what ways have California and Florida treated affirmative action? What are the pros and cons of California's Proposition 209? Compare and contrast the rulings found in these cases:

a. UC Board of Regents v. Bakke at www.auaa.org/library/bakke.html

b. Adarand Construction v. Pena at http://supct.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/93-1841.ZO.html

c. Plessy v. Ferguson at http://www.civnet.org/resources/teach/basic/part6/33htm

d. Brown v. Board of Education at http://www.civnet.org/resources/teach/basic/part6/36.htm

______

3. Access Gender Equity in Sports at http://bailiwick.lib.uiowa.edu/ge. Define and discuss the law known as Title IX.

a. What does this law provide for, and what are the myths surrounding women in sports?

b. What voluntary and legislative actions have been taken (nationally) to fulfill the requirements of Title IX?

c. What actions has your college taken to fulfill Title IX?

d. What changes in sports participation have occurred since the passage of Title IX?

______

4. What is the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) at http://www.eeoc.gov/?    What are its goals? Identify and discuss EEOC laws regarding discrimination, privacy, affirmative action, equal pay, disabilities, and civil rights.

UNIT 13

Foreign Affairs & Defense

Web Activity

1. Visit the U.S. State Department Web site at www.state.gov and discuss the following:

a. the mission of the State Department

b. the services provided by the Department

c. choose any one of the regions the Department is responsible for and analyze the mission and role of the United States in that region

d. what are the policy objectives in that region and how are they implemented?

e. based on what you know about this region, are these objectives realistic--why or why not?

Alternate Unit 13 Web Assignments
(Any of the following alternate unite 13 web assignments can be completed as one of your four web assignments.)

2. Visit the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Web site at www.cia.gov and discuss the following:

a. what is the Directorate of Intelligence?

b. What is its Analytic Toolkit and what are the standards used to assess nations, regions, and policies as they relate to national security?

c. Choose any nation for the CIA World Factbook 2000 and analyze the nation according to the Analytic Toolkit.

______

3. Visit the Voice of America (VOA) Web site at www.voa.gov and discuss the following:

a. what is the Voice of America?

b. What is its budget, and how many languages are used in its broadcasts?

c. Describe and discuss any one of the regular programs and special programs offered through the VOA.

______

4. Visit the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Web site at www.defenselink.mil/   Scroll down to the bottom of the Web site page and click on DoD 101, Annual Defense Report 2000, and the Defense Almanac to answer these questions:

a. How has the Department of Defense evolved since 1789?

b. What is the current strategy and state of readiness of the DoD?

c. What is the current budget?

d. How many people serve in the DoD, and where are they stationed?

e. What kinds of forces and weapons are utilized by the DoD?

______

5. Visit the Web site of the Peace Corps at www.peacecorps.org and discuss the following:

a. When was the Peace Corps established?

b. What are the demographics of the volunteers?

c. What are the business, education, and environment goals of the Peace Corps volunteers?

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