Thursday, June 7, 2012

FINALS WEEK NOTES FOR MY 101 CLASS ...

So students in my PS 101 class don't look like this during finals next week ...



... below I am providing a set of links to topics that I have discussed in lecture. These links should not be interpreted as providing all the information needed for each question in the final. After reading through the first two mid-terms they are simply links to topics that needed more depth in my estimation.


The following links address issues that will be in Part I of the final exam ...

Liberal Republic / Liberal Revolution. Look here under "Three Intertwined Developments" for the "historical forces and intellectual roots behind our political and economic system." Then tie them into our Constitution and our Liberal Republic.

* Federal Imperative / California: California in the federal system (initiative process, recall, etc.). The issues surrounding the recall of Gray Davis, and Arnold's election, are discussed here.

* Courts and/or American Presidency: Here's the link to help with the FISA courts.

The Presidency: Do we have an emerging American Caesar? This post and this op-ed review several issues tied to the American presidency that we discussed in class. These two  posts discuss signing statements.

* From Civil Liberties to Civil Rights: The long march to equality involved issues tied to blacks, women, labor laws, the influence of junk science (which justified social stereotypes), etc. It's all discussed here in last 2/3 of this post."

Congress: Why is it that many members of Congress appear overwhelmed and uninformed? Why do they appear to talk at each other instead of with each other? This post on the Bell Experiment ties into our lecture on post-industrialandia and semi-democracy in America.

* Political Parties: Here's a link that I have used in previous class lectures to help explain the evolution of political parties in America.





The following links address issues that will be in Part II of the final exam ...

Economic Policy Making: This link helps us understand how the market actually works, and why economic policy making is so important in America. This post discusses the role of fiscal and regulatory policy in America.

* Social Security: If I decide to have an independent question on social security you might want to look at this, this, and this. For a discussion on COLAs (cost of living allowances), "hedonics," and social security see this (under "Boskin Commission").



Good luck.
 
- Mark

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