Assignment:
Part 1. 750 words
• Since the national popular vote was first recorded in 1824, there have been four presidential elections where the winner of the Electoral College lost the popular vote: Donald Trump (R) in 2016, George W. Bush (R) in 2000, Benjamin Harrison (R) in 1888, and Rutherford B. Hayes (R) in 1876. Briefly outline the function of the Electoral College and explain why the Founders felt it necessary in the first place. What are the arguments for using the popular vote instead of the Electoral College? According to recent public opinion polls, do Americans favor keeping or abolishing the Electoral College (identify which groups support which position)? What are some of the current proposals for reforming the Electoral College? Do you think the Electoral College should be maintained in its current form, reformed in some way, or replaced by the national popular vote? [Hint: Pew Research is a good source for public opinion data.]
Part 2. 750 words
• Discuss how the racial/ethnic makeup of the overall prison population and the death row population in Texas compares to the racial/ethnic breakdown of the general population in Texas. (Review "Who are Texans?" - Chapter) What might explain the racial/ethnic makeup of the prison population in Texas? Which regions of the country have higher incarceration rates and death penalty usage? (Review "Texas and the Nation" - Chapter) What do you think explains the differences in the regional patterns of incarceration and death penalty usage? After reading Chapter, how do you feel about the fairness of the Texas criminal justice system? To respond to crime in Texas, should the state decriminalize certain behavior, reduce sentence lengths, invest in crime prevention (such as drug and alcohol rehabilitation), or build more prisons?
Part 3. JOURNAL 10 entries 120 words each minimum label them Entry 1 Entry 2, Entry 3, etc
Based on chapters from this textbook https://www.americanyawp.com/
Part 4. 2 pages . Required is a clear thesis that answers one of the below questions with paragraphs that support that answer using evidence from source material. APA style Paper topic below
o What were the causes of the Vietnam War?
Part 5. Required is a clear thesis that answers one of the below questions with paragraphs that support that answer using evidence from source material. APA style Paper topic below
o What were the key causes of the cold war?
Part 6. 750 words
o Read about Welfare Policy and Medicaid and Health Care Policy of your textbook. Also, review Sections 2 and 5 of the Poverty in Texas content by the Texas Politics Project and the Texas Tribune article "Poverty in Texas drops to lowest level in a decade." Why does Texas have such a high poverty rate (when compared to other states in the U.S.), and what steps might the state government take to reduce the poverty level? How does the political culture of Texas (refer back to Chapter) influence the government's response to poverty? What are the conservative vs. liberal explanations for poverty (see section 5 in the "Poverty in Texas" content)? What role do you believe the state and federal governments should play, if any, to reduce the poverty rate?