Discussion
1) Why do members of Congress rate so low on the "public trust" scale as shown in the text? What could they do to improve their image and popularity in the eyes of the public?
2) Why have we seen increasing gridlock in Congress over the past few decades? The Washington Post Politics Glossary defines gridlock as "The inability of two opposing groups to accomplish any sort of remedy or compromise on a political issue because one side manages to prevent matters from moving forward."
3) What is gerrymandering and how does the process of reapportionment and redistricting affect who gets elected to the House of Representatives?
4) How does a president attempt to implement his/her agenda? What makes these efforts succeed or fail?
Reading: Barbour and Wright, Chapters 9 and 10 (to be read by our fifth week of class, which begins Monday, June 12)