Assignment
1 - How has the evolution of the federal system affected the civil rights and liberties of American citizens?
2 - The write of habeas corpus ensures that individuals will not be unlawfully detained/held in custody. Please give one example of how this has been violated in the United States during the past 100 years.
Do you believe that suspending the writ of habeas corpus is always a direct violation of civil rights, or are there occasions where doing so is necessary in order to ensure the good/safety of the public as a whole?
3 - Briefly define the term gerrymandering and discuss whether you believe it is a necessary benefit to maximize the representation of minorities, or if you believe it has led to an increase in ideological polarization in Congress, and thus should be changed, or abolished.
4 - According to the New York Times Article "How Social Media Silences Debate," The Internet is contributing to polarization of the United States, where people only tend to associate with individuals who only share like values and opinion's.
Do you agree with this article, and the idea that people are less likely to express their ideas politically, which is contributing to less political participation in America?
How would you contrast this statement in light of the recent gathering's and protest's around the nation? Is this merely an expanded version of the concept that people only associate with like-minded individuals, or would you consider it an example of an increase in political participation?
5 - Why do Americans turn out to vote at lower rates than citizens in other democracies?
6 - In the most recently presidential election, Donald Trump won the electoral college vote, but lost the popular vote by 3 million votes. With this in mind, should the electoral college be abolished? What would have to happen to bring about a movement to do away with it? Who might support this effort? Who would be likely to oppose it?
7 - Why have third parties not been more successful in the United States? Do you believe the U.S. will always have a two-party system, or is there room for a viable third party?
8 - Do interest groups have too much influence in the political process?
9 - Does violence on television merely reflect violence in society, or does it encourage violent behavior? Should the government regulate the amount of violence on television? What constitutional problems might be raised by government regulation of TV violence?
10 - Are term limits for members of Congress a good idea? If so, what limits should be imposed?
11 - Is it better for the country if the same party controls the presidency and the Congress?
12 - Should federal judges have to stand for reelection periodically as most state judges do?
13 - Why has Congress found it necessary or desirable to delegate so much regulatory authority to the federal bureaucracy?