Assignment task:
Participation is believed to be necessary and good for democracy. However, there are positive and negative aspects associated with increased participation. Evaluate some of the advantages and disadvantages associated with increased citizen participation. Why do people participate in the political process? In your discussion, be sure to include a description of the various potential responses to dissatisfaction in the community and the general demographic and contextual factors that have been linked to participation. Given your discussion, what might governments do to increase citizen participation? Consider also initiatives and how they affect democracy? Lastly, how do the Internet, social medial, and e-government connect the public with government?
What are the functions of political parties in state government? Make sure to provide specific examples to illustrate your points. Why have third political party successes been so infrequent on the American political scene? What is the proper role of interest groups in state politics? Do you believe that interest groups serve the public interest? Are interest groups a form of free speech? How do you define the public interest? There are a variety of interest groups in the states. Discuss what interest group's motivations are for participating in the political system at the state and local level. Should state governments regulate campaign contributions and spending? Discuss how money may affect politics, specifically in terms of the nature of elections (how they are run), the outcome of elections (who wins), and the policies that are influenced.