The U.S. government’s expansive role in public policy is caught in a swirl of conflicting cross-currents. On the one hand, popular expectations about government’s responsibility to solve problems often exceed the capacity of state and local authorities to respond effectively. On the other hand, policies developed at the national level may not sufficiently reflect the great diversity of interests across the U.S. to be effective […]

Prepare a short multimedia presentation detailing the position you are advocating in your policy brief.  If you use PowerPoint, this should be at least five content slides, plus a title slide and a slide listing sources.  If you create a video, please keep it under five minutes, as this will make it easier for your classmates to access your file for commenting. 

Students will write an essay, 500 – 750 words in length, on a topic selected from the list below.  The Writing 1 assignment is worth 200 points. The purpose of the project is to give students an opportunity to discuss a key political science concept, and to show a basic understanding of academic research and reporting skills. The project consists of producing a 500 – […]

Despite having relatively limited legislative powers, modern presidents have played an increasingly pivotal role in getting his legislative proposals passed out of Congress. Discuss the ways in which a president can persuade Congress to pass favorable legislation. In your answer, be sure to also discuss the scenarios in which a president may be more successful in persuading

Reliability and validity are two important concepts in developing accurate research. Describe the difference between reliability and validity in research. Then, identify two research techniques that can be used to avoid these flaws in research. Finally, what is the danger in producing research that is not reliable and valid?  Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length. Support your claims with examples […]

In Chapter 4 of the text, our author talks about risk factors and protective factors. Select a juvenile of your choice or one that we have already studied (such as Greg Ousley, Colt Lundy, or Paul Gingerich from the video in Week One, “Young Kids, Hard Time”) and conduct a search for additional information on their case, their trial, and their situation. Give us a […]

As time passes since the attacks of September 11, 2001, homeland security has improved, but concerns over privacy and civil liberties have increased.  Advocates for security claim that new technologies and techniques in homeland security are necessary to protect the public. Privacy advocates believe that the mining of personal information and increased surveillance have altered, negatively, the American way of life. Watch Spying on the Home […]

Immigration enforcement issues have continued to grow in complexity and intensity over the past several years. These debates have stemmed from legal battles, state’s rights, and Department of Homeland Security jurisdiction over immigration enforcement. Questions continue to swirl. Who is an illegal alien? Who can detain illegal aliens? When can they be deported?    Conduct a case study researching and addressing the following:

The U.S. Department of State publishes a list of foreign terrorist organizations. Because of this label, many Americans lack the understanding of what these groups are trying to accomplish. You will hear broad, media-fed statements like, “They want us to live in the Stone Age,” or “They are opposed to our (Western) way of life.” Although these statements may contain some truth, they very often do not fully […]

Unit V Article Critique Access the CSU Online Library. Within the database “Academic OneFile,” locate and read the following articles: Gregg, G. L. (2011). Unpopular vote: Enemies of the Electoral College aim to scrap the Founders’ design. The American Conservative, 10(12), 33+. Retrieved from http://www.amconmag.com Underhill, W. (2012). Changing up the Electoral College? State Legislatures, 38(1), 9. Retrieved from http://www.ncsl.org/ Upon reading the two articles, […]