Day: February 18, 2018

Research paper

Choose one of the following topics and write a 2-4-page double-spaced paper.  Proper grammar and spelling is required.  Papers must include a cover page, 2-4 full pages of content, and a bibliography.  All sources must be good, academic, peer reviewed sources.   This means that most websites (Wikipedia, answers.com, and similar websites) are disqualified.  If you can’t identify an author and date that’s a good sign that the source needs to be carefully evaluated and, most likely, not used.  Note that encyclopedias and textbooks should not be used in research papers.  You may refer to them, but their use should be very minimal.  The UMUC online databases are recommended as a way to find good academic sources, particularly journal articles.

1. Explain the role of one of the three branches of government with regards to a current event.

2. Please choose a current event involving the American government and discuss how the historical development of the American political system impacts your chosen current event.

3. Research a political interest group and analyze the group’s role in a current political event.

4. Research and analyze how a demographic factor affected a recent political election.

5. Choose a current public policy issue and argue how cultural sensitivities and ethics are influencing your issue.

6.  Choose any current member of Congress (House or Senate), Governor, or Supreme Court Justice, and tell us (a) how they got started in politics; (b) their background (biographical info); and, (c) detail one significant piece of legislation they sponsored, enacted, or ruled on.

American Government

Responses should be drawn from the readings assigned, videos, and journal entries. Additional outside research is not required. Each response should provide a synthesis of material from the relevant readings, not merely a series of quotations. When comparing and contrasting views, it is important that the information be presented objectively and dispassionately. Use your analyses and conclusions to express your agreement or disagreement with the various authors.
Answer the question with about 3 pages cite from at least 5 articles provided:
Compare and contrast the “Layer Cake,” “Marble Cake” and “Picket Fence” models of Federalism. How do “Coercive” and “Opportunistic” models of Federalism relate to these? Address the perspectives of Grodzins, Elazar, Kincaid, Conlan & Posner, and Wright (you may include others you believe are relevant). Using their respective models, how do they categorize the actions of the key Presidential Administrations over the last 50 years? Which model has been most prevalent over the last decade?