Government

US Government

On this page are some announcements, links to current events or topics in government, and a description of the course scope and goals. Please use the links to the left to access pages related to additional class assignments and resources.

Listed below are some links to articles about issues recently discussed in our class

The Federal Reserve steps into new role and buys massive amounts of short-term debt
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081007/ap_on_bi_ge/financial_meltdown&printer=1;_ylt=Aqvx9shNjUDor.tgEPlBEOZv24cA

Why the first attempt at the bail out bill failed--one perspective. How does this perspective relate to what we discussed in class about James Madison's ideas about how our representatives should make their decisions.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20081001/us_time/whyarentamericansbuyingthebailout&printer=1;_ylt=Ak4CgyaYnGJ_nrh30whOdfPBF4l4

The election will be decided by the undecided
According to a recent poll, ~18% of voters don't know who to vote for!
See http://news.yahoo.com/page/election-2008-political-pulse-the-persuadables

Do the Electoral College math
The next president will be decided by the way the Electoral College calculations turn out.
Go to http://www.270towin.com/ to try out the various scenarios that could result in the winner of your choice.

More perspectives on the single biggest government intervention in the American economy in history
http://news.yahoo.com/story//politico/20080923/pl_politico/13769

Why the Treasury Secretary decided on a major government intervention in the economy
http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/105807/Shock-Forced-Paulson's-Hand

Why do the politicians keep lying, telling half truths, or spreading misleading information? Because it works, even when the press or other sources prove the information is wrong. Cognitive psychology confirms this is a fact, as discussed in this article http://www.factcheck.org/specialreports/cognitive_science_and_factcheckorg_or_why_we.html . So if this is the case, then how can you make a good political choice? Like many other things in life, it requires work. With critical thinking, and the use of unbiased sources, you can make a wiser political choice. Debunk the myths at http://www.factcheck.org

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are being taken over by the federal government. This latest government intervention in the economy is being called "historic" and "epic." http://news.yahoo.com/story//ap/20080906/ap_on_bi_ge/mortgage_giants_crisis

Grandma vs. Goodyear
After further investigation regarding the case which I discussed in class, it’s clear that I had several of the facts wrong. Some of the more important corrections are as follows;

She consistently got low performance reviews, not good ones, but she claims that was a result of the discrimination.
The law which prohibits pay discrimination (part of title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act) does specify that you only have 180 days to file a claim of discrimination, so this 6 month timeframe is in the law and was not created by the court. However, exactly when this timeframe begins and ends, as well as whether transgressions outside of the timeframe are relevant, were open to interpretation, and that is what the Supreme Court ruled on.
The appeals court overturned the lower court ruling, and she appealed it to the Supreme Court.

The name of the case is Ledbetter v. Goodyear, and you can read a summary about it at
http://www.oyez.org/cases/2000-2009/2006/2006_05_1074/
For the full explanation of the reasoning behind the court’s ruling, as well as the dissenting opinion (those on the court who disagreed with the majority ruling) go to
http://supreme.justia.com/us/550/05-1074/

Course Scope and Goals

UNITED STATE GOVERNMENT HONORS

Course Scope:

This one-year survey course is a study of federal, state, local, and tribal governments designed to give students a critical perspective on government and politics in the United States. This course will involve the study of general concepts and analyses of specific case studies as they pertain to the interpretation of American government and politics. Students will become familiar with the various institutions, groups, beliefs, and ideas that comprise the American political reality. This course will fulfill the United States Government credit required for graduation.

Course Goals:

To understand the essentials of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the national, state, and local governments, as well as tribal governments.
To recognize the contributions made by the founding fathers toward developing the constitutional underpinnings of American democracy.
To understand the sources of public authority and political power.
To develop an understanding of the interrelationships between political beliefs and behaviors of individuals in a democratic society.
To observe the role of political parties and interest groups in the American political system.
To understand the growth and development of American bureaucracy.
To develop an awareness of law, civil liberties, and civil rights.
To relate the political process to economics and geography.
To appreciate the multicultural aspects of American society.
To develop critical thinking and writing skills which will aid in the process of analysis and interpretation of data relevant to American government and politics.
To explore career opportunities in the fields of political science and government service.
To understand the rights and responsibilities of a United States citizen.
To compare the major political systems of the world.
To understand the major economic systems of the world.
To understand the role of government as it applies to foreign policy and trade.
To develop skills necessary to use informational tools, including technology.
To examine the concepts of ethics, respect, empathy, honor, and courage as they apply to government and politics.

U.S. GOVERNMENT

Course Scope:

This one-year course is a study of federal, state, and local governments. Topics covered include governmental structures, functions, and responsibilities, as well as citizens’ rights and responsibilities. The order of the syllabus is to be taught at the discretion of the teacher. This course will fulfill the one United States government credit required for graduation.

Course Goals:

To understand the rights and responsibilities of a citizen.
To recognize governmental authority and limitations as provided by the Constitution.
To study the development and major concepts of the constitutions of the United States and Nevada.
To understand the essentials of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the national, state, and local governments.
To develop an understanding of federalism.
To recognize differing governmental systems.
To understand basic institutions of differing economic systems.
To develop an understanding of the American political process.
To develop an awareness of law as it affects the individual.
To explore career opportunities in the fields of political science and government service.
To understand the economic functions of government in the United States.
To understand the role of government as it applies to foreign policy and trade.

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