(Introduction to)American Politics

PS 125(D)

My info

• Dr. Casey Dominguez

• caseydominguez@sandiego.edu• http://home.sandiego.edu/~caseydominguez/pols125

• Office: 254B IPJ

• Office Hours: – After class 1 hour – also MWF 11:05-12:05

• E-Reserve Password POLS125

Policies

• Tardiness: It’s rude. I notice. I do not repeat information.

• Late papers: 1/3 grade for every day late

• Cheating: I will report you to the Dean for even a minor infraction.– All papers must be uploaded to turnitin.com.

Get to know a classmate!

What did we disagree about most?

Do you approve or disapprove of the job that George W. Bush is doing as president?

Approve Disapprove

34 63

  CNN/Opinion Research Corp.1/19-21/07

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bush is handling terrorism and homeland security?

Approve Disapprove

41 53

Newsweek Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. Jan. 17-18, 2007. N=1,003 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the waythings are going in the United States at this time?

Approve Disapprove

30 62

Newsweek Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. Jan. 17-18, 2007. N=1,003 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

Do you favor or oppose President Bush's plan to send about 20,000 more U.S. troops to Iraq in an attempt to stabilize the situation there?

Favor Oppose Don’t Know

35 63 2

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Jan. 19-21, 2007. N=1,008 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3 (for all adults).

Thinking specifically about the additional troops President Bush plans to send to Iraq, what would you want your members of Congress to do? Should they vote to allow the government to spend money in order to send more troops to Iraq, or vote to block the government from spending money to send more troops to Iraq?

Allow Block Don’t Know

36 61 2

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Jan. 19-21, 2007. N=1,008 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3 (for all adults).

Which of the following statements comes closest to your view of global warming? Global warming is a proven fact. Global warming is a theory that has not yet been proven.

Proven Unproven Don’t Know

57 38 5

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Jan. 19-21, 2007. N=approx. 500 adults nationwide. MoE ± 4.5.

Do you think the government should or should not put new restrictions on emissions from cars and industrial facilities such as power plants and factories in an attempt to reduce the effects of global warming?

New restrictions

No restrictions

Don’t Know

75 21 4

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Jan. 19-21, 2007. N=1,008 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3 (for all adults).

Many of the tax cuts passed in 2001 were temporary and are set to expire in a few years. Should those tax cuts be made permanent or should they be allowed to expire?

Favor Oppose Don’t Know

39 39 22

CBS News Poll. Jan. 18-21, 2007. N=1,168 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

Do you think the United States has a responsibility to do something about the ethnic genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan, or doesn't the United States have this responsibility?

Does Doesn’t Don’t Know

51 36 13

Pew Research Center for the People & the Press survey conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. Dec. 6-10, 2006. N=1,502 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

Would you favor or oppose a law that would ban gay marriage, requiring that marriage should be between a man and a woman?

Favor Oppose Don’t Know

51 45 4

Associated Press/AOL poll conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs. Jan. 16-18, 2007. N=1,005 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.1.

Why do we disagree?

Why do we disagree?

• Upbringing & values

• Information sources & processing

How can we decide on common rules when we disagree?

• Dictatorship

• Simple majority/plurality rules

• Supermajorities, Checks and balances, that protect the status quo and minority interests

PS 125 Democracy Project

• As a class, you will decide how much of your grade each assignment will be worth.

• Goals: • Think about your own learning goals • Think about the challenges of reaching

agreement by democratic means when people have different values, and different personal interests.

Class assignments

• Midterm #1• Midterm #2• Final Exam• Project essay• Class presentation about project• “Democracy project” review essay• Pop Quizzes• Daily Attendance and participation

Projects

• Media, Feb. 15• Participation, Feb. 20• Gay marriage, Mar. 1• Representation, Mar. 20• Parties in Congress, Mar. 22• Presidential Election, Mar. 27

– when you sign up, please list which 2 candidates you will profile, and try not to duplicate!

• Global Warming Project, April 24• National Security Project, May 3

PS 125 Democracy Project

• As a class, you will decide how much of your grade each assignment will be worth.

• Goals: • Think about your own learning goals • Think about the challenges of reaching

agreement by democratic means when people have different values, and different personal interests.