Urban and Environmental Policy Program 

AMERICAN POLITICS AND PUBLIC POLICY 
POLITICS 101
FALL 2002

Professors Phone    Office    Office Hours
Peter Dreier 2913     UEPI     Thurs. 3-5 pm & by appt. 
Regina Freer 2924    UEPI     Tues 10-11:30 am, Wed. 10:30 am-noon & by appt.

What This Course is About
Many Americans have become cynical about politics and government. They associate these words with election campaigns, personalities, broken promises, scandals, or wars. But politics and government are about much more than that. They shape how we live. Almost every aspect of your life is in some way shaped by the outcome of politics and government, which is public policy: Where you live, what you learn (or don't learn) in school, the kind of car you drive, your career ambitions, the kind of job(s) you take, the quality of the food you eat, and the air you breathe, etc. Politics and government can be a force for good or evil, justice or injustice. Politics and government can be competent or incompetent. This course looks at the major institutions and ideas of American government, how policy is made, and what impact it has on society.
This course is intended to help you understand the workings of American government, to evaluate its strengths and weaknesses, and to help you decide how to participate in making government work better.
This course is organized around three key themes:

1. Values and Beliefs focuses on the major political ideologies about the appropriate role of government and citizenship in American society. We will explore the different views of the "founding fathers" and how these views have evolved since then. We will also look at different views about what kinds of "rights" people have or assume they have and the ways that government
protects and/or violates these "rights."

2. Public Policy and Social Justice focuses on the various forms of economic and social inequality in our society -- socio-economic classes, race and ethnicity, and gender and sexuality. We will look at how these inequalities shape our political system and on the ways that government and politics promotes or discourages equality, fairness, and opportunity for people.. We will also examine the relationship between the private sector (business and the labor market), the public sector (government), and individual citizens. . 

3. Political Participation and Representation focuses on the different ways that citizens, individually and as part of groups, take part in their government. We will examine the impact of the mass media, interest groups and their various resources, voting, political parties, electoral systems, and protest movements.

Government policies are made up of a series of decisions or choices over a period of time. These choices involve (a) whether to do anything at all about a problem or issue and (b) what to do. These choices involve actions such as spending money, passing laws, creating regulations, enforcing (or not enforcing) laws and regulations, and adjudicating disputes. 

All public policy involves values -- what people think is good or bad, the proper role of government, and how society should be organized. Public policy involves political conflict -- differences between organized groups about what should and shouldn't be in the law and regulations.

A key to understanding American government, politics, and public policy is to compare our own political institutions to those of other countries, including other democracies. The three major themes described above are useful ways to think about these comparisons. For example:

o How does voting turnout in the U.S. compare with that in other countries? 
o How do tax rates in the U.S. compare with tax rates elsewhere?
o Is the level of poverty in the U.S. higher or lower than in other countries? Why?
o How does the relationship between the press and the government in the U.S. compare with the relationship in other democracies?
o What is the responsibility of the American government to promote and protect human rights, American business, the environment and public health in the U.S. and around the world?

Course Format and Requirements
Two professors share responsibility for teaching this course. On Tuesdays, from 1:30 -2:55 p.m., one of us will lecture to the entire class on a topic described in the course outline. Every student is expected to attend every lecture and to arrive promptly at 1:30 p. m.

Each Thursday, students will participate in a discussion section led by one of the professors. You will be assigned to one of these two discussion sections. Students are expected to attend every weekly section, where the lectures, readings and films will be discussed.

Films will be shown on most Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in Weingart 117. These are required. Check the last page of the syllabus for names and dates of films.

The basic elements of this course include:

1. Reading. Readings (books, articles, reports, tables and charts) will be assigned for each week, as specified below. Students are expected to do the reading before the Tuesday lecture and be prepared to discuss the readings at both class meetings. All readings (except the two books -- The Democratic Debate and Savage Inequalities B will be available on electronic reserve on the Oxy library website. Look for the website for Politics 101. We strongly recommend that you print out all of the articles, bring them with you to class, and keep them in a loose-leaf binder. This will help you prepare for class discussions, papers, and exams.

2. Films. During the semester, we will show a number of films. We expect every student to see each film. These films will be shown on Tuesdays at 7 pm. (in Weingart 117). The names and dates of the films are listed at the end of this syllabus.

3. Class Discussion. Discussion sections will center on the readings, lectures, and films. Most of these sessions will involve discussions about public policy issues. Students are encouraged to debate these and disagree -- but to do so based on information and evidence as well as their own values.

4. Writing. Each student will have a minimum of six writing assignments during the term -- four short essays (or other assignments) based on readings, a midterm exam, and a final exam. In grading your written work, we will look not only at the content, but also at the style. Be sure to proofread your papers before handing them in. Look for spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors. Be clear and concise. Don't repeat yourself. Cite your sources. Make sure you understand the assignment. It helps to do an outline before you begin writing. Show it to your discussion section professor and discuss it with him/her before revising. Students are also urged to take advantage of the college's Center for Teaching and Learning (ground floor of the library) to get help with their essays. Don't be hesitant. The Center staff is eager to assist you and can help you improve your writing significantly. For most essays and both exams the following eight criteria will be used:

1. Do you have a clear thesis? This should be a sentence or two early in your essay.
2. Have you employed appropriate concepts?
3. Have you presented persuasive evidence to support your thesis or arguments?
4. Have you made appropriate reference to the assigned readings?
5. Have you made a tie-in to current events? Refer to items in the daily newspapers when appropriate.
6. Have you sought to find a creative twist -- a different viewpoint, a distinctive argument, unusual evidence?
7. Is your prose readable? Read your prose aloud to check on this.
8. Is your essay mechanically flawless? Typos, misspellings, and punctuation errors are inexcusable.

5. Newspapers Clippings 
We encourage students in Politics 101 to read a daily newspaper. The most useful papers are the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Christian Science Monitor, and the Wall Street Journal. You can get a subscription to any of these publications, buy some of them in the bookstore, or read them in the library. You can also subscribe to the Washington Post National Weekly, which includes the best articles from the previous week's Washington Post. You can subscribe via the web.
Our library also subscribes to many "opinion magazines." These are weekly publications that look at politics and policy from a particular perspective -- conservative, moderate, liberal, progressive, libertarian, religious, feminist, environmental, etc. Among the more interesting are the Nation, American Prospect, Weekly Standard, New Republic, In These Times, Commonweal, and National Review. 

In an effort to help students develop the newspaper habit (which includes articles, commentaries and editorials on government, politics and public policy), you are asked to submit at the beginning of each Thursday section meeting a timely item from a daily newspaper which is directly applicable to one of the issues addressed in the Politics 101 readings and lecture for that week. A minimum of ten clippings is required during our 13 week semester, but it is strongly suggested that you submit one each Thursday. (No make-ups will be permitted.) Make sure you put your name on the clipping and that the name and date of the newspaper is identified. At the beginning of each discussion, your section leader will ask several students (selected randomly) to present very briefly to the group their clipping and its significance. This presentation should be no more than two or three minutes describing how the article, editorial or opinion piece illustrates and/or amplifies some aspect of that week's topic. If you wish to attach a few notes that could help you with your presentation to your clipping, you may do so, but these notes must involve no more than 100 words.

Interesting Websites About American Politics
The internet has opened up a wide array of sources about American politics. There are thousands of websites on every conceivable topic. Fortunately, the University of Michigan has assembled the best of these resources and put them on its website. It includes such topics as upcoming elections at the federal, state, and local levels; biographies; campaign finances; political cartoons; members of Congress (including voting records); political consultants; a wide variety of domestic and foreign policy issues; lobby groups; news sources and periodicals; political advertising; political parties; the Presidency; public opinion; think tanks; and advocacy groups. We encourage you to browse this website at: http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/psusp.html#policy. 

Project Vote Smart (http://www.vote-smart.org)
All students should become familiar with Project Vote Smart, a non-profit organization that provides a great deal of information about our members of Congress, including their biographies, voting records, sources of campaign funds, and other data. We will ask you to use this information, available on the group=s website, throughout the semester.

Grades
Final course grades will be based on four factors:
30% on attendance and participation in your discussion section and films, and your performance on the weekly news clipping assignments.
30% on the four written assignments.
15% on a mid-term examination.
25% on a final examination.

Required Books to Purchase
1. Bruce Miroff, Raymond Seidelman, and Todd Swanstrom, The Democratic Debate: An Introduction to American Politics, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, third edition, 2002. 

2. Jonathan Kozol, Savage Inequalities: Children in America's Schools, New York: Crown Publishers, 1991.

Helpful Materials on Library Reserve
Each professor will be placing examples of very good writing assignments in a folder on reserve in the Library for those who are interested in seeing what constitutes good responses to the bi-weekly writing assignments. (The names of the student authors are removed but the instructor's comments on the essays do appear as well as the grade assigned.)
At the circulation desk you ask for the appropriate reserve folder. Professor Freer's folder # is 489. Professor Dreier's is 490.

Extra Credit for Political Participation
We encourage students in Politics 101 not only to vote but also to participate directly in the political process and to stay abreast of the campaigns and issues through the news media.
Some students may wish to take advantage of Occidental's location in a very active and interesting political environment. Not all students in Politics 101 will have the time, motivation or mobility needed to participate in this optional feature of the course. But, as an incentive for those who wish to do so, we will give students extra credit for participating in a political campaign that culminates November 5. Student who complete this assignment will increase their final grade by a third of a grade B in other words, from a C to a C+, or from an A- to an A.

Volunteers who show enthusiasm and take initiative often stand out and are noticed by campaign staff and candidates. Over the years, a number of Oxy students who have volunteered in campaigns have been offered jobs with the candidates after they are elected. (Of course, this meant they worked for the winner!) 

There are ten weeks between the beginning of the semester and election day -- Tuesday, November 5. We will give extra credit to students who spend a minimum of 20 hours volunteering in one of the current campaigns. To document your participation, write a three page report describing what you did and summarizing the insights and understanding you gained from this participation. Explain what your responsibilities were. Discuss how this experience supplemented what you learned in Politics 101. Did it reinforce what you learned? Did it challenge what you learned? Include the name and phone number of someone on the campaign staff or volunteer coordinator who can verify your participation.

How do you go about volunteering? First, you have to select a campaign. In the case of candidates for office, decide campaign you want to work for. You can decide on the basis of the candidate or on the basis of the political party, or on the basis of a particular issue (for example, does this candidate support your views about abortion, or gun control, or funding for public education). The political parties (Republican, Democrat, Green, Libertarian, etc) sometimes run "coordinated" campaigns, so you can work in the party office and they can assign you to a campaign. (The major parties have offices in many neighborhoods). If you want to work on a ballot measure, contact the group that is working for or against a particular measure. Once you=ve decided which campaign you want to work for, call the office, offer your time and enthusiasm. Be sure to tell them how much time you have available and what days are best for you. (A lot of campaign work occurs on weekends and a nights). 

What will you do? Volunteers perform a variety of tasks. They make phone calls. They do office work. They attend rallies and candidates forums. They answer the phone. They distribute literature at shopping malls and door-to-door. The accompany the candidate to events. You'll need to get to and from the campaign on your own. Some campaign offices are accessible by bus and a few (in Eagle Rock) by foot. By the way, no prior experience is required to do campaign volunteer work.

What campaigns are taking place in the LA area? There are currently campaigns taking place at each level of government, each culminating on election day, November 5. At the federal level, there is an election for all 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, including all those in the LA area. (There are also elections for one-third of the 100 U.S. Senate seats, but not in either of the California seats this year). At the state level, there are races for all statewide offices (governor, lt. governor, attorney general, secretary of state, insurance commissioner, and others) and for all seats in the state Senate and state Assembly. There are also several ballot measures, asking voters to decide for or against same-day voter registration, bond measures for housing, for parks, and for after-school programs, and several others. At the local level, there are a number of races, but two that are particularly interesting in LA are ballot measures to allow two areas of the city B the San Fernando Valley and Hollywood B to secede from LA and create separate cities. Use the WWW to find out more information about these campaigns.

Speakers on Campus
There will be a number of speakers on campus this semester discussing topics related to this course. We will alert you to these events and strongly encourage you to attend.

"West Wing"
We encourage students to regularly watch the TV show, AWest Wing," Wednesdays at 9 pm. AWest Wing" depicts the inner workings of the White House and the relationship of the President to Congress, the court system, lobby groups, public opinion, and other factors. Evaluate how realistic the show is by comparing it to the readings in class and the way the Presidency is depicted in newspapers and magazines.

Academic Honesty
We will distribute in class a hand-out about academic honesty and plagiarism. We take these issues very serious and so should you.

Students with Disabilities
Accommodation of disability-related needs is available. Please let your discussion section leader know if you need some kind of accommodation.


Topics and Reading Schedule

Part I: American Politics Beliefs and Values

Week 1 Introduction: Politics. Government. and Public Policy
Thursday August 29, meet in discussion sections; Tues., Sept. 3, Dreier lecture; Thurs, Sept. 5, sections 

Write an essay (3 pages, typed, double spaced) to be handed in on Sept. 5 in your discussion section on the following topic: 
What do the authors of the textbook mean by the "democratic debate"? Discuss how the Declaration of Independence reflects this debate. Also use the examples (from the Zinn, Young, Greenhouse and Darce, Appelbaum/Dreier, and Walljasper articles and from the film AOccupation") to discuss how these episodes reflect the democratic debate.
Please read the instructions on essay-writing on the third page of this syllabus.

Film: "Occupation" (Sept. 3)
Readings:
Miroff, Seidelman, and Swanstrom, The Democratic Debate (MSS)
Chapter 1, "Introduction: The Democratic Debate"
Declaration of Independence (MSS, Appendix, pp. A1-A3)
*Young, "George Robert Twelves Hewes, A Patriot Shoemaker of Boston" (in The Way We Lived)
*Zinn, "Young Ladies Who Can Picket" (from Zinn, You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train)
*Greenhouse, "5 Years After Workers' Vote, Appeals Stall Shipyard Union" (New York Times, July 10, 1998) and Darce, "Avondale Ordered to Rehire 22" (New Orleans Times-Picayune, July 11, 2001)
*Appelbaum and Dreier, "The Campus Anti-Sweatshop Movement" (The American Prospect, August/September 1999)
*Walljasper, "When Activists Win" (The Nation, March 3, 1997)

Week 2 What Is Government? What Should It Do?
Tues., Sept. 10, Dreier lecture; Thurs. Sept 12, sections

Topics: The relationship between individuals, business, and government? The key functions of government: maintain order and national security; regulate behavior of institutions and individuals; provide services; invest in people and business to improve social and economic conditions; raise revenues to accomplish these tasks.

What is the appropriate role and size of government? Is "big government" the problem or the solution? What are the arguments for and against government's role? What is "federalism?"What roles are most appropriate at different levels of government B federal, state, local? What do we mean by "liberal," "conservative," "centrist," "radical" and other labels for describing political views and policies? How does the United States compare with other democratic countries on key measures such as voter turnout, taxation levels, and disease. How is democracy in the U.S. similar to and different from democracies in other nations? Did September 11th change our views on the appropriate role and size of government?

Film: "Trade Secrets" (Sept. 10) 
Readings:

America's Ambivalence About Government
MSS: James Madison, "Federalist No. 10" (MSS, Appendix, pp. A13-A16) 
Chapter 13, "Bureaucracy: Myth and Reality" (pp 373-382 only) 
*President Franklin D. Roosevelt, AFour Freedoms Speech" (January 6, 1941)
*Brownstein, "The Government Once Scorned, Becomes Savior" (LA Times, September 19, 2001)
*Seib, "The Federal System: You Can Get Away from Washington--But Not Government" (Wall Street Journal, June 21, 1995)
*Kettl, "Clueless in the Capital" (Washington Monthly, July/August 1999)

Federalism 
*Hansen, AThe 2000 Outcome: Blame Federalism" (Washington Post, Dec. 1, 2001)
*Milloy, "State Legislators Gather With Budget Woes High on Agenda" (NY Times, Aug 15, 2001)
*Lueck, "Bush Poses Changes to Medicaid to Give States Greater Flexibility" (Wall Street Journal, Aug 6, 2001)
*Hertsgaard, ACalifornia Green Light" (The Nation, August 19/26, 2002)
*Chait, "Rogue State: The Case Against Delaware" (New Republic, August 19/26, 2002)

Public Services
*Gosselin, "The 90s: Private Boom Stingy on Public Good" (LA Times, Aug. 5, 2001)
*Isaacs and Schroeder, AWhere the Public Good Prevailed" (American Prospect, June 4, 2001)
*Cimons, "Fluoridation: A Shining Public Health Success" (LA Times, Jan. 26, 1995)

Regulations
*Reich, "The Bridgestone Tire Controversy" (from Locked in the Cabinet, 1997)
*Bradsher, AStricter Rules for Tire Safety Were Scrapped by Reagan" (NY Times, Sept. 4, 2000)
*Mintz, "Remembering Thalidomide" (Washington Post Weekly, July 22-28, 1996)
*Warrick, "Is U.S. Beef Safe to Eat?" (Washington Post Weekly, April 16-22, 2001)
*Hakim, "Auto Union and Honda Dispute Safety Record at Plants in Ohio" (NY Times, June 26, 2002)
*Greenhouse, "Battle Lines Drawn Over Ergonomic Rules" (NY Times, Nov. 18, 2000)
*Greenhouse, "Bush Plan to Avert Work Injuries Seeks Voluntary Steps By Industry"

(NY Times, April 6, 2002)
*Toner, "Political Battle Lines Are Clearly Drawn in Fight Over Medicare Drug Coverage"(NY Times, July 24, 2000)

Investments and Subsidies
*Broder, "Gramm's Life of Entitlements" (Washington Post, March 6, 1995)
*Nazario, "Going to School Hungry" (LA Times, November 20, 1994)
*Gorman, "Faces of the Uninsured" (National Journal, July 17, 1999)
*Bergmann, "Decent Child Care at Decent Wages" (American Prospect, Jan. 1-15, 2001)
*Hage, Fischer, and Black, "America's Other Welfare State" (U.S. News & World Report, April 10, 1995)

What Government Does In Other Democratic Societies
*Havemann, "Diagnosis: Healthier in Europe" (LA Times, Dec. 30, 1992)
*Dreier and Bernard, "Kinder, Gentler Canada" (American Prospect, Winter 1993)
*Greenhouse, "If the French Can Do It, Why Can't We?" (NY Times Magazine, Nov. 14, 1993)
*Williams, "So, This is Heaven: Norway" (LA Times, Nov. 8, 2001)
*Wilgoren, "Education Study Finds U.S. Falling Short" (NY Times, June 13, 2001)
*Gornick and Meyers, "Support for Working Families: What the U.S. Can Learn From Europe" (American Prospect, January 1-15, 2001)
*"America: A Unique Outlook?" (American Enterprise, March/April 1990) 

America By the Numbers: Comparing the U.S. and Other Democracies
Percent of Total Household Wealth Controlled by the Top 1%
Share of National Income: Rich-Poor Ratio
Per Capita Income Using Market Exchange Rates, 1960-98
Index of Hourly Compensation Costs
Tax Revenues in OECD Countries, 1965-1993, as a Percent of GDP
Infant Mortality
Elderly Poverty
Child Poverty
Living in Poverty 
Average Annual Exit Rate From Poverty
Union Density By Country
Voter Turnout
High School Graduation Rates
Number of Days in an Average School Year
Mean Scale Score in Mathematics and Science of Grade 8, 1995
Ratio of Teacher Salary to GDP Per Capita (Primary and Lower Secondary)
Youth Homicide
Prisoners (Per 1,000 People) 
Total Health Expenditure as a Percentage of GDP, Per Capital Health Spending and Percentage of Medical Expenditures covered by Public (OECD Countries)

Percentage of Population Covered By Public Health Insurance
Prescription Drug Prices in U.S. and Other Countries
Legally Mandated Paid Vacations 
Average Price of a Gallon of Gas
Travel on Public Transportation as a Percent of All Travel
News as a Percent of All TV Programming

Week 3 What is Democracy? How Do We Achieve It?
Tues. Sept 17, Freer lecture; Thurs, Sept 19, sections

Topics: How did the founders of our country disagree about how to set up our government? What were the critical elements of democracy in their minds? To what degree was American democracy set up to govern a society that no longer exists? How much influence should ordinary citizens have in our governmental decision-making? Is democracy about majority rule or minority protections? Is democracy the same thing as freedom? How central is the role of private property in American democracy? What vehicles do ordinary citizens have for getting their views and voices heard? What are the obstacles to achieving a full democracy?
We will use the debate over smoking B and the politics of public health -- to illustrate these concepts.

Films: "The Democratic Promise: Saul Alinsky & His Legacy" and "Never Say Die: How the Tobacco Companies Keep Winning" (Sept. 17)
Readings:

The Dimensions of Democracy
MSS: Chapter 2, "The Revolution and the Constitution"
*Cong. Bernard Sanders, "Whither American Democracy?" (LA Times, Jan. 16, 1994)
*Easterbrook, "America the OK" (New Republic, Jan 4/11, 1999) 

Democracy and Public Health: The Case of the Tobacco Industry and Smoking
*Bartecchi, MacKenzie and Schrier, AThe Medical Effects of Tobacco Consumption" (Scientific American, May 1995)
*"High Taxes, Get Tough Legislation Are Forcing More Canadians to Curtail or Quit Smoking" (Seattle Times, Nov. 7, 1993)
*Chart: AAdult Per Capita Cigarette Consumption and Major Smoking and Health Events,
United States, 1900-1999"
*Chart: AU.S. Consumption and Prices of Cigarettes, 1954-1992"
*Roberts and Watson, AShould Cigarettes Be Outlawed?" (U.S. News, April 18, 1994) *Broder, ACigarette makers in a $368 Billion Accord to Curb Lawsuits and Curtail Marketing" (NY Times, June 21, 1997)
*"The Tobacco Settlement" (LA Times, June 21, 1997)
*McKenzie, ATobacco Deal: Legal Mugging by Government" (LA Times, July 15, 1997)
*Goldberg, ABig Tobacco=s Endgame" (NY Times Magazine, June 21, 1998)

*Greenhouse, AJustices Rein In Local Regulation of Tobacco Ads" (NY Times, June 29, 2001)
*Gronke, ATobacco Control Proposal Criticized" (LA Times, July 28, 2001)
*Gorman, ASmoker Agrees to $100 Million Award" (LA Times, August 22, 2001)
*=*Holley, APhilip Morris Angers Czechs With Tobacco Toll Report" (LA Times, Aug. 5, 2001)
*Girion and Levin, "RJ Reynolds Fined for Ads Aimed at Teens" (LA Times, June 7, 2002)
*"33% Drop in Teen Smoking" (LA Times, October 5, 2001)

Week 4 The Courts, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Tues, Sept. 24, Freer lecture; Thurs., Sept. 26, sections

Topics: What are civil liberties and civil rights? How have civil rights and civil liberties been understood in the American political system? What role have the courts, the President, Congress, and ordinary citizens played in expanding, defending, or reducing civil rights and civil liberties? What is free speech and what are the limits, in any, to free speech? Are group rights or individual rights more important? How does our criminal justice system work? Why does the US have so many people in prison compared with other countries? Why is the US the only democratic country that still has a death penalty? Are there trade-offs between protecting individual liberties and promoting public safety and national security? What lessons should we learn about these trade-offs from the events of last September 11 and the subsequent controversy over civil liberties?

Film: "Guilty by Suspicion"
Readings:
: MSS:
Chapter 4: Public Opinion and Political Culture (pages 80-93 only)
Chapter 14: The Judiciary and the Democratic Debate
Chapter 16: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

The Court System
*Greenhouse, ACourt Had Rehnquist Initials Intricately Carved on the Docket" (NY Times, July 2, 2002)
*Taylor, "The Supreme Question" (Newsweek, July 10, 2000)
*Adler, "Irreparable Harm"(New Republic, July 30, 2001)

Civil Liberties in Times of Crisis
*King, "Is Congress Giving Too Much Surveillance Power...? Yes" (Insight, Jan. 14, 2002)
*Smith, "Is Congress Giving Too Much Surveillance Power...? No" (Insight, Jan.. 14, 2002)
*"Limiting Civil Liberties" (LA Times, March 10, 2002)
*Bixler, "Immigrants' Rights at Risk?" (Atlanta Journal Constitution, Feb. 27, 2002)

Freedom of Expression
*Volokh, AThe US Constitution Says We All Have to Live with Being Offended" (LA 
Times, July 18, 2001)

*McCain, ABlack Leaders Refuse to Pledge Allegiance to Flag" (Washington Times, 
June 22, 2001) 
*Gettleman, "Confederate Flag Still Flies, as Do Lawsuits to Shelve It" (LA Times, July 25, 2001)

Racial Profiling and the Criminal Justice System
*Davis, "The Slippery Slope of Racial Profiling" (Colorlines, December 2001)
*Dreier and Reiman, "Prisoners of Misleading Fact," Dissent, Spring 1996
*Fortunato, ACorporate Crime and Voting Rights" (Dissent, Summer 2002)
*Parenti, "The Prison Industrial Complex" (Corporate Watch, September 1999)
*Herbert, AWho Gets The Death Penalty?" (NY Times, May 13, 2002)

Separation of Church and State
*Savage, "School Vouchers Win Backing of High Court" (LA Times, June 28, 2002)
*Dolan, "Pledge: Phrase `Under God= Is Ruled Illegal" (LA Times, June 27, 2002)
*Press, AFaith Based Furor" (NY Times Magazine, April 1, 2001)

Part II: Public Policy and Social Justice: Class, Race, and Gender

Week 5 Corporate Power and the Dilemma of Democracy
Tues, Oct. 1, Dreier lecture; Thurs, Oct. 3 sections

Topics: What are the key features of our economic system? What is the relationship between democracy and the economy? What role, if any, should government play in shaping how our economy works? What influence do business, consumers, employees and other groups have in our governmental decision-making? 

Films: "Global Assembly Line" and "Zoned for Slavery" (Oct. 1)
Readings:
MSS: Chapter 4, "The American Political Economy"

Who Controls the Economy? -- Stockholders? Managers? Consumers? Workers?
The `Invisible Hand= of the Competitive Market?
*Forbes, "Three Cheers for Capitalism" (Forbes, Oct. 25, 1993)
*Barnet, "Lords of the Global Economy" (The Nation, Dec. 19, 1994)
*Wolff, "The Rich Get Richer...And Why the Poor Don't" (American Prospect, Feb. 12, 2001) 
*Birnbaum, "Where America Shops: Wal-Mart" (America"Work, April 2001)
*Mulligan, "The New Oligopoly Boom" (NY Times, Aug. 22, 1999)
*Silverstein, "Millions for Viagra, Pennies for Diseases of the Poor" (Nation, July 19, 1999)
*Reich, "Democracy and Megacorporations May Be Mutually Exclusive" (LA Times, May 13, 1998) 

Business, Government, and Politics -- Is the Enron Scandal a Republican Scandal? A

Democratic Scandal? The Problem of a Few Bad Apples? A Symptom of Too Much Government Regulation? Too Little Government Regulation? A Failure of the Capitalist System? The Consequence of Human Nature?
*Noonan, "Capitalism Betrayed" (Wall Street Journal, June 28, 2002)
*Mallaby, "A Worm at the Core of Capitalism" (Washington Post Weekly, June 17-23, 2002)
*Wilentz, "A Scandal for Our Time" (American Prospect, Feb. 25, 2002)
*Carney, "Scandals Show America=s Strength" (Wall Street Journal, July 24, 2002)
*Mandle, "Politics and Corporate Greed" (Democracy Matters, May 1, 2002)
*Huffington, "Capitalism Without Conscience" (syndicated column, July 22, 2002)
*Brooks, "Enron and the Clintonites" (Weekly Standard. January 1, 2002)
*Hagwood and Chen, "Quiet Revolution: Under Bush Regulatory Rollback Has a Major Impact," Wall Street Journal, Aug 3, 2001)
*Phillips, "The Company Presidency" (LA Times, Feb. 10, 2002)
*Borosage, "Capitalism=s Best Pals: Liberals" (LA Times, July 7, 2002)
*Simon, "Business Scandals Force GOP to Consider Broader Reforms" (LA Times, July 8, 2002)
*Hook, "Reform `Frenzy= Divides, Quiets Business Lobby" (LA Times, July 14, 2002)

The Debate Over Sweatshops: Should We -- Can We? -- Set Rules for Business Practices in the Global Economy?
*Grimsley, "....U.S. Workers Keep Going and Going" (Wash. Post Weekly, Sept. 13, 1999)
*Bernstein, "All's Not Fair in Labor Wars" (Business Week, July 19, 1999)
*Hayden and Kernaghan, APennies an Hour, and No Way Up" (NY Times, July 6, 2002)
*Kristof, ALet Them Sweat" (NY Times, June 25, 2002)
*Van Der Werf, "Labor Violations Found at Factory Used for College Apparel" (Chronicle of
Higher Education, Feb. 9, 2001)
*Thompson, "Mexican Labor Protest Gets Results" (NY Times, Oct. 8, 2001) 
*Friedman, "Knight Is Right" (NY Times, June 20, 2000)
*Kahn, "Playing the China Card" (NY Times, July 7, 2000)
*Landler, "Making Nike Shoes in Vietnam" (NY Times, April 28, 2000)
*Arnold, "Translating Union into Khmer" (NY Times, July 12, 2001)
*Bernstein, "Sweatshop Reform: How to Solve the Standoff" (Business Week, May 3, 1999)

*America By the Numbers: Tables and Graphs on Largest Corporations
o How Much of the Economy Do They Own?
o The Largest U.S. Industrial Corporations
o The Largest U.S. Utilities and Communications Companies
o The Largest U.S. Commercial Banks
o The Largest U.S. Life Insurance Companies
o Stability and Change Among Corporate Giants
o The Multinationals: The World's Largest Non-American Corporations
o Inside the Board Room (Chase Manhattan, Dupont, IBM)
o AT&T and Its Friends
o Interlocking and Specialization at the Top
o Secretaries of State, Treasury, and Defense



Week 6 Race, Gender and Sexuality
Tues, Oct. 8, Freer lecture; Thurs., Oct. 10, sections

What role do race, gender, and sexuality play in our political system and public policy process? Should the government identify or categorize people by race? Are certain policies "race-coded" or "race neutral"? Is the way we understood racial and ethnic differences changing? How do current debates -- over immigration, the census, affirmative action, and other topics --reflect different views of race? How are gender differences represented in our political system? How might our laws and public policies reflect or not reflect gender bias? Are our own perspectives on public policy influenced by our understandings of race, gender and sexuality? How does the government become involved in the definition and regulation of sexuality? What issues of privacy and civil liberties are raised by the relationships of gender and public policy? How do understandings of race connect to issues of gender and sexuality? What kinds of public policies have people proposed to address issues of gender and sexuality? How are people of color, women, and gays and lesbians represented in our political system?

Film: "Your Loan is Denied" (October 8)
Readings:

Race, Rights, and Culture
*McClain and Stewart, "America's Dilemmas" (from Can We All Get Along?, 1998)

Race Relations
*LeDuff, "At a Slaughterhouse, Some Things Never Die: Who Kills, Who Cuts, Who 
Bosses Can Depend on Race" (NY Times, June 16, 2000)
*Thernstrom and Thernstrom, "We Have Overcome" (New Republic, Oct. 13, 1997)
*Leonhardt, ABlacks= Mortgage Costs Exceed Whites= of Like Pay" (NY Times, May 1, 2002)
*Rodriguez, "Race: In Them vs. US, Who's Us?" (LA Times, April 11, 1999)
*Yin, "The Two Sides of America's `Model Minority'" (LA Times, May 7, 2000)
*McIntosh, "White Privilege -- Unpacking the Invisible Knapsacks" (Peace and Freedom, 
1989)
*"Killing Fields" (Graph)

The Census and Racial Categorization
*Nelson, ACensus" (LA Times, March 24, 2001)
*Schmitt, AWhites in Minority in Largest Cities, the Census Shows" (NY Times, April 
30, 2001)
*Rosensblatt, ABoard Democrats Argue for Those Left Out" (LA Times. March 29, 2001)
*AIs Race Irrelevant? -- Interview with Ward Connerly" (California Journal, June 2002)
*Ho Sang, "Hiding Race" (Colorlines, Winter 2001-2002)

Gender and Difference
*Fausto-Sterling, "The Five Sexes, Revisited" (Sciences, July/August 2000)

*Young, ARespecting Difference in Policy" (from Justice and the Politics of Difference, 1990)

Gender and Politics
*Swers, AUnderstanding the Policy Impact of Electing Women" (PS, June 2001)
*Conway, AWomen and Political Participation" (PS, June 2001)

Gender and the Economy
*Marano, "Running Harder to Catch Up," 1990
*Blair, "Shattering the Myth of the Glass Ceiling," (LA Times, May 1, 1996) 
*Walsh, "Where Women's Work is Job No. 1" (LA Times, Sept. 28, 1996)

Case Study of Gay Marriage
*Schlesinger, "Counterpunch: Opposing Gay Marriage Doesn't Mean That I'm 
Homophobic" (LA Times, Jan. 17, 2000)
*Stoltz, "Signs of the Times" (Commonweal, April 7, 2000)
*Price, "Vermont Gives Gay Couples First-Class Citizenship" (USA Today, June 29, 2000)
*Warren, "Proposition 22; Ban on Gay Marriages Wins in All Regions but Bay Area" (LA 
Times, March 8, 2000)
*Cloud, "Will Gay Marriage Be Legal?" (Time, Feb. 21, 2000)

America By the Numbers: Tables on Race and Gender in Politics 
o Selected Characteristics of Black, Asian American, American Indian and Non-Latino White Populations, Latest Estimates 
o Selected Characteristics of the Latino Population and Selected Subgroups, 1999
o Selected Characteristics of the Selected Asian American Population Subgroups, 2000
o Denying Loans (Source: Brown, Multinational Monitor, November 1992)
o 1992, 1996, and 2000 Presidential Elections by Race, Gender, and Party Affiliation
o Members of Congress: Female, Black, Hispanic, Martial Status, and Age, 1971-1999
o Women in Elected Office 2002
o Women of Color in Elected Office 2002
o Sex Differences in Voter Turnout 

Week 7 Social Class, Inequality, and Opportunity
Tues., Oct. 15, no class; Thursday, Oct. 17, Dreier lecture in Johnson 200. Both discussion sections will meet on Thursday evening (5:30 pm) at a room to be announced. There is no required film this week, but we encourage students to view the film, AChildren in America=s Schools" on Thursday evening, at 7:15 pm in a room to be announced. 


Topics: What determines the distribution of wealth and income? How "unequal" is the United States? Is "unequal" the same as "unfair"? How much poverty is there in the US and what are the consequences of poverty for the poor and for the larger society? How does our nation's public school system reflect the social, economic, and political conditions of the larger society? How effective are our public schools in providing social and economic opportunity for people? How are public schools funded? Is providing more money to schools in poor neighborhoods sufficient to improve the education of the poor? Why or why not? Should we rely on our school system to address the issue of economic opportunity and inequality?

Film: "Children in America's Schools" (optional, Oct. 17, 7:15 pm)
Readings:

Does Education Reduce or Widen Inequality and Opportunity?
Kozol, Savage Inequalities (Introduction and Chapters 1-4)
*Harris, AState=s Separate Systems for Rich and Poor" (LA Times, May 19, 2002)
*Levine, "Schools: Standards Are Important, But Money is Vital" (LA Times, May 21, 2000)*Rothstein, "LA's School District Doesn't Deserve to be Called a Failure" (LA Times, May 11, 1997)
*Helfand, ATeacher Shortage Hitting Inner Cities Hardest, Study Says" (NY Times.
Dec. 8, 2000)
*Anderson, "Smaller Classes Aid Test Scores, Results Show" (LA Times, Dec. 29, 1998)
*Celis, "Michigan Votes for Revolution in Financing Its Public Schools" (New York 
Times, March 17, 1994)
*Halstead and Lind, AThe National Debate Over School Funding Needs a Federal Focus"
(LA Times, Oct. 8, 2000)
*Burd, "In Some Federal Aid Programs, Not all Campuses Are Treated Alike" (Chronicle of Higher Education, June 16, 2000)

How Much Poverty and Inequality is OK?
*Gross, "An Average Family Teeters on Brink of Financial Cliff" (LA Times, March 24, 1996)
*Cooper, AThe Two Worlds of Los Angeles" (The Nation, August 21/28, 2000)
*Bernstein, "Down and Out in Silicon Valley" (Business Week, March 27, 2000)
*Samuelson, "Indifferent to Inequality?" (Newsweek, May 7, 2001)
*Stevenson, "In a Time of Plenty, The Poor Are Still Poor" (NY Times, Jan. 23, 2000)
*Utichelle, "How to Define Poverty?" (NY Times, May 26, 2001)
*Madrick, AEconomic Scene: Living in Poverty" (NY Times, June 13, 2002)
*Rivera, AGetting By Gets More Costly for Families" (LA Times, Sept. 24, 2001)
*Ehrenreich, AAmerica=s Torrent of Need" (LA Times, Aug. 5, 2001)
*Bernstein, "Is America Becoming More of a Class Society?" (Business Week, Feb. 26, 1996)
*Lardner, "A New Health Hazard: Economic Inequality" (Washington Post, Aug. 24, 1998)
*Pine, "Are Americans Overtaxed?" (LA Times, April 30, 1998)
*Pearlstein, "From the Rich to the Poor" (Washington Post, March 19-25, 2001)

*America By the Numbers: Distribution of Wealth and Income
o The Changing American Workforce (1900, 1950, 1990)
o Median Pay for Full-time Wage and Salary Workers: 1996 
o Hourly and Weekly Earnings of Production and Nonsupervisory Workers, 1947-97
o Median Family Income, 1947-98 (table)

o Median Family Income, 1947-98 (figure)
o Real Family Income Growth by Income Group 1947-98 
o Contribution of Wives= Earnings to Family Income 1970-98
o Historical Income Tables B People: Total CPS Population and Per Capita Money Income: 1967 to 1999
o How Households Divided the Nation's Income: 1976 & 1996
o The Growth of Income Inequality 1989-96
o The Top-Paid Chief Executives
o CEO Pay as a Multiple of Average Factory Worker Pay
o Ratio of CEO to average worker pay, 1965-99 
o Corporate Profit Rates, 1959-95
o Income Shares in the U.S. (1977 and 1999)
o 1947 to 1979 B Real Family Income Growth by Quintile and For Top 5%
o 1979 to 1998 B Real Family Income Growth by Quintile and for Top 1%
o Shares of Family Income by Income Fifth and Top 5%, 1947-96
o Ratio of Family Income of top 5% to Lowest 20%, 1947-96
o Wealth Inequality vs. Income Inequality, 1922-1989
o Wealth Concentration, Back to the Future: Top 1% Share of Household Wealth, 1922-97
o Percent of Total Assets Held by Wealth Class, 1995
o Changes in the Distribution of Household Wealth, 1962-1998
o Share of Total Stock Market Gains, 1989-97, by Wealth Class 
o Union Wage and Benefit Premium, 1997
o Union Wage Premium by Demographic Group, 1997
o Unionized Percentage of the Labor Force (1930-1994)
o Educational Attainment of Workforce, 1997
o Change in Real Hourly Wage by Education, 1973-1995
o Income Mobility, 1969-1994

*America By the Numbers: Tables and Graphs on Poverty and Unemployment o 2001 Poverty Guidelines
o Number of Poor and Poverty Rate: 1959 to 1999
o Number of Persons in Poverty for Individuals in Selected Demographic Groups 
1959-96
o Poverty Rates for Individuals in Selected Demographic Groups 1959-96
o People and Families in Poverty by Selected Characteristics: 1998 and 1999
o Central City Poverty Has Dropped in Recent Years (Percentage of Persons in Poverty, by City and
Suburban Residence, 1959-96)
o Minimum Wage and Average Hourly Wage (1963-1997)
o Real Value of the Minimum Wage, 1960-97
o Annual Minimum Wage Earnings and the Poverty Level for a Family of Three (1999 dollars)
o Share of Workers Earning Poverty-Level Wages, 1973-99
o Share of Workers Earning Poverty-Level Wages, by Race/Ethnicity, 1973-99 
o Unemployment Rates, 1890-1993
o Unemployment Rates By Sex, Age, Race, and Experience, 1976-96
o Real Rates of Underemployment, 1973-1993


Part III: Political Participation and Representation

Week 8 Electoral Systems and Voting
Tues, Oct. 22, Dreier lecture; Thurs., Oct. 24, sections


Topics: What are the major forms of political participation? What are the differences between conventional and unconventional forms of participation? How do Americans participate in their political system? Why is the level of voting lower in the U.S. than in most other democratic countries? Is this good or bad? Why? Should anything be done to make it easier or more difficult to vote? Why or why not? What changes are necessary to increase voter participation?

Film: "Vote for Me" (parts 1 and 4) (Oct. 22)
Readings:

Why Is Voter Participation So Low?
MSS: Chapter 5, "Where Have All the Voters Gone?" 
*Broder, "The 30 Million Missing Voters" (Washington Post Weekly, July 24, 2000) 
*Neuborne, AReclaiming Democracy" (American Prospect, March 12-16, 2001)

Should We Try to Increase Voter Turnout By Changing the Rules?
*Raskey, AElection Day Registration" (California Journal, January 2002)
*Salladay, ATaco Bell Heir Takes Initiative: SF Man Would Spice Voter Registration Rules" (SF Chronicle, July 14, 2002)
*Steel, ASame Day Voting Makes Hanging Chads Look Quaint" (LAT, July 29, 2002)
*Bustillo, "Time to Ease Term Limits, Many Say" (LA Times, June 26, 2000)
*Mehlman, "It's Too Easy to Vote, Not Too Hard" (LA Times, January 6, 1997)
*Halstead and Lind, AHow the Majority Can Rule" (Washington Post Weekly, March 25-31, 2002)
*Weinstein, AVote-By-Mail Law Upheld on Appeal" (LA Times, July 12, 2001)
*Callahan, ABallot Blocks" (American Prospect, July/August 1998)
*Keyssar, AReform and an Evolving Electorate" (NY Times, August 5, 2001)
*Amy, Real Choices/New Voices: The Case for Proportional Representation Elections in 
the United States (Introduction, pp. 13-20)

Voting and Representation: Gerrymanding
*Squire, et. al., "Redistricting and Gerrymandering" (from The Dynamics of Democracy,1995)
*Engstrom, AThe Voting Rights Act" (PS: Political Science and Politics, December 1994)
*Merl, AState=s Redrawn Congressional Districts Protect Incumbents: Remapping Has
Eliminated a Handful of >Swing= Areas and Diminished Competition; Lack of
Close Races Has Serious Effects, Pundits Say" (LA Times. Feb. 9, 2002)
*Ingram, ARevised Districts Hinder Minorities, Critics Say" (LA Times, Sept. 6, 2001)
*"Case of Amnesia for the High Court" (editorial, LA Times, July 2, 1995)
*Guinier, "What Color Is Your Gerrymander" (Washington Post, March 27, 1994)
*Sack, "Victory of 5 Redistricted Blacks Recasts Gerrymandering Dispute" (NY Times, 
November 23, 1996)
*McKinney, "The Politics of Geography" (Emerge, December 1996/January 1997)
*Barabak, ARedistricting Fuels Partisan Frenzy" (LA Times, July 25, 2001)
*Greenhouse, AJustices Permit Race as a Factor in Redistricting" (NY Times, April 19, 
2001) 


Different Types of Democratic Electoral Systems
*"A Comparison of Political Systems" (Chart from Dalton, Citizen Politics in Western Democracies)
*Graham, AWide Choice of Candidates Splits French Vote" (Financial Times, April 19 2002)
*Graham, ALeft-wingers Unite Around Chirac to Stop Le Pen" (Financial Times, April 23, 2002)

America by the Numbers: Tables on Voting Behavior
*Table: "Social Groups and the Presidential Vote"
*Table: "Voting and Registration: November 1996"
*Table: AVoter Turnout by Demographic Factors"
*Table: "Participation in National Elections, By Population Characteristics, 1996"
*Table: "Percentage of White Major Party Voters Who Voted Democratic for President
by Union Membership, 1944-1996" 
*"The Growth of the Gender Gap in Party Identification"


Week 9: Election Campaigns, Political Parties, Candidates, and Issues
Tues., October 29, Freer lecture; Thurs, Oct. 31, sections 

Topics: How do citizens express their views in the election process? What are the key components of elections in the US system? How do candidates get selected? What is the function of political parties in our governmental system? How do political parties work? How are political parties different in other democratic countries? Why? Why do two major parties dominate the American political system? What is the impact of a two-party system on levels of participation and on the kinds of issues addressed? What role have third (and fourth) parties played in our political system? Did the candidacies of Ralph Nader and Pat Buchanan for President represent the failure or success of our political party system? What are the major differences between the Democratic and Republican parties? What are the major tensions within each of our two major political parties in 2002? Who are the candidates and what are the major issues, in the various elections and ballot measures before voters this November?

Assignment for this week:
As a part of this week's readings students are required to do two research assignments. The first is an independent research effort for each individual student to complete on their own and the second requires that you work in pre-assigned groups with other students in your discussion section. The
groups will be assigned the second week of classes so that you can begin work early.

2002 Congressional Races
Each student is required to write (and bring to discussion section) a two-page summary (in your own words) of the following information about the Congressperson in your home district or the district in which you've registered to vote:


Name; party affiliation; the demographics of their district (party affiliations, economic profile, and racial make-up); how did the district vote in the Presidential race; is the representative liberal or
conservative; a profile of their ideological stance using their positions on several specific issues; where do they get their money; is the incumbent running for re-election; are any third party candidates running for the seat; is the race expected to be a close one or is it a "safe" seat; what
are the key issues in the campaign?

In order to provide substantive information which you will share with the class, your summary should go beyond simple yes/no answers. In conducting your research use the web, hometown newspapers, and any other sources you locate. One particularly helpful website is: www.projectvotesmart.org. 

2002 California Election
In an effort to familiarize students with state and local elections you will work together to research the California Governor's race, a Los Angeles ballot initiative concerning secession of the San Fernando Valley, and a Santa Monica ballot initiative concerning a Aliving wage" law for the city.. There will be eight groups in each discussion section responsible for developing a 3-5 page information sheet for the rest of the class. This information sheet will advocate for your assigned position as described below. Overall, your task is to convince the class to vote for your candidate or position and against the opposition.

Group #1 - Gray Davis (Democrat)
Group #2 - William Simon (Republican)
Group #3 - Peter Camejo (Green)
Group #4 - Gary David Copeland (Libertarian)

Why should we vote for this candidate?. Be sure to include information about his background and qualifications including career highlights and his positions on substantive issues. You should address differences between this candidate and other candidates, including some attention to the weaknesses of his opponents, but the focus should remain on your group=s candidate.

Group #5 - Pro: San Fernando Valley Secession
Group #6 - Con: San Fernando Valley Secession
Why should we vote in favor or against of Valley secession? Be sure to give some background on the issue for those who do not know about secession. In addition to presenting arguments addressing various constituencies in the city, you should also pay attention to who is supporting and opposing this measure.

Group #7 B Pro: Measure JJ, Santa Monica Living Wage ordinance
Group #8 B Con: Measure JJ, Santa Monica Living Wage ordinance

Why should we vote in favor or again creating a "living wage" law for the city of Santa Monica that would require certain employers in the city to pay employees at least $10.50 per hour with health care benefits, or at $12.25 per hour without health care benefits? Be sure to give some background on this issue for those who do not know about "living wage" laws. In addition to presenting arguments addressing various constituencies in the city, you should also pay attention to who is supporting and opposing this measure. 

We recognize that "free-rider" problems often arise in group projects - that is, some students slack while others do most of the work. To help avoid this, each group must attach an extra page specifically detailing what each group member did to support the research and writing effort, including time spent. This sheet should also include all meeting dates and times for the group.
This sheet must be signed by all members of the group.

Film: "Vote for Me" (Parts 1 and 4) (Oct. 29)
Readings
MSS:
Chapter 4, APublic Opinion and Political Culture" (pages 94-98 only)
Chapter 7, "Are the Parties Over?"
Chapter 8, ACampaigns" (pages 198-204 and 219-232 only)

*Vandehel and Ellperin, AFrom Something Bad, Maybe Something Good" (Washington Post Weekly, July 1-14, 2002)
*Welch, "Parties Pick Targets, Set Strategies" (USA Today, Feb. 25, 2002)
*Cannon, "Family Tree, Party Roots" (National Journal, July 21, 2001).
*Cohen, "Race and Republicans" (Weekly Standard, April 30, 2001)
*Skocpol, "Democrats at the Crossroads" (Mother Jones, January/February1999)
*Judis and Texeira, AMajority Rules" (New Republic, August 5/12, 2002)
*Nichols, "Is this The New Face of the Democratic Party" (The Nation, Aug 6/13, 2001) 
*Conniff, AMinnesota Wild Card" (Progressive, July 2002)
*Dionne, "Third Parties in Second Place," (Washington Post Weekly, July 10, 2000)
*Baker, "Left with a Nickel's Worth of Difference" (LA Times, July 14, 2000)
*Lewis, "Dear Ralph: The Two Parties Aren't the Same" (NY Times, July 8, 2000)


Week 10 Money and Interest Groups
Tues., Nov. 5, Dreier lecture; Thurs., Nov. 7, sections 

Topics: What are interest groups? What are the different kinds of interest groups? How do people organize themselves to gain a voice in government decision-making? What are class, industry, consumer, labor, and other groups? What resources do they use to get their voices and views heard? What role does money play in gaining influence in politics? Who benefits from the influence of money in politics? How much do election campaigns cost? Where does the money come from? Does this make any difference in the kinds of issues that get discussed and policies that get made by government decision makers? What kinds of reforms of campaign finance laws are under discussion? What are the pros and cons of these proposals? What role did money play in the 2000 elections? 

Film: "Free Speech for Sale" (Nov. 5)

Readings:
MSS: 
Chapter 8, ACampaigns: Organized Money Versus Organized People" (pages 204-219 only)
Chapter 9, "Interest Group Politics" 

The Role of Money in Politics
*Sen. Phil Gramm, AIn Defense of PACS" (in Bresler, ed., Contemporary Controversies, 1993
*Domhoff, "America Is Controlled By a Ruling Social Class" (from Who Rules America Now?)
*Sifry, "How Money in Politics Hurts You" (Dollars & Sense, July/August 2000)
*Corrado, AFinancing the 2000 Elections" (from Pomper, ed., The Election of 2000)
*Loewenberg, "The Bush Money Machine" (Nation, April 10, 2000)
*Silverstein, "Gore's Secret List" (Nation, April 10, 2000)
*Miller and Sifry, "Labor's Lost" (American Prospect, August 14, 2000)

Interest Groups and Lobbying
*Cleeland, AFarm Workers Urge Davis to Sign Binding Arbitration Bill" (LA Times, August 11, 2002)
*Firestone, AQuestions Raised Over Energy Dept. Official=s Industry Ties" (NY Times, June 6, 2002)
*Van Natta and Banerjee, ABush Policies Have Been Good to Energy Industry"
(NY Times, April 21, 2002)
*Pasternak, "Bush's Energy Plan Bares Industry Clout" (LA Times, Aug. 26, 2001)
*Toner, "Debate on Patients' Rights Sends Lobbyists Into Battle" (NY Times, June 20, 2001)
*Leeds, "Health Care Firms Spend Big to Head Off Reforms" (LA Times, July 23, 2000)
*Noah, "Environmentalists Take a Leaf From Book of Right and Target Enemies, Allies 
in Issue Campaigns" (Wall Street Journal, July 19, 1996)
*Judis, "The Most Powerful Lobby" (In These Times, Feb. 21, 1994)
*Labaton, "How A Company Lets Its Cash Talk" (NY Times, Oct.17, 1999)
*Wayne, "Trade on Their Names" (NY Times, May 23, 2001)
*Eilperin, "Speaker Hastert Offers Access, For a Price" (New Orleans Times-Picayune, 
March 11, 1999)
*Stone, "Under the Gun" (National Journal, June 5, 1993)
*Mydans, "Freshman Withstands An NRA Fusillade" (NY Times, May 9, 1994)
*Woellert, "Flash Point on the Road to the White House" (Business Week, Aug. 16, 1999)

The Debate Over Campaign Finance Reform
*McCain, "The Scandal in Our Midst" (Newsweek. August 17, 1998)
*"Four Possible Routes Toward Campaign Finance Reform" (Chart) (NY Times, April 6, 1997)

*Nichols, ACampaign Finance: The Sequel" (The Nation, April 29, 2002) *Goldberg, "Vermont Ruling Redefines Campaign Finance Law" (NY Times, Aug. 11, 2000)
*Dreyfuss, "Reform Gets Rolling: Campaign Finance at the Grassroots" (American 
Prospect, July/August 1999)
*Wayne, "Scholars Urge New High Court Ruling" (NY Times, Nov. 10, 1996)

Week 11 The Presidency and Congress
Tues, Nov. 12, Freer lecture; Thurs., Nov.14, sections

Topics: Why did the Founding Fathers set up a separation of powers among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches? Is this arrangement an issue in 2002? How might the Founding Fathers react to democracy in America as it is functioning in 2002? What standards should we use in evaluating the President and the Congress? What is meant by the phrase Apartisanship" and Abipartisanship" and what are the strengths and weaknesses of these ideas as practiced in politics? What is meant by the phrase Aimperial Presidency" and what, if anything, is its relevance in 2002? What is the role of the President=s Cabinet in general and in the Bush Administration?

Film: "The American President" (Nov. 12)
Readings:
MSS: 
Chapter 11, "Congress"
Chapter 12, "Presidential Leadership and Elite Democracy"
Chapter 15, "State and Local Politics: The Dilemma of Federalism"

President and Congress
*Pace, AGOP Changes Spending of Billions" (Washington Post, August 5, 2002)*Schneider, ALike Father, Like Son?" (National Journal, July 20, 2002)
*Turque, "The Battle of the Bobs" (Newsweek, March 18, 1996)
*Thomas, "Chemistry in the War Cabinet" (Newsweek, January 28, 2002)
*Barnes, "Winning by Not Fighting" (Weekly Standard, March 4, 2002)
*Scheer, "Admit It: He's Not Perfect, But He's a Great President," (LA Times, Feb 1, 
2000).
*Seib, "Bush Has Found Life Isn't Easy--And Won't Be" (Wall St. Journal, Aug 8, 2001).
*Barnes, "The Impresario: Karl Rove, Orchestrator of the Bush White House" (Weekly Standard, Aug 20/27, 2001)
*Mann, "Top Drawer in the Cabinet" (NY Times, Aug 5, 2001)
*Gigot, "Hastert Wrestles Bush Agenda Back to Life" (Wall St. Journal, Aug 3, 2001)
*Barnes, "Big Man on Capitol Hill" (Weekly Standard, Aug 13, 2001)
*Cummings, et. "Bush Racks Up Big Successes, But Fights Loom in Senate" (Wall Street Journal, Aug. 3, 2001)
*Broder, "Perils of Overreaching" (Washington Post, Aug 5, 2001)


Week 12 The Media. Public Opinion. and Politics
Tues, Nov. 19, Freer lecture; Thurs., Nov. 21, sections

Topics: What is public opinion? How do you know what the public thinks about a particular issue? When and how is public opinion important in influencing politics and public policy? What are the different types of media that are relevant to our understanding of politics and policy making? What influence do each of those types play in the political/policy process? What does "setting the agenda" mean? What determines whether something is "newsworthy"? Are the media biased? How? How do you know if they are biased? What has been the role of the media in covering the George W. Bush Administration? How does this interaction between the media and political institutions like Congress and the Presidency illustrate the observations you have made concerning the role of public opinion and the media in shaping American politics and public policy?

Films: "The Great Health Care Debate" and "The Public Mind" (Nov. 19)
Readings: 
MSS, Chapter 4, APublic Opinion and Political Culture= (pages 98-112 only)
Chapter 6, "The Media: Who Sets the Political Agenda?"

*Lewis, AMedia Money" (Columbia Journalism Review, Sept/Oct 2000)
*Morin, "The Power of the People" (Washington Post Weekly, July 23-29, 2001)
*McChesney, "Oligopoly: The Media Game Has Fewer and Fewer Players" (Progressive, 
November 1999)
*Taylor, ATV=s Political Profits" (Mother Jones, May/June 2000)
*Witt, "We Rarely See Those Who Labor" (Baltimore Sun, Aug 22, 1999)
*Squires, "Death of the Fourth Estate" (New Perspectives Quarterly, 1992)
*Fallows, "Why Americans Hate the Media" (Atlantic Monthly, February 1996)
*Leo, AIs there an Echo? Real Stories Often Get Lost in the Maw of Media Groupthink"
(US News, July 31, 2001)
*Goldberg, AOn Media Bias" (Wall Street Journal, May 24, 2001)
*Dolny, AThink Tanks in a Time of Crisis" (Extra, March/April 2002)
*Howard, APower Sources" (Extra, March/June 2002)
*Evans, AThe Watchdog Didn=t Bark" (Salon.Com, July 16, 2002)
*Pozner, "Power Shortage for Media Women" (Extra!, July/Aug 2001)
*Coen, "Free Trade = Freedom: FTAA Coverage Spins Pro-Business as Pro-Democracy" Extra!, July/Aug 2001)
*Parks, AForeign News: What=s Next?" (Columbia Journalism Review, Jan/Feb 2002)

Week 13 Grassroots Movements, Protest, and Citizen Activism
Tues, Nov. 26, Dreier lecture; no sections this week


Topics: Why and when do people resort to unconventional forms of political participation, such as protest, to get their voices heard by government decision-makers? Isn't protest a way for people to take the law into their own hands? Isn't this undemocratic? What kinds of protest movements have played a role in our nation's political history? What kinds of issues have protest movements focused on? How does protest emerge? What kind of strategies and tactics do protest movements use? How effective is protest in influence government and public policy? Why?

Films: "Fight in the Fields: Cesar Chavez & the Farmworkers" and "Union Summer" (Nov. 26)
Readings:
MSS: Chapter 10, "Mass Movement Politics" 
Chapter 19, "Afterword: The Prospects for Popular Democracy" 

Reform Movements in U.S. History
*Brownstein, "Imbalance of Power Defines Struggle Over Health Care" (LA Times, July 25, 1994)
*"Women's Suffrage," (from Robert Cooney and Helen Michalowski, The Power of the 
People, 1977)
*Bonnie Mitelman, "Rose Schneiderman and the Triangle Fire" (American History Illustrated, July 1981)
*Williams,"Blasting the Barriers to Citizenship" (Social Policy, Spring 1989)
*Reed, "Sisterhood Was Powerful" (American Prospect, July 17, 2000)

The Revival of the Labor Movement?
*Mosle, "How the Maids Fought Back" (The New Yorker, Feb. 26/ March 4, 1996)
*Verhover, "The New Language of American Labor" (NY Times, June 26, 1999)
*Greenhouse, "Priest vs. Big Chicken In Fight for Labor Rights" (NY Times, Oct. 6, 1999)
*Greenhouse, "Janitors, Long Paid Little, Demand a Larger Slice" (NY Times, April 26, 2000)
*Hornblower, "Labor's Youth Brigade" (Time, July 15, 1996)
*Candaele and Dreier, "LA's Progressive Mosaic" (The Nation, Aug. 21, 2000) 
Community and Environmental Movements
*Loeb, "Soul of a Citizen" (Utne Reader, July/August 1999)
*Gardner, "Good COPS" (In These Times, November 1, 1993)
*Rosen, "Who Gets Polluted?" (Dissent, Spring 1994)
*Easterbrook, "Here Comes the Sun" (The New Yorker, April 10, 1995)

Making Connections: Is America Pulling Apart or Pulling Together?
*Stengel, ABowling Together" (Time, July 22, 1996)
*Sander and Putnam, AWalking the Civic Talk After Sept. 11" (Christian Science Monitor,
Feb. 19, 2002)



Week 14 Social and Economic Policy: Work and Welfare
Tues. Dec. 3 -- Dreier lecture; Thurs. Dec. 5, sections

Topics: How can government policy influence the growth rate of the economy? Should it try? How can government policy influence the degree of social and economic inequality in society? What much inequality should a society tolerate? How can government policy influence the number and type of jobs? Should it try to reduce unemployment? If so, how? Should it provide a "safety net" for people who are older, poor, sick, or otherwise have difficulty making ends meet? What do we mean by the "welfare state?" Should government policy try to influence where people live and work -- such as cities and/or suburbs? Should government policy try to improve living conditions in troubled cities? Why or why not? 

Film: "Taken for a Ride" (Dec. 3)
Readings:

The Debate Over Work and Welfare
MSS: Chapter 17, "Economic and Social Policy"
*Krauthammer, "Pull the Plug on Welfare to Solve Poverty" (LA Times, Nov. 21, 1993)
*"Five Media Myths About Welfare" (Extra, May/June 1995)
*Bernstein, AStrict Limits on Welfare Benefits Discourage Marriage, Studies Say" (NY Times, June 3, 2002)
*Edelman, AThe True Purpose of Welfare Reform" (NY Times, May 29, 2002)
*Weil, ATen Things Everyone Should Know about Welfare Reform" (Urban Institute, May 2002)
*"5 Years After Welfare Reform, Success Stuns Even Critics" (USA Today editorial,
August 20, 2001
*Rodgers, "Target Poverty, Not Welfare" (USA Today, August 20, 2001)
*Rivera, "Too Few Jobs May Imperil Welfare Reform Plan" (LA Times, May 20, 1998)
*Healy, "More Ex-Welfare Recipients Are Working But Still Poor" (LA Times, May 28, 1999)
*Swarns, "Mothers Poised for Workfare Face Acute Lack of Day Care" (NY Times, April 14, 1998)
*Newman, "What Inner-City Jobs for Welfare Moms?" (NY Times, May 20, 1995)
*Wartzman, "New Bus Lines Link the Inner-City Poor with Jobs in Suburbia" (Wall Street 
Journal, Sept. 24, 1993)
*"G.O.P. Focusing on Welfare Vote" (NY Times, August 4, 1996) 
*Ibrahim, "To French, Solidarity Outweighs Balanced Budget" (NYTimes, Dec. 20, 1995)

Should the Government Guarantee a Living Wage?
*Cleeland, "Workers Trapped at el Minimo" (LA Times, March 9, 2000)
*Furchtgott-Roth, "Keep Goose That Lays Golden Eggs" (LA Times, April 1, 1999)
*Pollin, "Living Wage Gives a Boost to Demand" (LA Times, April 1, 1999)
*Cleeland, "Lives Get a Little Better on Living Wage" (LA Times, Feb. 7, 1999)

*Risen, "Credit for Working Poor... " (LA Times, Aug. 10, 1993)
*Madrick, "Economic Scene: Living Wages Are Practical..." (NY Times, July 5, 2001)

Hunger, Health Care, and Charity
*Brown, "Money is Available for the Uninsured" (LA Times, March 3, 1999)
*Vanzi, "2 Million Children Go Hungry in State, Study Says" (LA Times, April 1, 1995)
*Bernstein, AAlready, a Crush at the Soup Kitchens" (Business Week, Nov. 26, 2001)
*"The School Lunch Debate" (LA Times, March 1, 1995)
*Goodstein, "Can Churches Be Everyone's Keeper?" (Washington Post, March 6, 1995) *Soskis, AAct of Faith" (New Republic, Feb. 26, 2001)

America By the Numbers: Tables and Graphs on Welfare and Health Care
o Number of AFDC Recipients, and Recipients as a Percentage of Various Population Groups (1970-1993)
o Historical Trends in AFDC Enrollments and Average Payments, Fiscal Years 1970-96
o Maximum AFDC/TANF Benefits by Family Size, January 1997
o Health Insurance Coverage by Type of Insurance and Demographic Characteristics
o Change in Private Sector Employer-Provided Health Insurance Coverage, 1979-96
o Prescription Drug Prices in U.S. and Other Countries
o Prices and Profits for 20 Prescription Drugs
o Doctors' Income (1981-1989) 
*America By the Numbers: Tables and Graphs on Taxes
o Tax Changes and the Benefit to the Top 1% and Top 5% (1977-1989)
o The Great Tax Turnaround 1948-1990 (Median Families versus Millionaires or 
the Top 1%)
o Effective Federal Tax Rates, 1977-1996
o Corporate Profits Taxes, 1959-1997

WRITING ASSIGNMENTS FOR POLITICS 101

Material Covered Passed Out Due in Class
Week 1 Thurs., Aug. 29 Thurs., Sept. 5 
Weeks 2,3 & 4 Thurs., Sept. 19 Thurs., Sept. 26
Weeks 1-8 (Midterm) Thurs., Oct. 17 Thurs., Oct. 24
Week 9 on syllabus Thurs., Oct. 31
Weeks 10, 11 & 12 Thurs., Nov. 14 Thurs., Nov. 21
Weeks 1-14 (Final Exam) Thurs., Dec. 5 Friday, Dec. 13*

*The final exam should be handed in to your professor's office by 4 p.m., Friday, December 13.


FILMS FOR POLITICS 101

These film are a required part of the course. All films will be shown at 7 p.m. on the Tuesdays listed below, in Weingart Hall, Room 117. The film showings generally will take from one to two hours. There will be a brief discussion following the films.

September 3: AOccupation"
September 10: ATrade Secrets"
September 17: "The Democratic Promise" and "Never Say Die" 
September 24: AGuilty by SuspicionA
Oct. 1: "Global Assembly Line" and "Zoned for Slavery"
Oct. 8: AYour Loan is Denied"
Oct. 17 (Thurs): AChildren in American Schools" (optional; 5:30 pm)
Oct. 29: AVote for Me"
Nov. 5: AFree Speech for Sale"
Nov. 12: AThe American President"
Nov. 19 "The Public Mind" and "The Great Health Care Debate"
Nov. 26: "Fight in the Fields" and "Union Summer" 
Dec. 3 ATaken for a Ride"



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