Lecture on political opinion and political participation

Here's the lecture on political participation and public opinion -

Link: https://www.box.com/s/1c932cb21ded154a98ea

Also, here is "No Treason No. 1" by Lysander Spooner. You ONLY need "No 1." and not the rest of the linked document.

Recent video clips

King Corn:




ALSO:   Food, Inc: Embedding has been disabled, so here's the link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P1CJ7IEt0c

Essay test #2

DUE OCTOBER 25. Here are the questions for test #2. Use EVERY sentence as a chance to communicate detailed information about the material. Do not use vague generalizations. Again, use the sample test and the test criteria posted earlier in this class to craft your answer.

Question #1 What are the reasons governments provide for the creation of central banks? What are the tools used by governments and central banks to engage in monetary policy? How does monetary policy differ from fiscal policy? Discuss case studies and political motivations behind past events in monetary and fiscal policy. In addition to the lectures and text, you may wish to use the video sample used in class.

Question #2 Using the text chapters on Congress and the Presidency, discuss how the process of selecting elected officials can influence how elected officials act once in office. What tools and powers can the president and members of congress employ to assist in obtaining re-election and other goals? Explain using details and examples. Also, use the Constitution's text to refer to the specific authorization for various powers when applicable.

Sample test-
http://pos111.blogspot.com/2012/02/sample-test-question.html

Grading criteria -
http://pos111.blogspot.com/2012/02/criteria-for-grading-written-tests.html

Thursday, October 18

I'll be posting the written portion of Full Test #2 today or tomorrow. Next week, October 25 will be the multiple choice. The test will cover fiscal policy, monetary policy, and institutions - the judicial branch, the presidency, Congress, and the bureaucracy.

Commanding Heights video on American fiscal and monetary policy events

Here's the Commanding Heights video we watche din class last week. Obviously, I recommend watching the  whole thing, but the section we watched in class begin at:

 1: 07 - Nixon's wage and price controls.

1:22 - Airline regulation

1:31 - Carter's economic problems and the appointment of a new chairman of the Federal Reserve system. Also, interest rates and the recession of 1982.

Note for weeks of Oct 11 and Oct 18

We're going to rely primarily on the Constitution text and textbook for these two weeks, concentrating on the presidency and the courts.

Roosevelt's speech on the court-packing scheme

For next time (Oct 18):

Roosevelt’s speech on the court-packing scheme http://www.wyzant.com/Help/History/HPOL/fdr/chat/  

Article on patents

Here's an article that nicely illustrates how the monopoly power granted by governments known as patents allowed firms to use the judicial branch to crush competition.

Lecture on Monetary Policy

We'll continue our discussion of economic policy by expanding on fiscal policy and then getting into monetary policy. Here's the lecture: https://www.box.com/s/z82oqhs89zadhdqcntde