American Government

5-4 2011-12

2012-01-23T10:57:00.001-08:00

State Of The Union Address 2012: Obama Speech Scheduled For Jan. 24: Listen and discuss your reactions.

5-3 2011-12

2012-01-13T15:21:00.001-08:00

Discuss the similarities and differences in capitalism, communism, fascism, and socialism.

5-2 2011-12

2012-01-09T09:52:00.000-08:00

Cartoon Analysis Guide: Use this guide to identify the persuasive techniques used in political cartoons.

Symbolism-identify the symbols in a cartoon think about what the cartoonist intends each symbol to stand for.

Exaggeration-sometimes cartoonists overdo, or exaggerate, the physical characteristics of people or things in order to make a point. Labeling-cartoonists often label objects or people to make it clear exactly what they stand for.
Analogy-after studying a cartoon try to decide what the cartoon’s main analogy is. What two situations does the cartoon compare?

Irony-the difference between the ways things are and the way things should be or the way things are expected to be.

5-1 2011-12 Final review sheet

2012-01-09T09:44:00.000-08:00

American Government Final Units 5-7
You may have one page of handwritten notes to reference on the midterm.
Know the significance of the following and how it applies to American Government

• Laissez-faire theory
• Differences between a Monarchy and Republic
• Mixed economy
• Socialistic economy
• Communist economy
• End of the Soviet Union
• Chinese peasantry
• How did Massachusetts affect the trend in constitution-making?
• How is a state constitution changed?
• What are the requirements for being a governor?
• Know the powers of State legislatures.
• Differences between
Local trial courts
County-level courts
Intermediate appellate courts
General trial courts
• Forms of city government
• Statutory law
• Administrative Law
• Powers of county boards
• Non-tax sources of revenue for states
• Services provided by state government
• Tangible personal property
• Intangible personal property
• Progressive taxable property
• Assessment property

2011-12-13T13:57:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays! Follow a new item and report a current event the group.

4-2 2011-12

2011-12-05T10:06:00.001-08:00

Discuss your thoughts about the Federal Government's power to tax.

4-1 2011-12

2011-11-29T15:19:00.000-08:00

Discuss the ideas that seem vitally important to understanding the federal bureaucracy. Is it necessary?

2011-11-17T16:55:00.000-08:00

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy Thanksgiving!

3,2 2011-12

2011-11-04T09:06:00.000-07:00

Discuss your thoughts on the Electorial College system, do you believe it is a fair process for electing the president? Why or why not?

3.1 2011-12

2011-10-28T13:33:00.000-07:00

The first ammendment of the Constitution protects our rights and freedoms. Currently the "Occupy Wall Street" events happending all over the United States are creating controversy and much discussion. Look on the web, in papers, magazines, any place you find your new. Report out on one of the Occupy events around the U.S. Give your reactions. Would you participate in a rally? WHY OR WHY NOT?

2.4 2011-12

2011-10-21T12:50:00.001-07:00

a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ugjoFjau_nI/TqHJqbDDSDI/AAAAAAAAAYI/YgkqLZckHk0/s1600/kadafi.jpg">

Kadafi is dead! Discuss the political, national, and internal effects his death will have on the world. You can use quotes from the media, be sure to give credit.

2.3 2011-12

2011-10-14T15:44:00.000-07:00

Voting rights in the United States gradually expanded over time. Various groups (women, African Americans, 18-year olds) often had to struggle to achieve the right to vote. Why do you think so many people, especially among those aged 18-21, fail to vote? Is voting important? Can your vote make a difference?

2.2 2011-12

2011-10-07T15:00:00.000-07:00

In modern political cartooning two styles have begun to emerge. The traditional style, involving visual metaphors and symbols like Uncle Sam, the Democratic donkey and the Republican elephant, and labels is described as the "nast-y" style (named after Thomas Nast), and the more text-heavy "altie" style that tells a linear story, usually in comic strip format.[original research?] Although their style, technique or viewpoints may differ, editorial cartoonists draw attention to important social and political issues. Political cartoons are an effective way for artists to express their thoughts about the events in a certain period in a comical manner. Cartoons can be very diverse, but there is a certain established style among most of them. Most use visual metaphors and caricatures to address complicated political situations, and thus sum up a current event with a humorous or emotional picture. Often, their content includes stereotypical, biased and/or demonizing portrayals of people and events.
Once you have identified the persuasive techniques that the cartoonist used, DISCUSS:What issue is this political cartoon about?What is the cartoonist’s opinion on this issue?What other opinion can you imagine another person having on this issue?Did you find this cartoon persuasive? Why or why not?What other techniques could the cartoonist have used to make this cartoon more persuasive?

2.1 2011-12

2011-09-29T09:36:00.000-07:00

After reading the quote discuss with your peers your reflections, questions, statements about your reaction to the quote. Encourage others to respond to your thinking.

"One of the most admirable things about history is, that almost as a rule we get as much information out of what it does not say as we get out of what it does say. And so, one may truly and axiomatically (fundamentaly) aver this, to-wit: that history consists of two equal parts; one of these halves is statements of fact, the other half is inference, drawn from the facts. To the experienced student of history there are no difficulties about this; to him the half which is unwritten is as clearly and surely visible, by the help of scientific inference, as if it flashed and flamed in letters of fire before his eyes. When the practised eye of the simple peasant sees the half of a frog projecting above the water, he unerringly infers the half of the frog which he does not see. To the expert student in our great science, history is a frog; half of it is submerged, but he knows it is there, and he knows the shape of it." - (The Secret History of Eddypus)

10-3

2011-06-02T13:15:00.000-07:00

This is it! Final discusssion...I'd like this to be a reflection on the semester's learning. Your choices are: look back on the blogs make a new comment based on what you know now, ask your peers a question to discuss, give me some feed back on DB's or the final, or what you would like to see in Gov next year. Thank you all for your participation, I enjoyed reading your comments, your insights were very interesting and informative.

10-2

2011-05-26T11:04:00.000-07:00

Enjoy the weekend.

10-1

2011-05-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

Discuss...

FINAL study guide

2011-05-17T15:16:00.000-07:00

American Government Final Units 5-7
Know the significance of the following and how it applies to American Government

• Laissez-faire theory
• Differences between a Monarchy and Republic
• Mixed economy
• Socialistic economy
• Communist economy
• End of the Soviet Union
• Chinese peasantry
• How did Massachusetts affect the trend in constitution-making?
• How is a state constitution changed?
• What are the requirements for being a governor?
• Know the powers of State legislatures.
• Differences between
Local trial courts
County-level courts
Intermediate appellate courts
General trial courts
• Forms of city government
• Statutory law
• Administrative Law
• Powers of county boards
• Non-tax sources of revenue for states
• Services provided by state government
• Tangible personal property
• Intangible personal property
• Progressive taxable property
• Assessment property

9-4

2011-05-13T13:46:00.000-07:00

The last chapters of the text cover State and Local Government. Currently we are looking at the state of the California budget...there is discussion about raising taxes to raise revenues for state and local categories. What is your thougt. If you look at page 734 there is a graph and explanation of the areas of spending.

9-3

2011-05-06T12:23:00.001-07:00

Was Justice Served? Now What?

9-2

2011-04-29T10:45:00.000-07:00

"No one pretends that democaracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has
been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those
other forms that have been tried from time to time." Winston Churchill (1947)
What are your thoughts on this quote?

9-1

2011-04-15T14:27:00.000-07:00

Cartoon Analysis Guide: Use this guide to identify the persuasive techniques used in political cartoons.

Symbolism-identify the symbols in a cartoon think about what the cartoonist intends each symbol to stand for.

Analogy-after studying a cartoon try to decide what the cartoon’s main analogy is. What two situations does the cartoon compare?

Irony-the difference between the ways things are and the way things should be or the way things are expected to be.

8-3

2011-04-08T15:40:00.001-07:00

Determining Cause and Effect: Many times in Social Studies we find ourselves memorizing facts, dates, and events which may only help on tests or being a contestant on Jeopardy. What is really important is finding out WHY events happened and understand specific events that have occurred in history. A cause is an event or action that brings about an effect. The cause must happen first. Reflect on what you have been studying in history, government, and economics this year and discuss some causes and effects.

8-1

2011-04-04T10:13:00.001-07:00

Is there more than meets the eye to President Obama's address to the nation on Libya ? http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/03/28/politics/main20048134.shtml

7-4

2011-03-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

Where you are. As you complete this month's readings I would like you to put the question on the discussion board.

7-3

2011-03-15T12:28:00.000-07:00

"No Pain High Gain" a high school workshop running three weeks in April. Wednesdays 1:30-3:30. Want to ace your next exams?

Learn:

what your learning style is, to tame test anxiety, common test phrases, do's and don'ts, test taking strategies, types of questions, ways to take notes, and MUCH more.

Discuss what is difficult for you? Where do you need help? Is studying, getting started and staying organized your difficulty? Help me know what you need.

7-1

2011-02-25T17:05:00.000-08:00

Discuss the importance of the Necessary and Proper Clause today.

" The Congress shall have Power-To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof."

6-4

2011-02-18T14:51:00.000-08:00

Voting rights in the US gradually expanded over time. Various groups (women, African Americans, 18-year olds) often had to struggle to achieve the right to vote. Why do you think so many people, especially among those aged 18-21, fail to vote? Is voting important? Can your vote make a difference?

6-2

2011-02-07T12:24:00.000-08:00

Discuss the most important basic power of government to you? What would your life be like without government?

6-1

2011-01-31T14:34:00.000-08:00

Look over your book, post a question you are looking forward to discussing.

5-4

2011-01-24T16:51:00.001-08:00

Watch or review the President's State of the Union Address and give your thoughts and opninions.

5-3

2011-01-13T10:09:00.000-08:00

http://http//www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/12/obama-arizona-memorial-sp_n_808335.html

In light of the Tuscon incident that occured Saturday, January 8th discuss your thoughts on gun control. Also listen to Oboma's memorial speech and discuss civility.

5-2

2011-01-07T16:25:00.000-08:00

Discuss the similarities and differences in capitalism, communism, fascism, and socialism.

5-1

2011-01-03T12:36:00.000-08:00

Discuss "How can a people unaccustomed to freedom in small affairs learn to use it temperately in great affairs?" Alexis de Tocqueville. What are your views on State and local governments?

4-3

2010-12-13T10:21:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays! Here is your mid term study guide.
If you have any questions please post on the discussion board. The test will be thirty multiple choice questions. You may use a "crib sheet" one side. Know the importance of each item, term, listed.
Go to week 31, May 17th, there you will find the questions for study.

4-2

2010-12-03T14:25:00.000-08:00

Discuss your thoughts about the Federal Government's power to tax.

4-1

2010-11-30T09:46:00.000-08:00

Discuss the ideas that seem vitally important to understanding the federal bureaucracy. Is it necessary?

3-4

2010-11-17T17:21:00.001-08:00

Take the week off!

3-3

2010-11-10T16:37:00.000-08:00

The Electorial College system-do you agree with the process? Support your opinion.

3-2

2010-11-09T10:21:00.000-08:00

My bad, I forgot this was a short week, I'll make it easy...Review what you have been studying so far (good for finals). Evaluate and support your ideas regarding the responsibilities of being a good citizen.

3-1

2010-10-29T09:49:00.001-07:00

November 2, 2010 Election Day. Watch the news this week pay close attention to the advertisements for the election (frequency, special interest groups, times they run, patterns). Watch the results, discusses your reactions to the propositions and candidates that win. How will this election affect you?

2-4

2010-10-25T14:17:00.000-07:00

Compare the graph p.251 Growth of PACs to the one on p. 244 Union Membership. What general trends in membership do you see in these groups and what reasons do you have for those trends?

2.3 2011-12

2010-10-19T09:40:00.001-07:00

2-2

2010-10-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

What issue is this political cartoon about?

What is the cartoonist’s opinion on this issue?

What other opinion can you imagine another person having on this issue?

Did you find this cartoon persuasive? Why or why not?

What other techniques could the cartoonist have used to make this cartoon more persuasive?

History teachs everything included in the future. Lamertine

2010-10-04T14:37:00.000-07:00

The study of history; whether it be World, American, Government, or Economics is all in how you look at it. After reading the quote from Mark Twain, discuss with your peers your reflections, questions, statements about your reaction to the quote. Encourage others to respond to your thinking.

One of the most admirable things about history is, that almost as a rule we get as much information out of what it does not say as we get out of what it does say. And so, one may truly and axiomatically (fundamentaly) aver this, to-wit: that history consists of two equal parts; one of these halves is statements of fact, the other half is inference, drawn from the facts. To the experienced student of history there are no difficulties about this; to him the half which is unwritten is as clearly and surely visible, by the help of scientific inference, as if it flashed and flamed in letters of fire before his eyes. When the practised eye of the simple peasant sees the half of a frog projecting above the water, he unerringly infers the half of the frog which he does not see. To the expert student in our great science, history is a frog; half of it is submerged, but he knows it is there, and he knows the shape of it. - "The Secret History of Eddypus"

Week 34 Review

2010-05-19T23:10:00.001-07:00

Comment on where in the textbook the information needed to answer the question can be found.

ABCD 20.
Gerrymandering is the practice of

ABCD 21.
Under the Constitution, how does Congress’s power to tax compare to its power to borrow?

ABCD 22.
Which of the following is NOT one of the three basic concepts of government that influenced English settlers in North America?

ABCD 23.
Each state is required to accept the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state. This is guaranteed by

ABCD 24.
The Constitution gives the President the power to

ABCD 25.
In recent decades, the percentage of people of voting age in the United States who actually voted in presidential elections has been around A.

Week 33 review

2010-05-19T23:07:00.000-07:00

Comment on where in the textbook the information needed to answer the question can be found.
ABCD 11.
What event brought McCulloch v. Maryland before the Supreme Court?

ABCD 12.
What are the three main parts of the federal bureaucracy?

ABCD 13.
What are two formal changes that have been used to modify State constitutions?

ABCD 14.
Which Constitutional Amendment guarantees the right of the people to assemble peaceably?

ABCD 15.
Karl Marx predicted that workers in different countries would revolt and embrace communism. Which of the following did he NOT predict?

ABCD 16.
Why should the major political parties worry about a strong minor party candidate on the ballot for President?

ABCD 17.
Can religious groups meet at federally funded public high schools, despite the current interpretation of the Establishment Clause?

ABCD 18.
How has the Supreme Court responded to arguments that capital punishment is cruel and unusual punishment?

ABCD 19.
19. How has the method of choosing a State governor changed since the time of colonial America?

Week 32 Review

2010-05-19T23:06:00.000-07:00

Comment on where in the textbook the information needed to answer the question can be found.

ABCD 6.
If you wanted to run for President of the United States, but you did not win a party’s endorsement, what could you do to keep yourself in the running?

ABCD 7.
Who introduces bills in the House of Representatives?

ABCD 8.
In contrast to republics such as the United States and France, Britain’s system of government is based on a monarchy. How is a monarchy’s leader different from a republic’s leader?

ABCD 9.
When President Nixon visited China to discuss foreign policy and represent the United States at ceremonial gatherings with Chinese leaders, what two presidential roles was he fulfilling?

ABCD 10.
Although the Articles of Confederation established a relationship among the states, events in the 1780s exposed weaknesses in the document. What effect did these weaknesses have?

Government Final Study Guide Week 31

2010-05-17T17:16:00.000-07:00

Government Final- Comment on where in the textbook the information needed to answer the question can be found.

ABCD 1.
In 1999, President Clinton used his executive powers to send troops to the Yugoslav province of Kosovo. Considering that only Congress can declare war, how was President Clinton able to send troops into combat without such a declaration?

ABCD 2.
How does Marbury v. Madison illustrate the Supreme Court’s power of judicial review?

ABCD 3.
Which of the following is NOT a job held by members of Congress?

ABCD 4.
When the government spends more money than it receives in revenues, what is the result?

ABCD 5.
Which of the following describes a block grant?

Week 30

2010-04-17T23:22:00.000-07:00

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same. Ronald Reagan

What does this quote mean to you?

Week 29

2010-04-14T12:30:00.001-07:00

Compare and contrast two important figures from this week's chapter. Post your findings and then comment on a classmates post.

Week 28

2010-03-26T16:23:00.000-07:00

Political parties are major vehicles of popular participation in democratic government. Their nature and functions and the roles they play in American politics are a major reason why government in the United States is in fact "government by the people."

Chapter 5 has five sections concerning political parties. Choose one to summarize and post for your classmates. Choose a section that has not already been posted.

Week 27

2010-03-23T17:41:00.001-07:00

Current Affairs: What are some of the key point to the Health Care reform? I am not asking for opinions yet, just take a look at the key points and report.

Week 26

2010-03-12T10:35:00.000-08:00

Unit 2 chapter 5 and 6:

Analyze the three elements of a major party and post your findings.

Week 25

2010-03-05T09:07:00.000-08:00

Please attend the WASC Committee Student Meeting from 1:00-2:00 Monday. You may post a feedback comment.

Week 24

2010-02-28T20:40:00.000-08:00

This week we will play an interactive review game. Each student will write two questions based on this weeks' chapter. Avoid asking basic recall questions. Check back in a few days and choose another student's questions to answer. Post your responses. You must choose questions that have not already been answered.

Week 23

2010-02-19T11:16:00.001-08:00

This is a short week and so I have a special assignment for you.
1. Go to the Parkview Website at www.parkviewpylusd.org
2.Click on Forms
3. Select WASC
4. Read Chapters 4 and 5
5. Comment back on 3 things that you think are particular strengths of our program.

Second Semester Week 3

2010-02-16T08:37:00.001-08:00

In your own words describe what you think democracy means today. Give examples. Does democracy work? Why or why not?

Second Semester Week 2

2010-02-03T21:39:00.000-08:00

1. Watch the following video on the Constitution.
2. Discuss the six basic principles of the Constitution.
3. Which principal is most significant to you?

http://www.laentrada.pylusd.org/Govt/Constitution.asf

Second Semester Week 1

2010-01-28T15:59:00.000-08:00

As we start this new semester it is time to reflect and take another look at our schoolwide learning goals, aka ESLRs, and make some goals.
Please review our goals and think of how you can meet those goals this semester. Remember to leave a comment.

EXPECTED SCHOOL WIDE LEARNING RESULTS (ESLR’s)
Panther’s set the P.A.C.E.
Panthers are…..
1. Partners in Education who:
• Team with parents and teachers in order to reach their full
potential
• Achieve through a personalized learning program
2. Academic Achievers who:
• Self evaluate and reflect as life long learners
• Utilize technological skills to master content and efficiently
produce and publish assignments
• Collect, organize, interpret, analyze, and supply information to
make decisions and solve problems
3. Compliant with State and District Standards
• Complete assignments based on best practices
• Demonstrate mastery of grade level skills and concepts
4. Effective Communicators who:
• Organize, analyze, evaluate and deliver presentations
• Write and speak with a command of Standard English
conventions appropriate to their grade level

Week 19

2010-01-13T10:33:00.001-08:00

Midterms are this Monday 1/25 from 10:00- 12:00 and 1:00-3:00. Please contact your teacher with any questions. You may bring one page of notes, front and back, for each midterm you are taking.

Week 18

2010-01-13T10:17:00.000-08:00

review questions continued...

12. How did popular participation influence constitution-making in the State of Massachusetts?

13. What kinds of formal changes have been used to amend constitutions?

14. Describe the powers of most state legislatures.

15. What are the formal and informal requirements of governor?

16. Explain the difference between statutory law and legislative law.

17. What is the function of a petite jury?

18. What kinds of cases do general trail court hear?

19. Which form of city government has an elected mayor as a chief executive and an elected council as the legislative body?

20. What is the purpose of city zoning?

21. Describe the services provided by the State government.

22. Compare and contrast tangible personal property to intangible personal property.

23. What are some non tax sources of revenue for States?

Week 17

2010-01-08T14:27:00.000-08:00

Review questions continued...

7. Describe the sweeping social changes that led to the development of present-day socialism including the Industrial Revolution.

8. Why would socialism be an attractive philosophy to developing nations and why would leaders find it especially appealing?

9. What are the characteristics of a communist economy?

10. Who is Mao Zedong and to whom did his movement appeal to?

11. When did the Soviet Union cease to exist?

Week 16

2010-01-04T14:35:00.000-08:00

Mid-Term Review Questions- Here is your chance to study on-line together! Please take turns posting.

1. How is a monarchy's leader different from a republic's leader?

2. Compare Japan's National Diet to the Central Institution of British government.

3. Describe Mexico's Government and politics.

4. How would you characterize China today?

5. Explain the theory of Laissez- faire.

6. America has been described as having a mixed economy. Describe the two main elements that coexist in this mixture.

Week 15

2009-12-13T16:41:00.000-08:00

Take this week to catch up on your studies so that you can enjoy your two week break!

Week 14

2009-12-06T10:50:00.000-08:00

The First Amendment to the Constitution states that:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

What is meant by this? Do you think our lawmakers today follow the intent of the writers of the Constitution? Explain why or why not.

Week 13

2009-11-30T16:30:00.001-08:00

Your textbook has a companion website with activities and quizzes to help you master your assignments. Use the "links" section of our school webpage at www.parkviewpylusd.org to find the companion website and try at least two different activities. You will need to select your state and textbook.IGNORE THE ERROR MESSAGE AND SELECT SOCIAL STUDIES AND THEN YOUR TEXT FROM THE MENU ON THE LEFT. Leave a comment stating what you did and how beneficial it was to your learning.

Week 12

2009-11-17T19:18:00.000-08:00

We are one third of the way through the school year. Now is a good time to reflect on what you have been learning and how it relates to our school's learning goals. Below you will find our school-wide learning goals. Choose two and connect them to your learning for this subject area. Comment on one classmate's comment.

Panthers are…..
1. Partners in Education who:
• Team with parents and teachers in order to reach their full
potential
• Achieve through a personalized learning program
2. Academic Achievers who:
• Self evaluate and reflect as life long learners
• Utilize technological skills to master content and efficiently
produce and publish assignments
• Collect, organize, interpret, analyze, and supply information to
make decisions and solve problems
3. Compliant with State and District Standards
• Complete assignments based on best practices
• Demonstrate mastery of grade level skills and concepts
4. Effective Communicators who:
• Organize, analyze, evaluate and deliver presentations
• Write and speak with a command of Standard English
conventions appropriate to their grade level

Week 11

2009-11-13T19:34:00.000-08:00

Summary Unit 3- The Legislative Branch

Congress is the legislative branch of the National Government. Its major function is to make law. Congress, then, is charged with the most basic governmental function in a democratic system: that of translating the will of the public into public policy in the form of law.
Chapter Outline
Section 1: The National Legislature

The Framers of the Constitution created a Congress with two bodies: a small Senate and a much larger House of Representatives. Each Congress since 1789 has met for a term of two years; those terms are now divided into two one-year sessions.
Section 2: The House of Representatives

The 435 members of the House of Representatives represent districts of roughly equal populations but very different characters. House members can serve for an unlimited number of two-year terms.
Section 3: The Senate

Each State has two seats in the Senate, the smaller and more prestigious house of Congress. Senators are generally older and more experienced than representatives, and their long terms protect them from political pressure.
Section 4: The Members of Congress

Members of Congress must fill several roles as lawmakers, politicians, and servants of the voters. For their work, they receive fairly generous pay and benefits.

Assignment: Gerrymandering

Politicians have used gerrymandering for nearly 200 years to control the outcome of elections. Explain at least two methods of gerrymandering.

Week 10

2009-11-01T18:18:00.000-08:00

Last week we read an op-ed column by Thomas Sowell. This week I would like you to examine the forms of rhetoric Mr. Sowell used to persuade the reader.Please cite at least two examples and state what form of rhetoric he used. What form of rhetoric did you use in your response?

Rhetoric (n) - the art of speaking or writing effectively. (Webster's Definition)

According to Aristotle, rhetoric is "the ability, in each particular case, to see the available means of persuasion." He described three main forms of rhetoric: Ethos, Logos, and Pathos.

Go to : http://www.rpi.edu/dept/llc/webclass/web/project1/group4/index.html

In order to be a more effective writer, you must understand these three terms.
Ethos
Ethos is appeal based on the character of the speaker. An ethos-driven document relies on the reputation of the author.

Logos
Logos is appeal based on logic or reason. Documents distributed by companies or corporations are logos-driven. Scholarly documents are also often logos-driven.

Pathos
Pathos is appeal based on emotion. Advertisements tend to be pathos-driven.

Week 9

2009-11-01T18:03:00.000-08:00

Thomas Sowell wrote an interesting column in the op-ed section of the newspaper. Please read the article and then tell me why you agree or disagree with his point of view.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009
When will we wake up?
Bit by bit, Obama's changes are dismantling America as we've known it.
Thomas Sowell
Thomas Sowell
Syndicated columnist

Just one year ago, would you have believed that an unelected government official, not even a Cabinet member confirmed by the Senate but simply one of the many "czars" appointed by the president, could arbitrarily cut the pay of executives in private businesses by 50 percent or 90 percent?

Did you think that another "czar" would be talking about restricting talk radio? That there would be plans afloat to subsidize newspapers – that is, to create a situation where some newspapers' survival would depend on the government liking what they publish?

Did you imagine that anyone would even be talking about having a panel of so-called "experts" deciding who could and could not get life-saving medical treatments?

Scary as that is from a medical standpoint, it is also chilling from the standpoint of freedom. If you have a mother who needs a heart operation or a child with some dire medical condition, how free would you feel to speak out against an administration that has the power to make life-and-death decisions about your loved ones?

Does any of this sound like America?

How about a federal agency giving school children material to enlist them on the side of the president? Merely being assigned to sing his praises in class is apparently not enough.

How much of America would be left if the federal government continued on this path? President Obama has already floated the idea of a national police force, something we have done without for more than two centuries.

We already have local police forces all across the country and military forces for national defense, as well as the FBI for federal crimes and the National Guard for local emergencies. What would be the role of a national police force created by Barack Obama, with all its leaders appointed by him? It would seem more like the brown shirts of dictators than like anything American.

How far the president will go depends of course on how much resistance he meets. But the direction in which he is trying to go tells us more than all his rhetoric or media spin.

Barack Obama has not only said that he is out to "change the United States of America," the people he has been associated with for years have expressed in words and deeds their hostility to the values, the principles and the people of this country.

Jeremiah Wright said it with words: "G** damn America!" Bill Ayers said it with bombs that he planted. Community activist goons have said it with their contempt for the rights of other people.

Among the people appointed as czars by President Obama have been people who have praised enemy dictators like Mao, who have seen the public schools as places to promote sexual practices contrary to the values of most Americans, to a captive audience of children.

Those who say that the Obama administration should have investigated those people more thoroughly before appointing them are missing the point completely. Why should we assume that Barack Obama didn't know what such people were like, when he has been associating with precisely these kinds of people for decades before he reached the White House?

Nothing is more consistent with his lifelong patterns than putting such people in government – people who reject American values, resent Americans in general and successful Americans in particular, as well as resenting America's influence in the world.

Any miscalculation on his part would be in not thinking that others would discover what these stealth appointees were like. Had it not been for the Fox News Channel, these stealth appointees might have remained unexposed for what they are. Fox News is now high on the administration's enemies list.

Nothing so epitomizes President Obama's own contempt for American values and traditions like trying to ram two bills through Congress in his first year – each bill more than a thousand pages long – too fast for either of them to be read, much less discussed. That he succeeded only the first time says that some people are starting to wake up. Whether enough people will wake up in time to keep America from being dismantled, piece by piece, is another question – and the biggest question for this generation.

Week 8

2009-10-17T21:02:00.001-07:00

Last week you posted possible questions for our midterm exam. This week I would like you to answer up to three questions posted by your classmates. You will receive receive one point of extra credit for correctly answering questions posted by classmates. You may earn up to 3 extra credit points.

Week 7

2009-10-17T21:01:00.000-07:00

Throughout the semester I will be requesting that students submit possible questions for our midterm exam. Please review your studies in Government to date. Form three questions that you would like to see on the midterm that are reflective of the content covered thus far.

Week 6- Political Parties

2009-10-10T06:57:00.000-07:00

Summary
Political parties are major vehicles of popular participation in democratic government. Their nature and functions and the roles they play in American politics are a major reason why government in the United States is in fact "government by the people."

Chapter 5 has five sections concerning political parties. Choose one to summarize and post for your classmates. Choose a section that has not laready een posted.

Week 5

2009-10-01T21:21:00.000-07:00

What does the term "nanny" government mean? In your opinion- do we have a "nanny" government? Give reasons why you agree or disagree.

Hint- search the O. C. Register

Week 4

2009-09-22T20:53:00.001-07:00

Take this week to reflect on what you have learned this month. Has anything influenced you strongly? What topics or subjects would you like to see on this discussion board?

Week 3

2009-09-18T18:05:00.001-07:00

In your own words describe what you think democracy means today. Give examples. Does democracy work? Why or why not?

How to view the videos

2009-09-14T19:13:00.000-07:00

Windows Media Player or comparable is required to view the video.

Week 2- Health Care Reform

2009-09-12T10:45:00.000-07:00

If you follow the news, you are aware that a major national discussion is taking place regarding health care reform. Here are some opinions to Obama's speech on the topic. What do you think about the topic? Do agree or disagree with the writers below?

By Eric Etheridge

Reactions to President Obama’s speech last night.

Harold Pollack in the New Republic:

President Obama closed in bravura fashion, evoking the memory of Senator Edward Kennedy, and the Senator’s lifelong passion for universal coverage. This was more than a tug on the heartstrings. President Obama unmistakably reminded America that conservatives called Social Security socialism in 1935. Conservatives called Medicare socialism in 1965. They are calling health reform socialism today. This was the opposite of triangulation. President Obama placed himself firmly in the camp of Franklin Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson in providing a leavening hand of wise policy to intervene when markets crash or when individuals need help.

In his final months, Senator Kennedy noted that the character of our country is at stake. Is our heart large enough to embrace people who need help? President Obama closed by saying: “We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it.” He added: “I still believe we can act even when it’s hard.”

He has staked his presidency on this final point. That’s exactly what I wanted to hear.

William Kristol in the Washington Post:

So President Obama invited himself into our living rooms tonight…why? Not to address questions of war and peace — even though we are fighting two wars overseas, and even though an avowed enemy and terror sponsor is rushing towards nuclear weapons. Not to address the economy — even though unemployment continues to rise, the deficit is at an all-time high, and we face a truly worrisome debt burden in the years ahead. And not to rally the nation in the face of some other crisis.

But isn’t health care a crisis? No.

Indeed, the president acknowledged it isn’t: “But we did not come here just to clean up crises. We came to build a future. So tonight, I return to speak to all of you about an issue that is central to that future — and that is the issue of health care.” In other words, health care — unlike, say, the financial system a few months ago — is not in a state of crisis.

So there is no health care crisis. There are a host of normal public policy issues dealing with health care that can be dealt with through the normal political process.

But that doesn’t suit Obama. He’s decided a big victory on health care is key to his political success. He’s decided we all have to acquiesce in a massive overhaul of our health care system because…he’s decided he wants it.

Atul Gawande in the New Yorker:

Before President Obama’s speech on health care, I wrote out a list of what I thought we needed him to do.

1. Make clear the stakes.
2. Make clear what we get under his reform.
3. Understand our fears.
4. Convey strength in the face of them.
5. Speak to our core beliefs as a nation.

I thought he did this and did it amply. . . .

And yet I remain concerned that he may not have done enough.

The stone faces of his conservative enemies made clear the limits of what words could do. I was struck that for nearly the entirety of his speech, he spoke facing not the camera or the Democrats but the Republican throng. This has become a test of who we will trust. Are we going to trust the Republicans, with their predictions of dark disasters that will result from going along with a President they do not believe should be allowed even to speak to our schoolchildren? Or are we going to trust this still new and untested President enough to give his changes a chance?

Obama has continued to defend policies that would push us, for the first time in history, in the direction of encouraging doctors to make more rational, better coördinated, less costly clinical decisions. This includes experiments with changing the way doctors are paid, a clinician board to identify inappropriate care, and a “fee” (i.e., tax) on extremely high-cost insurance premiums. I was also made hopeful by his willingness to break with Democrats and admit that the medical malpractice system is itself broken and, although not the cause of our cost crisis, a wasteful contributor.

But this is just a start. Our current health-care system presents seemingly insurmountable difficulties. It is too big, too complex, too entrenched, bloated, Byzantine, and slowly bursting. What may be most challenging about reforming it is that it cannot be fixed in one fell swoop of radical surgery. The repair is going to be a process, not a one-time event. The proposals Obama offers, and that Congress is slowly chewing over, would provide a dramatic increase in security for the average American. But they will only begin the journey toward transforming our system to provide safer, better, less wasteful care. We do not yet know with conviction all the steps that will rein in costs while keeping care safe. So, even if these initial reforms pass, we have to be prepared to come back every year or two to take another few hard and fiercely battled steps forward.

In this way, successful reform will have to be more like a series of operations, with x-rays and tests in between to show how we’re doing. Embarking on the effort will be among the most severe challenges we take on as country. Outside the settings of war and economic collapse, we’ve never sustained any policy effort of this scope and duration. It is perfectly possible that our next push will be defeated, or used as an opportunity to dismantle the progress we’ve already made. But I can see no other choice. We can only forge ahead.

Week 1 9/08/09

2009-08-26T23:08:00.000-07:00

1. Watch the following video on the Constitution.
2. Discuss the six basic principles of the Constitution.

http://www.laentrada.pylusd.org/Govt/Constitution.asf

Finals

2009-05-07T07:30:00.001-07:00

Finals will be held June 1st from 10:00-3:00 with an hour lunch from 12-1:00. Please be sure all discussion board assignments for this semester have been completed by June 1st. No new posting will be made as STAR Testing and finals will satisfy your interaction requirements.

Judicial Branch

2009-03-31T11:30:00.000-07:00

http://www.laentrada.pylusd.org/Govt/Judicial%20Branch.asf

Watch the following video and then:
1) State three main points
2) Ask two questions
3) Log in later in the week and asnswer questions from a classmate

3/23/09 The Legislative Branch

2009-03-19T22:45:00.000-07:00

Watch the following video on the Legislative Branch and then explain its function and organization.

http://www.laentrada.pylusd.org/Govt/Legis%20Branch.asf

The Executive Branch - 3/16/09

2009-03-13T09:45:00.000-07:00

Watch the following video and then summarize the functions of the Executive Branch.

http://www.laentrada.pylusd.org/Govt/Executive%20Branch.asf

Week of 3/9/09

2009-03-06T20:49:00.000-08:00

To Receive full participation credit for the week, complete the following:

1) Watch the following video

http://www.laentrada.pylusd.org/Govt/Constitution.asf

2) Post 2 question or comments about the video

3 Log in again later in the week and answer or comment on a classmates question

Obama Speech

2009-01-26T07:55:00.001-08:00

Read President Obama's inaugural address and post one comment and one question concerning the content of the speech. Follow up by responding to two posted questions from your fellow classmates.

OBAMA: My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sanh.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. Those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers ... our found fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it)."

America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.

Election

2008-11-11T16:13:00.000-08:00

What effective do you think our recent presidential election will have on national politics?

Please answer and check back later in order to comment on two of your classmates' comments.

Electronic Voting

2008-10-31T15:27:00.000-07:00

Read "Face the Issues" on page 195 of the American Govt textbook. Why do you think people are concerned about electronic voting? Do you think this system of voting is accurate? Do you think there is a better way for us to vote in this country?

Women in Politics and Govenment

2008-10-11T10:18:00.001-07:00

Search through your text and online. Provide three examples of women who have contributed in politics and /or government functions. What was their contribution?

2008-09-05T14:58:00.000-07:00

What aspects of the upcoming election do you think will be significant to our nation's history?