Read the following article from The Atlantic by Conor Friedersdorf
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/09/is-horse-race-coverage-killing-mitt-romney/262989/?google_editors_picks=true
Write a two paragraph summary of the article and answer the following questions.
1. Why would conservatives worry about the polls so much and call them "a conspiracy"?
2. What do the candidates look like as a result of the horse race coverage?
3. Why won't voters pay much attention to new news about the economy?
4. How does Douthat (in the big quote) criticize the Romney campaign?
5. How does the article compare the parties' National Conventions?
6. What is Obama getting away with, because of the focus on the horse race?
7. What foreign policy choices do American voters have according to Douthat?
8. How does Friedersdorf feel that the press is failing?
9. How would you say that Freidersdorf characterizes Romney and his campaign overall?
10. How would you say that he characterizes Obama overall?
Friday, September 28, 2012
Blog Post 1.6 "The Gender Gap 2012"
Read the following article from NPR.org about the gender gap in the upcoming election.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/09/27/161818462/2012-gender-gap-could-be-historic-but-not-necessarily-why-you-think
Write a 2 paragraph summary of the article and then answer the following questions.
1. What does the article say is the fundamental question in this election?
2. What is the margin by which women prefer Obama over Romney?
3. What has remained consistent about the gender gap over elections in the past?
4. How has the Romney campaign tried to appeal to women?
5. How has the issue of abortion rights affected this election?
http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/09/27/161818462/2012-gender-gap-could-be-historic-but-not-necessarily-why-you-think
Write a 2 paragraph summary of the article and then answer the following questions.
1. What does the article say is the fundamental question in this election?
2. What is the margin by which women prefer Obama over Romney?
3. What has remained consistent about the gender gap over elections in the past?
4. How has the Romney campaign tried to appeal to women?
5. How has the issue of abortion rights affected this election?
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Blog Post 1.5 "Obama's Next Term"
Read the following article from this week's Newsweek magazine. This is a column from Andrew Sullivan about what Obama may achieve if he wins a second term.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/09/23/andrew-sullivan-on-the-promise-of-obama-s-second-term.html
Write a two paragraph summary of the article and then answer the following questions:
1. What does Sullivan predict will be the outcome of the presidential and Congressional elections in November?
2. How does he compare the situations in which Reagan and Obama were elected?
3. How does he describe Reagan's first term as president?
4. What happened that allowed Reagan to go from low approval ratings to winning 49 of 50 states in 1984?
5. What happened in Reagan's second term that has contributed to his image as transformational and iconic?
6. What were Obama's initial first term "wins" and why are they a liability now?
7. How does Sullivan describe America's taxing and spending situation?
8. What are Obama's potential foreign policy goals in a second term?
9. How is the Republican Party different today than in 1984?
10. Why does Sullivan criticize liberals for thinking Obama has failed them?
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/09/23/andrew-sullivan-on-the-promise-of-obama-s-second-term.html
Write a two paragraph summary of the article and then answer the following questions:
1. What does Sullivan predict will be the outcome of the presidential and Congressional elections in November?
2. How does he compare the situations in which Reagan and Obama were elected?
3. How does he describe Reagan's first term as president?
4. What happened that allowed Reagan to go from low approval ratings to winning 49 of 50 states in 1984?
5. What happened in Reagan's second term that has contributed to his image as transformational and iconic?
6. What were Obama's initial first term "wins" and why are they a liability now?
7. How does Sullivan describe America's taxing and spending situation?
8. What are Obama's potential foreign policy goals in a second term?
9. How is the Republican Party different today than in 1984?
10. Why does Sullivan criticize liberals for thinking Obama has failed them?
Monday, September 17, 2012
Blog Post 1.4 "Identity Politics"
Read the following piece from the New York Times from Bill Keller about demographics and political party support.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/17/opinion/keller-the-grand-old-straight-white-mens-party.html?_r=1&ref=opinion
Write a two paragraph summary of the article and answer the following questions.
1. What demographics does Keller associate with the Democratic Party?
2. What demographics does Keller associate with the Republican party?
3. What does he mean by the term "bellwether"? (You may have to google it.)
4. What happened to the campaigns of the state senators who voted in favor of homosexual marriage rights?
5. How is the leadership of the New York Repubican Party different than that of the Republican National Committee?
6. What does he mean by calling the same-sex marriage issue a distraction?
7. Why does Keller claim that the state senate candidates changed their position on same sex marriage?
8. As the elections approach, why would these candidates begin to move "toward the center"?
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/17/opinion/keller-the-grand-old-straight-white-mens-party.html?_r=1&ref=opinion
Write a two paragraph summary of the article and answer the following questions.
1. What demographics does Keller associate with the Democratic Party?
2. What demographics does Keller associate with the Republican party?
3. What does he mean by the term "bellwether"? (You may have to google it.)
4. What happened to the campaigns of the state senators who voted in favor of homosexual marriage rights?
5. How is the leadership of the New York Repubican Party different than that of the Republican National Committee?
6. What does he mean by calling the same-sex marriage issue a distraction?
7. Why does Keller claim that the state senate candidates changed their position on same sex marriage?
8. As the elections approach, why would these candidates begin to move "toward the center"?
Monday, September 10, 2012
Blog Post 1.3 "Congress After the Conventions"
Read the following article from Monday's New York Times about the agenda in Congress.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/10/us/politics/congress-to-face-angry-farmers.html?ref=politics
Write a two paragraph summary of the article, and answer the following questions.
1. What issues do Congressional Democrats plan on working on when Congress gets back to session this week? How does that match up with Barack Obama's goals?
2. What issues do Congressional Republicans plan on working on when Congress gets back to session this week? How does that match up with Mitt Romney's goals.
3. Why won't the spending bill be controversial in the middle of a presidential campaign?
4. How could the farm bill affect the presidential election in agricultural states?
5. What interest groups are acting on behalf of the farmers?
6. What other seemingly noncontroversial bills have been put on hold by this Congress?
7. Why do you think it is so difficult for Congress to get anything done during the election season?
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/10/us/politics/congress-to-face-angry-farmers.html?ref=politics
Write a two paragraph summary of the article, and answer the following questions.
1. What issues do Congressional Democrats plan on working on when Congress gets back to session this week? How does that match up with Barack Obama's goals?
2. What issues do Congressional Republicans plan on working on when Congress gets back to session this week? How does that match up with Mitt Romney's goals.
3. Why won't the spending bill be controversial in the middle of a presidential campaign?
4. How could the farm bill affect the presidential election in agricultural states?
5. What interest groups are acting on behalf of the farmers?
6. What other seemingly noncontroversial bills have been put on hold by this Congress?
7. Why do you think it is so difficult for Congress to get anything done during the election season?
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Blog Post 1.2 "Democratic Platform"
Hey, there is a short one this week, both because of the short week and because the last one was so long! This is from the editorial page in Wednesday's New York Times.
The Democratic National Convention is being held in Charlotte, North Carolina this week. One of the few things that actually happen at the convention is that the party settles on one "party platform". The platform is basically a statement of goals and issue stances that are to be adopted by the party. This particular article is about how many speakers are avoiding several stances in the platform. Keep this in mind next week as we begin to study the role of voters and public opinion.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/05/opinion/words-not-spoken.html?_r=1
Read the article and write a 2 paragraph summary of what you read. Then, answer the following questions.
1. Why do you think President Obama avoids mentioning his position on limiting gun laws?
2. Why would a balanced budget be the type of topic the party would decide to emphasize?
3. What Democratic Party goals did Mayor Cory Booker focus on during his speech? Why would he choose these?
4. What are the Democratic Party's foreign policy goals, according to the platform?
5. Why do you think the Democrats would avoid talking about campaign finance reform during the convention?
6. Do you think it is likely that President Obama could get a campaign finance amendment passed in his second term? Given your knowledge of the amendment process, explain why or why not.
7. What is the author's attitude toward the party's platform?
8. What do you think they author thinks about the likelihood of the party actually adhering to its goals?
The Democratic National Convention is being held in Charlotte, North Carolina this week. One of the few things that actually happen at the convention is that the party settles on one "party platform". The platform is basically a statement of goals and issue stances that are to be adopted by the party. This particular article is about how many speakers are avoiding several stances in the platform. Keep this in mind next week as we begin to study the role of voters and public opinion.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/05/opinion/words-not-spoken.html?_r=1
Read the article and write a 2 paragraph summary of what you read. Then, answer the following questions.
1. Why do you think President Obama avoids mentioning his position on limiting gun laws?
2. Why would a balanced budget be the type of topic the party would decide to emphasize?
3. What Democratic Party goals did Mayor Cory Booker focus on during his speech? Why would he choose these?
4. What are the Democratic Party's foreign policy goals, according to the platform?
5. Why do you think the Democrats would avoid talking about campaign finance reform during the convention?
6. Do you think it is likely that President Obama could get a campaign finance amendment passed in his second term? Given your knowledge of the amendment process, explain why or why not.
7. What is the author's attitude toward the party's platform?
8. What do you think they author thinks about the likelihood of the party actually adhering to its goals?
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