PLS 1120 AMERICAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT Week 1
List of Topics and Sub-Modules for Week 1
America’s Constitutional Origins I
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities.
Review the
Introduction and Objectives
.
Read the
online lessons
pertaining to America’s Constitutional Origins.
Check out and utilize all the learning resources used in this week’s discussion.
Participate in
this week’s discussion
at the “
Monocle Restaurant
” by introducing yourself.
E-mail student information
to the instructor.
PLS 1120 AMERICAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Complete Pre Survey
(not graded a graded assignment–take the “temperature” of class regarding basic knowledge of American Government–and for
attendance purposes
.
Participate in the optional discussion activity, the ‘
Nature of Man
‘.
Post any questions you have in the
Help Discussion.
Introduction and Objectives
Link
GET WRITING HELP HERE
HUMAN-WRITTEN
AND
PLAGIARISM-FREE
Learning Activities
Link
America’s Constitutional Origins
Link
The Declaration of Independence
Link
Discussion – Nature of Man
Discussion Topic
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Introductions
Discussion Topic
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Pre -Survey
Quiz
Starts Jun 16, 2025 12:01 AM
Ends Jun 22, 2025 11:30 PM
America’s Constitutional Origins II
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities.
Review the
Introduction and Objectives
.
Read the
Online Lessons:
Articles of Confederation
Constitutional Convention
Complete the assignments on the
Learning Activities
page.
Check out and utilize all the learning resources used in
this week’s discussion
.
Participate in the
Founding Fathers and Mothers Discussion.
Post any questions you have in the
Help Discussion.
Introduction and Objectives
Link
Learning Activities
Link
Articles of Confederation
Link
Constitutional Convention
Link
America’s Constitutional Origins III
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities.
Review the
Introduction and Objectives
.
Read the
Online Lessons:
Adoption of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights
PLS 1120 AMERICAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Complete the assignments on the
Learning Activities
Page.
Participate in the
Founding Fathers and Mothers Discussion.
Post any questions you have in the
Help Discussion.
Introduction and Objectives
Link
Learning Activities
Link
Adoption of U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights
Link
Discussion Activity 1 – Founding Fathers and Mothers
Discussion Topic
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Available until Jun 22, 2025 11:30 PM.
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Constitutional Limitations on Power
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities.
Review the
Introduction and Objectives
.
Read
Federalist #10, 51, 78
found on the Learning Activities page.
Read the
Online Lesson:
Constitutional Limitations on Power.
Complete the
Federalist Worksheets
(optional activities)
Complete the assignments on the
Learning Activities
page.
Post any questions you have in the
Help Discussion.
Introduction and Objectives
Link
Learning Activities
Link
Constitutional Limitations on Power
Link
Federalist #10 Worksheet
Link
Federalist #51 Worksheet
Link
Federalist #78 Worksheet
Link
Week 2
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List of Topics and Sub-Modules for Week 2
Interest Groups I
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities.
16 Week Class:
Review the
Introduction and Objectives
.
Read the
Online Lesson:
Influence of Special Interest in America
Complete the assignments on the
Learning Activities
page.
Post any questions you have on the
Help Discussion.
12 and 8 Week Class:
Review the
Introduction and Objectives
.
Read the
Online Lesson:
Influence of Special Interest in America
Complete the assignments on the
Learning Activities
page.
Take
Test 1
located in the Tests folder under the Content Tab.
Post any questions you have on the
Help Discussion.
Introduction and Objectives
Link
Learning Activities
Link
Influence of Special Interests in America
Link
Interest Groups II
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities.
Review the
Introduction and Objectives
.
Read the
Online Lessons:
Methods Used by Interest Groups
Methods Used by Interest Groups – Continued
Participate in the
Interest Group Discussion.
Post any questions you have in the
Help Discussion.
Introduction and Objectives
Link
Methods Used by Interest Groups
Link
Methods Used by Interest Groups – Continued
Link
Discussion Activity 3 – Interest Group
Discussion Topic
American Federalism and Directions for Test 1
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities.
16 Week Class:
Review the
Introduction and Objectives
.
Read a
newspaper or magazine article
about an issue facing the federal or state government.
Read the
Online Lessons:
American Federalism
Powers of the National and State Governments
PLS 1120 AMERICAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Distribution of Federal Dollars to States
Complete the assignments on the
Learning Activities
page.
Participate in the
Federalism Discussion.
Take
Test 1
located in the Tests folder under the Content Tab.
Post any questions you have in the
Help Discussion.
12 and 8 Week Class:
Review the
Introduction and Objectives
.
Read a
newspaper or magazine article
about an issue facing the federal or state government.
Read the
Online Lessons:
American Federalism
Powers of the National and State Governments
Distribution of Federal Dollars to States
Complete the assignments on the
Learning Activities
page.
Participate in the
Federalism Discussion.
Post any questions you have in the
Help Discussion.
Introduction and Objectives
Link
Learning Activities
Link
Learning Activities 12 and 8 weeks
Link
American Federalism
Link
Powers of the National and State Governments
Link
Distribution of Federal Dollars to States
Link
Directions for Test 1
Link
iscussion Activity 2 – Federalism
Discussion Topic
Available on Jun 16, 2025 12:01 AM.
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Available until Jun 22, 2025 11:30 PM.
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Week 3
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List of Topics and Sub-Modules for Week 3
Political Parties & Political Ideology
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities.
Review the
Introduction and Objectives
.
Read the
Online Lessons:
Political Parties
Functions of a Political Party
Responsibilities of a Political Party
Political Ideology
Complete the assignments on the
Learning Activities
page.
Participate in the
Political Parties Discussion.
Post any questions you have in the
Help Discussion.
Introduction and Objectives
Link
Learning Activities
Link
Political Parties – An Introduction
Link
Introduction to Political Parties
A political party is defined as:
“a group of citizens that under a party banner seek to get candidates elected to public office in order to make party positions on issues into law.”
Unlike interest groups, political parties spend
all
of their time working to get candidates elected! They are always looking for people who support their positions on issues and are interested in public service.
Recruiting candidates
to run under their party’s banner is one of the most important and difficult tasks for political parties. It is very hard to find people who will leave their comfortable and secure jobs to enter the uncertain world of politics.
Today political parties are
significantly
weaker
than in the 19th and early 20th centuries when powerful party bosses “ran the show” and candidates were more beholden to them for their offices.
Direct Primaries
reduced the power of party leaders in the nomination process and gave the “grassroots party members,” the
voters
, the power to determine who would run for public office under their party banner.
Also, the
ban on soft money
has made it more difficult for the Republican and Democratic parties to get their message out through television ads. If they want to run those ads they have to use hard money which they much prefer to go to candidates! As political parties feared, other groups have stepped in to fill the gap.
As I noted in our previous lesson,
“527’s”
have been established to help Republican and Democratic candidates get elected. Moveon.org and other “527’s” that supported John Kerry for President put ads on television and worked to “get out the vote.” Some argue that this helped and hurt Kerry because he benefited from the negative advertising against Bush, but unfortunately, he could not control the “message” like the Bush campaign. Some argued that Swift Boat Veterans for Truth helped cast doubt on Kerry’s Vietnam record and foreign/defense policies in general. During the 2012 presidential election, “SuperPAC’s” have also played a similar role in helping candidates by raising soft money from wealthy individuals for television advertising. Newt Gingrich during the primary race really benefited from one wealthy benefactor who established a “SuperPAC” on his behalf. Even Mitt Romney and President Obama had SuperPAC’s helping them. In 2016, SuperPACs helped Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton and other candidates. To see the list of SuperPACs go to
Open Secrets
to look at Outside Spending.
We will talk about the ban on soft money and the impact of “527’s” (and “SuperPAC’s”) later in this lesson.
Why do we have
two major
political parties?
“Thomas Nast first represented the GOP (Grand Old Party) as an
elephant
in 1874 when the Democrats were trying to panic Republican voters by suggesting that President Grant would seek a third term. Nast portrayed the party thus because elephants are steadfast and controlled when calm, yet unmanageable when frightened. This remains the symbol today ( The Rule of Law 215).
The
donkey
has been associated with the Democratic Party since 1837 when Andrew Jackson was labeled as a ‘jackass’ for his stubbornly-held political views. As a result, Jackson began using the donkey on his campaign posters. Political cartoonist Thomas Nast elevated the donkey to the status of party icon in his political illustrations in Harpers Weekly ( The Rule of Law 214).
There are two major political parties in this country-the
Democratic Party
and the
Grand Old Party (GOP)
,
known as the 2nd Republican Party. There are other third parties or minor parties as well.
Our two-party political system was born in 1840 when the Democratic Party and Whig Parties were finally complex political machines we recognize today- maintaining decentralized party structures, holding national presidential conventions, writing
party platforms
stating positions on issues, attracting strong grassroots support, and dividing Congress along party lines.
The Democratic Party has its
direct
roots in the party of Thomas Jefferson (Jefferson Republicans), and the GOP rose from the ashes of the Whig Party.
Why did we establish political
parties in the first place? I thought
founding fathers didn’t like them?
How do I spot “fake news”?
The GOP is the only third party that has become a majority party in our country. This happened because the Whig Party could not resolve the slavery issue within its ranks. As you are aware, the Democratic Party was also split on this issue-southern Democrats supporting slavery and northern Democrats were opposed to the institution.
As you may remember, the Democratic Party originally supported states’ rights and a weaker national government (it did not support establishing a national bank or federal funding for national roads and canals, etc.)
At right we see Abraham Lincoln of the Grand Old Party.
Don’t the Democrats support
“big government” to protect rights
of individuals?
After the Civil War the Republican Party controlled the presidency and Congress (with the exception of Grover Cleveland) until 1912 when Woodrow Wilson, a New Jersey Democratic Governor and former President of Princeton, won the presidency.
The Democratic and Republican parties have survived because they have both reached out to diverse group of citizens and modified their positions on issues.
Why do third parties have difficulty competing with the Republican and Democratic parties?
Third parties often have a difficult time competing with the major parties because they do not appeal to a broad group of citizens or they rally around a charismatic figure like Ross Perot.
Also, as in the 2004 presidential election, the
Green Party
and
Reform Party
could not get electoral votes because their presidential candidates could not win the most votes in a state. If third parties cannot win the presidency, it is
very difficult
to win other national, state, and local offices.
At left is Ralph Nader who ran as a Green Party candidate in 2000.
You need to have a broad base of public support to win an election and as a result, the major parties are forced to come “to the center” to attract as many voters as possible-that is why
“unifying the voters”
is one of the most important functions of a political party. We will discuss the impact of the
Electoral College
on third parties in a later lesson.
If a political party cannot reach out to people from all walks of life, with varying political ideologies-conservative, moderates, liberals alike, and modify its positions on issues to address changing times and concerns of the public, it will have difficulty competing or even surviving at all.
Even if third party candidates lose an election, they can make a difference on public policy because they may run on an issue that is really important to the American people like Ross Perot did in 1992 (he ran as an independent candidate, and later “United We Stand” became the Reform Party). He was concerned about the size of our national debt and urged reducing our federal deficits.
Even though Perot lost both presidential elections, both major parties recognized the need to address this problem and co-opted the issue of deficit reduction. In the mid 1990’s, Democrats and Republicans were able to “balance the budget” and even get a surplus. Although this was a positive development, it took away the Reform Party’s key issue. As you are aware, the Reform Party today is floundering because it is still trying to rediscover an issue(s) that will appeal strongly to the American public.
Functions of a Political Party
Link
Responsibilities of a Political Party
Link
Political Ideology
Link
Discussion Activity 4 – Political Parties
Discussion Topic
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Political Socialization and Public Opinion
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities.
Review the
Introduction and Objectives
.
Read the
Online Lessons:
Political Socialization and Public Opinion
Complete the assignments on the
Learning Activities
page.
Post any questions you have in the
Help Discussion.
Introduction and Objectives
Link
Learning Activities
Link
Political Socialization and Public Opinion
Link
Week 4
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List of Topics and Sub-Modules for Week 4
Voting, Campaigns, Elections, and Directions for Test 2
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities.
Review the
Introduction and Objectives.
Read the
Online Lessons:
Voting, Campaigns, and Elections
Stage One of a Presidential Campaign
Stage Two of a Presidential Campaign
Stage Three of a Presidential Campaign
The Impact of the Media on the Electoral Process
Complete the assignments on the
Learning Activities
page.
Participate in the
Electoral College Discussion.
Take
Test 2
located in the Tests folder under the Content Tab.
Post any questions you have in the
Help Discussion.
Introduction and Objectives
Link
Learning Activities
Link
Voting, Campaigns and Elections
Influences on Voting
Why is it important that Americans go to the polls on Election Day? Does our vote
really
count?
If we, as citizens, do not exercise our “fundamental right to vote,” we are denying ourselves the
opportunity
to have our concerns and interests represented in our government. If we do not vote, we can’t hold our leaders accountable for their actions. Also, if we do not participate in the political process at some level, other people’s voices will be heard and they may
not
share your views or opinions regarding the quality of the work of your public officials.
A common version of support and participation are political yard signs as shown.
Our vote does count as long as we do our homework and make sure we register to vote prior to an election, vote in the proper place, and that we know how to operate the voting machines. There is a wealth of information about voting in
Ohio at the Secretary of State’s website
. Make sure you are registered to vote
30 days prior
to a primary election and general election!
See how certain voters (vote by gender, race, age, income, education, party, ideology, etc.) voted in the
2024 presidential race.
Voting Reforms
Questions were raised and properly so in the 2000 presidential election about the types of ballots, alleged ballot boxes found in a closet, and possible voter intimidation, particularly in Florida. Many of you remember the hanging chads where some of the Florida Board of Elections officials had to determine the intent of the voter by peering at the ballots with a magnifying glass.
After investigating the voting irregularities in Florida, the United States Civil Rights Commission concluded that there was no intent or conspiracy to disenfranchise Florida voters. However, it found that Florida state officials did not recognize the growing voter registration rolls, and failed to fulfill their responsibilities (xii). Also, the Commission outlined other problems that made it difficult for some voters to exercise their right to vote. They are the following: inadequate voter education, insufficient poll training and lack of preparedness for a high voter turnout, the purging of state voter rolls, and lack of resources to poor counties (U.S. Civil Rights Commission xiv).
Also in 2004, Kenyon College students stood in lines with pizza for hours to cast their vote because the polling center could not absorb the higher number of voters .
Unfortunately, in close elections flaws in the voting process show up prominently; the only
good
thing that comes out of this is that we learn more about how elections are run and can pass laws that hopefully improve the voting process.
May I vote if I have been convicted of a crime?
A person currently serving time in jail or prison for a felony conviction can neither register to vote nor vote. Additionally, a person who has twice been convicted of a violation of Ohio’s elections laws is permanently barred from voting in Ohio.
An otherwise qualified person convicted of a misdemeanor may vote, and an otherwise qualified person who had been convicted of a felony may register and vote while on probation or parole, or after completing his or her jail or prison sentence.
The voter registration of a person who is incarcerated on a felony conviction is cancelled; once that person has completed his or her jail or prison sentence, or is on probation, parole or community control, he or she must re-register to vote by the registration deadline before voting.
Source: Ohio Secretary of State. 2023. “Voter Eligibility & Residency Requirements.” https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/voter-eligibility-residency-reqs/#convicted
Since 2000, states have made it easier for felons to vote, and have permitted more voters to vote by
“absentee”
ballot. Felons who have completed their prison terms only have to re-register to vote in Ohio. Since 2006, all eligible voters may “vote early” by casting an absentee ballot either by mail or voting at the county board of elections (Montgomery County Board of Elections). “Early voting” helped to alieviate the problem of long lines in 2008.
Voters can cast a provisional ballot if there is any question about eligibility, registration, etc.. In this way, voters can exercise their right to vote and election officials can make sure they did not vote more than once in the same election (Montgomery County Board of Elections).
As you know, the federal government passed a law,
“Help
America
Vote Act,”
that provided $3.9 billion in federal grants to states to improve and update voter equipment in 2002. In the most recent presidential and midterm elections, some voters were using computers to vote.
Since the November 2005 general election, many counties, including Montgomery County, have used these new voting machines. Under law, Ohio can no longer use the punch card voting machines. They have used touch screen, optical scanners, and other voting systems (Montgomery County Board of Elections). Warren County voters have use optical scanners and Montgomery County voters have used the touch screen system. Secretary of State Brunner permitted voters to cast a paper ballot if they were not comfortable using computers to vote in 2008. PLS 1120 AMERICAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Shown at right is a type of touch screen machine.
Ohio county boards of elections have upgraded their voting machines with either paper ballots that use optical scanners or a hybrid system in which voters use a touch screen but the computer marks the ballots (
Chris Stewart, DDN’s, August 7, 2018 article
). The counties received $114.5 million from the state of Ohio to purchase new voting equipment (
Laura Bischoff and Chris Steward, “State OK’s money to replace, repair voting ahead of 2020
).
In 2019, Ohio voters tested out a new touch screen machine that leaves a paper trail. Since the finding that Russia interfered with the 2016 Presidential election (fortunately, no ballots were touched), there has been even greater concern surrounding the use of computer voting machines. Ohio’s new touch screen voting machines are not connected to the internet and Ohio officials work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to ensure there is no interference in the voting process (
Ohio Counties Look For Cybersecurity Weaknesses Ahead Of Election | News | ideastream)
. You may view an example of Montgomery County’s new touch screen with a paper trail at
Montgomery County Board of Elections unveils new voting machines (daytondailynews.com).
Ohio’s Photo ID Law:
Governor Mike Dewine signed the photo ID law (H. B. 458) on January 6, 2023. The Ohio law requires Ohio voters to provide a photo ID to vote, e.g., Ohio Driver’s license, state ID card (provided for free), interim ID card, U. S. passport or passport card or military card (Ohio Governor Signs Strict Voter ID Bill Into Law,
https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/ohio-governor-signs-strict-photo-id-bill-into-law/).
To learn more about the Ohio Voter ID law, please go to Ohio Secretary of States’ Office (Identification requirements):
https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/id-requirements
and Ohio Voters Must Provide Photo ID At Polls:
https://www.ohiosos.gov/media-center/press-releases/2023/2023-01-09/
.
In April 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Indiana’s law requiring photo identification prior to casting a ballot. Justice Stevens said that the voter I.D. protects “the integrity and reliability of the electoral process” (
“Supreme Court Upholds Indiana’s I.D. Law for Voters,”
NCSL).
Do not be discouraged by the flaws in the voting process. Continue to vote and if you have any problems in exercising your right to vote, make sure to contact your local board of elections, the Secretary of State who is responsible for elections, or your state or federal representatives. As you are aware from reading the lesson on federalism, states are responsible for running elections.
What can you do if you are a “first
time voter” or almost old enough to
vote?
Why do Americans have such a low voter turnout unlike other industrial democracies?
One of the reasons Americans do not go out and vote in the numbers they should is because they must register to vote prior to a primary or general election.
The purpose of registering
is to make sure that citizens are eligible to vote and to prevent multiple voting (“voting early and often”).
All states except North Dakota require you to register prior to an election (Magleby 205) . In Europe, there is automatic registration and voting on the weekends. Should Americans vote on weekends? Have to register prior to an election?
Didn’t Congress pass a law to make
it easier for us to register to vote?
2024 Voter Turnout
The 2024 General Election turnout was 63.9%, not as high as the historic 2020 turnout but higher than other elections since 2004 (Ballotpedia,
Election results, 2024: Analysis of voter turnout in the 2024 general election – Ballotpedia
), with a turnout out of roughly 152 million voters nationally.A newrecord in Ohio for early in-person voting: 68 of 88 counties surpassed early voting numbers in 2020(WLWT5, Kurt Knue, “
Ohio Secretary of State: 2024 election surpasses previous in person early voting record seen in the state.”
The top issues in this election were the economy, abortion, immigration, and foreign policy
in that order and the
most important quality
was the ability to lead with 66% supporting Donald Trump and 33% supporting Harris (2024 CNN Exit Polls:
Exit poll results 2024 | CNN Politics
). Former President Trump was apparently the “change agent” with 74% of voters saying that Trump “can bridge needed change. (CNN 2024 Exit Polls).” Abortion or reproductive rights was not as important an issue among voters as earlier thought (CNN reporting on election night, November 5, 2024). 72% of the voters said that the country was on the wrong track while 26% it was on the right track (CNN reporting on election night, November 5, 2024). It was a very difficult burden for Vice President Harris to overcome. It was still a very tight race given the concern about “bread and butter issues,” threats to democracy, and reproductive rights.
Donald Trump won 63% rural voters versus 57% in 2020 and increased his support in the cities, suburbs, and among African-Americans, Latinos, young adults, and women. Kamala Harris was not able to expand Joe Biden’s base (Yahoo News, November 6, 2024). There was a distinct gender gap with 55% of men voting for Trump and 53% of women voting for Harris (CNN 2024 Exit Poll). Overall young adults (18 to 29 years of age) voted for Harris (54% to 43%), CNN 2024 Exit polls. Trump won the Catholic vote (21%) by a majority, 59% to Harris’ 39%. Harris won the Jewish vote (2%) by a very large margin, 78%, to Trump’s 22% (CNN 2024 Exit Polls).
Kamala Harris won the moderate voters (42%) with 58% over Donald Trump’s 46% and she also won the Independent voters (34%) with 49% to Trump’s 46%), albeit she lost some ground with Independent voters (CNN 2024 Exit Polls).
Historic 2020 Voter Turnout
Roughly 160 million eligible voters voted in this historic 2020 General Election, the largest voter turnout since 1900 (66.7% voter turnout, United States Election Project). It was the first time this country used mail-in ballots nationally due to the fears of spreading the coronavirus. This factor and the very competitive nature of this Presidential election, and concerns about the economy, racial injustice, the pandemic, and crime and safety drove many voters to the polls (CNN’s 2020 Exit Polls, November 3, 2020).
Voters said that the most important thing to do now was to contain the virus (52%) followed by the need to rebuild the economy (42%) (CNN Exit Polls, November 3, 2020). Voters felt that former Vice President Biden could better handle the pandemic (51%) over President Donald Trump (43%) (CNN Exit Polls, November 3, 2020).
Thirty-eight percent of the voters considered themselves moderates (a little bit conservative and liberal) and they voted in large numbers for Biden (64%) over Trump (34%) (CNN Exit Polls, November 3, 2020)
Young adults were Biden’s strongest supporters like President Ronald Reagan (our last oldest president) (CNN Exit Polls, November 3, 2020). Young voters thought the coronavirus, the economy, and racism were the three top issues facing this country (AP VoteCaste Poll, November 3, 2020,
“Young Voters Helped Biden Win,”
The Wall Street Journal, November 28-29, 2020, A4). African American voters and Asian Americans strongly supported Biden but Democrats were concerned that Trump did attract more African American men and Latino voters than Republican presidential candidates in past years (CNN Exit Polls, November 3, 2020, and AP VoteCaste survey, November 3, 2020,
“Most Black Voters Rebuffed Trump,”
November 11, 2020, A4), and
“Latino Voters Move Toward Trump,”
The Wall Street Journal, November 6, 2020, A6).
What was interesting to see was that 24% of the voters voted in favor of a candidate in order to defeat the other candidate: 68% of these voters voted for Biden over Trump (CNN Exit Polls, November 3, 2020). PLS 1120 AMERICAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
First-time voters made up 14% of the electorate and they strongly supported Biden (64%) over Trump (CNN Exit Polls, November 3, 2020).
Review results here:
CNN’s 2020 Presidential Election Exit Polls
.
President Trump and some Republican officials raised concerns about voting irregularities and potential fraud during this election citing changes in state election procedures by state executive officials and not by their state legislatures, counting ballots submitted after election day, inability to observe Board of Elections vote counting, etc. The Trump campaign and some states sued for relief in federal court but to no avail. The U.S. Supreme Court threw out several election challenges, including agreeing not to review Trump’s case in Pennsylvania regarding permitting mail in ballots to be counted three days after the election. To learn about this case and other election decisions go to Gresko, Jessica. “
Supreme Court rejects Trump’s election challenge cases
,” AP, February 22, 2021,
Supreme Court rejects Trump election challenge cases | AP News
.
2016 Voter Turnout
60.2% percent of Americans voted in the 2016 presidential election–roughly 139 million people. The initial voter turnout numbers were around 58% similar to 2012 but The Hill reported the above tally in March 2017 gathered from the U.S. Election Project. To learn more please visit
The Hill.
The
Pew Research Center for U.S. Politics and Policy
provides updated information on exit polls for the 2016 Presidential Election.
Less voter turnout in 2012 than in historic 2008 election
In 2008, roughly 131 million Americans cast their vote for national, state, and local candidates resulting in a near-record turnout in many years—roughly 62%, the highest since 1968. It was an historic election where race, gender, and age barriers were broken and this excited the base of each party, new voters, young adults, and voters in general to go out and support their candidates. In this election, the top issue was the economy, followed by the Iraq War, and health care and terrorism tied for third place (
Exit polls: Obama wins big among young, minority voters
, CNN, and
Electors officially select Obama,
Dayton Daily News, December 16, 2008).
Although there were fewer eligible voters participating in the 2012 election with only roughly 58% voter turnout less than 2008 and 2004 -about 128,556, 837 voters, we find that the young adults and Hispanics came out and voted in almost the same numbers as last election (abc5.com,
Election results 2012: Voter Turnout lower than in 2008 and 2004
).
The Hispanic community made up 10% of the electorate, its largest turnout rate, strongly encouraged President Obama to deliver on his promise to pass immigration reform (
Latino groups to Obama: You owe Latinos the election, now pass immigration reform,
Yahoo News, November 7, 2012). Republicans recognize more than ever that they must attract Hispanic voters and other minorities, women, and of course, the younger generation if they hope to be competitive in future elections. The top issue was the economy (60 %), followed by health care (18 %), and the federal budget deficit (15 %) (
By the Numbers/ exit poll results from the presidential race,
WSJ, November 7, 2012, p. A10).
The economy remained the number one issue (52% of the voters) in the 2016 election, followed by terrorism (18%). Foreign policy (13%) and immigration (13%) tied for third place. The quality that mattered most was “who can bring the most change” (39%) and the clear winner for that category was Donald Trump. If the economy continues to improve with the lowest unemployment for teens this summer in a decade and home sales continue an upward climb, it will be very interesting to see how this impacts the 2018 Congressional and 2020 Presidential races.
How did the Youth vote
(18-29 years old) in 2020?
What influences your vote?
There are a number of influences on voting, whether you actually go out and vote and how you will vote in an election. They are the following:
FAMILY -has the
greatest
influence on your
party affiliation
-e.g., whether we are a Republican or Democrat;
GENDER-more women are voting Democrat while more men are voting Republican generally (the midterm 2006 and the presidential election 2008 , a virtual split with the men supporting Senator Obama, were the exceptions);
Men returned to the Republican fold in 2012—54% Romney and 44% Obama.
RACE -African- Americans are the Democratic Party’s
stronges
t
supporters among all races;
AGE -young voters have the lowest turnout among all voters; the elderly have the highest voter turnout among all age groups;
INCOME -the less income you make, the less likely to participate in the political process;
POLITICAL PARTY (party affiliation) -it plays an important role in how we vote. You are a
partisan
if you prefer one party over another. If you do not have a party preference, you are an
independent voter
(roughly
1/3 of all voters
are independent voters);
Who did independents support
in 2020?
POLITICAL IDEOLOGY -how we view the role of government-e.g., Are we conservative, liberal, moderate, etc.
EDUCATION –
most important influence on voting
regardless of race or ethnic background;
RELIGION -the Jewish community is the strongest and most consistent supporter of the Democratic Party among all religions.
OTHER FACTORS
influence our vote such as
the absence of competition, the issues, and are candidates taking positions on issues important to us as voters
.
Stage One of a Presidential Campaign
Link
Stage Two of a Presidential Campaign
Link
Stage Three of a Presidential Campaign
Link
The Impact of the Media on the Electoral Process
Link
Directions for Test 2
Link
Discussion Activity 5 – Electoral College
Discussion Topic
Week 5
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List of Topics and Sub-Modules for Week 5
U.S. Congress I
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities.
Review the
Introduction and Objectives
.
Read the
Online Lessons:
The U.S. Congress – An Introduction
The U.S. Congress – Structure and Qualifications
Complete the assignments on the
Learning Activities
page.
Post any questions you have in the
Help Discussion.
PLS 1120 AMERICAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Introduction and Objectives
Link
Learning Activities
Link
The U.S. Congress – An Introduction
Link
The U.S. Congress – Structure and Qualifications
Link
U.S. Congress II
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities.
Review the
Introduction and Objectives
.
Read the
Online Lessons:
Different Responsibilities of the U.S. House of Representatives
Impeachment Process and Express and Implied Powers of the U.S. Congress
Leadership in the House of Representatives
Leadership in the U.S. Senate
Complete the assignments on the
Learning Activities
page.
Participate in the
Role play as a House or Senate Party Officer Discussion.
Post any questions you have in the
Help Discussion.
Introduction and Objectives
Link
Learning Activities
Link
Different Responsibilities of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate
The U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate have different responsibilities. James Madison, known as the “
Father of the U.S. Constitution
“, believed that each chamber should be given “different principles of action” (
American History USA, 2020
). This was one way to ensure that we would not have a national legislature that was too powerful.
The image provided is of the House Committee Chamber as it appeared during its use by Committee on International Relations chaired by Henry Hyde. The Dais is where committee members sit.
Revenue
–
Raising
Article I, section 7
states that “
[A}ll bills for raising revenue (taxes) shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills”
(U.S. Constitution).
The framers of the U.S. Constitution wanted to make sure that the people had a direct say on whether Congress should raise their taxes (e.g., tax legislation). You might remember that the colonists were very concerned that their colonial assemblies were not allowed to vote on the issue of taxes imposed by Parliament. This was one of the grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence against King George III. They could not approve the Stamp Act or import taxes passed by the British Parliament. They were used to having their colonial assemblies raise local taxes!
Also, at the time of the drafting of our second constitution the House was the only body within the new national federal government that was elected directly by the people. Therefore, the representatives in the House should be the first to consider any revenue or tax bills and then the Senate is free to amend or change the tax legislation.
Weren’t the larger states interested
in having a larger voice on the issue
of taxes in the U.S. Congress?
Confirmation Power
Article II, section 2
of the U.S. Constitution states:
The President ” shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers, and Consuls, Judges of the [s]upreme Court, and all other Officers of U.S.”
(U.S. Constitution).
The President can nominate his choice to head up the Executive Departments (Cabinet – level) and independent agencies as well as sub-cabinet positions, U.S. ambassadors, federal judges and justices to the U.S. Supreme Court (when there are vacancies on the federal bench). This is known as the President’s Appointment power.
In the displayed image, President Obama signs Elenga Kagan’s commission in the Oval Office before celebrating her confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court, August 6, 2010.
How does the President use this
power? Do you have to be wealthy
to obtain a political appointment?
There is a
check on the ‘President’s use of this power
. The U.S. Constitution requires that the
Senate give its “Advice and Consent”
on these nominations. This means that a Presidential nomination must be approved by the Senate by a majority of Senators (at least 51 out of 100). Alexander Hamilton felt this check was a way to permit the Senate to prevent unfit characters from appointment to these key positions. (
Yale, 2020
)
Before the Senate votes on the nomination, confirmation hearings will be held in the Senate committee that has authority to forward the nomination to the Senate floor for a vote. In the committee, Senators can approve or reject the nomination or just not make any recommendation at all. If the committee approves the nominee or just sends the nomination to the Senate floor, then the Senate votes on the President’s choice. In this way, the President makes his choice, but the Senate gets to determine if he can do the job!
Below is a video of President Obama and Justice Elena Kagan speak at a reception honoring Justice Kagan following her confirmation to the Supreme Court. Elena Kagan was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 5, 2010 and met with the President on August 6, 2010. She was sworn in as an Associate Justice on August 7, 2010. Closed captioning is available on the video.
Did the Democrats in the Senate
filibuster President Bush’s judicial
nominations?
Treaty-making Power
Article II, section 2
of the U.S. Constitution states that the President
“shall have the power by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate to make treaties provided that two thirds of the Senators present concur..
”
The President has the power to negotiate the terms of international agreements with foreign countries, e.g., the terms of the Moscow Treaty (2002) and to withdraw with notice to the signatories or parties to the treaty (e.g., In 2001, President George W. Bush withdrew from the Anti-ballistic Missile Treaty of 1972 after giving notice of withdrawal from the Treaty to the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin.)
In the image, President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin sign an arms reduction treaty (the aforementioned Moscow Treaty) at the Krelmin in Moscow, Russia on May 24, 2002.
What is the Moscow Treaty? Did the
Senate approve the treaty?
However, the Senate by 2/3 vote (of those Senators present) must provide its “Advice and Consent” to the treaty – – to approve it. The Senate can make changes or amend the treaty and only the U.S. will be bound by those changes. The treaty need not be sent back to all the signatories to get their approval to the changes.
After the Senate approves the treaty, the President then formally signs the treaty (ratifies) and it has the force of law (it is law).
Impeachment Process and Express and Implied Powers of the U.S. Congress
Link
Leadership in the House of Representatives
Link
Leadership in the U.S. Senate
Link
Discussion Activity 6 – Role Play as a House or Senate Party Officer
Discussion Topic
Available on Jun 16, 2025 12:01 AM.
Access restricted before availability starts.
Available until Jul 20, 2025 11:30 PM.
Access restricted after availability ends.
U.S. Congress III
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities.
Review the
Introduction and Objectives.
Read the
Online Lessons:
Influences on the U.S. Congress
Committee Organization and How a Bill Becomes a Law
Complete the assignments on the
Learning Activities
page.
Participate in the
Federal Legislation Discussion.
Post any questions you have in the
Help Discussion.
Introduction and Objectives
Link
Learning Activities
Link
Influences on The U.S. Congress
Influences on a Member’s Vote
When there is a vote in the House and Senate, there are a set of bells that are rung to inform the member of Congress of a vote on an amendment or on final passage of a bill. Members do not simply check who provided them a campaign contribution(s) before going to cast a vote!
A member of Congress is influenced by more than money. Political ideology, personal convictions, colleagues, party, the President, staff, and interests groups also influence how a member will cast his vote.
WHO/WHAT INFLUENCES A MEMBER’S VOTE
IDEOLOGY
A member s own political philosophy – – whether the member is a Conservative, Moderate, Liberal etc.
PERSONAL CONVICTIONS
– – A member s moral values.
VOTERS
A member is accountable to his constituents on election day and is in Congress to represent their interests and address their concerns.
COLLEAGUES
Other members. Members of Congress are influenced by the arguments other members make on the floor of the House/Senate and in committee. Members from their own state also influence their vote (e.g., if you are an Ohio representative, you may be influenced by other Ohio representatives).
PARTY
On important votes to party leaders, members may be influenced by their party leaders arguments.
PRESIDENT
The President can campaign for a candidate running for the U.S. Congress; or he can promise to propose $$ for a special federal project for his district/state; or he can tell the member that if he fails to get the needed support, he will propose zero $$ in his budget for his federal projects; or fail to support appropriation bills that provide such funds.
STAFF
Congressional staff can influence a member s vote because a staffer advises the member on legislation pending before the U.S. Congress.
INTEREST GROUPS
Lobbyists play an educative role in educating the member on issues of interest to their organization and they also, provide PAC $$ to help the member with his re-election efforts.
Kathy and Jenny will enter into a colloquy —
a conversation — about influences on a member’s vote:
What do you think is the
most important
influence on a member of Congress’ vote?
The single most important influence on a members’ vote is the voters! As you might remember, the Congresswoman we worked for was strongly influenced by those individuals who lived in her Congressional District. She read mail from her constituents, and reviewed their faxes and phone messages before she cast a vote. While she was at home every weekend, she spent time with her constituents over breakfast, lunches, and dinners, while attending church, and in town meetings, and in her meetings with lobbyists and local leaders learning about how they felt about a proposed bill.
What impressed me was the fact that the Congresswoman knew her District so well! She learned about her community’s needs and concerns because she listened to her constituents. They knew that even if she didn’t always vote the way they wanted her to vote, that their voices had been heard and their arguments considered.
I have a question for you, Jenny. Even if the member listens to her constituents, how do the members’ personal convictions work into their decision to vote “yea or nay” on a bill?
Personal convictions on such issues as abortion (preserving life), going to war, and the death penalty take priority over where constituents stand on an issue. Generally, the voters know what a members’ position is on moral questions prior to an election. So if the member votes his conscience, the voters accept that on some moral questions, the Congressperson may sometimes have to vote contrary to the wishes of his voters.
Of course, as you know, if the voters are truly unhappy with a members’ vote, they may vote them out of office! Also, party leaders recognize that members can not always vote the “party line” because of their personal convictions. So, they do not use any strong tactics of persuasion on moral issues to gain support for legislation!
How does the President influence a member’s vote on legislation?
Regardless of the party, a member of Congress is strongly influenced by the President to vote on legislation the President supports. When the President calls the members’ office and asks to speak with the member, it is very difficult to say “No” to the President’s request for support; especially, if it deals with national security issues (e.g., a request for support for a military mission). It is difficult to express, but when the President speaks personally with a member, the power the President can be felt right in the office!
It is almost impossible to imagine meeting him in person and saying “No” to a reasonable request!! The President can work to influence a member’s vote by offering to propose funding for a special federal project for the members’ District or by offering to visit his District to provide a member of his party running for re-election his show of support. He can also play “hard ball” – – tell a member he will propose reducing or zeroing out money in his Budget for a project in the member’s District, if he doesn’t support his position on legislation! Most often, the President will make his case by providing compelling arguments, but sometimes even those don’t work to get the members’ support. The President has to use both the “carrot and the stick” to build support for his proposed programs.
Does a Congressman
really
listen to a staffer?
Of course!
They rely on both professional committee and personal staff for information because they
can’t do all
the work themselves. I do think that committee staff may have greater influence because of their expertise in a particular subject area like foreign affairs. They are hired by the Chairman and Vice Chairman because of their knowledge and breathe of experience.
Personal staffers are generalists but they do research, summarize and synthesize and analyze the issues; and provide their employer with information about events, legislation, constituent concerns, lobbyists’ and party positions, and White House views before a vote.
How
much influence does a lobbyist
have on a Congressman’s vote?
It is impossible to escape the influence of “special interests” and their lobbyists! We generally hear very negative things about lobbyists and some of those stories are unfortunately true. However, for the most part, they are professionals and who work hard everyday to share their group’s concerns with legislators.
Good lobbyists provide their expertise on complex issues and opposing arguments rather than just their own. They are in constant contact with others on the “Hill” and can share political information with members whose world can be rather isolated. Lobbyists know the “inside scoop” about what legislation will come up or pass in the other chamber. They can tell Congressman how his constituents feel about a particular issue. Of course, campaign contributions are very helpful in getting re-elected. I will not deny it. However, it would be so easy to vote on a bill if you simply had to consider campaign contributions! If this was the case, Congressmen wouldn’t need any staff!
Committee Organization and How a Bill Becomes Law
Link
Discussion Activity 7 – Federal Legislation
Discussion Topic
Week 6
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The Presidency I
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities.
Review the
Introduction and Objectives
.
Read the
Online Lessons:
Introduction to the Presidency
Introduction to the Presidency Continued
Complete the assignments on the
Learning Activities
page.
Post any questions you have in the
Help Discussion.
Introduction and Objectives
Link
Learning Activities
Link
Introduction to the Presidency
Link
Introduction to the Presidency – Continued
Link
Federal Bureaucracy and Directions for Test 3
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities.
Review the
Introduction and Objectives
.
Read the
Online Lesson:
The Federal Bureaucracy
Organization of the Federal Bureaucracy
Federal Regulations
Complete the assignments on the
Learning Activities
page.
Take
Test 3
located in the Tests folder under the Content Tab.
Post any questions you have in the
Help Discussion.
Introduction and Objectives
Link
Learning Activities
Link
The Federal Bureaucracy
Organization of the Federal Bureaucracy
Federal Regulations
Link
Who Controls or Oversees the Federal Bureaucracy?
Link
Directions for Test 3
Link
The Presidency II
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities.
Review the
Introduction and Objectives
.
Complete the survey, “
Evaluation of President in Roles
.”
Read the
Online Lessons:
Powers of the President
Presidential Powers and Roles Continued
The President and U.S. Congress Shared Responsibility over Foreign Affairs An Introduction
Complete the assignments on the
Learning Activities
page.
Participate in the
Evaluation of Current President in Roles Played by a Modern President Discussion.
Post any questions you have in the
Help Discussion.
Introduction and Objectives
Link
Learning Activities
Link
Powers of the President
Link
Presidential Powers and Roles Continued
Link
The President and U.S. Congress Shared Responsibility over Foreign Affairs An Introduction
Link
Survey – Evaluation of President in Roles
Survey
Starts Jul 21, 2025 12:01 AM
Ends Jul 27, 2025 11:30 PM
Discussion Activity 8 – Evaluation of current President in Roles played by a Modern President
Week 7
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The Federal Judiciary
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities.
Review the
Introduction and Objectives
.
Read the
Online Lessons:
The Federal Judiciary
The Federal Judiciary – Continued
Complete the assignments on the
Learning Activities
page.
Participate in the
Role Play as a current U.S. Supreme Court Justice.
Post any questions you have in the
Help Discussion.
Introduction and Objectives
Link
Learning Activities
Link
The Federal Judiciary
Link
The Federal Judiciary – continued
Link
Discussion Activity 9 – Role-play as a current U.S. Supreme Court Justice
Discussion Topic
Available on Jun 16, 2025 12:01 AM.
Access restricted before availability starts.
Available until Aug 3, 2025 11:30 PM.
Access restricted after availability ends.
Civil Liberties I
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities.
Review the
Introduction and Objectives
.
Read the
Online Lessons:
Bill of Rights
Due Process
Doctrine of Selective Incorporation
Freedom of Religion
Freedom of Speech and the Press
Complete the assignments on the
Learning Activities
page.
Post any questions you have in the
Help Discussion.
Introduction and Objectives
Link
Learning Activities
Link
Bill of Rights
Introduction to the Bill of Rights
The National Bill of Rights, the first ten (1-10) amendments to the U.S. Constitution were not part of the
proposed
U.S. Constitution. In fact, one of the reasons Anti-federalists such as
George Mason
(VA), “
Father of the Bill of Rights
“, and
Patrick Henry
(VA), a states’ rights advocate, did not want the document to be approved by the VA state ratifying convention was because it
lacked provisions protecting personal liberties
, such as freedom of speech and religion.
These men argued that states had their own Bill of Rights protecting their citizens against abuse of their liberty by state governments. They asked: Why not attach a
National Bill of Rights
to the U.S. Constitution to protect Americans from abuse of their liberties by the federal government?
During the VA state ratifying convention,
James Madison
, a delegate, told Patrick Henry and George Mason that if the Anti-federalists would accept the proposed U.S. Constitution, he would personally make sure that when he was elected to the 1st U.S. Congress, he would work to pass a list of protected liberties. The Anti-federalists agreed to this compromise and the U.S. Constitution was adopted by the VA ratifying convention in June 1788.
As promised, Congressman James Madison (VA) did work with his colleagues in the 1st U.S. Congress to win the support for 12 amendments, of which 10 of 12 amendments were approved by three -fourths (3/4) of the state legislatures. Those ten (10) amendments protecting our personal liberties, known as the
Bill of Rights
, became part of the U .S. Constitution by 1791.
The purpose of the Bill of Rights is to limit the power of the federal government,
not the states’ governments. It was intended to prevent the federal government from abusing people’s liberties, thus preventing tyranny and oppression. At the Constitutional Convention of 1787, James Madison, a delegate, proposed that a National Bill of Rights should also apply to the states, so that states could not abuse individuals’ personal liberty; however, his proposal was rejected.
The delegates at the Constitutional Convention believed that it would be the federal government,
not their state governments
that would abuse personal liberty. After all, most state constitutions included a list of protected liberties. In addition, this new federal or national government would be located in New York (today in the District of Columbia), a place so far away from where most Americans lived that it would make it more difficult to keep an eye on its actions and thus, it might have more opportunity to pass laws that would infringe on people’s liberties.
So, remember that the Bill of Rights
originally
only applied to the
national or federal government
. It was written simply to protect individuals from having their rights deprived by the federal not state governments. We will see later on in the lesson that the U.S. Supreme Court will use the
14th Amendment
Due Process Clause
of the U.S. Constitution as the “vehicle” for applying most of the provisions of the Bill of Rights to the states, thus
limiting the power of states
to deprive individuals of their personal liberties.
Read a transcription of the original Bill of Rights
from the U.S. National Archives & Records Administrations:
Due Process
Link
Doctrine of Selective Incorporation
Link
Freedom of Religion
Link
Freedom of Speech and the Press
Link
Civil Liberties II
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities.
Review the
Introduction and Objectives
.
Read the
Online Lessons:
Right of Privacy
Second and Third Amendments Protections for the Accused
Complete the assignments on the
Learning Activities
page.
Participate in the
Bill of Rights Discussion.
Post any questions you have in the
Help Discussion.
Introduction and Objectives
Link
Learning Activities
Link
Right of Privacy
Link
Second and Third Amendments and Protections for the Accused
Link
Discussion Activity 10 – Bill of Right
Week 8
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Civil Rights I
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities.
Review the
Introduction and Objectives.
PLS 1120 AMERICAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Read the
Online Lessons:
Equal Rights
Legal Equality
Complete the assignments on the
Learning Activities
page.
Post any questions you have in the
Help Discussion.
Introduction and Objectives
Link
Learning Activities
Link
Equal Rights
Link
Legal Equality
Link
Civil Rights II
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities.
Review the
Introduction and Objectives
.
Read the
Online Lesson:
Legal Equality II
Post any questions you have in the
Help Discussion.
Introduction and Objectives
Link
Legal Equality II
Private Sector Discrimination
What happens if a private employer discriminates or a private organization or club fails to admit an individual based on his/her race, sex etc.? What if a private college or university discriminates? What is important to understand is that the U.S. Supreme Court has said that the 14th Amendment and the 5th Amendment
do not apply
in such cases to
PRIVATE
discriminatory conduct.
Remember the First Amendment’s right to associate?
The right to associate protects
individuals’ right
to associate together – – to join organizations and clubs. You may remember the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding the Boy Scouts and their exclusion of homosexuals in their organization. The Court said that the First Amendment’ right to associate protected the Boy Scouts and they could exclude homosexuals from their organization (
Boy Scouts of America and Monmouth Council, et. al., Petitioners v. James Dale
(2000).
Now deceased, Chief Justice William Rehnquist cited a prior decision in
Roberts v. United States
(1984) recognizing the right to expressive association as precedent for this decision. Rehnquist states that in
Roberts
, “we observed that ‘implicit in the right to engage in activities protected by the First Amendment is a ‘corresponding right to associate with others pursuit of a wide variety of political, social, economic, educational, religious, and cultural ends.’ The right is crucial preventing the majority from imposing its views on groups that would rather express other, perhaps unpopular, ideas. Thus, freedom of association plainly presupposed a freedom not to associate.’” (
Boy Scouts of America
).
In 2013, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) agreed to the following rule: “‘No youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone (
The Guardian, Boy Scouts of America approve plan to accept openly gay boys
). This effectively lifted the ban on homosexuals membership in BSA. Then in 2015, the BSA’s governing board lifted the ban on homosexuals but provided the exception for “religious organizations that charter local BSA units will still be permitted to discriminate in their selection of BSA unit leaders (such as Scoutmasters, Assistant Scoutmasters and Den Leaders)” (
Lambda Legal, BSA Vote to Allow Gay Scout Leaders Followed a Long and Winding Path
).
Most recently, in the 2018, the BSA permitted women to join their organization (
LA Times, First Came Acceptance of Gay and Transgender Scouts, Now Girls Can Be Boy Scouts
).
How then does the U.S. Congress prohibit private discrimination in light of our right to association?
Since the 1960s, the U.S. Congress has used its constitutional authority to
legislate against discrimination by private individuals
.
It has done this through the use of the Commerce clause (Article I, Sec. 8), the 13th Amendment (enabling clause, Sec. 2), and Tax and Spend authority (Article I, Sec. 8).
Directions for Test 4 and Course Surveys
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities.
Take
Test 4
located in the Tests folder under the Content Tab.
Please fill out the
Course Survey, Post Survey,
and
End of Course Survey–Teacher Evaluation
(see top right of red tab above).
Celebrate!
I hope you enjoyed your online experience and that what you have learned in this course will make you a better informed citizen. It’s time to celebrate!
Directions for Final Week
Link
PLS 1120 AMERICAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT Course Survey
Survey