THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY
PSC 220: Winter 2005
| Dr. Wayne Steger | Office: 990 West Fullerton, Rm. 2204 |
| Office Hours: TTh. 12:00-1:00, & by appointment | email: wsteger@depaul.edu |
| 773-325-4240 | http://condor.depauledu/~wsteger/ |
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course focuses on the operation of the American Presidency. Given the recent presidential election, we will begin the course examining the presidential selection process. We will read about and discuss presidential nominations, the general election, the electoral college, and the “meaning” of elections to help understand why certain individuals are selected as president, and to help you evaluate presidential candidates as citizens with the right/privilege to vote. Central questions in this part of the class include: What biases exist in the presidential selection process? Who benefits from those biases? Are presidential elections democratic? Does the presidential selection process produce capable presidents? To what extent does the election process empower the president to lead?
The second part of the course will focus on the powers of the president in making public policy. We begin with a brief sketch of the history and evolution of the institution of the presidency to enhance our understanding of the institution at the turn of the 21 st century. This part of the course will focus on the constitutional system of government in which the president operates, and how that context has evolved over the past 215 years. The section also examines what the modern presidency is as an institution, and places that institution in the context of the American public. Central questions in this part of the class include: What are the sources of presidential power? What limitations exist that constrain the power of the president? To what extent do presidents lead? The class focuses specifically on the problems and prospects for making legislative policy, with attention to the relations with Congress, the media and the public in the processes of making public policy. In each of part of the course, we will examine various perspectives about how and why the presidency operates the way it does.
Finally, we will look at the presidency of George W. Bush in the context of what we have learned. In this section, we will look at how and why the events of 9/11 have transformed the presidency and Bush’s tenure in particular. We will consider the ways in which the Bush presidency is atypical and typical given such a context.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Your grades will be based on your performance on a short research paper (10%), a paper on presidential elections (25%), a paper on the Bush Presidency and the war on terror (15%), and a semi-comprehensive final exam (40%), and attendance and participation (10%). The requirements and format of the papers are attached. The exam will consist of short and longer essays. Do not make travel plans to skip that date because you have advance warning.
Participation in classroom discussion matters so you will be expected to prepare for class meetings--meaning that you should read the assigned materials before we meet. I reserve the right to conduct pop quizzes to be factored into the research paper portion of the class grade.
COURSE READINGS:
James Pfiffner & Roger Davidson. 2003. Understandingthe Presidency. Longman (Pfiffner)
George C. Edwards & Stephan Wayne. 2003. Presidential Leadership. Thomson (Edwards)
Richard S. Conley. 2005. Transforming the American Polity: the Presidency of George W. Bush and the War on Terrorism. Pearson/Prentice Hall.
Additional readings are included in a course packet available in the political science office, Suite 2200 in the 990 W. Fullerton Building.
Attendance and Participation: Attendance is expected and I will take attendance on random days. I excuse absences when: 1) you contact me prior to class with a legitimate excuse, and 2) you have a very good reason if you contact me after the fact (e.g., a medical emergency). If you must miss class, you are responsible for the material covered that day. I will not provide you with lecture materials during office hours.
Note that you will be granted three absences—excused or unexcused, after which, your attendance & participation grade will decrease by 1/3 for each additional absence. If you arrive more than 10 minutes late, you will be considered absent for that day.
Deadlines and Make-Ups: I’ve learned that once I get flexible with deadlines, things tend to unravel quickly. Therefore, I am going to be strict and insist that you turn in assignments on time. There are few valid excuses (e.g., floods or tornadoes) for missing deadlines. You must provide documentation for your absence if you miss a deadline. I mean this, don’t expect to be the exception. Without an excused absence, you will NOT be allowed to make up a quiz. I will deduct 5% or a half grade for each day an assignment is turned in late.
Learning Disabilities: Students with special learning needs are encouraged to discuss them with the instructor early in the course. Every attempt will be made to accommodate students with such needs.
Academic Dishonesty: Cheat and I’ll flunk you! That is my policy. Several activities constitute cheating. Copying material from another source (e.g., a web page, a book, or another student) without proper acknowledgment is cheating. I will investigate papers I believe came from a web site. Using someone else’s papers as a guide to writing one’s own paper will also be viewed as cheating. So is the use of crib sheets during an exam. Talking during an exam, looking at another student’s exam, or exchanging notes may also be construed as cheating. So be warned. Come see me if you have any questions.
STANDARDS FOR GRADING: Your work will be evaluated according to the following criteria.
A: designates work of extra-ordinarily high quality; reflects thorough and comprehensive under-standing of the issues at hand; arguments are clearly organized with supporting ideas and/or evidence. Participation indicates that the student is prepared at all times if asked to provide a summary of the assigned readings.
B: designates work of high quality; reflects a clearly organized but less than comprehensive understanding of the issues at hand; presents organized arguments that are supported by ideas. Student participation indicates the student is prepared most of the time, and attends all class periods.
C: Designates work of good quality, which meets the requirements of the assignment. Written work reflects adequate organization and development of ideas, but arguments are communicated in a superficial or simplistic manner. Student does not volunteer, does respond to direct questions, remains silent during group discussions, and often cannot summarize readings if called upon.
D: Designates work of poor quality which meets the minimum requirements of the assignment, but demonstrates poor organization of ideas and/or inattention to development of ideas, grammar, and spelling; treatment of material is superficial and/or simplistic; may indicate that the student has not read assignments thoroughly. Student does not volunteer, cannot respond to direct questions, keeps silent during class discussions, and is unable to summarize readings if called upon.
F: Designates work of poor quality that does not meet the minimum requirements of the assignment or task; fails to reflect an understanding of the issues at hand; fails to present organized arguments or fails to adequately support arguments with ideas; or which is not handed in on time. Student fails to participate even minimally in class or group discussions.
| Part I: | Selecting the President |
| T, Jan 4: | Introduction & overview of the course Selecting presidents: of many, one is chosen. Evolution of the institution: multiple aspects of development Presidential governance: context, potential, limitations & expectations. |
| TH, Jan. 6: | No Class Instead, work on assignment 1, which has 3 parts (see attachment) Assignment 1 due in class, Tuesday, Jan. 11 |
| T, Jan. 11: | Nominating presidential candidates Edwards, ch. 2; Pfiffner, 12, 13, 14, 15 |
| TH., Jan. 13 | Nominating presidential candidates. Steger “Do Voters Select from a Stacked Deck?” (handout) |
| T., Jan 18: | General elections: campaign, media coverage & strategy in 2000 & 2004 Edwards, ch. 3 |
| TH., Jan 20: | General election: who votes? Voter choice/preference? In 2000 & 2004 Pfiffner 16 |
| T., Jan 25: | Electoral College: purpose and implications for selection of the president Pfiffner: 12 |
| TH, Jan. 27: | Do elections give presidents a mandate to govern? Edwards, p. 87-94. Pfiffner, reading 17, 18, 19 Election Paper Due in Class, Thursday, January 27 |
| Part II | Evolution of the Institution of the Presidency & Presidential Governance |
| T, Feb. 1: | Constitutional origins of the presidency Edwards, p. 1-12 Pfiffner, Section 1—all AND readings #31, 32 |
| TH., Feb. 3: | Historical and Theoretical Perspectives on the Presidency Edwards, p. 13-18, ch. 8 Pfiffner, Section 2—all, be sure to read Skowronek Tulis, The Two Constitutional Presidencies |
| T., Feb. 8: | The Governing Context: Separate Institutions Sharing Power. Pfiffner, 33, 34, 35 |
| TH., Feb. 10: | Evolution of the presidency: Precedents, Laws, & Court decisions Pfiffner, section 2, all |
| T., Feb. 15: | The institutional presidency & decision-making Edwards, ch. 6, 7 Pfiffner, Section 5—all |
| TH, Feb. 17: | President & Congress Edwards, ch. 10 |
| T., Feb 22 | President & Congress: context v. persuasion Pfiffner 32, 37, 38, |
| TH., Feb. 24 | President (leading the public through the media) Edwards, ch. 4, 5 Pfiffner, 20, 21, 22, 23 |
| T., Mar. 1 | The Presidency and Domestic policy Edwards, ch. 12 |
| TH., Mar. 3: | The Presidency & foreign policy Edwards, ch. 14 Pfiffner, 41, 42, 44 |
| Tuesday, March 8th---Final Exam in class |
|
| TH, Mar. 10. | G. W. Bush Presidency and the War on Terror. Conley, the entire book |
Thursday , March 17, 2005 at 11:45-2:00 : we will meet for the final exam period, to talk
about the G.W. Bush Presidency, and what you learned from this class, and your paper on the Bush presidency in particular. Attendance will be mandatory. You are to treat this the way you would any other final exam. Your final paper will be due in class at the time of the final exam (Th., 3/17/05, at 11:45). I will not accept any student’s paper who is not in attendance
| Political Science 220 | American Presidency Winter 2005 |
Dr. Wayne Steger |
One purpose of the assignment is to familiarize you with the internet and some of the information available on the internet, and to make sure everyone in the class is familiar with events of the election. Answer the following questions using information from the internet. DO NOT print off reams of paper from these web sites. Just transcribe your answers onto paper the old fashion way—with a pen and paper (or cut & paste specific info). Go to my web site (www.depaul.edu/~wsteger). Click on hotlinks. Then, find the site for the Center for Responsive Politics (under election information sites).
The assignment will be due in class, Tuesday, Jan. 11th
Part I: Fund-raising in the 2004 presidential election
Summary report (1 page max.)
Find the following information for George Bush, Al Gore, & Ralph Nader
Analysis: one to two pages for all questions combined
Part II: Media Coverage in the 2004 presidential election
The Center for Media and Public Affairs analyzes network coverage generally, and coverage of political and social events, specifically. They have just released their final report on network coverage of the general election, from Labor Day through election day.
Answer the following questions using information from the internet. http://www.cmpa.com (think Election Watch, but do not limit yourself to just this site).
Part III Editorialize (the fun part)
Write a 2 page essay, in which you explain why you think George Bush won and why John Kerry lost the election.
PSC 220: American Presidency: Paper on Presidential Elections
Winter 2005
Dr. Wayne Steger
You will write a five to eight page paper on presidential elections and their consequences for the president’s ability to govern. The paper will be based on the readings in Edwards and Wayne, Pfiffner and Davidson, and the course packet. Your papers should address the questions below. How you answer these questions and what you write is up to you. Your papers should reflect knowledge of the subject matter and demonstrate your ability to evaluate these topics on presidential elections. Outstanding papers will reflect a command of the subject matter and will clearly present your ideas and arguments. That is, I expect “A” papers to be thorough, well-written and well-organized, supported by logical arguments and evidence, and thorough.
1. What factors do presidential candidates take into consideration when: a) they decide whether or not to run, and b) they plan their campaign strategies? These are thinking questions, so read and then ponder, and re-read if you're still not sure of what you want to say.
2. Who holds power in the contemporary presidential nominating system? Discuss the role and impact of: 1) money and campaign contributors, 2) the media, 3) candidate-centered campaign organizations, and 4) primary and caucus voters?
3. Does money play too big a role in presidential nominations? Explain HOW money effects the nomination, and then WHY money is or is not an inappropriate influence on nominations?
4. Is the media's role in presidential elections inappropriate? Explain why or why not?
5. Is the nomination process democratic? Why or why not?
6. Discuss potential problems or flaws with the electoral college system. Should it be kept or jettisoned? Defend your answer.
7. Do presidential elections give the president a mandate to govern? Why or why not? Another way to look at this question is to ask yourself: How and why do presidential elections affect the president’s ability to govern?
Finally,
8. Does the American presidential electoral system produce qualified candidates who, if elected, are capable of effective leadership? Why/ Why not? What might be done to improve this situation?
Paper on the George W. Bush Presidency PSC 220,
winter 2005
This paper is intended to incorporate everything you know from the class to this point. The central question is, “how did the events of 9-11 change the Bush Presidency?” The point of the assignment is to use the readings from the course to answer this question.
As such, you might want to consider how 9-11 changed the president’s relations with the public, with his staff in his administration, and his approach to US Foreign Policy.
This paper should be 3 to 5 pages, typed & double-spaced.
Stylistic Guidelines for Papers
1. Your papers can be meet page requirements (no longer/no shorter/no exceptions.
2. The pages must be double-spaced (not 1.5, 1.8 or 2.5), in 12 point font (not 8, 10 or 14), with one inch margins on all sides, and on white paper. Papers not meeting this requirement will be returned to you.
3. You must staple, not dog-ear or paper clip, your papers.
4. You must number the pages of your paper.
5. If you quote or paraphrase Wayne or use specific information from the readings, make sure you refer to the author in your answers. Since the book is assigned, you can simple cite as follows (p. 23). If you use another source, then you should use the full citation according to American Political Science Association format as follows (Weko 1996, p. 38). Note the punctuation here. The period goes after the citation, not before it.
6.. You should check your papers for spelling and grammatical errors. I will take points off for these errors since they do undercut the impression you make in your written work.
Some pet-peeve spelling & grammatical errors
Presidents set precedents
Candidates lose elections, not loose elections. Any person thinking otherwise will flunk the paper assn.
presidency or president when used generically; President or Presidency when used as a proper noun
Punctuation: the punctuation goes before the “quotation marks,” not before the “quotation marks”.
Do not use “it’s” unless you mean “it is.” It’s is not the possessive form of it. Its is.
Avoid the use of transition words like therefore, thus or hence unless what follows these words actually follows logically from what precedes such words.
Avoid passive verbs if you can. Passive verbs include: is, are, was, were
Something is “ironic” if the literal and figurative meanings are the opposite. Too many people use ironic
when they really mean coincidentally, paradoxically or even for no reason at all.Avoid $5 words like “utilize” when a simpler word like “use” will do just as well. Similarly, do not
over-use Mr. Roget or his electronic equivalent. He is as likely to be your foe, antagonist, archenemy, traitor as he is your friend.