History of the 2-party system in America David Campbell (pgs. Why We Vote?, Reasons why the United States remains with the system Critical Elections and the Mainsprings of The Media and elections Walter Dean Burnham, American Politics, (pgs. 543-548) Presidential elections Ronald Brownstein, The Nomination-Primary-Caucus The Second Civil War, (pgs. 563-569) Process Diana The Electoral College How the Mass Media Divide Us, Mutz, (pgs. 604-609) Campaign Finance Voting and voter efficacy The role of parties Unit 6: Congress, the Budget, and Social Policy Making This unit will examine the central branch of our government, the legislative, and two of its most important functions: its power to set and control the budget and its role in making laws that affect social behaviors. This is the first unit that directly examines the function of the US government’s institutions. It begins a section of the course that will account for 50% of the AP exam. Major Curricular Topics Reading Assignments The structure and organization of Congress Textbook Reading Assignments: Edwards, Ch. 12 (pgs. 332 363) Congressional qualifications – Edwards, Chapter 14 (pgs. 404 431) Elections – Edwards, Chapter 18 (pgs. 524 545 The functional structure of Congress (i.e., – staffing, caucuses) The committee system Supplementary readings from American Polity Sources of federal income Congress: The Electoral Connection, David Mayhew (pgs. 147-150) Where does the money go? Binder (pgs 157-162) The budget-making process Stalemate, Paul Starobin (pgs. 187-189) and Pork, In Social welfare Ellwood and Patashnik Praise of Pork, History and pro/con theories (pgs. 190-194) Social Security and other significant social David The Congressional Experience, welfare policies Price (pgs. 201-210) Social welfare policies of other nations
History of the 2-party system in America Reasons why the United States remains with the system The Media and elections Presidential elections The Nomination-Primary-Caucus Process The Electoral College Campaign Finance Voting and voter efficacy The role of parties Why We Vote?, David Campbell (pgs. Critical Elections and the Mainsprings of American Politics, Walter Dean Burnham, (pgs. 543-548) The Second Civil War, Ronald Brownstein, (pgs. 563-569) How the Mass Media Divide Us, Diana Mutz, (pgs. 604-609) Unit 6: Congress, the Budget, and Social Policy Making This unit will examine the central branch of our government, the legislative, and two of its most important functions: its power to set and control the budget and its role in making laws that affect social behaviors. This is the first unit that directly examines the function of the US government’s institutions. It begins a section of the course that will account for 50% of the AP exam. Major Curricular Topics Reading Assignments The structure and organization of Congress Congressional qualifications Elections The functional structure of Congress (i.e., staffing, caucuses) The committee system Sources of federal income Where does the money go? The budget-making process Social welfare History and pro/con theories Social Security and other significant social welfare policies Social welfare policies of other nations Textbook Reading Assignments: Edwards, Ch. 12 (pgs. 332 – 363) Edwards, Chapter 14 (pgs. 404 – 431) Edwards, Chapter 18 (pgs. 524 – 545 Supplementary readings from American Polity Congress: The Electoral Connection, David Mayhew (pgs. 147-150) Stalemate, Binder (pgs 157-162) Pork, Paul Starobin (pgs. 187-189) and In Praise of Pork, Ellwood and Patashnik (pgs. 190-194) The Congressional Experience, David Price (pgs. 201-210)