Instructor: Bob Botsch

email: bobb@aiken.sc.edu

Office: C-7

Office Hours: 10-11 MWF and 9-10:30 TT and by appointment

Texts

Cohen, Jeffrey and David Nice (2003). The Presidency. New York: McGraw-Hill. (TP in course schedule)

Davidson, Roger H. and Walter J. Oleszek (2002). Congress and Its Members. Washington, DC. Congressional Quarterly Press. (CM in course schedule)
 

Web Resources

http://www.hmco.com/college/polisci/psn/l_09lb.html-- This one gives you a variety of links related to congress

http://www.hmco.com/college/polisci/psn/l_08eb.html -- This one gives a variety of links to Presidential related sites, including http://www.whitehouse.gov.

http://www.capweb.net/classic/index.morph -- This is a great source on congress--great to keep up with current events, including a link to "the hill," a daily newspaper on Congress (http://www.hillnews.com/).
 
 
 
 

Course Objectives

1. To lend historical context to the current state of Congress and the Executive branches of government.
2. To understand the complex interdependency of these two "separate but equal" branches of government in our "presidential system."
3. To learn of basic rules under which Congress operates
4. To understand the nature and limits on Presidential power
5. To move beyond the cynical views that are paramount in popular culture so that we understand not only the source of these views, but also the dangers and the alternatives to them.
6. As always, to improve your communication skills (reading, writing, speaking, and research), specifically, to try and make you "active listeners"

 

Tests (50%). There will be two one hour tests, including the final exam. You will be given a study guide before each test with possible essay questions and identifications.

Short written assignments/in-class oral reports/class participation/preparation (12.5%). I will measure this in two ways. First, on written assignments and oral reports, you will be given one of three grades ("S" for satisfactory, "M" for marginal, or "U" for unsatisfactory). This grade is based on honest effort, not necessarily getting the answer right. Everyone will have their TWO LOWEST grades dropped here at the end of the semester and then the percentage of "S's" will determine your final grade for this part of the class. Each "M" counts as a half "S." Each student will also be assigned a class to act as class leader. that day they will be responsible for presenting the material for that reading and for leading class discussions. That presentation will count as SIX homework assignments. You may use handouts, overheads or other graphics, exercises or whatever you think best for communicating and reinforcing the central ideas for the material. you should have enough material to take about half the class (25 minutes).

Attendance (12.5%). I will take attendance on a daily basis. Unless you have a confirmed doctor' s excuse for an illness, not a routine visit, or an excuse for an official school function, you will be counted as absent. Your grade will be the percentage of classes that you attend.

Book Report (25%). Each of you must write about a 5 page (one inch margins, 12 point type, double spaced) book report on some book that can be used to illustrate concepts studied in the course. All books must be PREAPPROVED by me. In the report I expect the following. First, an overview of the thesis of the book. Second, I expect you to find a minimum of ten things in the book that illustrates concepts we covered in the course (tests and lectures). Write a paragraph on each point, first covering the idea in the course (with references) and then explaining how the book you read illustrated (or contradicted) the point (again with references). References should be parenthetical style, e.g. (Botsch 35), which will then correspond to an entry at the end of the paper under "Works Cited:" Botsch, Robert E. Organizing the Breathless. Lexington, Ky.: University of Kentucky Press, 1992.
 

The USCA Honor code is in effect in this course for all written assignments and for exams. You must sign the pledge on all written work. Plagiarism, which means improper references or paraphrases that pass someone else's work off as your own is an honor code violation. Violations, even if they are only technical in nature (such as poor paraphrasing), will mean an automatic "0" on the book report. Serious violations that involve any effort to hide a source will mean an F for the course. Cheating on examinations will mean an F in the course. I believe in the honor code and I will enforce it.

     If you have a physical, psychological, and/or learning disability which might affect your performance in this class, please contact the Office of Disability Services, 126A B&E, (803) 641-3609, as soon as possible. The Disability Services Office will determine appropriate accommodations based on medical documentation.
 

If you are a political science major and you are graduating under a catalog that requires that you maintain a "portfolio" of examples of written work from all your major courses, make sure you save at least one piece of written work from the class for your portfolio. Make it a good one! See your academic advisor for more details.

Your instructor values good writing in this course. Please remember that the written work that you produce in this class can be included in your rising junior writing portfolio. For further information on the portfolio requirement, please contact your USCA Undergraduate and Graduate Studies Bulletin or visit Dr. Lynne Rhodes, Director of Writing Assignment, or Karl Fornes, Director of the Writing Room.
 
 

Course Schedule (Note: this is a tentative schedule--daily assignments will be made the day before the class at which they are due.)
 
 

Fri Jan 10. Course Introduction and historical context -- see inside front cover of CM

Mon Jan 13. CM, ch 1. The Two Congresses

Wed Jan 15. CM ch 2. The Evolution of the Modern Congress

Fri Jan 17. CM ch 3. Going For It: Recruitment Roulette

Mon Jan 20 Holiday--ML King Day

Wed Jan 22 continued

Fri Jan 24. CM ch 4. Making It: the Electoral Game

Mon Jan 27. CM ch 5. Being There: Hill Styles and Home Styles

Wed Jan 29 CM ch 6. Leaders and Parties in Congress

Fri Jan 31 continued

Mon Feb 3 CM ch 7. Committees: Workshops of Congress

Wed Feb 5 CM ch 8. Congressional Relations and Rules

Fri Feb 7 continued

Mon Feb 10  CM ch 9. Decision Making in Congress

Wed Feb 12 continued

Fri Feb 14 CM ch 10. Congress and the President

Mon Feb 17 CM ch 11. Congress, the Bureaucracy, and the Courts

Wed Feb 19 CM ch 12. Congress and Organized Interests

Fri Feb 21 continued

Mon Feb 24 CM ch 13. Congress, Budgets, and Comestic Policy Making

Wed Feb 26 CM ch 14. Congress and National Security Policies

Fri Feb 28 continued

Mon Mar 3 CM ch 15. Conclusion: The Two Congresses and the American People

Web Mar 5 review

Fri Mar 7 Test 1

Mar 10-14 Spring Break

Mon Mar 17 TP ch 1. The Presidency and the Constitution

Wed Mar 19 TP ch 2. Assessing the Consitutional Presidency

Fri Mar 21 TP ch 3. The Evolution of the Presidency

Mon Mar 24  TP ch 4. The Presidential Selection Process

Wed Mar 26  TP ch 5. The Person in Office

Fri Mar 28 continued

Mon Mar 31 TP ch 6. Presidents, Political Parties, and Interest Groups

Wed Apr 2  TP ch  7. The Mass Media and the Presidency

Fri Apr 4 TP ch 8. The President and the Mass Public

Mon Apr 7 TP ch 9. The Presidency as an Institution

Wed Apr 9 TP ch 10. The President and Congress

Fri Apr 11 continued

Mon Apr 14  TP ch 11. The President and the Bureaucracy

Wed Apr 16 TP ch 12. The Presidency and the Judicial System

Fri Apr 18 TP ch 13. Presidential Policy Choice

Mon Apr 21 TP ch 14. The President and Economic and Budgetary Policy Making

Wed Apr 23 TP ch 15. The President and Foreign Policy Making

Fri Apr 25 BOOK REPORTS DUE -- no class -- put them under my door

Mon Apr 28 review

May 2  11 am Test 2