APGov-B Week One Blog- Roles and Responsibilities

Hey Gang,

This week I want you to reflect on the role and responsibility of Government. Why do we have Government? Why do we leave a State of Nature? What do we rely on our Government for? What are the advantages of a democracy over other forms of government...... hereditary kingdoms, theocracies, parliamentarian monarchies, dictatorships?

Let Machiavelli, Mill, and Locke inspire you here, but do NOT simply spout them back to me. I know what they say.....I now want to know what your INFORMED input is!

As always, respond to classmates as well.

APGov-A Blog for Week of August 23rd

This week we were going to do a reading on Gay Marriage but that issue is evolving quickly right now so we will wait until we get to Civil Liberties unit.

We are going to instead look at the evolution and hopes of the Tea Party. Please first look at ALL of these sources:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032608/vp/38805749#38805828

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/23/us/politics/23rubio.html?_r=1&hp

http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/senate/florida?ref=politics

http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/08/22/sunshine-state-political-shift-establishment-candidates-favored-win-0

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/22/AR2010082201288.html

An important key to politics and political parties is to remember that all politics are LOCAL. But we have "National" political parties:Republican and Democratic parties. a rising sect of the Republican party, the "Tea Party" started by Libertarians who wanted smaller government budgets and a smaller overall government involvement- fiscal conservatives.

Social conservatives quickly joined in and now the beliefs of the "Tea Party" are almost as diverse ans that of the straight of D and Rs.

In every midterm election the party in power loses seats. This is a 100% fact. How many seats is up to campaigning and relative party successes or failures.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: How are voters supposed to identify with candidates and make informed decisions? Can they rely on party label? Does party label mean anything? What is the solution to being a smart voter? And what about candidates? How do they pick a party if issues are so diverse from state to state......all politics is local....

APGov-A Week One Blog- Roles and Responsibilities

Hey Gang,

This week I want you to reflect on the role and responsibility of Government. Why do we have Government? Why do we leave a State of Nature? What do we rely on our Government for? What are the advantages of a democracy over other forms of government...... hereditary kingdoms, theocracies, parliamentarian monarchies, dictatorships?

Let Machiavelli, Mill, and Locke inspire you here, but do NOT simply spout them back to me. I know what they say.....I now want to know what your INFORMED input is!

As always, respond to classmates as well.