POLI 313B AMERICAN PUBLIC POLICY

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1 POLI 313B AMERICAN PUBLIC POLICY Colin Bennett SPRING 2008 Office hours: Mon and Thurs pm Cornett A304 (after reading break in SS and M building) cjb@uvic.ca This course provides an in-depth analysis of the American policy-making process at the federal level. The course examines the operation of Congress, Presidency and Supreme Court through a review of relevant case studies. The central purpose is to compare and evaluate the US constitutional framework in the light of the contemporary demands on the American state. Political Science 313a (or its equivalent) is a prerequisite. READINGS There are three required textbooks, available at the UVic bookstore: B. Sinclair, Unorthodox Lawmaking: New Legislative Processes in the U.S. Congress, (CQ Press, 3 rd ed. 2007) David O Brien, Storm Center: The Supreme Court in US Politics (Norton, 7 th ed. 2005) Fred Greenstein, The Presidential Difference: Leadership Style from FDR to George W. Bush (Princeton University Press, 2004, 2 nd ed) You are also advised to review relevant chapters in the main US government text you used for Poli 313A (Janda, Berry & Goldman or its equivalent). Other readings are provided from online sources and are accessible from: REQUIREMENTS 1) Attend all classes having completed the required readings 2) Midterm take-home examination -- 20% 3) Research paper proposal (due Jan 17)- 10% 4) Research paper on a case of US policy-making due APRIL 3 (see below) 40% 5) Final exam 30%

2 COURSE OUTLINE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS January 3 Jan. 7 Introductions The 18 th century theory of American Politics Janda et al. Ch. 3 (on constitutional framework). The US Constitution at: Madison, Federalist papers 10 and 51 (Yale Avalon project) at: Jan. 10 Jan. 14 Jan. 17 Jan 21 Jan. 24 Jan 28 Jan 31 Feb 4 Feb 7 Feb 11 CONGRESSIONAL POLICY-MAKING Sinclair, chs 1-6, 13 Janda et al. ch. 11 Lee Hamilton, What I wish Political Scientists would teach about Congress, PS, Vol. 33. No. 4 (PAPER PROPOSAL DUE) Case study 1: Energy Sinclair, Ch. 7 Case study 2: Medicare Sinclair, Chs. 8-9 Case Study 3: Budget Politics Sinclair, chs PRESIDENTIAL POLICY-MAKING Greenstein, entire. Janda et al. chs. 12 and 13 Case study 1: Executive Power and Privilege Presidential Power: Is Bush Overstepping his Executive Authority CQ Researcher, Feb 24, Vol. 16. No. 8 Richard Pious, Inherent War and Executive Powers and Prerogative Politics, Presidential Studies Quarterly, Vol. 37 No. 1 (March 2007)

3 Feb 14 (Reading Break) Feb 25 Feb. 28 March 3 March 6 March 10 March 13 Case study 2: Going to War Presidential Studies Quarterly. March 2004, vol. 34. No 1. pp TAKE HOME MIDTERM SUPREME COURT POLICY-MAKING O Brien, entire. Janda et al. 14, 15 and 16 Case study 1: Desegregation Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Kansas, 347.U.S.483 at: Parents involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1. Oral argument at: Case study 2: School Prayer Engel v. Vitale, 370 U.S. 421 (1962). Opinion, Concurrence and Dissent at: March 17 March 20 Santa Fe independent School District vv. Doe. Oral argument at: Case study 3: Abortion Roe v. Wade 410 U.S Opinion, Concurrence and Dissent at: March 24 Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833 (1992), Opinion at: Gonzales v. Carhart. Oral Argument and Opinion announcement at:

4 March 27 March 31 April 3 Theories of contemporary US Policy-Making PAPERS DUE FINAL EXAM

5 RESEARCH PAPER ASSIGNMENT This assignment gives you an opportunity to research a contemporary American issue in some depth, and to present a well-written and organized research paper. You are each to write a case study of a particular aspect of American public policy in which you have an interest. A good case study should do two things: first, it should explain how the American political process has addressed an issue; second, it should expose some wider characteristic of the entire system. The central question should be something like: "On this date the Congress/President/Supreme Court decided to do X, why?" Your job is to paint a picture of the evolution of a particular policy decision, demonstrating how different influences shaped the outcome. From here you should move to a more general or theoretical level. Stand back from the specific issue and ask yourself what this case tells you about how Americans solve public problems. You may conclude that it exposes certain strengths and weaknesses of the policy process, or a flaw in the Constitution, or an interesting aspect of representative democracy, etc. Think creatively. Use the theories discussed in the first two weeks of the course to draw appropriate generalizations. The 'A' papers will be those that derive such generalizations. Your paper will fall in one of three areas. First, you may look at a piece of congressional policymaking (a law, a budget appropriation, or treaty ratification). Here, the task is to analyse the legislative process and examine how the various interests asserted themselves. What was the role of the congressional committees? What was the role of the leadership? What was the relationship between Congress and other groups and institutions? What does the case tell you about congressional power and responsibility? Second, you could analyse a presidential decision and try to understand what the case tells you about presidential power. This will probably be a question of foreign policy. If you pursue such an analysis, ensure that you focus on the decision-making process in Washington, and that you don't spend too much time analyzing international relations or global power conflicts. Third, you could look at a Supreme Court case, examining how it went through the court system and how it was resolved by the Supreme Court. You should read the court reports, and try to understand why the particular decision was reached from a constitutional perspective. Also try to see the court in a wider societal context. What does the case tell you about the way the Supreme Court does and should exercise its power? You have wide discretion to choose any issue of interest to you provided there are adequate sources, and provided I judge that it is manageable within the time constraints. It should be a relatively recent issue (post-1990) to avoid lengthy historical description. The focus should be the federal government; experience suggests that students get bogged down if the issue spans federal, state and local jurisdictions. You should focus on a specific outcome within a relatively short and current time frame. Over the next two weeks, you should select a topic and write a 3-4 page proposal to be submitted by January 17 th. This should include a presentation of the topic, and a bibliography. I will

6 grade this proposal (10%) and give each of you further guidance during an individual consultation. This exercise is designed to encourage you to think about this assignment now. This is a full research project that cannot be adequately completed unless considered over the entire term. The final paper is due on the last day of class, Thursday, April 3 rd. 5% will be deducted for each day that the paper is late. It counts for 40% of the grade, and cannot be done adequately in less than 4,000 words. Papers should be typed (double-spaced) and should include footnotes (or intext citations) and a bibliography. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Please see the Departmental website for details on the University s policy on Academic Integrity. A wide variety of material may be useful (from newspaper and magazine articles to more scholarly and analytical works). Those papers that delve into some original sources (such as the Congressional Record, or the Supreme Courts Reports) will impress me. Much of this material is now available on-line; useful websources can be found by searching the webpage associated with this course: I would also draw your attention to the U.S. Government Documents Section that is accessible directly from the UVIC Library Gateway. A list of basic reference works, periodicals and journals is also appended. You should bear in mind that more has been written on the American political system than on any other single state. There is, therefore, a rich and varied literature that should offer ample material. The course texts contain plenty of discussion of relevant policy decisions which might give some guidance on selecting a topic. But if you need assistance with selecting and refining a topic, or obtaining sources, come and see me.

7 Sources on American Politics Reference Works Congressional Quarterly Almanac CIS Annual: Legislative History of Public Laws The United States Government Manual Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections Almanac of American Politics Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Congressional Record United States Reports (In Law Library -- for Supreme Court decisions) The Congressional Directory Congressional Quarterly's Washington Information Directory Supreme Court Reporter Periodicals Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report National Journal U.S. News and World Report Newsweek Time New Republic The Nation Atlantic Monthly Harpers Scholarly Journals American Journal of Political Science Journal of Politics Policy Studies Journal Policy Studies Review Political Science Quarterly Presidential Studies Quarterly PS: Political Science and Politics Foreign Affairs Foreign Policy Brookings Review