| The American Congress, POS 261 | Professor Robert Klotz |
| 11:45 - 1:00 p.m. MW | Office: 126 Bedford Street |
| Luther Bonney 510 | Office Hours: 3-5:30 R & by appointment |
| Fall 2001 (CRN P7377) | Contact: rklotz@usm.maine.edu; 780-4193 |
| Session | Subject | Assignment | ||
| Sept | W | 5 | Introduction | |
| M | 10 | Constitution | AC 29-39 | |
| W | 12 | Constitution | Federalist 52, 53, 57, 62, 63; DeTocqueville | |
| M | 17 | History | AC 39-49; major Web sites | |
| W | 19 | Representation | AC 1-28; Burke | |
| M | 24 | Bill Becomes Law | AC 50-75 | |
| W | 26 | Campaign Finance | AC 76-83; LL 1-34 | |
| Oct | M | 1 | Campaign Finance Reform | LL 35-62 |
| W | 3 | Elections | AC 83-87; Brief Paper #1 due | |
| M | 8 | No Class | October Vacation | |
| W | 10 | Elections | U.S. Term Limits | |
| M | 15 | Election Outcomes | AC 88-115 | |
| W | 17 | Home Style | AC 116-150; Brief Paper #2 due | |
| M | 22 | Rules | LL 63-86 | |
| W | 24 | Rules | LL 87-140 | |
| M | 29 | Exam | Midterm Exam | |
| W | 31 | Political Parties | AC 151-196 | |
| Nov | M | 5 | Political Parties | LL 141-166 |
| W | 7 | Interest Groups | AC 331-354; LL 167-200 | |
| M | 12 | Media | LL 201-271 | |
| W | 14 | Committees | AC 197-212 | |
| M | 19 | Committees | AC 212-237; Brief Paper #3 due | |
| W | 21 | No Class | Thanksgiving Break | |
| M | 26 | Voting | AC 238-264 | |
| W | 28 | Budget | AC 355-381; Brief Paper #4 due | |
| Dec | M | 3 | Congress-Executive | AC 265-302 |
| W | 5 | Campaign Finance Reform | Paper Due | |
| M | 10 | Congress-Courts | AC 303-330 | |
| W | 12 | State Legislatures | ||
| W | 19 | Final Exam | 10:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. | |
COURSE OBJECTIVE
The course introduces you to the American Congress. The course encourages an appreciation of the historical and institutional context of legislators. The way in which Congressional procedures affect legislative outcomes is explored. An extended case study will complement theoretical frameworks for understanding the legislative process. You will learn to utilize and evaluate the Congressional resources available on the World Wide Web. The course seeks to enhance critical thinking about politics and promote an informed citizenship.
COURSE WEB SITE AND READINGS
There are two textbooks for this course and both are available in the USM bookstore and through other distribution channels. The primary text is The American Congress (AC) by Steven Smith published in 1999 by Houghton Mifflin. Legislative Labyrinth: Congress and Campaign Finance Reform (LL) by Diana Dwyre and Victoria Farrar-Myers published in 2000 by CQ Press offers an illuminating case study of the modern legislative process. Some brief supplemental readings will be distributed in class or are available on the interactive course Web site, which is located at http://www.usm.maine.edu/~rklotz/congress.htm. The syllabus link will take you to your Blackboard.com account.
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible. Students who may need assistance due to a disability are encouraged to contact the Office of Academic Support for Students with Disabilities located in Luther Bonney 242 at 780-4706 or TTY 780-4395.
GRADING OVERVIEW
Your grade is based on five components: 10% Involvement, 25% Midterm, 25% Final, 25% Paper, and 15% Brief Papers. Examinations consist of short answer and essay questions. The final exam will include only material covered after the midterm exam. The involvement grade is divided equally between attendance and class participation.
Grades are based on the traditional 90-80-70-60 scale. For grades within 1.5% of the dividing line, pluses and minuses are assigned with the exception of A+ and D- which are not valid under USM grading policy.
No late brief papers will be accepted. A late semester paper will be penalized 10% for the first day and 5% for each additional day late.
ATTENDANCE
Students are expected to attend class. It is recognized that under extraordinary circumstances, a student will be unable to attend class. Extraordinary circumstances are assumed to have arisen on the first two absences of the semester. Beginning with the third absence, the attendance grade will be reduced 5% for each absence. Exemption from the attendance policy should only be sought by those representing the university with their talents in extracurricular activities (advance notification required) and for long-term emergencies (reasonable notification required).
BRIEF PAPERS
You are to write a two-page typed paper on three of the four following topics:
1) Pick a Maine Congressional race from the year 2000. Summarize and discuss the sources of campaign contributions for each of the major party candidates.
2) Pick one Senator and one House member from the same state. Compare and contrast how the officials present a "home style" on their Web site.
3) Select one committee in either chamber of Congress. Identify the partisan makeup and subject matter jurisdiction of the committee. Analyze the level of consensus or conflict in the committee.
4) Pick an appropriations bill in the current Congress. Summarize the main steps it has taken in the legislative process.
PAPER
The semester paper places you in the role of research intern at the publisher CQ Press. The company is putting out a second edition of Legislative Labyrinth. You are asked to write a postscript of approximately five double-spaced pages to the book updating it with the progress of campaign finance reform in the year 2001. The paper is due on or before the beginning of class on December 5.