This document contains discussion questions and prompts for a POL 201 course. The first prompt asks students to discuss how one feature of the US government, such as the written Constitution, checks and balances, or separation of powers, is most important for democracy. The second discusses how the executive and judicial branches have personally affected the student's life. The third examines the debate around the Electoral College system. Subsequent prompts discuss how federalism and Congress impact students' lives and work, and challenges around balancing local, state, and federal policies. Students are asked to support their responses with citations from course readings.

1. POL 201 Week 5 DQ 2
Prepare:Prior to beginning your reflection, review all course
readings and videos as required.
Reflect:The U.S. national government is based on the
framework detailed in the U.S. Constitution. The process that
the Founding Fathers used to map out our national government
is fascinating and illuminating. The Constitution creates a
system of checks and balances and separation of powers that
have been focal points for class discussions. In addition, the
Constitution identifies three main branches for the national
government: the legislative, executive, and judicial, which are
tasked, respectively, with the creation of the legislation to guide
the country, the implementation and execution of that
legislation, and the review of that legislation for
constitutionality and legality. Interacting with the federal
government includes a variety of different actors and political
processes such as the states, political parties, interest groups,
and federal elections. All these features create a vibrant and
healthy democracy.
Write: In your initial post of at least 200 to 250 words, explain
how and why one feature of the U.S. government is the most
important for America’s democracy. Choose one feature below
to discuss in detail:
· Written, detailed, flexible Constitution.
· Robust checks and balances.
· Explicit separation of powers.
· Expansive interaction by different political actors and
processes with the federal government.
Use real-world examples and details to support your arguments.
Support your position with APA citations from two or more of
the assigned resources required for this discussion. Please be
sure that you demonstrate understanding of these resources,
integrate them into your argument, and cite them properly.

2. Surname: 1
Student’s name:
Lecturer’s name:
Course:
Date:
Stanley my role model
The secret to a healthy life is the feeling of love and peace.
Affiliations in our everyday lives play a very crucial role. They
serve to satisfy our social needs of being associated with other
people and our needs of love. Sages put it that "Blood is
thicker than water". A person's relatives serve a great role in
their life. These are the people who never leave us in our ups
and downs. They indeed are good friends through whom we are
bonded by blood.
Stanley is a great friend and a brother to me. He is a person of
sound character who quickly mingles with anyone in the
society. He is down to earth in making and a composed young
lad who does not rush to drawing conclusions when challenged
by daily circumstances. His charisma culminated with his
education moves all and sundry in subscribing to his
viewpoints. Whenever there is need for imparting a young mind
with information he does so without hesitance. He is a great
source of inspiration and motivation. Stanley's character is
worthy emulating. I dearly love and admire him.
Back at home, Stanley is highly appreciated by our parents in
his undertakings. He is very generous and never let any of us to
succumb to pain or stress. He advises where possible. He cares
for the parents. Regularly, he revamps their closets and tops up
their bank accounts to keep up the spirit of smiling and enjoying
the fruits of their labor. "I really miss my son, Stanley"….goes
the voice of a loving mother who sincerely misses his son. Such
remarks by our mother certainly convey the love that our
parents have in store for Stanley.

3. Having good relations with other people is what Stanley has
taught me…. "You never know how important it is to stay well
with people…." Stanley would often advise me when I get scorn
with my friends. He never lets the room of being skeptical to be
created in my heart. Whenever there are job opportunities or
anything that would add value to my knowledge structure he lets
me know. Moreover, he supports me financially as well as
morally. "Marlene…I would like you to assist your brother,
Tristan in solving mathematical equations." As an elder brother,
Stanley has socialized us to offer help where possible. He is a
good brother and I most times envy his character. He never
pisses anyone off by gives people the space they need.
Conclusively, it is important to treat one's relatives with great
care and concern. Relatives come to offer assistance to us even
if when other people are not on our side. They serve as a great
motivation for us. They also correct us where we go wrong. My
brother has shaped me to be the person I am to today. I have
learned to love and care for my parents as well as siblings and
other people. Stanley has also inspired me to keep working
harder. Even when I am on the verge of giving up, I never lose
hope for I know I will enjoy the fruits of my hard work
someday. I give gratitude to the Almighty for the gift of a
loving and caring brother. May Stanley live to enjoy the fruits
of his hard work and determination.
POL 201 Week 5 DQ 1
Prepare:Prior to completing this discussion question, review
Chapters 9 and 10 inAmerican Government and the following
articles: “How Voter ID Laws Are Being Used to Disenfranchise
Minorities and the Poor,” “Fraught with Fraud,” and “Proof at
the Polls.”
Reflect:The U.S. has one of the lowest voter turnout rates
among modern democratic political systems. One study ranks
the U.S. 120th on a list of 169 nations compared on voter

4. turnout (Pintor, Gratschew, & Sullivan, 2002). During the last
decade, many initiatives have been undertaken to increase voter
participation, yet concerns about the possibility of election
fraud have also increased. Additionally, some political interests
feel threatened by the increase in turnout among some
traditionally low-turnout ethnic minorities. Several states have
recently passed legislation imposing new registration and
identification requirements. This has sparked debate about
whether these are tactics intended to suppress turnout or to
prevent fraud.
Write: In your initial post, summarize recent developments in
several states enacting voter ID laws. Analyze and describe the
pros and cons on both sides of the debate about these laws. Is
voter fraud a major problem for our democracy or are some
groups trying to make it harder for some segments of society to
vote? Draw your own conclusion about the debate over voter ID
laws. Justify your conclusions with facts and persuasive
reasoning.
Fully respond to all parts of the question and write your
response in your own words. Your initial post must be 200 to
250 words. Support your position with APA citations
from two or more of the assigned resources required for this
discussion. Please be sure that you demonstrate understanding
of these resources, integrate them into your argument, and cite
them properly.
POL Week 4 DQ 2
Prepare:Prior to beginning work on this discussion, read
chapters 8, 9, and 10 inAmerican Government, watch the
video, Episode II - It’s a Free Country, and review your results
from the Political Typology Quiz.
Reflect:Political parties mobilize voters to win elections and
implement policy goals. Parties use their stated policy goals
(i.e., their platforms) as a way to mobilize voter support.

5. Generally, in order to be successful in a two-party system,
parties must have policy goals across a broad range of issue
areas to appeal to a broad range of voters.
Write: Identify oneissue area that you want investigate. Use the
assigned resources required for this discussion to gather
information about the goals and proposals, in that issue area,
of three U.S. political parties – the Democratic and Republican
parties and a third party. Summarize each of the three parties’
policy goals in your issue area. Evaluate each party's goals
from two perspectives:
· According on your own political philosophy, values, or
ideology based on the Political Typology Quiz results, which
party’s position on this issue is closest to your own and which
is furthest and why?
· Does each party currently have national popular support on
this issue? If so, why, and if not, why not?
For example, if you are a ‘Steadfast Conservative,’ what do the
Democratic Party, the Republican Party, and a third party have
to say about your position on taxation? If you are a ‘Solid
Liberal,’ what do Democrats, Republicans, and a third party say
about your views on environmental issues? Who is the closest?
Furthest away? Why?
Your initial response must be 200 to 250 words. Justify your
conclusions with facts and persuasive reasoning. Fully respond
to all parts of the question and write your response in your own
words. Support your position with APA citations to two or more
of the assigned resources required for this discussion. Please be
sure that you demonstrate understanding of these resources,
integrate them into your argument, and cite them properly.
PLO 201 Week 4 DQ 1
Prepare:Prior to beginning work on this discussion, read
chapters 8, 9, and 10 inAmerican Government and watch the
video, Episode II - It’s a Free Country.

6. Reflect:Our political system is characterized by certain
fundamental features to include a system of laws, rights, and
liberties. The laws, created and supported by the Constitutional
framework, are designed to protect and secure the rights and
liberties of individuals and groups throughout the U.S.
However, the government also has an obligation to provide for
the security of its citizens from serious internal and external
threats that could cause grave or severe damage to our country.
The need for homeland and national security can create a
dilemma where conflicts emerge between these security needs
and the demands for civil rights and liberties.
Write:In your initial post, explain what obligations the U.S.
government has towards its citizens and how can these
obligations impact individual and group rights? Provide real-
world examples to support your explanation. Fully respond to
all parts of the prompt and write your response in your own
words. Your initial response must be 200 to 250 words. Support
your position with APA citations to two or more of the assigned
resources required for this discussion. Please be sure that you
demonstrate understanding of these resources, integrate them
into your argument, and cite them properly.
POL 201 Week 3 DQ 2
Prepare:Prior to beginning your reflection this week, read
chapters 5, 6, and 7 inAmerican Government. Review the
videos, Episode I - A More Perfect Union andEpisode II - It’s a
Free Country regarding the U.S. Constitution.
Reflect:The executive and judicial branches of the U.S. national
government often seem to operate independently and with little
conflict. Many laws are signed by the President and then
implemented without a word from the judicial branch. However,
there are times when executive decisions are challenged by the
judicial branch in a process called judicial review. In addition,
there are times when a judicial review has direct impact on your
life. For example, when the Supreme Court declared

7. theAffordable Care Act constitutional, many people without
health care insurance were finally able to purchase health care
insurance. Additionally, when the Supreme Court declared
sections of the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional, some
of the constraints that prevented many gay and lesbian couples
from marrying were eliminated. Executive Order 13658 on
February 20, 2014 also had a direct impact on many business
people that contract with the federal government by increasing
the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour. Clearly, the actions of
the executive and judicial branches often directly affect our
lives.
Write:In your initial post, explain how and why the actions of
the executive and/or judicial branches have personally affected
your life. Fully respond to all parts of the question. Write in
your own words. Support your position with APA citations to
two or more of the assigned resources required for this
discussion. Fully respond to all parts of the prompt and write
your response in your own words. Your initial post must be 200
to 250 words. Please be sure that you demonstrate
understanding of these resources, integrate them into your
argument, and cite them properly.
POL 201 Week 3 DQ 1
Prepare:Prior to beginning work on this discussion question,
read Chapters 5 and 6 in American Government. In addition,
read the following articles: “What Are the Arguments Made in
Favor – and Against – the Electoral College?,” “GOP Leaders
United in Defense of the Electoral College,” and the ProQuest
article “Why the Electoral College is Bad for America.” Also,
please watch this week’s videos,Episode I - A More Perfect
Union and Episode II - It’s a Free Country regarding the U.S.
Constitution.
Reflect:As the textbook author asserts, the Framers
intentionally designed a process for selecting presidents that
would minimize the president’s political power – the Electoral

8. College. They hoped this institution would insulate the chief
executive from the public because they feared the power of
presidents who might be elected by the people. However, the
Electoral College has also spawned a long ongoing debate about
whether the Electoral College should be abandoned in favor of
new methods, which would ensure that the candidate elected has
the most popular votes. The controversy over the Electoral
College must be understood in order to better understand how
and why U.S. presidents are elected.
Write: In your initial post, summarize how the Electoral College
works. Explain some of the main pros and cons in the debate
about whether to keep or abolish the current Electoral College
process. In addition, evaluate one proposal to change how the
system works without formally abolishing it. Would this
proposal effectively address some of the cons that you
identified earlier in your post? Please explain your response.
Fully respond to all parts of the question and write your
response in your own words. Your initial post must be 200 to
250 words. Support your position with APA citations from two
or more of the assigned resources required for this discussion.
Please be sure that you demonstrate understanding of these
resources, integrate them into your argument, and cite them
properly.
POL 201 Week 2 DQ 2
Prepare:Prior to beginning your reflection this week, complete
all course readings and assigned videos, and the Discussion,
“Policy and Your Life.”
Reflect:Once you have completed these assignments, think
about how federalism and the U.S. Congress have or will affect
your life. The federal structure ensures that there is a clear line
between local, state, and federal government regulations,
policies, and oversight—sometimes! Think about how federal
statues affect your work or will affect your work in the future.

9. Does Congress have oversight of any of the processes or
products in your workplace? Do the government regulations,
policies, and oversight sometimes conflict with local or state
regulations, policies, and oversight?
Write: In your initial post of, based on your current or desired
job, complete the following:
· Describe how a federal policy affects your current or desired
workplace.
· Explain what role Congress has in establishing workplace
conditions in your current or desired job.
Fully respond to all parts of the prompt and write your response
in your own words. Your initial post should be 200 to 250
words. Support your position with APA citations from two or
more of the assigned resources required for this discussion.
Please be sure that you demonstrate understanding of these
resources, integrate them into your argument, and cite them
properly.
POL 201 Week 2 Dq 1
Prepare:Prior to beginning work on this discussion question,
read Chapters 3 and 4 in American Government. In addition,
watch the videos provided on federalism: Quick Study of
Federalism Part 1,Quick Study of Federalism Part 2, and Quick
Study of Federalism Part 3, and the U.S. Constitution: Episode I
- A More Perfect Union.
Reflect:The U.S. government's expansive role in public policy
is caught in a swirl of conflicting crosscurrents. On the one
hand, popular expectations about government's responsibility to
solve problems often exceed the capacity of state and local
authorities to respond effectively. On the other hand, policies
developed at the national level may not sufficiently reflect the
great diversity of interests across the U.S. to be effective at the
local level. Moreover, the search for effective policy is further
complicated by theoretical debates about the constitutional

10. framework of federalism, that is, what limits on national power
can be derived from the Tenth Amendment?
Write: Select a policy or piece of legislation that involves the
program you are seeking a degree in (i.e., your major). In your
initial post, discuss the federalism challenges that this policy is
creating or facing. For example:
· If you are an education major, how are local, state, and federal
government policies affected by the Every Child
Succeeds legislation or some other piece of education-related
legislation?
· If you are a criminal justice major, how does recent
legalization of marijuana in some states affect local, state, and
federal control over this issue?
· If you are a business major, how does the insurance mandate
in theAffordable Care Act affect local, state, and national
businesses and their employees?
· If you are a political science major how has the
recent Citizen’s United ruling affected the amount of money
available for campaigns at the local, state, or federal levels?
Fully respond to all parts of the prompt and write your response
in your own words. Your initial must be 200 to 250 words.
Support your position with APA citations from two or more of
the assigned resources required for this discussion. Please be
sure that you demonstrate understanding of these resources,
integrate them into your argument, and cite them properly.