Introduction to American Government

POSC 100: Introduction to American Government
Professor Brett Murdock
Instructions, Format, and Sample of Discussion of Current Event
At each class session, a group of students will be assigned to briefly analyze a current political
event of their choice and post their analysis on Titanium. The next week, that same group of
students will be required to post on Titanium a comment on (or “reply” to) another student’s
analysis. Then, time permitting, we will have an active discussion and debate about the more
interesting Titanium discussion posts in class.
Please make sure your discussion and posts are submitted within the required timeframe to
receive credit.
Instructions for Discussion of Current Event:
Find and read an article or two online, in the newspaper, in a magazine, etc. that deals with a
government/political issue that interests you. Write one paragraph that summarizes the key
points and facts of the article(s). Then write one paragraph about your opinions, views, and
analysis of the article.
Format:
1 - Basic subject matter of your current event in the “subject” field of your post on Titanium
2 - Name of Student
3 - Title of Article(s)
4 - Source of Article(s)
5 - Link to Article(s) (if online)
6 - 1 Paragraph summarizing the key points and facts of the article
7 - 1 Paragraph about your opinions, views, and analysis of the article.
Sample:
Jane Q. Student
Exclusive: U.S. delays deadline for finalizing Obamacare health plans
Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/28/us-usa-healthcare-obamacareidUSBRE97R04X20130828
Agenda - Health Care, The Obama Biden Plan
Change.gov The office of the President-Elect
http://change.gov/agenda/health_care_agenda/
President Obama’s healthcare plan was formed to create affordable, accessible healthcare for
the citizens of the United States. The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
has recently changed the dates on which they will be signing agreements with insurance companies to begin implementing President Obama’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care
Act (PPACA). The original date for the HHS to reach agreements with insurance companies
was set for the first week of September. The plans to meet in the upcoming week are no longer
going to happen, with the HHS giving no reason for the change of plans. However, a
spokesperson from the HHS has given a statement ensuring that agreements will be reached
shortly. Critics of this health care have been voicing their opposition, and even gone as far as
to form coalitions to put a stop to the funding of this bill. Attempts to defund “Obamacare” have
created a great deal of controversy, not just between Democrats and Republicans, but within
the parties as well. Republicans have been successful in defunding over $1 billion just this
year. States have begun to discuss their own implementation plans. For example, last week
California discussed a slow implementation of the healthcare act in order to accommodate to
the state residents.
In my opinion, it seems that everything that Obama predicted (or promised) this law would do,
is turning out to be false. Both Obama and congressional Democrats vowed that the Act would
lower premiums for the typical American family. While insurance premiums will lower for some
Americans, they are predicted to rise for other consumers, likely those younger, healthier
Americans who purchase inexpensive plans. As someone who falls into the category of a
young and healthy consumer, I do not think that it is fair to force Americans to begin paying for
a law that is nowhere near implemented and is not expected to fulfill the promises made.
These factors have both been publicly acknowledged by the Obama administration, yet there
is no urgency to correct the errors and proceed in a way that would not put the burden on
American families.
Directions to Post Your Discussion on Titanium:
1 – Click on the “Current Event Discussion Board” link on the class Titanium home page
2 – Click “Add a new discussion topic”
3 – Write the basic subject matter of your current event in the “subject” field of your post on
Titanium
4 – Write your discussion in the “message” field
5 – Click “Post to forum”
Instructions for Commenting on Another Student’s Discussion Post:
First and foremost, please be respectful and open-minded to your classmates’ perspectives.
Insulting, rude, or disparaging remarks will NOT be tolerated. Please write a paragraph on
how and why you agree or disagree with a discussion post. This will require some analysis of
the discussion post you have chosen to comment on as well as some backup facts and
reasoning for your position.
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