Running head AMERICA’S DEMOCRACY1AMERICA’S DEMOCRACY7.docx

Running head: AMERICA’S DEMOCRACY 1
AMERICA’S DEMOCRACY 7
America’s Democracy
Your Name
POL 201 – American National Government
Ashford University
Instructor's Name
Month Day, Year
America’s Democracy
This is where the introduction for your paper should begin.
You should indent the first paragraph and include a hook to
draw your reader in and make the topic interesting. Your
introduction should also include an overview of the main points
you will discuss in your paper and conclude with a clear and
concise thesis statement of 25 words or less that clearly
summarizes what your paper is about. Please be sure to not
refer to the paper in your paper. For example, “In this paper, I
will discuss…” is not appropriate for formal writing. Also,
your paper should not use words such as I, we, or you. Start the
first paragraph here. It should introduce your reader to the
subject you are writing about, as well as your particular
position or claim. Be sure that your thesis reflects on all four
of the topics you will discuss in a concise manner of 25 words
or less. For more suggestions, please read about thesis
statements on our Ashford Writing Center website: Thesis
Statements. Other helpful tools on our website are the Thesis
Generator and Moving from Prompt to Thesis. Your
introduction should be at least ½ a page in length.
US Constitution

Your paper should include the four main headings, as outlined
in this template. It is vital, in order to fully meet the
expectations for this paper that you support your arguments
utilizing scholarly sources. You must is properly cited with in-
text APA formatted citations and an APA reference list in order
to avoid plagiarism. No more than 10% of your paper should be
direct quotations. Be sure to summarize, paraphrase, and
include in-text citations. Each heading should focus on the
topics you discussed in your Week 1, 2, 3, and 4 Learning
Activities. Each heading/topic should be a a minimum of 1 to
1.5 pages in length. Please do not just cut and paste the
paragraphs from your Learning Activities. It is important to
include transitions and to more deeply reflect and expand on the
material from each week. Be sure to review the WayPoint
feedback provided by your instructor each week and integrate
the feedback into your revisions as you expand your analysis of
each topic for your final paper.
Federalism
Your section heading should focus on Federalism. Utilize your
Learning Activities as a guide to construct each section of your
paper or create an outline or list to help you organize the
evidence you plan to present. Be sure to include the appropriate
transitions, review your instructors comments from your Week
Two Learning Activity, and expand on the material regarding
Federalism.
Branches of Government
The third section of your final paper should focus on one
of the branches of government, as you discussed in your
Learning Activity. Be sure to include the appropriate
transitions, review your instructors comments from your Week
Three Learning Activity, and expand on the material regarding
the branch of government you have selected. Each paragraph of
your assignment should be clear and easy to follow. Ashford
has several good resources to help you write a strong paragraph,
such as How to Write a Good Paragraph and the P.I.E.
Paragraph Structure.

Political Parties, Interest Groups, or Elections
The 4th section of your paper should focus on Political Parties,
Interest Groups, or Elections as researched in your Week 4
Learning Activity. Once again, Be sure to include the
appropriate transitions, review your instructors comments from
your Week Three Learning Activity, and expand on the material
regarding the topic you have selected. In addition to being well-
written, each paragraph throughout your paper should include
an in-text citation to all ideas, references, or quotations that are
from outside sources and research. The Ashford Writing Center
provides many resources to help you follow correct citation
style (primarily APA) and gives lessons and examples of how to
paraphrase and cite sources. The APA Key Elements page is a
good place to start.
Conclusion
Your paper should conclude with a review of your main points
and a review of your thesis.
Remember to start your references on a new page. Space down
until References is as the top of the final page of your paper.
References

Your paper must utilize at least eight scholarly resources (in
addition to the textbook). A minimum of six of the resources
must be from the peer-reviewed scholarly sources from the
Ashford University Library. The following are commonly used
references. Please fill in the required information, and if you
need more help, see the AWC References page. References are
listed in alphabetical order. Please be sure to format your
references correctly according to APA 6th edition guidelines
and utilize hanging indents.
Ashford Textbook (Online edition): *
Author, A. (Year published). Title of book: Subtitle of book
(edition, if other than the first) [Electronic version]. Retrieved
from from URL
Example:
Witt, G. A., & Mossler, R. A. (2010). Adult development and
life assessment [Electronic version]. Retrieved from
https://content.ashford.edu/books/4
Online Journal Article (such as from the Ashford Library):**
Author, A. (Year Published). Article title. Journal Name,
Volume(Issue), page range. doi:# or Retrieved from journal’s
homepage URL
**When including a URL for an online journal, you must search
for the journal’s home page and include this in your reference
entry. You may not include the URL found through your
university library, as readers will not have access to this library.
Examples:
Churchill, S. D., & Mruk, C. J. (2014). Practicing what we
preach in humanistic and positive psychology. American
Psychologist, 69(1), 90-92. doi:10.1037/a0034868
Santovec, M. (2008). Easing the transition improves grad
retention at Trinity U. Women in Higher Education, 17(10), 32.
Retrieved from
http://www.trinitydc.edu/education/files/2010/09/Women_in_hi

gher_
Ed_Trinity_Transistions_10_08.pdf
Online Magazine:*
Author, A. (Year, Month Date Published). Article title.
Magazine Title. Retrieved from URL
Example:
Walk, V. (2013, April 29). Can this woman fix Europe? Time.
Retrieved from
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,213969.html
YouTube Video:*
Author, A. [Screen name]. (Year, Month, Day). Title of video
[Video file]. Retrieved from URL
Example:
Apsolon, M. [markapsolon]. (2011, September 9). Real ghost
girl caught on video tape 14
[Video file]. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nyGCbxD848
Web Page:*
Author, A. (Year, Month, Date Published). Article title.
Retrieved from URL
Example—Corporate web page:
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2008).
Police and detectives. Retrieved from
http://bls.gov/oco/pdf/ocos160.pdf
Example—Article or section within web page with no author:
Presentation tools. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://web2014.discoveryeducation.com/web20tools-
presentation.cfm
*Please delete the notes in this document before submitting
your assignment.

LEARNING ACTIVITY WORKSHEET - Week Two
Please review the full assignment prompt and the Week 5 Final
Paper instructions located within the classroom and in the POL
201 Course Guide before beginning this assignment.
Utilizing the worksheet below, develop detailed paragraphs that
focus on the first main point for your final paper. For each
section, a minimum of one fully-developed paragraph is
required. A fully developed paragraph should be a minimum of
5-7 sentences in length. Each paragraph should include at least
one in-text APA citation that provides support for the topic.
At least two scholarly sources from the Ashford University
library (not including your textbook) with in-text citations
utilized within your paragraphs are required. Two new sources
should be utilized each week to meet the minimum of eight
required sources for the final paper. By finding and supporting
your material with these sources each week, you will have the
research necessary to construct a strong final paper. For help
with writing and citations, please review the handouts and
tutorials provided by the Ashford Writing Center.
1. Federalism:
A. One advantage to a national policy that must be implemented
by one agency of the federal bureaucracy.
(Use the space below to complete this section.)
B. One disadvantage to a national policy that must be
implemented by one agency of the federal bureaucracy.
C. One option to maintain the advantage of the national policy
discussed above.

D. One option to improve the disadvantage of the national
policy discussed above.
2. Reference List (utilizing full APA citations)
Instructor Guidance
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT: FEDERALISM, CONGRESS
AND POLICY-MAKING
;“A republic, by which I mean a government in which the
scheme of representation takes place, opens a different prospect
and promises the cure for which we are seeking.”– James
Madison (Mark's Quotes, 1790)
Week Two Instructor Guidance
This week, we will focus on the concept of federalism.
Federalism is the idea that the federal and state governments
share power. We will also focus on Congress, specifically in
terms of Congressional policies and how these national policy
impact our daily life.
Regarding the idea of federalism, most of what we hear today
involving federalism deals with questions of federal and state
responsibilities. For example, if a state legalizes marijuana but
the federal government still views it as an illegal drug, who has
the final say? Another example is the case of school
desegregation – the federal government required desegregation,
but certain states were slow to act (see Section 3.8 of your
textbook). In this second example, the federal government made
use of federal troops to enforce policy. However, there are
numerous other approaches the federal government uses to try
and enforce policy.

(Balance of Powers, 2015).
As we discussed last week, the Constitution involves a series of
checks and balances. Federalism is another of these balances as
it helps to balance the powers between the national, state, and
local governments.
A Quick Study of American Federalism
Dr. James Klein, a former Ashford instructor, provides three
detailed videos that highlight many of the key concepts that are
important to understand regarding Federalism. Make sure you
continue to watch through all three parts!
https://youtu.be/jn54hCIxF3Q - Video
(Klein, 2012).
The other important concepts this week involve the role of
Congress in the policymaking process. As Fine (2016)
discusses, apportionment is simply the distribution of seats for
the U.S. House of Representatives. There are 435 seats in the
House, and apportionment is the idea of how our government
decides how many seats each state receives. This is based on
population. The higher the population in a state, the more seats
they receive in the House.
The process in which a bill becomes a law is also addressed.
One key point to remember is that a bill may only be introduced
by a member of Congress. The President cannot introduce a bill
in Congress. For example, the Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act (also known as PPACA, ACA, or Obamacare) was
actually H.R. 3590 (House Resolution 3590 from the
111th Congress) introduced by Charles Rangel, a Congressman
from New York. The President’s role involves supporting
legislation and encouraging legislation to be taken up by
Congress, but he cannot actually sponsor or propose a bill in the
chamber.
Schoolhouse Rock: America - I'm Just a Bill
Schoolhouse Rock provides an fun (and catchy!) take on how a
bill becomes a law.
https://youtu.be/FFroMQlKiag - Video

( Disney Educational Productions, 2011).
Throughout the week, think about the differences between the
House and Senate, the role of Congress as it relates to the other
branches, and how members of Congress are elected.
As you read Chapter 3 and 4 this week, please consider the
following questions:
1. What is federalism?
2. Do federal or state policies take priority?
3. How do states and/or the federal government enforce their
decisions on the other?
4. What does the Constitution say about this?
Remember, to focus on fact, not opinion, when researching and
discussing these concepts this week.
A More Perfect Union: Constitution USA with Peter Sagal
(A more Perfect Union, 2013).
WEEK TWO LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Discussion #1 – Policy and Your Life
1st Post Due by Day 3 – Thursday
Select a policy or piece of legislation that directly impacts your
current or future profession (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 Student Succeeds
Act or some other piece of education-related legislation? Please
be sure to view the supplemental material that is included as a
part of this discussion question.
· If you are a criminal justice major, how does recent
legalization of marijuana in some states affect local, state, and
federal marijuana laws?
· If you are a business major, how does the insurance mandate

in the Affordable 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 at least 300 words.
Support your position with at least two of the assigned
resources required for this discussion, and/or peer reviewed
scholarly sources obtained through the AU Library databases.
Please be sure that you demonstrate understanding of these
resources, integrate them into your argument, and cite them
properly in-text and in a references list at the end of the post. A
minimum of two substantive (minimum of 100 words) follow-up
responses are required.
Journal – Week Two Journal
Due by Day 7 – Monday
Once you have read all of the course readings for the week,
reviewed this guidance, the supplemental resources and
completed your discussion question post, you are ready to
critically analyze the content, and write a meaningful self-
reflection on how these concepts may impact your academic,
personal and/or professional lives. Think about how federalism
and the U.S. Congress impacts your personal life. How do
federal policies impact your current job or will they impact your
future career? Does Congress have any oversight regarding your
workplace?
· Describe how federal policy affects your current or desired
workplace.
· Explain the role Congress has in establishing workplace
conditions in your current or desired job. Your Journal must be
a minimum of 1 page, in APA format. It should include
specifics, significance, and analysis to fully address each of the
content items, and illustrate your understanding of the content
and context in which it impacts you.

Week Two Quiz
Due by Day 3 - Thursday
This quiz covers the material from the textbook in Chapters 3
and 4. Please be sure to note that it is due on Thursday and plan
accordingly. You have two attempts to complete the quiz. Your
last score is the one that is recorded in the gradebook.
Week Two Learning Activity
Due by Day 7 - Monday
This week you will continue the process of preparing for your
Final Paper through the learning activity worksheet. This
week’s worksheet focuses on federalism and the specific
relationships between local, state, and national government. To
begin this process, it is important to select a specific national
policy and think about how the policy you select showcases
federalism. Think about the topic you discussed in Discussion
Question 1 this week and the resource provided that illustrates
possible examples. Is this policy implemented by the federal
bureaucracy?
Remember, it is vital to support your ideas with full APA
citations and to fully explain how the sources you’ve selected
support your main point.
Your Week Two Learning Activity focuses on federalism.
Utilizing the worksheet template, you will address the following
with specifics, significance and analysis as you:
1. Describe one advantage to a national policy that must be
2. Describe one disadvantage to a national policy that must be
3. Recommend one option to maintain the advantage of the
national policy discussed.
4. Recommend one option to improve the disadvantage of the
national policy discussed.
5. Effectively utilize and cite at least two scholarly sources to
provide evidence or support, to back up your arguments
(opinions) expressed.
As part of this assignment, it is vital that you support your ideas

with full APA citations both within the paragraphs and as a
reference list.
Please read through the Final Paper prompt and the POL 201
Model Paper Template before completing this assignment as it
having a clear understanding of what is expected for the Final
Paper will help you as you complete the Learning Activities that
help to build your Final Paper.
It is highly suggested that you review the POL201 research
guide as part of completing the learning activity assignments.
WEEK TWO CHECKLIST
Week 2 Learning Activities
Due Date
Review Materials and Course Syllabus
Tuesday – Day 1
Review and Reflect on Instructor Guidance
Tuesday – Day 1
Read Chapter 3 and 4 of American Governmentby Levin-
Waldman
No later than Day 3
Review the Required Articles and Multimedia:
America the Undertaxed
Are taxes too damn high?
Quick Study of Federalism Part 1
No later than Day 3
Post initial response to Discussion #1 – Policy and Your Life
Thursday – Day 3
Complete Week Two Quiz focusing on Chapters 3 and 4 of the
text
Thursday – Day 3
Week Two Journal
Monday – Day 7
Complete Research and Worksheet for Week Two Learning

Activity
Monday – Day 7
Post two responses to peers in Discussion #1 – Policy and Your
Life
Monday – Day 7
UPCOMING ASSIGNMENTS
Final Research Project: America’s Democracy: Your Report
Card
You are encouraged to continue working on your final research
project this week. In Week One, you developed ideas regarding
the major questions addressed in your final regarding the United
States Constitution. Read through the feedback your instructor
provided you within WayPoint regarding this assignment this
week and think about how you can expand your ideas regarding
this research for your final paper.
Take a few minutes to read through the Week 5 Final Paper
prompt and think about how you will utilize the research and
ideas you generated in Week 1 to complete section 3 of the
paper. Be sure to utilize the POL 201 Model Paper Guide and
format your paper according to APA 6th edition guidelines.
Final Thoughts
Good luck this week and I look forward to exploring the
concepts of federalism, Congress, and policy-making further
with you this week in our discussion. As always, if you have
any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to post a
question in the Ask Your Instructor Forum or email your
instructor directly.
REFERENCES
· A more perfect union: Constitution USA with Peter Sagal
[Video file]. (2013). In Films on Demand. Retrieved September
28, 2015,
from https://secure.films.com/OnDemandEmbed.aspx?token=58
627&aid=18596&plt=FOD&loid=0&w=560&h=315&fWidth=58
0&fHeight=365

· Balances of Powers. (2015, July 13). Retrieved from Teach-
nology.com: http://www.teach-
nology.com/worksheets/soc_studies/constit/1/
· Campbell, A. L. (2012). America the undertaxed: U.S. fiscal
policy in perspective. Foreign Affairs, 91(5), 99-0_2. Retrieved
from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/1034967506?accountid=325
21
· Disney Educational Productions. (2011, December
8). Schoolhouse Rock: America - I'm Just a Bill Music Video.
Retrieved July 13, 2015, from YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFroMQlKiagRequired
Resources
Text
· Fine, T. S., & Levin-Waldman, O. M. (2016). American
Government (2nd ed.) [Electronic version]. Retrieved from
https://content.ashford.edu/
· Chapter 3: Federalism
· Chapter 4: Congress and Policy Making
Articles
· Campbell, A. L. (2012). America the Undertaxed: U.S. Fiscal
Policy in Perspective. Foreign Affairs, 91(5), 99-112. Retrieved
from EBSCOhost
· This article provides information to support arguments that
Americans are not taxed excessively. The information provided
should enable students to better understand both sides of the
taxation argument in the U.S., which is core area of conflict
concerning the powers of the federal government.
Accessibility Statement does not exist.
Privacy Policy

· Norquist, G. G. (2012). Are Taxes Too Damn High? The
Debate about the Rate: Cut and Grow. Foreign Affairs, 91(6),
156-159. Retrieved from EBSCOhost
· This article provides information to support arguments that
Americans are taxed excessively. The information provided
should enable students to better understand both sides of the
taxation argument in the U.S., which is core area of conflict
concerning the powers of the federal government.
Privacy Policy
Multimedia
· Klein, J. H. [JamesEducationMedia]. (2012, January
29). Quick study of Federalism part 1 [Video file]. Retrieved
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn54hCIxF3Q
· Part One will explain basic concepts of American federalism.
This three-part video (15 minutes) describes historical debates
about the division of power between national and state
government and describes concepts used in modern debates
about federalism. This information should expand student’s
understanding and appreciation for the complexities and
conflicts that involve the U.S.’s federal system of government.
Accessibility StatementPrivacy Policy
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX88g3wJTCw
· Part Two will explain early Supreme Court decisions about
American federalism. This three-part video (15 minutes)
describes historical debates about the division of power between
national and state government and describes concepts used in
modern debates about federalism. This information should
expand student’s understanding and appreciation for the
complexities and conflicts that involve the U.S.’s federal
system of government. This video has closed captioning and a

transcript.
Accessibility StatementPrivacy Policy
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0Z6idma-CM
· Part Three explains later Supreme Court decisions about
American federalism: dual federalism and cooperative
federalism. This three-part video (15 minutes) describes
historical debates about the division of power between national
and state government and describes concepts used in modern
debates about federalism. This information should expand
student’s understanding and appreciation for the complexities
and conflicts that involve the U.S.’s federal system of
government. This video has closed captioning and a transcript.
Accessibility StatementPrivacy PolicyRecommended Resources
Articles
· Huang, C-C., & Frentz, N. (2014, February 18). What really is
the evidence on taxes and growth? A reply to the tax
foundation. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Retrieved
from http://www.cbpp.org/research/what-really-is-the-evidence-
on-taxes-and-growth
· This article provides information on the impacts of taxes on
economic growth in the U.S. This article also provides
additional material on how taxes can affect growth and give
students insights into the impacts taxes can have on the overall
economy. The perspective provided is counter to the perspective
found in the McBride (2012) article.
Privacy Policy
· McBride, W. (2012, December 18). What is the evidence on
taxes and growth? Tax Foundation, 207. Retrieved from
http://taxfoundation.org/article/what-evidence-taxes-and-growth
· This article discusses the impacts of taxes on economic growth

in the U.S. This article provides additional material on how
taxes can affect growth and give students insights into the
impacts taxes can have on the overall economy. The perspective
provided is counter to the perspective found in the Huang &
Nathaniel (2014) article.
Privacy Policy
Multimedia
· Hinck, T., & Buchanan, C. (Producers). (2013, May
7). Episode I - A more perfect union [Series episode].
In Constitution USA with Peter Sagal. Retrieved from
https://secure.films.com/OnDemandEmbed.aspx?Token=58627&
aid=18596&Plt=FOD&loid=0&w=640&h=480&ref=
· This video examines one of the “revolutionary” features of the
Constitution, federalism, and how this system contributes to the
strength of the United States’ government. The video provides
students with several different views of how federalism affects
the U.S. and how it can affect their lives. This video will
provide additional background material for the Discussion,
“Policy and Your Life.” This video has closed captioning.
Privacy Policy
Federalism
PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT A BID FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT
IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND EDUCATION TERMS AND
CONCEPTS. ALL DIRECTIONS MUST BE FOLLOWED AND
NO PLAGARIASM. MY SCHOOL USES SOFTWARE TO
DETECT COPIED MATERIAL.
This week, we continue completing the worksheets in
preparation for the Final Paper. It is recommended that you
review the Learning Activity assignments and review the Final

Paper prompt before beginning this assignment. Please be sure
to review the feedback provided by your instructor on your
Week One Learning Activity as well. A model POL201 Final
Paper Guide is provided for you to download and utilize when
completing your Final Paper. One of the most important
structures in the national government is federalism.
Understanding the relationship between local, state, and
national level governments is critical in being able to
understand all of the key features of our national government.
Describe an advantage and a disadvantage to a national policy
that an agency in the federal bureaucracy must implement. In
addition, recommend an option to maintain the advantage and
one to improve the disadvantage.
To complete the assignment, save the Week Two Learning
Activity Worksheet to your computer, fill it out, and submit it
via WayPoint.
Develop several detailed paragraphs regarding your second
main point using the Week Two Learning Activity Worksheet.
Federal Policies
You are required to develop four paragraphs that explain one
advantage and one disadvantage of a national policy that is
implemented by one agency of the federal bureaucracy, as well
as options to maintain the advantage and improve the
disadvantage must also be addressed.
Scholarly Support
For assistance with your research, the Ashford University’s
Library provides tutorials and recorded webinars on a variety of
topics. To access these helpful resources look for the links
located under the [email protected] search box on the library
home page. For help with writing and citations, please review
the handouts and tutorials provided by the Ashford Writing
Center.
A reference list of at least two scholarly resources from the
Ashford University library with full APA citations is required.
While your textbook can be utilized as a source, it does not
count towards your two sources for this assignment. Two new

sources should be utilized each week to meet the minimum of
eight required sources for the final. By finding and supporting
your material with these sources each week, you will have the
research necessary to construct a strong Final Paper.
The Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources table
offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you
have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate
for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your
instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a
specific source for a particular assignment.
Be sure that the sources you are utilizing to support your ideas
are valid, reliable, and not overly bias.

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