Day 20

Political Ideologies and Beliefs: Political Economy

Learning Targets:  Students will be able to....

• The balancing dynamic of individual liberty and government efforts to promote stability and order has been reflected in policy debates and their outcomes over time. 
• Liberal ideologies favor more governmental regulation of the marketplace, conservative ideologies favor fewer regulations, and libertarian ideologies favor little or no regulation of the marketplace beyond the protection of property rights and voluntary trade. 
• Ideological differences on marketplace regulation are based on different theoretical support, including Keynesian and supply-side positions on monetary and fiscal policies promoted by the president, Congress, and the Federal Reserve.

When people note that more and more voters are cutting their landline phones and that more and more people are refusing to pick up phone calls from numbers they don't know, they are identifying problems that the polling industry has long struggled with and continue to try to adapt to.

• Kristen Soltis Anderson, 35 year old conservative writer and journalist

Opener:  ASAP - In detail 

Efforts to promote financial stability through adjustments in interest rates would increase the volatility of inflation and employment. As a result, I believe a macro-prudential approach to supervision and regulation needs to play the primary role. 

• Janet Yellen, Federal Reserve Chair,  July 2014

Activity #1:  Just how important are each of the following in the development of people's political ideology?  Rate them according to your own perceptions on a scale of 1-10 (10 being most important).

1. Unemployment
2. Inflation
3. Minimum wage
4. National debt
5. Taxes
6. Welfare programs
7. Infrastructure

Activity #2: - Beard's Argument.  

In 1913, a scholar named Charles Beard wrote a controversial book entitled:  An Economic Interpretation of the US Constitution.  In his book, Beard claimed that the US Constitution, and the Federalist Papers that supported it, was not really a document of political ideals, but instead a way in which the founders could safeguard  their own property and wealth. 

The leaders who supported the Constitution in the ratifying conventions represented the same economic groups as the members of the Philadelphia Convention; and in a large number of instances they were also directly and personally interested in the outcome of their efforts.  

• Charles Beard, 1913

With a partner, use your copy of the US Constitution and amendments to identify and explain at least 5 specific powers given to the US government that can have an economic impact on the US economy. 

Then, address each of the following for each identified economic power:

1. Explain how does the exercise of this power can impact the overall state of the US economy.
2. Identify specific examples of how government has used this power in the past, AND discuss the impact of that policy/action.
3. To what extent do you think the interpretation and use of this power impacts people's political views?

Homework: Argumentative Essay

• Develop and argument that explains which political ideology best achieve's the founder's intent to meet the stated goals in the Preamble of the US Constitution.

• Your essay must:
• Articulate a defensible claim or thesis that responds to the prompt and establishes a line of reasoning.
• Support your claim with at least TWO pieces of accurate and relevant information:
• At least ONE foundational document
• US Constitution
• Federalist #10 http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed10.asp
• Brutus 1 http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/brutus-i/
• Use a second piece of evidence from another foundational document from the list or from your own study of political ideology
• Use reasoning to explain why your evidence supports your claim
• Respond to an opposing or alternative perspective using refutation, concession, or rebuttal

0. Scoring the Argument Essay
   A good response should:
   
• 􏰀  Articulate a defensible claim or thesis that responds to the question and establishes a line of reasoning (0–1 point) 
  
• 􏰀  Describe one piece of evidence that is accurately linked to the topic of the question
  (1 out of 3 points); use one piece of specific and relevant evidence to support the argument (2 out of 3 points); use two pieces of specific and relevant evidence to support the argument (3 out of 3 points) 
  
• 􏰀  Explain how or why the evidence supports the claim or thesis (0–1 point) 
  
• 􏰀  Respond to an opposing or alternate perspective using refutation, concession, or rebuttal that is consistent with the argument (0–1 point) 

Close - Post a question!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15z33ZzvDy0cDCaCKkYCjXQcYksSVHeARHTGETG1itN8/edit?usp=sharing