WELCOME TO PLANNING FOR

ECONOMIC GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT

SEMINAR 3:

AMERICAN POLITICAL AND

SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS

Contact

Office Hours: Primary – Phone 770-375-6774 and occasionally I will be on “Google Chat, Tuesday’s 4pm to 6pm eastern

E-mail : TSeabrooks@kaplan.edu

Seminar’s - Monday’s 10pm to 11pm Eastern Time

10 Points for each seminarAlternative Assignment

October 2012

0/08; 10/15; and 10/29 3 Seminars

November 2012

11/05; 11/12; 11/19 3 Seminar

DISCUSSION TOPIC

Discussion Board – Each week there is one or two discussion questions, worth 20 points

Across at least 3 days a weekResponse to the Topic question(s)Responses to at least 2 classmates

Responses are original, thoughtful, relevant, include original evaluation, and advance the discussionPlease ensure contributions are made in a timely manner to allow for student feedback

(Week’s 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8 has 2 Topics)

DISCUSSION TOPIC

Discussion Board – Each week there is one or two discussion questions, worth 20 points

Communications must be professional and civil at all times. All posts must be done in an environment which is collaborative.Please make sure your message is substantive – more than “I agree” or less than a paragraph response.When you use information from our textbook or other sources you MUST cite references. Wait to response to a message that upsets you and be careful of what you say and how you say it. (Contact Professor)

(Week’s 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8 has 2 Topics)

Unit 3 – American Political & Social Institutions

1.Read: Lecture Notes

2.Review: Internet Resources

3.Take part in the Discussion Board - 20 Points (2 Question)

4.Attend Seminar - 10 Points (10/08/2012)

5.Review the upcoming Assignment (PowerPoint) due in Unit 4 - 135 Points (October 16th)

AMERICAN POLITICAL AND SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS

AMERICAN GOVERNMENT – THE BASICS

This Seminar is very important in that it helps bring in the political side of policymaking as it pertains to Economic Growth and Development.

It is essential that you understand that such policies do not arise randomly, but are the products of a complex combination of institutions, political parties, elected officials, and special interests, all aiming to codify their policy preferences into law.

AMERICAN GOVERNMENT – THE BASICS

In this Seminar, we will briefly

review the basics in American

Government that you learned in

earlier courses and then apply

them directly to the formulation

of policies aimed at promoting

Economic Growth and

Development.

AMERICAN GOVERNMENT – THE BASICS

Since the American Government is a system of federalism, meaning several levels of government, as well as separated powers at both the national and state level, we must distinguish their respective charges and jurisdictions.

Moreover, the “Supremacy Clause” in the Constitution makes it clear that national law supersedes state law in most circumstances, but that will not preclude us from studying state-level policymaking.

PRESIDENT & CONGRESS

THE PRESIDENT

At the national level, the President since 1970, uses the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to help him streamline the bureaucratic demands on the annual Federal Budget, keeping out requests that the president opposes while championing and enforcing the policies he prefers.

Presidents also have the “bully pulpit,” the unique ability to use the media to make his case to the nation, often in order to pressure Congress to go along with his agenda.

CONGRESS

Congress also has its number

crunching organization, the

Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

The Congress has a distinct method

for making economic policies,

namely its party structure of leaders

and whips, as well as its

committees.

CONGRESS

Several committees in both the House and Senate are integral to economic policy making.

Each has a Budget Committee, charged with crafting the Budget Resolution, which tries to balance the demands of the President and members of Congress.

The House also has the Ways and Means Committee, which is its official tax-writing committee;

The Senate has its Finance Committee.

POLITICAL PARTIES

UNIT 3 – DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEMOCRATS & REPUBLICANS

HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WAT

CH?V=RL8KNTZ7OJS&FEATURE=RELA

TED

DO YOU AGREE WITH THE VIDEO?

UNIT 3 – DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEMOCRATS & REPUBLICANS

DO YOU AGREE WITH THE

VIDEO?

POLITICAL PARTIES

Similarly, the two major political

parties, the Republicans and

Democrats, vie for control of each

branch of government at both the state

and national level (and the local level).

Each party has its philosophy of

government, meaning how best to use

these institutions to create laws and

policies reflecting these preferences.

POLITICAL PARTIES

In general, Republicans prefer less government and Democrats more government involvement when it comes to promoting Economic Growth and Development.

Their national and state platforms, produced every four years with the presidential election cycle, offer great insights into their stands across major policy issues, both economic and otherwise.

INTEREST GROUPS

Such social institutions as Labor Unions and Chambers of Commerce remain powerful special interests helping their friends and opposing their competitors at the national and state levels to get the policies they prefer. Key questions to ask when studying special interests is,

“What do they offer to political parties and policy makers?

Under what circumstances do special interests work with and against them?

Do they contribute to or deter policy making?”

UNIT 3 – WHAT IS A REPUBLIC? WHAT IS A DEMOCRACY?

HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=R2MDF_UH8ZS

UNIT 3 DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS & BIG

GOVERNMENT

HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WAT

CH?V=XCGVTEMZH0G

Unit 4 – Assessing Institutions’ influence on the Process of Economic Development

1.Read: Lecture Notes

2.Review: Internet Resources

3.Take part in the Discussion Board - 20 Points (2 Question)

4.Attend Seminar - 10 Points (10/15/2012)

5.Submit Unit 4 Assignment (PowerPoint) - 135 Points (October 16th)

UNIT 4 ASSIGNMENT

UNIT 4 ASSIGNMENT

The unit assignment requires that you present an original analysis of these policies using real data from Excel spreadsheets and present your findings via a PowerPoint presentation.

This assignment will help you learn how to effectively convey data and/or statistical results that are easy for viewers to understand.

UNIT 4 ASSIGNMENT

For the presentation, you will use primary national-level data to make observations regarding the influence of the political process and Economic Growth and Development.

In your presentation, summarize the data, your statistical manipulations, the political parties’ platform stances on the related issue, and your analyses of them.

UNIT 4 ASSIGNMENT

Step 1: Use the provided Excel spreadsheets to collect and analyze the data

Step 2: After collecting the data, break down the data by partisan control of the national government

Step 3: Once you have collected and graphed your data, convey your analysis of the data via a PowerPoint presentation.

UNIT 4 ASSIGNMENT

Specifically, did you find noticeable differences in these indicators of economic-oriented policy preferences? Did these indicators reflect the basic philosophical preferences of the parties? For instance, did Republican governments have

noticeably lower tax rates than Democratic governments, etc., as indicated by the national party platforms examined in Unit 3?

UNIT 4 ASSIGNMENT

Partisan Control of Each of the Three Major National Elected Branches of Government1969-2009

Year Presidency House Senate1969 Republican Democrat Democrat1970 Republican Democrat Democrat1971 Republican Democrat Democrat1972 Republican Democrat Democrat1973 Republican Democrat Democrat1974 Republican Democrat Democrat1975 Republican Democrat Democrat1976 Republican Democrat Democrat1977 Democrat Democrat Democrat1978 Democrat Democrat Democrat1979 Democrat Democrat Democrat1980 Democrat Democrat Democrat1981 Republican Democrat Republican1982 Republican Democrat Republican1983 Republican Democrat Republican1984 Republican Democrat Republican1985 Republican Democrat Republican1986 Republican Democrat Republican1987 Republican Democrat Democrat1988 Republican Democrat Democrat1989 Republican Democrat Democrat1990 Republican Democrat Democrat1991 Republican Democrat Democrat1992 Republican Democrat Democrat1993 Democrat Democrat Democrat1994 Democrat Democrat Democrat1995 Democrat Republican Republican1996 Democrat Republican Republican1997 Democrat Republican Republican1998 Democrat Republican Republican1999 Democrat Republican Republican2000 Democrat Republican Republican2001 Republican Republican Democrat2002 Republican Republican Democrat2003 Republican Republican Republican2004 Republican Republican Republican2005 Republican Republican Republican2006 Republican Republican Republican2007 Republican Democrat Democrat2008 Republican Democrat Democrat2009 Democrat Democrat Democrat

UNIT 4 ASSIGNMENT

Specifically, did you find noticeable differences in these indicators of economic-oriented policy preferences?

Did these indicators reflect the basic philosophical preferences of the parties (for instance, did Republican governments have noticeably lower tax rates than Democratic governments, etc., as indicated by the national party platforms examined in Unit 3)?

UNIT 4 ASSIGNMENT

Length should be minimum of 6-8 slides, excluding title and references slides; fonts ranging from 14- to 20-point font (Larger fonts are reserved for titles or emphasis only).

Include speaker notes to explain each slideUse graphs/tables to support your analysisCite all sources on a separate reference slide

at the end of your presentation and cited within the body of your paper using APA format

UNIT 4 DISCUSSION TOPICS

Unit 4 – Republican & Democratic Policies

Using the data files provided, does it appear that Republican or Democratic governments presided over

greater rates of economic growth?

1.Did periods of divided control of the national government yield the highest rates of economic growth? What about growth in the national debt, unfunded mandates, social welfare entitlement spending, and growth in federal regulations?

2.Identify these trends and offer your insights into the role of political parties, partisan control of the main institutions of government, and basic trends in the relevant data that help assess their effects.

Unit 4 – Republican & Democratic Policies

Using the data files provided, does it appear that Republican or Democratic governments presided over

greater rates of economic growth?

Post your findings on the discussion board. Consider this a good primer for your PowerPoint presentation assignment.

Please feel free to share any research/information or simple every day impressions/applications you find throughout the week that will aid in our understanding of U.S. state and national political and social institutions affect Economic Growth and Development.

Unit 4 – Economic Growth

1.Using the data files provided, does it appear that Republican or Democratic governments presided over greater rates of economic growth?

2.Did periods of divided control of the national government yield the highest rates of economic growth? What about growth in the national debt, unfunded mandates, social welfare entitlement spending, and growth in federal regulations?

3.Identify these trends and offer your insights into the role of political parties, partisan control of the main institutions of government, and basic trends in the relevant data that help assess their effects.

REFERENCES

Taylor, J. B. & Weerapana, A., (2010). Principles of macroeconomics (6th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage

Learning.

Todaro, M. P. & Smith, S.C., (2009). Economic development (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

Adjourn

Have a great week…

“See” you on the Discussion Boards

Goodnight!