Last Paper 2024

  Pick one:

• For responsible party government to happen, writes Hershey (p. 338), "all the elected branches of government would have to be controlled by the same party at a particular time." [Emphasis in the original.]  This situation existed in 2017-18, and again in 2021-22.  So did we have responsible party government during these periods?  Explain with reference to class readings, discussions, and outside research.
• This article suggests a parliamentary system for the United States:   https://nationalinterest.org/feature/america-needs-parliament-17220.  Agree or disagree?  Explain.
• The Hershey book came out shortly after the 2020 election.  Pick any chapter and explain how events since then would require her to revise her analysis.
• Who is going to win the presidential election?  In your answer, take account of political science theories (see the "introduction to forecasting" article on Sakai), public opinion surveys, and the current state of the country.
• Explain the importance of the rural vote in the 2024 Senate elections.
• Explain how the January 6 investigations and prosecutions affected the power of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers.
• Pick a relevant topic of your choice, subject to my approval.  If you have a passion that bears a plausible connection to American political parties, write about it.

The specifications:

• Essays should be typed, double-spaced, and no more than four pages long. I will not read past the fourth page. 
• Submit papers as Word documents, not pdfs or Google docs.
• Cite your sources with endnotes in standard Turabian format. Endnote pages do not count against the page limit.
• Misrepresenting AI-generated content as your own work is plagiarism and will result in severe consequences.
• Watch your spelling, grammar, diction, and punctuation. Errors will count against you  -- especially errors that I have noted on previous papers.
• Graduating seniors should return papers to the Sakai dropbox for this class by 11:59 PM, Wednesday, May 1.  All others should return papers by 11:59 PM, Friday, May 3.