the weaker party

If you don't know the rules, you don't know how to play the game.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Americans Would Swap Electoral College for Popular Vote

Americans Would Swap Electoral College for Popular Vote

Posted by The Weaker Party at 12:22 PM

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kjefferies@alvincollege.edu

Fall 2024 - Weekly Schedule

Fall 2024 - Daily Schedule

Academic Calendar

2023-2024 Academic Calendar
2024-2025 Academic Calendar

The 1000 Word Essay

Fall 2024: For GOVT 2305 - Are the Major Parties Realigning?
Fall 2024: For GOVT 2306 - Is Texas Becoming a Swing State?
Summer 2 2024: For GOVT 2305 2INS3 and 2INP3 Unpack a Recent Decision of the United States Supreme Court
Summer 2 2024: For GOVT 2306 2IN01: Describe a Conflict between the State of Texas and the United States
Summer 2 2024: For GOVT 2306 2IN02: What is the Death Star Bill? What might its impact be on local governments in Texas?
Summer 1 2024: Essay Topic
Spring 2024: Essay Topic
Fall 2023: Essay Topic

Weekly Active Learning Assignments

Active Learning Assignment #1
Active Learning Assignment #2
Active Learning Assignment #3
Active Learning Assignment #4
Active Learning Assignment #5
Active Learning Assignment #6
Active Learning Assignment #7
Active Learning Assignment #8
Active Learning Assignment #9
Active Learning Assignment #10
Active Learning Assignment #11
Active Learning Assignment #12
Weekly Assignments for Spring 2023

Highlighted Posts

Ken Paxton's Impeachment
Recent lawsuits challenging the Harris County elections of 2022
What my students might want to be when they grown up
Who Represents Ricky the Railcat? Or, Who Represents Robert Turner High School?

Sections

Section One - What is Government?
Section Two - Constitutions
Section Three - Federalism
Section Four - Civil Liberties
Section Five - Political Institutions
Section Six - Elections and Campaigns
Section Seven - Parties and Interest Groups
Section Eight - The Media and Public Opinion
Section Nine - The Governing Institutions
Section Ten - The Legislature
Section Eleven - The Executive
Section Twelve - The Judiciary
Section Thirteen - Public Policy and Equal Treatment
Section Fourteen - Public Finance and Economic Policy
Section Fifteen - Domestic Policy
Section Sixteen - Foreign Policy

I'll use these if I have to

1 Hour Of 6-Tone Car Alarm Siren HD
10 Hours of The Screaming Sheep
Bad Saxophone Solo - Christian Song "Give Thanks"
Boomhauer talks for 1 hour
Kazoo Kid (10 HOURS)
Metal Machine Music, Pt. 2
Mission Impossible - Flute Fail
Nails On Chalkboard | Annoying Sounds with Peter Baeten
Orderrrrrrrrr! UK parliament speaker John Bercow's memorable moments
Scurvy ain't for the likes of me for 10 minutes
Shannon- Henry Gross
SIster Mary Elephant - Claaass - wake up
The Night Chicago Died (Paper Lace)

Section 1 - GOVT 2305 (Constitutions and Budgets)

The Deficiencies of the Articles of Confederation
Aristotle and His Classification of Government
Britain's Unwritten Constitution
British Colonization of the Americas - Merchant Adventurers
Checks and Balances
Civil Liberties
Constitutions, Charters, Statutory Code, etc . . .
Declaration of Independence - United States
Fiscal Federalism
Laws enacted by the First General Assembly of Virginia
Limits on Judges
Limits on Police
Limits on Prosecutors
Limits on Punishment
Max Weber: Power and Authority
Political Liberty: Speech, Press, Assembly, Petition
Public Finance: Government Expenditures
Public Finance: Government Revenue
Religious Liberty: Establishment and Free Exercise
Substantive Liberties
Territorial History of the USA: Every Month for 400 Years
The _______ Powers (fill in the blank)
The 10th Amendment - The Reserved Powers
The 14th Amendment
The 27 Amendments to the Unites States Constitution
The 9th Amendment: The Unenumerated Rights
The Enumerated Powers
The First Virginia Charter 1606
The Incorporation of the Bill of Rights to the States
The Original United States Constitution
The Procedural Liberties
The Separation of Powers
What is a Government?
What is Corruption?
What is Federalism?
What is Politics?
Why do you have to take this class? Part 1
Why do you have to take this class? Part 2

Section 2 - GOVT 2305 (The Political Institutions)

A History of Interests in the United States
A rage for paper money . . .
Campaign Finance
Campaigns
Collective Action, the Free Rider Problem and Selective Incentives
Elections - Basic Concepts
Elections in the United States Constitution
Elections, Appointments, and the Separated Powers
Federalist 10
Freedom of Assembly: Interest Groups and Political Parties
Freedom of Speech: Public Opinion
Freedom of the Press: The Media
Freedom to Petition: Lobbying
Information, Disinformation, and Misinformation
Interest Groups
Is a Campaign Finance Constitutionally Protected Free Speech? Buckley v Valeo
Is Voting a Right Guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution?
Issue Networks, Iron Triangles, and the Revolving Door
Parties as Organizations
Parties in the Electorate
Parties in the Government
Political Culture
Political Eras of the United States
Political Parties
Public Opinion and Ideology
Suffrage
The Battle Over Suffrage
The First Amendment and the Political Institutions
The Political Institutions
The Voting Rights Act and Shelby v Holder
U.S. Election Code
Voter Registration
What is a Mega Donor?
What is a Political Action Committee (PAC)?
What is a Super PAC?
What is Democracy?

Section 3 - GOVT 2305 (The Governing Institutions)

The Governing Institutions
The Separation of Powers
Representation, Efficiency, and Fairness
What is a representative? What is an administrator? What is a judge?
The Checks and Balances
The Legislative Power
The U.S. Constitution - Article One
Congress
United States Code
The Executive Power
The U.S. Constitution - Article Two
U.S. Administrative Law
The Presidency
The Bureaucracy
The Judicial Power
The U.S. Constitution - Article Three
U.S. Case Law
The U.S. Supreme Court
The Federal Courts

Section 4 - GOVT 2305

What Is Public Policy?
Market Failure
Public Goods - What are they? What types exist?
Federalism and Public Policy
Public Policy and the Enumerated Powers
Foreign Policy

Section 1 - GOVT 2306 (Constitutions and Budgets)

A collection of videos regarding counties in Texas
All About the 2024-2025 Texas Budget
Amendments to the 1876 Texas Constitution
Constitutions, Charters, Statutory Code, etc . . .
Declaration of Independence - Texas
Federalism
Fiscal Size-Up: Areas of Spending
From the Texas Education Agency: Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for K - 12. Government
Local Government
Terminology for GOVT 2306 Module 1
Texas Constitution, Article 11: Municipal Corporations
Texas Constitution, Article 9: Counties
Texas Local Government Code
The Constitutions of Texas
The Current Texas Constitution
The First Virginia Charter 1606
The Harris County 2024 Budget
The original 1876 Texas Constitution
The States within the United States Constitutional System
Video: Annexation History - Planning and Development Department - City of Houston
Video: How the Texas Budget Works: An Overview
Video: Territorial History of the USA: Every Month for 400 Years
Video: What is a Constitution's Purpose?
Video: What is the Purpose of Article IV?
What are Single Purpose Governments?

Section 2 - GOVT 2306 (The Political Institutions)

Campaign Finance
Campaigns
Collective Action, the Free Rider Problem and Selective Incentives
Elections
Elections in the Unites States Constitution
For Comparison: The U.S. and Texas Bills of Rights
Interest Groups
Political Culture
Political Freedom
Political Parties
Public Opinion and Ideology
Suffrage
Terminology for GOVT 2306 Module 2
Texas Constitution - Article 6 - Suffrage
Texas Election Code
Texas Party Platforms
The First Amendment and the Political Institutions
The Political Institutions
What is a Megadonor?
What is a Political Action Committee?
What is a Super PAC?
What is Democracy?

Section 3 - GOVT 2306 (The Governing Institutions)

Terminology for GOVT 2306 Module 3
The Governing Institutions
The Separation of Powers
The Texas Legislature - Relevant Links
The Texas Executive: Elective Offices - Relevant Links
The Texas Executive: The Bureaucracy - Relevant Links
The Texas Judiciary - Relevant Links
The Legislative Power
The Executive Power
The Judicial Power

Section 4 - GOVT 2306 (Public Policy)

Terminology for GOVT 2306 Module 4
Market Failure
What Is Public Policy?
Categories of Public Policies
Federalism and Public Policy
Fiscal Size-Up - Areas of Public Policy in Texas
Education Policy in Texas
Health and Human Services Policy in Texas
Business and Economic Development Policy in Texas
Criminal Justice and Public Safety in Texas
Natural Resources Policy in Texas
Regulatory Policy in Texas
Laws related to Women, Children, Families, and Marriage
The Culture Wars

Terms and Lecture Notes

. . . A rage for paper money
117th Congress - Major Laws
1st United States Congress
An Overview of Public Policy
Appointments
Campaign Finance
Campaign Professionals
Campaigns
Candidates
Checks and Balances
City Ordinances
Civil Liberties and the Bill of Rights
Constitutions and Charters
Declaration of Independence - Texas
Declaration of Independence - United States
Disinformation
Economic Policy
Elections
Elections in the United States Constitution
Equal Protection / Civil Rights
Executive Departments and Agencies
Federalism
Federalism and Public Policy
Federalist 10
Federalist 51
For Comparison: The U.S. and Texas Bills of Rights
Foreign Policy
Forms of Government: Aristotle and His Classification of Government
Interest Groups
Lobbying
Local Government
Market Failure
No Really . . . why do you have to take this class? Part 1
No really . . . why do you have to take this class? Part 2
Political Culture
Political Parties
Political Polarization
Popular Sovereignty - Dual Sovereignty - Tribal Sovereignty
Public Goods - What are they? What types exist?
Public Opinion
Public Policy
Public Policy and the Enumerated Powers
Regulatory Policy
Social Policy
State Political Culture
Suffrage
Territorial History of the USA: Every Month for 400 Years
Texas Constitution - Amendments
Texas Constitution - current version
Texas Constitution - Development
Texas Constitution - original 1876 versiobn
Texas Election Code
Texas Legislature - 88th Regular Session
Texas Public Policy - Fiscal Size-Up: Areas of Spending / State Agencies
The Bureaucracy
The Culture Wars
The deficiencies of the confederated system
The Executive
The Federal System
The First Amendment and the Political Institutions
The First Virginia Charter 1606
The Fiscal Size-Up
The Governing Institutions
The Judiciary
The Legislature
The Political Institutions
The Powell Memo
The Press
The Separated Powers
The Separated Powers and The Checks and Balances
The States within the United States Constitutional System
U.S. Constitution: The Enumerated Powers - Article 1, Section 8
U.S. Executive Departments - The First Three
United States Executive Agencies created in the 19th Century
United States Executive Departments Created in the 20th Century
Voter Turnout and Political Behavior
Washington's Farewell Address 1796
What is Power
What Is Public Policy?

Daily Readings and General Info

Ballotpedia
Bills and Resolutions introduced in Congress
C-Span: Congressional Chronicle
Constitution Annotated
Gammel's Laws of Texas
Good Party: Glossary
Open States: Texas Legislature
Quorum Report - Daily Buzz
ScotusBlog Round-Up
Texas Legislature Online: General Reports
Texas State Law Library: Case Law
Texas State Law Library: Research Guides by Topic
Texas Tribune: Texas Legislature 2023
TLRL: Daily Clips
U.S. Congress - Bills to be considered by the House Floor
U.S. Congress - Bills to be considered by the Senate Floor

1000 Word Essay Topics

For Spring 2023: 1000 word topics for 2305 and 2306
For Fall 2022 - 2023 mini semester: Legislative Priorities for Interest Groups in Texas
For Fall 2022: Evaluate Legislative Activity
For Summer 2022: Major cases from the 2021-2022 Supreme Court session

Texas Legislative Priorities - 88th Session

Priorities for the 88th Session the Texas Legislature
1 - Property Tax Relief
2 - The Power Grid
3 - Border Security
4 - Law Enforcement
5 - Education
6 - Elections
7 - Guns
8 - LGBTQ Texan's Rights
9 - Abortion
10 - Health Care
All About the Texas Budget
An update on priority legislation in the Texas Legislature 3/19/23

GOVT 2305 - Chapter Terms

GOVT 2305 Chapter One: Introduction

GOVT 2306 - Chapter Terms

Chapter One: Lone Star Politics
Chapter Two: Lone Star Politics - Constitutions
Chapter Three: Lone Star Politics - Texas Legislature
Chapter Four: Lone Star Politics – Texas Governors
Chapter Five: Lone Star Politics - The Plural Executive and Bureaucracy in Texas
Chapter Six: Lone Star Politics - Texas Judicial System
Chapter Seven: Lone Star Politics - Texas Sized Justice
Chapter Eight: Lone Star Politics - Campaigns and Elections, Texas Style
Chapter Nine: Lone Star Politics - Political Parties
Chapter Ten: Lone Star Politics - Organized Interests
Chapter Eleven: Lone Star Politics - Local Government in Texas
Chapter Twelve: Lone Star Politics - Fiscal Policy
Chapter Thirteen: Lone Star Politics - Energy, Environment, Transportation, and Trade Policies: Transforming Texas
Chapter Fourteen: Lone Star Politics - Social Policy: Education, Health, and Immigration
GOVT 2305 Key Terms - Chapter One: Introduction
Key Terms - Week 2
Key Terms - Week 3
Key Terms - Week 4
Key Terms - Week 5
Key Terms - Week 6
Key Terms - Week 7
Key Terms - Week 8
Key Terms - Week 9
Key Terms - Week 10
Key Terms - Week 11
Key Terms - Week 12

Blog Archive

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General Online Resources

Constitutional Links

Avalon: Documentary Record
Constitution Daily
Constitution Finder
Constitutional Law Prof Blog
Justia US Constitution
LOC: Creating the Constitution
National Constitutional Center
Texas Constitution
The Constitution - Analysis and Interpretation
The Constitutional Accountability Center
The Founder's Constitution
U.S. Constitution - Findlaw
U.S. Constitution - U.S, Archives
U.S. Constitution - Wikipedia
U.S. Constitution Online
onecle.com: analysis and interpretation

Networks

Iron Triangles
LittleSis
Muckety
Program on Networked Governance
The Issue Crawler
Visual Complexity

Budgeting

Budget of the United States Government
CBO: Monthly Budget Review
Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
Economic History of the United States
Federal Tax Brackets
History of the U.S. Tax System
NYT: Obama's 2012 Budget
NYT: You Fix the Budget
State Budget Solutions
Taxation History of the United States
Texas Budget Source
Texas Legislative Budget Board
Texas State and Local Tax Law Blog
Texas Taxpayers and Research Association
United States Public Debt

Legislative Links

Alvin City Council
C-Span Congressional Glossary
Congress 101
Congress.org
Congressional Bills
Congressional Caucuses
Congressional Committee Material
Congressional Documents
Congressional Hearings
Congressional Institute
Congressional Record
Congressional Reports
Congressional Research Service
Congresspedia
Dennis Bonnen - Texas House District 25
GovTrack: Members of Congress and Their Districts
Jefferson's Manual
John Cornyn - U.S. Senate
Kay Bailey Hutchison - U.S. Senate
Legislative Glossary
Legislative Reference Library of Texas
Legistorm
Lieutenant Governors of Texas
Membership of the 111th Congress: A Profile
Membership of the 112th Congress: A Profile
Mike Jackson - Texas Senate District 11
NYT: Inside Congress
National Committee for an Effective Congress
Open CRS Network
OpenCongress
Public and Private Laws
Roles and Duties of a Member of Congress
Roll Call
Ron Paul - U.S. House Texas District 14
S. 1
Senate Glossary
Technorati: Congress
Telicon
Texas House Journals
Texas House Research Organization
Texas House of Representatives
Texas Legislative Council
Texas Legislative Information
Texas Legislature Online
Texas Senate
Texas Senate Journals
Texas Speakers
Texas Statutes
Texas Statutes
The Dirksen Congressional Center
The Hill
The Hill: Lawmaker Ratings
The Library of Congress
The Texas Legislative Process
Thomas - Legislative Information
U.S. Congressional Lawmaking and Debates
U.S. Government Accountability Office
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. House: The House Explained
U.S. Senate
United States Congressional District Shapefiles
United States Congressional Serial Set
Washington Post: U.S. Congress Votes Database
voteview

Executive Links

A Visual History of the American Presidency
ABA Report on Signing Statements
Alvin, Texas City Manager
Alvin, Texas Mayor
American Presidents Blog
American Presidents Online Resources
American Presidents: C-Span
Code of Federal Regulations
Compilation of Presidential Documents
Executive Agencies: FindLaw
Federal Register
Governors of Texas
Index of Presidential Signing Statements
Pardon Power
Potus - Tracker
Presidential Rhetoric
Technorati: President
Texas Attorney General
Texas Comptroller
Texas Ethics Commission
Texas Governor
The American Presidency Project
The Center for the Study of the Presidency
The Texas Register
The White House
Times Topics: Barack Obama
Times Topics: George W. Bush
Times Topics: Presidents and the Presidency
USA.gov
vicepresidents.com

Judicial Links

Alvin Municipal Court
American Judicature Society
C-Span: U.S. Supreme Court
FindLaw
FindLaw: Supreme Court Center
Flashcards: Con Law- Concept Cards
Harris County Courts
Harvard Law Review
History of the Supreme Court
Houston Municipal Court
Judgepedia
Juror History
Landmark Supreme Court Cases
National Center for State Courts
On The Docket: Northwestern University Law School
OYEZ: Supreme Court Media
Point of Law
Sandra Day O'Connor Project on the State of the Judiciary
ScotusWiki
Supreme Court Practice, Ninth Edition
Supreme Court Statistics
Technorati: Supreme Court
Texas Courts Online
Texas Municipal Courts Association
Texas Municipal Courts Education Center
Texas Review of Law and Politics
The Supreme Court Historical Society
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The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
The U.S. Supreme Court
Times Topics: U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Courts
United States Courts: Education Resources
Washington Post: Supreme Court

Political Parties

Brazoria County Democratic Party
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Encyclopedia of Political Parties and Elections
Fort Bend County Democrats
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Galveston County Republican Party
Harris County Democratic Party
Harris County Republican Party
Polarized America
Texas Democratic Party
Texas Democratic Party 2008 Platform
Texas Democratic Party--Handbook of Texas
Texas Republican Party
Texas Republican Party 2008 Platform
Texas Republican Party--Handbook of Texas
The Fall of Conservatism
The Rules of the Texas Demnocratic Party
U.S. Democratic Party
U.S. Republican Party

Elections

Campaigning and Public Relations

Blakemore and Associates
Campos Communications
Complete Campaigns
Empower Texans PAC
Fero Hewitt Global
Johnston Campaigns
Open Secrets: Super PACs
The Word Doctors

Money in Politics

Follow the Money
Open Secrets
Texans for Public Justice

Polls

American National Election Studies
American Research Group
Edison/Mitofsky Exit Polls
Houston Area Survey
Knowledge Networks
Media Curves
MSNBC exit polls
New York Times Polls
NYT: 2008 Exit Poll
Pew Hispanic Center
Pew Research Center
Pew Research Center: People and the Press
Pollster
President Bush's Approval Ratings
Presidential Approval Center
Rasmussen Reports
Real Clear Politics: Polls
Texas Lyceum Poll
The Gallup Poll
Zogby International

Interest Groups

AFL-CIO
American Civil Liberties Union
Christian Coalition
Free Market Foundation
National Association of Counties
National Conference of State Legislatures
National League of Cities
National Rifle Association
Texas Association of Business

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