Remember to input your answer to this question in blackboard!!!
A good way to set us up for the semester - where we will look at each individual governing institution separately - is to look at how they relate to each other. A major point made in 2301 was that a defining feature of American government is the separated powers, and the main factor which maintains the separated powers is the checks and balances which is driven by personal ambition.
If you need to reread Federalist #51 to remind yourself of the point, please do. As we will see this semester - the design of each institution takes into consideration how each institution is likely attacked by the others two and is given powers to resist this encroachment.
I want you to look at the contemporary governing landscape and find examples of ambitious individuals in each institution attacking the other two. Also determine how these institutions are in a position to protect themselves. I want you to find examples within each of the three governing institutions. You can look at the national or state levels. I'd suggest looking through the New York Times or the Washington Post for information, but many other sources are fine.
The goal is two fold - first to get you used to the manner in which the governing institutions operate and second to get you familiar with how to get access to that information.
