the weaker party

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

Monday, March 10, 2025

Ponies are Dwarf Horses

Posted by The Weaker Party at 9:26 AM

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kjefferies@alvincollege.edu

Alternative News Sources

All of the Trump Administration’s Major Moves
Ballotpedia
Congress.gov
Legislative Reference LIbrary of Texas - Daily Clips
Office of the Federal Register
Presidential Actions
ScotusBlog
Texas Legislature Online
U.S. Constitution Annotated
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Senate
U.S. Supreme Court

Calendar

2024-2025 Academic Calendar
Key Dates - Spring 2025 - 16 week classes ACC

Sections

Section One - Power, Authority, Government, and Politics
Section Two - Constitutions and Charters
Section Three - Federalism and Budgeting
Section Four - Civil Liberties and Criminal Justice
Section Five - Political Institutions
Section Six - Elections and Campaigns
Section Seven - Politics Parties, Interest Groups, and Lobbyists
Section Eight - The Media, Public Opinion, and Public Relations
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

The 1000 Word Essay

Spring 2025: Analyze the accomplishments of the 118th Congress; Analyze the accomplishments of the 88th meeting of the Texas Legislature.
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: For GOVT 2305: Is the United States government democratic or oligarchic? For GOVT 2306: Compare the platforms of the Texas Democratic and Republican Parties. Where are they similar and where are they different?
Spring 2024: 2305: What is Misinformation? How can we tell what is and is not Misinformation? What about Disinformation? 2306: What do the results of the 2024 Texas Primary tell us about the current state of Texas' two major parties?
Fall 2023: What is the Invisible Primary?

Weekly Active Learning (AKA Written) 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?

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

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General Online Resources

1911 Encyclopedia
AmCharts
American Government Definitions
Answers.com
Answers.Com: History, Politics and Society
Archiving Early America
Bob Bullock Historical Museum
CIA World Factbook
City Data
Cliffs Notes: American Government
Dictionary of the History of Ideas
Digital Sanborn Maps
Double Tongued Dictionary
Encyclopedia Britannica Online
Fallacies - The Nizkor Project
From Revolution to Reconstruction
Great Books Index
Historical Statistics of the United States 1789 - 1945
History of the British Monarchy
Houston History
Justice Learning
Keele Guide to Political Views and Ideology
Library of Congress: Prints and Images
LibriVox
National Archives
National Atlas
National Security Archives
Newspaper Archive
Online Etymology Library
Our Documents
Outline of U.S. History - State Department
Political Dictionary
Politics Glossary: WAPO
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Texas Archival Resources Online
Texas Handbook Online
Texas Online -- The Official Portal
Texas Politics: Online Textbook
Texas State Library
The Ancient Library
The Avalon Project
The Center for American History
The First Measured Century
The Fiscal Year 2009 U.S. Budget
The Founders' Constitution
The International World History Project
The Library of Economics and Liberty
The Online Library of Liberty
ThisNation.com
Thomas
Times Topics
Times Topics: People
U.S. Census Bureau
WEPIN - Index to Anti-Federalist Papers
Where the Money Goes
Wiki Summary
Wikimapia
Wikipedia
Word Spy

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

Political Parties

Brazoria County Democratic Party
Brazoria County Republican Party
Encyclopedia of Political Parties and Elections
Fort Bend County Democrats
Fort Bend County Republican Party
Galveston County Democratic Party
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

All About Redistricting
Ballot Access News
Ballotpedia
Brazoria County Ballot for May 10, 2008 Elections
Brazoria County Elected Officials
Brazoria County: Elections
Cook Political Report
CQ 2008 Election Guide
Election Law Blog
FactCheck
Federal Election Commission
fivethirtyeight
Frontloading
Gallup: Election 2008 Polls
Galveston County: Elections
Harris County: Elections
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance
League of Women Voters
NCSL: Voter ID Requirements
Non Profit Vote
November General Election Candidates
NYT: 2010 Exit Polls
NYT: Elections 2008 Page
Political Maps
Politifact
RedistrictingOnline.org
Texas Redistricting
Texas Secretary of State: Elections Division
The Campaign Trail
The Center for Voting and Democracy
The Electoral Knowledge Project
The Living Room Candidate
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
U.S. Election Atlas
U.S. General Election Exit Polls Series
United States Election Project
Voter History
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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
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NYT: 2008 Exit Poll
Pew Hispanic Center
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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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