Category: Government

Assessment Descriiption
Please type out a carefully worded personal reflection in fewer than 200 words on the following topic:
Analyze the Christian meaning of the Gospel of Matthew 25:35-40 and Arizona’s tax system, exploring the ethical and social justice implications of each. Be specific about the actions Jesus is inviting his followers to take and how tax policy informs that Christian responsibility. Please consider the types of taxes that are levied and what services are provided with that revenue. Questions you may wish to address include, who pays sales taxes, state income taxes and property taxes? Are those taxes levied equally and fairly? You may also wish to consider the impact of taxation on a wide variety of economic stakeholders. Are their benefits to all tax payers or only to those in need?
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
rubric: Clarifies a personal meaning of Matthew 25 and relates that meaning to specific taxes in Arizona
20 points
Exploration of Ethical and Social Justice Implications
40 points
Analysis of Actions Jesus Invites His Followers to Take and Tax Policy’s Impact
40 points
Consideration of Types of Taxes and Their Fairness
20 points
Assessment of Taxation’s Impact on Economic Stakeholders and Distribution of Benefits
40 points
Thesis, Position, or Purpose
10 points
Development, Structure, and Conclusion
10 points
Evidence
8 points
Mechanics of Writing
8 points
Format/Documentation
4 points
Total
200 points

Write a 650-word essay evaluating either a political movement or a recent story in the news.
Do NOT use any personal pronouns and make sure you are following MLA guidelines.
Click the “Browse My Computer” button below to attach and submit the document.

Cause & Effect OR EVALUATION — Your choice
To write a cause and effect essay, you’ll need to determine a scenario in which one action or event caused certain effects to occur. Then, explain what took place and why! This essay allows us to identify patterns and explain why things turned out the way that they did.
How do I choose a topic and get started? Try choosing a major event, either in your own life or an event of historical significance. For example, The Great Depression.
Cause of The Great Depression: stock market crash
How would we elaborate? We’d discuss the behaviors, carelessness, errors, and even cultural attitudes that led to the crash—explaining why it was devastating.
Effects of the Great Depression: joblessness & poverty
What should we say about the effects?
Businesses went under—explain HOW the crash caused this
Describe poverty in detail—explain how this could’ve been handled more efficiently or even avoided
Narrowing a Large Topic
In a short essay, it might be difficult to tackle the cause and all of the many effects of a big event like the Great Depression. To narrow a cause and effect topic down to a manageable size, ask yourself…
What’s the main (most important) cause? Most people attribute it to the stock market crash, so that’s a good place to start.
Can I break the different types of effects down into categories? Yes! I’ll break my ideas down into categories like: economic, social, employment, practical, and morale effects. (example below)
Which category interests me the most? “Practical effects” is the most interesting. I’ll narrow the topic of my paper down so that my essay will now be about how the stock market crash affected the practical ways that people lived their lives during the Great Depression.
Can that category be broken down even further to make the topic more manageable? I’m actually interested in the ways that the Great Depression affected the farming industry. I want to talk about the new skills and methods that farmers were forced to learn and implement, as a result of their difficult situation.

Review module 1 readings & resources
Who Governs? Elitism, Pluralism, and Tradeoffs by OpenStax is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Engagement in a Democracy by OpenStax is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Structure of U.S. Government
Next, take note of the list of countries below:
China (https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/)
– Iran (https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/)
Russia (https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/
Venezuela (https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/
Further, I would like to also point you in the direction of CIA World Book Facts for additional information on these countries and others. Remember, any information pulled from this report should be properly cited in APA 6th edition style and formatting.
The structure and function of the countries above reflect the definition of an oligarchy; that is, the rule of the elite, be it few or through one individual. This elite system of rulership can take place independently (authoritarian, dictatorship) or coexist with other forms of government such as democracy — including hybrid forms of democracy — theocracy, or, even communism. In terms of democracy, rhetoric in recent years suggests that the U.S. is not wholly democratic; that it is, in fact, an oligarchy. The ever-increasing role of money in campaigning champions this idea, especially in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Elections 2010 Committee. With this in mind, complete the following:
Identify the government structure of the United States; that is, its organization. For example, the three branches of government and where these branches derive their power.
Identify the government structure of one of the countries above; that it, its organization. For example, its branches of government and where these branches, if any, derive their power.
Next, evaluate citizen engagement in American politics; that is, voter participation and/or citizen efforts at lobbying the government. Are their factors that advance or restrain citizen engagement?
Then, evaluate citizen engagement in one of the countries above; that is, voter participation and/or citizen efforts at lobbying the government. Are their factors that advance or restrain citizen engagement?
Finally, evaluate American politics in comparison to the country of your choice. Does America reflect an elite theory of government (oligarchy) or does it reflect a pluralist theory (democracy) of government?
Your paper should be five pages in length, excluding title and reference pages. Four scholarly sources should be used, including two from the FSCJ online library.(1)
Submission
This assignment requires a file upload submission. After you have reviewed the assignment instructions and rubric, as applicable, complete your submission by selecting the Submit Assignment button next to the assignment title. Browse for your file and remember to select the Submit Assignment button below the file to complete your submission. Review the confirmation annotation that presents after submission.
Grading
This assignment is worth 200 points toward your final grade and will be graded using the Case Study Rubric. Please use it as a guide toward successful completion of this assignment.

To outline what committee does, how its membership is divided between republicans and democrats and how frequently it conducts a number of activities including session related to bills investigations and general hearings . How much time does the committee spend working on actual bills ? Are the majority of their meetings in general interest ? What sort of individuals are invited to testify : other government officials academics the public? Access the committee relevant influence in congress

Please summarize the following chapters from the report attached. I would like 1-page executive summaries for each of papers, making sure to include the policy recommendations and the author’s thesis, as well as a brief overview of the background.

Review module 1 readings & resources
Who Governs? Elitism, Pluralism, and Tradeoffs by OpenStax is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Engagement in a Democracy by OpenStax is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Structure of U.S. Government
Next, take note of the list of countries below:
China (https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/)
– Iran (https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/)
Russia (https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/
Venezuela (https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/
Further, I would like to also point you in the direction of CIA World Book Facts for additional information on these countries and others. Remember, any information pulled from this report should be properly cited in APA 6th edition style and formatting.
The structure and function of the countries above reflect the definition of an oligarchy; that is, the rule of the elite, be it few or through one individual. This elite system of rulership can take place independently (authoritarian, dictatorship) or coexist with other forms of government such as democracy — including hybrid forms of democracy — theocracy, or, even communism. In terms of democracy, rhetoric in recent years suggests that the U.S. is not wholly democratic; that it is, in fact, an oligarchy. The ever-increasing role of money in campaigning champions this idea, especially in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Elections 2010 Committee. With this in mind, complete the following:
Identify the government structure of the United States; that is, its organization. For example, the three branches of government and where these branches derive their power.
Identify the government structure of one of the countries above; that it, its organization. For example, its branches of government and where these branches, if any, derive their power.
Next, evaluate citizen engagement in American politics; that is, voter participation and/or citizen efforts at lobbying the government. Are their factors that advance or restrain citizen engagement?
Then, evaluate citizen engagement in one of the countries above; that is, voter participation and/or citizen efforts at lobbying the government. Are their factors that advance or restrain citizen engagement?
Finally, evaluate American politics in comparison to the country of your choice. Does America reflect an elite theory of government (oligarchy) or does it reflect a pluralist theory (democracy) of government?
Your paper should be five pages in length, excluding title and reference pages. Four scholarly sources should be used, including two from the FSCJ online library.(1)
Submission
This assignment requires a file upload submission. After you have reviewed the assignment instructions and rubric, as applicable, complete your submission by selecting the Submit Assignment button next to the assignment title. Browse for your file and remember to select the Submit Assignment button below the file to complete your submission. Review the confirmation annotation that presents after submission.
Grading
This assignment is worth 200 points toward your final grade and will be graded using the Case Study Rubric. Please use it as a guide toward successful completion of this assignment.

To outline what committee does, how its membership is divided between republicans and democrats and how frequently it conducts a number of activities including session related to bills investigations and general hearings . How much time does the committee spend working on actual bills ? Are the majority of their meetings in general interest ? What sort of individuals are invited to testify : other government officials academics the public? Access the committee relevant influence in congress

Please summarize the following chapters from the report attached. I would like 1-page executive summaries for each of papers, making sure to include the policy recommendations and the author’s thesis, as well as a brief overview of the background.

compose an email to your state legislator on a topic of your choice (sending it is optional). Use the composing process as an analytical assignment. Start by ascertaining just who your particular representatives are and then find a topic of interest.
Please use the course text and any additional references you may desire for this assignment. Submit this assignment in the following format: APA essay, include a cover and reference page, no more than 1 page typed and double spaced, with 12-point font and 1-inch margins and with proper grammar such as correct punctuation and complete sentences. Please use “in-text” citations showing in the body of your essay where you used your references.
Please watch the supplemental video: Wolf PAC – How To Call Your Rep In 3 Easy Steps
Dialing up your representative is not so scary once you watch these three easy steps.

AMERICAN POLITICAL PARTIES: IN DISARRAY OR EXPERIENCING A REBIRTH?
A political party is defined as an organization that seeks to achieve power by winning public office in elections. Scholars and pundits have declared the party “over.” However, parties continue to play an important role in elections and in the democratic system.
The Responsible Party Model—This is a party system in which each party offers clear policy alternatives and holds their elected officials responsible for enacting these policies in office.
Components of the model: Parties
develop and clarify alternative policy positions for voters
educate people about issues and simplify choices
recruit candidates for public office who agree with policy positions
organize and direct candidates’ campaigns to win office
hold elected officials accountable for enacting parties’ policy positions
organize legislatures to ensure party control of policy making
Problems with the Model—The following are the most common shortcomings of the responsible party model:
Parties generally do not offer voters clear policy alternatives.
Voter decisions are not motivated primarily by policy considerations.
American political parties have no way to bind their elected officials to party positions or even to their campaign pledges.
The Rise of Candidate-Centered Elections—Candidate-centered politics occurs when individual candidates rather than parties raise funds, create personal organizations, and rely on professional consultants to direct their campaigns. An increase in candidate-centered politics is due to:
The rise of primary elections
An increase in split-ticket voting and the decline of party identification—self-described identification with a political party, usually in response to the question: “Generally speaking, how would you identify yourself: as a Republican, Democrat, Independent, or something else?”
More focus on the candidate, less on his or her party affiliation
The influence of the mass media, particularly television and the Web.
The decline of patronage
The rise of single-issue interest groups, PACs, and “527s”
Parties Are Survivors—Political parties still perform important political functions.
Parties organize elections and narrow the choices of political office seekers confronting the voters.
Parties continue to play an important role in voter choice despite dealignment—a decline in party loyalty among voters and a rise in independent and split-ticket voting.
Party organizations and activists in the states play an important role in guiding their party and in shaping its image with the voters.
The Democratic and Republican parties perform the central task of organizing state legislatures.
MONEY IN STATE POLITICS
Running for public office is an expensive endeavor, especially for statewide office. Most often candidates have to find contributors, and fund-raising is never considered a pleasant task.
What Money Can Do—Money does cause a significant impact on the election outcome.
Campaign spending is more valuable in primary elections.
“Early money” is more valuable than money that comes late in the election cycle.
Campaign spending in primary elections is closely related to electoral outcomes in weak party states.
Campaign spending is more important in larger jurisdictions.
A law of diminishing returns exists after certain amounts of campaign spending levels are reached.
Incumbents have an advantage in raising funds over challengers.
The incumbency advantage itself is greater than heavy campaign spending.
Candidates who outspend their opponents win in two out of three elections.
Most contributors want to be personally asked for money by the candidate.
Fund-raising—Fund-raising techniques have become very sophisticated. Campaign money now is widely funded by political action committees (PACs) which mobilize group financial support for candidates. Most political contributors are well-educated, wealthy, older partisans. However, Internet fund-raising has opened the door for many people to contribute and get involved.
Big Money in the States—The principal sources of campaign donations in a state depend on the economic bases and population makeup.
Campaign Spending in the States—Campaign spending depends on the size of the state in statewide campaigns, and the competitiveness and district size in legislative campaigns.
Third-Party Candidates Face Long Odds—Third-party candidates are at a severe disadvantage in terms of both name recognition and the ability to raise campaign funds. Often their greatest achievement is getting the major parties to adopt some of their principles.
FUNCTIONS OF STATE LEGISLATURES
Enacting Laws
A legislature may enact more than a thousand laws in a single legislative session. The average legislator introduces 10 to 12 bills each year. Collectively, the 50 state legislatures consider more than 101,000 bills each session and pass nearly 19,000.
Considering Constitutional Amendments, Gubernatorial Appointments, and State Courts
State legislatures also have an important role in revising state constitutions and ratifying amendments to the U.S. Constitution. In addition, many gubernatorial appointments require legislative approval. State legislatures also have budgetary authority over state court systems and establishing new courts and more judges as required.
Approving Budgets
The most important constitutionally mandated function of state legislatures is to approve the state budget. This includes both the appropriations and tax measures in the state budget. This power over state finances makes the legislature a powerful branch of government.
Serving Constituents
Legislative work also includes answering the requests of the constituents, responding to letters, phone calls, and e-mails from interest groups in their districts, and servicing the district.
Overseeing State Agencies
Legislative oversight is the monitoring of the activities of state agencies by the legislature and its committees. Most states now have “sunset” laws, which fix termination dates for programs and agencies in order to force the legislature to renew them if the legislators wish the programs to continue.
MAKING OF A STATE LEGISLATOR
State legislators are not representative of the population in their states, and are generally selected from the better-educated, more prestigiously employed, upper-middle-class segments of the population.
Status
State legislators tend to come from the “upwardly mobile” sectors of the population—the “second-rung” elites in the status system rather than the established wealthy.
Occupation
State legislators tend to come from occupations that allow for flexibility, or they are retired. Many are lawyers, business people, educators, and doctors whose jobs allow for extensive public contact.
Education
State legislators are generally well educated.
Age
Legislators have gotten slightly older in recent years due to our aging population and more retired persons running for state legislative offices.
Personal Wealth
Legislators tend to be wealthier than average, and evidence suggests their net worth (the total value of all assets after subtracting the total value of all outstanding debts) increases while in legislative office.
Lawyers
Attorneys are no longer the dominant occupation in state legislatures. However, they are still overrepresented compared to their proportional makeup in the population at large. Lawyers in state legislatures oppose such legislation as insurance and tort reforms.
Amateurs
Most state legislators remain part-time governmental bodies. The “citizen legislator” who spends two months in the state capital and then returns home to his or her business or profession still predominates in the states, but the proportion of full-time legislators is growing.

For this short paper you must accurately cite the exact page number or paragraph number that each major point from the articles answering the question comes from in parentheses at the end of each sentence where you discuss that relevant point — for instance, like this: (Loomis, page 9) or (Beckwith, paragraph 5). For Loomis and Shafer this will be page numbers, for Beckwith and Heuvel it will be paragraph numbers. The assignment is: Using the articles I give you about the electoral college and making sure you refer to the claims made in the readings by all four authors – (1) Loomis, (2) Shafer (note Loomis and Shafer are part of the same document file but two separate readings/authors with one in favor of the electoral college and the other opposed to it — you need to scroll further into the document to find Shafer’s article), (3) Beckwith, and (4) Heuvel – discuss some of the arguments for AND against the president being elected by the electoral college. Thinking about all of the readings, do you think we should keep, abolish, or change (and if so in what way) the electoral college and why?
1. Use the specific readings they are asking you about and make sure you answer all of the questions included in the prompt.
AND
2. Throughout the paper when you refer to an idea/argument/point of those required articles or portions of our textbook, you MUST provide the author or article’s name (just something that clearly identifies the reading – this does not have to be a full formal citation with the author’s full name, publisher, etc.) and then either the page number the information can be found on (for our textbook or a PDF article with page numbers) OR the paragraph number of the article that the information appears in (the first paragraph is 1, the second 2, and so on). You do not need to include a bibliography/works cited list at the end of the paper, because you are only using the assigned readings to write the papers, not outside sources.
sources: https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs
https://guides.loc.gov/federalist-papers/full-text#TheFederalistPapers-10
https://guides.loc.gov/federalist-papers/full-text#TheFederalistPapers-51
https://time.com/4573821/electoral-college-popular-vote-campaigns/