Politics is a contest between parties over what
vision of the good will guide our common life. Aristotle
Every human benefit, every virtue and every prudent act,
is founded on compromise. Edmund Burke

Purpose: The basic premise of this course is that most, if not all Americans do not think about the American National Government. Everyone has an opinion, and most people can argue their opinion when prompted. However, almost no none understands the theory of the American government. Very few Americans have an informed opinion about issues, understand the origins of American governance thus understanding the process. Most do not take the time to analyze events, within a theoretical framework, to arrive at a good understanding of events.
This Honors course is designed to give the advanced student an opportunity to do more in-depth types of work. Toward this end, a great deal more is expected of students. The benefit is the student will gain greater insight and knowledge into the American government. However, it remains an introductory level course. As such, the primary aim is the imparting of foundational knowledge about American government and politics.

Goals: The goals in this Honors course are ample but realistic. They are to acquaint you with the actual workings, the stated and unstated principles, and the formal and informal structures of the American government. I hope to nurture in you some interest in American politics, some respect for learning and studying, some ability to read more critically and think more rigorously, and some excitement about the college experience. Another goal is to introduce you to professional Political Science; how Political Scientists study politics. My aim is not to recruit you to the discipline. But, an Honors course in a discipline should introduce the discipline in addition to the material.

Procedure: Most classes will be of the lecture/discussion format. This does not abrogate the student of any work. This is a course of ideas but the ideas come from the students. There will be many opportunities for you to have ideas but you must create your own personal set of ideas. They may be the same as your friends or your parents but they must be yours, not theirs. Thus, participation in class is crucial, not just for the course but for your personal development. In addition, one class per week will be reserved for student presentations. (See below)

Policies: All University policies are in effect for this course. The University Honor Code is the most important policy in this class. It is taken, by me, with the utmost seriousness. http://www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode/Home.html Familiarize yourself with these policies especially in regards to incompletes, drops/add, withdrawal, etc. Students are expected to attend all classes, do all reading prior to the class and take all exams at the appointed times. No make-up exams will be given. No ‘‘extra credit’’ is ever given.
If you have specific physical, psychiatric, or learning disabilities and require accommodations, please let me know early in the semester so that your learning needs may be appropriately met. You will need to provide documentation of your disability to the Disability Services Office in Willard 322 (phone 303-492-8671).
If you have any problems with the college, the course, the material or me, please come see me. If there is anything I can help you with please come see me. I am here to help.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Books & Materials

Textbook:

James Q. Wilson, John J. DiLulio, Jr., "American Government: Institutions and Policies, The Essentials" 9th ed., 2004, ISBN: 0-618-29981-5    Recommended

James W. Ceaser, (1992) "Liberal Democracy And Political Science," Johns Hopkins , 0-8018-4511-4 Required

James V. Schall "A Student’s Guide to Liberal Learning" Intercollegiate Studies Institute: ISBN 1-882926-53-6 Required
The Student is responsible for acquiring the books. Books are for sale at the UMC bookstore and Colorado bookstore on the Hill. They are also available on-line at, e.g., bigwords.com or textbooks.com.

Evaluation:

Examinations: There is an essay exam on James Ceaser's book. There are three midterm exams. There is a final exam which is take-home and cumulative. Each exam is essay in format and drawn from class lectures and assigned readings. All essays will be written in blue or black ink. You must bring an 8.5 x 11 "blue book" to all exams (also available in the bookstore). To attain a passing grade ALL exams must be taken.

Presentation: I will assign each student a topic drawn from the list of readings. Two or more students will be chosen to investigate the readings. There will be a number of primary readers who will write a five (5) page paper on the book and its relation to understanding American government. There will also be a second reader who will read all the books in that section but in less depth. This person will write a five (5) page paper and critique the primary's presentation. The reports will be typed, double spaced and in your best prose style.

Participation: is taken very seriously and determines grades at the margin.

E-mail list: Each student must subscribe to the class's E-mail list. For help visit: http://www.colorado.edu/ITS/emaillists/faq.html