seperation of powers (and the assigned resources are there)

Resources for Week One Discussion – Separation of Powers/Checks and Balances

Before participating in this week’s discussion “Separation of Powers/Checks and Balances,” review these resources:

1. Read these chapters from the text, American Government:

a. Chapter 1 – American Politics and Founding Principles

b. Chapter 2 – The U.S. Constitution

2. Watch the following videos:

a. Checks and balances

C-SPAN. (1990, November 27). Checks and balances [Video]. Available from http://www.c-

spanvideo.org/program/Chec.

(This video (8 minutes) describes checks and balances and separation of powers in U.S. government.)

b. Built to Last

Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (2013, May 28). Episode IV - Built to last [Series episode].

Constitution USA with Peter Sagal. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/tpt/constitution-usa-peter-

sagal/watch/built-to-last/

3. Read these articles found in the Academic Search Premier (EBSCOhost) database in the Ashford Online Library:

a. Policy point –counterpoint: Is divided government good for the United States?

Franklin, D. R. (2011) Policy point-counterpoint: Is divided government good for the United States?

International Social Science Review, 86(3/4), 160-162.

(This brief article relates separation of powers and the contemporary problem of “divided government” or

“gridlock.” It summarizes debates about gridlock’s effects on public policy.)

b. Divided we fall: The case against divided government.

John, C. (2011). Divided we fall: The case against divided government. International Social Science

Review, 86(3/4), 166-174.

(This brief article relates separation of powers and the contemporary problem of “divided government” or

“gridlock.” It summarizes debates about gridlock’s effects on public policy.)

c. Divided we conquer: Why divided government is preferable to unified control.

McLennan, W. (2011). Divided we conquer: Why divided government is preferable to unified control.

International Social Science Review, 86(3/4), 162-166.

(This brief article defends divided government against claims that it weakens government’s ability to

solve important problems.)