# a topic...... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 3, 1999, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-topic/7444 "1999-09-03T21:22:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tipiwoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6bbea6/32.png) [@tipiwoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tipiwoo)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 1999, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-topic/7444/1 "1999-09-03T21:22:00Z")
Well, this was my second week of college life. I’m just starting to get the hang of things. It’s just…different. And different is good…right??? 🙂 Well, my government professor assigned a research paper the second class. I just need some ideas. He didn’t discuss it with us again until today, and he said that it could have anything to do with government and branch from one of these general themes as long as it happened after 1980. They are: people, events, issues, and parts of the U.S. Government. Any ideas for an interesting paper? besides the monica lewinsky scandal? thanks yall. 🙂 * * * tipi 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![topolino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/91b2a8/32.png) [@topolino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/topolino)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 1999, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-topic/7444/2 "1999-09-03T21:36:00Z")
I did a paper about the Supreme Court once and they’re pretty interesting. I don’t think the book “The Brethren” (sp?) covers after 1980 but it woud give you some background. I remember reading about all the politics and deal making that goes on between justices (I’ll vote for your side on issue X if you vote for my side on issue Y). They also used to have one day each year where they would watch pornos all day to deem whether they were protected under the constitution. The book said that they were all pretty stuffy about the whole thing except Thurgood Marshall who had fun with it. I don’t think he ever did anything that was discriminatory/sexist. I think he just did stuff like bring popcorn and laugh at the movies while the rest of them sat stone-faced. It’s been a long time since I read it (my freshman year of college) so I may be wrong about some of the particulars. ---
**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 1999, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-topic/7444/3 "1999-09-03T21:46:00Z")
Well dang, someone else read “The Brethren” for college, I enjoyed it as well. Topics; domestic terrorism(lot of subtopics), Reaganomics, Far Right and their rise and fall in Congress, Clarence Thomas and the appointment process to the Supreme Court, budget battles, end of the Cold War( fall of the wall) ---
**Author:** ![Frankie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/258eb7/32.png) [@Frankie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frankie)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 1999, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-topic/7444/4 "1999-09-03T22:27:00Z")
Why not write about the election process? I’ve always found that facsinating! Maybe contact a local congress person and get a first hand view?? ---
**Author:** ![Babar714](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Babar714](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babar714)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 1999, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-topic/7444/5 "1999-09-03T22:37:00Z")
Frankie, that’s first hand VIEW, not JOB. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 1999, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-topic/7444/6 "1999-09-03T22:47:00Z")
First, good luck and congrats on college, mind telling us what fine institution you chose? I miss college dearly, I just graduated last year and am having a hard time adjusting to life without Mardi Gras, Spring Break, Quarter beers, Wednesday-Sunday night weekends and the such. Not to mention the dating scene. Enjoy it, totally. Don’t stress about the little things, and grades aren’t the biggest things in the world. Be careful, but not too careful. Ok enough of that. A great topic I would suggest, that will impress your prof and be very original would be to analyze the position of Independant Procecutor (I think thats what it’s called, you know Kenneth Starr’s job). The position was created after the Nixon scandal, and now after the Lewinsky fiasco they are apparently are going to illiminate/not renew the bill which created the position. I think the politics and specifics which give him his power and the abuse involved would be a stellar paper, and it should be fairly easy to get research article considering the current issues. ---
**Author:** ![Frankie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/258eb7/32.png) [@Frankie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frankie)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 1999, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-topic/7444/7 "1999-09-03T23:12:00Z")
Babar- Please tell me I said first hand view?? Although with politicians first hand job works too huh? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 1999, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-topic/7444/8 "1999-09-04T12:19:00Z")
How about an analysis in the changeover in a President’s activities and staff between the time he wins the election and the time he is inaugurated? You could outline the differences and transitions between an organization for winning an election to one for running an administration. From 1980, you could contrast the Reagan, Bush, and Clinton transitions. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 1999, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-topic/7444/9 "1999-09-04T13:33:00Z")
How about “the government’s” insatiable appetite for money. Three presidents–three of the biggest tax increases in history (Reagan 1982, Bush 1990, Clinton 1993). And they still need more! ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 1999, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-topic/7444/10 "1999-09-04T14:44:00Z")
How about following one of the famous Supreme Court cases of the 20th century (Roe v. Wade, Brown v. Board of Ed., etc.) from its inception to the final Supreme Court ruling? ---
**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 1999, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-topic/7444/11 "1999-09-04T21:53:00Z")
Drain Bead, good idea but I believe it had to be post 1980. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 1999, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-topic/7444/12 "1999-09-04T22:50:00Z")
How about the “Contract with America”? The “Religious Right”? * * * **R** anger **J** eff \*The Idol of American Youth \* ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 1999, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-topic/7444/13 "1999-09-05T22:49:00Z")
Ugh, I read that as 1890. Damned number dyslexia. ---
**Author:** ![Contestant\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Contestant\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contestant_3)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 1999, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-topic/7444/14 "1999-09-05T23:04:00Z")
The Waco standoff with the Branch Davidians and the ATF and FBI * * * Contestant #3