I need ideas...

In My Humble Opinion
1

So I have this American Political Theory class. And I have to come up with a question that would be the basis for a 15 page research paper. As of this moment I have yet to come up with anything that seems a) relevant b) intersting and c) capable of filling 15 pages.

So what political theory questions keep you awake at night that I might use as the basis of a 15 page paper that would prove enlightening AND interesting?

If this is against board rules because of the whole homework rule, I beg forgiveness in advance.

2

Is America still free?

3

Has dispensationalism affected the time horizon of American public policy?

4

Given that many world government leadership positions are for life, and given that many cultures routinely take a longer-time view of things than the U.S. does, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of American leadership changes every four years. (Every two, if you believe that Congress has more influence than the President.)

5

In what sense would the implementation of a “true” democracy change the way the country functions?

6

Perhaps you should do a paper on the ethics of having people on a message board do your homework for you.

7

Is apathy the most dangerous of the United States?

8

Is the United States loosing or consolidating its cultural and political identity?

9

Civil service reforms took a large number of low level government jobs and switched them from being appointed by incumbent office holders to being selected by open testing. What are the gains and losses of this change? What were the anticipated effects and did they occur? What were the unanticipated effects that occurred? At what level of government should civil service selection reach?

10

Anything about reform of voting systems sounds like it ould take 15 pages and then some.

11

I’ve been thinking about that lately too, that maybe the election process should be counted on to ensure term limits as desired by the people.

12

Which achieved more in instigating integration in American society, the governement or professional sport?

13

I’m glad that you can sleep at night. :wink:

14

Here’s something to research, to see if it’s true. Almost all upper income people vote, and very few of the poor vote. We usually assume that politicians pamper the rich because of the heavy campaign contributions from the rich. However, if the rich didn’t give money, politicians probably would still screw the poor. They don’t vote!

15

Actually, I remember studying this in college. Voting is actually tied more to education and age than to income although income is certainly important.

16

We’ve always allowed threads like this.

How about a paper discussing the platform of the Socialist party and the subsequent introduction of most of this platform into law in the United States? Milton Friedman touched on this idea in Free to Choose