Why Study Political Science

This is a graded discussion: 25 points possible due Sep 7 at 1:59am

Week 1 Discussion: Why Study Political Science? 117 133

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Initial Post Instructions Identify why students should learn about political science. Use evidence (cite sources) to support your response from assigned readings or online lessons, and at least one outside scholarly source. Describe at least one reason why political science is interesting or relevant to you personally.

Follow-Up Post Instructions Respond to at least two peers or one peer and the instructor. Further the dialogue by providing more information and clarification. Minimum of 1 scholarly source which can include your textbook or assigned readings or may be from your additional scholarly research.

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Course Outcomes (CO): 1

Due Date for Initial Post: By 11:59 p.m. MT on Wednesday Due Date for Follow-Up Posts: By 11:59 p.m. MT on Sunday

Textbook: Chapter 1 ,2 Lesson Minimum of 1 scholarly source (in addition to the textbook)

Minimum of 3 posts (1 initial & 2 follow-up) Minimum of 2 sources cited (assigned readings/online lessons and an outside scholarly source) APA format for in-text citations and list of references

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(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) !

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 1 of 84

Aug 19, 2020

ENCOUNTERING POLITICS IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES Class,

Should folks learn about political science? My answer is yes, but that should not come as a surprise!

Political science is the “systematic and scientific study of politics.” (Whitman, 3) So, if politics is important than so is political science. Politics would clearly be important if it impacted every facet of your life. So, does politics impact every facet of your life? I submit that it does; that the author of your text is right when she says “most things in society can be connected to politics and political science in some way;” and that politics impacts where you live (https://www.everyvotecounts.org.uk/how-politics-affects-you/where-you-live/) , what you drive (https://www.thedrive.com/opinion/7450/listen-up-cars-are-part-of-politics-and-politics-are-part-of-cars) , where you walk your dog (https://www.edgarsnyder.com/dog-bite/leash-laws/) , and more. (Whitman, 5) What do you think? Does politics impact your life, and if so in what ways?

Sam

PS I will always post first in the discussion … just to get things rolling and also to give you an example of what a good substantive post might look like. You can jump in and respond to my post, you can respond to the heading, or you can respond to classmates that have arrived in the discussion before you. This is true for any of your posts. Don’t forget, though, that your initial post is required to draw on both the text and outside sources and is worth additional points.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Aug 31, 2020

Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 1 at 10:40am

ENCOUNTERING POLITICS IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES (OUTSIDE OF WORK) Kylie and Class,

My contention in my original post was that political science is important because it is the study of politics, which itself is important because it impacts everyone’s lives in a million different ways. Kylie seems to agree. What about the rest of you? Is it true that politics impacts nearly every facet of your life? Does the determination of “who gets what, when, and how” impact you in your everyday life? If the answer is yes, when exactly do you encounter politics?

Sam

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 2 of 84

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Sep 1, 2020

Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 1 at 12:59pm

ENCOUNTERING POLITICS IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES (OUTSIDE OF WORK) Stacey, Jessica, Traci, Kimberly, and Class,

Is political science, or the study of politics, important? Does politics impact nearly every facet of your life? Does the determination of “who gets what, when, and how” impact you in your everyday life? If the answer is yes, when exactly do you encounter politics? In the midst of a pandemic? When you send your kids to school? When you watch/read the news? If you own a house and have a mortgage? If you drive a car and travel on roads or have a car payment? When you pay taxes? When else?

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Wednesday

ENCOUNTERING POLITICS IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES (OUTSIDE OF WORK) Stacey, Jessica, Traci, Kimberly, and Class,

Political science, or the study of politics, is important because politics does impact nearly every facet of your life. The determination of “who gets what, when, and how” made in city hall, state capitals, and D.C. impacts you in your everyday life.

You certainly encounter politics in the midst of a pandemic? How?

You do encounter determinations of “who gets what, when, and how” when you watch/read the news? In what ways?

You certainly confront politics with home ownership when you have a mortgage … and when else?

You don’t avoid politics on the road, they crop up when you make a car payment, when you drive by road work, and when else?

Do you encounter politics when you send your kids to school? When you pay taxes? If you encounter the police? When else?

Sam

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 3 of 84

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Thursday

Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 3 at 12:40pm

ENCOUNTERING POLITICS IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES (OUTSIDE OF WORK) Kylie, Jessica, Traci, Tenzin, Emily, Anne, and Class,

You certainly encounter politics in the midst of a pandemic if you are mandated to wear a mask or social distance, if you can’t go to the beach because it is closed, if your favorite restaurant is only serving take out. if there is a curfew in your community, if your kids are schooling via zoom, etc., etc.. And it is worth noting, as Traci does, that the politics in these cases is largely taking place at the city, county, and state level.

You do encounter determinations of “who gets what, when, and how” when you watch/read the news? In what ways?

You certainly confront politics with home ownership when you have a mortgage … and when else?

You don’t avoid politics on the road, they crop up when you make a car payment, when you drive by road work, when you pay taxes that are used on roads and bridges; and when else?

You encounter politics when you send your kids to school if you receive government funds to help pay for private school … and when else?

Do you encounter politics when you pay taxes? If you encounter the police? In what other situations?

Sam

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Traci East (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/153410) Friday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 4 of 84

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ENCOUNTERING POLITICS IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES (OUTSIDE OF WORK)

Professor and Class,

Politics outside of work is everywhere. When we drive our cars for instance what side of the road we drive, how fast we go and toll roads are all examples of politic on the road. One encounters politics in home ownership with house payment due dates and yearly taxes just to own a home. If your payment is late there is late fees. I live in rural Ohio and my husband farms we pay taxes on the land we own and the harvest he brings in and bringing in the harvest lining up at the elevator to weight and empty the harvest. Our kids in encounter politics at school by what they wear to how they change classes and who to respect and listen too and all comes from the guidance of the teachers but they follow a administration and it comes from the principal and at the top is the superintendent. Children are taught to listen to the adults and if not there would be a punishment.

Politics in all aspects of our live everywhere even when we pay taxes there is always a due date if your late there is a penalty fee.

We encounter politics at the grocery store especially now with the pandemic and wearing your mask when you go in if not you can’t enter then, following the arrows and going the direction it tells you to go and then when checking out you pay taxes just to eat food.

So even if you get pulled over by the police they have a protocol and you give them your drivers license and proof of insurance just to drive a car then if our get a ticket the fees go to the county and if you get to many speeding tickets your insurance will go up or even drop you as a customer.

We eat sleep and breathe politics and I feel the media portrays the epitome of politics. We watch one news station and they may portray a news story to fit the agenda or blow the story to extremes that it become unbearable to watch. I tend to watch less of the news and more of shows that fun and peak my interests and its mostly reality shows but then the politics there would be drama makes good t.v.

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Kimberly Stuck Thornton (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157798) Saturday

Yes the study of politics and political science is important. I have learned that yes, politics impacts every facet in my life. I find that politics are in everything. They determine if my kids can go to school, will they be wearing a mask or not when they go. Politics decides on if the roads are going to be paved or not. Politics control everything.

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 5 of 84

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Kylie King (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169214) Wednesday

Professor,

I was in agreeance with you. The question that intrigued me to reply to this was the determination of who, what, where, when, and how politics impact daily life. I felt it was appropriate to relate this to the topic of my week one writing assignment. U.S. Representative Dan Lapinski decided we would back a bill that funds families who are low-income and send their children to private schools. I feel as though this is where your question comes in, and my response to that is with this bill in mind and were it to be in place, that these are children still able to go to class, learn, and grow to be a part of society. How does that impact my life? What if one of those children were to be my doctor, caregiver, or even a teacher to a member of my family one day? With this thought in mind, then you encounter politics like this, the second the bill gets put into place.

Kylie King

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Stacey Ryle (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/117098) Aug 31, 2020

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 6 of 84

Proffessor and class

I feel it is extremely important for students to study political science. It helps us become informed about the different issues and policies effecting us, the community and the world. It is important to understand current political ideas, trends and issues because in some way, shape or form, they impact us individually. According to Chamberlain University Lesson 1, 2020, ” Every change of the political realm impacts us living within and outside borders” There have been a lot of policics and view on the Corona Virus. In the end, the government steps in and sets rule and policies enforcing us to wear masks, social distance and quaranteen if necessary. Political scientists examine why certain bill are passed and what goes into creating these bills and laws. If we as individuals don’t agree with the way an issue is being handled or laws that are being passed, we need to understand how and why these were created and put into effect in the first place. Then, we can step forward and start to create change.

The study of political science is definitely interesting to me as an individual, a mother and a nurse. I need to be able to understand local, state and federal issues not only because they will effect me but my children as well. As a nurse, I am in the healthcare field and healthcare policies and issues are part of my everyday job. These range from wage freezes, to cutbacks that decrease hospital funding and supplies to patient care and safety policies. Nurses, such as myself, need to understand the politics behind these issues in order to become part of advocating for change if needed. This can be done through protesting, joining organizations that promote change and by voting leaders into government that will help push through important policies and laws that will protect myself, my family, my job and my patients. Political advocacy is very important in the healthcare field. ” Florence Nightingale developed the world’s first graphs and showed them to the British parlament, convincing politicians to continue funding her work in Crimea” (Jackson, 2015). Understanding politics and goverment gives us the voice for change.

Thank you

Stacey Ryle

References

Chamberlain University Lesson Week 1 (2020). Retrieved from: https://portal.chamberlain.edu (https://portal.chamberlain.edu)

Jackson, J.(2015). Why nurses need to be politically active. Retrieved from https://injectableorange.com (https://injectable)

WhitmanCobb, W.N. (2020). Political science today. (1st ed.). Washington, D.C.: Sage, CQ Press.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Sep 1, 2020

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 7 of 84

Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 1 at 12:54pm

POLITICS AND DUTY Stacey, Jessica, and Class,

Do all Americans have a duty/responsibility to be involved in the policy making process … to be knowledgeable and involved in politics? If not, how come? If so, where does this duty come from? Does it arise out of the very fact that all of us are impacted by politics? Does it come from somewhere else?

Do nurses have a special responsibility to be aware of, and maybe even active in, politics? If so, how come? Because they need to be an advocate for patients? For other reasons?

If there is a duty here, for everyone and/or for nurses specifically, are folks fulfilling it?

If there is a duty here, how should folks go about fulfilling it? By joining in protests? By joining interests groups? By voting? In other ways?

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Wednesday

Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 2 at 11:42am

POLITICS AND DUTY Lindsay, Bre, Stacey, Dorcas, Alexander, and Class,

Do all Americans have a duty to be involved in politics? If not, how come? Because a duty only arises if your interests are directly and negatively impacted? For another reason? If there does is a duty, where does it come from? From the fact that all of us are actually impacted by politics in every single facet of our lives (as we are seeing in the conversation up above)?

Does it come from somewhere else?

Do nurses have a special responsibility to be aware of, and maybe even active in, politics? If so, how come? Because they need to be an advocate for patients? Because politics is critical for promoting healthy lifestyles (dealing with obesity, smoking, and more)? Because politics plays such a critical role in healthcare more generally? Because nurses can play a critical role in preserving healthcare access? For other reasons?

If there is a duty here, for everyone and/or for nurses specifically, are folks fulfilling it?

If there is a duty here, how should folks go about fulfilling it? By joining in protests? By joining interests groups? By voting? By getting involved in governance at work? By following legislation dealing with healthcare? In other ways?

Sam

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 8 of 84

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Thursday

Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 3 at 12:37pm

POLITICS AND DUTY Kylie, Jessica, Nikki, Michalle, Mia, and Class,

We now know that politics does impact nearly every facet of our lives. This is one reason why Americans might have a duty to be involved in/knowledgeable about politics? What are some others? That it is just a part and parcel of citizenship? The presence of connected duties like jury duty and the duty to register for selective services? A parallel religious duty to be involved? Something else?

If nurses have a special responsibility to be aware of, and maybe even active in, politics it is because:

If there is a duty here, for everyone and/or for nurses specifically, are folks fulfilling it?

Sam

they need to be an advocate for patients; it is critical for promoting healthy lifestyles (dealing with obesity, smoking, and more); politics plays such a critical role in healthcare more generally; nurses can play a critical role in preserving healthcare access; healthcare policies are undergoing so much change these days; and/or why else?

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Saturday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 9 of 84

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POLITICS AND DUTY Traci and Class,

Americans might have a duty to be involved in/knowledgeable about politics because: politics impacts every aspect of their lives; it is just a part and parcel of citizenship; of connected duties like jury duty and the duty to register for selective services; of parallel religious duty to be involved; and/or something else?

If nurses have a special responsibility to be aware of, and maybe even active in, politics it is because:

If there is a duty here, for everyone and/or for nurses specifically, are folks fulfilling it?

Sam

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Nikki Lagua (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/125151) Sunday

Hi Professor,

I think nurses do have some sort of special responsibility to be aware on what’s going on. Do I think they fulfill it automatically? Not really. Sometimes I feel like people decide to talk about a policy change when it’s too late (in all aspects). During the early stages of a problem, the noises and hints are very subtle for anyone to pick up. Typically people think the problem will resolve itself when it’s actually getting worse and by the time someone says something about it, it’s too late. In terms of duty, I think it’s pretty easy for nurses to start an activist campaign these days. With social media, things get passed on pretty easily and can get people up to speed and to build awareness.

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 10 of 84

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Penica Hill (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/168571) Sunday

Hi Professor,

Great question, I am a nurse and learning about politics has peeked my interest in policy making and advocacy, so have recent events such as the pandemic and BLM protest. Nurses are patient advocates and as such are tasked with added responsibility to stay informed and involved in issues affecting the people and communities they live and work in.

I would like to see a greater level of participation. Nurses make up the largest segment of healthcare workers and are identified as the most trusted health professionals by patients. With that comes added capacity to affect change.

Politics affect funding and funding drives service. Our healthcare system is regulated by government; policies, reform, regulatory agencies. According to our reading, “Politics is defined as the authoritative distribution of resources or rather the determining of who gets what, when, and how” (Whitman Cobb, 2020). As advocates we must ensure that resources are distributed to those who need them. Nobody is as aware of the needs in healthcare like those who work there everyday, and we need to have a greater voice.

Reference

Whitman Cobb, W.N. (2020). Political science today (1st ed.). Washington, DC: Sage, CQ Press.

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Miranda Duellman (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/180986) Saturday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 11 of 84

Prior to this class, I did not think I was involved in any politics. After giving it some further thought, I realized that I may be more involved than I realized. Although I don’t often keep up with nation-wide politics and policies, I am actively involved in my organization and the policies that we place at the clinic. One of the huge benefits to working in a small organization is that my voice can be heard a bit more than if I were to work in a larger hospital. My nurse manager is big in asking our opinions and getting the feedback of the nurses that work the floor because changes in any policies usually affects us and our patients more than anyone else.

I like to think that everyone should be involved in the policy making process, even at the higher levels, but that is a task that seems near impossible. Sure, you can vote and protest and join groups, but how much of a difference does that truly make? It seems like that is just a drop in the bucket and deters me personally from wanting to get involved in the larger scale issues.

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Lindsay Holton (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/150366) Sep 1, 2020

POLITICS AND DUTY

Professor Angus and Stacy,

Great post Stacy. I agree with your statements about nurses having to understand policies to be patient advocates and also, doing our part if we feel necessary like protesting or joining organizations. To answer Professor Angus’ question relating to do all Americans have the responsibility to be involved in policy making, I believe no. I think if it impacts you in a significant way in which you have a strong dislike, then go ahead and get involved but on the nursing stand point, if it deals with me, my patients, or my job then I will be quick to be involved. I am a member of our unit-based council at work, and as the co-chair we discuss hot topics and issues that arise in our emergency department. Now this is a small example of big politicians, but we still rally for what is right and always have best interest for patients in mind. We discuss different policies, present information to management, and vote on the outcome. This is a highly respected group of nurses that can implement change. Therefore, I believe outside of work differs from my career. Not being at work can give someone the ability to lay low in politics but be knowledgeable on what is going on, without a responsibility or duty to be actively involved in the making of policies.

Lindsay Holton

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Kylie King (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169214) Wednesday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 12 of 84

Stacey,

I have put off anything political up until this point. I know that it has been something to exist in my life, but I never called attention to it. I was shocked to agree with your post about understanding politics being equal to having a voice. I was always told that if I wanted to be heard all I had to do was speak up, but speaking up means, in my opinion, that I have to be able to back it up as well. I think there is a lot of political pull when it comes to COVID-19 and rules/regulations being put in place. Professor Angus asked if all Americans have a duty to be involved in the policymaking process, and personally, my answer is no. I say no because, for instance, I am not in any shape or form in a position where knowledge about COVID from top scientists will be directly given to me. I feel as though I need to be able to knowledgeable in order to make it my duty to be involved in the policy process; therefore saying that there is no duty to be involved, but there is a duty to become knowledgeable.

Kylie King

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Jessica Medwick (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/152086) Thursday

Good post Stacey!

I agree I feel like studying political science is defiantly interesting and will be beneficial to all of us. I feel like everyone should be educated on the government and politics, like as you mentioned, they have control over so much. I like how you used an example of COVID. The government is the ones that put each state under the stay at home order, told us to wear masks, and social distancing. They are the ones that are putting all this into affect and placing the orders. I do feel like there are politics that go on in the health care field also. It is important as citizens and employees to keep up with what is going on as we have the right to be informed not only for us but for our families. Thank you for sharing!

Jessica Medwick

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Kimberly Stuck Thornton (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157798) Saturday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 13 of 84

Stacey,

I agree entirely. If the covid has done anything, it has really opened my eyes to the fact that we as the people really need to be more aware and more involved in politics. I was not always interested in politics. I really did not like it. I have always felt like we do not have a big enough voice and that the government will do whatever they want anyways. I definitely do not agree with all of the policies that are put into place and it would be nice if I could understand why they put them into place to begin with. I myself would be like it if the government could be more honest with the people so that we can understand, but I also know that they probably can not always be honest because not everybody can understand or handle the truth. I am hoping that this class can help me to be more interested and knowledgeable. I appreciate your post, because yes we need to be the change.

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Penica Hill (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/168571) Sunday

Hi Stacey,

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on why it is important for students to study political science. As you mentioned we need to understand the politics behind the issues in order to advocate for change.

As per our text being informed protects “our ability to do certain things that must be protected from government, such as freedom of speech, religion, thought, and action (Whitman Cobb, 2020). Also it is difficult to take a side on an issue if we are not aware of the issues. So staying informed allows us to use our voice and influence. If we do not we risk losing our civil liberties.

Reference

Whitman Cobb, W. N. (2020). Political science today (1st ed.). Washington, DC: Sage, CQ Press

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Sunday

Penica and Class,

Staying informed may well be critical to folks’ ability to stand up for their rights and the rights of others, and this may be critical for democracy.

Sam

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 14 of 84

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Lindsay Holton (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/150366) Sep 1, 2020

ENCOUNTERING POLITICS IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES

Professor Angus and class,

Political science is the study of politics which in every media outlet politics are highly argued (Whitman, 2020, p. 4). Political scientist study analytically and can remove the media chaos (Whitman, 2020, p. 5). To my limited understanding of the politics around me, I have acknowledged politics are really in everything I do so learning political science is beneficial. Political science examines underlying questions on how and why things in politics happen, allowing for more informative, educational answers than the political media (Whitman, 2020, p. 5). This will be so helpful to me as the media is full of controversy and arguing, so knowing what information is accurate and trustworthy is hard to find. Politics and science should not be fighting with each other as science determines the issues and proposes solutions, while political skill and power provide the ability to implement solutions (Sharfstein, 2016). So, learning political science will only benefit the learner with more insight into policies, processes, government, law, and most importantly with factual information.

Politics affect my life both positively and negatively. Unfortunately, I am not well versed in this area so much learning will come out of this course, but politics negatively affect my life as it causes much chaos. My husband is well aware of all things politics so many frustrations can happen due to what is seen in the media, especially during this pandemic. I for one stay out of it to help my own mental health, but maybe understand what is going on beyond what the media wants me to hear may be profoundly beneficial. So, too say media politics causes a higher level of stress is pretty accurate in my life. In contrast to the stress, the most impactful benefit of politics is the ability to vote on things we believe in. Whether we are voting for a state official, school board runner, or president, we put our trust into their policies and let them be our voice with our vote. In the argument of voting, if you do not vote, do you have the right to argue about who wins?

References

Starfstein, F. (2016, March 14). Rethinking science and politics. The Milbank Quarterly, 94(1), 39-42. https://www-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/pmc/articles/PMC4941962/ (https://www-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/pmc/articles/PMC4941962/)

Whitman, W.N.C. (2020). Political Science Today (1 ed). Washington, DC: Sage. CQ Press.st

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Breanna Majzel (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/126719) Sep 1, 2020

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 15 of 84

Lindsay, I think that media has to much power, but at the same time is not the same as political science. Political science is much more in depth, and as stated in the Chamberlain University Political Science Today book, it is more than just what the media has to tell us (Cobb, 2020). The media plays a big role in our the nation on how people view politics. An example is all we heard from the media from March to the end of May was about the coronavirus and then at the end of May, when the tragic death of George Floyd occurred, it was as if the coronavirus disappeared for awhile. I am not saying that George Floyd didn’t deserve the media coverage that he got, I am glad the media brought the incident to American’s attention, because it is a real issue happening in our nation right now, but did you notice that for about a month or so you didn’t hear much about COVID. That is because the media uses their power to control what our country hears. This can be both good and bad, the media can state some very negative, false information at the same time. Do you think the media sometimes plays too big of a role in our lives?

Cobb, W.N.W. (2020). Political Science Today. Sage: CQ Press

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Lindsay Holton (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/150366) Wednesday

Breanna,

Great question. I do think the media plays too big of a role in our lives. So many news outlets with tons of opposing opinions, who is to believe? Seems like every channel has a different opinion and with news I believe opinions should not be expressed, only facts so the country can make create their own ideas. Not only are some news stories untrustworthy, people get so drawn into the media politics that if affects their day to day life. I do not turn on the TV often, so I do not feel as though I am engulfed in the media chaos, but I do know my father in law is. He speaks aggressively about what he hears on the news and often his moods are affected by it. If the media on television and social media websites were not so popular and people got their news from articles or reliable sources, maybe the news media might start providing more accurate information that removes their own biases.

Lindsay Holton

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Thursday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 16 of 84

MEDIA AND FACTS Lindsay and Class,

What are facts? What does it look like when the reporting of the news is based in facts, logic, reason, science, etc.?

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Saturday

MEDIA AND FACTS Jessica and Class,

What are facts?

What does it look like when the reporting of the news is based in facts, logic, reason, science, etc.?

How often is the reporting of the news based in facts, logic, reason, science, etc.? How often does it distort the truth, leave out key details, etc.?

Sam

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Stacey Ryle (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/117098) Sep 1, 2020

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 17 of 84

Lindsay

I, agree that the media has a tremendous amount of power in politics. You cannot turn on the tv or radio or even go onto social media without hearing someone in that platform expressing their personal opinion on an issue or trying to impose that opinion on you. Social media has played a large role in quickly sharing information both fact and fiction. Satterfield, 2016 states, “The constant streams of memes, links and rumors about political leaders and candidates is a mixture of truth, lies, satire and speculation.” It often leaves the public confused and full of stress and angst. Social media is a huge platform that is ever growing. It can be used to provide information to a large population. It’s role in influencing politics is huge and will continue to to grow. It is extremely easy to be swayed by misinformation. It is the obligation of the reader or viewer to do more research and view reputable sites for their information

Thanks for sharing

Stacey Ryle

Reference

Satterfield, H. (2016). How social media affects politics. Retrieved from https://sysomos.com

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Jessica Medwick (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/152086) Friday

Good post Lindsay,

I agree, politics and the government are in every part of our daily lives. I don’t follow politics as much as I should either so I feel like this class is going to be beneficial to me and help me understand politics better. People get into heated arguments over politics as well so I understand why it’s good for mental health reasons to not follow along so closely, however I feel like it is important to know since it has such an affect on everyone. The media I agree also isn’t always accurate. Sometimes situations get exaggerated or they favor the one side and make the opposite side sound horrible. Having the knowledge with politics helps us make knowledgeable votes when it is time to. This political science class will be much more detailed than what the media leads us to believe. Thank you for sharing! Jessica Medwick

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Traci Callari (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/168028) Saturday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 18 of 84

Lindsay, Thank you for expressing your views regarding the political challenges with social media . It’s very hard to determine the good, the bad and the truth. During these past few months in South Florida and the Covid19 Pandemic, working as a nurse has created direct impacts and discussions amongst the staff regarding the truth or the stretch of the truth. As nurses we are held to a standard of patient confidentiality, and limited on what we can or can not say. While those rules are to followed, I feel that people need to also understand and know the impacts and struggles we are faced with. This has become a greater challenge with the opinions and political mindset that has sometimes provided misinformed facts and demonstrated the need for greater education to help the public understand a little better. That’s where we as nurses have an obligation to protect our patients rights but also inform the public of the facts and importance of safety. Perhaps this pandemic has ignited advocacy and provided an opportunity to speak up for nurses, patients and the well-being of the community.

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Nikki Lagua (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/125151) Sunday

Hi Lindsay,

First, excellent reply to the discussion question. I appreciate the little bit you wrote “Political science examines underlying questions on how and why things in politics happen”. Our text mentions that political science is indeed a science just like the natural sciences. There’s variables that can be taken into account to give off a prediction in politics. When you mentioned how the media throws around controversy and conspiracy theories, those things also dictate the outcome of our current policies which is why I think it’s beneficial for us to learn about these things. It should also be noted that every one of us play a factor in politics.

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Kylie King (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169214) Aug 31, 2020

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 19 of 84

ENCOUNTERING POLITICS IN SMALL TOWNS

Professor Angus and Class,

If we all agree with the idea that politics were to be what connects society to everyday life, then we can also agree that it affects how small towns are running. The textbook author seems to suggest as much when she states, “institutionalists would focus on how things like committees are set up or how much power leaders have and the types of effects that might have on congressional productivity or power structures” (Whitman 9). Now, they are talking at a congressional level, but isn’t it true that within small rural communities there are mayors and committees or even a board of trustees for the village? In my experience, yes. In my hometown, there is a board for the Village of Gardner who meets with the mayor and votes towards what happens in our little town. Furthermore, Patricia Dyk elaborates on the concept that politics affect small-town living by stating “In particular, it replaces democracy with corporate power”. The ‘it’ she is referring to is poverty and politics in rural areas. Corporate power can then be suggested as being “political”, and if that is the case, then it can confidently be determined that politics, in theory, affect our life and more in-depth where we live. With that being said, then I can follow up and say yes, politics in some shape or form has an impact on life. Does that mean that we can go ahead and say the latter? Do politics impact rural areas the same as urban areas?

Kylie

Bacon ipsum dolor…

Cobb, W.N. W. (2019). Political Science Today. [VitalSource Bookshelf]. Retrieved from https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781544358314/

Dyk, P. H. (2016). Worlds Apart: Poverty and Politics in Rural America, 2nd ed., by Cynthia M. Duncan, New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2015. 304 pp. $25.00 (paper). ISBN: 9780300196597. Rural Sociology, 81(4), 660-663. doi:10.1111/ruso.12149

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Kylie King (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169214) Aug 31, 2020

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 20 of 84

Professor and Class,

If anyone knows how to make a hanging indent in Canvas please let me know. Above was my attempt to do so, and it failed majorly.

Thanks,

Kylie

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Aug 31, 2020

I don’t think I will be much help with indents of any kind, but if you can’t figure it out don’t worry about it. I thought your post was more than sufficiently formatted!

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Kimberly Stuck Thornton (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157798) Aug 31, 2020

% (1 like)

Kylie,

I always use Microsoft word to type my discussion. This makes it easy for me to copy it and past it into the discussion box. In word I can just type in hanging and it will do it for me when I highlight it and click the button. I hope this helps.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Aug 31, 2020

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 21 of 84

Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Aug 31 at 9:41am

POLITICS IN SMALL TOWNS (RURAL V. URBAN) Kylie and Class,

Politics certainly impacts folks in small towns and folks in major cities. Is the impact the same? Does politics play a different role in the lives of folks in rural areas than it does in the lives of city dwellers? Does it impact their lives in different ways? If not, why not? If so, what are the key differences and are they rooted in institutional peculiarities or in something else?

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Sunday

POLITICS IN SMALL TOWNS (RURAL V. URBAN) … FINALISH THOUGHTS Caitlynn and Class,

Politics impacts you regardless of the size of your town, but it may well impact you in different ways. Folks may have a closer and more intimate connection to politics in small towns, where they are more likely to know their representatives and their representatives are more likely to know them (for example I know my mayor and most of the folks on city council, something that would not likely be true if I lived in Chicago). The institutions themselves are likely to be smaller and less intimidating. There may also be more emphasis on personal connections in policy making, which could be a good and a bad thing.

Sam

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Caitlynn Farthing (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/57550) Thursday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 22 of 84

Being from a small town myself I agree that yes we have a mayor, committees, even a judge executive who acts as voices for our community. Something to think about with small towns is, do you feel like the small town “everyone knows everyone” affects how people are voted in, stay voted in office etc.?

The people we choose to be our advocates, are they qualified for the job or do they just know all the right people? Because of this I believe that politics do impact both rural and urban areas but that they are impacted in different ways.

I believe that people in a rural community are represented in a different way than people who live in urban areas. Representation, the idea that ” the views of all the people in a society are considered when decisions are being made” ( Cobb, 2018).

On one hand rural areas may be represented more due to the fact of actually knowing and caring about the people in your community that you are representing. On the the other hand as stated above if the particular person who is representing you is only in their place of authority because of the people they know. Are they knowledgeable enough to represent you correctly? Due to this I feel living in a rural community is like a double edge sword.

Whitman Cobb, W.N. (2020). Political science today. Sage, CQ Press.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Aug 31, 2020

WHAT IS POLITICS? WHAT IS GOVERNMENT? Class,

Political science is the study of politics. So, what is politics?

And while we are at it … what is government?

Lastly, how does government relate to politics? Can you illustrate this relationship with an analogy?

Sam

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Angela Walker (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169532) Aug 31, 2020

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 23 of 84

Political science is the systematic and scientific study of politics, including institutions, behaviors, and processes. (Cobb, 20190723, p. 2). It is more than just the smear campaigns we see every second of every day on television and social media. Political science examines the effects policies have on society.

One example of how politics affects small towns is agriculture. There were many dairy farms locally until two years ago. A large corporation decided that only a specific number of dairy farms were necessary; they also chose from which dairy farms to buy the milk. This action put a lot of small family-run farms out of business. All of these farms had been in the family for generations, and now they are gone. Only the larger, more commercial farms remain. This is a perfect example of the economic concentration of the agrifood system, as described by Patricia Dyk.

I believe, personally, that small town suffers more than larger cities because often the elected officials are from the same family. This family usually owns many businesses, has more wealth, and thereby more clout. It has been my experience that seldom does anyone else run for council chairs because they do not have the connections of the incumbent.

What is the difference between politics and government? I may be incorrect here, but to me, politics is what people do to get and retain power. Take, for example, a marriage, this is a governing body that consists of two, but you have to find a way to work together (politics). Now, you have children, so together you make rules, and these rules are expected to be followed (government).

References

Cobb, W. W. (20190723). Political Science Today. [[VitalSource Bookshelf version]]. Retrieved from vbk://9781544358314

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Sep 1, 2020

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 24 of 84

WHAT IS POLITICS? WHAT IS GOVERNMENT? Angi, Jessica, Traci, and Class,

What is politics? Is it group decision making? Is it the “authoritative distribution of resources?” (Whitman, 3) Is it, as Harold Laswell stated, the determination of “who gets what, when, and how?” (Whitman, 3) Is it something else? What does any/all of this really mean?

What is government and how does it relate to politics? Is it the political system itself? Is it the structure within which politics operates? Is it something else?

What analogy best captures the relationship between government and politics?

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Wednesday

WHAT IS POLITICS? WHAT IS GOVERNMENT? Geoffrey and Class,

What is politics? Is it group decision making? Is it the “authoritative distribution of resources?” (Whitman, 3) Is it, as Harold Laswell stated, the determination of “who gets what, when, and how?” (Whitman, 3) Is it the act of governance? Is it something else? What does any/all of this really mean?

What is government and how does it relate to politics? Is it the political system itself? Is it a framework of sorts? Is it the structure within which politics operates? Is it something else?

What analogy best captures the relationship between government and politics?

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Thursday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 25 of 84

WHAT IS POLITICS? WHAT IS GOVERNMENT? Traci and Class,

What is politics? Is it group decision making? Is it the “authoritative distribution of resources?” (Whitman, 3) Is it, as Harold Laswell stated, the determination of “who gets what, when, and how?” (Whitman, 3) Is it the act of governance? Is it chaos? Is it something else? What does any/all of this really mean?

What is government and how does it relate to politics? Is it the political system itself? Is it a framework of sorts? Is it the structure within which politics operates? Is it something else?

What analogy best captures the relationship between government and politics?

Sam

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Traci Callari (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/168028) Saturday

Politics and Government are intermingled. You probably won’t be very successful if you have one and not the other. You asked if politics is a group decision, yes, after long debate at times and the decisions are sometimes influenced by others.. Once the decisions are made, the government establishes and provides the warranted resources. Is politics chaos, most of the time unless you are involved in a so called dictatorship arena which would have it’s own chaos. Government is also known as To Lead, but you can’t lead with out direction from the politicians. Government can be considered political due to the simple fact of who’s making the decisions that are being implemented. My analogy that best captures the relationship between politics and government is a Christmas tree. The tree itself represents the bass example the community. Most Christmas’s trees need lights, so lets keep it Political and put Red, White, and Blue lights on the tree representing The Dem, Rep, and Independents. Now it’s time for the ornaments. This is perhaps becomes the decision challenge, use fragile ornaments, homemade, all one style or mix matched. Do you use Ribbon or Tinsel? Place a star on the top or an Angel? Who and how often does water need to be placed to keep it from catching on fire. Last but not least how many gifts will be under the tree and for who and do you have enough money to get the gifts. . That basically sums up my thoughts on politics and government .

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 26 of 84

SHOW MORE 2 2

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Kimberly Stuck Thornton (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157798) Aug 31, 2020

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 27 of 84

Week 1 Discussion: Why Study Political Science?

First, what is political science? Well according to the textbook “political science is the systemic and scientific study of politics, including institutions, behaviors and processes.” (N., 2020) According to UTSA it is important for students to study political science because it will help them to understand the institutions and laws that govern the function of all businesses. The UTSA states that political science classes will sharpen the understanding of organizational dynamics and human relations. Political science will also help hone a student’s writing, communication, and statistical skills. (UTSA Department of Political Science and Geography, 2020)

Political science is relevant to me personally, because as a citizen of the United States I must follow the laws that are put into place by the government. Our lesson this week brought to my attention things that the government controls in my everyday life that I never thought of before when I thought of politics. I think of politics as voting for the president or any governmental official. Since I became an adult, I realized that we the people do not own anything. Even though I bought my house, and I bought my car, they still are not mine. I say this because I still must pay taxes on these things every year and if I do not, I will no longer be able to use them. A new thing I realized this year, is that if the county wants to widen the road, they can just widen it a foot over into my yard and they did not even pay me for that foot all the way down the road. Did I have a say in it? No, I did not. Since the covid hit, we have all realized just how much we do not control and just how much freedom we the people do not have. Since the covid, I realize that political science is important because the government controls everything and I need to be knowledgeable of these things. I need to be a productive and smart voter. I need to be understanding and aware of how and why things are happening the way they are. Since the covid, I have become fearful of how much control the government has. It is scary how they can just stop everything and get away with destroying the country and many businesses. I understand that they are trying to help, but it is not helping, and things are getting worse daily.

References

N., W. C. W. (2020). Political science today. Sage, CQ Press.

UTSA Department of Political Science and Geography. (2020). Why Political Science? Why Political Science? | UTSA Department of Political Science and Geography. http://colfa.utsa.edu/polisci-geography/about-political- science (http://colfa.utsa.edu/polisci-geography/about-political-science) .

Why should students learn about political science? Describe one reason political science is interesting or relevant to you personally.

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Angela Walker (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169532)

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 28 of 84

Sep 1, 2020

Kimberly,

It has become very apparent with the COVID pandemic just how much the government does control our lives. Like you, I never thought about that aspect before now. Our Governor has mandated masks, dictated how many people can be at gatherings, and though sporting events have opened some, due to the restrictions, parents are not allowed to watch their kids play. One State Senator is actively fighting these restrictions because small business is failing, people are refusing to wear masks, and people are refusing to go back to work because they are currently making more money on unemployment, to name a few. Most people here are fed up with the restrictions while others live in fear every day.

As I have gotten older, I have taken a more active interest in policies that affect us. I am embarrassed to admit it, but this is the first time I plan to vote in the presidential election. I have also become more vocal about policies in our local community and the hospital I work, and no longer satisfied to sit back and let things happen. I have always tried to advocate for my patients; now, I am advocating for my rights as well.

Our country is a state of unrest. I think back to how people must have felt when they were fighting for women’s rights or racial equality. How afraid, angry, and proud they must have thought at the time. Yes, changes need to be made but I believe these positive changes can be made without all of the violence.

Angi

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Sep 1, 2020

GOVERNMENTS AND PANDEMICS Angi, Kimberly, and Class,

What should the federal governments role be in dealing with a pandemic? What role has our federal government played in this current pandemic?

Sam

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Breanna Majzel (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/126719) Sep 1, 2020

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 29 of 84

Dear Professor, Angela, and Kimberly,

I feel that at first I thought the government did the appropriate steps by declaring a national emergency and drawling everyone’s attention to the matter. But as time went on and President Trump let the state’s dictate their own state’s guidelines I felt that things got out of hand in some states. I believe that the government made the right calls in the beginning, but as time has gone on, I felt that they abused their powers. I might feel this way because I do live in Illinois and we have had extreme guidelines put in place. The government has controlled how many people you can have at a gathering, restaurant guidelines, wearing masks in public, and so much more. I live in a small town of 2,000 and I feel that the government of Illinois has been basing everything off of Chicago. I understand that Chicago needs stronger guidelines put into place than other towns, but Chicago’s numbers and cases should not dictate southern Illinois’ guidelines. I work in the restaurant industry as a server, and in March through the end of May they took away my job completely, and then it went to patio seating only, then worked it’s way to indoor seating with 25% capacity, and then now we are only backtracking. We know cannot have bar stools at the bar, and today we are actually getting new guidelines that have to take affect. My boss sent out a text to my co-workers and myself stating that today we will get an announcement if we are getting shut back down or if we have to go back to patio seating only. The unemployment rate in Illinois has hit 1.62 million since the pandemic has began in March (Brad Weisenstein Ben Szalinski Writer / Good Government by Brad Weisenstein, Weisenstein, & Szalinski Writer, 2020). This is affecting all of us in different ways, and I understand the dangers of COVID, but the question comes down to how long will we have to live like this? Will we ever get back to our normal lifestyle? Is it worth our government shutting down our economy? Could the United States go back into a depression state? Do not get me wrong, I understand how scary this pandemic is, and that one of the biggest thing we have to worry about is the hospital complicity, and that is a big reason things keep getting shut down. But I am ready to get back to normalization like many others.

Brad Weisenstein Ben Szalinski Writer / Good Government by Brad Weisenstein, Weisenstein, B., & Szalinski Writer, B. (2020, August 28). Everything you need to know about COVID-19 in Illinois. Retrieved September 01, 2020, from https://www.illinoispolicy.org/what-you-need-to-know- about-coronavirus-in-illinois/ (https://www.illinoispolicy.org/what-you-need-to-know-about- coronavirus-in-illinois/)

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Kimberly Stuck Thornton (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157798) Saturday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 30 of 84

Professor,

I believe that the governments role in a pandemic, is to protect the people if at all possible. At the same time they are to keep from causing mass hysteria. I also believe that telling the truth can go a long way. Its the governments job to find a vaccine that is safe. This country has been through many pandemics, and so far in my lifetime as well as the lifetimes of the elderly people I have spoke with on this subject, have we ever needed to shut down the country. So far during this pandemic, I have seen nothing but chaos, mostly driven by the government. This is only my opinion, but I honestly feel that this has been blown way out of proportion. What is the sense in wearing the masks? Is this to keep us from coughing on each other? Isn’t a virus too small to be stopped by a surgical mask or a piece of cloth? The n95 is not even made to protect those that are not wearing it, so if I am sick and am wearing an n95 then I am still spreading the virus all around. I think that there should have been some serious education on the masks before mandating people to wear them long term. Also with that, what are the long term effects of breathing your own respiratory output? At the same time we have to remember that this is America and we are here because of the supposed freedom. We should not be forced to do things that could potentially harm us. And what about all of the small businesses that have gone out of business due to the pandemic. I feel like this has been a disaster.

Thanks

Again this is my opinion, I am not judging if others feel differently.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Sunday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 31 of 84

GOVERNMENTS AND PANDEMICS, FINAL THOUGHTS Bre, Kimberly, Rachelle, and Class,

There is not agreement on the role that the federal government should play in a pandemic, and this lack of an agreement reveals some of the main ideological divisions in American politics. Some folks think the government should play a major role in coordinating our response. These folks tend to think that the government has an important role to play more generally in the economy and beyond. Others think that it should really do little, leaving the bulk of the heavy lifting for state or even local governments. These folks tend to see a minimal role for government more generally. And, of course, there are a lot of positions in between these two points. In real life, our federal government has not played a particularly active role in coordinating the response to COVID. It has also not had a particularly consistent message and has varied quite a bit in the extent to which its actions have been consistent with expert recommendations. The approaches taken by individual states have varied quite widely [on how to deal with masks (the wearing of which is pretty clearly recommended by most medical experts), how much autonomy to give local communities, how to handle school openings, how to handle testing, how to handle travel across state borders, etc., etc.) as have the results of these efforts. We can locate these approaches on an ideological grid containing sections for modern conservatives, modern liberals, libertarians, and more (labels we will explore a bit next week). We can also evaluate these approaches by looking to facts, and it is important to not lose sight of the fact that facts exist and that a shared set of facts is an important part of coming together to have constructive discussions of issues and to resolving teh problems that face us. We will talk more about all of this in the weeks to come.

Sam

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Rachelle Walton (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/116211) Sunday

Kimberly,

I like that you bring up the point that political science can help with writing, communication, and statistical skills. I never thought of it that way. Also, a good point bringing up Covid and politics. Although some say the whole thing is political, the control of what happens definitely is. In New Jersey, the governor was able to shut down businesses to control the curve. Most businesses are still not functional. Some people lost their business that they have dedicated their lives to. Without any income for many months, most people had no choice but to shut down. Indoor dining just resumed this week. I really feel bad for the people who’s lives are so affected. I know it was necessary to a point, but there has to be some give at some point. So, it is important to have someone running your community that you can rely on not to take your livelihood. Great post, thanks!

Rachelle

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 32 of 84

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Traci East (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/153410) Aug 31, 2020

Encountering Politics in Our Everyday Lives

Professor and Class,

If political science is the “systematic and scientific study of politics and including institutions, behaviors and processes” (Whitman, p4). Politics is defined as the “authoritative distribution of resources” (Whitman, p3). So, there for learning about political science is important to understand and study because we encounter politics in our everyday lives. We encounter politics at home, at work and in our communities to name a few. I face politics everyday at the hospital I work in. Why we do the things we do at work and how we execute them are all examples of politics at work. Someone wrote the policy and one approved that policy to become why we perform certain tasks the way we do. Politics in a hospital setting comes down to who and how you work in a hospital but reading Emergency Physicians Monthly the article “Hospital Politics Don’t Have To Be a Dirty Business” they talk about working together no matter the challenge or challenging coworker productively for what’s the best for the patient, the hospital you work for and also your career (Silverman & White, 2017). This speaks volumes if you put the patient first then the rest should fall in line. Working in a hospital is just one example of how we encounter politics in our everyday lives. This would be true to about anything we do. We can own a house, but you must pay property taxes and that can go toward the schools or other government functions. So, to me we live and breathe taxes.

Silverman, M., & White, D. (2017, October 10). Hospital Politics Don’t Have to Be a Dirty Business. Retrieved August 31, 2020, from https://epmonthly.com/article/hospital-politics-dont-dirty-business/

Whitman Cobb, W. N. (2020) (pp3-4). Political science today. Washington, DC: Sage, CQ

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Siddony Blue (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/141474) Sep 1, 2020

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 33 of 84

Traci

I agree, politics is everywhere we go. I think in the workplace and especially with healthcare, we see it a lot. Politics not only impact patients, but also the ability to care for them and the institution that decide how we care for them or what services we provide.

I think that the hospital environment is one of the most politically charged environments, because there are often financial stakeholders that are deeply involved in the different decisions. Even as staff when we try to put patient first, at times, there may be functions and department head above us that can slow down that process or challenge our productivity.

In those situations, how do you combat these types of politically charged situations?

Siddony

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Jessica Medwick (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/152086) Aug 31, 2020

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Professor and Class,

“Political science is the systematic and scientific study of politics, including institutions, behaviors, and processes” (Cobb, 2020). I feel like it is important to learn about political science and for us to remain educated on what is going on with politics and our government. I feel like when you watch different news stations, they try to steer you all different directions, so if you have an understanding of what is going on in the world and do your own research, you’ll be able to point out what is actually true and what is not.

From our lesson, we learned that the government owns so much and impacts our daily lives. The house you bought, or car you bought; you own it, but it is not fully ours since we pay taxes on everything. So, what is the government? “Government, the political system by which a country or community is administered and regulated” (Brogan, 2020). As we learned in our lesson, the government is the structure that politics need to operate. (Chamberlain, 2020). This should be relevant and important to everyone with laws that we abide, taxes that we pay, and the rights that we have as citizens. It should be important to us too when it comes to voting. I feel like we should have the knowledge to properly vote since we are the ones wanting what is best for our family, friends, and our country. It is always important to go to the voting polls with facts before casting your vote, that way you know you made the best, informed decision. (Dolen, 2019).

Political science is interesting and important to me since I want to be educated on what is going on with our country and follow along with politics. I want to be informed not only for myself but for my family as well. Working in a hospital too as a nurse, I feel like there is a lot of political involvement there with policies, keeping an eye on hospital stay scores, and hospital spending costs/ unit budgets. If there or changes that need to be implemented; then there are protesting/organizations that can help promote these changes. We are patient advocates and we are the voices for our patients. Having the rights that we do, we have the right to remain educated with politics and the government and the right to speak up if we need to.

Jessica Medwick

References:

Chamberlain. 2020. The Difference Between Government and Politics. Week 1 Lesson: Introducing Political Science! Retrieved: https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/pages/week-1-lesson-introducing- political-science?module_item_id=9295616 (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/pages/week-1- lesson-introducing-political-science?module_item_id=9295616) m

W.N.Cobb. 2020. Political science today. (1st ed.). Washington, D.C.: Sage, CQ Press.

2019. Dolen. 2019. 3 Reasons You Should Care About Politics and The Government. Grantham University. Retrieved: https://www.grantham.edu/blog/3-reasons-you-should-care-about-politics-and-government/

(https://www.grantham.edu/blog/3-reasons-you-should-care-about-politics-and-government/) 2020. Brogan. 2020. Government. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/government (https://www.britannica.com/topic/government)

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Sep 1, 2020

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Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 1 at 12:47pm

ENCOUNTERING POLITICS AT WORK (PARTICULARLY IN HEALTHCARE) Jessica, Traci, and Class,

Do you encounter ‘official’ politics, decisions as to who gets what, when, and how made in city hall, at state capitols, and in DC if you work in a healthcare facility? If so, when exactly? When a patient is discharged? When you are involved in budgetary matters? When else?

If you think of government and politics only in terms of the place you work, is there a ‘government’ at your place of employment? If so, who or what is it? Do you have ‘politics’ there too?

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Wednesday

Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 2 at 11:25am

ENCOUNTERING POLITICS AT WORK (PARTICULARLY IN HEALTHCARE) Siddony, Geoffrey, and Class,

If you think of government and politics only in terms of the place you work, is there a ‘government’ at your place of employment? If so, who or what is it? Is it a shared governance committee? Is it something else? Do you have ‘politics’ there too?

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Thursday

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ENCOUNTERING POLITICS AT WORK (PARTICULARLY IN HEALTHCARE) Nikki and Class,

You encounter ‘official’ politics, decisions as to who gets what, when, and how made in city hall, at state capitols, and in DC if you work in a healthcare facility when: a patient is discharged; you are involved in budgetary matters; you deal with insurance companies; you deal in any way with COVID- 19; and when else?

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Sunday

Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 6 at 12:35pm

ENCOUNTERING POLITICS AT WORK (PARTICULARLY IN HEALTHCARE) Caitlynn, Miranda, Harlie, and Class,

You may encounter politics (decisions as to “who gets what, when, and how” made within government) if you work in healthcare when you:

If you think of government and politics only in terms of the place you work, is there a ‘government’ at your place of employment? If so, who or what is it? Is it a shared governance committee? A nurse manager? Is it something or someone else? Do you have ‘politics’ there too?

Sam

discharge a patient; are involved in budgetary matters; deal with insurance companies; deal in any way with COVID-19; are at all involved in research; are involved (or not involved) in prescribing medicine; are a Nurse Practitioner facing limitations as to what you can do; and/or when else?

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(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Yesterday

ENCOUNTERING POLITICS AT WORK (PARTICULARLY IN HEALTHCARE), FINAL THOUGHTS

Sierra and Class,

At your place of employment you have a government. The government might include the CEO; the CFO; the board of directors, shareholders, shared governance and other committees; the human resources department; business managers; union officials; the chief nursing officer; the chief medical officer; others in management; supervisors of all sorts (i.e. charge nurses, head nurses, unit managers, attending physicians, etc.); rules and regulations, and more.

Politics at your place of employment are the decisions regarding “who gets what, when, and how” … the decisions regarding: staffing ratios; admittance; determinations of wages and benefits; hiring and firing; contract negotiations; the drafting of the employee handbook; employee vaccination; break time; shifts; who has to work weekends; promotions; training; job requirements; surveys; PTO; and more. Of course, decisions made in the face of our current pandemic concerning shifts, hours, protective equipment, furloughing employees, etc. are impacted by ‘politics’ as well.

In any workplace you also have to deal with the politics that take place in city hall, at state capitals, and in D.C.. This has always been the case. In a healthcare setting you encounter this sort of politics when you: are dealing with the spread of infectious diseases (wearing PPE, screening, treating, being quarantined, being furloughed, etc.); encounter nurse/patient ratios; encounter Medicare or Medicaid; treat folks who have no insurance for whatever reason; have to deal with an insurance company for any reason; deal with healthcare reimbursement; make treatment decisions; actually administer treatment; record treatment; encounter prescription drugs (prescribe them, dispense them, etc.); encounter the Affordable Care Act; come up against the fact that all Americans do not have access to healthcare and that in America healthcare is not seen as a right; deal with licensing requirements; have to complete continuing education; make appointments; consider workplace rights; get health insurance through your employer; are restricted in your scheduling of a patient; observe restrictions on folks visiting love ones because of health concerns; treat an undocumented immigrant; are involved in research using embryos, fetal tissue, etc.; administer a vaccine, are required to be vaccinated, etc.; are involved in the provision of preventative care; are impacted by staffing decisions; work with homeless families; join the ANA; encounter labor laws, workplace safety regulations, etc.; work at a magnet hospital or your hospital has some other sort of special status; encounter abortion or contraception; run into issues of accreditation; encounter zoning laws; get paid or get benefits; work for a healthcare facility that merges with another; have patients that are transferred between facilities; are a part of a union; assist folks with end of life decision making; wash or sanitize your hands; transport a patient; get vacation time, adhere to HIPAA; interact with police; and much more.

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HIPAA; interact with police; and much more.

The politics in question here takes place on the floor of Congress; in conference rooms at the CDC; at the headquarters of the World Health Organization in Geneva; at UN headquarters in New York; in the White House; in state legislatures; at City Hall in Detroit, San Francisco, Madison, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond; etc.. Sam

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Caitlynn Farthing (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/57550) Thursday

If you had asked me last week if I thought political science was important to study I would have one hundred percent said no. Anything with the word politic in it makes me cringe at the thought of the hate and turmoil involved. I have always been the type to allow others to worry about it and let them catch me up on it later, more go with the flow kind of person, allowing myself to block everything else out. I am learning that “ political science is not nearly the whirlwind of conflict, scandal, and frustration that is often, the object of its study” (Cobb, 2020). Political science is more the study of politics and not politics itself, I believe this is a misconception of political science and why people even like myself can easily dismiss its importance. Understanding that it determines “ who gets what, when, and how” has put it into a different perspective for me. Especially as a nurse it is important to me that I am my patient’s voice, their advocate. Politics and even political science may not be something that I particularly like but it is something important to understand to be that voice for not only myself outside of work but what is more important to me is my patient’s and how being knowledgeable in this aspect will enhance their care. “All governments make decisions that set priorities regarding regulation and distribution of public goods, and AD is no exception” (Blank, 2018). Before reading Blank’s article on Alzheimer’s Disease — Perspective from Political Science: Public Policy Issues I would have told you that insurance companies were the problem in allowing us as healthcare workers to care for our patient’s. This article was eye opening to see just how much our government does dictate on “ who gets what, when, and how” particularly with research on diseases and their cures. The truth is how do we as healthcare workers treat our patients without these researches on how to cure a particular disease, medication, and/or other treatment options. Research is the foundation and our government decides which is the most important, which one gets the most money, when they get it, and how they use it. Therefore, as of today, as a nurse willing to advocate for her patients I change my views and say yes, political science is important to study and learn more about.

Blank, R.H.(2018). Alzheimer’s Disease — Perspective from Political Science: Public Policy Issues. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics. 46(3). P.724-743.

Whitman Cobb, W.N. (2020). Political science today. Sage, CQ Press.

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Geoffrey Rovira (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/79392) Sep 1, 2020

Political science as described by Heiden (2013) is “the activity of governing a legally constituted community such as a town, nation, empire, or federation. However, politics and government are not the same as most believe. In the lesson this week, it is written that government is the framework that dictates the law and policy for decisions, which is politics (Chamberlain University, 2020). Students should take an interest and learn about political science because it affects our privileges and rights. This also includes workplace politics. In nursing, there is a practice called shared governance, which allows staff nurses to be involved in implementing new or changing policies. At my hospital, there is a committee meeting where representatives from each unit convene to discuss changes, needs, and issues that affect patient safety. It is important that voices and concerns are heard to ensure an effective and reliable organization. Political science fosters research and communication, which drives change in what people believe is important to them.

References:

Chamberlain University. (2020). Week 1 lesson: Introducing political science! Retrieved from: https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/pages/week-1-lesson-introducing-political-science? module_item_id=9295616

Heiden, B. (2013). The ideology of political science. Academic Questions, 26(2), 199-207. doi:10.1007/s12129-013- 9348-5

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Heather VanDewark (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/50995) Sep 1, 2020

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According to Whitman Cobb, political science is defined as the systematic and scientific study of politics, including institutions, behaviors, and processes (2020). With today’s media, there is a big focus on the negativity and oppositions in the political world of the United States, but the study of political science separates itself from the politics side and addresses the organizational pieces that drive and evolve our political processes. As stated by Whitman Cobb, the development of political science was the very idea of developing a systematic and scientific view of the political world (2020). Understanding that political science differs from politics, is a very surprising fact to many as they associate it with politics and the stigma that it brings. That is why it is imperative that students should study and understand political science, I feel political science takes away the influential and “in your face” negativity of politics today, and makes you think about the bigger picture. Seeing the reasons why, allows the student to develop their own ideas regarding our government decisions, processes, and actions. With this knowledge, they can explore their opinions, and possible contributions to making positive changes for the future of our country and the people.

When I reflect on how studying political science will impact my views, I realized that there is little I knew regarding it’s background. Personally, I feel that political science is relevant to me personally because I deal with the aspects of political science on a daily basis at work. There is a rhyme and reason as to how the structure of leadership is built in a healthcare facility, and it is important that I understand how it affects processes and daily practices for productivity purposes. Even though we may not agree with all implementations, we need to understand that there is more in depth reasons as to why it works. Nursing research written by Wilson, Anafi, Kusi-Appiah, Darko, Deck and Errasti-Ibarrondo supports that nurses need to be more involved in and also more adept at politics and political action for the advancement of the profession, and for the health and wellbeing of the public (2020). I am eager to see how political science has an impact on my daily life, outside of work, and use the knowledge to guide me in making educated decisions.

References

Whitman Cobb, W. N. (2020). Political science today (1st ed.). Washington, DC: Sage, CQ Press.

Wilson, D., Anafi, F., Kusi-Appiah, E., Darko, E., Deck, K., Errasti-Ibarrondo, B. (2020). Determining if nurses are involved in political action or politics: A scoping literature review. Retrieved from https://chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=edselp&AN=S0897189720300951&site=eds-live&scope=site (https://chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=edselp&AN=S0897189720300951&site=eds-live&scope=site)

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Wednesday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 41 of 84

POLITICAL SCIENCE? Heather and Class,

Political science is the study and analysis of politics. Is it also a science? If so, is it a social science but not a ‘hard’ or ‘real’ science?

Sam

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Heather VanDewark (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/50995) Wednesday

Professor Angus and class,

After researching information regarding the differences of social science and real science, I feel that political science does fall under the “Science” category. According to the dictionary, science is the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world, so I feel that political science studies the social aspects versus “real” science. In political science, from what I have learned this far, we are exploring the systematic parts that create our government basis, based off evidence of successful processes. Although there are many variations of defined “sciences”, and many can argue what is actual science, support shows that the sciences go hand and hand while addressing different issues. An article written by Kirby, Jaimes, Lorenz-Reaves and Libarkin in the Public Library of Science addresses this concept, stating interdisciplinary scientific research teams are essential for responding to society’s complex scientific and social issues (2019).

References

Kirby, CK., Jaimes, P., Lorenz-Reaves, AR., Libarkin, JC. (2019). Development of a measure to evaluate competence perceptions of natural and social science. Public Library of Science, 14(1). Retrieved from https://chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=mdc&AN=30601856&site=eds-live&scope=site (https://chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=mdc&AN=30601856&site=eds-live&scope=site)

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Sunday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 42 of 84

POLITICAL SCIENCE? Heather and Class,

Political science is the analysis and study of politics. It probably is best thought of as a real science … as a “systematic search for knowledge through observation, experiments, and tests” (Whitman Cobb, 2020). It certainty involves the pursuit of knowledge through serious and systematic research [including data collection (through polls, surveys, and even plain old observation), hypothesizing, the testing of hypotheses, an attempt to replicate the research of others, and more].

So, the question here is not really whether political science is a science (it is) but whether it is a science in the same way as the ‘hard’ or ‘natural’ sciences are. So, what do folks think? If it is, why? Because it utilizes the scientific method? Because it is quite systematic? For other reasons? If not, why not? Because it focuses more on social aspects? For other reasons?

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Sunday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 43 of 84

POLITICAL … SCIENCE! Geoffrey, Nikki, and Class,

Political science is fairly important, because issues such as how to avoid genocide, how to spur economic development, and how to stabilize newly democratic regimes, etc. are quite important. Political science is also actually pretty darn scientific. It is not just about opinion. Political scientists do deal with facts, such as: the number of gun deaths in Chicago, the number of Muslims who are American citizens, or the frequency of piracy in the Gulf of Aiden. They also do make predictions, even if they won’t ever be able to make them with complete certainty. And though a political scientist’s biases might influence how they pick a hypothesis to test or even how they test it, that is true in any science and the strength of folks’ research is something that we can rather easily assess. Good research can indeed be identified and can (and is) supported by the good research of others. This means that folks have a real incentive to conduct good research in the first place.

Political science is science, political scientists do test hypotheses, they do identify variables, their studies actually can be replicated, and the results of their research really can be built upon. The fact that people, like some celestial bodies, do not seem predictable does not take away from any of this. In reality people’s actions, when you look at the big picture, are fairly predictable.

It is also worth noting that other sciences, even ‘hard’ sciences, do have to deal with bias, disagreement between scientists, evolution and change in the subjects of their research, and bad research.

As far as qualitative and quantitative research is concerned, both have a place in political science and good research draws on both.

The bottom line is that political science, while not the same as geology or chemistry, is nonetheless is an important science.

Sam

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Geoffrey Rovira (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/79392) Sunday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 44 of 84

Professor,

Political science is definitely a science. As stated in the lesson this week, the scientific method is used to collect data to determine conclusions on human behavior (Chamberlain University, 2020). Due to the unpredictability of human and social behavior, political science is not a natural science, rather a social science (Chamberlain University, 2020). Political scientists use the scientific method to develop hypotheses, collect data, and draw conclusions just as any other scientists would with a clinical trial or study. Just because it is not a natural science, this does not mean that political science is a lesser science. Social behaviors need to be studied in order to provide a balanced society.

Reference:

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Breanna Majzel (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/126719) Wednesday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 45 of 84

Dear Professor and class,

Politics are in our everyday lives. It controls what we think, what we do, where we go, how we live (UTSA Department of Political Science and Geography). That is why it is so important for political science to be a course that every student needs to go through. When you move past what the media is telling you, and think more like a political scientist, being more in depth about a topic, a whole new world of thoughts and ideas will come to you (Cobb, 2020). Political science will change peoples outlook on our country. With political science and politics in our daily lives, people need to be taught the difference between them.

We need to start realizing the difference between politics and political science. Some examples that you can keep in mind of this involve: passing acts, such as Affordable Care Act, or immigration (Cobb, 2020). Many people see the media side of the issue, and do not think though all the possible outcomes. With political science, the scientist go through it using “analytical” reasoning (Cobb, 2020). The media sides of the politics feel the need that the only important things that are worth being on TV is the information that they feel like bring the most attention and it is usually bias most of the time.

Cobb, W.N.W. (2020). Political Science Today. Sage: CQ Press

UTSA Department of Political Science and Geography. (n.d.). Why Political Science? Retrieved September 02, 2020, from http://colfa.utsa.edu/polisci-geography/about-political-science (http://colfa.utsa.edu/polisci- geography/about-political-science)

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Dorcas Todom (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/105047) Friday

Hello professor and class,

I wish to agree with Breanna that indeed politics is an important part of our daily living. However, studying political science anchors new perspectives on country, politics and political science (Cobb, 2020). It also acts as an avenue to reasonably internalize different governmental approaches towards raging topics such as immigration, healthcare and international relations without the bias of Television and other mainstream media which is sometimes specific to certain aspects of these discussions (Cobb, 2020). It is also important to note that the media is very critical for mass awareness of emerging issues. Therefore, with a political science background, you’re in a better position to understand the issues, parties involved and possible solutions that may be available.

Reference

Cobb, W.N.W. (2020). Political Science Today. Sage: CQ Press

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Dorcas Todom (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/105047) Wednesday

Hello professor and class

A layman would probably refer to political science as presidential campaigns, political rallies and to a further extent, policy making. But there’s more to it than that. It is defined as the study of governments, public policies and global political behavior (Maddocks, 2020). Understanding political science is important for students since they get to know the basics that guide formulation of policies and laws that govern different professions. On a personal level, studying political science shapes one’s understanding of their rights, and its inclinations towards both national and international politics (Maddocks, 2020). Sometimes it is difficult to comprehend certain governmental decisions on healthcare and other issues. Political science gives an insight to what goes on at the policy making level of government (Whitman, 2020).

Political science appeals to me as nursing student and on an individual level. As a nursing student, I follow emerging legislative issues that touch on the health sector. It is apparent and obvious that with new trends and technologies, there has to be matching laws that frame the resulting practices. This necessity is even dire in the healthcare sector. Studying political science will give me the platform to understand the variables involved in different stages of policy and law formulation (Whitman, 2020).

It is also important to know how international politics and laws influence my daily living. Knowing how to participate in political and law making procedures, is one avenue that I hope political science will enlighten me and is one reason why I am interested in this session.

References

Maddocks, K. G. (2020, June 26). What is Political Science All About? Retrieved September 01, 2020, from https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/2018/08/what-is-political-science

Whitman, W. C. (2020). Political science today. Washington, DC: Sage, CQ Press.

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Alexander Bravo (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/163574)

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 47 of 84

Wednesday

Hello All,

Like I mentioned in my introduction post I think it is important that every student takes one political science course during their college career. Many of us do not like politics its uncomfortable to talk about, makes you look at people in a different way, it can tear friends and families apart, and be honest, it has this country more divided than ever. Since politics are every we go and every we look. I think it is important to learn about the science behind, and it is important to educate yourself. Politics play a huge factor in healthcare, living wages, and education. these are things important to us. Concerning me, the most significant purpose to be politically engaged is because politics is a means for nurses to advocate for patients. A portion of the social determinants of health can be influenced by political decisions. Healthcare workers can help to preserve health care access for defenseless populations. I choose to use an article on Why and How Political Science Can Contribute to Public Health? In the article, the author mentions it is critical to anchor the analysis of public health policies in political science approaches and models. Clearly, tools and judgment have already been improved to better maintain the examination of public policies. However, gray areas remain as to the most suitable way of analyzing the political variables that sometimes conflict with making public health solutions precedence in the political system. The link between science and politics is openly debated in the context of the growing interest in evidence-based public health practice or even evidence- based policy-making. The development of strategies to support the adoption of health-promoting public policies appears to many experts as essential for the future of public health. Political science approaches have also been used, more or less directly, to analyze public health problems related to the social determinants of health and health inequalities, as well as the promotion of healthy lifestyles (tobacco use, alcohol, obesity). Despite progress, close linkages between researchers in public health and in political science are a long time coming.

Gagnon, F., Bergeron, P., Clavier, C., Fafard, P., Martin, E., & Blouin, C. (2017). Why and How Political Science Can Contribute to Public

Health? Proposals for Collaborative Research Avenues. International journal of health policy and management, 6(9), 495–499.

https://doi.org/10.15171/ijhpm.2017.38

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Anne St Jean (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157701) Wednesday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 48 of 84

Hello Everyone, political science is extremely important especially during this pandemic we are now in. According to the article i found “Political science is usually associated with the: study of the State, Government, and politics,….. and the relations between the rulers and those subjected to the rules (Gagnon,1 )”. I bring in this quote because it shoes the importance of studying political science. Right now there are a lot of new laws put into place in regards to covid 19 such as where i live in Maryland you have to wear a mask everywhere and schools are online and not in person. These are new laws put into place by officials such as county leaders and the mayor and they must be followed. I feel like studying political science will help everyone gain knowledge into how and why they must follow laws that are put into place and also allow them to voice their opinion on matters they may not agree with. Some people are against certain new laws such as the mask and the schools being online and they are able to write letters and protest if they want to so i feel like studying political science will also help those who do not like certain laws to stand up and try to maybe change the way laws are. It gives people more freedom to explore certain ideas and make sure they are also following laws. In terms of politics that is everywhere and the debates and voting so political science will also maybe help those who are undecided about politics to pick a side.

References

Gagnon, F., Bergeron, P., Clavier, C., Fafard, P., Martin, E., & Blouin, C. (2017). Why and How Political Science Can Contribute to Public Health? International journal of health policy and management, 6(9), 495–499. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5582435/ (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5582435/)

Whitman Cobb, W. N. (2020). Political Science Today. (1st Edition). Washington DC: Sage, CQ Press.

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Alexander Bravo (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/163574) Friday

Hello Anne, a Very good connection you made therewith political science and the current COVID-19 pandemic. This Pandemic and the actions of certain local politicians have forced me to pay attention more to politics. I’ve noticed throughout this the people who care about politics (typically those in the elite upper class) will get to make decisions that affect our lives for the better or worse, and as a nurse can put my life at risk. People with plenty of wealth have an outsized quantity of power in the political system, and the desire to write rules allowing them to misuse their workers, their clients, the public, and the environment in ways that will make most people’s lives much more stressful, including ours. The only thing we have to combat that is there are many more of us who don’t want them doing that. But we only have power if we pay attention and vote. (this is just my opinion feel free to disagree )

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Saturday

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Alexander and Class,

Later in this class we will explore questions of the roles of elites in policy making. All through the class we will think about how politics impact us and how we can impact politics. So, be on the lookout for these issues as we move forward.

Sam

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Eritrea Kiflu (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/137899) Wednesday

Hello Professor and Class,

Political science is an important subject for students to learn about because it helps students understand that politics is influenced by factors that can enable predictions. Political science is defined as the study of politics and political actors (Whitman Cobb, 2020). Political science studies the factors that influence how politics operates, and so it can lead to a better understand of why events happen and how political institutions act the way they do (Whitman Cobb, 2020). For example, Whitman Cobb (2020) gives an example of health care policy and shows that political scientists would compare the United States to other countries and try to identify characteristics and factors that have helped shape the way that U.S. healthcare policy differs from the policies in those other countries (Whitman Cobb, 2020). This is very useful to study because it means that students would be able to understand why things happen and maybe even be able to think of ways that they could influence policy as a result. In other words, studying political science will help students be able to make predictions and understand political events in ways that can help them understand how the system works overall (Lowndes, Marsh & Stoker, 2017).

Political science is relevant to me personally because as someone living in the United States, I am affected by the decisions that political officials make. If I want to see policies that help me or my community adopted, it will be better for me to understand how the political process works so that I will be able to make better choices.

References

Lowndes, V., Marsh, D., & Stoker, G. (Eds.). (2017). Theory and methods in political science. Macmillan International Higher Education.

Whitman Cobb, W.N. (2020). Political science today. Sage CQ Press.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Thursday

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HEALTHCARE RESEARCH Eritrea and Class,

If you were a political scientist interested in healthcare, particularly on a global scale, what is a specific question that you could study? What hypothesis might you come up with? How would you test your hypothesis?

Sam

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Amelia Macchietto (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/147653) Sunday

Professor Angus and Class,

If I were a political scientist interested in healthcare I would want to study the factors that lead to a community either supporting or rejecting the idea of universal healthcare. This is an especially hot topic right now given the increase in our uninsured population in tandem with the increase in public health needs. I would hypothesize that there is a correlation between need, exposure to need, and acceptance of universal healthcare. It is my personal belief that empathy should be the driving force behind politics and policies. If this holds true for others, I would expect to see an increase of acceptance of universal healthcare in populations who are either impacted by its absence or who have seen or can fully understand the impact of its absence. This would be tested through vast polling to gather true data on public opinion and then searching for the common factors in those both for and against public healthcare.

Amelia

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Eritrea Kiflu (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/137899) Sunday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 51 of 84

Hello Professor,

There are many different questions that could be studied about that issue! One might be whether different countries provide pre-natal care or support, and how they differ in the way they do that. One hypothesis could be that in countries where tax resources are used for pre-natal care, the percentage of children who survive their first year will be higher. This could be tested through statistical analysis of tax expenditures and also survival rates for the first year, and so quantitative research could answer the question (Whitman Cobb, 2020).

Reference

Whitman Cobb, W.N. (2020). Political science today. Sage CQ Press.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Sunday

Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 6 at 10:18pm

HEALTHCARE RESEARCH, FINALISH THOUGHTS Amelia, Eritrea, and Class,

If you were a political scientist interested in healthcare, you might look into why some folks support universal healthcare and others do not. You might investigate the politics behind providing pre-natal care. You might study how hospitals function as organizations. You might look at the impact of medical malpractice reform. There are many many healthcare related issues a political scientist could explore. Each of those issues have more than one specific question that could be asked, and there are multiple potential hypotheses that could be posited.

If you were looking into the question of why some communities are more supportive on the whole of universal healthcare, you might well posit a connection to need in the community. You could test this hypothesis by conducting polls in communities and looking for connections between wealth, unemployment rates, and more and support for universal healthcare. You could also study one or two communities in depth, and look for connections. This would be a more qualitative, rather than quantitative, approach.

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/147653)

Amelia Macchietto (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/147653) Wednesday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 52 of 84

Professor Angus and Class,

It seems appropriate to be in this political science course right now, given our country’s current state and the associated political climate. That, combined with the fact that our presidential election is two months away, creates the perfect storm to embody the relevance of political science. However, it is vital to make the distinction early on between politics and political science. Just as there is a distinction between government and politics, our book highlights the difference between politics and political science. Political science does not look only at policies and laws, but it follows the factors that lead to those policies as well as the patterns our political system follows (Whitman Cobb, 2020). Political science is also differentiated from politics by its objective, rather than partisan, nature. The knee-jerk reaction to political science is sometimes “I’m not interested in politics,” but this reaction depends on inaccurate generalizations. An appreciation for political science does not rely on an interest in politics!

I believe that everyone should have an understanding of political science. I do recognize that this is a biased opinion as I am also interested in domestic and international politics and so this political science course will help me to broaden my understanding of these topics. Political science does impact all of our lives, even when we do not realize it. Dr. Özlem Becerik Yoldaş stated that the goal of educating young people on topics such as political science is to “encourage the ability and willingness of political participation by providing information and the basis to make conscientious judgments,” (2015, p. 546). There is no way to make informed decisions without information. We all the responsibility to, at minimum, vote. Even this act cannot be appropriately done without a basic understanding of political science and the current political climate.

I became interested in politics for the first time following the 2016 Syrian refugee crisis. Until this point, I was somewhat apathetic towards politics and just followed my parents’ and community’s stances. There was one article written by Relevant Magazine that changed my whole perspective on politics. I will include the link below, but essentially, the article expressed the idea that Christians should follow the Good Samaritan parable and own the responsibility of helping those in need (Carey, 2016). As a Christian, this spoke to me and challenged me to get more involved. Following this, I followed my best friend’s journey as she married a man from Costa Rica and the immigration situations that arose for them. These moments shaped my interest in politics, political science, immigration, and social programs.

Thanks for reading! Mia

References

Carey, J. (2016). The parable of the good samaritan in the era of refugees. Relevant. Retrieved September 2, 2020, from https://relevantmagazine.com/ current/parable-good-samaritan-era-refugees/

Whitman Cobb, W. N. (2020). Political science today. Sage, CQ Press.

Yoldaş, Ö. B. (2015). Civic education and learning democracy: Their importance for political participation of young people. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 174, 544-549. https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.sbspro.2015.01.703

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Emily Fox (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/148024) Wednesday

Professor and class,

With our current political climate I think it is dire that everyone study political science. There are so many main issues that effect us all on a daily basis that we all need to understand. From COVID regulations to safety laws, politics has an impact on all of our lives. An understanding of politics would help tremendously. I also think that a lack of understanding of politics, mixed with “language used by politicians and their supporters today,” lead to a very concerning situation (Whitman, 3). So, I agree with you Professor in that folks should learn about political science.

I find our textbook very interesting. Honestly, I was confused about the difference between politics and political science. What helped me really understand was the example of immigration that the author used. Where politics focus on (or argue about) whether illegal immigrants should be forced to leave our country or that they should be allowed to stay, etc. Political science focuses on the true issue at hand and studies things like, how immigrants effect our economy and where they came from and the reason why they left their home country (Whitman, 4). That real life, human connection to political issues is what kept me reading.

I read an article about college students and politics and it said, “young people are the future of our democracy, and a large body of research shows that their experiences in adolescence and early adulthood permanently shape their attitudes, values, and habits in relation to politics and civil society” (Kiesa et al.). In a way I think this is a detriment to our current political climate. A lot of adults, of all ages, continue to think and vote the way they were taught as children, instead of learning the actual issues and who they align with by learning about political science.

WhitmanCobb, W.N. (2020). Political science today. (1st ed.). Washington, D.C.: Sage, CQ Press.

Kiesa, Abby, et al. ” ” Millennials Talk Politics: A Study of College Student Political Engagement.

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Tenzin Tsephel (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/112704) Wednesday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 54 of 84

Hello Professor and Class,

Political science is the study of politics and this field is important to study for many reasons. By studying political science, we can have a better understanding of how our governments work, how governments are formed, and what our rights and duties as citizens are. According to Cobb (2019, p.1) “Political science is the systematic and scientific study of politics, including institutions, behaviors, and processes.” Whether we know it our not, our lives are surrounded by politics. Our roads and public transportation is funded with taxpayer dollars, our community is run by governments that create rules for society, and each of us have responsibilities as citizens, like voting. Because politics affects many parts of our lives, having a foundation in this discipline and seeing how political science works is essential to understanding our society, our leaders, and ourselves. Political science is relevant to all people around the world, not just those in the United States. This is echoed in Cobb’s statement that “No matter the subfield, political scientists across the discipline utilize common ideas or concepts to understand politics around the globe, including public goods, states, governments, power, ideology, representation, and political culture.” (2019, p. 24)

During this pandemic, many people lost their jobs because of the threat of the spreading virus and the resulting restrictions the government placed on businesses. In this time, we have seen big differences in the ways federal, state, and local governments have managed this crisis. I am personally interested in understanding way different political leaders chose different approaches for handling this crisis and how their political beliefs influenced their decision making. I am also curious about the roles and the responsibilities of the government during a crisis, like this lockdown. For example, do governments have the responsibility to provide all the needs of the community, such as ensuring remote learning for children and covering unemployment benefits for those who lost their jobs? In U.S. history did the government always assume this role? Kleinberg and Lau (2019) state that “General political knowledge is one of the most valuable resources that any citizen in a democracy can possess.” I believe this statement is true and am eager to learn the specific political knowledge that can strengthen my role as a citizen in my community.

References:

Cobb, W.N. W. (2019). Political Science Today. [VitalSource Bookshelf]. Retrieved from https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781544358314/ (https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781544358314/)

Kleinberg, M. S., & Lau, R. R. (2019). The Importance of Political Knowledge for Effective Citizenship: Differences Between the Broadcast and Internet Generations. Public Opinion Quarterly, 83(2), 338-362.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Thursday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 55 of 84

Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 4 at 8:11am

GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO COVID-19 Tenzin and Class,

We will talk a lot more about this as the class goes on, but it is worth starting the conversation now. So, how has the federal government responded to COVID-19? What are some explanations for what has and has not been done?

Sam

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Anne St Jean (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157701) Thursday

Hello Professor and class, the federal Government has responded the best they could i think because each state has made their own decisions and some went against Federal Government and did what they think was best. A lot of people felt that there should have a nation wide lock down of all states at the same time and the Federal Government opposed this because they said that the crisis would be worst if every state decided to shut down completely. Some also said they did not move very fast but i feel that this virus is still new and a couple months ago no one really knew how deadly this pandemic would be so i feel that they responded when they figured out how serious it was.

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Emily Fox (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/148024) Thursday

I somewhat agree with how the federal government has handled COVID-19. For example, I agree that lockdown policies should have been determined on a state level. The reason I think this is because parts of the midwest does not need the same lockdown measures as a large metropolitan city, for instance. I also agree with the stimulus that was sent out. However, I think there should have been a consistent stimulus helping people throughout this entire time of shutdown. Unemployment was not available for a lot of Americans and they were just out of luck. Many Americans are without jobs or losing their businesses due to lack of patrons and income. This pandemic hit everyone hard but I do feel like more could have been done to help the working class people of this country.

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Tenzin Tsephel (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/112704) Friday

Hello Professor,

The federal government responded to COVID-19 in many ways, most importantly declaration of national emergency. To respond to the coronavirus outbreak, the federal government spend $ 6.7 billion for a domestic response such as vaccine research and telehealth. Lockdown, and necessary to fallow the CDC guidelines in the public. I think they did well when we look at the census of the COVID 19 patient now in New York. It depends on the states.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Friday

Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 4 at 8:21am

GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO COVID-19 Tenzin, Anne, Emily, and Class,

The federal government has responded to COVID-19 by doing what exactly? Spending billions on vaccine development? Something else? Lets be as precise as possible.

Has our response been led by the states? Is that the right way, or should their have been more federal coordination and leadership? What are the pros and cons of a response to a pandemic centered at the state level?

Sam

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Anne St Jean (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157701) Friday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 57 of 84

Hello Professor, i believe they spent a lot on vaccines and research. They have been sending money to different labs to see who can come up with a vaccine the fastest. Also sent out stimulus checks for those who qualified and have put a suspension on student loans and eviction of people who cannot afford their rent at the moment. The states definitely have been responding differently. I reside in Maryland and schools were shut down very early on and we could not leave our house unless it was essential and that was a critical part of maintaining the virus. I feel like the states should be able to decide for themselves what is best for their communities. For example Maryland is only doing distance learning even though the federal Government thinks its okay for schools to open and as a parent that i feel like is outrageous. I think each state has different numbers and people there live differently and have their own restrictions.

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Emily Fox (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/148024) Saturday

In addition to what Anne stated, there have been several federal grants issued to assist small businesses and individuals who have been put out of work. A lot of the decision making when it comes to relief has been placed at a state level. A pro of this is that each state is tremendously different. The middle of Wyoming will need different quarantine rules than, say, New York City. In that aspect I think it’s good to be at a state level. It’s interesting to see which way a state leans politically and how they respond to COVID-19. I live in Florida which is a red state and our response has been fast and furious in the reopening aspect. I think we should have been shut down longer and more aide going to those that need it. I believe we should have quarantined longer, however, as a working parent who could not get unemployment benefits, I had no choice. If the American people were taken better care of financially during all of this I think the state of the country would be in a better place right now.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Sunday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 58 of 84

GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO COVID-19, FINALISH THOUGHTS Anne, Emily, and Class,

The federal government has responded to COVID-19 by spending billions on vaccine development; passing a stimulus bill; holding press conferences; gathering data; and more. It has not done a lot of coordination of state level responses. The response has been more centered at the state level. There is an argument to be made that more federal coordination and more adherence to federal standards would have meant less variation in terms of case levels and deaths and more effective responses, while still allowing for states (and local communities) to tailor their responses to fit their unique circumstances

Sam

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Michalle Wolfe (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169676) Wednesday

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Although we may not hold a position of office we, as citizens, still have a civic duty that includes voting, jury duty, and paying our taxes. It is important to be knowledgeable in the area of politics because they have such an importance in so many areas of our life even if we do not see or experience it first hand. As a young adult I never had any interest in politics because I found what didn’t directly affect me uninteresting and unimportant. It was not until recent years that I discovered the importance of my individual votes and responsibilities which has lead me to want to grow my knowledge of not only politics but the political science aide as well. By learning more about political science And how it studies and explains government and legislative processes so that people can be better informed about policies that impact their communities, states, and the country (Whitman Cobb, 2020), I can form a better foundation for my understanding.

I have found in life that many things can be associated with games, and politics is no different. Much of it is a game of power, getting people to agree, to act in a particular way, or to make something happen; this makes power an important element of political analysis and helps to explain political outcomes (Whitman Cobb, 2020). Abraham Lincoln was once quoted saying that the most effective way of destroying enemies was to join them, thus understand their rational, and eventually being able to defeat them. This is the same in politics because the more we can understand our leaders, being who we voted for or not, the better chance we have to get policies and laws we want heard and enacted. Politics can tel us how a society must be set up and how one should act within that society (Landauer 2001) but it is up to us to make sure the right officials are in the right positions while also understanding the hows and whys of it.

As we approach the next election, and continue to deal with the daily effects of life during a pandemic we must be able to take a greater look into how and why certain decisions are being made while understanding the impact our future votes could have on it all. Reflecting back I am upset with myself that I have not taken more initiative to have a better impact on my community and I look forward to learning more during this class to help me make more informed decisions in the future.

Landauer, J. (2020). Politics. Importanceofphilosophy.com. Retrieved 3 September 2020, from

http://www.importanceofphilosophy.com/Politics_Main.html.

Whitman Cobb, W. (2020). Political science today. Sage.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Thursday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 60 of 84

Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 3 at 12:34pm

POWER ETC. Michalle, Tenzin, and Class,

What is power? What about legitimacy, sovereignty, and authority … what are they and how do the relate to power?

Sam

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Michalle Wolfe (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169676) Friday

Authority stands for a right to Rule – a right to issue commands, and, possibly, to enforce these commands using coercive power (Chritiano, 2012). Power is the ability to assert your authority with respect because without respect successfully, legitimacy and sovereignty would not be possible. I think that is apparent in the states today as we see an overabundance of disrespect for our leader, which has made people more focused on the bad than any good. As civilians, we have a moral obligation to obey political authority while separating it from legitimate authority (Christiano, 2012).

In today’s society, people tend to crave more the prestige that comes with a political position of power, or any position of power for that matter, than they value the actual post. Although many people take positions of power to do good for the community, there are some bad apples that do it just for the fame, wealth, or just to say they did it without any genuine concern for impact. The amount of money involved in politics is something that I never understood since it is a big influencer of people and can sway actions and decisions. Money has long been associated with power for this very reason. The overall idea of the political system intrigues me because I believe the foundation was built to do good. Still, over time people have lost focus and let other things get in the way of the overall good needed to be done.

Christiano, T. (2012, January 11). Authority. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/authority/.

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Tenzin Tsephel (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/112704) Saturday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 61 of 84

Hello Professor,

Power is the ability to do and have a authority to act. “The idea of power is central to defining a state and a government. both have the authority and legitimacy to wield power over their citizen. “Cobb (2019). The concept of power can’t be easily defined.

Cobb, W.N. W. (2019). Political Science Today. [VitalSource Bookshelf]. Retrieved from https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781544358314/ (https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781544358314/)

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Sunday

POWER ETC. Tenzin, Michalle, and Class,

Power is the ‘currency’ of politics. It is the ability to get folks to do what they would not otherwise be likely to do. Hard power is where you essentially force folks to go along with you, and soft power is where you convince them to go along with you without employing force (military, economic, or other). Can folks share examples of hard and soft power? Who wields power in our society/political system?

What about legitimacy, sovereignty, and authority … what are they and how do the relate to power? Is authority the right to rule? Is it something else? What is legitimacy? What is sovereignty?

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Yesterday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 62 of 84

POWER, ETC. … FINAL THOUGHTS Class,

Legitimacy has to do with folks’ perception of government. Basically, legitimacy has to do with whether or not the people think the government should be the government. Sovereignty has to do with the amount of power and control wielded by the government. Authority has to do with the ability of the government to get folks to comply with their wishes.

The three concepts are clearly related. All have to do with power and implicate justice and order. A lack of any one probably does weaken the other two. A government that is not seen as legitimate by the people is likely to have limited authority. A government with limited sovereignty is less likely to be seen as legitimate. A government with no authority is not likely to be seen as legitimate by its people or other governments.

Examples abound. Haiti certainly has a government that cannot see to all of its people’s needs, something that is on full display with every natural disaster that strikes … and is also not seen as fully legitimate at home or abroad. Iraq is also lacking in all three respects. The government’s power and control within its boundaries is certainly limited; it cannot compel all, or even most, folks within its borders to do what it wishes; and many citizens do not recognize its legitimacy. Syria certainly qualifies as well here. The regime there clearly lacks sovereignty and its authority and legitimacy have been questioned. Another example might be Nigeria, where: oil companies and foreign powers impugn sovereignty, undermining legitimacy and limiting authority; ethnic divisions mean limited authority and legitimacy and therefore limit the respect for sovereignty that the government can command; and a colonial legacy creates a barrier for all three. Many governments suffer from related weaknesses in sovereignty, legitimacy, and authority.

It is even possible that our government is suffering from some weakness in terms of these three. Certainly, whatever you think about the current administration, it has had its legitimacy questioned. The argument that authority is weakened seems a little less strong, but the amount of power wielded by the government may be a bit reduced. There has also been international skepticism regarding our current leadership, although it might be a stretch to say sovereignty has been weakened. There may be some issues here, but clearly the United States is not in the same boat as Syria, Iraq, or Nigeria.

Keep in mind that all three of these concepts have to do with power and how it is wielded, order and the level to which it is maintained, and justice and the extent to which people think the government is committed to it.

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/168028)

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Traci Callari (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/168028) Wednesday

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“Political science is the systemic and scientific study of politics, including institutions, behaviors, and processes.” (Whitman, 2020) How and where we live, our daily activities such as exercise walking a dog, an extra circular activity that we choose to participate in within our community are all connected to political science and politics. The definition of Politics is an authoritative distribution of resources or rather the determination of who gets what, when, and how. (Whitman, 2020) I would refer to this as the “chaos” The definition of Political Science is the study of politics including institutions, behaviors, and processes. (Whitman, 2020) I would refer to this as the “Non-Chaos” The study of Political science is so important in today’s world especially due to the extreme vocal, social media influences and movements we are faced with daily. Study Political science will help better understand the reasons behind the movements. Studying Political science will provide better articulate forms of government from local to federal, understand the policies and procedures implemented, and hopefully establish less confusion. Being educated in political science is a valuable benefit that can help anyone navigate through all the rules, policies, and governing effects that the average Joe faces politically. (Wilson, 2020)

Professor, you had asked does politics impact every facet of your life? The simple answer is yes. Being a nurse, mother and a political representative within my community, the past couple of months dealing with the pandemic have been quite a challenge. New implementation of policies and procedures to be followed in the healthcare world, maintaining household parenting standards, and following Local government Emergency orders including but limited to shutting down of businesses, enforcing curfews, mandating masks to be worn, closures of beaches, parks, and schools. Then the implementation of partial re-opening, all the while working as a nurse through the impacts of Covid19 on the front line with direct contact of victims created a broad view of politics. Almost a tale of two cities, I was able to see and understand both sides while expressing a medical professional viewpoint to those who had little to no understanding of medicine and the effects. I was able to be a nurse advocate and offer understanding and reason. Literally one side versus the other, economy and sustainability versus health and well-being of human life. Most of the decisions being made sat in the hands of local and state politicians. So the real question will be once this is studied and the political science prevails on the how and why certain decisions were made. Will it have been for the greater good of all or the re-election of some and the power of the great American dollar. When I became a local politician I had little to no understanding of politics or political science. I am excited to learn and improve my understanding, not by learning on the job as I have done for the past 9 years. I am sure the benefits of this class will only create a better understanding for me moving forward.

References:

Wilson, Donna M., et al. “Determining If Nurses Are Involved in Political Action or Politics: A Scoping Literature Review.” Applied Nursing Research, vol. 54, 2020, p. 151279.

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Eritrea Kiflu (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/137899) Sunday

Hi Traci,

I like your distinction between chaos and non-chaos. Politics involves competition over resources and power, so it is chaotic, but political science is analytical and can be used to predict behavior and events in politics (Whitman Cobb, 2020). If we understand what factors influence political behavior, we can understand it, predict it, and even influence it (Whitman Cobb, 2020). That will bring order to the chaos. As a result, I think that political science is very useful for everyone because it will make the world a more understandable place and give us some power over what happens in politics.

Reference

Whitman Cobb, W.N. (2020). Political science today. Sage CQ Press.

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Nikki Lagua (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/125151) Thursday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 66 of 84

Hello Professor and Class,

I would like to begin by saying happy first week. Anyway, what is political science? Why should nursing students partake in such studies? To summarize political science, it is a social science that focuses on how a government system works and behaves. The deeper meaning of the question is whether political science can ever build a body of knowledge that can be used to better government and politics or at least predict what will happen (Cobb, 2020). Our textbook explains that the idea of prediction can be applied to natural sciences such a physics, biology, etc because there are factors you can analyze so why not use the same strategy to understand or predict the outcome of our government by running test, observing, or running experiments? Political science offers students an analytical approach to become more aware on how the most powerful systems in the country works and how certain factors can affect it.

I believe nursing schools should include some form of political education, as well as to encourage some involvement. The idea of nursing students learning about how government bodies works seems odd at first, but the correlation between the two is pretty evident. The US’s healthcare system is systematized by our government so it would be a wise choice to learn how our involvement impacts the system. The choices made by the government affects patients, nurses, and other health professions all alike. Leadership and expertise in health policy ensure that nursing expertise is used to improve the health of the nation (Ridenour, 2014).Since our country is based around democracy, it should be noted that when health care workers such as nurses influence political choices they are ultimately deciding the fate of the current healthcare system which affects the patients. Since the ultimate goal is to provide better healthcare, nurses should be educated in how their involvement can affect the current policies. To give my final thoughts, I think this was such an interesting and relevant topic to talk about especially with the current state everyone is in. I chose the path of healthcare not knowing about the pandemic that was about to happen and ever since then I wondered how the future of health care professions would be affected by it as well as how our involvement can affect or change any policies.

Nik

References

Whitman, W.N.C. (2020). Political Science Today (1st ed). Washington, DC: Sage. CQ Press.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157701)

Anne St Jean (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157701) Thursday

Yes i agree now more than ever nurses are needed and people are seeing how nurses are truly front line workers and how important they are. I have always wanted to a be a nurse but now with everything going on i am even more eager to begin my career. Great Post!

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 67 of 84

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Miranda Duellman (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/180986) Saturday

Hello Nik,

I also used this article for my post and I would agree with what you said. When I first registered to take this class, I thought “Why would I ever need to use Political Science as a nurse?”. I am already seeing and realizing that political science is not just something for people to argue about on social media, but it also something that determines almost everything in our day to day lives. Ridenour discusses the power that the government has over the healthcare system and uses a couple examples that really opened my eyes. The fact that some states still do not allow NP’s to prescribe medication without the Physician approval is really astonishing to me. In my clinic, our mid-level providers are still providers, and they sometimes even have more knowledge than the physicians from personal experience.

Reference:

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Sunday

Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 6 at 12:03pm

Miranda,

I responded to your post up in our ongoing conversation on politics in the workplace.

Thanks!

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/171555)

Brandi Crane (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/171555) Thursday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 68 of 84

Political science is the systematic and scientific study of politics, including institutions, behaviors, and processes. (Whitman, 2020). I think it is important to study political science to better understand how our government works and the particular laws and roles of government. I think it’s important to try to go beyond politics because it has become so toxic and chaotic. (Whitman, 2020). Politics is defined in the text as the authoritative distribution of resources or rather the determining of who gets what, when and how. (Whitman, 2020). I have some experience with state politics, and it seems be just as chaotic just on a smaller scale. The internet and social media seem to have exacerbated this issue. Because politics seems to be so divisive currently, I have mostly avoided any engagement in political issues, especially surrounding the president. It seems so disruptive to attempt conversations or opinions because there seems to be a lack of respect and understanding from both sides.

Studying political science is relevant to me to understand more about the operation of the state by analyzing the government, something I have never thought to do in the past. In a book written by Ellen Grigsby she discusses the challenges of attempting to view the world of politics from many different perspectives that can easily overwhelm even experienced political scientist (Grigsby, 2009). It also discusses that studying politics involves studying change. I agree with this as laws, attitudes and opinions are often changing. One example in my state of Mississippi about attitudes changing is the current debate about the state flag. The current state government passed a resolution in June to debate and vote on a bill to remove and replace the state flag. The issue is very divisive here while many feel the flag is racist, others believe their history is being replaced. There have been a few protests at the state capital but nothing violent. I personally believe the confederate flag has and does cause hurt to many minorities and I do believe it is a step in the right direction. Currently several new designed flags are in consideration by a committee. It’s something I hope this state can move forward with and I’m interested in the response. I look forward to the many discussions in this class.

References

Grigsby, E. (2009). Analyzing Politics. An Introduction to Political Science.

Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Whitman Cobb, W. (2020). Political Science Today. Sage Publications.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)

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Samuel Angus (Instructor) Friday

DIVISIVENESS Brandi and Class,

Are politics more divisive now then in the past? If so, what does this divisiveness look like? And what is the reason for increased divisiveness? Are teh internet and social media to blame? Is it a byproduct of a societal changes along racial lines and push back against them (our first Black President, taking confederate flags down, taking down Confederate monuments, challenging police treatment of Black Americans, etc.). Is it something else?

Sam

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Brandi Crane (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/171555) Saturday

I think it is more divisive now and I think social media has definitely played a part in this. It seems people are more willing to be hateful online than in person and the cancel culture online has really gained in popularity just in these past few years. I’ve seen many online “groups” calling for people to lose their jobs due to past actions, some that may have been 20 years ago, I find this very confusing because I believe people can change their views and I believe in forgiveness as we all make mistakes. I believe in debate and I think we have to show respect for each other even if we may disagree. Having said that, I do think there are circumstances that may warrant immediate action, it all has to be looked at individually and not make assumptions.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Sunday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 70 of 84

DIVISIVENESS Brandi and Class,

Brandi thinks politics are more divisive now then in the past. What do others think?

Are calls for folks to lose their jobs over past comments or actions evidence of divisiveness? Are the comments themselves evidence of divisiveness? Does the meaning of these comments and the responses to them depend on the particular circumstances? Should the circumstances determine the proper response? Is there other evidence of divisiveness?

If we have increased divisiveness, how come? Are the internet and social media to blame? Is it just easier to be nasty to one another from the comfort of our own homes and phones or computer keyboards? Is it a byproduct of a societal changes along racial lines and push back against them (our first Black President, taking confederate flags down, taking down Confederate monuments, challenging police treatment of Black Americans, etc.). Is it something else?

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Friday

SUMMARY/FINALISH QUESTIONS Class,

You all have done a great job so far in week one … but week one isn’t over yet!

Our main focus has been examining the what, why, and how of political science and the incredible reach of politics. We are starting to define key terms like politics, government, power, sovereignty, legitimacy, and more. We are continuing to identify politics everywhere around us … and have pretty much concluded that politics, and thus political science, must be pretty important. We are also probing into political science, trying to determine how it stacks up with other ‘sciences’ and what exactly political science research looks like.

Please keep exploring all of this above, we have only scratched the surface on some of these conversations, but as the week ends also consider the following additional questions.

In America, how effectively do politics (decisions as to “who gets what, when, and how”) take place within the structure or order of government? Where does power reside within our government? How is it wielded and by whom? Does our government have authority, legitimacy, and sovereignty? Is our setup just?

Sam

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 71 of 84

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Yesterday

SUMMARY – SUMMARY Class

America is not perfect, because no place is. Politics (the determination of “who gets what, when, and how”) could always be more effective and the structure/order within which it takes place (namely government) could be better too. It is probably the case that the American government has authority (the ability to get folks to comply with their wishes), legitimacy (a popular acceptance of government), and sovereignty (power and control of people and territory) … and it is certainly the case that all three are weaker in a whole lot of other places. There is, however, an argument to be made that all have been weakened here in America. There is also an argument to be made that the delicate balance of power spelled out in the Constitution has been upset. Certainly the current administration has had its legitimacy questioned and its authority challenged. One might say that the recent protests are doing both. The administration’s exercise of power has not always been smooth (certainly many folks would say that the pandemic response has not been smooth) and there are claims of injustice. There have also been claims of a long term expansion of executive power.

We will also see that ours is not the only approach, and that there are other electoral systems, party systems, approaches to Constitution writing, court systems, economic systems. etc.. We probably can’t adopt a direct democracy, but there are folks who think we could benefit from borrowing a bit from parliamentary systems, democratic socialism, etc. in order to make our system work more efficiently for everyone.

Do remember, however, that the one thing no one can credibly dispute is that if you live in America (or anywhere else) politics impacts every facet of your life … even if you work as a nurse!

Sam

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Miranda Duellman (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/180986) Saturday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 72 of 84

While reading the lesson from this week, something really jumped out at me that I hadn’t thought about before. There is an example that talks about your home life and relates it to government. I had never realized that each household is almost its own mini government. In my household, my husband and I each have our own processes and our own ways of keeping things in order. It appears he looks to me to make decisions (What’s for supper? What are we doing this weekend? Are we going to that wedding? etc.). Although he does help make some decisions, he really looks to me to lead our family. When thinking about the government and relating it to my home life, just in larger scale, this has helped me obtain a better understanding.

Prior to this class, I had no knowledge about politics and the government. I always thought that they were essentially the same thing. Although it seems as though you cannot have one without the other, I now realize that just because someone is talking “politics” doesn’t mean they are talking about our government.

I found an article that discusses the limitations put on nurses and nurse practitioners in some states. I had heard that in the past, NP’s and PA’s were not really allowed to practice on their own and everything they did or prescribed required a physician’s approval. I never realized that this was still the case in some states. In Minnesota where I work, our PA’s and NP’s are required to have a proctoring physician, but not in the way that you think. The physician is there purely for help and guidance on subjects that the mid-level providers are not comfortable with. The article quotes “There’s data from the early 1980’s that show that NPs have at least as good outcomes as physicians when providing primary care. The opposition is not based on outcomes; it’s based on other things.” (Ridenour) This is something that I totally agree with. It seems as though mid-level providers can have an even more empathetic and personal approach with their patients when compared to physicians (this of course is not ALWAYS true and is my opinion).

References:

Nurse Leader Urges Nurses to Study Political Science, Too. (2018, January 29). Retrieved September 03, 2020, from https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/articles-and-news/2014/02/nurse-leader-urges-nurses-to-study-political- science–too.html (https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/articles-and-news/2014/02/nurse-leader-urges-nurses-to-study- political-science–too.html)

Chamberlain University Lesson Week 1 (2020). Retrieved from: https://portal.chamberlain.edu (https://portal.chamberlain.edu/)

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Sunday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 73 of 84

POLITICS AT HOME Miranda and Class,

Do you have a government and politics at home? If so, is the government the parents/guardians? What does politics (decision making as to “who gets what, when, and how”) look like? And how does this version of government and politics differ from the more ‘official’ version taking place at City Hall, in state capitals, and in Washington D.C.?

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Yesterday

POLITICS AT HOME, FINAL THOUGHTS Class,

Our homes do have their very own ‘governments’ and ‘politics.’ The governments (at least officially) are adults, often parents/guardians. ‘Politics,’ or decisions as to “who gets what, when, and how” include decisions regarding where the family is located, where they go on vacation, what pets they have and who takes care of them, what groceries are purchased, how often they go out to the movies and what they see, curfew, who is present at meals, etc.. The ‘politics’ and “government’ present in our homes differs from the more ‘official’ version taking place at City Hall, in state capitals, and in Washington D.C. in many ways including that the ‘official’ governments are larger, have armies, don’t have governments above them, can print currency, may have more official input from the ‘governed,’ etc..

Sam

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Harlie Brackett (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/119638) Sunday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 74 of 84

Miranda,

I didn’t realize that some states still required a physician to proctor the care that they provide. I have thought about the future and have also thought about one day becoming a nurse practitioner, but I haven’t really looked into it much further than that. I know from experience at my hospital, we have an area that is mostly staffed with NPs and PAs, and they oversee all of the care of those patient’s assigned to their areas. I also know from experience and having conversations with them that they do require a physician to sign off on narcotic prescriptions, but all other prescriptions such as antibiotics, muscle relaxers, blood pressure medications, etc. they are allowed to prescribe without the needed sign off from a physician. However, I do work at a teaching hospital and there is always an attending physician there that they occasionally run their ideas by if they need some guidance and of course who can sign off or write the narcotic prescriptions. I guess that I should start looking into how different states allow nurse practitioners to operate before deciding if that is the path I want to take. Thank you for this information!

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/168571)

Penica Hill (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/168571) Sunday

Hello Professor & Class,

After learning about political science in this week’s reading I feel that it is important for students to learn about political science because it’s influence is seen in our everyday life. According to Whitman Cobb (2020), Political science is the systematic and scientific study of politics including institutions, behaviors and processes.”

Decisions that are made by our elected officials affect us all, in our communities, in our places of work, in our children’s schools. The idea of representation means we have elected officials to be our voice and our views are represented in the decision making process.

Policy making should be transparent. The more a local government can provide in the way of transparency, the more it increases trust, honesty, and integrity in the government leaders (Eisenstein, 2019). We have many examples in history of what can happen when people are not properly informed and allow others to manipulate them. Political science is important and relevant to me especially in today’s world. Our nation has become more and more divided and people are looking to our leaders for answers. Never before have I been more captivated by what is going on in the world around me.

Reference

Einsenstein, Lena. “Why is Transparency Critical in Local Government?” Kime 19, 2019 https://insights.diligent.com/public-transparency-local-government/why-transparency-critical-local-government

Whitman Cobb, W.N. (2020). Political science today (1st. ed.). Washington, DC:Sage, CQ Press.

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 75 of 84

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Sunday

Transparency is indeed an important concept … one that is intimately connected with another one people have brought up this week, the freedom of the press.

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Amelia Macchietto (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/147653) Sunday

Penica,

I definitely agree with the idea that to make politics as legitimate and trustworthy as possible, there needs to be aggressive transparency in policymaking. I think this is an increasingly interesting idea given the current state of the relationship between our administration and the press. If we rely on journalism to inform us of the state of our government and to keep politicians who may have ulterior motives, we need to be able to trust them. Any dismantling of active journalism will (I believe) inevitably lead to a dismantling of democracy. If citizens are unable to make informed decisions due to a lack of public information, then those are not free choices. We cannot be forced to look to those in power to keep themselves in check as that is an irresponsible amount of power to be distributed to one person or a group of people.

Amelia

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Sunday

The free press is a vital part of a functioning democracy, and attacks on it need to be taken seriously. We will think more about this in the week to come.

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Chrishonna Mallard (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/142800) Sunday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 76 of 84

Pencia,

I enjoyed reading your post and I completely agree that policy making should be transparent. There are plenty of politicial figures that should be held accountable for corruption.

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Rachelle Walton (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/116211) Sunday

Students should learn about political science because it is the basis of many other things. Political science is not just about politics. Political science can be the study of why some things happen. “Even those who might be turned off by the nasty rhetoric or negative commercials might be interested in the actual dynamics of explaining why bills are passed or why the public feels the way they do (Whitman, 2020, p. 5). It is also important to be informed. “Political scientists study and explain government and legislative processes so that people can be better informed about policies that impact their communities, states, and the country” (Waubonsee Community College, 2019).

Personally, political science is relevant to me because I like to be informed about my choices. I do not like to go about things blindly, especially when voting. It is so important to vote so we can better our communities and our country. I do not personally find political science interesting, as I am more of a physical science person, but I do think it is important.

Waubonsee Community College. (2019, November 22). The Importance of Studying Political Science. Retrieved from https://www.waubonsee.edu/news-events/news/importance-studying-political-science

Whitman, W.N.C. (2020). Political Science Today (1 ed). Washington, DC: Sage. CQ Press.st

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Sunday

Political scientists do indeed look into a whole host of topics, because politics touches on so much. Questions studied by political scientists include how decisions are made at NASA, the impact of piracy in the Gulf of Aiden, and the variations of Islamic marriage across different cultures and political systems.

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Harlie Brackett (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/119638)

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 77 of 84

Sunday

Rachelle,

I agree with you on not particularly finding political science interesting. However, I have never looked at it as a necessary basic understanding to make informed decisions when it comes to voting and making our communities and country better. To be honest, I try to avoid politics altogether. But now that I am enrolled in this course I plan on being open-minded about politics and political science because it does affect how I perform my daily practices as a registered nurse, and maybe one day I will have to or want to be involved in the politics of nursing to better the work environment for my colleagues and to improve patient care. Thank you for sharing.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/119638)

Harlie Brackett (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/119638) Sunday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 78 of 84

When identifying why students should learn about political science, we should take a step back and define what political science is. According to our textbook, political science is the scientific way to study politics, which encompasses institutions, behaviors, and processes (Whitman, 2020). Whereas politics in general is the “… authoritative distribution of resources or rather the determining of who gets what, when, and how” (Whitman, 2020). To me, the text is saying that political science is the study and systematic processes of how politics are run. When identifying why students should learn about political science, it makes sense for students who plan on having a career in politics, or the law or even the military to take a political science course or to make that their major. So, the answer would be a yes from me in those instances.

While reading through the textbook, I found an interesting statement that was made about how some students won’t even consider a political science course unless it is required to obtain their degree (Whitman, 2020). I found this statement to be amusing because that is how I feel. I don’t understand politics, therefore it’s safe to say that I don’t have a passion for them. The reason why I’m taking this course is because it is required to obtain my bachelor’s degree in nursing. I do realize that I should probably care about politics and political science because it affects our everyday lives and it affects my career choice, but I just can’t seem to get interested enough in politics. All I see on the news everyday are people arguing and making themselves look like a fool over ideas that don’t make sense to me when the right choice is so apparent (or what seems to be apparent). The only relevance that political science has to me at the moment would be my nursing career. There are politics that influence how nurses operate on a daily basis both nationally and institutionally based on where they work. Nurses are the ones that are involved in direct patient care and therefore are one of the best resources to use when it comes to politics and policies in the healthcare category (Arabi, Rafii, Cheraghi, & Ghiyasvandian, 2014). I am hoping that by taking this course that I will be able to understand politics better and possibly become interested in them.

References

Arabi, A., Rafii, F., Cheraghi, M. A., & Ghiyasvandian, S. (2014). Nurses’ policy influence: A concept analysis. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4061635/

Whitman, W. C. (2020). Political science today. Washington, DC: Sage, CQ Press.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor) Sunday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 79 of 84

Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 6 at 12:24pm

Harlie and Class,

It is worth thinking about political science in the same way you think about economics, biology, physics, math, etc.. In each case there are folks who study those topics exclusively and need to take many courses focusing on them, and there are many more folks who don’t but who do come across math, biology, economics, or politics in the course of their work and need only one or two classes.

For more on the impact of politics on healthcare and the folks who work in it look up above for the ongoing discussion on politics in the workplace.

Sam

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Veronica Smith McCormick (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/140818) Sunday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 80 of 84

Why Study Political Science

The most important reason for individuals to pursue political science studies is to enhance their knowledge about their individual rights, the rights of others, and the responsibility they have as citizens. The study of political science is also closely tied to the understanding of the laws and their origin, as well as their implications on the rights and responsibilities of the people (Munzert, 2018). It is imperative for people to be aware of the nature of the laws that are developed within the government and their impact on them, while also creating a better understanding of the political processes in the nation. This helps in people being aware of the decisions made by the authorities, and they can actively lobby for changes in laws or the development of laws that protect the interests of the public (Kellstedt & Whitten, 2018).

Political science also helps in understanding international politics and law. As the globalization process influences more relationships between nations, it is imperative for political science professionals to look into the development of an understanding of the laws adopted within the partnerships. Factors like political behavior, the structure of various governments, the policy development process and the arising issues, and the implications of every local and international law on the people. With such a vast understanding of politics, individuals are able to disseminate issues and to provide guidance to the members of the society on the decisions to make to support public interests (Kellstedt & Whitten, 2018). Political science professionals have a better understanding of the humanistic processes that have to be employed in the society by the government to ensure that the best outcomes are achieved, in terms of protecting the rights of the people.

References

Kellstedt, P. M., & Whitten, G. D. (2018). The fundamentals of political science research. Cambridge University Press.

Munzert, S. (2018). Measuring the importance of political elites.

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Peter Yablonsky (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/163433) Sunday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 81 of 84

Hello Veronica,

I agree with your point that the study of political science is important in order for people to be aware of the nature of the laws that are developed within the government and their impact on them. According to Cobb (2020), “Political science is the systematic and scientific study of politics, including institutions, behaviors, and processes” (p.3). If people are not aware of how laws impact them and what they mean, they can be aimlessly controlled by politicians. Politicians often create laws without further explanation or clarification on how they might affect citizens, which is why the study of political science is so important. Thank you for sharing your informative post.

-Peter Yablonsky

References

Whitman Cobb, W. N. (2020). Political science today (1st ed.). Washington, DC: Sage, CQ Press.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/163433)

Peter Yablonsky (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/163433) Sunday

Hello Class,

According to Cobb (2020), “Political science is the systematic and scientific study of politics, including institutions, behaviors, and processes” (p.3). Students should learn about political science because it deals with examining patterns of politics, such as the factors that determining bills being passed and patterns of how different states obtain different policies (Cobb, 2020). I find political science interesting because it involves the study of politics and provides an explanation of the dynamics in politics. Some of the dynamics of politics explained in political science include why the public feels the way they do (Cobb, 2020). Politics can be confusing to comprehend on the news, and sometimes politicians do not explain their actions which is why the study of political science is relevant and interesting to me.

References

Whitman Cobb, W. N. (2020). Political science today (1st ed.). Washington, DC: Sage, CQ Press.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/142800)

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 82 of 84

Chrishonna Mallard (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/142800) Sunday

Hello Professor and class,

According to research “Political scientists study and explain government and legislative processes so that people can be better informed about policies that impact their communities, states, and the country.” (Waubonsee Community College, 2019) It is important to learn about political science because it helps us understand how to make a difference in our communities, and the importance of voting. It is also helpful for many careers to have some sort of understanding about politics and the law.

References:

Waubonsee Community College. (2019, November 22). The Importance of Studying Political Science. Retrieved from https://www.waubonsee.edu/news-events/news/importance-studying-political-science

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/141474)

Siddony Blue (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/141474) Sunday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM Page 83 of 84

It is important to study political science because it helps us grow as individuals. One of the important things political science does for us is it helps shed light on what being an individual means, the rights we have and how we exercise them, but go through the world impacting one another with our decisions in government, leadership, etc. It also helps us better understand laws, the judicial systems, how the government impacts the way we live and how we exercise certain rights.

Because education, healthcare, voting, anything that is important in our lives and can impact our families has a lot to do with political science, it is important to learn about its implications on human existence. With these different institutions in place, political science can also help people find a common ground in better understanding how these institutions are all related and impact one another.

People should be held responsible for understanding of how laws work, why they were created, the type of impact they have on people and their lives and apart of this learning and knowledge, is based on the basis of knowledge that political science provides.

Political science is also responsible for showing how the government and laws also work for the people (Burgess, 1891). For it is important to understand that in the U.S. because of all the rights we can supposedly exercise. It brings a heightened sense of awareness on how people can create change, whether it is becoming congresswoman, a senator, a lobbyist or a judge.

Political science can help people better understand the how decisions are made and if the people do not support it, the acts and laws, political science also puts together a map of how to give the people the right to use their voices to change it as well (Whitman, 2020).

Siddony

References

Burgess, J. W. (1891). Political Science and Comparative Constitutional Law…: Government (Vol. 2). Ginn.

Whitman, W.N.C. (2020). Political Science Today (1st ed). Washington, DC: Sage. CQ Press.

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