Name:______Partner______
X U.S.Issues and Controversies in the 21st century online activity 2014
T.S. - Examine information from more than one point of view
Directions: You will have two days in class to complete this assignment. If you do not complete this task in class then you will need to finish the assignment at home. With your partner, open the link (or links) below the topics, read the articles, and answer the questions that follow and be prepared to discuss in class.
-Each pair must answer the questions for your TWO assigned topics (record your answers on a separate document that you submit as a pair).
-Select a THIRD topic of your choice and answer those questions as well
-With any remaining time, you may select other topics and read the accompanying link
-Please let me know if you need assistance in interpreting any of the questions you are asked to answer
1.Patriot Act/War on Terror
1) Do you support or oppose the Patriot Act? Which provisions do you particularly like or dislike?
2) Where should the government draw the line between effectively fighting terrorism and preserving civil liberties? Is it possible to preserve national security without encroaching on civil liberties at all?
3) How great do you think the risk is that the rights of innocent people will be violated by the government's use of the Patriot Act?
4) Since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the U.S., no further attacks have occurred on U.S. soil. To what extent—if any—can that be attributed to the Patriot Act?
5)What has transpired in the war on terror since this article was written?
2. Iraq -
1) In your opinion, did the war in Iraq help or hinder U.S. anti-terrorism priorities?
2) Do you think that the U.S. should have invaded Iraq in the first place?
3)What has transpired with this topic since this article was written?
Withdrawal from Iraq
1) Do you think that Obama made the right decision by ordering the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq before the end of 2011? Explain your position.
2) What were some of the primary factors involved in Obama's decision making about the Iraq withdrawal?
3) Do you think the U.S. withdrawal will be good or bad for the Iraqi people? Will it be good or bad for U.S. interests in the Middle East? Which of those considerations should be more important in foreign policy decision making? Other than Obama, who were some of the primary actors in the decision to withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq?
3. Afghanistan
1) What mistakes do you think the U.S. has made in prosecuting the war in Afghanistan?
2) Do you think the U.S. should attempt to negotiate with more moderate members of the Taliban? Why or why not?
3) What would constitute a U.S. "victory" in Afghanistan?
4) How might sending extra U.S. troops to Afghanistan help stabilize the situation there? How might it affect the large border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan?
5) Research and compare the levels of U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq since each war began. Do you think large troop increases help reduce violence? Do you think the Iraq war has drawn U.S. focus away from Afghanistan?
6)What has transpired with this topic since this article was written?
4. National Disaster Response
1) Why do many people live in disaster-prone areas? If they choose to live in such locales, should the government be responsible for helping them when disasters strike? Explain your position.
2) Should government funds for disaster relief be offset by budget cuts elsewhere? Why or why not?
3) Why do you think the issue of federal response to disasters has become so controversial only recently?
4) What entities, other than the federal government, might be able to provide relief to victims of natural disasters?
5)What has transpired with this topic since this article was written?
5. Tea party movement
1) Do you think the tea party will survive as a political movement? Why or why not?
2) Do you think the Republican Party should form an alliance with tea party activists, or distance itself from them? Explain your position.
3) How do you think the tea party movement has affected President Obama's first year in office?
4) Do you think the media have portrayed the tea party accurately? Why or why not?
5) Research a tea party group located in your state. What do they stand for? Do you agree with their positions? Why or why not?
6)What if anything has transpired with this topic since this article was written?
6. Voter Identification
1) Do you think the comparison between voting and boarding an airplane, driving a car or checking into a hotel is valid? Devise your own analogy between voting and another activity, and explain your choice.
2) Do you think stricter voter authentication measures will reduce voter turnout? Why or why not?
4) What measures do you think states should undertake to improve the voting system in the U.S.?
5) Research voting laws in your state. Is there an identification requirement? What is it? Is the legislature considering any further voting reforms?
6) What impact did voter identification have on the presidential election of 2012? What has transpired since this article was written?
7.Gun Control
Open both links:
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1). If you were a recreational gun owner, would you want there to be laws that could possibly limit the types of weapons or ammunition you could purchase? What if it meant that the lives of innocent people or your loved ones could be saved? Explain your response.
2). Do you think the Second Amendment to the Constitution should be repealed? Why or why not?
3). Do you think that members of Congress should be allowed to carry weapons in Washington, D.C., even if private citizens cannot? Explain your position.
4). Even though there are laws in place that are supposed to prevent mentally ill people from buying weapons, they still manage to do so. What can be done to ensure that troubled people are barred from obtaining weapons?
5) Why did attempts to pass gun control measures in the aftermath of the December 2012 school massacre fail? Do you think gun control advocates will be able to pass new measures through congress in the future? Why/why not?
- Health Care
1) Do you think the Patient Protection and AffordableCareAct will help or hurt the United States? Back up your position with facts.
2) What factors will determine the success or failure of the Patient Protection and AffordableCareAct?
3) In October 2013, the U.S. government shut down after legislators failed to reconcile differences over efforts to defund the Patient Protection and AffordableCareAct and pass a budget. Were both parties equally to blame for the shutdown? Do you think Republicans are right to still try to stop the implementation of the law more than three years after it passed?
4) Some states have refused federal funds to expand eligibility for Medicaid, the government'shealthcareprogram for the poor. Why do you think some governors oppose this offer?
9.Gay Rights
) The gay rights movement has been compared by many observers to the civil rights movements of African Americans and women. Do you think this is a fair comparison? How are they similar? How are they different?
2) The Supreme Court has both upheld and struck down anti-sodomy laws. Do you think states should be able to prohibit homosexual acts in private, or is that a violation of people's constitutional rights? Explain your position.
3) Many opponents of same-sex marriage argue that legalizing gay marriage threatens the institution of marriage. What do you think these opponents mean by that? Do you agree or disagree?
4) Do you think married gay couples are entitled to the same federal benefits as other married couples, or should the federal government refuse to recognize same-sex marriages? Explain your reasoning.
5) Examine your state's laws on gay marriage or domestic partnerships. What is allowed? How does your state compare to other states?
10.education
1) Do you think setting academic standards for each grade helps students? Do you think those standards should be set locally, by state governments, or nationally?
2) Do you think that the No Child Left Behind law should be changed, left alone, or abandoned altogether? What changes to the law would you propose?
3) In general, how large a role do you think the federal government should play in U.S.education?
4) What do you think is the single most important factor in improvingeducation?
5) How might some standardized tests be harder for students whose first language is not English or students with learning disabilities? Should policy makers hold those students to the same standards as the rest of their class?