Tentative Class Schedule

Isaiah 33
22 For the LORD is our judge,
the LORD is our lawgiver,
the LORD is our king;
it is he who will save us.

Harding University Spring 2016

POLS 353/553

2:30-3:45, T/R, GB201

Arkansas, State and Local Government

Instructor: Lori Klein	Office: 208 Ganus Building

Contacts/Office Hours: You can reach me, yea verily, in a multitude of ways: Office phone: 279-4375; Home: 279-0628; Courtney, our ever competent and helpful Departmental Secretary: 279-4427; Facebook; e-mail - lklein@harding.edu ; my website - http://www.harding.edu/lklein and the always popular note under the door. I will make my best effort to be in my office for drop-ins on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:00-5:00, and on Tuesday and Thursday from 3:45-4:45. I will also be keeping office hours by appointment this semester.

Course Objective: The primary objective of the course is to develop a knowledge of state and local government that is deep enough to foster good citizenship, to assist those who chose government as a career or avocation, and to ready those who will be charged with passing along this same knowledge to their own students. This course is designed as an overview of the political and policy making processes of state governments and local governments. Arkansas' state government and local government structures will be used as a point of reference for understanding course concepts.

Texts: David Saffell, State and Local Government: Politics and Public Policies (9th edition) ISBN – 9780073526324

League of Women Voters of Arkansas, Government in Arkansas (9th edition) ISBN - 9780976631224

Note: The readings are best done prior to the class meeting under which they are listed. Class will begin with a test on underscored, italicized dates.

Tentative Class Schedule (January 8th draft):

FIRST THINGS FIRST:

January 12: Introductions, pre-test and Why should I care? --

What do I know about you, what do you know about me, and what do you know about state and local government?

What's the big deal about Arkansas, or any other state or local government? Also, Federalism - The "Reader's Digest Condensed" version

Catch up on the first day’s reading: Saffell - Chpt. 1, pp. 25-39 and Chpt. 2, pp. 43-54.

STATE GOVERNMENT

January 14: State constitutions -- Or, why is Dr. Tom Howard's picture in the Arkansas state capitol?

Prior to class read: Saffell - Chpt. 2, pp. 67-72 and all of Chpt. 1 of GIA

(Test 1) January 19: The Legislative Branch -- How does a bill become a law, anyway?

Prior to class read: Chpt. 5, pp. 173-192 and Chpt. 2 of GIA

January 21: Legislatures -- The citizen as legislator: Direct Democracy. Also, How to Read a Bill!

Prior to class read: Saffell - Chpt. 4, pp. 147-157

January 26: Legislatures—

Constituents, oversight and auditing, and lobbyists - what they do the other 21 months.

(Test 2) January 28) The Executive -- Is the Governor the state's Chief Executive Officer?

Prior to class read: Saffell - Chpt. 6, pp. 204-221, and Chpt. 3 of GIA

February 02: The Executive Branch -- Cabinets aren't just for kitchens.

Prior to class read: Saffell - Chpt. 6, pp. 221-236

February 04: Bureaucracy, Bureaucrats and Agencies -- Bureaucrat is not a dirty word.

Prior to class read: Chpt. 4 of GIA

February 09: Implementation, where the rubber meets the road. -- How a law becomes a policy.

You may want to get a head start on the next reading. It’s a bit long.

(Test 3+4) February 11: The Judicial Branch -- State judicial structure, judicial selection and qualifications.

Prior to class read: Saffell - Chpt. 7, pp. 252-292 and Chpt. 5 of GIA

February 16: The Judicial Branch -- The impact of federal judicial decisions on state policy.

Prior to class read: Saffell - Chpt. 2 pp. 54-58

February 18: Tentative Guest Speaker: Judge Robert Edwards

February 23: The Judiciary and the Legislature-- An examination of the apportionment process.

Prior to class read: Saffell - Chpt. 5, pp. 165-172

LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

(Test 5+6) February 25: Introduction to local government-- Grass roots democracy in action.

Prior to class read: Chpt. 6 of GIA

Spring Break! February 27 – March 6

March 08: City Government and County Government -- Who's who and what do they do?

Prior to class read: Saffell - Chpt. 5, pp. 192-198 and Saffell - Chpt. 6, pp. 236-247

(Test 7) March 10: Test and TBA Tentative Guest Speaker – County+City!

Might want to get a head start on next week’s readings!

March 15: Tentative Guest Speaker - City

March 17: What are you doing on my land? -- Land use, "takings" and urban sprawl

Prior to class read: Saffell - Chpt. 8, plus Land Use Handouts

March 22: Guest Speaker – Coleman Yoakum: Urban Local Government, and Land Use Issues in Detroit

March 24: In class - Land Use Readings

March 29: "Me and My State and Local Government" research assignment is due.

Constitution Extra Credit Quiz is open in the Testing Center from April 04-08

March 31: Education -- The biggest piece of the pie!

Prior to class read: Saffell - Chpt. 10, pp. 361-37 and Chpt. 9 of GIA

April 5: TBA – Education Guest Speaker

WAYS AND MEANS

(Test 8) April 7: Revenue and Spending--

Prior to class read: Saffell - Chpt. 9, and Chpt. 10 of GIA

April 12: Budgets -- A million here, a million there, and soon you're talking real money.

(Test 9) April 14: Budget Application

April 19: Capitol Trip – This is a required observation. You will be excused from classes and chapel.	Bonus question: Is this a site visit or a field trip?

The next readings are HUGE. I’d start now if I were you!

POLITICS

April 21: Politics -- Political parties and their local affiliates, plus Elections

Prior to class read: Saffell – all of Chpt. 3, and Chpt. 4, pp. 126-141, plus Chpts. 7 and 8 of GIA

April 26: Tentative Guest Speaker – Bruce Alt, Lobbyist

(Test 10) April 28: Test 10 and Post test/Review for the final and Question Time.

Bonus question: Where is "Question Time" a political institution?

Meeting notes are due April 28.

Final Exam – Thursday, May 5th 3:30-5:30