Who Gets What, When, and How

FFR#1 Read all below please

Book_William!T.!Bianco!and!David!Canon,!American!Politics!Today,!Third!Essentials!Edition,!W.W.!
Norton!&!Company,!2013,!ISBN:!978K0K393K92106K9

Who Gets What, When, and How

Our first writing assignment takes on a hard but ever-more-important topic that allows us to link information we are learning in this first part of

the course. Module 1 introduces us to the concept of ideology and its usefulness in helping us understand why people in the same country hold vastly

different political beliefs. Many contemporary issues in American government are controversial and conflictual. We can use our knowledge of ideology

to understand the nature of the controversies and the bases of conflicts. To begin, Id like you to assess your own political beliefs by taking a

simple-but-effective quiz. Please go to http://theadvocates.org/quiz/quiz.php and assess your own political ideology. If you are unclear about the

label you are assigned, do a little extra research. I want you to feel very comfortable with your results from The Worlds Smallest Political Quiz.

Its important to note that your ideology has been shaped and influenced by how and where you were raised. Parents, schools, peers, the media,

religion, and events all contribute to how we define the purpose and role of government. There is no right or wrong ideology. Beliefs are shaped and

grown and developed over time and they can change.

In thinking about how to respond to this assignment, you will relate information about American Politics (chapter 1), the United States Constitution

(chapter 2), and Public Opinion and the Media (chapter 5). Be sure you have looked over the assigned readings before you prepare this free write.

Background

Americans view the purpose and role of government differently. On the left, liberals support governments efforts to elevate all of society by

promoting social justice and equality while maintaining a strong commitment to personal freedom. On the right, conservatives believe governments

primary purpose is to defend the homeland and societys traditional values. One of the most significant areas where they disagree is governments role

in regulating personal behavior (think marriage, drug use, guns, reproductive choice). Another area of deep division is governments role in the

economy (think unemployment insurance, tax fairness, education, health care, immigration). As the two political partiesDemocrats (liberal) and

Republicans (conservative)continue to gridlock over important issues, Americans are frustrated because most of us really just want problems solved.

One of the big issues that divides liberals and conservatives today is the income/wealth gapthe gap between the wealthiest Americans and all the rest

of us. This gap has been increasing for more than 30 years. For more information, go to: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/01/income-inequality-

charts_n_5241586.html. Theres a great deal of media coverageincluding some good YouTube illustrations (see

).

So how do the two sides respond to this issue?

President Obama, a Democrat, is making the case for raising the current minimum wage of $7.25/hour to $10.10/hour by 2016. Republicans in the

Congress argue against raising the minimum wage because they believe jobs would be lost. Heres one last website to review for more information:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-02-24/business/ct-biz-0224-work-advice-huppke-20140224_1_minimum-wage-job-killer-cbo

Most observers agree that too great an income/wealth gap is not good for the nation as a whole, since it can exacerbate tensions between the haves

and have-nots. So if there is general agreement that too big a gap is not a good thing, whats a country to do? Where do you stand on the issue of

wealth/income gap in the United States?

To earn full points in this FFW exercise, you must include at least 400 responsive and relevant words that demonstrate your review of all of the

material listed above and that answer these questions (no quotes or paraphrases allowedyou must write in your own words):

What are your results from the Worlds Smallest Political Quiz and how do you think they relate to the issue of income/wealth gap?
Should the federal government take an active role in trying to reduce the income/wealth gap in the United States or should it be left up to

individuals and private companies? Does your answer reflect your Worlds Smallest Political Quiz results?
How do you feel about the increasing gap between them that got and them that dont? Is this an issue that concerns you? Why or why not?
What have you learned about yourself and American government by doing this assignment?