Assignments- Journal

• Prepare: Prior to beginning work on this week's journal, read chapters 8, 9, and 10 in American Government, watch the video, Episode II - It's a Free Country, review the Week Four Instructor Guidance, and review your results from the Political Typology Quiz.

• Reflect: Political parties mobilize voters to win elections and implement policy goals. Parties use their stated policy goals (i.e., their platforms) as a way to mobilize voter support. Generally, in order to be successful in a two-party system, parties must have policy goals across a broad range of issue areas to appeal to a broad range of voters.

• Write: Think about a specific issue or policy that you are interested in and/or that has impacted you personally. Use the assigned resources that are provided for this journal to gather information about the goals and proposals, in that issue area, of three U.S. political parties - the Democratic and Republican parties and a third party. For the journal, write about the following two ideas: Where do the three political parties (Republican, Democrat, and your choice of a third party) currently stand on this issue? Do they have national support? Explain your rationale.

• Thinking about your own Political Ideology that we discussed in the introduction discussion, which party's stance on the issue you selected is closest to your own? Which is the furthest from your ideals? Why?

• For example, if you are a "Steadfast Conservative," what do the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, and a third party have to say about your position on taxation? If you are a "Solid Liberal," what do Democrats, Republicans, and a third party say about your views on environmental issues? Who is the closest? Furthest away? Why?

• Your journal response must be a minimum one page, double-spaced. Justify your conclusions with facts and persuasive reasoning. Fully respond to all parts of the question and write your response in your own words. Outside research and references are not required for journal assignments, but if you choose to utilize outside sources they must be correctly cited utilizing APA format both within the body of your journal and include a full reference page.