• Analyze the evolution of the manner in which the U.S. government has implemented the concepts of federalism and the separation of powers throughout history. Support or dispute the functionality of the division of power. Justify your response.

• From the first e-Activity and this week's reading, give your opinion of the ideological mind-set which advocates an end to the era of big government. Decide the extent to which big government is necessary for the stability of our constitutional system. Provide support for your response.

Discussion 2: "Government Stability" Please respond to the following:

• From the second e-Activity, evaluate the viability of President Obama's proposals for government transparency. Select one (1) proposal, and recommend one (1) strategy to effectively implement your chosen proposal. Justify your response.

• Debate whether or not the federal government should set national standards that foster government stability. Formulate (2) specific examples of national standards to support your rationale.

• Prepare a three to four (3-4) page written analysis in which you:

1. Investigate the significant historical perspectives of each policy. Indicate the context or the problem of the day that created the urgent need for the policy.

2. Analyze the social, economic, and political environments of the time frames during which the policies were implemented.

3. Evaluate the salient impact of the most influential interest groups for and against each policy. Justify your response.

4. Evaluate the degree to which the policies affected change during their designated time frames. Provide a rationale for your response.

5. Include at least four (4) academic references (no more than 5 years old) from material outside the textbook. Note: Appropriate academic resources include academic and governmental Websites, scholarly texts, and peer-reviewed articles.