1.

For Manual Pastor, in what way is California a "bellwether" for the U.S.? If you don't know what "bellwether" means, head to dictionary.com.

2.

According to Pastor, what role did Ronald Reagan play in the history that Pastor sets forth? Given what you know of Reagan from having read the assigned readings, do you agree with Pastor ?

3.

What part has demography played in California's recent history according to Pastor? What in particular happened demographically in the 1970s in California that to led to a conservative trend? Does our textbook confirm Pastor's claim? If so, where? If not, what do you reasonably conclude about Pastor and the Rawls's text?

4.

What according to Pastor was Proposition 13, how does it work, and why do some want to repeal this 1978 Proposition?

5.

Do you agree with Pastor's main claims in the interview? State them first, then tell us if you agree with each one or not. Discuss why it is you agree or disagree. Convince us your right.

6.

What is the main thesis of Leiden and Teixeira's essay? Discuss it. What further claims do the author's make about California's present and its possible political future?

7.

Using the history we've learned in our course, does history bear out Leiden and Teixeira's main thesis?

8.

Do you agree with the points made by Leiden and Teixeira? Why or why not? Go beyond a 'yes' or 'no' answer and argue with evidence for your view of their claims.