read this New York Times article: The Man Who Changed the Constitution, TwiceLinks to an external site.

1) Do you believe that a candidate elected by popular vote would be more representative of the nation than a candidate elected by the electoral college? Why or why not?

2) Why might this electoral college issue threaten to become a partisan one?

3) Respond to learning outcome: (2-3) on page 24:Describe the structure of government established by the Articles of Confederation and some of the strengths and weaknesses of the articles.

Read the article: How to Revive Madison's Constitution Links to an external site.. Michael Gerhardt and Jeffrey Rosen. The Atlantic. Links to an external site.12/4/2019

4) What are the specific mechanisms and principles of the Constitution that would limit the power of government and demagogue leaders? You should consult: learning outcome 2-5 in our textbook to assist you.

5) How has the presidency evolved according to this article? You should address how the president appeals directly to the people and whether there are true checks and balances as the Framers designed.

6) According to the article, what role has the media including social media played in the rising partisanship and polarization in America?

7) What role does educated, informed, and virtuous citizens play in your political system?

8) The U.S. system values a limited government over an effective government; whereas most democratic countries such as the United Kingdom value an effective government over a limited government (see page 44-45). What are the benefits and drawbacks of each system?

Next, read The Atlantic article: The U.S. Needs a New ConstitutionHere's How to Write ItLinks to an external site.

9) According to the article, why does the U.S. need a new Constitution or at least major updates/Amendments?

10) Keep in mind this article is over 5 years old, but the section that reads: "As the famed Spanish political scientist Juan Linz wrote in an influential 1990 essay, dysfunction, trending toward constitutional breakdown, is baked into our DNA. Any system that gives equally strong claims of democratic legitimacy to both the legislature and the president, while also allowing each to be controlled by people with fundamentally different agendas, is doomed to fail. America has muddled through thus far by compromise, but what happens when the sides no longer wish to compromise? "No democratic principle exists to resolve disputes between the executive and the legislature about which of the two actually represents the will of the people," Linz wrote." Explain whether and to what extent this is relevant today. You should support your claims with examples whenever possible.

11) What constitutional changes do you think are worth considering that were suggested in the article and why?

Respond to learning outcome questions on page 48 3-1 and 3-2 (beginning of chapter 3)

12) (learning outcome #1): Explain what federalism means, how federalism differs from other systems of government, and why it exists in the U.S.

Read the article: Federalism Has Its Limits, and Abortion Will Soon Test Them - DiscourseLinks to an external site.

13) According to this article and what you learned in chapter 2 and 3, how does federalism relate to the issue of abortion?

14) According to the article, what are some of the potential challenges, problems, or complexities of having each state have different laws and policies regarding abortion?

15) Do you think the national or state governments should be decide whether there is a right to abortion and explain why.