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25 Essay Topics for American Government Classes

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If you are a teacher searching for essay topics to assign to your U.S. government or civics class or looking for ideas, do not fret. It is easy to integrate debates and discussions into the classroom environment. These topic suggestions provide a wealth of ideas for written assignments such as  position papers , compare-and-contrast essays , and  argumentative essays . Scan the following 25 question topics and ideas to find just the right one. You'll soon be reading interesting papers from your students after they grapple with these challenging and important issues.

• Compare and contrast what is a direct democracy versus representative democracy. 
• React to the following statement: Democratic decision-making should be extended to all areas of life including schools, the workplace, and the government. 
• Compare and contrast the Virginia and New Jersey plans. Explain how these led to the Great Compromise .
• Pick one thing about the U.S. Constitution including its amendments that you think should be changed. What modifications would you make? Explain your reasons for making this change.
• What did Thomas Jefferson mean when he said, "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants?" Do you think that this statement still applies to today's world? 
• Compare and contrast mandates and conditions of aid regarding the federal government's relationship with states. For example, how has the Federal Emergency Management Agency delivered support to states and commonwealths that have experienced natural disasters?
• Should individual states have more or less power compared to the federal government when implementing laws dealing with topics such as the legalization of marijuana  and abortion ? 
• Outline a program that would get more people to vote in presidential elections or local elections.
• What are the dangers of gerrymandering when it comes to voting and presidential elections?
• Compare and contrast the major political parties in the United States. What policies are they preparing for upcoming elections?
• Why would voters choose to vote for a third party, even though they know that their candidate has virtually no chance of winning? 
• Describe the major sources of money that are donated to political campaigns. Check out the Federal Election Regulatory Commission's website for information.
• Should corporations be treated as individuals regarding being allowed to donate to political campaigns?  Look at the 2010 Citizens United v. FEC ruling on the issue. Defend your answer. 
• Explain the role of social media in connecting interest groups that have grown stronger as the major political parties have grown weaker. 
• Explain why the media has been called the fourth branch of government. Include your opinion on whether this is an accurate portrayal.
• Compare and contrast the campaigns of U.S. Senate and House of Representatives candidates.
• Should term limits be instituted for members of Congress? Explain your answer.
• Should members of Congress vote their conscience or follow the will of the people who elected them into office? Explain your answer.
• Explain how executive orders have been used by presidents throughout the history of the U.S. What is the number of executive orders issued by the current president?
• In your opinion, which of the three branches of the federal government has the most power? Defend your answer.
• Which of the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment do you consider the most important? Explain your answer. 
• Should a school be required to get a warrant before searching a student's property? Defend your answer. 
• Why did the Equal Rights Amendment fail? What kind of campaign could be run to see it passed?
• Explain how the 14th Amendment has affected civil liberties in the United States from the time of its passage at the end of the Civil War.
• Do you think that the federal government has enough, too much or just the right amount of power? Defend your answer.
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122 american government research paper topics for you.

American government research paper topics lie under the political science category in schools, universities, and colleges. Many educators ask learners to write about these topics when pursuing political studies.

But, writing about these ideas is not an easy task due to the dynamic nature of politics. Ideally, political tides keep shifting every day. However, students should write about fresh and original ideas to impress their educators and earn top grades.

American Government Research Paper Outline

After picking a topic and researching it, a learner should write a paper with the following sections.

• Introduction: This section should introduce your topic to the readers and briefly tell the readers what you’ll be discussing in the paper. It should also have your thesis statement or problem statement.
• Literature review: Here, your paper should highlight relevant studies relating to your topics. Include information about past studies that you have used to research your title.
• Methodology: This section should tell readers about your research methods and how you analyzed information about your topic.
• Findings: Tell readers about your research findings in this section. You can describe and evaluate the results.
• Conclusion: Summarize everything and tell the audience how your findings support your thesis statement. Also, recommend or suggest further studies on the topic if necessary.

Selecting interesting American government paper topics is perhaps, the essential thing when working on this assignment. That’s because you will spend a lot of time gathering and analyzing information. If you pick a dull topic, you won’t enjoy working on your paper. Here are exciting issues to consider when writing a piece about the American government.

Exciting American Government Topics

If the educator didn’t assign you topics for your American government essays, pick titles that you will find exciting to work with from the beginning to the end. Here are exciting ideas to consider for your papers.

• Does the federal government have too much, enough, or the right power amount?
• Effects of the 14th Amendment on the United States’ civil liberties
• Why the Equal Rights Amendment failed
• Direct democracy vs. representative democracy
• Should the law extend democratic decision-making to the government, workplace, and school?
• How New Jersey and Virginia plans led to the Great Compromise
• What should the U.S. constitution change about the government?
• States versus the federal government- Which deserve more power?
• Which programs can compel more people to participate in local and presidential elections?
• Is gerrymandering dangerous to presidential elections and voting?
• A comparison of the United States’ political parties- What are their election policies?
• Should the government require schools to secure a warrant for searching students’ properties?
• Does the First Amendment provide the fundamental right?
• Which branch in the federal government wields the most power?
• How presidents have used the executive orders in the U.S. history
• How many executive orders has the current President issued?
• Should congress members vote by following the people’s will or their conscience?
• Should the congress members have term limits?
• A comparison of the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate
• Why do some people call the media the 4th branch of government?
• How social media has strengthened political parties in the U.S.
• What are the primary sources of funds for political campaigns in the U.S?

These are compelling topics that will captivate your professor or teacher to read your paper. Nevertheless, research your idea extensively to develop a winning essay.

Legislative Branch of Government Topics

Perhaps, you’re interested in a topic about the legislature. In that case, this category comprises topics you’ll find fascinating to work on from the beginning to the end.

• The role of advocates, opponents, and experts in the rejection or passage of a bill
• Why does the number of subcommittees and committees matter?
• Describe the legislative process that the Senate follows
• Why does the decisive vote by the Vice President matter to the Senate?
• The 17th Amendment ratification in 1913
• Why representatives should elect their house speaker
• The essence of the 25th Amendment to the legislature and the house
• How effective is the Senate in committee hearings and inquiries
• Why the Congress should have powers to remove a seating President
• Passing a bill- What is the origin of the two-third majority rule?
• The importance of the Senate in approving presidential appointments
• Why does the 25-year age limit matter when vying?
• Why house representatives should sever for over two terms
• The essence of the census in determining the representatives’ number
• A critical evaluation of the Senate and House of Representatives
• Is the American legislature an accurate reflection of women’s representation?
• Is the United States Congress adequately constituted?

Consider these ideas and then explore them through research to develop informative papers. Aim to provide relevant and valuable information through your essay to impress the educator.

U.S. Government Research Paper Topics for College & University Students

Perhaps, you’re in college or university, and you need a topic for your research paper. In that case, consider the following titles for your essays.

• How reliable are presidential election polls?
• American government’s public relations and their essence in its success
• Clinton and Bush war doctrines
• What is the U.S. government’s stance on immigration?
• Why the 2008 U.S. Presidential election was a biased female politician’s depiction in the mass media
• How the constitution balances power between the government branches
• How the U.S. government influence the American democracy
• How the government’s bureaucratic processes influence modern America
• How the U.S. government’s foreign policies affect the European politics
• The government’s role in fighting against terrorism
• How political scandals affect the U.S. government
• How divisions in the U.S. government affect its functioning
• Foreign policy by the U.S. government- Guns or words?
• The U.S. government and church interconnections- How do they influence society morals?
• The U.S. government policy on speech freedom in modern society
• Should direct voting replace the Electoral College system?
• The pros and cons of the U.S. government policy on marijuana legalization
• The U.S. government censorship- Should citizens watch whatever they want?
• An empiric study of money distribution by the U.S. government
• What is the U.S. government’s policy on outsourcing?
• Describe the U.S. government’s policies about the web
• Does the U.S. government have a religious aspect?
• What are the issues facing the Federal government in the U.S.?
• How the U.S. government policies affect social inequality
• The U.S. government’s main principles and their implementation during the XXI century

Some of the topics in this category require high-level research to produce quality papers. Nevertheless, you can write a good essay if you take the time to research your preferred idea.

Government Research Paper Topics about the Executive Arm

Maybe you’re interested in the executive arm of the U.S. government. In that case, explore these topics about this branch of the U.S. government.

• Why the Department of Defense is the most significant arm of the U.S. government
• Does the committee have the correct number of departments to meet the U.S. people’s needs?
• Why is the cabinet comprised of the closest confidants of the President?
• Is it right for the U.S. president to select the cabinet members alone?
• Why the White House Chief of Staff has to be the closest adviser of the President?
• Why do Vice Presidents have a unique approach to their role?
• What is the national relevance of the President’s Oval Office?
• Is it necessary for the First Family and the President to live in the White House?
• Is the congressional delegation during the electoral vote a representation of the people’s will?
• What is the meaning of the State of the Union Address for a President?
• What are the President’s powers?
• Explain how the federal government administers and enforces federal laws
• Does the President have the ability to appoint independent national commissions heads?
• How the Congress affects overwriting a President’s veto
• Should the constitution allow the President unlimited powers to extend amnesties and pardons for federal crimes?
• Advantages and disadvantages of the Affordable Care Act by President Obama

Most research paper topics in this category revolve around the cabinet, vice president, and President. Nevertheless, they can be the basis of good academic papers.

Politics Topics to Write about in High School

If looking for political topics for high school, this section has the best ideas for you.

• Is it right or wrong for the U.S government to monitor the public?
• Government incentives and globalization
• Government aid and U.S. airways
• What is the difference between a parliamentary government and a presidential government?
• Should the U.S. government regulate the internet?
• How religion affects the U.S. government
• Business and government relations
• Does the government control equality?
• Influence of government policies on wealth and income distribution
• Local and state government accounting
• What is the role of government in the market economy?
• Does the constitution give citizens obligations and duties to the U.S. government?
• What are the principles of the United States government?
• Does the U.S. government control the media?
• Issues facing the U.S. federal government

These are exciting topics in American politics and the government for high school students. Nevertheless, learners should research their topics extensively to write quality papers.

Questions about American Government

Perhaps, you’re looking for questions you can answer in your paper about the American government. In that case, here are brilliant ideas to consider.

• Between representative and direct democracy, which is the best option for Americans?
• What can convince more people to participate in the U.S. election?
• Between the federal and the state government, which is the most powerful and why?
• Who funds political campaigns in the U.S.?
• Is the media the fourth U.S. government branch?
• Do Congress members follow their voters’ will?
• How do the U.S. presidents use their executive privileges?
• Why are presidential election polls unreliable?
• Does the U.S. federal government have excess power?
• What led to the failure of the Equal Rightnecessarynt in the Senate?
• Why is the U.S First Amendment so important to Americans’ human rights?
• Is reducing the federal budget deficit important?
• Has the U.S. government contributed to citizens’ inequality?
• How does religion affect the U.S. government and citizens?
• What are the effects of the ruling party on the U.S. government?
• What is the U.S. government’s role in the American economy?

These questions can be the basis of excellent American government research topics. Nevertheless, research your preferred idea to develop a winning paper.

Public Policy Research Paper Topics

Perhaps, you want to write about a topic that touches on the public interest. In that case, consider the ideas in this category.

• Should the U.S. government legalize marijuana?
• Should the U.S. government change the public healthcare policy?
• Should the government ban alcohol commercials from television?
• Should state governments tackle the high divorce rate?
• Ways for the U.S. government to address the gun ownership issue?
• Does the U.S. government infringe on the citizens’ privacy through public surveillance?
• Should the U.S. government regulate university and college education fees?
• How does the U.S. government benefit from the high number of people completing higher education?
• Should the U.S. government require immigrants to learn the national language?
• Should the U.S. government make vaccines compulsory?

Writing an American research paper can be fun if you pick the right topic. Therefore, take your time to identify the best issues to write about, and you will earn the top grades in your class.

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332 American Government Essay Topics & Research Ideas

18 January 2024

last updated

American Government essay topics present a comprehensive spectrum for exploration, each varying in depth and complexity. Some themes may include the functionality of constitutional democracy in the United States (U.S.), the examination of civil liberties and rights, or the intricacies of the federal system. Students may delve into the analysis of influential Supreme Court decisions, the evolving role of the Presidency, or the workings of Congressional lawmaking. Contemporary subjects, like campaign finance reform, immigration policy, or the impact of media on political discourse, are also important. Unraveling the politics of environmental policy or the checks and balances system’s practicality offers bright themes. In turn, investigating the role of lobbyists and interest groups or dissecting the dynamics of public opinion and voting behavior can give intriguing insights. Thus, American government essay topics not only foster a deeper understanding of the nation’s political landscape but also stimulate critical thinking and analytical skills.

Top Government Essay Topics

• Privatization of Public Services: Merits and Criticisms
• Freedom of Information Laws: Transparency and Accountability in Government
• Understanding E-Governance: Potential and Pitfalls
• Interrogating Federalism: Power Dynamics in Multi-Tier Governments
• Political Polarization and Governance: A Detailed Analysis
• Digital Surveillance: Privacy Concerns and State Interests
• Immigration Policies: Comparative Analysis of Different Governments
• Climate Change Policies: Effectiveness and Implementation Challenges
• Political Accountability in the Age of Social Media
• Public Health and Governance: Lessons From Pandemics
• Decentralization in Government: A Thorough Examination
• State Autonomy vs. Federal Overreach: Tensions and Resolutions
• Analyzing the Concept of Sovereignty in the 21st Century
• Justice System Reforms: Understanding the Need and Potential Approaches
• Social Welfare Programs: Effectiveness and Public Reception
• Education Policy and Governance: Ensuring Equal Opportunities
• Tensions Between Civil Liberties and National Security
• Emergency Powers: Necessary Tool or Slippery Slope to Authoritarianism
• Campaign Finance Reforms: Balancing Transparency and Political Freedom
• Understanding the Separation of Powers: Checks and Balances in Action

Easy Government Essay Topics

• Understanding Democracy: Basic Concepts and Principles
• Different Types of Government: A Comparative Study
• Voting Systems: Pros and Cons of First-Past-the-Post
• Government’s Part in Economic Development: An Overview
• Public Health: Government’s Responsibilities and Duties
• Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens: A Closer Look
• Elections: Understanding the Electoral College System
• Why Do We Need a Constitution? An Elementary Explanation
• Importance of Civic Education in a Democracy
• Federal vs. State Powers: An Introduction
• Social Security: Functions and Challenges
• Government Regulation of Media: Freedom vs. Responsibility
• Public Transportation and Government’s Involvement: An Overview
• Differences Between Presidential and Parliamentary Systems of Government
• Local Governments: Responsibilities and Functions
• Citizen Participation in Government: Why Does It Matter?
• Understanding Public Policy: A Basic Analysis
• Freedom of Speech: Government and Constitutional Protection
• National Security and Individual Privacy: Striking a Balance

Interesting Government Essay Topics

• Privatization vs. Public Ownership: Theoretical Considerations
• Decentralization of Power: Unraveling Its Implications
• State Surveillance: Dilemma of Privacy vs. Security
• National Debts: Examining Their Economic and Political Effects
• Monarchies in the 21st Century: An Analytical Perspective
• Cryptocurrency Regulation: Assessing Different Government Approaches
• Digital Governance: Opportunities and Pitfalls
• Constitutional Interpretation: Originalism vs. Living Constitution Theory
• Understanding Federalism: A Comparative Analysis
• Emerging Role of Artificial Intelligence in Governance
• Climate Change Policy: National vs. International Responsibilities
• Democracy and Technology: Influence of Social Media on Governance
• Public Administration Reforms: Lessons From Around the World
• Immigration Policy: Factors Influencing Government Decisions
• Separation of Powers: An Inquiry Into Its Real-World Implications
• Fiscal Policy during Recessions: Strategies and Outcomes
• Authoritarian Regimes in a Digital Age: Unpacking the Complexities
• Intelligence Agencies: Examining Oversight and Control Mechanisms
• Social Equity and Government Policy: Challenges and Opportunities
• Political Dynasties: Assessing Their Influence on Democratic Governance

U.S. Government Research Paper Topics for College

• Gun Control Policies: Analyzing the Effectiveness in the U.S.
• Unraveling the Complexity of U.S. Immigration Reform
• Affordable Care Act: A Comprehensive Analysis Post Implementation
• Effects of Social Media on the U.S. Electoral Process
• Campaign Finance Laws in the United States: A Closer Look
• Government Shutdowns: Causes and Consequences in the U.S.
• Federalism in the United States: Changing Dynamics
• Dissecting the Patriot Act: Implications for Civil Liberties
• Constitutional Rights and Digital Privacy: An American Perspective
• Polarization in American Politics: Causes and Effects
• U.S. Tax Reform: An Analysis of Recent Changes
• Influence of Lobbying on Law-Making in the United States
• Supreme Court Appointments: Politics and Consequences
• Federal Reserve’s Monetary Policy: A Comprehensive Review
• Investigating the Role of Super PACs in U.S. Elections
• American Infrastructure Spending: Assessing Need and Impact
• Analyzing the U.S. Response to Climate Change
• Understanding the U.S. Electoral College: Pros and Cons
• U.S. Drug Policy: Lessons Learned From the War on Drugs

U.S. Government Research Paper Topics for University

• Native American Treaties and U.S. Government: A Detailed Study
• Rise of Partisanship: An Exploration Into U.S. Politics
• Education Policy in the United States: A Critical Assessment
• American Antitrust Legislation: A Review and Analysis
• U.S. Military Strategy in the Post-Cold War Era: A Comprehensive Study
• Housing Policy and Inequality in the United States: A Detailed Examination
• U.S. Trade Agreements: Analyzing Their Success and Failures
• Unfolding American Diplomacy in the Asia-Pacific Region: An In-Depth Review
• Citizens United Decision: An Analysis of Its Implications on U.S. Elections
• Racial Profiling and Law Enforcement in the U.S.: A Study on Systemic Bias
• Space Exploration Policies of the U.S.: A Comprehensive Overview
• Gerrymandering in the United States: Analyzing Its Impacts on Representation
• Public Health Policy in the U.S.: Lessons From the Covid-19 Pandemic
• Women in U.S. Politics: A Study on Representation and Influence
• Privatization in the U.S.: A Critical Analysis of Its Effects on Public Services
• U.S. Welfare Policy: An Evaluation of Its Efficacy and Inclusivity
• Privacy Rights in the U.S.: Analyzing the Balance Between Security and Liberty
• Minimum Wage Policies in the United States: A Comparative Study
• U.S. Energy Policy: A Study of Transition towards Renewable Resources
• Cybersecurity in the U.S.: Analyzing Government’s Role in Protecting National Infrastructure

American Government and Foreign Policy Essay Topics

• Middle East Policies: A Review of U.S. Strategy and Diplomacy
• Democratization and American Foreign Policy: A Critical Examination
• China-U.S. Relations: A Study of Economic and Security Dilemmas
• American Strategy in Containing North Korea’s Nuclear Ambition
• Shifts in U.S.-Russia Relations: Post-Cold War Analysis
• Climate Change and American Foreign Policy: An In-Depth Study
• Human Rights in American Foreign Policy: Case Studies From the 21st Century
• Evaluating U.S. Intervention in Afghanistan: A Retrospective Study
• Cyber Warfare and U.S. Foreign Policy: Exploring Strategies and Consequences
• U.S. and NATO: Analyzing the Changing Dynamics of Transatlantic Alliance
• Latin America in U.S. Foreign Policy: A Historical Analysis
• American Policy in the Indo-Pacific: Security, Diplomacy, and Economics
• U.S. Foreign Aid: Analysis of Trends and Effectiveness
• Arms Control and American Foreign Policy: A Review of Key Agreements
• U.S.-EU Relations: Trade, Security, and Diplomatic Perspectives
• American Policy Towards Israel and Palestine: A Critical Evaluation
• The Iran Nuclear Deal and U.S. Foreign Policy: A Comprehensive Study
• Global Health and American Foreign Policy: Priorities and Challenges
• Climate Diplomacy in U.S. Foreign Policy: A Study of the Paris Agreement

American Government and Media Essay Topics

• Media Influence on Presidential Elections: A Case Study
• Influence of Media in Shaping Public Policy: An Analysis
• The First Amendment: Press Freedom and Its Limits
• Media Portrayal of U.S. Foreign Policy: A Critical Examination
• Partisan Media and Polarization in American Politics: An Exploratory Study
• Fake News and Its Influence on American Political Discourse
• Public Broadcasting in America: A Historical Analysis
• Digital Media and American Politics: Understanding the Shift
• Social Media’s Influence on Political Mobilization: Case Studies From the U.S.
• Media Bias in Coverage of Gun Control: A Comparative Study
• Media Framing of Immigration Policies in the U.S.: A Discourse Analysis
• Network News and Its Influence on Public Perception of the Presidency
• The Power of Political Cartoons in Shaping Public Opinion
• Censorship and Self-Censorship in American Media: A Comprehensive Study
• Media Coverage of the Supreme Court: A Critical Review
• Cable News and Polarization in U.S. Politics: A Longitudinal Study
• The Role of Satirical News in American Political Discourse
• Media and Public Perception of Climate Change Policies in America
• Traditional Media vs. Social Media in U.S. Political Campaigns: A Comparative Analysis

American Political Parties and Elections Topics

• Campaign Strategies in Modern American Elections: An Analysis
• Transformative Elections in American History: Case Studies
• Minor Political Parties in U.S. Electoral Politics: A Comparative Study
• Influence of Lobbying on Election Outcomes: An Empirical Investigation
• How Gerrymandering Shapes American Politics: A Comprehensive Review
• American Presidential Primaries: A Historical Examination
• The Electoral College: An Evaluation of Its Efficacy in Modern U.S. Politics
• American Politics and the Issue of Voter Suppression: A Critical Study
• Dynamics of Swing States in U.S. Presidential Elections: An In-Depth Analysis
• Candidate Image Crafting in American Elections: A Semiotic Analysis
• Polarization and Its Effect on American Elections: An Empirical Investigation
• Public Financing in American Elections: A Comparative Study
• Third-Party Candidates and Their Influence on U.S. Elections: An Exploratory Study
• American Midterm Elections and Their Effect on Presidential Governance: An Analysis
• Effects of Negative Campaigning in U.S. Elections: A Quantitative Study
• Dynamics of Coalition Building in American Political Parties: A Case Study
• Presidential Debates and Their Influence on Election Outcomes: An Empirical Investigation
• Changes in Electoral Behavior in the American South: A Longitudinal Study
• The Effect of Voter Turnout on Election Results: A Statistical Analysis
• The Future of American Elections: Predicting Trends in the Digital Age

Government Research Paper Topics About the Executive Arm

• Presidential Decision-Making in Times of Crisis: A Comparative Analysis
• Foreign Policy Execution and the American President: A Critical Study
• Cabinet Appointments and Policy Outcomes: An Empirical Investigation
• Transformations in the Executive Office: A Historical Review
• Executive Orders: A Quantitative Analysis of Their Use and Effectiveness
• Exercise of Veto Power: A Comparative Study Across Presidential Administrations
• War Powers and the U.S. Presidency: A Constitutional Analysis
• American Presidency and the Pardon Power: A Legal Examination
• Executive Privilege: Its Use and Misuse in American Politics
• Presidential Succession and Continuity of Government: A Policy Analysis
• Dynamics of Executive-Legislative Relations: An Interdisciplinary Study
• The Vice Presidency: Evolution and Influence in Modern American Politics
• Presidential Campaigns: Financing and Its Influence on Policy Outcomes
• National Emergency Declarations and Presidential Power: A Constitutional Study
• The Power of Persuasion: Rhetoric and the American Presidency
• The Cabinet’s Influence on Presidential Decision-Making: A Qualitative Study
• Presidential Nominations and the Confirmation Process: A Policy Analysis
• Environmental Policy-Making in the Executive Branch: A Historical Review
• Immigration Policy Execution and Presidential Discretion: A Comparative Analysis
• National Security and the Use of Executive Power: A Critical Investigation

Legislative Branch of Government Essay Topics in American Politics

• Committee Power in the U.S. Congress: A Quantitative Study
• Bicameralism and Its Influence on Legislation: A Comparative Analysis
• Parliamentary Procedure and Democratic Governance: A Policy Review
• Policy-Making Dynamics in the Senate: A Historical Review
• Congressional Oversight and Its Effect on Executive Power: A Qualitative Study
• Gridlock in Congress: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions
• House Rules Committee and Its Influence on Legislation: An Empirical Investigation
• Legislative Agendas: Partisanship and Its Effects on Lawmaking
• Lobbying and Influence in the Lawmaking Process: A Critical Analysis
• Congressional Elections: Campaign Financing and Electoral Outcomes
• Redistricting and Its Effect on the Balance of Power in Congress: A Quantitative Analysis
• Filibuster and Its Impact on Legislative Efficiency: A Policy Analysis
• Political Polarization in the House of Representatives: A Comparative Study
• Congressional Ethics and Conduct: A Legal Examination
• Minority Representation in the U.S. Congress: A Quantitative Analysis
• Leadership Dynamics in Congress: A Historical Review
• Term Limits and Legislative Productivity: An Empirical Investigation
• Congressional Budgeting Process: A Critical Examination
• Lawmaking and the Influence of Interest Groups: A Comparative Analysis
• Checks and Balances: The Role of Congress in National Security Policy-Making

Political Behavior and American Government Essay Topics

• Identity Politics and Policy Preferences in American Government
• Shifts in American Political Behavior: Historical Analysis
• Public Opinion, Ideology, and Policy Change in U.S. Politics
• Media Consumption and Its Influence on Political Preferences
• Digital Democracy: How the Internet Has Transformed Political Participation
• Voting Behavior and Electoral Outcomes: An Empirical Examination
• Effects of Civic Education on Political Engagement: A Comparative Study
• Partisan Realignment and Its Consequences for American Politics
• Dynamics of Political Polarization in Contemporary America
• Political Trust and Its Relationship With Government Performance
• Cultural Factors and Their Influence on Political Attitudes
• Citizen Engagement and Its Relationship With Political Accountability
• Exploring the Nexus Between Socioeconomic Status and Political Behavior
• Environmental Concerns and Their Influence on Voting Behavior
• Political Socialization and Its Impact on Political Affiliation
• Understanding Populism in the Context of American Politics
• Racial Politics and Its Effect on the American Government
• Religious Beliefs and Their Influence on Political Behavior
• Public Opinion and Foreign Policy: A Historical Analysis

Political Theory and American Government Essay Topics

• Applying Rawlsian Justice to American Policy Making
• Hobbes and the Foundation of American Political Structure
• Lockean Ideals in the American Declaration of Independence
• Exploring the Influence of Machiavellian Theory on U.S. Politics
• Marxist Interpretations of American Economic Policies
• Application of Communitarianism in U.S. Social Welfare Policies
• Classical Republicanism and Its Echoes in American Government
• Neo-Conservatism and Its Theoretical Foundations in U.S. Politics
• Postmodern Perspectives on American Democracy
• Utilitarianism and Its Reflection on American Economic Policies
• Feminist Political Theory and Its Relevance in U.S. Politics
• Concepts of Liberty in American Political Discourse: A Theoretical Analysis
• Civil Disobedience: From Thoreau to Modern American Protests
• Pluralism and Interest Group Politics in America
• Exploring Libertarianism in the Context of U.S. Government Policies
• Populism as a Political Theory: Reflections in American Politics
• Deliberative Democracy in Practice: U.S. Town Hall Meetings
• Contractualism and the American Constitution: A Theoretical Analysis
• Understanding Identity Politics through the Lens of Queer Theory in the U.S.
• Anarchist Theories and Their Relevance to American Political Movements

Public Policy and Administration Topics

• Understanding Policy Feedback and Its Implications on Program Sustainability
• Public Administration Reforms: Comparative Analysis of Best Practices
• Fiscal Federalism and Public Policy Making in Decentralized Systems
• Emergent Public Policy Challenges in Cybersecurity
• Public Administration and Crisis Management: Lessons From the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Public Policy Responses to Technological Disruption
• Transparency, Accountability, and Ethics in Public Administration
• Policy Diffusion in Intergovernmental Relations: Patterns and Challenges
• Incorporating Behavioral Insights Into Public Policy Design
• Interrogating the Influence of Lobbying on Public Policy
• Urban Planning Policies and Sustainable Development Goals
• Gender Mainstreaming Strategies in Public Policy and Administration
• Public Administration’s Adaptation to Digital Transformation
• Healthcare Policy Reforms: Balancing Efficiency and Equity
• Exploring the Nexus of Public Policy and Social Justice
• Multiculturalism in Public Policy: Incorporating Diversity in Service Delivery
• Trade Policy Negotiations and National Interests: A Diplomatic Tightrope
• Fostering Innovation and Creativity through Education Policies
• Public Policy Making in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities and Challenges

Questions About the American Government

• American Government System: Why Does It Operate on a Two-Party Structure?
• Supreme Court Appointments: How Do They Influence the Balance of Power?
• Understanding the Bill of Rights: Which Amendments Have Provoked the Most Controversy?
• Federalism in America: How Does It Affect State Policies?
• Impeachment Process in the United States: What Are the Criteria and Consequences?
• Why Does the United States Employ an Electoral College in Presidential Elections?
• American Government and Lobbying: Is There a Need for Stricter Regulations?
• Deciphering the Role of Super PACs in American Politics: Are They a Necessity?
• How Does Gerrymandering Influence Political Representation in America?
• Citizens United Decision: What Are Its Implications on American Democracy?
• Understanding the Powers and Limitations of the American Presidency: Is It Truly a Democratic Office?
• How Does the American Constitution Protect Individual Rights?
• Campaign Finance in American Elections: How Does It Affect Political Outcomes?
• Functioning of the American Legislative Branch: What Makes It Efficient?
• Why Do Executive Orders Play a Vital Part in the Functioning of the American Government?
• Effect of Gridlock in Congress on American Policy Making: Is It Detrimental?
• How Does Public Opinion Influence Government Decision-Making in the United States?
• Influence of Interest Groups on American Government: Boon or Bane?
• Bicameral Legislature in America: What Are Its Rationale and Significance?

State and Local Government Essay Topics in the American System

• Decentralization Dynamics: A Study of Power Shifts in State and Local Governments
• Strategizing Municipal Finance: Effective Revenue Generation Models
• State Sovereignty vs. Federal Guidelines: An Examination of Conflict and Cooperation
• Examining the Efficacy of Participatory Budgeting in Local Government
• Local Governments and Environmental Sustainability: Policy Design and Implementation
• Diversity in Local Government Leadership: A Comprehensive Analysis
• Education Policy Formulation at the State Level: A Comparative Study
• Municipal Bond Market: Understanding Its Function in Infrastructure Development
• Public Health Management at the State Level: Lessons From Pandemic Response
• Understanding Land Use Policy: A Perspective From Local Governments
• Fiscal Decentralization: Its Effect on State and Local Economic Development
• Urban Planning and Local Governments: A Critical Analysis of Current Practices
• Evaluating the Effectiveness of State Governments in Disaster Management
• State Government Pension Systems: An Analytical Review of Their Sustainability
• Public Transportation Policy: A Case Study of State-Level Initiatives
• Revenue Sharing Between States and Localities: An Assessment of Current Mechanisms
• Local Government and Community Engagement: Strategies for Effective Citizen Participation
• Accountability Measures in State Government: An Investigation of Transparency Practices
• Public-Private Partnerships in Local Government: A Review of Best Practices
• Challenges and Solutions in State-Level Cybersecurity Policy Implementation

The Constitution and Bill of Rights Topics

• Interpreting Freedom: First Amendment Controversies in the Digital Age
• Second Amendment Debates: Understanding the Constitution and Gun Control
• Protection vs. Privacy: The Fourth Amendment in an Era of Technology
• The Eighth Amendment: Contemporary Challenges in the Context of Criminal Justice
• Dilemmas of Due Process: A Critical Examination of the Fifth Amendment
• Origins and Applications: A Deep Dive Into the Tenth Amendment
• Historical Analysis of Constitutional Amendments: Understanding Their Significance
• Cultural Shifts and Constitutional Interpretation: Exploring the Changing Landscape
• Examining the Thirteenth Amendment: The Legacy of Abolition and Modern-Day Implications
• Constitutional Equality: The Unratified Equal Rights Amendment
• The Nineteenth Amendment and Beyond: Women’s Suffrage and Contemporary Gender Politics
• Voting Rights: The Twenty-Sixth Amendment and Current Debates on Age and Citizenship
• The Jurisprudence of the Supreme Court: Notable Cases Interpreting the Bill of Rights
• Constitutional Debates and Democracy: Analyzing the Balance of Powers
• Influence of International Law on Constitutional Interpretation
• How the Bill of Rights Influences Modern Social Movements
• The Constitution and Indigenous Rights: Historical Context and Present Implications
• Reevaluating the Commerce Clause: A Critical Exploration in the Context of Globalization
• Constitutional Perspectives on Data Privacy and Protection

The Judicial Branch of Government Essay Topics in American Politics

• Deciphering Judicial Independence: Origins, Challenges, and Prospects
• Understanding the Supreme Court: Composition, Function, and Influence
• Appointment Controversies: Analyzing the Supreme Court Nominations
• Federal Courts and Politics: An Examination of Judicial Decision-Making
• Checks and Balances: The Judiciary and the Executive Power
• Courts as Policy Makers: Exploring Activism Within the Judicial Branch
• The Art of Interpretation: Statutory Construction in the Supreme Court
• From Marbury to Modernity: The Evolution of Judicial Review
• Exploring Sentencing Disparities: An Examination of Federal Courts
• Diversity in the Judiciary: Assessing Representation in Federal Courts
• Law, Order, and Ethics: A Critical Analysis of Judicial Conduct
• Public Perception and Confidence in the Judicial Branch
• Case Precedent and Legal Stability: The Doctrine of Stare Decisis
• Securing Justice: The Role of Federal Public Defenders
• Judicial Power in the Context of Constitutional Crises
• Assessing the Effectiveness of Specialized Courts: A Comparative Study
• Judicial Restraint and Activism: Ideology in Supreme Court Rulings
• The Federal Judiciary and Civil Liberties: Trends and Implications
• Administrative Law and Federal Courts: A Study in Regulatory Litigation
• International Law in U.S. Courts: Application and Controversy

To Learn More, Read Relevant Articles

278 pros and cons essay topics & ideas, 957 political science research topics & essay ideas.

128 Federalism Essay Topics & Examples

Need to write a federalism essay? Looking for good federalism topics and samples for inspiration? This article is a great place to start!

⭐ Federalism Essay Prompts: Federalism in the United States

🏆 best federalism topics & essay examples, 🎓 good research topics about federalism, 🔍 federalism essay topics: simple & easy, 💡 most interesting federalism topics to write about, ❓ federalism essay questions.

What is federalism? Essay writing always starts with research, and we can help you with it. In short, federalism is a mode of government that combines general and regional governments. Your argumentative federalism essay can focus on federalism’s importance. Or, you can show your understanding of a unique system of governance in the United States.

In this article, you will find 74 excellent federalism essay topics and research ideas. You can also read our samples and use our free topic generator !

With its extensive territory and large population, the US required a robust government to sustain its infrastructure and grow into the global superpower it is today. However, its unique circumstances at the time of the formation made methods that were standard at the time inapplicable, forcing the Founding Fathers to innovate.

As a result, even two hundred years later, each state retains a considerable degree of independence. Your essay can cover any of the many different topics of federalism and its theoretical and practical applications:

• You can center your essay on the conflicting ideas of Aristotelian happiness and utilitarianism, with the Republican and Democratic parties representing the options, respectively. The purpose of a country is to make sure that its citizens are as happy and comfortable as they can be. However, the task becomes complicated when the question of what happiness means is taken into consideration.
• The emergence of the United States as a federation is a great federalism essay topic that can be explained by the circumstances of the nation’s formation. After fighting off the British in the Revolutionary War, the territory that would become the United States remained a loose alliance of small states, which can be considered a confederation. However, the system was ultimately non-viable, and the Founding Fathers had to create a more centralized country by creating and ratifying the Constitution.
• Alternatively, you can focus on the role if Constitution and its history. At first, many states formed anti-federalist movements and opposed the initiative, but eventually, they agreed to it after their concerns were addressed in the Bill of Rights. The Constitution has been amended many times, but its core has remained unchanged. The United States is still a federation, and its states can adopt many critical laws without requiring the approval of the central government.
• Discuss the idea of federalism in other countries that do not currently use it, providing examples. How much do the United States’ unique circumstances contribute to its ability to maintain a federation?
• Talk about examples of other federations that currently exist or have existed in the past. Some of their models differ considerably from that used in the United States.
• Discuss the idea of confederations and the reason why few to no countries can be classified as one despite their titles.

Find more ideas and excellent federalism essay samples below!

• Federalism System, Its Advantages and Disadvantages The system causes government to have control of itself because of great rivalry of power between the state and the nation.
• Federalism Advantages and Disadvantages This paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of a federal system of government. A federal government can either be centralized where the central government has broad powers compared to state or provincial powers, or a […]
• Federalism of the United States The end result showed that the federal government was using publicly owned land, which in the end, belonged to all citizens of the United States, thus the local state government had to make sure the […]
• Costs and Benefits of Federalism Conflicts between the state and national government in the running of the United States is one of the major costs of federalism. Federalism leads to the formation of small political units that help in the […]
• Cooperative Federalism in the USA A vivid example of the implementation of the concept of dual federalism is the United States of America in the form in which they were initially formed.
• Federalist Paper Number 10 It is one of the most influential papers and it talks about faction and the role of government in regulating it as well as liberty. According to him, legislation should be put in place to […]
• The United States Federalism and Political Culture Having established the central values of the United States’ political culture, it is worth discussing how some of them align with the concepts of federalism and anti-federalism. Therefore, it can be concluded that federalism is […]
• “American Federalism” Article by Derthick This article considers the issue of the effective distribution of powers between the central and federal administrations. Thus, it shows the division of powers between the national and federal administrations in 1965-1980 and the current […]
• Healthcare Regulations and Federalism’s Impact Although the ACA established the regulations for getting the coverage on federal levels, the government had to allow local policy-making due to the high autonomy of many regions.
• The Account of the Pros and Cons of Federalism To conclude, federalism and devolution are rather efficient forms of the state government provided they are properly implemented in the country.
• The Federalist Papers to Understand the United States Constitution The purpose of the federalist papers was to convince the people of New York to ratify the proposed constitution because most of the other states had already done so.
• The Impact of Fiscal Federalism on Financial Operations The ADA requirements influenced the fiscal and budgetary operations of American College Health Association in terms of enforcement of employment rights and observing the rights of employers and students with disabilities.
• American Federalism: Why It Is Good for the Nation? In conclusion, it is necessary to note that historical, political, and cultural peculiarities of the United States make federalism the most appropriate type of governance for the country.
• The Major Eras of American Federalism The second category consists of the powers, which are “not delegated to [the national government of] the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states” and are referred to as the […]
• Fiscal Federalism: The Performance of Third-Party Implementers In the article ‘Public Performance and Management Review,’ the research question is “what can states do to maximize the performance of third-party implementers in the context of fiscal federalism?” The theory included a review of […]
• 10th Amendment & Federalism The 10th Amendment reads “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited to it by the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people”.
• The Constitutional Debate About Government and Federalism The government provided for by this document was weak and this necessitated drafting of the American constitution after Shays Rebellion in the spring of 1787. There have been major changes in the media and technology […]
• The Current State of Federalism in the 21st Century The outcome of the civil war of the 60-is of the XIX century was the doctrine of eternal union, recognizing the U.S.as a single state, created by the will of the entire American people, excluding […]
• Federalism, Intergovernmental Relations, Fragmegration Finally there will be an analysis made of the difference in the theory of Fenno, Dahl and Lowi as compared to the normal text book definitions in regard to representation and legislation.
• Constitutionalism and Federalism in State Politics The Constitution highlighted the fundamentals of American federalism and testified the domination of the centralization. As it can be view, the problem of centralization and decentralization was of great concern in the course of the […]
• Federalism and Medical Marijuana Needless to say, United States faced political and social challenges as well, and the disputes over federalism and over the legal use of marijuana in medicine are still the most burning and controversial issues in […]
• Federalists, Anti-federalist, and Republican Debate Generally, the state, that: It gave too much authority to the nationwide administration at the expenditure of the state management. Of these criticisms, the lack of a bill of rights was the most efficient.
• Political Science. The Federalist Papers The inspiration for this constitution, the framework, the framers, and the people who opted to choose the right path and inspiration, is the subject for this paper.
• Federalism Implications for Medicaid in California An example used to compare and contrast the two metaphors is the system of Medicaid as controlled by the federal government and by the state government.
• Federalism and Gun Control in the United States 2 Each type of government possesses a set of duties and powers that it can exercise in the region, and the relationship between the levels is established in the Constitution.
• Federalism: Policy Issues and Recommended Changes The concept of federalism is a well-known political trend, and the emphasis on its promotion is the practice that leaders of many states adhere to and develop.
• Constitutional Convention of 1787 and Federalism James Madison was the key player on the issue of commerce under the Articles of the Confederation. He wanted the states to maintain the standards for the success of the social programs he wanted to […]
• Federalism and Government Styles in the United States It is because the individual at the top is held accountable by the leaders of the local authorities. Top on the list is the fact that the division of power between the central government and […]
• Presidential Power in Hamilton’s Federalist No. 70 The analogy presented in the Federalist paper number seventy formed the basis of the present-day powerful executive in the United States.
• Judicial Branch in Hamilton’s Federalist Papers In this context, the purpose of the judicial branch should not be misunderstood and viewed with reference to the purposes of the executive and legislative branches.
• Aristocracy Assailed: The Ideology of Backcountry Anti-Federalism The author examines the views of the consensus historians and the attitudes of the anti-federalists towards the idea of American democracy.
• Contemporary American Federalism Dual federalism is a system characterized by a national government that only governs by the rules that have been laid out in the constitution, national and state governments that are supreme in their allocated spheres […]
• Federalist Paper No. 51 He states that all the different arms of the government, as per the constitution, should be independent of one another though they should work in the direction of achieving the same constitutional goals it was […]
• The Aggranoff’s Version of Federalist No. 44 Provision of the relevant leadership and administrative is by implementing policies and procedures that are standard in relation with what the nation anticipates. Additionally, evaluation of citizens’ performance in the work field and confirming whether […]
• Significance of Anti-Federalist Papers Therefore, it is important to note that the anti-federalist paper served as an alternative voice by helping to pinpoint spheres that needed to be rectified to ensure that the constitution that was in the process […]
• No Child Left behind Act: Federalism Concept Based on the three branches of a federal government, the legislative branch is bestowed with the responsibility of making the law.
• Federalism and Policy Formulation This should be made with regard to views of the stakeholders since every federal government’s view must be represented in formulating the policies.
• Current Issue in Federalism This has triggered the debate to shift from the state courts and legislatures to the federal courts with the interest groups looking for the best platform to present their case.
• Federalism and separation of powers In the American constitution, specific powers were bestowed upon the national government and in the tenth amendment of 1791, it stated “the powers not delegated to the United States by the constitution, nor prohibited by […]
• The Bill of Rights and the Anti-Federalist Concerns The Effects of the Bill of Rights Due to these facts and the essence of the Bill of Rights, it can be said that the efforts of the Anti-Federalists were not in vain.
• Federalism in the United States The power assignments of the national government comprises of both implied and expressed powers. The Implied powers permit the central government to come up with decisions, which are not part of the expressed powers.
• The Case for a Federalism Amendment The main agenda here is the evenness or equality on how the powers are shared between the federal government and the states governments without interfering with the rights of their people. For instance, the states […]
• Modern American Federalism Development and evolution of democracy over the centuries has been focusing on devolution of central powers of government to increase independence of the local states.
• The Evolution of American Federalism Madison alone wrote over 20 articles on the subject and helped in the development and ratification of the US constitution and the 39th article as well as Federalist 51 is regarded as the most indicative […]
• Federalism in United States Federalism is therefore defined as a coordination of the regime in which control and the influence of power is partitioned with an attempt to distribute it in the central government and the constituent supporting units.
• An Overview of the Change of Federalism and the Great Depression
• The Implications of Elections for Federalism in Iraq: Toward a Five-Region Model
• A Look at Power Shifts in Intergovernmental Relations as a Result of Fiscal Federalism
• The Major Role Federalism Has Played in Our Government
• Understanding the Political Ideology of Federalism and the Role of the Federal Government
• An Initial Evaluation of Revenue-Sharing Arrangements in the New South African Fiscal Federalism
• A Comparison of Federalism and Anti-Federalism and Their Arguments
• Using Benefit-Cost Criteria for Settling Federalism Disputes: An Application to Food Safety Regulation
• Adjusting To Economic Growth In Toronto Amalgamation And Federalism
• Why Is Federalism Is The Best Option For The Philippines
• Advantages And Disadvantages Of American Federalism
• An Analysis of the Essential Principles of Federalism in the United States Government
• An Analysis of the Three Examples of How Federalism Which Evolved From Its Origins To the American Political System
• The Political Economy of Immigration Enforcement: Conflict and Cooperation under Federalism
• A Fiscal Federalism Analysis of Debt Policies by Sovereign Regional Governments
• An Evaluation of Federalism and the Civil War in America
• What Is Federalism And How Does It Relate To State Governments And Other Forms Of Governance
• Beyond National Standards: Reconciling Tension between Federalism and the Welfare State
• An International Multi-Level System of Competition Laws: Federalism in Antitrust
• Understanding Federalism Based on the Section: Picket-Fence Federalism
• The Possible Impact of Federalism in the Government of America
• The Tragedy of the Commons or the Curse of Federalism
• A Research on American History: Federalism in the United States
• An Overview of the Power Shift in Intergovernmental Relations as a Result of Fiscal Federalism
• The National Schoolmarm: No Child Left Behind and the New Educational Federalism
• The Relation of Federalism and Poverty in the US
• A Report on the Methods of the Constitution to Guard Against Tyranny: Federalism, Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances, and Equal Representation
• Walking in the Shadow of Pressman and Wildavsky: Expanding Fiscal Federalism and Goal Congruence Theories to Single-Shot Games
• A Description of Federalism as a Type of Government Where Power is Separated Between a National Government and Various Regional Governments
• A Description of the Federalist Papers and Federalism
• Asymmetric Information and Regional Transfers: Federalism versus Devolution
• The Role Of Federalism And Its Effect On American Government
• A Fatal Distraction from Federalism – Religious Conflict in Rakhine
• An Empirical Study of US Environmental Federalism: RCRA Enforcement From 1998 to 2011
• An Analysis of the Extent of the Influence of the Constitution and Federalism on the Political Culture of the United States
• An Analysis of the Federalism in the Government System of 18th Century United States
• An Analysis of the Political System of Federalism in the United States of America
• Adapting Federalism: Indigenous Multilevel Governance in Canada and the United States
• A Reconsideration of Environmental Federalism
• The Welfare Economics of Autarky, Federalism, and Federation Formation
• An Introduction to the Analysis of Federalism
• A Description of American Federalism as a Form of Government in Which the Constitution Distributes Governmental Powers
• Between the National Government
• The Lessons That The American Experience With Federalism
• The Institutional Basis of Secessionist Politics: Federalism and Secession in the United States
• An Analysis of Federalism and the French Canadians, an Ideological Anthology by Pierre Elliot Trudeau
• What Makes Strong Federalism Seem Weak? Fiscal Resources and Presidential-Provincial Relations in Argentina
• The Origin in Forming a Governmental Structure in Favor of the Newly Formed Constitution of Federalism
• Understanding the Concept of Federalism in Political Science
• The Use of Federalism in the Philippines Under the Administration of President Duterte
• Abortion: The Impact of Federalism and the Separation of Power
• The Role of Liberty and Democracy in the Enhancement of the Principles of Canadian Federalism in the Present and Future
• Bargaining for Fiscal Control: Tax Federalism in Brazil and Mexico, 1870-1940
• What Are Advantages and Disadvantages of Division of Powers and Checks and Balances and Federalism?
• Who Limits Environmental Federalism in Croatia?
• What Was the New Deal and Why Was It So Important in Terms of Federalism?
• How Has Federalism Changed the Nation?
• What Explains the Paradox of Tobacco Control Policy Under Federalism in the U.S. And Canada?
• Does Federalism Weaken Democratic Representation in the United States?
• What Makes Strong Federalism Seem Weak?
• Why Did Framers Choose Federalism?
• What Is a Benefit of Federalism?
• How Has Federalism Changed Since the Ratification of the Constitution?
• What Role Does the “Federalism Bonus” Play in Presidential Selection?
• Can Courts Make Federalism Work?
• How Does Federalism Protect Future Generations From Today’s Public Debts?
• What Is the 10th Amendment and Why Is It So Important to Understanding Federalism?
• Does Federalism Induce Patients’ Mobility Across Regions?
• How Has Indian Federalism Done?
• What Was the Great Society and Why Was It So Important in Terms of Federalism?
• Does Fiscal Federalism Promote Regional Inequality?
• How Have Federal Mandates Effected the Ideas of Federalism?
• Does Nature Limit Environmental Federalism?
• What Issues Most Influence Federalism Today?
• How Does Modern Federalism Work Effectively in a Complex, Networked World?
• What Are the Differences Between “Separation of Powers” and “Federalism”?
• Who Honors the Rules of Federalism?
• What Is Cooperative Federalism?
• Why Does Procedural Federalism Remain in the USA?
• What Is the Main Purpose of Federalism in Government?
• How Does Russian Federalism Work?
• What Did the Federalists Believe Threatened the Nation in the Election of 1800?
• Why Is Federalism Important to the Constitution?
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Ease your college life with our american government research paper topics.

August 13, 2020

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Thinking up the best topic to write on government isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Which is why we’ve come up with this great list of items. How? You may ask. We pride in our native English-speaking writers, to deliver top American government topics for your academic assignments, including essays and research papers.

When you have exciting government topics to write about, the rest of the process becomes easy-peasy. Nevertheless, this is a skill that only a few possess. Lucky for you today, you will learn them firsthand from the gurus.

Let us explore various categories of top-notch US government research paper topics:

American Government Research Paper Topics: Legislative Branch

Here, we explore some of the good government paper topics in the legislative arm of the American government.

• A critical analysis of the House of Representatives and the senate
• Why the census is essential in determining the number of representatives
• Should house representatives serve for more than two terms?
• Is the 25-years age limit a necessity to vie?
• Why the senate is crucial in approving necessary presidential appointments
• What is the origin of the two-thirds majority rule in passing a bill?
• Should Congress have the powers to remove the President?
• Is the senate effective in Committee inquiries and hearings?
• Why is the 25th Amendment necessary for the House and the legislature?
• Should the Representatives elect the speaker of the House?
• The ratification of the 17th Amendment in 1913
• Is the Vice President’s decisive vote crucial for the senate?
• Discuss the senate legislation process
• Does the number of committees and subcommittees matter and why?
• The role of experts, advocates, and opponents in the passage or rejection of a bill

You can derive more government paper topics on the legislative branch from the government’s website, senate proceedings or related news bulletin.

Government Research Paper Topics on the Executive Arm

You can consider this niche for your American government research paper with the following topics:

• Discuss the powers of the President and their implications
• How does the Federal government enforce and administer federal laws?
• Should the President appoint heads of independent national commissions?
• What is the effect of Congress overwriting a veto to the President?
• Should the President have unlimited power to extend pardons and clemencies for federal crimes?
• What does the State of the Union Address mean for the President?
• Does the congressional delegation in the electoral vote represent the will of the people?
• The significance of the President and the First family living in White House
• Does the President’s Oval Office have any national relevance?
• Why do Vice Presidents approach their role differently?
• Why should the White House Chief of Staff be the President’s closest adviser?
• Should the President decide on the number of cabinet members by himself?
• The cabinet is often the President’s closest confidants. Why?
• Do the departments in the committee meet the full needs of the US people?
• Why is the Department of Defense, the largest government agency?

A majority of government research topics in this sector revolve around the President, VP, and the cabinet.

College Government Thesis Paper Topics

Writing a college essay in this field can be complicated, especially if you are beginning your first year. Here are some good topics for a research paper in college:

• Compare and contrast direct and representative democracy.
• What changes would you like to make in the US Constitution?
• Individual states versus the federal government. Which is powerful?
• What will make more people vote during elections?
• An analysis of the two main parties in the US government
• Why should you vote for a candidate who probably won’t win?
• Where do political campaigns get their funding, and why?
• Is media the fourth branch of the US government?
• Evaluation of the Senate and House of Representatives candidate campaigns
• Do the members of Congress follow the will of the voters who elected them?
• How have different US Presidents used executive privilege?
• Is the executive branch of the US government the most powerful?
• Why is the First Amendment important to human rights in America?
• Why did the Equal Rights Amendment fail in the senate?
• Does the federal government possess excess power as compared to others?
• Why are polls during presidential elections not reliable?

And there you have your list of government topics for high school, college, and university. Using these easy American government essay topics, you can write a winning research paper worth the commendation of the POTUS.

Are you still wondering, “What are good topics for a research paper?” Well, you have them all systematically arranged for you in the discussion above. However, students in need of professional writing help can get it at affordable rates.

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100 Government Term Paper Topics: Writing an Influential Essay

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Studying Politics, students will have to work on government-related papers often, discussing various problems and specifications of the subject. Talking about problems in the federal government term paper, it is indispensable to highlight the prominence of the theme and its relevance. Competence, awareness of the field, and excellent writing skills are indispensable for creating an impeccable, meaningful, and effective term paper. 

Writing a term paper on government is not about meditating on the topic but rather about profound research, analyzing the current situation, comparing several phenomena, and making reasonable conclusions. The number of public administration term paper issues students face is huge, but none of them is too overwhelming or impossible to deal with. Check out an extensive collection of the most appealing government-related topics and writing guidelines that will help you succeed with the project, writing an outstanding paper. 

Government Term Paper Writing: Step-by-Step Guide to a Flawless Result

If you need to write a comprehensive government term paper, writing is not the most important stage of work. In fact, the preparatory stage is the most fundamental one, as it will predetermine the whole process and guide you to the necessary result. Additionally, the prominence of the post-writing stage should not be underestimated, as proofreading is critical to keep the public administration term paper impeccable. Keep reading to find a few most influential and beneficial tips to assist your essay writing. 

Pre-Writing Stage

The overwhelming majority of college students are mistaken in thinking that term paper writing is mainly about writing. In fact, gathering information from credible sources, analyzing the field, and creating an outline are much more time and effort-consuming aspects of dealing with. 

Therefore, if you lack ideas for government term paper writing, start with the basics. What aspects do you want to cover in your paper? What is the goal of your writing? How many sources will you use? These are the first questions to answer before diving into the work. There is no way you will succeed with the undertaking unless you come up with an appealing and relevant topic. Keep the theme narrow and direct so that the paper is easy to read and comprehend. 

Additionally, browse the web to discover a top-quality government term paper sample written by experienced students or expert writers. Analyze the piece to detect new ideas and writing tools. Follow the structure and formatting elements as you start working on the term paper outline.  

Essay Writing and Structuring

Once you are done with the preparatory stage, you are ready to proceed to essay writing. The first question that bothers learners at this point is how to write term paper for government that will be both well-structured and appealing. The assignment is complicated, but the struggle is real if you are aware of a few writing tips and tricks. 

Initially, what you should start with is analyzing a top-tier government term paper example. It is a unique chance to find out useful writing instruments, discover structure specifications, notice formatting aspects, and other elements that influence the overall quality of the paper. 

Secondly, you should mind the outline you create during the preparatory stage, as it is your guide to a well-structured, coherent, and consistent text that is easy and interesting to read. Divide your paper into meaningful passages, each presenting a different statement and supporting arguments. Although it is indispensable to follow the standard introduction, body, and conclusion division, some other paragraphs may be added. 

While excellent structure will contribute to the readability of the paper, formatting will add to its academic value. Additionally, the student should not forget about the consistency of the essay, adding transition words and sentences that will keep different passages linked. 

Proofreading and Editing

It seems that the first draft is ready, so you can proceed to the final stage of work on your academic project. Take some time to relax before you start proofreading and editing your paper. Then, read the whole text once again, looking for typos, spelling mistakes, inaccuracies, and errors. Alternatively, there is an opportunity to use the effective automated tools currently available online or order cheap term paper editing from a professional writing service. They will not only save your time but will also contribute to the quality of your paper. 

Top Relevant and Up-to-Date Government Term Paper Topics

Writing a term paper starts with choosing a meaningful and relevant theme. Check out multiple government term paper topics that will serve as an extra source of inspiration and ideas for you. Additionally, make sure you follow simple tips that will draw you closer to the desired success.

• Make sure the topic meets the requirements
• Focus on the topic that is interesting and appealing to you
• Narrow down your choice to consider one specific aspect of the question
• Brainstorm ideas after you do a research
• Read sample government term paper topics to get inspired

Good Term Paper Topics for Government

What are the best topics to discuss working on the government paper? Here are a few options to consider. 

• Direct vs. Representative Democracy
• Changes and Improvements People Want to Make in the US Constitution
• The Power of Individual State vs. the Rights of Federal Government
• Effective Instruments to Encourage People Voting during Elections
• Key Parties in the US Government Compared
• Media as a Forth Branch of the US Government
• The Failure of the Equal Rights Amendment
• The First Amendment and Its Peculiarities
• The Most Influential Branch of the US Government
• Polling during Presidential Election: How Relevant Is It?

Controversial Term Paper Topics for Government

Politics and everything related to it is frequently controversial, which makes it a good topic for discussion. 

• Military Veterans and the Way Local Government Helps Them Feel Better in the Civilian Life
• Child Transitioning: The Legal Aspects of the Question
• Civil Marriage and Its Legal Status
• Can Teenage Marriages Be Justified and Accepted by the State?
• Shall Immigrants and Refugees Be Working in the Governmental Bodies? 
• Fighting Terrorism: What Measures Can Be Justified?
• Legislation of Prostitution: Various Perspectives on the Question
• Freedom vs. Safety: How Much Should the Government Control People’s Lives
• Justification of Censorship when the National Security Is Endangered
• Various Approaches to Drug Legislation

American National Government Term Paper Topics

The American governmental system is complex and interesting to discover. Check out an array of aspects that can be taken into account as you work on the American government term paper. 

• The Power Federal Government Has: Is It Enough or Too Much?
• 14th Amendment and the Civil Liberties in the US
• The US Constitution and Its Influence on the Government
• Gerrymandering as a Dangerous Phenomenon for Presidential Elections
• US Political Parties: Their Views and Priorities
• The Fundamental Rights Granted by First Amendment
• The Branch of the Federal Government that Wields the Most Power
• The Congress Members and Their Term Limits
• The US Senate and the House of Representatives
• Social Media and Its Impact on the Political Parties in the US

United States Government Term Paper Topics: Legislative Branch

The legislative branch of the governmental system seems to be complicated to analyze but interesting to discuss. Check out multiple options that will help you thrive with the project. 

• The Role of Experts and Advocates in the Passage or Rejection of a Bill
• The Number of Committees and Subcommittees that Matters
• The Constitution of the US Congress
• The Prominence of the Senate in Approving Presidential Meetings
• Two-Third Majority Rule for Passing a Bill
• The Power of Congress to Remove a Seating President
• The Ratification of the 17th Amendment
• The Legislative Process the Senate Follows
• 25th Amendment: Its Basic Features and Specifications
• Evaluation of the House of Representatives and Senate

American Government Term Paper Topics: Executive Arm

Working on a term paper government, the specifications of the American system should be taken into account. Look through a list of executive arm-related topics that will help you unveil the features of the branch. 

• The Department of Defense as the Prominent Part of the US Government
• Pros and Cons of the Affordable Care Act by Obama
• The Impact of Congress on Overwriting the President’s Veto
• What Powers Does the President Have?
• The State of the Union Address and Its Meaning for the President
• The Role of the Vice President and Its Importance
• The National Significance of the Oval Office of the President
• US President Selecting the Cabinet Members
• The White House Chief of Staff: The Role of the Closest Adviser 
• Independent national Commission Heads Appointed by the President

Current US Government Term Paper Topics

The US government is a changing and advancing system. Mind a few topics that reveal information about the current political situation in the country, or proceed to an even more extensive list of political science term paper topics .

• The Term of the House Representatives Service: Should It Be Extended? 
• The Age Limit Inevitable to Vie
• The Election of the Speaker of the House: The Process and Its Participants
• Different Branches of the US Government and The Distribution of Their Powers
• Top 2 Most Influential Parties in the US: Why Do People Vote for Them?
• Constitution and the Changes People Demand
• The Privileges the US Government Members Have
• Funding the Political Campaigns: Various Approaches to the Question
• Executive and Legislative Branches of the US Government: Are There Any Similarities?
• Who Should Have More Powers on Local Levels?

Topics for a Local and Government Term Paper

General information about the local government and the specification of its functioning may become a great topic to analyze in a term paper. 

• Promotion of National Development with Prevention of the Drug Abuse
• The Impact on Personnel Management in the Government Administrations
• Planning Implementation in the Public Sector
• Managerial Techniques and Their Impact on the Government Productivity
• Staff Discipline and Success of the Organizational Projects
• The Role of a Woman in Community Development
• The Link between Leadership and Organizational Efficiency
• Effective Ways to Motivate Staff and Increase Their Productivity Rate
• The Decline of the Local Authorities Revenue and Its Impact on Their Performance
• Business Development and Its Impact on the Local Government

National Security Term Paper Ideas

National security is the number one priority of the government. Consider this aspect when you are choosing the topic for your next term paper. 

• Homeland Security and Its Specifications
• The Impact of Social Media on National Security
• Stop and Frisk: The Unreasonable Practice
•  The Link between the Media and Terrorism
• Hate Crimes and the Cases of Domestic Terrorism
• Can Terrorism Be Justified?
• Law Enforcement: How Effective Is Policing?
• Gender and Terrorism: Various Approaches to the Topic
• The Performance of Law Enforcement Advanced by Drones
• A Drastic Change in the US Caused by National Security Risks

Public Administration Term Paper Topics

Public administration topics for term papers will help you define some critical aspects to analyze, research, and discuss. 

• Public Healthcare Policy and Its Downsides: Should the US Government Change It?
• Compulsory Vaccination: For and Against
• The Approach of the Government to Immigrants Learning the National Language
• Students Gaining Higher Education and Its Benefits to the US Government
• College Education Fee: Should It Be Regulated by the US Government? 
• The Way the US Government Should Adress the Gun Owners
• Various Perspectives on Banning of the Alcohol Commercials on TV
• Marijuana Legalization: What Should the Government Do?
• The Attitude of the State Government to High Divorce rate
• Public Surveillance and Citizens’ Privacy

Topics for Term Paper on Leadership in Public Administration

There is no way to deny that excellent leadership qualities are indispensable for successful public administration. Check out numerous questions to discuss in the paper. 

• Public Organizations and Political Environment
• The Relationships of Public Organizations with Citizens
• Administrative Rule Making: Key Stages of the Process
• The Motivation of Public Employee: Work-Related Attitudes
• Decision-Making and Organizational Strategy in Public Organizations
• Leadership as a Core Aspect of the Successful Functioning of the Public Organization
• Governmental Reform and Changes in the Organization of the Process
• Performance and Accountability of the Government
• Public Organizations: Structure, Policies, and Regulations
• Leadership in Public Organizations: Peculiarities to Consider 

Political Science & Law Research Guide: American Government Research Paper (101-75)

• Find Articles
• Find Statistics
• American Government Research Paper (101-75)
• Citing Sources
• For Faculty

A three-part assignment

Examine some aspect of the Federal Government and explain how its function and mission has changed due to the events of 9/11.

Evaluate the success of this agency in its new mission.

Assignment 1a (Part One)

• Choose a topic
• Start to gather information from reputable sources
• Post the topic in Blackboard

Assignment 1b (Part Two)

• Create a topic outline
• Create a Works Cited list in MLA format
• Submit these in Blackboard

Assignment 1c (Part Three)

• Create a draft of the body of the report
• Proofread & correct
• Submit through Turnitin in Blackboard

U.S. Government Sites

Websites that end in .gov are federal government websites and are considered credible sources.

• USA.gov (List of government agencies)
• U.S. Department of State
• National Security Agency (NSA)
• Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• Department of Homeland Security

Opposing Viewpoints Database

The primary focus of this database is to provide information from various sources on major issues of the day. 

Articles on many of the topics for this assignment can be found in this product plus reference sources, video, audio, etc.

It is a great tool for choosing a topic.

• Opposing Viewpoints This link opens in a new window Pro/con database of social issues.

Suggested terms for searching

The official subject heading for 9/11 is: September 11 terrorist attacks, 2001

• A search on 9/11 will bring up items with that information in the title or description ONLY
• To find EVERYTHING, use the subject heading language
• Do not search with acronyms or abbreviations--spell out the words

Other useful subject headings:

Use combinations of these words when searching the catalog or research databases--subject headings are always good search terms

Construct your searches using the word AND between terms--this narrows your search to include both concepts.

Example:  terrorism and privacy

Use the Advanced Search option which includes more opportunities for limiting the search plus several search windows with AND between the the windows

• War on Terrorism
• terrorism--United States--prevention
• terrorism--prevention
• United States--foreign relations--Middle East
• Middle East--foreign relations--United States
• international relations
• intelligence service
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (NOT FBI)
• Central Intelligence Agency (NOT CIA)
• National Security Agency (NOT NSA)
• military intelligence
• United States. Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001
• freedom of religion
• Islamic fundamentalism
• terrorism--religious aspects
• unlawful combatants
• counterinsurgency
• airports--security measures
• airline passenger security screening
• hijacking of aircraft --prevention
• commercial aeronautics--security measures
• aeronautics--safety measures
• airplane cockpits
• sky marshals (NOT air marshals)
• civil rights
• human rights
• electronic surveillance
• wiretapping
• national security
• emergency management
• immigration

For additional subject headings, see also the Homeland Security page on the Criminal Justice Research Guide .

Finding Books

Use the Find Books tab above to search the catalog for books.

Use the suggested search terms in the middle column to construct searches.

Broaden the search to All Formats to find books on listed topics in other local libraries, including the Hoover Library at McDaniel College. 

Use the Request button to get those books delivered to the local library of your choice.

Finding Articles

Use the Find Articles tab above to find articles in research databases.

The best databases for these topics are:

• Academic Search Premier
• Use the search tips under Help in the database to learn how to search efficiently in EBSCOhost databases
• Military & Government Collection (another EBSCOhost database)
• Current Issues databases
• Newspaper databases

Organizations

Use the Encyclopedia of Associations to find organizations by subject.

To use Google to find organizations, enter a search term and site:org.

• American Civil Liberties Union
• Brookings Institute (Defense & Security)
• Brookings Institute (U.S. Foreign Policy)
• Council on Foreign Relations (Defense/Homeland Security)
• Pew Research Center: Immigration Publications on immigration

Suggested Reference Books

Use Reference Books to get background information on a topic, identify good search terms, and find other resources.

• Encyclopedia of terrorism Call Number: REF HV6431 K883 2003
• Encyclopedia of world terrorism Call Number: REF HV6431 E53 2003
• Encyclopedia of terrorism Call Number: REF HV6431 C65 2007
• Terrorism : a documentary and reference guide Call Number: REF HV6432 B87 2005
• Terrorism : a documentary history Call Number: REF HV6431 T4594 2003
• Homeland security : a documentary history Call Number: REF UA927 H657 2004
• Global perspectives on the United States : a nation by nation survey Call Number: REF E895 G56 2007
• World at risk : a global issues sourcebook. Call Number: REF HN28 W67 2010
• Encyclopedia of American civil liberties Call Number: REF KF4747.5 E53 2006
• The encyclopedia of civil liberties in America Call Number: REF JC599 U5 E53 2005
• Encyclopedia of privacy Call Number: REF JC596.2 U5 E53 2007
• U.S. presidents and foreign policy : from 1789 to the present Call Number: REF E176.1 U16 2007
• Encyclopedia of American immigration Call Number: REF JV 6465 E53 2010
• Encyclopedia of law enforcement Call Number: REF HV7921 E53 2004
• << Previous: Assignment Tips
• Next: Citing Sources >>
• Last Updated: Apr 10, 2024 2:38 PM
• URL: https://library.carrollcc.edu/political_science

Top 100 American Government Essay Topics for Students

Sep 3, 2021 | 0 comments

Sep 3, 2021 | Topics | 0 comments

Students who want to enjoy civics need to develop an interest in American government essay topics. Students can find it hard at first, but they might grow more interested and write thought-provoking ideas about the American government later on. This is because of their careful choice when writing essays with titles that are intriguing for them personally. If you need help writing a paper about American history, look no further than this list of essay ideas! You won’t be able to choose just one – these topics are sure to excite your interest and spark creativity in the best way possible. With any luck, by using them as inspiration for research work, students will not have much trouble coming up with quality essays that their teachers will take notice of.

American government essay topics

• Problems with American Democracy
• Foreign-Born American Can Become the President
• The Current Relationship between the American Citizens and the United States Government
• The Function of the Articles of Confederation
• How politics originated in America
• The 3 Branches of the American Government
• Making of the New Government
• American government: are they cruel or merciful?
• Racial Segregation Of the US
• An Accurate Assessment of the American Political System
• Contributors to our Successful Government
• The concept of power balance in the US government
• Changes in the American Government
• Three Branches of American Government
• The United States presidents that Pleased the people most
• Problems with the electoral college
• President Trump and His Policies
• What is the connection between the American government and the media
• United States Government Welfare
• Contentions between the American government and the citizens
• Tension In California Politics
• The Roots and Reform of American Government
• Gay Marriage and the Government
• Corruption in the US Government
• How to reduce corruption in the US government
• The Woman in the American Government
• Electoral College Reform
• Major Accomplishments of President Barack Obama
• Federalist versus Antifederalists
• What impact do social movements have on the American government?
• The philosophy of politics
• The Involvement of Government with the Daily Life of Americans
• The Articles of Confederation
• The First American President
• Problems with the American constitution
• How World War II Transformed American Government and Society
• American Constitutional Law
• Classical Conservatism vs Classical Liberalism
• Historical Ideas That Influenced The American Government
• The link between politics and religion
• Direct Popular Vote vs Electoral College
• How is terrorism affecting the US government?
• How international relations have impacted the US in the last ten years
• Should American democracy grant more power to the people
• The American Republic Government vs Aristotelian Government
• Why the American government should regulate internet safety
• Privacy and the American Government
• American Federalism and the New Deal
• Foundations of American Government
• How did the fourteenth amendment affect civil liberties in the US after it was passed at the end of the civil war?
• Communist Ideas in American Government
• What the US citizens think about the government
• The Need for Diversity in American Government
• Privacy: The American People vs the Government
• Development of the American Constitution
• Electing Supreme Court Justices
• The pros and cons of democracy
• The top priorities of the US government
• Foundations of the US Government
• Current Top Issues of the United States National Government
• The Reaction of American Government to September 11
• Bill and Bill: The Government and the American People
• Do Americans enjoy enough civil rights?
• Ideologies Of The American Government
• Social Security: Impacts of Its Disappearance
• The History of the American Federal Government
• Is it the role of the government to prevent gambling addictions, and should they ban lotteries?
• Why presidents deserve the privilege to serve for more than two terms if the citizens want them
• The US government and Native American
• What political decision has changed America the most
• American Diets: Why Government Should Not Control It
• Illustration of the Founding Principles of America
• Checks and Balances System in America
• How is the threat of terrorism affecting the American government?
• Roosevelt as an American Leader
• Why a female president is ideal for the US

Get Help from the Experts with your American Government Essay Topics Paper

There are a lot of interesting topics to consider when writing an essay on the American Government. Is there one that interests you the most? The list we’ve provided has some suggestions for where to start your research, but if none of them sounds like they would be suitable for what you want in your paper, don’t worry! You can also contact us and get help from professional writers with your paper today. Place your order now and see how great it feels not having homework at home tonight!  

With a passion for education and student empowerment, I create blog content that speaks directly to the needs and interests of students. From study hacks and productivity tips to career exploration and personal development

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The first amendment, classroom resources by topic, federalism and the separation of powers, introduction.

When crafting the Constitution, one of the central concerns of the Founding generation was how best to control government power. With the new Constitution, the Framers looked to strike an important balance—creating a new national government that was more powerful than the one that came before it while still protecting the American people’s most cherished liberties. They settled on a national government with defined but limited powers. Instead of placing authority in the hands of a single person (like a king), a small group of people (like an aristocracy), or even the whole people (like a direct democracy), the Framers divided power in two ways. At the national level, the Framers divided power between the three branches of government—the legislative branch, the executive branch and the judicial branch. This process of dividing power between different branches of government is called the separation of powers. From there, the Framers further divided power between the national government and the states under a system known as federalism. 

Big Questions

What is the separation of powers how does it work what is federalism and how does it work, where do we see these constitutional principles in the constitution why are they needed, what are some of the key battles over the separation of powers and federalism in american history (and today), video: class recording.

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Additional Resources

Does the separation of powers need a rewrite.

One prominent legal scholar offers a “friendly amendment” to Justice Robert Jackson’s famous concurrence in Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer.

Hamilton’s vision of federalism, national authority, and judicial review

How the right and left can unite around federalism, rumored federal medical marijuana changes raise federalism issues.

United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions is expected to release a report this week that may urge more federal interdiction against state-level medical marijuana programs – a move that would raise some compelling legal and policy questions.

Divided Power: The Re-Emergence of Federalism and the 17th Amendment

Federalism fight leads off big supreme court week.

A dispute over power sharing between the federal government and state government leads off a big week of Supreme Court cases on Monday. And it involves college football and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

The future of federalism

In a special live event at Georgetown University, Josh Blackman of the South Texas College of Law in Houston and Peter Edelman of Georgetown discuss the fate of federalism in the Trump era.

Two State Attorneys General on Federalism and States’ Rights Today

Attorneys General Phil Weiser of Colorado and Mark Brnovich of Arizona join for a bipartisan conversation exploring federalism and more.

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Explore federalism on the interactive constitution.

• Article I - Congress
• Article II - The Presidency
• Article III - The Supreme Court
• Article I, Section 3 (the original Senate)
• Article I, Section 8 (the powers of Congress—especially the Commerce Clause and the Necessary and Proper Clause)
• Article I, Section 10 (limitations on the powers of the states)
• Article III (division of power between the state and federal courts)
• Article IV (Privilege and Immunities Clause and Fugitive Slave/Rendition Clause)
• Article VI (Supremacy Clause)
• 10th Amendment
• 13th Amendment, Section 2 (Enforcement Clause)
• 14th Amendment, Section 5 (Enforcement Clause)
• 15th Amendment, Section 2 (Enforcement Clause)
• Video: Interactive Constitution Tutorial

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America's Founding Documents

The Constitution: What Does it Say?

The Constitution of the United States contains a preamble and seven articles that describe the way the government is structured and how it operates. The first three articles establish the three branches of government and their powers: Legislative (Congress), Executive (office of the President,) and Judicial (Federal court system). A system of checks and balances prevents any one of these separate powers from becoming dominant. Articles four through seven describe the relationship of the states to the Federal Government, establish the Constitution as the supreme law of the land, and define the amendment and ratification processes.

Article I  assigns the responsibility for making laws to the Legislative Branch (Congress). Congress is divided into two parts, or “Houses,” the House of Representatives and the Senate. The bicameral Congress was a compromise between the large states, which wanted representation based on population, and the small ones, which wanted the states to have equal representation.

Article II details the Executive Branch and the offices of the President and Vice President. It lays down rules for electing the President (through the Electoral College), eligibility (must be a natural-born citizen at least 35 years old), and term length. The 12th and 25th Amendments modified some of these rules.

Article III

Article III establishes the Judicial Branch with the U.S. Supreme Court as the federal court system’s highest court. It specifies that Federal judges be appointed for life unless they commit a serious crime. This article is shorter than Articles I and II. The Federal Convention left much of the work of planning the court system to the First Congress. The 1789 Judiciary Act created the three-tiered court system in place today.

Article IV outlines states’ powers in relationship to each other. States have the authority to create and enforce their own laws but must respect and help enforce the laws of other states. Congress may pass Federal laws regarding how states honor other states’ laws and records.

Article V explains the amendment process, which is different and more difficult than the process for making laws. When two-thirds of the Senate and two-thirds of the House of Representatives vote to change the Constitution, an amendment goes to the state legislatures for a vote. Alternatively, two-thirds of the state legislatures can submit an application to Congress, and then Congress calls a national convention at which states propose amendments. Three-fourths of the state legislatures or state conventions must vote in favor of an amendment to ratify it.

Article VI states that Federal law is supreme, or higher than, state and local laws. This means that if a state law conflicts with a Federal law, Federal law takes precedence.

Article VII

Article VII describes the ratification process for the Constitution. It called for special state ratifying conventions. Nine states were required to enact the Constitution. Rhode Island became the 13th state to ratify the Constitution in 1790.

Back to Constitution main page How Did it Happen?

Potential Research Topics: CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Civics, government and politics.

• CRIME AND LAW (CRIMINAL JUSTICE)
• ENVIRONMENT
• FILM AND TELEVISION (COMMUNICATION)
• FINE ARTS AND ARCHITECTURE
• HEALTH (PUBLIC HEALTH)
• PERFORMING ARTS
• SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
• SOCIAL ISSUES
• Sports (Continued)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Pennsylvania District Map TOPIC: The Pennsylvania state Supreme Court has released the new congressional district map as a follow up to their ruling that the state’s congressional districts violated the state constitution by being gerrymandered for partisan purposes. How did the court come to the conclusion that the districts were gerrymandered? What is gerrymandering? How will the new districts impact the two major political parties in future elections? SEARCH TERMS: Pennsylvania AND district* AND map

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: South Africa - Resignation of Zuma TOPIC: The South African political party the African National Congress (ANC) has forced Jacob Zuma from his role as its leader and also has forced him to resign the presidency of the country. Who has replaced him in both roles? What scandals led to these actions? SEARCH TERMS: Jacob Zuma AND resignation

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: North and South Korea Meeting TOPIC: Chung Eui-yong and Suh Hoon, aides to South Korean President Moon Jai-in, have travelled to North Korea and met with its leader, Kim Jong-un. This follows the two countries merging their Olympic teams and the visit to South Korea of Kim Jong-un’s sister, Kim Yo-jung. They are the first South Koreans to meet with Kim Jong-un since he assumed power. What roles do the two envoys play in Moon’s government? What do the South Koreans hope to achieve through this visit? SEARCH TERMS: Kim Jong-un AND Chung Eui-yong OR Suh Hoon

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: China - End to Term Limits TOPIC: The Chinese Communist Party has announced that it will be abolishing the terms limits on the offices of president and vice-president of China. Currently, an individual can only serve two five-year terms. Some analysts see this as a return to the authoritarian rule and cult of personality of Mao. What is the party’s explanation for this change? How has the change been received in China? Who is the current president, what other offices does he hold? What else has been changed that involves him? SEARCH TERMS: China AND president AND term limits

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: U.S. Government Shutdown TOPIC: A political dispute over immigration policy was filibustered, stalling a funding bill that caused a brief shutdown of the U.S. government. What was the political solution to reopen the government? What services cease during a government shutdown and what is the impact on the public and federal employees? What have been the causes of previous governmental shutdowns in U.S. history and how has the government arranged for partial shutdowns in the past? SEARCH TERMS: government shutdown

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Liberia Transition TOPIC: George Weah has been sworn in as president of Liberia. The former professional soccer player, and FIFA’s player of the year for 1995, follows Liberia’s first woman president. What policies did he run on and what did he promise to do in his inaugural address? How long has it been since Liberia last had a peaceful handover of power? How did Weah transform himself from soccer player to politician? SEARCH TERMS: Liberia AND George Weah

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: U.S. State of the Union TOPIC: President Trump’s first State of the Union speech warned of the dangers of illegal immigration yet was centered on a unifying message for politicians to seek common ground and serve the public that elected them. What were the key policy points delivered by President Trump and how is he working to achieve them? What were the key points made by Rep. Joe Kenney III and Virginia Delegate Elizabeth Guzman as the Democratic response to the speech? What are some of the most memorable State of the Union speeches in U.S. history and why? SEARCH TERMS: Trump AND State of the Union

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: 2017 Elections TOPIC: New Jersey and Virginia have elected Democrats Phil Murphy and Ralph Northam to be their governors. Several racial and gender barriers were broken in local elections around the country. What are some key issues that drove these races? Who were the four transgender winners in Virginia, Minnesota, California and Pennsylvania and what issues did they run on? What cities elected black mayors for the first time, who are the mayors? What political positions did they take in these races? SEARCH TERMS: elections AND (governor OR governors) AND (states OR Virginia)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Brexit Negotiations TOPIC: UK Prime Minister Theresa May has been negotiating the terms for the British exit from the European Union with Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission. It looked promising that an agreement had been reached on the topic of the Northern Irish border with the Republic of Ireland, but that deal has fallen through. Who is thought to have rejected the proposed terms? What other political entities have declared that they want parity with Northern Ireland on aspects of the deal? Are the negotiations going to continue? SEARCH TERMS: UK AND European Commission AND Brexit AND negotiations

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Zimbabwe Coup TOPIC: The Zimbabwean armed forces ousted President Robert Mugabe in a soft coup, making his dismissed vice-president the new leader of the nation. Mugabe tried to stay in office, but resigned when it was apparent that his political party Zanu-PF was eager to impeach him as party leader. Why was Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa dismissed and what role did Mugabe’s wife purportedly play in his dismissal? What other roles did Mnangagwa play during Mugabe’s years in power? What are some of the inferences that can be made from these recent events about the Zimbabwe political process? SEARCH TERMS: Zimbabwe AND Mugabe OR Mnangagwa

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: GOP Tax Plan TOPIC: The Republican tax plan has been making progress in the U.S. Congress after some concessions to reluctant Republicans. What are the details of this plan now and what is the public response to it? What concessions were made and for which votes? SEARCH TERMS: (Republican* OR GOP) AND tax*

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Debt Ceiling TOPIC: The federal government risks running out of money in early October unless it raises the debt ceiling. How has the need to aid the victims of Hurricane Harvey impacted the debt ceiling considerations? What are the specific conditions will be placed on federal spending if the debt ceiling is raised? What are the positive and negative impacts of raising the debt ceiling versus not raising it? SEARCH TERMS: debt ceiling

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: An Election Overturned TOPIC: The Kenyan Supreme Court has nullified the election that re-elected Uhuru Kenyatta as president. It found that there was a possibility of electronic voting results manipulation and called for a new election in 60 days. This is the first time this has happened in Kenya. Who ran against Kenyatta and what were his policy positions? How did the country react to the ruling? SEARCH TERMS: Kenya AND election

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: North Korea Missile Testing TOPIC: North Korea has tested another intercontinental ballistic missile, this time sending it over Japan to land in the Northern Pacific. They followed this up by a nuclear weapons test, the largest one they’ve done so far. What has been the response to these events from their neighbors? What has the Trump administration said about this? What is it thought that the North Koreans are trying to achieve by these provocative actions? SEARCH TERMS: North Korea AND missile AND Japan

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Russian Election Tampering TOPIC: Former FBI Director James Comey and U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions are among those who have recently testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee as part of the investigation of Russia tampering in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.  What information was gained from their testimony and what does it mean to the investigation?  What other aspects relating to the Russian election tampering are being investigated and what information has been revealed about that? SEARCH TERMS: Russia AND election AND tamper* AND (investigation OR testimony*)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Anniversary of Handover TOPIC: It is the 20th anniversary of Britain handing Hong Kong over to China. What British Prime Minister initiated the talks that led to this action? Why did Britain have Hong Kong as a Crown Colony in the first place? What did the Chinese government promise to do in order to get Hong Kong returned? Have they lived up to those promises? SEARCH TERMS: China AND Hong Kong

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: GOP Wins U.S. House Races   TOPIC : Republicans Karen Handel and Ralph Norman have both won closely-watched elections for the U.S. House of Representatives in their respective states of Georgia and South Carolina. Why were these elections of such national interest and what political gain did their wins give to the Republican Party? What were the key issues driving each race and what positions did these two candidates take on them? SEARCH TERMS : (Karen Handel OR Ralph Norman) AND (Republican OR GOP) AND (South Carolina OR Georgia) AND (win OR won)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS : North Korean Missiles TOPIC : The U.S. has confirmed the North Korean claims of having test fired an intercontinental ballistic missile. It is thought that this missile has a range that includes Alaska. How has the U.S. responded to this action? How have North Korea’s neighbors responded? SEARCH TERMS : North Korea AND ICBM

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Michael Flynn and Russia TOPIC: President Trump has accepted the resignation of his National Security Advisor Michael Flynn after it was disclosed that Flynn misled Vice President Pence and others on his communications he had with Russia. What specifically is known about these communications? What further investigations are being considered involving communications with Russia and why? SEARCH TERMS: Michael Flynn AND Russia

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: President Mugabe TOPIC: Robert Mugabe, the 93-year-old president of Zimbabwe, has announced his intention to run again in 2018. He has been the ruler of Zimbabwe since 1980. What are some of his notable domestic policies? What are the pros and cons of his 37 years as president? What has been the general response in Zimbabwe to his 2018 run for office? SEARCH TERMS: Zimbabwe AND Robert Mugabe

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: President Trump and the Media TOPIC: President Trump has been sharply critical of how the media is handling the news, suggesting that it hasn’t been honest in its reporting. How has he made his case against the media and what have been some of the responses within the media to his charges? What are the most compelling arguments for both his charges and arguments in the media’s defense? SEARCH TERMS: Trump AND media

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: First Days of the Trump Presidency TOPIC: Donald Trump has taken the oath of office and became the 45th president of the United States. What is his vision for the United States and what are the key actions he has taken thus far as president? What have been some of the reactions to his election and inauguration? What policies and actions of his have been the most popular and which have caused concern? Which nominees for his cabinet positions have been confirmed and what are their backgrounds? SEARCH TERMS: Donald Trump AND president AND (policy OR executive action)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: U.S. Relations with Mexico TOPIC: Mexican President Pena Nieto has cancelled a trip to Washington DC due to President Trump’s determination to build a wall along the Mexican border. What are the specifics of the current plans by Trump to build a border wall? How does he propose to have it funded and what have been Nieto’s public statements concerning the construction of a wall and its funding? What is Trump’s position on trade with Mexico and what are the most compelling arguments for and against this policy? SEARCH TERMS: Donald Trump AND Pena Nieto AND (wall OR trade)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Gambia’s Troubled Transfer of Power TOPIC: When Gambia went to the polls and elected a new president, its longtime leader, Yahya Jammeh, refused to accept the election results. Other regional countries however supported the winner, Adama Barrow, and began moving troops near to the Gambian border. Eventually Jammeh fled the country, looting it in the process. Was this outcome good for Gambia? How did Barrow become the opposition candidate and what was the coalition that supported him? Who did Barrow choose as his vice president? SEARCH TERMS : Gambia AND (Barrow OR Jammeh)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: U.S. Refugee and Immigration Policies TOPIC: President Donald Trump has signed an executive order temporarily barring citizens from 7 Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. What has been the public reaction to this order and why? What countries are the ones barring citizens in the executive order, what Muslim-majority countries are not and why? Which politicians have opposed this ban and which have supported it? What are the most compelling reasons on either side? SEARCH TERMS: Trump AND executive order AND (bar*OR ban*) AND (seven OR 7) AND countries AND (Islam* OR Muslim*)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Slow Motion Coup TOPIC: Congo’s President Joseph Kabila refused to hold elections in November and his spokesman is maintaining that he should remain in office as no successor has been chosen. The government is saying that April 2018 is a good time for new elections. The opposition calls this a coup d’état and insists the election be held in 2017. How can the opposition resist Kabila? What can the international community do about this, if anything? SEARCH TERMS: Democratic Republic of the Congo AND Joseph Kabila

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Nuclear Arms TOPIC: President-elect Donald Trump has said he wants to modernize and possibly expand the nuclear arms capacity of the United States. What is the current U.S. policy on nuclear arms? How has it changed since the end of the Cold War? What has been the global reaction to this plan? SEARCH TERMS: Donald Trump AND nuclear AND (arms OR weapons OR arsenal)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Russian Political Hacking TOPIC: A group of U.S. Senators have stated they plan to hold hearings to investigate Russia’s influence on the recent U.S. presidential election after the U.S. Intelligence Community concluded that Russian hackers willfully interfered with this election. What evidence is there showing that Russian hackers were involved in leaking confidential information, and what information was released. What was withheld and why? What has been the reaction from President Obama and President-elect Trump? SEARCH TERMS: Russia AND election AND hack* AND investigat*

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: King Adulyadej TOPIC: King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand had been on the throne for 70 years and was seen as a unifying figure. How did his role differ from that of other royal families around the world? What types of power did he have? What were some of his projects around the country? SEARCH TERMS: King Bhumibol Adulyadej

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Nobel Peace Prize Winner TOPIC: The president of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos was given this year’s Nobel Peace Prize in honor of his efforts to end the long-running guerilla war in his country. The peace deal he negotiated with FARC was submitted as a referendum to the voters of Colombia. How did they vote? What was the government’s response to the outcome of the voting? What was FARC’s response? How did the award of this peace prize differ from others given for comparable achievements? SEARCH TERMS: Juan Manuel Santos AND Nobel Peace Prize

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: U.S. Presidential Campaign TOPIC: Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have finished their debates and are winding up their campaigns before Election Day. What were the most significant factors of the three debates for each candidate and how did it change their campaigns? What are the strongest arguments to be made in favor of each candidate? SEARCH TERMS: Hillary Clinton AND Donald Trump AND debate

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Russian Jet Shot Down TOPIC:   Turkey has shot down a Russian jet flying a mission in Syria, claiming it had crossed its southern border and ignored orders to leave Turkish airspace. Turkey further claimed this was not the first time Russian jets had crossed the border into their territory. What was Russia’s immediate response to this event? What happened to the pilots of the Russian jet? How did Turkey explain its actions? How dangerous is the multi-nation air campaign in Syria, given that the nations involved don’t all have the same goals? SEARCH TERMS : Russia AND Turkey

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: U.S. Presidential Campaign 2016 TOPIC: With the Iowa Caucuses and New Hampshire primary coming up, candidates for the 2016 presidential election are starting to focus on these two areas. Who are leading the polls for the Democrats and the Republicans, and why? What have been some of the more notable statements made during the recent debates? What candidates have recently dropped their campaigns, and why? SEARCH TERMS: 2016 AND presidential AND Iowa AND (candidate OR candidates)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Saudi Executions and Responses TOPIC: Saudi Arabia has executed 47 people, including Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, an act which prompted demonstrations across the Middle East and condemnations from other countries. In Tehran, a crowd stormed the Saudi embassy and set it on fire. Saudi Arabia has broken relations with Iran. What was al-Nimr’s crime? Where did demonstrations occur? What is the message that Saudi Arabia seems to be sending with their executions? How did Western countries react? SEARCH TERMS: Saudi Arabia AND Iran AND Nimr al-Nimr

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: U.S. Presidential Primaries and Caucuses      TOPIC:   Each party requires a specific delegate count for a candidate to become the party’s nominee for president.  What is the required delegate count for each party? How are the candidate’s delegates from each state decided?  What is the difference between a primary and a caucus?  What are some examples of how states differ on these?  What are superdelegates? How do they differ from regular delegates?  Who has won the primaries and caucuses already held? SEARCH TERMS: (Republican OR Republicans OR Democrat OR Democratic OR GOP) AND (primary OR caucus OR primaries OR caucuses) AND (candidate OR candidates)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Trial Ceasefire in Syria TOPIC:   With a promise from President Assad to Vladimir Putin to respect the terms established, Syria's opposition has agreed to enter into a temporary ceasefire from a war that has killed over 260,000 people.  While Saudi Arabia has supported the opposition, Russia has supported Assad. How are ceasefires established in war torn countries? What are the goals of a temporary ceasefire in Syria? How are the surrounding countries responding to the terms of the ceasefire? SEARCH TERMS: Syria AND ceasefire

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Speaker Boehner Resigns      TOPIC:   U.S. Speaker of the House John Boehner has announced that he will be resigning his office at the end of October of this year.  What has he said concerning the reasons for this? What has been his relationship with the Tea Party and what have been the issues of most contention between them?  What have been some of his successes as Speaker of the House? SEARCH TERMS: Boehner AND resig*

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Presidential Campaign Debates         TOPIC:   The presidential candidates for the Democrats and the Republicans have had debates. Who are the leading candidates for each party and why?  Which candidates had the strongest and weakest performances in each debate and why?  What has been the criticism of the questions asked by CNBC moderators and why?  How are the Republicans handling their concerns about the kinds of questions asked in these debates? SEARCH TERMS: (Republican OR GOP OR Democrats OR Democratic) AND (debate OR debates)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Turkey Elections TOPIC: Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) has won a majority in the Turkish Parliament.  What are the political beliefs and doctrines of the AKP and how does this win help Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan?  How strong was the win and what are the political implications for the country and the world by this win? SEARCH TERMS: Turkey AND AKP AND Erdogan

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Iowa Caucus TOPIC: Who were the winners of the Iowa Caucus for the Republican and Democratic parties? What issues resonated most with Iowans and how did that impact their voting? How does the Iowa Caucus work and in what ways is it different from the primaries held in other states? SEARCH TERMS: Iowa Caucus AND (Republican OR Republicans OR Democrat OR Democrats OR GOP)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Canadian Election TOPIC: Justin Trudeau has led the Liberal Party of Canada into a majority government following an election that, at 11 weeks length, was one of Canada’s longest campaigns. What other two parties did he beat? Why was Stephen Harper not re-elected as prime minister of Canada? SEARCH TERMS: Canada AND Justin Trudeau

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Looking for a Solution TOPIC: An international conference has been convened to discuss the ongoing civil war in Syria. Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia, the U.S. and Turkey are among the larger powers invited. Given that two of these five nations support the Assad government and the remaining three support his opponents, what are the chances of reaching an agreement? What is the goal of the conference? Who are some of the smaller players also invited? Why is the Syrian government not at the table? SEARCH TERMS : Syria AND civil war AND (conferences or meetings)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Speaker Ryan TOPIC:   The U.S. House of Representatives has voted for Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan to replace retiring John Boehner as U.S. Speaker of the House.  What are the conditions that Ryan required to accept the job?  What are some of the major achievements by him in the U.S. House of Representatives? SEARCH TERMS: Paul Ryan AND Speaker of the House

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Benghazi Hearings      TOPIC:   Former Secretary of State and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has been questioned for an extended length of time by the House Select Committee going over the details of the terrorist attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya. What information did these hearings reveal about the attack and the U.S. government’s response to it?  What were the comments by California Rep. Kevin McCarthy about the hearings in regard to Clinton and what did they imply? SEARCH TERMS : Benghazi AND Hillary Clinton

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Taiwan Elections TOPIC:  The Democratic Progress Party has won the presidency of Taiwan and has gained control of the legislature as well. Tsai Ing-wen will be the first female president of the island nation. Among the elected legislators is the New Power Party’s Freddy Lim, the leader of the black metal band Chthonic. What are Tsai’s domestic policies? What are her policies concerning China? What was Lim’s connection with Amnesty International? How popular is his band across Asia? SEARCH TERMS: Taiwan AND (Tsai Ing-wen OR Freddy Lim)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: U.S. and Iran Relations    TOPIC:  A small group of American sailors that had been picked up when their ships sailed into Iranian waters were released within days after heavy negotiations between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif.  What were the reasons the sailors were being held and what terms were negotiated for their release?  What are other political factors between Iran and the U.S. that could have been impacted of these negotiations became hostile? SEARCH TERMS : (America OR U.S. OR United States) AND Iran AND sailors

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS:  Election Repeat TOPIC:   The left-wing party Syriza revealed in the recent Greek election that he and its leader Alex Tsipras will form a coalition government. He resigned seven months after gaining the office of prime minister to force an early election that, in effect, was a referendum on his accepting terms from the country’s creditors. What party is he going to try to form a coalition government with? Will he be tempted to revisit the terms of the credit agreement he accepted only a few months ago? SEARCH TERMS: Greece AND (Syriza OR Tsipras) AND election

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Republican Primary Debate       TOPIC:   Carly Fiorina made a lot of headway in making herself known to the public in the second debate for the Republican Party primary race, held at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, CA.  In what ways did she succeed in presenting herself as a candidate, what positions did she take on the issues and how did they differ from other candidates?  What other candidates raised their poll ratings with a strong showing and how were they impressive?  What candidates dropped due to their debate performance and why? Who has dropped out of the Republican presidential primaries and why? SEARCH TERMS: (Republican OR GOP) AND debate AND (Fiorina OR Reagan Library)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Presidential Campaigns and National Security   TOPIC:  The terrorist attacks in Paris have brought the issues of national security, foreign military engagement and the Syrian refugees to prominence in the 2016 US presidential campaigns. How have some of the most prominent candidates addressed these issues, and how successful have they been in convincing the public they have a good strategy? What have been some of the other prominent issues in the most recent debates, and what have been some of the most compelling ideas from the candidates on those issues? SEARCH TERMS : 2016 AND candidate? AND (Paris OR security OR refugees)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Off-Year Election Results    TOPIC:  This November had many local off-year elections. Overall, the Republican Party did better than Democratic Party around the country.  What were the gubernatorial elections, who won and why?  What were some of the mostly closely watched initiative and referenda votes in states and cities, how did they turn out and why? SEARCH TERMS: election? AND November 2015

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Myanmar Election TOPIC:   Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy has won the elections in Myanmar (also known as Burma) and will become the ruling party, even though Suu Kyi is prevented by the military-imposed constitution from becoming the leader of the nation. The National League will control Parliament and be able to name the next president. Has San Kyi addressed how she will deal with the constitutional prohibition of her taking power? Why did the military agree to free and fair elections? SEARCH TERMS: Myanmar AND elections

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Term Limits Defeated TOPIC: Voters in Rwanda have decided to end the term limits on their president, Paul Kagame, leading outside observers to wonder if Rwanda will become a democracy in name only. Kagame, who has ruled since 2000, could be in office for years to come. What could lead voters to support the end of term limits in Rwanda? What has Kagame said when pressed about the possibility of his ruling for life? SEARCH TERMS: Rwanda AND term limits AND Paul Kagame

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Women’s Rights in Saudi Arabia TOPIC: Saudi Arabia has allowed women to vote in municipal elections and to run for office for the first time ever. What caused this change to occur? What other restrictions still remain in place for women? What percentage of the electorate were women? Did any women win office in these elections? SEARCH TERMS: Saudi Arabia AND voting AND women

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Surprise Attack TOPIC: Armed gunmen infiltrated and attacked the Indian air force base at Pathankot. This base is located near Kashmir and Pakistan. Who were the gunmen believed to be and what was their presumed motive in making this attack at this time? Why did it take so long for Indian forces to put an end to this attack? SEARCH TERMS: India AND Pathankot air force base

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Funding Bill TOPIC: President Obama and the U.S. Congress have passed the 2016 federal funding bill that will fund the government until September 2016. What are some of the key issues addressed in this bill and what will be the impact on the federal deficit? What were the most controversial parts of it? What were some of the predicted consequences if it was not passed? SEARCH TERMS : federal funding bill

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Chaos in Uganda after Presidential Election TOPIC: In Uganda Dr.Kizza Besigye, former bush war hero and main opposition contender for the past four presidential elections, has been arrested and detained several times since the election has taken place.  President Yoweri Museveni has held office since 1986, and is said to have won this election with 60.8% of the vote. Why is Besigye under arrest? Why are protests erupting in response to the election? What has been the international response to the way the election and aftermath has been handled by the authorities in Kampala? How has President Museveni responded to international input about the fairness of the election?   SEARCH TERMS: Uganda AND election AND Besigye

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Primaries and Caucuses TOPIC: The Republican presidential primaries have attracted attention as the field narrows and Donald Trump finds delegates for the opposition candidates coalescing behind Ted Cruz and John Kasich. On the Democratic site Bernie Sanders is slowly narrowing the gap with Hillary Clinton. What are some of the key issues now coming to prominence for each party and why? What are zombie delegates and how may they play a role in the Republican convention this year? SEARCH TERMS: (Republican OR Republicans OR Democrat OR Democrats OR Democratic OR GOP) AND delegates

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Viva Cuba! TOPIC: President Obama made a state visit to Cuba and Argentina. He was the first president to visit Cuba since Calvin Coolidge. What was truly historic about his visit to Cuba? How was he received by Cuban President Castro? What was controversial about the timing of his visit to Argentina? What documents did the U.S. government promise to release about Argentine’s recent history? SEARCH TERMS: Obama AND (Cuba OR Argentina)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Zuma in Trouble TOPIC: President Zuma of South Africa has been implicated in a scandal over the sacking of his finance minister in December. It is claimed that this was done to further the Gupta brothers’ interests in the media, mining and air travel. What other members of the ANC have alleged that the brothers offered them the job of finance minister? What has Mr. Zuma’s defense of his actions been? What other problems beset South Africa at this time? What recent ruling by South Africa’s top court may affect Zuma’s presidency? SEARCH TERMS: South Africa AND Zuma AND Gupta brothers

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Voting to Stay theSame TOPIC: New Zealanders voted to retain their current flag, which has the British Union Jack as part of its design and has been in use since 1902, rather than switch to a design of a silver fern on a black background. This design was selected from 10,000 entries. What were the criticisms of the old design? What were some of the criticisms of the new one? SEARCH TERMS: New Zealand AND flag

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Supreme Court Nomination TOPIC: With the sudden death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, President Obama has nominated Merrick Garland to replace Scalia. There has been debate as to whether the incoming judge should be named by the sitting president or his successor, who will be determined with the next presidential election. What does the constitution say about the replacement of any Supreme Court justice? What grounds do those who want the next president to make the nomination have? What basis do politicians have who insist that Obama should choose the next Supreme Court Justice? SEARCH TERMS: Supreme Court nomination AND constitution

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Donald Trump    TOPIC:   Real estate mogul Donald Trump has won enough delegates to secure the nomination to be the Republican candidate for president of the United States.  What have been the points of contention between some in the Republican Party establishment toward his candidacy and what steps have been taken toward uniting the party behind him?  What has been the most appealing parts of his candidacy to his supporters in the primaries? SEARCH TERMS: Donald Trump AND nomination AND (Republican OR GOP)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS : Hillary Clinton TOPIC :  The Inspector General has scolded Hillary Clinton in a State Department review for her use of private email while serving as Secretary of State.  What were the reasons given to condemn her use of private email? Why did she choose to use private email instead of official government email? SEARCH TERMS : Hillary Clinton AND email

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS : Bernie Sanders TOPIC:   Bernie Sanders is still steadily winning a good share of primaries and caucuses as the July Democratic Party convention approaches, but he would need a little less than 300 pledged delegates and almost 500 super delegates to catch up to Hillary Clinton’s delegate total. What are some of his more prominent political issues that have resonated so strongly with voters?  What impact is his campaign having on Clinton’s and Trump’s?  What is the importance of the California primary to the democratic candidates? SEARCH TERMS : Bernie Sanders AND campaign

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: U.S. and Vietnam   TOPIC:   President Obama has announced that the United States is lifting its arms embargo on Vietnam.  Why was there an embargo on selling arms to Vietnam and why is it being lifted now? What other issues were addressed on his trip to Vietnam? SEARCH TERMS: Obama AND (United States OR U.S.) AND Vietnam AND embargo

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Impeachment in Brazil TOPIC:  The Brazilian Senate has voted to impeach President Dilma Rousseff, who has had to leave office as a result of this vote. A member of the interim government, which is being led by Rousseff’s vice-president who is a member of a different political party, has resigned office after a transcript of a phone call he made during which he discussed using this opportunity to stifle a corruption investigation in which he is involved as a reason for Rousseff’s impeachment became public. What are the official reasons for Rousseff’s impeachment?  Who is leading Brazil and how do his policies differ from Rousseff’s? SEARCH TERMS: Brazil AND Dilma Rousseff AND impeachment

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Election in the Philippines TOPIC: The Philippines presidential election is over and Rodrigo Duterte has won. The long time mayor of Davao City on the island of Mindanao is known as a plain speaker who has verbally supported the extrajudicial slaying of criminals. What has his political career been before this election? What are his policy successes in Davao City? What are some criticisms of his policies? What other members of his family are in office and are their policy beliefs aligned with his? SEARCH TERMS: Philippines AND Rodrigo Duterte

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Primaries and Caucuses TOPIC : Republican presidential candidates Ted Cruz and John Kasich have decided to work together in an effort to stop Donald Trump from getting enough delegates to be his party’s candidate. What is their plan for stopping Donald Trump and how is it working? What is Bernie Sanders political strategy now that Hillary Clinton has gained a significant lead in the Democratic Party presidential primaries? Why did Ted Cruz select a running mate and who is it? SEARCH TERMS: Trump AND Cruz AND Kasich AND delegates

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Panama Papers TOPIC: A huge number of files from a law firm Mossack Fonseca in Panama that helped facilitate the opening of accounts in banking havens and the creation of dummy companies as fronts for those accounts has revealed the vast worldwide use of these accounts. The files were leaked to a German newspaper and involved wealthy individuals and politicians from around the world. What was Mossack Fonseca’s response to the leaks? Who were some of the individuals named and what was their response to their finances becoming public? What are abuses that can be associated with these accounts? SEARCH TERMS : Mossack Fonseca AND banks

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: One Person, One Vote TOPIC: The U.S. Supreme Court has held up the One Person One Vote principal in the case of Evenwel vs. Abbott. What were the specifics of this case and how did a clause in the Fourteenth Amendment influence the court’s decision? What impact does this decision have on redistricting efforts in Texas and other states? SEARCH TERMS: Supreme Court AND (Evenwel OR redistrict*) AND Texas

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Brexit TOPIC: During the last election, Prime Minister David Cameron promised a referendum on the United Kingdom’s remaining in the European Union in order to appease Euroskeptic members of his party. That vote was in late June and the Leave campaign won. Cameron, who had campaigned to remain in the EU, announced he would leave his office after the Conservative Party had elected a new leader to replace him as PM. What happened to financial markets immediately after the results came in? What part of the UK voted strongly to remain and from where did the leave votes come? What were the argument the Leave campaign advanced for their cause and what were made to support the Remain campaign? Which seem most plausible? SEARCH TERMS : (United Kingdom OR Great Britain) AND European Union AND (Brexit OR referendum)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: U.S. Presidential Race TOPIC : Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump praised the British people for their vote (Brexit) to leave the European Union (EU) as Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, who hoped Britain would stay in the EU, advised a cautious path and measures to protect the U.S. economy in the wake of the vote. What is the root difference in how these two candidates view the recent British vote and how does it reflect their world views? What are the competing ideologies within each of these parties that they are trying to resolve before their conventions and what measures are being taken? SEARCH TERMS: Donald Trump AND Hillary Clinton and Brexit

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Puerto Rico Debt TOPIC: The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation to help Puerto Rico with their debt problems. How does this legislation plan to resolve their problems and what are the key benefits and concerns about their plan? How did they incur such debts and what attempts have been made in the past to resolve these issues? SEARCH TERMS: Puerto Rico and debt

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Colombia Peace TOPIC: The government of Colombia and the armed rebel group FARC have, after three years of often tense negotiations, come to an agreement for a ceasefire and disarmament of the group. The final peace accord ending the 52-year-old conflict will be signed in a month. What led FARC to negotiate? What demand of the government prior to negotiations has kept the smaller rebel group the National Liberation Army from similar negotiations? What are the plans to disarm and reintegrate FARC rebels into society? SEARCH TERMS : FARC AND ceasefire

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: 2016 Presidential Elections TOPIC : The Democratic and Republican Parties have both nominated their candidates at conventions that showed the divided factions in each of the parties. What were the most dramatic aspects of each convention and what are the histories and political policies that led up to them? What policies define each party platform? Which is most controversial? Who are the vice presidential candidates for each party, what are their backgrounds and what strengths does each bring to the ticket? SEARCH TERMS : convention AND (Democrats OR Democratic OR Republican?)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: A Failed Coup TOPIC : Turkish President Erdogan has survived a coup attack and responded by discharging 149 generals from the forces. The coast guard and the gendarmerie have been put under the Interior Ministry and several newspapers and other media outlets have been closed. What was the timeline of the coup? Why did it fail? How did social media play a role in it? Who has Erdogan blamed as the ultimate instigator of the coup and what is he asking the U.S. government to do? SEARCH TERMS: Turkey and coup AND state of emergency AND human rights

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Chilcot Report TOPIC: It took seven years and over 2 million words, but the Chilcot report on the actions of the government of Tony Blair in the run up to the war with Iraq was finally published. The report faulted him for several actions and basically concluded that the war had been unnecessary and that all attempts to find Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction had not been taken. What were some of its other findings about Blair? What was his response to its publication? What were some of the perceptions about his response? SEARCH TERMS: Chilcot Report AND (Iraq OR Blair)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: 9/11 Report Declassification TOPIC: Congress is facing mounting pressure from families of victims of the 9/11 terror attacks since the release of the missing 28 pages of the 9/11 Commission Report. The report links the Saudi government to the now known terror group, and concludes that the Saudis provided both financial and logistical support to the terrorists. Nearly 3,000 people were killed in these attacks. Why were these pages withheld? How have the officials in Congress, the senate, and the executive office responded to the push of the families to sue the Saudi government? SEARCH TERMS: 9/11 AND 28 pages AND (victim* OR families)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Rousseff Impeached TOPIC : The Brazilian Senate has voted to impeach President Dilma Rousseff, handing the presidency over to Michel Temer. Rousseff was accused of fiscal impropriety, though she claimed in her defense that other presidents had used the same techniques as she did. What political motives did she claim her opponents had? How different are Temer’s policies likely to be from hers? What corruption investigation is underway that may impact many of her opponents? SEARCH TERMS : Brazil AND Rousseff AND impeachment

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Primary Races TOPIC: Congressional and Senate primaries took place in August with a few high profile races. Deborah Wasserman Schultz, Marco Rubio and John McCain all beat their primary challengers. What types of generalizations about voter preferences can be made about the outcomes of each of these races? What messages of each of the winners did voters seem to connect with most? What were some of the most pressing topics of each campaign that seemed to impact voters? How do the winners’ politics align with the perspectives of each of the presidential candidates? SEARCH TERMS: primar* AND win* AND (Schultz OR Rubio OR McCain)

CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: Peace Treaty TOPIC: After 50 years of fighting one another, the government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have committed to a ceasefire. The terms of their agreement need to be ratified by a plebiscite by Colombian voters. What are the terms of the agreement? What had FARC been fighting for and did they come anywhere near achieving their goals? SEARCH TERMS: Colombia AND FARC

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U. S. Government - McCauley: Assignment - GOVT 2305

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This page includes your instructor's class assignment and choice library resources to assist you with this specific assignment. You'll find the library's best databases, selected Internet resources and government websites. Consult the other pages in this guide for additional resources at the federal level.

When performing Internet searches, please refer to the tab above labeled  Evaluating Websites  for tips on how to identify credible information.

Suggested Databases

• Points of View Reference Center Search a list of hundreds of pre-selected topics or perform your own direct search. Selections from the list also include a pro and con view of the topic. Great resource for debates and speech topics!
• SIRS Issues Researcher Comprehensive resource consisting of multiple databases that includes SIRS Issues Researcher, SIRS Government Reporter, SIRS Renaissance, and SIRS WebSelect. Find credible and relevant data for social issues, science, history, government, and the arts and humanities. Great resource for opposing viewpoints on a topic.

Course Assignments

• Writing Assignment #1
• Writing Assignment #2
• Grading Rubric

The topic for the 1st assignment is :       " Was the 17th Amendment a Good Idea or Not and Why?"

These are the instructions for writing your First Major Writing Assignment, which will be a White Paper:

You will be making a recommendation to the members of Congress on what you believe the Founding Fathers meant when they wrote Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution, and especially what they meant by the term "high crimes and misdemeanors". You will form your recommendation based on information from class discussion, your text and other sources.

• What is a "White Paper"?: The best definition is " a government or other authoritative report giving information or proposals on an issue."   A White Paper provides solid information to someone to help them decide how to resolve a problem or the best choice between various options. It presents the issue with background information, the various solutions, and then a recommendation of which is the best solution and why.  It explains how to implement that decision and how to convince others it is the best solution.
• How do I write a "White Paper"?: There are are lots of examples and directions available to help you. Here are a few links to show you how to do it. The TEMPLATE should be a big help!

In this assignment you will:

• Analyze  a significant issue in American political history (the Constitutional standards for impeaching a President)
• Identify/Explain  the methods used by people involved to present their proposed solutions to that issue (Why was this wording used? What is the historical evidence of the meaning of the requirements of impeachment? What standards were used for the recent impeachment of Prs. Trump?)
• Discuss/Describe  how you would address and present your solution to the issue in the context of your rights and responsibilities as an American citizen. (Do you have clearer wording to replace "High crimes and misdemeanors" as an impeachment standard? If so, do you have a proposed amendment to change the Constitution in that manner?))
• Discuss/Describe  how you would promote your recommended solution to the issue in the context or your rights and responsibilities as an American citizen. (How, working within the law and societal constraints, can you implement your solution?)
• Following the order of a White Paper, make your argument based on what you believe will bring about he best results for the issue.

Length & Typeface/font:  The length of the paper should be minimum of three pages, double spaced, 12 pt, Times New Roman. The headings can be in any typeface, but no larger than 24 pt type, bold faced.

Your White Paper needs citations of any and all sources of information you use in your paper. Your paper should include  at least four different sources  from your research, but your textbook may count as one.  Use APA Style to cite all the places in your paper where you can use information from sources you find in your research.    How to Cite APA Link Here

In addition to your APA citations (author name, year published, page number inside parentheses) your White Paper needs a separate page entitled REFERENCES. On this page you will alphabetically list ALL your references with full citations. Again, see the LINK above for how to write a full citation on the Reference page. This page does NOT count in the minimum 3 pages/double spaced you should write for your paper. If you cite websites, be sure to give a complete and correct url citation. It is recommended that you check the web url before submitting so I can look it up myself to check your sources.

Your White Paper does NOT need a table of contents (see LINK above).

Images and illustrations can be used but are not required.  Graphs and other statistical support are helpful and add to the credibility of your argument. 

Your grade is based on the following:

1. Did you make a compelling, factual argument for your position? 

2.  Do your  references support your claims  with solid research?

3.  Is your  writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation appropriate for college level readers?  If you need help, visit the Writing Lab in the TJC Library on the 2nd floor.

4.  Your paper must show evidence of  personal & social responsibility. Your writing needs to show you are making sound recommendations that indicate you have considered how this decision will affect others.

The topic for the 2nd assignment is:   "The Approval Process for Supreme Court Justices"

This is your  Second Major Writing Assignment  as part of the Core Curriculum requirements of the State of Texas and Tyler Junior College. Please read ALL of the instructions below before you begin your research. As always with writing, start with an outline, then build your argument from the information you have discovered in your research.  Review again the comments I made on your First Writing Assignment to make sure you don't make the same errors this time. After reading the directions several times, if you have questions, please ask or email me.

TOPIC FOR THIS PAPER:  As we have discussed in class, the Constitution is rather vague about the qualifications to become a federal judge, even for those who sit on the U.S. Supreme Court. It also gives the President the right to nominate or name a federal judge, but the Senate has "advise and consent" authority. Historically, politics hasn't played a major role in Senate confirmation of a President's Supreme Court nominee, but that began to change during the Reagan years and the process is certainly political today . Your White Paper is to make recommendations to the Senate for new rules (possibly an amendment?) for how you think this process could be improved.  The specifications for this white paper are exactly the same as for the first writing assignment.

• WHAT IS A "WHITE PAPER?" : The best definition is "a government or other authoritative report giving information or proposals on an issue." A White Paper provides solid information to someone to help them decide how to resolve a problem or the best choice between various options. It presents the issue with background information, the various solutions, and then a recommendation of which is the best solution and why. It explains how to implement that decision and how to convince others it is the best solution.
• HOW DO I WRITE A "WHITE PAPER?" : There are lots of examples and directions available to help you:

In this assignment you will :

• Analyze  a significant issue in American political history (in this case, the issue is the Supreme Court justice nomination and approval process),
• Identify/Explain the methods used by people involved to present their proposed solutions to that issue (How did the Founding Fathers plan for this to work? How or why did that process change? )
• Discuss/Describe how you would address and present your solution to the issue in the context of your rights and responsibilities as an American citizen. (What recommendation do you propose?)
• Discuss/Describe how you would promote your recommended solution to the issue in the context of your rights and responsibilities as an American citizen. (How, working within the law and societal constraints, can you implement your solution?)
• Following the order of a White Paper, make your argument based on what you believe will bring about the best results for this issue.

Length & Typeface/font : I do not grade based on word count or number of pages, but it would be impossible to make a compelling argument in less than three pages of double typed, 12 pt type. (Use a serif type like Times New Roman for the body; that is easier to read. Your headings can be in any typeface, but no larger than 24 pt. type, bold faced.)

Your White Paper needs citations of any and all sources of information you use in your paper. Your paper should include at least four different sources from your research, but your textbook may count as one.  Use APA Style to cite all the places in your paper where you use information from sources you find in your research. APA LINK Here

 In addition to your APA citations (author name, year published, page number inside parentheses) your White Paper needs a separate page entitled REFERENCES. On this page you will alphabetically list ALL your references with full citations. Again, see the Link above for how to write  a full citation on the Reference page. This page does NOT count in the minimum 3 pages/double spaced you should write for your paper. If you cite websites (which you probåbly will) be sure you give a complete and correct URL citation so I can look it up myself to check your sources.

Your White Paper does NOT need a table of contents, although these are often used in professional white papers (see samples through the link above.)

You can choose to include images and illustrations if you wish to, but they are not necessary.  Graphs and other statistical support are helpful and add to the credibility of your argument. 

You may choose any position on this issue (supporting a change, or not supporting a change) as long as your position is supported by your research and facts. Your grade is based primarily on the following factors:

1. Did you make a  compelling, factual argument  for your position?

2. Do your  references support your claims  and does your paper indicate you did solid research?

3. Is your  writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation appropriate for college level readers? If this is your weakness,  go visit the Writing Lab in the TJC Library, 2nd floor.  Nothing will turn off a reader faster than sentences that are difficult to follow, poor punctuation or poor paragraphing, and misspelled words.

4. Does your white paper show evidence of  personal responsibility and social responsibility ? This means  does your writing indicate that you are making sound, responsible recommendations that indicate you have considered how this decision will affect others.

Subject Guide

Helpful Search Terms

Seventeenth Amendment

Seventeenth Amendment and Constitution

17th Amendment and States

17th Amendment and Elections

Seventeenth Amendment and Modern Elections

17th Amendment and 21st Century

17th Amendment and Changes

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A Collection Of Good Government Term Paper Topics To Explore

All high school students study civics. This is a class that describes the structure of the government and the way it works. Civics teachers often ask students to write term papers on some topic related to the government. Although there are many questions that you may try to answer in your work, it’s difficult for most students to come up with good topic ideas for their papers. This article contains a list of interesting suggestions.

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• A successful election program.

Investigate in your work what techniques you should use to make more people vote for you during elections. Give real-life examples.

Should we rely on polling when it comes to presidential or any other elections? Are there any pitfalls?

• Comparison of political parties.

Take the two main political parties of the United States and compare them to each other. What are their differences and similarities?

• Voting for third parties.

Sometimes people vote for parties even when they know that they won’t win. What drives voters to behave like this?

• The sources of money for political campaigns.

Describe in your term paper what sources usually donate their money for particular political campaigns. What benefit do they get from this?

• The media and the government.

Many people call media the fourth branch of the government. Explain this statement in your work. How can the government control people through media?

• Campaigns of different candidates.

The political campaigns of candidates from the Senate and the House of Representatives have plenty of differences. Make your analysis and present your findings on this matter.

• Term limits and Congress.

Some specialists say that the members of Congress should have term limits. Do your research and raise your arguments for or against this statement.

• Congress and voters.

During their political campaigns, candidates make lots of promises to their voters that they don’t fulfill when they become members of Congress. Should something be done about this?

• Different ways to use power.

Do your research and present your results on how different presidents have used their executive privilege throughout the history of the United States.

• Branches of government.

There are three branches of the U.S. government: legislative, executive, and judicial. Discuss in your paper which branch is the most powerful.

• The important rights.

The first amendment to the Constitution guarantees several rights. Do your research and discuss which of these rights are the most important.

You may use any of these topics to write your own paper on American government.

Term Paper Help

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Our Team Work

Writing a term paper is an significant task for any academic student. In order to make it a success, you'll need to do a lot of research how to write it in a proper way. Here are many great tutorials gathered for you by a professional writing team. What you need to do is to read and try to use them systematically in order to succeed.

If You Know How

Some students walked a long way full of ups and downs when writing their term paper. The benefit of this type of experience is that you know what you did right and what you'd better change in your research writing process. If you want to share your secrets of success be sure to get in touch with us.

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FTC Announces Rule Banning Noncompetes

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Today, the Federal Trade Commission issued a final rule to promote competition by banning noncompetes nationwide, protecting the fundamental freedom of workers to change jobs, increasing innovation, and fostering new business formation.

“Noncompete clauses keep wages low, suppress new ideas, and rob the American economy of dynamism, including from the more than 8,500 new startups that would be created a year once noncompetes are banned,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. “The FTC’s final rule to ban noncompetes will ensure Americans have the freedom to pursue a new job, start a new business, or bring a new idea to market.”

The FTC estimates that the final rule banning noncompetes will lead to new business formation growing by 2.7% per year, resulting in more than 8,500 additional new businesses created each year. The final rule is expected to result in higher earnings for workers, with estimated earnings increasing for the average worker by an additional $524 per year, and it is expected to lower health care costs by up to $194 billion over the next decade. In addition, the final rule is expected to help drive innovation, leading to an estimated average increase of 17,000 to 29,000 more patents each year for the next 10 years under the final rule.

Noncompetes are a widespread and often exploitative practice imposing contractual conditions that prevent workers from taking a new job or starting a new business. Noncompetes often force workers to either stay in a job they want to leave or bear other significant harms and costs, such as being forced to switch to a lower-paying field, being forced to relocate, being forced to leave the workforce altogether, or being forced to defend against expensive litigation. An estimated 30 million workers—nearly one in five Americans—are subject to a noncompete.

Under the FTC’s new rule, existing noncompetes for the vast majority of workers will no longer be enforceable after the rule’s effective date. Existing noncompetes for senior executives - who represent less than 0.75% of workers - can remain in force under the FTC’s final rule, but employers are banned from entering into or attempting to enforce any new noncompetes, even if they involve senior executives. Employers will be required to provide notice to workers other than senior executives who are bound by an existing noncompete that they will not be enforcing any noncompetes against them.

In January 2023, the FTC issued a  proposed rule which was subject to a 90-day public comment period. The FTC received more than 26,000 comments on the proposed rule, with over 25,000 comments in support of the FTC’s proposed ban on noncompetes. The comments informed the FTC’s final rulemaking process, with the FTC carefully reviewing each comment and making changes to the proposed rule in response to the public’s feedback.

In the final rule, the Commission has determined that it is an unfair method of competition, and therefore a violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act, for employers to enter into noncompetes with workers and to enforce certain noncompetes.

The Commission found that noncompetes tend to negatively affect competitive conditions in labor markets by inhibiting efficient matching between workers and employers. The Commission also found that noncompetes tend to negatively affect competitive conditions in product and service markets, inhibiting new business formation and innovation. There is also evidence that noncompetes lead to increased market concentration and higher prices for consumers.

Alternatives to Noncompetes

The Commission found that employers have several alternatives to noncompetes that still enable firms to protect their investments without having to enforce a noncompete.

Trade secret laws and non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) both provide employers with well-established means to protect proprietary and other sensitive information. Researchers estimate that over 95% of workers with a noncompete already have an NDA.

The Commission also finds that instead of using noncompetes to lock in workers, employers that wish to retain employees can compete on the merits for the worker’s labor services by improving wages and working conditions.

Changes from the NPRM

Under the final rule, existing noncompetes for senior executives can remain in force. Employers, however, are prohibited from entering into or enforcing new noncompetes with senior executives. The final rule defines senior executives as workers earning more than $151,164 annually and who are in policy-making positions.

Additionally, the Commission has eliminated a provision in the proposed rule that would have required employers to legally modify existing noncompetes by formally rescinding them. That change will help to streamline compliance.

Instead, under the final rule, employers will simply have to provide notice to workers bound to an existing noncompete that the noncompete agreement will not be enforced against them in the future. To aid employers’ compliance with this requirement, the Commission has included model language in the final rule that employers can use to communicate to workers. 

The Commission vote to approve the issuance of the final rule was 3-2 with Commissioners Melissa Holyoak and Andrew N. Ferguson voting no. Commissioners Rebecca Kelly Slaughter , Alvaro Bedoya , Melissa Holyoak and Andrew N. Ferguson each issued separate statements. Chair Lina M. Khan will issue a separate statement.

The final rule will become effective 120 days after publication in the Federal Register.

Once the rule is effective, market participants can report information about a suspected violation of the rule to the Bureau of Competition by emailing  [email protected] . 

The Federal Trade Commission develops policy initiatives on issues that affect competition, consumers, and the U.S. economy. The FTC will never demand money, make threats, tell you to transfer money, or promise you a prize. Follow the  FTC on social media , read  consumer alerts  and the  business blog , and  sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts .

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Most Americans favor maximum age limits for federal elected officials, Supreme Court justices

With the advanced age of some U.S. political leaders in the spotlight, 79% of Americans favor maximum age limits for elected officials in Washington, D.C. And 74% support such limits for Supreme Court justices, according to a new Pew Research Center survey .

This analysis highlights recent Pew Research Center findings about the age of federal government officials in the United States, including public attitudes about maximum age limits for elected officials and Supreme Court justices; public attitudes about the best age for a U.S. president; and data about the age of current U.S. presidential candidates, members of Congress and members of the Supreme Court.

Most findings in this analysis are drawn from previously published Center studies. Additional information about these studies – including survey field dates, sample sizes and other methodological details – are available by following the links in the text.

The survey finds majority support in both parties for maximum age limits for elected officials and Supreme Court justices. But Republicans and Republican-leaning independents are slightly more likely to support age limits for elected officials, while Democrats and Democratic leaners are considerably more likely to support them for Supreme Court justices:

• 82% of Republicans and 76% of Democrats support putting a maximum age limit in place for elected officials in Washington, D.C.
• 82% of Democrats and 68% of Republicans favor one for Supreme Court justices.

The U.S. Constitution sets minimum, but not maximum, age thresholds for presidents and members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. The minimum age is 35 for presidents , 30 for senators and 25 for representatives . The Constitution does not set a minimum or maximum age for Supreme Court justices.

Creating maximum age limits for elected officials in Washington – while popular among the public – likely would require amending the Constitution . Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds vote in both the U.S. Senate and House, followed by ratification by three-quarters of the states. Alternately, Congress could call a convention to propose amendments if requested by two-thirds of the states, but that threshold has never been reached.

Views on the ideal age for a U.S. president

The Center’s new survey comes as Democratic President Joe Biden, who turns 81 in November, plans to run for reelection next year. His predecessor in the White House, 77-year-old Donald Trump, is running for the Republican nomination. A victory next November would make either man the oldest person ever elected U.S. president.

As of March 2023, Biden was the ninth-oldest national leader in the world, according to a Center analysis of heads of government in 187 countries that are member states of the United Nations. Trump is also older than most national leaders around the globe: At the time of the analysis, Trump was older than all but 20 of the leaders examined. The median age of all national leaders studied was 62.

Only 3% of U.S. adults say it’s best for a president to be in their 70s or older, according to a separate Center survey conducted in June . Roughly half of Americans (49%) say it’s best for a president to be in their 50s, while another 24% say it’s best for a chief executive to be in their 60s. There are relatively modest partisan differences on this question.

Median age of the U.S. Senate, House and Supreme Court

Age has become a focal point on Capitol Hill in addition to the presidential campaign trail. Democrat Dianne Feinstein of California, who  died in September at age 90 , had been the Senate’s oldest member. And Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, an 81-year-old Kentucky Republican, has faced a  series of recent health scares .

As of January 2023, the median age of the U.S. Senate was 65.3, according to a Center analysis conducted that month – up from 64.8 in the 117th Congress, 63.6 in the 116th and 62.4 in the 115th. The median age of Republican and Democratic senators was virtually identical (65.4 vs. 65.3).

In the U.S. House of Representatives, the median age for voting representatives was 57.9 as of January, slightly lower than in other recent Congresses. The median age of House Democrats was a bit higher than that of House Republicans (58.1 vs. 57.4).

When it comes to the Supreme Court, the median age of the nine current justices is 63. The oldest member of the court is Clarence Thomas, 75, while the youngest is 51-year-old Amy Coney Barrett.

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John Gramlich is an associate director at Pew Research Center

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Supreme Court immunity case: Updates of oral arguments in Trump's fight for immunity

Lawyers for the former president argue trump can't be criminally charged for any action he took in office..

• Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith has charged Trump with conspiring to overturn his 2020 loss to Joe Biden.
• Trump is currently on trial in New York, charged with covering up hush money payments made to to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
• Trump is the first former president to face criminal trial.

Can presidents get away with murder?

Nine Supreme Court justices heard Donald Trump’s arguments today that yes, maybe they can. 

The former president's lawyers say all presidents are immune from prosecution for anything they do in office – even murder, bribery, and corruption . The only way to hold one criminally accountable, Trump's attorneys will argue today, is if a president is first impeached in the House of Representatives and then convicted by two-thirds of the Senate. 

Here are USA TODAY's live updates from Trump’s remarkable stand at the Supreme Court .

The case is submitted

The historic arguments wrapped up after more than two-and-a-half hours of debate with Trump’s attorney, John Sauer, forgoing his opportunity for a final rebuttal after the Justice Department made its case.

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

“I have nothing further,” Sauer said.

And with that, Chief Justice John Roberts declared that the case is submitted.

--Maureen Groppe

Jackson pushes for quick, narrow decision

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson appeared to be trying to convince her colleagues to decide the case quickly and narrowly.

If the court wanted to use the case to decide all the possible times when a president does or doesn’t have immunity, she asked the Justice Department, “is this the right vehicle to hammer out that test?”

“I don’t see any need in this case for the court to embark on that analysis,” Justice Department Michael Dreeben responded.

Barrett looks for way for Trump trial to proceed

Justice Amy Coney Barrett asks the Justice Department whether the government can get to trial faster by prosecuting only on the Trump acts that his lawyer agrees are private conduct so are not immune.

Michael Dreeben, the Justice Department attorney, said Trump’s official and private acts are part of an “integrated conspiracy.”

But he added that a trial could proceed by allowing the government to introduce anything considered an official act as information that has relevance even if not a crime itself.

Does presidential motive matter?

Justice Neil Gorsuch pressed the Justice Department on whether the court should consider the motive of a president when deciding whether a presidential act deserves immunity. Everything a president does can be seen through the prism of his interest in getting re-elected, he said.

Michael Dreeben, the Justice Department’s attorney, said motive doesn’t have to be considered for a core presidential act – such as a veto, or appointment – which is protected from prosecution.

“None is involved in this case,” Dreeben said.

Gorsuch said he’s not asking so much about Trump’s case but whether accusations about a president’s motives can be a future basis for prosecution.

“We’re writing a rule for the ages,” Gorsuch said.

Dreeben said wanting to get re-elected is not an illegal motive.

“And you don’t have to worry about prosecuting presidents for that,” he said.

Ham sandwiches, grand juries and solar eclipses: Alito has questions

Justice Samuel Alito asked Justice Department attorney Michael Dreeben if a former president should be left to the mercy of prosecutors, noting the old saying on the pliability of grand juries: That grand jurors would indict a ham sandwich if a prosecutor asked them to.

Alito asked Dreeben if he knew of a single case in which a federal prosecutor had asked a grand jury to indict a suspect “and the grand jury refused to do so.” 

Drebeen said it had happened. 

“Every once in  a while there’s an eclipse too,” Alito replied. No prosecutor wants to indict without sufficient evidence, Drebeen said, because the case would end in an acquittal. 

--Dan Morrison

More: What does 'SCOTUS' mean? Here's a brief rundown on the country's highest court.

Trump back in New York courtroom

As attorneys at the Supreme Court argued over a president’s ability to escape prosecution for official acts, Donald Trump returned to the Manhattan courtroom where he is on trial on charges he doctored business records to cover up a $130,000 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Trump entered the courtroom at 11:22 a.m. ET, taking a look at reporters in the audience as he walked past them to the defense table.

– Aysha Bagchi

Trump named unindicted co-conspirator in Arizona election case

Former President Donald Trump was named an unindicted co-conspirator in the Arizona fake elector case unsealed yesterday. The indictment charges 18 state Republicans and former Trump aides including former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani and attorney John Eastman.

The defendants are charged with crimes including conspiracy and forgery for falsely claiming they were presidential electors and that Trump won the state in the 2020 election. Trump was identified as “unindicted coconspirator 1" in the indictment.

--Bart Jansen

All That Jazz: Demonstrators drum, clang, and sing their views of Trump

As justices and lawyers solemnly discussed the finer points of law inside the Supreme Court, the scene outside featured the clang of bells, the shrill of whistles, the throb of electric music, and the chants of demonstrators - most of them anti-Trump.

“The whole world is watching!” a crowd of demonstrators chanted at one point. A small brass band serenaded the crowd of three-to-four dozen with jazz-like tunes.

In addition to attacking Trump, the crowd also weighed in on other issues, particularly abortion rights and the campaign between Trump and President Joe Biden. “Feminists vs. Fascists,” said one sign.

The two sides exchanged a few f-bombs, but nothing serious broke out and the dozen or so police officers who watched the proceedings had little to do.

-- David Jackson

Roberts asks what protects against political prosecutions

Chief Justice John Roberts pressed on whether there are enough protections against retaliatory or harassing prosecutions for presidents.

Dreeben, the Justice Department’s lawyer, said politically driven prosecutions would violate the Constitution.

The chilling effect of prosecutions is one of Trump’s main arguments for why presidents should have immunity.

Who are the conservative Supreme Court justices?  

There are six conservative-leaning justices, making up the majority of the Supreme Court bench : Chief Justice John Roberts, along with Justices Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett and Clarence Thomas. 

Thomas is the longest serving of the group, nominated by former President George H. W. Bush in 1991. Former President George W. Bush nominated Roberts and Alito in 2005, while former President Donald Trump nominated Kavanaugh, Gorsuch and Barrett. 

– Savannah Kuchar  

More: Who are the current Supreme Court justices? Get to know the bench in 2024.

Thomas raises the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba 

Apparently picking up on Justice Elena Kagan’s earlier questions touching on a military coup in the U.S., Justice Clarence Thomas asked why past presidents haven’t faced criminal charges for fomenting coups in foreign countries, using Operation Mongoose, the failed 1961 CIA attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro in Cuba, as an example.

“There were no prosecutions” after the so-called Bay of Pigs affair, Thomas said. (President John F. Kennedy, who ordered the operation, was assassinated before the end of his first term.)

Michael Dreeben, arguing for the Justice Department, replied that U.S. law has a “public authority defense” that protects a president from prosecution for overseas acts. The defense “would prevent it from being a violation of law.” 

–Dan Morrison

Who are the liberal Supreme Court justices?  

There are three liberal-leaning justices on the Supreme Court bench: Justices Sonya Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson and Elena Kagan. 

Sotomayor and Kagan were nominees of former President Barack Obama, while Jackson was nominated by President Joe Biden in 2022, becoming the first Black woman to serve as a justice on the Supreme Court. 

J ustice Department: `Such presidential immunity has no foundation in the Constitution’

Opening his argument for the Justice Department, Michael Dreeben said the Supreme Court has never recognized absolute criminal immunity for any public official.

But Trump, Dreeben said, is asking that presidents be protected from prosecution for bribery, treason, sedition, murder and for conspiring to use fraud to overturn an election.

“Such presidential immunity has no foundation in the Constitution,” Dreeben said. “The framers knew too well the danger of a king who could do no wrong.”

Immunity for official acts versus private

Although Trump’s lawyer concedes that presidents can be prosecuted for private acts, Justice Ketanji  Brown Jackson pressed why that should be different for official acts.

“If there’s no threat to criminal prosecution, what prevents the president from doing whatever he wants?” she asked.

Sauer said the president is required to follow the law for his official acts. But the question is whether the punishment for not doing so is impeachment or criminal prosecution.

 Jackson asked how Trump's argument didn't "risk turning the oval office into the center of criminality in this country." 

--Maureen Groppe and Dan Morrison

How to watch today’s Supreme Court case live  

Cameras are not allowed inside the nation’s highest court, so there is no televised coverage of today’s oral arguments. 

But the justices and lawyers can be listened to live on USA TODAY’s broadcast or via C-SPAN. 

Coup could be an official act, Trump lawyer says

Trump lawyer D. John Sauer, speaking in a notable rasp, found himself cornered by Justice Elena Kagan as she pushed him to draw a line between a president’s official and unofficial acts.

Kagan asked Sauer whether a president could officially order the military to stage a coup at the end of their term. “Is it an official act?”

“It could well be,” Sauer replied. 

“It certainly sounds very bad,” Kagan said. 

Sauer said the Constitution and the military’s code of justice prevents “that very extreme hypothetical.”

Can presidents self pardon?

Justice Neil Gorsuch raised the issue of whether presidents can pardon themselves.

“Happily,” Gorsuch said of that issue, “it’s never been presented to us.”

Sauer, Trump’s lawyers, said if the court agrees with him that presidents have absolute immunity, they will never have to decide if presidents can self pardon.

Should trial be further delayed for fact finding?

The Justice Department has urged the court not to delay the trial further even if the justices find presidents have immunity in some  circumstances.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor appeared to side with that position, pressing Trump’s lawyer on why fact-finding questions about immunity in Trump’s particular case can’t be done at trial.

Sauer said it would be difficult to do that.

Sotomayor asks about fake electors

Justice Sonia Sotomayor asked Trump’s lawyer why he can claim that Trump’s actions were part of his official duties instead of being done for personal gain. Trump, she said, created a fraudulent list of presidential electors.

“Is that plausible that that would be within his right to do?” she asked.

Sauer, Trump’s lawyer, disputed Sotomayor’s characterization that Trump was doing anything fraudulent with the electors he was pushing.

“This was being done on an alternative basis,” Sauer said.

-- Maureen Groppe

Justice Alito stands up for Navy SEALs

Amid a blizzard of hypothetical questions over whether a president can order Navy SEALs to assassinate a rival, Justice Samuel Alito took a moment to stand up for the armed forces. 

 “I don’t want to slander SEAL Team Six,” Alito said. “They are honorable officers, bound by the military code of justice not to obey an illegal order.”

Sotomayor: 'Fundamentally evil' acts must be prosecuted

Challenging former President Donald Trump’s argument that a president is entitled to complete immunity, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said, “there are some things that are so fundamentally evil that they have to be protected against.”

“Immunity says even if you did it for personal gain,” Sotomayor told attorney D. John Sauer, president’s actions, including murder and bribery, ”cannot be prosecuted.”

-- Dan Morrison

Sotomayor brings up assassination of political rival

Justice Sonia Sotomayor goes right to a key issue that came up during the appeals court review: does a president have immunity if he orders the assassination of a political rival?

Sauer, Trump’s lawyer, said that depends on the situation, but it could well be an official act for which a president is immune.

Sotomayor said Trump wants the court to find that presidents are entitled to use the trappings of their office for total personal gain without facing criminal liability.

Kangaroo masks and revolutionary war hats

More than two dozen demonstrators organized by the group Women’s March protested Trump’s immunity claim, and criticized the Supreme Court for even considering the matter.

“We’re here to demand that they wrap this up,” said Amanda Chavez Barnes, senior program director for Women’s March, protesting that the court’s decision to take up the case delayed Trump’s trial on Jan. 6-related charges.

Some of the protesters wore kangaroo masks in order to mock the “Kangaroo Court.” They rang cowbells, banged on small drums, and chanted slogans like “lock him up!”

Just a few Trump supporters counter-demonstrated. Matthew Atwood, 62, a local DJ and classical pianist, mounted a sign describing other people as “the real authoritarians.” Wearing a Revolutionary War-style uniform, Atwood described himself as “pro-American.”

He also sought to engage the anti-Trump faction in debate, asking members of three crowd at one point, “are you better off now than you were three years ago?”

“Yes we are,” replied a Trump opponent.

Trump lawyer: Without immunity, `there can be no presidency as we know it.’

In his opening argument, Trump lawyer John Sauer told the justices presidents should be immune from prosecution because otherwise “there can be no presidency as we know it.”

No president has ever been prosecuted for their official acts, he said.

Without immunity, he continued, the threat of prosecution will “distort the president’s decision making.”

Every president will face defacto blackmail and distortion from his political rivals while he’s still in office, Sauer said.

Could Supreme Court presidential immunity arguments impact Trump's New York case?

Early this month, New York trial Judge Juan Merchan rejected an argument from Trump to delay Trump's New York criminal trial until after the Supreme Court rules on the scope of presidential immunity in Trump's federal election interference case. Merchan said Trump raised the immunity defense in his New York case too late.

If Trump is found guilty in the New York criminal trial, he could challenge Merchan's immunity ruling on appeal, and potentially point to a Supreme Court immunity ruling as a basis for re-trying the New York case.

Where is Donald Trump today?

Trump held a campaign event en route to the courthouse in New York, stopping at a nearby construction site to speak with supportive union members .

Reporters asked the former president about the Supreme Court’s immunity hearing, but his comments were drowned out by the cheers of his audience.

What are the charges against Trump?

Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith indicted Trump last August on four charges, to which he’s  pleaded not guilty.

Trump is charged with conspiring to try to steal the 2020 election and remain in power by spreading lies about election fraud that fueled the Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump is also charged with obstructing Congress because the riot interrupted lawmakers counting Electoral College votes to certify that President Joe Biden won the election.

Protesting 'fake news' and tyranny

Outside the Supreme Court, protestors who traveled from Minnesota, Florida, and other states to register their support and concern about the historic Trump case.“Absolute Immunity = Absolute Tyranny,” reads the sign carried by Demitri Morgan, 38, who said he traveled from his home in Montana for the high court hearing.

Another hand-painted sign says “Loser.”

“Yo, fake news! What’s up with fake news?,” chanted Jim Whalen, 61, an ad salesman who said he came up from his home in West Palm Beach, Fla.-- David Jackson

Trump immunity argument ‘ridiculous’: Schumer

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called former President Donald Trump’s immunity argument “ridiculous” and said the Supreme Court shouldn’t have agreed to hear the case.

“Today, SCOTUS hears Trump’s ridiculous claim of total immunity. He's obviously not immune,” Schumer wrote on X , formerly Twitter. “SCOTUS is only protecting Trump and slowing his trial. SCOTUS should not have taken this case or frozen the district court.”

What is presidential immunity?

The Supreme Court ruled in 1982 that presidents are immune both while in office and after from civil damages for official acts, including those on the “outer perimeter of a president’s official responsibilities.”

In 1997, the court said presidents can be sued for their private acts.

The court has also said presidents have no broad immunity from complying with subpoenas in criminal cases brought by states or the federal government.

The Justice Department has long argued that presidents can’t be criminally prosecuted while in office.

But the court has never weighed in on whether former presidents are immune from criminal prosecution.

What is Donald Trump trying to do with his Supreme Court immunity argument?

Donald Trump is trying to quash federal charges that he conspired to overturn the 2020 election after his bitter loss to President Joe Biden .

Without sweeping immunity, a president “will always be concerned, and even paralyzed, by the prospect of wrongful prosecution and retaliation after they leave office,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Sunday.

Is Donald Trump at the Supreme Court today?

The presumptive Republican nominee won’t be at the Supreme Court for today’s blockbuster arguments.

Trump is on trial in New York , charged with doctoring records to hide $130,000 in hush money paid to an adult film star . Trump also faces two other criminal indictments.

The judge in his New York trial told him he was required to be in court , which meant he was not able to attend his historic hearing.

Significance of being the first president to face criminal charges

What should the justices make of the fact that Donald Trump is the first president – former or current – to face criminal charges?

Trump’s lawyers say it’s evidence that presidents can’t be prosecuted.

“The long history of not prosecuting Presidents for official acts, despite ample motive and opportunity to do so over the years, demonstrates that the newly discovered alleged power to do so does not exist,” they wrote in their main brief previewing their oral argument.

Special counsel Jack Smith counters that the fact that no previous president has been prosecuted underscores the unprecedented nature of Trump’s alleged crimes.

Recent ruling: Supreme Court snubbed House Republicans who dodged metal detectors after Jan. 6