Final Essay Instructions-Please read all carefully!
Format and Instructions:
**Final Essay Prompt #1 – Governor of a Red State**
1. This essay should be 1000-1200 words, double-spaced, and turned in as a Microsoft Word document.
2. This essay must be in MLA format. For those of you who need help to format your essay, here are two links to using MLA: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_formatting_and_style_guide.html
MLA Video: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4917D9E21FA6EDFF
***IMPORTANT- 4. DO NOT use ANY outside research. I will be providing all necessary data/research. Only use links I provide for data/research. Some will be youtube videos of powerpoints and/or articles, and etc.***
5. As always, DO NOT PLAGIARIZE! My professor is using the plagiarism software TurnItIn for this assignment.
The Plagiarism software that the college provides also checks for A.I. generated material. Using artificial intelligence to research or write your essay is cheating.
Rough Rubric Guide:
Format ~ 10%
Grammar ~ 20%
Argumentation/Creativity ~ 30%
Application of Course Material ~ 40%
Here is a more detailed explanation of the Grading Rubric: I have provided a picture of the grading rubric (PLEASE READ IT AND USE IT).
THIS IS A 100 POINT ESSAY out of a 6 week course SO PLEASE PLEASE TAKE IT SERIOUS!!!
Next is the final essay prompt:
Final Essay Prompt #1 – Governor of a Red State
1. You Are The Governor of a Red State
In this scenario, you are a Republican Governor of a mostly conservative state. After the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022) the legislature of your state promises to start working on a much more restrictive abortion law. Copying legislation already written and passed in other states, they quickly craft a bill that would ban all abortions after 8 weeks of pregnancy with exceptions for rape and incest until 15 weeks of pregnancy. Even if you assumed immediately after the Dobbs decision that passing a more restrictive abortion law would be welcomed in your state, what has taken place in states like Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, as well as the outcome of the 2022 midterm elections has you questioning that assumption. As promised, your state legislature passes the bill described above and sends it to your desk for your signature.
Remember, this essay should not be about your personal opinion of abortion, it should be about how this bill will either help or hurt your political career based on ideology, abortion referendums in other states, and the relationship between those with political power and those who elect them into or out of office.
For this essay I would like you to use what you have learned in our class to answer the following question(s):
***THIS IS THE QUESTION FOR THE PROMPT: AND WHAT THE ESSAY WILL BE ABOUT–>*****
Would you sign a bill that outlaws abortion after 8 weeks of pregnancy with exceptions for rape and incest up to 15 weeks of pregnancy if you were the Governor of a conservative Republican state? Why or why not?
Course Material To Use that I will provide: Direct Democracy/Referendums in Kentucky, Ohio, and Kansas/Political Ideology/Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health (2022)/Polarization/Representation
I will provide a series of links to materials/evidence needed to be cited within the essay (use what you feel is best-also please include in-text citations for videos and articles or such)–>This is the course material:
Research/course Materials:
1. Kentucky
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/kentucky-voters-reject-constitutional-amendment-on-abortion
2. Kansas
https://apnews.com/article/kansas-abortion-vote-recount-e874f56806a9d63b473b24580ad7ea0c
3. Ohio
https://apnews.com/article/ohio-abortion-amendment-election-2023-fe3e06747b616507d8ca21ea26485270
4. Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health (2022)
https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_education/publications/preview_home/dobbs-v-jackson-women-s-health-organization/
5. https://sanjosespotlight.com/vargas-californias-experiment-with-direct-democracy-has-failed/
6. https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2020/11/6/21549654/california-ballot-initiative-proposition-direct-democracy
7. The CA Reading. Docx (provided)
Module 4 (Direct Democracy or California Politics ): This module will provide insights into how direct democracy functions through referendums and initiatives. CA Direct Democracy- The Recall, Referendum, and Direct Initiative:
In this video the professor is discussing the 3 processes of direct democracy that we have in California. Remember, not every state has all three of these processes, some states have none at all, and the federal government does not allow for any direct democracy whatsoever. –> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HXBBR6LBM4&t=1s
9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adxIEBGwxxk&t=2s
10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2zKgQAt_5o
11. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyhxoesDErM
Module 2 (Political Ideology or Democracy American Style): This module will help you understand the ideological landscape of your state and the potential impact on your political career.
links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WoOx2kFLyw
Module 3: Polarization or The U.S. Constitution
Analyze how signing or vetoing the bill would affect the political landscape and your career amid a polarized environment.
links:
Module 7 Material: Congress 1
First Congress Module – Reading List
links:
Redistricting:
https://about.bgov.com/brief/who-draws-congressional-districts/
CA Redistricting:
https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/california-redistricting#:~:text=What%20is%20redistricting%3F,districts%20based%20on%20population%20changes
Congressional Representation – A Diversifying Government For a Diversifying Country:
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/02/07/the-changing-face-of-congress/
Representation and IncumbentsFor this PowerPoint, please concentrate on the two different types of representation that I explain, as well as two of the advantages that incumbents have while running for re-election. Also, pay attention to the representation of women and People of Color in the House and Senate and be able to explain why this is important. Recent Note: It is important to add that in 2020 the Republican Party was able to dramatically increase the number of women they elected into Congress. We’ve talked a lot about the future of the Republican Party in relation to demographic and generational changes taking place in our country.Read the article below to see how they are responding. You didn’t think they weren’t going to do anything about this, right?
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/republican-women-congress-record-number/
MAJOR CORRECTION: The slide that shows the “113th Congress – U.S. Senate” from 2013 to 2015 mistakenly shows that there were no African-American Senators during this period. This is wrong. Senator Tim Scott (R – SC) was in the Senate at this time and he is still serving in the Senate to this day.
link:
The House and Redistricting (Gerrymandering)
This PowerPoint is about the processes that dictate how many seats each state is allocated in the US House of Representatives. In most states (excluding CA) this process is ultimately concluded via gerrymandering. Please, pay attention to the 3-step process that is explained here as well as gerrymandering – when it is legal, when it is unconstitutional, and the difference between “packing” and “cracking”.
link:
****I know I have provided a lot of material but only use what you feel is best for the essay and please use in-text citations-even for the videos. I provided descriptions for some of the modules with links to the materials you can use for this essay****
**IF A LINK OR SOMETHING DOES NOT MAKE SENSE OR WORK PLEASE LET ME KNOW ASAP***
AGAIN:
1. You Are The Governor of a Red State
In this scenario, you are a Republican Governor of a mostly conservative state. After the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022) the legislature of your state promises to start working on a much more restrictive abortion law. Copying legislation already written and passed in other states, they quickly craft a bill that would ban all abortions after 8 weeks of pregnancy with exceptions for rape and incest until 15 weeks of pregnancy. Even if you assumed immediately after the Dobbs decision that passing a more restrictive abortion law would be welcomed in your state, what has taken place in states like Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, as well as the outcome of the 2022 midterm elections has you questioning that assumption. As promised, your state legislature passes the bill described above and sends it to your desk for your signature.
Remember, this essay should not be about your personal opinion of abortion, it should be about how this bill will either help or hurt your political career based on ideology, abortion referendums in other states, and the relationship between those with political power and those who elect them into or out of office.
For this essay I would like you to use what you have learned in our class to answer the following question(s):
Would you sign a bill that outlaws abortion after 8 weeks of pregnancy with exceptions for rape and incest up to 15 weeks of pregnancy if you were the Governor of a conservative Republican state? Why or why not?
Course Material To Use: Direct Democracy/Referendums in Kentucky, Ohio, and Kansas/Political Ideology/Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health (2022)/Polarization/Representation and etc…
I also need a minimum of 4 sources- I don’t care which ones you use as long as it aligns with the essay prompt and also please correctly use in-text citations because they are needed and a work cited page-All MLA)
