Crash Course Bureaucracy

CRASH COURSE 15, 16, 17: BUREAUCRACY BASICS, TYPES, AND CONTROL

Presidential Administration Job Descriptions

Here are some helpful sites for you to use when describing the function of the various positions within a presidential administration. Each of these links provides job descriptions for more than just the Executive Office of the President (EOP) or the White House Office (WHO).

Executive Office of the President
The White House Office

The Modern Presidency: Tools of Power

Below is a link to the video needed to complete the homework assignment:

The Modern President: Tools of Power

Impeachment Case Study Research

ASSIGNMENT:

Each student in each group will complete a brief for their impeachment case. 

The brief must follow the following format:

1. Background of the case
• What happened? (describe the events that led to the impeachment)
2. Societal factors at work in the case
• What was happening in the country at the time that had an impact on the case? (Think wars, elections, other scandals, etc)
3. Important people involved in the case
• Who was involved in the case? (names and descriptions of roles)
4. Public Opinion of the Case
• Public opinion polls, pundit interpretation, etc
5. Political dimensions of the case
• What role did politics play in the impeachment process?
6. Resolution of the case
• Was the president impeached? Why or why not?
• Was the impeachment justified?

SOURCES:

The Case of Richard Nixon (Source 1) 
The Case of Richard Nixon (Source 2)

The Case of William Clinton (Source 1)

The Case of William Clinton (Source 2)

Presidential Speed Dating Research

The Assignment:

You will research one of the modern presidents in order to find out how they used the powers of the presidency to fulfill the roles of the president and give them a grade based on their performance. After researching and grading your president, you will participate in speed dating to create a list of qualifications/characteristics voters would like to have in a president.

Presidential Speed Dating Assignment

Helpful Websites for Research:
History.com
A great starting point for research on your president. The site features pages and videos for each president.

The White House President's Page
Another good starting point for your research, and this one comes for the official source of presidential information - the White House!

The Miller Center
This is one of the best, in-depth websites available for information on the presidency and its occupants. The site is described as "specializing in presidential scholarship, public policy, and political history ".

Presidential Libraries Index (left hand side of the page)
This site provides links to the presidential libraries of each of the last 14 presidents dating back to Herbert Hoover. These libraries provide a wealth of in-depth and general information on the president they are dedicated to, and they are funded and run by the U.S. government (an obviously reliable source).

Party divisions of United States Congresses

This Wikipedia page is a great place to see the impact of presidents on party in terms of Congressional elections.

Don't forget to create an appropriate pick-up line for your president!