Subjects:  You can choose one of the subject matter areas mentioned below, however you may choose any topic that has political issues or interests associated with it.  There have been papers dealing with subjects such as legalization of ferrets and prostitution. You should pose specific questions or issues to be investigated. 1. Separation of Powers Former Vice President Chaney (to the press, you may want to read it) has stated that the executive (the Presidency) has been weakening since the mid – 1850’s.  You are to analyze the current power relationship between the Presidency, the Judiciary, and the Legislature. The Presidents have invoked war powers, interned American citizens, and invoked executive privilege in various contexts. This provides some examples.   How have the other two branches reacted, retaliated, or capitulated?   How effective are the reactions? What is the current state of the relationships? Note this question’s focus is separation of powers.   You do not want to focus on states’ rights here.  Has Trump attempt to increase the power of the Presidency?  If so, how, if not, why? 2.    Federalism With the end of slavery came the evolution of the so called “Jim Crow” laws.   The defense of these laws, when not based on faulty scientific and theological grounds, was often rooted in “state’s rights” arguments.  The 10lh Amendment reserves all rights not given to the Federal Government to the States.  The States have traditionally controlled the behavior, rights, duties, and intra state commerce within their borders.  What are the current issues, tensions, between the states and the Federal governments? Are the states losing power or gaining power in relation to the feds? Why? This question necessarily involves research into policies that either restrict or enhance state power.   One example is that Portland Oregon has federal troops making arrests in the city, why?  What structural political issues are at stake?  The Trump administration has reduced the size of the Environmental Protection Agency and reversed a previous administrations finding that a proposed gold mine in Alaska would hurt the environment. Is California entitled to more stringent environmental laws than those of the federal government (CA is 5th largest economy in the world). 3. CAPTIALISM: We may be seeing a seismic shift in economic policy &/or philosophy. Most political science research agrees that Americans hold capitalism as a core value.  But in the 1930’s government responded to the depression with social programs that were previously unheard of and, maybe unthinkable.  Some programs survive today.  In the 1980’s the government bailed out a failing Chrysler Corporation.  Today the government is reacting to a pandemic and potential economic recession in which Schools, small businesses, families, real estate, and health care systems are considered in danger of failure.  How is the government reacting?  Is there a major shift in American culture & policy where folks look to government rather than “self-reliance”?  Be specific by addressing the issues regarding one or two of the American institutions. Some food for thought is presented in the following questions. Does the government policy undermine or assist the core capitalist value?  Is this still a core value?  Should the government print more money so folks can get more unemployment benefits? Should the government impose & administer a national health plan in which all citizens are covered by insurance.  How much or why not? 4. After 2016 Election:  What will the Republican Party do now? The positions of the parties, strengths, weaknesses, compare and contrast.  Do they stray from party lines. What is the strategy to get elected in the future. What issues will help the parties and which will hurt, why?  This is very much a current events analysis. You could also write about Congress and the changing of power, if any. Why change? What political influences are likely to come to bear on the Party?  Black Lives Matter? Racism? What can we expect for the future?  Scope:  All of the subject areas and examples are broad.   Probably too broad for you to tackle all aspects suggested by the questions. You will need to focus on a few key points to limit your research and to get the subject matter into a manageable form. You won’t all agree, but I found that if I committed to doing the work, the papers were more interesting than many aspects of classes I took.  You have the freedom to take these subject areas in any direction you like.