Essay 12

A divided government is one in which the presidency and the Congress are controlled by different parties. This occurrence has contributed to the decline in trust and confidence in the government because it has heightened partisanship and caused much policy gridlock due to two extreme sides and a decline of the middle position. There are strong voices on both sides, and therefore the system of checks and balances causes a back an forth cycle preventing anything from getting done quickly.
The increased cost of election campaigns has contributed to the decline in trust and confidence in the government because it leads to the belief that candidates are spending more time raising money for their campaign expenses and less time on actual policy and matters of the people.
Two specific consequences of the decline of trust in government include less voter participation and more protesting. If citizens don't have faith in the people of their government, they are less likely to vote, and voting is the most important aspect of a democracy--it is how voices get heard. Similarly, if citizens believe they cannot rely on their government, it will lead to protests and chaos, demanding changes to be made.

2004_4
3) Trust and confidence in government have declined in recent decades.
(a) Explain how divided government has contributed to the decline in trust and confidence in government. Be sure to include a definition of divided government in your response
(b) Explain how the increased cost of election campaigns has contributed to the decline in trust and confidence in government.
(c) Explain two specific consequences of the decline in trust and confidence in government for individual political behavior.

http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/ap/students/govpol/ap04_sg_gopo_us.pdf

Essay 11

Two patterns that the graph shows are a high reelection rate of incumbents in both the House and Senate, and a higher rate of incumbent reelection in the House than the Senate. Incumbents in the House are generally shown to be reelected over 80% of the time, whereas incumbents in the Senate are shown to be reelected over 50% of the time.
Two factors that contribute to the incumbency advantage include name recognition and campaign financing. When a member of congress has already served a term, constituents know their face and their values and are more likely to be safe and vote for someone they are familiar with, rather than a new face. In addition, returning candidates also likely have more funding available for their campaigns, and spending more money on campaigns is proven to be very affective in winning votes, as more people are exposed to the cause.
One consequence of the incumbency advantage to the political process is that it makes it hard for new change to occur in the policy agenda. New members of congress likely have new and fresh ideas and perspectives that may not be heard. It essentially diminishes democracy.






(2001_2) the graph above shows reelection rates for incumbents in the House and Senate. From this information and your knowledge of of the US politics, perform the following
tasks. (Fig 12.1)
a) identify two patterns displayed in the graph
b) identify 2 factors that contribute to incumbency advantage. Explain how each factor contributes to incumbency advantage.
c) Discuss one consequence of incumbency advantage for the US political process


http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/repository/sg_govpol_us_01_7046.pdf

Meth-a-demic

What started as a West Coast motorcycle gang craze has spread across the United States and become a troublesome epidemic--the abuse of methamphetamine. Highs and lows of meth abuse have been recorded over the past forty years as the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration enforces new rules and addicts find new ways around them, a cyclical pattern.
Meth has become increasingly easy for users to make, as pseudoephedrine and ephedrine, the essential ingredients, can be found in simple, over-the-counter cold remedies. The DEA has tried to restrict the availability of these ingredients and limit easy access off store shelves, however large and powerful pharmaceutical companies have stood as a repelling force, arguing that the proposed methods were unfair to a perfectly legitimate business. The DEA has also tried to regulate the source of the ingredients in order to lessen the problem. An accidental find of a massive drug distributor in Mexico greatly lessened the purity of meth on the streets of America, but like always, meth users found a way to get back into business.
Though meth has become relatively easy to make, it is by no means without risk. Mixing heavy chemicals that are not meant to be together in a tightened bottle causes many users to be harmed by chemical explosions and devastating burn injuries. This is one fallout of meth users being able to cook it up themselves. However, the process allows chemicals to seep into its surroundings, which could be anywhere-- and people will breath it in.
Oregon is one of the only states to successfully make medicine containing pseudoephedrine and ephedrine a prescription drug, and meth labs have accordingly decreased by ninety percent. In states such as Kentucky, pharmaceutical companies have hired lobbyists that make it sound as if legislation wants to take away people's cold medicine. It is one big struggle between an organization that wants to stop the abuse of meth and decrease crime rate, and a company that makes it's money by selling cold medicine.
Meth contamination is such a large issue, it shows up in many places one might not expect--schools, for example. There have been instances where students have been reported to come to school smelling of meth chemicals, due to secret math labs of the parents at home. Similarly, teachers who have been found hiding meth in drawers and purses, secret meth labs found on playgrounds, and so on. Meth doesn't only affect the users, but the people around the users as well. It is a problem that must be solved, if catastrophe and crime are to be prevented.

Sources:


http://www.npr.org/2013/09/26/226476602/big-pharma-and-meth-cooks-agree-keep-cold-meds-over-the-counter

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/meth/etc/synopsis.html

http://methlabhomes.com/meth-contamination-in-schools/