POL411 Week 3 Discussion (dq1+dq2)

POL411 Week 3 Discussion 

DQ 1 Democracy, Political Parties, and Interest Groups

Democracy, Political Parties, and Interest Groups. Our nation’s Founders were very concerned that the development of political parties and interest groups would be detrimental to our democracy. In addition, the arguments that political parties and interest groups have significant positive and negative impacts on our democratic processes have continued and expanded. Answer the following questions:

1. Overall, are political parties and interest groups good for democracy?
2. Do political parties and interest groups help voters make informed choices or do they manipulate voter free choices? 
3. Is the information political parties and interest groups provide on candidates useful or misleading? 

Your initial post should be at least 250-300 words in length. Support your claims with examples from required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts by Day 7. 

DQ 2 Commercials

Commercials. Visit The Living Room Candidate website and (1) select three commercials, of your choice, from each from the following years; 1968, 1988, 2008; and (2) compare the three commercials you selected and contrast the changes in political communication you notice over the past 40 years. Briefly annotate which commercials you selected and answer the following questions:

1. How has political communication via television changed over the past 40 years? 
2. What has remained the same in the way candidates communicate their campaign points and engage with
   the public? 

Your initial post should be at least 250-300 words in length. Support your claims with examples from required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts by Day 7.