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| | ''To enroll, see [[Conservapedia:American Government Fall 2010]].'' | | ''To enroll, see [[Conservapedia:American Government Fall 2010]].'' |
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| − | Consider the Tuesday after the first Monday in November: what is special about that day? It is Election Day in the "United States of America."<ref>The term the "United States of America" was first coined in the late 1700s by Thomas Paine, the author of ''Common Sense''.</ref> This is the day that determines who runs government. | + | Consider the Tuesday after the first Monday in November: what is special about that day? It is Election Day in the "United States of America."<ref>The term the "United States of America" was first coined in the late 1700s by Thomas Paine, who also wrote ''Common Sense''.</ref> This is the day that determines who runs government. |
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| | This year Election Day is the earliest it can possibly be: November 2nd, which is the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Election Day can never be on November 1st because then the Monday would be in October rather than November. | | This year Election Day is the earliest it can possibly be: November 2nd, which is the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Election Day can never be on November 1st because then the Monday would be in October rather than November. |
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| | Due to gerrymandering, however, fewer than 100 out of the 435 House seats are "in play," such that either party could win it. Gerrymandering is one many new terms you will learn as part of this course. Its name comes from a cartoon making fun of Governor Eldridge Gerry of Massachusetts in 1812, who signed into law a redistricting for state that used odd shapes in order to help his political party be elected. This is possible because voting patterns become predictable over time: many neighborhoods are known to vote heavily Democratic or heavily Republican based on prior elections. | | Due to gerrymandering, however, fewer than 100 out of the 435 House seats are "in play," such that either party could win it. Gerrymandering is one many new terms you will learn as part of this course. Its name comes from a cartoon making fun of Governor Eldridge Gerry of Massachusetts in 1812, who signed into law a redistricting for state that used odd shapes in order to help his political party be elected. This is possible because voting patterns become predictable over time: many neighborhoods are known to vote heavily Democratic or heavily Republican based on prior elections. |
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| − | For example, San Francisco is a heavily Democratic area, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi represents a "safe seat" there. Indeed, over 335 out of the 435 House seats represent districts that are safely Republican or safely Democratic. In those districts, the only way to defeat an incumbent (the person in office running for reelection) is to defeat him in the primary. | + | For example, San Francisco is a heavily Democratic area, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi represents a "safe seat" there. Indeed, more than 335 out of the 435 House seats represent districts that are safely Republican or safely Democratic. In those districts, the only way to defeat an incumbent (the person in office running for reelection) is to defeat him in the primary. |
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| | With the advent of the internet, there is up-to-the minute analysis of the likely outcomes in every election. One site, "Realclearpolitics" (you might consider that website name to be an "oxymoron", or self-contradictory term, because politics is rarely "clear") provided this analysis on August 1: | | With the advent of the internet, there is up-to-the minute analysis of the likely outcomes in every election. One site, "Realclearpolitics" (you might consider that website name to be an "oxymoron", or self-contradictory term, because politics is rarely "clear") provided this analysis on August 1: |
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| | *U.S. Senate: 49 seats likely to be retained or won by Democrats, 43 likely to be retained or won by Republicans, and 8 "toss-up" seats. Note that in the U.S. Senate there are two "Independents", but they vote for Democratic control so they are treated as Democratic. | | *U.S. Senate: 49 seats likely to be retained or won by Democrats, 43 likely to be retained or won by Republicans, and 8 "toss-up" seats. Note that in the U.S. Senate there are two "Independents", but they vote for Democratic control so they are treated as Democratic. |
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| − | *State Governors: 14 seats likely to be retained or won by Democrats, 24 likely to be retained or won by Republicans, and 11 seats are "toss-ups" | + | *State Governors: 14 seats likely to be retained or won by Democrats, 24 likely to be retained or won by Republicans, and 11 seats are "toss-ups". (Note that the election of the governor of New Jersey occurs only every four years in an ''odd-numbered'' year, not this year; Governor Chris Christie was elected in November 2009.) |
| − | concept of "political machines." (Note that the election of the governor of New Jersey occurs in an ''odd-numbered'' year, not this year.)
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| | == Homework == | | == Homework == |