Engaged+Citizen+-+Government+Action+in+the+News+Essay

toc **Engaged Citizen: Government Action in the News Essay**

Write a positive/negative review analyzing the government's actions as described in a recent newspaper or magazine article based on the following resolution:

//**Resolved: The government has made an appropriate / inappropriate action in the interests of this nation and it's citizens.**//

=Procedure=

Step 1 - Search & Critique
Search various newspapers, magazines, or online websites for articles that describe the __**American government's action in the role of people's lives**__ today (i.e. - [|Predator Drone Strike], [|Occupy Wall Street], etc.). Based upon your current philosophy of government (Political Manifesto), choose an article upon which the actions of the government either excites, intrigues, puzzles, or irritates you.

Use the political news resources below to assist you in your search for current event topics. [|Good Politics] [|Politico] [|Huffington Post] [|Drudge Report] [|The Hill] [|Washington Times] [|New York Times] [|NPR] [|Time Magazine] [|Newsweek Magazine]

__**Possible Topics of Interest**__
 * Personhood Amendment
 * Federal government versus California & Prop 19
 * Health Care Mandate
 * Occupy Los Angeles Eviction
 * Internet Censorship (SOPA Bill)
 * Internet Sales Tax
 * Environmental Law Waiver at Mexican Border
 * Gay Marriage
 * Youth curfew laws
 * U.S. Troop Withdrawal from Iraq
 * Record Deportation of Illegal Immigrants
 * Governments decisions upon the regulation of Banks (ie: SEC decisions regarding sale of toxic mortgages)


 * 1) Take personal notes on the article you have chosen to do your government analysis upon. In your notebook write down evidence that supports or illustrates your view of the government's actions as described within the article.
 * 2) What parts do you agree/disagree with?
 * 3) What evidence can you cite //(Constitution, Bill of Rights, political philosophies of Hamilton or Jefferson, the newspaper article itself, other news resources)// to support this position?

Step 2 - Cite, Print, & Outline

 * 1) Complete an [|MLA citation] of the article and print it out (single page). //Do not lose your printed copy of the article for you will need to have it to use in class and to submit with your final essay.//
 * 2) Next, begin to draft your essay outline. Use the resources listed below to assist you in the creation of your outline.

Engaged Citizen: Government in the News Analysis Outline (Word):

Step 3 - Draft & Finalize
//Begin to draft and write your final essay using the outline you completed in Step 2.// __**Keep in mind the following thoughts while you are writing:**__
 * 1) //__**SO WHAT?!?**__// What's my point? What am I arguing in this essay?
 * 2) Remember analytic writing goes __**beyond the obvious**__ to discuss **//deeper//** questions of how and why.
 * 3) Am I being an effective communicator **//(strong vocabulary usage, clear organization and fluency of ideas, elaboration on key points)//**?
 * 4) How much of my writing comes from my own ideas or arguments?

__**Your final printed essay should include the following:**__ Please see __//**RUBRIC**//__ below for paragraph by paragraph requirements:
 * __**Proper heading**__ (Title: Engaged Citizen: Government In the News Analysis Essay) double-spaced, size 12 font, Times New Roman font.
 * __**Bibliography**__ (MLA format, newspaper article, textbook online sources, etc.)
 * **__Printed outline__** (proper heading, SINGLE spaced, size 12 font, Times New Roman)
 * **__Single page copy of the cited news article__**