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Political science week 1 Discussion

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This is a graded discussion: 25 points possible due Sep 7 at 1:59am

Week 1 Discussion: Why Study Political Science?
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Required Resources
Read/review the following resources for this activity:

Initial Post Instructions
Identify why students should learn about political science. Use evidence (cite sources) to support your response from
assigned readings or online lessons, and at least one outside scholarly source. Describe at least one reason why
political science is interesting or relevant to you personally.

Follow-Up Post Instructions
Respond to at least two peers or one peer and the instructor. Further the dialogue by providing more information and
clarification. Minimum of 1 scholarly source which can include your textbook or assigned readings or may be from your
additional scholarly research.

Writing Requirements

Grading
This activity will be graded using the Discussion Grading Rubric. Please review the following link:

Course Outcomes (CO): 1

Due Date for Initial Post: By 11:59 p.m. MT on

Wednesday

Due Date for Follow-Up Posts: By 11:59 p.m. MT on

Sunday

Textbook: Chapter 1 ,2
Lesson
Minimum of 1 scholarly source (in addition to the textbook)

Minimum of 3 posts (1 initial & 2 follow-up)
Minimum of 2 sources cited (assigned readings/online lessons and an outside scholarly source)
APA format for in-text citations and list of references

Link (webpage): Discussion Guidelines

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(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 1 of 84

Aug 19, 2020

ENCOUNTERING POLITICS IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES

Class,

Should folks learn about political science? My answer is yes, but that should not come as a surprise!

Political science is the “systematic and scientific study of politics.” (Whitman, 3) So, if politics is important than
so is political science. Politics would clearly be important if it impacted every facet of your life. So, does politics
impact every facet of your life? I submit that it does; that the author of your text is right when she says “most
things in society can be connected to politics and political science in some way;” and that politics impacts where
you live (https://www.everyvotecounts.org.uk/how-politics-affects-you/where-you-live/) , what you drive
(https://www.thedrive.com/opinion/7450/listen-up-cars-are-part-of-politics-and-politics-are-part-of-cars) , where you
walk your dog (https://www.edgarsnyder.com/dog-bite/leash-laws/) , and more. (Whitman, 5) What do you think?
Does politics impact your life, and if so in what ways?

Sam

PS I will always post first in the discussion … just to get things rolling and also to give you an example of what a
good substantive post might look like. You can jump in and respond to my post, you can respond to the heading,
or you can respond to classmates that have arrived in the discussion before you. This is true for any of your
posts. Don’t forget, though, that your initial post is required to draw on both the text and outside sources and is
worth additional points.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Aug 31, 2020

Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 1 at 10:40am

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ENCOUNTERING POLITICS IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES (OUTSIDE
OF WORK)
Kylie and Class,

My contention in my original post was that political science is important because it is the study of politics,
which itself is important because it impacts everyone’s lives in a million different ways. Kylie seems to
agree. What about the rest of you? Is it true that politics impacts nearly every facet of your life? Does the
determination of “who gets what, when, and how” impact you in your everyday life? If the answer is yes,
when exactly do you encounter politics?

Sam

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
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(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)

Sep 1, 2020

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ENCOUNTERING POLITICS IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES (OUTSIDE
OF WORK)
Stacey, Jessica, Traci, Kimberly, and Class,

Is political science, or the study of politics, important? Does politics impact nearly every facet of your
life? Does the determination of “who gets what, when, and how” impact you in your everyday life? If the
answer is yes, when exactly do you encounter politics? In the midst of a pandemic? When you send
your kids to school? When you watch/read the news? If you own a house and have a mortgage? If you
drive a car and travel on roads or have a car payment? When you pay taxes? When else?

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Wednesday

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ENCOUNTERING POLITICS IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES
(OUTSIDE OF WORK)
Stacey, Jessica, Traci, Kimberly, and Class,

Political science, or the study of politics, is important because politics does impact nearly every
facet of your life. The determination of “who gets what, when, and how” made in city hall, state
capitals, and D.C. impacts you in your everyday life.

You certainly encounter politics in the midst of a pandemic? How?

You do encounter determinations of “who gets what, when, and how” when you watch/read the
news? In what ways?

You certainly confront politics with home ownership when you have a mortgage … and when
else?

You don’t avoid politics on the road, they crop up when you make a car payment, when you
drive by road work, and when else?

Do you encounter politics when you send your kids to school? When you pay taxes? If you
encounter the police? When else?

Sam

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
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(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Thursday

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ENCOUNTERING POLITICS IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES
(OUTSIDE OF WORK)
Kylie, Jessica, Traci, Tenzin, Emily, Anne, and Class,

You certainly encounter politics in the midst of a pandemic if you are mandated to wear a mask
or social distance, if you can’t go to the beach because it is closed, if your favorite restaurant is
only serving take out. if there is a curfew in your community, if your kids are schooling via zoom,
etc., etc.. And it is worth noting, as Traci does, that the politics in these cases is largely taking
place at the city, county, and state level.

You do encounter determinations of “who gets what, when, and how” when you watch/read the
news? In what ways?
You certainly confront politics with home ownership when you have a mortgage … and when
else?

You don’t avoid politics on the road, they crop up when you make a car payment, when you drive
by road work, when you pay taxes that are used on roads and bridges; and when else?

You encounter politics when you send your kids to school if you receive government funds to
help pay for private school … and when else?

Do you encounter politics when you pay taxes? If you encounter the police? In what other
situations?

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/153410)

Traci East
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/153410)
Friday

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ENCOUNTERING POLITICS IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES (OUTSIDE OF WORK)

Professor and Class,

Politics outside of work is everywhere. When we drive our cars for instance what side of the
road we drive, how fast we go and toll roads are all examples of politic on the road. One
encounters politics in home ownership with house payment due dates and yearly taxes just to
own a home. If your payment is late there is late fees. I live in rural Ohio and my husband
farms we pay taxes on the land we own and the harvest he brings in and bringing in the
harvest lining up at the elevator to weight and empty the harvest. Our kids in encounter
politics at school by what they wear to how they change classes and who to respect and listen
too and all comes from the guidance of the teachers but they follow a administration and it
comes from the principal and at the top is the superintendent. Children are taught to listen to
the adults and if not there would be a punishment.

Politics in all aspects of our live everywhere even when we pay taxes there is always a due
date if your late there is a penalty fee.

We encounter politics at the grocery store especially now with the pandemic and wearing your
mask when you go in if not you can’t enter then, following the arrows and going the direction it
tells you to go and then when checking out you pay taxes just to eat food.

So even if you get pulled over by the police they have a protocol and you give them your
drivers license and proof of insurance just to drive a car then if our get a ticket the fees go to
the county and if you get to many speeding tickets your insurance will go up or even drop you
as a customer.

We eat sleep and breathe politics and I feel the media portrays the epitome of politics. We
watch one news station and they may portray a news story to fit the agenda or blow the story
to extremes that it become unbearable to watch. I tend to watch less of the news and more of
shows that fun and peak my interests and its mostly reality shows but then the politics there
would be drama makes good t.v.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157798)

Kimberly Stuck Thornton
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157798)
Saturday

Yes the study of politics and political science is important. I have learned that yes, politics impacts
every facet in my life. I find that politics are in everything. They determine if my kids can go to school,
will they be wearing a mask or not when they go. Politics decides on if the roads are going to be paved
or not. Politics control everything.

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(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169214)

Kylie King

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169214)
Wednesday

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Professor,

I was in agreeance with you. The question that intrigued me to reply to this was the determination of who,
what, where, when, and how politics impact daily life. I felt it was appropriate to relate this to the topic of my
week one writing assignment. U.S. Representative Dan Lapinski decided we would back a bill that funds
families who are low-income and send their children to private schools. I feel as though this is where your
question comes in, and my response to that is with this bill in mind and were it to be in place, that these are
children still able to go to class, learn, and grow to be a part of society. How does that impact my life? What
if one of those children were to be my doctor, caregiver, or even a teacher to a member of my family one
day? With this thought in mind, then you encounter politics like this, the second the bill gets put into place.

Kylie King

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/117098)

Stacey Ryle

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/117098)
Aug 31, 2020

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 6 of 84

Proffessor and class

I feel it is extremely important for students to study political science. It helps us become informed about the
different issues and policies effecting us, the community and the world. It is important to understand current
political ideas, trends and issues because in some way, shape or form, they impact us individually. According to
Chamberlain University Lesson 1, 2020, ” Every change of the political realm impacts us living within and
outside borders” There have been a lot of policics and view on the Corona Virus. In the end, the government
steps in and sets rule and policies enforcing us to wear masks, social distance and quaranteen if necessary.
Political scientists examine why certain bill are passed and what goes into creating these bills and laws. If we
as individuals don’t agree with the way an issue is being handled or laws that are being passed, we need to
understand how and why these were created and put into effect in the first place. Then, we can step forward
and start to create change.

The study of political science is definitely interesting to me as an individual, a mother and a nurse. I need to be
able to understand local, state and federal issues not only because they will effect me but my children as well.
As a nurse, I am in the healthcare field and healthcare policies and issues are part of my everyday job. These
range from wage freezes, to cutbacks that decrease hospital funding and supplies to patient care and safety
policies. Nurses, such as myself, need to understand the politics behind these issues in order to become part
of advocating for change if needed. This can be done through protesting, joining organizations that promote
change and by voting leaders into government that will help push through important policies and laws that will
protect myself, my family, my job and my patients. Political advocacy is very important in the healthcare field. ”
Florence Nightingale developed the world’s first graphs and showed them to the British parlament, convincing
politicians to continue funding her work in Crimea” (Jackson, 2015). Understanding politics and goverment
gives us the voice for change.

Thank you

Stacey Ryle

References

Chamberlain University Lesson Week 1 (2020). Retrieved from: https://portal.chamberlain.edu
(https://portal.chamberlain.edu)

Jackson, J.(2015). Why nurses need to be politically active. Retrieved from https://injectableorange.com
(https://injectable)

WhitmanCobb, W.N. (2020). Political science today. (1st ed.). Washington, D.C.: Sage, CQ Press.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Sep 1, 2020

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 7 of 84

Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 1 at 12:54pm

POLITICS AND DUTY

Stacey, Jessica, and Class,

Do all Americans have a duty/responsibility to be involved in the policy making process … to be
knowledgeable and involved in politics? If not, how come? If so, where does this duty come from?
Does it arise out of the very fact that all of us are impacted by politics? Does it come from somewhere
else?

Do nurses have a special responsibility to be aware of, and maybe even active in, politics? If so, how
come? Because they need to be an advocate for patients? For other reasons?

If there is a duty here, for everyone and/or for nurses specifically, are folks fulfilling it?

If there is a duty here, how should folks go about fulfilling it? By joining in protests? By joining interests
groups? By voting? In other ways?

Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Wednesday

Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 2 at 11:42am

POLITICS AND DUTY
Lindsay, Bre, Stacey, Dorcas, Alexander, and Class,

Do all Americans have a duty to be involved in politics? If not, how come? Because a duty only
arises if your interests are directly and negatively impacted? For another reason? If there does is a
duty, where does it come from? From the fact that all of us are actually impacted by politics in every
single facet of our lives (as we are seeing in the conversation up above)?

Does it come from somewhere else?

Do nurses have a special responsibility to be aware of, and maybe even active in, politics? If so,
how come? Because they need to be an advocate for patients? Because politics is critical for
promoting healthy lifestyles (dealing with obesity, smoking, and more)? Because politics plays such
a critical role in healthcare more generally? Because nurses can play a critical role in preserving
healthcare access? For other reasons?

If there is a duty here, for everyone and/or for nurses specifically, are folks fulfilling it?

If there is a duty here, how should folks go about fulfilling it? By joining in protests? By joining
interests groups? By voting? By getting involved in governance at work? By following legislation
dealing with healthcare? In other ways?

Sam

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 8 of 84

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(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Thursday

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POLITICS AND DUTY
Kylie, Jessica, Nikki, Michalle, Mia, and Class,

We now know that politics does impact nearly every facet of our lives. This is one reason
why Americans might have a duty to be involved in/knowledgeable about politics? What
are some others? That it is just a part and parcel of citizenship? The presence of
connected duties like jury duty and the duty to register for selective services? A parallel
religious duty to be involved? Something else?

If nurses have a special responsibility to be aware of, and maybe even active in, politics it is
because:

If there is a duty here, for everyone and/or for nurses specifically, are folks fulfilling it?

If there is a duty here, how should folks go about fulfilling it? By joining in protests? By
joining interests groups? By voting? By getting involved in governance at work? By
following legislation dealing with healthcare? In other ways?

Sam

they need to be an advocate for patients;
it is critical for promoting healthy lifestyles (dealing with obesity, smoking, and more);
politics plays such a critical role in healthcare more generally;
nurses can play a critical role in preserving healthcare access;
healthcare policies are undergoing so much change these days; and/or
why else?

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Saturday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
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POLITICS AND DUTY
Traci and Class,

Americans might have a duty to be involved in/knowledgeable about politics because:
politics impacts every aspect of their lives; it is just a part and parcel of citizenship; of
connected duties like jury duty and the duty to register for selective services; of parallel
religious duty to be involved; and/or something else?

If nurses have a special responsibility to be aware of, and maybe even active in, politics it is
because:
If there is a duty here, for everyone and/or for nurses specifically, are folks fulfilling it?
If there is a duty here, how should folks go about fulfilling it? By joining in protests? By
joining interests groups? By voting? By getting involved in governance at work? By
following legislation dealing with healthcare? In other ways?
Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/125151)

Nikki Lagua
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/125151)
Sunday

Hi Professor,

I think nurses do have some sort of special responsibility to be aware on what’s going on. Do I
think they fulfill it automatically? Not really. Sometimes I feel like people decide to talk about a
policy change when it’s too late (in all aspects). During the early stages of a problem, the
noises and hints are very subtle for anyone to pick up. Typically people think the problem will
resolve itself when it’s actually getting worse and by the time someone says something about
it, it’s too late. In terms of duty, I think it’s pretty easy for nurses to start an activist campaign
these days. With social media, things get passed on pretty easily and can get people up to
speed and to build awareness.

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
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(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/168571)

Penica Hill
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/168571)
Sunday

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Professor,

Great question, I am a nurse and learning about politics has peeked my interest in policy making
and advocacy, so have recent events such as the pandemic and BLM protest. Nurses are patient
advocates and as such are tasked with added responsibility to stay informed and involved in issues
affecting the people and communities they live and work in.

I would like to see a greater level of participation. Nurses make up the largest segment of
healthcare workers and are identified as the most trusted health professionals by patients. With
that comes added capacity to affect change.

Politics affect funding and funding drives service. Our healthcare system is regulated by
government; policies, reform, regulatory agencies. According to our reading, “Politics is defined as
the authoritative distribution of resources or rather the determining of who gets what, when, and
how” (Whitman Cobb, 2020). As advocates we must ensure that resources are distributed to those
who need them. Nobody is as aware of the needs in healthcare like those who work there
everyday, and we need to have a greater voice.

Reference

Whitman Cobb, W.N. (2020). Political science today (1st ed.). Washington, DC: Sage, CQ Press.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/180986)

Miranda Duellman
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/180986)
Saturday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 11 of 84

Prior to this class, I did not think I was involved in any politics. After giving it some further thought, I
realized that I may be more involved than I realized. Although I don’t often keep up with nation-wide
politics and policies, I am actively involved in my organization and the policies that we place at the
clinic. One of the huge benefits to working in a small organization is that my voice can be heard a bit
more than if I were to work in a larger hospital. My nurse manager is big in asking our opinions and
getting the feedback of the nurses that work the floor because changes in any policies usually affects
us and our patients more than anyone else.

I like to think that everyone should be involved in the policy making process, even at the higher levels,
but that is a task that seems near impossible. Sure, you can vote and protest and join groups, but how
much of a difference does that truly make? It seems like that is just a drop in the bucket and deters me
personally from wanting to get involved in the larger scale issues.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/150366)

Lindsay Holton

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/150366)
Sep 1, 2020

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POLITICS AND DUTY

Professor Angus and Stacy,

Great post Stacy. I agree with your statements about nurses having to understand policies to be patient
advocates and also, doing our part if we feel necessary like protesting or joining organizations. To answer
Professor Angus’ question relating to do all Americans have the responsibility to be involved in policy
making, I believe no. I think if it impacts you in a significant way in which you have a strong dislike, then go
ahead and get involved but on the nursing stand point, if it deals with me, my patients, or my job then I will
be quick to be involved. I am a member of our unit-based council at work, and as the co-chair we discuss
hot topics and issues that arise in our emergency department. Now this is a small example of big
politicians, but we still rally for what is right and always have best interest for patients in mind. We discuss
different policies, present information to management, and vote on the outcome. This is a highly respected
group of nurses that can implement change. Therefore, I believe outside of work differs from my career. Not
being at work can give someone the ability to lay low in politics but be knowledgeable on what is going on,
without a responsibility or duty to be actively involved in the making of policies.

Lindsay Holton
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169214)

Kylie King
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169214)
Wednesday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 12 of 84

Stacey,

I have put off anything political up until this point. I know that it has been something to exist in my life, but I
never called attention to it. I was shocked to agree with your post about understanding politics being equal
to having a voice. I was always told that if I wanted to be heard all I had to do was speak up, but speaking
up means, in my opinion, that I have to be able to back it up as well. I think there is a lot of political pull
when it comes to COVID-19 and rules/regulations being put in place. Professor Angus asked if all
Americans have a duty to be involved in the policymaking process, and personally, my answer is no. I say
no because, for instance, I am not in any shape or form in a position where knowledge about COVID from
top scientists will be directly given to me. I feel as though I need to be able to knowledgeable in order to
make it my duty to be involved in the policy process; therefore saying that there is no duty to be involved,
but there is a duty to become knowledgeable.

Kylie King

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/152086)

Jessica Medwick

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/152086)
Thursday

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Good post Stacey!

I agree I feel like studying political science is defiantly interesting and will be beneficial to all of us. I feel like
everyone should be educated on the government and politics, like as you mentioned, they have control
over so much. I like how you used an example of COVID. The government is the ones that put each state
under the stay at home order, told us to wear masks, and social distancing. They are the ones that are
putting all this into affect and placing the orders. I do feel like there are politics that go on in the health care
field also. It is important as citizens and employees to keep up with what is going on as we have the right to
be informed not only for us but for our families. Thank you for sharing!

Jessica Medwick

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157798)
Kimberly Stuck Thornton
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157798)
Saturday
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9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 13 of 84

Stacey,

I agree entirely. If the covid has done anything, it has really opened my eyes to the fact that we as the
people really need to be more aware and more involved in politics. I was not always interested in politics. I
really did not like it. I have always felt like we do not have a big enough voice and that the government will
do whatever they want anyways. I definitely do not agree with all of the policies that are put into place and it
would be nice if I could understand why they put them into place to begin with. I myself would be like it if the
government could be more honest with the people so that we can understand, but I also know that they
probably can not always be honest because not everybody can understand or handle the truth. I am
hoping that this class can help me to be more interested and knowledgeable. I appreciate your post,
because yes we need to be the change.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/168571)
Penica Hill
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/168571)
Sunday
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Hi Stacey,

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on why it is important for students to study political science. As you
mentioned we need to understand the politics behind the issues in order to advocate for change.

As per our text being informed protects “our ability to do certain things that must be protected from
government, such as freedom of speech, religion, thought, and action (Whitman Cobb, 2020). Also it is
difficult to take a side on an issue if we are not aware of the issues. So staying informed allows us to use
our voice and influence. If we do not we risk losing our civil liberties.

Reference

Whitman Cobb, W. N. (2020). Political science today (1st ed.). Washington, DC: Sage, CQ Press

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Sunday

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Penica and Class,

Staying informed may well be critical to folks’ ability to stand up for their rights and the rights of
others, and this may be critical for democracy.

Sam

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 14 of 84

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/150366)

Lindsay Holton
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/150366)
Sep 1, 2020

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ENCOUNTERING POLITICS IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES

Professor Angus and class,

Political science is the study of politics which in every media outlet politics are highly argued (Whitman, 2020, p.
4). Political scientist study analytically and can remove the media chaos (Whitman, 2020, p. 5). To my limited
understanding of the politics around me, I have acknowledged politics are really in everything I do so learning
political science is beneficial. Political science examines underlying questions on how and why things in politics
happen, allowing for more informative, educational answers than the political media (Whitman, 2020, p. 5). This
will be so helpful to me as the media is full of controversy and arguing, so knowing what information is accurate
and trustworthy is hard to find. Politics and science should not be fighting with each other as science
determines the issues and proposes solutions, while political skill and power provide the ability to implement
solutions (Sharfstein, 2016). So, learning political science will only benefit the learner with more insight into
policies, processes, government, law, and most importantly with factual information.

Politics affect my life both positively and negatively. Unfortunately, I am not well versed in this area so much
learning will come out of this course, but politics negatively affect my life as it causes much chaos. My husband
is well aware of all things politics so many frustrations can happen due to what is seen in the media, especially
during this pandemic. I for one stay out of it to help my own mental health, but maybe understand what is going
on beyond what the media wants me to hear may be profoundly beneficial. So, too say media politics causes a
higher level of stress is pretty accurate in my life. In contrast to the stress, the most impactful benefit of politics
is the ability to vote on things we believe in. Whether we are voting for a state official, school board runner, or
president, we put our trust into their policies and let them be our voice with our vote. In the argument of voting, if
you do not vote, do you have the right to argue about who wins?

References

Starfstein, F. (2016, March 14). Rethinking science and politics. The Milbank Quarterly, 94(1), 39-42.
https://www-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/pmc/articles/PMC4941962/
(https://www-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/pmc/articles/PMC4941962/)

Whitman, W.N.C. (2020). Political Science Today (1 ed). Washington, DC: Sage. CQ Press.st

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/126719)

Breanna Majzel
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/126719)
Sep 1, 2020

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 15 of 84

Lindsay, I think that media has to much power, but at the same time is not the same as political science.
Political science is much more in depth, and as stated in the Chamberlain University Political Science
Today book, it is more than just what the media has to tell us (Cobb, 2020). The media plays a big role in
our the nation on how people view politics. An example is all we heard from the media from March to the
end of May was about the coronavirus and then at the end of May, when the tragic death of George Floyd
occurred, it was as if the coronavirus disappeared for awhile. I am not saying that George Floyd didn’t
deserve the media coverage that he got, I am glad the media brought the incident to American’s attention,
because it is a real issue happening in our nation right now, but did you notice that for about a month or so
you didn’t hear much about COVID. That is because the media uses their power to control what our country
hears. This can be both good and bad, the media can state some very negative, false information at the
same time. Do you think the media sometimes plays too big of a role in our lives?

Cobb, W.N.W. (2020). Political Science Today. Sage: CQ Press

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/150366)

Lindsay Holton
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/150366)
Wednesday

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Breanna,

Great question. I do think the media plays too big of a role in our lives. So many news outlets with tons
of opposing opinions, who is to believe? Seems like every channel has a different opinion and with
news I believe opinions should not be expressed, only facts so the country can make create their own
ideas. Not only are some news stories untrustworthy, people get so drawn into the media politics that if
affects their day to day life. I do not turn on the TV often, so I do not feel as though I am engulfed in the
media chaos, but I do know my father in law is. He speaks aggressively about what he hears on the
news and often his moods are affected by it. If the media on television and social media websites were
not so popular and people got their news from articles or reliable sources, maybe the news media
might start providing more accurate information that removes their own biases.

Lindsay Holton
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Thursday
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MEDIA AND FACTS
Lindsay and Class,

What are facts? What does it look like when the reporting of the news is based in facts, logic,
reason, science, etc.?

Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Saturday
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!

MEDIA AND FACTS
Jessica and Class,

What are facts?

What does it look like when the reporting of the news is based in facts, logic, reason,
science, etc.?

How often is the reporting of the news based in facts, logic, reason, science, etc.? How
often does it distort the truth, leave out key details, etc.?

Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/117098)

Stacey Ryle
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/117098)
Sep 1, 2020

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 17 of 84

Lindsay

I, agree that the media has a tremendous amount of power in politics. You cannot turn on the tv or radio or
even go onto social media without hearing someone in that platform expressing their personal opinion on
an issue or trying to impose that opinion on you. Social media has played a large role in quickly sharing
information both fact and fiction. Satterfield, 2016 states, “The constant streams of memes, links and
rumors about political leaders and candidates is a mixture of truth, lies, satire and speculation.” It often
leaves the public confused and full of stress and angst. Social media is a huge platform that is ever
growing. It can be used to provide information to a large population. It’s role in influencing politics is huge
and will continue to to grow. It is extremely easy to be swayed by misinformation. It is the obligation of the
reader or viewer to do more research and view reputable sites for their information

Thanks for sharing

Stacey Ryle
Reference

Satterfield, H. (2016). How social media affects politics. Retrieved from https://sysomos.com

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/152086)

Jessica Medwick
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/152086)
Friday

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Good post Lindsay,

I agree, politics and the government are in every part of our daily lives. I don’t follow politics as much as I
should either so I feel like this class is going to be beneficial to me and help me understand politics better.
People get into heated arguments over politics as well so I understand why it’s good for mental health
reasons to not follow along so closely, however I feel like it is important to know since it has such an affect
on everyone. The media I agree also isn’t always accurate. Sometimes situations get exaggerated or they
favor the one side and make the opposite side sound horrible. Having the knowledge with politics helps us
make knowledgeable votes when it is time to. This political science class will be much more detailed than
what the media leads us to believe. Thank you for sharing!
Jessica Medwick

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/168028)

Traci Callari
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/168028)
Saturday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
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Lindsay,
Thank you for expressing your views regarding the political challenges with social media . It’s very hard
to determine the good, the bad and the truth. During these past few months in South Florida and the
Covid19 Pandemic, working as a nurse has created direct impacts and discussions amongst the staff
regarding the truth or the stretch of the truth. As nurses we are held to a standard of patient confidentiality,
and limited on what we can or can not say. While those rules are to followed, I feel that people need to also
understand and know the impacts and struggles we are faced with. This has become a greater challenge
with the opinions and political mindset that has sometimes provided misinformed facts and
demonstrated the need for greater education to help the public understand a little better. That’s where we
as nurses have an obligation to protect our patients rights but also inform the public of the facts and
importance of safety. Perhaps this pandemic has ignited advocacy and provided an opportunity to speak
up for nurses, patients and the well-being of the community.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/125151)
Nikki Lagua
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/125151)
Sunday
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Hi Lindsay,

First, excellent reply to the discussion question. I appreciate the little bit you wrote “Political science
examines underlying questions on how and why things in politics happen”. Our text mentions that political
science is indeed a science just like the natural sciences. There’s variables that can be taken into account
to give off a prediction in politics. When you mentioned how the media throws around controversy
and conspiracy theories, those things also dictate the outcome of our current policies which is why I think
it’s beneficial for us to learn about these things. It should also be noted that every one of us play a factor in
politics.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169214)

Kylie King (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169214)
Aug 31, 2020

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 19 of 84

ENCOUNTERING POLITICS IN SMALL TOWNS

Professor Angus and Class,

If we all agree with the idea that politics were to be what connects society to everyday life, then we can also agree
that it affects how small towns are running. The textbook author seems to suggest as much when she states,
“institutionalists would focus on how things like committees are set up or how much power leaders have and the
types of effects that might have on congressional productivity or power structures” (Whitman 9). Now, they are
talking at a congressional level, but isn’t it true that within small rural communities there are mayors and committees
or even a board of trustees for the village? In my experience, yes. In my hometown, there is a board for the Village
of Gardner who meets with the mayor and votes towards what happens in our little town. Furthermore, Patricia Dyk
elaborates on the concept that politics affect small-town living by stating “In particular, it replaces democracy with
corporate power”. The ‘it’ she is referring to is poverty and politics in rural areas. Corporate power can then be
suggested as being “political”, and if that is the case, then it can confidently be determined that politics, in theory,
affect our life and more in-depth where we live. With that being said, then I can follow up and say yes, politics in
some shape or form has an impact on life. Does that mean that we can go ahead and say the latter? Do politics
impact rural areas the same as urban areas?

Kylie

Bacon ipsum dolor…

Cobb, W.N. W. (2019). Political Science Today. [VitalSource Bookshelf]. Retrieved
from https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781544358314/

Dyk, P. H. (2016). Worlds Apart: Poverty and Politics in Rural America, 2nd ed., by Cynthia M. Duncan, New Haven,
CT: Yale University Press, 2015. 304 pp. $25.00 (paper). ISBN: 9780300196597. Rural Sociology, 81(4), 660-663.
doi:10.1111/ruso.12149

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169214)

Kylie King
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169214)
Aug 31, 2020

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 20 of 84

%
Professor and Class,

If anyone knows how to make a hanging indent in Canvas please let me know. Above was my attempt to do so,
and it failed majorly.

Thanks,

Kylie
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Aug 31, 2020
%
!

I don’t think I will be much help with indents of any kind, but if you can’t figure it out don’t worry about it. I
thought your post was more than sufficiently formatted!

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157798)

Kimberly Stuck Thornton
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157798)
Aug 31, 2020

% (1 like)

Kylie,

I always use Microsoft word to type my discussion. This makes it easy for me to copy it and past it into the
discussion box. In word I can just type in hanging and it will do it for me when I highlight it and click the
button. I hope this helps.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Aug 31, 2020
!

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 21 of 84

Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Aug 31 at 9:41am

POLITICS IN SMALL TOWNS (RURAL V. URBAN)
Kylie and Class,

Politics certainly impacts folks in small towns and folks in major cities. Is the impact the same? Does politics
play a different role in the lives of folks in rural areas than it does in the lives of city dwellers? Does it impact
their lives in different ways? If not, why not? If so, what are the key differences and are they rooted in
institutional peculiarities or in something else?

Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Sunday
%
!

POLITICS IN SMALL TOWNS (RURAL V. URBAN) … FINALISH
THOUGHTS
Caitlynn and Class,

Politics impacts you regardless of the size of your town, but it may well impact you in different ways.
Folks may have a closer and more intimate connection to politics in small towns, where they are more
likely to know their representatives and their representatives are more likely to know them (for example I
know my mayor and most of the folks on city council, something that would not likely be true if I lived in
Chicago). The institutions themselves are likely to be smaller and less intimidating. There may also be
more emphasis on personal connections in policy making, which could be a good and a bad thing.

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/57550)

Caitlynn Farthing
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/57550)
Thursday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 22 of 84

Being from a small town myself I agree that yes we have a mayor, committees, even a judge executive who
acts as voices for our community. Something to think about with small towns is, do you feel like the small town
“everyone knows everyone” affects how people are voted in, stay voted in office etc.?

The people we choose to be our advocates, are they qualified for the job or do they just know all the right
people? Because of this I believe that politics do impact both rural and urban areas but that they are impacted
in different ways.

I believe that people in a rural community are represented in a different way than people who live in urban
areas. Representation, the idea that ” the views of all the people in a society are considered when decisions are
being made” ( Cobb, 2018).

On one hand rural areas may be represented more due to the fact of actually knowing and caring about the
people in your community that you are representing. On the the other hand as stated above if the particular
person who is representing you is only in their place of authority because of the people they know. Are they
knowledgeable enough to represent you correctly? Due to this I feel living in a rural community is like a double
edge sword.

Whitman Cobb, W.N. (2020). Political science today. Sage, CQ Press.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Aug 31, 2020
%
!

WHAT IS POLITICS? WHAT IS GOVERNMENT?
Class,

Political science is the study of politics. So, what is politics?

And while we are at it … what is government?

Lastly, how does government relate to politics? Can you illustrate this relationship with an analogy?

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169532)

Angela Walker
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169532)

Aug 31, 2020

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 23 of 84

Political science is the systematic and scientific study of politics, including institutions, behaviors, and
processes. (Cobb, 20190723, p. 2). It is more than just the smear campaigns we see every second of every day
on television and social media. Political science examines the effects policies have on society.

One example of how politics affects small towns is agriculture. There were many dairy farms locally until
two years ago. A large corporation decided that only a specific number of dairy farms were necessary; they also
chose from which dairy farms to buy the milk. This action put a lot of small family-run farms out of business. All
of these farms had been in the family for generations, and now they are gone. Only the larger, more commercial
farms remain. This is a perfect example of the economic concentration of the agrifood system, as described by
Patricia Dyk.

I believe, personally, that small town suffers more than larger cities because often the elected officials
are from the same family. This family usually owns many businesses, has more wealth, and thereby more clout.
It has been my experience that seldom does anyone else run for council chairs because they do not have the
connections of the incumbent.

What is the difference between politics and government? I may be incorrect here, but to me, politics is
what people do to get and retain power. Take, for example, a marriage, this is a governing body that consists of
two, but you have to find a way to work together (politics). Now, you have children, so together you make rules,
and these rules are expected to be followed (government).

References

Cobb, W. W. (20190723). Political Science Today. [[VitalSource Bookshelf version]]. Retrieved from
vbk://9781544358314

Dyk, P. H. (2016). Worlds Apart: Poverty and Politics in Rural America, 2nd ed., by Cynthia M. Duncan,
New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2015. 304 pp. $25.00 (paper). ISBN: 9780300196597. Rural
Sociology, 81(4), 660-663. doi:10.1111/ruso.12149

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Sep 1, 2020
!

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 24 of 84

WHAT IS POLITICS? WHAT IS GOVERNMENT?
Angi, Jessica, Traci, and Class,

What is politics? Is it group decision making? Is it the “authoritative distribution of resources?”
(Whitman, 3) Is it, as Harold Laswell stated, the determination of “who gets what, when, and how?”
(Whitman, 3) Is it something else? What does any/all of this really mean?

What is government and how does it relate to politics? Is it the political system itself? Is it the structure
within which politics operates? Is it something else?

What analogy best captures the relationship between government and politics?

Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Wednesday
%
!

WHAT IS POLITICS? WHAT IS GOVERNMENT?
Geoffrey and Class,

What is politics? Is it group decision making? Is it the “authoritative distribution of resources?”
(Whitman, 3) Is it, as Harold Laswell stated, the determination of “who gets what, when, and how?”
(Whitman, 3) Is it the act of governance? Is it something else? What does any/all of this really
mean?

What is government and how does it relate to politics? Is it the political system itself? Is it a
framework of sorts? Is it the structure within which politics operates? Is it something else?

What analogy best captures the relationship between government and politics?
Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Thursday
!

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 25 of 84

WHAT IS POLITICS? WHAT IS GOVERNMENT?
Traci and Class,

What is politics? Is it group decision making? Is it the “authoritative distribution of resources?”
(Whitman, 3) Is it, as Harold Laswell stated, the determination of “who gets what, when, and
how?” (Whitman, 3) Is it the act of governance? Is it chaos? Is it something else? What does
any/all of this really mean?

What is government and how does it relate to politics? Is it the political system itself? Is it a
framework of sorts? Is it the structure within which politics operates? Is it something else?
What analogy best captures the relationship between government and politics?
Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/168028)
Traci Callari
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/168028)
Saturday
!

Politics and Government are intermingled. You probably won’t be very successful if you have
one and not the other. You asked if politics is a group decision, yes, after long debate at times
and the decisions are sometimes influenced by others.. Once the decisions are made, the
government establishes and provides the warranted resources. Is politics chaos, most of the
time unless you are involved in a so called dictatorship arena which would have it’s own
chaos. Government is also known as To Lead, but you can’t lead with out direction from the
politicians. Government can be considered political due to the simple fact of who’s making the
decisions that are being implemented. My analogy that best captures the relationship between
politics and government is a Christmas tree. The tree itself represents the bass example the
community. Most Christmas’s trees need lights, so lets keep it Political and put Red, White,
and Blue lights on the tree representing The Dem, Rep, and Independents. Now it’s time for
the ornaments. This is perhaps becomes the decision challenge, use fragile ornaments,
homemade, all one style or mix matched. Do you use Ribbon or Tinsel? Place a star on the
top or an Angel? Who and how often does water need to be placed to keep it from catching on
fire. Last but not least how many gifts will be under the tree and for who and do you have
enough money to get the gifts. . That basically sums up my thoughts on politics and
government .

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 26 of 84

SHOW MORE 2 2

% (1 like)
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157798)
Kimberly Stuck Thornton
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Aug 31, 2020
!

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 27 of 84

Week 1 Discussion: Why Study Political Science?

First, what is political science? Well according to the textbook “political science is the systemic and scientific study
of politics, including institutions, behaviors and processes.” (N., 2020) According to UTSA it is important for students
to study political science because it will help them to understand the institutions and laws that govern the function of
all businesses. The UTSA states that political science classes will sharpen the understanding
of organizational dynamics and human relations. Political science will also
help hone a student’s writing, communication, and statistical skills. (UTSA Department of Political Science and
Geography, 2020)

Political science is relevant to me personally, because as a citizen of the United States I must follow the laws that
are put into place by the government. Our lesson this week brought to my attention things that the government
controls in my everyday life that I never thought of before when I thought of politics. I think of politics as voting for
the president or any governmental official. Since I became an adult, I realized that we the people do not own
anything. Even though I bought my house, and I bought my car, they still are not mine. I say this because I
still must pay taxes on these things every year and if I do not, I will no longer be able to use them. A new thing I
realized this year, is that if the county wants to widen the road, they can just widen it a foot over into my yard and
they did not even pay me for that foot all the way down the road. Did I have a say in it? No, I did not. Since
the covid hit, we have all realized just how much we do not control and just how much freedom we the people do
not have. Since the covid, I realize that political science is important because the government controls
everything and I need to be knowledgeable of these things. I need to be a productive and smart voter. I need to be
understanding and aware of how and why things are happening the way they are. Since the covid, I have become
fearful of how much control the government has. It is scary how they can just stop everything and get away with
destroying the country and many businesses. I understand that they are trying to help, but it is not helping, and
things are getting worse daily.

References

N., W. C. W. (2020). Political science today. Sage, CQ Press.

UTSA Department of Political Science and Geography. (2020). Why Political Science? Why Political Science? |
UTSA Department of Political Science and Geography. http://colfa.utsa.edu/polisci-geography/about-political-
science (http://colfa.utsa.edu/polisci-geography/about-political-science) .

Why should students learn about political science?
Describe one reason political science is interesting or relevant to you personally.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169532)
Angela Walker
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169532)

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 28 of 84

Sep 1, 2020
%
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Kimberly,

It has become very apparent with the COVID pandemic just how much the government does control our lives.
Like you, I never thought about that aspect before now. Our Governor has mandated masks, dictated how many
people can be at gatherings, and though sporting events have opened some, due to the restrictions, parents
are not allowed to watch their kids play. One State Senator is actively fighting these restrictions because small
business is failing, people are refusing to wear masks, and people are refusing to go back to work because they
are currently making more money on unemployment, to name a few. Most people here are fed up with the
restrictions while others live in fear every day.

As I have gotten older, I have taken a more active interest in policies that affect us. I am embarrassed to admit
it, but this is the first time I plan to vote in the presidential election. I have also become more vocal about
policies in our local community and the hospital I work, and no longer satisfied to sit back and let things happen.
I have always tried to advocate for my patients; now, I am advocating for my rights as well.

Our country is a state of unrest. I think back to how people must have felt when they were fighting for women’s
rights or racial equality. How afraid, angry, and proud they must have thought at the time. Yes, changes need to
be made but I believe these positive changes can be made without all of the violence.

Angi

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Sep 1, 2020
%
!

GOVERNMENTS AND PANDEMICS
Angi, Kimberly, and Class,

What should the federal governments role be in dealing with a pandemic? What role has our federal
government played in this current pandemic?

Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/126719)
Breanna Majzel
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/126719)
Sep 1, 2020
!

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 29 of 84

Dear Professor, Angela, and Kimberly,

I feel that at first I thought the government did the appropriate steps by declaring a national emergency
and drawling everyone’s attention to the matter. But as time went on and President Trump let the
state’s dictate their own state’s guidelines I felt that things got out of hand in some states. I believe that
the government made the right calls in the beginning, but as time has gone on, I felt that they abused
their powers. I might feel this way because I do live in Illinois and we have had extreme guidelines put
in place. The government has controlled how many people you can have at a gathering, restaurant
guidelines, wearing masks in public, and so much more. I live in a small town of 2,000 and I feel that
the government of Illinois has been basing everything off of Chicago. I understand that Chicago needs
stronger guidelines put into place than other towns, but Chicago’s numbers and cases should not
dictate southern Illinois’ guidelines. I work in the restaurant industry as a server, and in March through
the end of May they took away my job completely, and then it went to patio seating only, then worked
it’s way to indoor seating with 25% capacity, and then now we are only backtracking. We know cannot
have bar stools at the bar, and today we are actually getting new guidelines that have to take affect. My
boss sent out a text to my co-workers and myself stating that today we will get an announcement if we
are getting shut back down or if we have to go back to patio seating only. The unemployment rate in
Illinois has hit 1.62 million since the pandemic has began in March (Brad Weisenstein Ben Szalinski
Writer / Good Government by Brad Weisenstein, Weisenstein, & Szalinski Writer, 2020). This is
affecting all of us in different ways, and I understand the dangers of COVID, but the question comes
down to how long will we have to live like this? Will we ever get back to our normal lifestyle? Is it worth
our government shutting down our economy? Could the United States go back into a depression state?
Do not get me wrong, I understand how scary this pandemic is, and that one of the biggest thing we
have to worry about is the hospital complicity, and that is a big reason things keep getting shut down.
But I am ready to get back to normalization like many others.

Brad Weisenstein Ben Szalinski Writer / Good Government by Brad Weisenstein, Weisenstein, B., &
Szalinski Writer, B. (2020, August 28). Everything you need to know about COVID-19 in Illinois.
Retrieved September 01, 2020, from https://www.illinoispolicy.org/what-you-need-to-know-
about-coronavirus-in-illinois/ (https://www.illinoispolicy.org/what-you-need-to-know-about-
coronavirus-in-illinois/)

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157798)
Kimberly Stuck Thornton
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157798)
Saturday
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9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 30 of 84

%
Professor,

I believe that the governments role in a pandemic, is to protect the people if at all possible. At the
same time they are to keep from causing mass hysteria. I also believe that telling the truth can go a
long way. Its the governments job to find a vaccine that is safe. This country has been through many
pandemics, and so far in my lifetime as well as the lifetimes of the elderly people I have spoke with on
this subject, have we ever needed to shut down the country. So far during this pandemic, I have seen
nothing but chaos, mostly driven by the government. This is only my opinion, but I honestly feel that
this has been blown way out of proportion. What is the sense in wearing the masks? Is this to keep us
from coughing on each other? Isn’t a virus too small to be stopped by a surgical mask or a piece of
cloth? The n95 is not even made to protect those that are not wearing it, so if I am sick and am wearing
an n95 then I am still spreading the virus all around. I think that there should have been some serious
education on the masks before mandating people to wear them long term. Also with that, what are the
long term effects of breathing your own respiratory output? At the same time we have to remember that
this is America and we are here because of the supposed freedom. We should not be forced to do
things that could potentially harm us. And what about all of the small businesses that have gone out of
business due to the pandemic. I feel like this has been a disaster.

Thanks

Again this is my opinion, I am not judging if others feel differently.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Sunday
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GOVERNMENTS AND PANDEMICS, FINAL THOUGHTS
Bre, Kimberly, Rachelle, and Class,

There is not agreement on the role that the federal government should play in a pandemic, and
this lack of an agreement reveals some of the main ideological divisions in American politics.
Some folks think the government should play a major role in coordinating our response. These
folks tend to think that the government has an important role to play more generally in the
economy and beyond. Others think that it should really do little, leaving the bulk of the heavy
lifting for state or even local governments. These folks tend to see a minimal role for
government more generally. And, of course, there are a lot of positions in between these two
points. In real life, our federal government has not played a particularly active role in
coordinating the response to COVID. It has also not had a particularly consistent message and
has varied quite a bit in the extent to which its actions have been consistent with expert
recommendations. The approaches taken by individual states have varied quite widely [on how
to deal with masks (the wearing of which is pretty clearly recommended by most medical
experts), how much autonomy to give local communities, how to handle school openings, how to
handle testing, how to handle travel across state borders, etc., etc.) as have the results of these
efforts. We can locate these approaches on an ideological grid containing sections for modern
conservatives, modern liberals, libertarians, and more (labels we will explore a bit next week).
We can also evaluate these approaches by looking to facts, and it is important to not lose sight
of the fact that facts exist and that a shared set of facts is an important part of coming together
to have constructive discussions of issues and to resolving teh problems that face us. We will
talk more about all of this in the weeks to come.

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/116211)

Rachelle Walton
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/116211)
Sunday

!
Kimberly,

I like that you bring up the point that political science can help with writing, communication, and statistical skills.
I never thought of it that way. Also, a good point bringing up Covid and politics. Although some say the whole
thing is political, the control of what happens definitely is. In New Jersey, the governor was able to shut down
businesses to control the curve. Most businesses are still not functional. Some people lost their business that
they have dedicated their lives to. Without any income for many months, most people had no choice but to shut
down. Indoor dining just resumed this week. I really feel bad for the people who’s lives are so affected. I know it
was necessary to a point, but there has to be some give at some point. So, it is important to have someone
running your community that you can rely on not to take your livelihood. Great post, thanks!

Rachelle

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(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/153410)

Traci East (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/153410)
Aug 31, 2020

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Encountering Politics in Our Everyday Lives

Professor and Class,

If political science is the “systematic and scientific study of politics and including institutions, behaviors and
processes” (Whitman, p4). Politics is defined as the “authoritative distribution of resources” (Whitman, p3). So,
there for learning about political science is important to understand and study because we encounter politics in our
everyday lives. We encounter politics at home, at work and in our communities to name a few. I face politics
everyday at the hospital I work in. Why we do the things we do at work and how we execute them are all examples
of politics at work. Someone wrote the policy and one approved that policy to become why we perform certain tasks
the way we do. Politics in a hospital setting comes down to who and how you work in a hospital but reading
Emergency Physicians Monthly the article “Hospital Politics Don’t Have To Be a Dirty Business” they talk about
working together no matter the challenge or challenging coworker productively for what’s the best for the patient, the
hospital you work for and also your career (Silverman & White, 2017). This speaks volumes if you put the patient
first then the rest should fall in line. Working in a hospital is just one example of how we encounter politics in our
everyday lives. This would be true to about anything we do. We can own a house, but you must pay property taxes
and that can go toward the schools or other government functions. So, to me we live and breathe taxes.

Silverman, M., & White, D. (2017, October 10). Hospital Politics Don’t Have to Be a Dirty Business. Retrieved
August 31, 2020, from https://epmonthly.com/article/hospital-politics-dont-dirty-business/

Whitman Cobb, W. N. (2020) (pp3-4). Political science today. Washington, DC: Sage, CQ

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/141474)

Siddony Blue
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/141474)
Sep 1, 2020

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
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Traci

I agree, politics is everywhere we go. I think in the workplace and
especially with healthcare, we see it a lot. Politics not only impact patients,
but also the ability to care for them and the institution that decide how we
care for them or what services we provide.

I think that the hospital environment is one of the most politically charged
environments, because there are often financial stakeholders that are
deeply involved in the different decisions. Even as staff when we try to put
patient first, at times, there may be functions and department head above
us that can slow down that process or challenge our productivity.

In those situations, how do you combat these types of politically charged
situations?

Siddony

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/152086)

Jessica Medwick
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/152086)
Aug 31, 2020

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Professor and Class,

“Political science is the systematic and scientific study of politics, including institutions, behaviors, and processes”
(Cobb, 2020). I feel like it is important to learn about political science and for us to remain educated on what is going
on with politics and our government. I feel like when you watch different news stations, they try to steer you all
different directions, so if you have an understanding of what is going on in the world and do your own research,
you’ll be able to point out what is actually true and what is not.

From our lesson, we learned that the government owns so much and impacts our daily lives. The house you bought,
or car you bought; you own it, but it is not fully ours since we pay taxes on everything. So, what is the government?
“Government, the political system by which a country or community is administered and regulated” (Brogan, 2020).
As we learned in our lesson, the government is the structure that politics need to operate. (Chamberlain, 2020). This
should be relevant and important to everyone with laws that we abide, taxes that we pay, and the rights that we
have as citizens. It should be important to us too when it comes to voting. I feel like we should have the knowledge
to properly vote since we are the ones wanting what is best for our family, friends, and our country. It is always
important to go to the voting polls with facts before casting your vote, that way you know you made the best,
informed decision. (Dolen, 2019).

Political science is interesting and important to me since I want to be educated on what is going on with our country
and follow along with politics. I want to be informed not only for myself but for my family as well. Working in a
hospital too as a nurse, I feel like there is a lot of political involvement there with policies, keeping an eye on hospital
stay scores, and hospital spending costs/ unit budgets. If there or changes that need to be implemented; then there
are protesting/organizations that can help promote these changes. We are patient advocates and we are the voices
for our patients. Having the rights that we do, we have the right to remain educated with politics and the government
and the right to speak up if we need to.

Jessica Medwick

References:

Chamberlain. 2020. The Difference Between Government and Politics. Week 1 Lesson: Introducing Political
Science! Retrieved: https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/pages/week-1-lesson-introducing-
political-science?module_item_id=9295616 (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/pages/week-1-
lesson-introducing-political-science?module_item_id=9295616) m

W.N.Cobb. 2020. Political science today. (1st ed.). Washington, D.C.: Sage, CQ Press.

2019. Dolen. 2019. 3 Reasons You Should Care About Politics and The Government. Grantham University.
Retrieved: https://www.grantham.edu/blog/3-reasons-you-should-care-about-politics-and-government/

(https://www.grantham.edu/blog/3-reasons-you-should-care-about-politics-and-government/)
2020. Brogan. 2020. Government. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/government (https://www.britannica.com/topic/government)

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Sep 1, 2020
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Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 1 at 12:47pm

ENCOUNTERING POLITICS AT WORK (PARTICULARLY IN
HEALTHCARE)
Jessica, Traci, and Class,

Do you encounter ‘official’ politics, decisions as to who gets what, when, and how made in city hall, at state
capitols, and in DC if you work in a healthcare facility? If so, when exactly? When a patient is discharged?
When you are involved in budgetary matters? When else?

If you think of government and politics only in terms of the place you work, is there a ‘government’ at your
place of employment? If so, who or what is it? Do you have ‘politics’ there too?

Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Wednesday

Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 2 at 11:25am

%
!

ENCOUNTERING POLITICS AT WORK (PARTICULARLY IN
HEALTHCARE)
Siddony, Geoffrey, and Class,

Do you encounter ‘official’ politics, decisions as to who gets what, when, and how made in city hall, at
state capitols, and in DC if you work in a healthcare facility? If so, when exactly? When a patient is
discharged? When you are involved in budgetary matters? When you deal with insurance companies?
When else?

If you think of government and politics only in terms of the place you work, is there a ‘government’ at your
place of employment? If so, who or what is it? Is it a shared governance committee? Is it something
else? Do you have ‘politics’ there too?

Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Thursday
!

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
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ENCOUNTERING POLITICS AT WORK (PARTICULARLY IN
HEALTHCARE)
Nikki and Class,

You encounter ‘official’ politics, decisions as to who gets what, when, and how made in city hall, at
state capitols, and in DC if you work in a healthcare facility when: a patient is discharged; you are
involved in budgetary matters; you deal with insurance companies; you deal in any way with COVID-
19; and when else?

If you think of government and politics only in terms of the place you work, is there a ‘government’ at
your place of employment? If so, who or what is it? Is it a shared governance committee? Is it
something else? Do you have ‘politics’ there too?

Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Sunday

Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 6 at 12:35pm

%
!

ENCOUNTERING POLITICS AT WORK (PARTICULARLY IN
HEALTHCARE)
Caitlynn, Miranda, Harlie, and Class,

You may encounter politics (decisions as to “who gets what, when, and how” made within
government) if you work in healthcare when you:

If you think of government and politics only in terms of the place you work, is there a
‘government’ at your place of employment? If so, who or what is it? Is it a shared governance
committee? A nurse manager? Is it something or someone else? Do you have ‘politics’ there
too?

Sam

discharge a patient;
are involved in budgetary matters;
deal with insurance companies;
deal in any way with COVID-19;
are at all involved in research;
are involved (or not involved) in prescribing medicine;
are a Nurse Practitioner facing limitations as to what you can do; and/or
when else?

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(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Yesterday

ENCOUNTERING POLITICS AT WORK (PARTICULARLY
IN HEALTHCARE), FINAL THOUGHTS

Sierra and Class,

At your place of employment you have a government. The government might include the
CEO; the CFO; the board of directors, shareholders, shared governance and other
committees; the human resources department; business managers; union officials; the chief
nursing officer; the chief medical officer; others in management; supervisors of all sorts (i.e.
charge nurses, head nurses, unit managers, attending physicians, etc.); rules and
regulations, and more.

Politics at your place of employment are the decisions regarding “who gets what, when, and
how” … the decisions regarding: staffing ratios; admittance; determinations of wages and
benefits; hiring and firing; contract negotiations; the drafting of the employee handbook;
employee vaccination; break time; shifts; who has to work weekends; promotions; training;
job requirements; surveys; PTO; and more. Of course, decisions made in the face of our
current pandemic concerning shifts, hours, protective equipment, furloughing employees,
etc. are impacted by ‘politics’ as well.

In any workplace you also have to deal with the politics that take place in city hall, at state
capitals, and in D.C.. This has always been the case. In a healthcare setting you encounter
this sort of politics when you: are dealing with the spread of infectious diseases (wearing
PPE, screening, treating, being quarantined, being furloughed, etc.); encounter
nurse/patient ratios; encounter Medicare or Medicaid; treat folks who have no insurance for
whatever reason; have to deal with an insurance company for any reason; deal with
healthcare reimbursement; make treatment decisions; actually administer treatment; record
treatment; encounter prescription drugs (prescribe them, dispense them, etc.); encounter
the Affordable Care Act; come up against the fact that all Americans do not have access to
healthcare and that in America healthcare is not seen as a right; deal with licensing
requirements; have to complete continuing education; make appointments; consider
workplace rights; get health insurance through your employer; are restricted in your
scheduling of a patient; observe restrictions on folks visiting love ones because of health
concerns; treat an undocumented immigrant; are involved in research using embryos, fetal
tissue, etc.; administer a vaccine, are required to be vaccinated, etc.; are involved in the
provision of preventative care; are impacted by staffing decisions; work with homeless
families; join the ANA; encounter labor laws, workplace safety regulations, etc.; work at a
magnet hospital or your hospital has some other sort of special status; encounter abortion or
contraception; run into issues of accreditation; encounter zoning laws; get paid or get
benefits; work for a healthcare facility that merges with another; have patients that are
transferred between facilities; are a part of a union; assist folks with end of life decision
making; wash or sanitize your hands; transport a patient; get vacation time, adhere to

HIPAA; interact with police; and much more.

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HIPAA; interact with police; and much more.

The politics in question here takes place on the floor of Congress; in conference rooms at
the CDC; at the headquarters of the World Health Organization in Geneva; at UN
headquarters in New York; in the White House; in state legislatures; at City Hall in Detroit,
San Francisco, Madison, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond; etc..

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/57550)
Caitlynn Farthing
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/57550)
Thursday
%
!

If you had asked me last week if I thought political science was important to study I would have one
hundred percent said no. Anything with the word politic in it makes me cringe at the thought of the hate and
turmoil involved. I have always been the type to allow others to worry about it and let them catch me up on
it later, more go with the flow kind of person, allowing myself to block everything else out. I am learning that
“ political science is not nearly the whirlwind of conflict, scandal, and frustration that is often, the object of its
study” (Cobb, 2020). Political science is more the study of politics and not politics itself, I believe this is a
misconception of political science and why people even like myself can easily dismiss its importance.
Understanding that it determines “ who gets what, when, and how” has put it into a different perspective for
me. Especially as a nurse it is important to me that I am my patient’s voice, their advocate. Politics and
even political science may not be something that I particularly like but it is something important to
understand to be that voice for not only myself outside of work but what is more important to me is my
patient’s and how being knowledgeable in this aspect will enhance their care. “All governments make
decisions that set priorities regarding regulation and distribution of public goods, and AD is no exception”
(Blank, 2018). Before reading Blank’s article on Alzheimer’s Disease — Perspective from Political Science:
Public Policy Issues I would have told you that insurance companies were the problem in allowing us as
healthcare workers to care for our patient’s. This article was eye opening to see just how much our
government does dictate on “ who gets what, when, and how” particularly with research on diseases and
their cures. The truth is how do we as healthcare workers treat our patients without these researches on
how to cure a particular disease, medication, and/or other treatment options. Research is the foundation
and our government decides which is the most important, which one gets the most money, when they get it,
and how they use it. Therefore, as of today, as a nurse willing to advocate for her patients I change my
views and say yes, political science is important to study and learn more about.

Blank, R.H.(2018). Alzheimer’s Disease — Perspective from Political Science: Public Policy Issues. Journal
of Law, Medicine & Ethics. 46(3). P.724-743.

Whitman Cobb, W.N. (2020). Political science today. Sage, CQ Press.

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(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/79392)

Geoffrey Rovira
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/79392)
Sep 1, 2020

%
!

Political science as described by Heiden (2013) is “the activity of governing a legally constituted community such as
a town, nation, empire, or federation. However, politics and government are not the same as most believe. In the
lesson this week, it is written that government is the framework that dictates the law and policy for decisions, which
is politics (Chamberlain University, 2020). Students should take an interest and learn about political science
because it affects our privileges and rights. This also includes workplace politics. In nursing, there is a practice
called shared governance, which allows staff nurses to be involved in implementing new or changing policies. At my
hospital, there is a committee meeting where representatives from each unit convene to discuss changes, needs,
and issues that affect patient safety. It is important that voices and concerns are heard to ensure an effective and
reliable organization. Political science fosters research and communication, which drives change in what people
believe is important to them.

References:

Chamberlain University. (2020). Week 1 lesson: Introducing political science! Retrieved from:
https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/pages/week-1-lesson-introducing-political-science?
module_item_id=9295616

Heiden, B. (2013). The ideology of political science. Academic Questions, 26(2), 199-207. doi:10.1007/s12129-013-
9348-5

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/50995)

Heather VanDewark
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/50995)
Sep 1, 2020

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According to Whitman Cobb, political science is defined as the systematic and scientific study of politics, including
institutions, behaviors, and processes (2020). With today’s media, there is a big focus on the negativity and
oppositions in the political world of the United States, but the study of political science separates itself from the
politics side and addresses the organizational pieces that drive and evolve our political processes. As stated by
Whitman Cobb, the development of political science was the very idea of developing a systematic and scientific
view of the political world (2020). Understanding that political science differs from politics, is a very surprising fact
to many as they associate it with politics and the stigma that it brings. That is why it is imperative that students
should study and understand political science, I feel political science takes away the influential and “in your face”
negativity of politics today, and makes you think about the bigger picture. Seeing the reasons why, allows the
student to develop their own ideas regarding our government decisions, processes, and actions. With this
knowledge, they can explore their opinions, and possible contributions to making positive changes for the future of
our country and the people.

When I reflect on how studying political science will impact my views, I realized that there is little I knew regarding
it’s background. Personally, I feel that political science is relevant to me personally because I deal with the aspects
of political science on a daily basis at work. There is a rhyme and reason as to how the structure of leadership is
built in a healthcare facility, and it is important that I understand how it affects processes and daily practices for
productivity purposes. Even though we may not agree with all implementations, we need to understand that there is
more in depth reasons as to why it works. Nursing research written by Wilson, Anafi, Kusi-Appiah, Darko, Deck and
Errasti-Ibarrondo supports that nurses need to be more involved in and also more adept
at politics and political action for the advancement of the profession, and for the health and wellbeing of the public
(2020). I am eager to see how political science has an impact on my daily life, outside of work, and use the
knowledge to guide me in making educated decisions.

References

Whitman Cobb, W. N. (2020). Political science today (1st ed.). Washington, DC: Sage, CQ Press.

Wilson, D., Anafi, F., Kusi-Appiah, E., Darko, E., Deck, K., Errasti-Ibarrondo, B. (2020). Determining if nurses are
involved in political action or politics: A scoping literature review. Retrieved from
https://chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=edselp&AN=S0897189720300951&site=eds-live&scope=site
(https://chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=edselp&AN=S0897189720300951&site=eds-live&scope=site)

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Wednesday
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POLITICAL SCIENCE?
Heather and Class,

Political science is the study and analysis of politics. Is it also a science? If so, is it a social science but not a
‘hard’ or ‘real’ science?

Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/50995)

Heather VanDewark
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/50995)
Wednesday

%
!
Professor Angus and class,

After researching information regarding the differences of social science and real science, I feel that
political science does fall under the “Science” category. According to the dictionary, science is the
intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the
physical and natural world, so I feel that political science studies the social aspects versus “real” science.
In political science, from what I have learned this far, we are exploring the systematic parts that create our
government basis, based off evidence of successful processes. Although there are many variations of
defined “sciences”, and many can argue what is actual science, support shows that the sciences go hand
and hand while addressing different issues. An article written by Kirby, Jaimes, Lorenz-Reaves and
Libarkin in the Public Library of Science addresses this concept, stating interdisciplinary scientific research
teams are essential for responding to society’s complex scientific and social issues (2019).

References

Kirby, CK., Jaimes, P., Lorenz-Reaves, AR., Libarkin, JC. (2019). Development of a measure to evaluate
competence perceptions of natural and social science. Public Library of Science, 14(1). Retrieved from
https://chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=mdc&AN=30601856&site=eds-live&scope=site
(https://chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=mdc&AN=30601856&site=eds-live&scope=site)

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Sunday
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POLITICAL SCIENCE?
Heather and Class,

Political science is the analysis and study of politics. It probably is best thought of as a real science
… as a “systematic search for knowledge through observation, experiments, and tests” (Whitman
Cobb, 2020). It certainty involves the pursuit of knowledge through serious and systematic research
[including data collection (through polls, surveys, and even plain old observation), hypothesizing, the
testing of hypotheses, an attempt to replicate the research of others, and more].

So, the question here is not really whether political science is a science (it is) but whether it is a
science in the same way as the ‘hard’ or ‘natural’ sciences are. So, what do folks think? If it is,
why? Because it utilizes the scientific method? Because it is quite systematic? For other
reasons? If not, why not? Because it focuses more on social aspects? For other reasons?

Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Sunday
!

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 43 of 84

POLITICAL … SCIENCE!
Geoffrey, Nikki, and Class,

Political science is fairly important, because issues such as how to avoid genocide, how to spur
economic development, and how to stabilize newly democratic regimes, etc. are quite important.
Political science is also actually pretty darn scientific. It is not just about opinion. Political
scientists do deal with facts, such as: the number of gun deaths in Chicago, the number of
Muslims who are American citizens, or the frequency of piracy in the Gulf of Aiden. They also
do make predictions, even if they won’t ever be able to make them with complete certainty. And
though a political scientist’s biases might influence how they pick a hypothesis to test or even
how they test it, that is true in any science and the strength of folks’ research is something that
we can rather easily assess. Good research can indeed be identified and can (and is)
supported by the good research of others. This means that folks have a real incentive to
conduct good research in the first place.

Political science is science, political scientists do test hypotheses, they do identify variables,
their studies actually can be replicated, and the results of their research really can be built upon.
The fact that people, like some celestial bodies, do not seem predictable does not take away
from any of this. In reality people’s actions, when you look at the big picture, are fairly
predictable.

It is also worth noting that other sciences, even ‘hard’ sciences, do have to deal with bias,
disagreement between scientists, evolution and change in the subjects of their research, and
bad research.

As far as qualitative and quantitative research is concerned, both have a place in political
science and good research draws on both.

The bottom line is that political science, while not the same as geology or chemistry, is
nonetheless is an important science.

Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/79392)

Geoffrey Rovira
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/79392)
Sunday

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Professor,

Political science is definitely a science. As stated in the lesson this week, the scientific method is used to
collect data to determine conclusions on human behavior (Chamberlain University, 2020). Due to the
unpredictability of human and social behavior, political science is not a natural science, rather a social
science (Chamberlain University, 2020). Political scientists use the scientific method to develop
hypotheses, collect data, and draw conclusions just as any other scientists would with a clinical trial or
study. Just because it is not a natural science, this does not mean that political science is a lesser science.
Social behaviors need to be studied in order to provide a balanced society.

Reference:

Breanna Majzel
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/126719)
Wednesday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 45 of 84

Dear

Professor and class,

Politics are in our everyday lives. It controls what we think, what we do, where we go, how we live (UTSA
Department of Political Science and Geography). That is why it is so important for political science to be a course
that every student needs to go through. When you move past what the media is telling you, and think more like a
political scientist, being more in depth about a topic, a whole new world of thoughts and ideas will come to you
(Cobb, 2020). Political science will change peoples outlook on our country. With political science and politics in our
daily lives, people need to be taught the difference between them.

We need to start realizing the difference between politics and political science. Some examples that you can keep in
mind of this involve: passing acts, such as Affordable Care Act, or immigration (Cobb, 2020). Many people see the
media side of the issue, and do not think though all the possible outcomes. With political science, the scientist go
through it using “analytical” reasoning (Cobb, 2020). The media sides of the politics feel the need that the only
important things that are worth being on TV is the information that they feel like bring the most attention and it is
usually bias most of the time.

Cobb, W.N.W. (2020). Political Science Today. Sage: CQ Press

UTSA Department of Political Science and Geography. (n.d.). Why Political Science? Retrieved September 02,
2020, from http://colfa.utsa.edu/polisci-geography/about-political-science (http://colfa.utsa.edu/polisci-
geography/about-political-science)

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Dorcas Todom
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Friday

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Hello professor and class,

I wish to agree with Breanna that indeed politics is an important part of our daily living. However, studying
political science anchors new perspectives on country, politics and political science (Cobb, 2020). It also acts as
an avenue to reasonably internalize different governmental approaches towards raging topics such as
immigration, healthcare and international relations without the bias of Television and other mainstream media
which is sometimes specific to certain aspects of these discussions (Cobb, 2020). It is also important to note
that the media is very critical for mass awareness of emerging issues. Therefore, with a political science
background, you’re in a better position to understand the issues, parties involved and possible solutions that
may be available.

Reference

Cobb, W.N.W. (2020). Political Science Today. Sage: CQ Press

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Dorcas Todom
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Wednesday

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Hello professor and class

A layman would probably refer to political science as presidential campaigns, political rallies and to a further
extent, policy making. But there’s more to it than that. It is defined as the study of governments, public policies and
global political behavior (Maddocks, 2020). Understanding political science is important for students since they get
to know the basics that guide formulation of policies and laws that govern different professions. On a personal level,
studying political science shapes one’s understanding of their rights, and its inclinations towards both national and
international politics (Maddocks, 2020). Sometimes it is difficult to comprehend certain governmental decisions on
healthcare and other issues. Political science gives an insight to what goes on at the policy making level of
government (Whitman, 2020).

Political science appeals to me as nursing student and on an individual level. As a nursing student, I follow
emerging legislative issues that touch on the health sector. It is apparent and obvious that with new trends and
technologies, there has to be matching laws that frame the resulting practices. This necessity is even dire in the
healthcare sector. Studying political science will give me the platform to understand the variables involved in
different stages of policy and law formulation (Whitman, 2020).

It is also important to know how international politics and laws influence my daily living. Knowing how to
participate in political and law making procedures, is one avenue that I hope political science will enlighten me and
is one reason why I am interested in this session.

References

Maddocks, K. G. (2020, June 26). What is Political Science All About? Retrieved September 01, 2020, from
https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/2018/08/what-is-political-science

Whitman, W. C. (2020). Political science today. Washington, DC: Sage, CQ Press.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/163574)

Alexander Bravo
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Hello All,

Like I mentioned in my introduction post I think it is important that every student takes one political science course
during their college career. Many of us do not like politics its uncomfortable to talk about, makes you look at people
in a different way, it can tear friends and families apart, and be honest, it has this country more divided than ever.
Since politics are every we go and every we look. I think it is important to learn about the science behind, and it is
important to educate yourself. Politics play a huge factor in healthcare, living wages, and education. these are
things important to us. Concerning me, the most significant purpose to be politically engaged is because politics is
a means for nurses to advocate for patients. A portion of the social determinants of health can be influenced
by political decisions. Healthcare workers can help to preserve health care access for defenseless populations. I
choose to use an article on Why and How Political Science Can Contribute to Public Health? In the article, the
author mentions it is critical to anchor the analysis of public health policies in political science approaches and
models. Clearly, tools and judgment have already been improved to better maintain the examination of public
policies. However, gray areas remain as to the most suitable way of analyzing the political variables that sometimes
conflict with making public health solutions precedence in the political system. The link between science and politics
is openly debated in the context of the growing interest in evidence-based public health practice or even evidence-
based policy-making. The development of strategies to support the adoption of health-promoting public policies
appears to many experts as essential for the future of public health. Political science approaches have also been
used, more or less directly, to analyze public health problems related to the social determinants of health and health
inequalities, as well as the promotion of healthy lifestyles (tobacco use, alcohol, obesity). Despite progress, close
linkages between researchers in public health and in political science are a long time coming.

Gagnon, F., Bergeron, P., Clavier, C., Fafard, P., Martin, E., & Blouin, C. (2017). Why and How Political Science Can Contribute to Public

Health? Proposals for Collaborative Research Avenues. International journal of health policy and management, 6(9), 495–499.

https://doi.org/10.15171/ijhpm.2017.38

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Anne St Jean
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Wednesday

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Hello Everyone, political science is extremely important especially during this pandemic we are now in. According to
the article i found “Political science is usually associated with the: study of the State, Government, and politics,…..
and the relations between the rulers and those subjected to the rules (Gagnon,1 )”. I bring in this quote because it
shoes the importance of studying political science. Right now there are a lot of new laws put into place in regards to
covid 19 such as where i live in Maryland you have to wear a mask everywhere and schools are online and not in
person. These are new laws put into place by officials such as county leaders and the mayor and they must be
followed. I feel like studying political science will help everyone gain knowledge into how and why they must follow
laws that are put into place and also allow them to voice their opinion on matters they may not agree with. Some
people are against certain new laws such as the mask and the schools being online and they are able to write
letters and protest if they want to so i feel like studying political science will also help those who do not like certain
laws to stand up and try to maybe change the way laws are. It gives people more freedom to explore certain ideas
and make sure they are also following laws. In terms of politics that is everywhere and the debates and voting so
political science will also maybe help those who are undecided about politics to pick a side.

References

Gagnon, F., Bergeron, P., Clavier, C., Fafard, P., Martin, E., & Blouin, C. (2017). Why and How Political Science Can
Contribute to Public Health? International journal of health policy and management, 6(9), 495–499.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5582435/
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5582435/)

Whitman Cobb, W. N. (2020). Political Science Today. (1st Edition). Washington DC: Sage, CQ Press.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/163574)

Alexander Bravo
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Friday

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Hello Anne, a Very good connection you made therewith political science and the current COVID-19 pandemic.
This Pandemic and the actions of certain local politicians have forced me to pay attention more to politics. I’ve
noticed throughout this the people who care about politics (typically those in the elite upper class) will get to
make decisions that affect our lives for the better or worse, and as a nurse can put my life at risk. People with
plenty of wealth have an outsized quantity of power in the political system, and the desire to write rules allowing
them to misuse their workers, their clients, the public, and the environment in ways that will make most people’s
lives much more stressful, including ours. The only thing we have to combat that is there are many more of us
who don’t want them doing that. But we only have power if we pay attention and vote. (this is just my opinion
feel free to disagree )

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Alexander and Class,

Later in this class we will explore questions of the roles of elites in policy making. All through the class
we will think about how politics impact us and how we can impact politics. So, be on the lookout for
these issues as we move forward.

Sam

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Eritrea Kiflu
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Wednesday

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Hello Professor and Class,

Political science is an important subject for students to learn about because it helps students understand that
politics is influenced by factors that can enable predictions. Political science is defined as the study of politics and
political actors (Whitman Cobb, 2020). Political science studies the factors that influence how politics operates, and
so it can lead to a better understand of why events happen and how political institutions act the way they do
(Whitman Cobb, 2020). For example, Whitman Cobb (2020) gives an example of health care policy and shows that
political scientists would compare the United States to other countries and try to identify characteristics and factors
that have helped shape the way that U.S. healthcare policy differs from the policies in those other countries
(Whitman Cobb, 2020). This is very useful to study because it means that students would be able to understand
why things happen and maybe even be able to think of ways that they could influence policy as a result. In other
words, studying political science will help students be able to make predictions and understand political events in
ways that can help them understand how the system works overall (Lowndes, Marsh & Stoker, 2017).

Political science is relevant to me personally because as someone living in the United States, I am affected by the
decisions that political officials make. If I want to see policies that help me or my community adopted, it will be better
for me to understand how the political process works so that I will be able to make better choices.

References

Lowndes, V., Marsh, D., & Stoker, G. (Eds.). (2017). Theory and methods in political science. Macmillan
International Higher Education.

Whitman Cobb, W.N. (2020). Political science today. Sage CQ Press.

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HEALTHCARE RESEARCH
Eritrea and Class,

If you were a political scientist interested in healthcare, particularly on a global scale, what is a specific
question that you could study? What hypothesis might you come up with? How would you test your
hypothesis?

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/147653)

Amelia Macchietto
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Sunday

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Professor Angus and Class,

If I were a political scientist interested in healthcare I would want to study the factors that lead to a
community either supporting or rejecting the idea of universal healthcare. This is an especially hot topic
right now given the increase in our uninsured population in tandem with the increase in public health needs.
I would hypothesize that there is a correlation between need, exposure to need, and acceptance of
universal healthcare. It is my personal belief that empathy should be the driving force behind politics and
policies. If this holds true for others, I would expect to see an increase of acceptance of universal
healthcare in populations who are either impacted by its absence or who have seen or can fully understand
the impact of its absence. This would be tested through vast polling to gather true data on public opinion
and then searching for the common factors in those both for and against public healthcare.

Amelia

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/137899)

Eritrea Kiflu
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Hello Professor,

There are many different questions that could be studied about that issue! One might be whether different
countries provide pre-natal care or support, and how they differ in the way they do that. One hypothesis
could be that in countries where tax resources are used for pre-natal care, the percentage of children who
survive their first year will be higher. This could be tested through statistical analysis of tax expenditures
and also survival rates for the first year, and so quantitative research could answer the question (Whitman
Cobb, 2020).

Reference
Whitman Cobb, W.N. (2020). Political science today. Sage CQ Press.
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Sunday

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HEALTHCARE RESEARCH, FINALISH THOUGHTS
Amelia, Eritrea, and Class,

If you were a political scientist interested in healthcare, you might look into why some folks support
universal healthcare and others do not. You might investigate the politics behind providing pre-natal
care. You might study how hospitals function as organizations. You might look at the impact of
medical malpractice reform. There are many many healthcare related issues a political scientist
could explore. Each of those issues have more than one specific question that could be asked, and
there are multiple potential hypotheses that could be posited.

If you were looking into the question of why some communities are more supportive on the whole of
universal healthcare, you might well posit a connection to need in the community. You could test this
hypothesis by conducting polls in communities and looking for connections between wealth,
unemployment rates, and more and support for universal healthcare. You could also study one or
two communities in depth, and look for connections. This would be a more qualitative, rather than
quantitative, approach.

Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/147653)

Amelia Macchietto
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Wednesday

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Professor Angus and Class,

It seems appropriate to be in this political science course right now, given our country’s current state and the
associated political climate. That, combined with the fact that our presidential election is two months away, creates
the perfect storm to embody the relevance of political science. However, it is vital to make the distinction early on
between politics and political science. Just as there is a distinction between government and politics, our book
highlights the difference between politics and political science. Political science does not look only at policies and
laws, but it follows the factors that lead to those policies as well as the patterns our political system follows
(Whitman Cobb, 2020). Political science is also differentiated from politics by its objective, rather than partisan,
nature. The knee-jerk reaction to political science is sometimes “I’m not interested in politics,” but this reaction
depends on inaccurate generalizations. An appreciation for political science does not rely on an interest in politics!

I believe that everyone should have an understanding of political science. I do recognize that this is a biased opinion
as I am also interested in domestic and international politics and so this political science course will help me to
broaden my understanding of these topics. Political science does impact all of our lives, even when we do not
realize it. Dr. Özlem Becerik Yoldaş stated that the goal of educating young people on topics such as political
science is to “encourage the ability and willingness of political participation by providing information and the basis to
make conscientious judgments,” (2015, p. 546). There is no way to make informed decisions without information.
We all the responsibility to, at minimum, vote. Even this act cannot be appropriately done without a basic
understanding of political science and the current political climate.

I became interested in politics for the first time following the 2016 Syrian refugee crisis. Until this point, I was
somewhat apathetic towards politics and just followed my parents’ and community’s stances. There was one article
written by Relevant Magazine that changed my whole perspective on politics. I will include the link below, but
essentially, the article expressed the idea that Christians should follow the Good Samaritan parable and own the
responsibility of helping those in need (Carey, 2016). As a Christian, this spoke to me and challenged me to get
more involved. Following this, I followed my best friend’s journey as she married a man from Costa Rica and the
immigration situations that arose for them. These moments shaped my interest in politics, political science,
immigration, and social programs.

Thanks for reading!
Mia

References

Carey, J. (2016). The parable of the good samaritan in the era of refugees.
Relevant. Retrieved September 2, 2020, from https://relevantmagazine.com/
current/parable-good-samaritan-era-refugees/

Whitman Cobb, W. N. (2020). Political science today. Sage, CQ Press.

Yoldaş, Ö. B. (2015). Civic education and learning democracy: Their importance
for political participation of young people. Procedia – Social and
Behavioral Sciences, 174, 544-549. https://doi.org/10.1016/
j.sbspro.2015.01.703

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Emily Fox (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/148024)
Wednesday

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Professor and class,

With our current political climate I think it is dire that everyone study political science. There are so many main
issues that effect us all on a daily basis that we all need to understand. From COVID regulations to safety laws,
politics has an impact on all of our lives. An understanding of politics would help tremendously. I also think that a
lack of understanding of politics, mixed with “language used by politicians and their supporters today,” lead to a very
concerning situation (Whitman, 3). So, I agree with you Professor in that folks should learn about political science.

I find our textbook very interesting. Honestly, I was confused about the difference between politics and political
science. What helped me really understand was the example of immigration that the author used. Where politics
focus on (or argue about) whether illegal immigrants should be forced to leave our country or that they should be
allowed to stay, etc. Political science focuses on the true issue at hand and studies things like, how immigrants
effect our economy and where they came from and the reason why they left their home country (Whitman, 4). That
real life, human connection to political issues is what kept me reading.

I read an article about college students and politics and it said, “young people are the future of our democracy,
and a large body of research shows that their experiences in adolescence and early adulthood permanently shape
their attitudes, values, and habits in relation to politics and civil society” (Kiesa et al.). In a way I think this is a
detriment to our current political climate. A lot of adults, of all ages, continue to think and vote the way they were
taught as children, instead of learning the actual issues and who they align with by learning about political science.

WhitmanCobb, W.N. (2020). Political science today. (1st ed.). Washington, D.C.: Sage, CQ Press.

Kiesa, Abby, et al. ” ” Millennials Talk Politics: A Study of College Student Political Engagement.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/112704)

Tenzin Tsephel
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Hello Professor and Class,

Political science is the study of politics and this field is important to study for many reasons. By studying
political science, we can have a better understanding of how our governments work, how governments are formed,
and what our rights and duties as citizens are. According to Cobb (2019, p.1) “Political science is the systematic and
scientific study of politics, including institutions, behaviors, and processes.” Whether we know it our not, our lives
are surrounded by politics. Our roads and public transportation is funded with taxpayer dollars, our community is run
by governments that create rules for society, and each of us have responsibilities as citizens, like voting. Because
politics affects many parts of our lives, having a foundation in this discipline and seeing how political science works
is essential to understanding our society, our leaders, and ourselves. Political science is relevant to all people
around the world, not just those in the United States. This is echoed in Cobb’s statement that “No matter the
subfield, political scientists across the discipline utilize common ideas or concepts to understand politics around the
globe, including public goods, states, governments, power, ideology, representation, and political culture.” (2019, p.
24)

During this pandemic, many people lost their jobs because of the threat of the spreading virus and the
resulting restrictions the government placed on businesses. In this time, we have seen big differences in the ways
federal, state, and local governments have managed this crisis. I am personally interested in understanding way
different political leaders chose different approaches for handling this crisis and how their political beliefs influenced
their decision making. I am also curious about the roles and the responsibilities of the government during a crisis,
like this lockdown. For example, do governments have the responsibility to provide all the needs of the community,
such as ensuring remote learning for children and covering unemployment benefits for those who lost their jobs? In
U.S. history did the government always assume this role? Kleinberg and Lau (2019) state that “General political
knowledge is one of the most valuable resources that any citizen in a democracy can possess.” I believe this
statement is true and am eager to learn the specific political knowledge that can strengthen my role as a citizen in
my community.

References:

Cobb, W.N. W. (2019). Political Science Today. [VitalSource Bookshelf]. Retrieved
from https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781544358314/
(https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781544358314/)

Kleinberg, M. S., & Lau, R. R. (2019). The Importance of Political Knowledge for Effective Citizenship: Differences
Between the Broadcast and Internet Generations. Public Opinion Quarterly, 83(2), 338-362.

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Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 4 at 8:11am

GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO COVID-19
Tenzin and Class,

We will talk a lot more about this as the class goes on, but it is worth starting the conversation now. So, how
has the federal government responded to COVID-19? What are some explanations for what has and has not
been done?

Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157701)

Anne St Jean
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Thursday

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Hello Professor and class, the federal Government has responded the best they could i think because each
state has made their own decisions and some went against Federal Government and did what they think
was best. A lot of people felt that there should have a nation wide lock down of all states at the same time
and the Federal Government opposed this because they said that the crisis would be worst if every state
decided to shut down completely. Some also said they did not move very fast but i feel that this virus is still
new and a couple months ago no one really knew how deadly this pandemic would be so i feel that they
responded when they figured out how serious it was.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/148024)

Emily Fox
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/148024)
Thursday

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I somewhat agree with how the federal government has handled COVID-19. For example, I agree that
lockdown policies should have been determined on a state level. The reason I think this is because parts
of the midwest does not need the same lockdown measures as a large metropolitan city, for instance. I
also agree with the stimulus that was sent out. However, I think there should have been a consistent
stimulus helping people throughout this entire time of shutdown. Unemployment was not available for a lot
of Americans and they were just out of luck. Many Americans are without jobs or losing their businesses
due to lack of patrons and income. This pandemic hit everyone hard but I do feel like more could have
been done to help the working class people of this country.

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Tenzin Tsephel
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Friday

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Hello Professor,

The federal government responded to COVID-19 in many ways, most importantly declaration of national
emergency. To respond to the coronavirus outbreak, the federal government spend $ 6.7 billion for a
domestic response such as vaccine research and telehealth. Lockdown, and necessary to fallow the CDC
guidelines in the public. I think they did well when we look at the census of the COVID 19 patient now in
New York. It depends on the states.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)

Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Friday

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GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO COVID-19
Tenzin, Anne, Emily, and Class,

The federal government has responded to COVID-19 by doing what exactly? Spending billions on
vaccine development? Something else? Lets be as precise as possible.

Has our response been led by the states? Is that the right way, or should their have been more
federal coordination and leadership? What are the pros and cons of a response to a pandemic
centered at the state level?

Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157701)

Anne St Jean
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Friday

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Hello Professor, i believe they spent a lot on vaccines and research. They have been sending
money to different labs to see who can come up with a vaccine the fastest. Also sent out stimulus
checks for those who qualified and have put a suspension on student loans and eviction of people
who cannot afford their rent at the moment. The states definitely have been responding differently. I
reside in Maryland and schools were shut down very early on and we could not leave our house
unless it was essential and that was a critical part of maintaining the virus. I feel like the states
should be able to decide for themselves what is best for their communities. For example Maryland
is only doing distance learning even though the federal Government thinks its okay for schools to
open and as a parent that i feel like is outrageous. I think each state has different numbers and
people there live differently and have their own restrictions.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/148024)

Emily Fox
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/148024)
Saturday

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In addition to what Anne stated, there have been several federal grants issued to assist small
businesses and individuals who have been put out of work. A lot of the decision making when it
comes to relief has been placed at a state level. A pro of this is that each state is tremendously
different. The middle of Wyoming will need different quarantine rules than, say, New York City. In
that aspect I think it’s good to be at a state level. It’s interesting to see which way a state leans
politically and how they respond to COVID-19. I live in Florida which is a red state and our
response has been fast and furious in the reopening aspect. I think we should have been shut
down longer and more aide going to those that need it. I believe we should have quarantined
longer, however, as a working parent who could not get unemployment benefits, I had no choice. If
the American people were taken better care of financially during all of this I think the state of the
country would be in a better place right now.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Sunday
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9/8/20, 10:26 PM
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GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO COVID-19, FINALISH
THOUGHTS
Anne, Emily, and Class,

The federal government has responded to COVID-19 by spending billions on vaccine
development; passing a stimulus bill; holding press conferences; gathering data; and more.
It has not done a lot of coordination of state level responses. The response has been more
centered at the state level. There is an argument to be made that more federal coordination
and more adherence to federal standards would have meant less variation in terms of case
levels and deaths and more effective responses, while still allowing for states (and local
communities) to tailor their responses to fit their unique circumstances

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169676)

Michalle Wolfe
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Wednesday

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Although we may not hold a position of office we, as citizens, still have a civic duty that includes voting, jury
duty, and paying our taxes. It is important to be knowledgeable in the area of politics because they have such an
importance in so many areas of our life even if we do not see or experience it first hand. As a young adult I never
had any interest in politics because I found what didn’t directly affect me uninteresting and unimportant. It was not
until recent years that I discovered the importance of my individual votes and responsibilities which has lead me to
want to grow my knowledge of not only politics but the political science aide as well. By learning more about political
science And how it studies and explains government and legislative processes so that people can be better
informed about policies that impact their communities, states, and the country (Whitman Cobb, 2020), I can form a
better foundation for my understanding.

I have found in life that many things can be associated with games, and politics is no different. Much of it is
a game of power, getting people to agree, to act in a particular way, or to make something happen; this makes
power an important element of political analysis and helps to explain political outcomes (Whitman Cobb, 2020).
Abraham Lincoln was once quoted saying that the most effective way of destroying enemies was to join them,
thus understand their rational, and eventually being able to defeat them. This is the same in politics because the
more we can understand our leaders, being who we voted for or not, the better chance we have to get policies and
laws we want heard and enacted. Politics can tel us how a society must be set up and how one should act
within that society (Landauer 2001) but it is up to us to make sure the right officials are in the right positions while
also understanding the hows and whys of it.

As we approach the next election, and continue to deal with the daily effects of life during a pandemic we
must be able to take a greater look into how and why certain decisions are being made while understanding the
impact our future votes could have on it all. Reflecting back I am upset with myself that I have not taken more
initiative to have a better impact on my community and I look forward to learning more during this class to help me
make more informed decisions in the future.

Landauer, J. (2020). Politics. Importanceofphilosophy.com. Retrieved 3 September 2020, from

http://www.importanceofphilosophy.com/Politics_Main.html.

Whitman Cobb, W. (2020). Political science today. Sage.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
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Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 3 at 12:34pm

POWER ETC.
Michalle, Tenzin, and Class,

What is power? What about legitimacy, sovereignty, and authority … what are they and how do the relate to
power?

Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169676)

Michalle Wolfe
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/169676)
Friday

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Authority stands for a right to Rule – a right to issue commands, and, possibly, to enforce these
commands using coercive power (Chritiano, 2012). Power is the ability to assert your authority with respect
because without respect successfully, legitimacy and sovereignty would not be possible. I think that is
apparent in the states today as we see an overabundance of disrespect for our leader, which has made
people more focused on the bad than any good. As civilians, we have a moral obligation to obey political
authority while separating it from legitimate authority (Christiano, 2012).

In today’s society, people tend to crave more the prestige that comes with a political position of power, or any
position of power for that matter, than they value the actual post. Although many people take positions of power to
do good for the community, there are some bad apples that do it just for the fame, wealth, or just to say they did it
without any genuine concern for impact. The amount of money involved in politics is something that I never
understood since it is a big influencer of people and can sway actions and decisions. Money has long been
associated with power for this very reason. The overall idea of the political system intrigues me because I believe
the foundation was built to do good. Still, over time people have lost focus and let other things get in the way of the
overall good needed to be done.

Christiano, T. (2012, January 11). Authority. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/authority/.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/112704)

Tenzin Tsephel
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/112704)
Saturday

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Hello Professor,

Power is the ability to do and have a authority to act. “The idea of power is central to defining a state and a
government. both have the authority and legitimacy to wield power over their citizen. “Cobb (2019). The
concept of power can’t be easily defined.

Cobb, W.N. W. (2019). Political Science Today. [VitalSource Bookshelf]. Retrieved
from https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781544358314/
(https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781544358314/)

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Sunday
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POWER ETC.
Tenzin, Michalle, and Class,

Power is the ‘currency’ of politics. It is the ability to get folks to do what they would not otherwise be
likely to do. Hard power is where you essentially force folks to go along with you, and soft power is
where you convince them to go along with you without employing force (military, economic, or
other). Can folks share examples of hard and soft power? Who wields power in our society/political
system?

What about legitimacy, sovereignty, and authority … what are they and how do the relate to power?
Is authority the right to rule? Is it something else? What is legitimacy? What is sovereignty?

Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Yesterday
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POWER, ETC. … FINAL THOUGHTS
Class,

Legitimacy has to do with folks’ perception of government. Basically, legitimacy has to do with
whether or not the people think the government should be the government. Sovereignty has to
do with the amount of power and control wielded by the government. Authority has to do with
the ability of the government to get folks to comply with their wishes.

The three concepts are clearly related. All have to do with power and implicate justice and
order. A lack of any one probably does weaken the other two. A government that is not seen
as legitimate by the people is likely to have limited authority. A government with limited
sovereignty is less likely to be seen as legitimate. A government with no authority is not likely to
be seen as legitimate by its people or other governments.

Examples abound. Haiti certainly has a government that cannot see to all of its people’s needs,
something that is on full display with every natural disaster that strikes … and is also not seen as
fully legitimate at home or abroad. Iraq is also lacking in all three respects. The government’s
power and control within its boundaries is certainly limited; it cannot compel all, or even most,
folks within its borders to do what it wishes; and many citizens do not recognize its legitimacy.
Syria certainly qualifies as well here. The regime there clearly lacks sovereignty and its
authority and legitimacy have been questioned. Another example might be Nigeria, where: oil
companies and foreign powers impugn sovereignty, undermining legitimacy and limiting
authority; ethnic divisions mean limited authority and legitimacy and therefore limit the respect
for sovereignty that the government can command; and a colonial legacy creates a barrier for all
three. Many governments suffer from related weaknesses in sovereignty, legitimacy,
and authority.

It is even possible that our government is suffering from some weakness in terms of these three.
Certainly, whatever you think about the current administration, it has had its legitimacy
questioned. The argument that authority is weakened seems a little less strong, but the amount
of power wielded by the government may be a bit reduced. There has also been international
skepticism regarding our current leadership, although it might be a stretch to say sovereignty
has been weakened. There may be some issues here, but clearly the United States is not in the
same boat as Syria, Iraq, or Nigeria.

Keep in mind that all three of these concepts have to do with power and how it is wielded, order
and the level to which it is maintained, and justice and the extent to which people think the
government is committed to it.

Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/168028)

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Traci Callari (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/168028)
Wednesday

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“Political science is the systemic and scientific study of politics, including institutions, behaviors, and processes.”
(Whitman, 2020) How and where we live, our daily activities such as exercise walking a dog, an extra circular
activity that we choose to participate in within our community are all connected to political science and politics.
The definition of Politics is an authoritative distribution of resources or rather the determination of who gets what,
when, and how. (Whitman, 2020) I would refer to this as the “chaos”
The definition of Political Science is the study of politics including institutions, behaviors, and processes. (Whitman,
2020) I would refer to this as the “Non-Chaos”
The study of Political science is so important in today’s world especially due to the extreme vocal, social media
influences and movements we are faced with daily. Study Political science will help better understand the reasons
behind the movements. Studying Political science will provide better articulate forms of government from local to
federal, understand the policies and procedures implemented, and hopefully establish less confusion. Being
educated in political science is a valuable benefit that can help anyone navigate through all the rules, policies, and
governing effects that the average Joe faces politically. (Wilson, 2020)

Professor, you had asked does politics impact every facet of your life? The simple answer is yes. Being a nurse,
mother and a political representative within my community, the past couple of months dealing with the pandemic
have been quite a challenge. New implementation of policies and procedures to be followed in the healthcare world,
maintaining household parenting standards, and following Local government Emergency orders including but limited
to shutting down of businesses, enforcing curfews, mandating masks to be worn, closures of beaches, parks, and
schools. Then the implementation of partial re-opening, all the while working as a nurse through the impacts of
Covid19 on the front line with direct contact of victims created a broad view of politics. Almost a tale of two cities, I
was able to see and understand both sides while expressing a medical professional viewpoint to those who had little
to no understanding of medicine and the effects. I was able to be a nurse advocate and offer understanding and
reason. Literally one side versus the other, economy and sustainability versus health and well-being of human life.
Most of the decisions being made sat in the hands of local and state politicians. So the real question will be once
this is studied and the political science prevails on the how and why certain decisions were made. Will it have been
for the greater good of all or the re-election of some and the power of the great American dollar. When I became a
local politician I had little to no understanding of politics or political science. I am excited to learn and improve my
understanding, not by learning on the job as I have done for the past 9 years. I am sure the benefits of this class
will only create a better understanding for me moving forward.

References:
Chamberlain University. (2020). Week 1 lesson: Introducing political science! Retrieved from:
https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/pages/week-1-lesson-introducing-political-science?
module_item_id=9295616

Wilson, Donna M., et al. “Determining If Nurses Are Involved in Political Action or Politics: A Scoping Literature
Review.” Applied Nursing Research, vol. 54, 2020, p. 151279.

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(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/137899)
Eritrea Kiflu
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/137899)
Sunday
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Hi Traci,

I like your distinction between chaos and non-chaos. Politics involves competition over resources and power, so
it is chaotic, but political science is analytical and can be used to predict behavior and events in politics
(Whitman Cobb, 2020). If we understand what factors influence political behavior, we can understand it, predict
it, and even influence it (Whitman Cobb, 2020). That will bring order to the chaos. As a result, I think that
political science is very useful for everyone because it will make the world a more understandable place and
give us some power over what happens in politics.

Reference
Whitman Cobb, W.N. (2020). Political science today. Sage CQ Press.
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/125151)

Nikki Lagua (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/125151)
Thursday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 66 of 84

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Hello Professor and Class,

I would like to begin by saying happy first week. Anyway, what is political science? Why should nursing students
partake in such studies? To summarize political science, it is a social science that focuses on how a government
system works and behaves. The deeper meaning of the question is whether political science can ever build a body
of knowledge that can be used to better government and politics or at least predict what will happen (Cobb, 2020).
Our textbook explains that the idea of prediction can be applied to natural sciences such a physics, biology, etc
because there are factors you can analyze so why not use the same strategy to understand or predict the outcome
of our government by running test, observing, or running experiments? Political science offers students an analytical
approach to become more aware on how the most powerful systems in the country works and how certain factors
can affect it.

I believe nursing schools should include some form of political education, as well as to encourage some
involvement. The idea of nursing students learning about how government bodies works seems odd at first, but the
correlation between the two is pretty evident. The US’s healthcare system is systematized by our government so it
would be a wise choice to learn how our involvement impacts the system. The choices made by the government
affects patients, nurses, and other health professions all alike. Leadership and expertise in health policy ensure that
nursing expertise is used to improve the health of the nation (Ridenour, 2014).Since our country is based around
democracy, it should be noted that when health care workers such as nurses influence political choices they are
ultimately deciding the fate of the current healthcare system which affects the patients. Since the ultimate goal is to
provide better healthcare, nurses should be educated in how their involvement can affect the current policies. To
give my final thoughts, I think this was such an interesting and relevant topic to talk about especially with the current
state everyone is in. I chose the path of healthcare not knowing about the pandemic that was about to happen and
ever since then I wondered how the future of health care professions would be affected by it as well as how our
involvement can affect or change any policies.

Nik

References

Whitman, W.N.C. (2020). Political Science Today (1st ed). Washington, DC: Sage. CQ Press.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157701)
Anne St Jean
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/157701)
Thursday
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Yes i agree now more than ever nurses are needed and people are seeing how nurses are truly front line
workers and how important they are. I have always wanted to a be a nurse but now with everything going on i
am even more eager to begin my career. Great Post!

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(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/180986)
Miranda Duellman
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/180986)
Saturday
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Hello Nik,

I also used this article for my post and I would agree with what you said. When I first registered to take this
class, I thought “Why would I ever need to use Political Science as a nurse?”. I am already seeing and realizing
that political science is not just something for people to argue about on social media, but it also something that
determines almost everything in our day to day lives. Ridenour discusses the power that the government has
over the healthcare system and uses a couple examples that really opened my eyes. The fact that some states
still do not allow NP’s to prescribe medication without the Physician approval is really astonishing to me. In my
clinic, our mid-level providers are still providers, and they sometimes even have more knowledge than the
physicians from personal experience.

Reference:

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Sunday

Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 6 at 12:03pm

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Miranda,

I responded to your post up in our ongoing conversation on politics in the workplace.

Thanks!

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/171555)

Brandi Crane
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/171555)
Thursday

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Page 68 of 84

Political science is the systematic and scientific study of politics, including institutions, behaviors, and processes.
(Whitman, 2020). I think it is important to study political science to better understand how our government works
and the particular laws and roles of government. I think it’s important to try to go beyond politics because it has
become so toxic and chaotic. (Whitman, 2020). Politics is defined in the text as the authoritative distribution of
resources or rather the determining of who gets what, when and how. (Whitman, 2020). I have some experience
with state politics, and it seems be just as chaotic just on a smaller scale. The internet and social media seem to
have exacerbated this issue. Because politics seems to be so divisive currently, I have mostly avoided any
engagement in political issues, especially surrounding the president. It seems so disruptive to attempt conversations
or opinions because there seems to be a lack of respect and understanding from both sides.

Studying political science is relevant to me to understand more about the operation of the state by analyzing
the government, something I have never thought to do in the past. In a book written by Ellen Grigsby she discusses
the challenges of attempting to view the world of politics from many different perspectives that can easily overwhelm
even experienced political scientist (Grigsby, 2009). It also discusses that studying politics involves studying
change. I agree with this as laws, attitudes and opinions are often changing. One example in my state of Mississippi
about attitudes changing is the current debate about the state flag. The current state government passed a
resolution in June to debate and vote on a bill to remove and replace the state flag. The issue is very divisive here
while many feel the flag is racist, others believe their history is being replaced. There have been a few protests at
the state capital but nothing violent. I personally believe the confederate flag has and does cause hurt to many
minorities and I do believe it is a step in the right direction. Currently several new designed flags are in
consideration by a committee. It’s something I hope this state can move forward with and I’m interested in the
response. I look forward to the many discussions in this class.

References

Grigsby, E. (2009). Analyzing Politics. An Introduction to Political Science.

Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Whitman Cobb, W. (2020). Political Science Today. Sage Publications.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)

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Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Friday
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DIVISIVENESS
Brandi and Class,

Are politics more divisive now then in the past? If so, what does this divisiveness look like? And what is the
reason for increased divisiveness? Are teh internet and social media to blame? Is it a byproduct of a
societal changes along racial lines and push back against them (our first Black President, taking confederate
flags down, taking down Confederate monuments, challenging police treatment of Black Americans, etc.). Is
it something else?

Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/171555)

Brandi Crane
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/171555)
Saturday

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!

I think it is more divisive now and I think social media has definitely played a part in this. It seems people
are more willing to be hateful online than in person and the cancel culture online has really gained in
popularity just in these past few years. I’ve seen many online “groups” calling for people to lose their jobs
due to past actions, some that may have been 20 years ago, I find this very confusing because I believe
people can change their views and I believe in forgiveness as we all make mistakes. I believe in debate
and I think we have to show respect for each other even if we may disagree. Having said that, I do think
there are circumstances that may warrant immediate action, it all has to be looked at individually and not
make assumptions.

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Sunday
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DIVISIVENESS
Brandi and Class,

Brandi thinks politics are more divisive now then in the past. What do others think?

Are calls for folks to lose their jobs over past comments or actions evidence of divisiveness? Are the
comments themselves evidence of divisiveness? Does the meaning of these comments and the
responses to them depend on the particular circumstances? Should the circumstances determine
the proper response? Is there other evidence of divisiveness?

If we have increased divisiveness, how come? Are the internet and social media to blame? Is it
just easier to be nasty to one another from the comfort of our own homes and phones or computer
keyboards? Is it a byproduct of a societal changes along racial lines and push back against them
(our first Black President, taking confederate flags down, taking down Confederate monuments,
challenging police treatment of Black Americans, etc.). Is it something else?

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Friday

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!

SUMMARY/FINALISH QUESTIONS
Class,

You all have done a great job so far in week one … but week one isn’t over yet!

Our main focus has been examining the what, why, and how of political science and the incredible reach of
politics. We are starting to define key terms like politics, government, power, sovereignty, legitimacy, and more.
We are continuing to identify politics everywhere around us … and have pretty much concluded that politics, and
thus political science, must be pretty important. We are also probing into political science, trying to determine
how it stacks up with other ‘sciences’ and what exactly political science research looks like.

Please keep exploring all of this above, we have only scratched the surface on some of these conversations, but
as the week ends also consider the following additional questions.

In America, how effectively do politics (decisions as to “who gets what, when, and how”) take place within the
structure or order of government? Where does power reside within our government? How is it wielded and by
whom? Does our government have authority, legitimacy, and sovereignty? Is our setup just?

Sam

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(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
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SUMMARY – SUMMARY
Class

America is not perfect, because no place is. Politics (the determination of “who gets what, when, and how”)
could always be more effective and the structure/order within which it takes place (namely government) could
be better too. It is probably the case that the American government has authority (the ability to get folks to
comply with their wishes), legitimacy (a popular acceptance of government), and sovereignty (power and
control of people and territory) … and it is certainly the case that all three are weaker in a whole lot of other
places. There is, however, an argument to be made that all have been weakened here in America. There is
also an argument to be made that the delicate balance of power spelled out in the Constitution has been
upset. Certainly the current administration has had its legitimacy questioned and its authority challenged.
One might say that the recent protests are doing both. The administration’s exercise of power has not
always been smooth (certainly many folks would say that the pandemic response has not been smooth) and
there are claims of injustice. There have also been claims of a long term expansion of executive power.

We will also see that ours is not the only approach, and that there are other electoral systems, party systems,
approaches to Constitution writing, court systems, economic systems. etc.. We probably can’t adopt a direct
democracy, but there are folks who think we could benefit from borrowing a bit from parliamentary systems,
democratic socialism, etc. in order to make our system work more efficiently for everyone.

Do remember, however, that the one thing no one can credibly dispute is that if you live in America (or
anywhere else) politics impacts every facet of your life … even if you work as a nurse!

Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/180986)
Miranda Duellman
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/180986)
Saturday
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9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 72 of 84

While reading the lesson from this week, something really jumped out at me that I hadn’t thought about before.
There is an example that talks about your home life and relates it to government. I had never realized that each
household is almost its own mini government. In my household, my husband and I each have our own processes
and our own ways of keeping things in order. It appears he looks to me to make decisions (What’s for supper? What
are we doing this weekend? Are we going to that wedding? etc.). Although he does help make some decisions, he
really looks to me to lead our family. When thinking about the government and relating it to my home life, just in
larger scale, this has helped me obtain a better understanding.

Prior to this class, I had no knowledge about politics and the government. I always thought that they were
essentially the same thing. Although it seems as though you cannot have one without the other, I now realize that
just because someone is talking “politics” doesn’t mean they are talking about our government.

I found an article that discusses the limitations put on nurses and nurse practitioners in some states. I had heard
that in the past, NP’s and PA’s were not really allowed to practice on their own and everything they did or prescribed
required a physician’s approval. I never realized that this was still the case in some states. In Minnesota where I
work, our PA’s and NP’s are required to have a proctoring physician, but not in the way that you think. The physician
is there purely for help and guidance on subjects that the mid-level providers are not comfortable with. The article
quotes “There’s data from the early 1980’s that show that NPs have at least as good outcomes as physicians when
providing primary care. The opposition is not based on outcomes; it’s based on other things.” (Ridenour) This is
something that I totally agree with. It seems as though mid-level providers can have an even more empathetic and
personal approach with their patients when compared to physicians (this of course is not ALWAYS true and is
my opinion).

References:

Nurse Leader Urges Nurses to Study Political Science, Too. (2018, January 29). Retrieved September 03, 2020,
from https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/articles-and-news/2014/02/nurse-leader-urges-nurses-to-study-political-
science–too.html (https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/articles-and-news/2014/02/nurse-leader-urges-nurses-to-study-
political-science–too.html)

Chamberlain University Lesson Week 1 (2020). Retrieved from: https://portal.chamberlain.edu
(https://portal.chamberlain.edu/)

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Sunday
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9/8/20, 10:26 PM
Page 73 of 84

POLITICS AT HOME
Miranda and Class,

Do you have a government and politics at home? If so, is the government the parents/guardians? What
does politics (decision making as to “who gets what, when, and how”) look like? And how does this version
of government and politics differ from the more ‘official’ version taking place at City Hall, in state capitals, and
in Washington D.C.?

Sam
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
Yesterday
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!

POLITICS AT HOME, FINAL THOUGHTS
Class,

Our homes do have their very own ‘governments’ and ‘politics.’ The governments (at least officially) are
adults, often parents/guardians. ‘Politics,’ or decisions as to “who gets what, when, and how” include
decisions regarding where the family is located, where they go on vacation, what pets they have and
who takes care of them, what groceries are purchased, how often they go out to the movies and what
they see, curfew, who is present at meals, etc.. The ‘politics’ and “government’ present in our homes
differs from the more ‘official’ version taking place at City Hall, in state capitals, and in Washington D.C.
in many ways including that the ‘official’ governments are larger, have armies, don’t have governments
above them, can print currency, may have more official input from the ‘governed,’ etc..

Sam

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/119638)

Harlie Brackett
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/119638)

Sunday

9/8/20, 10:26 PM
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Miranda,

I didn’t realize that some states still required a physician to proctor the care that they provide. I have thought
about the future and have also thought about one day becoming a nurse practitioner, but I haven’t really looked
into it much further than that. I know from experience at my hospital, we have an area that is mostly staffed with
NPs and PAs, and they oversee all of the care of those patient’s assigned to their areas. I also know from
experience and having conversations with them that they do require a physician to sign off on narcotic
prescriptions, but all other prescriptions such as antibiotics, muscle relaxers, blood pressure medications, etc.
they are allowed to prescribe without the needed sign off from a physician. However, I do work at a teaching
hospital and there is always an attending physician there that they occasionally run their ideas by if they need
some guidance and of course who can sign off or write the narcotic prescriptions. I guess that I should start
looking into how different states allow nurse practitioners to operate before deciding if that is the path I want to
take. Thank you for this information!

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/168571)

Penica Hill (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/168571)
Sunday

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Hello Professor & Class,

After learning about political science in this week’s reading I feel that it is important for students to learn about
political science because it’s influence is seen in our everyday life. According to Whitman Cobb (2020), Political
science is the systematic and scientific study of politics including institutions, behaviors and processes.”

Decisions that are made by our elected officials affect us all, in our communities, in our places of work, in our
children’s schools. The idea of representation means we have elected officials to be our voice and our views are
represented in the decision making process.

Policy making should be transparent. The more a local government can provide in the way of transparency, the
more it increases trust, honesty, and integrity in the government leaders (Eisenstein, 2019). We have many
examples in history of what can happen when people are not properly informed and allow others to manipulate
them. Political science is important and relevant to me especially in today’s world. Our nation has become more and
more divided and people are looking to our leaders for answers. Never before have I been more captivated by what
is going on in the world around me.

Reference

Einsenstein, Lena. “Why is Transparency Critical in Local Government?” Kime 19, 2019
https://insights.diligent.com/public-transparency-local-government/why-transparency-critical-local-government

Whitman Cobb, W.N. (2020). Political science today (1st. ed.). Washington, DC:Sage, CQ Press.

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(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
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Transparency is indeed an important concept … one that is intimately connected with another one people
have brought up this week, the freedom of the press.

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Amelia Macchietto
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/147653)
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Penica,

I definitely agree with the idea that to make politics as legitimate and trustworthy as possible, there needs to be
aggressive transparency in policymaking. I think this is an increasingly interesting idea given the current state of
the relationship between our administration and the press. If we rely on journalism to inform us of the state of
our government and to keep politicians who may have ulterior motives, we need to be able to trust them. Any
dismantling of active journalism will (I believe) inevitably lead to a dismantling of democracy. If citizens are
unable to make informed decisions due to a lack of public information, then those are not free choices. We
cannot be forced to look to those in power to keep themselves in check as that is an irresponsible amount of
power to be distributed to one person or a group of people.

Amelia
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
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The free press is a vital part of a functioning democracy, and attacks on it need to be taken seriously.
We will think more about this in the week to come.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/142800)

Chrishonna Mallard
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/142800)
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Pencia,

I enjoyed reading your post and I completely agree that policy making should be transparent. There are plenty
of politicial figures that should be held accountable for corruption.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/116211)
Rachelle Walton
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/116211)
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Students should learn about political science because it is the basis of many other things. Political science is not
just about politics. Political science can be the study of why some things happen. “Even those who might be turned
off by the nasty rhetoric or negative commercials might be interested in the actual dynamics of explaining why bills
are passed or why the public feels the way they do (Whitman, 2020, p. 5). It is also important to be informed.
“Political scientists study and explain government and legislative processes so that people can be better informed
about policies that impact their communities, states, and the country” (Waubonsee Community College, 2019).

Personally, political science is relevant to me because I like to be informed about my choices. I do not like to go
about things blindly, especially when voting. It is so important to vote so we can better our communities and our
country. I do not personally find political science interesting, as I am more of a physical science person, but I do
think it is important.

Waubonsee Community College. (2019, November 22). The Importance of Studying Political Science. Retrieved
from https://www.waubonsee.edu/news-events/news/importance-studying-political-science

Whitman, W.N.C. (2020). Political Science Today (1 ed). Washington, DC: Sage. CQ Press.st
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720)Samuel Angus (Instructor)
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Political scientists do indeed look into a whole host of topics, because politics touches on so much.
Questions studied by political scientists include how decisions are made at NASA, the impact of piracy in the
Gulf of Aiden, and the variations of Islamic marriage across different cultures and political systems.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/119638)
Harlie Brackett
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/119638)

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Rachelle,

I agree with you on not particularly finding political science interesting. However, I have never looked at it as a
necessary basic understanding to make informed decisions when it comes to voting and making our
communities and country better. To be honest, I try to avoid politics altogether. But now that I am enrolled in this
course I plan on being open-minded about politics and political science because it does affect how I perform my
daily practices as a registered nurse, and maybe one day I will have to or want to be involved in the politics of
nursing to better the work environment for my colleagues and to improve patient care. Thank you for sharing.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/119638)

Harlie Brackett
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/119638)
Sunday

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When identifying why students should learn about political science, we should take a step back and define what
political science is. According to our textbook, political science is the scientific way to study politics, which
encompasses institutions, behaviors, and processes (Whitman, 2020). Whereas politics in general is the “…
authoritative distribution of resources or rather the determining of who gets what, when, and how” (Whitman, 2020).
To me, the text is saying that political science is the study and systematic processes of how politics are run. When
identifying why students should learn about political science, it makes sense for students who plan on having a
career in politics, or the law or even the military to take a political science course or to make that their major. So, the
answer would be a yes from me in those instances.

While reading through the textbook, I found an interesting statement that was made about how some
students won’t even consider a political science course unless it is required to obtain their degree (Whitman, 2020).
I found this statement to be amusing because that is how I feel. I don’t understand politics, therefore it’s safe to say
that I don’t have a passion for them. The reason why I’m taking this course is because it is required to obtain my
bachelor’s degree in nursing. I do realize that I should probably care about politics and political science because it
affects our everyday lives and it affects my career choice, but I just can’t seem to get interested enough in politics.
All I see on the news everyday are people arguing and making themselves look like a fool over ideas that don’t
make sense to me when the right choice is so apparent (or what seems to be apparent). The only relevance that
political science has to me at the moment would be my nursing career. There are politics that influence how nurses
operate on a daily basis both nationally and institutionally based on where they work. Nurses are the ones that are
involved in direct patient care and therefore are one of the best resources to use when it comes to politics and
policies in the healthcare category (Arabi, Rafii, Cheraghi, & Ghiyasvandian, 2014). I am hoping that by taking this
course that I will be able to understand politics better and possibly become interested in them.

References

Arabi, A., Rafii, F., Cheraghi, M. A., & Ghiyasvandian, S. (2014). Nurses’ policy influence: A concept analysis.
Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4061635/

Whitman, W. C. (2020). Political science today. Washington, DC: Sage, CQ Press.

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Edited by Samuel Angus (https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/72720) on Sep 6 at 12:24pm

Harlie and Class,

It is worth thinking about political science in the same way you think about economics, biology, physics, math,
etc.. In each case there are folks who study those topics exclusively and need to take many courses
focusing on them, and there are many more folks who don’t but who do come across math, biology,
economics, or politics in the course of their work and need only one or two classes.

For more on the impact of politics on healthcare and the folks who work in it look up above for the ongoing
discussion on politics in the workplace.

Sam

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Veronica Smith McCormick
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Why Study Political Science

The most important reason for individuals to pursue political science studies is to enhance their knowledge
about their individual rights, the rights of others, and the responsibility they have as citizens. The study of political
science is also closely tied to the understanding of the laws and their origin, as well as their implications on the
rights and responsibilities of the people (Munzert, 2018). It is imperative for people to be aware of the nature of the
laws that are developed within the government and their impact on them, while also creating a better understanding
of the political processes in the nation. This helps in people being aware of the decisions made by the authorities,
and they can actively lobby for changes in laws or the development of laws that protect the interests of the public
(Kellstedt & Whitten, 2018).

Political science also helps in understanding international politics and law. As the globalization process
influences more relationships between nations, it is imperative for political science professionals to look into the
development of an understanding of the laws adopted within the partnerships. Factors like political behavior, the
structure of various governments, the policy development process and the arising issues, and the implications of
every local and international law on the people. With such a vast understanding of politics, individuals are able to
disseminate issues and to provide guidance to the members of the society on the decisions to make to support
public interests (Kellstedt & Whitten, 2018). Political science professionals have a better understanding of the
humanistic processes that have to be employed in the society by the government to ensure that the best outcomes
are achieved, in terms of protecting the rights of the people.

References

Kellstedt, P. M., & Whitten, G. D. (2018). The fundamentals of political science research. Cambridge University
Press.

Munzert, S. (2018). Measuring the importance of political elites.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/163433)

Peter Yablonsky
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Hello Veronica,

I agree with your point that the study of political science is important in order for people to be aware of the
nature of the laws that are developed within the government and their impact on them. According to Cobb
(2020), “Political science is the systematic and scientific study of politics, including institutions, behaviors, and
processes” (p.3). If people are not aware of how laws impact them and what they mean, they can be aimlessly
controlled by politicians. Politicians often create laws without further explanation or clarification on how they
might affect citizens, which is why the study of political science is so important. Thank you for sharing your
informative post.

-Peter Yablonsky

References
Whitman Cobb, W. N. (2020). Political science today (1st ed.). Washington, DC: Sage, CQ Press.

(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/163433)
Peter Yablonsky
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/163433)
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Hello Class,

According to Cobb (2020), “Political science is the systematic and scientific study of politics, including institutions,
behaviors, and processes” (p.3). Students should learn about political science because it deals with examining
patterns of politics, such as the factors that determining bills being passed and patterns of how different states
obtain different policies (Cobb, 2020). I find political science interesting because it involves the study of politics and
provides an explanation of the dynamics in politics. Some of the dynamics of politics explained in political science
include why the public feels the way they do (Cobb, 2020). Politics can be confusing to comprehend on the news,
and sometimes politicians do not explain their actions which is why the study of political science is relevant and
interesting to me.

References
Whitman Cobb, W. N. (2020). Political science today (1st ed.). Washington, DC: Sage, CQ Press.
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/142800)

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Chrishonna Mallard
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/142800)
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Hello Professor and class,

According to research “Political scientists study and explain government and legislative processes so that people
can be better informed about policies that impact their communities, states, and the country.” (Waubonsee
Community College, 2019) It is important to learn about political science because it helps us understand how to
make a difference in our communities, and the importance of voting. It is also helpful for many careers to have
some sort of understanding about politics and the law.

References:
Waubonsee Community College. (2019, November 22). The Importance of Studying Political Science. Retrieved
from https://www.waubonsee.edu/news-events/news/importance-studying-political-science
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/141474)

Siddony Blue
(https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/68288/users/141474)
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It is important to study political science because it helps us grow as individuals. One of the important things political
science does for us is it helps shed light on what being an individual means, the rights we have and how we
exercise them, but go through the world impacting one another with our decisions in government, leadership, etc. It
also helps us better understand laws, the judicial systems, how the government impacts the way we live and how
we exercise certain rights.

Because education, healthcare, voting, anything that is important in our lives and can impact our families has a lot
to do with political science, it is important to learn about its implications on human existence. With these different
institutions in place, political science can also help people find a common ground in better understanding how these
institutions are all related and impact one another.

People should be held responsible for understanding of how laws work, why they were created, the type of impact
they have on people and their lives and apart of this learning and knowledge, is based on the basis of knowledge
that political science provides.

Political science is also responsible for showing how the government and laws also work for the people (Burgess,
1891). For it is important to understand that in the U.S. because of all the rights we can supposedly exercise. It
brings a heightened sense of awareness on how people can create change, whether it is becoming
congresswoman, a senator, a lobbyist or a judge.

Political science can help people better understand the how decisions are made and if the people do not support it,
the acts and laws, political science also puts together a map of how to give the people the right to use their voices to
change it as well (Whitman, 2020).

Siddony
References

Burgess, J. W. (1891). Political Science and Comparative Constitutional Law…: Government (Vol. 2). Ginn.

Whitman, W.N.C. (2020). Political Science Today (1st ed). Washington, DC: Sage. CQ Press.

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