US Government, 1st period, Friday, January 12

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

Josh was yelling at a copy of the Washington Post when the students began arriving. He didn't seem to like George Bush.

"Welcome to US Government. I'm Josh Lyman and up until last January I was the deputy chief of staff for President Josiah Bartlet. You may all be suitably impressed now." He looked around the room. "Good."

"This is a class about how the US government works, or on occasion, comes to a screeching, painful halt. I've worked in both the legislative and executive branches and worked extensively with the judicial branch as well, so I'm very excited to bring my wealth of knowledge of all things government to your eager young minds."

He took a sip of coffee, then a bite of one of the finest bagels in the land, courtesy of his TA Pam. "Okay, maybe I'm not excited, and maybe you're not eager, but work with me here, people. Knowing how the government works is part of your responsibility as Americans. Um, if you are Americans. If you're not, learning about the government of this completely other country is a fascinating hobby that will get you lots of dates." He raised an eyebrow. "Really.

"This class will focus mostly on the federal government and how it operates because I'm running the class and find all things dealing with state and local politics to be stupefyingly boring." He held up a hand. "You might have other opinions, but I, well, don't care that much."

He handed around copies of the class syllabus. "As it says so clearly at the top of the page, today we discuss why you should care about government. Now I know why I care about the government, but explain to me why you care at all what bills the House of Representatives is debating, or who sits on the Supreme Court. Or who's elected President, or governor, or to the local school board." He waved his hand. "Or if you don't, explain that too."

He sat down at his desk and pointed at random to a student. "You. Name, class, why you care about government."

[OOC: Once again, internetless work will prevent me from responding immediately. Talk amongst yourselves. Josh won't care :)]

Comments

Sign in (January 12)

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

All neat and collapse-y like!

Re: Sign in (January 12)

[irulan-atreides.livejournal.com]

Princess Irulan Corrino

Re: Sign in (January 12)

[pyroliz.livejournal.com]

Liz Sherman

Answer the discussion question

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

Name, class, why you care about government.

Re: Answer the discussion question

[irulan-atreides.livejournal.com]

"Princess Royal Irulan Corrino of House Corrino, I am a third year student. I am the first in line to the Golden Lion throne and thought it imperative to learn about any management of government before I ascend."

Re: Answer the discussion question

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

Josh blinked.

"Seriously?"

Re: Answer the discussion question

[pyroliz.livejournal.com]

"I'm Liz Sherman," Liz said, "I'm a freshman and I care about the government because ... well there are people in the government who do actually care about you,"

Re: Answer the discussion question

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

Josh nodded. "That is very true. There are, oh, ten of them. I can give names."

He grinned. "Kidding. Contrary to popular belief, most of the people in the government aren't out to make your lives miserable, nor do they get off on the pain of others. They are very smart men and women who have given up lucrative jobs in the private sector to work for the people. We should have a holiday in our honor. Possibly named after me."

Re: Answer the discussion question

[sneerkite]

"I am Steerpike of Gormenghast. They tell me I am a junior, but I don't know, yet, what that means. I am interested in the government because they are the ones who are supposed to decide what is right and what is wrong for the people. And when they are wrong, then you have to understand how the government works in order to change their minds."

Re: Answer the discussion question

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

Josh raised an eyebrow. "Any chance that you're taking Aly's class in revolutions, too?" he asked.

Re: Answer the discussion question

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

"My name is Turtle Wexler, and I'm a freshman," Turtle introduced herself in that bored sort of thank God these introductions will be over after this. "An' I care about goverment because, without government, where would we be? Governmentless. And that'd be bad."

Turtle really didn't care much about government at all, but, woe, no business classes.

Re: Answer the discussion question

[likethegun]

"I'm Sam Winchester, I'm a freshman, and I care about the government because I'm an American citizen, and it seems kind of wrong to not understand how the government of my own country works."

Re: Answer the discussion question

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"Cedric Diggory. Sophomore. I care about government because this one differs vastly from the government I'm used to and I'd like to see the similarities and differences."

Re: Answer the discussion question

[keds-champion.livejournal.com]

Pam waved. "I'm Pam Beesly, I'm a sophomore, and learning about the government is important because we all live here and I'm not planning on moving to Canada anytime soon."

Re: Answer the discussion question

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"I'm Dawn Summers," she said, boggling a little at the fact that the dork world really did seem to have a King, and he was teaching her Government class. Or maybe he was an elected official? "And, um, I care about the government because one of their secret projects almost brought forth end of the world type badness back home. I think that normally shouldn't happen."

Re: Answer the discussion question

[dorky-broots.livejournal.com]

"My name is Broots, please ignore everything it says about my first name and I'm a ... um...Junior. I care about the government because the government is the reason I'm here."

Re: Answer the discussion question

[fat-halpert.livejournal.com]

"My name is Jim Halpert, I'm a sophomore, and I care about government because I have a strange desire to someday be able to watch C-SPAN for a full hour without falling asleep and it would be a good start if I knew what they were talking about."

Don't answer the discussion question!

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

Take notes, pass notes, pass out.

But Josh has a water pistol and decent aim, so don't snore.

Re: Don't answer the discussion question!

[sneerkite]

This Lyman person was, perhaps, the least impressive of all of Steerpike's teachers, thus far.

Still, it would be good to learn how the hierarchy of this world he'd found himself in worked. So as to ascend it.

Re: Don't answer the discussion question!

[irulan-atreides.livejournal.com]

Irulan took out her notebook and started taking down notes.

Re: Don't answer the discussion question!

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

Cedric took notes quietly. And might've doodled a bit.

Re: Don't answer the discussion question!

[dorky-broots.livejournal.com]

Broots typed away on his laptop. Notes, minesweeper, hacking into various corporations, same differance.

Re: Don't answer the discussion question!

[fat-halpert.livejournal.com]

Jim didn't take notes. He just sat there and listened, occasionally making odd faces. This was fairly typical of him.

Talk to Josh after class

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

He's awake only through the power of coffee.

OOC

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

Yay government class yay!