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fandomhigh2006-01-11 12:26 pm
professor-lyman.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2006-01-11 12:26 pm
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US Government (Wednesday, January 11, 4th period)
Josh looked up from the pile of electoral data he had been studying when students began arriving.
"Welcome to US Government. I'm Josh Lyman and up until a few weeks ago 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. "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."
"Welcome to US Government. I'm Josh Lyman and up until a few weeks ago 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. "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."
Re: Discussion question
The government is those who control the power to make and impose laws upon us. As long as we're a citizen or resident of the country, then to a certain extent, the government dictates what we are allowed, and are not allowed to do.
The government is the reason that I'm sitting here in this class, in this school today. The government will be influencing my decisions over attending college due to the cost of education and increasing debts for college students.
Just about every part of my life, the government has some impact on, from waking up in the morning, because my alarm clock was imported into this country and the government sets trade policy, to dinner, where I'll eat the chicken because I know that federal law, implemented by the government, means that it's safe for me to eat. And then to bed, because the government has funded studies on sleep and those studies suggest seven to eight hours a night. And if I have trouble sleeping, then I can use FDA approved sleeping aides."
Re: Discussion question
Re: Discussion question