Fall 2004

GOV 370L • Political Regulation and Reform

Course Description

Course number may be repeated for credit when topics vary. How does the American system of democratic government control itself? The framers of the U.S. constitution well knew that elections were important but they had to be organized and alone they were not enough to assure just and well-ordered government of a free society. This course looks beyond the system of separation of powers and checks and balances to explore the development of the most important and interesting "auxiliary precautions" organizing and restraining American government. We will focus chiefly on regulation and reform of elections, political parties, and campaigns with some attention to additional legal restraints on government such as sunshine laws, term limits, conflict of interest, ethics, and anti-corruption legislation.

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