| I am tire of ignorant people getting elected to | | | | B) The Great Depression |
| national office. So why don't we develop a written | | | | C) WW II |
| test for our prospective political leaders? Since our | | | | D) WW III (The Cold War) |
| national politicians want to test our students and | | | | E) WW IV (The Global War on Terrorism)22. |
| teachers why don't we give a test to our | | | | Justify each of the cabinet positions and their |
| incumbents and candidates? We could call it our | | | | bureaucracies.A) Secretary of State |
| "No Member of Congress/Senator Left Behind" | | | | B) Treasury |
| test. They would have to take and pass this test | | | | C) Defense |
| before they can run for office or reelection. This | | | | D) Interior |
| would be a simple test about our Constitution, our | | | | E) Agriculture |
| representative republic form of government, and | | | | F) Commerce |
| historic events or people that have influenced | | | | G) Labor |
| us.THE TEST (25 questions)1. Discuss how The | | | | H) Health and Human Services |
| Bible and Judeo-Christian morals influenced the | | | | I) Housing and Urban Development |
| founding fathers.2. Discuss any other religious | | | | J) Transportation |
| influences that you think may have influenced | | | | K) Energy |
| them.3. Discuss how the "petty republics" of | | | | L) Education |
| Ancient Greece influenced the founding fathers | | | | M) Veterans Affairs |
| and western civilization. Start with:A) Democracy | | | | N) Homeland Security23. Discuss how each of |
| B) Law | | | | the following individuals influenced our |
| C) Theatre and Arts4. Discuss how the Roman | | | | government.A) John Locke |
| Empire influenced our founding fathers and | | | | B) Charles Montesquieu |
| western civilization. Start with:A) Central system | | | | C) David Hume |
| of laws | | | | D) Adam Smith |
| B) Civil Service | | | | E) William Blackstone |
| C) Democratic government | | | | F) Edmund Burke |
| D) Professional army5. Discuss the Magna Carta.6. | | | | G) Thomas Paine |
| Discuss the Mayflower compact.7. Discuss the | | | | H) John C. Calhoun |
| Articles of Confederation (Articles I-XIII).8. Discuss | | | | I) Alexis de Tocqueville |
| the Continental Congress.A) 1st Continental | | | | J) Herbert Croly24. Discuss campaign finance |
| Congress | | | | reform and term limits. Why has campaign finance |
| B) 2nd Continental Congress | | | | reform failed? What recommendations would you |
| C) The Congress of the Confederation9. Explain | | | | make? Discuss the pros and cons of term |
| in detail each part of our Declaration of | | | | limits.25. Discuss a topic or person of your choice |
| Independence.A) Introduction | | | | that was influential in the development of our |
| B) Preamble | | | | government.BONUS QUESTION: If you can find |
| C) Indictment | | | | the concept of "the separation of church and |
| D) Denunciation | | | | state," or the "right to privacy" in the Constitution |
| E) Conclusion10. Explain in detail each part of our | | | | you will be awarded 200 bonus points.NOTE: |
| Constitution.A) Preamble | | | | These are essay questions. You will be graded on |
| B) Articles I-VII | | | | how well you develop and share cogent ideas and |
| C) Amendments I-XXVII11. Compare and | | | | viewpoints. We are not looking for rote answers |
| contrast the Declaration of Independence (a | | | | from a textbook. Spelling, grammar, and |
| document that seeks to limits government) with | | | | punctuation will be graded. You will not be allowed |
| the Constitution (a document that empowers | | | | any reference material during the test. The test |
| government).12. Explain the Electoral College and | | | | may be completed in handwriting or on a |
| why it was enacted. Discuss its strengths and | | | | computer. The computer will not have spelling and |
| weaknesses.13. Discuss each of the Federalist | | | | grammar programs that might assist you.YOUR |
| Papers (1-85).14. Discuss the Anti Federalist | | | | SCORE: The grade will be similar to an SAT score. |
| Papers.15. Compare and contrast the Federalist | | | | Scores will range from 400-1600. They will be |
| Papers and the Anti Federalist papers.16. Discuss | | | | published online, in newspapers and magazines, and |
| the Northwest Ordinance and how it affected | | | | broadcasted on television and radio. Your score |
| later expansion of the country and the admission | | | | will also be written down next to your name on |
| of new states.17. Discuss the Connecticut | | | | the ballot. And should you get elected, it will |
| Compromise and why it was enacted.18. What | | | | become part of your tag line (Sen Joe Smith, |
| was Shays Rebellion? Discuss its influence on our | | | | Dem, GA, 900).I'm sure I have omitted some |
| early government.19. What was the Whiskey | | | | important person, place, or thing. But this is a |
| Rebellion? Discuss its influence on our early | | | | start. Part II of the test would deal with simple |
| government.20. Discuss some of the events the | | | | economics and taxation since taxation is the |
| led up to the Civil War.A) The Missouri | | | | greatest power our legislators yield. I might start |
| Compromise | | | | by asking them to compare competing economic |
| B) The Kansas Nebraska Act | | | | schools of thought such as Ludwig von Mises |
| C) The Birth of Republican Party21. Discuss how | | | | Friedrich Hayek vs. Karl Marx/John Maynard |
| each of these events impacted on the growth of | | | | Keynes. I will try to develop that test at a later |
| the federal government.A) The Civil War | | | | date. |