This task is worth 100 points and is due in class no later than September 9/10, 2009. Please submit your writing to Turnitin for analysis and a report before the due date. Then revise your writing if needed before submitting your paper to the professor.
     Based on the information in the experiences below, write at least three full pages of text describing and critically analyzing your political profile briefly and explaining current American ideologies and political party identifications. Be sure to write about all items 1-6. Include a list of conservative and liberal principles. 
      Write in paragraphs, please.  Print only one result page from each of the experiences and attach them to the paper to document your work. Properly cite and list all reference sources. There is no need to use many additional reference sources.
The Experiences: 
1.  Patchwork Nation, Christian Science Monitor  and here at PBS Newshour. Where do you live in Patchwork Nation? What is
     the politics of your America?
2.  Idealog -- the Introduction, the Tutorial, and the Self-Test. (especially write about #2) What is a political ideology?  
     What are the four ideologies in the game? How do they differ? Which one are you?
3.  MyPoliSciLab chapter 10 Who Are Liberals and Conservatives? What's the Difference? (p. 348) and
     Are You a Liberal or a Conservative? (p. 348) (especially write about #3)   According to major public opinion polls what
     proportion of Americans are liberal? conservative? moderate or centrist? And Texans?  
      On additional pages make a list of fundamental liberal and conservative principles.  Also see Geoffrey Stone, "What it means to
       be a liberal," Chicago Tribune,  October 10, 2006 and Russell Kirk, "Ten Conservative Principles," The  Politics of Prudence,
       1993.
4.      Recent American political argument has included the terms "socialism" and "fascism" used as epithets. Briefly outline the key
      traits of the world ideologies: communism, socialism, fascism, and capitalist democracy as well as liberalism, conservatism,
      libertarianism, and populism/communitarianism.
5.       Attach a photocopy of a current political cartoon from the conservative and liberal perspectives to your paper. Label and
      include proper citation on the cartoon photocopy.
6.      What do each of these current articles have to do with the various ideological perspectives? Cite them in your writing.
     Patricia Cohen, "Professors’ Liberalism Contagious? Maybe Not," New York Times, November 3, 2008.
     Gerald Seib, "Health Debate Isn't About Health," Wall Street Journal, August 11, 2009.
      Danti Chinni, "As healthcare debate rages, ranks of the uninsured grow," Christian Science Monitor Blog, August 12, 2009.
      Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, "The Socialist Solution to the Crisis," Wall Street Journal, April 2, 2009
     Gary Scharrer, "Textbooks being written for Texas students appear to lean to the right," Houston Chronicle, August 20, 2009.
7.  Alan Abramowitz,  "Ideology in the American Public," Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball, October 1, 2009.
     State of American Political Ideology, 2009 A National Study of Political Values and Beliefs. March 2009.

Writing, Documentation & Reference List:
      Evaluating reference sources is very important. Follow these guidelines especially when evaluating sources from the Internet: Straight From the Source at FactCheckEd.org
     See the writing instructions at Writing & Documenting Papers. Consult the Writing Center if you need help with your writing and documentation of reference sources. Wikipedia is a potentially suspect reference source. IMPROPERLY DOCUMENTED  & LATE PAPERS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Any exceptions to this policy must be negotiated with the professor in advance.