POL 443 Week 4 Discussion Questions

This work of POL 443 Week 4 Discussion Questions shows the solutions to the following problems:

DQ 1: For this scenario, we will be looking at the issue surrounding fuel-efficiency standards in the U.S. In this debate, there are influential groups on both sides. The automakers and oil companies tend to side with keeping (or evening relaxing) standards while environmental organizations want to make fuel-efficiency standards more strict. How does one group change its strategy for influencing policy makers when it faces off against another influential group? How is this different than when an interest group has no significant opposition supporting the other side of an issue?

DQ 2: The Democratic National Committee today announced that they have selected Charlotte, NC, as the location for the 2012 Democratic National Convention where President Obama is assumed to be nominated as the party’s candidate for President. Selecting a city for this type of high-profile political event is very important, and the final decision on a city says a lot about what the party hopes to achieve. Talk about what the significance is of the Democrats selecting Charlotte for their convention. What does this indicate for their hope in getting votes in 2012? What does it say about how Democratic policies tie in with the population in Charlotte and North Carolina? Why do you think the Democrats didn’t go with the other finalist cities (Minneapolis, St. Louis, and Cleveland)?