Government 2306 – Replacement Assignment: How Government Impact

Government 2306 – Replacement Assignment: How Government Impacts Our Everyday Lives

A Day in YOUR Life as a College Government Student

Credit to: Douglas J. Amy and tweaked by Lanora McNeil-Doucet



“Though we usually fail to notice it, government programs and policies improve or even negatively affect our daily lives in innumerable ways.” ~Douglas J. Amy



OBJECTIVE: Students will recognize that despite its problems, government plays an essential role in its efforts to promote a good life for all Americans.



Ask yourself this question: “What has government done for me lately?” If you are like most Americans, you will probably answer: “Not much.” Many people feel like they pay a lot in taxes but don't really get anything back from government. Surveys show that 52% of Americans believe that “government programs have not really helped me and my family.” But let’s see if that is really true. Let’s examine a typical day in the life of an average adult college student who is in government class and try to identify some of the ways that government improves or negatively impacts YOUR life during a 24-hour period.



DIRECTIONS: There is to be NO collaboration with fellow students (group-mates) since NO two students’ lived experiences should sound remotely similar to one another, nor should they be detectably similar to the YouTube video or journal excerpts (entries) shared below (of course there could be a few, as in 3, maybe 4, exceptions). All journal excerpts should be original experiences and thought processes. YOU SHOULD HAVE A MINIMUM OF 20 TO 25 JOURNAL EXCERPTS THAT WOULD COVER/SPAN 14 TO 18 HOURS OF A REGULAR 24 HOUR WORK DAY/WEEK DAY (M-F only; NO WEEKENDS OR HOLIDAYS!), ANYTHING BEYOND THE 14-18 HOUR SPAN IS ICING ON THE CAKE! Again, YOU MAY NOT use more than 3-4 closely related examples as shown in the video and/or as listed in the journal excerpts, or there will be no credit received for such entries (discounted), as your product would be a duplicate, a replica of the video and journal excerpts. YOUR journal excerpts should be modeled after and detailed like the example journal excerpts (mini paragraphs). Students have to think about and examine their own daily actions and conduct a bit of research to correctly determine which local, state, or federal government entity may have regulatory authority. ß Again, it is YOUR responsibility to determine the correct governmental regulatory body (do not attempt to consult the professor) and to make certain that they are indeed charged with regulatory/oversight responsibilities… in other words, NO guesswork! Journal excerpts should be typed, single-spaced, and set for Times New Roman font, with a 12” font size. Only save and submit the answer document, not the directions or examples pages. Delete any excess space from the answer boxes. Boxes will expand as you type. THE TEMPLATE IS A MICROSOFT/MS WORD DOCUMENT AND MUST ONLY BE SUBMITTED AS SUCH! NO OTHER WORD PROCESSING DOCUMENT IS ACCEPTABLE OR WILL BE ACCEPTED! ALSO, DO NOT CREATE YOUR OWN TEMPLATE! THIS ASSIGNMENT IS DUE IN CANVAS BY WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2020, @ 11:59 PM. NO EXTENSIONS! EMAILING OR CANVAS INBOXING OF THIS ASSIGNMENT IS ALSO NOT ALLOWED!



*THIS ASSIGNMENT IS OPTIONAL, NOT MANDATORY, AND IS NOT INTENDED TO REPLACE ANY M I S S I N G (BUT REQUIRED) ASSIGNMENT/S THAT STUDENTS FAILED TO COMPLETE.



EXAMPLES

YouTube Video: https://youtu(dot)be/NxmORpFhrwQ

Journal excerpts

6:30 a.m. You are awakened by your clock radio. You know it is actually 6:30 because the National Institute of Standards and Technology keeps the official time. And you can listen to your favorite radio station only because the Federal Communications Commission brings organization and coherence to our vast telecommunications system. It ensures, for example, that radio stations do not overlap and that stations signals are not interfered with by the numerous other devices – cell phones, satellite television, wireless computers, etc. – whose signals crowd our nation’s airwaves.



6:35 a.m. Like 17 million other Americans, you have asthma. But as you get out of bed you notice that you are breathing freely this morning. This is thanks in part to government clean air laws that reduce the air pollution that would otherwise greatly worsen your condition.



6:38 a.m. You go into the kitchen for breakfast. You pour some water into your coffeemaker. You simply take for granted that this water is safe to drink. But in fact you count on your city water department to constantly monitor the quality of your water and to immediately take measures to correct any potential problems with this vital resource.



9:00 a.m. While at work, your rights and wellbeing are constantly protected by a wide-ranging network of federal and state laws. The Occupation Safety and Health Act works to protect you from unsafe and unhealthy work conditions. Federal law protects you from workplace discrimination based on race, gender, religion, national origin, or disability. State laws may also require your employer to purchase worker’s compensation insurance so that you are covered in case you are injured on the job



Noon. For lunch you have your usual sandwich and microwaveable cup of soup. But why did you choose that particular soup?

Perhaps because it was low in salt and fat. But how do you know that? Because the government requires all food packaging to have a truthful and easily readable panel on the label that supplies you with the nutritional information necessary to make a good choice. Food companies tell you what they want you to know about their products, but the Food and Drug Administration’s labeling requirements tell you what you need to know to eat in a healthy way.



How do you know the lettuce in your sandwich is not laced with unhealthy doses of pesticides? Because the Department of Agriculture has developed and is enforcing uniform standards for pesticide residue on raw foods.

Microwave ovens are potentially very dangerous machines, but you can use this one with confidence because of detailed government regulations that limit the maximum amount of radiation leakage and mandate two different safety interlocks that prevent its operation with the door ajar or open.



12:45 p.m. After lunch, you walk to a nearby ATM and get some cash out of your account – and your money is actually there. That wasn't always true during the economic depression of the 1930s when many banks failed. But your money is safe -- as it was during the recent financial and banking crisis -- because the government guarantees your deposits. In addition, those pieces of paper you put in your wallet are only worth something thanks to the federal government. Our monetary system is entirely a government creation, and the value of money is only maintained because the government regulates the money supply and protects it from counterfeiters. Quite an important service really.



1:00 p.m. Back at work you hear rumors about a new downsizing plan being talked about by management – a fairly typical occurrence in these days of heightened national and international corporate competition. You know your job is one that could be lost, but you also know that you will be eligible for state-mandated unemployment insurance should that happen. This is just another way that government helps you to cope with the economic risks and uncertainties of a modern economy.



3:00 p.m. On a break, you call your elderly mother in the hospital to check on how she is recovering from her broken hip. Thanks to Medicare, her medical expenses are covered and she does not have to worry about this becoming a financial disaster for her. Thanks to the federal Family and Medical Leave act, you will also have the right to take several days off to tend to your mother when she comes home from the hospital.



7:30 p.m. Back at your house. You settle in for a quiet evening at home – one that is undisturbed by those annoying telemarketers calling you up to try to sell you something. This is because you have signed up with a state or federal no-call registry – a government service now enjoyed by over 60 million Americans.



11:00 p.m. You go to bed. During your sleep, you are protected by a smoke detector that your city requires to be installed in every residence. Maybe you would have bought one of these yourself, but this law helps to ensure that everyone is protected from the dangers of fire.



4:00 a.m. You are asleep in your comfy bed. Unlike that time you stayed in a small inn in Costa Rica, where you were woken up regularly at 4 in the morning by the roosters crowing in the neighborhood. By law, no one can keep roosters in your neighborhood and so you remain in blissful slumber.

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Due Date

December 2, 2020



Government 2306 – Replacement Assignment: How Government Impacts Our Everyday Lives



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