During the penultimate week of the semester, I lead the students through a
discussion of readings both supportive and critical of the Bush Administration’s
proposals. I have recently added a special book to the course for this purpose: Faith-
Based Initiatives and the Bush Administration: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly by Jo
Renee Formicola, Mary Segers and Paul Webber. During this time I am very careful not
to reveal to the students my personal views.
The last week of class is devoted to the classroom simulation. I distribute a
detailed handout to the students in the form of a legislative schedule usually one week in
If numbers permit, I divide the student Senators equally
between Republicans and Democrats and include two Independents in the mix, one of
whom caucuses with the Republicans to give them a majority of one vote. I appoint the
Majority and Minority Leaders; in the past I have given these positions to students who
have debate experience and can organize their respective caucuses, allocate research
assignments and work out the arrangements for classroom debate.
The assignment is distributed on a Friday and the students are expected to caucus
over the weekend to prepare amendments to the House bill, which can be introduced
during Monday’s session in which the Senate will legislate as a committee of the whole.
In the interests of time, the teams may submit only two amendments each for floor debate
and consideration. Independent Senators are also allowed to prepare and submit one
amendment each.
On Monday, there is no class session. Therefore, the Senate is in recess. The
amendments must be filed in writing with the Senate Clerk (me) on this day no later than
8:00 a.m., with copies provided for every Senator
5
A copy of the simulation handout is attached to this paper as Appendix D and a document guide is
attached as Appendix E.
9
Convention