Five Political Essay Topics

1. Foundation of the Separation of Church and State

• Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.
• Assassination attempt of King James I and Members of Parliament because of the repression of Catholics by the ruling Protestant regime.
• The influence of John Locke and Thomas Hobbes on the US Founding Fathers, notably Presidents Jefferson and Monroe interpretations of the separation of secular and non-secular institutions.

2. The Subversion of the US Constitution by the Government 

• The premise of the Constitution and the associated Bill of Rights is to limit the power of the government and that the government exists by the consent of the governed.
• The usurpation of rights by an ever-more powerful government constitutes tyranny.
• Individual freedom is sacrificed for the illusion of government-ensured security.
• Contrast and compare with the Patriot Act 

3. Taxation with Representation 

• The Mast Tree Riots of New Hampshire and the Boston Tea Party in protest of the English government-mandated taxes.
• The first direct tax - payable only in hard currency - the Stamp Act was mandated by a government deeply in debt.
• The Declaratory Act, which asserted England's right to rule and tax the Colonies.
• Compare with the protests of the current Tea Party movement in the US today. 

4. Freedom of Speech on the Air

• Radio Free Europe was established to counter the government-controlled airwaves behind the Iron Curtain.
• Radio Liberty and Radio Free Europe still exist today
• From inception, RFE/RL was funded and supervised by the CIA. Funding from the CIA ceased in 1972 -- Compare and contrast the current proposal for US government-controlled radio broadcasts by the provisions in the so-called Fairness Doctrine and the proposed Broadcaster Freedom Act. 

5. Is Congress Cooking the Books?

• There are several budgets currently used by the US government to determine spending and deficits.
• Omissions of significant expenditures which lead to confusion at the least and constitute criminal embezzlement at the most.
• Explain and discuss the various accounting methods used including unfunded mandates, and “lock box” trust funds.
• Compare and contrast with Ponzi schemes.