Pols 350 Group and Minority Politics

Research Paper Topic Ideas

The first step in completing your Groups in a Policy Fight Research Paper is to select a prominent national policy fight of interest to you.  There are plenty of policy fights from which to choose.  Typically, the most visible policy fights occur as legislative battles before Congress.  Some, however, take the form of court cases, constitutional amendments, or executive actions.  The policy fights can be recent or prominent battles in our history.  What follows is a list of topic ideas appropriate for this paper.  Keep in mind that this list is far from exhaustive, many more topics are possible for this paper.  Check with the professor for topic approval.  You must have an approved topic by October 10.

Prohibition Amendment, 1919
Women's Suffrage Amendment, 1920
Social Security Act, 1935
Marshall Plan, 1947
North Atlantic Treaty, 1949
Wilderness Act, 1964
Civil Rights Act, 1964
Elementary and Secondary Education Act, 1965
Medicare, 1965
Medicaid, 1965
Voting Rights Act, 1965
Family Assistance Plan, 1969-1972
Proposed Equal Rights Amendment, 1970s
Occupational Safety and Health Act, 1970
Clean Air Act, 1970
Comprehensive Employment and Training Act, 1973
Endangered Species Act, 1973
Roe v. Wade, 1973
Safe Drinking Water Act, 1974
Economic Recovery Tax Act, 1981
Job Training Partnership Act, 1982
Immigration Reform and Control Act, 1986
Tax Reform Act, 1986
Family Support Act, 1988
Capital Gains Tax Cut Proposal, late 1980s
Clean Air Act Amendment, 1990
Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990
Bush Budget Agreement, 1990
Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, 1993
North American Free Trade Agreement, 1993
Clinton Budget Agreement, 1993
Motor-Voter Act, 1993
Family Medical Leave Act, 1993
Clinton's Health Care Proposal, 1994
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (welfare reform), 1996
Flat Income Tax Proposal
Fast Track Trading Authority for the President, late 1990s
Internet Pornography Regulation
Social Security Reform Proposals
Tobacco Regulation Proposals
Minimum Wage Increase Proposal
Patients' Bill of Rights Proposal
Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China Bill
McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform Proposal
Proposed Ban on Late Term Abortions
Estate Tax Relief
Marriage Tax Penalty Relief
Prescription Drug Coverage for Seniors
Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
Gun Control Proposals
   

Professor Rodd Freitag Schneider 200E Phone: (715) 836-5044                                    Fax: (715) 836-2944 Updated: September 20, 2000