The purpose of this assignment is to demonstrate knowledge of how the federal system of government works. Examine what the different branches and layers of government do to address a policy using a current issue to illustrate it. It is NOT to give your personal opinions on the issue.

Complete a research essay on how the federal government creates national security policy.

National security is always an issue in the United States. Here are the aspects and questions to address for this essay:

1. Identify a current policy problem for American national security, and then state a preferred policy solution to it and why it’s preferred (This is your thesis statement).
2. Briefly explain two competing solutions to this problem while addressing the responsibilities of each level of government (federal, state, and local) and the three branches of the federal government (executive, legislative, and judicial).
3. Build the argument for why your chosen solution is preferable, what critics say about the solution, and finally why the critics are wrong.

REQUIREMENTS:

• 750-word target length (about three pages), not including references listed at the end or footnotes if used.
• Incorporation of concepts and terms from the required readings.
• Inclusion of facts from a recent news article about the topic/solution.
• Correct spelling, grammar, and formatting, whether it’s APA, MLA, or Chicago/Turabian.
• See the essay rubric for further details on grading.

Writing tips:

1) Write concisely! More is not necessarily better if the required points from the rubric are missed.

2) Essays should be written in the third-person perspective. (Avoid using “I, me, my, mine, we, us, our, you, your”).