Government comes to bear on almost every aspect of our lives. Consciously and unconsciously, we are drawn into conversations about the interaction between citizens and how much regulation should be enforced by political authority. Abortion, gun control, gay marriage, religion in the public square, immigration and speech codes all dominate the media and the Internet. Supporting information on these matters is easy to find. A student can either take a position or comprehensively survey the issue.
How government performs its functions is also hotly debated among voters. We often hear stories of "incompetence" or "dropping the ball" by elected officials when disasters strike or economic indicators go south. Yet many are unaware of what actually goes on at the Transportation Department or the Federal Reserve System, where enacted legislation actually gets implemented. The nuts and bolts of public administration can be reviewed and commented on by means of general reporting or case studies.
The means and obstacles to achieving political power simultaneously thrill and disgust the electorate. Opinions abound on the ideal political system from a practical standpoint. Moreover, entire areas of scholarship are devoted to campaigns and elections, voting behavior and the role of media. The omnipresence of campaigns and candidates on the web provides additional source material. With university technology, students can now conduct their own survey research, focusing locally, state-wide or nationally. Comparative studies with other countries also have potential.
Overhanging all three of the above is the question of ideology. Fundamental beliefs will always affect what goes on at the ballot box, the efficiency of our government agencies and where our leaders come down on the burning issues of the day. From Aristotle to Augustine to Calvin to Locke to Marx, there is an abundance of recorded thought on matters of civil rights, civic obligation and distributive and criminal justice. Research for a paper of this genre can be done exclusively at the library if desired.