Imagine that you are an adviser to the president. A situation is ...

[mwit1967]

Imagine that you are an adviser to the president. A situation is brewing in the Philippines that may require U.S. military intervention.
 
  Provide three brief rationales for why the United States should or should not intervene, arguing from the point of view of an isolationist, a unilateralist, and a multilateralist. Which position would be most supported by the American public?
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

While eating breakfast you read an article in the newspaper that uses a public opinion survey to support the claim that Americans are going to vote out congressional incumbents in the next election cycle.
 
  What sort of information would you need to know to assess the accuracy of the polling data? Make an argument for why, even in spite of concerns about accuracy, public opinion polls are generally reliable.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

[potomatos]

Answer to Question 1

An ideal response will:
1, Define and compare isolationism, unilateralism, and multilateralism.
2, Explain how these orientations differ in terms of their beliefs about foreign policy, war, and cooperation. A strong answer will explain where each rationale may come from, naming a particular agent of socialization.
3, Discuss the consistently strong view among the American public, supported by public opinion polls, that the United States should be less involved in world affairs.

Answer to Question 2

An ideal response will:
1, Discuss how survey research in general faces a range of problems in ensuring accuracy.
2, Explain how sample size, nonrandom samples, Internet polling, the rise of cell phone usage, leading questions, timing, and intensity all can affect the reliability of public opinion polls.
3, Argue that public opinion polls, when properly conducted, can capture generally rational public sentiments.