Blog Post 2.10 "Obama & Congress"

Watch the following episode of PBS Frontline about President Obama trying to get health care reform passed back in 2010.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/obamasdeal/view/

Write a three paragraph summary of the documentary and answer the following questions.

THIS POST WILL ALSO COUNT IN BOTH YOUR BLOG AND HOMEWORK GRADE CATEGORIES


1. What was Rahm Emmanuel's job in the Obama Administration?  What are the roles of that job?
2. Why did the Obama Administration decide to go after health care reform immediately upon assuming office?
3. How were Bill Clinton's attempts at health care reform defeated?
4. What kind of people was Obama hiring to work in his administration to get reform passed?  How would this approach be useful?
5. What did the interests groups for private insurance companies demand that Obama include in his health care reform plan?  Why?
6. How was the Senate version of the health care bill written?  Using what you know from reading House and Senate, how was this allowed to happen?
7. Why did the Obama Administration have to ensure that the pharmaceutical interest groups were on his side?
8. During the "summer recess", how did public opinion turn against health care reform?
9. How did the death of Ted Kennedy change the debate over the issue?
10. What happened during the President's State of the Union address that increased the intensity of the debate?
11. How did Obama use his "bully pulpit" against the insurance companies?
12. What were the results of the first vote on the bill?
13. How did the death of Ted Kennedy change the makeup of the Senate?
14. Why is the 41st vote so crucial for Republicans in the Senate?
15. How did Obama respond after Democrats lost their super-majority in the Senate?
16. What new approach did Obama and Nancy Pelosi take with the House of Representatives?
17. What was the result of the vote in the House?  How did both parties vote?

18.  Using what you know, and what you saw in this case study, n ONE PARAGRAPH, explain the process by which a president gets major legislation enacted.

Blog Post 2.09 "Growth of Obama's Presidential Power

Read the following article from Newsweek about how President Obama has been expanding the power of the Executive Branch.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/10/21/president-obama-s-executive-power-grab.html

Write a three paragraph summary of the article and answer the following questions.

1. Why was Speaker Boehner unable to compromise with President Obama?
2. Why didn't Obama just want to solve the problem by himself?
3. If Congress would not pass the DREAM Act and Obama passed it unilaterally, what does that mean happened?
4. How did Congress react?
5. On what grounds can Congress criticize the Administration over not defending the Defense of Marriage Act?
6.  FDR expanded power to solve help fix the Great Depression, & Bush expanded power to combat Terrorism.  What is the problem Obama is expanding his powers to try to solve?
7. How is Congress dealing with the president's appointees differently than in the past?
8. How has the Senate operated under the Obama Administration?
9. Why does Congress have a hard time explaining to the electorate that the president is abusing his power?
10. Why is Congress upset that Obama is taking unilateral action?
11. What is Obama's plan for dealing with Congress in his second term?

Blog Post 2.8 "Women in the 113th Congress"

Read the following article from The Atlantic about women and their roles in the newly elected Congress.

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/11/percentage-of-women-running-major-house-committees-in-2013-zero/265657/

Write a two paragraph summary of the article, and then answer the following questions.
1. What are "Democratic wave years" and why are they more likely to produce gains for women in Congress?
2. Why will all of the leaders of committees be white males?
3. How many Republican women Congressmen are there?  How many Democratic women Congressmen are there?  (actual numbers for the 113th Congress.  You'll have to do math or look it up)
4. What are the three reasons the author gives for the lack of female Republican Congressmen?

About the article, not necessarily in the article....
5.  How are committee chairman selected?
6.  How is House leadership chosen?
7. Who is the most powerful woman in Congress?
8. What is her position in the 113th Congress?

Blog Post 2.7 "Redistricting & Gerrymandering"

Read the following article from The Washington Post about the impacts of redistricting on this most recent election.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/harold-meyerson-gops-gerrymandered-advantages/2012/11/13/4785e4d6-2d2f-11e2-a99d-5c4203af7b7a_story.html

WRITE A TWO PARAGRAPH SUMMARY OF THE ARTICLE and then answer the following questions.

1. Why were the House districts changed for this election?
2.Why were Republicans able to draw the district lines?
3. If the Democratic Senators were winning statewide elections by such large margins, but the House seats were lopsided wins for Republicans, what do you know has happened during the redistricting of those states?
4.  What is the disparity in Democrat vs. Republican seats in the states that Meyerson discussed?
5.  How does the author defend Democratic gerrymandering in Illinois?
6.  How does California's plan eliminate gerrymandering?
7. Why does he finish by saying that House Republicans do not have "a mandate" to carry out their policies?

Blog Post 2.6 "The 113th Congress"

Read the following 2 info-graphics from Time magazine.

http://swampland.time.com/2012/11/07/the-senate-after-33-races-a-few-new-faces/
http://swampland.time.com/2012/11/07/the-house-election-2012/

Then read the following editorial from The New York Times.  
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/13/opinion/a-new-chance-for-the-senate.html?hp

Write a 2 paragraph summary of what to expect from the 113th Congress and answer the following questions.

1. Why would Harry Reid had the chance to get filibuster reform done earlier than 2011?
2. What was the original intention of the filibuster?
3. How has the role of the filibuster changed in the Senate?
4. What is the way filibuster reform may get done with a simple majority vote?
5. What had Republican Senators achieved with the filibuster in the last term of Congress?
6. In the last 50 years, how often have the Democrats controlled the Senate?
7. Which presidents had to deal with an opposition Senate?
8. Why were Joe Connely and Claire McCaskill elected so easily?
9. What is unique about Wisconsin's new senator?
10. What does it mean to say the independent senators may caucus with the Democrats?
11. Which presidents have had to deal with an opposition House?
12. Which states had the largest gains for Republicans in the House?
13. Which states had gains for Democrats in the House?

Post 2.5 "Demographic Changes and the Future of the GOP"

Read the following article from the New York Times about the shifting demographics of America and how the Republican Party will have to react.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/08/us/politics/obamas-victory-presents-gop-with-demographic-test.html?hp&_r=0

Write a two paragraph summary of the article and answer the following questions..

1. How would you describe the demographics of the voters that made up the Obama coalition?
2.  What is the problem with the Republican's "Southern Strategy"?
3. How did Obama do among white voters and older voters?
4. How will Republicans have to change their policy stances to appeal to groups they generally do not have the support of?
5. What is the typical Republican stance on immigration? Why is that a problem as the party looks to the future?
6. What approach to campaigning did Romney take in minority-majority communities?
7. How will Republicans likely change the types of people they run for office?
8. Why are Republicans saying that it's not time to panic yet?
9. What do you think the Republican Party will do to try to be more successful in future elections?

2.4 'Interest Groups & Climate Change Follow - Up"

Check out the following websites that  follow - up to the documentary from PBS's Frontline.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/environment/climate-of-doubt/timeline-the-politics-of-climate-change/

1. What was the Kyoto protocol?
2. How did Exxon help convince George W. Bush to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol?
3. Which tactics were used by the "Carbon Dioxide is Life" campaign and The Inconvenient Truth film?  Why is it this tactic?
4. How did Exxon change its position in 2008?
5. Once bipartisan consensus was reached by Former Speaker Gingrich and Former Speaker Pelosi, how did critics of climate change alter their tactics?
6.Why did Obama's carbon limiting plan fail?
7. In 2011, when the majority in the House switched, what happened to climate bills?
8 What did each party convention have to say about climate change?

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/environment/climate-of-doubt/how-does-climate-change-factor-into-decision-2012/

9. What went wrong with Obama's first investment in clean energy?
10. How did the cap and trade program get "spun"?
11. Why would it be dangerous for Obama to use the EPA to control plants?
12. Which policy makers are the major players in any potential climate change bill that could come?
13. What interest groups are involved in the issue now?


http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/environment/climate-of-doubt/steve-coll-how-exxon-shaped-the-climate-debate/

14.  How was Exxon's initial approach different than other groups?
15. What was Exxon able to do with all of its money?
16. What kind of people helped advocate Exxon's agenda?
17. What finally convinced Exxon that it should take a new approach?
18. When did Exxon stop funding research that cast doubt on climate change?
19.  How did Exxon work with the Heartland Institute?

Blog Post 2.3 "Interest Group Impact on Public Opinion"

Because this assignment is longer.  It will count twice. It will count for an assignment in both your blog assignments and once in your homework category.  You have until November 6th to complete this.  

Your assignment for 2.3 is to watch the documentary produced by PBS's Frontline program about how interest groups and  companies have been able to make climate change essentially disappear as an issue in this year's election.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/climate-of-doubt/

Watch the documentary, and write a three paragraph summary of the movie.
Also, answer the following questions....

1.  Which tactic are these interest groups using during the beginning of the episode as they convince the public that global warming is a non-issue?  Why do you think it's effective?
2.  When members of this group are testifying before Congress, what tactic are they using?
3.  What types of policies do Americans For Prosperity try to influence? (you'll have to look them up)
4.  Why do you think that some of these scientists are publicly stating that global warming is not a problem?
5.  What are the policy goals of the American Tradition Institute?
6.  What was behind the change in stance on climate change from the Congressmen?
7. What types of businesses are supporting these interest groups?
8. What does the money from Donors Change buy the group?
9.  Explain why you think these interest groups were so successful in removing climate change from the agenda in this election.

Blog Post 2.2 'Final Phase of Campaign Season"

Read the following article from Time magazine.   
http://swampland.time.com/2012/10/19/campaign-moves-into-final-phase-driven-by-electoral-math/?xid=newsletter-weekly

Play around with the Electoral College calculator math (first link in the article).
Write a 2 paragraph summary of the article and answer the following questions.

1. What does the author mean when he uses the term "shrinking battlefield"?
2. What nine states does the author say are in play?
3. How are Maine's electoral votes different than most other states?
4. What states must Romney absolutely win in order to win the election?
5. According to the calculator, which states are up for grabs?
6. According to the calculator, which states, if any, is Obama likely to lose that he won in 2008?
7. Using the calculator, what is the least amount of states a person could win the election by?  What would those states be?
8. What will likely be the deciding state in this election?

Blog Post 2.1 "Obama's lack of vision"

Read the following article from Politico about how the candidates are spending their campaign money on ads.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1012/82217.html

Write a two paragraph summary of the article, and answer the following questions.

1. Why is Romney paying more for ads in Ohio than Obama?
2. What kind of audience is Romney going after by focusing on broadcast networks?
3. Why is Romney's campaign handling his ad purchases "in house"?
4. What advantages is this giving the Obama campaign?
5. What would be the advantages and disadvantages of buying ads months early?
6. What would be the advantages and disadvantages of buying ads right before they air?
7. What does it tell you if the Obama campaign is outspending the Romney campaign in swing states even if they pay less per ad?
8. Which strategy do you think is a better one and why?

Blog Post 1.7 "Horse Race Journalism"

Read the following article from The Atlantic by Conor Friedersdorf

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/09/is-horse-race-coverage-killing-mitt-romney/262989/?google_editors_picks=true

Write a two paragraph summary of the article and answer the following questions.


1. Why would conservatives worry about the polls so much and call them "a conspiracy"?
2. What do the candidates look like as a result of the horse race coverage?
3.  Why won't voters pay much attention to new news about the economy?
4.  How does Douthat (in the big quote) criticize the Romney campaign?
5. How does the article compare the parties' National Conventions?
6. What is Obama getting away with, because of the focus on the horse race?
7. What foreign policy choices do American voters have according to Douthat?
8. How does Friedersdorf feel that the press is failing?
9. How would you say that Freidersdorf characterizes Romney and his campaign overall?
10. How would you say that he characterizes Obama overall?

Blog Post 1.6 "The Gender Gap 2012"

Read the following article from NPR.org about the gender gap in the upcoming election.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/09/27/161818462/2012-gender-gap-could-be-historic-but-not-necessarily-why-you-think

Write a 2 paragraph summary of the article and then answer the following questions.

1. What does the article say is the fundamental question in this election?
2. What is the margin by which women prefer Obama over Romney?
3. What has remained consistent about the gender gap over elections in the past?
4. How has the Romney campaign tried to appeal to women?
5. How has the issue of abortion rights affected this election?

Blog Post 1.5 "Obama's Next Term"

Read the following article from this week's Newsweek magazine.  This is a column from Andrew Sullivan about what Obama may achieve if he wins a second term.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/09/23/andrew-sullivan-on-the-promise-of-obama-s-second-term.html

Write a two paragraph summary of the article and then answer the following questions:

1. What does Sullivan predict will be the outcome of the presidential and Congressional elections in November?
2. How does he compare the situations in which Reagan and Obama were elected?
3. How does he describe Reagan's first term as president?
4. What happened that allowed Reagan to go from low approval ratings to winning 49 of 50 states in 1984?
5. What happened in Reagan's second term that has contributed to his image as transformational and iconic?
6. What were Obama's initial first term "wins" and why are they a liability now?
7. How does Sullivan describe America's taxing and spending situation?
8. What are Obama's potential foreign policy goals in a second term?
9. How is the Republican Party different today than in 1984?
10. Why does Sullivan  criticize liberals for thinking Obama has failed them?

Blog Post 1.4 "Identity Politics"

Read the following piece from the New York Times from Bill Keller about demographics and political party support.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/17/opinion/keller-the-grand-old-straight-white-mens-party.html?_r=1&ref=opinion

Write a two paragraph summary of the article and answer the following questions.

1. What demographics does Keller associate with the Democratic Party?
2. What demographics does Keller associate with the Republican party?
3. What does he mean by the term "bellwether"?  (You may have to google it.)
4. What happened to the campaigns of the state senators who voted in favor of homosexual marriage rights?
5. How is the leadership of the New York Repubican Party different than that of the Republican National Committee?
6. What does he mean by calling the same-sex marriage issue a distraction?
7. Why does Keller claim that the state senate candidates changed their position on same sex marriage?
8. As the elections approach, why would these candidates begin to move "toward the center"?

Blog Post 1.3 "Congress After the Conventions"

Read the following article from Monday's New York Times about the agenda in Congress.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/10/us/politics/congress-to-face-angry-farmers.html?ref=politics

Write a two paragraph summary of the article, and answer the following questions.

1.  What issues do Congressional Democrats plan on working on when Congress gets back to session this week?  How does that match up with Barack Obama's goals?
2. What issues do Congressional Republicans plan on working on when Congress gets back to session this week? How does that match up with Mitt Romney's goals.
3.  Why won't the spending bill be controversial in the middle of a presidential campaign?
4.  How could the farm bill affect the presidential election in agricultural states?
5. What interest groups are acting on behalf of the farmers?
6. What other seemingly noncontroversial bills have been put on hold by this Congress?
7. Why do you think it is so difficult for Congress to get anything done during the election season?

Blog Post 1.2 "Democratic Platform"

Hey, there is a short one this week, both because of the short week and because the last one was so long!  This is from the editorial page in Wednesday's New York Times.

The Democratic National Convention is being held in Charlotte, North Carolina this week.  One of the few things that actually happen at the convention is that the party settles on one "party platform". The platform is basically a statement of goals and issue stances that are to be adopted by the party.  This particular article is about how many speakers are avoiding several stances in the platform.  Keep this in mind next week as we begin to study the role of voters and public opinion.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/05/opinion/words-not-spoken.html?_r=1

Read the article and write a 2 paragraph summary of what you read.  Then, answer the following questions.

1. Why do you think President Obama avoids mentioning his position on limiting gun laws?
2. Why would a balanced budget be the type of topic the party would decide to emphasize?
3. What Democratic Party goals did Mayor Cory Booker focus on during his speech?  Why would he choose these?
4. What are the Democratic Party's foreign policy goals, according to the platform?
5. Why do you think the Democrats would avoid talking about campaign finance reform during the convention?
6. Do you think it is likely that President Obama could get a campaign finance amendment passed in his second term?  Given your knowledge of the amendment process, explain why or why not.
7.  What is the author's attitude toward the party's platform?
8.  What do you think they author thinks about the likelihood of the party actually adhering to its goals?

Blog Post 1.1: "The Constitution Today"

Read the following article from Time magazine about the U.S. Constitution today.

(Sorry, it's a long one.) This is by Richard Stengel, who is the Managing Editor of Time.

This is from last years's Time magazine that was dedicated to modern day application of the Constitution.  A couple of the issues are a little outdated (Libya) but they are important for us to see how the Constitution is used today.  

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2079445,00.html

Write a two paragraph summary of the article. Then, answer the following questions.

INTRO:

1. Which group does Stengel claim has refocused America's attention on the Constitution?

2. How does he define "constitutional originalists"?

3. What does Texas Congressman Ron Paul say the intent of the Constitution is, and how does Stengel counter this statement?

LIBYA:

4. What does the War Powers Resolution do?

5. Why does Barack Obama think this does not apply to the situation in Libya?

6. How does Stengel explain the War Powers Resolution as a check and balance?

7. Does Congress want to be in charge of committing troops? Why or why not?

DEBT CEILING:

8. Why would defaulting on our debt have been unconstitutional?

9. How does the argument over the debt limit usually play out?

OBAMACARE:

10. Why has one district judge declared Obama's Health Care plan unconstitutional?

11. Which congressional power allows the government to require us to purchase things?

12. Why does Stengel argue that citizens should be required to buy insurance?

IMMIGRATION:

13. What does the principle of jus soli mean?

14. What part of the constitution makes the US a jus soli nation?

15. What was the original intent of this part of the constitution?

16. What is the difference between a constitution and a code of laws?