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?