Read the following from NPR (the government funded news radio station) about interest groups drafting laws for members of Congress (think iron triangles)
http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/11/11/243973620/when-lobbyists-literally-write-the-bill
Write a one paragraph summary of the article and answer the following questions.
Citigroup is one of the largest banks in the country. Dodd-Frank was Obama's Wall Street reform law passed at the beginning of his first term that limited the types of investments that banks were able to invest in.
1. This bill was written by an interest group and given to a Congressman on a committee to propose. Do the other Congressmen know this is happening?
2. Besides writing the words of the bill, what else do the lobbyists in the story do to help get what they want?
3. Is there a way for us (the people) to know when this is happening?
4. What does this quote from the article mean?
""this is just another tick-tock on a story that's been developing for a long time — that Congress has basically outsourced its policy expertise to the private sector."
Monday, November 11, 2013
Blog post 2.6 "Obama's Approval Ratings"
Read the following report from the Pew Research Center
http://www.people-press.org/2013/11/08/obamas-second-term-slide-continues/
Write a paragraph summary of the report's findings and answer the following questions.
1. What is the sample in this poll?
2. How does Obama compare to other recent presidents at this point in their terms?
3. How do independent voters feel about Obama right now?
4. What implications does that have for the 2014 midterm elections?
5. What have been the highlights of Obama's time in office according to this poll?
6. Compare Obama's approval ratings among the three different blocks of voters.
http://www.people-press.org/2013/11/08/obamas-second-term-slide-continues/
Write a paragraph summary of the report's findings and answer the following questions.
1. What is the sample in this poll?
2. How does Obama compare to other recent presidents at this point in their terms?
3. How do independent voters feel about Obama right now?
4. What implications does that have for the 2014 midterm elections?
5. What have been the highlights of Obama's time in office according to this poll?
6. Compare Obama's approval ratings among the three different blocks of voters.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Blog Post 2.5 "Interest Groups"
Read the following article from The New York Times about an interest group started by investors, the Koch Brothers.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/04/us/politics/koch-group-has-ambitions-in-small-races.html?ref=politics&_r=0
Write a two paragraph summary of the article and answer the following questions.
1. Why is Americans for Prosperity focusing on electioneering local elections?
2. How might these actions in local races in 2013 help the organization in 2014?
3. How do most citizens in the area respond to Americans for Prosperity getting involved in their races?
4. What has the interest group done to help the candidates it supports?
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/04/us/politics/koch-group-has-ambitions-in-small-races.html?ref=politics&_r=0
Write a two paragraph summary of the article and answer the following questions.
1. Why is Americans for Prosperity focusing on electioneering local elections?
2. How might these actions in local races in 2013 help the organization in 2014?
3. How do most citizens in the area respond to Americans for Prosperity getting involved in their races?
4. What has the interest group done to help the candidates it supports?
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Blog Post 2.4 "Party Strategies to Control Congress"
Read the following article from The Daily Beast about the Democratic Party's strategies to gain seats in the Senate.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/10/31/democrats-march-on-the-south-to-hold-senate-majority-in-2014.html
Write a paragraph summary of the article and answer the following questions.
1. Describe the majority currently held by the Democratic Party in the Senate.
2. Why do we predict Senate election results by looking at the most recent presidential elections results?
3. What strategy should Democratic Senate candidates use to appeal to Southern voters?
4. What impact do Tea Party challengers have on Republican candidates in primary contests?
5. Southern Progress Fund is an example of a PAC. How will they impact elections?
6. What type of voters do Democrats need to focus on in "get out the vote" activities?
7. How do Republicans describe the impact of the Democratic Party in the South.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/10/31/democrats-march-on-the-south-to-hold-senate-majority-in-2014.html
Write a paragraph summary of the article and answer the following questions.
1. Describe the majority currently held by the Democratic Party in the Senate.
2. Why do we predict Senate election results by looking at the most recent presidential elections results?
3. What strategy should Democratic Senate candidates use to appeal to Southern voters?
4. What impact do Tea Party challengers have on Republican candidates in primary contests?
5. Southern Progress Fund is an example of a PAC. How will they impact elections?
6. What type of voters do Democrats need to focus on in "get out the vote" activities?
7. How do Republicans describe the impact of the Democratic Party in the South.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Blog post 2.3 "Conflict within a party"
Read the following article from The Atlantic about the uneasy relationship between the Tea Party and the Republican Party.
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/10/the-conservative-war-on-the-gop/280637/
Write a paragraph summary of the article and answer the following questions.
1. Why are conservative opinion leaders upset with the Republican Party?
2. Why are the conservative voters upset with the Republican Party?
3. What does Glen Beck want people to do instead of give money to the Republican Party? Why would he want them to stop giving to the party that is his best option??
4. How would you describe the current public opinion of the Republican Party?
5. What would happen to the Republican Party if the Tea Party split off of it?
6. What does Gillespe say the effect of the Tea Party running as a third party would be??
7. What does Tim Pawlenty say is to blame for minority voices being so loud in the parties?
8. What do you think the future of the Republican Party will be?
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/10/the-conservative-war-on-the-gop/280637/
Write a paragraph summary of the article and answer the following questions.
1. Why are conservative opinion leaders upset with the Republican Party?
2. Why are the conservative voters upset with the Republican Party?
3. What does Glen Beck want people to do instead of give money to the Republican Party? Why would he want them to stop giving to the party that is his best option??
4. How would you describe the current public opinion of the Republican Party?
5. What would happen to the Republican Party if the Tea Party split off of it?
6. What does Gillespe say the effect of the Tea Party running as a third party would be??
7. What does Tim Pawlenty say is to blame for minority voices being so loud in the parties?
8. What do you think the future of the Republican Party will be?
Monday, October 14, 2013
Blog Post 2.2 "Public Opinion & the Govt. Shutdown"
Read the latest public opinion polls from USA Today about the public's opinion of how elections can be changed in order to solve the problems in Washington.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/10/14/americans-election-policy-usa-today-bipartisan-policy-center-poll/2983159/
Write a one paragraph summary of the article and answer the following questions.
1. Why would we consider these poll results to be valid? What do you call the number given by the pollsters?
2. How has California addressed the problem of unfair redistricting?
3. How would candidates for office have to change their approach if they did not have "safe districts"?
4. How would adding independent voters to the party primary electorates change the primaries?
5. How do Democrats and Republicans feel differently about voter ID laws?
6. What proposed reforms could make voting easier? How would each do that?
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/10/14/americans-election-policy-usa-today-bipartisan-policy-center-poll/2983159/
Write a one paragraph summary of the article and answer the following questions.
1. Why would we consider these poll results to be valid? What do you call the number given by the pollsters?
2. How has California addressed the problem of unfair redistricting?
3. How would candidates for office have to change their approach if they did not have "safe districts"?
4. How would adding independent voters to the party primary electorates change the primaries?
5. How do Democrats and Republicans feel differently about voter ID laws?
6. What proposed reforms could make voting easier? How would each do that?
Blog Post 2.1 "Changes to the Electorate"
Welcome back!!!!
For your first blog of the second nine weeks, look at the following maps that analyze the results of the 2012 presidential election.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/election-map-2012/analysis/
For each of the maps: DESCRIBE two conclusions you could draw from each of the maps. You should incorporate your knowledge of demographics and likely voter ideologies.
Also, answer the following questions.
1.What is the impact of the increasing number of Hispanic voters?
2. How is the idea of "pocketbook voting" reflected in the second map?
3. What areas are experiencing downturns in voter turnout? What areas are increasing?
4. How were the results different in Shelby & Davidson County in Tennessee different from the rest of the state? What do you know about voter demographics that explains this?
For your first blog of the second nine weeks, look at the following maps that analyze the results of the 2012 presidential election.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/election-map-2012/analysis/
For each of the maps: DESCRIBE two conclusions you could draw from each of the maps. You should incorporate your knowledge of demographics and likely voter ideologies.
Also, answer the following questions.
1.What is the impact of the increasing number of Hispanic voters?
2. How is the idea of "pocketbook voting" reflected in the second map?
3. What areas are experiencing downturns in voter turnout? What areas are increasing?
4. How were the results different in Shelby & Davidson County in Tennessee different from the rest of the state? What do you know about voter demographics that explains this?
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