This activity gives you a chance to see locally and nationally what the actual numbers are on campaign finance. Being able to see the real deal will help with creating examples in an FRQ situation. It also helps you better understand the government process and where your donation money goes, if you decide to give one day.
Go to www.opensecrets.org to get your facts.
Copy the following questions into a word document or appleworks document and answer them. When you are done, print it out and hand the sheet over to me (Ms. Talreja). If you don’t finish, have it done by Monday, though it will not get full credit.
NOTE: Though each direction asks you to go to a certain point on the website, feel free to look around and definitely read the introduction on each page because that’s the stuff that will help you remember the ins and outs of campaign finance.
Copy:
Go to: Political & Elections>Presidential>View fundraising by candidates
Answer the following questions (1-4) for each of these candidates: Obama, Romney, Paul, Bachmann, Cain
1. How much has he/she raised?
2. What percentage of his/her contributors are small individual constributions? large individual contributions?
3. How much money have PACs donated?
4. What percentage of his campaign is self funded?
Looking at all the above candidates answer the following question:
5. What thesis (if you had to write a paper) could you create about the candidates, the money have earned and their success in the race.
Go to Political & Elections>Congress>Speaker John Boehner
6. What are the top 5 industries that give to the Speaker of the House?
7. How much has he raised?
8. What percentage of his money comes from PACs?
9. How does the amount of money Boenher hascompare to the average house member? Why do you think this is the case?
Go to Political & Elections>Congress>Monority Leader Nancy Pelosi
10. What are the top 5 industries that give to the Monority Leader?
10. How much has she raised?
11. How does the amount of money Pelosi has compare to the average house member? Why do you think this is the case?
12. Draw a conclusions about campaign financing based on looking at Boenher and Pelosi’s numbers?
Go to Influence & Lobbying>Top Donors> View Full Heavy Hitters List
13. List the top 10 all-time donors.
14. What sector appears the most prominent in the top 10 (e.g. farming, high-teach, etc)?
15. Which party is gets the most donations from the top 10?
16. In a sentence debunk a myth or prediction you have had about campaign financing, using this information.
Go to Influence & Lobbying>Top Donors> 527s
17. What is a 527?
18. What are the Top 5 Organizations receiving money?
Go to Politics & Elections>Get Local and put in your zip code
19. Who is giving money from your neighborhood? Who are the recipients?
Click on Influence & Lobbying>Revolving Door
20. What is the revolving door?
21 Based on your research, create an overall thesis statement about the role of money in politics. Avoid being too simplistic.
When you are done print out your Q & A.
Assignment two (IF YOU FINISH THIS IS OPTIONAL):
| Go to www.college.gov and click on Tools and finally on College Roadmap.
Click on your grade level Enter your name Enter your Dream School (What school do you want to attend after high school?) Enter a future goal for I’m going to. . . Enter a message
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