Electoral College

Read pgs 220 - 226 and take notes

As you read you should begin to form an opinion about the original purpose of the electoral college and  it's continued usefulness.

Make a list of the elections in which the elected president lost the popular vote.  Who benefited, small or large states?  (You may need to find a map of that years vote by state.)

Read page 227 If your birthday is in January through June you will argue in favor of keeping the college.  Everyone else will argue for it's demise.  We will schedule a time to debate this topic in November

The Census,Reapportionment, and Redistricting

Read the following article: MD 3rd District

Using the information in the article and what you have read in the text, write a paragraph analyzing the political cartoon that follows (bottom image)

*Upper image is an example of a congressional district in Chicago

     A) Identify the Political Issue the Cartoon is dealing with
     B) Reference the article (Gerrymander Meander) in your analysis of the cartoon
     C) Include in your paragraph the terms (census, reapportionment, redistricting) and demonstrate an understanding of these concepts in your paragraph and analysis of the cartoon.

NPR Broadcast on independent redistricting committees: Supreme Court arguments

Article (with chart) on Gerrymandering: Washington Post

Senate Race 2014 (interactive map)

Go to the following link: MAP

What is your prediction for the 2015 Senate? Why?

Congress (Unit 2)

Read and take notes on Chapter 5 section 1 (123-130)

Be sure to define all bold face terms and terms written in blue.

Why is redistricting such an important topic of debate?

Due Tuesday

Initiative and Referendum (In Class Friday 10/17)

Read the IN CLASS handout on the initiative and referendum process

Answer the following:

Define: Initiative, referendum, legislative power, chief petitioner, petition

1. When are the election years for initiatives?

2. In a flow chart, what are the steps necessary for an initiative to reach the general election ballot?

3. What is the equation for figuring out the number of signatures necessary to have an initiative placed on the ballot?

    a.  statutory amendments # = ?% of ? ( .0? x ? = #)  How for this election year?

    b.  constitutional amendments # = ?% of ? (.0? x ? = #) How many for this election year?

Answer questions 2 and 3 for referendum.

Chapter 17-3

Influences on Voters

Read and take notes on Chapter 17 section 3

Answer questions 1-4 on page 497

ALSO: research Oregon's voter turnout  % for elections since 2000 and compare with the U.S. as a whole.

Use the following website:  Elections Project
     What do you think accounts for Oregon's percentage of voter turnout compared to the rest of the country?

Due Thursday

Oregon Voter Pamphlet 2014 Nov, 4th

Find the 2014 Oregon Voter's Pamphlet HERE

Identifying the Arguments

Document 1

John McCain, US Senator (R-AZ), stated in an article titled "On the Issues: Lobbying & Ethics Reform" on his official candidate website (accessed Jan. 8, 2008):

"Most Americans understand that competitive elections in a free country require money. Since campaigns require spending funds to communicate with voters, they know we can never take money completely out of politics, nor should we. Americans have a right to support the candidates and the parties they endorse, including financially if they so choose.

But what most Americans worry about profoundly is corporations or individuals with huge checks seeking the undue influence on lawmakers that such largesse is intended to purchase. That is why John McCain has fought to enforce long-standing prohibitions on corporate and union contributions to federal political parties, for sensible donation limits, disclosure of how candidates and campaigns are funded, and the diligent enforcement of these common sense rules that promote maximum public participation in the political process and limit opportunities for corruption."
Jan. 8, 2008 John McCain

Document 2

Bob Barr, former US House Representative (R-GA), in a July 8, 2008 article titled "Bob Barr on Brody File: McCain Can't Be Trusted on Judges" on CBNNews.com, stated:

"I know that many conservatives for example say well we have to vote for McCain even though we don't like him because he'll give us different better judges. Well, ask people to think a little bit about what they're saying. John McCain gave us McCain/Feingold [S.27 "Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2001"] which is the most anti-freedom piece of legislation in many many years. And John McCain appointed judges could be certainly expected to be of the same mindset that would support and uphold intrusion into the first amendment such as McCain Feingold."

July 8, 2008 Bob Barr

Document 3

Document 4

Ron Paul, US Representative (R-TX), stated in a Dec. 22, 2003 article titled "'Campaign Finance Reform' Muzzles Political Dissent" on his official Congressional website (Texas Straight Talk):

"In a devastating blow to political speech, the Supreme Court recently upheld most of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance bill passed by Congress last year. The legislation will do nothing to curb special interest power or reduce corruption in Washington, but it will make it harder for average Americans to influence government. 'Campaign finance reform' really means the bright-line standard of free speech has been replaced by a murky set of regulations and restrictions that will muzzle political dissent and protect incumbents. Justice Scalia correctly accuses the Court of supporting a law 'That cuts to the heart of what the First Amendment is meant to protect: the right to criticize the government?This is a sad day for freedom of speech.'

Two important points ignored by the Court should be made. First, although the new campaign rules clearly violate the First amendment, they should be struck down primarily because Congress has no authority under Article I of the Constitution to regulate campaigns at all. Article II authorizes only the regulation of elections, not campaigns, because our Founders knew Congress might pass campaign laws that protect incumbency. This is precisely what McCain-Feingold represents: blatant incumbent protection sold to the public as noble reform.

Second, freedom of the press applies equally to all Americans, not just the institutional, government-approved media. An unknown internet blogger, a political party, a candidate, and the New York Times should all enjoy the same right to political speech. Yet McCain-Feingold treats the mainstream press as some kind of sacred institution rather than the for-profit industry it is. Why should giant media companies be able to spend unlimited amounts of money to promote candidates and issues, while an organization you support cannot? The notion of creating a preferred class of media, with special First Amendment rights, is distinctly elitist and un-American."Dec. 22, 2003 Ron Paul

Read the above documents

1. Identify the issue

2. Fill out a T-chart listing the details of both arguments.  These documents represent opposing viewpoints on campaign finance

3. Write 2 short paragraphs referencing the documents.  Identify the details (from your chart that support the author/artists viewpoint.  Be sure to reference the document #.

a. 1 paragraph supporting finance restrictions
b. 1 paragraph eliminating restrictions

Supreme Court Prediction

After reading the Delong briefing and seeing the supreme court oral arguments write 2 paragraphs recapping what you saw and predicting the outcome of the hearing.

1. In the first paragraph discuss the history of the case.  From circuit court (first trial) to appeal to the Supreme Court of Oregon.  Include a description of how yesterdays proceedings went (timeline and structure of the arguments)

2. In the second paragraph predict the outcome of the case and how the court will rule.
    Include: How the original as well as the appeals court ruled.
                  Key words and phrases like custodial interrogation, compelling circumstance, and Miranda

Supreme Court Visit October 8th

Students and Parents… please remember to get those permission forms in by Tuesday morning so you are eligible for the field trip to Bend High.  We will be departing Summit at 920 am and returning at 1150.  Students must ride the bus!  No backpacks, purses, cell phones, or other electronic devises are permitted on the trip.  The courts' security detail has strict guidelines about what is permissible.  This is a great opportunity that may not come our way again for many years.

Oregon's Executive - Article V - The Governor

Click on the following link and scroll down to Article V

Oregon's Constitution

Answer the following questions in your notes:

1. What are the qualifications for Oregon Governor (article V section 2)
2. What powers does Article V section 14 grant the Governor
3.What powers does the Governor have to change legislation (single item veto) (section 15a)
4. What is the process for the legislature to overturn a governor's veto? (section 15b)