Monday, November 18, 2013

Citizens United slide notes

The Citizens United slide notes from Monday, Nov. 18 are located here.

Friday, November 15, 2013

Gerrymandering slide notes

The gerrymandering slide notes from Friday, Nov. 15 can be found here.

Gerrymandering 101

Gerrymandering 101 can be found here.

5th period left off with 42:30 left in the movie.

8th period needs to start from the beginning.

Here's an article about Pennsylvania and Ohio: http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2012/11/07/how_ridiculous_gerrymanders_saved_the_house_republican_majority.html

Homework: Unit 4 readings

Friday, Nov. 15
War on Voting - http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-gop-war-on-voting-20110830

Florida voter suppression - http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/national-affairs/florida-gop-takes-voter-supression-to-a-brazen-new-extreme-20120530


Saturday, Nov. 16
Supreme Court strikes down part of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 - http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/26/us/supreme-court-ruling.html?_r=0


Sunday, Nov. 17
How Republicans Rig the Game - http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/how-republicans-rig-the-game-20131111

Voting Rights at Risk in Georgia - http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/voting-rights-at-risk-in-georgia-20131104


Monday, Nov. 18
Justices, 5-4, reject corporate spending limits - http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/22/us/politics/22scotus.html?pagewanted=all

How much has Citizens United changed the political game? - http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/22/magazine/how-much-has-citizens-united-changed-the-political-game.html?pagewanted=all


Tuesday, Nov. 19
After 'Citizens United': The Attack of the Super PACs - http://www.thenation.com/article/165733/after-citizens-united-attack-super-pacs#


Friday, October 25, 2013

Internships with Senator Wyden

Contact John Michels at (503) 326-7525

Polling and 2012 election demographics

Push polls
Republican Jewish Coalition against Obama: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13516.html

McCain's family photo from the 2000 Republican primary: http://rumorswiki.org/images/6/6e/McCainFamily.jpg

Quotes from 2000 Republican primary push poll: "Would you be more likely or less likely to vote for John McCain for president if you knew he had fathered an illegitimate black child?"

"John McCain calls the campaign finance system corrupt, but as chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, he raises money and travels on the private jets of corporations with legislative proposals before his committee. In view of this, are you much more likely to vote for him, somewhat more likely to vote for him, somewhat more likely to vote against him or much more likely to vote against him?"


Polling
Congress less popular than cockroaches: http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2013/01/congress-somewhere-below-cockroaches-traffic-jams-and-nickleback-in-americans-esteem.html

Congress approval rating yearly average is at an all-time low: http://www.gallup.com/poll/165281/congress-job-approval-falls-amid-gov-shutdown.aspx

GMO labeling polling at 93% in favor: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/28/science/strong-support-for-labeling-modified-foods.html?_r=0

Universal background checks for purchasing firearms: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-34222_162-57564386-10391739/

Legalization of marijuana at all-time high: http://www.gallup.com/poll/165539/first-time-americans-favor-legalizing-marijuana.aspx


2012 election demographics
PowerPoint: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1NicZTrCciQaZw_qJN9ssr0WZWiGqY7U17oYhXGfr5Ls/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000

Tables, charts, and graphs: http://www.ropercenter.uconn.edu/elections/how_groups_voted/voted_12.html

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/11/08/us/politics/obama-was-not-as-strong-as-in-2008-but-strong-enough.html?_r=0

http://www.nationaljournal.com/thenextamerica/politics/10-amazing-demographic-percentages-of-the-2012-election-20121109

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/11/07/the-2012-election-in-charts/


Pop culture affecting election outcomes
Bush v. Gore: http://www.jpetrie.net/2009/05/22/bush-gore-2000-debates/

Obama v. McCain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdDqSvJ6aHc&safe=active

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE-OCDexYrU&safe=active

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Homework: Unit 3 readings

Oct. 26
Is Obama toast?  Handicapping the 2012 election - http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/06/magazine/nate-silver-handicaps-2012-election.html?pagewanted=all


Oct. 27
Nate Silver-led statistics men crush pundits in election - http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-11-07/nate-silver-led-statistics-men-crush-pundits-in-election

Nate Silver: Eight cool things journalists should know about statistics - http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/226489/nate-silver-eight-cool-things-journalists-should-know-about-statistics/

Number cruncher Nate Silver says his approach is not tricky - http://www.startribune.com/business/227929331.html


Nov. 3
Colbert roasts Bush - 2006 White House Correspondents' Dinner - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7FTF4Oz4dI&safe=active

Monday, October 21, 2013

Friday, October 18, 2013

Senator Wyden assignment

Research Senator Wyden over the weekend.  Here are a few links to get you started:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/04/23/ron-wyden-is-wonkish-optimistic-idiosyncratic-and-about-to-be-very-powerful/

http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/meet-senates-powerful-and-progressive-policy-wonk-ron-wyden

http://www.wyden.senate.gov/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Wyden


Write at least 5 questions for Senator Wyden over the weekend that you want to ask him during the Q&A portion of Monday's talk.  I will collect your questions at the end of Senator Wyden's visit.

Possible topics to focus on:

  • Snowden, the NSA, and the FISA court
  • Healthcare
  • Drone strikes
  • The government shutdown
  • The debt ceiling

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Government shut down and debt ceiling readings

James Fallows
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/09/why-this-is-not-just-washington-breakdown-in-3-graphs-and-1-story/280099/?google_editors_picks=true

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/09/your-false-equivalence-guide-to-the-days-ahead/280062/

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/10/the-two-basic-facts-that-should-be-in-every-shutdown-story/280179/


Andrew Sullivan
http://dish.andrewsullivan.com/2013/10/01/the-nullification-party/

http://dish.andrewsullivan.com/2013/09/27/how-to-think-about-obamacare/

http://dish.andrewsullivan.com/2013/09/26/the-gops-demands/


Ezra Klein
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/09/26/wonkbook-the-houses-debt-ceiling-bill-is-wow/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/09/30/dont-forget-what-the-shutdown-is-really-about/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/09/30/our-governing-crisis-in-one-sentence/


Thomas Friedman
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/02/opinion/friedman-our-democracy-is-at-stake.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0


Greg Sargent
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2013/09/26/the-morning-plum-the-gops-debt-limit-strategy-is-insane-people-should-say-so/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2013/09/30/our-current-governing-crisis-in-two-sentences/


Derek Thompson
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/09/here-are-the-gops-debt-ceiling-demands-and-they-are-insane/280012/


National Review (conservative news and opinions)
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/360122/holding-firm-robert-costa

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/360092/ongoing-health-care-debate-yuval-levin

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Homework: Unit 2 readings

Sept. 29
A Republican Ransom Note - http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/27/opinion/a-republican-ransom-note.html


Sept. 30
How Congress Got The Power To Shut Down Government - http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-27/how-congress-got-the-power-to-shut-down-government.html

Senate action on health law moves to brink of shutdown: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/30/us/politics/time-short-but-gop-leaders-say-shutdown-can-be-avoided.html?hp&_r=0


Oct. 4
Federal grant will boost Arizona unemployment insurance program - http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2013/09/27/federal-grant-will-boost-arizona.html

House passes food stamp bill that cuts $4B, allows new work requirements - http://newsone.com/2722982/food-stamp-bill-funding-cuts/


Oct. 6
Michigan house approves plan to cut off benefits for unemployed residents who fail drug tests - http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/09/unemployment_drug_test_michiga.html

Michigan rep: Drug testing for unemployment benefits?  Then drug test state lawmakers, too - http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/09/michigan_rep_drug_testing_for.html


Oct. 8
Feds experiment with drugs, mellow out on state marijuana laws - http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/aug/29/obama-administration-oks-washington-colorado-marij/

The feds back off on marijuana - http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-08-30/opinion/chi-the-feds-and-marijuana-20130830_1_marijuana-decriminalization-marijuana-use-feds

Obama administration: States can have their pot, and smoke it too - http://bangordailynews.com/2013/08/30/opinion/obama-administration-states-can-have-their-pot-and-smoke-it-too/?ref=mostReadBoxOpinion


Oct. 13
DOT sued over delayed backup-camera mandate - http://www.autonews.com/article/20130925/OEM11/130929952/dot-sued-over-delayed-backup-camera-mandate#axzz2gPBJCK9B


Oct. 14
Did the federal drinking age save lives? - http://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/serials/files/regulation/2009/2/v32n1-1.pdf


Oct. 15
Millions of poor are left uncovered by health law: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/03/health/millions-of-poor-are-left-uncovered-by-health-law.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp&

'Food insecurity' may be high, but states are still saying no to federal food-stamp support: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2013/09/04/food-insecurity-may-be-high-but-states-are-still-saying-no-to-federal-food-stamp-support/

Unit 2 syllabus/study guide

The Unit 2 syllabus/study guide can be found here.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

In class: Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and Constitution slide notes

The slide notes about the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and Constitution from Sept. 16, 18, 20, and 23 can be found here.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Homework: Federalist 10 questions

Date assigned
Wednesday, September 18


Assignment
Read Federalist 10, and answer the questions found at this link.


Due Date
Friday, September 20

Saturday, September 21, 2013

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY - US Senate Youth Program

Talk to your counselor by Friday, September 27 if you are interested in this scholarship.  It's worth $5,000.  Winners also receive a free trip to Washington DC.

http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=1496

http://www.hearstfdn.org/ussyp/

Saturday, September 7, 2013

In class: Intro to Gov slide notes

The Intro to Gov slide notes from Friday, Sept. 6 can be found here.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Syllabus

The AP Gov syllabus can be found here.

The district-approved version is here.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Summer reading

Daily news brief
New York Times - http://www.nytimes.com/
Washington Post - http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Wall Street Journal - http://online.wsj.com/home-page
Democracy Now (watch the headlines - first 12-15 minutes of the program) - http://www.democracynow.org/
Democracy in America blog (The Economist) - http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica

The Constitution
PBS 4-part series about the Constitution - http://video.pbs.org/program/constitution-usa-peter-sagal/
The Constitution of the United States: A Primer for the People, by David Currie - https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1RBtym50fACNThlYlBiSWFNdjA/edit?usp=sharing


Your first test on the Constitution material will be in the first two weeks of school.  Don't procrastinate this reading.