Homework: Political Compass

https://www.politicalcompass.org/test

Homework: Budget spreadsheet

Date assigned
Wednesday, May 27


Assignment
Put your income and expenses into a budget spreadsheet.  Example here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XeCr6pE3BI1FQRCmbAZlxOHIgKK7Vv4sgb3r5XSJ5L8/pubhtml


Due date
Friday, May 29

Homework: Expenses and income

Date assigned
Wednesday, May 13


Assignment
Track all of your expenses (going out for food, your share of the grocery bill, Sasquatch tickets, recreation, etc.) and your income (from job or allowance or whatever) from Wednesday, May 13 to Tuesday, May 26.


Due date
Wednesday, May 27

Final essay

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jylhYprZAGqoo72thAuHTaxpKqVd_FCl1V0hHgFFh1E/pub

Changing the American system of democracy

While wandering through Forest Park on a sunny Saturday, you stumble across a battered antique oil lamp.  To your surprise, upon picking it up a genie springs forth, all thunder and lightning and smoke and what have you.  After the hullabaloo has subsided, the genie informs you that you get exactly one wish, and it’s a strictly structured one at that: the government of the United States, from here on out, will follow whatever changes you want to make.  You design it, and it will stick.  You have two options:

1. Keep the pre-existing system – We’ve looked at how the US government functions.  Executive, legislative, and judicial.  Two-party system where third parties don’t matter.  Lobbying, gerrymandering, and the filibuster.  Keep the whole system intact if you want – but you have to be able to justify it.

2. Fix what’s broken – What’s wrong with our government, how should it be fixed, and why is your way better?  This can be about any aspect of our system of government - don’t feel obliged to change everything.  Just the stuff you think can be improved.

Now, there’s one catch to all of this – you have to write me a 1,500-word paper justifying your decision.

For example: “Lobbying has got to go.  This form of legal bribery has corrupted our political system to the point that the processed food industry convinced Congress to declare pizza a vegetable.  Part of my genie wish will institute a constitutional amendment overturning the Citizens United decision, banning corporations from donating money to political campaigns.  Private citizens will be limited to donations of $100 per candidate per year, overturning McCutcheon.  The time has come for publicly financed campaigns in America – I’m tired of the candidate who raises the most money winning 90% of elections.”

I expect creativity.  I expect thoughtfulness.  I do not necessarily expect humor, though it’s always welcome.

Due Monday, June 1 – Enjoy the rest of your lives, seniors

$20,000 Chipotle scholarship

http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-chipotle-essay-contest-20150504-story.html