Homework: Gerrymandering

Date assigned
Friday, January 25


Assignment
You have 3 options:

1) Finish watching the movie about gerrymandering that we started in class: http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/gerrymandering

2) Read two Slate articles about gerrymandering in the 2012 election (here and here)

3) Play the Redistricting Game!  Complete all 5 missions on beginner - http://www.redistrictinggame.org/

When you finish one of those three options, write a half page about your option.  Summarize the second half of the movie, or respond to the Slate articles, or write about what you needed to do to finish the redistricting game.


Due date
Monday, January 28, beginning of class

RECURRING HOMEWORK CHANGE: Weekly news

We are modifying the Democracy Now assignment (link here).  You are no longer required to watch Democracy Now on Tuesdays and Thursdays and write 5 questions and 5 summaries. 


The new assignment

Twice a week, watch the news.  The source can be of your choice.  If you want to watch TV news, great.  If you want to use internet sources, great.  If you listen to news on the radio in your car, great.  Here are some suggested sources (in alphabetical order):

On TV
ABC
CBSCNN
Fox News
MSNBC
NBC

Radio
National Public Radio - 91.5 FM

Online
Al Jazeera - http://www.aljazeera.com/
BBC - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/video_and_audio/
Democracy Now - http://www.democracynow.org/
National Public Radio - http://www.npr.org/
The Young Turks - http://www.youtube.com/theyoungturks



Then write a response to the news.  It can be a list of questions you have.  It can be summaries of the stories.  It can be an in depth response about one or two stories.  Get at least a half page of writing down in response to the news twice a week, and turn both responses in every Friday.


Recurring due date
Two responses, every Friday.

Test: 2nd quarter final exam study guide

Your 2nd quarter final exam study guide can be found here.

In class: More lobbying links

HSBC drug money scandal article: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/outrageous-hsbc-settlement-proves-the-drug-war-is-a-joke-20121213

HSBC drug money scandal video: http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/13/matt_taibbi_after_laundering_800_million

HSBC lobbying 3rd quarter 2010: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9K5VAO81.htm

HSBC lobbying totals: http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientsum.php?id=D000021791&year=2011

Former lobbyist (and convicted felon) Jack Abramoff talks about lobbying in Washington: http://www.upworthy.com/a-former-lobbyist-talks-about-what-he-used-to-do-for-a-living-and-its-horrifyin

In class: Lobbying essay

In class essay – Friday, January 18

Congress has control over hundreds of billions of dollars of discretionary spending every year.  They have the ability to control tax rates.  They decide which industries get subsidies.  They make the laws that govern safety regulations, environmental standards, and even have the power to declare pizza a vegetable.  Lobbyists spend hundreds of millions of dollars every year trying to persuade members of Congress to vote a certain way.  Some say that lobbyists from opposing industries and interest groups balance each other out.  Others call lobbying a form of legal corruption.  

Should lobbyists be allowed to influence members of Congress with campaign money?

Write a 5-paragraph essay supporting or opposing lobbyists in our system of government.  Give specific reasons to support your opinion.

In class: Lobbying links

CBS news report - http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162-57527490/behind-the-closed-doors-of-washington-lobbyists/

CBS news report transcript - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1am57DBEAkxwqXcmN0lrNudOTLNbMIvH5qUBhqRLwWkA/pub

Pro-lobbying advertisement - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q46kxNc5BLE&safe=active

Dick Cheney and the "revolving door" - http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2000/08/cheneys-multi-million-dollar-revolving-door

Cheney's stock options at Halliburton - http://lautenberg.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=254548

Pizza = vegetable - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2062056/Pizza-vegetable--covered-tomato-paste.html

The New Price of American Politics - http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/10/the/309086/

In class: Citizens United and Super PACs

The Citizens United/Super PACs slide presentation from Friday, January 11 is located here.


Links

Romney declaring corporations are people: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2h8ujX6T0A

California man drives in carpool lane with corporation papers riding shotgun: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/05/16372432-california-man-says-he-can-drive-in-carpool-lane-with-corporation-papers

2010 Super PAC money - http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/superpacs.php?cycle=2010

2012 Super PAC money - http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/superpacs.php?cycle=2012

Priority USA anti-Romney ad #1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz1aLR05eb8

American Crossroads anti-Obama ad #1 -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWnwDtc_gJw

Priority USA anti-Romney ad #2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uMlsQ9HiFo

American Crossroads anti-Obama ad #2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhXGkeMdOJs

Priority USA anti-Romney ad #3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj70XqOxptU

American Crossroads anti-Obama ad #3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFcuCETdrc4
 Colbert forms a PAC - http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/379369/march-30-2011/colbert-pac---trevor-potter

Viacom objects to Colbert's PAC - http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/382013/april-14-2011/viacom-ruins-stephen-s-pac-dream

Colbert changes his PAC to a Super PAC - http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/382014/april-14-2011/colbert-super-pac---trevor-potter

Colbert creates a C4 with a shell corporation for donor anonymity - http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/398531/september-29-2011/colbert-super-pac---trevor-potter---stephen-s-shell-corporation

Colbert Super PAC ad attacking Super PACs - http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/401632/november-07-2011/colbert-super-pac-ad---undaunted-non-coordination

Colbert Super PAC ad attacking Romney - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/15/colbert-super-pac-release_n_1207318.html

Colbert Super PAC ad supporting Herman Cain - http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/406077/january-17-2012/colbert-super-pac-ad---not-abel

Colbert Super PAC ad attacking Romney and Gingrich Super PACs - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jlcctxBHTs

Colbert Super PAC ad attacking Colbert - http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/406310/january-19-2012/colbert-super-pac-ad---modern-stage-combat 

How to start your own Super PAC - http://www.fec.gov/ans/answers_pac.shtml

PAC registration form - http://www.fec.gov/pdf/forms/fecfrm1.pdf

Super PAC cover letter - http://www.fec.gov/pdf/forms/ie_only_letter.pdf

RECURRING HOMEWORK: Democracy Now

Assignment
Watch the "Headlines" portion of Democracy Now every Tuesday and Thursday.  This usually encompasses the first 15-20 minutes of each episode.

Episodes can be viewed at http://www.democracynow.org/ 

If you want a transcript of the headlines to read along with while you watch, click the Headlines link just to the right of the video on the main page.  (Example: http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/2/headlines )

Write a short summary (2-3 sentences) about 5 of the topics that are reported on.  Write down 5 questions you have about the stories.


Due date
The beginning of class every Wednesday and Friday.