Quarter 2 Exam Review

1. What is the role of a political party in the American political system?
2. What are the most important parties? What issues does each support?
3. What are the "third parties" in American politics? What does each party support?
4. Do third parties have equal access to voters? Should they have equal access to voters? Explain.
5. Name each of the Republican candidates. For each, be able to describe his background, his qualifications, and his approximate place in the polls.
6. What is an interest group? What role do interest groups play in American politics?
7. What is a lobbyist? What role do lobbyists play in American politics?
8. Name and describe the main lobbying tactics.
9. What is the Occupy Wall Street movement? What are its goals? Do you agree with it? Explain.
10. Name and describe the constitutional powers of the president.
11. What is delegation of power, in the context of the American presidency?
12. Name and describe the inherent powers of the president?
13. What is a presidential veto? Why is this an important power? How can a veto be overcome?
14. What is an executive order? What does it enable the president to do?
15. What was the Illinois Pollution Control Board? What were its goals? What groups presented before it? What were their goals?

Quarter 2 Exam Review

1. What is the role of a political party in the American political system?
2. What are the most important parties? What issues does each support?
3. What are the "third parties" in American politics? What does each party support?
4. Do third parties have equal access to voters? Should they have equal access to voters? Explain.
5. Name each of the Republican candidates. For each, be able to describe his background, his qualifications, and his approximate place in the polls.
6. What is an interest group? What role do interest groups play in American politics?
7. What is a lobbyist? What role do lobbyists play in American politics?
8. Name and describe the main lobbying tactics.
9. What is the Occupy Wall Street movement? What are its goals? Do you agree with it? Explain.
10. Name and describe the constitutional powers of the president.
11. What is delegation of power, in the context of the American presidency?
12. Name and describe the inherent powers of the president?
13. What is a presidential veto? Why is this an important power? How can a veto be overcome?
14. What is an executive order? What does it enable the president to do?
15. What was the Illinois Pollution Control Board? What were its goals? What groups presented before it? What were their goals?

Documents for your Candidate Debate project

Here are all of the documents for your project in one, easy to find post:

• The debate presentation rubric
• The moderator paper rubric
• The candidate paper rubric
• The class ballot
• The class evaluation sheet

Gingrich Dominates Iowa Debate

Newt Gingrich continued to be the big story in Saturday's GOP debate in Iowa.

• You can find the complete transcript from ABC News here.
• This New York Times article talks about the candidates' strategy to attack Gingrich.
• This article from Politico.com breaks down Gingrich's perceived victory.
• The Washington Post breaks down the winners and losers.
• A highlight video from the Huffington Post

Example Documents

Here are some example documents for your project:

• A transcript of the Obama-McCain debate. I strongly recommend you take a look at this to see (in a written form) how debates typically take place.
• A document containing sample questions from a Canadian election debate.

Debate Format

PARTICIPANTS:

Moderator:

Role: To MC the debate, to introduce everyone, to explain the reason for the evening and the way that it will work, to ensure fairness and order, and to keep time.

Candidates: 

Role:  To answer the questions asked of them and to demonstrate that they are the best candidate to be the republican nominee.

Audience:

Role: To evaluate the success of the candidates during their debate

DEBATE FORMAT:

-The moderator will welcome everyone, introduce the debate's location and sponsor, explain why we have a need for this meeting, introduce the candidates, provide any necessary background information on issues they will discuss, and explain any planned deviations from the assigned format of the meeting.

-The moderator will introduce the candidates and their respective parties, then pose his/her first question to one of the candidates. The moderator will allow the first candidate to complete her thought, then allow the second candidate to respond.

-The moderator is responsible for maintaining decorum during the debate. He/she should stop the candidates from interrupting one another and may cut the candidate off at any time if it is necessary (long-winded response, avoiding the topic, etc.).

-After the moderator has asked her questions, she will turn to the audience for one question. 

-Once each candidate has had the opportunity to respond to the audience question, the debate is over.

-Although this would not happen in real life, at the end of each debate the moderator will poll the class to assign a winner. In real life, the task of deciding who wins a debate typically falls to the press (or to each candidate’s campaign manager).

Candidate Debates Dates

1. Paper and bibliography due on Tuesday, 12/13/11
2. Practice on Wednesday, 12/14/11
3. Debate on Thursday, 12/15/11

Candidate Debates

Bad luck, gentlemen.

For the purposes of our class, we are down to 5 candidates. My apologies to Messers Santorum and Johnson, but you're not on the ballot at PSM.


And, despite what his daughters might say, Jon Huntsman is most certainly not back. Or maybe he is? You never know.


Either way, we're down to our Final Five. Group members are listed following each candidate's name.

1. Newt Gingrich (Naaman, Mariah, Delissa, Rukiat)
2. Mitt Romney (Nia M., Kentrell, Ariana B., Maurice)
3. Ron Paul (Jonathan, Ariana W., Nia B.)
4. Rick Perry (Vanecia, Davyion, Vesper, Shaquara)
5. Michele Bachmann (Toni, Darnell, Njeri)

And one more group:

1. Moderators (Felicia, Latrionna, Kyronda)

In our final project for the semester, you will prepare for and participate in a mock candidate debate. We will model this very closely after the real life debates that have taken place so far. You can see two nice examples below:

• The CNN "GOP National Security Debate"
• The "Huckabee GOP Presidential Forum"
• Obama v. McCain
• Biden v. Palin
• And the first big one, Kennedy v. Nixon

Rubrics and Other Documents

Below are all of the documents you will use in this project:

• The debate presentation rubric
• The moderator paper rubric
• The candidate paper rubric
• The class ballot
• The class evaluation sheet

Candidate Groups

Rationale: In order to effectively argue the position(s) of your assigned candidate, you will complete a uniquely formatted position paper. Your paper should be approximately 3 FULL – 3 ½ pages in length, typed, double-spaced, 12 point font, and will be formatted EXACTLY as described below. You will include each of the headings shown in your paper.

You will need to attach a (minimum) 4-source works cited page to your paper. All sources should be cited following MLA format.

Candidate Position Identification Paper

50 POINT PROJECT GRADE

Candidate biographical information: Here you will type a short biography of your candidate. Where did he come from, what was his life like before he entered politics, how did he become a senator, what political party he is part of, etc.

Candidate Platform: Here you will completely describe the candidate’s beliefs. Explain whether or not she typically falls into step with the rest of her party. Describe the voting bloc she appeals to the most – who got her elected? What issues are nearest and dearest to her heart?

Chosen Debatable Issues: Here you will explain the three issues your candidate will focus on in the debate: the economy, national security/defense, and domestic/social issues. Try to place the things your candidate cares most about under these three areas.

Economic Argument: Completely describe the issue at hand, then give a detailed explanation of your candidate’s stance on the issue. Include key information, quotes, facts and figures, and so on.

Economic Counter-Argument: Once you’ve outlined your position on the issue, detail the counterarguments as proposed by your opponents. Finally, support your position by attempting to poke holes in this argument.

National Security/Defense Argument: Completely describe the issue at hand, then give a detailed explanation of your candidate’s stance on the issue. Include key information, quotes, facts and figures, and so on.

National Security/Defense Counter-Argument: Once you’ve outlined your position on the issue, detail the counterarguments as proposed by your opponents. Finally, support your position by attempting to poke holes in this argument.

Domestic/Social Issues Argument: Completely describe the issue at hand, then give a detailed explanation of your candidate’s stance on the issue. Include key information, quotes, facts and figures, and so on.

Domestic/Social Issues Counter-Argument: Once you’ve outlined your position on the issue, detail the counterarguments as proposed by your opponents. Finally, support your position by attempting to poke holes in this argument.

Closing Statement: Wrap up your paper by stating in specific terms why you are a best choice to be the Republican nominee for president. Cite details which support your argument and close with something that will make your audience remember you.


Grading:

Examine the Candidate Position Paper Rubric. This will show you exactly how I will grade your paper and works cited page.

Moderator Group

Rationale: In order to effectively run the 40-minute debate between our candidates, you will complete a uniquely formatted paper. Your paper should be approximately 3 FULL – 3 ½ pages in length, typed, double-spaced, 12 point font, and will be formatted EXACTLY as described below. You will include each of the headings shown in your paper.

You will need to attach a (minimum) 4-source works cited page to your paper. All sources should be cited following MLA format.

Moderator Paper

50 POINT PROJECT GRADE

Opening Remarks: Open your paper by welcoming everyone. Introduce the location and sponsors for the debate, explain why we have a need for this meeting, provide any necessary background information on issues they will discuss, and describe the format the debate will take.

Candidate Introduction: Here you will type a short introduction for each candidate. Include their party, current position, and any information relevant to the race.

Chosen Debatable Issues: Here you will explain the three issues we will focus on in the debate: the economy, national security/defense, and domestic/social issues.

Issue 1: The Economy. Summarize the issues you will ask the candidates to focus on in the debate.

• Issue 1 Question(s): For each issue/topic, you will need to compose a minimum of 3-4 questions to ask the candidates. You will not share your questions with the candidates prior to the debate, but will make sure to notify them of the general topic you will cover in each question. Although you have three vague, assigned topics to cover, you must decide how you will focus the candidates on the issues.
• Issue 1 Question(s) Rationale: Explain your reason for asking each question. You should have a general idea of what each candidate’s answer will be.

Issue 2: National Security/Defense: Follow the same format from Issue 1.
Issue 3: Domestic/Social Issues: Follow the same format from Issue 1.

Closing Statement: Close your paper by stating the procedure you will follow at the end of the debate.


Grading:
Examine the rubric to see exactly how you will be graded.

Handicapping the Republican Primaries

Newt For the Win?

For homework this weekend, choose at least one of the articles listed in this post. Complete the following on loose leaf:

1. Write a 1 paragraph summary. Include the article's main idea and any key points. (5 points)
2. Explain what you learned from reading the article. (5 points)
3. How does this article help you become more informed as a voter? (5 points)

The Articles
Here's an article from my favorite political blog, FiveThirtyEight, which predicts what might happen if a candidate such as Newt Gingrich wins some of the early primaries.

This article covers Mitt Romney's personal reinvention.

This article analyzes the apparent reluctance of Republican voters to choose Romney as their candidate.

Along the same lines, here's Gingrich as the "Anti-Romney."

And Gingrich breaking with his party on immigration issues.

Here's an editorial focusing on Cain and the lure of "outsider candidates."

This NY Times editorial suggests that the Republicans can learn a lot from Democratic strategy during the 1992 election.

This article focuses on the Democratic strategy regarding the Payroll Tax Holiday debate.

Finally, here's the Democrats' response to Romney's first national campaign ad.

As a bonus, hot off the presses, here's Romney's first ad for the Iowa primary.