Good Day!

DRAW A LINE SEPARATING TODAY & YESTERDAY1) Write: Date: 10/08/09, Topic: Special Interest Groups2) On the next line, write “Opener #26” and then:

1) Plot your mood, reflect in 1 sent.2) Respond to the opener by writing at least 2 sentences about:Your opinions/thoughts OR/AND

Questions sparked by the clip OR/AND

Summary of the clip OR/AND

Other things going on in the news.Announcements: NoneIntro Music: Untitled

Agenda1) Study Guide Test 21) Special Interest + PartiesTwo Weeks from Now: Mock Election

What you will be able to do:1) Are special interest groups bad for democracy?

Reminder1) No HW this week, Test 2 on Friday

Participation (10 points a week)Negative Mark: Minus 2 Points Each0 Check: 6 Points1 Check: 7 Points2 Checks: 8 Points3 Checks: 9 Points4 Checks: 10 Points 5 Checks: 11 Points (+1 EC)6 Checks: 12 Points (+2 EC)7 Checks: 13 Points (+3 EC)8 Checks: 14 Points (+4 EC)

Notes #26a, Title: “SIG Notes” 1) Special Interest Groups (SIG): Anygroup/faction of ppl promoting an issue/viewMost numerous are business SIGs. 2) Powers of SIGS: a) Expertise on their topic is most persuasiveb) More free to raise/spend/donate money c) Focus one 1 issued) More free to do bad things (voters don’t punish)3) Political Action Committee (PAC): Any SIG thatdonates money directly to candidates must forma committee in the SIG that is fed. regulated.4) Non-Profit Organization (527): Any SIG canraise/spend unregulated money to attack acandidate (or issue) under policy speech as longas it doesn’t support/coordinate with campaigns

Notes #26a, Title: “SIG Notes” 1) Special Interest Groups (SIG): Anygroup/faction of ppl promoting an issue/viewMost numerous are business SIGs. 2) Powers of SIGs: a) Expertise on their topic is most persuasiveb) More free to raise/spend/donate money c) Focus one 1 issued) More free to do bad things (voters don’t punish)

SIG MATH:If Milk Farming SIG convinced

Congress to pass $1 tax, you lose $1 to help milk farms

150 mil tax payers (50% of US) SIG gets $150 million.

How hard will you fight to not loose $1? How hard will SIG fight to gain $150 million?

PACs can give MAX $5000 to each member of Congress, that’s $2.7 million total, still a profit of $147.3 million.

Work #26a, “Interest Group Debate”1) Read the 2 sides, choose 1 side, and write

which you choose and explain why.2) Then write down what your partner thinks

(include their name at the end).1 2 3 4 5

CON: SIGs1) Everyone has the right to pool their power and create a counter SIG2) SIG often ask for things that they really need gov help with, and that may benefit everyone like farm help

PRO: Ban SIGs1) SIGs place selfish interest over the community’s interests2) SIG lead to govt spending that waste tax payer money. Unfair to work hard to earn money to just hand over to SIGs.

3) Political Action Committee (PAC): Any SIG thatdonates money directly to candidates must forma committee in the SIG that is fed. regulated.4) Non-Profit Organization (527): Any SIG canraise/spend unregulated money to attack acandidate (or issue) under policy speech as longas it doesn’t support/coordinate with campaigns

Both activities are protected under 1st A, just somemore thanothers. Club (sig)

PAC(regulated)

Candidates

527(unregulated

)

Spend On Their Own

Work #26b, “527 Debate”1) Read the 2 sides, choose 1 side, and write

which you choose and explain why.2) Then write down what your partner thinks

(include their name at the end).1 2 3 4 5

CON: SIG camp spending should NOT be regulated1) It’s in the better interest to make sure the free speech means free speech, even if unpopula2) Every person/group has the right to be political active (w money)

PRO: SIG camp. spending should be regulated1) It’s in the better interest of the country to make sure voters aren’t being fooled2) Not being regulated means more pol activity is happening on the fringes

No HW this week:Test 2 on Friday