Interest Group Assignment
Due: At End of Unit
1. Pick one of the interest groups listed on my webpage (http://mtbarclay.tripod.com/mrbarclaysgovernmentclassalisalhighschool200708/id18.html). You are free to pick another group if you have a different choice. Just ask or email me to be sure you have made a good choice.
2. Go to that group’s web site. I have link on my links page. Do NOT rely solely on the group’s site. Also, go to News Google and search for information on your group. That will help you find what issues they’ve been involved in recently. Research the following topics and type up a report (about three pages, double-spaced) covering those topics. You can simply put the topic as a heading and then give the information on that topic. (This isn’t meant to be a thesis-driven, unified essay.) You can give your information in a bullet-points list. Keep a list of sources you use and include them in your final product.
A. What are the issues your group is concerned with? What are some examples of legislation your group supports or opposes? What actions does your group take to try to influence policy and the public agenda? Is it involved in litigation? Give details. What resources make it influential? Give specific examples: (e.g. use of the media, law suits, direct lobbying, public information contributions, etc.) Which parts of the government does your group target, i.e. which executive branch departments and congressional committees?
B. What is the group’s political ideology? Does it favor one political party over the other? If so, does it have a history of supporting certain political candidates? What is it doing to support its favored candidates? What endorsements has it made? Make the connection between their political ideology, the legislation they support, and the party they support.
OR
If you think your group is absolutely neutral, say so. Many interest groups are neutral. Discuss the issues that your group is concerned with and then, for the points in this section you will do the following. Find and summarize two news articles relevant to your interest group. You can use http://news.google.com/ to find such articles. Use the information to show how your group is trying to influence public policy.
C. Assess your group: What are its strengths and weaknesses? How effective is it in achieving its agenda? Back up what you say with specific examples demonstrating their effectiveness or lack thereof.
Include citations of sources you use or lose 10 points. Here is how a website should be cited. Follow this model for History and Social Sciences papers.
"AARP." http://www.aarp.org/ (accessed 10/16/10).
Staple the rubric to the front of your paper or lose 10 points.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
For Period 5, "Model" 2001 FRQ
2001 FRQ on Amending the Constitution
Two formal ways of amending the constitution are having the amendment proposed by 2/3 of both houses of Congress and ¾ of state legislatures ratify the amendment. This way has happened 27 times. The second way is having the amendment proposed by 2/3 of both houses and ¾ of special state conventions ratifying , as with the repeal of prohibition.
Two informal ways to change the constitution are by using the elastic/”necessary and proper” clause or by Supreme Court decisions. The elastic clause was used in expanding the role of Congress in interstate commerce. Congress can now regulate anything that crosses state borders. Supreme Court decisions have been used to change the meaning of the Constitution like in cases where they nationalized the Bill of Rights through the 14th Amendment. The elastic clause states that congress can do anything “necessary and proper” to carry out their expressed powers.
Informal methods are used most often because it takes much less work than formal methods. A lot of support is needed to add an amendment to the Constitution. It is much less difficult to change the Constitution with the elastic clause or Supreme Court decisions.
Two formal ways of amending the constitution are having the amendment proposed by 2/3 of both houses of Congress and ¾ of state legislatures ratify the amendment. This way has happened 27 times. The second way is having the amendment proposed by 2/3 of both houses and ¾ of special state conventions ratifying , as with the repeal of prohibition.
Two informal ways to change the constitution are by using the elastic/”necessary and proper” clause or by Supreme Court decisions. The elastic clause was used in expanding the role of Congress in interstate commerce. Congress can now regulate anything that crosses state borders. Supreme Court decisions have been used to change the meaning of the Constitution like in cases where they nationalized the Bill of Rights through the 14th Amendment. The elastic clause states that congress can do anything “necessary and proper” to carry out their expressed powers.
Informal methods are used most often because it takes much less work than formal methods. A lot of support is needed to add an amendment to the Constitution. It is much less difficult to change the Constitution with the elastic clause or Supreme Court decisions.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Election Night
Hi Class,
Hopefully, you are watching/listening to some of the Election Day coverage. It appears that the trends toward a Republican majority in the House and a narrow Democrat Senate lead is the way its going to turn out...We'll see. At 7:00 p.m., the night is still young.
Career Faire (in Hadden Gym) at least half of the classtime. We'll hold off on the Sabato quiz until Thursday. Here it is:
Sabato Interest Groups Quiz #2 for pages 585 to 592
1) Which of the following is a single-issue group?
A) MoveOn.org
B) AARP
C) U.S. Chamber of Commerce
D) National Rifle Association
E) NAACP
2) The right of citizens to form groups and to petition the government for changes in public
policies is protected by
A) the First Amendment.
B) the interest group clause.
C) the supremacy clause.
D) the interstate commerce clause.
E) the takings clause.
3) What did the Clayton Act do?
A) It allowed labor unions to form and guaranteed their right to strike.
B) It established open shop laws.
C) It granted vast swaths of land to the Central Pacific Railroad.
D) It allowed Standard Oil to drill on publicly owned land in Pennsylvania.
E) It required interest groups to share their membership lists with the government.
4) All of the following groups formed or reenergized during the 1960s or the 1970s EXCEPT
A) the American Civil Liberties Union.
B) the NAACP.
C) the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund.
D) Common Cause.
E) the Christian Coalition.
5) During the 1960s and 1970s, what kinds of interest groups were most successful?
A) public interest and civil rights groups
B) conservative and Republican interest groups
C) religious and social conservative interest groups
D) gay and lesbian interest groups
E) faith-based and community imitative groups
6) Which new interest group helped elect Ronald Reagan?
A) Focus on the Family
B) the Moral Majority
C) Unsafe at Any Speed
D) Onward Christian Soldiers
E) Public Citizen, Inc.
7) Which of the following interest groups was the most instrumental in electing Republican
members of Congress in 1994 and in electing George W. Bush?
A) the National Electric Light Association
B) the 700 Club
C) the Christian Coalition
D) Common Cause
E) the National Association of Manufacturers
8) Who founded the Christian Coalition?
A) Ted Haggard
B) Jerry Falwell
C) Pat Robertson
D) James Dobson
E) Jimmy Swaggart
9) What is a voter guide?
A) instructions on how to use voting technology distributed by local election boards
B) summaries of candidatesʹ issue positions distributed by interest groups
C) lists of candidates officially endorsed by interest groups
D) descriptions of the job experiences of candidates distributed by public interest groups
E) calendars distributed by interest groups that contain the dates of upcoming elections
10) Which interest group has been successful under the George W. Bush administration and has
been described as ʺa fraternity of powerful and prestigious business leaders that tells
ʹbusinessʹs side of the storyʹ to legislators, bureaucrats, White House personnel, and other
interested public officials.ʺ
A) A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats
B) the Council for Economic Growth
C) the National Association of Manufacturers
D) the Chamber of Commerce
E) the Business Roundtable
Hopefully, you are watching/listening to some of the Election Day coverage. It appears that the trends toward a Republican majority in the House and a narrow Democrat Senate lead is the way its going to turn out...We'll see. At 7:00 p.m., the night is still young.
Career Faire (in Hadden Gym) at least half of the classtime. We'll hold off on the Sabato quiz until Thursday. Here it is:
Sabato Interest Groups Quiz #2 for pages 585 to 592
1) Which of the following is a single-issue group?
A) MoveOn.org
B) AARP
C) U.S. Chamber of Commerce
D) National Rifle Association
E) NAACP
2) The right of citizens to form groups and to petition the government for changes in public
policies is protected by
A) the First Amendment.
B) the interest group clause.
C) the supremacy clause.
D) the interstate commerce clause.
E) the takings clause.
3) What did the Clayton Act do?
A) It allowed labor unions to form and guaranteed their right to strike.
B) It established open shop laws.
C) It granted vast swaths of land to the Central Pacific Railroad.
D) It allowed Standard Oil to drill on publicly owned land in Pennsylvania.
E) It required interest groups to share their membership lists with the government.
4) All of the following groups formed or reenergized during the 1960s or the 1970s EXCEPT
A) the American Civil Liberties Union.
B) the NAACP.
C) the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund.
D) Common Cause.
E) the Christian Coalition.
5) During the 1960s and 1970s, what kinds of interest groups were most successful?
A) public interest and civil rights groups
B) conservative and Republican interest groups
C) religious and social conservative interest groups
D) gay and lesbian interest groups
E) faith-based and community imitative groups
6) Which new interest group helped elect Ronald Reagan?
A) Focus on the Family
B) the Moral Majority
C) Unsafe at Any Speed
D) Onward Christian Soldiers
E) Public Citizen, Inc.
7) Which of the following interest groups was the most instrumental in electing Republican
members of Congress in 1994 and in electing George W. Bush?
A) the National Electric Light Association
B) the 700 Club
C) the Christian Coalition
D) Common Cause
E) the National Association of Manufacturers
8) Who founded the Christian Coalition?
A) Ted Haggard
B) Jerry Falwell
C) Pat Robertson
D) James Dobson
E) Jimmy Swaggart
9) What is a voter guide?
A) instructions on how to use voting technology distributed by local election boards
B) summaries of candidatesʹ issue positions distributed by interest groups
C) lists of candidates officially endorsed by interest groups
D) descriptions of the job experiences of candidates distributed by public interest groups
E) calendars distributed by interest groups that contain the dates of upcoming elections
10) Which interest group has been successful under the George W. Bush administration and has
been described as ʺa fraternity of powerful and prestigious business leaders that tells
ʹbusinessʹs side of the storyʹ to legislators, bureaucrats, White House personnel, and other
interested public officials.ʺ
A) A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats
B) the Council for Economic Growth
C) the National Association of Manufacturers
D) the Chamber of Commerce
E) the Business Roundtable
Friday, October 29, 2010
Due on Monday
The following assignments are due on Monday:
(1) Richard Hoffstader Reading (from The American Political Tradition)-20
(2) West Wing: The Short List-15
(3) Federalist 51 Worksheet-20
(4) Tony Barrera Survey and Reflection-20
(5) Landmark Decisions: Marbury v. Madison-15
(6) O'Connor and Breyer Discussion-20
(7) Public Spending Per Capita-20
(8) Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation Worksheet-15
------------------------------------------------------------------
Also, for those of you who haven't turned the 2 assignments that were due on Monday, it's still worth your while to turn them in. I will only grade them down ONE letter grade, not 50%!!!
(a) Constitutional Scavenger Hunt-50
(b) Pew Notes Study Guide-30
P.S. Also Sabato pages 582-585
Questions:
Chapter 16 Interest Groups
1) Who was the D.C. lobbyist who pled guiltily to conspiracy, fraud, and tax evasion in 2006?
A) Tom DeLay
B) Robert Ney
C) Conrad Burns
D) Jack Abramoff
E) Robert Putnam
2) After paying for a lobbyist, Treasure Island, Florida received a $50 million appropriation in the
federal budget. This is called
A) casework.
B) logrolling.
C) constituency service.
D) an earmark.
E) a frank.
3) Involvement in community groups and activities
A) enhances social capital.
B) fosters self-reliance.
C) hinders resolution of collective action problems.
D) enhances the Protestant work ethic.
E) hinders economic and political development.
4) To which of the following groups are contemporary citizens most likely to belong?
A) bowling leagues
B) Elks Club
C) League of Women Voters
D) Lions Club
E) community associations
5) According to disturbance theory, why do interest groups form?
A) to serve the public good
B) to promote the well being of civil servants
C) to counteract the effects of other groups
D) to bother government
E) to bolster the economy
6) What kind of interest group focuses its attention on achieving collective goods?
A) public interest groups
B) economic interest groups
C) trade association groups
D) governmental units
E) political action committees
7) Common Cause, peace groups, environmental organizations, and other such groups are
examples of ________ interest groups.
A) social capital
B) civic virtue
C) public
D) economic
E) libertarian
8) A labor union is an example of a
A) public interest group.
B) economic interest group.
C) trade association group.
D) governmental unit.
E) political action committee.
9) Governmental units typically lobby for
A) political action committees.
B) trade associations.
C) foreign aid.
D) PETA.
E) earmarks.
10) Corporations can contribute money to political campaigns by forming
A) EIDs.
B) PACs.
C) 528 groups.
D) subsidiaries.
E) caucuses.
(1) Richard Hoffstader Reading (from The American Political Tradition)-20
(2) West Wing: The Short List-15
(3) Federalist 51 Worksheet-20
(4) Tony Barrera Survey and Reflection-20
(5) Landmark Decisions: Marbury v. Madison-15
(6) O'Connor and Breyer Discussion-20
(7) Public Spending Per Capita-20
(8) Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation Worksheet-15
------------------------------------------------------------------
Also, for those of you who haven't turned the 2 assignments that were due on Monday, it's still worth your while to turn them in. I will only grade them down ONE letter grade, not 50%!!!
(a) Constitutional Scavenger Hunt-50
(b) Pew Notes Study Guide-30
P.S. Also Sabato pages 582-585
Questions:
Chapter 16 Interest Groups
1) Who was the D.C. lobbyist who pled guiltily to conspiracy, fraud, and tax evasion in 2006?
A) Tom DeLay
B) Robert Ney
C) Conrad Burns
D) Jack Abramoff
E) Robert Putnam
2) After paying for a lobbyist, Treasure Island, Florida received a $50 million appropriation in the
federal budget. This is called
A) casework.
B) logrolling.
C) constituency service.
D) an earmark.
E) a frank.
3) Involvement in community groups and activities
A) enhances social capital.
B) fosters self-reliance.
C) hinders resolution of collective action problems.
D) enhances the Protestant work ethic.
E) hinders economic and political development.
4) To which of the following groups are contemporary citizens most likely to belong?
A) bowling leagues
B) Elks Club
C) League of Women Voters
D) Lions Club
E) community associations
5) According to disturbance theory, why do interest groups form?
A) to serve the public good
B) to promote the well being of civil servants
C) to counteract the effects of other groups
D) to bother government
E) to bolster the economy
6) What kind of interest group focuses its attention on achieving collective goods?
A) public interest groups
B) economic interest groups
C) trade association groups
D) governmental units
E) political action committees
7) Common Cause, peace groups, environmental organizations, and other such groups are
examples of ________ interest groups.
A) social capital
B) civic virtue
C) public
D) economic
E) libertarian
8) A labor union is an example of a
A) public interest group.
B) economic interest group.
C) trade association group.
D) governmental unit.
E) political action committee.
9) Governmental units typically lobby for
A) political action committees.
B) trade associations.
C) foreign aid.
D) PETA.
E) earmarks.
10) Corporations can contribute money to political campaigns by forming
A) EIDs.
B) PACs.
C) 528 groups.
D) subsidiaries.
E) caucuses.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Info for Unit 1 Exam
Dear Students,
I would like to remind you that the Unit 1 exam will be administered this Tuesday. On Monday we will prepare for the exam. Additionally, we will start the period with the vocabulary quiz. That should take no longer than 10 minutes. We will use the remaining time on Monday to prepare for the exam.
On Tuesday, the following assignments will be due at the beginning of class:
(1) The Constitutional Scavenger Hunt
(2) Pew Pew Study Guide
If not turned in at beginning of class on Tuesday, all assignments will be marked down by 50%. No exceptions.
Please contact me if you have any questions.
I would like to remind you that the Unit 1 exam will be administered this Tuesday. On Monday we will prepare for the exam. Additionally, we will start the period with the vocabulary quiz. That should take no longer than 10 minutes. We will use the remaining time on Monday to prepare for the exam.
On Tuesday, the following assignments will be due at the beginning of class:
(1) The Constitutional Scavenger Hunt
(2) Pew Pew Study Guide
If not turned in at beginning of class on Tuesday, all assignments will be marked down by 50%. No exceptions.
Please contact me if you have any questions.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Tomorrow's End of Chapter 3 Quiz
Class,
For tomorrow please make sure to finish chapter 3 (pages 115 to 120). Here is the posted quiz for tomorrow!
Who Loves You, Baby!!!
Sabato End of Chapter 3 Test
1) In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, various federal, state, and local government
agencies worked together as like a well choreographed machine.
2) There are about 10,000 state and local governments in the United States.
3) The Constitution divided the power between state and national government in order to create
a confederation.
4) The supremacy clause of the Constitution mandates that state laws supersede national laws.
5) The necessary and proper clause is the root of Congressʹs implied powers.
6) The power to coin money is an enumerated power.
7) Taxation is a concurrent power.
8) Both the United States and Mexico have a federal system of government.
9) The Constitution specifically enumerates powers to the state and national governments.
10) The Tenth Amendment grants police powers to the national government.
11) The Constitution was designed to provide a mechanism for resolving interstate disputes.
12) Whether same-sex marriages preformed in one state are valid in another state will likely
depend on how the Supreme Court interprets the full faith and credit clause of the
Constitution.
13) The Constitution requires states to extradite criminals to states where they are to stand trial or
have been convicted.
14) In McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), the Supreme Court ruled that the commerce clause could not
be used to reduce state powers.
15) In Gibbons v. Ogden, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a very narrow interpretation of the
commerce clause.
16) In Dred Scott v. Sanford, the Supreme Court ruled that slaves were three-fifths of a person.
17) The Sixteenth and Seventeenth Amendments enhanced the power of the national government
at the expense of the states.
18) The New Deal was a package of policies introduced by the Roosevelt administration to
remedy the Great Depression through federal action.
19) The Supreme Court was initially rather supportive of Rooseveltʹs attempts to deal with the
Great Depression.
20) The New Deal period (1933-1939) was characterized by intense governmental activity on the
national level.
21) After Roosevelt unveiled his court-packing plan, the Supreme Court upheld most of the New
Deal programs.
22) Metaphorically, cooperative federalism is similar to a layer cake.
23) The Civil War and the Great Depression were two of the historical incidents that tended to
consolidate national powers at the expense of state powers.
24) Categorical grants often require matching state funding.
25) A cornerstone of Lyndon Johnsonʹs ʺGreat Societyʺ program was an effort to provide universal
health care.
26) Jimmy Carter was a strong advocate for New Federalism, in which the national government
attempted to address social and economic strife throughout the United States.
27) Increased government authority in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks has
some concerned that governments may be infringing on citizensʹ civil liberties.
28) Block grants are federal monies given to the states with few strings attached. Republicans
generally favor block grants over categorical grants.
29) The 1994 Republican Contract called for scaling back the scope of the national government.
30) Under the banner of New Federalism, Republicans advocated for an increased use of
unfunded mandates.
31) After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the federal government expanded dramatically.
32) During the 1980s and 1990s, the Supreme Court increased federal authority in a number of
areas, including abortion, education, and health care.
33) Due to the Supreme Courtʹs decision in Stenberg v. Carhart, American women have equal
access to abortion services regardless of where they live.
34) The Supreme Court has upheld the Violence Against Women Act, citing Congressʹs authority
to enact laws that are ʺnecessary and properʺ for ensuring domestic tranquility.
For tomorrow please make sure to finish chapter 3 (pages 115 to 120). Here is the posted quiz for tomorrow!
Who Loves You, Baby!!!
Sabato End of Chapter 3 Test
1) In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, various federal, state, and local government
agencies worked together as like a well choreographed machine.
2) There are about 10,000 state and local governments in the United States.
3) The Constitution divided the power between state and national government in order to create
a confederation.
4) The supremacy clause of the Constitution mandates that state laws supersede national laws.
5) The necessary and proper clause is the root of Congressʹs implied powers.
6) The power to coin money is an enumerated power.
7) Taxation is a concurrent power.
8) Both the United States and Mexico have a federal system of government.
9) The Constitution specifically enumerates powers to the state and national governments.
10) The Tenth Amendment grants police powers to the national government.
11) The Constitution was designed to provide a mechanism for resolving interstate disputes.
12) Whether same-sex marriages preformed in one state are valid in another state will likely
depend on how the Supreme Court interprets the full faith and credit clause of the
Constitution.
13) The Constitution requires states to extradite criminals to states where they are to stand trial or
have been convicted.
14) In McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), the Supreme Court ruled that the commerce clause could not
be used to reduce state powers.
15) In Gibbons v. Ogden, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a very narrow interpretation of the
commerce clause.
16) In Dred Scott v. Sanford, the Supreme Court ruled that slaves were three-fifths of a person.
17) The Sixteenth and Seventeenth Amendments enhanced the power of the national government
at the expense of the states.
18) The New Deal was a package of policies introduced by the Roosevelt administration to
remedy the Great Depression through federal action.
19) The Supreme Court was initially rather supportive of Rooseveltʹs attempts to deal with the
Great Depression.
20) The New Deal period (1933-1939) was characterized by intense governmental activity on the
national level.
21) After Roosevelt unveiled his court-packing plan, the Supreme Court upheld most of the New
Deal programs.
22) Metaphorically, cooperative federalism is similar to a layer cake.
23) The Civil War and the Great Depression were two of the historical incidents that tended to
consolidate national powers at the expense of state powers.
24) Categorical grants often require matching state funding.
25) A cornerstone of Lyndon Johnsonʹs ʺGreat Societyʺ program was an effort to provide universal
health care.
26) Jimmy Carter was a strong advocate for New Federalism, in which the national government
attempted to address social and economic strife throughout the United States.
27) Increased government authority in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks has
some concerned that governments may be infringing on citizensʹ civil liberties.
28) Block grants are federal monies given to the states with few strings attached. Republicans
generally favor block grants over categorical grants.
29) The 1994 Republican Contract called for scaling back the scope of the national government.
30) Under the banner of New Federalism, Republicans advocated for an increased use of
unfunded mandates.
31) After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the federal government expanded dramatically.
32) During the 1980s and 1990s, the Supreme Court increased federal authority in a number of
areas, including abortion, education, and health care.
33) Due to the Supreme Courtʹs decision in Stenberg v. Carhart, American women have equal
access to abortion services regardless of where they live.
34) The Supreme Court has upheld the Violence Against Women Act, citing Congressʹs authority
to enact laws that are ʺnecessary and properʺ for ensuring domestic tranquility.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
FRQ for Warm Up Tomorrow
Class,
In place of a Sabato quiz you will be given the the 2003 FRQ #3 write up that you can find here:
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/exam/exam_questions/2086.html#name03
Copy the 2003 FRQ and download it. Attempt to answer it. Use any of the resources provided at the site to help. You may bring your write up to tomorrow's "quiz."
In place of a Sabato quiz you will be given the the 2003 FRQ #3 write up that you can find here:
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/exam/exam_questions/2086.html#name03
Copy the 2003 FRQ and download it. Attempt to answer it. Use any of the resources provided at the site to help. You may bring your write up to tomorrow's "quiz."
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