This week we talked about many elements to politics and elections in the United States. We did a web quest about Political Action Committees (PACS). We discussed the newly created Super PACs and how Citizens United v. FEC actually paved the way for unlimited campaign spending in elections. In addition, we compared different TV advertisements comparing ones paid by candidates and one paid by SUPER PACs.
1. How Campaign Finance Works
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwqEkjipAoY
2. Example of Campaign AD – FUNDED BY CANDIDATE
OBAMA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBorRZnqtMo
ROMNEY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6Bg-v2ZtKg&list=UUyKtWUx5C1Nc6J9yMJlIlwg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3a7FC0Jkv8
3. Example of SUPER PAC AD – FUNDED BY SUPER PAC
ANTI ROMNEY : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj70XqOxptU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaKIeR4Sn3k
ANTI OBAMA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65ZrTjBsc7I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ-qjYLMFYM
We viewed various TV outlet newscasts to compare and contrast the way they presented their information. We discussed how the media is a business, a gatekeeper, an agenda setter, watchdog and is most often bias (even in a very simple form).
At the end of the week, we looked at interest groups and their impact on elections, policy and the people. We even explored various examples at http://votesmart.org/interest-groups#.UgOp0VPPHuk
A reminder that our Unit 2 - Civic Participation test will be Thursday, March 20, 2013.