Monday, 10/10: Is Congress Broken Seminar

Starter

1. What are three questions that you would like us to address in our seminar today and/or that you think would spark interesting discussion in our seminar today?
2. Write them on your seminar prewrite.
3. Please turn in ONE document with ALL of the following:

• Reading questions
• Summary of your additional source
• Seminar pre-write

Sign up for your senior project check-in conference with one of the senior teachers!

• Lori's students are beating you guys to it!  Hurry up before your preferred teacher's conference schedule is full. Lori is already full! FYI and for future reference, all senior project documents are on the Senior Project page of my DP.

 
Honors announcement- ESSAY guidelines
Take notes during seminar today to fuel your essay!  See the honors page for guidelines on your 2nd honors essay on the prompt "Is Congress Broken?"

Ashley's overview of Citizens United  (See the back of the seminar questions handout I passed out in class)

Socratic  Questioning

• What role does money play in our political system?  In your view, is this a problem?  Why or why not? 

1. What problems are created by money in politics?  Why do you think it is this way? 

•  What can campaign finance tell us about the challenges our elected officials face in their professional lives?
  

1. Citizens United = Corporate Personhood + Campaign money as free speech.
2. To what extent should campaign contributions be considered free speech? 
3. What are the dangers of commercial speech?
4. What are the dangers of restricting commercial speech?
5. If we begin restricting certain kinds of speech over others, to what extent will we be endangering all of our freedoms? 

• Can our political system function without lobbyists?  Why or why not?
  

1. What positive functions do lobbyists engage in?
2. Without lobbyists, what would get done?
3. Can we expect our legislators to be experts at EVERYTHING?  What are the strengths and weaknesses of this model?

• If you could fix one thing in Congress right now, what would it be?  What would be the potential consequences of making this change?  
  1. What is your change and why, specifically, would you make it?
  2. What are the potential negative aspects of making this change? 

Presidential Debate
We’re going to watch some of last night's debate then use that as the basis for a discussion.  We'll start with the candidates' responses to a question about their approaches to energy production and climate change beginning 1 hour and 57 minutes into the linked video above.   If time we'll watch more of the debate with an eye toward each candidates' moral values and foundations, use of rhetoric, and stance on the issues.  Remember, the five moral foundations are:  Harm/care, Fairness, In Group Loyalty, Authority, Purity/Sanctity. 

Debate Discussion

1. Summarize both candidates' positions on energy/climate change.
   
2. What was Clinton and Trump's proposals on: Healthcare, Immigration, Taxes, Defense (War on Terror), Humanitarian Aid (War in Syria).  What moral foundation(s) did they seem to be emphasizing throughout these various issues? How can you tell?
3. Which of the moral foundations is most important in this issue to you?  To the candidates? 

Homework?
None!  Hooray!