Drop Everything and Read / Work Time Please sit quietly and read for the fist 15 minutes DEAR Recommended readings: The novel/book you’re currently reading! A book from my shelf Course Materials: See instructions to the right. By the time DEAR is done (15 minutes) please: have google classroom open – click link for warm up – 4.4 Have your materials out for PT 4.3 – campaign memo Go to: www.mrggcivics.weebly.com Select: Unit Materials Unit 4: American Politics Download Notes for lesson 1– Read the news from yesterday about Paul Ryan’s announcement Work on: Campaign Memo – due 30 minutes into class

Unit 3: Constitution & American Politics Lesson 10: Campaign Finance: Money & Elections LESSON ESSENTIAL QUESTION How are political campaigns financed?  How do politicians balance their obligation to voters with the demands of special interests? WARM UP What effects does money have on politics? Essential Lesson Vocabulary: Federal Elections Commission Campaign Contribution McCutcheon v. FEC Political Action Committees Super PACs Citizens United v. FEC

Need to make up / finish last Friday’s test Entire Test Selene, Jazmyne, Mariah, Manny, Chris, Anna, MC Section only: Saviya, Shalonda CR Section: Cam, Amari, Jordan If this is you, you need to: Go to Ms. Allen’s room (#122) to do the test now. (take computer) When done, download these notes and use them to complete the review packet through lesson 11 to catch up on what you’ll miss today.

Unit 4: American Politics Lesson 3: Campaigns and the Electoral Process Lesson 9 Performance Task: Election Analysis: Write an explanation showing your understanding of how and why Donald Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States. Your guide should apply at least 10 of the vocabulary terms from lessons 7-11 of this Unit OPTIONS INCLUDE: Write a newspaper article after the candidate wins that looks back on their path to the Presidency Write a letter from the Candidate to their parent or spouse explaining what they’ve been doing while away from home Class Website: www.mrggcivivcs.weebly.com DEADLINES & HOMEWORK: Performance Task #9 Class time today & Tomorrow; Due by START OF CLASS ON Monday 11/14th

Campaign Contributions Money people donate to support candidates Candidates raise money to pay for their campaigns. Money is used to: Pay campaign staff Buy advertising (TV, internet, radio, print, billboards) Send direct mail Travel the country & hold events

Who gives money to campaigns? Lots of people make small contributions A few people give huge amounts of money “Bundlers” – people that raise money from friends and companies for candidates they support

Federal Campaign Limits Individuals can give $2600 per election to a federal candidate (Senate, House, President) Primary, general election, & runoffs are separate elections $5,000 per year to a Political Action Committee (PAC) $10,000 per year to State or Local parties $32,400 per year to a National Party WOW – that’s a lot of $$$$$$ - what does a person get for all that dough?

Federal Elections Commission FEC – regulates and enforces campaign finance laws and other election laws Candidates must file quarterly fundraising reports with the FEC documenting how much they have raised, and from whom

McCutcheon v. FEC (2014) McCutcheon files lawsuit challenging constitutionality of campaign contribution limits Claims that limiting the amount of money he can donate violates his 1st amendment right to free speech Supreme Court Agrees: people can give the maximum campaign contribution to as many candidates as they want Limit for each candidate still applies

Does $$$ Equal Political Power? Rich people can give a lot of money to candidates and gain influence. Does this give them more power than poor people? Is this fair? There is a 1st Amendment right to free speech. Money buys advertising time for speech. IS MONEY THE SAME AS SPEECH?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Candidates with more money usually win. Where do they get the money from? VOTERS & CORPORATIONS

Political Action Committees (PACs) Can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money on elections Cannot talk with or coordinate with candidates Much more common and powerful since Citizens United

Corporate Personhood For the purposes of politics, companies are defined as “people” That means that corporations can make political contributions

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission 2010 Supreme Court rules that money equals speech; Corporations are defined as people, and can give unlimited amounts of money to Super PACs No limits on the amount of money PACs can spend in on elections Argues that restricting money in politics is like restricting a person’s right to speak out about their beliefs

Special Interest Groups Organizations that focus on getting the government to support the interests of a particular group of people or a particular issue EXAMPLES Restaurant Association Chamber of Commerce League of Women Voters NAACP Unions

(6 minute) Opinion Response: $$ in Politics Some people think that there should be no limits on money in politics. They believe that candidates should be able to raise and spend as much as they can because political donations are an expression of free speech. Other people disagree and think there should be limits on campaign contributions. They think that allowing unlimited contributions gives wealthier people more influence in elections than poorer people, which makes elections unfair. What do you think, and why? Should people and/or corporations be allowed to spend as much as they want on political campaigns? Or should spending be limited?

Unit 4: American Politics Lesson 9/10: Campaigns Campaign Finance Lesson 9 Performance Task: Election Analysis: Write an explanation showing your understanding of how and why Donald Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States. Your guide should apply at least 10 of the vocabulary terms from lessons 7-11 of this Unit OPTIONS INCLUDE: Write a newspaper article after the candidate wins that looks back on their path to the Presidency Write a letter from the Candidate to their parent or spouse explaining what they’ve been doing while away from home Class Website: www.mrggcivivcs.weebly.com DEADLINES & HOMEWORK: Performance Task #9 Class time today & Tomorrow; Due by START OF CLASS ON Monday 11/14th