1. 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:
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

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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:
DEADLINES & HOMEWORK:
Performance Task #9
Class time today & Tomorrow; Due by START OF CLASS ON Monday 11/14th

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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?

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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?

11. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Candidates with more money usually win.
Where do they get the money from?
VOTERS & CORPORATIONS

12. 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

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

14. 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

16. 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

17. (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?

18. 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:
DEADLINES & HOMEWORK:
Performance Task #9
Class time today & Tomorrow; Due by START OF CLASS ON Monday 11/14th