Congress Approval Ratings and Elections

Some recent data that you should take a look at and draw some conclusions.
Mr. Thompson

10.25.12

Friday: Berry, pg 825-832.
  Have it read well enough to finish a brief content quiz.
Then, details on assignment

Monday: Draft one due

Get ready for the personal narrative!

Here's the mini-version (Original site from SMITH)

60 tightest House Races

While we are on the topic of redistricting, gerrymandering, the upcoming election and Congress, an article projecting the 60 House districts most likely to change hands and parties. Notice Minnesota on the list and we only have 8 districts. As you browse the 60, see if you can identify any trends. Feel free to comment or question.

Mr. Thompson

Redistricting/Reapportionment

Hey APL/G!  How ironic that we find this article a few days before we have this conversation in class. And in the first election post 2010 census, I can see a question on the AP test in May about this concept. Every 10 years the Constitution requires a census to be conducted so that reapportionment and redistricting can occur. Your job is to read the article, understand the difference between the 2 concepts and come to class with an observation or question from the article. Gerrymandering, another term you need to know, is a great American tradition. Get ready to scratch your head and ask yourself "Can they really do that?"

Mr. Thompson

Intro to Congress

Your assignment is to find some current information/news from a reliable source about Congress.  Write a short entry very briefly summarizing the content and describing the "SO WHAT".  Include a link to your source of information. Assignment is 10 points and is due by 7:40 Monday morning. (Oct 22nd if you are wondering the date).

For example:  their approval rating today, approval rating over time, the effect of Congress' approval rating on the upcoming election, the importance of the upcoming Congressional elections, who is up for election from Congress in Nov. , campaign spending to run for a House or Senate seat, etc.

Be careful you don't duplicate someone's brilliant posting.

Welcome to our study of  Congress.
Mr. Thompson

T chart for Govt

             Organize a T -Chart that addresses the following facts about the 
       2 houses of Congress.

a.    Number of members in each house                       

b.   Number of members from each state            

c.    Qualifications to be a member (There are 3)

d.   Length of term and term limits

e.    How are members chosen for each house

f.     Area that each member represents

        House                      /                       Senate

A.                                             A.

B.                                             B.

C.                                            C.

D.                                            D.

E.                                             E.

F.                                             F.

Just a reminder that the google site contains the docs for review. . .here.

Everything you could possibly want to know about the upcoming presidential and vice-presidential debates. Schedule, channels, location, moderator, topic and more. Check out the link.

Mr. Thompson

Pennsylvania and Voter ID

In a significant ruling by a Pennsylvania judge Tuesday, the state law concerning the Voter ID and the upcoming election was thrown for a bit of a loop. Check out the article.

You don't need to respond unless compelled but as you read these you should be thinking about Constitutional application, a liberal/Democrat response vs a conservative/Republican response, effect on election in Pennsylvania, national implications etc.

Mr. Thompson