Current Events Articles #3 All Things Debt

New York Times Background Article

I know these issues are really confusing for high school students who HAVEN'T completed the AP Government course yet. If this were happening during the school year we could discuss it in class and I could answer your questions. Since we can't do that, this article might help you understand the crisis. Understanding some vocabulary will help. Try to understand the following terms: deficit, budget, debt limit, default, and national debt.

New York Times House Budget Plan Article

Legislation must be passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate and then signed by the President. The House passed a budget plan, the Senate rejected it, so the President will not even deal with it.

New York Times Budget Plans

Here is a history of the plans offered by various members of Congress. You do not need to memorize the different plans, be able to identify the major differences among them and the points that are preventing compromise.



This week the President used his access to the media to address the nation directly. If you missed it (as many did because it is summer) please watch the address on C-Span.



Speaker of the House Boehner also used the media to respond to the President. If you missed it, please watch it on C-Span.

Washington Post Article on Senate vote

The Senate is going to try to solve this situation with a vote on Sunday. This article is an update on that process.

Current Events Articles #2

Boston Globe Campaign Finance Article

Campaign finance is an important part of our curriculum. The Citizens United v. FEC case significantly changed the campaign fundraising landscape. This article helps your understand some of the impact these changes are having on our current election cycle.

New York Times Betty Ford Article

Here is a detailed summary of Betty Ford's life. She passed away this week and as you can imagine First Ladies still impact the political process, even though they aren't elected.

New York Times Caylee's Law

This is an interesting example of how current events, citizens, and the media can influence what legislation becomes part of the public agenda.

Boston Globe NASA article

NASA is part of the bureaucracy and is a great example of the many accomplishments and potentially failures of our federal bureaucracy.

Summer Current Events #1

There's a lot going on right now in the world of government. Here are some articles that will help you will these current issues:

Gay Marriage Article

Whether you agree or disagree with gay marriage, the issue is great for illustrating the concept of federalism. This is one of the first ideas we will cover when we return in the Fall. Federalism allows for a national government and state government to operate at the same time. This means that states can determine for themselves who can marry.

Supreme Court Article

The Supreme Court tends to release the most controversial decisions at the end of their session. The Supreme Court session ends right about when our school year ends. So, here is a controversial decision for you to read about.

Whitey Bulger Article

I don't think current events would be very current if I didn't include an article about the FBI finding Whitey Bulger. Look for how the government is involved in this story that you've probably read a lot about.

Debt Ceiling Article

The questions about the debt ceiling and budget are going to be debated all summer. So, I am sure this is the first of many articles about this subject I will send you.

Presidential Address on Libya

Obama's Deal

Here is the link to "Obama's Deal" the video we watched in class on Friday and Monday (March 18, 21). Here are the questions about the video:

Directions: Answer the following questions on a piece of lined paper. Be sure to use supporting details from the film and thoughtful analysis in your response.

1. Describe the Obama administration’s strategy for holding the May 2009 health care reform meeting with the President and all interested parties. Based on lessons learned in the past, what was the administration trying to accomplish?

2. Karen Ignagni and the heath insurance lobby wanted the final health care reform bill to require everyone to buy health insurance and not include a public option. What does Ignagni’s role indicate about the role of lobbyists in the legislative process? Do you think their work helps or hurts the process? Why?

3. In what ways were the demands of the health insurance lobby in opposition to the health care reforms candidate Obama proposed during the 2008 campaign? Why do you think President Obama agreed to the requests from the lobbying groups? Do you think this type of political compromise is in the best interest of Americans? Explain.

4. What were some of the reasons why many in the Obama administration felt Senator Max Baucus was the least likely person to bring comprehensive health care reform?

5. Why were health care reform activists like Dr. Margaret Flowers angry with Sen. Baucus during the committee hearings?

6. Do you feel the legislative process works reflects the wishes and desires of the American people? If so, how? If not, how would you change the system to reflect the will of the people effectively?

Inside the Meltdown

Here is a link to the video we watched in class Inside the Meltdown. You can use this if you missed the video in class or if you need to check on an answer to your questions.

Credit Crisis Video

The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.