Campaign Finance Reform

Objective

• Explain key terms associated with campaign finance reform
• Analyze the arguments associated with campaign finance reform

Agenda

• News:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-15677595
• Can Perry's campaign recover from this?
• Small group-based discussion.  We'll follow each topic up with a class discussion;  take them one issue at a time. For each of the following questions, try and reach a consensus.  Failing that, establish a "majority opinion."   Write a response to each one in Word.
• Impact of Money on Politics
• In what ways specific does money affect politics?
• Does this have a substantial effect?
• Free Speech
• Are political donations a form of free speech?
• If so, should this right be granted to both individuals and corporations?
• Restrictions
• Should there be a limit on how much individuals, corporations, or other organizations can contribute to political campaigns?
• Should these contributions be made public?
• Issue Ads
• What about limits on an "issue ad" that doesn't promote a specific candidate?
• How do you distinguish an issue ad from a campaign ad? 

• Your group should provide a definition and describe the significance the following ideas, laws, or events:
• Buckley vs. Valeo
• 527
• PAC
• Super PAC
• Push Polls
• Hard Money
• Soft Money
• McCain Feingold Act
• Citizens United vs. FEC
• TED Friday
• Why Are We Happy?
• What's The Problem With Rules & Incentives?
• Paterno and the Penn State Case
• Food Policy
• How Can Crowdsourcing Help Journalism?
• Relate to Occupy Wall Street Coverage