Name: _________________________________ Block:______________
Political Affiliation Test
1.
What would be your ideal candidate's position on the STIMULUS PLAN? (The Economic Stimulus Act "provides for tax
rebates to low- and middle-income U.S. taxpayers, tax incentives to stimulate business investment, and an increase in the
limits imposed on mortgages eligible for purchase by government-sponsored enterprises (e.g., Fannie Mae and Freddie
Mac)."
a. Would support the Stimulus Plan
b. Would scrap the Stimulus Plan
2. What would be your ideal candidate's position on TAXES & GOVERNMENT SERVICES? There are two basic schools
of thought on this topic. One side says, "a society is judged by the way it treats its most vulnerable members". The other
side says, "reduce taxes so people can keep their money to solve their own problems".
a. Would advocate increasing income taxes on the wealthiest one or two percent of Americans. Would favor the
"government should help people" positions of groups such as the Children's Defense Fund and the Alliance for Retired
Americans.
b. Would embrace the philosophy that any increase of any taxes of any income strata hurts the economy. Would tend to
favor the anti-tax positions of the National Taxpayers Union.
3. Which statement regarding GOVERNMENT JOBS--which are taxpayer supported--would your ideal candidate say?
a. "Congress should pass a bill to help states put thousands of teachers, firefighters and police officers back on the job."
b. America needs fewer fire fighters, fewer police officers, fewer teachers. "It’s time for us to cut back on government and
help the American people."
4. Would your ideal candidate advocate MILITARY FORCE, including pre-emptive attacks, if intelligence confirmed that
Iran had obtained and/or was obtaining a nuclear weapon?
a. Yes.
b. No.
5. What would be your ideal candidate's position on the WATERBOARDING of terrorism suspects?
a. They would favor it, viewing it as "enhanced interrogation" and a valuable tool in the war on terror.
b. They would oppose it, viewing it as "torture" and counterproductive, illegal and/or immoral.
6. What would be your ideal candidate's position on BALANCING CIVIL LIBERTIES & SECURITY?
a. Would lean toward preserving civil liberties even though it might risk our security.
b. Would lean toward preserving our security even though it might risk our civil liberties, for example advocating an
expansion of the PATRIOT ACT.
7. What would be your ideal candidate's position on BUSINESS & LABOR?
a. Would favor the pro-business positions of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and similar groups.
b. Would favor the pro-labor positions of the AFL-CIO and similar groups.
8. What would be your ideal candidate's position on the MINIMUM WAGE?
a. Would have a history of supporting increases in the minimum wage.
b. Would have a history of opposing increases in the minimum wage.
9. What would be your ideal candidate's position on SOCIAL SECURITY?
a. Would keep it a governmental program, a non-private entity, possibly adjusting the earnings ceiling and/or the
retirement age, etc.
b. Would consider other options, including and especially privatization.
10. What would be your ideal candidate's position on TRADE ISSUES?
a. Would tend to support free trade policies. (Free trade is a system in which the trade of goods and services between or
within countries flows unhindered by government-imposed restrictions [such as] taxes and tariffs, non-tariff barriers,
quotas. etc.
b. Would tend to support fair trade policies. (Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach to
empowering developing country producers and promoting sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a fair
price as well as social and environmental standards...
11. What would be your ideal candidate's position on EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH?
a. Would support federal expansion of embryonic stem cell research.
b. Would oppose federal expansion of embryonic stem cell research
12. What would be your ideal candidate's position on ABORTION?
a. Would support the pro-choice positions of organizations like NARAL.
b. Would support the pro-life positions of organizations like National Right to Life Committee
Name: _________________________________ Block:______________
13. What would be your ideal candidate's position on CAPITAL PUNISHMENT?
a. Would support the death penalty.
b. Would oppose the death penalty.
14. What would be your ideal candidate's position on GUN CONTROL?
a. Would support gun control legislation recommended by groups such as the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
b. Would oppose gun control legislation, agreeing with groups such as the NRA and the Gun Owners of America.
15. What would be your ideal candidate's position on MARIJUANA laws?
a. Would not advocate any sort of legalization of marijuana.
b. Would support legalization for doctor prescribed medical use of marijuana.
c. Would support a general decriminalization of marijuana
16. What would be your ideal candidate's position on HEALTH CARE?
a. Would "repeal and replace" the health insurance reform bill signed by Obama (Patient Protection and Affordable Care
Act).
b. Would support the health insurance reform bill signed by Obama (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act).
17. What would be your ideal candidate's position on the ENVIRONMENT & PROPERTY RIGHTS when they conflict?
a. Would favor positions of environmental groups like the League of Conservation Voters
b. Would support positions of property rights advocating groups like the American Land Rights Association.
18. What would be your ideal candidate's position regarding CLIMATE CHANGE?
a. Anthropogenic (human-caused) climate change is real, a real concern and requires concerted action by governments and
citizens
b. Climate change is not real and/or doesn't require action
19. What would be your ideal candidate's position on ARIZONA'S IMMIGRATION LAW? Arizona SB 1070 is the broadest
and strictest anti-illegal immigration measure in decades. Some see it as a necessity to stop crime and illegal immigration.
Others are concerned about racial profiling and constitutional issues.
a. Would oppose Arizona's new illegal immigration law.
b. Would support Arizona's new illegal immigration law.
20. What would be your ideal candidate's position on GAY & LESBIAN ISSUES?
a. Would oppose both marriage and civil unions for same sex couples.
b. Would support marriage for same sex couples.
c. Would support civil unions for same sex couples.
21. What would be your ideal candidate's preferred philosophy regarding JOB CREATION?
a. The Keynesian economic theory which states that while government should be the spender of last resort, government
spending can spur a stalled economy.
b. Supply Side (aka Reaganomics or Trickle Down) Economics which states that tax breaks or other economic benefits
provided by government to businesses and the wealthy will benefit all of society by improving the economy as a whole.
c. Austrian School of Economics which advocates laissez faire policies. It states that any government involvement tends to
stifle the economy and thus cause unemployment.
22. What would be your ideal candidate's position on VOTER REGISTRATION?
a. Would favor voter ID laws as a way to stop voter fraud. After all, people need photo ID to drink, drive or a board a
plane.
b. Would oppose voter ID laws as the real intent is voter suppression. Voting is a constitutional right and not everyone
drinks, drives or flies.
23. What would be your ideal candidate's position on UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE in times of high unemployment?
a. Extend it during a recession as it helps the job seekers and their families plus it infuses money into the economy.
b. Reduce it as it is a disincentive to finding work, plus it adds to the deficit.
Name: _________________________________ Block:______________
Far Left- Obama
Issue 1: Military needs to think about space and cybersecurity
OBAMA: When it comes to our military, what we have to think about is not just budgets, we got to think about capabilities.
We need to be thinking about cybersecurity. We need to be thinking about space. That's exactly what our budget does, but
it's driven by strategy. It's not driven by politics. It's not driven by members of Congress and what they would like to see. It's
driven by what are we going to need to keep the American people safe? That's exactly what our budget does. And it also
then allows us to reduce our deficit, which is a significant national security concern because we've got to make sure that
our economy is strong at home so that we can project military power overseas.
Issue 2: Double funding for key research agencies
Q: Science and technology have been responsible for over half of the growth of the U.S. economy since WWII. What policies
will best ensure that America remains a world leader in innovation?
A: I believe that in order to be globally competitive in the 21st century and to create an American economy that is built to
last, we must create an environment where invention, innovation, and industry can flourish. We can work together to
create an economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, and skills for American workers. I am committed to
doubling funding for key research agencies to support scientists and entrepreneurs, so that we can preserve America's
place as the world leader in innovation, and strengthen U.S. leadership in the 21st century's high-tech knowledge-based
economy.
Source: The Top American Science Questions, by sciencedebate.org , Sep 4, 2012
Issue 3:Free and open Internet is essential to modern economy
Q: The Internet plays a central role in both our economy and our society. What role, if any, should the federal government
play in managing the Internet to ensure its robust social, scientific, and economic role?
A: A free and open Internet is essential component of American society and of the modern economy. I support legislation to
protect intellectual property online, but any effort to combat online piracy must not reduce freedom of expression,
increase cybersecurity risk, or undermine the dynamic, innovative global Internet. I also believe it is essential that we take
steps to strengthen our cybersecurity and ensure that we are guarding against threats to our vital information systems and
critical infrastructure, all while preserving Americans' privacy, data confidentiality, and civil liberties and recognizing the
civilian nature of cyberspace.
Issue 4: Send humans to Asteroids by 2025 & Mars by 2030s
Q: What should America's space exploration and utilization goals be in the 21st century?
A: From investing in research on advances in spaceflight technology, to expanding our commitment to an education system
that prepares our students for space and science achievements, I am committed to strengthening the base for America's
next generation of spaceflight. No other country can match our capabilities in Earth observation from space. In robotic
space exploration, too, nobody else comes close. And I intend to keep it that way. Two years ago I set a goal of sending
humans farther into space than we have ever been -- to an asteroid by 2025 and to Mars in the 2030s. We will continue to
operate the Space Station until at least 2020 and perhaps beyond. When our Orion deep space crew vehicle takes its first
test flight in 2014, it will travel farther into space than any spacecraft designed for humans has flown in the 40 years since
our astronauts returned from the moon. That is progress.
Issue 5: Invest in a digital smart grid for electricity utilities
Name: _________________________________ Block:______________
Obama's plan states that it "will reduce oil consumption by at least 35%, or 10 million barrels per day, by 2030." Obama's
plan to set America on a path to energy independence states that he will:
1. Increase fuel economy standards: Obama will double fuel economy standards within eighteen years. Obama will
also invest in advanced vehicle technology such as advanced lightweights materials and new engines.
2. Set national building efficiency goals: Barack Obama will establish a goal of making all new buildings carbon neutral,
or produce zero emissions, by 2030. He'll also establish a national goal of improving new building efficiency by 50%
and existing building efficiency by 25% over the next decade to help us meet the 2030 goal.
Invest in a digital smart grid: Obama will pursue a major investment in our utility grid to enable a tremendous increase in
renewable generation and accommodate modern energy requirements, such as reliability, smart metering, and distributed
storage.
Complete the following on a separate sheet of paper.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Annotate document
Complete Cornell Notes
Next to each issue explain how the politicians stance relates to his or her political spectrum.
Complete Cornell Notes
In your opinion what is technologies role in politics?
What policies are Obama pushing for? How does it relate to technology?
How does Obama’s ideas on technology relate to his political spectrum?
Moderate left- Kay Hagan
Hagan Introduces
Issue 1: Bill to Update Technology in Schools
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC), Chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Children and Families, along with
Senators Patty Murray and Tammy Baldwin, has introduced legislation to update the current education technology law and
improve efforts to incorporate technology in the classroom.
"Technology has evolved rapidly since this law was last
authorized in 2002, and this bill is key to making sure we keep up with and adapt to the 21st century learning
environment," said Hagan. "Incorporating technology in our students' curriculum from the earliest grades will better
prepare them to enter the increasingly competitive global job market. I have visited schools in North Carolina that are
making outstanding progress with the help of cutting-edge technology, but many schools still have a long way to go. It's
time we update this law to benefit more students."
The Enhancing Education Through Technology Act would give states
more authority to use funds to improve technology infrastructure and train teachers and principals on how to best
incorporate new technology into the classroom. The current education technology program was created in 2002, and has
yet to be updated to keep up with advances in technology in the last decade.
The bill will authorize states to asses how far
along each district is in using technology and will provide funding for the districts that are furthest behind to improve their
infrastructure, purchase new computers, and provide training for teachers and administrators on how to incorporate
technology to improve academic performance.
A key component of the bill is a greater emphasis on providing
professional development to support teachers and principals in using technology and redesigning curricula to be most
effective for students. For example, new software allows teachers to run real-time assessments to get feedback on whether
students understand a particular concept. Also included in the bill is a competitive grant program for districts and schools
that have excelled at incorporating new technology to push their programs further to find innovative ways to utilize new
technology in the classroom.
"In North Carolina, we already have many schools that are on the cutting-edge of new
Name: _________________________________ Block:______________
technology, and this bill will allow those institutions to remain leaders in the field for years to come," said Hagan.
Last
year, Hagan supported successful applications from Guilford County Schools (GCS) and Iredell-Statesville Schools (I-SS) in
the competitive Race to the Top- District Program (RTTT-D). GCS won a $30 million grant and I-SS won a $20 million grant to
continue building on successful classroom technology innovations.
In February, Hagan visited Montlieu Technology
Academy in High Point to see firsthand how GCS intends to use the grant to expand on classroom technology for middle
schools across the district. Under GCS' project, nearly 17,000 students in the district's 24 middle schools will receive tablet
computers to work at their own pace, using personal learning "maps" that show the students their progress in mastering
new concepts.
Complete the following: on a separate sheet of paper.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Annotate document
Complete Cornell Notes
Next to each issue explain how the politicians stance relates to his or her political spectrum.
In your opinion what is technologies role in politics?
What policy is Hagan pushing for? How does it relate to technology?
How does Hagan’s ideas on technology relate to his political spectrum?
Moderate right- Pat McCory
Issue 1: Stop delaying critical infrastructure maintenance
North Carolina's infrastructure capacity is a key element in attracting business and investment. Unfortunately, NC
commuters and businesses lose billions of dollars each year from poor road quality and congestion. 29% of our bridges are
deficient. The longer maintenance costs are deferred, the greater the eventual repair costs will be. Through better
budgeting and planning, a McCrory administration will stop delaying critical infrastructure maintenance to avoid future
economic hardship and budget woes
Issue 1 extended: Article
RALEIGH, N.C. — Two days after he took office, Gov. Pat McCrory hit the ground running Monday, issuing his first
executive order and declaring that the computer systems in various state government agencies need a serious overhaul.
McCrory cited audits of the effort to consolidate state information technology systems in his determination that the
systems "are broken in almost every department." IT problems are most alarming in the Department of Health and
Human Services, he said, where they could affect the distribution of food stamps and Medicaid.
"If this new system is not implemented in the way it was initially designed, then we're going to have some major issues in
July regarding our citizens getting the needed services from state government," he said at a news conference.
Agency heads are looking to hire IT contractors to assist with the consolidation and to work out bugs in the system, said
McCrory, who also named Chris Estes as the state's chief information officer, putting him in charge of IT operations.
Estes most recently served as a principal at strategy and technology consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton. He previously
worked as business development manager at consulting and accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers and at IBM.
"It is clear we have to modernize and digitize state government," McCrory said in announcing Estes' appointment.
Some computer systems aren't working properly, and no back-up systems are in place, he said.
McCrory also named former Rep. Fred Steen, R-Rowan, as his legislative liaison and Tony Almeida, a former colleague of
McCrory's at Duke Energy Corp., as his top economic adviser.
Name: _________________________________ Block:______________
In his first official action as governor, he issued an executive order rescinding an order last year from Gov. Beverly Perdue
that created a judicial nominating commission. He said he planned to use his constitutional authority to name qualified
candidates to open judgeships.
Perdue herself rescinded the order in December to allow her to fill an opening on the state Supreme Court on short
notice before leaving office.
McCrory said he met Monday morning with his cabinet, and they discussed the "thin" budget surplus the state has
through the end of the fiscal year in June. He advised the agencies to watch their spending but said they are finding it
difficult to track revenues and expenses because many departments don't issue monthly budget reports.
A "cash-flow crunch" is expected to continue through May as the state tries to process income tax refunds while other
collections are in a lull, he said.
"Money is not going to drop out of the trees. There is no new money at this point in time. We've got business that are
barely hanging on," he said.
The cabinet also talked about problems with state government buildings. McCrory said many offices are "in total
disrepair" after years without adequate maintenance, and some departments are so scattered among different buildings
that they cannot work efficiently.
Some buildings also have security concerns that need to be addressed, but he declined to be more specific.
"The longer it takes to maintain and fix these buildings, the more expensive it's going to get for the taxpayers," he said.
"Before we build new buildings like we have for the last five years in state government, we better take care of the ones
we have. ... We build new things without having sufficient operations money to run them."
McCrory said the IT and infrastructure issues weren't the result of the Perdue administration. Rather, they were problems
decades in the making.
"This is a long-term structural breakdown you can't put on any one individual or political party," he said
Complete the following:on a separate sheet of paper.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Annotate document
Complete Cornell Notes
Next to each issue explain how the politicians stance relates to his or her political spectrum.
In your opinion what is technologies role in politics?
What policy is McCory pushing for? How does it relate to technology?
How does McCory’s ideas on technology relate to his political spectrum?
Rick Perry
Issue 1: Put technology into place for long-distance learning
Q: Do you agree with Congressman Paul that we should kill the federal student loan program?
PERRY: I've called for a $10,000 graduate program -Q: But would you kill the federal student loan program?
PERRY: I don't think the federal government should be in the business of paying for programs and building up huge debt out
there.
Q: So get rid of it?
PERRY:-The governors who appoint the trustees, they [could] step in and basically say, listen, you are going to have
graduation rates that are moving upwards, you're going to have tuition that is moving down. You have to have control over
those boards of regents, of that's how you do that, or the legislature has to have control. But the bottom line is, we have to
put powerful economic forces into place. And one of those is using our technology to be able to let our kids have the
Name: _________________________________ Block:______________
opportunity to get an education through long distance learning, for instance.
Source: 2011 CNBC GOP Primary debate in Rochester MI , Nov 9, 2011
Issue 2: Texas Enterprise Fund: $14B invested in emerging technology
Q: Taxpayers stand to lose half a billion dollars in the collapse of Solyndra, a solar energy firm that was a centerpiece of the
Obama green jobs initiative.
A: I don't think the federal government should be involved in that type of investment, period. If states want to choose to do
that, I think that's fine for states to do that.
Q: You have in Texas done that with the emerging technology fund. But your own state auditor said earlier this year that
that fund is neither accountable nor transparent. And like Solyndra, some of the emerging technology fund investments
have gone bust.
A: Well, first off, the Texas legislature has full oversight of that committee. Every two years the Texas legislature looks at it,
and I can promise you the 54,600 jobs that have been created and the $14 billion-plus worth of investment that has come
out of the Enterprise Fund in the state of Texas, those people that have jobs today in the state of Texas, they are absolutely
happy that we've got a program like that
Source: 2011 GOP debate at Dartmouth College, NH , Oct 11, 2011
Issue 3: $40M for 5,500 students in Texas Technology Grants
I am advocating that we set aside $40 million for a new Texas Technology Grant program. Texas produces 5,500 graduates a
year in electrical engineering, engineering technology and computer science while our economy produces 11,000 annual
job openings in those fields. Let's invest in technology scholarships so that Texans are on the forefront of technology
innovation, whether it is here at home, or in outer space.
Source: Texas 2007 State of the State address , Feb 6, 2007
Issue 4: Level playing field for Main Street vs. Internet sales tax.
Perry adopted a letter to Congress from 44 Governors:
The nation’s governors have a strong and unified message to Congress: deal fairly with Main Street retailers, consumers,
and local governments. In a letter sent to all members of Congress late Friday, 44 governors said:
If you care about a level playing field for Main Street retail businesses and local control of states, local governments, and
schools, extend the moratorium on taxing Internet access ONLY with authorization for the states to streamline and simplify
the existing sales tax system. To do otherwise perpetuates a fundamental inequity and ignores a growing problem.
The current moratorium on Internet access taxes, like those consumers pay to Internet service providers, and multiple and
discriminatory taxes is scheduled to expire in October. The moratorium does not apply to sales taxes.
Currently, sales and use taxes are owed on all online transactions, but states are prohibited from requiring “remote sellers”
to collect and remit those levies. A 1992 US Supreme Court decision said states can only require sellers that have a physical
presence in the same state as the consumer to collect so-called use taxes. In instances when a seller does not have a
physical presence, consumers are required to calculate and remit the taxes owed to their home states at the end of the
year. The problem is most people are unaware that they’re supposed to pay, and states lack an effective enforcement
mechanism. Online and catalog sellers, thereby, have a significant price advantage over Main Street businesses that must
collect a sales tax on all transactions.
The loophole creates serious budget problems for schools, states, and local governments. A study estimated that states
could lose as much as $14 billion by 2004 if they are unable to collect existing taxes on Web-based sales. Nearly half of state
revenues come from sales taxes.
Source: NGA Press Release, "Level Playing Field" 01-NGA18 on Aug 20, 2001
Issue 5: Permanent R&D tax incentive & more R&D funding.
Perry signed the Southern Governors' Association resolution:
Whereas, the federal government’s investment in research and development (R&D) has dropped from 70% of total,
national R&D at the height of the “cold war” to merely 27% in 1999; and,
Whereas, federal R&D spending has dropped from 1.5% of the Gross National Product (GDP) in 1987 to only 0.6% today;
Name: _________________________________ Block:______________
and,
Whereas, industry-sponsored R&D has off-set this decline by merely growing from 1.5% of GDP in 1987 to 1.6% today; and,
Whereas, federal leadership in technology transfer is of critical importance to the development and commercialization of
established intellectual property; and,
Whereas, broadband, high-speed Internet technology is an essential asset to support the New Economy and foster a
climate to aid R&D efforts; and,
Whereas, the advancement of digital government can foster supportive services important to research and development
including cataloging of labor, statistics and venture capital, and further, can enhance citizen access and coordination of
government information and services; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Southern Governors’ Association urges Congress and the Administration to:
Substantially increase all areas of research and development funding, and enact a permanent tax incentive for R&D and a
tax election to exchange research-related benefits for a refundable tax credit;
Pass legislation to bolster federal technology transfer efforts, ensuring that a sense of urgency exists in tech transfer
officers of government agencies;
Support legislation and regulations that will speed the deployment of broadband, high speed Internet networking
throughout the nation; and,
Complete the following: on a separate sheet of paper.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Annotate document
Complete Cornell Notes
Next to each issue explain how the politicians stance relates to his or her political spectrum.
In your opinion what is technologies role in politics?
What policies arePerry pushing for? How does it relate to technology?
How does Perry’s ideas on technology relate to his political spectrum?
Midterm STEM Project—Civics and Economics 2013 <You are going to apply Berry’s academy focus to Civics and Economic
This STEM Project will constitute as five percent of your grade. Follow the steps below, carefully.
1. Circle where you fall on the Political Spectrum
2. Select one political figure that best matches your political spectrum.
Far Left
Obama
Moderate Left
Kay Hagan
Hillary Clinton
Moderate Right
Pat McCory
John McCain
Far Left
Rick Perry
Name: _________________________________ Block:______________
3. Organize the information you gathered in the
readings using Cornell notes. See example of Cornell
notes: Notes should be at least half a page in length.
On the same page, answer guided questions at the
end of the reading.
Name: _________________________________ Block:______________
4. Select one Issue you would like to cover. Write issue below.
5. Next you will be creating a PowerPointeach of the following elements (A-D):
A. Summary of political spectrum
i. One complete summary paragraph explaining the your political spectrum. Explain how each politician views
technology.
B. Video
i.
Show a video clip of politician using technology. Can include one of the following.
a. Politician using media to advance political views.
b. Politician expressing views on technology.
C. Social Media/Websites
i.
Display social media politician uses to advance views points (includes twitter, Facebook, etc.)
ii.
Show websites used by politician to advance political viewpoints.
D. Miscellaneous (choose one)
i. An advertisement (with visual) for the
political spectrum you and your politician belong to.
Cartoon/visual of the political spectrum you and your politician belong to.