The IDEA Guide to the 2012
U.S. Presidential Debates: Teacher Guide
Introduction
Help Wanted: Filling the Job of the Head of the Executive Branch
"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and
will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
—Presidential Oath of Office, United States Constitution, Article 2, Section 1
Before beginning a discussion of the issues in a presidential campaign, it is essential to provide some
context that explains the powers of the executive branch as outlined by the United States Constitution.
Voters have a natural tendency to become disillusioned when the candidate they helped elect becomes
president but does not quickly “solve” the issues they addressed during the campaign. This may be
because voters do not fully understand the limits of presidential power in the face of checks and balances
from the other two branches of government.
To cite two recent examples:
As a candidate in 2008, Obama campaigned on a healthcare platform that included creation of a
government-run “public option.” Once he became president, it became apparent that he did not have the
majority of votes needed in Congress to pass the public option as part of the legislation. During the
process of drafting the bill that would eventually become the Affordable Care Act of 2010, the public
option was dropped. Without the support of the majority of the members of Congress, the branch of
government that makes the laws, the president’s power to affect change when it comes to specific issues is
limited.
On the issue of campaign finance reform, Congress passed, and President Bush signed into law (even
though he opposed certain elements of it), the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, also commonly
known as “McCain-Feingold” (For more information, see the following: Campaign Finance Law Quick
Reference for Reporters," Federal Election Commission.) In 2009, the United States Supreme Court
decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission declared the part of the law that restricted the
political expenditures of corporations and unions to be an unconstitutional restriction of free speech.
In the face of this, what can the average voter realistically expect from his
or her candidate once they attain the office of president?
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Activity: Identify Presidential Powers
Give students a copy of Article 2, Sections 1–4 of the United States Constitution. Students should then
answer the following questions:
Questions
Answers
According to the Constitutions, what are the qualifications for the job?
“No person except a natural born citizen, or a
citizen of the United States, at the time of the
adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to
the office of President; neither shall any person
be eligible to that office who shall not have
attained to the age of thirty-five years, and been
fourteen years a resident within the United
States.”
What specific powers are assigned to the executive
branch in this section of the Constitution?
To command the military, to make Cabinet and
other appointments, to pardon citizens.
Were you surprised by any of the powers detailed
here? Is there anything you expected to see but did
not?
Answers will vary.
Compare the powers outlined in Article 2 to the is- Students may point out that, as commander-insues addressed in this guide. With the powers out- chief and chief diplomat, foreign policy matters
lined in Article 2, which issues do you think the presare clearly part of the president’s powers.
ident can effectively address? Which issues will be Certain domestic matters are less clearly defined
more difficult for him to address
in this section of the Constitution. Point out to
students that numerous federal laws have been
passed throughout history further defining
presidential powers and responsibilities. One
example is the 1921 law requiring the president
to submit a budget annually to Congress (See
the following link for more information: http://
budget.house.gov/budgetprocess/).
Direct students to the following page on the White House website for a more complete description of
the responsibilities entailed in the job of a modern day U.S. president: http://www.whitehouse.gov/
our-government/executive-branch.
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Activity: Write a Job Description for the Presidency
Tell students that, now that they have studied some of the issues facing the next occupant of the White
House and have learned more about the day-to-day responsibilities of the office, they are to write a job
description. For sample job descriptions, they can look at employment sites like monster.com or
idealist.org. The job description they write should not have either of the two major parties’ candidates,
or indeed any specific candidate, in mind. It should rather be the job description of the ideal candidate
for the job.
A suggested format:
Education Required:
Skills Required:
Experience:
Job Description:
In writing the job description, students should be as specific as possible referencing both the
requirements detailed in the US Constitution and the skills and type of experience they think are
necessary to resolve what they believe are the most important issues facing the country.
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Afghanistan
Outline of Lesson Plan
1. Locate Afghanistan on a classroom map. Identify the continent and geographic region of the world
that the country occupies, as well as which nations border it.
2. Ask students what they already know about Afghanistan from the news and what they learned from
reading Shawn Patterson’s essay. Then ask if any students have friends or family members in the
military who have been deployed to Afghanistan.
3. Point out that Afghanistan is a landlocked nation slightly smaller in area than the state of Texas. The
terrain is mostly rugged mountains with plains in the north and southwest. (Source: CIA, The World
Factbook, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/af.html)
4. Ask students who have been following the election how many campaign ads or speeches on
Afghanistan they recall recently? According to their perception, is this an important issue to the
candidates and voters?
5. Give students the following article to read from the DOTMIL column of US News and World Report:
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/dotmil/2012/08/01/three-reasons-skipping-afghanistan-wont
-hurt-mitt-romney. The article is about Mitt Romney’s recent trip abroad and, specifically, why it did
not “hurt” him politically not to visit Afghanistan.
Assignment: Write a Response Calling for Romney to Visit Afghanistan
After reading and discussing the article, challenge students to write a counterargument: why Mitt
Romney should visit Afghanistan. Their counterargument should provide at least three reasons why
Afghanistan is an important issue in this election as a direct rebuttal to Bennett’s piece. Each of the
three arguments the student makes should be supported with facts from Patterson’s essay, the article
on Afghanistan from the CIA’s The World Factbook, or other reputable print or online sources.
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Campaign Finance
Outline of Lesson Plan
1. Ask students to search the websites of both the Obama and Romney campaigns to find out the
candidates’ positions, if any, on the issue of campaign finance reform. Make two columns on the
board for each candidate and write their findings on the board.
2. Ask students to analyze what they found. How important is this issue to each candidate? What
specific changes to existing laws are being proposed by each candidate? (Students should note how
much more prominently other issues are highlighted on the website of each candidate.) Based on
Andrew Howard’s essay, what factors might play into the candidates’ positions on campaign finance
reform and why the issue receives so little attention compared to others?
3. For additional background on the issue, hand out the two articles below. Jason Riley’s piece from the
Wall Street Journal provides one conservative’s perspective on the issue, while Jill LePore’s piece
from the New Yorker puts the issue in some historical perspective.
a. Wall Street Journal article: http://online.wsj.com/article/
SB10001424052702303933704577532953641304334.html
b. New Yorker article: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2012/07/moneytalks-whos-fighting-for-campaign-finance-reform.html
Assignment: Write a Radio Ad for Campaign Finance Reform
Because both Obama and Romney are benefitting from the current laws concerning the financing of
campaigns, it is reasonable to assume that voters will likely not hear very much, if anything, from either
candidate on this issue. In fact, this is one issue that voters must be encouraged to raise themselves with
the candidates. One way of encouraging voters to do this is for certain advocacy groups to run their own
ads highlighting the issue in an attempt to remind voters of its importance.
Ask students if they have heard any such ads on the radio or if they have seen ads on TV that do not
endorse a specific candidate or party, but encourage voters to ask the candidates where they stand on a
particular issue.
Students can look at sample ads online.

From the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, against the Paul Ryan budget: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_yp-pMjuvc.

From RightMarch.com against Obamacare: http://rightmarch.com/obamacare-ad.htm.
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Assign students to write a one-minute radio ad that will highlight the issue of campaign finance
reform.
The ad should do the following:

Provide facts about the amount of money spent to date by Super PACs on both sides. Students will
need to research this information and cite where they found it by beginning those sentences with:
“According to . . .”

Explain to listeners why such high levels of spending have never been seen before by briefly
summarizing the Citizens United decision.

Tell the listener who the source of this money is, i.e. oil companies, pharmaceutical companies,
unions, and so forth.
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Education
The White House website states that the mission of the Department of Education, a cabinet-level
agency reporting directly to the president, is: “to promote student achievement and preparation for
competition in a global economy by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access to
educational opportunity.
“The Department administers federal financial aid for education, collects data on America's schools to
guide improvements in education quality, and works to complement the efforts of state and local
governments, parents, and students.
“The U.S. Secretary of Education oversees the Department's 4,200 employees and $68.6 billion
budget.” (Description taken from: http://www.whitehouse.gov/our-government/executive-branch.)
Outline of Lesson Plan
1. Point out to students that the Department of Education is a relatively new agency which was
created in 1980 by President Jimmy Carter (http://www2.ed.gov/about/landing.jhtml)
2. Ask students who actually runs their school. (If it is a private school, it is, of course, not managed
or funded by any government, state, federal, or local. If it is a public school, it is, of course, run by
the local county or municipality and the state).
3. Students may or may not understand that funding and management of public schools in this
country happens primarily through state and local governments, and that very little money for
public schools comes from the federal government.
4. Ask students if they agree with this structure. Ask how many think public schools are best run by
local government as they are now or whether the federal government should have greater
authority in how public schools are run and funded?
5. Students should read the Education sections of both the Obama and Romney campaign websites
before completing the following assignment.
Assignment: Whose Schools Are They Anyway?
Give the students the handout, “Whose Schools Are They Anyway.” Completed handouts can then be
used as a springboard for discussion on the issue of education. Encourage students to think about their
own experiences in the U.S. education system and whether they believe the president should have any
say in what happens in their school.
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Whose Schools Are They Anyway?
Which of the following aspects of our country’s K–12 education system do you think should be run by
state and local government and which by the federal government? Explain the reasoning behind your
answers.
Licensing of teachers (making sure teachers are qualified to teach their subject):
Administering tests to students:
Where does the school get most of its money? (local, state, or federal taxes, or all three):
Determining which subjects should be taught in schools:
Determining maximum class size:
Should community college, university or vocational education be free as is K–12 education? Why or
why not? If so, from where should the funding come?
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Immigration
Both presidential candidates are fond of pointing out that the United States is a “nation of
immigrants,” and that we should all be proud of this heritage. The Romney campaign website states,
“America is a nation of immigrants. We are not a nation bound by ethnicity, but one bound by the idea
that all people are endowed by their Creator with the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit
of happiness” (http://www.mittromney.com/issues/immigration). In a July 4, 2012 speech, President
Obama said, “For just as we remain a nation of laws, we have to remain a nation of
immigrants” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmDihp8yBp0). Such statements may be more
geared to winning votes by playing to individual voters’ pride in their immigrant heritage than to
actually addressing a complex and vexing problem facing the country. One approach to beginning a
discussion of the issue is to ask students to define the word “immigrant.”
Outline of Lesson Plan
1. Merriam Webster defines an immigrant as “a person who comes to a country to take up
permanent residence.”
2. Ask students to consider the practical reasons why a country would want to have laws
regulating who can and cannot immigrate to the country. (Answers should reflect an
understanding of the potential strain on resources that having too many immigrants at any one
time can place on a country and its government. Additionally, individuals with criminal
backgrounds or those who seek to carry out dangerous or illegal activities in the country should be
barred from entry for obvious reasons.)
3. Next, ask students what negative consequences such laws could have. (Answers should reflect the
social and economic benefits immigrants can provide, as well as question the criminalization of
children who came with their family illegally.)
4. Are any students in the class immigrants? If so, ask: what were your motivations or those of your
families for immigrating to the United States? Ask nonimmigrant students if they know which
countries their ancestors were from and why they left. Some common themes should result from
this discussion. How is their experience different from the African American students whose
ancestors were brought here forcibly? What about those who may have been adopted from
another country? In spite of the different reasons they or their ancestors came here, what
common aspirations do they share today?
5. Explain to students that there is a legal process for immigrating to the United States just as there is
for every country. Those wishing to learn more about the process may be encouraged to visit the
U.S. State Department’s website for more information: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/
immigrants_1340.html.
6. Give students a copy of the Washington Post article, “Young immigrants can apply for Dream Act–
like protections starting Wednesday.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/young-immigrantsto-apply-for-dream-act-protection-wednesday/2012/08/14/676471de-e63d-11e1-8741940e3f6dbf48_story.html.
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After reading the article, the students should answer the following questions:
Questions
Answers
Who are the people directly affected by the Obama
administration’s program?
Immigrants ages 15 to 31 who came to the
country before they were 16 and have lived
here continuously for at least the past 5 years.
They must be free of a felony offense, a
significant misdemeanor offense, multiple
misdemeanor offenses, or otherwise must not
pose a threat to national security or public
safety; they must be free of criminal convictions,
must be enrolled in or have completed high
school, or have served in the U.S. military . . .
those enrolled in GED programs and certain
training programs will also qualify.
What documentation do these individuals need to
supply in order to apply for the program?
Tax receipts, bank records, and church
confirmation and other religious records.
Why do you think these specific documents are required?
They demonstrate proof of continuous
residency.
What are some of the arguments against this program given by its critics?
Unemployment is high and those benefitting will
compete for jobs with non-immigrants. They
also complain about the potential costs of
administering the program. Those who entered
the country illegally should be made to leave
the country and re-enter through the legal
application process.
Research online to find out what response Governor
Romney or his campaign has to this program. Have
they offered any kind of alternative plan?
Answers will vary.
Do you think that President Obama has announced
this program now only to win Latino votes? Why or
why not?
Answers will vary.
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Executive Power in Foreign Policy
As Chad Gholizadeh points out in his essay, the Constitution gives the president the authority to make
decisions regarding the use of the military force, which can be limited by the other two branches of
government. Both the Obama and Bush administrations have made decisions to exercise force in
waging war against al Qaeda, the Taliban, and other suspected terrorists without significant challenge
from the other two branches of government. Both candidates seem to agree that this force has been
appropriate. What is not clear is how far each candidate might be willing to push the limits of
executive power to deal with other unstable or potentially hostile regimes such as those currently in
power in Iran, Syria, and North Korea.
Outline of Lesson Plan
1. Locate the nation of Syria on a classroom map, noting which countries border it.
2. Give students the following New York Times article on the Obama administration’s efforts to
deal with the conflict in Syria: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/22/world/middleeast/usto-focus-on-forcibly-toppling-syrian-government.html?pagewanted=all.
After reading the article, the students should answer the following questions:
Questions
Answers
According to this article, what outcome are the
Obama administration and its allies hoping for in
Syria?
The toppling of the Assad regime and
replacing it with a government that is not
hostile to the US and its allies in the region
Why does the administration not wish to
Assad may use any aggression from Israel to
encourage its ally Israel to take military action to help rally some of the nations in the region who are
bring down the Assad regime?
hostile to Israel—especially Iran—to his side.
Why has the Obama administration been
unsuccessful at persuading the United Nations
Security Council to help topple Assad?
Largely because of the opposition of Russia, an
Assad ally, which holds a seat on the
UN Security Council.
Has the United States given up hope on any
diplomatic efforts through the UN to get Assad to step
down on his own?
No. The administration continues to try to
persuade Russia to exert influence to get
Assad to step aside.
Why do you think the Obama administration is
reluctant to provide direct military aid to the
Syrian rebels?
Possible answers might include the fear of
damaging relations with Russia and possible
political backlash from people in the United
States who are wary of entering another war
while the United States is still struggling with
the expense for and loss of lives in the ongoing
war in Afghanistan.
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Questions
Answers
What kind of aid is the United States giving Syrian rebels and do you think it can help turn the tide in their
war against the Assad regime?
By improving their ability to communicate
with one another and to use intelligence to
locate Assad’s forces, the rebels could gain a
What does Mr. Romney say he is willing to do that Mr.
Obama has not done yet? Do you agree or disagree?
Why?
Libya.
Why has the Obama administration been
unsuccessful at persuading the United Nations
Security Council to help topple Assad?
Romney says he would arm the Syrian rebels.
What are some of the Obama administration’s fears if Use of chemical weapons could be devastating
this conflict spreads or goes on too long?
to innocent people; civilians fleeing into neighboring countries could create a humanitarian
crisis; a drawn-out war could destabilize a region that is important in fulfilling the energy
demands of the rest of the world; the country
could become a haven for terrorist groups like
al Qaeda in the same way Afghanistan once
was.
Extension:
Study another similar military and diplomatic crisis from American history and write a paper
comparing and contrasting these events with the situation the next administration is likely to face in
Syria. Two possible events to study could be the Iran Hostage Crisis during the Carter Administration
and the Cuban Missile Crisis during the Kennedy Administration. Is there anything that Mr. Obama or
Mr. Romney can learn from the successes and failures of how Presidents Carter and Kennedy used
executive power in foreign policy to address each crisis.
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Energy and the Environment
In his essay on Renewable Resources and Fossil Fuels, David Katz points out that, “Climate change and
efforts to extract resources for energy in the United States have hurt local ecosystems, raising strong
environmental concerns.” Human beings will always need energy, but many scientists warn that a
continued reliance on fossil fuels, the burning of which increases carbon dioxide levels in the
atmosphere, contributes to the problem of climate change. Many politicians, including Governor
Romney, disagree and insist that the United States can and must continue to meet its energy needs by
drilling for more oil domestically.
Outline of Lesson Plan
1. Hold a discussion with your students about this topic, exploring the following questions:
a. What is the scientific evidence for climate change and its danger to the world?
b. How harmful is it to Americans in particular?
2. Point out to students that the vast majority of scientists around the world agree that human
activity is at least partly responsible for climate change.
3. Give students the following Washington Post article to read: http://
www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/summers-record-heat-drought-point-tolonger-term-climate-issues/2012/08/11/e1e6c68c-e313-11e1-a25e15067bb31849_story.html.
After reading the article, the students should answer the following questions:
Questions
Answers
What is the immediate impact of the rising heat in the
South and Midwest on human beings living in these
areas?
Lack of water for drinking, washing,
transportation, crops, and livestock
What government and scientific organizations are
monitoring this situation? Are they able to recognize
the historic nature of this particular heat wave? Is it
part of a trend toward higher temperatures that is
likely to continue?
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration [NOAA], the U.S. Drought
Monitor, and the United States Global Change
Research Program. These organizations see
this as part of a historic trend, which they
believe is likely to continue.
What effects will the drought in these regions have on A rise in grocery prices because of the damage
the rest of the country?
to the corn crop. Point out to students the
other uses of corn, corn oil, and corn by-
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Questions
Answers
What is the lesson here for Mr. Obama and Mr.
Romney? Is either candidate addressing the issue of
climate change? Specifically what, if anything, might
the government do to either help reverse this trend or
at least provide assistance to the people most
impacted by the heat and the drought?
Answers will vary.
What are the backgrounds of the people advising both
candidates on the issues of energy and the
environment? Help students to conduct research to
find out. Are they scientists or businesspeople in the
energy industry, or others? What impact, if any, do
their backgrounds have on the advice they give the
candidates.
Answers will vary.
Assignment: Letter to the Editor
Tell students to turn to the opinion and editorial (op-ed) pages of their local newspapers. Read a few
of the editorials and note the structure of the writing and the persuasive techniques the writers use to
convince their readers. Especially note the Letters to the Editor, written primarily by individuals from
the local community responding to the newspaper’s editorial writers or to news stories recently
published in the newspaper.
Tell students to use the Washington Post story to write their own editorial. For more information on
how to write an editorial piece, see pages 7–8 of the online guide, “INSIDE Journalism: The Editorial
Page” available at http://nie.washingtonpost.com/content/inside-journalism-editorial-page.
An exemplary editorial will start with an introduction to the topic that includes a strong thesis. It will
then provide factual, objective information about the subject, before fleshing out the author’s
argument, and concluding with a strong rewording of the thesis statement.
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The National Debt, Taxes, and the Federal Budget
The economy has taken front and center stage again in the presidential race with Mitt Romney’s
selection of Congressman Paul Ryan as his vice-presidential running mate. Ryan, a 42-year-old
congressman from Wisconsin, is the current chairperson of the House of Representatives Committee
on the Budget and the author of the so-called “Path to Prosperity,” which endorses reductions in
social services and tax cuts for wealthier Americans. Mr. Romney’s choice of Mr. Ryan has emphasized
Romney’s stated conviction that priorities for government spending should enable growth by reducing
the tax burden on wealthier Americans, those he calls “job creators.” These tax cuts would in turn
allow them to expand their businesses, thereby hiring more workers. Both Romney and Ryan also
argue that a reduction in government regulation of business will also encourage economic growth.
The Obama administration argues, among other things, that this approach has been tried by previous
Republican administrations, such as that of the George W. Bush administration, and such policies led
in part to the country’s deep recession in 2008.
Even if elected, it remains a challenge for each candidate to implement his proposals. The president,
though, is required by law to submit a budget which Congress then works on in committee until it
passes by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and is then signed into law by the
President. So while the ultimate spending authority is in the hands of Congress the Executive Branch
has a significant role in setting spending priorities.
Outline of Lesson Plan
1. Have students read the following article from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities to get a
sense of where current federal tax dollars go: http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?
fa=view&id=1258.
2. Give them the following pie chart (from http://nationalpriorities.org/budget-basics/federal-budget
-101/spending/) showing President Obama’s proposals for federal discretionary spending in the
coming fiscal year.
3. Point out that these figures do not include mandatory spending on entitlement programs like
Social Security and Medicare, but merely what the President would like to see Congress authorize
through its appropriations process, conducted under the auspices of the appropriations
committees in both the House of Representative and the Senate. A seat on these committees,
therefore, is highly sought by members of Congress since spending priorities are hashed out in
these committees, giving members more power to fund projects in their home districts.
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4. Ask the following questions:
a. It is clear from the above chart that the President thinks that most of the money spent by
the federal government should go to the military. Do you agree or disagree?
b. Based on your recent reading and examination of the issues, which area do you think is
getting the smallest amount of funding, but is most in need of an increase?
c. Is there an area, besides military, that you think could most afford at least a small cut?
Why?
Assignment: Your Presidential Budget
Imagine that you are the president of the United States. Draw up your own pie chart showing your
discretionary spending priorities. Below the chart, list each one and give one fact from your recent
study of the issues to support your case for why you think each of your suggested spending levels is
appropriate. Once you have finished the chart, ask yourself whether your budget would be able to
pass largely unchanged through a Republican-controlled Congress? What about a Democrat-controlled
Congress?
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The Role of the Federal Government: Activist vs. Laissez– Faire
Overshadowing many of the important issues in this presidential election are a few broader issues.
One such issue surrounds the perennial question of the role of government in the lives of individual
citizens. Which issues are best left up to private interests to resolve? Which issues are better
addressed by state and local government rather than the federal government?
In 1981, President Ronald Reagan said, “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our
problem; government is the problem.” In 1996 President Bill Clinton said, “The era of big government
is over.”
Outline of Lesson Plan
1. Show students the 2012 party platform for each of the major two political parties, which can be
found at http://www.gop.com and http://www.democrats.org.
2. Ask them which issues outlined call for less government involvement and more involvement by
the private sector? Which call for a more activist government, i.e. more taxes and regulation?
3. Find quotes from the candidates similar to the Reagan and Clinton quotes above outlining their
vision for the role of government in addressing specific challenges facing the nation.
4. Give your students the following assignment to complete.
Assignment: Activist vs. Laissez—Faire
Based on your reading of the IDEA essays, your own reading, and what you find on the candidates’ and
the respective parties’ websites, complete the following activity:
Certain elected officials as well as political parties approach different issues based on a philosophy of
government that advocates a more “activist” approach that might include more regulation and higher
taxes, or, in the case of foreign policy issues, direct confrontation either with military or economic
sanctions. The “laissez-faire”—or more hands-off approach—includes less government regulation and
taxes, with a greater reliance on individual and private sector solutions, and in terms of foreign policy,
a more isolationist approach.
Pick two different issues out of those addressed in the IDEA guide, one for each of the two candidates.
One issue should reflect the approach of an “activist” philosophy of governing and the other the
“laissez-faire approach. For each issue, you must give examples from each candidate’s website or
speeches that support their categorization of the issue as such.
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Social Media and the Issues of the 2012 Presidential Campaign
Activity: Twitter
To complete the following activity, students will need to sign up for a Twitter Account if they do not
already have one.
Students should follow one of the two campaign’s Twitter Accounts and at the end of the week report
how many times the following issues were mentioned on the campaign’s Twitter feed:
Unemployment
Gun Control
Taxes
Abortion
The War in Afghanistan
Medicare
Gay Rights
Social Security
Students must then prepare a series of bar graphs showing each of the above issues and comparing
how many times each issue was tweeted.
Students should present the findings of their study to the class. Ask the students following the Obama
campaign to compare results with those following the Romney campaign. What were the most
popular topics with each campaign? What do their findings tell the students about what groups or
demographics each candidate might be trying to reach? Women? Men? Blacks? Latinos? The elderly?
Gay, lesbian bisexual, transgender, and questioning people? Young people? People in “swing” states?
The middle class? Business owners?
Ask students to think about the tweets and then ask the following questions:
1. How many of the tweets were announcements of original proposals by the candidates or a shift in
the candidate’s position and how many were in response to something the other candidate or
campaign said?
2. Are social media sites and tools like Twitter and Facebook are an effective way of reaching voters?
Why or why not?
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Issues and Ads in the 2012 Campaign
Remind students that they are likely to see more political ads than ever before during this presidential
campaign, in part because of the US Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. Many of the ads will be
produced by the Romney and Obama campaigns but many others will be produced by “outside”
groups with names like “Crossroads GPS” (right-leaning) or “Priorities USA” (left-leaning).
Outline of Lesson Plan
1. Give students the following worksheet and assign them to watch at least two such political ads
from opposite viewpoints and fill out the information on the sheet. If you do not live in a “swing”
state in which these ads are not aired as often or if your students do not watch that much
television, they can also view many of these ads online at the campaign or group’s website.
2. Check that students have completed the Political Advertisement Log, and then discuss the
questions below.
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Political Advertisement Log
Ad Number 1
What issue does this ad address?
Who is responsible for the ad?
What images are used to influence the voter’s opinion?
Is the ad clearly intended toward a specific group of voters?
What quotes from the candidate or “facts” are used to influence the viewer and are any sources
given for these?
Ad Number 2
What issue does this ad address?
Who is responsible for the ad?
What images are used to influence the voter’s opinion?
Is the ad clearly intended toward a specific group of voters?
What quotes from the candidate or “facts” are used to influence the viewer and are any sources
given for these?
Discussion questions:
1. Which ads did the you find to be most effective and why?
2. Did any of the ads you watched make you change your mind or rethink your position on any of
the issues? Did you learn anything new from the ads?
3. Was there anything about either ad that offended you or made you angry and, if so, what was it?
Extension: Fact-Check an Ad
1. Pick one of the two ads and write a research report.
2. Find the sources given in the ad and read the entire source to determine if maybe the information or quote was incomplete or taken out of context.
3. Go to online sites like Politifact (http://www.politifact.com), Factcheck.org, and The Fact Checker
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker) to find out if these sources have anything
to say about the particular ad.
4. Who maintains these particular sites? Can they be considered totally unbiased in their analysis of
the ads? Finally, draw your own conclusions about the fairness and accuracy of the ad based on
your own reading and studying of the issues. Record your responses.
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Unemployment
With an unemployment rate hovering at just over 8 percent, the unemployment situation in the
United States is a key issue for both presidential campaigns. Each candidate has a sharply different
philosophy on the best way to deal with unemployment. President Obama’s plan includes spending
federal money on repairing infrastructure like roads and bridges, tax credits for small businesses that
hire new workers, and spending to prevent the layoffs of policemen, teachers, and firefighters. (For
information on the plan, go to this link: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/09/08/fact
-sheet-american-jobs-act). The Romney plan includes reducing taxes, spending, regulation, and
government programs (For information on the plan, go to this link: http://www.mittromney.com/
jobs).
Two questions that might be asked when considering the proposals of both campaigns are:
1. How much control does a U.S. President actually have over job creation?
2. Are there some forces outside of a president’s control that can influence the unemployment
number in either direction?
Give students the following list of hypothetical situations and have them determine the potential
positive or negative impact such an event or phenomenon might have on U.S. unemployment. In
support of their determination, ask students to cite specific examples from the news or U.S. History.
Finally, ask them to consider how a U.S. president might be able to affect these situations, given the
constitutional authority allowed a president.
1. A financial crisis in another country
2. War or a terrorist attack
3. Natural disaster
4. Invention of a new technology
4. An uneducated or undereducated workforce
5. Decreases in population
Extension: Connections
Ask students to look over the list of issues discussed in the IDEA Guide and select one or more issue
which, in the way it might be addressed by the president, could have a positive or negative impact on
the unemployment level. For example, the national debt and tax policy will both affect the amount of
money the federal government can spend on the kind of infrastructure programs that likely would
affect employment figures. Likewise, a speedier return of troops from Afghanistan could free up
moneys that might be used on infrastructure or job training programs to help retrain workers;
although it would also result in the loss of military jobs. Other issues that students might consider
could include healthcare, unions and public employees, energy and the environment, and public
safety.
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Gay Marriage
One could argue that the next President of the United States has no immediate and direct impact on
this issue. Significant recent developments on the issue of gay marriage have taken place in the courts
and by public referendum within the states. Nonetheless, by using the “bully pulpit” of the
presidency, a president can sometimes help sway public opinion in one direction or another among
those undecided on the issue simply by asserting his or her own beliefs. Supporters of gay marriage
were certainly hopeful that President Obama would use the power of the presidency in this way, when
he asserted his support of the issue in an interview in May of 2012 (http://www.whitehouse.gov/
blog/2012/05/10/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage).
One can also assume that the next president will likely have a crucial role in this issue, if he has the
opportunity to select the next Supreme Court justice. A judge leaning in one direction or the other on
could be the deciding vote if the issue of gay marriage makes its way to the Supreme Court in the next
four years. Given the timetable of the appeals process, a case may indeed be heard by the Supreme
Court during the next presidential term. The current composition of the court is pretty evenly divided,
with three or four conservative-leaning justices on social issues, three to four liberal-leaning justices,
and perhaps one or two who could swing in either direction.
For potential insight on how the Supreme Court might rule on an issue, it is often helpful to look at
historical precedent. Perhaps the most significant case to ever reach the Court concerning marriage
equality was the 1967 case of Loving v. Virginia.
Outline of Lesson Plan
1. Ask students to research this case. They might begin by reading a summary of the Court’s decision
here: http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=388&invol=1
2. As they read and research the Loving decision, ask them to answer the following questions:
a. Who were Richard and Mildred Loving and what law or laws were they challenging
b. What were some of the arguments being used against their right to marry and how are
they similar or different from the arguments being used by gay marriage opponents today?
c. Which section or sections of the Constitution did the Lovings claim gave them the right to
marry? Are any of these same sections being used in arguments by proponents of gay
marriage today?
d. Do you believe this case to be relevant or not to the issue of gay marriage if it comes before the Supreme Court? Explain.
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Iran
One of the advantages that U.S. presidents have today is that they can draw on over 200 years of
presidential experience. Learning the history of those who held the office previously can provide
valuable lessons on how to handle future crises, such as the one potentially looming with the nation of
Iran.
Outline of Lesson Plan
1. Have students reread Diana Li’s essay on Iran from the IDEA guide.
2. Have them read about the Cuban Missile Crisis on the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and
Museum website: http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/Cuban-Missile-Crisis.aspx.
3. Discuss. In both of these cases, an authoritarian regime and adversary of the United States has
sought to obtain nuclear weapons. Granted there are many significant differences. However, the
list of military and diplomatic options available to the next president in dealing with Iran are
strikingly similar to those available to John Kennedy, and each option carries its own set of
potential pitfalls. With your students, discuss the similarities and differences between these two
situations.
Assignment: National Security Policy Brief
Putting themselves in the position of national security advisor to the next president, students will
write up a list of options to present to the president in dealing with an Iranian regime that has
acquired nuclear capabilities. They should use their own research as well as their reading of Diana Li’s
essay and the material available on the JFK Presidential Library website to support their
recommendations. The recommendations to the president should be divided into the following
categories: military options, diplomatic options, and economic sanctions. Under each of these
categories, students will write about the possible risks involved with each option.
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Russia and China
After reading the IDEA Guide essays on Russia and China, students should have a basic idea of the
complex relationship that the United States has with these two nations. This activity will ask students
to place themselves in the role of newly appointed ambassador to one of these two nations. Students
can either select which nation they want to work with or you can assign a country to individual
students.
Assignment: Research, Report, Recommend
In the role of the new ambassador to either Russia or China, the student must prepare a briefing with
detailed research for the next president and advise a specific course of action around the list of topics
below:

Trade: What is the current trade policy with this nation? Does the United States have a trade
deficit or surplus with the country? Should the U.S. government pursue a new trade agreement
with the country based on this information?

Leadership: Who is the current head of the country? What is his background and what kind of
policies has he set toward the United States within the workings of his government or in public
speeches?

Security Risk: What percentage of its budget does this country currently spend on its military? In
what regions of the world outside of its own borders does the country currently have troops
stationed? Does the country currently provide military assistance of any kind to countries or
interests hostile to the United States? Would you advise the president to change where the
United States deploys its own military forces to respond to this potential threat?

Diplomacy: Who are the current allies of this nation and what is the relationship the United States
has with these allies? Will the United States need to solicit help from China or Russia in order to
address a current crisis or conflict with any of these allies ? What has been the position of the
country within the United Nations on current world conflicts in which the United States and its
allies have an interest?

Human Rights: What are the current human rights violations within the country and what, if any,
options does the United States have to influence a change in policy within the country on human
rights?
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