Elections!

Ranked Choice Voting in Minneapolis


Why use Ranked Choice Voting?




Sample ballot

City Questions (Ballot Measures)

CITY QUESTION 1 (Minneapolis)

PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE MINNEAPOLIS CITY CHARTER

Shall the Minneapolis City Charter be amended in the form of a complete revision which (1) modernizes the Charter; (2) redrafts its provisions for brevity and in plain language; (3) reorganizes the Charter into nine articles, and groups related provisions together; (4) removes from the Charter certain provisions for possible enactment into ordinance; and (5) retains the current role and relationships of City boards and commissions? Must be passed by 51%

CITY QUESTION 2 (Minneapolis)

PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE MINNEAPOLIS CITY CHARTER LIQUOR-LICENSING PROVISIONS

Shall the Minneapolis City Charter provisions relating to the sale of liquor and wine be amended by reorganizing and rewriting in plain modern language?" Must be passed by 55%

Which offices are up for election?
What do these offices do?
Mayor
City Council
Board of Estimate and Taxation
Park and Recreation Commissioner

Candidates for Mayor

US DEBT

*click* National Debt *click*

Household Debt  (People who owe more money than their property worth).

Debt owed by Individuals, what kind of debt is it?

Current as of April 2013

U.S. household consumer debt profile:

• Average credit card debt: $15,204 (for more on credit card debt)
• Average mortgage debt: $148,818
• Average student loan debt: $33,005 (for more on student loan debt)

In total, American consumers owe:

• $11.28 trillion in debt
  • A decrease of 1.4% from last year
• $848. billion in credit card debt
• $7.93 trillion in mortgages
• $1,007.6 billion in student loans (More on National Student Debt)
  • An increase of 11.9% from last year

Student Loan Debt in MN

Understanding the Election Map

Interactive Electoral Map

1) Media Influence

Romney's Videos

Obama's Videos

2) Money in Politics

What is a SUPER PAC?

Super PACs

Super PACs are a new kind of political action committee created in July 2010 following the outcome of a federal court case known as SpeechNow.org v. Federal Election Commission.

Technically known as independent expenditure-only committees, Super PACs may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, associations and individuals, then spend unlimited sums to overtly advocate for or against political candidates. Super PACs must, however, report their donors to the Federal Election Commission on a monthly or quarterly basis -- the Super PAC's choice -- as a traditional PAC would. Unlike traditional PACs, Super PACs are prohibited from donating money directly to political candidates.   For more information about how much money Super PACS spend and how, check out the source of this excerpt:  Opensecrets

Super PAC Media

Restore Our Future Videos

Priorities USA Videos

American Crossroads Videos

Where does the money come from?

Senators and Representatives

As we have already discussed two of the most important jobs in the Government are those of Senators and Representatives (Members of Congress).
This year we will be electing both a senator (elected for 6 year terms) and a representative (elected for 2 year terms) to speak for MN and (district 5) in Congress).

Here are your choices for Senator

Stephen Williams (Independence)

Kurt Bills (Republican)

Amy Klobuchar *Incumbent  (Democratic-Farmer-Labor)

Tim Davis (Grassroots)

Michael Cavlan (Minnesota Open Progressives)

(As of right now, Amy Klobuchar has a significant lead over here challengers and is expected to win easily)

Here are your choices for Representative of the 5th District

Chris Fields (Republican)

Keith Ellison *Incumbent (Democratic-Farmer-Labor)

(As of right now, Keith Ellison is expected to win)

My Ballot

1) Type in your Zip Code   HERE

Type in Your Address

2) Find your Sample Ballot at the bottom

3) Find your Polling Place (if you are 18)

Presidential Election

Mitt Romney (Republican)

Barack Obama (Democrat)

____________________________________________________________________________

Gary Johnson (Libertarian)

Jill Stein (Green Party)

Virgil Goode (Constitution Party)

Rocky Anderson (Justice Party)

Peta Lindsay (Party for Socialism and Liberation)

Stewart Alexander (Socialist Party)

James Harris (Socialist Workers Party)

Roseann Barr (Peace and Freedom)

Tom Hoefling (American Independent Party)

America's Native Prisoners of War and other data

Environmental Racism, why are nuclear plants on or near reservations? 


Bureau of Indian Affairs: US Department of the Interior

 

Occupy

OccupyMN


OccupyDC


OccupyWallStreet

OccupyThePorts

OccupyOakland

OccupySeattle

Use the various Occupy Websites to figure out what has been happening in the movement.

What has happened locally in the last 2 weeks? 

What has happened on the East Coast in the last 2 weeks (Specifically K Street)?

What has happened on the West Coast in the last 2 weeks (Specifically the ports)?

Why were these actions the target of the movement (Tents in public spaces, foreclosed houses, K Street, ports)?

What are the demands of Occupiers? What do they want? Why are they doing this?

Do you get the impression the movement is organized or disorganized?

Why?

What are the benefits of being organized?

What are the benefits of looking disorganized (grassroots)?

Occupy MN

Where were you this summer?

 The Bachmann/Boehner Benefit protest

The Wellsfargo Protest

Or the CTUL Fundraiser

Shut Down RISE UP!

Did you check out the President?

 Were you left out? 

1) 8 Reasons Young Americans Don't Fight Back 

2) What about a game?   

There are always ways to get involved, there are already groups out there that you can join. You don't have to be the leader at first, just get involved.  When you are around people who are committed to changing the world, it changes you -for the better. 

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Gulf of Tonkin

Jihad (struggle)

"The ruling to kill the Americans and their allies--civilians and military--is an individual duty for every Muslim who can do it in any country in which it is possible to do it, in order to liberate the al-Aqsa Mosque and the holy mosque from their grip, and in order for their armies to move out of all the lands of Islam, defeated and unable to threaten any Muslim. This is in accordance with the words of Almighty God, "and fight the pagans all together as they fight you all together," and "fight them until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in God."~Osama bin Laden

"The news of the death of Osama bin Laden gives me a sense of long-awaited, meaningful closure.

Ten years since the senseless, heartless murder of my husband and 3,000 innocent others, final justice has been meted out -- though not swift it is certainly sweet.

My 12-year-old daughter will wake tomorrow to a safer world, hopefully a more peaceful world. And that brings me a rare sense of relief.

And I am enormously grateful for the tireless effort and incredible courage and bravery of our counter-terrorism agents who for ten long years remained focused and undeterred in their mission to capture and kill Osama bin Laden." ~Kristen Breitwesiser

Women's Rights

What conditions did women endure when trying to gain their freedom?

Why did the women do the things they did?

Do you think enduring harsh treatment was necessary for women to gain the right to vote?

RNC

Terrorizing Dissent

Party Platforms and Candidates

1) Look at the various "planks" (positions on an issue) in the "platform" (The overall set of beliefs of the party) what are some examples of each party's platform(pick 2-3 from each party).

2) Pick one issue on the national level, how does each party feel about it. Do they give examples of how they plan on dealing with the issue?

3) Pick one issue on the local level, how does each party feel about it. Do they give examples of how they plan on dealing with the issue?

4) Do you think that there are some issues in which a local party may disagree with the national party? Can you think up an example?

5) Pick an election race, (governor, representative etc) and visit the webpages of the candidates how do they compare and contrast on issues?

6) If you have time left, check out the third party websites. What good ideas do they present?
It should be noted right now the governors race is really close with the Independence Party, GOP and DFL candidates all in the running.
Recent polling:
Dayton 40 percent
Emmer 38 percent
Tom Horner 15 percent
5 percent are still undecided.

7) Check out Project Vote Smart


National Democratic Party Platform

National Republican Party Platform

MN Democratic-Farmer-Labor Platform

MN Republican Party

What about a third party?

Independence Party

The Resource Party

Green Party

Grassroots Party of MN -Chris Wright for Governor

Independent-Progressive -Michael Cavlan for Representative

Ecology Democracy Party of MN

Independent Party -Lynne Torgerson for Representative

Three Branches of Government project

Legislative

Government Made Easy: Legislative Branch
Whitehouse.gov Legislative Branch
USA.gov legislative branch
Think Quest Legislative Branch
Congress for Kids
House of Representatives
US Senate

Judicial

Whitehouse.gov Judicial Branch
Supreme Court
Think Quest Judicial Branch
US Courts
Government Made Easy Judicial Branch

Executive

Think Quest Executive Branch
USA.gov Executive Branch
The Whitehouse
Whitehouse.gov Executive Branch
Government Made Easy: Executive Cabinet
Government Made Easy Executive Branch

Debate?

In your notes answer the questions provided.











In what way is a court scene similar to a debate?



((In this scene Tom Cruise's character is a military lawyer trying to uncover the "truth" of what happened to a soldier (who died). Jack Nicholson's character was the commanding officer on the base and was responsible for the soldier's well being.))





A casual conversation or an argument

What is Robin Williams' character's argument?





How does Martin Sheen's character (the president) handle the ideological argument that "Governor Ritchie" makes.

"We don't need a Federal Department of Education (or national government programs)... let the states decide."




Justice Affirmative Action

Senate hearings on education

TEA PARTY!!!!!!!!!

Pictures from the Tea Partiers





The Contract from America






The Tea Party Patriots

Some of the Philosophy behind "Tea Party" liberty

Funding of Tea Parties

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