Monday & Tuesday / Wednesday 20-22 October

Class took notes on a timeline of voting rights.

Students should have one sentence each on:
Colonial Times; 1848; 1870; 1889-90; 1920; 1957; 1964; 1964 Civil Rights Act; 1965 Dr. King, et. al.; 1965 Voting Rights Act; 1971; 2013; 2014.

Class then looked at parts of the November 2014 Voters Pamphlet. We discussed  several candidate races.

How to Vote?

In Oregon we vote for both candidates who -- will hold office and make laws if they win --  and directly on proposed state and local laws. Oregon produces a Voter’s Pamphlet to ensure that voters have access to a variety of information; no one edits or “fact checks” what is published however. Anyone can submit an argument “in Favor” or “in Opposition” for $300.

TOPIC	LEFT	RIGHT
Government	A strong government is a good way to help people and society.	Government should be as small as possible to allow for individual freedom.
Taxes	The wealthy should pay more in order to provide for the less fortunate.	Taxes should be kept low for everyone; the money a person earns is theirs to spend as they choose.
Jobs	Jobs are created by educating citizens, spending on public projects like schools and roads.	Entrepreneurs will create jobs if government stays out of their way.
Economic Success	The government should pass rules to allow everyone a good chance at success.	Success is simply a matter of working hard; the government should stay out of peoples’ lives.
Environment	We need to protect the world we live in; climate change is a threat to the world and to humans.	People will protect the environment if there is profit to be made. Natural resources are best used to grow our economy.

CANDIDATES:

Does the candidate seem to have similar values as I do?

Does the candidate agree with me on key issues?

Does the candidate seem trustworthy, honest, wise, caring, experienced?

Does the candidate belong to the political party that I support?

How do people and groups I know and trust feel about the candidate? (Or the opposite)

Is the candidate a member or better representative for an under-represented group?

Is the candidate better than “the other guy”?

BALLOT INITIATIVES:

What is the basic idea?

Do I agree with the idea?

Does the proposal align with my values?

How do people and groups I know and trust feel about this idea? (Or the opposite)

Will it solve a problem?

Will it create (a) problem(s)?

Is it fair? Is it just?

Will it cost a lot? Is the cost worth it?

Will it generate revenue? (How will the new revenue be used?)