27 April 1 May

Class spent the week analyzing documents and policies related to taxes and wealth distribution.

Students will have an analytical poster assignment due on Monday, May 11th. To complete that assignment students began work on the following on Thursday / Friday:

Comparison of Liberal and Conservative Views on Tax Policy and Income and Wealth Distribution

Name __________________________________________ Date _____________________ Period ________

You are to create a set of Venn Diagrams that show how liberals and conservatives view economic issues similarly and differently. You have three sets of documents, the first set “”Tax Policy in The United States” consists of graphs (factual data); the second set are nine graphs and policy analysis by Datatools.org (liberal analysis of factual data; and the third set is from Sen. Marco Rubio and the Republican Party (conservative POV). Because their Points of View are often very different you may have to recognize discussion of similar concepts under different titles (for example “Corporate Taxes” & “American Competiveness” address similar parts of our economic system from different points of view; another example is “Balance the Budget” and “Federal Policies to Promote Asset Building”).

Begin with a diagram that shows basic assumptions and values of liberals and conservatives.

 Liberals Conservatives

Next you will need to look at both the titles and the subject matter of the graphs as well as the names of ideas and the actual policies being proposed in the conservative documents.

Use the space below to identify topics that both sets of documents address (including those listed above). Then work in your groups to make Venn Diagrams that shows similarities and differences in liberal and conservative opinions about the issue. The Tax Policy graphs may be useful in this analysis. Each diagram should have a title; different people may give different titles to the diagram based on their own understanding and beliefs about the issue.

On the back, make a list of titles and topics addressed and sources of info to consult you will need to turn in at least three diagrams. You will need at least four (4) for an “A”

Thursday / Friday April 23rd/24th

Classes presented their interpretation of the data that they were assigned.

Classmates took notes on and asked questions about the graphs and the data that the graphs represent.

Students took time to reflect in writing on the information that they have been examining.

Next week the class will examine these issues with documents from a conservative and / or Republican perspective.

Next week students will be working in class on writing a short essay on one of the topics addressed in the Tax Policy and Wealth unit.

Tuesday and Wednesday 21 and 22 April

The class used the following guidelines to examine a set of data on income and wealth inequality collated by a left leaning group.

What is the graph about? (define terms as needed)
     Who is represented?
      What measurements are shown?

What does the graph show is /was happening (and to whom)?

Who /what seems to be being valued  and / or supported? Not supported?

How do you / ya'll feel about who / what is being valued and / or supported?

Do any of the suggested policies seem to apply? Which? Why?

Predictions? Recommendations?


The class was cautioned not to draw specific conclusions about a person or person from general statistics. The class reviewed the difference between correlation and causation.

The class was divided into groups and each group prepared a presentation of their analysis of one of the graphs.

Monday, 20 April

Classes finished an examination of basic federal tax documents: 1040ez; 1040A; and 1040 including Schedule A.

The class examined the values that United States Tax Policy represented.

Friday, April 17th

Periods 5 and 6 learned about hyper inflation from a short historical video (Revolutionary America; Weimar Germany; and Boliva in the 1980s).

Then the class continued the study of the Gold Standard and inflation by listening to the Planet Money Podcast, The Gold Standard: RIP (Episode 253).

Primarily for enrichment the class then listened to the podcast Gold!

Thursday April 16th

Class began with students attempting to guess the percentage of the Federal Budget that is spent on 11 categories.

After viewing the correct answers; the class compared the data provided with data provided from a different perspective.


The class then read this description of federal programs (the source has a left of center bias). The class discussed the value of these expenditures, and the values behind them.

The class then considered the sources of Federal revenue:

and discussed the values of this distribution.

The class then compared a typical state's sources of revenue:

Then the class considered the effect of sales tax on people of different income brackets:

And the class considered data for how income taxes impact people at different income levels (data set from Robert Reich on California income)

2ND PERIOD CLASS LEFT OFF AT THIS POINT

The class looked at the trends for Federal Corporate Tax Rates:

Finally the class looked at the effective tax rates for high income people and low income people over time:

Tuesday and Wednesday April 14th and 15th

Class began by reviewing deflation as an economic factor.

Then the class began an examination of United States Tax Policy as well as tax practice.

We noted that once a job is offered employees will have to complete:
Form I-9
Form W-2
then employees will receive a pay stub
and then a
W-4

Students saw examples of these documents.

Next the class examined how to complete Federal Tax form 1040ez using a mock W-4.

The class compared form 1040a to the 1040ez then form 1040 and Schedule A to both.

The class looked for evidence of Federal Tax policies in the various documents noting a support for marriage; home ownership; and for owning more expensive homes.

Examination of Tax Policy will continue next class.