Anyone want to be a Budget Hero?

Play the game found at the following link. Your job is to balance the budget and save the country from disaster. You need to become a BUDGET HERO! Once you have tried Budget Hero, you will be given your "score card" or your results of your actions. Post a comment describing some of your actions eg. what spending did you cut or what taxes did you affect, and then describe the effect these actions had on the budget.

This is a required assignment of all students in government and needs to be completed by December 9th.

Mr. Thompson

US/NATO - Pakistan Incident

This article provides conflicting stories of the recent incident involving NATO forces and Pakistani soldiers along the Afghanistan border. What do you do if you are the US government and this incident has occurred? Pakistan is a needed ally in this region as our military battles the Taliban in the mountains of Afghanistan. This one is a real headscratcher. Good luck trying to fix this situation.

Mr. Thompson

The Super Committee, Budget Cuts, and our Debt

This article appeared in a San Fransisco paper today and since we have spent the last 2 days discussing the significance of this situation I thought you may want a chance to vent. Feel free to comment on your thoughts about the committee's failure and the consequences. Make sure your comments are text based and not just an emotional rant on our current dilemma with our gov't's spending.

Mr. Thompson

Task to work on in government

Read pages 141-145 on Committees in Congress and be prepared to answer the following questions for Wednesday.

1.What is a committee?

2.What does the Constitution say about committees?

3.Where did committees come from then?

4.Why did the committee system develop?

5.What’s the difference between the various types of committees: standing, sub, select, joint, conference?

6.How are members of Congress assigned to committees?

7.How are committee chairpersons selected?

8.What party will the chairperson come from?

9.What is the chairperson’s job?

10.How many members does each party get on a committee?

 

Mr. Thompson

Election Day Nov 8th

What? There is an election tomorrw!!! All over the US people will be going to the polls tomorrow. In Minnesota, thousands will be going to vote on funding education. This article was actually on the front page of our very own Post-Bulletin. Read the article and give me your thoughts!

Mr. Thompson

Vikings Stadium

Wow!!! We just talked about this topic in class today and the results of a statewide poll were released today. 807 adults statewide were asked a series of questions about the Vikings staying or leaving Minnesota, where a possible new stadium should be located and how that stadium might be paid for. Check out the question about "public" money and how Mninnesotans feel.

In case you were wondering asking 800+ people randomly picked from across the state will give you a pretty accurate picture of how Minnesotans fell +/- about 4%. Just ask anyone who is in Statistics.

Looking forward to your comments Vikings fans.

Mr. Thompson

Joel Stein Article

I couldn't get the whole article but there is enough of the entire article for you to hopefully get Mr. Stein's message. Joel Stein writes a column for Time magazine and I happened across this most recent article and thought you would enjoy. Feel free to read and comment on Mr. Stein's point.

Mr. Thompson

What is "Occupy Wall Street"?

Here is the link to the Wiki entry for the topic that is abuzz not just in New York, or even the US but has ignited world-wide. Don't read teh entire piece (unless inspired to do so) but if you read the first 3-4 sections you will have a good idea of what this movement is about.

Mr. Thompson

Census 2010 data

Scroll down to the bottom and access several maps about the US population based on the most recent census. Spend a few minutes to review the maps and then write a response based on something you discovered. Please be sure to site the map you used as you discuss whatever it was you thought was significant

Bachmann to Protestors: Stop Blaming Free Market

Article about of very own Michelle Bachmann, Minnesota Congresswoman and presidential hopeful. Feel free to read the article and comment of what Rep. Bachmann had to say.

Mr. Thompson

Lawmakers Aim to Stop Defense Cuts if Debt Panel Fails

Article about our nation's budget and Congress' efforts to reduce our nation's deficit. Feel free to read the article and respond. Remember keep your reponses specific to the text and use the text to support your point.

Mr. Thompson