Paper instructions:
Go to www.opensecrets.org and discuss the following: Look under the Politicians and Elections tab, then click on Presidential tab. How much money did Barak Obama and Mitt Romney receive and spend on their campaign in 2012? Next go to the Influence and Lobbying tab and click on lobbying, How much money does this area fundraise? Are you surprised at how much money people have given toward the 2012 presidential campaign? How does this influence democracy? In Miroff’s Debating Democracy Ch. 9, is Sustein correct in arguing that too many of us go online to seek out like-minded people as our sources for information? Why or why not? How might this behavior influence voters and elections? Go to www.livingroomcandidate.org and choose a negative campaign ad and discuss why you believe it is good or bad for democracy. Use the Miroff articles to shape your response. Which of the authors articles and perspectives do you support more Ansolabehere and Iyengar, or Geer? Why?