Paper 2 – Vote Smart

POLS 113

The objective of this paper is to familiarize yourself with your current representation. Furthermore, you should critically analyze your representatives policy positions and qualifications.

First, go to HYPERLINK “http://www.votesmart.org” www.votesmart.org

Enter your nine digit zip code – 73013-4606

Who are your US Senators (senior seat and junior seat) and US Representative? (There will be three representatives: 2 senators and 1 representative). Remember to do Congressional not state representatives.

When answering the questions below you must address four categories.

Biographical information (education, career path, family etc.)

Campaign finance (major contributors)

Voting record (how they vote on certain issues you feel are important)

Interest groups (supporters etc.)

What do you like about your current representative and senators?

What do you dislike about your current representative and senators?

Based upon the information in the four categories, would you vote for your senators

and representative?

Please make sure you think through your answers (e.g. I like my reps. voting record on abortion, however, his voting record on education is not impressive. Then tell me why!)

Remember to discuss your thought process behind your answers. I will go through the website in class, prior to the paper being due, to give you a better idea of what I am looking for and how to navigate the website.

Remember to double space your paper, three to five pages long with a font no larger than 12.