Legislative LogrollingLegislative Logrolling

ReviewReview

►What do you remember about the What do you remember about the legislative branch?legislative branch? House:House:

Senate:Senate:

ReviewReview

►What do you remember about the What do you remember about the legislative branch?legislative branch? House: 435 members, 2 year terms, House: 435 members, 2 year terms,

based on population of districtbased on population of district

Senate:Senate:

ReviewReview

►What do you remember about the What do you remember about the legislative branch?legislative branch? House: 435 members, 2 year terms, House: 435 members, 2 year terms,

based on population of districtbased on population of district

Senate: 100 members, 6 year terms, two Senate: 100 members, 6 year terms, two per stateper state

How it WorksHow it Works

►You are a member of congress up for You are a member of congress up for reelection. However, you have a few reelection. However, you have a few key issues left to vote on before key issues left to vote on before election day. How you vote can election day. How you vote can determine whether or not you get determine whether or not you get reelected.reelected.

Types of RepresentativesTypes of Representatives

►Trustee:Trustee:►Delegate:Delegate:►Partisan:Partisan:►Politico:Politico:

Types of RepresentativesTypes of Representatives

►Trustee: votes based on conscienceTrustee: votes based on conscience►Delegate: votes based on what their Delegate: votes based on what their

constituents wants, represents the constituents wants, represents the peoplepeople

►Partisan: loyal to their political partyPartisan: loyal to their political party►Politico: combination of two or morePolitico: combination of two or more

The CardsThe Cards

►Defense Appropriation Bill: Increasing Defense Appropriation Bill: Increasing funding to an area of the country that aids funding to an area of the country that aids in defense (military, FAA)in defense (military, FAA)

► Closing Guantanamo Bay: Holding Closing Guantanamo Bay: Holding suspected terrorists in a prison in Cubasuspected terrorists in a prison in Cuba

►Offshore Oil Rights: Giving states the right to Offshore Oil Rights: Giving states the right to allow companies to drill just beyond their allow companies to drill just beyond their coastlinecoastline

► Federal Park: Building a park in your Federal Park: Building a park in your town/constituencytown/constituency

The CardsThe Cards

►Legalize Marijuana: Legalizing Legalize Marijuana: Legalizing marijuana in your constituencymarijuana in your constituency

►Healthcare Bill: Providing affordable Healthcare Bill: Providing affordable healthcare to everyone in the U.S.healthcare to everyone in the U.S.

►Federal Aid to Education: Increasing Federal Aid to Education: Increasing the funding given to states by the the funding given to states by the federal government for educationfederal government for education

The RulesThe Rules

►Log Roll SheetLog Roll Sheet Record your interest scores under the Record your interest scores under the

appropriate columns next to ‘my interest appropriate columns next to ‘my interest score’score’

To calculate your interest score: take the To calculate your interest score: take the difference between the positive score and difference between the positive score and negative score on each of your cardsnegative score on each of your cards

Interest ScoresInterest Scores

►For Example:For Example: O Persons for and 100 Persons against an O Persons for and 100 Persons against an

issue gives you an interest score of issue gives you an interest score of --100 100 (0 - 100 = -100) which means you want (0 - 100 = -100) which means you want Congress to vote Congress to vote againstagainst the issue. the issue.

75 Persons for and 25 Persons against an 75 Persons for and 25 Persons against an issue gives you an interest score of issue gives you an interest score of ++50 50 (75-25 = 50) which means you want (75-25 = 50) which means you want Congress to vote Congress to vote forfor the issue. the issue.

What Interest Scores MeanWhat Interest Scores Mean

►A score of A score of -100 -100 means that you want means that you want Congress to vote Congress to vote againstagainst the issue, if the issue, if they do, you get a score of +100 and if they do, you get a score of +100 and if they vote for it instead, you get a they vote for it instead, you get a score of -100.score of -100.

► In order to get reelected you need to In order to get reelected you need to get a positive score. If you get a get a positive score. If you get a negative score you don’t get negative score you don’t get reelected.reelected.

Recording Interest ScoresRecording Interest Scores

►Each member of Congress is going to Each member of Congress is going to tell every one else whether their score tell every one else whether their score is positive or negative, but not the is positive or negative, but not the score associated with it.score associated with it.

►The scores you didn’t get a card for The scores you didn’t get a card for mean that your constituents don’t mean that your constituents don’t really have an opinion about that issue really have an opinion about that issue and you can vote however you seem and you can vote however you seem fit.fit.

Making AgreementsMaking Agreements

► In order to get reelected, you’re going In order to get reelected, you’re going to need to make agreements with to need to make agreements with other members of Congress to swing other members of Congress to swing them to vote the way you want them them to vote the way you want them to.to.

►To swing others members of Congress, To swing others members of Congress, you can agree to vote their way on an you can agree to vote their way on an issue in exchange for them voting your issue in exchange for them voting your way on an issue.way on an issue.

Reality CheckReality Check

► Just like real life, people don’t always Just like real life, people don’t always tell the truth and politicians are no tell the truth and politicians are no exception. Be sure to watch how the exception. Be sure to watch how the fellow Congressional members you’ve fellow Congressional members you’ve made agreements with vote to see if made agreements with vote to see if they are fulfilling their end of the they are fulfilling their end of the bargain. bargain.

The ResultsThe Results

►Who got reelected?Who got reelected?

►Who didn’t get reelected?Who didn’t get reelected?

► For those who were reelected, what strategies For those who were reelected, what strategies did you use to get others to vote for your did you use to get others to vote for your issues? Why did you use those strategies?issues? Why did you use those strategies?

► For those who weren’t reelected, what For those who weren’t reelected, what strategies did you use to try to get others to strategies did you use to try to get others to vote for your issues? What would you change vote for your issues? What would you change next time?next time?

Connecting to Real LifeConnecting to Real Life

►What aspects from this activity do you What aspects from this activity do you think play a role when Congress votes on think play a role when Congress votes on issues?issues?

►How does campaign financing affect How does campaign financing affect voting patterns?voting patterns?

►Where do Congress members get their Where do Congress members get their financing? financing?