voting in congress:

VOTING IN CONGRESS:VOTING IN CONGRESS:

ItIt’’s More Than Just s More Than Just ““YeaYea”” or or ““NayNay””

Day 2: Try Your Hand!Day 2: Try Your Hand!

BILL BILL ““AA ”” mail delivery on mail delivery on

Saturdays!Saturdays!

StopStop

Yikes! That seems like a big decision!

We’d better look at the

four factors…

Does Congress have the power to Does Congress have the power to establish post offices?establish post offices?

A.A. YesYes

B.B. NoNo

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1

Does Congress have the power to Does Congress have the power to stop Saturday mail delivery?stop Saturday mail delivery?

Is deciding what days mail will be Is deciding what days mail will be delivered part of establishing a post delivered part of establishing a post office?office?

A.A. ProbablyProbably

B.B. Probably notProbably not

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1


A.A. Congress has the power to stop Congress has the power to stop Saturday mail deliverySaturday mail delivery

B.B. Congress does not have the power Congress does not have the power to stop Saturday deliveryto stop Saturday delivery

Therefore:Therefore:

(Quickly explain why on your paper.)(Quickly explain why on your paper.)

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1


WAIT!WAIT!

There are a few things There are a few things you should know before you should know before you make up your mind.you make up your mind.

FACTOR #2FACTOR #2

In your opinion, should Saturday In your opinion, should Saturday mail delivery end?mail delivery end?

The U.S. Postal Service pays for The U.S. Postal Service pays for itself with the money it brings itself with the money it brings in from its services.in from its services.

HOWEVER… The Postal Service is HOWEVER… The Postal Service is losing a LOT of money because losing a LOT of money because people are sending fewer letters. people are sending fewer letters.

Postal Service IncomePostal Service Income

Postal Service IncomePostal Service Income Instead of using the Instead of using the mail, people are mail, people are texting and sending texting and sending email…email…

… … and paying their and paying their bills online. bills online.

Postal Service IncomePostal Service Income In 2009, the Postal In 2009, the Postal Service lostService lost

$ 3,800,000,000$ 3,800,000,000

(That(That’’s $3.8 billion.)s $3.8 billion.)

(With a (With a ““b.b.””))

Stopping delivery on Stopping delivery on Saturdays would save Saturdays would save the Postal Servicethe Postal Service

$ 3,000,000,000$ 3,000,000,000(That(That’’s $3 billion.)s $3 billion.)

Is it worth it? Should Is it worth it? Should you consider other you consider other factors besides how factors besides how much money it costs?much money it costs?

Decide what you think and mark your Decide what you think and mark your answer on your paper. Donanswer on your paper. Don’’t forget to t forget to explain your choice.explain your choice.

FACTOR #2FACTOR #2

In your opinion, should Saturday In your opinion, should Saturday mail delivery end?mail delivery end?

Look at the checklist of Look at the checklist of values on your handout. values on your handout.

FACTOR #3FACTOR #3Would your political party support Would your political party support

ending Saturday delivery?ending Saturday delivery?

Which value most matches Which value most matches the purpose of this bill?the purpose of this bill?

Cost saving!Cost saving!


ending Saturday delivery?ending Saturday delivery?

That means the Republican That means the Republican Party would be most likely to Party would be most likely to support this bill.support this bill.

WAIT!WAIT!

There are a few things There are a few things you should know before you should know before you make up your mind.you make up your mind.

FACTOR #4FACTOR #4

Would your Would your votersvoters support ending support ending Saturday mail delivery?Saturday mail delivery?

In 1957, Congress passed a law In 1957, Congress passed a law to stop Saturday mail. It lasted to stop Saturday mail. It lasted one Saturday!one Saturday!

Voters were so angry that Voters were so angry that Congress passed a bill to bring Congress passed a bill to bring Saturday delivery back!Saturday delivery back!

Did they have email in 1957?Did they have email in 1957?

A.A. YesYes

B.B. NoNo

(Do you think that would make a (Do you think that would make a difference to voters today?)difference to voters today?)

FACTOR #4FACTOR #4


FACTOR #4FACTOR #4


For this activity, letFor this activity, let’’s pretend the s pretend the state or district you represent has state or district you represent has more older voters than younger more older voters than younger voters. voters.

FACTOR #4FACTOR #4


Older voters are more likely to still Older voters are more likely to still use the Postal Service. Younger use the Postal Service. Younger voters are more likely to use voters are more likely to use email.email.

FACTOR #4FACTOR #4


So… Do you think your voters will So… Do you think your voters will support this bill?support this bill?

Mark your papers.Mark your papers.

TIME TO VOTE!TIME TO VOTE!

YouYou’’ve looked at all four factors.ve looked at all four factors.

Now you must weigh them all and Now you must weigh them all and decide whether to vote decide whether to vote ““yeayea”” or or ““nay.nay.””



If you marked If you marked ““yea,yea,”” raise your raise your hand.hand.

If you marked If you marked ““nay,nay,”” raise your raise your hand.hand.


Did the bill pass?Did the bill pass?

BILL BILL ““BB”” Increase the Increase the

minimum wage fromminimum wage from

25 cents! That’s a lot!

We’d better look at the

four factors…

$7.25$7.25 toto $7.50$7.50per hour.per hour.

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1

Does Congress have the power to Does Congress have the power to raise the minimum wage?raise the minimum wage?

What is the minimum wage?What is the minimum wage?

A.A. ItIt’’s when a wabbit gets a s when a wabbit gets a tiny bit angwytiny bit angwy

Grr.

B. ItB. It’’s the smallest hourly rate an s the smallest hourly rate an employer is allowed to pay an employer is allowed to pay an employeeemployee

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1


Look at the list of powers Congress Look at the list of powers Congress has. Does it say Congress can set has. Does it say Congress can set peoplespeoples’’ wages? wages?

A.A. YesYes

B.B. NoNo

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1


What power lets Congress do What power lets Congress do something thatsomething that’’s not on the list if s not on the list if it relates to something that is on it relates to something that is on the list?the list?

Make any laws Make any laws ““necessary necessary and properand proper”” for laws on the for laws on the

list!list!

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1


Look at the list again. Is there a Look at the list again. Is there a power that might relate to the money power that might relate to the money people earn at their jobs?people earn at their jobs?

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1


HereHere’’s a hint: Its a hint: It’’s one of these three s one of these three powers: powers:

A.A. Establish post officesEstablish post offices

B.B. Pass laws about business that Pass laws about business that happens across state lineshappens across state lines

C.C. Declare warDeclare war

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1


Businesses are the ones that pay Businesses are the ones that pay people a wage, so this power is people a wage, so this power is related to a bill about the minimum related to a bill about the minimum wage.wage.

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1


Mark your papers!Mark your papers!


FACTOR #2FACTOR #2In your opinion, should Congress In your opinion, should Congress raise the minimum wage to $7.50 raise the minimum wage to $7.50

per hour?per hour?

FACTOR #3FACTOR #3Would your political party support Would your political party support raising the minimum wage?raising the minimum wage?


Which value most matches Which value most matches the purpose of this bill?the purpose of this bill?

FACTOR #3FACTOR #3Would your political party support Would your political party support raising the minimum wage?raising the minimum wage?

Generosity!Generosity!

That means the Democratic That means the Democratic Party would be most likely to Party would be most likely to support this bill.support this bill.

FACTOR #4FACTOR #4

Would your Would your votersvoters support raising support raising the minimum wage?the minimum wage?

WAIT!WAIT!

There is some important There is some important information that will help you information that will help you decide...decide...

FACTOR #4FACTOR #4


Some states have their own Some states have their own minimum wage that is higher minimum wage that is higher than the national minimum than the national minimum wage.wage.

Some do not.Some do not.

Check out the minimum wage laws Check out the minimum wage laws in your state:in your state:

The stateThe state’’s s minimum wage minimum wage law is…law is…

higherhigher

lowerlower

equal toequal to

… … the national the national minimum wage.minimum wage.

No state No state minimum wage.minimum wage.

Source: http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/america.htm

January 1, 2010January 1, 2010Write down the information Write down the information for your state.for your state.

FACTOR #4FACTOR #4





Now you must weigh them all and Now you must weigh them all and decide whether to vote decide whether to vote ““yeayea”” or or ““nay.nay.””



If you marked If you marked ““yea,yea,”” raise your raise your hand.hand.

If you marked If you marked ““nay,nay,”” raise your raise your hand.hand.


Did the bill pass?Did the bill pass?

BILL BILL ““CC””

The government will The government will give titles of nobility give titles of nobility

to some citizens.to some citizens.Hey! Who made

her Queen?

Dunno! Better look at the four

factors…

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1

Does Congress have the power to Does Congress have the power to grant titles of nobility?grant titles of nobility?

Is Is ““granting titles of nobilitygranting titles of nobility”” on the on the list of Congresslist of Congress’’s powers?s powers?

A.A. YesYes

B.B. NoNo

C.C. Absolutely not!!Absolutely not!!

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1


The Constitution specifically says that The Constitution specifically says that ““no no title of nobility shall be granted by the title of nobility shall be granted by the United States.United States.””

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1



FACTOR #2FACTOR #2In your opinion, should Congress In your opinion, should Congress

grant titles of nobility?grant titles of nobility?



granting titles of nobility?granting titles of nobility?


Do any of the values match Do any of the values match the purpose of this bill?the purpose of this bill?


granting titles of nobility?granting titles of nobility?

No!No!

Neither party would Neither party would support this bill. Itsupport this bill. It’’s just s just plain un-American!plain un-American!

X X X X X X

FACTOR #4FACTOR #4

Would your voters support Would your voters support granting titles of nobility?granting titles of nobility?

Since not everyone would get Since not everyone would get a special title, do you think a special title, do you think most voters would support most voters would support this?this?




Now you must weigh them all and Now you must weigh them all and decide—decide—

WAIT!WAIT!


There is one factor that matters more There is one factor that matters more than all the rest. Which one is it? than all the rest. Which one is it?

A.A. CongressCongress’’s powers power

B.B. Your personal opinionYour personal opinion

C.C. Political party supportPolitical party support

D.D. What your voters thinkWhat your voters think


Would a bill clearly against CongressWould a bill clearly against Congress’’s s power even make it to a vote?power even make it to a vote?

A.A. ProbablyProbably

B.B. Probably notProbably not


If this bill did come to a vote, If this bill did come to a vote, would YOU vote yea or nay?would YOU vote yea or nay?


voting in congress:

Documents

mail delivery end

voters support

mail deliverycongress

days mail

older voters

younger voters

political party support

bill b