Presidential Authority 1. Which president has issued the most executive orders during his time in office? a) Franklin D. Roosevelt b) Ronald Reagan c) Barack Obama 2. Which of the following large policy changes have been the result of presidential executive orders? a) Louisiana Purchase b) Desegregation of public schools c) Freeing of slaves during Civil War d) Internment of Japanese-Americans after the attack on Pearl Harbor e) All of the above 3. The grant of “executive power” is found in _____of the U.S. Constitution a) Article I, Section 8 b) Article II, Section 1 c) Article II, Section 4 Campaign Finance 1. In 2010, The Supreme Court decided that limiting corporate spending on political campaigns is a violation of free speech rights in which court case? a. Buckley v. Valeo b. Citizens United v. FEC c. Brown v. Board of Education 2. In what year was the Federal Election Commission (FEC) launched? a) 1975 b) 1983 c) 1990 3. Which legislation required full reporting of campaign contributions and expenditures, limited spending on ads and began federal public financing of presidential elections? a) The Publicity Act b) The Tillman Act c) Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA)
Ideas for Teachers/Critical-Thinking Questions – March 2016
LINKS Presidential Authority Brookings Institution Constitution Daily Cornell University Law School Smithsonian Magazine New York Times HowStuffWorks Washington Examiner Campaign Finance New York Times Federal Election Commission Federal Election Commission (Links) S.1480 Open Secrets (2008 Election) Open Secrets 2 (Links) WNYC Radio CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS Presidential Authority 1. Was President Obama’s executive order on immigration similar to those of other presidents? 2. Should the Constitution have different or clearer guidelines for what a president can and cannot do? 3. Did President Obama act illegally by unilaterally making broad changes to the immigration system without the consent of Congress? 4. How do you think the Supreme Court will rule as far as whether Obama’s executive orders on immigration were unconstitutional? 5. Where in the Constitution do presidents draw their authority? Campaign Finance 1. Is our current system of campaign finance in need of reform? Why or why not? 2. Should our campaign finance system be public rather than private? 3. How would you change campaign contribution laws? 4. Do the wealthy have too much control over election outcomes? 5. Is your right to spend your money how you choose part of your right to free speech, or not?
Role of Federal Government in Education – Infographic
14th Amendment, Then and Now – Infographic
