1. Lobbying Voting Campaign Finance Reform
Advocacy
Lobbying
Voting
Campaign Finance Reform

2. Advocacy Advocacy: active support or argument for a cause
LOBBYING: influencing legislators to take a certain action on a proposed law
VOTING: casting a ballot for an issue or candidate you support
CAMPAIGNING: actively working to make a change in how the government deals with a specific issue/candidate

3. How a BILL becomes a LAW Introduction Committee Work Floor Debate
By member of that house
Committee Work
Debate, Discuss, Public Hearings, Amend, Kill
LOBBYING!!!!
Floor Debate
Debate, Discuss, Amend, Vote
Other House – Repeat the Process
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
Compromise – revote both houses
Presidential Consideration
Sign, Veto, “Pocket Veto”

4. Groups You will get into groups of 3
Each group will take one topic and read that section in the book
Make notes of the important points
#1 - Lobbying (p.31-32)
#2 - Voting (p )
#3 - Campaign Finance Reform (p )
Mix with people from other groups and share your information
Return to your group and inform them of the highlights of your topic

5. Advocacy Active support of a cause
Art of persuading others to support your cause
Includes gathering facts, developing communication skills and creating an effective plan and timeline
High school students have been VERY EFFECTIVE advocates for causes important to them at the local, state and national level
EX – working with PETA to get a store chain to quit selling furs by protesting, stuffing envelopes, creating a web page with information, etc

6. Guidelines for Advocates
Identify an Issue
Set a goal
Become an expert on the issue
Recruit allies/Identify Roadblocks
Identify strategies
Plan for success
Work the media
Create a resource pool

7. Advocacy Example Money for Schools
Identify Problem: Legislature cutting money for schools
Set a Goal: Increase the amount of money to schools
Become an Expert: Research the issue
Recruit Allies/Identify Roadblocks
Convince people to join your cause –
Figure out the biggest “roadblocks” to success
Budget problems at state/federal level
Revenue source for public schools
Identify Strategies: Come up with ideas to overcome roadblocks
Identify a steady source of dedicated funds for public education (lotto, % of sales tax)
Plan for Success: Make a specific plan to reach your goals
Work the Media: Make the local/state media aware of your efforts
Create a Resource Pool: Identify sources of money, people you can rely on (donations, contributions, etc)

8. Advocacy Activity
In groups of 3-4, you will determine how you will advocate for one of the topics below:
A Skatepark in Belfair
More/better jobs for teens
Lower voting age (16 years old)
Legalizing Marijuana
Lowering the Drinking Age (18 years old)
Other (an issue you come up with and clear with Ms. Copp)

9. Lobbying
Lobbying is a way to influence the lawmaking process by convincing lawmakers to vote as you want them to
Anyone can be a lobbyist
Individuals
On issues that effect their lives
Letter writing, petitions, phone calls,
Professional Lobbyists
Contributions, ads, favors, letter writing campaigns, other techniques
Special Interest Groups
Hire professional lobbyists to advance their cause
Lobby on behalf of a specific issue or group
Businesses and organizations lobby to get laws that favor them
Grassroots Lobbyists
Not Professionals – just plain folks fighting for a cause
When large enough, grassroots lobbyists are hugely effective

10. Voting Initiative and Referendum Who Can Vote?
People can vote directly on proposed laws
INITIATIVE: Citizen proposed laws directly to the ballot (signatures required)
REFERENDUM: Citizens approve/reject a law passed by the Legislature
Who Can Vote?
Any Citizen who is 18 years old and registered to vote
Voter registration is handled by each state (Motor Voter, Internet Registration)
A “Fair Election” is guaranteed
Our history is not good on voting rights, but now have “UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE”
Participating in Elections
In 2004, 72% were registered to vote and 46% actually voted in the Presidential election
Turnout for state and off-year elections much lower

11. 2012 Ballot Measures in Washington State
Initiative 1185 Taxes Would require either two-thirds legislative approval or a vote by the people in order to raise taxes.
Initiative 1240 Education Allow 40 public charter schools in the state over five years.
Referendum 74 Marriage Would ask if same-sex marriage should be legalized in the state.
Initiative 502 Marijuana Would legalize and regulate the sale of small amounts of marijuana to people 21 and older
SJR 8221 Budgets To include the recommendations of the commission on state debt. This would be a constitutional amendment lowering the state debt limit
SJR 8223 Education Provide authority to state research universities to invest funds.
Advisory Vote 1 Taxes Declares an intent to improve the long-term sustainability of the state budget. This would allow a state vote on recommended raises of taxes
Advisory Vote 2 Insurance Delays the expiration of the pollution liability insurance agency's funding.

12. Reasons People DON’T Vote
My vote doesn’t count
Too busy
Don’t know about the issues/candidates
Don’t care about the issues/candidates
Don’t have a stamp to mail it in
Forgot
?Other?

13. Voting Activity
Make 2 lists: one of all the reasons for voting, and another of all the reasons for not voting.
The following proposals have been made to encourage more people to vote. Do you favor or oppose each proposal? Explain your answers
Levying a $20 fine on a person who is eligible to vote but does not do so and has no good excuse
Allowing people to register and vote on the same day
Lowering the voting age to 16 so students in high school can vote
Keeping the polls open for a week instead of just a day
Holding all elections on weekends
Reducing people’s taxes by $10 each if they vote
Allowing people to vote not just for representatives, but directly for or against issues on the ballot that they care about
Prohibiting the media from reporting poll results or projections until all polls are closed
Automatically registering everyone with a driver’s license

14. Campaign Finance Reform
Money has a HUGE impact on who gets elected and was issues are dealt with in the legislature
EX – Gay Marriage in Washington state
Campaign Finance Reform try to level the playing field in elections
Current Problems
People of low-middle income cannot run for office because they can’t afford to
Special Interests receive favors in exchange for substantial campaign contributions
Elected officials spend too much time raising money and not time doing their jobs
Attempts at reforms are challenged as unconstitutional limits on free speech

15. CFR Questionaire Do you agree or disagree? WHY
The only way to take money out of politics is to have full federal funding of presidential and congressional elections
In a free country, it makes no sense to try to limit how much voters and candidate can give to an election. If people have the money and want to spend it on campaigns, they should be able to.
We have to balance the rights of those that want to contribute money to campaigns against the need to fight corruption and undue influence. The best way to do this through disclosure laws-let everyone see who is giving money to candidates. If the candidates vote for the special interests that fund them, the voters can then vote that candidate out of office.

16. Ch 2 – General Review Name the three branches of government.
Which branch of the government writes the laws?
What is this called in our federal gov’t?
What is a proposed law called?
Which is more powerful, federal or state law
What is the difference between “legislative intent” and “letter of the law”?
Which branch of government enforces the laws/puts them into action?
What are AGENCIES? What do they do?
How do they decide what to do?
Which branch of government interprets the laws/determines if laws were broken?
What do the courts do?
What is “international law”?
Who/How are they made?
How are they enforced? Are they enforced?

17. Ch 2-3 - General Review Lawmaking VOCAB Advocacy Precedent
Legislatures Appellate Court
Drafting a Bill Bill
Agencies Legislative Intent
International Law Legislature
Advocacy Precedent
The Art of Advocacy Public Hearing
Lobbying Statutes
Voting Supremacy Clause
Campaign Finance Reform Treaty
Trials

18. Essay Questions for Ch 2/3 Test (choose one from each pair)
Which part of the government does what when it comes to laws? (name the branch and what it is responsible)
Explain the process that a bill goes through to become a law
****************************************************
Name the three ways we talked about in class on how you can be involved in the political process
Voting is a key to a functioning democracy. Why is it so important? Give 2 ways you think might encourage more people to vote.