1. Click on attachment, edit, select all and copy and close and create a new file, paste and save. Once you go to opensecrets.org, click on congressional elections and then click on Texas and then find any of the officials and pick any one: perhaps one of the following–US Representatives Kevin Grady, Gene Green, Sheila Jackson Lee or Ted Poe or US Senators Ted Cruz or John Cornyn, then check out their financial information filing in the blanks and be sure to answer (in a minimum of one page collectively-the questions at the very end). More explicit directions are also on the attached file.
2. Be sure that you save a back up copy on your computer and all work must be submitted in only rtf or word doc format. To receive all 15 points, you must answer all questions fully (make sure there are no blank spaces on the answer pages–even between paragraphs) and be sure to add facts to back up your answers. To receive the maximum of 15 points, you must link your answer to either the factual information found in a chapter, in the Course Supplement, in one of the links provided, or if no link is provided–you must go on line and do a little research to secure facts to support your answer. You must also make sure you answer all parts of all questions that are asked. Glib, short and answers that are simply not supported by facts will not receive many points.If you do not supply facts and citations (inlcuding foot notes and page numbers and web page numbers), you will lose 5 points. Do not write anything else on the answer sheets except your answers-not even your name.
Report 1: How Does Your Representative/Senator Raise Campaign Money? ?Data Retrieval and Analysis Exercise
Task ?Complete a campaign financial profile on your member of Congress.
Introduction ?Running for Congress is an expensive proposition. The Federal Election Commission reports that the overall expenditures for congressional elections during the 2010 election cycle was the most expensive in history.. In addition to these individual expenditures, the National Republic Campaign Committee raised hundreds of millions as did the Democratic Campaign Committee another $520 million. In this exercise you must create a profile of the fund raising activities for your member of Congress.
Step 1 ?Review Chapter 14 Campaigns and Elections and Chapter 6 Congress before beginning this assignment especially the parts that deal with elections and campaign finance and contributions.
Step 2 ?Cut and paste or recreate the following table in a separate document, adjust the space as needed. Gather the information about your member of Congress. You may select either your U.S. Representative or your U.S. Senator. Use OpenSecrets.Org to complete the table. USE THE 2010 ELECTION DATA! You will find the link in the UPPER LEFT TAB “Politicians and Elections.” Click on this and select an elected member of Congress and answer the following:
Financial Profile Table OpenSecrets.Org
Name of Your ?Representative or Senator
Rep/Sen
$ raised 2010
$
$ spent 2010
$
$ cash on hand
$
% from large individuals
%
% from PACs
%
% from Self Finance
%
Top 3 PAC or Special Interest Groups Contributors
1. % of total PAC ?2. % of total PAC ?3. % of total PAC
Top 5 industries making ?campaign contributions ?(use "List PAC Contributions" link)
1. ?2. ?3. ?4. ?5.
Top 3 Sector Totals
1. $ Contributed ?2. $ Contributed ?3. $ Contributed
% of contributions from within Texas ?% of contributions outside Texas
% ?%
$ amount raised by OPPONENT in last election (Click on Elections Tab)?% vote of challenger in last election (Click on District Tab)
% ?%
Commentary:
Step 3 READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?After you have collected the data, write a one page impression of what this data means to you. What does the data tell you about the recruiting process for congressional elections? How much money will a challenger need to raise to be competitive against your Representative or Senator? Does the pattern of contributions tell you anything about the kind of representative your member of Congress is or will be? Based on the pattern of contributions, what would you say are the powerful interests in your district/state? Does this pattern match or reinforce your existing perceptions? Does the amount of money raised or the pattern of the contributions give you any reason to be concerned or alarmed about the prospects of democracy? Explain your reasoning and support every opinion with facts (and their sources including page numbers and web page numbers). This must be a minimum of one page (collectively and not per question), single-spaced, 12 font with no spaces between paragraphs and write a paragraph about each question.
Step 4 ?Combine the Financial Profile Table and your comments in a single document and submit the
