October 30, 2012

How has the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision changed campaigns in America?

BIG SKY, BIG MONEY--- PBS FRONTLINE

How has the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision changed campaigns in America?

NAME: ______

As you view this video answer the questions.

Montana, the surprising battleground for campaign financing. BIG MONEY and elections. Outside interest groups influence on campaigns. How outside secret money is changing American politics STATE by STATE.

Some background terms that you will need to know by the end of this story:

INTEREST GROUPS, PACS, SUPER PACS, 501c4’s and Lobbyists

Great article to coincide with this video.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/30/arts/television/big-sky-big-money-on-pbs-frontline.html?_r=0

Kai Ryssdal is driving the streets of Denver and finds out that something shady is happening in politics. The Commissioner of Political Practice in Montana gets some interesting documents. Now to Montana.

1.  This year’s campaign in Montana the stakes are high because it could determine which political party controls the ______.

2.  2 years ago in 2010 the Supreme Court decide a case that would change how campaigns are funded.

This case is called: ______UNITED.

It allows unlimited spending by Corporations and Unions but to avoid corruption the money has to go to outside groups and not __C______.

3.  The amount of __A______Ads are amazing in battleground states.

In Montana you have a Senate race where Republican, Denny Rehberg (House Representative) is challenging incumbent Democrat, Jon Tester

4.  Super Pacs have to tell you where they get their money from. However groups who are titled

501 c4 is a TAX __E______, NON PROFIT group and they don’t have to disclose their contributors!

5.  They Key difference between CANDIDATE Ads and ISSUE Ads are the use of “MAGIC WORDS”

Such as Vote For, __E______, Support, Vote Against.

6.  What word made the ad an issue ad? __D______

7.  Where did they find Citizens for Strength and security fund? ______

©Anissa Smith 2014

8.  How does the young man justify the group Citizens for Strength?

9.  Who is known as the “Father of Citizen’s United” JIM ______

10.  How does Jim Bott justify Disclosure laws?

11.  During the Gilded Age, who was William Clark?

12.  Montana kept a ban on corporate campaign funding for over ______years.

13.  What happened to Republican John Ward of Montana in his 2008 campaign?

14.  John Miller was the challenger of John Ward. How did he win the election when he didn’t even actually campaign?

15.  Who was behind the Mailers? Western Traditions Partnership

16.  Why did Republican Carolyn Landorf a county commissioner leave WTP?

17.  This supposed social group’s main goal was to do what?

A number of courts have rejected the eight magic words. WTP sued to strike down Montana’s 100 year corrupt practices rule from 1906. The Supreme Court believes outside money does not corrupt.

Montana Supreme Court was a direct challenge to the Supreme Court case of Citizen’s United!

18.  Mr. Bopp took the case to the Supreme Court. It took six months for the Court and they only gave the public a decision in a _S______ paragraph. Refusing to overrule Citizen’s United.

©Anissa Smith 2014

Legal theories vs. political realities:

19.  What did the 5 boxes contain? How influential can the materials found in the boxes be in the future?

20.  After viewing this video. How has campaign financing changed drastically since the BCRA-Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act/”McCain Feingold Bill”? Is this how Democracy should work? Justify your answer to the second question.

WTP is now called ATP – American Traditions Partnership. They are located at another P.O. Box.

CAMPAIGNS now are having money coming from outside groups and undisclosed donors.

©Anissa Smith 2014