FYI: Predictions on Congressional election outcomes in November (with a little inside baseball).

http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/the-early-outlook-for-the-2012-congressional-elections-a-forecasting-perspective/rpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/the-early-outlook-for-the-2012-congressional-elections-a-forecasting-perspective/

http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/category/2012-house/

Larry Sabato is a well-respected political scientist and a co-author on the new textbook we'll be using in the fall of 2012.

Analysis: What will you be looking for as you listen to the oral arguments this week?

What a great week coming up: Judicial Branch check on the Congress and president, judicial review, commerce clause, solicitor general, mandate, litigation, adversarial process, standing, precedents... all because the Court used the "Rule of Four" to grant a writ of certiori!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/when-the-supreme-court-debates-health-care-get-ready-for-some-memorable-quotes/2012/03/21/gIQAeC4KWS_story.html?hpid=z3

What is the most interesting thing you know about electing people to Congress?

http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/the-anti-incumbent-election-myth/

KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

With Super Tuesday coming up, give your analysis and opinion of the current nominating PROCESS to be the party's nominee.

Discuss any or all of the following: front loading, winner take all vs. proportional distribution of delegates, primaries, caucuses, the length of the process, the money that is raised and spent, stump speeches, running to the right (for the GOP) and to the left (for the Dems.) in the primary process and back to the middle for the general, placing Iowa and New Hampshire first.

http://cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/politics/2012/03/04/nr-wa-travis-caucuses.cnn.html

Which of the 9 political funding options do you find the most interesting, surprising, or new to you?

From $25 to $10,000,000: A Guide to Political Donations
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/10/17/us/politics/a-guide-to-political-donations.html

Analysis: Who can claim the biggest win on the payroll tax cut extension?

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/18/us/politics/congress-acts-to-extend-payroll-tax-cut-and-aid-to-jobless.html?hpw

Opinion: Should same-gender marriage be decided by referendum, legislative action, or the courts?

By Ricardo Lopez
February 17, 2012, 4:21 p.m.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie followed through on his word Friday, vetoing a gay marriage bill passed by the state’s legislature a day earlier.

“I am adhering to what I've said since this bill was first introduced - an issue of this magnitude and importance, which requires a constitutional amendment, should be left to the people of New Jersey to decide," Christie said in a statement.

Christie is urging the legislature to put the measure on the ballot in the form of a referendum.

“This is the only path to amend our state Constitution and the best way to resolve the issue of same-sex marriage in our state,” he said.

Democrats were not surprised by the veto. Christie, a Republican, announced his intentions last month at a town hall meeting.


Yet Senate President Stephen Sweeney, a Democrat, denounced the governor's action and vowed to work to override it.“Governor Christie's veto is a shameful act hidden behind the guise of a public referendum. Today, he firmly planted his feet on the wrong side of history,” he said in a statement.


“He had a chance to do the right thing, and failed miserably.”


New Jersey lawmakers now have until Jan. 2014 to muster a two-thirds majority vote in each chamber to override the governor’s veto.Gay marriage supporters need three more votes in the Senate to override the veto. Senate Democrats passed the bill 24-16. The Assembly, which passed the bill 42-33, needs needs 14 more votes for a veto override.


On Thursday, the Democratic-controlled Assembly voted 42-33 in favor of gay marriage.


That vote came after emotional speeches from both sides on Thursday. Seven states and the District of Columbia recognize same-sex marriage.


http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-christie-veto-20120217,0,1375226.story

Opinion: What should the Administration be doing right now with regard to the environment (if anything)?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/obama-administration-weighs-political-cost-of-environmental-rules/2012/02/07/gIQAvJzx8Q_story.html?hpid=z1

By the way, our Wednesday after-school practice session has to be moved to Thursday this week because my Uncle Roy Pirrung will be speaking to the track team Wednesday. If you want to hear him speak too, feel free to show up. It's interesting and inspiring. His bio. is below:
http://www.usatf.org/athletes/bios/MountainUltraTrail/Pirrung_Roy.asp

Less than 100 days. How long will you be able to stay for Wednesday's Exam Practice Session?

What else are you doing to get ready for the APGOPO Exam?

(oh, and Romney won Nevada).

Do you want to see Mr. Romney or Mr. Gingrich win by a lot in Florida? Do you want the contest to go on a lot longer?

Where will a lot of Latino voters go? Will a lot of votes go to the candidate who FL thinks will win in the general election. As the late Tim Russert said a lot of years ago (2000): Florida, Florida, Florida.

What do you want to hear the president talk about in the State of the Union Address Tuesday?

Article II, Section 3 - State of the Union, Convening Congress
He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,2044176,00.html

Predictions for South Carolina? (Cite the basis for your prediction?)

IOWA: What is your analysis and/or opinion of the Iowa caucus results?

Is the Senate-passed plan a good plan that should be passed or a bad plan that should be voted down?

Boehner: House Republicans oppose Senate payroll tax deal
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/senate-votes-to-extend-payroll-tax-cut/2011/12/17/gIQAJ6tR0O_story.html

Analysis: Is this the beginnings of a less partisan divide and more cooperation in Congress?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/congress-edges-toward-a-compromise-on-spending/2011/12/09/gIQAORhenO_story.html

Does Herman Cain suspending his campaign matter? Who will benefit? Who will be hindered?

Supercommittee 2.0: What would you do to meet the goals of the Supercommittee by Wednesday?

Click "Next" at the top of the following page, and make the hard PUBLIC POLICY choices:
http://crfb.org/stabilizethedebt/


http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/11/supercommittee-republicans-offer-backup-plan-democrats-reject-the-offer/

Are you hopeful that the supercommittee can complete its task before the deadline? Why or why not?

Click on the link below:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/2chambers/post/supercommittee-hasnt-given-up-hope-hensarling-says/2011/11/13/gIQArme6HN_blog.html?hpid=z1

Bonus link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSlC7BxmSqY

Analysis: Objectively assess the presidential campaign as it is right now and make a prediction for what the outcome will be in one year.

Reading the information below may help with your analysis:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/a-year-from-election-day-2012-a-dark-mood-awaits-obama-and-his-gop-rival/2011/11/04/gIQAaPa0qM_story.html