Citizenship

Mr. Ducklow For this activity, you and a classmate are going to work together to see if you can stabilize Americas Budget. You will use an online simulation provided by an organization called Citizens For a Responsible Federal Budget. Some general budget facts/terminology to remember before you start: Fiscal Policy: Taxing and Spending powers of the Congress and President. Budget Deficit: When expenditures are greater than revenues for a budget year. National Debt: Accumulated deficits of the nation Revenue: Money being collected by the government; income taxes are the largest source of federal revenue. Expenditure: Money being spent by the government on programs and services. In the black: a condition of profitability; or in budgeting, a budget saving decision. In the red: a condition of loss or shortfall; or in budgeting, a decision that costs money or adds to a deficit. 1. Log onto the following site: http://crfb.org/stabilizethedebt/

2. As you work through the simulation, you must consider the following: a. Economics: How will your choices affect the economy in the short and long-run? b. Politics: What segments of the population wins and loses by your choices? c. The #1 goal of a politician is to get re-elected. Can you defend your choices with the electorate? 3. To demonstrate the politics behind the budget, you and your partner must both agree before making a change. If you cannot agree, you may not make the change. You can click for more information to read some background before making a choice. 4. When you are all finished, print your budget. Analyze the results and write a reaction to your experience. Answer the questions below: a. Evaluate your decisions. How successful were you in your effort to balance the budget? Explain. b. How will your decisions effect the economy in the short and long-run? c. What segments of the population win and lose by your decisions? Is this fair? Justify it. d. Do you think your decisions would get you re-elected? Why or why not? e. Was your approach to balancing the budget more conservative or more liberal? Explain why you think so. Extension

From Wikipedia: The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (often called BowlesSimpson/Simpson-Bowles from the names of co-chairs Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles; or NCFRR) is a Presidential Commission created in 2010 by President Barack Obama to identify "policies to improve the fiscal situation in the medium term and to achieve fiscal sustainability over the long run."[1] The commission first met on April 27, 2010.[2] A report was released on December 1, 2010,[3] but failed a vote on December 3 with 11 of 18 votes in favor, with a supermajority of 14 votes needed to formally endorse the blueprint.[4] Click the link below to read the highlights of the Deficit Super Committees recommendations. After evaluating the proposals, evaluate the overall program. http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/11/deficit-commission-co-chairs-simpson-and-bowlesrelease-eye-popping-recommendations.php Evaluate the Super Committee Proposal. Ideas I could support Ideas I cant support

If you had been part of the bi-partisan Super Committee, how would you have voted? Why? Elaborate and specify.

Click here http://www.usdebtclock.org/ Navigate through the various clocks. Any reactions?