• Campaign Finance Webquest
     
    Put your answers on a piece of notebook paper. Be sure to title the paper "Campaign Finance Webquest".
     
     
    For this assignment first watch this shortfrom CNN on campaign finance.

     
     
     
    Then use the following websites to answer the questions below:

    http://www.fec.gov/
     

    For #1-10 use the "Quick Answers section of the FEC site and the Glossary of the OpenSecrets site.

     
    1. What is the FEC and what are its duties?

    2. What is the difference between hard money and soft money?

    3. What did the Supreme Court rule in the case of Buckley v. Valeo (1976)?

    4. What are the major provisions of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA), better known as McCain-Feingold?

    5. What did the Supreme Court rule in the case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)?

    6. What is the maximum amount of money that an individual can contribute to another individual’s congressional or presidential campaign?

    7. What is a political Action Committee (PAC)? What is the maximum amount of money that a multicandidate PAC can contribute to an individual’s congressional or presidential campaign?

    8. What is a “Super PAC”? How are they different from a PAC? How much can individuals, corporations and unions give them?
     
    9. Can a citizen of another country contribute to U.S.election campaigns?
     
    10. What is bundling?
     

    For 12-24 use the following areas of the Opensecrets website:
       A. "2012 Overview", "Presidential", and "Outside Spending" sections of the "Politicians and Elections" Heading on the OpenSecrets Home Page.
     
       B.  "PACs", "527s"  sections of the "Influence and Lobbying" Heading on the OpenSecrets Home Page.
     

    12. What was the total amount of money raised AND spent in all races for the House of Representatives in the 2012 election? What was the average amount spent in the 2012 election?

    13. What was the total amount of money raised AND spent in all races for the Senate in the 2012 election? What was the average amount spent in the general election? Why is it more expensive to run for the Senate than for the House (think geographically!)?

    14. What was the total amount of money raised AND spent in the 2012 presidential election by the candidates? What was the average amount spent? 

    15. During the 2012 campaign what was the average amount raised by House incumbents and House challengers and by those running for open seats? Why is so much more money given to incumbents? 

    Incumbent-

    Challengers-

    Open- 

    16. Why is more money raised than spent for the House, Senate, and Presidential races (think about what things the winner could do with the extra money. Hint: It has to be used for political purposes NOT on buying the candidates a new house)?

    17. Of current candidates, where was the most expensive Senate race in 2012 and how much was spent? Where was the most expensive House race in 2012 and how much was spent?

    18. How much money did Barack Obama raise? Mitt Romney? 

    19. In 2012 what percentage of contributions for Mitt Romney and Barack Obama came from small donors (< $200) vs. large donors (> $200)?

    Romney-

    Obama-

    20. In 2012 how much money did Mitt Romney and Barack Obama receive in federal funding for the presidential general election?

    Romney-

    Obama- 

    21. How much outside spending/independent expenditures supported and opposed Barack Obama? Mitt Romney? 
          
          Obama (supported)-
          Obama(opposed)-
     
          Romney (supported)-
          Romney (opposed)-
     

    22. Which are the 3 most important Democratic PAC’s for 2011-2012? Which are the 3 most important Republican PAC’s for 2011-2012?

    Democratic                                                                                                  Republican

                   1.                                                                               1.

     

     

                   2.                                                                               2.

     

     

                   3.                                                                               3.

     

    23. What is a 527 committee?

    24. In the 2012 election which six 527 Committees received the most money and what political ideology/ viewpoint did they have?

          1.                                                                                                      4.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
          2.                                                                                                      5.

    3.                                                                                                      6.