Unit17: Key issues in US Politics and the 2022 midterms:
Intro: Survival kit:
Two years after the 2020 election, Republicans and Democrats are still at each other's throats. The 2024 campaign is already under way. In the wake of the 2022 midterm election, Joe Biden could be come a lame duck president and Trump could consider coming back to the White House. Here we will try to have a better grasp of the issues at stake in US politics right now and of the role of money in US elections and campaigns. This unit will also help you review Unit3.
Download this file and add what you think is important (vocabulary, historical or cultural facts, grammar, ....)
Step1: Key issues in US Politics right now:
- What is "new" about former President Trump:
- Doc1a: Trump and The January 6 hearings (NPR) + doc1abis
- Doc1b: Trump and the Mar-a-lago case (The Guardian)
2. The upcoming midterms and Biden's recent measures/reforms:
- Doc1c: Projections for the 2022 midterms: doc1c1 (FiveThirtyEight) + doc1c2 (The Economist)
- Doc1d: Biden announces student loan relief (White House.gov)
- Doc1e: Most Americans back Biden's reform on marijuana (Politico)
- Doc1f: How the end of Roe vs Wade could impact the midterms ->
Find out more about Roe vs Wade
Step2: The 2022 midterms:
Linda Paulson, a Republican running for election to the Utah state Senate (Doc2b)
Ammon Bundy, a Republican running for Governor in Idaho (Doc2c):
A.O.C (Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, cf Unit3/EC1) running for Congress Representative (NY): (Doc2d):
- The 2022 midterms:
What are the US midterms: a simple guide (BBC News)
Why are the 2022 midterms so important for the US? (BBC News)
Why the 2022 midterm elections matter (CNN)
America's 2022 midterms (projections) (The Economist)
Does Joe Biden risk becoming a lame duck president? (Aljazeera)
<---------------- A few interesting campaign ads (compare and contrast!)
-
Results + consequences of the midterms for 2024: (Doc2a)
-
The "Knock down the House" documentary, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the 2024 presidential election (cf oral presentation+Unit3 from last year)
(Doc2e)
AOC and the 2024 presidential election (CNN)
Find out more about AOC here (USA Today)
Step3: Divisive issues and their impact on the US: the United States or the UnTied States?
- Cartoons (Elvi/ to the left <------------) cf Unit3 (EC1) Doc3a + b
- Thème (Elvi) Doc3c
"Le risque de guerre civile jugé "probable" par les Américains", Le Point
- Articles (Elvi) :
"How seriously should we take US state secession?" (Brookings Edu) Doc3d
"The second American civil war is already happening" (The Guardian) Doc3e
- Listening comprehension:
"Is another civil war brewing in the USA?" (NPR)
- Videos: The overturn of Roe vs Wade and the risks of a Civil War:
Extra facts: Lobbies and Big Money in US Politics:
- Main facts:
Financial contributions, Wikipedia
Super PAC and ads, The Washington Post
- A few useful articles:
"Cash rules everywhere around us", The Economist
"US Elections: no matter what you vote, money always wins", The Guardian
"40 charts that explain money in Politics", Vox
"Court ruling boosts role of money in American politics", USA Today
"Secret money fueling a flood of political ads", The New York Times
WEBQUEST: Money in US politics
- Donors:
Major donors to the Republican party
The Koch Brothers: link1, link2
A famous donor to the Democratic party
A TV series about the role of money in US politics
2. Lobbies:
3. Money in US political campaigns:
-Citizens United: organisation
Citizens United vs Federal Election Commission: link1, link2, link3
-Pacs (link) and Super Pacs (link1, link2)
-The rise of Anonymous Political giving and the Cost of campaigns:
4. A growing opposition to the rising power of money in US politics:
Trying to overtun Citizens United vs FED: link1, link2
How big money corrupts the economy
The limits of "bogeyman politics"
Occupy Wall Street protest: link1, link2
Online petitions: WeThePeople, Change.org
A few other useful websites: link1, link2
5. Extra links:
A prezi on Citizens United vs FEC
Donors ready for Hilary (2016 elections)
Fund-raising for 2020 (OpenSecrets)
Big money in politics: 2 depressing thoughts
Biggest donors for the 2022 midterms (Visual Capitalist)
Quizlet games to review your vocab (games created by Inès, a former student):
Programme de révisions pour la semaine de colle du 28 novembre :
- à réviser :
-fiche des erreurs + vb irrég AàZ
-liste de voc Unit17
-cours et recap Unit17 + actu US
-cours et recap Unit3 US politics
- déroulement de la colle :
tirage en sort en arrivant :
-celui qui tire au sort le numéro de grammaire/vb/voc se fait interroger sur le programme à gauche (fiche des erreurs + vb irrég + voc Unit17)
-les deux autres préparent en 20 min et passe ensuite avec l'examinateur