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Teaching Democracy Lessons
Appreciating Representation
A Lesson Plan for High School Teachers of Civics, Government, and U.S. History
Review Online HTML files: Main Contents Page
Complete Lesson Plan (36-pages): Download to Word or Print in PDF format.
Student Handout B: Instructions for Scenario Exercises
Five scenarios are presented. Each scenario is on a different issue that legislators have to vote on: (1) an increase in the sales tax; (2) abolishing the death penalty; (3) an increased cigarette tax; (4) allowing optometrists to use diagnostic drugs; and (5) a reduction in the voting age.
Each scenario specifies some of the most important factors influencing how legislators vote. These factors are: (1) the merits for and against passage of a bill; (2) where one’s constituents stand; (3) the position of the interest groups that are involved; (4) a legislator’s political party position; and (5) the legislator’s own convictions and record on the issue.
For each scenario, students have to figure out how most legislators would decide to vote and why, given the considerations specified in each scenario.
It is critical that students take into consideration only the given set of factors and no others. Students should not express or make use of their own views and positions, but instead should simply try to reason out how most legislators would decide. Enough information is provided so that students ought to be able to figure out legislators’ decisions.
React to each scenario, discuss it in your group for about ten minutes, and then indicate how you think most legislators would vote--yes or no. These votes should be recorded on the Voting Tally Sheet.
Scenario 1: Deciding How to Vote on an Increase in the Sales Tax
Scenario 2: Deciding How to Vote on Abolishing the Death Penalty
Scenario 3: Deciding How to Vote on an Increased Cigarette Tax
Scenario 4: Deciding How to Vote on Allowing Optometrists to Use Diagnostic Drugs
Scenario 5: Deciding How to Vote on a Reduction in the Voting Age
Voting Tally Sheet
Issue: Do you favor a bill that would increase the state sales tax by 2¢, or not?
Merits of the case: In favor of such an increase is the argument that it is necessary to fund a raise in state school aid to local districts, among other things, in order to keep property taxes from going up. Against such an increase is the argument that if local school boards did their job and kept educational expenditures down, property taxes wouldn’t rise.
Interest groups: Most of the organized group activity is in support of the sales tax increase. Especially active are the statewide teachers association, the association of school boards, and groups representing local elected officials in the state.
Political parties: Your party has generally been opposed to raising either the income or sales tax.
Constituents: Your constituents support public education programs, but they are also opposed to tax increases at any level of government.
Conviction/record: In your years in office, you have voted to raise taxes on alcohol and tobacco. But you generally opposed raising either income or sales taxes.
How do you think most legislators would vote-- yes or no--given the factors specified?
Why do you think they would vote this way?
Issue: You have to make up your mind as to whether to support a bill abolishing the death penalty (which currently exists) in your state.
Merits of the case: The case against the death penalty is based largely on the belief that innocent people might be executed in error. In some cases with new DNA evidence, individuals convicted of capital crimes have later had their convictions reversed. The case for the death penalty is that, given the nature of crimes like premeditated murder, retribution is deserved and necessary.
Interest groups: Many groups advocate for and against the death penalty. Those against the death penalty are public defenders in the state and state affiliates of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty and Amnesty International. Those for the death penalty are state prosecutors and members of Justice for All.
Political parties: Neither the Democratic nor Republican Party in the legislature has a position on the issue. Some Democrats are for capital punishment, some are against it; some Republicans are for capital punishment, some are against it.
Constituents: Most of your constituents--and certainly most of those who voted for you--appear to support the death penalty. But those who want it abolished have done more to organize themselves, contact you, and express their views forcefully.
Convictions/record: You have been consistent in your belief that the death penalty is good public policy. In the past, you have voted in the legislature against its abolition.
How do you think most legislators would vote--yes or no--given the factors specified?
Why do you think they would vote this way?
Issue: You have to decide whether to support a bill to increase the tax on a package of cigarettes by 25¢.
Merits of the case: The main arguments for increasing the tax are as follows: first, the state is facing a budget deficit, and without additional revenues cuts will have to be made in a number of programs; and second, an increased price will discourage some people--and especially teenagers--from smoking. The main arguments for opposing a tax increase are as follows: first, cigarettes are now taxed at $2.00 per pack; second, an additional tax is an unfair burden for those who choose to smoke; and third, higher cigarette prices will further encourage smuggling and the illegal sale of cheaper, untaxed cigarettes.
Interest groups: The Tobacco Institute, supported by a number of tobacco companies, is opposing the tax. The institute contributed $500 to your last campaign. The state chapter of the American Heart Association and the American Lung Association, as well as several other health groups, have come out in favor of the tax. They do not make campaign contributions.
Political parties: Members of your party in the legislature have not yet taken a position on the issue.
Constituents: Only about one out of four of your constituents smoke. They are not organized, but a number have written to your office objecting to the tax increase. Your non-smoking constituents have not taken any position; the issue is less important for them than it is for smokers.
Conviction/record: In the past, you have generally favored increased taxes on tobacco products and have voted to restrict cigarette smoking in the workplace. You know that tobacco is harmful to one’s health, but believe that if people want to smoke they should be allowed to do so.
How do you think most legislators would vote--yes or no--given the factors specified?
Why do you think they would vote this way?
Student Handout B
Scenario 4: Deciding How to Vote on Allowing Optometrists to Use Diagnostic Drugs
Issue: You have to choose between supporting a bill to allow optometrists in your state to use drugs in order to diagnose eye ailments or opposing the bill, thus restricting them to their current practice of simple eye examinations and eyeglass prescriptions.
Merits of the case: Optometrists argue that it would be cheaper for members of the public to use their services for routine examinations for eye ailments than to have to go to ophthalmologists. The ophthalmologists maintain that optometrists are not qualified, as are ophthalmologists by virtue or having attended medical school and been licensed as physicians; and, therefore, a procedure done by optometrists would not be as safe.
Interest groups: Two interest groups are in direct competition here--the state association of optometrists on the one hand and the state association of ophthalmologists on the other. Members of both groups are actively lobbying the legislature on the issue. The optometrists have regularly made $500 contributions to your reelection campaign.
Political Parties: The two political parties are taking no position on the issue. Democrats and Republicans are on both sides.
Constituents: Outside of the relatively few optometrists and ophthalmologists in your district, no one seems to care one way or another about the issue.
Conviction/record: You don’t have strong feelings on the issue, and you appreciate the merits of each side’s argument. Nor have you in the past had to cast a vote on a bill where the two groups came into conflict.
How do you think most legislators would vote--yes or no--given the factors specified?
Why do you think they would vote this way?
Student Handout B
Scenario 5: Deciding How to Vote on a Reduction in the Voting Age
Issue: You have to figure out your position on a bill to amend the state constitution in order to reduce the voting age for state and local elections from age 18 to age 16.
Merits of the case: The major reason advanced for the 16-year old vote is that it would increase the likelihood that young people would “learn” to vote and get in the habit of voting. If their first eligible vote occurred when they were sophmores or juniors in high school, they could be taught more about voting in civics or government courses they took in the tenth grade. The opposition is based on the belief that 16-year-olds are not mature or responsible enough to be entrusted with this important right.
Interest groups: The National Student Association supports the proposal, while no significant groups have come out in opposition.
Political parties: Neither the Democratic nor the Republican Party in the legislature has taken a position on this issue.
Constituents: Relatively few constituents have contacted you on the issue. Most of those who have gotten in touch oppose to 16-year-olds voting. But the overwhelming majority of your constituents are not at all concerned about the issue. On the other hand, several high school classes have sent you petitions favoring the proposal.
Conviction/record: Essentially you have no record in this particular area, nor do you feel strongly about the issue. You would like more youngsters to be interested in and engaged in politics, but you’re not sure about allowing them to vote before they are 18.
How do you think most legislators would vote--yes or no--given the factors specified?
Why do you think they would vote this way?
Fill out tally for members of discussion group and return to teacher
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How students think most legislators would vote. |
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Issues |
Yes |
No |
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1. Increasing the sales tax |
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2. Abolishing the death penalty |
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3. Increasing the cigarette tax |
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4. Allowing optometrists to
use diagnostic drugs |
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5. Reducing the voting age |
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Prepared by Alan Rosenthal, Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University, as a project of the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Center for Civic Education and the Center on Congress at Indiana University. The author can be reached at alanr@rci.rutgers.edu or (732) 828-2210, ext. 251. The current version was completed in November 2005.
Posted 12/5/05
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