Last night, Rep. Ryan delivered a speech to the delegates. Media fact-checkers on several internet news sites have been working to compare this speech with conflicting evidence and accounts.
- http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/story/2012-08-30/paul-ryan-fact-check-republican-convention/57432326/1
- http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/30/politics/fact-check-ryan-debt-commission/index.html
- http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-08-30/ryan-accused-of-falsities-in-speech-by-obama-team-fact-checkers#p2 (link shared by Jeremy Jamison, thank you!)
A few questions to think about:
What kinds of information/evidence do you think informed citizens should review as they prepare to vote for a representational government? How can voters stay informed?
How can the voting public find out more about the potential impact of the candidates' policies? Where can we find information that offers more than one side of the story? Why does this matter in a democratic society?
Your work in today's first class was purposeful and positive! Thank you for the effort. Pay attention to the media coverage of the election this weekend. Begin to connect names of significant people with their roles in government. As you read more, you will become more comfortable with background information that makes the study of government much more manageable.
We will make glossaries next week, so in preparation pay attention to politicians' names and job titles. Try to figure out: What role does this person play in the workings of American Government?
More details on the glossary on Tuesday. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to your thoughts on media and an informed electorate.
Tampa, Florida: The Republican National Convention
Thursday, August 30, 2012: Mitt Romney accepts his party's nomination
My simple answer to all the question is to research. The only way those uninformed voters could stay informed is to constantly research all the solutions Romney and Ryan have to Obama's flaws. For example if you wanted to know what Obamacare was and why the Republicans feel it is hurting out country, you would research what Obamacare does in terms of health insurance, then you can look up why the GOP feels that it is a controversy in America. It would also be good to research both sides of an argument. Like in Obamacare you would look up why the GOP feels it is a problem and then why Democrats believe its a solution.
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