Elections, Parties, and Pressure Groups
Session 8: Rising Campaign Costs

Materials

• Political Process Vocabulary List (Attachment A)
• Textbook
• Political cartoon (Attachment H)

Instructional Activities

1. Write the day's vocabulary words on an overhead or on the board (see Attachment A). Briefly discuss their meanings.
   
   
2. Lecture and provide notes on the rising cost of campaigning for public office. Effects of rising costs include the following:
   •    Candidates need to conduct extensive fund-raising activities.
   •    Opportunities to run for public office are limited.
   •     Wealthy individuals who run for office have an advantage.
   •    Development of political action committees (PACs) is encouraged.
   •    Issue-oriented special interest groups have increased influence.
   
   
3. Explain how the high cost of getting elected changes campaigning for public office and has led to calls for campaign finance reform:
   •    Rising campaign costs have led to efforts to reform campaign finance laws. Describe the terms of recent laws.
   •    Limits exist on the amount individuals may contribute to political candidates and campaigns.
   
   
4. Ask students to look at the political cartoon (Attachment H), and explain the concern the cartoonist has with campaign costs.
   
   
5. For homework, ask students to read the section in their textbooks on the Electoral College.