Presidential Election 2008
ROLEPLAY: THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

By Lou Frederick

Teacher Instructions

Students will be divided into 11 groups with about two to three students per group. The party candidate groups might include four students.

The groups are:

• the Nation party candidate and team
• the American party candidate and team
• automobile, steel, and plastics companies--$100 million
• electronics and telecommunications companies--$100 million
• conservative coalition--$10 million and 2 million votes
• small-business owners and middle-class voters--$10 million and 2 million votes
• women's groups-- 6 million votes
• advocates for the poor--2 million votes
• smackdown the vote--2 million votes
• people of color caucus--2 million votes
• labor unions--$10 million and 2 million votes

Give each group a sheet with the information below that includes their resources and interests. Each group will also need paper and a pen or pencil

Some groups have money (which is probably delivered through a political action committee, or PAC); some groups have votes; and some have both. The goal of the candidates is to win the election. The goal of the interest groups is to try to get as many of their concerns met by the winning candidate as possible.

The teams that represent a candidate will each have a campaign manager who negotiates with the interest groups for money and votes. The candidate teams will have to decide what issues to put in their platforms.

After negotiations have stopped, the candidates each will simultaneously write their platforms on the blackboard and interest groups will then simultaneously decide how much money to give to each candidate and which candidate they're going to throw their votes behind. The teacher will tally up the results and announce the winner.

Each candidate needs at least $50 million for basic operating costs. Any money above $50 million can be used to buy advertising time. Every additional $10 million spent will buy votes from an additional one million unaffiliated voters.

The campaign trail

Instructions

Some groups have money (which is probably delivered through a political action committee, or PAC); some groups have votes; and some have both. The goal of the game for the candidates is to win the election. The goal of the interest groups is to try to get as many of their concerns met by the winning candidate as possible.

Each team that represents a candidate will have a campaign manager who negotiates with the interest groups for money and votes. The candidates will have to decide what issues to put in their platforms.

After negotiations have stopped, the candidates each will simultaneously write their platforms on the blackboard and interest groups will then simultaneously decide how much money to give to each candidate and which candidate they're going to throw their votes behind. The teacher will tally up the results and announce the winner.

Each candidate needs at least $50 million for basic operating costs. Any money above $50 million can be used to buy advertising time. Every additional $10 million spent will buy votes from an additional one million unaffiliated voters.

Automobile, steel, and plastic companies ($100 million)

You don't have a lot of votes because there aren't many of you but you do have a lot of money. You have $100 million which you can distribute any way you want; it doesn't all have to go to one candidate.

What you want:

1. No increase in the minimum wage. You want to keep wages low for your workers to hold your costs down and increase your profits

2. No law requiring employers to pay for workers' health insurance. Health care costs are growing too rapidly.

3. Weaker environmental laws because strong ones would increase your operating costs.

4. More trade restrictions on imports from other countries. You don't like "foreign competition."

Electronics and telecommunications companies ($100 million)

You don't have a lot of votes because there aren't many of you but you do have a lot of money. You have $100 million which you can distribute any way you want; it doesn't all have to go to one candidate.

You want:

1. No increase in the minimum wage. You want to keep wages low for your workers to hold your costs down and increase your profits

2. No law requiring employers to pay for workers' health insurance. Health care costs are growing too quickly.

3. Weaker environmental laws because strong ones would increase your operating costs.

4. Fewer trade restrictions on imports from other countries. You can save money and increase profits by buying imported components for your products.

Small-business owners ($10 million and 2 million votes)

You represent small-business owners and other middle-class voters who have a small amount votes and a small amount money to give. Your money can't be divided.

You want:

1. More government loans to startup businesses.

2. No increase in the minimum wage. You argue that small businesses can't afford to pay workers any more than you already do.

3. Tax cuts for the middle-class.

4. Government subsidies for college tuition.

5. No law requiring employers to pay for workers' health insurance. Health care costs are growing too rapidly.

Conservative coalition ($10 million and 2 million votes)

You are a coalition that includes groups like the National Rifle Association, the religious right, and other conservative interests. You have a small amount votes and some money to give. Your money can't be divided.

You want:

1. No affirmative action programs.

2. Looser gun laws.

3. Tougher crime laws and more money for law enforcement.

4. Restrictions on a woman's right to abortion.

5. Tighter immigration laws.

Women's groups (6 million votes)

Although women are represented in all the other interest groups, you are a group of voters who are concerned about issues that are traditionally of greatest concern to women voters. You don't have money, but you have the largest block of votes.

You want:

1. No limits on a woman's right to abortion.

2. A law requiring businesses to pay for workers' healthcare insurance.

3. More funding for public schools.

4. Tighter gun laws.

5. Tighter laws governing music, TV, and the internet.

People of color caucus (2 million votes)

You represent a group of congressional leaders and community activists can bring out the vote in the African-American, Latino, and Asian American communities. You don't have money, but you do have some votes to give.

You want:

1. Strong affirmative action programs.

2. More sensitive policing and an end to racial profiling.

3. Looser immigration laws.

Labor unions ($10 million and 2 million votes)

You represent all kinds of workers, from subways conductors and steelworkers to teachers and government employees. You have a little money to give from union dues you've collected, and the phone calls you can make will bring out the working-class vote for your candidate. Your money can't be divided.

You want:

1. An increase in the minimum wage.

2. A law requiring businesses to pay for workers' healthcare insurance

3. Looser environmental laws so that companies won't lose money and possibly lay off workers

Advocates for the poor (2 million votes)

You represent various social service and community-based organizations that want to improve life for those who make the least. Through grassroots organizing, you can bring out the vote for your candidate.

You want:

1. A major government jobs program.

2. A law requiring businesses to pay for workers' healthcare insurance.

3. More funding for public schools.

4. More funding for public transportation.

5. More funding for affordable housing.

6. More money for relief services for the poor.

Smack down the vote (2 million votes)


You represent several institutions such as MTV, BET, and WWF that are urging young voters ages 18 to 30 to get out and vote. Through various media outlets you can get out the message to these voters about which candidate most meets their needs.

You want:

1. An increase in the minimum wage.

2. Less censorship of music, TV, and the internet.

3. Tougher gun laws to reduce youth violence.

4. More sensitive policing.

5. Government subsidies for college tuition.

The Nation Party

One of you will be the candidate; the others in your group will be the campaign managers who negotiate with the interest groups for money and votes. You must decide what to put in your final platform so that you can get the most votes. Remember that you need at least $50 million to even compete in the election. Anything above that can be used for advertising so that you can in effect buy votes from unaffiliated voters. Every $10 million will yield an additional million votes.

Here are some of the issues you need to think about in deciding on your platform.

• Raise the minimum wage or keep it the same.
  
  
• Pass a law requiring businesses to pay for workers' health insurance - or not.
  
  
• Pass weaker or stronger environmental laws.
  
  
• Provide more loans for small businesses - or not.
  
  
• Provide middle class tax cuts - or not.
  
  
• Provide more relief services for the poor - or not.
  
  
• Enact a major jobs program - or not.
  
  
• Fund better public transportation - or not.
  
  
• Provide more government funding for affordable housing - or not.
  
  
• Provide government support for college tuition - or not.
  
  
• Strengthen or weaken affirmative action programs.
  
  
• Increase or decrease funding for public schools.
  
  
• Pass weaker or stronger gun laws.
  
  
• Pass a law requiring tougher or more sensitive policing - or not.
  
  
• Pass a law to end to racial profiling - or not.
  
  
• Put more or less restrictions on women's right to abortion.
  
  
• Enact tighter or looser immigration laws.
  
  
• Enact tighter or looser restrictions on music, TV, and the internet.
  
  
• Put more or less restrictions on imports from other countries.

The American Party

One of you will be the candidate; the others in your group will be the campaign managers who negotiate with the interest groups for money and votes. You must decide what to put in your final platform so that you can get the most votes. Remember that you need at least $50 million to even compete in the election. Anything above that can be used for advertising so that you can in effect buy votes from unaffiliated voters. Every $10 million will yield an additional million votes.

Here are some of the issues you need to think about in deciding on your platform.

• Raise the minimum wage or keep it the same.
  
  
• Pass a law requiring businesses to pay for workers' health insurance - or not.
  
  
• Pass weaker or stronger environmental laws.
  
  
• Provide more loans for small businesses - or not.
  
  
• Provide middle class tax cuts - or not.
  
  
• Provide more relief services for the poor - or not.
  
  
• Enact a major jobs program - or not.
  
  
• Fund better public transportation - or not.
  
  
• Provide more government funding for affordable housing - or not.
  
  
• Provide government support for college tuition - or not.
  
  
• Strengthen or weaken affirmative action programs.
  
  
• Increase or decrease funding for public schools.
  
  
• Pass weaker or stronger gun laws.
  
  
• Pass a law requiring tougher or more sensitive policing - or not.
  
  
• Pass a law to end to racial profiling - or not.
  
  
• Put more or less restrictions on women's right to abortion.
  
  
• Enact tighter or looser immigration laws.
  
  
• Enact tighter or looser restrictions on music, TV, and the internet.
  
  
• Put more or less restrictions on imports from other countries.

We welcome your comments and would love to hear your experiences using this activity in your classroom. Please email us at: info@morningsidecenter.org.

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