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“Super Committee Project”. A simulation on Federal Deficit Reduction Mrs. Ladson. What is it?. Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction Committee has to come to an agreement to reduce the deficit by at least 1.5 trillion dollars by November of this year.
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“Super Committee Project” A simulation on Federal Deficit Reduction Mrs. Ladson
What is it? • Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction • Committee has to come to an agreement to reduce the deficit by at least 1.5 trillion dollars by November of this year. • Once the committee comes to an agreement the whole US Congress will vote on the proposed budget cuts. • If the committee fails to agree on a package or the full Congress fails to pass it, a so-called "trigger mechanism" would enact $1.2 trillion in automatic spending cuts. • split between the national security and domestic arenas • biggest entitlement programs would be excluded from these automatic cuts
Who is on the Committee? • 12 members chosen by party leadership, bipartisan group of US House and Senate members • 6 Democrats • 6 Republicans • http://money.cnn.com/2011/08/11/news/economy/debt_committee_members/index.htm
Your Project – 40 point project • Students are placed randomly in their “super committee.” • Each group will have to: • 1. Choose three goals for the US from among the many brainstormed at the beginning of the project. • 2. Make budget/spending decisions that will meet those goals. • 3. Cut the deficit by at least 1.5 trillion dollars • 4. Make a powerpoint presentation to explains your decisions.
Good Websites to Use • Concord Coalition Budget Activity • http://www.federalbudgetchallenge.org/budget_challenge/sim/budget_master.html • New York Times Budget Activity • http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/11/13/weekinreview/deficits-graphic.html • Federal Budget Overview • http://www.federalbudget.com/
Your Presentation Should Include: • Title Slide listing project title and group member names (5 points) • Slide listing 3 goals for country (5 points) • Slides listing spending decisions that were made to realize those three goals (10 points) • Money amounts must be cited properly using one of the sites given. • Slides listing your budget cuts (15 points) • Cuts to pay for your new goals • Cuts to further reduce the deficit • * Note that the cuts need to make sense. • Money amounts must be cited properly using the websites I gave you. • Slides summarizes/justifying why your decisions are the best. (5 points)
How to divide the work? • Every student should participate in the discussions and decisions. • 1- 2 students present • 1-2 students to type up ideas on powerpoint • 1-2 students to double-check spending and cuts using the appropriate websites I gave you.