The Politics Factor

1. Comprehension Check

1. How many people ignore their right to vote?

2. O’Reilly claims that the last eight years have seen a peak in the cycle of corruption. What proofs does he bring to justify this stance?

3. How did the Democrats organize their TV campaign to secure safe results of the elections?

4. Why does Gulotta think that he can “get away with his shenanigans”?

5. Who spoke more at “the Larry King Show” Ross Perot or the anchorman?

6. How can we get involved in political decisions?

7. Why is it desirable to advocate your position among friends?

8. What proves that you are different from the passive by-standers?

9. Why did John F.Kennedy abstain from any criticism against mob leaders?

10. Why should all politicians emulate Jimmy Carter and Michael Dukakis?

2. Discriminate between true and false statements. Justify your choice by relevant information from the section.

1. Politicians are now obsolete in American life.

2. Bill Clinton’s administration is the least corrupted in history.

3. Every Republican focuses on the money.

4. Congressmen have to travel extensively to win the support of the voters.

5. To fight down the allegations against him Gulotta bought $2 million of TV ad time

6. The administration repealed the 1 percent “home” tax under the influence of the community.

7. The voters don’t notice their money squandered by the politicians because the consuming society caters to their every whim.

8. Because of Mr.Clinton behavior American citizens will take a closer look at the candidates’ morals.

9. Because of the decline in political leadership O’Reilly has lost faith in America’s uniqueness.

10. Harry Truman was above any suspicions in corruption because he returned to modest life after his tenure, which might constitute a wealthy example for his successors.

11. Accepting dollars from the powerful corporations after the officials have left office sends a terrible message of possible collision and influence buying.

3. Fill in the gaps

1. These people make the laws that define our lives, and they decide how to spend the money collected by a --------------- tax system.

2. What is new is the staggering ------------- and boldness of some elected officials today.

3. You already know that many of our elected officials and their spinmeisters are corrupt --------.

4. When the colonists kicked the red-coated British army out of the country they were determined to establish a ------------ government.

5. The right to ---------arms was ---------- to prevent local government ---------- and to make military ----------------- less likely.

6. Some politicians are --------- fame and some ----------- wealth in a variety of ways by using the contacts they make while in office.

7. The voters no longer ------------and ----------- elected officials. The politicians don’t -------------individuals, because elections are won by voting blocks..

8. TV and radio ads ---------- the airwaves with lies, -------------, and false promises.

9. Mr.Trump pointed to his success in building an ice skating rink as an example of his political -----------.

10. The politicians don’t --------- the courage and self-sacrifice ----------- by the military throughout the twentieth century.

11. “It makes me queasy to see ---------- politicians ----------- in the money after they leave office.

12. Washington is filled with ex-pols making big dollars off people for whom they --------- favors while in office.

4. Discussion Points

1. Why is there so much corruption among politicians?

2. O’Reilly says that many politicians today are “lifers”. Is this tendency typical only of the USA? Why are ex-pols ready to go to the extremes to stay in the limelight?

3. The author pokes fun on different possible candidates for the presidency. What makes like situations possible?

4. The author accuses lay people of excessive passivity. Why should we demonstrate deeper involvement in political issues?

5. Evidence of politicians’ deceptive promises is enormous. Yet they ere never prosecuted afterwards. Do you think that the law should be adopted to make politicians liable to prosecution in case of deliberate misleading promises?

6. How important is it for a country to have a charismatic leader? Why do tyrants and dictators succeed in politics? What can be done to stop them from succeeding?