Policymaking Simulations put citizens in their elected officials’ shoes by simulating the process they go through in making policy decisions – getting briefed, hearing arguments, coming to decisions – using an online instrument called a “policymaking simulation.” VOP has worked with the Program for Public Consultation to develop simulations on the following issues, give one a try. At the end of each simulation, please take the opportunity to email your members of Congress and make your voice heard.
DATE
CATEGORY
SUB-CATEGORY
TOPICS COVERED
TRY SIMULATION
05/2018
Government Reform
Campaign Finance
whether or not to overturn the Supreme Court's 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
05/2018
Government Reform
Campaign Finance
online credit card donations for political campaigns
05/2018
Government Reform
Campaign Finance
providing tax credits for small donations by small donors
providing a six-to-one match for small donations using government revenues
providing a six-to-one match for small donations funded by a small fee on large federal government contractors
05/2018
Government Reform
Campaign Finance
ending the program for public funding of presidential campaigns
05/2018
Government Reform
Campaign Finance
prohibiting Members of Congress from personally asking for donations
05/2018
Government Reform
Campaign Finance
requiring all individuals or organizations that donate or receive a total of $10,000 or more for campaign‐related activities to promptly register with the FEC, have their name and the amount of the donations listed on the Commission’s website
requiring that independent campaign‐related expenditures by corporations, unions, and other groups promptly report such spending to shareholders, members, and the general public, as well as the FEC
requiring that names of significant donors paying for TV or radio ads in support of candidates or related to controversial issues be publicly disclosed
requiring donors using credit cards to provide the address in which they are registered to vote in the US, to get the CVV on all online donations, and to get and report the address of all credit card donors, not just those giving $50 or more as currently required by law
04/2018
Government Reform
Election Reform
making it more possible for independent and third party candidates to compete in Congressional elections
making it more possible for independent or third‐party candidates to participate in presidential debates
04/2018
Government Reform
Election Reform
establishing a commission of citizens within each state shape the Congressional districts
using ranked choice or instant runoff voting in federal elections
creating larger US House districts that would be represented by more than one Member of Congress
01/2018
Government Reform
Healthcare
Restoring spending levels for outreach to familiarize people with the ACA’s insurance exchanges
Restoring subsidies to reimburse insurance companies for covering out-of-pocket costs for low-income people for at least two years
Making "copper plans" available in the ACA exchanges to anyone, including people over 30
12/2017
Government Reform
Lobbying Restrictions
Limiting lobbying by former government officials
Limiting lobbying for foreign governments
04/2018
Environment
Ozone Standards
Proposal to delay by eight years the requirement that states undertake a step‐by‐step plan for lowering the maximum allowed ozone levels from 75 ppb to 70 ppb
04/2018
Environment
Solar Panel Tariffs
proposal to impose a tariff on solar energy panels of 30% in year one, declining to 25% in year two, 20% in year three and 15% in year four
05/2018
Environment
Offshore Drilling
proposal on whether to lift bans, allow state-specific bans, appoint independent auditorsand establish a clean-up fund
06/2017
Federal Government Programs
Poverty
SNAP Benefits
Early Childhood Education Programs
10/2017
Healthcare
Medicare
Encouraging use of generic drugs
Requiring pharmaceutical companies to pay a higher rebate for prescriptions to recipients with modest incomes
Increasing, by 15 percent, the premiums paid by higher-income seniors
Lowering the payments to hospitals for services to Medicare recipients to make them equal to the amount paid to doctors’ offices for the same services
Discretionary Spending: Raise or lower 31 line items (e.g. transportation, education, defense etc.) as you see fit.
General Revenues: Assess arguments about what priorities should be for federal taxes and set tax rates for all of the major taxes including income taxes, corporate taxes, capital gains and more. Evaluate newly proposed taxes such as a tax on financial transactions or on carbon dioxide.
