Policymaking Simulations

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.

DATECATEGORYSUB-CATEGORYTOPICS COVEREDTRY SIMULATION
05/2018Government ReformCampaign Finance
  • whether or not to overturn the Supreme Court's 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
05/2018Government ReformCampaign Finance
  • online credit card donations for political campaigns
05/2018Government ReformCampaign 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
05/2018Government ReformCampaign Finance
  • ending the program for public funding of presidential campaigns
05/2018Government ReformCampaign Finance
  • prohibiting Members of Congress from personally asking for donations
05/2018Government ReformCampaign 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
04/2018Government ReformElection 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
04/2018Government ReformElection 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
01/2018Government ReformHealthcare
  • 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
12/2017Government ReformLobbying Restrictions
  • Limiting lobbying by former government officials
  • Limiting lobbying for foreign governments
04/2018EnvironmentOzone 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
04/2018EnvironmentSolar 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
05/2018EnvironmentOffshore Drilling
  • proposal on whether to lift bans, allow state-specific bans, appoint independent auditorsand establish a clean-up fund
06/2017Federal Government ProgramsPoverty
  • SNAP Benefits
  • Early Childhood Education Programs
10/2017HealthcareMedicare
  • 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
12/2017Net NeutralityPublic Utilities
  • Faster downloads
  • Blocking or restricting website access
[hoot_button url="http://publicconsensus.org/policymaking-simulations/net-neutrality/" target="self" size="small"]Net Neutrality[/hoot_button]
07/2018Federal BudgetDiscretionary Spending, General Revenues
  • 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.
[hoot_button url="http://publicconsensus.org/policymaking-simulations/federal-budget/" target="self" size="small"]Federal Budget FY2019[/hoot_button]
03/2018ImmigrationImmigration Reform
  • Family based programs
  • Diversity lottery
  • Employment based programs
  • DACA
  • Securing the Southern Border
[hoot_button url="http://publicconsensus.org/policymaking-simulations/immigration-reform/" target="self" size="small"]Immigration Reform[/hoot_button]