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- Who were the members of the Illinois
delegation? What was the partisan makeup of the delegation (i.e.,
how many Democrats and how many Republicans)? Select a year and
determine if either party’s members were more inclined
or more reluctant to sign the letters. If Democrats were more
reluctant, what might that suggest about the content of the letters?
- Select
a series of at least three years. Look at each letter topic
and decide if it relates to domestic policy or to foreign policy.
What does the breakdown tell you about the kinds of subjects
the delegation dealt with? Why might it be easier for Democrats
and Republicans to agree on a certain kind of policy? Here’s
an alternative: in the same series of years, how many of
the subjects relate strictly to the concerns of Illinois?
- Select
a single year. Calculate for each letter during the year
the percentage of participation by the members of the delegation.
For example, in 1983 there were 23 people who could have
signed a letter. If only 15 did so, the participation rate
would be 65 percent. What conclusions can you draw from knowing
the participation rate?
- Locate a series of letters on the same
subject (for example, the Great Lakes NIC Relocation letters
of February 2, February 5, and March 25, 1993) and answer these
questions: Why are the letters addressed to three different parties?
What are the main arguments presented in the letters? Do they
change over the seven weeks?
- Select a time period and answer these
questions: What, in your mind, is the single most important issue
addressed in these letters? Are there any subjects that the members
of the delegation should not have bothered with? If you were
a member of the delegation today, what subject would you write
about and why?
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