The categories for your group’s budget are:

• Defense
• Domestic
• Social Security
• Healthcare

First part you will use the website provided in the instructions (posted in the class material but also the class announcements) to create a federal budget.  Then use that website to export a pdf file – the instructions feature graphics to show you how to do this.  Upload that pdf file and that is all you have to do for part 1.

To create your budget, you must use the website: http://crfb.org/stabilizethedebt/

Second, in part 2 you will write a brief essay about your budget decisions (and a couple other questions). 

 Once the budget has been decided, each member will write a 150-200 word essay. This paper should address the each of the following items:

1. Provide a justification of the budget choices your group made within the category (only those line items listed under the specific categorical “tab”) you selected to defend. Inthis defense you must address possible counter arguments to the budget decisions your group made. If you are spending more under this category how are you going to get new revenue or gain public support for more deficit spending? If you are cutting funds – what are you going to do with these surplus funds?
2. Discuss how this assignment impacted your understanding of the budget process, and the debates between the parties and within Congress have regarding the federal budget? Do you think anything should be done to streamline the current budget process?
3. Finally, discuss the dynamics of your group – what budget issues were contentious? How do you come to a compromise? Was that difficult? How did the group communicate? How did you come to your final decision? Were you satisfied with the final budget?