Bell Ringer Assignment

• READ THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE, THEN RESPOND TO THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOW:
• Las Vegas - "President Biden on Friday is announcing $8.2 billion in new funding for 10 passenger rail projects nationwide, representing the largest federal investment in passenger rail transportation since Amtrak was created in 1971. The $3 billion in new federal funding for the Las Vegas-Los Angeles rail line is about a third of the total projected cost of the new Brightline West train line, which is projected to be finished before the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. The company touts the train on its website as the "first true high-speed passenger rail system in the nation." Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told reporters the rail line is expected to carry 11 million passengers at its peak, and the total trip will take about two hours – which is about half the time it takes to drive. Other passenger rail projects that will receive funding include a Los Angeles-San Francisco train that will reach 220 miles per hour, a rail expansion between Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia, and other upgrades in Pennsylvania, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana and other states. There is a years-long lag time between the projects' funding and their completion. But Biden administration officials hope the president's spotlight – and resulting union jobs from the construction – will help boost public support for Mr. Biden's economic policies. A CBS News poll last month found Americans believe their finances would be better off if former President Trump were elected over Mr. Biden in 2024." - CBS News, December 8, 2023
• (A) In the context of the scenario, identify and explain two tactics used by interest groups to influence political and policy processes.
• (B) In the context of the scenario, explain one way that iron triangles influence the policymaking process.
• (C) In the context of the scenario, describe one element of the presidential campaign and election process.