2.2 Repuplicans and Chris Christie

 This column was written by Thomas L. Friedman.  He writes about the country's upcomming election and how Chris Christie has decided not to run.  He also mentions a Grand Bargain and tells us that it needs to happen.  Friedman has also atated his opinion about the presidential race and said that both the far left and far right would do serious damage to the country.

1. How does Friedman feel about Republican taxing and spending policies?

Friedman feels that Republican taxing and spending policies are a danger to themselves and the nation

2. What would the Grand Bargain be?
a budget deal that involved $10 in spending cuts for every $1 in tax increases

3. What are the implications of lower government spending for the future?
the implications of lower govt spending for the future is lower taxes on the people

4. What are the implications of refusing to raise taxes for the future?
a high and rising commitment to future taxes

5. What has been Obama's response to the Republican plan?
Obama's response to the Republican plan is to shift back to his weak fiscale plan
6. Is that a good repsonse leading up to an election?

its is not a good response leading up to an election because it is making him look bad as President

7. What was the Simpson - Bowles deficit reduction plan?
the Simpson-Bowles reduce the deficit by raising tax revenues, cutting defense and increasing the age at which people would qualify for Social Security and Medicare.

8. Which groups is this likely to anger?
Democrates

9. Because Obama has not embraced the bargain, what opportunities do Republicans have?
Republican's have the oppertunity to gain the presidency

10. Why was Christie so appealing for the general election?
Christie was appealing fot the general election because he would have pushed Obama back to appealing to the Moderate crowd

11. How does Friedman say that the race has changed because there's no Christie and Obama has a new approach?
The race has changed because there is no Christie because and the race has become between the far left and the far right with no middle ground

12. How would you describe Friedman's political views based on the article?

I would describe Friendman as a moderate that leans toward Democratic policies

2.1 Occupy Wall Street

Occupy Wall Street is a movement that is spreading fast in cities. It has started recently but it is already struggling to maintain its focus and identity. The future of Occupy Wall Street as a political force may well depend on how well it conveys its message and mission. The group says they cannot wait any longer and let corporate greed and corrupt politics run the nation. The group calls themselves "The 99%." This means that 40% of the nations wealth is in the  hands of the richest 1% of the population.

1. Why might Occupy Wall Street struggle as a movement as it grows in size?

It's a new movement and not well know and have crazy ideologies

2. What does OWS mean by "We Are the 99 Percent"?

The richest 1 percent own 40 percent of the nations wealth so what OWS means is that they are the other 99 percent that own and share the remaining 60 percent of the wealth

3. Which type of interest group tactic would this rally be?

the type of interest group tactice this rally would be is grassroots/ mass moblization also called going public they are trying to be see and heard

4. What problems are the major parties having with these splinter groups within their bases?
They are taking the media's attention from the major parties

5. What is Occupy Wall Street's problem with Obama?

OWS's problem with Obama is that he is being run by big business and needs to show the govt. that the people aren't going to wait any longer for change

6. What changes would Occupy Wall Street like to see in the government?

 to not  let corporate greed and corrupt politics set the policies of our nation

7. What do you think are its chances as a movement, and why?

I think that OWS's chances as a movement are good they arrived at an oppertune time and have the ability to become successful just as the Tea Party has began to do

Transformative Presidents

Wanted: The New Messiah was written by Andrew Romano and published on October 3, 2011.


1. What advantages would Christie have in the general election as a Republican governor of New Jersey?
Christie would have the advantage of alreadying having citzen approval in the general election as a Republican governor of New Jersey

2. What reason is given for voters' dissatisfaction with the current crop of nominees?
they showed the slightest earthly imperfection and were deemed unreliable

3. What situations did FDR and Reagan inherit when they came to office?
economic crisis

4. How did both FDR and Reagan distance themselves from the administrations they replaced?
they cutthe knot raised a new standard and promised to restore American government to the truths that had inspired it

5. What were FDR's notable achievements?
His New Deal

6. What were Reagan's?
stubborn script about the causes and cures for Carter-era malais

7. How did Reagan get credit for the economic recovery from the 1980's and do you think Barack Obama is doing the same thing?
Reagan gets credit for economifc recovery because he kept harping on his reconstructive storyline (tax cuts = growth), which provided the public with a more intuitive explanation, I think Obama is attempting to the the same thing

8. How are Obama's accomplishments in his first term different from these reconstructive presidents?

9. Why is Obama's approach bad for his current situation?

Political Parties and Safe Districts

How the Democrat's Lost a Stronghold was written by Jacob Albert, Emily Atkin, Fausto Giovanny Pinto, and Matthew Deluca and was posted on September 14, 2011. The column records how the Demorats lost a seat they had held in Congress to a Republican candidate. The authors give an account of how unusual it is for a Republican to win the seat by stating that the last time a Republican won the same seat was in 1920. The column ends with an account of how the seat may be dropped in the 2012 redistricting of New York.

Th authors give an account of how New York has a 3 to 1 Demoract Republican ratio. Demorcates have resented the actions of the party and showed it in the election of Senator Anthony Weiner's replacement.
Republican's should have never been able to take the seat from a Democrat.

1. Joe Crowly is in charge of the Democratic Party in Queens, New York, but he is a Representative for a district in Virginia. Why might he be campaigning for candidates in New York?
Joe Crowly might be campaigning for candidates in New York because the House Seat vacated by Anthony Weiner was a seat held by Queens Democrats for 90 years.

2. What are some possible explanations for the lack of turnout among Democratic voters and volunteers?
The Democatic voters and volunteers possibly failed to turnout for the elections because of indifference and a lack of confidence in their party.

3. The article mentions unions pumping money and workers into campaigns, which way do labor unions usually lean?
Labor unions usually lean Democratic

4. Why would labor unions want to support a candidate for the House?
Labor Unions want to support a candidate for the House because they want to influence policy and if the help a candiate into office they feel they are more likely to get what they want
5. How does Weiner's resignation illustrate some problems with federalism?

It illistrates a problem with federalism in that the people can vote out of resentment and not on who is better suited to represent them
6. If people are saying that this is a defeat for Obama, what type of voting decision do you think 9th district voters made?

If people say that this is a defeat for Obama, the voting decision made by the 9th district was to replace the representative in the House with a Republican.

7. What important roles does Crowly have?
Crowly is the highest ranking New York Democrat and the biggest fundraiser for the congressional party
8. Why is it so unbelievable that a Republican won in this district?

Democrats out number Republican's three to one

9. What has happened if they are talking about eliminating the district? (hint: think about the purpose of the Census)
The state of New York was redistricted  based on it's population after the Census.

My Personal Political Ideology

1. 1.Taxes: Do you feel like people should pay more taxes to support more programs, or less taxes so that people keep more of their own money? I believe that people should pay more taxes to support more programs because you never know when you might need to take advantage of  a program such as medicare or food stamps. 
2.  Spending: Do you feel like the government should spend a lot of money on programs or that the government should cut its spending to pay off its debt? I feel that the government should cut spending to pay off its debt because once our debts are payed of we will be able to spend our own money on programs and not need to continue to raise the debt ceiling.
3. Military: Do you believe that the US should spend lots of money on its military and maintain a large presence in other countries around the world or that they should stay out of foreign affairs and have a smaller military?  I believe that the US should spend less money on the millitary and stay of of foreign affairs because those are the problems of other countries and we need not get involved unless it directly affects the US.
4. Welfare: Do you think that the government should help those who are less fortunate by providing them with financial assistance or that those people should find a way to help themselves without using other people’s tax money? I think that the government should help those who are less fortunate by providing them with financial assistance because I believe that the problems in this country would be alot less if the poverty level was lower than it currently exists.
5. Gun Rights: Do you think that every person should have unrestricted rights to own guns and take them where they want to or do you think that the government should put more restrictions on people’s right to own a gun? I think that the govenment should put more restrictions on people's right to own a gun because if people had unresticted rights to own guns then there would be alot more chaos and anarchy in the streets of the US.
6. Homosexual Rights: Do you think that the government should make sure that homosexuals are not discriminated against, including the right to marry whoever they want to, or do you think that the government should stay out of this issue and people should be allowed to discriminate against homosexuals and even ban homosexual marriage?  I thinks that the government should make sure that homosexuals are not discriminated against, includinf the right to marry whoever they want to because the government protects against discrimination against minorities, gender, and age. Why should the rights of homosexuals be any different? 
7. Prayer in schools: Do you think that there should be prayer in schools at things like sporting events, assemblies, graduations, or over the intercom, or do you think there should be no prayer in schools at all so as not to make people with different religious beliefs uncomfortable? I think that there should be no prayer in schools at all so as not to make people with different religious beliefs uncomfortable because the US is a nation with a seperation of church and freedom of religion.
8. Abortions: Do you believe that a woman should have the right to choose to terminate a pregnancy if she does not want to have a baby, or that abortions should be illegal because an unborn baby’s rights should be protected? I believe that a woment should have the right to choose to terminate a pregnanct if she does not want to have a baby because  if the woman was raped she does not need a constant reminder of that terrible event with her for the next 18 years, and if she is in an unstable place in her life she should be able to decide whether or not to bring a baby into the world at the time.
9. War on Drugs: Do you believe that the government should do everything in its power to stop the trafficking of illegal drugs by severely punishing those who posses or sell them, or do you think that drug use is a “victimless crime” and that the government should focus on other types of crime? I believe that drug use is a "victimless crime" and that the government should focus on other types of crime, the government is not fighting a war on alcoholism so the government should be focusing their efforts on more serious crimes.
10.  Rights of the Accused: Do you think that accused criminals should be able to appeal their convictions and possibly go free if there were problems in their prosecution, or that the courts already do too much to let people off the hook on technicalities? I think that accused criminals should be able to appeal their cinvictions and possibly go free if there are problems in their prosecutions because there are to many cases in which innocent people are sitting in prison on multiple life sentences or on death row for crimes they did not commit.
11. Rights of Accused Terrorists: Do you think that people accused of being terrorist have the same rights as US citizens and should be given fair trails and protected from things like torture, or do you think that the US should do all that it can to stop terrorism everywhere in the world? I think that people accused of being terrorists should have the same rights as US citizens and should be given fair trials ans protected from things like torture because they are "accused" and just like American citizens they should be givin the same rights as the accused and be prosumed innosent until proven guilty.
12. Which of the two main ideologies do you think best describes your political beliefs? Of the two main idologies I believe that Liberal best describes my political beliefs.
13. What is the main source of most of the political beliefs that you have described? The main source of most of the political beliefs that I have described has been school.

Obama & Public Opinion

Obama's Bad Friday was written by Daniel Stone and posted on September 2, 2011. The column records how the White House administration released a series of bad reports on a holiday weekend. Daniel Stone gives an account of the how the administration's effort to pivot the jobs agenda. The column ends with a quote from political scientist Larry Sabato who is sceptical of how a speech and a tour can help Obama pivot. The article is Daniel's personal interpretation of Obama's main agenda.

Daniel Stone's column gives us an explanation an explanation as to why the Obama administration would give bad news on a Friday before a holiday weekend. He quotes Sabato as saying "It has to be real news to reinvent himself," meaning that the job piviot may not be enough to get the Obama administration back in the good graces of the American people. Republican's are using the Obama administration's mistakes as their main focus to appeal to Obama's disappointed fan base.

1. What bad news did the Obama administration release to the media on Friday

That there had been zero job growth, and that he planed to scale back on on administration regulation of the Ozone

2. Why would they do that right before a holiday weekend?

They would do that right before a holiday weekend because people would be less likely to pay attention

3. What will keep the public from focusing on the Obama administration's problems this week?

9/11 commemorations and the GOP presidential debate

4. What is the top item on Obama's agenda currently?

Obama's agenda are currently to jumpstart his stalled presidency and unveil his jobs agenda

5. Explain how this story shows how the Obama administration tries to take control of public opinion so that the media does not control it.

This story shows how the Obama administration tries to take control of public opinion so that the media does ot control it by showing how the Obama administration gave the bad news so that the media would not be able to swing public opinion in disfavor of the Obama administration.

Rick Perry

Rick Perry, Anti-Federalist was written by David Sessions and published on August 18, 2011. The column is a review of Rick Perry's book Fed Up! Our Fight To Save America From Washington. Sessions argues that altho Perry claims to be a Tea Partiest, and be in support of federalism, his arguments state otherwise.

Federalism is the idea that the national and state governments share power's in controling the nation. As a self-proclaimed member of the Tea Party, Perry uses the Federalist Papers to support him, but in his book he is continuously quotes the ideals of the Anti-Federalists.

1. What does Rick Perry think is wrong with the federal government?
that the federal government has abandoned respect for the Constitution

2. What is wrong with the way that Rick Perry is quoting the Federalist Papers?

Perry is quoting all the Anti-Federalist arguments

3. Why would Perry be so supportive of the Tenth Amendment?

Because he is the Gov. of Texas and wants more control in the states

4. Why is Perry's support of Lincoln during the civil war strange?

Perry's support seems strange because Lincoln undermined the constitution frequently during the Civil War

5. What is Perry's biggest problem with the federal government?

6. What criticisms of Bush and Obama does the author make?

that the Bush administration gave the authority to have illegal wiretaps, to hold and torture POWs without charge, and the Obama administration not only has sheiled Bush officials from prosecution but also asserted its power to launch wars without approval

7. What does Perry feel should be at the top of the public agenda?

the defense of freedom

8. What is Perry's attitude toward America's military?

Perry thinks that the government underspends on America's military

9. After reading his book, what does the author end up thinking about Rick Perry?

the author ends up deciding the Rick Perry hates govenment to much to be trusted with it

10. After reading the article, what do you think about Perry's chances of becoming the Republican Party nominee for president?

after reading the article I dont think the Republican Party will want such a misinformed man to be their nominee for president