2.4 Pork Barrel Legislation!

This article was written by Daniel Stone. It is talking about the Tea Party and why they are upset about the budget. It also talks about the pork projects being requested by House leaders and other Representatives. It also shows how some of the GOP candidates are using pork barrel and trying to cut the bdget at the same time. Basically, the whole thing is abut how on the outside, most of the Tea Party congressmen want to cut the spending but privately want more spending in their constituency

1. If Eric Cantor is the House Majority Leader, what is he supposed to do?
 He is supposed to help the Speaker of the House and lead his party in the House of representatives.

2. Why would Cantor recommend cutting a high speed rail program in Nevada, but not similar programs in Virginia?
Because his constituency is in Virginia
3. Why would voters be disappointed in these Tea Party members?
Because the members of the House have to simultaneously help thier constituents and do work in Washington, and the Tea Party members are upset that the budget isnt being cut.

4. What evidence do you have that even House leadership asks for pork projects?
Both John Boehner (The Speaker of the House) and Darrell Issa (The Oversight and Government Reform Committee chairman) both asked for pork projects.

5. Why would Congressmen call out members of their own party for asking for pork projects?
Because pork projects have nothing to do with the party as a whole. Pork projects are for a Congressman's constituency.

6. Ron Paul is a Libertarian. Why is it surprising to find him asking for pork?
because he is a very far right person, he believes that all spending should be cut and asking for pork projects is a direct contradiction of that belief.

7. What did Republicans say publicly about Obama's stimulus package? What are they doing privately?
Republicans are outwardly opposed to the stimulus package but are orivately happy about it because they can can put it in their constituency.

8. How do you think these Congressmen's constituency would feel about them for their actions?
 It's kind of a "does this out weigh that?" thing. They are not acting on their beliefs but they are benefiting from it.

2.3 Congress and Potential Policies

The article is written by Chris Good. Good talks about the GOP candidates and why their plans wouldn't work or only have a slight chance of working. It also talks about the discord in Congress and how unwilling all parties are to work together to pass laws that would actually do the country some good instead of run it into the ground. Especially in the Senate where the Democrats have the mojority. At the end of the article there is a slideshow of the GOP candidates's plans and why they would never work or only have a slight chance of working.

1 . Why aren't the candidates talking about the likelihood of their programs being passed?

the conversation exists in a space of ideas, not execution

2. Why doesn't a presidential election really change the direction of the country?

 presidents have to reckon with Congress so our nation's laws depend on the agreement of 535 people who can't agree on anything

3. How many Senate seats will be up for election in 2012?

33

4. How many could actually change hands?

11

5. Why would the Democrats still be able to block legislation with only 43 seats in the Senate?

Democrats would be unwilling to compromise

6. How could Rick Perry drastically change the future of social security?

allow younger citizens to opt for personal retirement accounts instead of Social Security

7. Why do you think Rick Perry and Herman Cain's plans are more popular than Mitt Romney's 87 page plan?

they offer flat taxes

8. Almost everyone wants to get rid of Obama's health care plan. Why do you think it will or won't be repealed?
Obamacare can only be repealed if the Republicans can get more than 60 Senate seats and keep their House majoity. Even then it will still be tricky because people refuse to acknowledge that Obamacare is socialist medicine

9. Why do people dislike Herman Cain's "9-9-9 plan"?

it is considered "regressive," in that it would give a greater break to higher incomes and potentially raise the burden on the lowest incomes

10. OOOH!!! Which Republican clown is your favorite? Why??

Ron Paul because he has two first names

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.