Sunday, December 20, 2009
Source for Political Cartoon #4
Source: http://politicalcartoons.com/cartoon/9d24f8b8-2b4e-493f-b071-c3c7a773ee7e.html
Favorite Holiday
My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. It gives families a chance to come together and enjoy the time they get to spend together. I also like it because of there is always a great meal. Most every Thanksgiving, my family goes to Connecticut to visit and have dinner with my aunt, uncle, cousins, and grandparents. We spend the day watching football and cooking dinner. Then we sit down to dinner and talk about family stories and what has happened in our lives since the last time we saw each other. It is always nice to get to see my family and eat some turkey and pie.
Political Cartoon #4
Who drew the cartoon? Joe Heller
Where was it published? Green Bay Press Gazette, 12/19/09
What issue or event does the cartoon deal with? The cartoon deals with the excessive spending on entertainment when there are many people with jobs, homes, and health care.
What is the cartoon's message? The cartoon is trying to say that too much money is being spent on movies and other forms of entertainment when there are many of people in our country who are without basic things like homes, jobs, and health care. The author thinks that movies waste money that could be used by the government or other organizations to help the needy and further improve our country.
Do you agree/disagree with the cartoon's message? Why? I agree with this cartoon's message. I think Hollywood does waste money when it comes to movie making. There is no reason why hundreds of millions of dollars have to be spent on something that only provides a couple hours of entertainment when that money could provide many with homes, jobs, and health care. Movie makers could do a lot of good for our country if they spent some of their funds for the movie on helping the less fortunate, rather than adding more special effects to their movie.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Source for Political Cartoon #3
http://politicalcartoons.com/cartoon/592e0778-5059-45d4-b6b9-b9092099c7cc.html
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Political Cartoon #3
Who drew the cartoon? Dave Granlund
Where was it published? Politicalcartoons.com, 12/13/09
What issue or event does the cartoon deal with? Global warming
What is the cartoon's message? The cartoon is saying that people aren't concerned enough with the effects of global warning. The artist is saying that just as the people of Atlantis didn't realize that nature would destroy their civilization, people today don't realize that global warning can have devastating effects on civilization today.
Do you agree/disagree with the cartoon's message? Why? I agree with the cartoon to an extent. I think that global warming is something that needs to be taken seriously and that people need to change the ways they do things in order to reduce the extent of global warming. However, I think that this cartoon's message is a bit extreme. Global warming isn't going to put an end to todays civilization. It may have some negative effects, but the results probably won't be as devastating as the artist predicts.
Religious Symbols on Public Property
As someone who is not Christian, I don't care for the presence of religious symbols on public property. This is because those religious symbols generally are associated with Christianity since majority of the people in America are Christian. Its not that I'm against religions accept my own, Judaism, but I think that the use of mainly Christian symbols is an unfair representation and gives the idea that other religions aren't as important. I like looking at Christmas lights during the holidays and I don't think people should stop putting them up on public property. They should just limit the use of extremely religious symbols like Christmas scenes, crosses, etc. Maybe when a town hall lights their Christmas tree, they can also light a menorah or provide representation for other religions.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Health Care Reform
The health care reform bill is currently being debated in the Senate. The Senators hope to have debates over the bill out of the way before the holidays. I think that it is going to be difficult for a universal health care system to be passed. There are two major problems with it. First, it is a more socialist idea and most Americans aren't very fond of that. Secondly, big insurance companies will take a big hit. If the government offers a better deal for health insurance, people will move away from the big insurance companies, causing them to lose business. I think that the idea of having all Americans covered by some type of health care is a good idea, but the steps currently being taken to achieve this aren't very promising.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Political Cartoon #2
Who drew the cartoon? Deng Coy Meil
Where was it published? Singapore, 11/29/09
What issue or event does the cartoon deal with? The cartoon deals with the growing issues with pollution and lack of care for our environment
What is the cartoon's message? The cartoon describes how the current rate of pollution is a major problem. People today don't take into consideration the toll their actions take on the environment. People don't want to change the ways they go about things. This is getting in the way of solutions to the pollution problem being found.
Do you agree/disagree with the cartoon's message? Why? I agree with the message of the cartoon. The current amount of pollution is bad for our planet. If we don't find ways to limit major sources of pollution, then we will leave future generations with environmental problems that they will be forced to deal with.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Herndon's New Principal
I think Herndon needs a very active principal. Someone who goes out of their way to go to different sporting events and makes appearances in the classrooms. It is important for the principal to show the students, teachers, and community that they are committed to making Herndon a better place for students to excel. I also think that the new principal needs to be more focused on letting the teachers do the teaching than on implementing their own policies. The students are the top priority, not the principal's reputation. I think Mr. Cooper set a very good example for our next principal. Regular classroom visits and encouraging announcements helped created a very welcoming learning environment.
Political Cartoon #1
Who drew the cartoon? Wolverton
Where was it published? Cagle Cartoon, 11/22/09
What issue or event does the cartoon deal with? The cartoon deals with the current problems with America's health care system.
What is the cartoon's message? This cartoon points out that the problems with the current health care system is the role of big insurance companies. The power they hold allows them to bully around the common American with extremely high premium increases. Americans are left helpless and, in many cases, have to give up their health insurance because they can't afford the costs. The cartoon criticizes the length of time it is taking to initiate healthcare reform.
Do you agree/disagree with the cartoon's message? Why? I agree with the cartoon. I think that big health insurance companies have to much power. It seems unfair that people can lose all of their coverage just because the already large company decides they need more money. The American people need to have healthcare so they can remain healthy. If not, sickness like swine flu could cause major problems.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Obama Meets Fallen Soldiers
Very early Thursday President Obama left the the White House and went to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to meet the landing of a plane carrying the bodies of 18 fallen soldiers. He stood at attention with other soldiers as the fallen soldiers were carried off of the plane. Obama later said that it was a sobering reminder of the sacrifice the soldiers make and that the experience will influence his future decisions about troop levels in Afghanistan. Hearing about this surprised me. I never would have expected for Obama to participate in something like this. I gained a lot of respect for Obama. His participation showed me that he really cares about all of the losses that the War on Terror has caused. I now think that Obama really will try to significantly decrease the level of American interaction in the Middle East.
Obama to Lift HIV/AIDS Travel Ban
Background: Currently, in order for an alien to fully immigrate to the U.S., he or she has to be tested for HIV. If the person test positive, then they can be denied a visa and legal access to the country.
Summary: President Obama announced that he will lift the 22 year ban on the entry of people with HIV/AIDS into the United States by the start of 2010. Obama hopes that this action will encourage more testing and treatment which can lead to more families staying together. The extension of federal funding to low income people with HIV/AIDS was signed shortly after Obama made this announcement. The policy change was referred to as monumental.
Analysis: This is a huge change for America. It shows that America is now more aware to HIV/AIDS and more supportive of awareness and treatment of the disease. The United States was one of 12 countries with a ban, so the lifting of it joins the United States with the rest of the world in the fight against AIDS.
Editorial: I don't understand this decision. I don't think that allowing more AIDS and HIV into our country is an effective way for America to show that they support the fight for a cure. This will only lead to the further spread of the disease in our own country. More of the American effort should be focused on research and providing support to other countries.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Obama Declares H1N1 Emergency
Background: H1N1, more commonly known as swine flu, is a strain of the flu that has hit people around the world hard. It has created a pandemic and has made all people fearful.
Summary: President Obama has declared a national emergency to deal with H1N1. His administration said that it has nothing to do with the current case count or any new development. Instead, it allows the federal government help states deal with the pandemic by lifting bureaucratic requirements. Obama has allowed Health and Human Services to waive some requirements in hope to help health care facilities. Since the beginning of the pandemic in April, more than 20,000 people have been hospitalized and more than 1,000 people have died. Millions and millions of vaccines have been sent out across the country, but they are being given faster than they can be distributed.
Analysis: Obama's declaration of a national emergency a very appropriate and necessary step. The federal government needed to do something to help states deal with the effects of the pandemic. The lifting of bureaucratic requirements makes it so the states can worry more about what they need to do to keep their people healthy rather than worrying about the process they need to go through and the requirements they have to meet to solve their problems.
Editorial: Although I think that the steps Obama has taken in dealing with the H1N1 pandemic have been good, I think more needs to be done before the pandemic reaches even worse levels. The idea of getting a flu that is potentially life threatening is very freighting. I am trying to do all I can to make sure I avoid getting swine flu, but there are some situations I can't avoid. Most kids get swine flu from there friends at school. I think schools need to come up with a way to prevent the spread of H1N1 in school, like a closing. That way, everyone can rest and get better, while not missing any work.
Who Will Win the Virginia Governors Race?
The Virginia governors race between Democrat Creigh Deeds and Republican Bob McDonnell is starting to heat up as election day draws closer. According to polls, its appears as though McDonnell will win the election. Although I think that Deeds is better suited for the position, I agree with the polls, and believe McDonnell will be victorious. While both candidates have plans and ideas for improvement, McDonnell's ideas are more clear and have been more clearly addressed. Deeds' poor public speaking gives the public the idea that he is unprepared to deal with the problems that Virginia is facing. Transportation is one of the biggest issues that the state is facing. McDonnell has a specific and aggressive plan to deal with the problem while Deeds currently has no established plan. This hurts Deeds. Ultimately, the biggest factor in the election is that Virginia is a Republican state, thus the Republican candidate already has an advantage. In order for Deeds to overcome the advantage that McDonnell has, he needs to really push Obama's presidency and his ideas similar to those of Obama. He has failed to do this. Bob McDonnell's victory in the Virginia governors race won't be because he is a better candidate than Creigh Deeds, but because Deeds failed to express his ideas and goals to the public.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Virginia's Biggest Political Issue
The biggest political issue facing the the state of Virginia is the economy. Our country is facing the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. It has affected every state, including Virginia. People are losing jobs, losing homes to foreclosure, and small businesses are struggling to remain in business. Major changes are going to be necessary in order to get Virginia's economy in a state where the people won't have to worry about it. I think the governors race will have a major impact on how the economic problems will be dealt with. Each candidate has different ideas on how to fix the economy. A lot of effort and a lot of change is going to have to take place in order for Virginia's economy to return to a prosperous time.
Pentagon Cancels Deployment of 3,500 U.S. Troops to Iraq
Background: President Obama plans to remove all troops from Iraq by August 2010, while he will likely increase the number of troops in Afghanistan.
Summary: Because the military is trying to decrease the number of troops in Iraq, more than 3,000 troops that were scheduled to deploy were not sent to Iraq. The withdrawal of troops from Iraq is taking place along with the debate of whether or not to send 40,000 troops to Afghanistan. All combat troops are planned to be removed by August while 50,000 troops will remain in advisory roles. Those advisory troops will be removed by the end of 2011. There are many concerns that may delay the removal of troops from Iraq. Uncertainty with the upcoming Iraqi election and continued violence in Iraq are major concerns that make the government wonder if the withdrawal of troops is the appropriate action.
Analysis: There is always going to be a lot of concerns in Iraq because it is not a stable country. The military has done a good job of dealing with the violence and has set up the base for a democratic government. Now it is time for the troops to leave and let the Iraqi people and government use what has been set up for them. If more troops are going to be sent to Afghanistan then the military should put all of its focus into one area.
Editorial: I think Obama is doing the right thing by removing the troops from Iraq. We have done all we can do to stabilize Iraq and it is time for us to leave. Violence will always be a concern in Iraq. I can understand why Obama and the military might second guess their withdrawal plan, but the concerns they have will take a very long time to solve. They need to continue to remove troops from Iraq so no more American lives are lost.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Obstacles Ahead For Obama's Gay Rights Goals
Background: Barack Obama does not support same-sex marriage and believes that marriage is between a man and a woman, but he does support civil unions for same sex couples that offer similar rights and protections
Summary: President Obama gave a speech on Saturday to the Human Rights Campaign. He commended the group for the strides they have made towards equal rights and promised to deliver on campaign promises. Critics have said that Obama has put this issue on the back burner. Obama has been pushing Congress to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act that was passed under Bill Clinton. Many Senators don't support this push because their states have laws prohibiting same-sex marriage. Obama said in his speech that there are still many laws to change and hearts to open.
Analysis: Obama's speech was a good way to reassure the gay community that he is going to help give them equal rights. Obama has placed the issue on the back burner. This is because there are many more important issue that need to be taken care of like the economic downturn, war on terror, and health care system. Not much progress will be made in this area in the near future, but once Obama is further into his first term and has dealt with some of the country's major problems, he will work to make sure that the gay community gets equal rights.
Editorial: I agree with the steps that Obama is taking. Although I don't support gay marriage, I do think that gays do deserve equal rights and the ability to marry if they choose. I think Obama will have a difficult time making sure the gay community gets equal rights because there is so much controversy over it. It will take a lot of work to get all states to get rid of there laws against gay marriage. I do think Obama has put the issue on the back burner and it is sort of a good thing. There are many other issues that Obama needs to deal with before he tries to gain rights for gays.
President Obama's Report Card
Health Care: When it comes to health care, President Obama has only provided ideas. His ideas for a universal health care system are good and will eventually help the nation, but he has been all talk and no action. I would give Obama a B for health care. His ideas are proactive and will help keep our country in good health to make good decisions. Once Obama's ideas are put into action, this grade will improve.
Economic Downturn: Obama was put into a very difficult situation. He came into office facing one of the worst economic downturns since the Great Depression. Although it is a tough situation, Obama hasn't done a very good job. I would give him a D. Dealing with the economic downturn should have been the first thing on Obama's agenda because in order for our country to improve, our economy needs to be saved. Obama should be working to decrease spending rather than increasing spending. Even though his spending is being used to stimulate the economy, Obama is just putting the country further into debt.
War on Terror: I would give Obama a C+ when it comes to the War on Terror. He is being true to his word by removing troops from Iraq and declaring that combat would in Iraq would end by August 2010. However, Obama took a slight step backwards by increasing the number of troops in Afghanistan. Obama needs to focus on improving the conditions in our own country. Continuing to fight and send troops is just a distraction that will slow the improvement of the problems with our economy, health care system, etc.
Overall: Overall I would give Obama a C. He has not been in office long enough to really make an massive improvements or changes. He also stepped into office facing some very pressing demands and many problems to deal with. So far Obama has been a lot of talk and no action which will not help make improvements. I do believe that his ideas, once put into action, will greatly improve the country.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Long Lines For Veterans Looking For Emergency Economic Funds
Background: The Post 9/11 GI Bill gave veterans benefits including four years of educational tuition. Many veterans are beginning to want the benefits that the bill guarantees them.
Summary: On Friday, 8,500 checks were given out to out to veterans by the Department of Veteran Affairs. These checks totaled $26 million. An additional 7,880 request for funds were made that would total $23.6 million. Veterans had been calling to the VA to process the applications faster because they were having to borrow money and in some cases drop out of school. The emergency funds program fixed this problem.
Analysis: When the veterans began to complain about the problems with the process of receiving their benefits, the VA was very good at coming up with a solution to appease the well deserving veterans. If everything goes as planned, every veteran will be served which is the right thing because every veteran deserves to be rewarded for the hard work they put into protecting our country.
Comment: I think the VA is doing a really good thing by making sure all veterans receive their benefits and receive them in a timely fashion. All the veterans are deserving and should be rewarded in this way for all of the hard work they dedicated to our country. However, I do think that this could add to our country's economic problems. It causes the government to spend even more money when they should be finding ways to save money.
Political Issue That I Am Personally Interested In
There are many political issues that I am interested in, but most recently I have become interested in the problems with the Social Security system. With the baby boomers beginning to retire, people fear that the Social Security system will run out of money and collapse. I agree with these people. I worry that I will have to pay taxes towards Social Security all of my working years and then when it comes time for me to retire, I will never see a Social Security check with my name on it. It doesn't seem fair that my generation will have to give up some of our money when we will never get anything in return. I really think the government needs to devise a plan that will prevent the Social Security system from collapsing. There are many people in our country that rely on Social Security checks. Without them, the people may suffer from even worse economic problems.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
No Deadline Set for Decision on Troops
Background: The U.S. currently has troops stationed in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the commander in Afghanistan, urgently requested that President Obama send more troops to Afghanistan.
Summary: President Obama hasn't made a decision on when he is going to decide whether or not he will authorized the sending of more troops to Afghanistan. Obama has rescheduled the next five meetings on this subject and they will begin with the idea that McChrystal's way is the right option. Vice President Biden suggested that they adopt a counterterrorism strategy that would send less troops than McChrystal's option.
Analysis: President Obama has a tough decision ahead of him. Not only does he have to decide how the war in Afghanistan is going to proceed, but he also has to come up with a strategy that will please each political party. The Democrats are skeptical about the war, while Republicans support it. Obama's indecision is fully understandable because his decision will affect many things, the war, bipartisan politics, and the worlds view on the United States.
Editorial: I completely understand Obama's hesitance. He is faced with a difficult decision that most other people would not want to have to make. I believe that he will make the right decision for our country. I don't support the war and feel that it is unnecessary to send more troops, but if the sending of troops is what's necessary to keep our country safe, I will support the decision. I think that Obama's most practical option is to find a median between Biden's idea and McChrystal's idea.
Source:
What Political Party Are You Most Closely Aligned With?
I most closely align with the democratic party. I wouldn't classify myself as a democrat, but I typically agree with and support their ideas and goals. It was only until the past presidential race that I really began to realize my political views. I agreed with the ideas of Barack Obama. I with his idea that if we want to improve our country, we must make change. I also realized that I dislike many of the republican party's ideas and that I dislike much of conservatism. I also align myself with the democratic party because I was raised by parents that support the democratic party. Their reasons for supporting that party made sense to me causing me to follow in their footsteps.
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