HE DID IT

Some say that Barack Obama snubbed Hillary Clinton at the State of the Union Speech. Truth be told, I believe that he did do it. Hillary is beating him in this race, and he is upset and so he wants to take it on Hillary. Hillary has not did anything to Barack, except campaign hard and express her thoughts and feelings, and things that she is going to do for America. That is the same thing that he did, so why be upset? Why did he do it, is really the question, not did he do it? No one will ever know because he says that he didn't do it on purpose and that he was speaking to Senator McCaskill. She backed him up on the issue, and said that it has been brought as something, when it is really nothing going on. Whats the deal?

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/01/29/obama-i-didnt-snub-clinton/

CONGRATULATIONS HILLARY

I just would like to congratulate Hillary Clinton over her win in Florida, over Barack Obama and John Edwards. I believe that this years election will be one to remember because not only is their the possibilty of a woman being president, but because its Hillary Clinton, so that means Bill is BACK. This election is not about race, ethnicity, and sex; its about the better person, and who will do the job of being a president, and cleaning up the mess that the current President has made in the United States. Hillary campaigned long and hard, and I believe is now starting to wake up and smell the coffee, and stop making decisions on sex or ethnicity, but on whats right, and who can get the job done.

Money were your mouth is, or report card in this case

The importance of education is obvious in our growing society and being college students we percieve the future value in it. Well, remember when you were in highschool and that one special teacher took you under her/his wing and gave you the motivation you needed to perservere. Now teachers are expanding into new ideas of incentives. A growing trend of "paying students for good grades" has swept the U.S. and has been since the idea first arrived in Dallas's Highschool AP programs in 1995. Baltimore, New York, Atlanta, Alabama to name a few have been giving cash rewards up to 500 big ones for improvement on English and Math test scores. Even Exxon Mobil has jumped into this push for higher learning offering students $100 dollars for each passing grade in their AP college-prep exams. I think this is a great idea and wish i had had the opportunity to take advantage of a program like that in my highschool. Considering that college graduates make on average more money than non-college graduates, i think its just a step-up a toward higher learning adds right to higher pay. We need well-developed minds to help run the country. Thats why were America and still number one.

Church and State - Civil Rights

Lewis Black is a political topic comedian who has performed on stage since 1990. In one of his latest films, Red, White, and Screwed (2006 HBO Special), Lewis Black discusses his views on our government and why the president carries gay rights on such a high pedestal. Unlike George Carlin from my previous post, I agree with Lewis Black's speculation nearly 100%. It's pretty interesting how Black can make the somewhat touchy subject accurate and humorous simultaneously. I too, do not understand why many people in government are absorbed in gay rights/marriages when we have more pressing issues to worry about; welfare, health care, the war in Iraq, and so on. I thought Christian beliefs were not to interfere with government actions, am I wrong?

Warning: Adult Context

Security Security

Homeland Security is now tighting up even more on our borders. We were wondering how it could be done since the Free-trade agreement. It can be done and Michael Chertoff of Homeland Security says so. If you are planning to leave the country you better make sure you have a birth certificate in your back pocket or your passport handy otherwise, there will be no getting back into the U.S. A new rule is being implemented on January 31st that says anyone 19 yrs. or older will need more than just a U.S. drivers license to prove citizenship. Since the 9/11 attack Americans have realized we need to be alittle more careful with our beautiful country of "ruled freedom". We are starting to realize how good we have it here and its need for appreciation, respect, and cherishment.

Voting for the Future

Many people vote for tax cuts for the rich and other similar policies because they believe that some day they will be rich. That may happen, but statistics show that most people will remain in the class they are born into. People get they idea that they will be rich because they hear stories about people who were poor and started their own company and became rich, but these are exceptions to the rule. You should vote based on the class you're in now, not the class you think you'll be in in the future.

View on Voting

There is a lot of flaws in the voting system. One of the biggest flaws is people vote for who they think is going to win instead of voting for who they want to win. I'm one of those people who has fallen victim to this way of thinking. I would like Edwards to win, but I feel he has no chance. Does this mean I should still vote for him or should I focus my vote to someone who I feel has a chance. If I vote for one of the other two candidates I feel like I'm choosing the person I dislike less instead of choosing a candidate I really want to see in office.

Race and Gender in Election

I think it's crazy how this years election has focused so much on race and gender. I think it's great that these candidates are breaking down barriers, but race and gender doesn't determine whether a person is going to be a good leader. People have to look past the exterior and see what these candidates really stand for.

Get pockets ready

Everywhere you turn you hear how the U.S. is looking for ways to stimulate the economy. Well, I hope you all payed your taxes. News from Cnn last week states that The Treasury Department is taking part of the issue into their hands. U.S. tax payers will recieve rebate checks for $600 per person and $1200 per couple. Capitol Hill believes that the checks will be cashed and put right back into the system. I dont know about you but they can stimulate my pockets all they want. "Show me the money".

2008 ELECTION- THERE'S NEVER BEEN ONE LIKE IT

The race for presidency is tight, and there really is no frontrunner, but one thing for sure is the Democrats are turning out to vote. More and more people are turning out to vote than ever before. Its usually the republicans that turn out to all of the primaries and caucuses, but their is more democrats than republicans.Is Barack Obama the true reason to why more people are showing up to the polls, or is that "THE PEOPLE" want their vote to count, and they want to make a difference in the world, and the 2008 President Election. The democrats have always been outnumbered, and apparently they are tired of being outnumbered and wants change. What does all of this mean? Will the votes count, and will history be made in 2008?



http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1707063,00.html?xid=feed-cnn-nation

IT DOESN'T COUNT

Why do we vote any way? When we vote, whose to say that our vote is going to count? We say that we want one person in office, and thats just our opinion. Our votes really do not have a say so, so more and more people are not turning out to vote. Is that good for America? No, but lately nothing that is going on is good for America. What is the purpose of voting again, because some where down the line I forgot, or maybe I just misunderstood the meaning of it. Whose to say that the elector college is going to pick the person that they want, when the voters chose someone else?

The Less to Vote

It is heard that most Democrats feel that their vote is not important and when most of them begin to think that they are less likely to vote. Gov. Charlie C agrees with the Democrats, it should not matter what party you belong to, voters should not feel less important at any cause. All votes count reguardless of the party that you are associated with. Will most Democrats change their outlook toward voting?

Who Is He...

"Florida Sen. Mel Martinez endorsed John McCain on Friday, a move likely to give the Republican presidential candidate a crucial boost with the state's Cuban-Americans just days before the primary."

Who exactly is Mel Martinez and why does his one opinion carry so much weight that he can sway Floridan republicans to the point that the media can just right off Giuliani and Romney? How can a guy who carries a 38% approval rate and only a 48% approval rate with his own party have such an effect? Is it because he is Hispanic? Has it become a racial issue? I just do not understand how our "unbiased" media can report that all of a sudden, just because of one man's opinion, 3.3 million Hispanics, a little more than 17% of Florida's population will vote for McCain mostly because an Hispanic senator backed him...now I can under stand the majority of Dade county voting for him with 57% of its population being Hispanic and three of its Senatorial representatives being Hispanic, all whom back McCain...but what about the rest of us...why does the media try to speak for us???

AP News Story Florida senator endorses McCain (AP)

Propaganda and Free Speech

I was told about this video in it's full length form. I must admit that it startled me and made me angry. There is a lot of anti-government propaganda floating around. There is truth to some, but I'm beginning to see that it exists because of free speech. The first amendment that grants us free speech is a wonderful thing. It enables us to bite the hand that feeds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuBo4E77ZXo

The power of money

It is unfortunate that money always seems to win in the end. Whoever raises the most money, is able to advertise the most and thereby increases his or her exposure to the public. For example, Edwards does not have nearly as much money as Obama or Clinton, and he consistently finishes in third place. This works very well for the presidential candidates, because most people seem to just vote for whoever they recognize or like best. Is this based on sensational television or provocative radio advertisements , or sincere research and critical analyses of each candidate's stance on important policy issues? Hopefully this class will benefit all of us in this regard. We, as voters, need to take our votes seriously. It can make a difference: one vote and one delegate at a time. I hope voters' critical thinking will give the candidates a run for their money!

Economic stimulus package

President Bush and the House of Representatives proposed their economic stimulus package today. If the Senate passes it, many taxpayers will receive a tax rebate. It is quite surprising that the President and House could agree so quickly. Senator Harry Reid , however, does not seem all that impressed with the proposal. I wonder if tax rebates would actually stimulate the economy to get it out of a recession. If every taxpayer receives an extra $600, would all of them (or even the majority) spend it immediately? I would think a lot of people would have some sense and rather save or invest the money since a recession is a difficult time. If so, then the money would not be fed back into the economy and an alternate plan might be necessary.

Soft Language in America

George Carlin is a stand-up comedian who has spoken out and questioned actions of the government since the 1970s. During one of his shows in 1999, Carlin questions and speaks out against language that "the system has actually convinced people to use." George Carlin states that the government census attempts and succeeds in changing words and phrases around in order to please Americans psychologically. I agree with about 75% of his opinions, but I don't think it's the government alone that makes these changes. The video below is a snippit of his stand-up on "soft language."

Warning: Adult Context

Every vote should count

The national Democratic party stripped Florida of its Democratic delegates to the national convention, because the Florida legislature moved our presidential primary to January 29. This means that the votes of Florida Democrats will not count in determining who will be the Democratic nominee. I think this is a violation of every voter's right to vote and the right to have their votes count. This does not seem fair and just in a democracy. What happened to the voice of the people?

The Big Squeeze

The economy is on a down fall. Due to high cost of gas and food sales going up, many U.S. citizens are not intrested in the smaller things in life anymore such as ipods(mp3 players), or even a small cup of star bucks coffee. Big distrubutions such as these are losing money. Star bucks even increased the amount of a 20 oz. cup of coffe to $1, not mentioning target and other stores. But there seems to be one thing Americans can't seem to get enough of (regaurdless of what their budget is) which is Sony's HD-G Tv's. Will the economy ever be back on the rise.

Freedom of Voice

Although many citizens complain about American laws and policies, the fact that we are able to complain at all shows how much freedom we have, which is something that I'm sure all of you will agree with me in enjoying. The National Geographic magazine posted a story in August, 1999 which shows the true power of voicing ones opinions:

Chinese state security officers arrested Wei Jingsheng, an electrician, on March 29, 1979. Among his major crimes: writing essays arguing for democracy. Wei, who would spend 18 years in jail and become a prominent symbol of the power of the written word, was placed in the Beijing detention center. Chinese authorities feared Wei, recognizing that writing has an almost magical power: Words on paper, created by ordinary citizens, have overthrown governments and changed the course of history. So powerful is writing that the beginnings of civilization and history are most often defined as the moment cultures develop it.

Wei was beaten, starved, left in a room four and a half feet by nine feet, and kept on constant observation to make sure he never wrote another word. After 18 years, Wei was finally released and brought to America - his body hardly anything but bones, his teeth rotting - where his words and letters he was able to smuggle were made into a book. Can you imagine something like this happening in America? Or what it would be like to live in China, where the idea of democracy would have you thrown in jail for years?

The Power of Writing
By Joel L. Swerdlow