Political Cartoon #5

1. How does the economy affect everyday citizens' lives?
2. Is there a way for the people to contribute to reducing the national debt? If so, how?
3. How do effects of the economy to citizens affect businesses (as the cartoon shows)?

20 Truths about the American Political System

1. Many people vote without knowing facts about the candidate they're voting for. [-]
2. Candidates don't really know how to win votes from the people. [-]
3. Politics is all about money (politics is not the main focus). [-]
4. Connections are very important. Politicians are parts of "teams" or groups. [o]
5. Especially in our modernizing world, the media is one of the main sources for campaigning  and persuading the public. [o]
6. Because of our two-party system, people are forced to categorized into one political party or the other (or independent). [-]
7. The people do not directly vote for who they want as president. [-]
8. The Electoral College does not always accurately reflect the beliefs of the people. [-]
9. The Electoral College maintains a federal system of government and representation. [+]
10. A two-party system promotes division and deadlock. [-]
11. Parties make it easier to run for office by providing a base of support and mobilizing voters. [+]
12. Political parties may promote corruption (ex. awarding insiders of party). [-]
13. National and international powers are divided within three branches of government. [+]
14. The Judicial Branch doesn't have as much power compared to the other branches. [-]
15. The Judicial Branch is purposely isolated so that they can focus on deciding court cases, instead of domestic/foreign issues. [+]
16. There are multiple steps before a bill becomes a law. --may be both [+/-]
17. America follows an "outdated" Constitution. [-]
18. It seems as nothing gets done in Congress. [-]
19. Having a bicameral legislature reduces the misuse of power. [+]
20. Congress decides their own pay. [o]

  

"Left, Right, Center- Third Parties" Podcast

Facts/Details/Opinions/Questions:

1. 58% of Americans believe we do need a third political party because the two-party system we currently have does not represent the people very well.
2. 58% of Americans also opposed the war in Afghanistan.
3. Democrats are afraid of this because it may threaten Obama's re-election.
4. Obama did not use public financing.
5. What beliefs would this third party have, differing from views of Democrats and Republicans?
6. If a third party is created, it should not be "fetish-cized."
7. Different parties integrate/assimilate into on of either parties in our two party system (ex. the Tea Party usually integrates into the Republican Party).
8. A third party does not necessarily have to win to change an issue, shown by Perot.
9. Political parties tend to break down.
10. If a third political party is created, would the people want to create even more parties to better represent themselves?
11. Would Democrats or Republicans lose more members to the third party?

Constituent Letter

Dear Representative Meehan,

     My name is Christina Ngo. I am currently a junior of Haverford High School and have been learning about U.S. politics and government. The reason I am writing you is concerning the Learn to Earn Act of 2011.
     As a junior, I am feeling more and more pressure to choose a career path I may be interested in for my future career. One of my possibilities is going into business. Though I am still unsure, it is possible that I may open up a business of my own; however, I do not have much experience. This brings me to the Learn to Earn Act of 2011. This bill should be passed because it gives students in secondary schools a chance to learn about what they may have to face in "the real world" after high school. This would be extremely beneficial in educating students that are interested in this type of career.
     Passing this bill would have a positive effect for Pennsylvania, as well as our country, as a whole. With more students going into college, or even starting a small business, more jobs will be created. These educated students would then have the necessary skills and knowledge for them to run their business.
     Thank you for your time and I hope you will consider to pass this bill.

Sincerely,
Christina Ngo

[SENT]

Democratic Party

Facts/Details:

1. Democrats have fought for the interests of working families and equal opportunities for all Americans.
2. Their mission is to provide citizens the opportunity for a better life.
3. Democratic Party leaders fought to make changes that make matter most to Americans.
4. Democrats of every state help with electoral efforts, voter registration, candidate and volunteer recruitment, and training.
5. They focus on rebuilding the economy for short as well as the long run for all Americans. 
6. They fight to repair damage and better the economy based on values of Main Street, not greed or reckless speculation.
7. This group was founded as they believed wealth and privilege shouldn't be as focused on; hard work, responsibility, and values should.
8. Democrats fought to end discrimination in all forms- discrimination based on sex, religion, race, ethnicity, language, origin, etc.
9. They are committed to strengthening the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division to better protect voting rights.
10. Democrats are also committed to building a fair criminal justice system that provides non-violent offenders a second chance for a good life. 
11. Democrats believe everyone should have some basic security in health care.
12. The Affordable Care Act, passed by Democrats, holds insurance companies accountable for lower health care costs, expanding coverage options, and improving the quality of health care for all Americans. 
13. Democrats are committed to ensure job creation, rebuild infrastructure, invest in clean-energy technologies, and restore fairness and opportunity to our economy.
14. Democrats cut taxes for 95% of working families, provided help for small businesses and homeowners, and strengthened consumer protections for anyone with a credit card or bank loan.
15. They would create jobs by providing tax cuts to small businesses and expand lending for businesses to create jobs. 

Political Cartoon #4

1. What does this cartoon say about campaigning?
2. How does this illustration depict how citizens may feel about campaigning?
3. Since we know campaign ads usually don't inform citizens about candidates, do you think they're a waste of money? How could candidates persuade citizens more effectively/ efficiently?

Issue of the Week: Censorship

What would be censored from the Internet?
The Communications Decency Act (CDA) criminalizes "indecent" speech depicting or describing sexual or excretory acts or organs in a patently offensive fashion under conetmporary community standards. However, there always seems to be situations that may not exactly follow this standard, and one may question such content that may or may not fit this description of a crime. It is often times difficult set rules or standards of what may not be posted on the Internet because there's no distinct line.


How is censoring the Internet different from censoring phones, television, and the radio?
Broadcasts of media and phones are supervised by the government. Anyone with Internet access, anywhere can post anything they desire at any time. Sure, some websites may censor or tell you to remove your post if it is inappropriate or copyrighted, but I'm sure there's always a way for people to see it. The government can do little to control radio and television because of a "scarcity" doctrine that limits the government's involvement and regulations. The government does not wish to ban or take one's freedom of speech away, but to seek a time and place where children may not access broadcasted, indecent language (which is why indecent language cannot be banned).


Should the Constitution be revised to keep up with our modernizing society and technology?
Sure, the First Amendment of the Constitution protects one's right to freedom of speech, however, people may think this is not enough because of all the new technological devices and social networking sites. Censorship is seen as something that supposedly protects the public, especially children, from "indecent" acts. Such acts should also not be published on the Internet, where anyone may access it. However, because the Constitution is outdated, it mentions nothing of such technology and issues we have today. So, yes, it may be time to amend the Constitution. Not so much to rewrite the entire document, but to keep it up-to-date and appropriate for our modernizing society.


Sources:
http://www.ncac.org/
http://www.ehow.com/facts_5122669_pros-cons-media-censorship.html
http://censorship.laws.com/censorship/pros-of-censorship
http://www.spectacle.org/freespch/faq.html#3