F5

a)The majority party is able to control who becomes the President Pro-Tempore in the Senate, the person third in line for the presidency, and the Speaker of the House. These congressional leaders control committee appointments and moderate debates. Who is appointed to committees helps control which interest groups gain sway in congress and what laws gain support. Debate moderators control which congressmen speak when.

b) The House of Representatives sets time limits for debates, preventing a filibuster from occurring. These time limits are set by the House Rules Committee. In the senate, there are no time limits on debates, allowing one senator to prevent a vote from occurring. Today, that rule has been adapted so that a senator no longer has to speak in order to delay a vote but must simply declare a filibuster. Therefore a minority party can easily prevent legislation from being passed in the Senate but would have a harder time in the House.

c) Only one person is needed to prevent a law from being voted on in the Senate. This makes it very easy to stop legislation from being passed in the Senate. Because filibusters are not possible in the House, the minority party cannot hold up legislation.

F2

1) a) The Americans With Disabilities Act protects the civil rights of individuals with disabilities. In particular it prevents discrimination in employment. This act gives the federal government the ability to regulate the way employers run their workplace and gives the federal government the power to enforce this anti-discriminatory act. States have no say in executing this law such as in establishing the drinking age but must succumb to the national government on this issue.

b) Preemption is the practice congress follows that states that state or local laws are invalid when they conflict with federal laws. This practice was exercised when No Child Left Behind was passed in that education is usually left up to the states but national standards were imposed on all public schools regardless of existing state education laws. This gives the national government ultimate power over state governments in that they can override all local laws with their own laws. The state governments essentially answer to the federal government.

2) a) U.S. v Lopez was a supreme court decision that limited the power of congress over the states. It resulted from an issue regarding carrying handguns to school but ended up with a clear establishment of where congress held power in states. The supreme court ruled that congress could not regulate social activity but only issues regarding channels of interstate commerce, people involved in interstate commerce, or issue that have a big effect on interstate commerce. This gave the states greater control over social issues and their schools and decreased the power of the national government.

b) Devolution is the practice of transferring power from the national government to state governments. This came into play in the Welfare Act passed under the Clinton Administration that changed welfare from an entitlement, which involves unlimited federal spending, to a block grant, a set amount of money given to each state to deal with as they see fit. Devolution allows states to have greater control over their affairs and forces the national government into a more hands-off approach.

Classwork: Interest Groups

a) The fundamental goal of interest groups is to influence policy by influencing policy-makers such as congress.

b) The fundamental goal of political parties is to elect representatives to office and to gain power in government.

c) Interest groups support the fundamental goals of political parties by promoting and endorsing candidates. An interest group has members who will be influenced by the group's support of a certain candidate. This will help the political party to get representatives elected. In addition, interest groups can also run ads and favorable media coverage to support an elected official, which will help that official to gain power and public support.

d) Endorsing a candidate will ensure that those who are elected support the goals of the interest groups. The interest group wants to ensure that the victorious candidate will have similar values to its members. Also, endorsement of a candidate will give an interest group access to them once they are elected. The interest group may be able to gain favors and support of favorable policies once they have the ear of someone in office.

E6

1) Collective Good - something of value that cannot be withheld from a group member

Free-Rider Problem - the problem faced by unions and other groups when people do not join because they can benefit from the group's activities without officially joining

Selective Benefits - goods that that a group can restrict to those who are official, due-paying members

2) Americans for Tree-Hugging

To promote the act of tree-hugging across the country and to promote the interests of those who engage in tree-hugging.

The potential group includes all those who hug trees or who are interested in one day hugging trees.

Collective good might be the relaxation and stress relief found from hugging tress. It could also be the encouragement of the love of nature that comes from a proximity with trees.

Selective benefits include our in depth data base of the choicest hugging trees across the country. It also allows access to group tree-hugging sessions.

Americans for Tree Hugging will send lobbyists to Washington to promote tree-hugging friendly policies. AFTH will also nominate candidates for office and attempt to get them elected.

E4

House Race in the 3rd District of Colorado

Scott Tipton Republican vs Sal Pace Democrat

The race is extremely close but polls show Tipton slightly ahead.

Pace's ads focus on individual experiences and portray working class Americans. One ad even shows a typical morning in the Pace household to contrast Sal with his opponent, a much wealthier man. Tipton's ads focus more on his Washington policies and less on Colorado. He promises to fire John Salazar, Colorado's secretary of Agriculture, and Nancy Pelosi and says that since Republicans were fired for their mistakes, Democrats should be as well. Despite the close race, apparently it has been a fairly low-negativity campaign. Pace is yet to release an ad attacking Tipton and Tipton's ads are more focused on Nancy Pelosi than on his opponent. The budget seems to be the key issue. Both candidates discuss budget cuts and one Tipton ad even shows him invoicing voters with their share of the national debt.

E2

1) I visited redstate.org

2)The article about the repeal of Obamacare discussed Akin and Mourdock and asserted that they were misunderstood. This moved beyond fact and into opinion, the author stated, "Republicans must rally to two gentlemen who are committed pro-lifers, but who said things in defense of children that others have decided to beat them up about." He even went so far as to say later in the article, "So suck it the hell up and get in line for Todd Akin (I’m looking at your NRSC) and Richard Mourdock."

3) Although the previously discussed article was almost entirely opinion the article about Hurricane Sandy began with a long list of statistics. It discussed the number of homes damaged and the economic ramifications of this destruction. The article was certainly still biased as it said that Romney "withdrew" from campaigning while Obama was "forced off." Despite this, the combination of fact and opinion made for a much more convincing article than the one discussing Obamacare.

4) Many of the articles have links that back up their facts or statistics. It also listed sites such as Revealing Politics where articles were cross referenced.

5) This site is clearly based on a conservative ideology. This is clear in that the description of the site is "Conservative Blog & Conservative News Source for Right of Center Activists."

6) While this site is a great place for politically-minded people to express their thoughts and read about issues, it is certainly not an unbiased news source. If a member of the electorate who was not already informed about current events visited this site they might be influenced by the way the stories are presented. This biased understanding of a key issue might influence the way this member of the electorate votes and chooses representatives. 

D10

1) I thought it was interesting that in the 2012 Colorado congressional race, the candidates who raised the most in-state contibutions also raised the some of the least out-of-state contributions. However, as I thought about this trend it made sense because Mike Coffman, who raised the most in-state funds, would have to focus all his fundraising efforts within Colorado and would have little to no time to work outside state borders. This explains why he was ranked third to last in out-of-state contributions.

2) Contributions to candidates, overall, were much higher than contributions to political parties. This backs up my notion that people get much more riled up and inspired by specific people than by an ideology. While many people support one party completely, oftentimes regardless of the candidate, they are still moved to contribute on a much larger scale to an individual person than to the party as a whole.

D9

A.
1) This article discusses Americans' beliefs in regard to global warming.

2) The article says that more Americans are starting to believe in global warming and that the number who say that climate change is man-made is also rising. About 67% of Americans currently say that they see significant evidence to support global climate change. This means that politicians can no longer solve their environmental policies issues by simply denying the existence of global warming. Candidates should address the issue of climate change with policies rather than denial. This also applies to our campaign because we should not deny global warming and we should develop policies to deal with global, environmental issues.

3) In general, those 65 and older are much less likely to believe in global warming. Therefore if a candidate is targeting seniors they can take a more conservative view on the environment. Candidates would receive more support from seniors if they were to deny the existence of climate change.

B.
1) "ASK ALL: Q.62 In your view, is global warming a very serious problem, somewhat serious, not too serious, or not a problem?"

2) Since June 2006, the number of people who say that climate change is a serious problem has stayed about the time. It has dropped a little bit from 41 in June 2006 to 39 in October 2012. The number of people who say that it's not problem has risen from a low of 8 in January 2007 to 19 in October 2012. 

3) This question seems neutral to me. It could be reworded to be biased as the following: "Due to the environmental impacts of climate change do you agree that global warming is a serious problem?"

C.
1) The poll was taken from October 4-7 2012.

2) The sample size was 1,511.

3) The margin of error is 2.9 percentage points.

4) There is a 95% confidence interval for this survey.

Mock Election Mission #3

          I wrote this speech for Richard to give when speaking to voters during lunches in B commons.
       
          Government is bound by duty.  It has a duty to protect, a duty to serve, and a duty to uphold the Constitution. Every citizen in this great country has the right to, in the words of Thomas Jefferson, “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” I stand before you today with a promise. If I am elected, I will uphold this sacred promise. I will uphold my duty to protect my environment, my duty not to overspend and to balance the budget. I will uphold my duty to support health care reform and my duty to prevent discrimination. America is built on equality.  This is the backbone of our society. I will help support immigration reform, and equal opportunity for all Americans regardless of race, sex, income, or sexual orientation. Every American has something to offer and if I am elected to the U.S. senate I will help to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to fulfill this potential and propel our country into a better tomorrow.

Mock Election Mission #2

          I wrote this speech for Anna to introduce Richard when visiting AP United States History classes.

          I’m here today to introduce someone to you who stands on a platform of change. Richard Potter plans to rebuild our economy, legalize civil unions, and abolish federal parole. Richard Potter plans to balance our budget and provide universal health care. Countless politicians stand up and present ideas, concepts, vague, hazy notions that are out of touch and impractical. Richard, as an independent candidate, is able to work on both sides of the aisle. He can hear opinions from all ends of the spectrum and devise workable strategies to solve issues facing our community. He does not blindly adhere to a party line. Richard makes choices based on his constituents, not party leaders. Richard Potter is many things: an engaged member of the Black Knight community, a model student, and a trustworthy friend. But above all he is your future senator.

Mock Election Mission #1

I wrote this speech for Richard to give when visiting Academic United States History classes.

When you think of government what do you think of? Partisan politicians incapable of moving beyond party lines? The current congressional stagnation over the federal budget? It is time to leave the two party system behind. It is time for representatives to begin addressing the concerns of their constituents, regardless of their party.

Democrats and Republicans are caught in a standoff. Progress will not be possible until we break out of this mold and begin to focus on the good of the people instead of the good of the party.  That is why I am running for senate as an independent candidate. This allows me to work with any politician as long as they have America’s best interests at heart. I am not confined by a political party. I am free to make independent decisions instead of walking in lockstep with platforms written by career politicians who are out of touch with the American people. I will protect small businesses and middle class families. I will help ensure a bright future for our country by balancing the national budget. I will work to bring our troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan. I will help to reestablish the U.S. as a champion of human rights by supporting Syrian refugees in Turkey. I have a plan. All I need is your vote.

D7

1) Obama focused a lot on incentives for domestic investors. He put an emphasis on creating jobs in our own country and preventing outsourcing. Obama also asked the wealthiest Americans to pay more in order to rebuild America. This policy runs contrary to what he calls Romney's "top down economics." Both candidates discussed energy a great deal. Obama says he's looking at energy sources for the future and also wants to ensure that America is in control of its own energy. Romney's energy plan focuses on oil and coal. He says Obama has been preventing drilling on public land in the U.S., which prevents energy independence. I was disappointed that the candidates focused so much oil and didn't discuss environmental issues as much as I would like. Romney also emphasized his belief government should not be overly controlling in regard to the private sector.

2) Obama said, " Governor Romney doesn't have a five point plan, he has a one point plan." This connects to our own mock election in that it can be a very effective approach to take on key aspects of the opponent's strategy. Obama also said, "These are not just women's issues. These are family issues. These are middle class issues." This can also be connected to the mock election because candidates often try to apply minority issues to the rest of society and try to make these issues important to more of the electorate. Romney said, "Let's look at the president's policies rather than the rhetoric." This is also applicable to the mock election in that it can be very effective to look like you're getting straight to issue without any BS.

3) Overall, I think Obama did much better in this debate than in the last one. He addressed Romney much more directly than he did last time. He also made a visible attempt to appear more energetic and engaged. This is applicable to the mock election in that it is important to know where you've been criticized before and improve yourself in those areas. Obama also often points out Romney's lack of specificity. Romney focused a lot on what he sees as a lack of success in the Obama administration over the last four years. Therefore, both candidates knew where their opponents were weak and brought these issues to light. This can be helpful to Richard in the upcoming debate if he knows weaknesses in his opponents' campaign. Romney also used a thumbs up repeatedly when he was gesticulating during the debate. This created an air of positivity in his actions. Unfortunately, Romney was not very tactful when he avoided the fairly direct question about self-deportation. It will be important for candidates in our debates to be careful when changing the topic of their answer.

4) Obama used a specific example from a 60 minutes interview with Romney when discussing taxation which helped his point seem solid and well supported. Obama was also particularly strong on women's issues. Obama knows that he has strong support from women and so is clear in his support of issues that affect American women today. This is important for our candidate in that they must know their base and support their issues. Romney often brought up specific promises Obama made in the last campaign and has statistics to prove that he hasn't lived up to those promises. Romney also repeatedly brought up Obama's talent as a speaker and used it to compare this strength with what he sees as a lack of talent at creating policies to help the American public.

D4

1) Ryan emphasizes strength and defense. He argues that the defense budget should not be cut because America will risk looking weak to the rest of the world, and that our enemies will take advantage of this. Ryan also focuses on the idea that the U.S. is not better off today then it was four years ago. He points out unemployment and economic decline. Ryan also emphasized the health care policy that does not change medicare for people in the system now, his policies will only affect future seniors. Biden, similarly to Obama, is focusing on the tax policies of the Republican candidates. He argues that Ryan will create tax cuts for the wealthy while leaving middle class and poor Americans to fend for themselves. The Democratic strategy seems to be to paint the Republicans as dismissive of poor Americans. Biden points to Ryan's opposition of ObamaCare and his changes to medicare to prove this point.

2) Joe Biden said, "Stop talking about how you care about people. Show me a policy." This points out many voters feeling that although politicians can advocate change, they don't always have a specific plan that they can point to in order to create this change.
     Paul Ryan asked Biden,"Where are the 5 million green jobs we were told would be created?" Ryan often argues that the Obama did not live up the promises he made in the last campaign. This question points this issue out.

3) Both vice-presidential candidates were a little sassier and more aggressive than the presidential candidates in the first debate. Joe Biden interrupted Paul Ryan several times, which I think many viewers will find obnoxious and unappealing. Biden also tries to appeal to viewers common sense, he often asked voters to follow their instinct. Ryan seems to rely on the idea that the Obama campaign is attacking Mitt Romney because they don't have a positive record to run on themselves. Both candidates are good speakers who are breaking down complex issues into simple terms. Overall, Ryan might come off as more appealing to voters though because of Biden's interruptions and the fact that he often laughs while Ryan is speaking. Biden also refers to Ryan as "my friend" throughout the debate to seem more amenable.

4) The moderator is running a much tighter show than Lehrer did in the presidential debate. She cut the speakers off fairly strictly at the time limits and asked more specific questions than Lehrer. She also asked a lot more follow up questions. Jim Lehrer was criticized for his hands off approach so perhaps Martha Raddatz is trying to avoid this. I found one of the last questions, about the candidates' religion and abortion, to be particularly interesting. As a Catholic and a Democrat this question is something that I've struggled with myself. I thought both candidates had good points. Ryan argued that life begins at conception and so abortion should be illegal while Biden argued that while he personally agrees with the Church's pro-life stance he does not believe in imposing this on women across the country.

D3

A. 1956 - Cartoon Man
         1) Made by Eisenhower and the Republicans
         2) The ad was preying on the indecision voters feel as a result of the bombardment of issues that occurs close to elections. The ad focused on stripping away all of these issues and focusing on the man himself, making Eisenhower more appealing to undecided voters.
     1984 - Arms Race
         1) Made by Mondale and the Democrats
         2) This ad relies on fear. The ad details the possible ramifications of taking the arms race into space, and these effects appear deadly and irreversible. The as focuses on Reagan and anti-disarmament and warns America that Mondale is the only man who can stop Reagan from destroying peace and an American quality of life.
      2000 - Dangerous World
          1) Made by Bush Jr. and the Republicans
          2) This ad also relies on fear, it describes a world that is dangerous to America and must re responded to with strength and power. The Republicans are hoping to make Americans feel like they must rely on the government, and Bush, for protection. Bush promises a strong military and an iron defense to help keep America safe.

B. 1) The Eisenhower ad from 1956 focused on a very mainstream America, the idea of America and of Americans was not so much that of a melting pot and diversity as it is now but more one of the white middle class, trying to raise a family and earn a living. One of Bush's ads, called Muchas Gracias, was focused on Hispanic voters and was entirely in Spanish. Presidential candidates seem to focus on minority voters and different demographics in more recent ads whereas older ads show a more stereotypical America. In addition, the older ads are much longer. Ads from the 2000's are 30 seconds long in comparison to the Eisenhower ad from the 1950's that was over 4 minutes long. This suggests a change in American society, one where Americans have shorter attention spans and more options. In the 50's there were not hundreds of channels to flip through during ads whereas nowadays, during commercials, there are countless other options for viewing.
     2) The first ad was most effective for me. The later two focused on fear and negativity while the first was positive and clear. Also, the beginning few seconds that showed the cartoon man being slammed with issues and vocabulary, were very appropriate and similar to how I often feel leading up to elections. Living in Virginia, my house is called by both parties and polling agencies every night and ads for candidates are impossible to ignore. It seems that what was appealing to voters in 1956 is still appealing today.

C9

1) Romney emphasized his promise to lower taxes. He believes in a small federal government and discussed the various ways he would take power from the national government and give it to state legislatures. He plans to decrease government revenue through high taxes and instead try to increase employment and make up the difference in income by receiving taxes from more people. Romney also hopes to repeal ObamaCare and give states more power in distributing well-fare to the poor. Obama emphasized the benefits of ObamaCare to justify the money he has spent on implementing it. Obama defended his efforts to increase healthcare coverage for all Americans from allowing children to stay on their parents' insurance longer to helping to lower premiums. One topic that both candidates discussed a lot was the middle class. Both Obama and Romney seem to have focused in on appealing to middle class voters.

2) Obama discussed Romney's lack of specificity, this is a key point in Obama's campaign against Romney. He said, “And at some point I think the American people have to ask themselves: Is the reason that Governor Romney is keeping all these plans to replace secret, because they are too good?. Is it because that somehow middle class families will benefit too much from them?”

Romney also zinged Obama. One of his main strategies of the debate was to deny the facts that Obama presented, especially regarding Romney's tax plan. Romney said, “Mr. President, you’re entitled to your own house and your own airplane, but not your own facts.”

3) Romney seemed much more energetic than Obama. Romney had clearly had a lot of preparation for the debate and he appeared fresh and excited. Obama was fairly laid back. He left a lot of opportunities go by to aggressively go after Romney. Obama looked at his notes a lot and seemed less engaged. I think Obama will try to turn up his energy for the next debate since Romney appeared much more energized in the first debate.

4) The environment was briefly touched on several times when Romney accused Obama of spending too much on green energy development and green businesses. Although the focus was mainly on economics and health care I was surprised that there was so little discussion of environmental regulation and protection. I hope to see more in the future.

C6

1) I was placed at -6.75 for economics and -4.92 for social issues.

2) The question phrased "In a civilised society, one must always have people above to be obeyed and people below to be commanded" was interesting and worded in a fairly biased manner. While, I do believe that a structured system of government is necessary to a functioning and fair society, this question made me feel guilty about supporting a system in which individuals make decisions for the masses. I ended up saying that I disagreed simply because I don't believe the government should be blindly obeyed as the question seems to imply. Rather citizens should be aware and educated about the politics that are affecting their lives so that they can make their own decisions and try to influence future policy.

C5

1) How far do you believe environmental regulation should extend into the private and business sectors?

2) To what extent do you believe the government has the right to impose environmental regulation in order to protect the natural world and ensure a better tomorrow?

C4

1) Speechwriter: I think it's very important to both engage the listener through a friendly and approachable tone while still maintaining a focus on important issues. I find political speeches fascinating in that they are addressed to large, diverse audiences but are still able to include issues that affect a range of citizens and appease the concerns of a wide variety of demographics.

2) Script-writer: Political polls are just as interesting as political speeches. Some polls seem genuinely interested in receiving information while others seem like an excuse to plant one-sided statistics in voters' minds. Both types of polls can be useful and effective and I would love to have the opportunity to write these two types of questions.

C3

      The current political climate often seems paralyzed by partisan representatives and pre-determined agendas that are not responsive to the needs of the American people. One crucial issue that seems to be egregiously absent from politics is the environment. Yes, Obama has instated new mpg standards and Democrats and Republicans bicker about the role of government in environmental regulation. However, global change is happening fast and the U.S. is not keeping up. We are one of the few remaining industrialized nations not to have signed the Kyoto Protocol, which limits greenhouse gas emissions. This is unacceptable. The U.S. should be at the forefront of sustainable change. America is home to John Muir, founder of the Sierra Club, Teddy Roosevelt, who preserved the great American wilderness, and FDR, who was responsible for the construction of our very own Blue Ridge Parkway through his New Deal initiatives. We cannot abandon this tradition of conservation. America was once home to some of the last unexplored wilderness in the world and it is our duty today to preserve this natural wonder.
       As stated in the Green Party platform, "environmental justice, social justice, and economic justice depend on and support each other." Protecting the natural world is no longer optional, it is necessary to preserving our future. Everyone, including our children and grandchildren, have a right to a healthy world. In order to provide this, action must be taken. The Green Party rests upon the public trust doctrine which establishes the idea of common property and asserts that it is the government's role to protect this natural resource for all people. The American public deserves a government that will do its utmost to establish a clean environment and thereby allow all citizens a chance to be successful and healthy. The Green Party hopes to expand on the National Environmental Policy Act, signed in 1970 to set guidelines for U.S. policy from pollution prevention to environmental research.
    In addition to the environment, our country is also facing serious unemployment and poverty. Through a reduction in military spending and a systematic, global disarmament program, the U.S. will be able to fund welfare programs for the needy. The government should be responsible for the well-being of families, children, the elderly, and the disabled. As well as redistributing military funding, additional federal income can be achieved through a graduated income tax that accurately reflects a citizen's ability to pay.
      The U.S. is facing tough times, and perhaps, instead of returning to the politicians who created the mess, it is time to turn to a new and more effective solution. The Green Party offers a third choice. It offers a clean, sustainable future that will ensure prosperity for future generations as well as opportunity for current ones. An environmentally-friendly America is possible. All we need to do now is start the change.

Sources:
http://www.gp.org/committees/platform/2012/
http://www.slc.ca.gov/policy_statements/public_trust/public_trust_doctrine.pdf
http://www.epa.gov/oecaerth/basics/nepa.html

C2

   One of the fundamental differences between the Republican and Democratic parties is economic regulation. The Democratic Administration has taken steps towards regulating Wall Street and creating government programs that use federal income gained through taxes. Republicans hope to reverse these measures if they win the upcoming presidential election.  The GOP's platform states, "excessive taxation and regulation impede economic development." Later it also asserts that "taxes, by their very nature, reduce a citizen's freedom." A Mitt Romney White House will attempt to promote economic growth through simple capitalistic competition. He hopes to cut back on regulation, allowing businesses to fight among themselves and allow the strongest to rise to the top. In the Republicans' eyes this will create American jobs and stimulate the economy. The Democratic platform is openly skeptical of this policy when it says, "They think that if we simply eliminate protections for families and consumers, let Wall Street write its own rules again, and cut taxes for the wealthiest, the market will solve all our problems on its own. They argue that if we help corporations and wealthy investors maximize their profits by whatever means necessary, whether through layoffs or outsourcing, it will automatically translate into jobs and prosperity that benefits us all."
       Another facet of this economic discrepancy between parties is a focus on the middle class. While the Republican party talks about protecting the "little guy" and promoting small businesses it is the Democrats who have chosen to take on the average middle class family as their champion cause. The Democratic platform describes its policies as growing the economy from "the middle out." It also refers to the middle class as the "North Star" of America. The Obama administration hopes to focus the economy on protecting the current middle class and helping those working hard to join it. The upshot of the party platforms is that Republicans hope to offer opportunity through limited control of the economy while Democrats hope to promote economic growth while maintaining standards for businesses and a sense of responsibility for citizens.


Also, I'm not sure if my Face the Students question was submitted properly so here's my question:

Mass transit provides a low-cost form of transportation for all residents and is environmentally friendly. Many Virginians commute daily and an effective transportation system could help reduce the carbon emissions created by cars as well as improve traffic across the state. What are your plans, if any, to improve the public transportation system?

C1

1) I was mapped as a liberal according to the quiz with 70 as my personal issues score and 10 as my economic issues score.

2) One question I was unsure about was written as "end corporate welfare. no government handouts to businesses." While I believe that Obama's bailout of the automobile industry was necessary and did a lot to help the financial situation of many Americans I am less inclined to support the U.S. government's  bailout of Goldman Sach's. I think that, perhaps, some federal regulation needs to come along with the money offered to these businesses to prevent the kind of management that created problems in the first place. It seems incredibly unfair that the CEOs of failing businesses should receive enormous bonuses. At the same time many other Americans depend on these businesses for their livelihood. Government bailout of corporations is an issue that I am not entirely decided on.

B8

A) 1) The first principle established by the McCulloch v. Maryland case was that of supremacy. Actions taken by the national government automatically override or preempt local or state laws and regulations so long as the actions are constitutional. This aspect of our government is outlined in article six of the Constitution and is commonly called the supremacy clause.

     2) The second principle of McCulloch v. Maryland was the concept of implied powers. Congress is given the right to exercise powers not specifically given to them in the Constitution in the course of carrying out their enumerated powers. This means that Congress has certain "implied powers" that are not among their enumerated duties but are still constitutional. This can be found in article one, section eight of the Constitution and is often referred to as the necessary and proper clause or the elastic clause.

B) 1) Full faith and credit means that each state must acknowledge and uphold the proceedings of every other state. This is essential to the workings of the U.S. For example, if driver's licenses were only valid in the state in which they were issued, citizens could never drive from state to state without the risk of being arrested. The only exception issued to this concept is in regard to same-sex marriages. If one state legalizes gay marriage while another does not. The state does not have to acknowledge or accept the legality of the marriage.

    2) The privileges and immunities clause protects citizens of one state while they are in another state. All states must treat American citizens the same regardless of what state they are from. This prevents discrimination and allows for the safety an well-being of residents who are away from home. One exception to this law is in the form of tuition to state colleges and universities. Students who live in the state of the school that they attend pay a much lower tuition than students who come from out of state.

B7

A) 1) A federal system of government shares power between two or more levels of government. For example, in the U.S. both the states and the central government have separate powers and cannot overstep their bounds into the other's jurisdiction. One advantage to this is an extension of the system of checks and balances found within the American central government. Power is shared between local and federal branches, ensuring that no one person or branch has too much strength within a nation. In addition, federalism can help protect minority rights. Having more localized government retain power nationally allows minority voices to be heard on the national level.

    2) A unitary system, in which the central government holds absolute authority over state and local governments, would reduce a lot of stress and political turmoil in the U.S. The federal branches would be able to accomplish their goals much more efficiently and with less hassle. This would also mean less costs, lower budgets, and lower taxes. The central power would have no need to go through the process of seeking approval from state representatives for their actions. For example, amending the Constitution requires ratification of a proposed amendment by thirty-eight of the fifty states. In a unitary government, amendments could be proposed and passed without the time, energy, and money put into the state legislatures' decision to ratify or deny the proposal.

B) 1) The national government is given the power, in the Constitution, to regulate trade between states. This was a practical and wise power to give the federal government because it would be impossible for states to regulate their own commerce. Each state's representatives' look out for the well-being of their own state and so would not be able to be objective or fair in making laws to control their trade with other states. Giving this power to the national government ensures that decisions regarding interstate commerce will be made by someone who is examining the big picture and is  looking out for the good of the nation as a whole.

    2) One power reserved solely for the states is taking measures to ensure public health and safety. While the federal government can create programs such as medicare and medicaid to help provide health care it is also important for local governments to be able to address issues specific to their area. Local governments are able to look for closely at problems occurring within a certain district and are able to find solutions that match the population living in that area. While the federal government is assisting citizens on a larger scale it is also important for states to be able to help their residents more specifically and with a more informed approach.

   3) Both national and state governments are able to tax American citizens. This means that people benefit from infrastructure and government programs on both a federal and local scale. For example, federal taxes might help to build and maintain an interstate highway system that increases business between states as well as creates more opportunities for tourism. Therefore a community in one state is benefiting from the patronage of another state as a result of federal action. However, state taxes might help support the public school system allowing local students to receive a better education when a school is able to hire more teachers, buy necessary equipment, and fund extra-curricular activities. U.S. citizens benefit immensely from government action funded by their taxes on both a national and state level.

B6

a) Amendments to the U.S. Constitution can be proposed in two ways. To propose an amendment is to suggest a change to the Constitution. The first is through a constitutional convention of state legislatures. However, this method has never been used. The other proposal process involves Congress. Congress must agree to propose an amendment by a two-thirds vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Once an amendment has been proposed, it is passed along to each state. For ratification to occur three-fourths of the state legislatures or thirty-eight states must approve the amendment. Ratification is the process by which a potential amendment becomes a full and legal part of the U.S. Constitution.

b) The first way to informally amend the Constitution originates in Marbury vs. Madison, a court case debating William Marbury's position as a Justice in Washington D.C. The court was able to throw out the entire issue by declaring Marbury's legal right to bring the case before the court unconstitutional. This established the precedent of judicial review. This is the ability of the Supreme Court to declare federal actions unconstitutional. The Supreme Court used judicial review to end segregation by declaring the previous "separate but equal" statute unconstitutional. The second method of informal constitutional change is by common use and acceptance. This means that while a facet of American politics may not be specifically outlined in the original Constitution, it is still accepted as a legal part of the political process. The most prominent example of this today is the role that political parties play. Parties have never explicitly been given the right to nominate presidential candidates or to run the electoral college system but these are both processes that are overseen by modern political parties without contention from the general public.

c) Formally amending the Constitution is a complex and difficult process. It has multiple stages and involves asking a lot of politicians to agree on an issue, something that is akin to a miracle in today's political climate. Even after an amendment is proposed it still must be ratified by three-fourths of the fifty U.S. states. States focus on a wide variety of issues and represent a diverse population with  interests and concerns that cover a huge range of topics. Because of this it is very difficult to pass an amendment to the Constitution formally. Informal methods such as common acceptance are simple an do not involve navigating the complicated world of American politics. In addition, Supreme Court rulings of constitutionality are often tied up in other issues and do not require as many steps or as complex a voting procedure.

B4

1) When in history a group of people separates itself from their government in order to give the members of their society the ability to exercise their natural and inherent rights they should explain why they are separating.

2) The intended audience that the Deceleration seems to be addressing is the British government to explain their reasons for declaring independence and founding their own government. However, the Declaration also addresses the colonists and future American citizens who will be affected by this decision. The writers of the Declaration of Independence are trying to move Americans to action and persuade them to support their cause. The signers had made this decision but it would go no where if they did not get the support of the people and so they list all the offenses of the British government in order to gain followers.

3) A small group of white, upper-class men made a choice, by signing the Declaration of Independence that affected the rest of the country and eventually the course of world history. This small group was able to gain the support of enough common people in order to fight and defeat the British army. Would I have supported the independence movement? I think it might have been tempting to be a loyalist and support the country that I came from.

B2

1) Government treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay

2) Domestic surveillance under the Patriot Act

3) Increased airport security

It's not disputable that airport security skyrocketed following 9/11. From body scanners to banning liquids TSA has upped its game. However, even before September 11th airport security was intense. As someone who spent a lot of time traveling between D.C. and London before the 2001 terrorist attacks I can remember having my art set taken away because I might use it as a weapon and watching security officials open a bag of bagels in my mother's luggage and tear open every bagel to check for hidden knives. Security has always been tight and new technology in airports is simply trying to keep up with new technology in terrorism. If airport security was less rigorous and there were more attacks the government would be at fault. Those who are complaining now would be the first to blame the government for further terrorist activity as a result of lax security. If I have to walk through a body scanner or even hand over a dozen bagels for my safety and the safety of my fellow passengers, that is a sacrifice I am willing to make.

A8

Which body of government is responsible for impeachment of a president and which for conviction?

a) The vice-president for impeachment and the supreme court for conviction

b) The senate for impeachment and the secretary of state for conviction

c) The house of representatives for impeachment and the senate for conviction

d) The state legislatures for impeachment and the speaker of the house for conviction

e) The supreme court for impeachment and the senate for conviction

A6

        No discrimination shall ever take place based on sexual orientation. This shall be true in employment, military service, voting, education, and any other process.
       In addition, no rights shall ever be denied to someone because of sexual orientation. This includes healthcare, insurance, and marriage rights.

A4

1) Yesterday I went to church. The government provides the religious freedom in the U.S. that allowed me to practice my religion regardless of whether it is the religion of the majority or of the people in power. Freedom of religion is something that many people, including myself, often take for granted. However, it is also something that should be valued and appreciated in our country.

2) My mother cares a lot about politics and, from my perspective, knows a lot about politics as well. While she might not be the most unbiased news source) she doesn't usually hide her liberal and democratic views) she helps keep me aware of global and national issues.

3) 9/11 was an event that shaped the future for my generation. Although I was only in 1st grade in 2001 I can remember the day the twin towers fell perfectly. 9/11 changed the U.S. and global politics remarkably. It sparked two wars and also led to an increased support of President Bush.

4) My education is a result of the public good provided by the government in the form of public education. In addition to this, the government creates and sustains other forms of infrastructure such as roads and highways. The road system allows traveling between states and over long distances much easier and more accessible to the general public.

5) Interest Groups - NRA lobbies for second amendment rights in today's government
     The Media - CNN and other news sources reveal social issues to be addressed by the government
      Elections - the people are able to choose policy by voting for their representatives such as in the upcoming presidential election in November
     Political Parties - the Democrats, Republicans, and Independents all represent different interests and issues that the American people want to be represented in government. For example, the Green Party advocates for environmental issues.

6) Congress - Nancy Pelosi as minority leader of the House of Representatives
    The Presidency - Joe Biden as Vice President
    The Courts - Anthony Kennedy as a Justice in the U.S. Supreme Court
    Bureaucracy -