Research Bills

1. The Trash Free Seas of 2011 Act 

The purpose is to reauthorize and improve marine debris research and debris prevention.

By: Peter N.

     2.   Postal Service Protection Act of 2011

This Bill helps to place restrictions on closing postal offices, and maintain the levels of the post offices.

By: Kathleen Quinn

      3.10 Million Dollar Solar Roofs Act of 2011

This bill which came from the secretary of energy states that the government will provide solar grants to local communities, that it will provide cheaper, more efficient energy,and by the end of 2020 no less than 10 million properties will have solar roofs providing energy.
By: Mike Kane

I will be using the 10 Million Dollar Solar Roofs Act of 2011 for my constituent letter.  

Should the Electoral College Be Abolished?

Facts:

1. The electoral college casts their vote on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December.
2. The electoral college never meets as a single entity.
3. The smallest number of electoral votes a state can have is three, the District of Columbia also has three electoral votes.
4. Most electors are bound by party and precedent, not by law, and a few "faithless" electors have ignored the popular vote.
5. The electoral college is said to undermine third parties.
6. The votes tend to exaggerate the popular strength if the majority party.
7. Supporters of it argue a popular election would encourage minor party candidates, possibly making the winner of the election win by only a small percentage.
8. The Electoral college triples the clout of the seven least populated states that have just one member in he house.
9. It was ruled in 1962 in the case of Baker v Carr by the supreme court that,"one person-one vote must prevail at the state and local level."
10. Even though Democrats ended up winning the popular vote in 2000 by one half of a million votes they ended up with Bush the republican who was against what many of the issues democrats valued in Gore such as environmental protection, better healthcare for the poor, and a woman's right to choose.      

Questions:

1. What happens if the electoral unexpectedly votes one way and the media already announced the other candidate to be the president after the popular vote?
2. Is there any circumstance where all of the electoral college will meet in the same place together?
3. Do you believe that the District of Columbia should have as many electoral votes as some of our smallest states?
4. Does the electoral college get lobbied a lot?
5. Why isn't there a law ensuring that the electoral college votes based on the wishes of the people? 

New York Times Budget Puzzle

Saved:
2015: $536 Billion
2020: $1,356 Billion
Percent from tax increases: 72%
Percent from spending cuts: 28%

       I first made the decision to cut smaller things and programs, but i could easily tell that the gap was not being bridged and it wouldn't be if it continued that way. So i had to cut a lot of bigger things that if i were an average citizen i would probably be upset to see cut. I think some things were easy, like putting a tax on carbon emissions, which i remember was actually a bill at some point in our government simulation. The difficult part of it was cutting things that i didn't completely understand or didn't want to see cut, for example i raised the age that citizens begin to receive social security, which i would be pretty upset with if i were near retirement age. I think it would be extremely difficult to try to compromise all of these things. Things that two people value, even two people in the same party can range drastically. I had a hard enough time trying to cut things myself without people demanding compromises or explanations for every decision. 

Issue of the Week: National Debt

1. If we continue to accumulate debt at the rate that we are, how much debt will America have by 2020? How will this affect future generations? 
Obama's fiscal 2011 budget will create $10 million in debt in the next ten years, this is $1.2 million more than the administration originally projected.The administration projected a deficit of 8.53 trillion in the next ten years. The amount of debt in each household is also expected to rise dramatically by 2020. When Obama was first elected into office the debt for every household was $56,000 a household, today it's $72,000 a household, and by 2020 it's projected to be more than $170,000 a household. This will create lots of problems for the future generations, it will be harder and harder to afford the life that we currently have now.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/mar/26/cbos-2020-vision-debt-will-rise-to-90-of-gdp/?page=all
2. Who or what do we owe money to?
We owe money to many countries however the top 5 we owe money to are Japan ($585.9 billion), China ($541 billion), The United Kingdom ($307.4 billion), OPEC Nations ($179.8 billion), and Caribbean Banking ($147.7).


3. Will we be able to pay off all the debt?
Originally in 2000 it was projected that by 2012 the national debt would be paid off. 

Now the chances of paying off all the national debt looks grim. The debt has skyrocketed and it's worse than ever. The national debt has been paid off in the past but for now i believe we are just going to have to aim for slowly bringing down the debt.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/10/21/141510617/what-if-we-paid-off-the-debt-the-secret-government-report

Political Cartoon 5

What do you think the cartoonist thinks about Obama's current economic policies?

Where are some core places you think should be cut back to cover the deficit?

Do you believe that people should just get used to the changing times rather than whine over how things used to be better?

President James K. Polk

1. Polk has been referred to as "the dark horse" and was one of the last Jeffersonian's. He made promises in the beginning of his term and met everyone that he had promised. He reestablished the independent treasury system, lowered tariffs, settled the Oregon boundary dispute,and added California to the United States. Presidents can learn from this to set goals and promises they truly believe that they can accomplish.
2. Was dealing with turmoil between the North and South on the issue of slavery while also trying to deal with risking war with Great Britain. He had to learn to find a common ground between the north and the south who disagreed on many things. This relates to Democrats and Republicans today, they  must work to find common ground in order to move forward.
3. Managed to cool down the heat between the United States and Britain by redrawing the border between Canada and the US. He was really trying to be diplomatic with this rather than militaristic. 
4. Polk showed that you have to pick your battles when you are being threatened, rather than risking another war with Great Britain he managed to find another way. This was wise because soon after the US entered into the US and Mexican war. He tended to lose contact with his Generals during this time, it's important to learn from this that a President needs to find a way to keep himself in situations, and not just be in the background. 
5. He was the leader of the Jacksonian democracy, it wanted a stronger for the common man and followed ideas that many modern day democrats would agree with. 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/jamespolk

http://www.sparknotes.com/biography/polk/context.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_K._Polk

http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h157.html

Roadless Area Conservation Act of 2011 Bill

Facts about the Bill

1. One positive aspect of it is that it conserves roadless areas that have been used for Native American rituals or spiritual retreats.
2. Will impact less than 0.5% of the nations timber supply.
3. The term "roadless area characteristics" means resources or features that are often present in or characterize inventoried areas including: high quality undisturbed soil,water, or air, sources of public drinking water, and a diversity of plant and animal communities and so on.
4. This bill would prohibit roads being constructed in an inventoried roadless are of the National Forest System, however there are exceptions.
5. This also states that timber may not be cut, sold, or removed in any inventoried roadless area in the National Forest System.

Questions

1. How do they intend to enforce the removal of timber?
2. Who would be in charge of enforcing these regulations?
3. What are some disadvantages of this this regulation?   

Political Cartoon 4

When do you think think this cartoon was drawn?

What party do you think the illustrator is in?

Is it ever possible to have all of congress being the same party? 

Presidential Campaign Ads

In earlier years it seemed that campaign ads took the cuter approach. One technique used was a catchy jingle such as the one that President Eisenhower used in 1952. It takes a positive outlook on Eisenhower and doesn't bash the other candidate. I believe this ad was somewhat effective, the jingle is something that i remember and gets stuck in my head. I believe that with the majority of the people this would be effective.  http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/1952

In 1960 Nixon sat down and explained that he has worked with the prior administration and because of this he know from experience what the country needs. I would call this a straight forward approach. He literally sat down on a chair and talked. There was nothing elaborate to it whatsoever and in my opinion I find this to be ineffective. This is the type of ad on TV that I would just tune out. Nothing caught my eye and it was rather boring to watch.http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/1960

President Johnson in 1964 took a new and different approach. In an ad that aired only once, Johnson played on fear of the future, that we need a strong President to defend us. We need to keep our children safe from harm and that we need President Johnson to do that. I don't think the ad was that effective, maybe if i was living during that time period I would have found it more effective, but i think that this scared people to much. I don't think it's going to make people vote for him, but will only succeed in scaring US citizens.http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/1964

Another tactic used in 1968 by President Nixon was to create an ad titled "youth" to a specific target audience, the youth.  In this ad it showed first a concert, then young intelligent students it makes them feel like they're part of this too. It's not just for the older people, we are all effected by this and he tried to play on this by saying that you are the future, you are part of the government, and get involved so that you can have the future you want. I think it wasn't that effective, even though he tried to relate to young people i feel like that's something people would look right through.http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/1968

Then in 1972 McGovern had an ad where it seemed like he was just hanging out with the people and was really listening to what they said. It helped him to seem like he was less disconected to the people while other politicians are. I couldn't really understand what he was saying but i don't think that's really his concern, the big thing is that he is seen with the people. I think this was a good ad because it really made him look like he was a president for the people and that he was including everyone and everything.http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/1972

In 1988 there was an ad in favor of the democratic party that used an obnoxious man that sounded uneducated, looked bad, and was an over all mess to represent the republican party. It really bashed the other party going on about how if we keep the republicans in power then the future of our children will be at a great stake because of all of the debt that is being built up. I think this ad worked a little because i was annoyed at it, which is what the democrats want, they want you to be annoyed with the republican party.http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/1988

Study Conclusions:

• Campaign ads do work, they are not just a waste of money and can be very beneficial to a campaign.
• Ad's aren't there for the education of the voter, instead they are there to influence the voter and are written that was specifically. 
• Campaign ads have been referred to as legal propaganda due to the fact that they're trying to influence voters with info that isn't always 100% in context. 

Electoral College Reform Article

Facts

1. One argument that can be used against the electoral college is that it is undemocratic.
2. Each state gets two electoral votes, regardless of the states population.
3. The undemocratic qualities of malapportionment are masked when each malapportioned district elects a different official.
4. The electoral college makes it so candidates only have to campaign in swing states.
5. In most states, the winner of the state usually receives all of the votes (winner takes all).
6. If an absolute majority is not earned from the electoral college, the house of representatives elects the president from the top 3 candidates.
7. In 1969 and 1970 there was a push to eliminate the electoral college and just have a popular vote.
8. Multiple states have created a law to ensure that the electoral college votes for the people.
9. Nixon would have defeated Kennedy had it been a direct democracy.
10. In 2001 Gore had 51 million votes while Bush had only 50.5 million of the popular vote.

Questions

1. What does malapportionment mean?
2. Is there still a push to abolish the electoral college today?
3. Do you believe that if the founding fathers were still alive today and saw the level of education we now had, would change how they viewed the common people?
4. If presidential elections were done by popular vote would small states like Delaware and Rhode Island even have an impact on the election?
5. Is there a group of people who seek to reform the electoral college but not abolish it?

Issue of the Week: The Death Penalty

1. How many countries have abolished the death penalty. As of now 139 countries have abolished the death penalty. 

          2. How long do people usually spend on death row?

On average a person spends a decade on death row. During this time they are usually isolated from all of the other inmates. Over the years the time on death row has increased. A man named Micheal Ross was on death row for 17 years, there are a number of criminals that have been on death row for more than 20 years. Do you think that it's ethical to let someone sit in solitary confinement that long with no human contact. Even if there is suddenly a break in the case that keeps the criminal from being executed, there are serious psychological effects from being in solitary confinement that long.  Studies show that a person in solitary tends to become more aggressive because of the punishment they are receiving. Do yo think that a person should have the choice of life in solitary confinement and execution?

When the constitution was first written the amount of time spent on death row was measured in days or weeks, not the long periods of time we are used to now. 

           3. What are the methods for execution?

These methods vary from state to state but methods that at least one state uses includes lethal injection, electrocution, Gas chamber, hanging, and firing squad (only if both lethal injection and electrocution are deemed unconstitutional) . Lethal injection is the primary method for execution. 

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/abolitionist-and-retentionist-countries

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/time-death-row

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/methods-execution

Taxpayer Articles

http://www.taxpayer.net/resources.php?action=issues&proj_id=5009&category=&type=Project

1. A new bill will not be introduced to the House until January, but because of the House's calender it will end up not being introduced until February.
2. It seeks to fund infrastructure development with oil drilling revenues. 
3. The bill currently extending SAFETEA-LU expires March 31 2012.
4. There is a possible Senate bill that is needs review, but with work could be a possible replacement of SAFETEA-LU.
5. SAFETEA-LU stands for Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users

http://www.taxpayer.net/resources.php?action=issues&proj_id=5006&category=&type=Project

1. More than 1.5 million dollars of stimulus money is helping to finance "Diary of a Single Mom".
2. Not all of the money goes to the media
3. The point of the stimulus was to try to get more people connected to the internet.
4. Tax watch dogs are particularly skeptical about how efficient using a web based show will actually be.
5. The group has spent about 825,000 on salaries and fringe benefits from the jobs that have been gained due to the stimulus.

Pending Bills in Congress

1. The Roadless Area Conservation Act of 2011

This bill is to try to provide lasting protection inventoried roadless areas within the National Forest System.
The bill is in the first step of the legislative process.


     2.  Secure Visas Act
To authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State to refuse or revoke visas to aliens if in the security or foreign policy interests of the United States, to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to review visa applications before adjudication, to provide for the immediate dissemination of visa revocation information, and for other purposes.
This bill has been considered in committee and now it's being recommended it be reviewed by the house as a whole.


     3.  Clean Estuaries Act of 2011
A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize the National Estuaries Program, and for other purposes.
This bill was considered in committee and now it is being recommended it be considered by the Senate as a whole.

Political Cartoon 3

1. Do you think that the Republican primaries will have a poor turnout due to the distaste of many candidates?
2. Do you think this cartoon was drawn by a democrat of republican?
3. What are somethings the cartoonist is trying to say about the republican candidates, especially Romney?