Tax Payer Article

http://www.taxpayer.net/resources.php?action=issues&proj_id=3791&category=Bailout&type=Project
Budget Bailout
Budget Bailout will cost taxpayers an estimated $66 Billion Dollars
AIG was given 182.3 Billion Dollars from the government
600 banks received 60 billion dollars overall and are unwilling or unable to pay back those funds
In the 2 years after the recession 279 banks have failed
66 retail credit unions have closed

tp://www.taxpayer.net/resources.php?action=issues&proj_id=5030&category=Federal%20Budget&type=Project
A bill was proposed for military spending for 670 Billion Dollars

NY Times Budget Puzzle

For the 2015 short fall I saved $593 Billion Dollars, for 2030 I saved $1,366 Billion dollars.
64% Were saving from tax increases, 36% came from spending cuts.

The easier part of the puzzle was making cuts to the military. Even though we are just getting out of a war in Iraq and still in Afghanistan I feel that we do not need to enter into war at this time. I also cut nuclear funding we have about 1000 nuclear war heads, one should be enough to destroy a target why would we need more? I tried to stay away from tax increases and cutting federal workers because both of my parents are government employees. I think if spending cuts were just made to the military it would easily cut our budget in half.

Bills

Bills:

1. H. Res. 211- Justin Juliano 
2. S. 977: A bill to fight criminal gangs- Sandra Goldshcmit 
3. S. 499: Bonneville Unit Clean Hydropower Facilitation Act -Tom Nguyen

Bill chosen to write letter to congressmen about: S. 499: Bonneville Unit Clean Hydropower Facilitation Act 

Terry Gross Interview

Facts: 

1. Genetic engineering may soon allow parents to control what their children look like.
2. New technologies challenge our constitutional categories in dramatic ways.
3. Technology challenges personal vs. private space, freedom of space, and individual autonomy. 
4. United States vs. Jones is debating whether police need a warrant to put a gps tracker on cars. 
5. Gps case has the potential to become the case of the century.
6. Brandeis wrote the dissenting opinion in Olmstead v. United States.
7. Olmstead v. United States case which the court ruled that neither the Fourth Amendment nor the Fifth Amendment protects a defendant against having personal conversations wiretapped by federal agents.
8. New technologies could be created in the near future that would challenge future constitutional laws. 
9. Leaders of technology and internet are writing the book on freedom of expression and speech.
10. Google has been under pressure from U.S. government to remove terrorist videos from YouTube.

Questions:

1. Where does the border lie between public and private with technology?
2. Do police have the right to incriminate you based on facebook/twitter information?
3. Is there jurisdiction on the internet?
4. Can America tell google and youtube to take down any videos or is this a violation of free speech?
5. Can free speech be violated on the internet?

Obama's asks Iran for Drone Back

Questions:
1. President Obama failed to act on destroying the predator drone when the chance was had. He follows that mistake by asking Iran our enemy "If we can have our drone returned to the US". These actions are not only a smack in the face to our foreign policy, but has made our country look like a weak joke that is now being mocked in Iran what are the reprecussions of these actions, also how badly will this hurt Obamas campaign?
2. Why would Obama not destroy the drone?
3. How inexperienced is Obama in foreign policy.

Electoral College Reform Daniel Lazare

Facts:

1. President is elected by electors not popular vote.
2. The election of 2000 was decided 36 days after the election should have been decided. 
3. Electoral college usually undermines third parties, independents never have a chance to be president. 
4. Voter population grew more diverse, more vast as property qualifications became obsolete and women/african americans gained voting rights.
5. The electoral college does not properly convey the views of the diverse voter population. 
6. Malaportionment is a common feature of democratic government. 
7. Gore did not win the popular vote in the 2000 election despite the closeness.
8. The senate is malaportioned, no one makes a big deal about this.
9. Society has reached a dead end and radical change is unavoidable. 
10. 2% of the ballots in 2000 election were not counted. 

Questions:

1. How is the electoral college ever been democratic?
2. Why has the electoral college not been made obsolete already?
3. When was the electoral college put into place?
4. What percent of the US is in favor of the electoral college?
5. Is the electoral college constitutional?

In America we live in an indirect democracy. If we live in a direct democracy we would never have heard of this electoral college. I believe that even though we live in an indirect democracy the electoral college is unconstitutional. I believe that the elections should be based off of popular vote I cannot understand why  a college is needed if we the people are supposed to elect our leaders. I would abolish the electoral college and initiate American spirit to increase voter turnout. 

JFK Lessons Learned

Sources:

1. http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,106537,00.html
2. http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/Cuban-Missile-Crisis.aspx
3. http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=39517
4. http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/Civil-Rights-Movement.aspx
5. http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/Space-Program.aspx
6.  http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/The-Cold-War.aspx

Lessons A President Can Learn From JFK:

1. Get the right information and have a good tactical strategy before entering into battle. 
2. The Cuban missile crisis is a good lesson of what not to do in foreign crisis situations. The Cuban missile crisis was one of Kennedy's big mistakes almost taking America into a nuclear war. It is good learn from others mistakes and this can teach presidents to use diplomacy instead of just jumping to war. 
3. The trickle up affect many don't hear about: "Lower rates of taxation will stimulate economic activity and so raise the levels of personal and corporate income as to yield within a few years an increased – not a reduced – flow of revenues to the federal government."– John F. Kennedy, Jan. 17, 1963, annual budget message to the Congress, fiscal year 1964 
4.  Kennedy was a leader on civil rights and equality presidents still have civil rights issues to deal with today.
5. The Space Race: JFK showed passion, and a strong competitive attitude that pushed America to be better a president should learn to push America as far as we can go for the better. Also in a time today when the NASA program is no longer funded as much the space race shows the reason why programs like this were funded and the gain from these programs.
6. Lessons that can be learned from the Cold War are that we must not enter into petty silent battles with countries. Work on making better connections with foreign countries. 

Campaign Ads

Six Tactics:

Humor :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbdzMLk9wHQ Makes fun of the opposing candidate: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbdzMLk9wHQ

Scare Tactics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63h_v6uf0Ao Ads like these so the consequences of not voting for the certain candidate. If you don't vote for me this will happen etc...

Mudslinging: This type of commercial slanders the opposing candidate. Usually using false accusations and using strong words like un-american, ignorant, destructive etc..

Average Joes- The commercials makes the candidate seem like he is right on the level as the middle class American.

Jingle- Commercial uses catchy song to get candidate stuck in your head http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoInnsrf4g8

Campaigns that unintentionally ruin candidates campaigns: p://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PAJNntoRgA

Assertions:
1. People who participate in surveys do not represent the larger population.
2. A larger Bush advertising margin stem from more Bush advertisements in the 2000 election.
3. Campaigns are strategic in the way they target other candidates in battle ground states.

Electoral College Reform

Facts:

1. The electoral college votes are malaportioned.
2. Each state gets two electoral votes regardless of the the state population.
3. Gore won the popular vote in 2000.
4. 2% of all the ballots cast were not counted as votes in 2000. 
5. Democratic voters are more likely than Republican ones to spoil their ballots.
6. The two party system doomed the electoral college to pick the best person to be president
7. Gore and Bush had a 0.5 vote margin difference.
8. Gores popular vote margin in New York was one million votes.
9. In the absence of the majority Stephen Douglas would have one the presidential election defeating Lincoln. 
10. The individual citizen has no federal constitutional right to vote for electors for President of the United States unless and until the state legislature chooses a statewide election as the means to implement its power to appoint members of the Electoral College. 

Questions:

1. Was it obvious that Gore won the popular vote in 2000?
2. What is the ideal voting system?
3. Is a direct democracy a better system than indirect?
4. Why is the electoral college used?
5. Why is the electoral college malaportioned instead of population porportional?

Death Penalty Answerss

Death Penalty Questions 

1. Was the death penalty established 
2. How many states enforce the death penalty today?
3. How many executions happen every year in America?

Answers:

The death penalty was first used in 1608 in the North American British Colonies. Captain George Kendall was put to death in Jamestown by firing squad for being accused of spying for Spain. There was around 15,000 deaths by capital punishment since then and 4,600 in between 1930 to 2002. Today some states still enforce the death penalty a liberal state California has the most people in America on death row at 3,200, Illonois has zero. The graphic below shows the states that have abolished the death penalty and when. There are 16 states that have abolished the death penalty thirty four have still not abolished it. It seems that executions are rare to none in America today but in 2010 there were 46 executions and 33 this year already. Texas has had the most executions since 1976 with 477 inmates executed. Texas is the most frequent exerciser of the death penalty as they are allowed to be. This is a subject that is morally ambiguous. People against the death penalty would say that it is cruel and unusual punishment, but the victims of second time offenders who have gained parole would say different. 

Alaska (1957) Hawaii (1957) Illinois (2011) Iowa (1965) Maine (1887) Massachusetts (1984) Michigan (1846)

Minnesota (1911) New Jersey (2007) New Mexico* (2009) New York (2007)# North Dakota (1973) Rhode Island (1984)** Vermont (1964)

West Virginia (1965) Wisconsin (1853) ALSO - Dist. of Columbia (1981)

Pending Bills

 

1. Official Summary

3/30/2011--Introduced.Economic Espionage Penalty Enhancement Act - Amends the federal criminal code to increase (from 15 to 20 years) the term of imprisonment for economic espionage (i.e., stealing or obtaining, duplicating or conveying, or buying or possessing trade secrets without authorization intending or knowing that the offense will benefit any foreign government, foreign instrumentality, or foreign agent). Directs the United States Sentencing Commission to review its guidelines and policy relating to a two-level enhancement for economic espionage and consider amending the guidelines to:
(1) apply the two-level enhancement to the simple misappropriation of a trade secret;
(2) apply an additional two-level enhancement if the defendant transmits or attempts to transmit the stolen trade secret outside of the United States and an additional three-level enhancement if the defendant instead commits economic espionage; and
(3) provide that a defendant who transmits trade secrets outside of the United States or commits economic espionage should face a minimum offense level.

2.

S.1917 - A bill to create jobs by providing payroll tax relief for middle class families and businesses, and for other purposes. Sponsor Bob Casey

3.

H.R.3012 - Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the per-country numerical limitation for employment-based immigrants, to increase the per-country numerical limitation for family-sponsored immigrants, and for other purposes.

Political Cartoon

Questions:

1. By the U.S. is very willing to bail out big companies at the expense of the taxpayer, how does this help the economy?
2. Should America stop regulating the economy?
3. What would the worst consequence be of not regulating the economy?

Pennsylvania's 2008 Election

Facts:

1. Philadelphians marched to celebrate president Obamas election after his vitory.
2. With 96% of precincts reporting, Obama had 2,988,473 votes, or 55%, and McCain had 2,399,080, or 44%.
3.  Democrats added 600,000 voters to their rolls over the in 2007 and the Republicans lost ground.
4. Democrats outnumbered the Republicans by more than 1 million in a state that last chose a Republican for president when it supported George H. Bush in 1988.
5. Mccain spent three times as much time campaigning in Pennsylvania than Obama and lost.

Death Penalty Questions

1. Was the death penalty ever used nation wide?
2. When was the death penalty at its' peak?
3. How many states enforce the death penalty today?
4. How many executions happen every year in America?

PA'S Congressional Districts

Facts:

1. Pennsylvania has 7 Democratic districts the rest are Republican.
2. Montgomery and Philadelphia are both in the thirteenth district.
3. Mike Doyle is the Representative of the 14th Congressional district.
4. Delaware County is in the First congressional district.
5. The fifth congressional district is the district with the most counties in it at 15 counties. 
6. The fourteenth congressional district has the fewest number of counties only having Allegheny County. 
7. PA has decreased from 21 congressional districts to 19, to 18 after the 2010 census.
8. At one time Pennsylvania had 36 congressional districts.
9. The most congressional districts lost were 3 lost after the 1950 census and the 1960 census.
10. The nineteenth district will become obsolete in 2013.

How Washington Works

Questions:
1.

Facts:

1. Carter decided that Washington is an island isolated from the mainstream of mainstream of our nations life.

2. Congress works monday afternoon to friday morning to give congress more time with constituents. 

3. In midterm elections one or two dozen new congressmen and senators arrive in Washington. 

4. Congressmen live in there home state and in Washington between work and time off.

5. Many congressmen get caught up in Washington's internal politics.

6. Many congressmen become lawyers, lobbyists, or consultants after being replaced.

7. Lobbyists and congressmen tend to bump shoulders in downtown Washington where they have regular tables. 

8. Most politicians fraternize mainly with colleagues from their own party.

9. Almost every relationship made by a politician is to gain power.  

10. Trent Lott of Mississippi is the House Republican whip. 

Questions:

1.  How can the issue of greed for power be solved?
2. How do politicians become corrupted so easily?
3. Would America be better with a direct vote from the people on bills instead of Congress?
4. If politicians were not allowed to hold jobs in government after their term is up would this solve problems potentially?
5. Why is lobbying using money legal?
6. Should it be legal for lobbyists to congregate with congressmen so frequently?
7. Why did Carter say Washington is isolated from the rest of the nation if anything it is one of the more mainstream cities of the nation?
8. Does anyone do good to better the country in congress?
9. Should congressmen only be allowed to serve one term so they do not worry about their campaign so much?
10. Should congressmen's reelection be based on passed actions with lobbyists considering lobbying is legal? 

“How Birth Control And Abortion Became Politicized”

Facts:

1. The first birth control clinic was opened in the United States in 1916
2. It was opened and ran by Margret Sanger 
3. Sanger opened the clinic because she was outraged she could not give her female patients information about contraceptives 
4. It was illegal in the early 1900's to give information out about contraceptives 
5. The Comstock Law prohibited any distribution of information that was obscene
6. Sanger gave information to an undercover policemen and was put in jail for thirty days after that
7. The court found it legal for doctors to talk about contraception 
8. In 1930's American Medical Association ruled that doctors could give information on birth control to their patients 
9. 1936: Information on contraception was taking out of the obscene category 
10. Contraception was favored by Jewish and Protestant communities

Questions:

1. Did Sangers clinic get shut down when she was arrested?

2. Did she perform abortions?

3. What would she think of contraception today?

4. What would she think of abortion today?

5. Is Sanger thought of as a hero of medicine today?

6. How could information be banned doesn't that go against the 1st ammendment?

Lost in Translation

Facts

1. Obama cracked down on immigration, juicing up Bush Policies 
2. 1000 murderers 6000 sex offenders 45000 drug criminals out of 195,000 deported
3. Woman deported for having a broken tail light 
4. 400,000 Deportations a new record
5. Woman was deported without her family knowing  
6. Criminals are fingerprinted which gets the immigration and crime records 
7. Secure communities is the system finding and deporting the immigrants
8. Obamas top advisor on immigration believes that the collateral damage does not out weigh the good they are doing
9. It is ok to separate families via deportation 
10. Immigrants lose rights of due process and freedoms when taking into custody

Questions:

1. Why do the immigrants become legal citizens?

2. Why do immigrants lose due process rights when they are in custody?

3. Should immigrants have a right to an attorney?

4. What do families do that are broken up?

5. Can a deported immigrant become a legal citizen?

Committees

Robert Casey's committees that He Serves:

Joint Economic Committee »

• Chairman

Facts on Committee: 

1. Joint Economic Committee was established as part of the Employment Act of 1946
2. The (JEC) is repsonsible for reporting the current economic condition of the United States and suggesting ways to improve the economy. 

Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry »

• Chairman - Subcommittee on Nutrition Specialty Crops, Food and Agricultural Research
• Subcommittee on Jobs, Rural Economic Growth and Energy Innovation
• Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, Marketing and Agriculture Security

Facts On Committee:

1. Committee has 21 members 11 in the Majority 10 in the Minority
2. The Committee was founded in 1825 in or to avoid the division of the commerce and manufacturing committee. 

Health, Education, Labor and Pensions »

• Subcommittee on Children and Families

Facts On Committee:

1. Cover Twenty different topics of jurisdiction everything from Aging to Loans, Work Hours, etc...
2. The committee began in 1869 as the Education Committee in 1884 it was known as the Education and Labor Committee and in 1999 it was renamed the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP).

Pat Toomey Serves On: 

1.Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine

2.Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

Facts On Committee:

1. Established by Robert Owen in 1913 under the Federal Reserve Act 
2. The Committee is made up of 22 senators 

3. Super Committee 

Facts On Committee:

1. Created by the Budget Control Act August 2011
2. The committee is supposed to have a plan to cut 1.5 trillion dollars by November 23, 2011

West Wing

10 Facts

1. A senator fillibusters to kill a bill
2. A senator can talke about anything to filibuster it does not have to concern the bill
3. A different senator can give the filibustering senator a break by asking a question 
4. The longest filibuster was 24 hours and 18 minutes 
5. Filibustering only occurs in the senate 
6. The bill being filibustered in the show was about child healthcare 
7. Stackhouse wanted money in the bill to go towards Autism
8. Stackhouse had an autistic grandson 
9. The bill was a package a value of six billion dollars
10. Stackhouse read game rules, and from cook books

Questions 

1. Why does the matter of talking not have to relate to the bill?
2. Does the method of filibustering usually work?
3. What was the longest filibuster that failed to turn the decision?
4. Are there repeat filibusters?
5. How often do senators filibuster?

Questions on the Death Penalty?

1. What is the perferred sentence life in prison or automatic death penalty?
2. Is it cruel and unusual punishment to kill a killer who will most likely get off on parole?

1. The death penalty seems good in the interests of the community in some cases but also it seems good for the criminal at hand in some cases. A criminal who goes to jail is at risk of being killed, raped, and beaten when going into the American prison system. This is the the reality of jail the guards can not watch every part of the jail and if you do not belong to a gang you are most likely to get messed with. Sometimes it seems better for the inmate to be put to death than rather face a life sentence of getting beat up and raped. This is a harsh reality but a reality all the same. 
2. In 2008 24 people who committed first degree murder were granted parole. For the families of those killers victims it means a life of worry, always looking over your shoulder, and constant pain. 61% of all violent felons are repeat offenders. If these facts do not give good reason to install the death penalty into the prison system more I don't know what will. States complain about over crowded prisons, if all first degree murderers were put to death by firing squad it would save time, money, and many lives that fall victims to repeat offenders. 

http://www.wral.com/news/local/wral_investigates/story/4774027/
http://geekpolitics.com/one-reason-so-many-felons-are-repeat-offenders-and-how-to-fix-it/

Electoral College

1. Nebraska, and Maine have abandoned the winner take all system in the electoral college
2. Pennsylvania may abandon the winner takes all system
3. Nebraska republicans want to join the winner takes all system again
4. California has the most electoral votes 
5. Pennsylvania may move to a congressional district system for allocating electoral college votes
6. Corbett is for the reapportionment of college votes
7. Reapportionment would benefit Democrats
8. Republicans are strongly against reapportionment 
9. Republicans are lobbying and blocking the votes on reapportionment 
10. A congressional district win = 1 electoral vote

Questions

1. Does this wipe out the winner take all system?

2. Why doesn't each district have an equal number of Republicans and Democrat and each district holds one votes how many districts you win ='s the number of votes you would receive?

3. Do people have the power to redistrict for the sake of an election?

4. Is it fair to redistrict?

5. Are elections getting out of control/ have they already?

John Boehner Article

1. Boehner is Republican 
2. Speaker of the House
3. Passed Free Trade Agreements
4. No earmarks are included in bills Boehner has worked on
5. Has cut 1 Trillion dollars over the next decades budget 
6. Could not make deals with President Obama at first
7. Boehner is stubborn on comprimising
8. Boehner is against Obama
9. Boehner is for large cuts in spending 
10. He is a very for or against type of leader

Questions 

1. What is Boehners hardest obstacle being speaker?
2. What is the best part of being speaker?
3. Is it difficult passing Conservative views to a Liberal President?
4. Would Boehner agree Obama is willing to go against his party to compromise?
5. Who should be President?

Is the House of Representatives to small?

1. For the first 13 decades the house was an ever expanding institution
2. 65 members in 1789
3. In 1911 Districts had 200,000 people
4. Today DIstricts have 640,000 people
5. To be a fair house 669 should be representing America instead of 435

Questions:
1. Can America afford to pay salaries for all representatives due to knew budget cuts?
2. Is this a serious issue?
3. Is America fairly represented?
4. Would Senate increase as well?
5. Why not just have direct democracy to solve this issue?

I think there should be more Congressmen once America gets back on its feet. The economy should be considered before anything without money we can do nothing. More representatives would be nice to have a more diverse congress that would convey more views of the people.

Politician Financial History

Pat Meehans Financial Status Before and after one year of being in Congress.

Net Worth:

From $72,016 to $380,000 Rank: 316th in House

Robert Caseys Financial History

Net Worth:

From $160,020 to $578,000 Rank: 84th in Senate

This shows how almost overnight just from being in congress members can just accuire funds in the hundreds of thousands. I learned that members do not have to directly state where the money in the fund comes from they have a broad way of stating their financial situations.


I agree with the article I think it is very important to know the representatives financial history. I would say that the members on the political spectrum do not deserve financial privacy they are servants to the public and they agree to have their lives exposed by representing America. I would say that the richer members can not relate to the middle class financial status and maybe should not be in office if they only convey the views of the rich. I suspect this is where the idea of flat taxing comes from.

Illegal Immigration

1. Do we as a country made up of immigrants have a right to say who can come in and who cannot?             2. What is the worst consequence from letting in illegal immigrants?

1. As a country that has opened its' doors to all of our ancestors and showed us oppurtunity how can we reject illegal immigrants from coming into the country? This is the question asked today that makes many Americans wonder why are we deporting illegal immigrants. The main factor is that they were illegal plain and simple, most of the citizens of America today had ancestors who crossed through Ellis Island or gained legal citizenship. Today all it takes is obtaining a green card and waiting 7 years to be an official citizen. Why this is such a burden on people I do not understand. If a  person wants to be a U.S. citizen just do it the legal way and earn the citizenship with pride.
2. What are the consequences from letting in illegal immigrants? A worse economy- Immigrants are taking many of the lower end jobs lower class Americans could be doing for minimum wage. Also illegal immigrants are earning money and sending it home, thus the money is being taking from America but not spent in America which damages our economy. Also 2/3's of all felonies in Los Angeles are committed by illegal immigrants. 

Due Process

1. Balances Law of the land between national and state 
2. Judges may define liberty, fairness, and justice.
3. Ratified in 1868
4. 14th Amendment 
5. Jim McCloskey let 44 innocent people free in the last 30 years
6. Quincy Spruell served 24 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit
7. Eye witnesses are always not reliable, physical evidence is better
8. 8 People have used DNA evidence to be freed
9. Jury usually believe eyewitness accounts 
10. Provides and ensures equality for all 


Questions 
1. Is affirmative action fair?
2. Due process ensures freedom but still discriminates against religions sometimes how can this be?
3. Should terrorists have access to due process rights?
4. Do criminals proven guilty lose this right?
5. How much evidence is needed to base a case on?

3 Court Cases of Interest

1. Roe Vs Wade
This case has always stood out to me as the most backwards court decision, the most unconstitutional decision I have ever read about. In the preamble of the Constitution it calls for the Right to Life period. I don't know how that is mispercieved I know nothing is simple but that is directly stated how can it be mistaken. This is just another decision made to protect Americans who already have rights to protect those rights from troubling themself and living up to their responsibility.

2. Ten Commandment Case
This case was interesting because the supreme court ruled that it was okay for the ten commandments to be put up in Texas Court Houses. However the Ten Commandments may not be allowed in Kentucky court houses under seperation of church and state. Why is Texas allowed to if Kentucky may not? Should this be a federal ruling or state by state?

3.Gonzalves VS Raich
This case interested me because it criminilizes the use of homegrown marijuana, even in states where it is legal for medical purpose. Marijuana is more affective, has no physical side effects unless it is smoked, over all better than perscription pain killers. It is also non addictive unlike pain killers, over all better for patients in need. I don't know why states legalize it if feral law will come in and wipe it out.

Ford Vs Mann Case

1. Case was based on a county that everyone had cancer in, due to Ford dumpling sludge, paint waste, and other chemicals.
2. Many people in the county where the Ford plant were died from cancer the youngest was around eight years old.
3. EPA was called to clean up but did not get half of the sludge and were called out again years later.
4. Wayne Mann was the plantiff of the case
5. The case took five years to settle
6. The county was put on the Super Fund list
7. John Corzine got involved in the cleanup and made the epa stay to get everything cleaned up
8. Mann and several other families settled out of court.
9. There were 650 families affected in all
10. Settlement was 12 million dollars each family got 8000-10000 Dollars really nothing for Ford

Questions:
Why did Mann settle out of court?
What has occurred since after the case?
Does Ford care about what happened?
Does Mann regret settling out of court?
Whats a fair amount Ford should pay?

Casey Second Post

Robert P. Casey Jr. rejects free trade agreements because he believes that they will lead to loss in PA jobs. Certain firms will benifit but it leaves the American firms unprotected. It opens up trade with Columbia, and South Korea, free trade that has more negative affects than good ones for America. This is part of Obamas Jobs Bill, Casey is strongly against this free trade agreement. Casey also believes that it would harm unions and currency manipulation by South Korea. This is interesting to me because Bob Casey is a Democrat and I always thought no one disagrees with President Obama. From what I have seen on Meet The Press and other political shows, most Democrats on the show praise Obama so it was nice to since Casey as a Democrat go against the tide.


11/3/11 Casey released this statement on Rebuild America Jobs Acts. “Pennsylvania roads and bridges are in need of repair and new construction jobs will put Pennsylvanians back to work.  Two different approaches to rebuilding infrastructure were defeated today in the Senate.  I am encouraged that bipartisan talks are ongoing to find additional solutions to repair roads and bridges in Pennsylvania and across the country.  I hope that the Senate can come together soon to create jobs and rebuild our infrastructure.”

Roe Vs Wade Paper

1. The court believes that aborting a child is less mentally damaging than letting the child be born
2. Court believes a pregnant woman's baby is harmful to the pregnant woman's health.
3. Mental and physical health may be taxed by child care.
4. Women have the right to privacy in abortion
5. The right to privacy can be derived from the ninth ammendmant
6. Viability could occur as early as 24 weeks
7. Abortion may be performed in the first trimester
8. Article 1196 of Texas Penal Code restricts legal abortions
9. For an abortion to be performed a consultation with a doctor must happen.
10. Paper only focuses on the harm caused to the women having abortions.

Questions
How would allowing abortions protect potential life?
What percent of Americans believe life begins at conception?
How does this not violate unalienable rights?
Can a state outlaw abortion?
Do any states outlaw abortion?

West Wing

1. Presidents administration really picks the new justice he just approves.
2. Presidents makes the choice then his choice is approved by senate. 
3. President choses someone who has the same views as him and will vote the way he/she would.
4. Sometimes justices retire to leave the new appointment to a president he favors. 
5. Ways new appointments are made: If justice steps down, if one dies. 
6. Circuit court is the state level judicial branch. 
7. Due Process is mentioned: 14th ammendment equal oppurtunity act.
8. Right to chose and privacy in that choice was decided in Roe V.S. Wade

Questions: 

1.  Should president make appointment to justices?

2. Should justices serve for life?

3. Why aren't justices appointed by popular vote?

4. How many justices have died in office?

5. Who was the most popular justice and why?

Federalist #78

1. "And it is the best expedient which can be devised in any government, to secure a steady, upright, and impartial administration of the laws." This is a nice idea of what a court should be, however courts such as the Warren, and Berger courts obviously show one sided rulings. 
2. "that, in a government in which they are separated from each other, the judiciary, from the nature of its functions, will always be the least dangerous to the political rights of the Constitution;" I feels as though they may not be the most dangerous but definitley the most countreversial. Sometimes rulings  infringe on the rights of others and most people would pick a different verdict in some cases. 
3. "The complete independence of the courts of justice is peculiarly essential in a limited Constitution. By a limited Constitution, I understand one which contains certain specified exceptions to the legislative authority; such, for instance, as that it shall pass no bills of attainder, no ex post facto laws, and the like. Limitations of this kind can be preserved in practice no other way than through the medium of courts of justice, whose duty it must be to declare all acts contrary to the manifest tenor of the Constitution void. Without this, all the reservations of particular rights or privileges would amount to nothing." The constitution is manipulated so far sometimes it seems like it amounts to nothing but a blockade on personal agendas. 
4. "That inflexible and uniform adherence to the rights of the Constitution, and of individuals, which we perceive to be indispensable in the courts of justice, can certainly not be expected from judges who hold their offices by a temporary commission. Periodical appointments, however regulated, or by whomsoever made, would, in some way or other, be fatal to their necessary independence. If the power of making them was committed either to the Executive or legislature, there would be danger of an improper complaisance to the branch which possessed it; if to both, there would be an unwillingness to hazard the displeasure of either; if to the people, or to persons chosen by them for the special purpose, there would be too great a disposition to consult popularity, to justify a reliance that nothing would be consulted but the Constitution and the laws." This is one of the best things incorporated into this paper. I agree that justices should serve for life this way they do not serve just to get re-elected by make rulings based on true thought. 
5. "But it is not with a view to infractions of the Constitution only, that the independence of the judges may be an essential safeguard against the effects of occasional ill humors in the society. These sometimes extend no farther than to the injury of the private rights of particular classes of citizens, by unjust and partial laws." The country is founded on partial laws, Alexander Hamilton is very hypocritical.

Questions:

If Alexander Hamilton was alive today would he say that the Constitution is respected or abused today?

What court cases would Hamilton agree/disagree with?

Is abortion not a clear violation of the unalienable rights such as "Life"?

Should a hate speech clause be amended into the constitution ?

Why did the Constitution say all men all created equal but not insure the rights of all people?

Reading on Supreme Courts Ruling in 2000 Recount

FACTS:

1. Court was under leadership of William Rehnquist
2. Court showed minimalism 
3. Court presented a unanimous decision in Bush vs. Palm Beach County Canvassing Board
4. Court presented 5-4 decision in Bush v Gore 
5. 6 Justices were unwilling to accept Bush's major submission, that Florida supreme court produced unacceptable change in Florida law 
6. .5 members of the court accepted the equal protection agreement
7. Gore losses case overall
8. Supreme Court Ends recount

Questions:

How could Florida supreme court make unacceptable changes in law?

Why did the Supreme court end the recount?

Why did the Supreme court hear the case only to deny Gore?

Was Democracy achieved?

What would the supreme court do different next time?

The Common Good

The essay on the common good talks about the innate idea of human goodness. It raises the questions do we all have an innate desire to do well? It answers yes and says that our participation to do things such as park cleaning fuels our common good and it is in everyone to do good. However with the attitude people have today of individual freedom common seems to be obsolete. In todays world everyone seems to be out for there own good and the personal good. Americans especially have an idea of individualism, families hardly stay together anymore. Will the common good remain is the question? This stood out to me.
With the common good comes the common bad that silently battle each other. People who clean up parks know that there battle is against the polluters of the world but all they can do is pick up after them. I think it is necessary for America as a nation to believe in the common good. If the common good is believed in, people will continue to feed it and it will flourish. People must help grow the common good by getting involved in their communties and working as volunteers in the world. We must speak for those who have no voice, get jobs available to those who have know money, hope to those who have none, and freedom to those who are slaves in their nations.
I believe Madison would believe strongly in this essay except for the part that says that individual freedoms has lead to the decline in the common good. Madison would probably agree in the idea of human good as well as encourage it.

Denmark HealthCare In Relation to American Healthcare

Denmark is one of the few countries in the world that has universal healthcare. It costs about $3,000 a year for a population of 5,000,000 people in there country. Everybody in the country is covered to get medical attention only photo i.d. is neccasary. In America healthcare costs around $7,000 and 20% of the country is uninsured. In Denmark the cost is 9.8% GDP, currently here in America it is 16%. If America was to adopt this system no one can really know what the cost in taxes would be per family. Denmark pays only $3000 a year but their population is 5,000,000, Americas' is 300,000,000 who knows if the cost would be an extra $5000 per person or not. The bases of Obama Care should be made clear to the public so we may understand the bill and possibly accept it.

Facts and Questions on Recount VIdeo

1. Both political committees were massive
2. George Bush passed a bill in Texas allowing for the counting of dimpled chads
3. George Bush did not allow for the counting of dimple chads in Florida
4. Supreme court voted to end the recount in Florida
5. The recount ordeal went on well past the election close date
6. Did Gore ever have a chance?
7. If the recount was allowed to continue what would have been the outcome?
8. If Gore won would would America be like today?

The Future of Healthcare

America is a capitalist nation as are its people, many who are in debt and are not satisfied with their current salary. Many of the liberals of the U.S. would kill for healthcare however do not see the economic reprocussions of healthcare. Heres a potential story of what would happen:
John works as a carpenter for a labor union in Philadelphia. Carpentry can get dangerous and his healthcare plan covers next to nothing. The good thing for John is the U.S. just passed Obamacare and there is unified healthcare now in effect up and running. John has the best health care he has ever had. John gets his pay check which already gets a portion taken out for social security, retirement, and medicare. John and the other workers noticed there is quite a larger portion taken out of their check the reason is the new health care plan. The same thing occurs with every other worker in America, the government workers would be okay because they recieve cost of living increases except Barack Obama canceled cost of living increases this year 2011. The workers in the unions at supermarkets protest for minimum wage increases the governors of U.S. all agree to make up for the price of health care. The supermarket corps can not afford to pay everyone the new rate of minimum wage and lay off part of the staff. Less money gets put into the economy and the government has to pay out unemployment to all the laid off employees which leads to a triple dip recession. We may not have any money in with the heatlhcare plan or be able to pay off debts but will have our health and the millions of people not paying for it will have theirs too and thats good I guess. Now is not the time for health care ten, twenty years down the road when the debt is paid is when we should start talking about healthcare not now we can't afford it!

2000 Election Reading

Pre-reading questions:

1. Was there a possibility the recount would finish?
2. So what if the recount finished even if Gore won those counties it would take to long to do all the counties.
3. Did Bush and Gore act correctly?
4. Who really won?
5. What would our world be like if Gore had been president?

Facts

1. Florida has 25 electoral votes
2. Rehnquist court decided the case
3. Court relied on Article 11, Clause 2 of the Constitution to decide case 
4. Many said the courts decision was a disgrace 
5. By stopping vote count in Florida, the U.S. supreme court used its power to act as political partisans 

Questions

1. Why not just have a total recount?
2. Why does America not have a nationalized voting system?
3. Are fake votes casted?
4. Does the U.S. government really care about voting system or just when things go wrong?
5. How can this be prevented from happening again?

Politician Tracker

The politician I chose to follow is Senator Robert Casey. He is from Pennsylvania he is a Democrat which is why I chose him. I am more conservative and I would like to understand more of the Democratic views.

What Casey Has Been Up Too

Some of Casey’s most recently sponsored bills include...

	S. 1239: Fallen Heroes of 9/11 Act
	S. 958: Children's Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2011
	S. 1623: A bill to provide a processing extension for emergency mortgage relief payments, and for other purposes.
	S. 1614: Computer Science Education Act of 2011
	S. 1565: National Opportunity and Community Renewal Act This is copied from the website government track which is good because each blue term has a link to explain each act. All the bills or acts Casey Votes on are good bills and I myself agree with them. Going in depth reading parts of the bills is really nice because one can get a real unbiased view of the bill.

Madison and Factions

Madison's definition of faction: A number of citizens, whether amounting to a minority or majority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adverse to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community. 
               Madison states that rely on liberty as well as ignite liberty. He is against having too many factions, because too many factions cause too much disorganization in government, and in the voting process, as well disunity in the nation. 
1. Todays political parties are factions, would Madison disagree with having them?
2. Why does Madison have so many plans for destroying factions?
3. Are factions not essential to a free government?
4. Are factions more bad than good or visa versa?


Today there are many factions in the government such as workers unions, environmentalists, health care activists, democrats, republicans, and tea party members. They are all uniting today in the Occupy Wall Street movement to battle the government and the rich who get rich while everyone else is getting poor. The vast number of people and factions have united show how alone our power is not great but together we can demand answers from Washington and be noticed. Americans are taking back government through the factions they belong to today. 

Peoples History

The article shows different views and aspects of the peoples take one the Constitution. The most interesting and I felt, most honest view belonged to Charles Beard. He criticizes the Constitution saying that the document is said to represent freedom for all. The document however never mentions slaves, women, nor the lower class. Beard goes on to say that the document was very one-sided, written mostly by rich lawyers. It only concerns and protects most of the writers rights.
              This raises these questions:

• Should the U.S. Constitution have been ratified?
• Should the U.S. Constitution be re-written to include all persons in the U.S.?
• Does the Constitution speak for all people of the U.S. ?
• Does the Constitution only speak to protect the rights of those who wrote it?

Political Ideology

My Results:

Based on your response to the questions on the political ideology survey, you are a moderate conservative.

You probably most agree with the views of the Republican Party. You may also be interested in the Libertarian Party. Your ideology is shared by the following Members of the House of Representatives:

Denny Rehberg (R - MT, At-Large)

Zach Wamp (R - TN, 3rd District)

Mario Diaz-Balart (R - FL, 25th District)

Rick Santorum Senator-PA