Blog Post # 8
May 22nd

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/05/20/pennsylvania-gay-marriage-ruling/9323521/

Pa. governor won't appeal ruling legalizing gay marriage

On May 21st Pennsylvania became the 19th state to declare legislation preventing same-sex couples from marrying unconstitutional. The governor, Tom Corbett, declared that he wouldn't appeal the ruling because he didn't think he would succeed. His religious and political beliefs, as a Roman Catholic and Republican, makes him stand by the fact that marriage should be solely between a man and a woman. The judge who overruled Pennsylvania's own Defense of Marriage Act, a federal judge, wrote a 39 page paper on his decision for the 21 people who sued the state for not being able to marry. The official lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union stating that the DOMA in the state violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th amendment. Brown, the judge, in his paper referenced Brown v. Board of Education Topeka and how its challenging of "separate but equal" is finally just equal. 

This article references terms learned in Unit 6 taking about civil rights. It is also very applicable since this is our own state that this happened in. The Supreme Court ruled that the Defense of Marraige Act but it has not yet been incorporated into the states by selective incorporation. These rulings in states like Pennsylvania do that. The judge talks about separate but equal, the 14th amendment, and the equal protection clause. He also references the court case, Brown v. Board of Education Topeka which challenged the separate but equal doctrine in schools. This advancement of another state giving marriage equality to its citizens makes it seem like very soon every state will allow same-sex marriage. 

Blog Post # 7

Obama says US, Europe prepping sanctions on Russia's economic sectors if it invades Ukraine

http://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2014/04/25/obama-sectoral-sanctions-if-russia-enters-ukraine

The USA and other European countries prepare to make sanctions on Russia if they invade the eastern side of Ukraine. Instead of individual sanctions, the nations are prepared to use economic sanctions to the whole nation to change the force that Russia is currently using in Ukraine. Russia does not seem to be coming down or changing its' course so the President and other leaders have warned the country of the economic effects of their transgressions. All of this comes a week after Russia, the USA, Ukraine, and Europe signed an agreement hoping to lessen the tension and crisis. 

This issues has to deal with foreign policy, and how President Obama deals with other countries to promote peace and understanding. The President, and other countries, hope to use economic sanctions to encourage their policy. This is an example of soft power, something President Obama uses frequently instead of hard military power, to make change Russia. The countries all coming together to make these economic sanctions is also an example of multilateralism. 

Blog Post 6

Current Event #6



http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-obama-prayer-breakfast-20140414-story.html#axzz2yw2hPQfM

In reaction to the Jewish community center shooting in Kansas City, President Obama offered condolences and support for the families who lost their loved ones. At the annual Easter prayer breakfast spoke to religious leaders and said, " Nobody should have to worry about their security when gathering with their fellow believes. No one should ever have to fear for their safety when they go to pray. And as a government, we're going to provide whatever assistance is needed to support the investigation." Obama expressed his support for all religious leaders and other leaders to keep in mind the struggle to "combat the ignorance and intolerance, including anti-Semitism, that can lead to hatred and violence."

This article has a little to do with public policy and the President's beliefs, though these beliefs are not very political because I think the freedom of religion is something that is held up by most Americans, especially people working to uphold the Constitution like President Obama.

Current Event #5

Current Event 5
Unit 4


President Obama visited New York City to attend fundraisers and also work in some political activities. The fundraisers he attended were in support of the Democratic party to help them earn money. He was also joined by Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. While in New York he also stopped at a local Gap to buy clothes for his family and also give his support for the company raising their minimum wage for their employees. He did this in support of his call for Democrats in congress to create a bill that raises the national minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10.


This article shows the president's executive power as Chief of the Party in which he is able to give support to candidates and in this case the Democratic National Party. It also shows his ability to suggest laws to Congress but not actually introduce them himself because he is not allowed to. The article relates to what we have been learning in Unit 4 about the roles of the President and what he is and is not responsible for in the running of our country.










http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/03/11/obama-coming-to-nyc-for-dem-fundraisers/

Current Event #4

"House passes 50th bill to undo Obamacare"

  The House, for the fiftieth time has passed a bill that would take away the penalty payment for not signing up for health insurance by March 31st. The penalty would be $95 or 1% of taxable income. Republican house members passed the bill with a vote of 260-160. Some Democrats have said that this bill was just to gain political points, not to actually help anything. President Obama joked before the vote, "50th time is the charm." A democratic representative stated that the country re-elected President Obama for a reason, because they wanted the Obamacare system. Republicans have been working on a new bill to replace Obamacare that will most likely be proposed sometime before August.

Currently we are talking about the differences between the House and the Senate and the ways they work together to make legislation for Americans. This article would be an example of divided government- something we have been talking about in Unit 3. The House can pass this bill but it would most definitely not pass in the Senate and would ultimately be vetoed by the President. The Republicans seem to be grasping at straws to try and prevent/change Obamacare and what it holds for our country.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/03/05/house-passes-50th-bill-to-undo-obamacare/

3rd Current Event

Unit 3
2/23/14

"Arizona lawmakers pass controversial anti-gay bill"

Arizona has just passed a bill that essentially allows stores with openly religious views to refuse service to gays or lesbians. The bill passed through the state government 33-27. This legislature was not received well by Democrats and the LGBT group Wingspan. Some criticize the bill to be a "gateway" to discriminating against other things like race, gender, etc...  Others are also worried that it will allow religious people to discriminate anything that they find offensive to themselves. Some Republicans and conservative groups view the legislation as a way for them to protect their rights and express their freedom of religion. The bill is only in place for those that it would affect their religious views, to help them "live and work their faith."

The debate about gay marriage and gay rights had been going on for a long time and highlights the differences in political parties here in America and also how different the red states, like Arizona, are from other states who don't vote Republican- blue states. The divided government of the Democrats- usually in support of marriage and all aspects of LGBT equality and Republicans- usually not in support of these things. Also the LGBT group Wingspan acts as an interest group to the democrats and uses lobbyists their case to help get legislation passed. All of these topics are ones that we have discussed in Unit 3. 

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/21/us/arizona-anti-gay-bill/index.html?hpt=hp_inthenews

2nd Current Event

"Five things polling tells us about Obamacare"

A lot of the recent polling on legislation has centered around the healthcare bill and Obamacare. The first thing that polls have found about the public opinion of Obamacare is that the public opinion is generally negative. Fifty three percent of the people asked about their feelings on Obamacare gave a "thumbs down." But though the public opinion is negative it does not necessarily mean that people want to repeal it, the second thing that polls have found. The third, that some parts of Obamacare are very popular such as the provision to get rid of lifetime caps on health insurance. This would be popular for obvious reasons. But the unpopular parts would be the idea that the government orders everyone to have government, not choose to. The fourth, is that the GOP benefits from the voting against Obamacare because they get more people in office. And the fifth and final thing that was learned from polling is that people are essentially sick and tired of hearing about it and would like to move onto different and more pressing topics.

I thought this article was very relevant to what we learned in Unit 2, about polling and how it works into American's political opinion and views and also on the political tolerance of the Affordable Care Act. The article also mentions the Pew Research poll, which were a lot of the polls we talked about in the Unit.
http://www.leaderpost.com/news/Oregon+teenagers+allegedly+lured+student+swastika+into+forehead/9537364/story.html

"House GOP leaders discard two key demands for raising debt ceiling"- Week of 1/27

2/5/14
Unit 1

House GOP Leaders Talk Debt Ceiling

             Many Republicans in the House are opposed to raising the debt ceiling and therefore will not be giving enough votes to help John Boehner, the Speaker of the House (R), raise the debt ceiling. He planned to issue a debt bill that would include the "GOP priorities" in it. Two of their ideas were to make the Keystone XL pipeline have a required approval and the second was to get rid of a part of Obamacare that helps insurance companies. Because many Republicans do not want the debt ceiling raised this did not go through. Both the President and the Democrats in the Senate have said that they will not negotiate on raising the debt ceiling, both are in favor of doing so. Boehner will most likely have to put a "clean" bill forward, to the dismay of many Republicans, though there are more meetings this week. The United States officially reaches the debt ceiling this week but the Treasury has made some adjustments that gives it around a month left.

          The debt ceiling debate happens a lot, every time we come close to reaching the ceiling again there is a debate between the Republicans and Democrats. Republicans do not want the ceiling to rise because there is an issue if you keep raising it- when will they stop? Democrats, however, are in favor of raising it to keep the Americans life the same and limit as many budget cuts as they can that can affect life today. The idea that America has these two branches of congress is called a bicameral system. The article also shows examples of how America has a representative democracy where the people elect officials to show their will.This issue highlights not just a struggle between Republican and Democrat but also between House, Senate, and even the President.



Link to CNN story: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/02/05/house-gop-leaders-discard-two-key-demands-for-raising-debt-ceiling/?hpt=po_c2