Political Parties

Link: Gay Rights, Same Sex Marriage Cause Political Strife In U.S.

Summary: The same sex, gay rights battle has been being fought between conservatives and liberals for at least 30 years. John Boehner, The Speaker of the House, issued a statement that he is trying to find legal ways to maintain DOMA (The defense of marriage act), which specifies that a legal union can only be between a man and a woman and no same sex couples. President Obama has agreed that DOMA is not constitutional because it violates the equal protection component of the Fifth Amendment. 

Relevance: We learned that political ideologies differ from person to person. Conservative ideologies are typically part of the republican party, who believe in small government and strong traditional morals. Liberal ideologies are typically part of the democratic parties. Liberals believe that the government should be able to handle most public services, and have think equality for everyone is essential. Typically republicans are against gay rights, and democrats are not. However, recently people are straying away from political parties and becoming more moderate, thus supporting parts of both ideologies. Some republicans support gay rights, while some democrats don't. It's all just a matter of preference. We learned that ideology typically gets embedded into one through their early family life. If one grows up in a conservative family, they most likely go to church, and have strong family values. In a liberal family, the child often is allowed to experiment with their ideologies and figure out what they think for themselves, still influenced by their family. 

Opinion: I think that gay rights should be available to everyone. There is no problem with it. People have different things that make them happy, and equality is supposed to be guaranteed to everyone in the United States. I believe we should live up to the constitution and make unions of every type available to anyone who wants them. Personally, I'm not gay, but I do not believe that it will cause any harm to the moral fabric that some claim it will. People should be able to do whatever makes them happy.

Military Spending

Link: Cut Military Spending To Make Us Stronger

Summary: Current military spending in the United States is almost $489 bl dollars. The total proposed budget for the fiscal year is $3.5 trillion dollars. 1/7th of the total budget goes to military spending. Some propose cutting military spending to fund other things like education and healthcare.

Relevance: Again we talked about the federal budget, and how military and Department of Defense spending are both discretionary. They also account for a substantial part of the entire federal budget. We also did that activity with poker chips where we created a budget, and balanced it. For my group, military spending lost about 10%. There is no good solution when times are tight, but the government needs to make the decisions that will keep the country in success for the long term.

Opinion: I believe that military spending should be cut. The money could be placed elsewhere, perhaps paying off debt or education, which will be suffering extreme cuts. I believe education is what keeps the country successful in the long term. However, many claim that military is more important even thought it can be extremely wasteful. There needs to be a balance.

Environment

Link: Fewer Americans Worry About Climate Change: Poll

Summary: The American population is less worried about global warming than they have been since 1998. About 51% of the population was greatly concerned in 1998. In 2008 after Al Gore won the Noble Peace Prize for his efforts, around 67% were greatly concerned with global warming. Gallup, who conducted the poll believes things like the economy and global affairs take precedent to global warming.

Relevance: The American government has it's part to play to keeping global warming and the environment in check. To do this, they enlist the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which serves to protect human health and the environment by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by congress. Examples of these could be the emission levels of cars and factories, the dumping of toxic waste, and the cleaning of environmental damage. This agency is funded by discretionary spending in the federal budget, and we spent lots of time talking about different agencies.

Opinion: Global warming is still an issue that the United States should be combating through alternative energy and less dependance on oil. The environment is something that cannot be fixed when it is destroyed, but the damage on the environment is also something that can be exaggerated.

Foreign Policy

Link: U.S. Hamstrung In Policy On Libya

Summary: The United States rarely intervenes in other nations unless it's keeping peace, or protecting it's own vital interests. One of the most ruthless dictators of the modern time, Moammar Gadhafi, continuously treats people horribly, and the people want it to stop. The U.S. is struggling in their effort to decide what action to take. We are in a situation is "damned if we do, and damned if we don't." However if we don't intervene, we send the message that a dictator who is anti-western, anti-democratic, and who kills his own people can hold power regardless of their actions.

Relevance: Although we have not heavily covered foreign policy, we will before then end of the year. The president is the chief initiator of foreign policy in the U.S.. We have three different instruments of foreign policy: Military, Economic, and Diplomacy. American tries to stray away from full fledged war, but continues to use military in limited ways, most notably in the Middle East against Saddam Hussain's regime in Iraq and the Taliban's regime in Afghanistan. Economic instruments are almost as powerful of war. Especially the control of oil, which is another possible motivation for the entering of the Middle East. A nations economy is important to the nations long term survival. Diplomacy is the relations of nations with each other. This can cover things from economic deals to the rescuing of stranded tourists.

Opinion: I feel like the United States could help the situation in Libya, but I also feel that if we continue to help other nations, it will set a precedent that we will always step in to the rescue. Hopefully something like Obama urging Honsai Mubarak, the Egyptian president, to step down would have the same effect on Gadhafi.

Federal Budget

Link: GOP Calls for Spending Cuts to Federal Budget

Summary: The House is expected to vote to keep the federal government funded until April 8th. As of now, the government only has spending authority until Friday, March 18th. Many believe letting the government shutdown would cause Congress to think more seriously about the budget and the enormous debt this country owns.

Relevance: We learned early in the year how the federal budget for the next fiscal year comes to be. First the president submits his proposed budget for the White House to Congress in February. Congress reviews the Presidents budget, and proposes the Congressional Budget Resolution including estimated revenue, surplus or deficit (most likely deficit), and the resulting estimated public deficit. Mandatory spending (Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security)  is automatically included in the budget, while discretionary spending (Military, Education, NASA funding, Infrastructure) that accounts for about a third of the budget must be approved by Congress. Simply put, the budget is then finalized by Congress, and then signed by the President. If not completed by October 1, the government runs the risk of being shut down if a continuing resolution is not passed.

Opinion: For the 2011 fiscal year, we have gone for six months without a budget. That is irresponsible. The next continuing resolution expires on March 18th. I believe that if the government was to "shutdown" then it would encourage Congress to finally agree on a budget. Maybe they will be able to agree on something that resolves debt, but doesn't take away many programs American people use and want.

Campaign Finance

Link: Rory Reid Queried In Possible Scheme To Circumvent Campaign Finance Laws
          Supreme Court Blocks Ban on Corporate Political Spending

Summary: Rory Reid, son of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and a failed bid for the elections to senate representing Nevada, is being investigated for opening multiple contribution accounts to circumvent the campaign finance laws.

Relevance: Early in the year we covered elections to Congress and for the Presidency. More specifically about the limitations to the campaigns candidates can run. Campaigns have finance laws that prevent certain candidates from "buying" an election at the whim of large corporations or wealthy interest groups. The McCain-Feingold act specifically limited how much a candidate can receive from certain groups such as corporations, PACs, interest groups, 527 groups, and individuals. Although there are loopholes, elections need to be run in a fair manner, and in the United States, the people with the money win. We discussed how Social class, wealth, and the people you know can all give you upper hands against a middle class "average joe." However, recently after learning about the McCain-Feingold act, the Court overrule a major part of the bill. They blocked the ban on spending from corporations. Because of the First Amendment, companies can now spend as much as they please.

Opinion: Cheating your way into office is horrible. We elect candidates based on trust, and when ones scheme gets uncovered, it makes the public lose faith in the entire system. Campaign finance laws are in place for a reason, to protect the offices of the United States from corruption. When people try to circumvent these laws, they should never be allowed to run again, or should be removed from office if caught. Also, with the McCain-Feingold overruling, the democracy can now be bought. Although the Constitution guarantees free speech, this could really hurt elections as they can now effectively be bought. Candidates can be bought and used as puppets for the big corporations. It will most definitely be interesting to see how this places out in the next elections and the results from this ruling.

Economy

Link: U.S. Better Prepared for Surging Gas Prices

Summary: Fear of Middle East supply disruption has driven oil prices to over $100 a barrel for the first time in over two years. Economists believe that US consumers are better prepared for the raise in oil prices than they were in 2008 because of more fuel efficient vehicles and industries that rely on oil like trucking and aviation pass the cost directly on to the consumer immediately instead of down the road when profits fall.

Relevance: While talking a lot about the federal budget, taxes, and deficits, it's hard to imagine how with so much money being spent, the economy can be in such bad shape. People just do not buy as much as they used to anymore. But money is still being spent in different places, and taxes are still being collected from those purchases. For example, the federal tax on gasoline is $0.184 per gallon. On average, the United States uses an estimated 388 million gallons of oil per day.  That is $69m per day in taxes collected. The government has a lot to balance on it's plate, and everything we are learning is constantly making it look like a tougher and tougher job. The budget is very complex and extremely vast, but money management must be more well cared for. This is a nation fueled by the desire for money, run on capitalism. When the economy is in ruins, it is not a very nice place to live.

Opinion: Although the government does have a very tough job managing the federal budget, I feel like they could do better. With large amounts of money flowing into the government through taxes everyday, it seems like it shouldn't be difficult to keep the nation out of the red. Maybe we should stop giving tax breaks to those making HUGE sums of money, and tax them according to their income bracket just like everyone else. I feel like the government budget should be run like a perfect household: Little to no debt, except a mortgage, and car payments, and where they don't go after more they can afford. Although this perfect household must sometimes borrow funds for when the car breaks down, or the furnace breaks in the middle of winter, they pay back the debt as soon as possible. The government should follow this model, and the finances of the government could be brilliant.