Student Blog 13

SANDERS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT

"After a year of travel, discussion and dialogue, I have decided to be a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president," he wrote in the email, highlighting economic inequality, climate change and the Citizens United Supreme Court decisions as key issues spurring him to run.  Sanders first confirmed to the Associated Press in a story published Wednesday that he plans to run for the Democrats' 2016 presidential nomination. 

"People should not underestimate me," Sanders told the associated press.  "I've run outside of the two-party system, defeating Democrats and Republicans, taking on big-money candidates and, you know, I think the message that has resonated in Vermont is a message that can resonate all over this country."

This relates to our class curriculum because it involves primary election and executive branch.

I think that it is a waste of money to put your name on the Democratic Primary Election.  Hillary Clinton is bound to win in almost all cases.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/29/politics/bernie-sanders-announces-presidential-run/index.html

Student Blog #12

As Hillary Clinton spent the first weeks of her presidential campaign meeting voters in Iowa, her closest potential rival for the Democratic nomination -- Vice President Joe Biden -- was a thousand miles away, meeting in Washington with the leaders of five different foreign countries, delivering an update on U.S. strategy in Iraq, and rallying elected Democrats behind the administration's economic agenda.  If Biden has his way, that's what his schedule will look like for months to come as he mulls a third bid for president.  Unlike other Democratic and Republican competitors, the vice president has said he won't decide until the end of the summer whether or not to run. He hasn't taken any preliminary steps toward setting up a campaign apparatus, and supporters say they haven't heard one way or the other whether he's planning to jump in.

This relates to our class because it involves the presidential election; specifically primary elections.

I know that it is obviously Biden's right to run but he seems to have no chance to defeat Clinton.  Voting for Waka Flocka would most likely be a better move.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/20/politics/joe-biden-election-2016/index.html

student blog 11

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/13/politics/iran-bill-house-republican-mccarthy/index.html

Secretary of State John Kerry appealed to Congress to give him "the space" to complete negotiations with Iran before passing legislation that could impact the nuclear deal.  "We have two and a half months more to negotiate. That's a serious amount of time with some serious business still to do," Kerry told reporters before he met with House members on Monday evening. "So we hope Congress will listen carefully and ask the questions that it wants, but also give us the space and the time to be able to complete a very difficult task which has high stakes for our country."
This has to do with our class because it involves foreign policy and the actions of two different houses.
I think that he should be given his space.  Pressure typically bursts pipes and that is not what they are going for here.

Student Blog 10

Rand Paul Decides to Run for President

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/07/politics/rand-paul-president-2016/index.html

"Today I announce with God's help, with the help of liberty lovers everywhere, that I'm putting myself forward as a candidate for president of the United States of America," Paul said at a rally in Louisville.In his speech, he called for reforming Washington by pushing for term limits and a constitutional amendment to balance the budget. He argued that both parties are to blame for the rising debt, saying it doubled under a Republican administration and tripled under Obama.

This relates to our class because it is involved with the Executive Branch and the election process.

I am very happy that Rand Paul has decided to run.  I feel that he is a good Republican candidate that stands a chance against Hillary Clinton.  I hope that he will be able to get enough support to become our next president. 

Student blog 9

2/26/15 

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence's decision to sign into law a measure that could allow businesses to turn away gay and lesbian customers in the name of "religious freedom" has left the NCAA fretting ahead of next week's men's basketball Final Four in Indianapolis.  "We are especially concerned about how this legislation could affect our student-athletes and employees," NCAA President Mark Emmert said in a statement Thursday afternoon. 

He said the NCAA will "work diligently" to ensure competitors and visitors at next week's Final Four are not "negatively impacted by this bill." Emmert also said the organization, which is based in Indianapolis, will "closely examine the implications of this bill and how it might affect future events as well as our workforce."

This relates to our curriculum because it relates to human rights and legislature passed by government.

I feel that this law slightly violates human rights and is borderline unfair to the NCA.  We will be able to see how this plays out in the final four. 

Thank you for reading.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/25/politics/mike-pence-religious-freedom-bill-gay-rights/index.html

Student Blog 8

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/15/politics/mitch-mcconnell-loretta-lynch-confirmation/index.html

McConnell Holds off Lynch Confirmation until Democrats Relent on Bill

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Sunday said he plans to hold up attorney general nominee Loretta Lynch's confirmation until the Senate passes a now-controversial human trafficking bill. "This will have an impact on the timing of considering a new attorney general," McConnell told CNN's Dana Bash on "State of the Union." "I had hoped to turn to her next week, but if we can't finish the trafficking bill, she will be put off again."  "We have to finish the human trafficking bill," McConnell said. "The Loretta Lynch nomination comes next."

This has to do with what we are learning in class because it is involved with the different parts of Congress and the passing of bills. 

I agree with the Senate's decision.  It is their right to use their powers to make a difference and that is what they are doing.  This is another example of Democrats struggling to pass bills, and the Republicans have jumped on the bandwagon with the Attorney General confirmation.

 

Student Blog 7

The Department of Homeland Security is investigating another incident of misconduct by senior Secret Service agents, White House officials said Wednesday night.  Two senior Secret Service agents, including a top member of President Barack Obama's protective detail, crashed a car into a White House barricade following a late-night party for retiring spokesman Ed Donovan and it's suspected they had been drinking.

This is related to our class because it involves the President, the White House, and protecting our President.

I think that it is a serious issue because protecting our president is very important and this is a breach in our security from an inside person who is supposed to be protecting our president.  I think there should be punishment but no dismissal of their roles in the Secret Service.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/11/politics/drunk-secret-service-agents-white-house/index.html

Student Blog 6

Benghazi Committee Going after Clinton Emails

     The chairman of the House committee investigating Benghazi said Tuesday revelations that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton used multiple personal email accounts to conduct government business are troubling.  House Select Committee on Benghazi Chairman Trey Gowdy said his committee knew that Clinton used personal email to conduct government business last summer, but only recently learned that she did not also use an official government account.  The committee, which is investigating the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi that killed four Americans, plans to request the emails from Clinton and the email service providers she used, Gowdy said. He added that Clinton's use of personal email accounts makes it harder for the committee to gather the facts.
     This is related to AP Gov because it is involved with the actions of the government, specifically the Benghazi situation.  Also, Hillary Clinton was the Secretary of State at the time which is involved with the different branches of the government.
     I believe that Hillary Clinton should give up her emails to help speed up the operation because I think she will eventually have to give them up.  It is important for the government to get these emails so that they can try and get to the bottom of this investigation.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/04/politics/hillary-clinton-email-congressional-democrat-reaction/index.html

Student Blog 5

     http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/02/25/senior-state-dept-official-arrested-for-allegedly-soliciting-sex-from-minor/

     A senior State Department official in charge of federal counterterrorism programs was arrested Tuesday afternoon for allegedly soliciting sex from a minor, Fox News has reported.  Fairfax County Police officials say Daniel Rosen was arrested by a county detective about noon at his Washington, D.C. home after he allegedly sought to arrange sex with a minor. The detective, a female officer working in the county's Child Exploitation Unit, had been posing as the minor in online exchanges with Rosen, police said.

     This relates to our class because it involves the justice system and one of our government officials being involved on the wrong side of it.

     I agree with the choice of the police to arrest this man due to the evidence piled up against him.

Student Blog 4

Justice Dept. could sue Ferguson for racial discrimination

http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/18/politics/ferguson-justice-department-lawsuit/

     The Justice Department is preparing to bring a lawsuit against the Ferguson, Missouri, police department over a pattern of racially discriminatory tactics used by officers, if the police department does not agree to make changes on its own.  Attorney General Eric Holder said this week he expects to announce the results of the department's investigation of the shooting death of Michael Brown and a broader probe of the Ferguson Police Department before he leaves office in the coming weeks.

     This relates to our curriculum because it involves federal government dealing with the actions of a local government.  Also, it involves an inner-government lawsuit.

     I disagree with the actions of theJustice Dept. because I feel that the police brutality in Ferguson was blown out of proportion.  Yes, a white cop killed a black male but evidence shows that there was still a physical struggle between the two.  

Student Blog 3

NBC Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams is being suspended for six months without pay.

      Brian Williams, the anchor of NBC's top-rated "Nightly News" program, has been suspended without pay for six months after admitting last week that a story he told about coming under fire on a helicopter during the Iraq war was not true, the network said on Tuesday.  "By his actions, Brian has jeopardized the trust millions of Americans place in NBC News," NBC Universal Chief Executive Officer Steve Burke said in a statement from the network. "His actions are inexcusable and this suspension is severe and appropriate."  His suspension comes after he voluntarily took himself off the air on Saturday and five days after NBC News launched an inquiry into his story of the event.

     This relates to our course curriculum because Brian Williams is apart of the media that reports the news from the White House and other political sources.  His lie included a story about the war that was the biggest topic among most politicians and his story may have changed people's views on the war.  The media and war aspects of this article relate it to the course curriculum.

     I agree with the punishment that was handed down to Brian Williams.  Falsifying information is unfair to the general public because news is the one of the only ways we have to look into the actions going on around the world.  His crude actions deserved the stiff punsihment that he was eventually given.  

Live Link

Student Blog 2

Mitt Romney Drops Out of Republican Candidate Race

     Three weeks to the day since he informed a group of Republican financiers in New York that he was serious about a third presidential bid, Romney has decided to end his political career.  He has officially told supporters that he would not attempt a third bid for the nomination.  Romney's decision to forgo a run, made over the weekend in consultation with his family, came on the heels of what associates described as "frank" and "clinical" strategy session with his closest advisers in Boston last Friday at the offices of Solamere Capital.

     This article is relatable to our curriculum because it involves aspect of the government such as political campaigns, the actions of a candidate, and the process of becoming the president.  

     I feel that Romney made the correct decision dropping out of the race.  He was never a strong republican candidate and he has cleared a path for better candidates to make a run at the White House.  His failed attempt to become president last year against a weak opponent show that he would have a harder time winning this year.  This is why I agree with his decision to forgo the Republican candidate race.

Live Link (CNN)

Student Blog 1

Boehner to Pursue Legal Action Against Obama Administration

Live Link

     House Speaker John Boehner announced Tuesday that he plans to pursue legal action against the Obama administration in order to challenge President Barack Obama's executive action on immigration.  "We are finalizing a plan to authorize litigation on this issue -- one we believe gives us the best chance of success," Boehner said.  The move comes as House Republican leaders are struggling to round up support for a border security bill they had planned to vote on this week.
     I feel that this is applicable to course content because it involves the actions taken by Government officials.  This action has been taken by a very republican minded Representative to stop what is seen by many as an unconstitutional action by President Obama.  Therefore, this article relates it two aspects of Government that we learn about in this class.
     To me, this action seems nessecary in this situation to protect the rights given by the Checks and Balances System.  It is the right of the House to take these kind of actions if they feel the need to, so I support these actions to protect the integrity of the President.  Without the three branches keeping each other in check, there would be no way to trust any one branch of the government.