chapter 14 blog

Chapter 14 Blog

            Elena Kagan, Associate Justice. She was a deputy assistant for Domestic Policy and Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council. It seems to have been a long road for her to get to where she is today.  In Wal-Mart v. Dukes, the case was about a class action suit by women employees of Wal-Mart for discrimination, women making 81 cents to the men making a dollar. The women in the class action suit wanted back pay. There were massive amounts of women in this class action suit. Justice Scalia wrote for five members that there was not a single question that covered all the employees in the suit. The dissent, by Justice Ginsburg with other justices were, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan. I agree with Justice Ginsburg that they should have sided with the lower court that the lawsuit was justified. Their practice of giving local discretion in employment decisions could bring on more discrimination.

          Sparingly.You can’t go any higher for a decision.They have just so many cases they hear while they are in session.

                  They should interpret the constitution.

                 There have been so many things that have changed since it was written.        

Chapter 13

Chapter 13 Blog

1.       The U.S Food and Drug Administration is in my opinion the most important agency. They protect the public health of humans and animals. They make regulations on food and drugs. They have inspectors that go out to these places that make the food and drugs and inspect them. The FDA also regulates tobacco with warning labels on cigarette packs.

2.       The United States Botanical Garden.  It’s basically a show place. You can tour it and see all the flowers and plants. They can show you how to plant, but you can read the instructions on the plants you buy and it will tell you how to plant it, what sunlight it needs, how deep to plant them and how far apart to plant each one. I don’t see a need for the United States Botanical Garden.

3.       I don’t know that another agency is needed. I looked at all of them on the Government agency we site and it looks like it’s all covered and then some. 

Chapter 12 blog

Chapter 12 blog

1.       What makes a president great?

 Doing right by the people of the United States. Not fighting a war that we don’t need to be involved in. Reasonable taxes for everyone. Lowering the cost of health care. Lowering the wages of government officials. Raising the wages when the cost of living goes up. I’m sure we will not see these happening anytime in our lives. I think that would make a great president in this economy.

2.       The 2 presidents that have been the greatest were Franklin D. Roosevelt because he wanted to put cash into the people’s hands, but didn’t want to give handouts. He made programs like the national labor relations act that was a federal oversight for working conditions and labor disputes. The Tennessee Valley Authority and the conservation corps. Which, employed and trained workers. The second president is Abraham Lincoln, he wanted peace, and he freed the slaves. He said this nation, under God, will have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, will not perish from the earth. Great words from a great man.

3.       Abraham Lincoln was an effective president. He said there is no oath registered in heaven to destroy the government, he has the most solemn one to preserve, protect and defend it. His plan for peace was flexible and generous. He was reelected and ended the civil war. Inscribed on one wall of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D. C.: "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds....“ Those words are very moving. I think he was a sincere and kind man that wanted to do the right thing for the people of the United States.

Chapter 10

Chapter 10 blog

Bush v. Gore election was a real mess. I remember that election, Jeb Bush was governor of Florida. Yes it should have gone to the Supreme Court. That was the best option to settle it and get a president in office.

Fundraising is important to get the word out. Television ads have to be paid for along with gas to travel to different states to campaign, campaign signs, and banners. All kinds of political expenses to get your name and ideas out to the people. If there’s no money, then there’s no campaigning. I don’t have any ideas to correct the problem. If you don’t have the support of a party, or know the right people, then you are on your own.

Low voter turnout is because people don’t believe the politicians anymore. They are fed up with the way things are being run in the United States. Unemployment is at nine percent. People losing their homes, and everyone is so mad and depressed over the economy. There would have to be a real smooth talking person to get people to sit up and listen and vote.

Blog Chapter 9

I am a democrat. I believe in working families, affordable housing and affordable health care. Lower taxes for the middle class workers. Job security and retirements plans are important. There isn’t anything in the democratic platform that I disagree with.

I don’t know if America needs political parties and maybe the founders knew what was best for America. Would it work today?   I don’t have an answer about that.  But, I wonder, would the politicians know what the people of America want without the parties?

The Citizens Party of 2012 is for the middle class citizens that are tired of the way the country is being run by the two big parties. They don’t think they really know what we want. That they are being swayed by the rich for their political purposes. 

Chapter 8 blog

Blog Chapter 8

I was a member of the United Steelworkers of America for six years when I worked at Tennessee Valley Steel.  The issues that they have are the same as mine. The middle class working person, health care, wages, a good pension, keeping American jobs here. America is going down the tubes, and we stand here and watch. Feeling hopeless at times wondering what is going to happen to the middle class worker. Working at Tennessee valley steel, we had good wages, good health insurance, good working conditions and safety was the number one concern.  I haven’t seen those things since then, and don’t know if I ever will.

The UAW, United Auto Workers Union, the union of the big 3 automakers. I was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1955, and I have always heard from mom and dad and my uncles that if you worked at one of the big 3 automakers, that the union will take care of you.  My Family are big union supporters.  The union supports the working middle class families. Better wages and health care, among other issues.

Depending on what interest group it is, in my opinion some could have more power in the political system. Freedom of speech is very important to us all. But, no one should be able to own a politician to get what they want. That is rich people being greedy. That’s just my opinion.  

chapter 7 blog

Chapter 7 blog

1. Objectivity still exists in media coverage of politics from what I see on NBC news. That is the only one I watch and that isn’t often. NBC news isn’t biased either.

2. How does talk radio affect my view on politics? I have never listened to talk radio, so I can’t answer that either. I have heard of Rush Limbaugh but not Air America.


3. Is media objectivity important? Yes it is important, they should not try and sway people into thinking like they do about politics. I want to read about politics or watch on tv and come to my own decision about how I feel about how the country is being run. I did read on aol about Obama couldn’t get the health care plan passed and he is dropping it. I did not read the entire article. There were no leaning right or left about it. If I did read anything about politics and they are being biased I would stop reading it.