Proposed Law Against Football

Bennet Omalu, a forensic pathologist who's mission is to prove that NFL players develop the brain disease Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) as a direct result of football, has suggested that there be a law passed requiring children to reach the legal age of consent before they can play football. "We have a legal age for drinking alcohol; for joining the military; for voting; for smoking; for driving; and for consenting to have sex," he wrote. "We must have the same when it comes to protecting the organ that defines who we are as human beings." Omalu argues that by setting a legal age, these adults would be allowed to decide themselves whether or not they want to play, instead of being pressured as kids. CTE can only be detected in the dead, so it is difficult to decide just how dangerous playing football at a young age is, compared to later in life. However, two studies this year have shown that NFL players who played football before age 12 had an increased risk of mental issues later in life. Neurosurgeon Robert Cantu has recommended that children should avoid tackle football at least until the age of fourteen, and others have agreed, but Omalu's idea to make football illegal to high school students as well as younger children is almost crazy. However, it is likely more and more people begin to agree with Omalu, since at least eleven high school football players have died this year.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bennet-omalu-football_5665d244e4b072e9d1c6e10b

Mycoplasma Genitalium

A new STD has been discovered -- Mycoplasma Genitalium -- the predecessor to pelvic inflammatory disease. Researchers at University College London examined urine samples of about 4,500 men and women (ages 18-44) and found that 72 people who were sexually active with at least one partner tested positive with MG, while those who have never been sexually active's results all came back negative. It is hard to catch MG, because it often doesn't show symptoms; 50-90% of people diagnosed with the STD didn't report any symptoms. For those that do have symptoms, painful urination and bleeding after sex are common for women, and watery discharge is normal for men. MG is treatable with the antibiotic azithromycin, AKA a "z-pack." 

http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/07/health/what-to-know-std-mg/index.html

Trump Attacks Muslims

After Obama's most recent national address regarding Americans' actions towards Muslims in light of the terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, CA, Donald Trump has made his view clear that he believes the United States should keep all Muslims from entering the country. “Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life,” Trump declared. Nancy Morawetz, a professor at New York University School of Law who is specializing in immigration, was shocked by Trump's statement. Morawetz said “It’s unbelievable to have a religious test for admission into the country,” which does, in fact, go against the Constitution. While it makes sense to keep an eye out for suspected terrorists and keep Syrian refugees from entering the United States, Mr. Trump basically wants anyone associated with the Muslim religion to be kept out, and maybe even kicked out for that matter. 

http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/12/07/

Military Combat Positions Now Offered To Women

This past Thursday, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced that all U.S. military combat positions have become available to women. This will allow women to fill about 220,000 jobs including infantry, armor, reconnaissance and special operations units. "This means that women [...] will be able to drive tanks, give orders, lead infantry soldiers into combat," Carter said. Obviously, there are "physical differences" between men and women, and to keep our military strong and skilled, positions won't just be handed out to women who ask. They must have the same skill expectations and requirements as the men. So far, only two women have completed the Army's Ranger School, and now they can finally apply to join the 75th Ranger Regiment. Hillary Clinton has fully supported and applauded the move. She stated: "We've seen women in our armed forces prove their heroism and abilities, now our official policy is catching up and women who are qualified for these positions should be able to compete and win them." The policy be implemented in 30 days.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/03/politics/u-s-military-women-combat-positions/index.html

Trump In Need Of Fact Check

In recent campaign rallies and interviews, Donald Trump seems to have a hard time remembering facts about the events on 9/11. Last week, Trump made remarks that, in fact, do not correspond with the actual events. The first instance was during a CBS interview when Trump only recognized three of four plane crashes: “And those wives went home to watch their husbands knock down the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and wherever the third plane was going.” Then, Trump acknowledged the terrorist attacks to have happened around lunch time, when they actually occurred around 8-10 a.m. The next day, Trump interrupted a question about World War II and once again brought up 9/11. Mr. Trump said the only thing that was worse than Pearl Harbor was the 9/11 attacks, which "killed innocent civilians having dinner,” but as previously stated, the plane crashes actually occurred in the morning. Apparently Trump takes pride in not using a teleprompter when he speaks, but I think it's about time he rethinks that. 

http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/12/04/

Every Penny Counts

This past Monday, the Islamic Center of Pflugerville in Austin, Texas was vandalized. Feces were found smeared on the sidewalk outside of the center, along with torn out pages of the Quran. "It's disgusting [...] It doesn't matter what you believe, what I believe, what he believes or anybody believes, all faith is important" said Laura Swanson, a Pflugerville resident. When Swanson's seven year old son found out what had happened, he tried to help by emptying out his piggy bank, which only contained about twenty dollars. He went to the mosque and gave the money to Faisal Naeem, a board member of the center. "It's 20 bucks, but coming from Jack collecting his pennies, it's worth 20 million bucks to me and to our community," Naeem said. Jack's actions give Naeem hope, he said, because "this means it's not once versus the other." The vandalism is still being investigated. 

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/19/us/boy-piggy-bank-mosque-vandalized/ 

Clarkston, Georgia - Refugee City

Clarkston, Georgia has become a very diverse community after it was mentioned as a good place for refugees to settle. Out of the 8,000 people, half of the population is made up of refugees. Those who were born in Clarkston say they love the diversity that the refugees bring, and some have gone so far as to start businesses to help refugees and keep them there. For example, a food truck called "Refuge Coffee" was started by Kitti Murray (a Clarkston native) and is the occupation of three refugees from Syria, Congo, and Ethiopia. The Community Center also helps in welcoming refugees by helping them transition into normal American life. Clarkston's Mayer, Ted Terry, says his mission is to "keep the city diverse" and "show the true principles of America."

http://www.cnn.com/videos

Hillary Clinton Proposes Middle Class Tax Cut

Hillary Clinton proposed a tax credit for those who face unexpected and overwhelming health care costs in order to give middle class Americans tax relief. The proposal provides up to $2,500 in tax credit for individuals, and $5,000 for families. When Clinton spoke at LeMoyne-Owen College, she acknowledged that the primarily black student body "deserved a raise -- not a tax increase." Clinton believes that the American Opportunity Tax Credits should be extended in order to help make college more affordable. On Sunday, Clinton will present more proposals for tax cuts, "in order to ensure the wealthiest of Americans pay their fair share."

http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/11/22/donald-trump-again-insists-he-saw-celebrations-in-new-jersey-on-sept-11/

Donald Trump Supports Those Who ‘Roughed Up’ Protester at His Event

Mercutio Southall, a co-founder of a Black Lives Matter chapter in Birmingham, AL, was physically assaulted at a Donald Trump campaign rally. After Southall and his protesters began recording their being at the event on a cellphone, Mr. Southall found himself on the floor surrounded by Trump supporters kicking and punching him. Donald Trump, whose podium was too far away to see the commotion, later said he was in favor of the actions of his supporters. “Maybe he (Southall) should have been roughed up, because it was absolutely disgusting what he was doing,” Mr. Trump said in an interview on Sunday.

http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/11/20/

Obama on ISIS

After days of criticism, Obama has finally come up with a strong a firm response to the terrorist attacks in Paris. At a press conference in Malaysia this weekend, Obama vowed that the global group formed with the goal to destroy ISIS will not give in or quit. "We will not accept the idea that terrorist assaults on restaurants and theaters and hotels are the new normal, or that we are powerless to stop them," Obama said. He made a great point that "they can't beat us on the battlefield," so instead they try to frighten us into panicking. Many frightened citizens all around the world have been blaming anyone following the Muslim religion for the terrorist attacks, in which Obama addressed that we are not at war with the Muslim religion. He explained "The United States could never be at any war with any religion because America is made up by multiple religions" and that "prejudice and discrimination helps ISIS and undermines our national security." Regarding policy, the Obama administration had originally wanted to accept 10,000+ Syrian refugees into the country, but as of Thursday, the House has passed a bill that will suspend that program. 

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/22/politics/obama-isis-killers-social-media/index.html

Political Parties in Nigeria

http://nigeriamasterweb.com/PoliticalFullist.html - parties fluctuate in transforming republics

1. Alliance for Democracy
2. All Nigeria Peoples’ Party
3. All Progressives Grand Alliance
4. All Peoples Liberation Party
5. African Renaissance Party
6. Better Nigeria Progressive Party
7. Community Party of Nigeria
8. The Democratic Alternative
9. The Green Party of Nigeria
10. Justice Party
11. Liberal Democratic Party of Nigeria
12. Movement for Democracy and Justice
13. Masses Movement of Nigeria
14. National Action Council
15. Nigeria Advance Party 
16. National Conscience Party
17. New Democrats
18. National Democratic Party
19. National Mass Movement of Nigeria
20. New Nigeria Peoples Party
21. Nigerian Peoples Party
22. National Reformation Party
23. Progressive Action Congress
24. Peoples Democratic Party
25. Peoples Mandate Party
26. Peoples Redemption Party
27. Party for Social Democracy
28. Peoples Salvation Party
29. United Democratic Party
30. Uniter Nigeria Peoples Party

type of gov- federal republic (a state in which the powers of the central government are restricted and in which the component parts (states, colonies, or provinces) retain a degree of self-government; ultimate sovereign power rests with the voters who chose their governmental representatives) http://www.indexmundi.com/nigeria/government_type.html 

how power is organized- same as US

head of state- president

legislative branch- house of rep & senate

unitary or federal system- federal

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Nigeria

which parties are considered major or ruling- Peoples Democratic Party 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Assembly_(Nigeria)

how are parties characterized- chaotic, lots of upheaval

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_Nigeria#First_Republic_.281960-1966.29 

what issues are the parties organized around (ideological, economic, social issues)- integration or regionalization http://works.bepress.com/david_moveh/13/

UFO Sighting or Planned Missile Test?

Saturday night in Southern California was filled with lots of panicked star gazing, as people began to notice a bright white light shooting across the sky. Was it a star or meteor? Was it a UFO sighting? Both scenarios, wrong. U.S. military officials explained it was only a planned missile test flight from a submarine ("USS Kentucky") off the coast of Southern California. The Navy Strategic Systems Program also informed the public that the missile was unarmed and not dangerous, and tests will continue until November 12th. "Launches are conducted on a frequent, recurring basis to ensure the continued reliability of the system. Each test activity provides valuable information about our systems, thus contributing to assurance in our capabilities."

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/08/us/southern-california-navy-test-mystery-light/index.html

Missouri Football Players On Strike

Although we may not like to admit it, racism is still very evident in our society today. It is so prominent on the campus of Missouri University, that MU football players have gone on strike and are refusing to play to achieve some justice in their community. One player, Jonathan Butler, is on a hunger strike in hopes to get the university's president, Tim Wolfe, fired. Several racist accounts have been recorded over the past 90 days, consisting of the student body president being called "the N word" and a swastika being drawn on a dorm. "ConcernedStudent1950," a student lead protest group, held a protest during a parade in which Wolfe remained in his car and did not communicate with the students. Since then, Wolfe has made a public apology, but students still hold him accountable for not taking action against the racism on campus. Wolfe released a statement saying he will be working with representatives of the university to try and make some changes with a deadline of April. However, even with this statement, students still seem to want Wolfe fired.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/08/us/missouri-football-players-protest/index.html

Climate Controls Poverty

A World Bank report titled Shock Waves: Managing the Impacts of Climate Change on Poverty writes that "climate change is a 'significant obstacle' to the eradication of poverty." It makes sense, poor people are exceedingly impacted by floods, droughts, diseases, agricultural issues, etc. The report finds that "if countries fail to sustain policies that combat the impacts of climate change while also providing safety nets for the world’s poor, global warming will drive an additional 100 million people into poverty by 2030." World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim states that the report is proof and a statement that we cannot end poverty unless we first make efforts to reduce climate change. In order to make progress in the fight to eradicate poverty, he believes countries should: upgrade flood defenses, develop warning systems, grow climate-resistant crops, increase incomes, and provide universal health care.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/world-bank-climate-change-poverty_563f712ce4b0b24aee4aa2f8?t9iicnmi

Spring Valley High School Officer Suspended

A recent video was released of a police officer at Spring Valley High School forcefully removing an African-American female student from her desk. I'll admit, at first glance, Sheriff Ben Fields' actions seem unwarranted. However, there is also another video that is longer, which shows the student being disrespectful and defiant, and also shows her punching the officer repeatedly beforehand. The officer clearly warned her that if she wouldn't get up, he would make her, and so he did. With so many outraged responses, the Sheriff Fields has been suspended. Fields' boss, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott,  said: "If she (the student) had not disrupted the school and disrupted that class, we would not be standing here today. So it started with her and it ended with my officer. What I'm going to deal with is what my deputy did," Lott said. In my opinion, the officer was doing his job and he shouldn't have to lose his job over this. The teenager was resisting arrest, and he was dealing with her in the classroom just as any other officer would have dealt with an adult on the street. His actions also had nothing to do with the color of her skin, and I feel as though some people are reacting much more harshly due to the fact that the student isn't white. 

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/27/us/south-carolina-school-arrest-video/

Wanted Murderer Tricks Police Into Releasing Him

On November 6th in Augusta, Georgia, a man under the alias of Terrance Brown was arrested under the charges of disorderly conduct. When arrested, he had no identification with him, so he was able to successfully lie to the police and use a fake name. When Terrance was booked originally, no fingerprints were required, but they were required once he was bailed out, just to be able to verify his identity. During the fingerprint process, Terrance's real identity would have shown up, which brings up the question: were the police officers not paying attention enough to see his true identity, along with a warrant for his arrest for murder in another county? The releasing officer and his/her supervisor obviously didn't follow the correct procedure. To make matters worse, Terrance's brother Antonio Brown bailed him out, also using a fake name, which proves once again that police failed to check for correct identification. Police are still searching to get Terrance Brown back in custody, but they have Antonio Brown with charges of assisted release. 

http://www.cnn.com/videos/justice/2015/11/08/georgia-murder-suspect-fake-name-police-released-dnt.wagt

Follow up: The Man Behind The Mosque

1. Cable news attended debates, rallies, and other events for both parties and interviewed historians as well as those effected by 9/11. There was no report on funding. 
2. Pamela Geller.
3. The news mainly focused on victims or families of victims of 9/11 and their feelings and stories, rather than factual information. 
4. No.
5. Cable news relied on non-muslim sources(historians). They reported on the history of Islam, however they molded the facts to change people's ideas of the purpose of the mosque. 
6. Ownership of a media source is crucial to bias in coverage. Owners can control what the media source shares, as well as how they present the information, in order to make an impression on viewers to support their opinions. 
7. Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal.
8. Cable news probably stopped covering the story because there was no clear end in sight. It's such a controversial topic, and they were getting nowhere with both sides having such strong arguments. 

Americans and TV News

Link: http://www.journalism.org/files/2013/10/Nielsen_Latest_10-11.pdf 

This article is about statistics of how Americans receive news, based on airing times, the amount of time spent searching/viewing news, outlets, platforms, channels, etc. 

Top 10 Facts:
1. Television remains the dominant way that Americans get news
2.  The three major news competitors are CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC
3. Nightly network newscasts draw largest audiences - the local news audience is highest during the late 11 p.m. newscast

4. The heaviest users of cable news spend about 72 minutes a day to that platform, the heaviest users of local TV news average almost 22 minutes a day, and the network news level's heaviest users watch for almost 32 minutes day

5. Heavy users of any type of television news tend to also be heavy viewers of other platforms as well

6. Wide reach is important for newscasting, but “appointment” viewership is important as well in order to get viewers to tune in regularly for scheduled programs

7. 38% of Americans access news online 
8. The heaviest online news users spend about four minutes a day researching

9. Nbcnews.com is one of the most used news sites on the web, but only reaches about 9% of adults in America

10. There is more crossover news on the television side of news outlets than there is on digital outlets
  

 

Intro to Media Questions

1. TV, the internet, video games, music, radio, newspapers, magazines, social media apps, cell phones.
2. General Electric, Newscorp, Disney, Viacom, Time Warner, and CBS control 90% of American media, which used to be owned by 50 companies.
3. Emerson College: "Combining tradition and innovation, the Department of Journalism is committed to training ethical journalists who can write compelling, original news stories—and bring those stories to life through broadcast, print, web, and multimedia platforms. As a student, you’ll gain rich experience in the field through class assignments, internships, and extracurricular activities that range from conducting on-street interviews and attending State House press conferences to providing multimedia coverage of the Emmys." "[...] you’ll learn how to tell stories that increase public understanding and awareness, and gain the skills necessary to adapt to—and shape—this rapidly evolving field."
4. "Watchdog" journalism involves alerting and protecting the public when a problem is found -- usually regarding illegal activity, immorality, consumer protection issues, and the environment. Those being watched are the government to prevent abuse of power.
5. I don't know what "liberal bias" means. I know to be biased means prejudiced for/against something or someone, so I'm assuming liberal bias would be either supporting or opposing a liberal idea, cause, person, etc. 

Fake Trees And Fans Could End Air Pollution

People today don't even realize how much we pollute the world we live in. Scientists try and warn us about pollution, but nothing is really changing. Almost every form of transportation spits out carbon dioxide, and our breathing process does as well. Carbon dioxide is all around us, and although plants are helpful in breathing in the "bad" (CO2) and releasing the "good" (oxygen), the rate we produce air pollution is too fast for the plants to absorb. The carbon dioxide left in the air makes it more hot, which is the reason for increased global warming. Scientists are trying to find another way to take carbon dioxide out of the air, and put it somewhere else. So, labs around the world are building their own carbon sinks (process of producing more oxygen and taking away CO2). They are doing so by finding materials that will essentially suck the carbon dioxide out of the air. Labs at Arizona State University are making artificial trees using a sticky CO2 absorbing substance. A Canadian company is making a wall of fans that have an absorbent liquid in them that will suck in CO2 and turn it into a salt. Although both of these technologies are great ideas, neither of them are ready to be put to use yet due to size, efficiency, and cost.

http://www.cnn.com/videos/tech/2015/10/02/orig-ec-engineering-carbon-reduction-sinks-pioneers.cnn/video/playlists/stories-worth-watching/

Potential Sign Of Alien Civilization

"Planet Hunters," an amateur astronomer's group who studies data and records from NASA's Kepler Telescope has recently discovered a very unusual star. This star they discovered is located between the Cygnus and Lyra constellations above Milky Way. The star is called "KIC 8462852," and has a strange flickering light habit. Every couple of years, something happens to make the star's light dim and then brighten again. Scientists believe the flickering could be due to a natural occurrence, but the possibility of the flickering being due to extraterrestrial activity has not been ruled out. The University of California Berkley's SETI (Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence) Group is now studying the star as well and scanning it for radio frequencies. 

http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2015/10/16/alien-structures-extraterrestrial-life-star-kepler-telescope-orig-cm.cnn

Dole Recalls Spinach For Salmonella

On Thursday, October 15, 2015, Dole Fresh Vegetables voluntarily recalled bagged spinach after salmonella was tested positive by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural development. The FDA has said that bags with the codes A27409B and A27409A and a UPC number of 7143000976 are to be thrown out. The spinach was sold to stores in Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Wisconsin. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, salmonella causes around one million illnesses in the United States every year; 380 of said cases die. Most people who get sick recover, but first suffer for four to eight days with severe stomach pains, nausea, and diarrhea. 

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/14/health/dole-spinach-recall-salmonella/index.html

Trump Indirectly Blames George W. Bush For 9/11

Donald Trump doesn't directly blame George W. Bush for the terrorist attacks on 9/11, but he did admit a few reasons why people might be suspicious of him. “You always have to look to the person at the top,” Trump said Saturday. Trump has presented three reasons why Bush could potentially be responsible. First, he argued that Bush's immigration policy was too weak and might have allowed terrorists into the country. Second, the FBI, the National Security Council, and the CIA weren’t communicating about threats. Lastly, George Tenet (Bush’s director of central intelligence) apparently admitted to knowing there would be an attack in advance. Jeb Bush and Trump had it out over twitter, and Trump ended the argument with "Like it or not, Bush was in the White House when the Twin Towers came down." While Trump makes a strong argument of not feeling safe when Bush was president, a recent Huffington Post poll says that over 80% of Republicans believe George W. Bush did a great job keeping the U.S. safe while president.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2015/10/18/trump-triples-down-on-george-w-bushs-responsibility-for-911/

State Of Emergency Declared In Hawaii

Most governments' emergency proclamations are often due to natural disasters, but more recently they have been used to also address issues like homelessness. This past Friday, the governor of Hawaii (David Ige) signed an emergency announcement to help attack and hopefully remove homelessness in almost every county throughout the state. Out of about 1.4 million residents, Hawaii has around 7,620 homeless people, which is the highest rate of homelessness per capita in America. This homelessness is mostly due to the state's lack of shelter space. The state of emergency proclamation will allow the state $1.3 million to fund homeless services such as helping build permanent housing and transitional facilities for families, as well as the chronically homeless.

Gov. David Ige

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/17/us/hawaii-homeless-emergency/index.html

AP Gov - Speaker of the House

1. The Constitution doesn't give a specific description of the role of the Speaker of the House other than they are chosen by the members of the House. The House decides what the role of the speaker will be. They often preside over proceedings on the House floor, influence which bills go where, influence committee assignments for new members, appoint the party's other leaders, and rule on questions of parliamentary procedure.

2. House of Representatives: 
Speaker of the House
-influences bills/where they go
-influences new member assignments
-appoints party leaders
-presides over speaking on the floor
-rules on parliamentary procedure
Majority Leader
-hand picked by speaker
-plans legislative program
-2nd ranking member of majority party
Minority Leader
-organizes minority party
-limited influence
-could be next speaker

Senate:
President Pro Tempore
-selected to take VP's place
-chair often passed to a junior Senator in a ceremony
Vice President
-only votes in event of tie
-president of senate

3. The President and Vice President would have to die or be removed for the Speaker of the House to become President.

4. Samuel Rayburn.

5. Nancy Pelosi became the first woman Speaker of the House in 2007. She represented the democratic party.

6. 1994-1999. He is famous for leading the republican revolution in 1994.

7. John A. Boehner resigned after 4 years because he was not supported by the democratic party, nor was he supported by his own party because the republicans were so split. He couldn't do his job and find a common goal.

8. Kevin McCarthy. It is no longer the case because he gave up because he knew he wouldn't get enough support and he could not win.

9. Republicans think he has a good reputation with most conservative members of the party. He has said he isn't planning on running, but he's thinking about it.

10. Ways and Means Committee is the chief tax-writing committee in the House. The committee has  jurisdiction over revenues such as Social Security, Medicare, and social service programs, tariffs, reciprocal trade agreements, and debt of the United States. 

11. "A legislative sub-organization in the United States Congress that handles a specific duty (rather than the general duties of Congress). Committee membership enables members to develop specialized knowledge of the matters under their jurisdiction." There are 48.

12. The House is fractured and "there is little chance Republicans can achieve legislative victories while President Obama is still in the White House."

13. I'm not sure what I would do in his position. It would be frustrating and difficult to deal with a broken House that is primarily democratic, but if a republican president was to be elected that could help out his situation immensely and he might be able to nurse the House back to health. 

14. No.

15. "A congressional caucus is a group of members of the United States Congress that meets to pursue common legislative objectives. Formally, caucuses are formed as congressional member organizations through the United States House of Representatives and governed under the rules of that chamber." There are about 75. Committees have jurisdiction over specific issue areas, but caucuses are groups that members form to pursue common legislative objectives.

16.  A congressional caucus consisting of conservative Republican members of the United States House of Representatives.“The House Freedom Caucus gives a voice to countless Americans who feel that Washington does not represent them. We support open, accountable and limited government, the Constitution and the rule of law, and policies that promote the liberty, safety and prosperity of all Americans.” Members want a speaker who will give them a bigger say in how the House runs. The caucus is relevant today in the search for the new Speaker of the House.

17. Paul Ryan has headed back to his hometown in Wisconsin to reconsider his statement that he does not want the job as Speaker of the House. His reconsideration itself has excited Republicans who are saying they "see no one else with the potential to bring the fractured party back together." Republicans believe that the fractured House and party leaders could effect the 2016 presidential/congressional campaigns, and that Ryan could be their saving grace. Party elders and conservative leaders have been pressuring Ryan by saying he "should run for the good of the country, to rescue the institution of Congress, and to protect the political interests of Republicans over all." Ryan's associates mentioned that he has no intention of fighting for the job; that he would probably only accept it by acclamation. However, not all conservatives are die-hard Paul Ryan fans. Luke Messer, Representative of Indiana, stated: “I frankly think there is no silver bullet candidate that is going to bring us together, either. It’s going to take a combination of things.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/10/us/politics/desperate-gop-appeals-to-ryan-on-speakers-job.html?_r=0

First Quarter Reflection

At the start of this school year, I was honestly really worried about taking an AP class. I've never taken an AP class before or even an honors class, so I had no idea what to expect. I'm a slow worker and it takes me a while to absorb information so I had no idea how difficult the rushed curriculum would be. However, I wanted to take a government class because I felt in the dark when it came to politics, current events, and even just the basic levels of government and their responsibilities. After this quarter, I think it's pretty safe to say that I have been forced to keep up with current events due to blog posts, and also I was pushed to really think and make connections about the behind the scenes of politics. I have a whole new perspective on how much government really effects me. I think it's awesome that it's only first quarter and I already have a better understanding of what federal grants are, my individual rights, the founding fathers' reasons for creating the Constitution, the scope of government, policymaking, what a democracy is supposed to look like vs. what we actually have today, etc. I have enjoyed the hands on learning and not just having to read a textbook every night - the Alabama Supreme Court trial was really interesting! I've made a habit of being more organized and not procrastinating, which makes the fast(er) curriculum more manageable. I hope to continue to learn more and become confident with my knowledge of government, so I can form opinions based upon facts, not just what my peers/parents tell me.

Dealing With Illegal Immigrants

A police chase lead to a fatal car accident in Edna, Texas last week. The driver of the SUV was a U.S. citizen who was believed to be a member of a smuggling organization. Officials say the vehicle actually contained about 13 people - all of nationalities from Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Zamarripa. The police chase began last Thursday after an officer tried to pull the SUV over for a traffic violation, and as the car took an exit to the highway, the driver overcorrected and the vehicle flipped multiple times. The car had been modified to fit multiple people, so it wasn't as safe as it had originally been made to be. Four people died on site and two died in the hospital, while the rest were taken under custody of border control. Police Chief Clinton Wooldridge explained that the area had "a lot of experience" in dealing with vehicles transporting illegal immigrants as well as drugs - that it was common.

Photo of the SUV that had been transporting the immigrants - Post-wreck

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/09/25/six-killed-after-people-smugglers-van-crashes-during-texas-police-chase/

ACLU Accuses Louisiana High School Of Promoting Christianity

Executive Director of Louisiana ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), Marjorie Esman, argues that the phrase "The Future Starts Today - May God Bless You All" in an online letter to students from the Principle of Airline High School violates the First Amendment of the Constitution. Esman also argues that allowing members of FCA to set up prayer boxes with Christian emblems on them around the school promotes Christianity. Esman said: "The United States Constitution requires public schools to ensure that state-supported activity is not used for religious indoctrination." Louisiana State Representative, Mike Johnson, states: "This is typical of the ACLU. They're on a seek-and-destroy mission for all things religious. I hope the school will stand its ground." My question is, does the phrase "may God bless you all" actually violate the first amendment if it states that citizens have freedom of speech and religion? I think not. 

Principle of Airline High School

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/09/27/god-bless-greeting-lands-louisiana-school-in-hot-water-with-aclu/

Racial Slurs in Virginia

Juslena Williams, a former student of Heritage High School in Virginia has started a petition with well over 1,300 signatures on behalf of her former history teacher, Mrs. Lynne Pierce. Pierce was put on administrative leave after a student reported her to the principle for using the "N word" in a predominately black school. This all started when a student in Pierce's APUSH class didn't understand the controversy about the Washington Redskins football team. Pierce replied, "What would you think if someone started a team called the Newport News N-----r?" The petition states that "She is a history teacher, she cannot be censored for teaching terms and beliefs that people had throughout history," that muttering the "N word" in a discussion about derogatory terms is not wrong.

 

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/09/27/va-school-places-white-teacher-on-leave-for-racial-slur-sparks-petition-on-her/

Second Chance Bill

To my knowledge, an American citizen is not considered an adult until they reach the age of 18. However, I was shocked to find out that nine out of our fifty states actually try 17 year olds as adults in court. The state in which a minor commits a crime is responsible for making the decision whether the minor is put in juvenile court or adult court. Wisconsin, one of the nine states, set a law in the 90's to make their crime laws more "punishment focused" due to the belief that juveniles were becoming more violent. However, lawmakers in Wisconsin are working on a bill called the "Second Chance Bill" which would allow 17 year olds to be tried in juvenile courts again. There are many positive aspects to this bill, such as the fact that juvenile courts focus less on the punishment of the crime (like adult trials) and more on rehabilitation for the minor. Records in the juvenile system are sealed, meaning they are not open to the public like the adult system, so their access to education and jobs will not be affected. It has been proven that minors given rehabilitation are less likely to "reactivate" than those who are placed in prison/jail. The bill also protects minors from the adult system, in which they are more likely to be sexually and physically assaulted and are more likely to commit suicide. If the law passes, 17 year old juveniles who are "one-time offenders" will be taken back to juvenile court, but will still be qualified for judicial waiver into the adult system. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tina-freiburger/age-17-adult-or-juvenile-_b_8185018.html?utm_hp_ref=crime&ir=Crime

Can Football Be Fatal?

Evan Murray, the star quarterback of a high school football team in New Jersey collapsed on the sidelines during a game and died the next day. The cause of death is unclear, as there has not been an autopsy performed yet. There was a play in which Murray was hit head-on in the stomach right before his collapse on the sidelines, but his teammates recall that it "looked like a normal tackle" and they assumed he probably just had a concussion because he seemed slow and tired. There was never a clear or prominent moment during the game that stood out to be the cause of death. Football has always been known for being rough and dangerous, but this shocking story raises the question of whether or not such a sport should be supported and praised if it can, in fact, lead to death. Results from Murray's autopsy should help decide.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2015/09/27/a-high-school-football-players-sudden-death-shocks-family-friends-fans/

Students Suspended For Wearing Confederate Flag Emblem

Christiansburg High School (Virginia) recently suspended 20 of their students for wearing an emblem of the Confederate flag. The students were accused of violating the dress code, which specifically bans students from wearing any article of clothing that could be argued to "reflect adversely on persons due to race." The students' initial punishment was one day of in-school suspensions, however punishment was continued when a majority of the students did not acquiesce. The school consists of about 1,100 students, 88 of which are African-American. Obviously, there is a clear minority, and the Confederate flag apparel is aggressive toward them and shows no regard to social limits or boundaries. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/education/wp/2015/09/17/virginia-high-school-students-suspended-for-wearing-confederate-flag-apparel/