APPBlog

Keystone XL Pipeline

2012-01-30T05:40:00.000-08:00

This week's debate will be on the Keystone Pipeline that has Republicans and Democrats, as always, fueding in Congress. The Republicans claim it will create jobs, while the Democrats wory about the impact it will have on the environment. With valid points for and against this project, this topic will make for an interesting debate on Thursday night. Below is the link for the company and a few more articles related to the subject.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-57361212/keystone-pipeline-how-many-jobs-really-at-stake/

http://www.transcanada.com/keystone.html

www.businessweek.com/news/2012-01-25/...keystone-xl-oil-pipeline.html

President's lack of applause ignored by biased media

2011-09-07T19:11:00.000-07:00

Why haven't we seen this clip before?

Compromise for Lame-Duck Congress? Prognosis=Unlikely

2010-12-09T10:46:00.000-08:00

This article discusses the recent shelving of the DREAM act, which was a start to comprehensive immigration reform. Democrats in Congress attempted to push through the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act as a means to grant citizenship status to illegal immigrants under the age of 18, who have been residing in the United States for over 5 years. However, the bill was stalled and not brought to the floor for debate because Republicans refused to vote or compromise on any bill that did not address extending the Bush tax cuts. This "all-or-nothing" mentality that the Republicans seem to champion is completely detrimental to successfully legislating in the 21st century. Governing is all about moderation and compromise. One cannot expect to receive everything one asks for in government and so compromises must be made with the opposing political party. Even though Americans want comprehensive illegal immigration reform and a plethora of other reforms, America's policymakers on both sides of the political aisle, cannot seem to understand this desire. If either political party wants to make any headway in governing this nation, both sides need to swallow their pride and follow the example of many average Americans by sacrificing some pet issues for the sake of compromise.

What WikiLeaks Does—And Doesn't—Tell Us About Germany

2010-12-09T08:56:00.000-08:00

Bloomberg for President?

2010-12-09T06:57:00.001-08:00

Lameduck Congress Passes Huge Spending Bill

2010-12-08T21:19:00.001-08:00

$1.1 trillion was passed on a spending bill yesterday by a vote of 212-206 in the House. The spending will be for the remainder of the fiscal year which ends in September next year. The lameduck congress remains in office until January.

Slide Show: In Denial: The GOP's Climate Science Skeptics

2010-12-08T20:51:00.000-08:00

House Backs Legal Status for Many Young Immigrants

2010-12-08T20:31:00.000-08:00

The House of Representatives has passed the Dream Act, which will grant legal status to hundreds of thousands of young immigrants. The bill grants conditional legal status to those who immigrated before the age of 16 and have lived in the United States for at least five other years, with a few other conditions. The important effect of this bill is that it shows a new acceptance of immigration and the potential to move towards looser immigration policies.

Is Social Media a Significant Political Force?

2010-12-08T19:46:00.000-08:00

Most people assume that the online craze in American politics online and in social networks has lead to increased political involvement. Supporters of the technology revolution credit Obama's success in 2008 and the Republican's success in 2010 to the effectiveness of their online campaigning and use of social media. However, there is much evidence to suggest it takes more than a million facebook fans or thousands of twitter followers to win an election. Peter Daou, Hillary Clinton’s online campaign manager, explains: “Devoid of a compelling message to spur their use, the most advanced web tools will lie fallow” (Basen 2). Daou argues that although the internet is an effective tool, the real reason for Obama’s victory was his message of change and the real game winner for the Republicans in 2010 was their “mad as hell” message (Basen 3). In his New Yorker article: Small Change: Why the revolution will not be tweeted. Malcolm Gladwell explains: "The platforms of social media are built around weak ties… But weak ties seldom lead to high-risk activism” (Gladwell 3). He is saying that it takes almost no effort to follow someone on twitter or friend them on facebook, it doesn’t cost anything and it doesn’t require any sacrifices. This idea suggests that the social media doesn’t cultivate monumental political activism undermines predictions that the Internet will revolutionize politics.

John Boehner sees governors as GOP partners

2010-12-08T19:07:00.000-08:00

Expected Speaker of the House, John Boehner, has already begun to make allies in 15 new Republican governors. Boehner plans to use his new friends in making a more "aggressive state-level strategy to pick apart the Obama agenda." This strategy is also reflective of the conservative love of the 10th Amendment — devolving power back to the states, where Boehner learned to legislate.

"Don't ask" repeal gains steam

2010-12-08T16:52:00.000-08:00

Despite Senator McCain's best efforts to make the argument that gay people should not be allowed to serve in the military openly without being unjustly terminated it appears that the repeal may be coming to a vote very soon. With the support of several courageous and pro-repeal Republicans like Scott Brown, Susan Collins and several others this discriminatory policy may finally be coming to an end. Thank goodness... and of course, Joe Lieberman.

Does the constitution protect wikileaks?

2010-12-08T16:31:00.000-08:00

Funny Piece on Tax Cuts (Link)

2010-12-08T14:41:00.000-08:00

It appears as if the President and Congressional Republicans have reached a compromise on extending tax cuts for the wealthy, with a vote expected in the next few days. The President's idea of "compromise", however, has taken on a whole new dangerous meaning in the aftermath of November's political tsunami. Congress plans to extend tax cuts for the rich and lower estate taxes to levels even lower than Bush imagined, as well as surround the existing tax cuts with bunches of temporary "adjustive" tax cuts supposed to spawn economic growth. So now instead of one temporary tax cut that was supposed to expire this year, in two more the exact same debate will arise but this time with greater political and economic consequences. Not to mention the debt ceiling hasn't been raised as Republicans view the election as their chance to completely eliminate any deficit spending to foster economic growth. In a political climate where extending unemployment benefits for 2 million Americans struggle to pay their bills and heat their homes every day can only be achieved if billionaires are given massive tax breaks, it's hard to see any end to the suffering our country faces.

Is Health Care Constitutional?

2010-12-08T13:54:00.001-08:00

Olbermann goes ballistic

2010-12-08T07:15:00.001-08:00

Liberal Pundit uses the C Word

2010-12-08T05:44:00.001-08:00

In Deal With G.O.P., Portent for Next 2 Years

2010-12-07T18:46:00.000-08:00

I thought that this was interesting, especially for the people who are doing their papers on liberalism and conservatism. It states that Obama is "willing to alienate his liberal base in the interest of compromise". What will this mean for liberalism?

The role of ideologies and the economy in the 2010 congressional election

2010-12-07T18:38:00.000-08:00

This article examines some of the forces that shaped the outcome of the 2010 midterm election. While the main purpose of the article was to show that the Democrats are failing to take responsibility for their recent losses, the points that stood out most to me were 1. The pattern of liberal activism followed by conservative backlash (as Will mentioned in his research paper presentation today) and 2. The idea that the economy had everything to do with the results of this election (what my research paper talked about).

Cook uses exit polls to show that the public's view of the role of the federal government has changed from 2008 to 2010. He shows that while a majority supported more government intervention in 2008, this number dropped significantly in 2010. This supports Will's idea that periods of liberal politics are followed by a conservative backlash. Politics of the last century suggests that our country may be trapped in a chronic ideological seesaw.

Cook also argues that Democrats failed to address the most important issue--the economy--and instead focused on more "trivial" issues such as climate change policy and health care. While I wouldn't agree that these issues are unimportant, it does seem that the economy is the most pressing issue in the minds of the citizens. My paper analyzed this issue in depth and showed how voters' perceptions about the economy did not match the actual condition of the economy. Perhaps if the Democrats had focused on altering voters' economic perceptions they would have suffered much milder losses in 2010.

Elizabeth Edwards Dies at 61

2010-12-07T15:11:00.001-08:00

Today, Elizabeth Edwards lost her battle with cancer. After John Edwards was caught cheating on his sickly wife, a lot of support went out to Elizabeth Edwards. She leaves behind two children.

Clean-Energy Incentives at Risk in Tax Deal

2010-12-07T13:45:00.000-08:00

Billions of dollars in federal subsidies for the manufacturers of wind and solar power facilities will end January 1, 2011 unless the extended tax cuts are ended. These subsidies were part of the 2009 economic stimulus package. Republicans are taking a stand that it is the Democrats deal to worry about because they were responsible for the deal reached with the White House. Democrats, led by Sen. Max Baucus (D., Mont.), attempted to extend programs through legislation but were shot down last week in the Senate. A one year extension of the program would provide $3 billion in federal grants in 2011.

Obama announces proposed deal on taxes, jobless benefits

2010-12-06T18:03:00.000-08:00

Today, President Obama announced that Bush era tax cuts will be extended for two years, that unemployment benefits will be available for 13 months, and that payroll tax will be lowered by 2% for one year (CNN). Congressional Republicans embraced this deal by showing confidence in how the two parties could work together on Capitol Hill (New York Times), while retiring Ohio Republican Senator George Voinovich assertively opposed this deal (Washington Post). This package will cost $900 billion for the next two years, adding to the budget deficit. President Obama thought this deal is an important step to stop this political fight, which he thought would be an obstacle for the recovery of the current recession.

Christmas Flash Mob

2010-12-06T13:52:00.000-08:00

Tis the season!

Case to watch

2010-12-06T09:16:00.000-08:00

SCOTUS has agreed to hear a case involving Walmart. Case could have important implications for class action suits.

New Jersey Closer to Sales of Medical Marijuana

2010-12-06T08:07:00.000-08:00

This article discusses the ongoing process of the legalization of medical marijuana throughout the country: New Jersey was the 14th state to legalize the treatment, with former governor Jon Corzine signing the law as he left office in January of this year. Current governor Chris Christie has been compromising with advocates of medical marijuana, resulting in new regulations that would allow 6 growing and distribution sites throughout the state. However, among all the states that legalized medical marijuana, New Jersey would be the first to limit the amount of psychotropic chemcial in the drug. Furthermore, this restriction would only apply to the 3 nonfatal conditions of seizures, glaucoma, and intractable muscle spasms. Despite the willingness of Governor Christie to make compromises on a law he does not want to exist, advocates of medical marijuana in the state say that he is discouraging the access of the drug "by forbidding home cultivation or delivery, and by requiring doctors to be registered and to take a training course before they can certify patients for treatment." This issue is one of many that continue to polarize officials in state governments across the United States.

Pushing a Right to Bear Arms, the Sharp Kind

2010-12-05T16:35:00.000-08:00

Something to Think About

2010-12-05T15:41:00.000-08:00

What would you do with $60 billion?

Tax Reform Vision

2010-12-04T14:52:00.000-08:00

It seems that our tax code is disliked by both the republicans and the democrats, and that “almost everybody disagrees with the basic outline.” With this knowledge, David Brooks suggests Obama use tax reforms as a way of “reintroducing” the parties to each other, and as a way to bring about consensus on other polarized issues such as the environment and healthcare. Brooks goes on to say that tax reform could “change the tone in Washington,” and act as a platform from which attention could be shifted for “the same-old big government-versus-small government debate toward more concrete challenges: shifting resources from unproductive consumption to more productive investment.” One of the unfortunate qualities of party politics is that the stark polarization creates a somewhat unproductive environment (in my opinion), and it is one of the reasons that the senate functions at such a glacial pace. For lack of a better phrase, I think that Americans need to “bite the bullet” and for parties need to shed some of the extreme political allegiance that has now come to plague Washington. Maybe transformations would be made that some Americans aren’t happy with, but I think Brooks follows the logic that any kind of change is more likely to lower our federal deficit, lower carbon emissions, and make healthcare more widespread, then simply remaining at political ceasefires would.

Liberal v. conservative internet

2010-12-04T02:00:00.003-08:00

Interesting piece for those of you writing papers about internet and politics.

Data about election

2010-12-04T01:11:00.000-08:00

Michael Barone provides rich, district by district detail about the election.

Video on lobbying

2010-12-03T09:12:00.000-08:00

A positive portrayal of functions of lobbing.

Are there any limts to federal power?

2010-12-03T08:41:00.001-08:00

Panel discussion from recent meeting of Federalist Society relevant to our discussion on Tuesday.

Don't Mess with Texas

2010-12-03T07:55:00.000-08:00

Texas to gain 3-4 seats in the next Congress. NJ, NY, MA, PA will each lose at least one seat. Ohio may lose two. Article suggests that big GOP gains in state elections will affect reapportionment.

Repeal Amendment

2010-12-03T03:47:00.000-08:00

A proposed constitutional amendment relevant to our debate about tentherism on Tuesday.

Is America Exceptional?

2010-12-03T03:37:00.000-08:00

Citizens of APP are cordially invited to the AHI to discuss American exceptionalism from 7-8PM on Monday December 6. See campus announcement for readings. Rides available at 6:50PM at KJ Circle. Publius is a diverse group of students and faculty who meet once a month to discuss issues of American federalism. On the docket for next semester are : tentherism, the 17th amendment, and the proposed "Repeal Amendment." We are looking for students to become part of the leadership cadre of Publius. Let me know if you might be interested.

Holiday Party

2010-12-03T03:31:00.000-08:00

Citizens of APP are cordially invited to holiday party at Alexander Hamilton Institute from 4-6PM on Sunday, December 5, featuring performance by Special K. Rides leave from KJ Circle at 3:50PM.

House censures Rangel

2010-12-02T17:59:00.000-08:00

The House of Representatives censured Charles Rangel today. This is the first case censured by House since Gerry Studds and Daniel Crane were censured in 1983 (CNN). Speaker Nancy Pelosi read the censure resolution. This is the most serious punishment conducted by House of Representatives except for expulsion. Rangel was charged guilty on 11 counts, including failing to pay all his tax bills, filling misleading financial statements, and improperly seeking money from corporate interests for a college center bearing his name (NPR). Rangel is not involved in corruption, while his misconducted ethically.

Even though Peter King, New York GOP Rep., backed Rangel, I do not think King's reasons hold. King pointed out that no one questioned Rangel's integrity or he has never seen Rangel treat anyone with disrespect. I think King's defending reasons are irrelevant to Rangel's charges and Rangel's misconduction deserved a censure. Considering that Rangel was re-elected last month by winning 80% of the vote, I think he deceived voters by his positive image, he crossed the moral bottom line of being a leader. His brilliant records, such as he won a purple heart after being wounded in combat in Korea and he is tied for fourth in House seniority, could pay for his deliberate neglect of rules. I see an inconsistency in his characters, between his honors and his unscrupulousness.

"Chickencrap" or Smart Politics?

2010-12-02T17:00:00.000-08:00

A plan on extending Bush era tax cut was voted this afternoon. The House Democrats proposed that the tax cut be extended for the next two years for families making $250,000 annually or less. The Republicans opposed this plan, and they suggested that the wealthy would use this money to create jobs, while House Speaker Nancy Pelosi claimed that the wealthy would spend this money on stock market and further investments instead of in creating jobs (CNN). The House minority leader John Boehner referred to this plan proposed by House Democrats as "chickencrap" ( the National Interest). Boehner asserted that the House Democrats are playing political games to set up the Election 2012 (CBSNews).

New Jersey representative Bill Prescrell supports this plan because he believes this plan saves the middle class Americans. According to Prescrell, the beneficiary of this plan, households earning $250,000 per year or less, occupies 98% of individuals and business. Such a large percentage of beneficiaries helps achieve Americans economy by reviving middle class.

That a large number of middle-class Americans being beneficiaries could be a lurk of the Democrats in order to win Election 2012. President Obama started paying more attention to the middle class, one of the major reasons he lost this year's mid-term election by one chamber. President Obama saved capitalism - by resuscitating the bank system, initiating an auto bailout, and etc. - but lost the midterms, the big political price he paid to his so-called "socialist" plans (rsn).

In addition to Democrats' special care for the middle class, one thing noteworthy about Prescrell's perspectives is that the point of a bipartisan compromise should be "to facilitate, not end, discussion among all Congress members by focusing on where we all agree and acknowledging what our nation cannot afford" (NorthJersey.com).

McCain Questions Pentagon on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

2010-12-02T10:24:00.000-08:00

The Pentagon has recently issued a statement saying that a repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" would have a minimal impact on the military's effectiveness. However, Senator John McCain, a public supporter of DADT is urging the Pentagon to rethink their status.

Gridlock

2010-12-01T19:39:00.001-08:00

Senate Republicans are continuing to attempt to "block" all legislation that comes through until bush tax-cuts and funding bill are voted upon. Such measures that may be potentially filibustered are the repeal of the don't ask don't tell policy and a nuclear arms treaty with Russia. Democrats are upset with the obstruction and continue to stand ground against the GOP threats. Republicans, particularly Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell argue that Democrats should stand down because voters on November 2nd sent a clear message for a change.

Tentherism

2010-12-01T17:48:00.000-08:00

Just some background information on the "Tentherism" movement for anyone who might be thinking about the lottery debate next Tuesday

Reid moves forward on DREAM Act

2010-12-01T17:11:00.000-08:00

Although this will most likely end up being a purely symbolic vote taken by Reid to thank the Hispanic voters who he can thank for saving his political career, I sincerely hope that this bill is able to pass. Republicans say that this opens the door to amnesty and well, so what if it does? These are people that have been in this country since they were little kids and who have brought themselves up by their bootstraps to get where they are now. These people who would be granted citizenship are productive members of society who are college bound and are going to move on to bigger and better things. It is asserted that these are lay abouts who are mooching off of the system and will give nothing back but what Republicans fail to see is that these people are the face of future American too! These people are achieving the American dream and we should reward them for that, with the citizenship they have so long coveted.

The Tequila Party

2010-12-01T08:36:00.000-08:00

TARP expected to cost U.S. only $25 billion, CBO says

2010-12-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

White House Meeting Ends in Kind Words but No Deals

2010-11-30T14:35:00.000-08:00

This article discusses the meeting that Obama had with the Republican Congressional leaders earlier today. The meeting was said to have "pledges of cooperation" but thus far, there have been no agreements on the two major issues that currently divide Democrats and Republicans: national security, and more importantly, fiscal policy. At the moment, the most relevant issue up for discussion is whether or not to continue Bush-era tax cuts that will soon expire. The large debate on these tax cuts is not for how long they should be extended, but rather who should receive the tax relief. The Republicans believe that everybody should get the cuts, while the Democrats think that they should only go to citizens with income under $250,000. In order to settle this debate in a timely manner, two Republicans and two Democrats (one from each party in each hous eof Congress) will discuss the matter with Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner. Furthermore, Obama personally apologized to the new Speaker of the House, Boehner, and the minority leader in the Senate, McConnell, for not reaching out to them at all to find some common ground in the past two years. Obama is promising them that this time around, he will do much to promote bipartisanship in Congress. However, both Boehner and McConnel feel that the outcome of recent midterm elections were not only a cry for bipartisanship, but also a "rejection of Obama's agenda." Despite their beliefs, Obama's announcement yesterday of a two-year pay freeze for civilian federal workers was meant to show the Republicans in Congress that he is indeed serious about eliminating as much deificit spending as possible from now on.

A skeptical view of power of technology

2010-11-30T11:04:00.000-08:00

WikiLeaks founder could be charged under Espionage Act

2010-11-30T07:15:00.000-08:00

I thought this article was similar to the example Justice Souter gave in his speech.

The rent's too damn high for new members of Congress

2010-11-30T05:43:00.001-08:00

President Obama and GOP leaders finally to meet

2010-11-30T04:50:00.000-08:00

Obama Proposes a Pay Freeze for Federal Workers

2010-11-29T16:32:00.000-08:00

Obama has decided to address the huge federal deficit by initiating a two-year freeze plan for federal employees. This plan would take away the raises that federal employees were expecting to receive for the following two years. While this plan is not expected to take care of the national debt, it will make a small dent. It may also be the beginning of several future proposals that tackle the debt. Republicans are satisfied with Obama's plan, their only critique being that it is not aggressive enough. This may be a good sign that Republicans and Democrats will be able to work together to help solve this monumental issue.

Ex-Justice Criticizes Death Penalty

2010-11-29T10:12:00.001-08:00

Two years before his retirement from the Supreme Court, Justice John Paul Stevens announced his belief that the death penalty is unconstitutional. This came after years of supporting capital punishment, indicating a fundamental reversal in his beliefs. In 1976, Stevens felt that the death penalty could be implemented fairly; however, statistical evidence since then indicates racial disparities in the system. Along with racial discrimination, there are several other valid arguments against the death penalty. Aside of moral implications, evidence suggests that the death penalty does not effectively deter crime and, in some cases, costs more than incarceration. All of these issues should be carefully examined by the states before they choose to implement the death penalty.

Liberal Groups to Propose Routes to Smaller De

2010-11-29T07:56:00.000-08:00

Liberal Groups to Propose Routes to Smaller Deficit:

The federal budget and deficit have emerged as the nation’s foremost political issue. In fact, President Obama and his administration must determine a plan to shrink the national debt within the next week. With time expiring, liberal organizations propose fewer reductions in domestic spending, more cuts in the military, and higher taxes for the wealthy. They understand that immediate action is needed and both military spending and health care should face the financial “cutting table.” Although liberal organizations are facing the deficit reality, Washington remains ideologically divided over how to approach this growing problem. It will be interesting to see what the Democratic Party comes up with and if their plan compensates any liberal values.

At a 2008 Stop, Obama Promotes His Policies

2010-11-28T08:54:00.000-08:00

President Obama and Vice President Biden had a trip to Kokomo, Indiana, a manufacturing city last week, emphasizing the importance of the resurgence of auto plants. President Obama claimed that it is important to save the automobile industry in order to solve unemployment. This effort is seen as a privotal step for his reelection. President Obama has put aggressive effort to save General Motors, President Biden introduced his own manufacturing background in Indiana, a Republican state, according to New York Times.

I agree that manufacturing sector is very important for unemployment and that President Obama is heading to a new and effective direction. It has been an old discussion that President Obama neglected the middle class, and that losing people in the middle, which is the majority in a country, is one of the major reasons his approval rating decreased. He is now becoming more realistic and effective, carrying out policies - saving manufacturing sector - that can lead to short-term effect and can create economic growth immediately. The figures of revenue from manufacturing sector and of unemployment rate will speak louder than any of the speeches he has ever made.

The Palins Ensure They Stay in the News

2010-11-28T08:18:00.000-08:00

Sarah Palin has formed a media empire by appearing at different TV shows, publishing two books, shooting for major magazine covers, delivering speeches actively, and being on promotional trips for her books. She has published her second book "America by Heart" ranked No. 10 on Arizona's best-seller list, according to New York Times.

We can see that Palin is casting much public attention and has become an iconic politician. However, I worry that her huge media effect is disproportional to his political impact. Even though she has been active with donors for Election 2012, her public image has insensibly transferred from a politician running for president to a supporting role in politics mentioned by people at their leisure. Her image as a female political warrior in the center of American political stage is admirable, but I think her effectiveness stays stable since Election 2008. She has been casting much attention, but always lost the stage by a slim margin. When she was almost there, she didn't make it. We have been used to this, and we start to take her less seriously as a leader. We can always come up with topics about Palin, but these topics are always of less seriousness and real respect. I do not think she should keep promoting herself through media, continuing her current trend. Instead, I think she should consider presenting herself through a new way, a new way that brings something fresh to the audience. We are tired of radical speeches, her opponency to current current government, and her advocacy of her deep love of country. We are are used to seeing her, we will regard her as a long-term participant/ actress on political stage instead of a strong candidate for presidency.

Remake of Obama Economic Team Broadens Scope

2010-11-28T07:20:00.002-08:00

President Obama is going to bring in new blood to his economic team. A number of his economic team officials are departing, which provides him with a broader scope, suggested by New York Times. Michael S. Barr, the Assistant Treasury Secretary, Diana Ferrell, the deputy director of National Economic Council, David Axelrod, the sernior adviser of the oval office, just to name a few, are leaving by the end of next year. The major problem, according to Los Angeles Times, is the ineffective communication in White House. Administration officials of Obama's economic team lack of agreement on economic fundamentals, admitted by President Obama to Los Angeles Opinion writer Wolffe. Wolffe suggested that this lack of common ground in West Wing led to the question whether today's high unemployment rate structural or cyclical remain unsolved.

I think even though the answer to this question is important, but having a common comprehension/ answer to this question is even more important, no matter what the answer is. A unified answer would allow the government to make policies under a same base and belief. Every policy takes time to show results. Even if we implement a policy to not accurately subject to the problem, if we draw the wrong answer to the question, it will still solve minor economic problems. In addition, if the number of people benefiting from these minor economic growth is large enough, a big impact on domestic economic improvement will emerge. However, if we leave the question controversial within the central government, there will be no way to make a policy targeting at a unified problem. Policies will be scattered, and what's worse, these policies might even counteract with each other.

Health Law Faces Threat of Undercut From Courts

2010-11-28T07:20:00.000-08:00

Although it is safe to assume that the majority of Americans are still skeptical about the health care laws, it seems as though that the opposition of some federal judges to this law is simply a microcosm of the disagreement between the left and right, rather than an issue with the law itself. It is clear that judges trying to oppose this law may only be able to declare (barely) some but not all provisions of the law unconstitutional. It would easier (I believe) to prove the constitutionality of the provisions instead of the opposite. I think that the bigger question here is should ideology precede the courts' attempts to contain the already-out-of-control political turmoil surrounding this issue?

In Los Angeles, Mayoral Aide Weighs Bid for Higher City Hall Perch

2010-11-28T07:17:00.001-08:00

Austin Beutner, the duputy mayor of Los Angeles, is running for mayor in 2013. This is another example of business executive running for a government position. Mr. Beutner previously worked as an investment banker at the Blackstone Group. His business experience could provide him advantage financially. However, Mr. Beutner claimed that financial strength is not as important in order to present himself in front of voters. He is prepared to be vetted by the public, which he believes is more important. So far, Mr. Beutner is not a high-profile public figure yet, he does not a Wikipedia page, and his strength remains to be seen, as suggested by New York Times.

I think we are becoming stereotypical when voting for government executives. We haven conventional expectations, such as, a Wikipedia page, a candidate's previous career experience, and his financial strength. However, what we have neglected is whether a candidate can transfer his previous career experience in another sector to the government sector. Even though a candidate could be a business executive, there might be a disconnection between working purely for financial gains and rebuilding economy politically. Therefore, I think what we ought to do is to analyze a candidate's responses, ideas, and methodologies carefully, instead of visiting his website and reading his resume. Websites and resumes could be modified, but it is much harder to prepare instant responses to questions from the public and interviewers. Hence, I think how a candidate responds to questions is a mirror reflecting his real mind.

Obamacare in the courts

2010-11-26T12:57:00.000-08:00

Proper form for bibliography/works cited

2010-11-26T05:25:00.001-08:00

Proper form for footnote/endnote

2010-11-26T05:15:00.001-08:00

Proper form for parenthetical citation

2010-11-26T05:14:00.001-08:00

Obama for America

2010-11-26T02:58:00.000-08:00

Those of you writing about 2008 Obama campaign will find this useful.

Politics and social networking

2010-11-26T02:54:00.001-08:00

Interesting piece for those of you writing paper about technology and politics

Reverse pork barrel?

2010-11-26T02:35:00.000-08:00

Interesting piece for those of you discussing power of incumbency in your paper.

Obama’s Thanksgiving: Two Meats, Six Sweets

2010-11-25T11:24:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving from the White House :)

Proposal to limit filibuster

2010-11-23T12:42:00.001-08:00

Effort for Liberal Balance to G.O.P. Groups Begins

2010-11-23T09:33:00.000-08:00

The Democratic effort to retool and fundraise for the 2012 elections has begun. Democratic political operative David Brock plans to set up an independent-expenditure-only political action committee called American Bridge. He claims to have already amassed $4 million dollars for the PAC, which he hopes will serve as a viable counter to Republican groups that helped propelled them to victory in 2010. Brock has already garnered the support of many major Democratic donors, and hopes to solicit more of them over the next two years. Establishing a centralized Democratic PAC seems to be the best way to unite against Republican efforts. To gain back seats in the next election, Democrats need to strategize and present a united front. Even President Obama, who opposed groups such as American Bridge in 2008, signaled support for the idea. This is trench warfare; Democrats must mobilize early and effectively, or suffer losses similar to those of 2010.

What Gender Gap?

2010-11-23T08:23:00.000-08:00

So does this mean that in the 21st century (thanks to the republicans), paying women lower wages than men is not only legal, but barely frowned upon? Really?

Does White House need a governor on staff?

2010-11-23T06:11:00.001-08:00

Blago is tanned, rested, and ready.

The Case of the Missing Voters?

2010-11-23T04:04:00.000-08:00

Which Obama surge voters dropped out in 2010? What does this mean for Dem strategy?

Is the 'don't ask, don't tell' repeal DOA?

2010-11-22T20:24:00.000-08:00

A little sidenote from the article which mentions the current battle for DADT repeal:

While I don't usually have many opportunities to hope, pray, depend and root for the dry, half-asleep looking, 2008 Democrat traitor that is Joe Lieberman I find myself applauding his efforts now to repeal the discriminatory practice of DADT. Whereas he is the only senator that I have seen on national television bringing up the issue and discussing his efforts to repeal, I have been hard pressed to find another who is willing to even mention it without the prompt of a tv personality. While other senators have been more concerned with how much money we will be giving back to rich people instead of the middle class with the Bush tax cuts which Democrats are whimping out on, Lieberman has been presenting his case and fighting hard on the front lines fighting for the human treatment of our LGBT service members. Bravo sir, keep up the good work and I hope you succeed.

How Sarah Palin Could Beat Obama in 2012

2010-11-22T12:06:00.000-08:00

I find it very disturbing that people are actually considering Sarah Palin's victory in 2012.
Despite how bad things are looking, I think America is still a decent enough country to realize that Sarah Palin did the BEST that she POSSIBLY could in 2008.

Is the presidency too big a job

2010-11-21T14:03:00.000-08:00

Newsweek piece related to our discussion of the presidency. This cover offended some for depicting President Obama as an Indian god.

Discussion about 10th amendment

2010-11-21T10:30:00.000-08:00

From the recent meetings of the Federalist Society.

Obama to win easily in 2012?

2010-11-21T02:03:00.001-08:00

Proposed "Repeal Amendment"

2010-11-21T01:53:00.001-08:00

Summary of exit polls

2010-11-20T03:13:00.001-08:00

Remix of yawn outburst

2010-11-19T04:09:00.000-08:00

A must for your ipod.

Counterpoint to Krauthammer

2010-11-17T06:41:00.000-08:00

Center for American Progress urgues President Obama to take full advantage of administrative presidency.

Is early voting a bad idea?

2010-11-17T03:52:00.000-08:00

Arizona Becomes 15th State to Approve Medical Marijuana

2010-11-15T06:29:00.000-08:00

In the recent election, the people of Arizona voted for Proposition 203, which only ended up winning by a slim margin of around 4000 votes despite losing by almost 7000 votes at one point on Election Day. The campaign manager for the Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project says that this winning outcome now allows the state to set an example to the rest of the country "on what a good medical marijuana program looks like."Arizona's specific measure will be providing marijuana to any patient with cancer, AIDS, hepatitis C, or "any other chronic or debilitating disease" that meets the guidelines to grow plants or buy two and a half ounces every two weeks. All of Arizona's sheriffs and county prosecutors, the governor, the state attorney general, and many other politicians opposed this measure because they believe that it will increase crime around the areas that marijuana is dispensed and that more people will now drive while impaired. I thought that this article is relevant because medical marijuana has been on the rise since the first state, California, approved it in 1996. Though the measure of legalization of marijuana in California lost in the 2010 election, I feel that this is an issue to watch in the future, as the Marijuana Policy Project is trying to achieve its ultimate goal of national legalization.

Soul searching at the White House

2010-11-14T11:08:00.000-08:00

Federalism anyone?

2010-11-13T09:40:00.000-08:00

No need for iPad: Obama has human apps

2010-11-13T09:39:00.001-08:00

This is FUN to read!

Just a thought:
As suggested in Here Comes Everybody by Shirky, and Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Thomas Friedman, the power of Internet is expanding so rapidly that some political traditions are being challenged. But I don't think the Internet and technology can cause mainstream change on political stage. Internet is more of a means of how people approach each other, how people exchange feedback, and how people have a greater access to the authority. However, I think executives and authoritative offices tend to preserve traditions in order to keep their work formal and trustworthy. They would not make everything internet-based, e-documents, e-meetings, e-signatures, and e-everything will never dominate an executive's office and they have no way to alter many of the old traditions.

Looking to 2012, Republicans Vie for Big Donors

2010-11-13T08:45:00.000-08:00

Perspective runners of the next presidential election in 2012 started raising fund for the money race even before the Election 2010 ended. Several candidates have already put up a financial apparatus, such as Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty. However, compared to Election 2008, the pace of commitment to the next presidential election is slower because of much political uncertainty, suggested by New York Times.

Since the Supreme Court made the decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, politicians can receive as much funding as they will. The election cost has tripled over the last decade. Here are the figures of the ever-increasing election cost of 1998-2008, compiled by Open Secret Org.

Cycle Total Cost of Election
2008* $5,285,680,883
2006 $2,852,658,140
2004* $4,147,304,003
2002 $2,181,682,066
2000* $3,082,340,937
1998 $1,618,936,265

I think the increasing importance of fundraising in elections leads to a polarization of power. It induces donors to be more profit-driven, because they use money in a way that forms a coalition with politicians, especially, the chief executive - the highest unilateral power of the nation. They use money as a vihecle to manipulate the business industry, monopolizing power of the labor market and policy-making process. As a result, people at the bottom of the power hierarchy lose their voices, interests, and even rights.

Disappearing middle class jobs

2010-11-12T05:45:00.000-08:00

I think anxiety about this trend helps explain 2010 election.

Sarah Palin's reality show trailer hits the Web

2010-11-11T11:56:00.000-08:00

Freshmen Head to Washington

2010-11-10T21:19:00.000-08:00

What would the founding father's say about new elected representatives taking classes on how to become good members of congress? This exemplifies how being in congress has become a job rather then a place where common men go to further spread democracy.

Bipartisan deficit proposal turns partisan

2010-11-10T20:01:00.000-08:00

A deficit proposal to cut spending by $100 billion and raise taxes by $100 million was disapproved by republicans as they called for larger spending cuts and were not happy with the tax proposal. Even during this lameduck session of congress, the Democrats are struggling getting some of their agenda passed, as seen with health care and the stimulus package as well. This could be a sign for a huge gridlock once the new congress arrives with two divided houses.

Obama Pledges Expanded Ties With Muslim Nations

2010-11-10T17:47:00.000-08:00

In light of the recent presentation on the presidency this story seemed germane. Obama's attempts to improve ties with Muslim nations was mentioned in the going public part of the presentation. Obama's dedication to public appearances in these Muslim nations will hopefully foster a growing trust that will hopefully replace the current tension.

Washington Worries About New Power Couple

2010-11-10T14:57:00.000-08:00

Washington is concerned that John Boehner, the next speaker of the House, and President Obama have too little in common. New York Times compared another two former power couples - Clinton and Glingrich, and Reagan and O'Neill. Different from Obama and Boehner, these two former power couples shared much in common.

Because both President Obama and Representative Boehner tried to undermine each other during the election, New York Times raises concerns that it would be challenging for them to consolidate their relationship.

However, I don't see it as a problem because we have many more examples that election rivals cooperate with each other. For example, Hillary Clinton mocked President Obama that he has a character problem during the campaign rally in 2008, but they are united partners trying to best serve the country. Therefore, I do not think the past would be an obstacle for President Obama and Representative Boehner to build a strong relationship, but what I think would matter is how much effort they currently put into this relationship, because "Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it is called the present."

Pros, Cons of Pelosi as Minority leader

2010-11-10T14:05:00.000-08:00

There are definitely two sides to the argument. For one side the "San Francisco liberal" label that Pelosi had seemingly stitched onto the front of her jackets by the Republicans led, in part, to the GOP takeover that happened just a week ago. Her voting record and how often the incumbents voted with them was a potent point that brought down several Democrats. Mike Arcuri, the Democrat to be replaced in January by Richard Hanna was the result of attack ads like this. In a future 2012 environment where new blue dogs like Arcuri will be running for the same purple districts that were lost in 2010 the effects of having her once again to tie these candidates to might cause another upset. Of course this all depends on the political climate of the future which none of us can foresee as of now. With that as a possibility what might wonder why not replace her with a more moderate Democrat? People point to Pelosi's leadership of the caucus and her being a great speaker during her tenure but that does not mean there is no one else up for the job. Surely there is someone up for it like a James Clyburn or Steny Hoyer who are currently in a petty fight for caucus whip. So let me make an analogy to wrap things up, would it be easier to hunt a peacock or a snipe? Meaning Pelosi, an obvious target, or a moderate Dem, a bland and hard to hit target? The results of that remain to be seen as no one has stood up to challenge her thus far...

New generation of urban leaders

2010-11-10T07:09:00.000-08:00

Newark and Detroit will rise again.

It could have been worse for Dems

2010-11-10T04:20:00.000-08:00

Two Democrats call for delay in Nancy Pelosi vote

2010-11-09T22:28:00.000-08:00

After the democrats losses in the 2010 midterm election and the extreme partisanship that both parties displayed during the last session of congress who should the Democrats elect as House minority leader. Some House Democrats are calling for the minority leader to be postponed till December to give challengers a chance to run against former Speaker Nancy Pelosi. What would be the best choice for the Democratic party? What would be in the best interest of the nation?

Divided Democrats Look Ahead

2010-11-09T19:58:00.000-08:00

This article brings up a lot of questions and expectations for how the Democratic Party is going to comeback from the midterm election. I find it interesting that Nancy Pelosi is vying for minority leader after she was such a decisive figure in the Democrat's loss of 60 house seats. If she does stay on it will signify the Democrats inability to change, causing only further damage to the party. The article expects that Obama will distance himself from the House of Representatives as Clinton did after the 1994 elections. After this election it will be interesting to see how Obama finishes up his first term, and the course of action his campaign for re-election takes.

Republicans May Yet Have Upper Hand in Senate

2010-11-09T17:26:00.000-08:00

I found this article interesting because it explained that although the Democrats have Senate majority (51 Democrats, 2 Independents, and 47 Republicans) after the recent mid-term elections, the Republican party may really end up having more control. This is due to two reasons. One being that some Democrats will naturally will lean rightward on some decisions. The second being that in two years 23 Democrats will be up for re-election and after these past mid-term elections some will feel inclined to satisfy Republican's in order to increase their chances of holding their seat.

The Crossroad Nation

2010-11-09T17:15:00.000-08:00

I like this article because it offers a more upbeat and encouraging view of American culture and politics. So often we read about the political, economic, and environmental problems (just to name a few) that our nation faces. It’s refreshing to read something that has positive overtones and is encouraging for future generations. America has yet to “define” the 21st century, however if history is a plausible guide, David Brooks believes that America has the diversity and openness to be a “crossroad” nation. Yet, Brooks explains that while many countries are on the rise, nearly 2/3rds of Americans believe that their country is in decline. And really, who can blame them? Many people my age wonder if our current financial situation means no social security when we’re older and the media paints such a dreary picture of our political disputes and economic downturn, it is no wonder Americans are little wary. Like Brooks, I believe that America offers the freedom and resources to “create the thickest and most expansive networks” and eventually become the “crossroad nation” of the 21st Century.

Repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Faces Struggle in Congress

2010-11-09T16:20:00.000-08:00

Repealing of "Don't Ask Don't Tell" has become tougher during the lame-duck session of Congress. The repealing of homosexual military service ban will be even harder next year as the Republicans take control of House of Representatives. The Defense Department will respond to this repeal by providing a study on December 1.

Don't Ask Don't Tell, enacted during Clinton's administration, once seemed to be repealed by the end of this year for sure, is now encountering uncertainty because the active-duty forces and their family do not care about it and Senator John McCain needs to keep his promise that service members should keep their sexual orientation secret.

I think the debate over Don't Ask Don't Tell has become a power struggle in Congress and a safeguard for politicians' votes. However, this debate of repealing the Don't Ask Don't Tell should be conducted on the ground of its real pros and cons, because the repealing of the Don't Ask Don't Tell might bring a cultural, disciplinary, and moral shift to the U.S. military. In addition, I don't think it is a favorable situation for homosexuals if we over-politicize Don't Ask Don't Tell. We are very likely to overlook their real needs and impacts, and more importantly, we are allowing politicians tussling with each other at an expense of minorities' interests and even dignity!

Obama Must Get His Mojo Back

2010-11-09T15:11:00.000-08:00

Eugene Robinson describes the president as "uninspired" at this point in time, just following the 2010 Election. This word seems to describe Obama exactly. While he has not given up and remains optimistic about the future, he has not done anything especially noteworthy in quite some time, and does not seem to have the same motivation. I think it is interesting that Obama admitted that he has gotten discouraged and that the economy has not improved as much as he was expecting. Whether or not this is a good thing for a president to admit is a tough question to answer. On the one hand, some may believe that the United States president should not admit to weaknesses. On the other hand, humility can often be a good characteristic for a person of such high power.

Former BP CEO Tony Hayward has no regrets

2010-11-09T14:09:00.000-08:00

It is disconcerting to see how Tony Hayward does not feel any remorse over the BP spill. BP needs to stop blaming other people for the companies wrongdoings. When Hayward said that "“BP’s contingency plans were inadequate. We were making it up day to day," but "I'm not certain I'd do anything different" anger began to fill me. It was BP's ignorance and lack of planing that caused the spill which killed thousands of animals, destroyed various industries and harmed many shorelines. BP need to step up and start accepting the fact that mistakes were made and it is there job to help clean up the mess and prevent another spill from happening in the future.