A Changing Definition of Manliness

Waller Newell presented a great look into many historical contexts of what being a 'man' truly means and has come to mean as societal values and expectations change. I thought one of his most interesting points was the relationship between the genders since there are no contexts where the two genders do not interact and influence the each other. The differences and similarities have been the topic of much debate throughout history and it continues to be, especially in relation to feminist issues but also increasingly the study of males. An asian art history professor remarked that in asian culture it is impossible to consider that the two genders could be separated because asian culture is so family centered. I think that this represents a microcosm of the rest of the world where, although societies are not as extreme, males and females are inexplicably linked.

Newell also discussed the changing status of what manliness means. Classically it represents chivalry and courage but modernity had changed this view towards aggression; currently however, there has been a shift back towards chivalry. One of the most interesting things is why the pressure has changed. Obviously it is related to how the roles of men and women are viewed in relation to one another but how much of it can be attributed to innate senses and societal pressure. It is extremely interesting to consider how different men and women really are especially since their roles in society are converging due to uniform rights.

An era of volatility?

Even If House Is Lost, Obama Finds Hope In History

Most of people predict the Republican Party is going to win the mid-term election. However, even so, President Obama still has hope to win reelection. NPR compiled the information of the three former U.S. presidents who lost the majority at least one house of the congress in mid-term election but still won reelection. They are Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, and Bill Clinton.

Bill Clinton thought about strategies to cooperate with the Republican Party right after Democratic Party's lost. Therefore, I think it is important for President Obama to think what the step should be. No matter his party wins or loses, mid-term election is not a decisive factor for reelection. It is also important to study the people's concerns about Democratic Party, and the aspects attacked by the Republican Party during this mid-term election, because President Obama should eliminate as many these impediments as possible for his reelection.

The Election Will Be Tweeted (and Retweeted)

Obama's Appearance on the Daily Show

I have to disagree with Will's interpretation of Obama's appearance on the Daily Show.

Obama’s appearance on the daily show isn’t a testament to his ability to rally voters or his ability to mobilize the youth vote, but only a desperate attempt to in the last few days before the election to present himself (and his party) in the best light. The mere fact that he would go onto a comedic show to try to justify himself shows desperation.

In a manner similar to “the boy who cried wolf,” the over exposed president is losing his voice in traditional means and is forced to turn to things like Comedy Central in order to be heard.

Now granted, the show’s viewers would be a good target for Obama’s self-promotion, but making an appearance on the show when they are only looking for a good laugh is not the way to make them take him seriously. Trying to make a serious point on a show that is all about political satire is a tough thing to do, which is why it was such a red flag that the President is in trouble. He sees this and is trying to pull out all the stops, which to me, seems more feeble than inspiring.

Maybe to some of his faithful followers this event seems bold, daring and well-thought-out. But for many, it only shows that Obama is waking up to the fact that you can’t always win by saying, “Yes we can.”

Divided We Fail?

This is a very angst-ridden article about the upcoming election. It ends by saying that if elections go as expected, and there is a Republican majority we should all; “Be afraid. Be very afraid.” Paul Krugman describes that dissimilar from the circumstances in the late 1990’s, the current state of economy makes bipartisan efforts in government even harder. And that with Republicans control, the much-needed policy to dig us out of our “economic trap” won’t be possible. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell states that, “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.” It seems that our system of “checks and balances” has come to an unfortunate extreme in recent times. The initial goal of preventing one overarching power between the three branches has been distorted by Republican and Democratic power. If Republicans come to win both the House and the Senate, people, like Paul Krugman, predict that the division among the Democratic and Republican parties will prevent a unified governmental body from working towards what is in the best interest of our country. I sincerely hope that Mr. Krugman’s predictions do not become reality in the days to come.

Bill Clinton Tried to Get Meek to Drop Out

Recently, Bill Clinton attempted to persuade Kendrick Meek, the Florida Democratic candidate for Senate to drop out of the race. Currently, the election is a three-man race between Meek, Independent Charlie Crist, and Republican Marco Rubio (Tea-Party extremist). Rubio is leading both of his opponents, so Clinton felt that if he could convince Meek to drop out, Democrats would unite behind Charlie Crist, the stronger candidate. The Democrats need to do whatever possible to retain seats because of the unfavorable political climate. It seems to be selfish of Meek to remain in the election, despite the advice of Bill Clinton. Clinton has the parties best interests at heart, and realizes the importance of sacrifice to help the Democratic Party in this election. Obviously, it is difficult for a candidate to hear these words, and he may see it as unfair to have to drop out. As a result, however, it is likely that Crist and Meek will block each other, allowing for Rubio to win and costing the democrats one more seat in 2010.

Newt Gingrich thinking about running for the White House.

The pool of Republican challengers planning to run in the 2012 election includes many big names like Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, Jeb Bush and Donald Trump. With real leader do all these options hurt potential candidates chances to start gathering support. It will be interesting to see how the results from the 2010 midterm elections will effect the pool and if we will start to see a few lead candidates start to emerge.

Democrats Retain Edge in Campaign Spending

Even though there was a large fund supporting Republican candidates, the Democratic Party outspent the Republican Party in this mid-term election. However, the Democratic Party is still in a worrying shape.

I think it very interesting because voters are not guided by commercials and slogans as much, instead, they became more realistic. Therefore, there is a split between campaign strategy in terms of fundraising and voters' attitude. I think, in this way, the influence brought by the spending on campaign is restricted to the political circle - people who understand politics and care about politics. The scope of fundraising influence is narrower.

President Obama Appears on The Daily Show

Tonight Jon Stewart, of The Daily Show renown, hosted President Barack Obama for the entirety of his show. Though the show had its moments of humor, I was struck by the conversation's professional and serious tone. Jon Stewart asked very serious questions about the President's shortcomings and his inability to quell the intense partisanship in Congress. I was most impressed with Obama's defense of Obamacare which he reiterated has insured millions of previously uninsured lower income Americans . He noted that because universal health care legislation has been passed it can be revised in the future without having to go through as major a legislative battle. Jon Stewart was an excellent host who professionally balanced his job as a comedian with serious political discussion that would have rivaled any "respected" news media.

The fact that the President of the United States would appear on The Daily Show so close to the midterm election to plug for the Democratic Party and defend his administration's first two years indicates that the Democratic Party is trying to mobilize the youth vote again. The Daily Show is primarily viewed by a younger audience who tends to lean Democratic. Obama is trying to reinvigorate the youth base that supported him in the 2008 election. With many Democratic seats in jeopardy this election season, the Democratic Party needs a large voter turnout to keep many at-risk candidates viable.

The President's Daily Show appearance also highlights politician's increased use of new social mediums to reach voters. A successful campaign must approach voters through older mediums such as print media and traditional news television programs and new social mediums like the internet news sources, late-night satirical television shows, and social networks. Obama was the first presidential candidate to utilize the internet and social networks to raise unprecedented amounts in fundraising and involve supporters. Obama's appearance tonight is indicative of the power of new social media in today's politics and the Democratic push to reinvigorate voters for the 2010 midterm elections.

Votes allowed to wear WWE tee shirts on Electoin Day in CT

Although she may be down in the polls Linda McMahon supports can now wear WWE apparel on election day.

Campaigning on Facebook

Texas Is Campaign Issue in California Ads

Should California create jobs at an expense of environment?

California Proposition 32 will be on ballot on November 2. Under current economic environment, lowering unemployment rate has become the top priority. California's current unemployment rate is more than 12%, and Proposition 32 aims at loosening environmental regulation on jobs in order to create more jobs. Hitting the two key words - environment and jobs, Taxes has become both a role model and the enemy, suggested by the New York Times.

I do not think we should pass Proposition 32 for the following reasons. First, we will lose our position when accusing other countries of not being sustainable. The pass of Proposition 32 might become an evidence showing that the U.S. lets go the environmental issue for its economic growth. This does not match the global image we are trying to build. Second, Most oil related jobs belong to the secondary sector of the economy, that is, jobs processing raw materials. However, currently, the largest economic sector of the U.S. is the tertiary sector, that is, the service sector. Therefore, if we create more oil-related jobs, we are developing backward.

Key Tax Breaks at Risk as Panel Looks at Cuts

Bruce Banner v. the Incredible Hulk

In Colorado, Voters Voice Uncertainty and Anger

There are feelings remained in deep freeze.

As always, the Republican Party and Democratic Party are claiming their ideologies, trying to show that their solutions are more superior than their opponent. However, voters in Colorado are immune to their this kind of propaganda, they care more about real life issues, such as their stores, schools, their husbands' jobs. Perhaps, many of them lost confidence and feel lost during this huge political samsara of parties.

Some of the voters show that they are not sure whom to vote for, some say that either of the parties' policies fits their status quo, for example, a small business owner says "I'm not the small business they talk about, I'm the small, small business".

I think we might have left a vacuum in people's real needs when we are busy comparing the two parties' totally different ideologies. We have not paid enough attention to the middle grounds. There are people left lonely, lost, disappointed. I think it is time that we should consider a third situation in which the Republican and the Democratic ideologies form a coalition, because we cannot live in absolute.

The Middle Is About to Become Much Lonelier

Interesting article predicting shifts on both sides away from the center.

In Massachusetts Race, Ideology Isn't Only Issue

Jeff Perry has the best chance of any Republicans running in Massachusetts to edge out the Democrats. Living in Massachusetts myself, it is interesting to observe the way that Republicans are trying to inch their way into the national legislature in a state that is traditionally always Democratic. Scott Brown's victory last year gave all Republicans in this election some hope that they too could be elected in such a liberal place. However, Perry has another issue to worry about: there was an illegal strip search incident in 1991 when he was a police sergeant that his opponent, William R. Keating, has brought to the attention of residents in their district. Even so, his past record with votes in the state legislature have local Republicans hoping that he can still defeat Keating in 8 days. Though Perry is fighting for a seat that has been ruled by Democrats for 30 years, he is receiving lots of aid from the National Republican Congressional Committee, the American Action Network, and even the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The hundreds of thousands of dollars invested in this race for the Republicans could in fact give them the advantage in this Massachusetts election.

New Rule: Christine O'Donell Has to Stop Saying "I'm You" in her Campaign Ads

However you may feel about Bill Maher, this article is really funny!

For college students, it's so not '08

The article emphasizes a key point to the 2010 election research paper about the surge and decline theory. During this election the thrill of electing the first black President with fresh and youthful ideas of change and hope have faded for the vast amount of the electorate. If it has faded for the general populace then the youth vote will surely decline as they are usually a pathetically small percentage of those that vote in each election. While Hamilton appears to me to be fairly active in its recruitment efforts to vote (the college Dems and Republicans have registered a couple hundred new voters) I expect that this is but a fraction that both clubs were able to recruit during the 2008 elections a few years ago. Nonetheless, the youth vote that the President gained a huge boost from in 2008 may end up tipping the scale against his party in the election coming up in a mere 8 days from today.