Political Cartoon #4

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/tom-toles-cartoons-for-december-2011/2011/11/30/gIQABTl0DO_gallery.html#photo=2

Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney were fairly close in the polls for the Republican candidate primaries but recently Gingrich has come down hard on an often ill-spoken Romney with numerous attacks on policy and past actions. For example, Romney was criticized for his close connections with big business and elite corporations.  Rather than effectively counter Gingrich's accusations (while Gingrich himself is not Mr. Popularity), Romney stumbles and continues to fail to be a attractive candidate and lacks personality or cleverness.

There's no place like home for the holidays...

Unless you can be in Ohio.

Nearly all of my favorite Christmas memories have been from the years we've spent with my dad's family in the Cleveland or Columbus suburbs. There's something enchanting about my grandma's house. I love homes that totally reflect the people who live there; my grandma's house is one of them.  It's so warm and loving, and the fifteen minute buildup when everyone in the car recognizes we're almost there just adds to the excitement of the arrival. My grandma always makes homemade cookies, nutroll, and pierogies around the holidays. All of my little cousins and their parents come and we get to be truly carefree for the few glorious days.  Everyone still believes in Santa Claus. Usually, if there's snow, we go sledding on a hill my dad used to go down when he was a kid.

If we're in Strongsville (where my grandma lives), we take a walk on Christmas Eve to a nearby neighborhood where a group of four or five houses adorns more Christmas lights than all of Herndon and Reston put together. Families from all around come with their cameras and walk the pathways lit with candy canes and toy trains. My family used to drive there instead of walk when I was little, and I still remember getting out of the car, about five years old, singing "Jingle Bells" with my grandma and forgetting all of the words.  I'm so happy I get to be with them this year.  I'm going to miss sitting at the kids' table.

Obamarama

While Obama's ratings are not excellent right now and have not been for many months (even years), his chances for reelection are pretty decent, depending on one factor: how ridiculous his opponent is. The Republican candidate nominees have nearly all made complete fools of themselves in front of the public and are the butts of countless jokes and have been for a while now.

Although Obama is at 43% and many Democrats are dissatisfied (though the majority still approve of his job performance), I sense no danger that voters of his own party will vote against him, given the choices at hand.  Neither Gingrich nor Romney is not ideal "president material," and although polls are close between Obama and Romeny and Obama and Perry, unless the Republican candidates can provide stronger platforms and earn the respect of the moderate voter, I think they stand little chance, even against an unpopular incumbent.

Political Cartoon #3

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/tom-toles-cartoons-for-december-2011/2011/11/30/gIQABTl0DO_gallery.html#photo=4

This Tom Toles cartoon is making a statement about the current state of the environment, which is disgusting and disappointing.  The cartoon is focused on a drawing of the earth, which is covered in smog from super-sized smokestacks and is actually dripping or has chunks taken out of it, with a heading of "Why we haven't been contacted by intelligent life on other planets:" Fish skeletons and oil spills are also featured to accentuate the existing mess of the planet. Toles means to say that people have been extremely negligent in their dealings with the environment, and that it has entered such a state of disrepair that no one already here would want to be part of it, which is a sad idea, considering not long ago, nature had unsurmountable and untainted beauty.

Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney to me is the most realistic and least insane of the group of people attempting to be the next Republican presidential candidate.  He has been very successful as governor of Massachusetts and has actually lined up with Obama on several issues, which may attract moderates who are dissatisfied by Obama's approaches (and would not prefer to reelect him) but agree on a fair amount of his positions (for Obama tries to be rather moderate on many issues).  Romney however is rather inconsistent and his religion may be a hindrance to him when ultra-conservatives vote and are not as accepting of Mormonism, which is sometimes regarded by the public as a rather odd religion (this not not what I personally believe, but not being Protestant is already a problem for many judged by conservatives). Romney will have to be stronger and more engaging in debates, as well as trim back his ideas for legislation to win the vote; his economic platform has 59 planks, for example.

Political Cartoon #2

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/tom-toles-cartoons-for-december-2011/2011/11/30/gIQABTl0DO_gallery.html#photo=2


Tom Toles drew this cartoon, which features two men, rather puzzled, looking at a maze on a wall that is entitled "D.C. Ethics Reform," suggesting that the moral center of D.C. is not just extremely hard to find, but perhaps inexistent. One man asks "where do you end up?" and the other, "where do you even start?" Toles implies that a person observing dealings in the nation's capital would have difficulties finding morals or perhaps justice or the essence of goodness. In this cartoon, he demonstrates how cynically he views politics and does so with caricature and some satire.

Rick Perry

I do not have any confidence that Rick Perry will be the reigning Republican candidate when primaries come around. He has flubbed on national television-Perry actually forgot his own opinion during a debate and paused, looking very confused. A candidate that appears to be stupid, if only for a moment, is typically not very popular or respected by the populace. However, George Bush managed to not only be elected to the presidency once, but twice, and also came off as the one of the most ignorant and unintelligent men in the twenty-first century. Perhaps if Perry is able to play off any future flubs as mistakes of the "common man" and work the everyman angle that Bush did, he will be successful and more widely liked.  Coupled with the "regular person" appeal, his loyalty to staunch conservative values could be very attractive to Republican voters, for Perry seems like one of the more sane of the group of current candidates.
Nevertheless, Perry was involved in a scandal which included a rock at his family's vacation home that was inscribed with a racial slur, and minorities and those who have no tolerance for racism will almost certainly be very much put off by this discovery. Overall, I do not see him being successful.

Political Cartoon #1

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/tom-toles-cartoons-for-november-2011/2011/10/17/gIQA1iutZM_gallery.html#photo=5

Tom Toles drew this cartoon which depicts a newscaster invading a nervous-looking "Republican" elephant's personal space and asking him who will be his candidate. The caption says "Brain Freeze," suggesting that the Republican party has no idea who they will choose, and the hopefuls are watching through either a screen or window outside. The artist uses caricature and ridicule to both represent the collective presence of the Republican party and make fun of its total lack of consensus about the 2012 presidential campaign. The cartoonist is most likely fairly moderate or left leaning in his views but is definitely critical of the Republican party at this point in time.

A lot worse than detention...

The Supreme Court is now deciding on the constitutionality of putting teenagers who have killed in prison for life, without a chance for parole. In 2005, they decided that no minors may receive the death sentence for their crimes, and in 2010 that it was unconstitutional for any crime committed besides homicide.

They have chosen to take on two cases to help the court determine if teenagers really are incapable of making the same quality of decisions that fully developed adults can make.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/supreme-court-to-consider-whether-juveniles-who-kill-must-receive-possibility-of-parole/2011/11/07/gIQAeBeYwM_story.html

Who's taking the GOP?

I think Mitt Romney is most likely to win the GOP primary this election. He is one of the least extreme of the candidates (i.e. not Rick Perry) and also appears fairly educated when on camera (i.e. not Michele Bachman), and follows Cain in the polls very closely. Now that more and more women are appearing as victims of sexual harassment as part of Cain's newly uncovered scandal, it is incredibly unlikely that Cain will have a major role in the primary from now on. Although Romney is Mormon, at least in our (Northern Virginia) community, Mormons are widely accepted and his faith should not be a serious issue in losing him votes. I have actually seen Mormon commercials recently that I assume are nationally broadcasted, in an effort to dispel any ideas that Mormons are highly unusual people, which they are not. Romney seems to be the GOP's strongest candidate at the moment.

Cain and Koch Connection

Although Republican nominee Herman Cain has created an image of naiveté in regards to big-time Washington business, he actually has very close links to the Koch brothers, who are billionaires and heads of the AFP (Americans for Prosperity), an advocacy group that Cain regularly speaks and volunteers for and is somewhat anti-union, anti-environmental protection, and anti-public health care. They have given Cain considerable help boosting his campaign and helping him with ideas even (9-9-9 plan was created with the aide of a former member of the AFP advisory board). 


While having these connections has thus far been very helpful and most likely will continue to be an asset, Cain may find some of his support lost by those who do not support big business or tea party members who reject the typical functions of politics (like dealings with businesses).  His campaign does not seem to want to talk much about this connection, and the effects of this link being discovered is yet to be known.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/long-ties-to-koch-brothers-key-to-cains-campaign/2011/10/16/gIQAKTLPoL_story.html 

Obama's Report Card

Healthcare: He compromised and worked with the health care industry to come up with a plan that was ultimately passed into law. Clinton tried a similar plan and was totally unable to get it passed. Although the opponents of the plan are still fighting it, he has gotten coverage for adults under 26 to stay under their parents' plans, disallowed preexisting conditions to be excluded, and will provide health care not dependent on a person's job. It's not the perfect plan, but these are definite improvements to our country's previous policies. (B+)

Economy: Although Obama has tried to come up with numerous ideas for rehabilitating our economy, his opponents have blocked him on every turn and he has been unable to get anything passed since the stimulus package, which did provide aide and social services to states and local communities and extended unemployment benefits. His jobs package is still up the air in regards to its success but so far the economy is in a very sorry state and continues to face serious problems. (C-)

War on Terror: He was successful in killing Osama Bin Laden, the most sought-after terrorist of this time period, and we have yet to face another terrorist attack on US soil. He has also thwarted numerous terrorist attempts, such as the underwear bomber.  (A)

Reelection Bid: He has done an incredible of fund-raising and is far, far ahead of all of his opponents on that field. His approval ratings are not great, but it's expected for most presidents vying for reelection to have a lower approval rating than when they are first campaigning for presidency. Obama is starting to reengage his grassroots supporters and faces few if any viable opponents. The economy is probably one of the biggest challenges he will face in terms of his reelection. (B)

Occupy Wall Street-the movement

 What started as a demonstration of people demanding improved economic policies has turned into something far greater than an isolated protest. People are arriving from places as far away as California and have shown great devotion to bringing attention to this enormous problem that all parts of America are facing now. The economy has been in a severe downturn for a number of years and now this group, lead by no one, has congregated to form a solid force of civil unrest, however they have been very peaceful. Cries of "we are the 99 percent" are not exactly threatening. People have been putting up tents, laying down mattresses and making themselves at home in the streets in order to make a point. The range of people attending is extremely wide and eccentricity is common. They are all devoutly pledged to their cause and hope to see a change in Washington soon enough.

www.washingtonpost.com/national/occupy-wall-street-newcomers-bring-their-worries-and-hopes-to-new-york-protest/2011/10/09/gIQAqNFdYL_story.html?hpid=z1

Save the whales...but actually.

I have always had animals in my house and even sometimes outside of my house (my family had an outdoor cat who regularly came over for dinner and sometimes we even cater raccoon meals) and I've always loved animals. I got really into environmentalism in 6th grade, actually after watching An Inconvenient Truth and immediately signed up for Greenpeace and the Humane Society and a number of other political organizations that are aimed at protecting the environment and animal rights. I actually called and emailed my representatives and other government officials multiple times over the course of my middle school career in hopes of passing or preventing certain legislation to protect whatever crusade was at the forefront at the time. I became much busier when I entered high school but I still think protecting our environment is very important.

Though it seems obvious, the earth is everything we have and the only thing we have, as human beings and living things in general. The notion that people are knowingly destroying the environment is completely idiotic. It's like wrecking your own home and doing irreparable damage, all while being aware that moving is not an option. Understandably business is easier and more profitable if there is no required clean up or preventative measures, but the benefits to protecting the world, the only world we have (we're definitely not living on the moon yet), far outweigh the costs. Only now are people starting to feel the effects of the detriment caused (in global warming and increased frequency of natural disasters, for example) but we are not yet doing enough to remedy the ruin we have set on the environment. Without the earth, we have nothing. Literally nothing. Attitudes need to change and people need to start recognizing the greatness in what they have been given.

My Political Views

It's definitely safe to say that I am a liberal. Both of my parents are liberals, and each of them has at least one liberal parent. My mother is incredibly politically active and has been since long before I was born. She worked as an intern at the White House when she met my father and has always been avid campaigner, something that has somewhat defined my childhood and certainly has defined my views about the world as they are today.

I have attended countless rallies, marches, and endorsement parties. I spent almost my entire fourth grade year in the Howard Dean campaign office, every single day after school until eight or nine or whenever my father could pick my sister and me up from Falls Church after work. I've been watching the Colbert Report and the Daily Show since middle school and I don't think it would be unreasonable to say that my mom has fed me every ounce of liberal propaganda she could find- not say I didn't happily ingest it.  However, I distinctly remember after going to campaign party in DC one summer in seventh grade, I told my mom I had pretty much had enough of politics. My house was still the Herndon-Reston area headquarters for the Obama campaign in '07 and '08. She didn't really listen, but my family dealt with it, and I attended Obama's inauguration with my friend Erin and her mom.

Today I feel that if I wanted to choose a very different path from my parents, I could definitely do so, but I find myself agreeing with nearly all of the views I was raised to have. I believe that denying rights to gays and lesbians and prosecuting immigrants or minorities is (or should be) unconstitutional and that government should always be conducted in a secular manner and one that will benefit the greatest amount of people (and especially those who need the most help). A weak or small government makes very little sense to me; obviously the government has to have some critical weight or nothing will be accomplished. Additionally, although I have yet to pay my own taxes, I support them and think very little can be done without them. The government cannot just make money. It's been attempted and it does not work very well. I am rather pacifistic in many respects and believe war almost always causes much, much harm than it does good. In sum, the profiler quiz was extremely accurate and I am definitely liberal. 

Nature vs. Nuture

Recently, the press has discovered that the word, "Ni****head" was written on a rock at the front of Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry's hunting camp, which has belonged in the Perry family for many years. The article discusses the layout of the farm, reactions from residents of Throckmore County, where the property is located, and Haskell County, where Perry was raised, as well as an interview with Rick Perry himself and a briefing of Perry's childhood.

This region was decidedly segregated for many years and has had many issues with racism; Haskell county officials even admitted that the county only just started recognizing Martin Luther King, Jr. Day two years ago.  Calling geographical landmarks variances of the word aforementioned was extremely common and actual legislature had to be passed in order to change the legal names of these places to titles less offensive. Perry describes having very little interaction with anyone of a different ethnic or racial background in his youth and only discovering different cultures after becoming an adult, though is firm that he is accepting of all people, regardless of origin. He also claims that his parents painted over the rock in 1983 or 1984 at his request and that it was turned on its side to obstruct the word, although an anonymous visitor to the claimed claimed that in 1990 or 1991, the word was easily visible and "so blatant." Another unnamed contributer described the paint job as being "sloppy" and not "what it was intended to do." Perry was noticed bringing lawmakers to the farm multiple times, and one neighbor commented that the rock was faced down when such meetings took place.

While the Perrys did take action in disguising the racism apparent in their heritage and Rick Perry appears embarrassed by the rock and steadfastly progressive in his views of racism in this interview, the thoroughness of the family's reactions to changing popular sentiments and the ethical nature of their own choices is somewhat unsettling. If they wanted to completely destroy an evidence of this rock, they could have undoubtedly done so. The family was obviously not impoverished and could have definitely afforded better quality paint if they so desired.

I do not know what this means for Perry's campaign, but the question of this rock's relevance to Perry as a person and as a politician is a valid one to be asked. Does America want a man who was raised in a radically close-minded community to be its president? Has Perry gained enough distance from his hometown's views on diversity to be considered moderate enough for most Americans?

How influential is a community in regards to character of the individual? Racism has been a continuing thread throughout all of America's history, but equality and opportunity are two of the themes that define this nation perhaps more than any others. This land was first founded by refugees, and yet the same people have continued to support persecution of almost the exact same nature. Public disapproval of such views are the only way to combat them effectively. When someone lets words like "n****r" be put on public display, he or she is supporting racism even though that person may have not put them there. Passivity is capitulation. If Perry continues to be the leading Republican candidate, I can only hope that he takes more definite action in situations such as these or he may risk being viewed as small-minded as the people with whom he was raised.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/rick-perry-familys-hunting-camp-still-known-to-many-by-old-racially-charged-name/2011/10/01/gIQAOhY5DL_story.html

First Post

Hey guys! This is my first post. Someone help me.