The Internet Impacts Citizen Participation

"Rock the Vote" is an organization aimed to encourage young people to participate in elections and vote. This organization was found twenty years ago and has evolved much over the years. When the internet became more widely used, "Rock the Vote" developed a website. The website contains information about upcoming elections and how to register to vote. One of the main problems among young people is that they don't feel like taking the time to register and they don't understand the importance of participating in elections. "Rock the Vote" makes is more simple and it has done a great job getting more citizens involved. One of the most valuable things about the internet is that it makes things more simple and much faster.

Political Campaign Ads

This past November, Carly Fiorina and Barbara Boxer were opposing candidates for Senator of California. Here are two examples of their campaign ads.

This ad paid for by "Carly for California," is known as the "Demon Sheep Ad." It is probably one of the strangest political commercials I have ever seen. It is quite long and is focused all on one person. Throughout the ad the narrator is constantly bashing Tom Campbell. There is no information whatsoever about Carly Fiorina and why she would be a better choice for California. After watching this commercial I had no desire to vote for her.


This is an ad for Barbara Boxer. I found this one to be much more effective in that it is shorter, and it is about why she would be a better pick for senator. The ads that focus on the weaknesses of opponents make the candidate putting out the ad look weak themselves. There should be something good about you to advertise rather than bashing your opponents.

The E-Commerce Taxation Issue

E-commerce refers to the buying and selling of products via the internet. You can buy something online that comes from across the country. Since the states collect sales tax, the states can't collect sales tax on something you purchased online that is coming from a different state. This issue causes problems for the stores on the street and for the states. Local stores suffer because more and more people use online shopping since it is both faster and there is not a sales tax. This has created a large blow to state tax revenues.
Solutions that are proposed in order to fix this problem require the altering of tax policies and models. The issue with this solution is that the tax policies that already exist for each state are complicated enough and to alter them for the internet would only multiply the complexity. This is a difficult issue to resolve because the tax laws were not written with the internet in mind.

Here is a video explaining the evolution of e-commerce.

Censoring the Media

Back in 1971, a man named Daniel Ellsberg, who worked for the Pentagon, stole classified documents titled, "The Pentagon Papers." He then gave these documents over to The New York Times, who published them for the public to view. Right away the US government filed for and was granted an order to stop the publishing of the papers. When this case was appealed to the Supreme Court, the justices came to the unanimous decision that the government could not censor information printed by The New York Times or any press related material. The government argued that it should be able to keep private things that could potentially cause danger to national security. Justice Hugo Black reasoned that "freedom of the press" is written in the Constitution so that the public can be informed of what the government is doing. How can the government take that right away from the people? I agree with the ruling of the Court for this case. The public has the right to know what goes on between the US and other countries, and the media has the right to publish whatever they want.

Online Print Media

The New York Times has a website that provides news articles about the United States and all around the world. Not only are there factual articles but there are also a wide variety of editorials. I trust that The New York Times provides accurate information. It acts as a good source for people who don't have much knowledge about recent political actions. Because the use of technology has become more and more abundant all over the US, it is almost essential for newspapers to start publishing online. This has had a positive impact on the public because there are also many people who aren't willing to pay for or can't afford a newspaper subscription. It is important that the public is well aware of what is going in both their own nation and all over the world.
Here is an article written by Dale Carpenter, expressing his opinions about gay marriage. It is helpful for people to have such easy access to editorials so that they can understand the views of others and then form their own opinions.

Political Commentary on Television

There are many television news shows that aren't at the same level of seriousness as the news shows on CNN or CBS. Shows like The Colbert Report and The Daily Show are mostly making fun of the political drama taking place everyday. Most find it amusing and entertaining but there are still those who don't take the jokes lightly and may be offended. These shows provide news updates but they shouldn't be considered a valuable or reliable source of information. It is important that the people watching these shows understand that these reporters aren't serious and that for better information they should watch reports from CNN or CBS. The more amusing shows have had a positive impact not only by being entertaining but they also give some form of an update to those who don't bother to watch the serious news reports. Comedians like John Stewart and Stephen Colbert do a great job attracting younger people into the world of politics.
Here is a video clip from Stephen Colbert's "The Colbert Report." He is making fun of the obsession people have had over President Obama's birth certificate.

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New York Times Co. v. United States (1971)

Daniel Ellsberg, a political scientist working for the Pentagon, stole classied papers called, “The Pentagon Papers.” He then gave these documents to The New York Times, which began publishing them. Just a couple days later, the government was granted an order to stop the publishing of these papers. The case was quickly appealed to the US Supreme Court. The question was: Could the government prevent the publication of materials because they could be endangering national security?

The Court’s decision was issued per curiam. This means that the decision came from the Court as whole, rather than there being one writer for the opinion, all nine justices wrote their own opinion. Justice Hugo L. Black wrote that he felt the whole reason behind “freedom of the press” in the First Amendment was so that the press could let out government secrets and inform the people. Justice William O. Douglas agreed and added that there is nothing barring the press from publishing this kind of information. I agree with the Court’s decision for this case. Justice Black’s argument makes perfect sense. Today there a lot of information gets leaked to the public. It is as if the freedom of the press keeps the government on its toes and prevents it from committing any acts of corruption. If the government could control everything that gets published, there would be much more “behind the scenes” things taking place.  

This case is often compared to Wikileaks, which is a company responsible for leaking much government information to the public. This video discusses the similarities and differences between these two situations.

Gitlow v. New York (1925)

Benjamin Gitlow was convicted for violating the 1902 New York Criminal Anarchy Act. This Act prohibited speaking, teaching, advising, printing, pblishing, circulating, selling, distributing or publicly displaying of organized anarchy. Gitlow was caught teaching the necessity to overthrow the government and he made two publications based off of the Communist Manfiesto. This case deals with the issue of whether or not the First Amendment’s protections of press and free speech are included in the Fourteenth Amendment, which then makes them applicable at state level.
With a 7 to 2 vote, the Court decided to approve Gitlow’s conviction. I don’t think I completely agree with this ruling. We are given the right to free speech and free press. I don’t see why it is okay for the government to censor or simply remove people’s publications or teachings for self-preservation. Our government is unique in that the citizens are allowed to freely express what they want. If the government always removed anything that seemed threatening, it would become oppressive.

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas

This case represents a collection of cases all dealing with a similar issue. It was the issue of black children being denied admission to the public white schools. This goes back to the Plessy v. Ferguson case in 1896 which determined that having separate but equal facilities for white and colored people does not go against the guaranteed equal protection laws in the Fourteenth Amendment.
This time the Court unanimously decided that the separate but equal schools do go against the equal protection clause. Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote that, “Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal. Therefore we hold that the plaintiffs…are, by reason of the segregation complained of deprived of the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment.” I am glad that the Court came to this conclusion, as it should have back in 1896 with the Plessy v. Ferguson case. I suppose that that was a different situation since it wasn’t dealing with education, but I still feel that it was of similar principle. No matter how equal the schools are or seats on a train, there should be no segregation at all.

This video discusses the involvement of young people in the fight for racial equality.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Clarence Earl Gideon planned to rob a Florida pool hall but was caught while breaking in. He could not afford his own attorney for his trial and the court refused his request for a court-appointed official. Florida would only provide free counsel for capital cases. Gideon pleaded not guilty and tried to defend himself. He was unsuccessful and was found guilty and sentenced to 5 years in prison. Gideon submitted a petition to the US Supreme Court to accept his appeal. The Court accepted the appeal and appointed Abe Fortas as Gideon’s attorney.
The Court examined the decision that was made for the Betts v. Brady case in 1942. For this case the Court had decided that the due process clause in the Fourteenth Amendment did not require the guarantee of counsel in criminal cases, which is stated in the Sixth Amendment.
The Court came to a unanimous decision in favor of Gideon, which overturns the decision that was made in 1942 for Betts. Chief Justice Black explained that a person can’t be given a fair trial without some sort of counsel present for them. I agree with the decision the Court came to. Everyone deserves to have some sort of defense no matter what their financial situation is. If only those who could afford lawyers had them in court, our country would be ruled by the rich. The framers of the constitution aimed for everyone to have equal opportunity in this country. Because of this case, everyone is appointed an attorney if they are unable to afford their own. Without counsel and both sides of a case, the trial couldn’t be fair.

Here is an informational video about the details of Clarence Earl Gideon.

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

The decision for the Miranda case was actually for four different cases that were dealing with extremely similar constitutional issues. Each of them involved people who were convicted based on the confessions they made after long periods of interrogation and without being informed of their right to remain silent and counsel. Ernesto Miranda was arrested by the Phoenix, Arizona police and was accused of kidnapping and rape. He was never informed of his right to remain silent or have an attorney. After much interrogation, he signed a written confession. Miranda appealed to the US Supreme Court based on the Fifth Amendment, that nobody shall have to be a witness against themselves for any criminal case. The main question was: Under what conditions can an interrogation take place that will produce a confession suitable for the Court?
With a 5 to 4 vote the Court decided to set Miranda free. Chief Justice Earl Warren explained that Miranda was put in an unfair situation. When someone is taken into custody they must be informed of their rights. Warren also expressed concern for the interrogation process. He felt that many defendants are put into such an emotional and pressuring situation that they are unable to practice rational judgement. Warren wrote that the Court's decision is also an effort to get rid of the pressures that defendants face when interrogated and limit self-incrimination. Although Miranda was probably guilty, I feel that the Court made the right decision. The interrogation process is quite brutal and it is important that it is addressed by the court.

Here is a silly cartoon that explains how the Miranda rights were recognized and what happened to Ernesto Miranda after the case.

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978)

The Medical School at UC Davis had a separate admissions process for minority students. In 1973, 84 "regular" students and 16 minority or disadvantaged students were admitted. The group of minority students had much lower science grade-point averages and Medical College Aptitude Test scores. Alan Bakke, who was white, was not given admission to the UC Davis Medical School that year. His science grade-point average was slightly lower than the regular students, but his aptitude test scores were much higher. Bakke attempted to sue the Regents for a place at the school. California's Superior Court ruled that the admissions program violated the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The court still didn't order that Bakke be admitted into the school though. Bakke appealed to the California Supreme Court, who ordered him admitted to the school by citing the Fourteenth Amendment. The Regents then appealed to the US Supreme Court arguing that the special admissions process did not violate the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. There was also a question of whether or not racial preference considerations are always unconstitutional.

With a 5 to 4 vote, the Court decided that the University's minority admissions program did violate the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. I agree with this ruling. I can see why the University felt that this admissions process was more fair though. There are a lot of people who have no choice but to grow up in a poor environment and not have the same opportunities as others. Many feel that these people deserve the same chance as everyone else who had the privileges of a comfortable home and good education. At the same time though, it isn't fair to those who may be more fortunate but also worked just as hard. It is nice that the University considers that one person had a tougher time in school given the environment they had to grow up in, but I feel the school should give admission to those who are most qualified.
This kind of evaluating is still done by colleges today. There isn't a completely separate admissions program for minorities but there is a lot of room to explain one's struggles while growing up. It is important that schools recognize those who worked extra hard to overcome the rough schools and living conditions.

Miller v. California (1973)

Miller sent out unrequested mailings containing advertisements for "adult" books and films. These brochures showed sexually explicit photos and drawings. Miller was prosecuted for violating California's obscenity laws and was found guilty. His appeal addresses whether or not the state is violating the First Amendment when prosecuting publishers for "obscene" materials.
The Court ended up voting 5 to 4 in favor of California. I agree with this decision. Although I feel that the rights granted to citizens in the First Amendment are important, the state should also have some control over the things people publish. This kind of material can be offensive to some people. It is difficult to have a concrete definition of what exactly is crossing the line when it comes to obscene material. Because of this dilemma, the Court proposed three guidelines that should be followed.
This topic will always remain an issue in society today because it is so difficult to determine what is and is not obscene. It is important to keep offensive materials from being published but at the same time the First Amendment is supposed to protect our right to free speech and free press.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

An 1890 Louisiana law ordered that railroads must have separate but equal accommodations for whites and colored races. Anyone who violated this law was either fined $20 or put in jail for 25 days. Plessy, who was 1/8 black sat in the white people section. When the conductor asked him to move, he refused to give up his seat. He was arrested and a local judge, Ferguson, ordered him to be imprisoned. Plessy appealed to the United States Supreme Court with the argument that the law in Louisiana violates both the Thirteenth Amendment (forbids slavery) and the Fourteenth Amendment (prohibits the denial of equal protection to any person).
The Court quickly ignored the issue of the Thirteenth Amendment. They felt that just because there is a legal distinction between the two races, it doesn't mean they are being treated unequally. I am disappointed that segregation was not addressed. Although the whites and colored are essentially being treated equal, why does there still have to be separation? Justice Henry Brown explained that the Fourteenth Amendment enforces "absolute equality of the two races" and that, "it could not have been intended to abolish distinctions based on color." Even though there is fair treatment, I feel that it is racist just to simply make a distinction. I guess that means that we're all a little racist, but it's the truth. The law should simply address the citizens, there is no reason to distinguish between whites and colored people.

Here is a video with Gary Orfield, who co-founded the Harvard Civil Right Project. In this video he talks about the case of Plessy v. Ferguson and how we have evolved since then.


It will be a long time before racism completely goes away in this country, but we have come a long way. Segregation will unfortunately always be a part of human nature. It's not just colored races dealing with it, but homosexuals as well. Plessy's case is a landmark in history because it is part of what jump started society's struggle for equality across the counrty.

United States v. Nixon (1974)

While President Richard M. Nixon was campaigning for reelection, burglars broke into the Watergate office and apartment complex. There were alleged ties between these burglars and the President's reelection committee. Many conversations were taped in the White House Oval office and when Leon Jaworski attempted to subpoena the tapes, the President refused to hand them over to the court. Nixon felt that he didn't have to surrender the tapes because he had executive power.
The main question was: Can the president claim executive privileges to avoid surrendering material to the federal court? The court unanimously voted that the President must hand over the tapes. This is obviously the correct decision. This case is proof that our system of checks and balances are working. It is nice to see that once a president's action has been questioned it is then tried in court for its constitutionality. Without this system our country would be run by corrupt leaders.
The 18 minutes of tape that was erased was originally thought gone for good but historians today are trying to recover the missing information with new technology. This video discusses the various methods being used.


This court case is significant today because it ensures that our constitution and system of checks and balances are working. Nixon resigned before actually being impeached. This case acts as a reminder to present and future presidents, that their executive power does not give them the privilege to act unconstitutionally.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

 Back in 1973, Jane Roe (a pseudonym) challenged the Texas law that prohibited abortions except for when the life of the child's mother was in danger. Roe was a a young woman who wished to have an abortion although her life was not being put in danger. Roe fought that the Fourteenth Amendment could not protect the life of her baby because a fetus is not considered a person according to the law. She also argued that her abortion should be kept private which is protected by the Bill of Rights.
The Court easily voted, 7 to 2, in favor of both of Roe's arguments. Being rather conservative, people were surprised to see Justice Harry A. Blackmun's response. He explained that the First, Fourth, Fifth, Ninth and Fourteenth Amendments address that a woman has "the right to activities relating to marriage..., procreation..., and contraception..." This confirms that Roe has the right to do what she wants with anything that relates to these situations. Pregnancy and abortion are both linked to all of these situations. Justice Blackmun also adds that the right to privacy of course includes a woman's decision on whether or not to have an abortion.
It is interesting to consider what does and does not qualify as a person. How can one say that a fetus isn't a person if we know that it is destined to become one in just a short period of time? The court draws a line at the second trimester, which is the first 3 months of pregnancy. After the second trimester is up, the woman must give birth to her baby. It gets to a stage where the baby is developed enough to be considered an actual human being and to have an abortion at that point is considered murder. I agree that there should be a limit on how late an abortion can be done. I feel that if a woman truly feels unprepared to properly raise a baby, it is better off that the baby is not brought into the world in the first place. There is still much controversy considering this topic but many women today are getting abortions who feel unprepared or not ready to have a child.

Here is a video presenting the stories of three young women dealing with abortion and how the court decision in favor Roe has positively effected them as it has for many women across America.

Head Start Helps Children

While writing my community service research paper I discovered a national program called, Head Start, that is specifically for helping children growing up in poor families. This program focuses on one of the main parts to my community service topic, which is poverty. There are many children born into families that are unable to afford any sort of education for them. I visited the Head Start website to find more details about the program.

"Head Start is a national program that promotes school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social and other services to enrolled children and families."

Safes Along the Sea Shore

The earthquake and tsunami in Japan left many people without any of their personal belongings and homes. One month following the disasters, belongings are beginning to wash up on the shores. Japanese culture and tradition cause many citizens of Japan to stash a lot of their money in safes in their homes. Those who couldn't evacuate quickly enough, lost much of their savings along with their houses. Tomoko Hosaka wrote an article depicting and explaining the massive number of dented metal boxes that have washed up.
Hosaka points out that because so many Japanese citizens keep their savings at home, there is about $350 billion worth of yen that doesn't circulate. Workers are attempting to identify the safes and are trying to successfully return them to their owners. The loss of so much money only further increases the amount of poverty and homelessness in a country under so much stress.

Project Linus Promo Video

Project Linus Promo Video:



This is a fun and easy way to help out children dealing with an illness or living in poor conditions.

Children Living in Poverty

Here is an informative video about the many children living in poverty. Children International is an organization that allows you to sponsor a child. Sponsoring a child helps with medical expenses and gives an undernourished child more food.

Community Service Research Paper

The Increase in Poverty and How it Effects Children

            In addressing the issue of child poverty I decided to make blankets to donate to the Project Linus non-profit organization. This organization has over 300 chapters spread all over the United States. Each chapter collects blankets to distribute to children who are ill, traumatized or simply in need of something to provide comfort and security. Poverty has been a growing problem in the United States for a long time and with the economy today, it is only getting increasingly worse. It is unfortunate for the children who are born into poor families. Many of these children experience malnutrition and unsafe living conditions (Haerens, Bloom). It has been reported that there is an increasing number of children who are being moved into foster homes because their families are unable to pay their bills, which establishes unsanitary and unbearable living situations (Bloom). Bloom reveals that, “Study after study reviewed by Northwestern University law professor Dorothy Roberts in her book Shattered Bonds: The Color of Child Welfare shows that poverty is the leading cause of children landing in foster care” (Bloom). In her article, Bloom tells two tragic stories of mothers who lost their children to foster care because of their inability to maintain a safe living environment. Child-welfare workers, who are employed by the government, are responsible for the removal of these children. It is heart breaking to understand that these children are being separated from their families, but at the same time, the government is protecting these children by providing them with a safer place to grow. Not only is it an issue of safety but Haerens also reports about the health risks that children growing up in poverty face. It is important that people recognize how many children are separated from their parents and the hardships they face. Haerens further explains that poverty is one the principle causes of hunger. She goes on to say that, “The causes of poverty include poor people's lack of resources, an extremely unequal income distribution in the world and within specific countries, conflict, and hunger itself” (Haerens). The number of people living below the poverty line in developing countries and the United States are unable to make enough money to feed themselves and their children. It seems that malnutrition takes the biggest toll on children. Haerens writes that, “Children who are poorly nourished suffer up to 160 days of illness each year. Poor nutrition plays a role in at least half of the 10.9 million child deaths each year—five million deaths” (Haerens). The more informed people are, the more they can try to help, like the Project Linus organization.

            The government has passed various laws and acts in order to try to combat the economic struggles our nation has faced over several years. President Lyndon B. Johnson passed the Economic Opportunity Act in 1964 in an attempt to help the unemployed get back into the workforce. Each section of the act deals with the necessary procedures in developing all kinds of businesses and corporations (Economic). One of the sections is devoted to getting young people involved in the workforce and helping them keep their jobs while enrolled in college. The document states,

The purpose of this part is to stimulate and promote the part-time employment of students who are enrolled as undergraduate, graduate, or professional students and who are in need of earnings from employment to pursue courses of study at eligible institutions, and to encourage students receiving Federal student financial assistance to participate in community service activities that will benefit the Nation and engender in the students a sense of social responsibility and commitment to the community (Economic).

It is especially important that young people are encouraged to hold a job while in school so that they will have money to properly raise a family when they are ready. Many people graduate with huge amounts of debt from their college tuition and then go on to attempt to start a family. It is important that people understand the commitment they are making when they have children. In another section of the document, the government addresses the minimum wages that should be paid to people in certain job categories.

All laborers and mechanics employed by contractors or subcontractors in the construction, alteration, or repair, including painting or decorating, of buildings or other facilities in connection with projects assisted under this subchapter, shall be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on similar construction in the locality, as determined by the Secretary of Labor in accordance with the Davis-Bacon Act (Economic).

It is essential that the government set these limitations in place in order to control part of the population’s income. With this document the government is regulating people’s salaries to help minimize the amount of people living below the poverty line.

            President Johnson addressed the poverty issue again by getting the Food Stamp Act of 1964 passed by congress. This act outlines the Food Stamp Program, which provides vouchers for low-income families at certain grocery stores. With these vouchers, people with less money are able to afford food and other household items for their family (Food). The document states that its main purpose is,

To strengthen the agricultural economy; to help to achieve a fuller and more effective use of food abundance; to provide for improved levels of nutrition among low-income households through a cooperative Federal-State program of food assistance to be operated through normal channels of trade; and for other purposes (Food).

The act continues on to define what makes a family eligible for the food stamps. The Food and Agricultural Act of 1977 eventually surpassed the Food Stamp Act, which made it easier for families to qualify for receiving the food stamps (Food). These laws address our nation’s issue with poverty and are helping many of America’s citizens. Although these laws have been a great help to many there is still a problematic number of people still living below the poverty line and there are large amounts of children growing up in unsatisfactory living conditions.

            The government has and still is creating all sorts of new programs for the benefit of America’s citizens. There have been many programs started that provide aid through job searching and training, like the Job Corps, which “was designed to give underprivileged teenagers and young adults the necessary training for long-term employment opportunities” (War). Today, the Job Corps runs their program in over 120 locations across the United States and is training about 100,000 people between the ages of 16 and 24 (War). There is another program called Head Start, which was designed to, “provide comprehensive educational and health services to preschool-aged children in low-income families. An estimated 23 million children have participated in Head Start since the program's inception in 1965” (War). Head Start is exactly the type of program that I feel contributes most to my community service topic. My topic addresses the issues that children face when growing up below the poverty line or in a low-income family. Project Linus is an organization that is geared toward providing comfort and security for these children. Head Start is focused on the education and health of children growing up with poor families. Being born into these situations, these children are not granted the same opportunities as those growing up in stable homes with working parents. Programs like Head Start give hope to these children and provide a basic education for them. With just a basic start in learning from this program, underprivileged children can then continue to stay in school and try to overcome the hard life that they were born into. President Johnson continued his fight against poverty by signing the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act in 1965 (War). This act established the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which “was created in 1965 as a Cabinet-level agency to increase homeownership, support community development, and increase access to affordable housing free from discrimination” (Marr).  One of the main goals of the HUD was to recognize the decrease in housing affordability and find ways for poorer people to able to purchase homes. Later on, HUD assumed the role of a government agency that directs programs in battling the rise of homelessness (Marr). HUD continues this battle by providing funding for government programs (War).

            My community service project does not directly confront the issue of the increasing amount of families living under the poverty line, but it does address the hardships that children face when growing up in poor conditions. It felt satisfying to be making something from scratch for the pure enjoyment of a child in need. I had never made a blanket before. The first one that I made took me a long time, but by the time I got to my third and fourth blanket I was getting the hang of it. I tried to make as many as I could while still putting in a great amount of effort in order to produce high quality blankets. I know the children must appreciate each blanket they ever receive but I want it to be obvious that I did the best I could. It feels great to receive a brand new blanket, but it feels even better to know that the blanket maker put in high quality just for you.

Works Cited

1. "Children Are in Foster Care Because They Are Poor." Foster Care. Ed. Debra Bloom. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2010. At Issue. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 5 Apr. 2011.

2. "Economic Opportunity Act (1964)." Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 9 Apr. 2011.

3. "Food Stamp Act (1964)." Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 9 Apr. 2011.

4. Marr, Matthew. "U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development ." Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 9 Apr. 2011.

5. "Poverty Is a Root Cause of Malnutrition." Hunger Notes (1 Mar. 2008). Rpt. in Malnutrition. Ed. Margaret Haerens. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 10 Apr. 2011.

6. "War on Poverty." Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 9 Apr. 2011.

Project Linus' Plan for Japan

Cathy Dyson posted a notice from the Project Linus organization explaining that they are making an extra push for blankets to be sent to Japan. The idea is to get as many blankets as possible to send to children in Japan. The organization also plans to keep some blankets in the US that will be distributed to families that are being evacuated to the US while their neighborhoods are being rebuilt. The article discusses the efforts of the Soldiers Angels organization that will be providing shelter for victims of the earthquake and tsunami. I hope that the blankets that I made will be donated to anyone who survived the catastrophe in Japan.

9 Year Old Risks Life for Sister

A nine year old girl, Anaiah Rucker, has become a hero after she pushed her sister out of the way of a truck. Unfortunately, in the process of saving her sister's life Anaiah lost both a leg and a kidney. Liz Goodwin wrote an article describing the details of the tragedy and Anaiah's feelings about her actions.

Today, Anaiah told Curry that she doesn't feel she deserves to be called a hero. She said her sister "was too young to be hit like this, and if she got hit she wouldn't hardly be alive. She would be probably gone forever."

Four Journalists Live to Tell

Lynsey Addario, Anthony Shadid, Stephen Farrel and Tyler Hicks are four journalists who were captured by soldiers in Libya. It is a miracle that they are alive today to tell their story of being held hostage. The four journalists left with a driver from Egypt across the Libyan border without visas. As they approached Benghazi, they encountered Libyan soldiers who forced them out of the car. They tried to make a run for it but the soldiers caught up to them while they hid behind a one room house. This gripping article composed by them explains their experience while being held hostage. 

"At that moment, though, none of us thought we were going to live. Steve tried to keep eye contact until they pulled the trigger. The rest of us felt the powerlessness of resignation. You feel empty when you know that it’s almost over.

“Shoot them,” a tall soldier said calmly in Arabic.

A colleague next to him shook his head. “You can’t,” he insisted. “They’re Americans.”

They bound our hands and legs instead — with wire, fabric or cable. Lynsey was carried to a Toyota pickup, where she was punched in the face. Steve and Tyler were hit, and Anthony was headbutted."

It is incredible to imagine the amount of danger these journalists subject themselves to get their story. We should appreciate them for their willingness to risk their lives in order to give us the facts. 
After the journalists were caught they noticed a body lying on the ground behind the car. They couldn't tell exactly who it was but they were pretty sure that it was their driver.

"We still don’t know whether that was Mohammed. We fear it was, though his body has yet to be found.

If he died, we will have to bear the burden for the rest of our lives that an innocent man died because of us, because of wrong choices that we made, for an article that was never worth dying for.

No article is, but we were too blind to admit that." 

Help For Japan

After the major disaster in Japan, millions are left without electricity, heat and most importantly, homes. Poverty is spread all over the world, but after disasters like the ones in Japan, some areas are stricken with a large amount of people without any shelter. At this time, it is expected that the rest of the world brings aid to Japan. Help is needed to build shelters an rebuild facilities. Food and clothing donations are valuable as well. In a situation like this, perhaps a simple blanket or stuffed animal would be appreciated as well. Those who lost their homes, lost everything they had. If I was living in Japan at this time I would cherish anything that I can hug and use to keep warm.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

High Poverty Destabilizes Nation

There is much focus on the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, but Joe Guzzardi reports about the poverty in Egypt. He writes that, ever since Mubarak's approval of family planning, the Egyptian population has doubled to 82 million. He further explains that,

"More than 15 million Egyptians live on less than $1 a day, a key factor driving last month's protests. The divide in Egypt between rich and poor, where resistance to birth control is high, is startling.
Even though Egypt has severely limited resources, especially fertile land and water (only 3 inches of rain falls annually), the numbers of poor steadily increases."

 Guzzardi suggests that the Egyptian crisis was not only caused by Mubarak's corrupt dictatorship, but also a "failed" population. Overpopulation seems to be the major problem contributing to the poverty issue.

"Egyptian high fertility has imposed costly socioeconomic burdens on the nation. Economic development is stalled and quality of life eroded because of reduced access to jobs, education, water and food.
Little wonder Egyptians took to the streets. But too many decades ignoring an exploding population have left Egypt with few options for future improvement."

How to Make a No Sew Blanket

I plan to donate at least four blankets to Project Linus for my community service project. I have no sewing experience so I decided to use this technique to make fleece blankets. This is a video provided by blanket makers for Project Linus on how to go about making this kind of blanket. It is very simple, so take a look and give it a shot!

Trapped In Poverty

This is a report on people living in poverty who can afford shelter but are unable to afford furniture. Is it worth paying for a home if you are unable to have a bed to sleep in? An organization in Washington D.C. travels around the area donating used furniture to families living in homes who are unable to purchase furniture. Many Americans including children are going to sleep at night without a bed to sleep in. Thanks to this organization, more people are being provided with furniture.

Mental Health Break: Soccer Players Are Muscial Too

The UCSD soccer team make a creative music video while traveling to a game. Not just great athletes but musical too.

Less Oil for Libya

Paul Schemm and Maggie Michael report some of the latest news about the uprising in Libya. After some fighting between rebels and loyalists to Gadhafi, two oil installations were set fire which only further increased the country's energy problems. 
The report also describes Gadhafi's claim in recapturing the city, Zawiya.

"The fall of Zawiya to anti-Gadhafi residents early on in the uprising that began Feb. 15 illustrated the initial, blazing progress of the opposition. But Gadhafi has seized the momentum, battering the rebels with airstrikes and artillery fire and repulsing their westward march toward the capital, Tripoli.

Gadhafi's successes have left Western powers struggling to come up with a plan to support the rebels without becoming ensnared in the complex and fast-moving conflict. On Wednesday, a high-ranking member of the Libyan military flew to Cairo with a message for Egyptian army officials from Gadhafi, but no further details were known."

Obama and his team are working on ways to get Gadhafi out of power and also keep the rebels under control. This will not be an easy task to accomplish and it may take a great deal of time for things to calm down. Hopefully in the mean time the US can try to prevent as much violence and death occurring as possible. 

Would You Give Up the Dollar Bill?

America is in a constant state of fiscal concerns. With the recession under way, the government is always looking for ways to stick to the budget and spend less money. Seth Fiegerman reports about a study showing that the government could save money just by changing the currency.

"Earlier this month, the U.S. Government Accountability Office issued a formal proposal to the Treasury and Federal Reserve noting that if it eliminated the $1 bill and replaced it with the $1 coin, the country could save roughly $5.5 billion during the next 30 years. The reason, according to the agency's report, is that dollar bills have a shorter lifespan than dollar coins because they wear much faster, which in turn requires the government to spend more to print new bills."

This is of course easier said than done. There would be about a four year transition period in which the government would have to invest in the coins. But after the transition is complete, the government would be saving $522 million dollars per year. Fiegerman also reports that it has been noted that when Americans are given an option between bills and coins, Americans will always choose bills.
At the end of the article Fiegerman points out that this proposal has been brought up many times before and we still use dollar bills today, which shows that this idea is unlikely to pass. It is interesting to ponder though, whether or not you would be willing to give up the dollar bill in a time when the government is trying to cutback spending.

Medicine for the Soul

Details on the background and process of Project Linus.

Let Every Child be like Linus

Remember the character named Linus from Peanuts? The little boy who always carried around his blanket. There happens to be an institution called "Project Linus," which gives blankets out to children in need. This organization has several chapters spread out all across the country. Project Linus collects blanket donations and delivers them to children who are ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need. I plan to donate the blankets that I am making to this organization. They will accept many different kinds of blankets as long as they are washable and homemade. I have already made two blankets using the fleece fringe style. To learn more information about this organization, visit their website.

Siding With Stem Cells

Stem Cell research has been a huge struggle for the biotech industry ever since the technology was discovered. Republicans have strong feelings about the treatment of embryos. One could simply assume that since republicans are pro-life (against abortion), they are also against the use of embryos for stem cell research. I side with the democrats on this issue because I see stem cell research as an opportunity to save lives. Some also argue that the tiny blastocysts that are being used have no human features. Republicans make their rebuttal claiming that anything that has the potential to have a life should be considered an individual with the same rights as us all. One of the toughest aspects of this debate is that it is hard to tell where the line is drawn between life and nonexistence. This matter doesn't seem to be addressed in the constitution. In an article discussing the pros and cons of stem cell research, it is stated that:

"Advocates of embryonic stem cell research claim new human lives will not be created for the sole purpose of experimentation."

Besides tampering with potential human life, opposers are concerned for the animals being tested on.

"Others argue against such research on medical grounds. Mice treated for Parkinson's with embryonic stem cells have died from brain tumors in as much as 20% of cases."

I understand that it is unfair to the animals, but we must accept that this is a part of scientific research. In order to make any advancements scientists have to take risks and make sacrifices.
Depending on which party has the majority, scientists have either been denied money for research or have been given more. This article explains that:

"In the summer of 2006 President Bush stood his ground on the issue of stem cell research and vetoed a bill passed by the Senate that would have expanded federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. Currently, American federal funding can only go to research on stem cells from existing (already destroyed) embryos."

This article explains that after Obama was elected, his democratic qualities caused him to do the exact opposite.

"President Barack Obama said Monday he is allowing federal taxpayer dollars to fund significantly broader research on embryonic stem cells because "medical miracles do not happen simply by accident," and promised his administration would make up for the ground lost under his predecessor."

I think that stem cell research is a key area of science that deserves an adequate amount of federal funding.

 

 

Less Government for the Grand Ole Party

The Republican party or the GOP (Grand Ole Party) is known for its conservative qualities and want of lower taxes and decreased government involvement. Republicans are very much pro capitalist and prefer the government to let the people rule themselves.

"Republicans believe individuals, not government, can make the best decisions; all people are entitled to equal rights; and decisions are best made close to home. These basic principles are as true today as they were when the Party was founded. For all of the extraordinary leaders the Party has produced throughout its rich history, Republicans understand that everyday people in all 50 states and territories remain the heart and soul of our Party."

To read more about the history of the Republican party click here to visit the website.
Although Republicans have strong feelings about Capitalism they still hold the opinion that everyone should be equally taxed. While they would like taxes to be lowered in general, they want the rich to be taxed the same as the middle class and the poor. Here are some reasons for the Republican's beliefs:

"The most important distinction between Republicans and the leadership of today’s Democratic Party concerning taxes is not just that we believe you should keep more of what you earn. That’s true, but there is a more fundamental distinction. It concerns the purpose of taxation. We believe government should tax only to raise money for its essential functions."

Abraham Lincoln established the Republican party and is most widely regarded for his efforts in abolishing slavery. Although the republicans still look to him as hero the party's qualities and strategies have evolved quite a bit over the years. This link will show you more of the Republican party heros.

Who Are the Democrats?

Democrats are commonly called liberals or progressives. Some democrats prefer to be called progressives since it has a more positive connotation. One of the key characteristics of the democratic party is their push for change. This quality is useful but many start to oppose this way of thinking when things become too radical. One of democratic President Barack Obama's main slogans was "Vote For Change." At this website, all of Obama's most popular slogans are listed. About half of them are about bringing change to America, which is a key part of the democratic strategy.
The opinions on the level of government involvement in the US is a major colliding factor between the different political parties. Democrats are known for preferring increased government regulation. The common misconception is that democrats are socialists or some people even go as far to call them communists. I believe that capitalism is a good system but without much government regulation at all, things will get out of hand.
I found a statement in a blog entry posted by Stephen Daugherty that explains what the democrat's goals to fix capitalism rather than getting rid of it. He writes that:

"They have the flexibility to pursue the different kinds of policies, to reshape capitalism to something Americans can better live with. The Republicans don't want to lose, so instead of coming up with a better alternative, the GOP seeks to batter their dissenters with labels and criticisms designed to destroy people's faith in them."

Perhaps republicans should reconsider calling a liberal some sort of communist when they don't have much to offer in trying to stabilize the economy themselves.
As stated from this website:

"Our party was founded on the conviction that wealth and privilege shouldn’t be an entitlement to rule and the belief that the values of hardworking families are the values that should guide us."

Where Do You Stand?

Every young adult in America is given the opportunity to make a choice about what political party they feel most closely associated with. It's not too difficult to understand the key differences between both parties yet some still struggle to figure out what they truly believe rather than be influenced by their parents and teachers. I found this quiz to be particularly helpful in that it addressed each category of politics and offered multiple political stances rather than just democrat or republican.
Here are my results:

Man Vs. Machine

IBM's latest creation, "Watson," is a computer that has the ability to think. The brain power of this computer is being put to the test on one of America's most popular game shows, Jeopardy. Artificial intelligence is a topic that has been deeply explored for a long time but it seems almost impossible to prove. Do us humans even know what thinking is? What exactly does it mean to think? There are constant synapses in our brains but is that an actual indication of our thoughts? Jason Gallagher explains the details behind Watson's "brain," 

"While Watson provides the illusion of human thought, it is actually a supercomputer working to extract data from 90 IBM Power 750 Servers, which gives it access to 16 terabytes of memory. In case anyone is wondering, that is millions of documents the machine must search through to find the text required to respond to the questions. Neither the humans nor computer are able to access the Internet to find the right questions to go with the answers. Just that the machine is able to compete is a technology breakthrough, but the fact it won a practice round is even more impressive."

The Poorest County in America

Ziebach County in South Dakota has been named America's poorest county. More than 60 percent of the citizens live at or below the poverty line. A large portion of the county's citizens live on the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian reservation which suffers from the bad economy as well. Unemployment among this tribe has hit as high as 90 percent. Norman Merchant from the Associated Press reports that,

"Poverty has loomed over this land for generations. Repeated attempts to create jobs have run into stubborn obstacles: the isolated location, the area's crumbling infrastructure, a poorly trained population and a tribe that struggles to work with businesses or attract investors."

Indian reservations tend to suffer because modernization is simply not a part of their culture. The reservations are gradually industrializing but at this rate, they are unable to keep up with the unstable economy. Ziebach County also suffers because of its lack of natural resources. There is a lot of land available for agriculture but it is lacking in oil reserves. The county is working on finding ways to bring in more jobs and help those in serious need.

FAQ About Poverty

The National Poverty Center website established by the University of Michigan, offers information about events, the organization, opportunities to help and also some interesting facts. The word, poverty, covers a large spectrum of topics that are associated to it. There are certain limits and standards set for one to be considered living in poverty.

"A family is counted as poor if its pretax money income is below its poverty threshold. Money income does not include noncash benefits such as public housing, Medicaid, employer-provided health insurance and food stamps."

It is important to take a look at the statistics to get an idea of how many people are suffering in this lifestyle. The more educated we are about it, the better we can help.

Escalating Poverty in California

Ethel Long-Scott reports for KALW News that poverty in California reflects or may be even worse than the circumstances in Michigan. Poverty is one of the nation's largest problems that society faces today. There are homeless shelters and charities, but it doesn't seem to be quite enough considering the ever increasing statistics. Long-Scott reveals that,

"Nearly 1 in 4 California residents lacked health insurance for part or all of 2009, that is roughly 8.2 million people. California also has the third highest rate of official unemployment at 12.6% and the fourth highest rate of home foreclosures at 12.4%, even worse than Michigan. When we look closer in particular locations, the numbers are even worse. Cities like Richmond, Hayward, and Oakland have unemployment and poverty rates well above the state and national average."

With the budget cuts to Universities, young people are having a harder time paying for an education. The increased tuition forces many people to drop out of school. Those lacking a college degree struggle getting a job which initiates their fall toward homelessness. The instability of the economy is having a negative influence on the poverty situation all over America and especially in California.