Connections

One of the most memorable and eye-opening events which I witnessed on the DC trip was sitting in the Senate gallery watching our government behind the scenes. So many people visit DC all the time and yeah they go to the museums, they visit the monuments, and they even ride the metro but how many people are able to sit in those chairs and watch senators below partake in the political process of our government. This experience was truly unique. We were entrusted with so must faith when entering that room that we would remain silent; almost as if we were walking into a room of secretes making the experience all the more enjoyable. Maybe it was because we had just been to the Spy Museum but sitting in that gallery really made me feel like I was spying on our government and listening in on all of its secrets. Government to me has always seemed so confidential and exclusive but being able to hear what was going on and the viewpoints of different Senators gave me a better sense of how our government functions on a daily basis.

Seeing really is believing and watching gave me a sense of reality of what really goes on in the Capital building. It’s not just a figment of my imagination anymore: when I think of the senate convening, Joe Lieberman debating, and John Kerry voting I can now see it clearly how the process functions in actuality. It was much less formal than I thought and I never imagined the floor to be empty with only one or two other congressmen present during the debates. I’ve never imagined Dick Cheney presiding over the floor although I know he does, nonetheless, I still was somewhat surprised when he was absent. The voting process was also pretty nonchalant and I wasn’t expecting the Senators to walk in and out of the room but sit in their respective chairs instead. The process was a tad less strict than I imagined but relaxation can be a good thing and I thought the snippet we watched proceeded fittingly.

At 15 years old, Lawrence King was murdered by 14 year old classmate, Brandon McInerney. The shooting occurred in a classroom at Oxnard, a school outside of Los Angeles County, Tuesday February 12th and prosecutors charged McInerney with King’s death. The death of this teen has stunned family, friends and students not only in this area but around the country because what makes this case even more striking is that it is being called a hate crime. King was shot in the head in a classroom full of students mortifying kids from having been witness to this awful event, but even more concerning are the pieces of evidence coming forward that this crime, committed by a mere teenager, was a hate crime against the sexual orientation of King. King, recently out of the closet, was gay and had begun to dress in feminine clothes during school wearing makeup and jewelry. The fact that this boy was shot on the basis of being different is truly appalling and even more so that this event occurred between teenagers.  The teenagers of today are the future for tomorrow and it is important that crimes like these be stopped.

How is it ok to kill someone just because they are different? It’s not and King did not deserve to be shot Tuesday. It is important that all Americans understand that killing someone based on race, gender, or sexual orientation is unacceptable. There are laws against all different kinds of prejudices and sexual orientation is not an exception. Crimes like this reflect significantly on the way our country is functioning. It does not reflect well on our government and society if teenagers are involved in hate-based crimes; therefore something significant needs to be done. It is important that people are educated, tolerant, and most importantly acceptant of others and this is another step we need to take in order to make America a better place to live. We have fought strong in the fight against racism and should continue that fight into all other areas of prejudices. Enforcement on laws against these sorts of crimes and proactive legislation should be proposed in order to make sure that the generations of our future are educated and acceptant to all sorts of people because the fact is, America was founded on difference so it’s never going to go away.

 Click here to read the full story: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-oxnard15feb15,0,7663055.story

In recent news, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal spoke to the legislature in a special session calling for an ethics reform in attempt to pull the corruption heavy state into prosperity. His reform calls for full financial disclosure from all elected officials in order to rid of corruption on the state level which he argues will therefore benefit the people in many areas including education, public access to information, and crime. Though the issues targeted in this reform are obviously of great importance as Louisiana has been well known for its corruption, it conflicts with other branches of government for some feel that mandating full financial disclosure cross lines of authority. Louisiana Supreme Court Associate Justice Kitty Kimball voiced her concerns over this reform. Her position is that the judicial branch of the state government should be controlling judges and that financial disclosure should not be obligatory to them either. Since the Supreme Court regulates Louisiana’s judges, it should be the Supreme Court which delegates rules and reforms to those judges and the legislature should delegate and impose its own rules on itself.  

This tricky situation which this state and its branches have been presented is one of conflicting interests in the matter of disposing of corruption. As the Governor seeks to find and wipe out all corrupt government officials he is presented with obstacles concerning his authority to do so. Other branches feel that he is over stepping his boundaries in this reform but if he is not able to find the origins then how can he diminish criminal fraud, bribery and robbery if every official fails to comply. In this specific article a Louisiana Supreme Court Associate Justice speaks publically on her issues concerning her personal financial interests asking law makers not to impose disclosure upon all government officials. She believes that the Supreme Court should instead have regulation on this matter and do as the branch pleases under its own eye.  

As a citizen of New Orleans, Louisiana it is frighteningly evident that corruption runs through our government and it is imperative to me that something is done. It seems effective and simple enough that the spending and incomes of government officials should be monitored and public so to encourage officials and their constituents to use money wisely as well as promote prosperity around the state. Though I see the concerns of some who fear unbalance in the separation of powers I question those who question this reform as it seems a bit clandestine of one to not oblige and it makes me want to ask; what do you have to hide?

http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/02/supreme_court_let_us_govern_ou.html

http://www.govtech.com/gt/261139

The talk of the town today is of the upcoming presidential elections and more currently the most recent primaries. As this turning point in the White House gains momentum it is important that the candidate you vote for and we elect is the best candidate around. In order to know who the best is one must fully understand our government and the proposals from each candidate of what the government will look like in the future if we pick them. Two specific candidates with a lot of focus pointed on them are Obama and Clinton: both with unprecedented characteristics, be it gender or race, within the White House. “The Choice”, an article in the January 28, 2008 edition of The New Yorker magazine, delves into the political scene of the campaigns of Obama and more specifically Hilary Clinton.  As the seat of the president holds great power and even greater responsibility in American government it is important that we chose wisely and by wisely I mean in terms of politics.  

Frequently used collectively, the terms politics and government mean two different things but both significantly affect America and how it functions. The President of the United States is part of this nation’s national government which is the entity of the country’s foundation and organization. Most basically, government is the rules. It sets the rules, boundaries, powers, and limits of every part of government and society. The American government is a democratic government: the voice of the people, but where do the people get their voice and how is it heard? The process which defines government and determines the will of the people is vital to the organization and function of this country and this process is called politics. In order to understand, evaluate and eventually vote for any candidate, it is necessary that one understands the politics of every candidate.

“The Choice” isn’t arguing that Clinton would be a good president, and the article doesn’t say that she would be bad either. It doesn’t debate whether Clinton or Obama is better or worse, “The Choice” outlines the politics of Hilary Clinton and compares them to those of Obama creating a balance instead of a debate. This article shows that even though these two democratic candidates are running for the same seat this“Clinton-Obama battle reveals two very different ideas of the Presidency” showing that their politics are not the same around. The politics of Clinton along with every other candidate will be the main factors that determine whether or not he/she is elected president this year.  This article uses a great example of Lydon Johnson’s presidency to illustrate political differences as his Great Society was the basis of his term. Politically this president sought to mold society into excellence whereas to Clinton, presidency is more about “achieving goals than about transforming society ”. All sides of Clinton are exposed through this article even though one can gather that she is not usually the sharing type. The exposure comes from all angles: competition, advisors, public opinion, and many other by-standers in the wake of her campaign share pieces to the puzzle in order to get the full picture of America’s future with President Hilary Clinton.

Click here to read the full story of this article on The New Yorker online: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/01/28/080128fa_fact_packer