Health Care

Health Care:

LINK: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/12/06/romney-gingrich-and-huntsman-and-health-care-hypocrisy/

SUMMARY: Before running for president an before President Obama was in office, both Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney supported the idea of making it a requirement to buy health insurance. John Huntsman also supported a similar plan. They all now claim to vehemently oppose this as it is a strong ideal of the Democratic Party and President Obama. It seems they changed their minds in order to gain the extremely conservative votes of New Hampshire and to appear to agree with the Tea Party. Now, the Tea Party movement seems to have died down and the presidential nomination is anyone’s game so by changing their views on health insurance, one of these candidates may have a chance to separate themselves from the competition and gain moderate votes.

APPLICATION: This is an example of party affiliation and voting demographics. These candidates run for president with the Republican Party, which has mainly conservative views. Most conservatives will vote against health care requirements because it takes away freedom from the insurance companies and the freedom to choose which insurance they want. In order to gain these conservative votes, the candidates alter their stances so their policies coincide with the beliefs of the conservative voters.

OPINION: I don’t like the idea of forcing people to buy health insurance. I am not against making health care more affordable but I still think people should be able to have the freedom to buy and sell health insurance rather than have it mandated by the government.

Foreign Policy

Foreign Policy:

Link: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jan/9/santorum-paul-detail-israel-iran-policies/

Summary: Recently, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum gave their stances on policy with Israel and Iran with its nuclear program. Santorum said that the U.S. needs to continue support to Israel because they are our biggest ally in the region. He also said that we need to work harder in preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. He said, if necessary, we would use tactical air strikes to take out nuclear facilities. Paul said that the U.S. needs to stay a “good friend” to Israel but that funneling aid there would hurt the country in the long run. He also said that premature action in Iran before they have actually obtained a nuclear weapon would be very bad, mentioning the recent war in Iraq.

Application: This is a stark example of the platforms of the Republican Party. While at different degrees, both Republican candidates seem to very much support military action. Generally, Republicans believe in a strong military and in using force, if necessary, to assert authority. For Democrats, they know America needs a strong military, but tend to keep it for defense and peace-keeping only. Both of these candidates want to use the military if Iran is found with nuclear weapons to keep America and the world safe and also to flex the power America has in its military.

Opinion: I agree with points of both candidates. For Santorum, I think that it is good to stay close allies with Israel and keep them as an important ally in the Middle East. I also agree with Paul; I think that, especially when we are in such bad debt ourselves, America doesn’t need to be funneling billions of dollars and aid into another country that can get along by itself. As for Iran, I agree with Santorum. I don’t like the idea of another, possibly belligerent, country getting a hold of a nuclear weapon and I think it is our duty to stop them before they do obtain a nuclear weapon.

Economy

Economy:

Link: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/newt-gingrich-rips-mitt-romney-economic-plan-timid-ad-article-1.1001807

Summary: Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich accused fellow candidate Mitt Romney of having a “timid” economic plan. Experts expect Gingrich’s plan to add $1.3 trillion to the national deficit in 3 years. Gingrich’s accusation, in a TV ad, says Romney’s plan was nearly identical to President Obama’s plan. Romney plans to “urge Congress to lower the top corporate tax rate from 35% to 25%”  as well as lower the tax rate and do away with estate taxes.
Application: This is an example of different campaign strategies of candidates. Gingrich releases negative information about his opponent, Romney, and speculations are made on Romney’s economic policy. This causes citizens to question the validity of Romney’s claims on his policy and question his honesty entirely. This also takes attention away from Gingrich’s supposedly more expensive plan to take away votes from Romney rather than gain votes for Gingrich.

Opinion: I think Mitt Romney does seem a little more liberal than the other Republican candidates. While I am not educated enough on the exact policies of each candidate (Romney and Obama), I do think Romney tries a little too hard to please everyone and very much want to get the votes of the moderates. However, I think Romney’s proposed plan of lowering the corporate tax rate and eliminating other taxes is a good idea to help the economy grow with more spending.

Elections/Campaigns

Elections/Campaigns:
Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/how-michele-bachmann-went-bust/2012/01/05/gIQAjI09cP_blog.html

Summary: In August, Michelle Bachmann was the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for presidential candidate. Now, she has dropped out of the presidential race. This is because she didn’t focus enough on winning the Iowa polls and she went national. Bachmann went out to other states and even went on vacation when she should have raised money. Her main problem was that she didn’t keep bringing money in. She won the Ames Straw Poll and thought she would coast on to the nomination. She stopped raising money and that made it impossible to catch up in Iowa.

Application: This is an example of how money chooses the winners. Without money and with money, support, one cannot win an election. This is a big reason why third parties have never succeeded and probably will not succeed any time soon. In today’s society, those with the money have the power and without money, you will run out of fuel for your campaign.

Opinion: I think Bachmann deserved to lose the nomination. She gave up and got too confident when she was projected to be at the top of other polls. A candidate that deserves to win will campaign until the election is over and then they will do the job they have been voted to do. Bachmann slowed down in the race and was passed by candidates that wanted to win more than she did.

Federal Budget

Federal Budget:

LINK: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/post/white-house-proposes-05-percent-pay-increase-for-federal-workers/2012/01/06/gIQA18fyeP_blog.html

SUMMARY: The White House wants to give civilian government workers a 0.5% pay increase in the year 2013. The pay of federal workers has not changed since it was frozen in 2010. This pay increase would involve changing the federal budget because of the many different facets of government workers. This would involve anyone from office workers to uniformed military personnel. This change would save $2 billion in 2013 after budget control measures were passed last summer.

APPLICATION: This is an example of voting demographics. Government workers are more likely to vote on this issue because they are more likely to be affected. Overall, federal workers are more likely to vote because they are more educated on the issues and the issues affect them directly. This would also affect the federal budget as we try to climb out of debt and save money.

OPINION: I think it is ok to allow a pay increase to federal employees. Their pay has been frozen for 2 years so an increase would help them out individually and the article said that this plan would also save $2 billion in the long run so that is good. I think the budget needs to be lower and we need to save as much money as we can to get out of debt so if this will help, I support it.

Gun Control

Gun Control:

LINK: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/09/us/teenagers-death-a-reminder-of-gun-replicas-dangers.html

SUMMARY: In Texas, an 8^th grade student brought a toy gun to school. He told his teacher that he had a real gun but it was really a bb gun. The police were called and they tried to reason with the student to put the gun down. The police ended up shooting the boy when he pointed the gun at them. Federal law says that airsoft guns are required to have orange tips on the end of them but there is no such rule for bb guns. This will likely change with this most recent death.

APPLICATION: Some people in Texas are calling for a law that bans public display of a toy gun but that position is argued because some supporters of gun rights believe that this rule is an infringement on citizen’s right to bear arms in the 2^nd Amendment. The 2^nd Amendment states that citizens are allowed to own guns and that includes bb guns. By controlling if people can bring a bb gun into public places, it may infronge on a citizen’s right to have a gun.

OPINION: I think there should be obvious characteristics distinguishing toy guns from real ones. There is a big difference between toy guns and real guns and their looks should be different as well. While I think it is good to allow people to own guns for their safety (and toy guns for fun), I think rules should be made to distinguish toys guns from real ones and to keep people from bringing them into public.

Social Security

Social Security:

LINK: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j7O34Bpp42k-IlMMNiOLBkYF2zNw?docId=b1cff9ecefe24ca6ae1764a09761e361

SUMMARY: Presidential candidate Rick Santorum believes that cuts need to be made to Social Security now, rather than 10 years from now. By making these cuts, Santorum believes the current debt crisis will be eased and we will be able to breathe easier knowing that we are saving a large amount of money.

APPLICATION: This is an example of a candidate’s platform and policy agenda. One item on Santorum’s agenda is to make cuts to Social Security. He says will make the eligibility age for benefits higher and he will make the benefits much tighter and that is one aspect of his campaign that separates Santorum from the other candidates.

OPINION: I agree with Santorum. I think that, eventually, cuts need to be made, and in the long term we will live easier and be better off if the cuts are made now. By saving money now, we will get out of the debt crisis we are in and we will get into the habit of spending less and out of the habit of spending more.