Should the Voting AGe be Lowered to Sixteen?

I don't think that the voting age should be lowered in America. Even though it would get more people involved in politics at an older age, I feel as though people our age do not know exactly what goes on in Washington. I think 18 is the perfect age because legally the person is an adult. They have adult rights, they can support themselves, they can make their own choices, and they are more independent. I think that if a sixteen year old were to vote, they would be swayed by their parents' political views. As the handout brought up, high school students usually don't complete civics or government until their junior or senior year. Typically, a sixteen year old is a sophomore in high school or a beginning junior. In other countries, such as Tanzania, I say go for the lowering the voting age. If the children are done with school and their life expectancy is shorter, why not be able to vote? But as for America, I think that the voting age should say exactly where it is now.

Should the Electoral College be reformed?

Question 1: No- I think no because it will just make everything even more confusing (is that even possible?) if it is reformed.

Questions 2: No: I still think that it shouldn't be reformed. After reading the "No" side of things, it kind of makes me agree that it is ridiculous that the vote in Wyoming is 3 times more powerful than that of California. The Electoral College doesn't represent everyone in America as well. Maybe it should be reformed?

Question 3: I said yes. I think that it should be reformed even though the vote may represent the more populated region.

Question 4: I think no. Why not let there be political stability? If there is a clear election winner, people will be able to accept the new leader and thus it will be more stable.

Question 5: No

Should there be limits on interest group participation?

I don't think there should be limits on interest group participation. The whole purpose of interest groups is to target the interests of individuals for the the greater good. If George Soros wanted to donate $15.8 million to MoveOn.org, then so be it. I don't think that 4H groups should have the same voice as the National Dairy Association. The National Dairy Association is for the whole country and is for food and health of the nation. 4H can be different in which ever county a person may reside in. I do think that wealthier groups do have a more prominent voice, as they should, because they have the resources that make their point known.

Should gays be allowed to marry?

1st Question: Should gays be allowed to marry?- I think yes. Love is love to me. I know that traditionally marriage is between a man and woman, but times are changing. I think it would benefit homosexuals to get married so they could share health insurance benefits, life insurance after their loved one dies, and because they should be allowed to express their love to the world.
2nd question: I still believe gays should be allowed to marry and I think it’s outrageous that “many people believe that denying marriage licenses to homosexuals is not discriminatory.” It is discriminatory in my eyes. I don’t think that those who go through therapy can somehow just come out of it and be heterosexual. I don’t think it works like that. I’m straight but I’ve heard from homosexuals that being gay isn’t something that they can control.
3rd Question: I still think that gays should be allowed to be married. I looked at the “no” side of the question and I saw that some scholars believe that the Bible isn’t clear in its denunciation of homosexuality. When someone, like my stepbrother, says it’s a sin to be gay, or to be gay and married, I want to know where in the Bible it says that exactly. It may be implied, but I certainly don’t think it says “GAYS SHALL BE CONDEMNED TO HELL!!!!”
4th Question: Reading that children raised single-sex homes are at a higher risk for a psychological problem concerns me, but it does not change my opinion. I believe that someone can always have a father figure in your life, whether it is your grandfather, uncle, or family friend. I think gays should be married to stabilize the health care problems that were described in this question.
5th Question: Yes. I think that gays should still be allowed to marry. Children can be adopted and still have a connection with their parents. Gay couples can adopt. They should be allowed to get married so they can adopt. There are so many alternatives to “manufacture” being a parent. The “no” side pretty much said that times are changing and that gay marriage is the next evolution. I think this is true. We are in a different time period than the time the Bible was written. We are not in the 1950’s where the man makes the money and woman stays at home and takes care of the kids and the house. We’re in a time when anyone can do anything; so why can’t gays get married?

Midterm Blog- Who would I vote for?

If I could vote right now, I would probably vote for Obama. Although the Republican Party is known to be better with handling money, I do not trust McCain with our country. In my opinion, Obama knows more about what younger Americans and middle class Americans need and want. He grew up in a middle class family and was raised by a single parent. I think I would choose Obama partly because of his education plans and his environmental plans as well. My mom is a special education teacher and I feel like her job gets overlooked--very overlooked. I think that Obama really has plans for teachers AND students. When I look at John McCain's website and read his education plan I see nothing about teachers. I only see things about the school systems, and I do not support the whole voucher idea.
Obama really wants change in our country and I think that if he is elected president there will changes. I realize that all of the changes may not be positive, but I feel like wants to make our country a better place for everyone. John McCain seems like a good leader, but I don't think that we can depend on such on older person and someone who is so similar to Bush. Look where George W. Bush got us today. I feel like things have only gotten worse in the 8 years that we have had him as our president. As sick as I am of the political slander and the tension between the two canidates, I feel like Obama carries himself in a better way and I just beleive that our country needs someone like him who is concerned about the environment and wants to help the middle class, not just talk about it. John McCain is a war veteran, and I respect that, but Obama has really worked his way to the top through hard work and I think that all Americans should do that. I want soliders to come home from Iraq...most of all I want to know why we are there when we aren't doing anything. It has been way too long since the war started.
Overall, I just support what Obama has to say more than McCain. It isn't a matter of who is a better person because bother of the candidates seem like great leaders, but when it comes to a vote I think someone should vote for who they trust to change and make our country better. I trust Obama.

Presidential Debates Round Two

I feel like I have gotten nothing out of this debate. They both aren't following the rules of the debate. They're going over the time limit and rambling on. It seems like every question that is asked, both candidates don't answer it, or they just decide that they'll bash the other candidate. I understand that in debates, you are supposed to point out your opponent's weaknesses, but this isn't a debate to me: its a hostile bragging fest. McCain at one point said "Well Senator Obama's plan or something.." Newsflash McCain: this isn't the third grade anymore. You're 72 years old, now speak like one who's ready to a president. Obama was not up to par with his speaking as usual, and I was a little disappointed. The debate overall has been disappointing. It was a repeat of what they said last week and what their VP's said. I learned nothing new from the debate, which I feel bad saying. The biggest thing I learned is that I feel like these men are more concerned about themselves than the well being of our country. "I voted.." "I wrote..." "I warned..." I don't care! Tell me what you can do in the future.
As far as the style of this debate, I liked it better than the last debate. I think it was a lot better because they were questions that average Americans wanted to know. Questions that I've been wondering for a little while. Obama did a really good job of remembering the people's names. McCain called Oliver, "Allen." McCain forgot Ingrid's name too. That was a little obsurd to me. I really liked the moderator. He added a lot of comedy to releive the tension from the two canidates. The candidates seemed a little bit more relaxed than the last time because of the environment I think.

Political Ad

I thought this ad was a good because it gave some background to McCain's experience in the military and patriotism during another difficult time in America. If you're on www.johnmccain.com, the ad is titled "Love," which I think is attention grabbing because it doesn't seem like it would be slanderous towards the other party. I love how it had pictures, videoclips, and a hippy-feel in the beginning. Although it may pump up McCain to be a bigger hero than he is, it's a really nice ad.

VP Debate

Sarah Palin is scaring me. I really didn't support either Vice President, but she keeps rambling off and addressing the problems in ALASKA! I realize that Alaska is a part of the United States of America, but she isn't going to be the Vice President of Alaska. Palin rattled off names of terriosts and leaders of countries-- in a derogatory way. That right there scares me.
Even though I don't think either Biden or Palin won the Debate, I thought Biden handled it all more professionally. He left his personal life out of what he was saying-- Sarah mentioned she and her husband and refered to themselves as "middle class Americans." At times, I really thought that Biden was biting his cheeks and trying not to laugh in her face. I felt bad for her because it was her first televised Debate I think (I'm not positive). She and Biden tended to get way off topic and it was frustrating. I think Americans wanted the questions to be answered, and I feel like nothing was answered in the Debate.