American Emissary
Friday, August 13, 2010
Re: Money Does Grow If it's Marijuana
Re: The Growth of the Federal Government
Yes, the Constitution was established fundamentally to protect our rights, but times evolve and so must the frame. Government officials do not look down on us as petty incapable people and they definitely don't see their job as babysitters. Of course we are capable of taking care of ourselves, but what about those impoverished, homeless, bankrupt, sick. The government is obligated to take care of them and if you think things such as Medicare and bailouts are a device to gain control, let's take away federal aid and see what happens.
Governments are not just meant to protect us, that is what military and police forces do. They are established to regulate the system and ensure the highest possible functioning of the nation. Look how much times have changed- a person can video chat with somebody live all the way in Japan through a phone in the palm of their hand. When the framers wrote the Constitution, they knew society would evolve. That's why we have the judicial branch, to interpret the Constitution. I seriously doubt gay marriage was a topic of conversation in the 1800s, and I'm sure you think Proposition 8 is unnecessary and the people should work it out without government interference. But if the government didn't address the issue, gay marriage wouldn't be illegal or legal, but it could be scrutinized and denied. How about the 14th Amendment and Civil Rights. Without laws instituted to protect the rights of African Americans, we may still not have equality because there would be no power to enforce it.
It almost seems you would prefer a borderline anarchy. Our presidents know they are not gods, and they certainly don't expect to be treated like kings. This nation is obviously far from perfect and clearly has numerous issues at hand, but if they are not federally addressed, how else do you expect them to be solved? We have the right to select our government officials. They're job is to ensure the best interest of the people and the nation. As one of the freest countries in the world, I would say the balance of power we have going on is pretty good.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Save Teachers, Save the Future
Both parties were reportedly pleased with the signing of the bill. Democrats now have bragging rights to an emergency legislation and Republicans now have more support that Democrats are driving the nation to financial devastation. In the one-day Washington session, Democrats expressed their concern for children returning back to the classrooms leaving behind a few teachers. Republicans on the other hand saw this as an example of government's wasteful spending. The viewpoint they do share is how this will be beneficial for the upcoming campaigns, just in opposite ways.
The funding for teachers is supposed to be taken care of mostly by closing a tax loophole used by multinational corporations and by reducing food stamp benefits for the poor. School districts are to be provided $10 billion to rehire laid-off teachers or to ensure that more teachers security in their jobs.
With the upcoming November elections, Democrats are grasping on to control of the House. The Food Stamps Slashed to Pay for Teacher Jobs Bill is a desperate attempt to revive voters. Education should always be one of the top priorities of a nation. It is what ensures success of the future and protects the virtue of adolescents. Federal budgeting should never have been allowed to harm this country's school districts. However, the financial situation of the United States is brutally strapping. It is a sticky situation and lay-offs are a harsh reality of our economic times. But it shouldn't be the teachers. We need those teachers more than ever to educate children to help guarantee their financial stability for their future, especially considering how valuable a solid education could be in today's economy.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Give Peace a Chance
Friday, July 30, 2010
Attention to Arizona
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Democrat v. Democrat: To Tax or Not to Tax?
The Obama administration and fellow progressive Democrats still promise to let the Bush tax cuts expire but then reinvest some or all recovered tax money into domestic spending that would rebuild crumbling infrastructure and economically support those hit hardest by the recession. Other more conservative Democrats believe America's middle-class should have to pay higher taxes or suffer through slashed services and benefits in order to prevent today's wealthy from paying any more. Then there are the "Blue Dog" Democrats who are against unemployment benefits but still defend the Bush tax cuts and the so-called "Trickle-Down" Democrats whose priority is "to prevent millionaires from having to go back to paying Clinton-era tax rates." Then finally, the Military-Industrial Democrats, who are declaring that instead of reducing the Pentagon budget, middle-income families should be paying higher taxes or benefit slashes- this last group is hard to reckon with considering the Pentagon is at its highest funding level since World War II allowing for almost wasteful expenses.
The ultimate question is, which argument should prevail as economically accommodating? What progressive and conservative economists can agree on is that spending on programs like unemployment and food stamps are far better boost to the economy than extending tax cuts. Sirota expresses the discerning conclusions that raising taxes on the welathy and devoting those new resources to such programs would be a much better boost to the economy than simply extending tax cuts for the wealthy. Essentially it is clear, in my assesments of the provided government data, that taxes should not be raised for the middle-class, but for the upper.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Homosexuality...Half-fair
This editorial from the Los Angeles Times, Same Sex Sanity, is explaining the arguments against same-sex marriage. Arguments so far, among the most recent debates in California, are claiming that same-sex marriage is bad for child-rearing, however, i agree with the editorial that there are copious unsuitable parents raising children with ignorance and abuse in appalling habitats and they are not denied a marriage license.
District Judge Vaughn R. Walker, expected to rule in the Proposition 8 case this summer, has been requested to acknowledge the more complicated issue of whether homosexuals constitute a "suspect class", or a minority who have withstood unreasonable discrimination. If he does so, the laws that could adversely affect this group would have to meet at a stricter level of judicial scrutiny. However, even if Walker does not get as far to consider such, Proposition 8 could still be struck down.
The author of the editorial essentially equivocally acknowledges both sides of this highly controversial debate yet if more informative than affirmative. However, ultimately ascertains that denying marriage to homosexual couples is clearly a failure to provide equal protection that if qualified as unconstitutional discrimination even without considering the question of suspect class, because it was based on nothing more substantive than a belief in the immorality of homosexuality. The lack of a solid justification for laws against same-sex marriage suggests that, like the sodomy law, they are based on a traditional moral belief. That is why the Supreme Court should reject them.