Election 2008 - Candidates

Please list the candidate you most like for the 2008 presidential election. Also, explain why you like this candidate. Explain your candidates stance on several of the key issues. Do you agree with everything that this candidate stands for? Do you consider yourself a democrat or a republican, or neither? Explain why.

The candidate I like the most for the 2008 presidential election is Hillary Clinton. I like Clinton because she knows about this politics thing. She is married to Bill Clinton which was a president, she is a senator here in New York, she seems to have a solid plan to improve the government and she is smart and I would love to change history with her being the first female president.

On health insurance- she wants everyone to have health insurance through employers and/or government. I totally agree with the fact that everyone deserves to have health insurance and be able to be treated at all times and in any place. On abortion- she agrees with Roe v. Wade and that women should have the right to decide whether or not to have a baby. I totally agree with this also. On climate change- wants an immediate system to reduce carbon emissions. I do not know much about this topic but something definitely needs to be done with the warming of the earth. On immigration- Supports a path to legalization for illegal immigrants that includes learning English and paying fines; toughen penalties for hiring illegal immigrants; voted for fence along Mexican border. I couldn't agree more. The illegal immigration needs to be regulated and those who are already here need to be helped. On the Iraq issue- Voted in 2002 to authorize invasion, now opposed; opposed troop increase; start phased withdrawal within 60 days of taking office, with the goal to have most troops out by the end of 2013. I want our troops back! I want no deaths and I want the US to start minding their own business for once! I do not agree with having the troops back by 2013, I want them back ASAP! On Iran- Direct diplomacy without preconditions; use economic sanctions; military option not off the table, but would not consider without congressional approval. Iran is a touchy subject. I don't know which side to take on this but at least she is clear that she doesn't want to invade.

I consider myself a democrat but that doesn't mean that if I believe that a republican party candidate is better than that of a democrat that I wouldn't vote for the republican. I think the democrat party is a little bit more open-minded, liberal and it tries to help minorities and that is very important to me since I am Hispanic.

"Sicko" by Michael Moore

What did you think of the film? Are there any scenes that you will remember? What do you think is the film-makers main point? Also, do you think Michael Moore is telling the whole story? Do you think he is objective - what do you think he is leaving out? Explain.

I like the film very much! It is informational and at the same time very humorous. The movie was about the issue that the United States faces with health care. It is unbelievable the amount of uninsured people we have in America. I will remember a couple of scenes but I liked like when at the end of the film, Michael goes to get his "laundry done". Oh my god that was so funny and also at the end when they were showing the credits the quotes, pictures and comments were really good. I think it was very important the part where they were in Guantanamo Bay and how they have such good health care for their detainees- for free! How ironic! There is always more than one story to be told and I think Moore only concentrated on the bad aspects of America. I think all in all he did a good job. People have the right to know the things that happen in US and how they are different from other parts of the world.

Peer Review: 1st marking period

Geovanna Carrasco

• How thorough have they been in completing their blogs?

Geo was very thorough with her blogs.

• Have they done their blogs on time, as they have been assigned?

They are all completed and seem to have been completed in a timely fashion.

• Are their blogs well-written and informative?

Geo's blogs are well-written, informative and give the reader an idea of what kind of writer and person she is.

• Did they properly follow the instructions for the blogs?

Yes, the only thing I would recommend is that she names her blogs like they were assigned because that way they are easier to recognize.

• How much work did they put into their groups democracy wiki project?

The project was very nice and descriptive overall and I think the bibliography was very professional. I just don't know what part of the project is geo's.

• Did they do some good research and writing on their groups wiki page?

They did some good research and writing and they organized it very nicely on the wiki page.

I will give geovanna a 90. Everything is done well.

Self-assessment: 1st marking period

I think I deserve a 90! I have completed all of my blogs and have been very thorough with the work I publish. My blogs are all done in the order in which they were assigned and in a timely fashion. Sometimes I go back and proofread and edit some of my work and sometimes I type it in a word document and then post it. My blogs are well-written with very few grammar errors, if any. I follow the instructions for each assignment to the letter.

When it comes to the democracy project, I think I did a good job. I researched and got my information from various sources, found graphics, shared the information with my group members and then posted it. I also helped my group members when they were unclear or confused with their part of the project.

Attendance wise, I was absent once in the entire marking period and I made up the work for that day.

Hopes and Fears about college.

The New York Times Sunday Magazine's annual "College Issue" was a very interesting piece to read, especially now that I am a senior and considering colleges to apply to. I think the article touched on some really good points. Should you pick colleges based on tuition fees, location, reputation, or just based on whether they specialize in your intended major? The first thing I think you should be sure about is what you want to study and then it is just downhill from there.

What I am looking for in a college is a little bit of everything. I want a college that I can go to and be considered important, have a professor that actually cares what I learn and not just the fact that they get paid anyways. A school that offers excellent courses and that is recognized and has a good reputation.

Another important thing is the process of applying to college and you are one lukcy individual if you have the priviledge to have an expert help you apply to college and advise you along the way about colleges, essays, and financial aid.

College is important to me but it is also one big experience in life. With that being said, you need to draw a line and prioritize. You have to do good in your classes but at the same time enjoy the college experience. I think college will be fun because even though you are a little stressed with the work, you will have time to go out and have fun and for the first time you will be able to act like an adult. It's important to not let that get to your head! If you were held back a lot in your life and now you see freedom you might not be able to manage all of it.

I hope college is fun and educational. My biggest fears will be messing up in the application process, or not getting into the colleges I desired. Also, it will be very frustrating if I don't get the financial help I need and then I'll have to take loans that I will have to pay back later on. Now, my greatest fear will be failing in life. Not being able to do good, keep up, get a job or even worst, if I find out that after I have a career, I don't like it or I'm not good at it.

Constitution: Articles III - VII

The executive branch is the branch of government responsible for enforcing the law. The executive power is pretty much the president with the help of the vice president. President can hold office for a term of 4 years and cannot exceed 2 terms. The president must be at least thirty-five years old and have lived in the United States for fourteen years. The president has a sworn duty to defend the U.S. Constitution under oath. The president has a lot of power but at the same time his power is controlled because they have to work in a team along with congress and the house for one common cause- the well being of the mass population and of the states. The president, vice president and government officials can be removed from office for wrongdoing. The House of Representatives has the sole power of impeachment, and the Senate has the responsibility to try the charges and remove guilty parties from office.
In the law, the judiciary or judicial system is the system of courts which administer justice in the name of the sovereign or state, a mechanism for the resolution of disputes. The Supreme Court is the only court established by the Constitution. All lower federal courts are created by Congress. The supreme court only tries a few cases a year and they are mostly serious and regarding the constitution and the constitutional rights of individuals. The Privileges and Immunities Clause, prohibits states from discriminating against citizens of other states without justification. One of the difficulties under the Articles of Confederation was that any amendments had to be approved unanimously by the states.

Constitution: Articles I and II

Article 1 talks about the house of representatives and the senate. It also talks about the legislative branch which is the branch of government responsible for making law. The members of the house must be elected every two years and must be older than 25 and have been a citizen of the U.S. for at least 7 years and live in the state for which he is running for.
There should be two senators for each state. They are chosen for six years. It is different from the house of reps because these are divided into 3 different classes. Senators have to be at least 30 and have been a citizen at least 9 years. The vice president is the president of the senate even though he only votes in case of a tie. The senators and reps shall be compensated for their services. Every bill passes through the house and the senate before it becomes law and should be a 2/3 of the majority. Article I holds two compromises that were essential to the formation of the Union: equal representation of the states in the Senate, and the valuation of a slave as three-fifths of a person.
I just think it is interesting and efficient to have a large group of people have a say in laws. Democracy is evident in many of these proceedings.

Politicians: Good or Ruthless?

Would you vote for Rudi for president? Do you think politicians (especially the president) should be nice guys, or ruthless people who get the job done? Explain your answer using the information you read about Giuliani. His kids would not vote for him - should you? Should anyone?

Personally, I would vote for Rudi for president if there isn't any other candidate that I consider better than him. He has been a good mayor for New York overall in the many years he has been in power, crime rates have dropped and so have unemployment rates.

I don't think politicians should be nice guys or ruthless. You don't have to be nice because in some situations you would have to make tough decisions that may portray you as either nice or evil. Being ruthless or cruel doesn't get the job done either. I think they should just take each situation as they come, consult with the other people in power, and make the best possible decision for the country and for the people.

So he has been divorced? Who cares? That's his personal life and I know that as a public figure his life is also public but his personal decisions do not have to affect his performance as a mayor or a president. So he is pro-choice, pro-gay rights and pro-gun control? I agree on all three as well. America as a whole could be very judgmental on certain things. Everyone should have the right to believe as they wish and do with their lives what they wish to do as long as they don't hurt others in the process.

If his own children do not want to vote for him-tough. I don't think that those two votes will help or hurt him anyway. I don't think anyone should judge Giuliani on his personal life, they should judge him on the job he has done and the job he would do if he becomes president.

I think he is a very open-minded person and America is afraid of that. We are too used to the original things and the very conservative people and we are afraid of change.

Citizenship Test

1. How many stars are there on our flag?50.
2. What do the stars on the flag mean? The 50 states.
3. What color are the stripes? Red and white.
4. What do the stripes on the flag mean? The initial 13 colonies.
5. What is the date of Independence Day? July 4th, 1776
6. Independence from whom? British.
7. What do we call a change to the Constitution? An amendment
8. How many branches are there in our government? 3 branches.
9. How many full terms can a president serve? 2 terms.
   
10. Who nominates judges of the Supreme Court? The president.
    
11. How many Supreme Court justices are there? 9.
    
12. Who was the main writer of the Declaration
    of Independence? Thomas Jefferson.
    
13. What holiday was celebrated for the first
    time by American colonists? Thanksgiving.
    
14. Who wrote the Star-Spangled Banner? Francise Scott.
    
15. What is the minimum voting age in the
    United States? 18.
    
16. Who was president during the Civil War? Abraham Lincoln.
    
17. Which president is called the "Father of
    our Country?" George Washington.
18. What is the 50th state of the Union? Hawaii.
    
19. What is the name of the ship that brought
    the Pilgrims to America?
    
20. Who has the power to declare war? Congress.
    
21. What were the 13 original states of the
    United States called? MA, RI, CT, NH, NY, DELAWARE, NEW JERSEY, PENNSYLVANIA, VIRGINIA, MARYLAND, N AND S CAROLINA, GA.
    
22. In what year was the Constitution written? 1776.
    
23. What is the introduction to the
    Constitution called?
24. Which president was the first Commander in Chief
    of the United States Army and Navy?
25. In what month do we vote for the president?
26. How many times may a senator be re-elected? 4.
    
27. Who signs bills into law? President.
    
28. Who elects the president of the United States? Electoral college.
    
29. How many states are there in the United States? 50.
    
30. Who becomes president if both the president and
    vice president die? Speaker of the house.