Obama to boost reading at D.C. library in low-income neighborhood

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/30/politics/president-barack-obama-anacostia-library-visit/index.html

President Barack Obama will soon visit one of the poorest neighborhoods in Washington D.C.. He wants to try and boost reading among children to try and help the education system. According to a census, 81% of DC fourth graders read below grade level. The first part of the Presidents plan is to make digital books more accessible to children. A study recently found that in an average middle income home, families averaged about 13 books per home,  whereas in low-income neighborhoods the ratio is one book for every 300 children. The second part of the Presidents plan is to give a library card to every student. This will allow them to have wifi and books.

This is related to AP Gov because it involves our President and our education system. The President is able to make a bigger impact on the public's opinion as well as Congress by personally doing this.

In my opinion, what the president is doing is fantastic. I have always been in a situation where I can access virtually any book I please without having to think twice about it. I cannot imagine what it would be like no to have that privilege. I cannot believe how high the below average percentage is but I am thankful that our government is finally doing something about it.

Did climate change cause California drought?

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/08/opinions/sobel-california-drought/index.html

Two weeks ago, California governor Jerry Brown ordered mandatory statewide restrictions on water use for the first time in the states history. California is currently going through severe drought, and has been for four years now. What California has, is going on throughout many of the world. Lack of clean fresh water is a problem in many underdeveloped countries. Scientists have recently argued if the drought was caused by climate change. A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration author said firmly that it is not.

This is related to AP Gov because climate change is a very controversial topic in our government. Also, the article stated that drought is one of the leading conflicts causing the Syrian war.

In my opinion, climate change is happening. However, in my human geography class, we learned that climate change is a reoccurring event in our atmosphere. We are currently in the Holocene which is a "warming period", eventually, we will go back into a cooling period.

Obama: Equal pay for first ladies too

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/15/politics/obama-touts-equal-pay-in-north-carolina/index.html

While in Charlotte North Carolina, President Obama discussed equal pay for women to the invite-only audience. He made it very clear that he strongly believes in equal pay for both genders. He described a personal account of his grandmother who worked in  a bank for twenty years keeping the same job while training younger men who continually got promoted. He also said, "But before we were in the White House, I wanted to make sure Michelle got paid as much as she could ... If she had a bigger paycheck, then that made us able to pay the bills," Obama said. "Why would I want my spouse or my daughter discriminated against? That doesn't make any sense.” 

This is related to Ap Gov because it relates to the President and his job and all the important things he has to do on a daily basis.

I think equal pay for men and women is extremely important.  Unequal pay is outdated and irrelevant in todays society. Men and women should be paid equally and given the same benefits. We are living in a progressive world and you would think that wage equality would be a no brainer. 

 

Did the Boston terrorists get help building bombs?

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/09/politics/boston-terrorists-tsarnaev-brothers-help-building-bombs/index.html

After the Boston bombing last year, many people still wonder if the terrorists had help performing the act. In a motion filled last May, federal prosecutors asserted that interviews with Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, terrorist, "provided reason to believe that the Tsarnaevs had accomplices". Now, a year after the tragic shooting, Boston police commissioner Ed Davis told CNN he suspected the brothers had help to carry out their plan. CNN's justice reporter Evan Perez said, " Someone who might have either assisted in making the bomb, perhaps helped test it, perhaps the components-- that's part of the investigation thats still ongoing, because they've never closed those questions".

This is related to our AP Gov class because it involves our Federal government system. Specifically the Judicial branch because federal prosecutors were involved. The brothers had several interviews with the FBI as well.

I think that even though his trial has ended and he was found guilty, the court needs to reevaluate his trial and see if they can find some more suspects that could have assisted him. This may be a waste of time since all the drama about the bombing has died down. Im sure people who were affected personally, would appreciate more of an explanation as to what happened, how and why.

Michelle Obama: My challenge to you

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/26/opinions/michelle-obama-kids-health/index.html

Five years ago, first lady, Michelle Obama started "Lets Move!" a program to address childhood obesity. About one in three kids in this country is still overweight or obese -- for African-American and Hispanic kids, it's nearly 40%.  The US still spend nearly $200 billion a year on obesity-related health care costs, and that figure will jump to nearly $350 billion a year by 2018 -- a 75% increase in just three years."We need to protect the progress we've made on healthier school lunches, and we need more schools to find new ways to get kids active before, during, and after the school day. We need more cities to create safe walking routes to schools and restore bike paths and hiking trails so families can get active. And we need to be more creative in spreading the word about healthy eating and physical activity," -Michelle Obama

This is related to AP Gov because of the fact that the President's wife has accomplished all of this. I'm sure she consulted him about it so he must have had a say also. This initiative has changed many peoples life starting with just simply changing the school lunches. 

I believe this program is good for our nation. We are known as "fat" and America should not be given that connotation. I personally have not eaten a school lunch since the time she made these changes but from what I can tell, they are much healthier. I overall think this initiative is very beneficial for our county and hopefully when the next President is inaugurated, the program will continue.

NC switching all high school students to 10-point grading scale this fall

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article10215698.html

Recently, the NC Board of Education voted to switch all high school students to a ten point grading scale. Meaning that 100-90 is an A, 80-89 is a B and so forth. Originally this change was only going to be for 2015 rising freshman, but after much deliberation the school board decided it would be not only unfair, but impossible. It would be impossible because there are many classes in which students of all grades attend. The change will not apply to grades put in before the 2015-2016 school year. Parents and school officials have lobbied the state of dropping the seven point scale and it has finally passed.

This is related to our AP gov class because, we have just finished discussing lobbying and all that lobbyists do. Not only have official lobbyists been lobbying but normal people as well. This is related to our state government as well.

I think this change is fantastic. I have always wanted a ten point scale, and I am so happy it is finally going to happen. There has been many instances where I received a 90-92 on an important grade and was worried that it was going to bring my overall grade to a B. Also, it will help North Carolinian students to become more successful when applying to colleges because many other states have also adopted the ten point grading scale.

What the economy means for 2016

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/06/politics/democrats-economy-2016/index.html

On Friday, March 6th, positive labor market news was released, going beyond most economists' expectations. 295,000 jobs were created in February and the unemployment is the lowest since May 2008. In 2010, the unemployment rate was the all-time high of 10% and has been steadily dropping to 5.5% since then. This proves  that beyond popular belief, Obama has made a difference in our economy. This will make the democrats have an easier time being reelected and to gain control of congress. With the unemployment rate stabilizing, Republicans are now looking to focus on issues other than the economy, such as foreign policy, as they head to 2016.  Economists' predict that we will see the unemployment rate go back up because people have seen these good numbers. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi hailed Friday's jobs report as a "momentous milestone in the longest uninterrupted stretch of private job creation in our history," before remarking that "more needs to be done." 

This is related to US government and politics because it involves the elections and the President. This will be great information to use for campaigning for the democrats as they try to regain control in Congress. This makes President Obama look remarkably wetland people will see it as a sign to vote for the democratic party again.

I am so thankful that unemployment in the United States has dropped. Our economy was horrendous when Obama took office and this article has made me realize that he has actually done something very good for our country. I believe that Obama has been an average President. He was able to get the economy back up; however, he did not accomplish many of the things he proposed to do.

Does a circus without elephants have a future?

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/05/living/feat-circus-elephants/index.html

For many years, elephants have been a huge part of the circus atmosphere. However, on Thursday, March 5th, the Ringling brothers announced they will be retiring all elephants as of 2018. In the meantime, elephant usage will decrease drastically. People have been debating whether or not the loss of elephants will have a decline on circus attraction. In recent years, animal rights activists have increasingly protested against the use of performing animals such as elephants and killer whales, demanding better treatment of them.

This article relates to our AP Gov class because animal rights/animal abuse is a common topic in politics. Everyone has a different opinion of how animals used for public entertainment should be treated. There are many laws about animal abuse but fortunately, there has never been proven evidence of abuse in the circus environment.

In my opinion, I think it is sad they are retiring the elephants. I have not been to the circus in awhile, but the elephants were always my favorite part. I think the Ringling Brothers should reconsider this because I think it will have a decline on how many people attend the circus. No one is forcing them to retire the animals so I don't see why they feel the need to. If they treat the animals fairly, why cant they stay in the circus?

Republicans to DC: Don't legalize pot

http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/25/politics/republicans-dc-pot-legalization/index.html

On Thursday,  a measure approved by D.C. voters in November allowing Washington residents to possess up to two ounces of pot would take effect..The allowance applies only to those over 21. In addition, D.C. residents could grow up to six pot plants in their own yards. Buying and selling pot would still be illegal, as would smoking in public places. But people could transfer up to one ounce to another person -- just not for money. "If you decide to move forward tomorrow with the legalization of marijuana in the District, you will be doing so in knowing and willful violation of the law," Chaffetz and Meadows wrote.

This article is related to US Government and Politics because the legalizing of marijuana has recently become a very controversial topic in our nation. Many people have conflicting opinions of how things should be dealt with it. Members of congress have been debating over this topic for a while.

In my opinion, I think marijuana should be legalized but only up to a certain extent. I think the use of medical marijuana is perfectly appropriate.  Also, it has been proven that marijuana has no drastic effect on a persons health. There should be limits on how much a person can have in their possession and people should not be able to buy/sell with each other.

2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia

http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/12/politics/democratic-national-convention-2016-philadelphia/index.html

 On Thursday, February 12th, 2015, The Democratic National Committee announced that the Democratic National Convention will be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  The event is scheduled for the week of July 15th 2016.  Presidential conventions are huge undertaking for cities, averaging around $60 million.  A distinct case in Tampa, for the 2012 Republican National Convention, cost the city $500 million. The last time Philadelphia hosted a presidential convention was in 2000, when Republicans chose then Texas Gov. George W. Bush as the party's nominee. New York and Columbus,  Ohio were the other two cities vying for the right to host the democratic national convention. 

This is related to our AP Gov class because we just recently studied National Conventions. We have discussed the relationships national conventions have with politics and elections. We have been able to see, through class, how conventions like these operate and make a difference with the outcome of the election.

Due to this article being strictly informative, I am unable to make an opinion.  I was dumbfounded when I found out how much money conventions cost their host city. I can understand a big number because I know how much planning, advertising, and people are involved but I would never have guessed them to be in the hundred millions. 

Chief Alabama judge would defy Supreme Court in gay marriage ruling

http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/12/politics/ray-moore-alabama-gay-marraige-supreme-court-slavery/index.html


The chief justice of the Alabama supreme court insisted that he will continue to resist efforts made by the U.S. Supreme Court to legalize gay marriage. Moore has ordered lower court judges in Alabama not to implement a federal court ruling that overturned the state's ban on same-sex marriage. Chief Justice Roy Moore is personally opposed to gay marriage and solidly against legalizing gay marriage, insisting that Alabama recognizes the "divine" nature of the definition of marriage. Moore also characterized the federal judge's ruling which overturned the state's ban as an "attempt by the federal court to control the state," which he called a "federal intrusion into state sovereignty."


This is related to our AP Gov class because the chief justice of Alabama is resisting the attempts made by the Supreme Court. He is saying that in this situation, the federal government is intruding into state's law. Also, gay marriage has recently become a controversial matter in politics and many people have their own opinions.


In my opinion, gay marriage should be legalized across the entire country. People should be given the right to marry whomever they chose without discrimination. I believe this will soon become a federal right. The Chief Justice needs to understand that not everyone has the same religious or morality beliefs. He should not be able to restrict Alabama only, from a right the rest of the county is granted.

FBI official: ISIS is recruiting U.S. teens

http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/03/politics/fbi-isis-counterterrorism-michael-steinbach/index.html

Michael  Steinbach, the head of the FBI's counterterrorist division, and other governement officials have recently become concerned with the thought of ISIS recruiting U.S. teens. Steinbach explained that the FBI has seen children as young as 15 recruited by ISIS. He also said that "there are individuals out there who are inspired by the message of terrorist groups and they encourage family members, including their children, to follow that path". Steinbach also discussed the fact that "U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies don't track individuals leaving the United States to Europe. Once you get to Europe, you can easily get down to Turkey and into Spain". The FBI is having trouble trying to protect Americans while not impeding on their freedom of expression or privacy rights. "But when that opinion turns into violent rhetoric and then into action, that's something different."

This article relates to our class because of the potential safety concerns of Americans. Also the FBI is trying not to step on the right of freedom of expression as stated in the Bill of Rights.

In My opinion, I think that in a case like this, FBI should be able to track any suspected person of having altercations with ISIS. This issue could potentially harm many Americans and serious problems such as this one should be dealt with effectively and efficiently. It is good that the FBI is monitoring social media, as they should continue to do so.I do think that as of right now they are taking the right precautionary measures, however, if things get out of hand, the FBI needs to regulate with more power and force.

Drone company looks to restrict flight areas in D.C.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/28/politics/white-house-drone-crash/index.html

On Monday January 26, 2015, a drone landed on the grounds of the White House. Fortunately the drone operator was using the piece of equipment for recreational activity only. The man was a government intelligence agency employee who was showing off for his friends around 2 am. Although this specific case showed no particular concern for our government, there has been other recent suspicious activity with drone usage. In a recent interview, Obama discussed the need for stronger regulations surrounding the use of drones. A new update that future drones will have will be the ability to not start if the drone is in restricted area. Also, if someone tries to fly the drone in a restricted area, it will send an alert and the drone will have a feature that forces it to fly home. The Secret Services will continue to do everything in their power to regulate and protect air space surrounding the D.C. area.

This article relates to government in several ways. Most importantly, it involves the safety of our president. If special measures are not taken, it could potentially put our most crucial government officials in danger. It is also related because the Secret Services falls under the U.S. Treasury department.

I personally believe that the Secret Services needs to regulate air control more than they already do. People are already using drones to transport drugs and other illegal paraphernalia. If it was that easy to accidentally fly a drone into the White House lawn, I cannot even imagine what it wold be like if somebody were purposefully directing the drone to harm the president. I believe the president or other governmental figures could potentially be put in serious danger if something does not happen right away to protect them.