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.