Madison Paragraphs

     How I would solve the problem of budget cuts is a very courages thing to do, and it would be hard to get very far into the plan. If I got a group of students who know about the budget cuts and feel that this is a wrong choice and we go to a speech and debate orientation with the government, we may have a chance to change their minds. For example, how can they not supply money for schools when they can save up money for a person to win a billion dollars? What are they going to do with all that money? I bet you their first choice won't be donating some money to schools. I understand some of the jackpot money does go to schools, but not a lot. In fact, depending on how much a person spends getting jackpot tickets will determine the amount of money that goes to a school. Another thing is game shows. Yes, they are entertaining, but is it neccessary for these game shows? All that money can be used for better causes and choices, not having a random person come up and guess cases and see which one has a million dollars or spinning a wheel and guessing letters.

     This affects me as a citizen majorly. If they lay off teachers, there would be less teachers teaching. When there are fewer teachers and more students come to that school, then more students would be crammed in one class. When this happens, the teacher can't work with a student and help them even more to understand the topic, which may lead to the students having lower grades and not knowing simple logic in the future, or being held back and increasing that class even more! And if the government is brave enough to ratify the budget cuts, what else would they cut?

     This connects to the unit of study by how the government represents Anti-Federalists and how students, parents, and teachers represent Federalists. The Anti-Federalists don't agree with the Constitution and the Federalists liked and wanted the Constitution, but in this case, the Constitution represents the money going to schools. Then, there will be a dispute between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists, which may mean a huge fight between our own people.

     I will try to make a difference by writing a letter to the government explaining why this is a bad idea, and how they can supply lots of money to schools without really giving away the government's money. The letter would contain examples such as the jackpot example, the teacher and class size example, and even the Federalist and Anti-Federalist example, as well as information and opinions from teachers, parents, and students.

Madison Project #2

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/apr2011/cali-a13.shtml

Budgit Cuts To Hit Public Education In California

     Budgits are dropping majorly in just a few years. In 2007-2008, budgits were dropped a rough 5%, and not to mention class sizes increasing each year. California was one of the best education areas, but is not ranked 47th of the 50 states due to the money loss at schools. Many other problems have formed as well. Principals have reported a great number of students are either in a category being somewhat homeless and/or in a catergory of their family does not know where their next meal would come from. To make things worse, pink slip handouts have increased in size by almost twice, to teachers as well as other school employees. When class sizes increase and teachers decrease, it will be a disaster. It would be harder to teach the class and help each student understand the topic. There would be no possible way to work one-on-one with any student.

Madison Project #1

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/temecula/temecula-teachers-concerned-about-salary-cuts/article_ae33b868-e67a-59ad-957c-b554aa43fe9a.html

Teachers Concerned About Salary Cuts

    

     Summary: About a hundred teachers have discussed the salary cut problem at a meeting on Tuesday. They met when the administrator in charge of finaces at the Temecula Valley Unifies School District is facing major budget cuts. To help cut the deficint, trustees agreed to lay off around 120 teachers, mainly elementary teachers. The president of the Temecula Valley Educators Association said if teachers are willing to give up on some of their salary, the number of days the children are in class could be reduced and they would have fewer meetings as well as paper work. "We don't want to lay anybody off," says school board President Bob Brown. "We're doing all we can to avoid a layoff. This is the process that has to take place. We don't like it." Projects are being created, such as an amount each student must pay to raise money to cut the lay-offs at their school.

Kony 2012

Nick Koenig
Article #9
North County Times
Dad-son talk, celebrity tweets key to viral video
http://www.nctimes.com/news/national/web-star-born-kony-video-gets-millions-of-views/article_a4e0ea9b-de66-5b79-952b-0c12de77db85.html

Kony's Crimes

     Joseph Kony, leader of LRA (Lord's Resistance Army), has been popular in a matter of days sense the upload of a viral YouTube video about Kony's crimes. (The link will bring you to this viral video. Please take these 30 minutes to watch this important video and learn how you can help and further events! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc) To summarize this crisis, Kony is believed to be the worst man alive. In Africa, he kidnaps children to kill their own parents -as well as others- and to serve in his young army. The boys, used in the army. The girls, sex slaves. And his actions haven't just started. This has been happening for years, and sadly, no one has noticed until now, thanks to some interviews in Africa. In addition, the amount of children isn't just a couple hundred, it is thousands. Thousands of children, who have killed their parents, others, and have been abused in someway. Former celebrities, including Rhianna, Justin Bieber, & Oprah Winfrey, have been helping the organization to stop Kony's actions, known as the Invisible Children. Rhianna tweets, "Even if its 10 minutes ... Trust me, you NEED to know about this!" Justin Bieber with, "This is not a joke. This is serious. TOGETHER we can (hash)MakeAChange and (hash)STOPKRONY -- help another kid in need!" And Oprah with, "Have supported with $'s and voice and will not stop." Another statement, that should be a fact is, "Kony is a monster. He deserves to be prosecuted and hanged." said Col. Felix Kulayigye.

     This connects to what we are learning in class because the disputes between the states and the delegates, all the compromises and laws had to be approved by the majority of the 13 states. In the video, it states Kony isn't famous yet, and with the information the people have, Congress won't listen. They are trying all they can to make Kony national...maybe international, so Congress would care about the issue. By everyone against Kony, all of the U.S. would be in favor of the action of capturing Kony, which then Congress would have to approve.

     This affects my life as a citizen because it effects everyones lives. I am very greatful I am not one of the children in Africa, and so are others, and that is why we are all trying to stop Kony, not only because it is unfair to the children, but because Kony is a monster, and doing this for no cause at all, just to keep his power. On April 20, 2012, there is going to be a Cover the Night program, where everyone participating will go throughoput the streets hanging up posters of Kony 2012 everywhere, and if I can I am going to participate in it with my friend Dina. Another way it connects to not only my life, but the lives of others is that on the poster, it states Kony 2012, with Kony as well as the two other famous disasters, Osama & Hitler. By this poster baring this, the symbolism is showing Kony's actions are as disasterous, chaotic, and horrifying as the other two's actions.

     My opinion about Kony's actions are unexplainable. Who does this to children? Far worse, who does this to children with no cause at all? Kony shouldn't deserve to live. The ratio to his death to the deaths of the children's parents would be the same number, because Kony is so monsterous, his death would bring peace. Now my opinion about the people participating in this big fight against Kony. I believe they have huge hearts and I also believe this is one thing everyone in our nation feels the same about and wants to help. It's sad how we only knew Kony for about a couple days when he has been doing this for years.

Apologies?

Nick Koenig
Article #8
North County Times
It's not easy for presidents to say 'I'm sorry'
http://www.nctimes.com/news/national/govt-and-politics/it-s-not-easy-for-presidents-to-say-i-m/article_cf06d49f-3ff2-5533-a4a2-dd9c8e0bb31d.html

How Presidents Cover Up

     Mistakes were made in the past by Americans to other countries. Examples contain mistakenly bombing the Chinese Embassy in Yugoslavia and an accidental sinking of a Japanese fishing boat are easily forgiven, but slavery is another story. No president has said any such thing as "sorry" towards slavery, yet George W. Bush claims it as "one of the greatest crimes of history." Aren't we taught as children our manners? How to say please, thank you, and sorry? Isn't that easy for citizens? Then why not presidents?

     This connects to what we are learning in class in two ways. Slavery was the top thing back before the Constitution of the U.S. When the U.S. and Britian had problems, slaves would be used in war. Eventually when the wars were over and the colonies were free, slaves were counted as 3/5s of a person. When do slaves turn into "real" people? Presidents can't even apologize to what they claim a big mistake. If they apologized, would it make a difference? Would it change people's lives? What about King George? I don't think Patriots would believe King George if he apologized.

     This connects to my life as a citizen because if I was a slave or if I was black, I would want the President to apologize about the past. The past inflicts my life as well as others, and we want fairness and justice by only one word, but the President never says that word. That word sorry is never said about slavery. Yes, it may be in the past and we can't change the past, but you can make up for it by saying that one little word.

     My opinion is that the Presidents are too afriad to say sorry about slavery, because then some people may think his apology is nothing and somewhat go on a rampage. They may also be mad because the President(s) haven't said this until now, when slavery happened about 200 years ago. You've all seen something about a big problem, and someone apologizes in about a couple months to some years, and everyone gets mad. That's how I vision the scenario the President would be in.

 

Tax Proposals for a Political Message?

Nick Koenig
Article #7
North County Times
Obama uses tax proposals for his political message.
http://www.nctimes.com/news/national/obama-uses-tax-proposals-for-his-political-message/article_bf525bc2-a964-50f6-8452-24b9dd696d63.html

Obama and his Message

     New taxes being brought up may help Obama's idea of frame and fairness, but has a weak chance of passing even one of the two houses. Few expect any new laws to move through Congress before November's election, especially not tax hikes that Republicans reject strongly. Obama proposed about ending tax breaks for U.S. companies that move jobs or profilts to other countries other than the U.S.A. and creating a minimum tax for their oversea profits, as well as suggesting new tax breaks for buisnesses that move jobs back into the U.S. The most shocking proposal from this president, was his lan to tax incomes over a million dollars annually at a rate of at least 30 percent. His proposals soon had little effect, for they were most likely not going to be passed, but they will still have the Senate vote on this subject.

     This relates to what we are studing in class by the king making unessesary taxes. The king put taxes on everything, from paper to tea. This is similar because Obama's speech at the campaign was all about taxes, and how they will be changed. He also says "fair" many times throughout the speech as well. Obama's idea is that he will create "fairness" and "happiness" and all this other wonderful things, but if raising taxes is really your best plan, what world are you living in? People these days can be as cheap as dirt, and try to spend as little money possible, and if you think raising taxes makes them happy, you better hope that the people chanting, holding up big signs in front of your home, is actually cheering for your actions.

     This connects to my life because everyone pays taxes, whether your an adult, or even a teen. Adults pay more important taxes while teens pay taxes for snacks or other things they spend their money on. Somehow, we all connect as if the president was a heart, and everything leading down were the veins, and finally, we are at the end of the veins. People may also try to cheat with their taxes. In the activity we did in class, when someone (Nikki Keisler) was the king, she made unnessessary taxes, for if you had hair or if you were wearing pants, many people tried to trick the tax collectors (I should know...).

     My opinion about raising taxes is totally unnessessary. We already had SOPA proposed, and thank God there is/was no chance of it passing, as well as gas prices raising through the roof, and other problems our society can't solve without spending money. Obama's idea of raising taxes so everyone is happy and think everything is fair has another thing coming for him. His idea needs the opposite cause. Less taxes equals happy and satisfied citizens, not more taxes! More taxes will equal death, and nobody likes death.

 

Gunpoint to teen for a...........meatball sandwich?

Nick Koenig
Article #6
North County Times
Police: Men took Pa. teens sandwich at gunpoint
http://www.nctimes.com/news/national/police-men-took-pa-teens-sandwich-at-gunpoint/article_6555955f-3a9e-5218-ab07-a6a12572a21b.html

Way to Represent Lunch Money Theft

     Two men approached a teen and held a gun aiming at the teen's head. They soon searched the teen's pockets, not caring of anything else, but a meatball sandwich. The two quickly fled the seen into a car, which the teen soon reported to the police. The cops soon found the thiefs and sent them to jail, ordering a $150,000 bail to be free.

     This represents something we learned in class by the amendment of fair trial. These two men need a $150,000 bail to get out of prison, which shows the bail is under a reasonable price, showing stealing a sandwich instead of killing an innocent teen is a very big deal. The bail isn't an excessive fine, which is okay to the police and the jury and judge at the trial.

     I have seen this happen on the news before. A theft for something not important. If your going to steal a sandwich while holding a gun to a teen's head and leave them with their phone is the most stupid crime I have ever heard of. Many people do it, and it is not cool. Go spend a couple bucks rather than going to jail for how many years. $6 sandwich is not equivalent to a $150,000 fine for bail.

     My opinion is that these criminals are plain stupid. If I were to do this (which I would NEVER EVER do) I would be more careful. These criminals didn't seem to mind that they could have been reported by leaving a phone with a teen, and even not covering their licence plate. This kid was smart to act normal and to do nothing wrong to get him/herself killed. He/she was also smart to report the licence plate to the police.