Unit 3: Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media

“Seven States Challenge Birth Control Coverage Rule”

http://constitutioncenter.org/NewsWire.aspx?title=Seven+States+Challenge+Birth+Control+Coverage+Rule

Synopsis: The first legal challenge of the Obama administration mandate on birth control coverage has occurred. The mandate requires that all employers give their employees birth control coverage, including those of religious-affiliated hospitals, schools, and outreach programs. Seven states, Nebraska, Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas, have filed a lawsuit claiming that the mandate violates the First Amendment right to freedom of religion.  Also, the lawsuit claims that the mandate might force religious employers and organizations to drop health insurance coverage, leading more people to enroll in Medicaid programs and increase patient numbers at state-subsidized hospitals and medical centers.  The Obama administration has said that they do not want to “abridge anyone’s religious freedom but they want to give women access to preventive care.” The administration has also said that they will shift the requirement from the employers to health insurers.

Analysis: I think that the Obama administration is in a predicament.  In trying to appeal to women and liberals, they have angered many conservatives and the Catholic Church. However, both sides do have reasoning and constitutional supports. Women want their right to choice and the Catholic Church wants their right to freedom of religion and to not be pressured into supporting something that they don’t believe in. I think that the administration’s idea of shifting the mandate to the health insurers would be a good compromise because then no one’s right to freedom of religion would be violated nor would be any woman’s right to choice be violated.

2012 Election Prediction

http://www.270towin.com/

The link above is to a map with my prediction of the 2012 Presidential Election. On this map I predicted that a majority of the Southern states and Texas would vote Republican. I came to this conclusion because these states are historically red states. The only Southern state I predicted to be a blue state was North Carolina. In the 2008 election, North Carolina voted for Obama instead of McCain so I'm assuming that this will be the case again. I predicted that the Western states of California, Washington, and Oregon would vote for Obama too, because in past elections, these states have been blue states. I predicted that the swing states of Pennsylvania and Florida would vote for Obama again, like they did in the 2008 election. Overall, I think that the winner of the 2012 election will be Obama. 

Unit 3: Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media

“GOP Sees Chance to Attack Obama on Rising Gas Prices”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46444584/ns/politics-the_new_york_times/t/gop-sees-chance-attack-obama-rising-gas-prices/

Synopsis: Republicans are using the increasing gas prices to fuel their criticism for President Obama. In some places gas prices are approaching $4 a gallon and this rise could cause the optimism that Americans have placed in the economy to disappear. However, these prices come after better-than-expected job growth, a surging stock market, and a payroll tax deal.  Rick Santorum said that “they want higher energy prices. They want to push their radical agenda on the public.” By this he refers to Democrats supporting alternative energy. Obama counters the Republicans’ attacks by looking into better fuel efficiency of cars and to open new areas to oil and natural gas development. Also, he says how his payroll tax deal will help Americans with the rising gas prices. He thinks that the money that Americans receive from this deal will help them cope with the gas prices.

Analysis: The rising gas prices are another source of debate for the political parties. The Republicans are gearing up for the general election by using the rising gas prices as another reason to criticize President Obama. The Democrats are doing the same by using the gas prices to criticize the Republicans.  The Republicans are attacking the Democrat’s party platform, in which they support new and alternative energy methods and the Democrats are attacking the Republicans because of their support of the oil companies.

Unit 2: Political Beliefs and Behaviors

“Social Issues Overtake US Politics”

http://constitutioncenter.org/NewsWire.aspx?title=Social+Issues+Overtake+US+Politics

Synopsis: The economy is not the only issue on people’s minds in politics. Social issues such as gay marriage, abortion, and contraception are now “at the center of American political discourse.” These social issues can become key tools for the candidates running in the election, even though the economy is still voters’ major concern. Republicans are trying to win votes of religious conservatives, such as Catholics in Ohio and Pennsylvania, which are battleground states. Obama is trying to preserve support among women, moderates, and independents. The Republican candidates are using the White House’s policy on birth control coverage to fuel their attacks against Obama and win voters. Rick Santorum says that the policy threatens religious freedom and violates the Constitution. Romney says that the Obama administration is “waging an assault on religion.” Gingrich, who is a Catholic, says that Democrats have “declared war on the Catholic Church.”

Analysis:  It is one’s civic duty to vote and the presidential candidates are trying to get as many voters to come out to the polls as possible. They are trying to gain support by highlighting key social issues such as gay marriage, abortion, and birth control. You can see how the two parties are on two different sides of the political spectrum. The Republicans are basing their views on conservatism, trying to win those with strong religious views, and the Democrats are basing their views on liberalism, by advocating women’s right to birth control. Mainly, the candidates are trying to appeal to their voters’ political values and political socialization. The Republicans have shown that they know voters are strongly influenced politically by their religion, which is why they are attacking Obama and saying that he is “waging an assault on religion.” And the Republicans are saying that Obama is infringing on their core American value of liberty to practice religion. However, it can be said that Obama is observing this core American value by giving women the liberty to have birth control costs covered.

2/5/2012

Unit 1- Constitutional Underpinnings and the Federal System

"Will Nevada Give Romney A Second Straight Victory?"

http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/04/politics/gop-nevada-caucuses/index.html

Synopsis: After Mitt Romney won the Florida primary it is expected that he will win the Nevada caucus as well. Recent Polls suggest that Romney will be far ahead of the other candidates, with 45% of the voters saying they would vote for Romney. Even though Romney is in the lead and a loss for Gingrich would be damaging to his campaign, Gingrich is vowing to stay in the race until the very end.

Analysis: When creating the United States, the founding fathers wanted to ensure that the people had the right to vote for the leaders in their government. When it became apparent that the Articles of Confederation would not be sufficient enough to govern the country, the Constitution was created. The people who wanted to keep the Articles of Confederation were the Antifederalists and the people who supported the Constitution were the Federalists. The Articles of Confederation did not have a strong national government nor did they have a president. In the Constitution a strong national government was created as well as the presidency. In Article II of the Constitution, it outlines the process of electing a president, a process that Romney and the other presidential candidates are participating in today.