After Tucson

                                              President Obama on called for Democrats and Republicans to work together to deal with the nation's problems  after a week  of mourning for the 19 shooting victims of the Arizona rampage. The Tucson shooting left six people dead and 14 others wounded.  One of the wounded included Gabrielle Giffords member of the US House of Representatives. The shootings in Arizona have prompted a national conversation on guns. After the attack in Tucson people would think there would be stricter gun restrictions but all is the same. 

Nationally, less than 1% of all gun deaths involve self-defense; the rest are homicides, suicides and accidents. There are many things possible to change gun restrictions to make the nation safer but politicians are moving on to other affairs and moving on forward as Obama shares in his weekly address. "This is still a time of great challenges for us to solve. We've got to grow jobs faster, and forge a stronger, more competitive economy. We've got to shore up our budget, and bring down our deficits. We've got to keep our people safe, and see to it that the American Dream remains vibrant and alive for our children and grandchildren," Obama said.

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-arizona-obama-gop-20110116,0,6872115.story

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/0,28757,2041535,00.html

Congress and the 14th Amendment

Controversy has struck states on whether or not to give immigrant children born on American soil U.S. citizenship. The citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment, adopted in 1868, states that all people born or naturalized in the United States, are citizens of the United States. This gives automatic citizenship to anyone born on American soil, even to the children of illegal immigrants. Congress plans to hold hearings on the constitutional amendment to change the interpretation. Republican senators like Lindsey Graham support the redefining of the 14th amendment. Many argue that by changing the meaning of the 14th amendment it would slow down an "illegal alien invasion." And others will argue that redefining citizenship, which people feel it violates the 14th amendment, would be unconstitutional even before they were ever implemented.

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan/06/nation/la-na-immigration-fight-20110106

Wanting Democracy in Ukraine

From CNN NEWSROOM T.J Holmes has CNNs reporter Nadia Bilchik brings political stories from around the world, one that has been getting lots of attention are the female protestors in Ukraine. She reports a group of Ukrainian female activists that call themselves FEMEN. These FEMEN women protest topless to get attention to create awareness for causes they feel are important like anti-prostitution, womans rights, and wanting Democracy. In the Ukraine nudity is banned, toplessness in the other hand is okay. At first the group was not taken seriously, some of them however were arrested for protesting topless when the President of Ukraine was casting his ballot in the election.

The FEMEN believe that "... everything (females) have are their mind and bodies... look at Beyonce selling perfume with her body... sex sells perfumes and cars, why not political rights." Some might disagree that displaying themselves in that manner is vulgar for the public and a lack of decency for themselves, in todays modernization there are no limits anymore. Although the FEMEN may receive negative views they do have a very good point with their idea of using sex as a mechanism for political rights. Corporations  use sex as a tool and politicians work with them so why criticize these women and put them in jail when after all they are just trying to make a change and bring justice for the common good.

• • 
    

• • http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2010/11/20/nr.bilchik.topless.protests.cnn

CNN's Eliot Spitzer challenges Texas Congressman Jeb Hensarling, representative on Financial Service Commission,  to name his cuts to wipe out the deficit. Hensarling serves on bipartism deficit commission. Spitzer asks Hensarling to name his cuts and his solutions to slashing out the deficit. But first Spitzer gives statistics before discussing Hensarlings amendment. Spitzer shows that the current economy is at $14.5 trillion and 20 percent of that is $2.9 trillion. The current budget is $3.8 trillion and Hensarling needs to cut $900 billion out of the $3.8 trillion to come down about 24 percent where Hensarling thinks we should be. Spitzer asks Hensarling if hes willing to cut social security 25 percent this year. Hensarling answers "absolutely but you dont have to cut from social security." So then Spitzer asks him to answer the question "will or will [he] not cut social security." Hensarling says hes trying to "not harm childrens future by preventing taxes to be doubled,, living in smaller homes, and competing for fewer jobs and shrinking paychecks" when their older. He tries to use children as a use of an argument but its not really persuading and hes not answering the question. Hensarling then mentions that raising taxes "will cause for children to loose the American dream" by the time they reach the age to be considered adults." Hensarling goes on to extending the bush taxes and Spitzer agrees with him, but goes back to his question and asks Hensarling "where will [he] cut 1 trillion dollars out of this years budget." Hensarling responds that there doesnt have to be cuts. At this point there seems to be tension between them. Spitzer starts disagreeing with him on that Hensarling believes he doesnt need to cut on anything because in order for Hensarling to get 1 trillion dollars the cuts need to happen; and thats how Spitzer concludes the interview with Hensarling.

 http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/

Obama Honors Veterans in South Korea

President Obama gives a Veterans Day address to the men and women serving in South Korea. Obama starts with that he wants the veterans to know that when they come home their country is going to be their for them, that is a commitment he makes to the veterans. This commitment Obama has given the soldiers is gives them assurance that they will be okay. Obama brings up the Korean War Memorial in Washington D.C., he says there is a plaque that lists the number of Americans who were killed, wounded, missing in action, and prisoners of war; and it says "Our nation honors those who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and people they never met." This is truly kind hearted of the soldiers who fought in South Korea. Obama says it was selflessness and generous for every man and women who ever wore the uniform of the United States. In the end he thanks the veterans for their service and blesses them and blesses the United States of America.  

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/11/10/congress.women/index.html

Are Women Making Gains in Congress?

Despite that there are new female faces in congress women still lack in number of female roles in the government.   Susan Collins, Maine Republican Senator shares, "It does concern me that there are not more positions in leadership positions. ... it traditionally has been more difficult for women to break the executive glass ceiling than the legislative glass ceiling." This shows that women are concerned at the fact that there is a small number of female political roles. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Florida Democratic representative believes, "Its really important to groom women down the ladder. We've got to reach down all the way to young girls and make it accessible and a matter of natural progression that young girls would consider themselves future candidates." Schultz has a very good and important point, it is very typical for the youth to think automatically that men are more fitting for the job of a political person, which is absolutely debatable and disagreeable. Jennifer Lawless, Women and Politics Institute at American University, thinks "... not only do they have very few women, most of them are relatively new entrants into the chamber." Which is a big problem because they are unexperienced but a good effort in raising the number of female roles in the government. Debbie Walsh, Rutgers University Center for American Women and Politicas, states "We tend to go up a few every cycle, three or four, maybe five seats, but women dont seem to be making any serious strides in terms of numbers." Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Washington Republican representative, says " I'm hopeful that we will see other Republican women in leadership positions in our conference. It is an important voice that is heard at the table and its a little different perspective than the men bring. Its important that we are reflecting America." This is something that maybe most women want to happen soon in the future. Nan Hayworth, New York Republican representative-elect, says "[being a women and a mother] is one of the things that does strike a note and provides a bond with some folks in ways that did help me reach a good relationship with the voters here in New York." Like Hayworth being a women could be useful like in her position of getting closer to the people and hopefully her situation turn out inspires a female women to go after the challenge and have a leadership position.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/11/10/congress.women/index.html

Midterm Elections

On CNN NEWSROOM T.J. Holmes reports on the voter turnouts of the midterm elections. Jessica Yellin, National Political Correspondent, has new details from CNN's exit poll about who voted and who didn't and where the Democrats suffered most. Democrats are grieving at the number of the votes they got in the defeat of the midterm elections. The numbers behind te defeat arent good for the president or his party says T.J Holmes. Democrats lost against independennt voter, women, whites with no education, and seniors; making this really bad for the Democrats in their loss of lots of votes. On the show they showed some statistics of independent and women voter turnouts. In 2008, independent voters voted 52 percent for Obama and in 2010 they voted 37 percent for Democrats. Democrats lost independent voters by 25 percent. 

This year women voted 49 percent for Republicans and 48 percent for Democrats, which is not much of a difference but it is he first time since exit polling that women go for Republicans. And only 35 percent of voters who self identify as Democrats turned out thats the lowest since 1986. These numbers are a big change and bad for Democrats. Yellin says that taking into consideration that the midterm vote is always lower than the presidential vote, the voting turn out for midterm votes were still a big change in difference for this year. Yellin reports that Obama still has a chance for 2012 because he will have much more campaign enthusiasm or maybe he wont if economy stays where it is and will loose more votes. So you can't say for sure what will happen so theres a lot of excitement for the media to cover in the results. 

http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/