SLA Class American Government - Laufenberg Blog Posts

Voting Assignment

Amber Housley — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 13:49:06 -0400

The voter is a 67 year-old woman who has voted ever since she was able to. She votes because it is powerful, women did not always have the opportunity to vote and she looks forward to a certain outcome. The opinions of friends and family are considered when she is unsure of whom to vote for, but she is always decided when walking into the booth. This voter has experienced the highest amount of ad campaigning via phone and Internet. The most memorable ad campaigns were for President Barack Obama. Overall, she would like to see more support from the federal level, financial stability from the state, a new Senate, and eventually better health care.

Voting Day Interview!

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 14:55:37 -0400

Tajh Jenkins

Science Leadership Academy

Voting Day Interview

For this voting day assignment, I conducted an interviewed with one of the barbers at a barbershop called "Hair Infatuation". The barbershop is a block away from me. The barber who I interviewed declined to be recorded.

The 5 Questions that I asked him were:

1.) What would you like to see changed in our political system? "I would like for our political system to have more by partisanship. I would also like for the government to direct more of its money towards improving our education systems. Another thing I would like to see change in our political system is less corporate power involved in politics."

2.) What was the most memorable campaign ad that you have encountered?

"The most memorable campaign ad that I have encountered is when John Kerry was running for president against Bush. I was a supporter of John Kerry's campaign."

3.) Did you learn about voting in school? If yes, did that impact your willingness to vote today? "No I didn't learn about voting in school. They didn't expose us to voting while I was in school. My family members, specifically my uncles, influenced me to vote. As a kid I would go to the voting booths with them."

4.) Are you always sure of who you are going to vote for when you walk into the booth or are you still deliberating? "When I go to vote, I'm always sure of whom I'm voting for. I already have a game plan before I go into the booth."

5.) What changes do you hope to see in Philadelphia as a result of this election?

"Well in Philadelphia I would like to see more effort into improving the streets/environments. I would also like for Philadelphia to put more money into our public schools and I would like to see the city make it more of a goal to improve the homelessness in throughout the city."

I think that my interview went very well today. There were a lot of insightful things that we discussed outside of him answering these questions. I learned that he really could get deep when it comes to talking about politics and the government.

Voting Day Interview!

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 14:56:13 -0400

Tajh Jenkins

Science Leadership Academy

Voting Day Interview

"The most memorable campaign ad that I have encountered is when John Kerry was running for president against Bush. I was a supporter of John Kerry's campaign."

5.) What changes do you hope to see in Philadelphia as a result of this election?

Election Day Assignment

Sinnea Douglas — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 15:04:34 -0400

I interviewed a young man from my neighborhood.

1. What motivated you to come out and vote?

“It just seems like the right thing to do. If I’m able to why not?”

2. What would you like to see changed in our political system?

“I’m not fully aware of all the issues but I just want to see someone who is real you know, someone who will keep their promises.”

3. Do you vote in every election? (How regularly do you vote?)

“I’m sort of a new voter, the first time I voted was in the Obama election. This is only my second time.”

4. Do you know why we vote on Tuesday?

“No, I’m sure I learned it in school before, but I can’t remember.”

5. Where have you encountered the highest amount of ad campaigning? Radio, TV, print, internet, other.

“Probably the stuff they leave on the doorstep. They call my house too.”

6. What was the most memorable campaign ad that you have encountered?

“I don’t even remember. I didn't pay attention to them that much.”

7. Are you always sure of who you are going to vote for when you walk into the booth or are you still deliberating?

“Well since this only my second time I’m not really sure how to answer that. I was sure I was voting for Obama my first time but this time I wasn’t really sure. I kinda just chose who my dad was always talking about. He knows more about this stuff than me, so I just use him.”

Election Day Interview

Oscar Holton — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 16:02:10 -0400

Interview with a young man.

1. What motivated you to come out and vote?

"Well I'm unemployed and one of the candidates said something about opening up more jobs to hire those unemployed. "

2. What would you like to see changed in our political system?

"I would like to see political leaders to be honest and actually do what they said they are going to do. "

3. Do you vote every election?

"No this is my second time voting. The first time I voted, it was for Obama."

4. Do you know why we vote on Tuesday?

"No, that never crossed my mind."

5. Where have you encountered the highest amount of ad campaigning? Radio, TV, print, internet, other.

"I would have to say television."

6. What was the most memorable campaign ad that you have encountered?

"I forgot who it was, but one of the candidates were trying to export jobs over to China and I was thinking, why would you do that. We need jobs over here."

7. Are you always sure of who you are going to vote for when you walk into the booth or are you still deliberating?

"Well with the presidential election, I knew I was voting for Obama, during this election I'm pretty sure of who I voted for."

8. What changes do you hope to see in Philadelphia as a result of this election?

"Well the change Im hoping for is more employment and less crime, that's my highest concern."

9. What impact do you feel that your vote will have on the election?

"Not that much. I mean I'm only one person. It might make a difference, it might not."

10. Did you learn about voting in school? If yes, did that impact your willingness to vote today?"

"Not really. I learned about voting really from my church."

Voting Day Interview

Caroline Abdulbaki — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 16:22:12 -0400

1st person

1. What motivated you to come out and vote?

"I came out to vote because we need a big change for the better."

2. What would you like to see changed in our political system?

"The government should help American people instead of other countries and bring jobs back to the U.S."

3. Do you vote in every election (How regularly do you vote?)

"I vote in every election."

7. Are you always sure of who you are going to vote for when you walk into the booth or are you still deliberating?

"Always 100% sure of who I am voting for"

10. Did you learn about voting in school? If yes, did that impact your willingness to vote today?
"No, the voting age was 21 when I went to school so we did not learn about it."

2nd person

2. What would you like to see changed in our political system?

"I would like to see change in the party system."

3. Do you vote in every election (How regularly do you vote?)

"No, I don’t vote in every election."

6. What was the most memorable campaign ad that you have encountered?

"I tune them out because they are negative, they do not tell you what the candidate is going to do instead they only prove how bad the other guy is."

7. Are you always sure of who you are going to vote for when you walk into the booth or are you still deliberating

"No, I am still deliberating."

10. Did you learn about voting in school? If yes, did that impact your willingness to vote today?

"I did learn about voting in school, but it did not have an impact on me voting today."

I interviewed two different people the first person that I interviewed was an older lady and the second a younger man. The two people I interviewed had different but yet insightful answers to my questions. The two questions that each of them answered the same were Do you know why we vote on Tuesday and Where have you encountered the highest amount of ad campaigning? Radio, TV, Print, Internet, other. The two people I interviewed answered no because they don't know why we vote on Tuesday and saw the highest amount of ads on television.

Election Day Interview

Taylor Valentine — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 16:23:11 -0400

Polling Place: Trinity Baptist Church, 2720 Poplar St. 19130

I interviewed a woman in her mid-twenties about her thoughts on U.S. politics and the changes that should be made. She was very passionate about her views as a Democrat and disgusted by some of the antics taken by the Republican party. She hopes to see the government become less partisan and more for the people.

Voting Day Interview

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 16:27:24 -0400

1) What motivated you to come out and vote?: "Definitely my family encouraged me to come out here and speak for things I believe in"

2) What would you like to see changed in our political system?: "How some officials are picked"

3) Do you vote in every election?: "I'll be honest sometimes I don't if it doesn't seem very important as others. I go when I feel like I will make a impact and get across things I want to happen"

4) Do you know why we vote on Tuesday?: "Not really I guess it deals with work or something?"

5) Where have you encountered the highest amount of ad campaigning?: "Mainly on tv and on the internet. Those ads always seem to appear"

6) What was the most memorable campaign as you have encounter?: "Besides the witch one that was for the lady in Delaware. There was one I saw a lot about jobs going to China and not staying in Pennsylvania"

7) Are you always sure of who you are going to vote for when ou walk into the booth or are you still deliberating? "Well I feel as if I am very sure on a few candidates except for one or two"

8) What changes do you hope to see in Philadelphia as a result of this election?: "I hope something changes with the jobs. It is something that has effected my family"

9) What impact do you feel that your vote will have on the election?: "Well if others are voting similar to me I think we will have a good impact on how things are thought to be going."

10) Did you learn about voting in school? If yes, did that impact you willingness to vote today?: "In school we slightly discussed it but not much. I feel as if more my parents had more of a say in getting me to see the importance of voting"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bellow are some of the pictures me and my dad took. We were not allowed to take photographs inside the church where voting was taking place though. Also included is a link to a photo college of my side walk chalk art I made the afternoon before.

Side walk art

Voting

Narcissa Haskins — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 18:33:59 -0400

I interviewed my grandfather James W Haskins about the voting he did this afternoon

1. What motivated you to come out and vote?

I support people who are running and what they are going to accomplish once they get into office

2. What would you like to see changed in our political system?

To honestly end the political system and start over from scratch

3. Do you vote in every election? (How regularly do you vote?)

Yes because there were many blacks who were not allowed to vote and died so today you and I could, so I would feel like a traitor if I didn't.

4. Do you know why we vote on Tuesday?

No, I do not

5. Where have you encountered the highest amount of ad campaigning? Radio, TV, print, internet, other.

Well because I don't have a television I have heard most of the campaigning on the radio

6. What was the most memorable campaign ad that you have

encountered?

Obama

7. Are you always sure of who you are going to vote for when you walk into the booth or are you still deliberating?

No but I am always in deep thought before I push the button to vote

8. Did your school teach you about voting

No because I grew up in a dominate republican school system so there was no time set aside about voting education

Interview for Election Day

Oswald Dembowski — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 18:35:50 -0400

I interviewed a guy in his early 30's. He was very liberal and we actually had a really good conversation and we had almost perfectly the same ideals.

1. What motivated you to come out and vote?

To support Obama's progress in congress and to further recruit people who will support him.

2. What would you like to see changed in our political system?

End bi-partisanship and have more political parties.

3. Do you vote in every election? (How regularly do you vote?)

Yes

4. Do you know why we vote on Tuesday?

No but there should be more days

5. Where have you encountered the highest amount of ad campaigning?

Radio, TV, print, internet, other.

6. What was the most memorable campaign ad that you have

encountered?

Christie O’Donnell

7. Are you always sure of who you are going to vote for when you walk

into the booth or are you still deliberating?

Yes most of the time

8. What changes do you hope to see in Philadelphia as a result of this

election?

More third-party activists in Philidelphia, theres to much corruption going on.

Interview

Bria Wimberly — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 18:53:52 -0400

After voting, my neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Blagmon, were interviewed about today and other aspects.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqJqcCEo8EU
Questions:
Which issue did you vote for?
Where did you hear most of the campaign ads?
Did any ads stick to you?
Was voting today important for you?
Were you completely sure who to vote for when you stepped inside the poll?
Did you find any ads offensive?
Do you remember the first time you voted?
How would you recruit younger people to go vote?

Interview

Bria Wimberly — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 18:53:54 -0400

Encouraging the Voters

Desiree Mack — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 19:39:08 -0400

This was the first election I really got involved in and even though I can not vote yet it felt good to be a part of the process and encouraging others to vote and make their voices heard. Overall it was a interesting experience. I had been excited the day before to pass out the flyers and looking official with the key chain and card, so this morning I got up got dressed, put on my red lipstick (I had heard red was a power color and that people are more likely to pay attention and take you serious if you wear red), got my materials and headed out.
I walked around my neighborhood and to local businesses to hand out flyers. I tread up and down Broad St with a smile asking people if they had voted and giving voting information along with the flyers. I ran into a few people that said they did not vote, that voting was not worth the effort because it was the same thing no matter what nothing ever changes. I was shocked at first but my answer to them was if don't make it a point to put your opinion on the ballot and you don't support the candidates that have similar values to you how do you expect change to happen? You, yourself is preventing change from happening by not voting. For my interview I interviewed an older man who owns a barber shop a few blocks from my home. I asked him the the following questions and he answered:

1) What motivated you to come out and vote? " I'm from the old school. I was around during the civil rights movement and I know how important it is to use the rights we faught for."

2) What would you like to see changed in our political system? " There should be a cap on the amount of money candidates can spend on elections.

3) Do you vote in every election? "Yes every election."

5) Where have you encountered the highest amount of ad campaigning? " The most on T.V."

6) What was the most memorable campaign That you have encountered? "There was one Mayor Nutter had were he used his daughter in the ad. That's what got me to vote for him. I regret that now."

7) Are you always sure of who you are going to vote for when you walk into the booth or are you still deliberating? "Yes"

8) What changes do you hope to see in Philadelphia as a result of this election? "I hope to see budget changes and more reasonable spending."

A day at the Polls...

John DeSalis — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 19:48:44 -0400

Interview #1
1. What motivated you to come out and vote?
I don’t like the way the government is running now I want to see better choice.
2. What would you like to see changed in our political system?
I’d like to see better monitoring of election.
3. Do you vote in every election (How regularly do you vote?)
I vote in every election.
4. Do you know why we vote on Tuesday?
No I don’t know the reason I just know that they always had it on Tuesday. I know they used to close all the bars in Philadelphia on voting day.
5. Where have you encountered the highest amount of ad campaigning? Radio, TV, Print, Internet, other.
On television.
6. What was the most memorable campaign ad that you have encountered?

Tom Corbett against Onorato, Onorato will say how he brought jobs to Pennsylvania and the Corbett would turn around and say that Onorato says he will bring jobs but tells you the truth.

7. Are you always sure of who you are going to vote for when you walk into the booth or are you still deliberating?
Yes I always know who I am voting for.
8. What changed do you hope to see in Philadelphia as a result of this election?
Get better comers and a better economy because we will have a better business climate since we’ve had a decline with the national government so that would bring a better business climate, more jobs and more people won’t be afraid to spend money.
9. What impact do you feel that your vote will have on the election?
I think that my vote will have a small impact but combined with the other people that is basically the election.
10. Did you learn about voting in school? If yes, did that impact your willingness to vote today?
No I did not learn about voting in school, so it did not have an impact.

Interview #2

1. What motivated you to come out and vote?
The economy.
2. What would you like to see changed in our political system?
I would like to see a variety of candidates in our political system.
3. Do you vote in every election (How regularly do you vote?)
Yes I vote in every election.
4. Do you know why we vote on Tuesday?
No I don’t know why we vote on Tuesday, but I do know that the bars used to be closed.
5. Where have you encountered the highest amount of ad campaigning? Radio, TV, Print, Internet, other.
On television.
6. What was the most memorable campaign ad that you have encountered?
2008 President Obama campaign.
7. Are you always sure of who you are going to vote for when you walk into the booth or are you still deliberating?
This time I wasn’t sure but usually I am 100% sure.
8. What changed do you hope to see in Philadelphia as a result of this election?
Once again I would like to see a variety of candidates.
9. What impact do you feel that your vote will have on the election?
I think my vote will have little impact.
10. Did you learn about voting in school? If yes, did that impact your willingness to vote today?
Yes I did learn about it but it did not have an impact on me voting today.

My interviews where with two different men who had 2 different views on today's election. As you can see both of these men did not know why we voted on Tuesday, but they did tell me that the government would close all the bars and liquor store's for the day (did not know that one). All in all, I guess you can say that these two men have very different political views as well as really pay attention to whom they are voting for.

Voting Questions

Amirah Burkett — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 20:18:18 -0400

1. What motivated you to come out and vote?

What motivated me? I always do it.

2. What would you like to see changed in our political system?

Is it gonna change? I never thought about it, It is what it is. The government is what it is, it's not about what the people think.

3. Do you vote in every election? (How regularly do you vote?)

Yes.

4. Do you know why we vote on Tuesday?

No i really don't understand the whole concept.

5. Where have you encountered the highest amount of ad campaigning?

Radio, TV, print and internet.

6. What was the most memorable campaign ad that you have

encountered?

When P. Diddy came out with those "vote or die" t-shirts.

7. Are you always sure of who you are going to vote for when you walk into the booth or are you still deliberating?

Yeah I'm always sure.

8. What changes do you hope to see in Philadelphia as a result of this election?

I don't know, my answer would be different if I was expecting a change.

Photos by Johnny D. and Caroline Abdulbaki

John DeSalis — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 20:26:33 -0400

Election Day :)

Taniera Reid — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 20:36:19 -0400

 Election Day

For Election Day, my mother and I went to our local polling place in our neighborhood, handed out cards with voting information and rights on them and interviewed various voters asking them a serious of engrossing questions. One of the interviews recorded is listed below.

Interview Questions:

Q: What motivated you to come out and vote?
A: "I am a historian. I think about how many black people were killed trying to get blacks the right to vote."

Q: What would you like to see changed in our political system?
A: "Nothing really, I just would like it to be more inclusive. But, you know; politics is what it is."

Q: Do you vote in every election?
A: "Yes."

Q: Do you know why we vote on Tuesday?
A: "No."

Q: Where have you encountered the highest amount of ad campaigning? (Radio, TV, print, internet, other)?
A: "TV. And it's annoying."

Q: What was the most memorable campaign ad that you have encountered?
A: "I'm not sure. They're all just annoying to me."

Q: What changes do you hope to see in Philadelphia as a result of this election?
A: "Not too much change."

Q: What impact do you feel that your vote will have on the election?
A: "It's hard to say. I can't imagine one vote being that important. However, being apart of the political process is always important."

Q: Did you learn about voting in school? If yes, did that impact your willingness to vote today?
A: "Yes, in school. It definitely impacted my willingness to vote today."

Election Day (My First Time Voting!)

Cameron Clayton — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 20:55:32 -0400

My First Time Voting

Today I had the privilege to vote for the first time. Although many people may not see the excitement in voting, it was a very exciting feeling for me. It made me feel great to know that my vote could change how the government was ran (even though it probably didn't) I decided to reflect on my first experience voting and answer these following questions:

1: "What motivated you to come out and vote?" I decided to vote because I have been hearing a lot in the news about the democrats possibly losing the power in the senate if a lot of the democratic candidates lost in this election, and this is also the first election that I am allowed to vote in.

2: "Where have you encountered the highest amount of ad campaigning?" I encountered a lot of ads on youtube, when I clicked on a video a short ad would pop up talking about going out and voting, or voting for some guy (I forgot his name).

3: "What changes do you hope to see in Philadelphia as a result of this election" I hope overall the Democrats can keep the majority of power in the house.

4: "What impact do you feel that your vote will have on the election?" I don't really think MY vote will change the whole election, but I think that if everybody goes and votes this election will hopefully help put America back on track. (Patriotic Voice)

5: "What was the most memorable campaign ad that you have encountered?" A lot of the ones with Obama on them were pretty epic, they made me want to become president or something.

6: "Are you always sure who you are going to vote for when you walk into the booth or are you still deliberating?" Well with me, my mom and I talked about a lot of the candidates before hand so when I walked into the voting place I was pretty sure who I was going to vote for.

Overall I really enjoyed going and voting for the first time. Even though I am just one person I feel like my vote is a contribution to a group of people who are trying to help fix America.

Voting day

Robert Glynn — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 20:58:27 -0400

Interview myself
1. What motivated you to come out and vote?
It was my first time, so I wanted to vote just because I can now.

2. What would you like to see changed in our political system?
I don't know, I think that the people we vote for shouldn't be able to put out negative ads about their opponents

3. Do you vote in every election (How regularly do you vote?)
This is my first!

4. Do you know why we vote on Tuesday?
Yep.

5. Where have you encountered the highest amount of ad campaigning? Radio, TV, Print, Internet, other.
On TV. Just about every other commercial is about it in October

6. What was the most memorable campaign ad that you have encountered?
All of Obama's ads

7. Are you always sure of who you are going to vote for when you walk into the booth or are you still deliberating?
No, I wasn't sure.

8. What changed do you hope to see in Philadelphia as a result of this election?
I'm not really sure what I want to see changed, just better support for the members of the community

9. What impact do you feel that your vote will have on the election?
I hope that my vote combined with everyone else who voted similarly to me will make positive changes in our government

10. Did you learn about voting in school? If yes, did that impact your willingness to vote today?

Yes. If I didn't learn about it in time, I probably would not have registered to vote on time.

This is a picture of me outside my voting place. I took a picture next to some of the posters

Election Day

Lenea Harris — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 21:52:57 -0400

1.What motivated you to come out and vote?

"[I] Didn’t want things to bogged up by the republicans."

2. Do you vote in every election? (How regularly do you vote?)

"Yes."

3. What would you like to see changed in our political system?

"Republicans come up with a platform that works for everybody."

4. Do you know why we vote on Tuesday?

"Not really. "

5. Where have you encountered the highest amount of ad campaigning?

"Television."

6. What was the most memorable campaign ad that you have encountered?

"The one that says that 'Tooney gets jobs for china.'"

7. Are you always sure of who you are going to vote for when you walk into the booth or are you still deliberating?

"I'm sure. "

8. What changes do you hope to see in Philadelphia as a result of this election?

"More jobs."

9. What impact do you feel that your vote will have on the election?

"Less republicans in office. "

10. Did you learn about voting in school? If yes, did that impact your willingness to vote?

"Yes, and yes. "

Election Day Questions

Andre Serrano — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 21:55:43 -0400

1. What motivated you to come out and vote?

She found her parent’s voter registration card and it made her realize that not everyone was born with the right to vote and she wanted to take advantage of it.

3. Do you vote in every election? (How regularly do you vote?)

All the major elections.

4. Do you know why we vote on Tuesday?

5. Where have you encountered the highest amount of ad campaigning? Radio, TV, print, internet, other.

6. What was the most memorable campaign ad that you have encountered?

“I am not a witch” -Christine Odonnell.

7. Are you always sure of who you are going to vote for when you walk into the booth or are you still deliberating?

She just votes democrat.

8. What changes do you hope to see in Philadelphia as a result of this election?

More Jobs

9. What impact do you feel that your vote will have on the election?

She feels like the voter turnout for today was particularly low in this district, so hopefully her vote will make an impact.

10. Did you learn about voting in school? If yes, did that impact your willingness to vote today?

Yes and yes

Election Day Interview.

Dominque Miller — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 10:47:19 -0400

1. What motivated you to come out and vote?
He voted because he is a committee-person.

2. What would you like to see changed in our political system?.

He really didn’t want to change anything, just to keep the democrats vote up.

3. Do you vote in every election (How regularly do you vote?)
Votes every election.

4. Do you know why we vote on Tuesday?
No

5. Where have you encountered the highest amount of ad campaigning? Radio, TV, Print, Internet, other.

Television

6. What was the most memorable campaign ad that you have encountered?
The Obama campaign.

7. Are you always sure of who you are going to vote for when you walk into the booth or are you still deliberating?
Yes.

8. What changed do you hope to see in Philadelphia as a result of this election?

He wants to help the Democratic Party to get back in.

9. What impact do you feel that your vote will have on the election?.

Helps to keep the Democratic party in.

10. Did you learn about voting in school? If yes, did that impact your willingness to vote today?
Yes.

Interview with a Voter

Sky Kalfus — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 21:01:40 -0400

Why did you come to the polls today?
Republican misinformation made me angry.

Did any political ads stand out to you?
I tried to blot them all out.

Were you certain of who you wanted to vote for when you entered the voting booth?
Very sure.

What would you like to see change in Philadelphia?
I'd like to see less corruption, and more transparency. I'd also like to see the Mayor pick bettor advisors.

Do you think your vote will count?
I hope so.

Election Day Pictures!

Kamille Granby — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 13:21:13 -0500

Benchmark 1

Oswald Dembowski — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 21:34:41 -0500

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1993718/Am%20govern%20BM1/Launcher.html

1st Quarter Benchmark

Oscar Holton — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 22:06:24 -0500

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/691911/Oholto%20american%20government%20benchmark.pdf

H.R. 1256: Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act 111th Congress 2009-2010

Narcissa Haskins — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 09:41:46 -0500

This is My Q1benchmark
We had to create a story about how our bill became a law.

Quarter 1 Benchmark: Interview of The Bill

Kamille Granby — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 09:42:08 -0500

Name of Bill: Respect of Marriage Act

This is an interview between a man named Tom and a Bill. (:

The bill was introduced on September 15, 2009.

The process was stopped on October 19, 2009.

Less Talk, More Law

Bibliography

http://www.hrc.org/issues/13530.htm

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:h.r.03567:

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-3567

http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h3567/text

Q1 Benchmark - Legislative History of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)

Harrison Talese-Rhodes — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 10:56:19 -0500

Here is the timeline I created. It outlines the legislative history of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)

And here is a document containing the sites that I utilized in the making of this timeline.

Enjoy!

-Harrison

Qtr 1 BM. "Successful Benchmark"

Glenn Brailsford — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 11:52:22 -0500

I did a song to successful about the girl scouts coin that was passed by the House of Reps and congress and eventually signed by the president. In this song I talk about the process and the main sponsor and what he had to do to get the bill passed.

No More Forclosures!

Mckelly Timothy — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 11:56:16 -0500

This is my quarter 1 American Government Benchmark. For this assignment I had to pick a bill and explain the process it went through to become a bill. The bill i picked was vetoed by the President. This made my project a little more interesting. To present my assignment I decided to create a Prezi.
Here it is.

Voting Polls Interview

Mckelly Timothy — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 11:59:29 -0500

Me: 1. What motivated you to vote?

Ms. Boykin: My grand daughter goes to Temple and told me Joe Sestak was personally handing out flyers. That showed dedication I had to go vote.

Me: 2. Do you vote every election?

Ms. Boykin: I vote at every Presidential Election.

Me: Do you know why we vote on Tuesday's ?

Ms. Boykin: Yes! Because they assume I don't have anything else to do. Just kidding, I remember asking my dad why, and I think he said something like way back , people went downtown all the time on Tuesdays to go to the markets. It was the most busy day so they kept it on Tuesdays, to keep a strong vote turnout.

Me: Where do you encounter the most campaigning ads?

Ms. Boykin: On Tv and on my dag' gon porch!

Me: Did you learn about voting in school?

Ms. Boykin:Nope!

Me: Are you always sure of who you are going to vote for when you walk into the booth or do you deliberate in the booth?

Ms. Boykin: Most of the time I know because I mainly go vote during Presidential Elections.

Me: Thank you so much for your time Ms.Boykin.

Ms. Boykin: No problem.

Benchmark: Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act of 2007

Perry Woods — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:01:25 -0500

For my benchmark I researched the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act of 2007 law. In order to tell the story of how this Act became a law I used a website named Xtimeline in order to create a visual time line. On there you can also look at the event list and read about each individual event that took place over time. You can see the time line section here while you can see the event list here. Also under each event you can see some of the resources I pulled from to craft my project.

<iframe height='390' width='928' marginwidth='0' marginheight='0'scrolling='no' frameborder='0' src='http://www.xtimeline.com/timeline/Animal-Fighting-Prohibition-Enforcement-Act-of-2007/embed/928/390'></iframe>

Brewing Controversy: An (illustrated) legal history of the Volstead Act

Sky Kalfus — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:02:33 -0500

Click the thumbnail to view an illustrated history of the Volstead Act.

Works Cited

BILL COMPLETED FOR ENFORCEMENT OF PROHIBITION. 27 Jun. 1919. The New York Times. Web. 9 Nov. 2010.

Mendelson, Richard. From demon to darling: a legal history of wine in America. 2009. Google Books. Web. 9 Nov. 2010.

Moore, Mark, and Dean R. Gerstein. Alcohol and public policy: beyond the shadow of prohibition. 20 Oct. 1981. Google Books. Web. 9 Nov. 2010.

PLAN STRICT ACTION ON DRY BILL HERE. 29 Oct. 1919. The New York Times. Web. 9 Nov. 2010.

PROHIBITION ACT PROBABLY HELD UP UNTIL JULY 7. 28 Jun. 1919. The New York TImes. Web. 9 Nov. 2010.

"The Prohibition Era." historicpatterson.com. Historic Patterson, New York, n.d Web. 9 Nov. 2010.

Tumulty, Joseph. Woodrow Wilson as I know him. 1921. Google Books. Web. 9 Nov. 2010.

Copyright Law Prezi

Tajh Jenkins — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:02:34 -0500

My first quarter benchmark is a prezi that tells the story of how Copyright became a law. Hope you enjoy. Prezi

Small Business Job Act

Bria Wimberly — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:04:56 -0500

Am Govt on Prezi

Watch in full screen, Youtube videos in presentation

Citations

Q1 benchmark: H.R. 17

John DeSalis — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:02:49 -0500

In this benchmark, I chose to talk about H.R. 17 which would allow the American people to protect themselves in an event of a robbery and/or break-in in their home or business. Below, you will see my presentation on what this bill is, who started it, who supports it, and a personal note on what I think about it.

Hr 17

View more presentations from jdesalis.

Q1 Benchmark: S.3804 Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeit act

Jeremy Cothran — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:03:15 -0500

Reorganization and Pictures to be uploaded momentarily!

Text removed due to giant scrolling wall of text, Click the link for the benchmark!

->Click here for Benhmark<-

Histroy Benchmark Quarter 1

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:04:53 -0500

How The American Clean Energy and Security Act bill became a law

Bill H.R.2454

Histroy Benchmark Quarter 1

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:04:56 -0500

How The American Clean Energy and Security Act bill became a law

Bill H.R.2454

History Benchmark Q1

Anthony Byrd — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:05:35 -0500

How The American Clean Energy and Security Act bill became a law

Bill H.R.2454

Copyright Law Prezi

Tajh Jenkins — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:06:20 -0500

My first quarter benchmark is a prezi that tells the story of how Copyright became a law. Hope you enjoy. Prezi

The Development, Relief, and Education For Alien Minors Act

Andre Serrano — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:09:25 -0500

The history of the DREAM act.

Benchmark #1: The Story of H.R. 810 (The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005)

Taylor Valentine — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:12:39 -0500

For our first quarter benchmark in American Government, we were tasked with telling the story of one bill's journey to becoming a law. I chose to research the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005, which sought to overturn President Bush's 2001 policy, which halted federal funding for stem cell research on new embryos. The story contained a few twists and the journey was influenced by many outside parties.

Below is the link to my comic book. Once it opens, simply click the thumbnail to view the entire book.

H.R. 810: The Story of a Controversial Bill's Fall from Grace:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1954347/H.R.%20810%20Comic_Valentine/Launcher.html

No Child Left Behind Act

Christopher Cassise — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:38:07 -0500

Copy of No Child Left Behind Act on Prezi

Sources:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h107-1

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/indepth_coverage/education/no_child/basics.html

http://www.arizonaea.org/politics.php?page=282&sub_page=252

http://www2.ed.gov/nclb/overview/intro/execsumm.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Child_Left_Behind_Act

American Government Benchmark:Bill Me

Kourtnee Lynch — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 14:00:00 -0500

For my American Government benchmark,we had to find a bill that we were interested in researching about,and create our own storyline.I choose the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2010. This bill was particularly interesting to me because society has found it hard to obtain jobs. This bill grants the people who are unemployed,the opportunity to maintain their bills and their family duties. This assignment was slightly difficult,but I was able to push through it. I hope that my project demonstrates all the time and effort I have put into this assignment

Thank You

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/650280/index.html

The Hyde Amendment

Taniera Reid — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 19:30:53 -0500

I created a digital timeline showing how a bill (The Hyde Amendment) became a law.

Below is a link to my dropbox which contains my digital timeline.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1984868/AmGov_T.Reid/Am_Gov_HydeAmendment.flv

_______________________________________________________________________________

Bibliography :

1. N/a, . "Report: Hyde Amendment not enforced." UPI.com. UPI, 09/28/2010. Web. 9 Nov 2010. http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/09/28/Report-Hyde-Amendment-not-enforced/UPI-31121285685508/

2. Franke-Ruta, Franke-Ruta. "A new push against Hyde amendment faces some high hurdles." The Washington Post. The Washington Post, 03/22/2010. Web. 9 Nov 2010. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/03/a-new-push-against-hyde-with-h.html

3. Kissling, Frances. "Pass healthcare reform -- then repeal Hyde!." Salon.com. Salon, 03/21/2010. Web. 9 Nov 2010. http://www.salon.com/life/broadsheet/2010/03/21/repeal_hyde_amendment

4. Eggen, Dan. "Abortion Opponents Criticize Health Reform Bills." The Washington Post. The Washington Post, 07/23/2009. Web. 9 Nov 2010. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/22/AR2009072201583.html

5. The Oyez Project, Harris v. McRae , 448 U.S. 297 (1980)
available at: (http://oyez.org/cases/1970-1979/1979/1979_79_1268)

6. Abramowitz, Elkan. "The Hyde Amendment: Congress Creates a Toehold for Curbing Wrongful Prosecution ." National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. NACDL, 03/1998. Web. 9 Nov 2010. http://www.nacdl.org/CHAMPION/ARTICLES/98mar04.htm

7. The Oyez Project, Roe v. Wade , 410 U.S. 113 (1973)
available at: (http://oyez.org/cases/1970-1979/1971/1971_70_18)

(last visited Tuesday, November 9, 2010).

Move Out Day By Lenea Harris

Lenea Harris — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 22:24:14 -0500

A Children's Book about the passing of the Defense of Marriage Act.
*Work Cited on Last Slide.

Little Bill

Edward Abbott — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 20:11:03 -0500

Adventures of The Domestic Partnerships Benefits and Obligations Act.

1. OpenCongress
2. HCR

Genetic Discrimination Act (How A Bill Becomes A Law

Cameron Clayton — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 20:42:53 -0500

camclayton

The Genetic discrimination act (How a bill becomes a law) by camclayton | Make your own at www.toondoo.com

Bil-volution

Graham Davis — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 09:47:48 -0500

hisory bm

1st Quarter Benchmark

Sinnea Douglas — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 10:02:49 -0500

http://sinnea.glogster.com/american-gov-benchmark/

I researched how the Civil Rights Act of 1964 became a law. I used an online collage maker called Glogster and used pictures and video to make a collage of everything the bill went through to become law.

"Civil Rights Act of 1964." Wapedia . Web. <http://wapedia.mobi/en/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964>.

"Civil Rights Act of 1964." Spartacus Educational . N.p., n.d.

Web. 9 Nov 2010. <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAcivil64.htm>

"HISTORIC SPEECHES JOHN F. KENNEDY Civil Rights Message June 11, 1963."Presidential Rhetoric . N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Nov 2010. <http://www.presidentialrhetoric.com/historicspeeches/kennedy/civilrightsmessage.html>

"Civil Rights Act (1964)." Our Documents . N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Nov 2010. <http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=old&doc=97>.

Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1963-64. Volume I, entry 11, pp. 8-10. Washington, D. C.: Government Printing Office, 1965.

Election Day Interview

Qianna Nelson — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 10:04:19 -0500

1. What motivated you to come out and vote today?

I know the shape that the economy was in over the 8 years under Bush and I want to make sure that it does not go back to that again so I went out to vote to make sure that there are enough democrats so that Obama can stick to his course because without the democrats he cant stick to his course
2. Where have you encountered the most ad campaigning? The Phone and the Tv
3. Are you always sure who you are going to vote for when you walk into the booth or are you still deliberating?
I am always sure because I always read and inquire there literature before I go into the poll so I know who I am voting for.
4. Do you vote in every election? I was registered when I was 18 and I have voted in every election, I haven’t missed one since I was 18.
5. What changes do you hope to see in Philadelphia as a result of this election?

Hopefully the new governor and the mayor will be on the same page so the city can benefit from better education (more money) streets and highway to be repaved because if they are the same page we can get more money. More jobs for people. Decrease in gun violence different laws to stop some of the violence.

Amber Housley_H.R.1913

Amber Housley — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 10:04:30 -0500

http://www.slideshare.net/anhousley/amber-h-amgovq1b-5732379

Interview Election

Christopher Cassise — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 10:13:33 -0500

Interviewed: Neighbor John
1. What motivated you to come out and vote?
To help be the supporting cause of a change.
3. Do you vote in every election? (How regularly do you vote?)
Yea.
5. Where have you encountered the highest amount of ad campaigning?
Radio, TV, print, internet, other.
TV
7. Are you always sure of who you are going to vote for when you walk
into the booth or are you still deliberating?
Most of the time I am.
8. What changes do you hope to see in Philadelphia as a result of this
election?
Education
10. Did you learn about voting in school? If yes, did that impact your
willingness to vote today?
No

Qianna Nelson- Q1 Benchmark

Qianna Nelson — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 10:15:18 -0500

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/639663/A%20Pro-Choice%20Story.pages

1st Quarter Benchmark Caroline AbdulBaki

Caroline Abdulbaki — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 10:17:18 -0500

https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=ddn4dtv5_0fxctrh6m

election day.

Graham Davis — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 10:21:29 -0500

Neighbor/Friend 21 years of age.

1. What motivated you to come out and vote? grand mother

3. Do you vote in every election? No

7. Are you always sure of who you are going to vote for when you walk into the booth or are you still deliberating? Yes always sure.

10. Did you learn about voting in school? yes at West philly high.

5. Where have you seen the most campaign activity? mainly internet and tv.

Voter Interview!

Christine Walden — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 10:22:24 -0500

My interview with a fellow in a great hat at some ridiculous morning hour.

1. Why did you decide to come out and vote?
“Like all great rights, I believe it needs to be exercised. “

2. What change would like to see in the political realm?
“I would like to see an end to the fighting, finger pointing, and arguing so we can focus on some greater cause. I don’t know which greater cause but something other than yelling. “

3. Do you vote every election day?
“I try to.”

4. Do know why we vote on Tuesdays?
“Nothing productive gets done on a Monday.”

5. Where have you heard the most campaign ads?
“Radio and TV, mostly radio.” (However, he found that TV had a higher number of ads.)

6. What is the most memorable campaign ad you saw this election?
“The first Dan Onorato in which he explained the proper pronunciation of his name. That was a great ad!”

7. Are you always sure of who you are going to vote for when you enter the voting booth?
“Yes.”

8. What changes would you like to see in the city because of the election?
“I would like to see the city waste less money.”

9. “Well you know what they say ‘Every vote counts.’”

10. Did you learn about voting in school?
“To be honest I can barely remember school but I think it did. Yes, school did.”

History Benchmark Q1

Christine Walden — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 11:52:17 -0500

A Fallen Hero's Tale: The True Story of the Product Liability Fairness Act of 1995View more presentations from NigelTheGreat.

Work Cited

Clymer, Adam. “Henry J. Hyde, a Power in the House of Representatives, Dies at 83.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 30 Nov. 2007. Web. 5 October 2010.

Greenburg, Jan Crawford. “Senators Feel Heat Of Lobbyists.” The Chicago Tribune. The Chicago Tribune, 4 May 1995. Web. 4 October 2010.

Labaton, Stephen. “Playing With The Words In the Product Liability Bill.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 5 March 1995. Web. 8 October 2010.

“The Damages Bill is Veto Bait.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 13 May 1995. Web. 5 October 2010.

United States. House of Representatives. Congress. “Common Sense Product Liability Reform Act of 1995.” Library of Congress. House of Representatives, 1995. Web. 5 Oct 2010.

United States. House of Representatives. Congress. “Innocent Sellers Fairness Act.” GovTrack.com. House of Representatives, 2009. Web. 5 Oct 2010

United States. House of Representatives. Congress. “Product Liability Fairness Act of 1995.” The Library of Congress. House of Representatives, 1995. Web. 5 Oct 2010.

Copyright Law Benchmark

Tajh Jenkins — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 15:24:16 -0500

My first quarter benchmark is a prezi that explains how the copyright law became a law. Hope you enjoy. Prezi

Stem Cell Enhancement Act of 2005

Robert Nurse — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 12:02:11 -0500

My benchmark was done in keynote. My bill is the Stem Cell Enhancement Act of 2005. You can find it here.

Voting Day Interview

Robert Nurse — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 12:40:22 -0500

Leon Werts

1. Why did you decide to come out and vote? “I wanted to vote for someone who has the same beliefs as me. “

3. Do you vote every election day? “I registered to vote resently, but the last election I voted was for the Presidential Elections.”

5. Where have you heard the most campaign ads? “I watch TV a lot so, I’ve seen them mostly on television.”

7. Are you always sure of who you are going to vote for when you enter the voting booth? “Yes, I am.”

10. Did you learn about voting in school? “No.”

Lobbying Against "Don't Ask Don't Tell"

Taylor Valentine — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 16:57:34 -0500

DADT Blog #1

For Blog #2, click here

For Blog #3, click here

For Blog #4, click here

The current opinion on homosexuality in the military is very clear: it is unwelcome. This law, commonly referred to as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) was enacted in 1993 by President Bill Clinton in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994 (P.L. 130-160 H.R. 2401). It stated that if a service member is found to be homosexual, he or she will be immediately discharged. The service member can be probed about his or her sexual orientation if an officer has a reason to question his or her heterosexuality. However, as long as it is kept hidden, homosexuals can remain in the military.

During this project, my partner and I will be lobbying to have this policy repealed. It is blatant discrimination and homophobia, which should not be tolerated by the U.S. government. The men and women who serve this country should not be forced to hid pieces of their identities for fear of being discharged. President Obama’s promise to repeal this policy has further sparked my interest in it and increased my hope of success.

Earlier this year, Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) proposed legislation that would repeal DADT, stating on his website “To exclude one group of Americans from serving in the armed forces is contrary to our fundamental principles as outlined in the Declaration of Independence and weakens our defenses by denying our military the service of a large group of Americans who can help our cause.” Unfortunately, the Defence Authorization Bill for 2011, which included this repeal, was filibustered by Republicans on September 21st. Sen. Lieberman has made it clear that he will revisit the legislation after this year’s elections.

Many Democrats support the repeal, including Ms. Ellen Tauscher, who previously served as a House representative from California and was recently appointed to Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security. She proposed similar legislation last year, but failed to make gains on the issue.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz) is leading the opposition. Currently, McCain only opposes the bill so long as the Pentagon does. “It is a blatant message of disrespect to our men and women in uniform that Congress is unwilling to even wait to hear what the force has to say on this important matter before pushing ahead with a controversial, political vote two months before an election.” The Pentagon has launched a study on whether the repeal would have a negative effect on military readiness. An affirmative result would be a victory for Republicans who argue that repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” would diminish military cohesiveness and discipline.

However, the future does hold promise. The younger generation is more heavily in support of repealing the 17 year old policy. According to a poll conducted by Angus Reid Public Opinion, almost 60% of Americans would like to see DADT overturned. Even more influential, the Federal District Court of California ruled that DADT violates 1st and 5th Amendment rights. This ruling is seen by many proponents as a catalyst for change. Hopefully, they are right.

Lobbying Against "Don't Ask Don't Tell"

Taylor Valentine — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 17:05:29 -0500

DADT Blog #2

For Blog #1, click here

For Blog #3, click here

For Blog #4, click here

As a Pennsylvanian residing in the 2nd district, I am represented by three democratic congressmen: Rep. Chaka Fattah, Sen. Arlen Spector and Sen. Robert P. Casey. Although each often votes with the party, some are more liberal than others. In lobbying against such a debatable issue, one must look past the facade often created by politicians and find the real person underneath.

Rep. Chaka Fattah has served in various parts of the government for 28 years. After attending both the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University’s Kenneday School of Government, Fattah was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and then to the State Senate. He has spent the last 16 years serving Pennsylvania’s 2nd district in the House of Representatives.

He is in full support of repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” stating last year that “Our nation’s core principles, as well as an overwhelming majority of the American people, support full and equal rights for all our citizens...For far too long the law, and administrative practice, have discriminated against LGBT Americans, and it is way past the time to end this discrimination.” He helped pass the House bill that would’ve allowed DADT to be repealed, had it not been filibustered in the Senate.

Last week, Judge Virginia Phillips of the District Court of California, after ruling that DADT was unconstitutional, ordered an injunction against the military’s policy. Although the Obama administration is seeking a repeal, Rep. Fattah strongly supports it: “The ruling stands on sound Constitutional grounds, citing free speech and due process violations by the government in barring openly gay and lesbian members from the armed services. She also cites the need to end ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ as a critical step toward improving military morale, readiness and recruiting at a time when our men and women in uniform are fighting distant battles.” Rep. Chaka Fattah, while up for reelection next month, will most certainly continue to be an ally in the fight against DADT.

Sen. Arlen Spector is less reliable as a liberal voter. A Republican for the vast majority of his political career, Sen. Spector changed parties last year in hopes of reelection. However, his voting record does not suggest a Democratic ideology. In 1996, he voted to prohibit same-sex marriage and in 2002 to exclude sexual orientation in the definition of a hate crime. Despite renouncing his previous position on many civil rights issues, Pennsylvanians did not buy his claim and he lost the primary to Joe Sestak, a legislator strongly in favor of gay rights.

It seems that the truth behind Sen. Spector’s political beliefs will be revealed during the Senate’s lame duck session, when ousted congressmen are no longer accountable to their constituents. He currently serves on the Committees of Appropriations and of the Judiciary, focusing on civil rights. He has voted for some gay rights in the past, but for the former Air Force officer and Warren Commission member, a repeal of DADT is not a sure deal.

Sen. Robert P. Casey Jr. has served in the Senate since 2007. His primary goal is the welfare of the American people, focusing on issues such as the economy, the environment and healthcare. He is in strong support of a repeal, stating "As we continue to fight two wars, our national security depends on a strong and talented military. And ending this discriminatory practice is the right thing to do for our military and for those who want to openly serve their country.” Although he does differ in his opinions on same-sex marriage, he is steadfast in his belief on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” After the November elections, Sen. Casey will become Pennsylvania’s senior senator.

There are currently are multitude of organizations supporting gay rights in this country. However, one of particular interest is the Log Cabin Republicans, which initiated the current injunction against DADT by filing a lawsuit against the U.S. military. The organization fights to ensure that the voice of the gay and lesbian community is heard in a party where is it typically ignored and that equality drives its action. LCR has worked from the inside to prevent the passage of the Federal Marriage Amendment and other anti-gay legislation. Despite the conservatism of their party, this group is fighting for the equality that all people deserve.

Lobbying Assignment #1,2, & 3.

Christopher Cassise — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 10:46:54 -0500

Chris Cassise

#1 & 2

Lobbying against: No Child Left Behind Act

The act was proposed by George W. Bush to standards-based education reform, which is the belief that setting high standards and establishing measurable goals can improve individual outcomes in education. The Act requires states to develop assessments in basic skills to be given to all students in certain grades and does not assert a national achievement standard. These standards are set by each individual state.

The main goal of NCLB is to close the “achievement gap with accountability, flexibility, and choice, so that no child is left behind.” Voting took place in 2001 with majority voting yes (87) and only 10 nays. Two republican senators from Pennsylvania voted yes on the bill.
More on the NCLB Act.

Arlen Sector was a republican senator since 1996 and voted yes to pass the No Child Left Behind Act when it was proposed in 2001. He also believes that this act needs to be reformed by supporting the Pathways to college act proposed to reform the educational and re-authorization of middle and high school success in education. In 2009, he switched parties to the Democratic side to try and get reelected. He was unsuccessful being defeated by current runner Joe Sestak.
Rick Santorum was a former senator of Pennsylvania and voted yes to pass the No Child Left Behind Act also. He played a major role in the process of NCLB act being proposed and is now known for creating the Santorum Amendment. The Santorum Amdendment is in the modified bill and doesnt play a major part in the Act but is still considered the stepping stone in proposing the act. He came up with the “teach the controversy” campaign which implemented teaching science efficiently and teaching things that are still being debated. He was defeated in 2006 by Bob Casey jr.

My defense:
Who is creating this test? Officials or the teachers? It takes away from the unique experience in class that officials who have no experience of situations with students choose to pick the educational process of learning and the tests that follow through their lives.

Some states dont even have as many writing questions because they lack funds. Gary Cook, Wisconsin’s former testing director, said “it could cost a thousand times more to score an essay question than a multiple-choice question.” In 2005, the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center reported that 15 states relied on multiple-choice questions in reading and math tests.

There is no evidence that this is succeeding as a program and it seems that it is just crippling school districts with funds that they do not have.

Evidence:

“A study classified elementary school students as "actively" engaged in learning if they went back over things they didn't understand and participated in understanding such questions” Students are able to skip hard questions and relate to the easy parts of the test which defeats the purpose helping students to learn better.

Schools are under pressure to show better test results which has cannibalized the curriculum. When students are judged on a multiple-choice test, teachers use multiple-choice exercises and in-class tests to curb a students understanding to the test, which takes away from the rigor of learning that a student is supposed to learn. A student shouldnt have to worry so highly and waste class time on learning to take a quiz or eliminating wrong answers to multiple choice questions.

Administrators have cut back vital parts of schooling such as:
Programs in the arts
Recess for young children
Electives for high schoolers
Class meetings discussions about current events since that material will not appear on the test

Supporters against NCLB

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSTzLILQx3c

Senator Bob Casey jr.
Representative of Philadelphia’s 1st district.
Caseys statement on No Child Left Behind Act, a General Statement:
“Reforming the No Child Left Behind Legislation Washington's No Child Left Behind legislation is actually leaving millions of schoolchildren behind. As it stands now, No Child Left Behind is all stick and no carrot. Its combination of confusing federal mandates and gross under-funding threatens to undermine creative state and local efforts to improve our schools. In contrast, Bob Casey will work to provide our schools with the crucial assistance they need to meet high academic performance standards.”

Casey is hoping to create in support of other officials a reform act on No Child Left Behind to fix the problems that have occurred.

He has proposed The Pathways to College Act, with bipartisan sponsorship, is a bill designed to aid low-income and first generation students in their transition to secondary education by focusing attention on the importance of school counseling in the college and career planning process. This bill will provide funds to high school districts to invest in school counseling services to establish a college-going culture.

1. What is the status of your issue at the legislature? Is this a "good" year?

This is a bad year in terms of my issue on NCLB. They are talking about making a reform of it and a lot of people believe on both sides of the political sphere that is has not worked as efficiently as expected. Senator Bob Casey jr. is coming up with another bill called the pathways to college act to curb an understanding and reform the NCLB act.

2. Who is essential to the outcome?

Who are the stakeholders in this issue? Who are the allies you need to have on board because they increase the power you have to move the issue? Which decision-makers do you need to move (committee chairs, legislation sponsors, etc)?

To make this outcome happen, we need more support from the republican side and a big part of this process was when Rick Santorum switched sides to support this NCLB act reform and go against his own belief when he voted for the NCLB back in 2001.

3. Who else is working on this? Can you coordinate?

Only Bob Casey jr as the public official of Pennsylvania.

4. Who can you influence?

I would try and influence the republicans more since the republicans proposed the bill back in 2001 and a lot still believe it. It wouldn’t be hard to have people more educated with the problems this bill is causing through statistics.

5. What is the time frame?

There is no time frame.

6. When are key dates - meetings, committee hearings, deadlines, etc.

There are no key dates or meetings thus far this year.

Sources:

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h107-1

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/indepth_coverage/education/no_child/basics.html

http://www.arizonaea.org/politics.php?page=282&sub_page=252

http://www2.ed.gov/nclb/overview/intro/execsumm.html

Lobbying for a Greener Philadelphia #3

Harrison Talese-Rhodes — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 11:56:27 -0500

In the past year, Greenworks Philadelphia has traveled leaps and bounds towards its 2015 goal. Originally funded solely by Philadelphia's Office of Sustainability, Greenworks has developed into a collaborative effort between dozens of benefactors, ranging from federal and local government entities to various private non-profit organizations. As Katherine Gajewski, Philadelphia's Director of Sustainability, stated in the 2010 Greenworks Philadelphia progress report, "In an impressive display of coordination, leaders from numerous City agencies as varied as the Streets Department, the Zoning Code Commission, and the Department of Health, came together in our Sustainability Working Group and committed to bring champions of sustainability across city government."

What seems to be stopping Greenworks Philadelphia from making a true impact on the public is its lack of media attention. Thus far, Greenworks' online presence is limited to a couple of blog posts, several press releases, and a smattering of miscellaneous posts on "green" websites.

People see and use Greenworks' products, sure-- over 500 solar-powered trash and recycling bins scattered throughout center city, energy efficient building materials and methods used to make government buildings, 14,000 residents employed as"green" workers, with plans to add 15,000 more. But this isn't enough. The citizens of Philadelphia need to know more than the what-- they must know why it is important. In order for the project to continue to develop and receive further funding, Greenworks must be publicized on a larger scale.

This is where I come in.

Over the next few months, I'm going to be exploring several options for my lobbying campaign. Here are some of my ideas.

- Publicizing Greenworks Philadelphia on the internet. I would raise awareness of the project via various social networking and link-sharing sites.

- Contacting Philadelphia's Office of Sustainability. I would reach out to the local government in hopes of helping to organize a media outreach program for Greenworks.

- Start a public campaign by means of paper fliers. I would create and distribute throughout philadelphia appealing paper "advertisements" in order to put Greenworks into the public eye.

At this rate, there is little question in my mind that Greenworks will have achieved its goals by 2015. But we must think ahead-- when there are thousands more trees, environmentally friendly building materials available, cleaner energy resources-- who will be relied upon to maintain the green-ness that has been created? The answer is clear-- it will be up to the public to preserve what Greenworks has created.

The only way that they will be equipped to do so, however, is if they are taught how.

Only through education on the issues being addressed by Greenworks Philadelphia will the public come to fully understand the severity of our current environmental situation and the importance that we all work to change it. My next blog post will focus on how I plan to contribute to this education.

Phillip, Jose. "Philadelphia Sports Solar-powered Trash Bins." GreenPacks. Greenpacks.org, 1 July 2009. Web. 23 Nov 2010. <http://www.greenpacks.org/2009/06/01/philadelphia-sports-solar-powered-trash-bins/>.

Gates, Kelly Patrick. "It's a green scene for the city." PlanPhilly: Planning Philadelphia's Future. PlanPhilly, 29 April 2009. Web. 23 Nov 2010. <http://planphilly.com/node/8791>.

Violence in Schools-Lobby Assignment #1

Dominque Miller — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 13:35:28 -0500

1.     What are you lobbying for, against or to change? Explain the issue
o   I am lobbying against the increase of violence in Philadelphia Schools. Over the past years the violence in Philly schools have increased at a drastic level. This makes a lot of these schools an unsafe place for students; especially since majority of the students who commit this acts rarely get punished.

2.     Elaborate on your motivation for investigating and influencing public policy?
o   Education is the only real job of students, and if something as dumb as violence is getting in the way of that needs things need to be changed. Philadelphia is a very diverse place to live, and the last thing we should do is commit acts of violence on our fellow Philadelphian. Another scary thing is that 5,207 5th-12th-grade students were criminal offenders.

3.     Who are the main supporters of your lobbying idea?
o   One supporter of this problem is Secretary of Education Gerald Zahorchak.

4.     Who are the main opponents of your lobbying idea?
o   Basically the main opponents of this problem are the schools that allow this violence to continue. The school principals and faculty who do nothing.

5.     Is there any pending legislation dealing with your lobbying idea? Explain. If there, is not, what would you like to see proposed. Elaborate.
o   There have been campaigns to “stop the violence” but no official legislations to reduce the violence in the schools. I propose that we face this problem head on, make the city turn this into a top priority. I really want to make Nutter see what’s going on in schools outside of Mastemann.

6.     Any other information regarding the background for your topic.
o   So far I have a good amount of information, such as facts, and numbers but I don’t have much background information. So in my research I will begin to into the stem of this problem.
Where it all began? What are the main causes? Why do children feel the need to be so violence?

Safe Driving In Philadelphia - L.A #1

Bria Wimberly — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 13:46:38 -0500

In the city of Philadelphia, when driving in the morning always expect a traffic jam on the highway or on the busiest streets downtown. Usually the accidents that happen are not fatal but could easily been avoided. I am lobbying for safer driving within the city of Philadelphia to keep traffic moving along and to prevent other people from getting hurt in the future.

An idea came to mind when I was in the doctor’s office. In the children play room there’s a tv set that shows videos for new mom and dads on how to raise your child and things you should avoid. It’s like a tutorial video and a reminder to refresh your memory. I believe there should be a video for drivers as well. Not a tutorial about how to drive but a mental note of what you should do when you get in, slow down at yellow lights, check your windows for blind spots, etc.

My main supporters hopefully are drivers in Philadelphia who hate waiting on Chestnut or Walnut street in the morning after a car sped through a yellow light and collided with another. Another supporter can be a driver with his baby boy in the back seat. Opponents should reconsider because this is for the good of the city of a speedy yet safe drive to work to be on time, and a secure drive back home to relax.

The idea is to make recordings of different reminders of what to do when driving. Talk about which lane is the fastest, or how to properly switch lanes. Philadelphians need a wake-up call sometimes. If I can broadcast them maybe once a week on the radio, I believe it can be useful as a mind refresher. Because we all need one once in a while.

I provided a link below about the Traffic Code and Rules in the city of Philadelphia, and I believe this will help because these are the regulations for driving around in the city. These guidelines can be in my recordings as for something to refer back to if you’re unsure of what to do after an accident or if you’re breaking the law initially.

Violence in Schools- Lobby Assignment #2

Dominque Miller — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 13:42:59 -0500

Congressman Brady was born and raised in Philadelphia where he attended St. More High School. Then later found a job as a carpenter and soon was part of the Carpenters’ union. He continues to be apart of this union and as well as the teachers’ union. He was sworn into office to represent the people of Pennsylvania’s First Congressional District on May 21, 1998. The First Congressional District includes portions of South Philadelphia, West Philadelphia, North Philadelphia, Northeast Philadelphia, Southwest Philadelphia, Northwest Philadelphia, Center City and parts of Delaware County.Throughout his term Brady supported the well-being of financially disadvantaged communities, as well as pushing legislation for affordable housing as well as strategies to ensure that all Americans have access to quality healthcare and life-saving prescription drugs. As a former member of the Armed Services he continues to push the right of veterans.

Shared Interest

His Views on School Violence

Congressman Brady is an active member in trying to decrease school violence. Recently, he won $3.7 million in Federal Funding for Job Creation and Violence Prevention Funding for the First District.

“Congressman Brady also won nearly $1 million in violence prevention funding. And, on the heels of tensions at South Philadelphia High School, he was able to secure $100,000 for the Main Line Chinese Culture Center for after-school and weekend programs at the Russell Beyer’s Charter School.”

-Press Release from 12/16/09

Violence in Schools- Lobbying Assignment #3

Dominque Miller — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 13:46:50 -0500

Recently an article was published in the Philadelphia Inquirer about the increase of school violence, and the steps that need to be taken in order to solve this growing problem. Over the past year or so, the issue has received a lot of attention from media because the problem became racial. With the violent attacks towards Asian students at South Philadelphia High, the flaws of the Philadelphia School District were put on display for the entire country to see. A policy is already in place for students in order to decrease violence. Programs that will heighten children’s tolerance for different races and sexualities are hopefully going to change this problem. In an the same article (linked above) Michael Johnson, a science teacher at Germantown High School states, “The policy is wonderful… The implementation is missing." Meaning that even though the policies are there, the district, teachers, and even student fail to enforce it. This problem could possibly stem from the recent cut of the Office of Safe Schools Advocate, which was eliminated in August 18, 2009. According to the National School Safety and Security Services website, “While the State claimed the cuts were for budgetary reasons, Stollsteimer [monitor of school crimes and violence in Philadelphia Schools.] alleged the cuts were due to his advocacy and unwillingness to not document failures by the school district to report school crimes.”

Some key players in this issue are the names we hear in Philadelphia all the time. Officials such as, John Street (when in office), Chaka Fattah, Paul Vallas, and 150 community leaders were said to have pledged to increase the saftey of schools in Philadelphia back in 2004.

The Pledge:

We, the public officials and active citizens of Philadelphia, entrusted with "securing the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity," pledge to work together and with our youth leaders to combat violence in our schools and to build safe and supportive neighborhoods for young people throughout the city.

Even though Street is no longer is office, this pledge to uphold the safety in schools was taken 6, almost 7 years ago but at yet the violence in out schools has increased.

From doing this research it seems as though my main job is to get these officials back on track with their plans. It seems as though they have forgotten about the problems in school, because of the small policies they put in place but did not truly enforce. Issues such as money, health care, and the recent elections have totally taken the attention away from our schools and their lack of safety. It is time now to bring it back.

Some recent hearings on school violence were held back in January. There were 11 hearings with more than 125 testimonials from activist, city leaders, student, and parents. The topics of these hearing were of coarse about the South Philadelphia incidents. Other then those hearing there haven’t been any recent hearings about the violence, which I hope to change soon

Work Cited Page

Sachdev , Nina. "The School District Needs the Feds to Tell Them What to Do?!." Philly Now 1 Sept 2010: 1. Web. 22 Nov 2010. <http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/phillynow/2010/09/01/the-school-district-needs-the-feds-to-tell-them-what-to-do/>.

Trump, Ken. "School Crime Reporting and School Crime Underreporting." National School Saftey and Security Services. National School Safety and Security Services , 2009. Web. 22 Nov 2010. <http://www.schoolsecurity.org/trends/school_crime_reporting.html>.

Graham, Kristen. "City panel says hearings on school violence heard of problems and also promise Read more: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20101117_City_panel_says_hearings_on_school_violence_heard_of_problems_and_also_promise.html?page=1&c=y#ixzz164fHQiCF Watch sports videos you won't find anywhere else." Philadelphia Inquier 17 Nov 2010: 1. Web. 22 Nov 2010. <http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20101117_City_panel_says_hearings_on_school_violence_heard_of_problems_and_also_promise.html?page=1&c=y>.

Safe Driving in Philadelphia-L.A #2

Bria Wimberly — No Date

Who represents me?
How has my legislator voted on my issue in the past?
What do you and your representative have in common?

Learn their biographies
Know their districts.
Discover their policy interests.
Learn their community interests.
Find your shared interests by letting them get to know you.

Inhumane Acts Post #2

Narcissa Haskins — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 13:59:47 -0500

INHUMANE ACTS

Rep. Chris Smith is the representative that produced a bill for human trafficking in different country’s. He created the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (P.L. 106-386) in his 1999 -2000 term. According to “chrissmith.house.gov” Smith currently serves as Ranking Republican on the Foreign Affairs Committee’s Africa and Global Health Subcommittee. He does not support abortion and that is a difference that we do not agree upon. He believes “ Abortion hurts women's health and puts future children subsequently born to women who aborted at significant risk. At least 102 studies show significant psychological harm, major depression and elevated suicide risk in women who abort.” His statement is true, but I believe that people must be concerned about the life of the mother. Her life that she was accustomed to is now altered. Teens who are in this situation will not be able to live the life as they choose and two lives gets destroyed if the mother gets no support.

Mr. Smith serves in the 4Th district of New Jersey which included county’s Mercer County Burlington County, Ocean County and Monmouth County. He has been a main supporter for stem cell research which is grand. The Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005 which established a nationwide program for ethical research and treatment using umbilical cord blood and bone marrow cells. That landmark law was reauthorized in September 2010 for another five years - chrissmith.house.gov

Resources:
http://www.nrlc.org/NewsToday/Weak.html

http://www.ci.camden.nj.us/departments/districts.html

Inhumane Acts Post #1

Narcissa Haskins — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 14:01:02 -0500

For my lobbying project, I will be trying to expand the seriousness of human trafficking. There are no bills that are currently passed in the united states that protect the rights of women and children who are soled as sex slaves. My ultimate goal is to help the current senator Christopher Smith pass that bill.

My motivation for this is being surrounded by girls who have been rape victims. Just the thought that they didn’t have the opportunity to say no, then to keep it hidden so long really repulses me. The girls I knew, some of them were tricked into their situations and some of the people they knew. Alike, these are the occurrences that happen during trafficking.

The supporter for this cause is Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. I will be going up against the federal government that is having issues with supporting the bill being past. Trafficking in Persons Report 2010 is being led by Hillary Clinton and she is apart of the 10th annual trafficking report. She discussed issues and things to help stop these things from occurring

Its happening across the Globe and the U.S is aware of it. What bothers me, is that its not being stopped as fast as I would like. If we could a force, something similar to NATO to dig these people out, I believe that it would make a significant difference.

Resources:
http://me19leela.deviantart.com/art/human-trafficking-86196555
http://www.today.ucla.edu/portal/ut/trafficking-93715.aspx
http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2010/
http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-8170684-slavery-human-trafficking.php

Lobbying Against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Taylor Valentine — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:15:46 -0500

DADT Blog Post #3

For Blog #1, click here

For Blog #2, click here

For Blog #4, click here

To say that the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is a hot topic in today’s politics would be an understatement. It seems that every time you log onto the New York Times, or CNN an article related to the policy is front page news. Whether it’s the recent filibuster, the current injunction, or the lame-duck session push, DADT is on everyone’s mind. According to a recent Washington Post survey, the American public’s disagreement with the policy has drastically increased over the last 17 years. When the policy was first enacted, 44% of Americans were against it. Now, that number has risen to 75%. Politicians are taking notice. In fact, earlier this year, the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act of 2011 with an amendment allowing for the repeal of DADT, but in the Senate, Democrats have failed in the face of Republican opposition.

Public opinion on DADT repeal (Religioustolerance.org)

While most Republicans are not necessarily against the repeal, all are waiting for the Pentagon’s release of its report on the effects that a repeal would have on the military. The report is scheduled to come out December 1st, but parts have already been leaked. The survey of hundreds of thousands of military personnel and families concluded that allowing homosexuals to serve openly would not hurt military readiness, a fear that many hold. These findings have the potential to sway at least 10 senators, including moderate Maine Republicans Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe. Both hope for a more open debate after the report is released.

The biggest hurtle, by far, is Senator John McCain, the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee. He insisted that a study was needed before he could approve of the bill. Now that the study has been completed, he is still stalling, stating "Once we get this study, we need to have hearings. And we need to examine it. And we need to look at whether it's the kind of study that we wanted.” It appears that McCain will do everything in his power to hold off the vote until after the lame-duck session ends. With his position in the committee, this is not an impossible feat.

However, despite his opposition, there are major allies. Secretary of Defense Gates recently expressed that he would like to see DADT repealed by the end of the year, which was a very bold statement, as it went against the views of many senior commanders. Despite recent inconsistencies, President Obama still supports repeal, even calling Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) last Wednesday to reinforce his stance and demand a vote in the coming weeks.The urgency is felt by all parties involved. Currently Democrats hold 57 seats, which will fall to 53 in January. Since cloture has already failed once with the larger majority (the September 21st vote was 56-43), it will be near impossible to convince at least 7 Republicans to change their vote after the lame-duck session. For this reason, Sen. Carl Levin plans to hold a hearing in the Armed Services Committee in early December. Though the date is not yet set, a rapid hearing is imperative to the success of a DADT repeal.

Two national lobbyist groups are heavily involved in this process. The Human Rights Campaign, which works to eliminate discrimination against the LGBT community, and the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, an organization focused solely on DADT, are constantly pressuring the Senate. They encourage citizens to call, write and visit their senators to demand repeal.

Advertisement on HRC.org

Locally, Equality Forum, based in Philadelphia, “undertakes high-impact initiatives and presents the largest annual national and international GLBT civil rights forum,” among other goals. They host events throughout the area and while not currently involved with DADT, they would not be opposed to it. Given their local and national presence, they would be a great ally in increasing public outcry for repeal. This demand is needed to encourage Pennsylvania’s senators Specter and Casey to not only vote “aye,” but to proactively push for a vote.

Violence In Philadelphia

Mckelly Timothy — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:31:24 -0500

"It's nothing you can do. It's never gonna change, that's the way life is in Philadelphia."- A.J., Masterman High School student who was attacked.

I am lobbying to change the amount of violence in the Philadelphia community. I am interested in trying to change the way that violent events in Philadelphia are handled. There isn’t many things being done to reduce violence in Philadelphia, besides the occasional events to turn in illegal or old guns for money. These events normally receive a positive turnout. There should be more events like this more often. Innocent children lives are cut too short due to guns being in the hands of the wrong people and being in the wrong place at the wrong time. We need more things for the youth to do and more events for them o be a part of that your average teenager in Philadelphia would enjoy. To solve violence in Philadelphia, it would take a very long time simply because such a drastic change could not happen over night. I would like to attempt to remove guns from the streets of Philadelphia. Right now my solution is undecided.

As a teenager growing up in south west Philadelphia. I have lost several friends due to violence. Even though some of the deaths don’t effect me directly it is still devastating. There was an article discussing teen deaths due to violence in Philadelphia.The rate of teen deaths in Philadelphia is on a rise and there isn’t enough being done at the city level.

The teen violence is getting out of control in December there was an attack on Asian teens at South Philadelphia high and nothing was being done about it several stories were written about this issue.

Who is Helping?

There are several supporters but it still seems like there isn’t enough being done. There is only so much council members who are mentioned in this article can do. There are several organizatons assisting . One organization was started and funded by a councilman Dwight Evans, the is a organization which I was a member of which is A blue Print for A Safer Philadelphia. This anti- violence organization mission states “The Blueprint for a Safer Philadelphia Initiative is a 10-year community-based violence prevention initiative with the goal of eliminating all youth homicide in Philadelphia by the year 2016. State Representative Dwight Evans created The "Blueprint" by securing $16 million in state funding and bringing a number of key partners to this historic effort.”

Violence In Philadelphia Statistics

- http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/pa/philadelphia/crime/?gclid=CNuStaSWwqQCFd9n5QodXDULjA

Pending Legislation On Violence

The state supreme court ruled on Philadelphia's gun ordinances on June 11, 2010.
These laws basically state:

• The city is allowed to force its citizens to report a lost or stolen gun within 24 hours.
• Police are allowed to seize guns from those “considered to pose a risk to themselves or others.”
• Those subject to a protection-from-abuse order may not own a firearm within the city.
• Need to purchase more than one gun a month then you can.

Creative Freedom in the Classroom: Blog 1

Sky Kalfus — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:37:27 -0500

#1
I’m advocating for a flexible curriculum that gives teachers more creative freedom in the classroom. Currently, teachers are hindered by a restrictive curriculum that directs not only the content of each class, but how the content should be taught. Teachers aren’t able to tailor their classes to the individual needs and interests of their students, and they aren’t able to experiment with teaching methods. I’ve heard stories about dozens of teachers who would be willing to teach at public schools if only they could teach without the guiding hand of the school district. Instead, they go to private schools.
In public school, teachers often receive “Routine Cards” that dictate the details of each lesson. Students are frequently given standardized Benchmark tests designed to make sure that teachers remain on track.

Creative Freedom in the Classroom: Blog 2

Sky Kalfus — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:38:16 -0500

#2
In my district (the first senatorial district), senator Larry Farnese is most involved in education reform. He’s on the state senate education committee, and he’s working with State representative Curtis Thomas to establish five new technical and vocational schools in the next five years. He is also partly responsible for increasing education funding by 250 million dollars.
Larry Farnese is a democrat and advocate of public education. His grandfather served on the Philadelphia school board. He’s sponsored programs on behalf of the Sister Cities Young Artist Program at the Moore College of Art and Design, as well as Italica Arts and Education. He attended Villanova University for undergraduate school and Temple University for Law school.
I think Farnese will take interest in my cause. He’s clearly invested in public education, and he cares about art programs, which suggests that he values learning as an end to itself. (Maybe that’s wishful thinking, but it’s possible.) He’s also is willing to spend money on education.
My district representative is Babette Josephs is an advocate for public school, and for charter schools in particular. She strongly opposes giving tax money to religious schools. She’s voted for special education funding, and is strongly in favor of the public school system.

Creative Freedom in the Classroom: Blog 3

Sky Kalfus — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:38:56 -0500

#3
Arlene Ackerman’s Imagine 2014 district improvement plan aims to “[revise] language arts, math, science, and social studies curricula to be more integrated, rigorous and relevant in preparing students for college and careers in the 21st century.” This past year, the district identified new literacy and math programs, and plans to institute new English and Math curriculums for 2010.
I haven’t been able to find the details of these new curriculums. A powerpoint presented to the School Reform Commission outlining the goals of Imagine 2014 lists raising test scores and increasing the number of “predicative assessments” as goals for 2011. A focus on test scores means that teachers have to spend more time teaching to the test and less time teaching creatively to the interests of their students. “Predicative assessments”, I believe, is just another term for more testing.
It’s clear that Arlene Ackerman holds the most power regarding my issue, but I think Larry Farnese has the power to approach her. He certainly is involved in getting education funding for the state.

Blog#1

Oscar Holton — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 22:34:57 -0500

I am lobbying for more police officers to be dispatched around public transportation, schools and around urban areas. On my way to and from school I travel a good distance and I really don’t see police officers in the area. My motivation for investigating and influencing public policy is to see crime decreased and safety increase. I’m sure that victims of crime, parents that want safety for their children, supervisors of recreation centers and teachers at school who care about their students would support my lobbying idea. An opponent to my lobbying idea would be who ever is in charge of the city finances. I don’t think the city would support me.

The S.167 - COPS Improvements Act of 2009 is a bill related to my lobbying topic. Its a “bill to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to enhance the COPS ON THE BEAT grant program, and for other purposes.” This law does support my lobbying topic. I want to have more police patrolling the city, especially around public transportation. The law that mentions, "to increase the number of officers deployed in community-oriented policing" is perfect.

Blog#2

Oscar Holton — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 22:36:21 -0500

From my previous blog post, I mentioned that the S.167 - COPS Improvements Act of 2009 bill is related to my lobbying topic. Senator Herbert Kohl is the sponsor of the bill. He is a Democrat from Wisconsin serving his 4th term. Kohl is one of the United States’ wealthiest politicians, owning his own family business.

Someone in my city that represent me is Mayor Michael Nutter. He is Philadelphia's third black mayor. Nutter was a councilman of the city's 4th Council District, that included the neighborhoods of Wynnefield, Overbrook, Roxborough, Manayunk, East Falls and parts of North Philadelphia, West Philadelphia, and my area, West Mount Airy.

Mayor Nutter shares the same interest as I do. I want to have the city of Philadelphia safe place. He supports having Philadelphia declare a "Crime Emergency" in certain areas of Philadelphia. This involved stationing more officers in needed areas of Philadelphia, limit the ability to gather on public sidewalks, impose a curfew for all residents, and limit the ability to travel in certain areas.

Blog#3

Oscar Holton — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 22:38:33 -0500

Sadly no one indicated support for my issue. There isn’t much media attention on my issue. A policy hasn’t written to addressing my issue but there are similar issues that had been address in other cities such as Washington. “Metro Police say they plan to deploy more officers this weekend after a fight among dozens of youth in the transit system led to three arrests.” I want to deploy more officers to prevent these incidents happening in Philadelphia. I think I need to work with an elected official to write a policy for my issue.
The essential members that can contribute to my issue would be the police department and the mayor of Philadelphia, Michael Nutter.
There was a report citing several studies making the case for more uniformed officers in the city of Philadelphia released by ACLU deputy director Jennifer Shaw. “Using 250 officers and targeting 60 violent crime locations, the Philadelphia Foot Patrol Experiment prevented 50 violent crimes during the summer of 2009.” I could use this report as a helper to present my issue to the right hands in my favor to show that my issue has a realistic solution.

Repeal DADT: Blog Post #1

Andre Serrano — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 22:59:39 -0500

In 1992, officer Allen Schindler was stomped to death by a shipmate for being openly gay in the military. This was later used as a means of justifying the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Law - with claims of protecting the well being of homosexuals. However, this blatantly homophobic law has been embraced by the military as a way of recruiting straight officers, who would have otherwise been deterred by the awkwardness of boarding with an openly gay man. Since the policy was put in place in 1993, over 12,500 troops have been discharged due to their sexual orientation. The Government Accountability Office reported that it has cost $95.4 million for recruiting and $95.1 million for training replacements for the 9,488 troops discharged from 1994 through 2003. This law has been used as a tool to reject the very people it was made to protect, and it is costing the government money to train the replacement troops that it could have otherwise used to bolster the military.

This issue has been widely debated, especially within the past few months, with John McCain being the leading advocate. When asked about the repeal on DADT, Senator McCain backs the current policy. "This successful policy has been in effect for over 15 years, and it is well understood and predominantly supported by our military at all levels," McCain said “At a time when our Armed Forces are fighting and sacrificing on the battlefield, now is not the time to abandon the policy."

This bill has unfortunately been made into another example of a left vs. right wing issue. When asked about the repeal of the bill, Senator Susan Collins was quoted saying “It’s the right thing to do. I think it’s only fair, but I cannot vote to proceed to this bill under a situation that’s going to shut down the debate and preclude Republican amendments. That too, is not fair.” This is what politics in the United States has come to entail – a type of science where politicians tread a thin line between what is right, and what will get them reelected.

Accused of being a political ploy with the November elections coming up, President Obama has made this his main priority. Obama claimed he delayed acting on the repeal because with two wars he did not want anything to distract him from his health care fight. Although there is no constitutional right to serve in the military, President Obama made it clear that DADT would not impose on our first amendment right. “We find unity in our incredible diversity, drawing on the promise enshrined in our Constitution: the notion that we are all created equal, that no matter who you are or what you look like, if you abide by the law you should be protected by it.”

There has been several attempts to change the bill, however the pending legislation has increased within the past couple of months. The Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2010 is a bill that seeks to establish a tradition of nondiscrimination regarding sexual orientation in the Armed Forces, by repealing the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. This bill would also authorize the reappointment of otherwise qualified individuals previously discharged on the basis of their sexual orientation

Although this bill was made with the intent of helping homosexuals, it has served as a of homophobic legislation, that has lead to the dismissal to thousands of qualified soldiers. My partner and I are lobbying for the repeal of DADT because not only is it not fair, but it will make our military stronger, and allow us to allocate funds elsewhere to help bolster the military. Our goal is to bring more publicity to this already heated debate in hopes of more people acknowledging the need to repeal this widely contested bill. There is plenty of already pending legislation that we hope to bring recognition too.

Repeal DADT: Blog Post #2

Andre Serrano — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 23:01:27 -0500

Chaka Fattah is currently the representative for Pennsylvania’s second district, which includes sections of the city of Philadelphia.
Congressman Fattah has a long history of voting in favor of issues regarding gay rights.

He voted yes for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

This act was designed with the intent to make it an unlawful employment practice to discriminate against an individual on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation,

He voted no for on constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman.

The proposed amendment to the constitution stated that "Marriage in the US shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution, nor the constitution of any State, shall be construed to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon any union other than the union of a man and a woman."
Therefore, it was no surprise when he voted in favor of abolishing the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy. His response to the issue was: “the worldwide injunction issued today by Judge Virginia Phillips to stop enforcement of the ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ policy concerning gay and lesbian members of our military is welcome and long overdue.”

The greater opposition of this blatantly homophobic bill is John McCain.
In 2006 he spoke to a group of Iowa state university students and said "The day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, 'Senator, we ought to change the policy,' then I think we ought to consider seriously changing it."
However, since losing the election to Barack Obama, McCain has been the president’s biggest critic, so it was no surprise when his stance on the issue changed when Obama announced his current push to repeal the bill.

"At this moment of immense hardship for our armed services, we should not be seeking to overturn the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy," he said bluntly, before describing it as "imperfect but effective."

Safer Driving-L.A #3

No Date

Getting your start as a citizen lobbyist can be intimidating, despite the fact that in a representative government, our elected officials are working for you. There are many written and unwritten rules to be aware of, offices and staff to navigate, and complex policy issues to understand. It is no wonder that these barriers keep people from regularly engaging with public officials on decisions that affect their lives.

Empowering ourselves to make an impact on an issue can be one of the first, and largest, barriers. It's important that as citizen lobbyists, we redefine what it means to be an "expert" -- learning the status of the issues we care about and drawing on our own stories and experiences.

Yes, we need to know about the issue we are lobbying on. But we don't need to draw a paycheck working on the issue, or have a PhD, to have something worthwhile to say.

When starting the process of citizen lobbying on an issue, your group or organization should think about the following:

1. What is the status of your issue at the legislature? Is this a "good" year?

How many elected officials have indicated support for your issue? Is there public support behind it, with good media attention? Who are your opponents, and how much power do they have? Has a policy been written to address your issue, or do you need to work with an elected official to write one?

2. Who is essential to the outcome?

3. Who else is working on this? Can you coordinate?

4. Who can you influence?

5. What is the time frame?

6. When are key dates - meetings, committee hearings, deadlines, etc.

Repeal DADT: Blog Post #3

Andre Serrano — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 23:19:14 -0500

Attempts have been made to revise DADT, the homophobic law enacted under Bill Clinton to keep gays out of the military. In May 2010, an amendment was passed in the House of Representatives, however it lacked the necessary 60 votes to get the bill passed in the senate.

Also, attempts to pass DADT are becoming increasingly more difficult. Prior to the recent election 90% of democrats were in favor of the repeal, versus 97% of republicans, and since the election has drastically shifted the power to republicans, it can only damage the odds of getting it approved. Therefore it is a fair assumption that the window of opportunity is quickly closing.

Despite the general public being largely in favor of an amendment to the bill, Republicans have decided to vote along party lines.

The pentagon has recently issued a study regarding the current amendment. It has concluded that lifting a ban that prevents gays from serving in the military would result in “minimal and isolated incidents to the risk to the current war efforts.” The pentagon requested that the survey, which was given to more than 400,000 active troupes, address the issue of a repeal potentially hindering the military’s ability to fight. More than 70% of the respondents to the survey suggested the results to the move would be either positive or nonexistent – thus eliminating the only legitimate argument of withholding the ban.

Gay rights activists have begun a campaign around ten different states to aid the process of the DADT amendment. The Human Rights Campaign and Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. Joe Solmonese, President of HRC, recently said in a statement: “As we approach the waning days of this congressional session, we must continue to demand immediate action on critical legislation.”

Please Delete

Diana Laufenberg — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 23:23:32 -0500

Please Delete

Diana Laufenberg — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 23:25:58 -0500

School Lunch Blog #1

Oswald Dembowski — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 07:23:32 -0500

This graph shows that school lunch quality has improved except for the amount of fat and saturated fat. Especially with the INCREASE of childhood obesity something must me done about what students eat. That’s why I have chosen to lobby to improve school lunches.

I am dedicated to fighting against childhood obesity and being active to help fight what is plaguing our nation so fast and so easily. With obesity leading to heart problems and many other destructive health issues. Increasing exercise in youth will help but it’s all about the way they eat, so improving lunches will be the biggest step.

There is a big issue in regard to trying to get this to pass because some argue that increasing the quality of foods offered would be very costly.

“For many schools, calls to raise nutrition standards could mean higher costs. Some schools say that to satisfy students and keep up revenues, they may need to offer foods of lower nutritional quality.” USDA

Most Democrats and some Republicans are in support of improving school lunches. Senator Blanche Lincoln (D) has introduced the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. This bill stresses that more kids get free reduced lunch one of the goals is to have 10% of all kids nationwide to have free and reduced lunch. This bill also sets many standards in which kids get free and reduced meals; also it calls for nutrition in meals and regular health assessments.

It passed the senate so far. People who are against it are all Republicans, saying that there isn’t a need to further our spending on kids who are at least getting free meals and good enough nutrition everyday.

School Lunch Blog #2

Oswald Dembowski — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 07:25:43 -0500

Senator Blanche Lincoln is sponsoring the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. Which I already said before that in my first blog “This bill stresses that more kids get free reduced lunch one of the goals is to have 10% of all kids nationwide to have free and reduced lunch. This bill also sets many standards in which kids get free and reduced meals; also it calls for nutrition in meals and regular health assessments. “

Well then, shall we take a look at some of these people who oppose and support this bill?

Most of the people supporting this bill are democrats like Senator Lincoln, herself.

Some of these people include:

· Sen. Boxer [D-CA]

· Sen. Nelson [D-FL]

· Sen. Snowe [R-ME]

· Sen. Byrd [D-WV]

· Sen. Harkin [D-IA]

It is indeed very surprising to see a Republican support this bill.

For representatives:

· Rep. Weiner [D-NY]

· Rep. Capps [D-CA]

· Rep. Capuano [D-MA]

· Rep. Cardoza [D-CA]

· Rep. Baldwin [D-WI]

It’s kind of funny how these guys have cool names. But anyways most of these representatives are pretty young and all finished college in the northeastern part of the country except of course for the guy in California.

An interesting thing about Senator Boxer is that he is also supporting a bill introduced by George Miller, a representative from California. His bill is also supporting my cause.

Now lets get a look at some of the people who are opposing this bill.

Senator John Cornyn

Texas Senator opposes the nutrition law

Born in Houston, Conservative republican, 58 years of age, Trinity University 1973, University of Virginia School of Law

Senator Kay Hutchison

Texas Senator opposes the nutrition law

67 years of age, Galveston Texas, University of Texas at Austin Law School in 1967

Representative Addison Wilson

63 years old Carleston South Carolina, 2^nd District, Same guy who interrupted Obama’s Healthcare Speech shouting “You lie!” He was in the US Army Reserve and Nation Guard.

Pretty scary old republicans right?

So the people who represent ME on the government level are Allyson Schwartz (D) of district 13 in Pennsylvania and Sen. Casey (D) and Sen. Specter (D)

Allyson Schwartz was born in Queens, New York. Her mother was Jewish runaway after World War 2. She graduated from Simmons College in Boston and got her Master of Social Work Degree at Bryn Mawr College.

This is where she is on a political scale.

Although Schwartz doesn’t have a particular say on my topic, she did vote YES on additional $10.2B for federal education & HHS projects.

This could lead to a significant increasein the quality of food children receive in there meals.

Senator Bob Casey

He is of Irish American decent and his father was 44^th governor of Pennsylvania. He followed his father’s footsteps and graduated from College of the Holy Cross and the Catholic University of America.

Here he is on a political scale:

As well as Schwartz, Casey voted YES on additional $10.2B for federal education & HHS projects.

But other than that, Casey signed Military Family Nutrition Protection Act which excludes combat pay as income in judging whether a kid gets free or reduced lunch.

This is a good step for reforming school lunches but representatives need to do more for this issue.

School Lunches Blog #3

Oswald Dembowski — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 07:27:29 -0500

The status of my issue remains quite the same as I said in my other blogs. Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 is a great bill in order to support changes within the school lunch system. Democratic Senator Bianche Lincoln introduced it and the Senate passed it on Aug 5, 2010. So this bill has been making some progress toward my beliefs.

Also there have been several policies made by the USDA, which as you all know is a department of the executive branch. And you can find them all here.

Another step I need to absolutely take is to find people who can help me push this issue. College experts, school principals, and talking to the major will help me push this issue further. Also rallying a group of people like myself would be beneficial as well.

A fellow blogger, who has her blog named “fed up with school lunch", also powerfully exclaims her frustration with school lunches by eating them herself. She records it as a personal log and she urges that the Child Nutrition Act to be passed.

I’m also very glad the first lady, even though she holds no political power, is taking action toward nutrition and acts as a powerful figure.

Although just recently she apparently wants to introduce salad bars in schools.

Here’s a quote from the article:

“First Lady Michelle Obama indeed announced today that a new public-private partnership, Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools, would make it possible for at least 6,000 salad bars to be installed in U.S. school cafeterias. Riverside Elementary School in Miami, where the announcement was made, received the program's first salad bar. We'll have more on the new program's funding and application process next week.”

Full story here

IM HAPPY that action is being taken but as long as people like Michelle step up for this cause could we get this bill signed. Even just recently they announced to look over the bill after Thanksgiving weekend so hopefully it comes to a vote in the House soon.

Times when they will look at this bill and debate will be Dec. 1 or 2 and advocates promised to come to a vote soon.

School Blog Lunches #3

Oswald Dembowski — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 07:43:44 -0500

Also there have been several policies made by the USDA, which as you all know is a department of the executive branch. And you can find them all here.

I’m also very glad the first lady, even though she holds no political power, is taking action toward nutrition and acts as a powerful figure.

Although just recently she apparently wants to introduce salad bars in schools.

Here’s a quote from the article:

Full story here

Times when they will look at this bill and debate will be Dec. 1 or 2 and advocates promised to come to a vote soon.

DREAM Act Blog #3 Caroline AbdulBaki

Caroline Abdulbaki — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 07:55:30 -0500

Harry Reid

The DREAM Act has been an incredibly huge topic discussed through the news for the past 3 years but has recently risen to its strongest and yet weakest year. Many people are starting to become aware of the DREAM Act because it helps many students to receive a higher education and also due to the fact that many students are getting involved with helping to get this legislation passed in order to become law!

This has been a good and bad year for this legislation, though many universities and people are supporting this legislation, it was shut down in the Senate on September 21, 2010. The bill was attached to a defense bill making it harder for Republicans to shut it, but a filibuster held by the Republicans senators and one Democrat shut it down. When reintroduced in March 26, 2009 it had 134 official cosponsors but after the filibuster in September it was left with 2 cosponsors, we need to convince the Republicans and Democrats in the Senate and House that this legislation is extremely important.

Many universities that have supported the DREAM Act such as University of Pennsylvania, UC Berkley, University of Florida, Harvard University and many others. Universities help give this legislation good media and image because these are some of the top Universities that support a cause which helps students who they know deserve the right to learn the same as everyone else. Supporting the DREAM Act shows that they care about and spend an extreme amount of time with these children.

Public supports that give this bad media attention are groups who want to stop immigration and enforce security on our borders such as the ALIPAC group and Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). These groups do not support legislation similar to the DREAM Act or any legislation that help immigrations because they believe that illegal immigrants are law breakers and that the law should be followed and they should be punished.

Republicans are the major opponents of this legislation they have as much power as the people who support this bill which are the Democrats. Republicans. Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) said that they would cosponsor the bill as well as Sen. Robert Bennett (R-Utah), hinting that he is most likely going to vote for the DREAM Act when it is presented as a standalone bill. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) Florida GOP Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. Diaz-Balart, all said that they would vote for the DREAM Act during its presentation during the lame duck session.

All of the Democrats are essential to the outcome of the bill because if they are all on board with the act they will be then be able to convince the Republicans to get on board as well. Democrats have to support a bill started by their own and so do the Republicans in order for them to succeed. If Republicans such as John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) won’t vote for the bill we need as many Democrats as possible.

Groups that are good to communicate with in order to help us are lobbyist groups such as Peaceful Tomorrows who have already lobbied for the DREAM Act the day it was not passed in the Senate.Contacting many students from different universities who are lobbying for it is another great way to get out that this bill becoming a law is very important.

COICA Blog #3 - Jeremy Cothran

Jeremy Cothran — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 10:27:17 -0500

The Combating Online Infringement and counterfeiting act (COICA) has been heated up in these recent weeks with the bill being reported by committee as of November 18, and also being put under calender by General orders. No. 648.

So far, this year has been bad to stop COICA. It seems by the growing days more politicians and big companies are supporting this bill and are pushing for it to be passed. Support still grows strong for the citizens, there are multiple websites that urge users of the free internet to contact their senator, and request them to vote against the bill.

However, with the little support we do have, it seems the oppositions are double in numbers and power. with the RIAA and Chambers of commerce giving their full support to this bill, It doesn't help that other businesses like Nike and Disney are throwing support to the bill's way. Other then these industries, politicians are also pushing forward to advance this bill into law. Such as Senior Sen. Patrick Leahy [D-VT] and the 18 cosponsors who are for this bill.

What needs to be done is that people, citizens, anyone who uses the internet or who believes in the freedom of speech and press need to contact their state senator's convince the senators that this bill is not wanted and the people do not agree with this bill. In order to stop this bill, we absolutely need senators on our side, we need them so they can vote down on this bill and prevent it from becoming a law.

We, as a people, as well as myself cannot singularly stop this bill, we need to put all our efforts together, and direct the message to our senators that this is not the right thing to do. If we do not stand up, our freedom is at jeopardy.

The next step of this bill is unknown, once again we are at a pause and will have to wait until congress goes through the calender and picks up this bill to discuss.

STOP FUNDING ABORTIONS: BLOG #3

Taniera Reid — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 10:53:02 -0500

Stop Funding Abortions:
Legislatures Decision
In United States politics, the Hyde Amendment is a legislative provision that bars the use of federal dollars to fund abortions
The Hyde Amendment is only pertinent to 32 states
There are 17 states that do not follow the federal standard
Th legislature is not currently working to enforce the Hyde Amendment across the entire country

Abortion: Out of Control

The Hill:
“Boehner to press bill to enforceObama’s order on abortion funding”

According to The Hill, John Boehner, a House Minority Leader, is fighting to encourage Democratic leaders to vote on a bill to bar all federal funding of abortions.
Boehner wishes to “codify the Hyde Amendment so that it applies to all federal funding.”
He, along with other abortion opponents, oppose the health care reform
The National Right to Life Convention (NRLC) named him “Legislature of 2010”
Because of his efforts in the anti-abortion fight, he was appointed the Henry Hyde Award.
John Boehner, already apart of the government, can help restrict federal funding of abortions nationwide.

Anti-Abortionists:
KeyComponents

Pro-life abortion activists are key components in the movement to restrict federal funding of abortion across the America.

Anti-abortion picketing and rallies are beneficial in the movement to bar abortion funding.

According to the Family Research Council,
The graph above shows the increasing number of Planned
Parenthood abortions from years 1973-2006. The graph
continues to increase as abortions become more and more
popular in the United States. Why? Because the government
continues to waste federal dollars to abort fetuses. This is not
a sensible way to spend federal dollars, taking into
account the shape our economy is in.

DEADLINE:
The Health Care Reform has been debated and discussed over the years.
The Hyde Amendment has been debated, altered and fought to keep in effect for decades.
There is no set deadline for my lobbying topic.

A Most Divine Lorraine- Blog Post #3

Christine Walden — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 11:24:45 -0500

My issue, despite its obvious presence in this fair city, is not often addressed. Building restoration is too often neglected especially in this city, a living monument to the past. However, on November 9, 2010 headway has been made in the campaign for one of the other shriveling structures: the Divine Lorraine. Now, I feel it necessary to elucidate the manner in which I have chosen to organize this particular blog post. Due to the scarcity of direct building restoration legislation and the difficult financial climate preventing the existing legislation to be enacted, I am solely going to address the Divine Lorraine as my example of neglected buildings. It is my hope that should we manage to save the dear Divine, it will act as an example and inspiration for countless other buildings.

http://www.andipantz.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/divinelorraine2.jpg

In November, the current owners of the Divine Lorraine recently applied for the state low income housing tax credit in hopes of turning this abandoned hotel into low-income housing. They are well aware that it will be some time before this lovely structure “shines” once more, but it is a step in the right direction. It is an wonderful example of owners deciding to maintain this historic site, not tearing it down. To read more of this request by the Divine Lorraine, click here.

In order to hurry this renovation along, it is necessary for me to get a great deal more familiar with the Office of Housing and Community. The director of this office is Deborah McColloch and it is this department that can grant the necessary tax credits and finances to allow the restoration of the Divine Lorraine.

The restoration can also be facilitated by my increased communication with the various other legislators mentioned in earlier blog entries. Time for me to make a few new friends!

http://philly.brownstoner.com/2010/09/the_divine_lorraine_revisited.php?gallery3874Pic=2#gallery-3874

On the subject of acquaintance making, I am hardly the first to fall in love with the glorious Divine Lorraine and those who discovered this structure before myself have devoted a great deal more time and effort to seeing its continued existence. Below I have attached links to various organizations that have taken an interest in the former hotel in hopes of joining forcing to create a super group of Divine Lorraine protectors!

A fun resource that is invested in seeing this little love live!

An interesting development idea that may be in the works….

A group that lists several buildings in need of saving. (The Lorraine is not alone!)

A slide show made by another admirer of the building. (In case you needed evidence of it disrepair.)

http://philly.brownstoner.com/images/divine%20lorraine%202.jpg

Sadly, when asked to discuss the time frame this restoration will supposedly take place within, I can offer no specific dates. Despite the wonderful step the application for tax credits signifies, it is hardly the first time such revitalization has been promised. This building has been abandoned since the 1990s. It is necessary to first garner the necessary support to ensure there is a time frame.

http://johnnygoodtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/dlorraine.jpg

Safe Driving-L.A #3

Bria Wimberly — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 12:40:20 -0500

The issue of driving and efficient cars has circulated in the news this year in the United States. After the problems Toyota and customers has faced, transportation is looked at more frequently in terms of being safe. Secretary Ray LaHood is in charge of the Department of Transportation. At the “United States Department of Transportation” website, he discuss the problems we face when behind the wheel and under the hood. I would like to lobby about safe cars in general as well as improving the drivers. There should be more regulations and check ups for cars before setting out into the market.

The outcome of more regulations and checkups will help drivers and pedestrians. NHTSA, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, is also working on perfecting laws and regulations of vehicles like cars, trucks, even bicycling. Other allies that can help influence safe driving are insurances that give praise for safe driving and discounts like Allstate.

The crowd I’m trying to influence can vary in all ages. One website called “Faces of Distracted Drivers” shows the emotions of friends and family who lost their loved ones from car accidents. Many accidents can be from a distracted driver, reckless driving, and even damaged cars. Distraction.gov is also an organization that gives ideas on how to improve driving and the safety of the people inside. With laws and regulations, having more scheduled appointment to check up on car corporations would be nice.

The Department of Transportation needs a budget to continue working, their time frame of work being accomplish depending on the budget of how much they receive from the government. Here is a picture of how much they will spend in 2011.

In the future, Sec. LaHood considers banning cell phones while driving on a highway or populated areas. This can be a step further for the protection of driving.

Child Pornography Blog Post 3

Tajh Jenkins — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 12:26:02 -0500

Tajh Jenkins

Science Leadership Academy
Lobbying Assignment 3

Like past years, 2010 has provided it’s share of child pornography happenings. While there have been attempts by United States officials to ban all aspects of child pornography, their efforts in 2010 could have been better.

The U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder

“Government cannot solve the child pornography crisis in America unless it takes a broader approach than currently pursued and looks to the root causes of such deviancy.”

2010 has not been a productive year in terms of the governments efforts in banning child pornography. America is currently in a stand still in handling the situation. According to Patrick A. Trueman, former chief of the U.S. Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Reagan and Bush I Administrations, Eric Holder’s indication that the United States is losing in the war on child pornography is troubling but not surprising.

Patrick A. Trueman

”Our efforts today are not partisan because the protection of children, violence against women, addiction and sexual trafficking are not partisan issues. Nor are we here today to quarrel with Attorney General Holder … The Attorney General previously indicated support for the enforcement of obscenity laws. We are asking that the prosecution of obscenity, which seems to be on hold in the Obama Administration, be given a high priority because of the widespread harm we now know that obscene material is causing.

Patrick Trueman heads the War on Illegal Pornography, a coalition effort of many national, state and local groups working to encourage enforcement of federal laws against obscene adult pornography. He is also the founder of the website PornHarms.com, http://pornharms.com. The website categorizes and posts peer-reviewed studies on the harmful aspects of pornography. Studies and articles on PornHarms.com explain and discuss the brain science of pornography, which indicates that regular consumers of porn are at risk of brain manipulation and addiction leading to increasingly deviant behaviors, including, for some, an interest in child pornography

Nearly every current government official elected has indicated their support for banning child pornography. The problem is that not enough of the officials are stepping up their efforts to really making a difference on this specific issue. From what I researched, other than the two government officials that I spoke about in my second lobbying assignment as well as Eric Holder, there aren’t really any officials that I researched who has mad significant strides in banning it. This issues does get great media coverage because of all the court cases and news that pertain to child pornography. Citizens have expressed support on banning child pornography as the issue has become bigger throughout the years because of the media attention. There are multiple facebook groups that illustrate citizens tryings to prevent child porn.

There have been past policies on this issue:

Children's Internet Protection Act of 2000 (CIPA)
Child Online Protection Act of 1998 (COPA)
Child Protection and Sexual Predator Punishment Act of 1998
Child Pornography Prevention Act of 1996 (CPPA)
Communications Decency Act of 1996 (CDA

* In 2002, the Supreme Court made a decision to reject Congress' attempt to combat child
pornography in the computer age.

Stakeholders on this issue include

Children and young people
Parents Guardians and Educators
Industry
The Research Community and NGO’s
Law Enforcement
Social Service Organizations
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and other Electronic Service Providers (ESPs)
Teacher Organizations, Academic and Research Communities
Government Agencies

Owners of Internet cafés and other public access providers e.g. libraries, telecentres, PC Bangs6 and online gaming centres etc

There are many people who are working on this issue:

Cristina Bueti and Sandra Pandi (ITU)
John Carr (Children’s Charities’ Coalition on Internet Safety)
Raoul Chiesa and Francesca Bosco (United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute)
Catherine Cummings and Jessica Sarra (International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children)
Johan Martens (Child Helpline International)
Michael Moran (Interpol)

I think that if I am really serious about this issue, I can influence anyone in the public to want to ban virtual child pornography. With the help of the public, we would be able to influence the government to take a more serious approach towards banning all aspects of child pornography. I think that the government does not see much of the public wanting to ban child pornography. When it comes to this specific issue, if the public doesn’t show its seriousness about the situation, then the government won’t act on it as quickly and effectively.

If I could contact the authors who wrote the “Guidelines for Policy Makers on Child Online Protection” I think that we could really make a difference together. The authors who wrote the guidelines are the the same people who I listed as the people who are working on this issue. These are people who are really serious interested in making it aware that child pornography is a relevant issue that should be taken care of. If I could get some personal insight on this issue from these people, it would really help me become more prepared to influence people who are not up on the issue as they should be. I think that I should come in contact with the authors as soon as possible.

After doing some research I have not found any recent meetings or any recent news about government officials attempt to crack down on child pornography in the future. Therefore, there aren’t any future meetings or committee headlines that I can talk about. All of the hearings that I have come across have already taken place.

Water Preservation Blog Post 3

Qianna Nelson — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 12:28:22 -0500

Qianna Nelson
November 21, 2010

In the year 2009 House Representative Jim Matheson proposed the H.R. 631: Water Use Efficiency and Conservation Research Act.

Here is a summary of the bill:
H.R. 631 directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a research and development program that promotes water efficiency and conservation. This program will include research into technologies, as well as storage and distribution systems aimed at promoting more efficient water use. The bill allows the Assistant Administrator of the EPA to facilitate the adoption of beneficial technologies and publication of information related to water conservation technologies.
Additionally, H.R. 631 directs the Assistant Administrator to fund at least four projects in publicly accessible buildings which will incorporate the latest water conservation technologies and designs.
The EPA Administrator is directed to work with the National Academy of Sciences to complete a study to determine strategies for the management of water supplies, wastewater, and stormwater. The study will include a comparison of water conservation research efforts in the U.S. compared to those of other countries and other assessments. H.R. 631 authorizes $1 million to the EPA Administrator to carry out this study.
The bill authorizes $20 million dollars for each of fiscal years 2010-2014.
Link:
H.R. 631: Water Use Efficiency and Conservation Research Act.
A lot of people have come to know about our water problem and many states are trying to make laws such as the one above, so that they can also preserve our water. There are many people all over the nation who want to see many laws passed so we can save our water. But we need more people to get involved so that more of our representatives can make these issues more well known to the other representatives.
Tell your friends and tell your family to all start promoting water preservation. As you can see the all the text and pictures above, the problem is getting worse and not better we need everyone to get involved.

Ignorance is bliss, but knowledge is power the more we know about how to preserve water the faster we can save our planet.

Immigration!

John DeSalis — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 12:52:02 -0500

There are a lot of figures whom support this bill. they can be found here
Yes, Currently Los Angeles is fighting to get a similar bill onto the ballot in the 2012 election. Also, many other states are going to try and have a similar bill proposed.
My opponents, as stated before are the Illegal immigrants and now the protesters whom still don’t this put into action into the states.
Yes, a policy has been written for this issue. This policy is called SB 1070.
Any type of latin@ born citizen is a stakeholder in this issue.
In order for this to take place, you are going to need the Homeland Security, The U.S Border Control, as well as the help from many different government branches.
The decision makers that need to be moved, are the ones whom are currently BLOCKING this from being put into effect not only in the state of Arizona, but possibly model a similar law for the U.S.
I am not fully sure on to who else is working with this issue, but should I find out I would like to coordinate something with them to get more of an insight into this bill.

I can try to influence the other Americans who want this country to be brought back to what it was, when everyone spoke one language and was one background.

This is supposed to be put onto the California ballot in 2012, as mentioned above, but for that to happen, California’s Secretary of State Debra Bowen would have to get the signatures from 433,971 registered voters by April 21, 2011, to qualify it for the ballot. If it is validated, the measure could be placed before voters in February or June of 2012.

Finances In Philly!

Glenn Brailsford — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 19:40:02 -0500

I’ve been reading some of these links and I can see that over the past few years the numbers in terms of how they spread out the money is pretty much the same at least in the same range. The things that have really noticeable differences are that the 3/30/10 stats went up later in the year when they took the numbers again on 6/30/10. In my opinion this will continue to be an up year rolling into 2011. I think the people who are essential to the turn out of the financial process that we are in are the CFO and the mayor and every individual outlet that our cities money goes out to, such as the police, firemen and public heath services. We as citizens are also partially responsible for how our cities finances are managed. If we are socially responsible and don’t have a high crime rate and armed robberies and other offenses then that in my opinion is us playing a key roll in our cities finances.

• I think that I can influence the people that are around me. Without having more in-depth knowledge about the exact situation of our finances, (which I plan to do) I can’t really give them different statistics just yet.

• The time frame is from now until 12/30/10. That’s when they do the different summaries of what the cities finances are and compare them to other state governments finances.

• Every qtr. of the year CFO and other members of the government such as the mayor sit down and discuss the cities finances and things of the sort.

3/30

6/30

9/30

12/30

Links: http://www.phila.gov/reports/reports2.html

https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://www.phila.gov/finance/pdfs/QCMR_81610.pdf

https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://www.phila.gov/finance/pdfs/Quarterly_City_Manag6.pdf

https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://www.phila.gov/pdfs/qcmr_081809.pdf

https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://www.phila.gov/finance/pdfs/Quarterly_City_Manag5.pdf

Animal testing bill: Going no where? What is there to do?

Perry Woods — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 21:40:47 -0500

During the break between the last blog post and this one I kept checking in on the progress of my bill. Progress though for this bill though has been very minimal. If you don’t remember the bill that I have been tracking is the S.3921. This proposed bill is to ensure that “approval of pharmaceutical and biological products do not require violations of medical ethics in the testing of products in humans and vertebrate animals.” Senator Bernard Sanders of Vermont proposed it on September 29th, 2010.

The progress of how my bill is doing I think is effected by currant events as well as people’s support and awareness. Senator Sanders has no listed co-supporters with his bill. If the people were more informed about all proposed laws not just ones that are pushed to the forefront of the media getting them discussed. If a bill like S.3921 got more media attention it would be more discussed. Discussion would then lead to people supporting it and bring awareness to their Senators. The current discussion about this bill has been very minimal. Only 7 blogs (blogs listed here) have recently talked about it (technically 8 if this one is included). That shows how little information is being pushed out there to help this bills progress.

A major way to get this bill a boast in ordered to be noticed would be to push out the information about the bill to animal rights organization and groups. Think about if groups like PETA and The Humane Society of The United States (as well as many others that you can find listed here and here) were to push out a story about this bill. Sending this information to their followers and supporters that would make a major impact in rising in awareness. More stories would be spread out, petitions could be made and signed to send to lawmakers and so much more could happen. Brining awareness from the people would make politicians step in with the process of this bill and reviewing it. It would almost be like a repeat of the process of the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act of 2007. Because it was relvent to cases in the media and had gained a high amountof support encouraging lawmakers to take part made this bill soon become a law. If this could happen again things would happen a lot quicker.

Inhumane Act Post #3

Narcissa Haskins — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 09:23:51 -0500

Inhumane Acts

According to http://www.govtrack.us/ the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (P.L. 106-386) was created “To combat trafficking of persons, especially into the sex trade, slavery, and slavery-like conditions in the United States and countries around the world through prevention, through prosecution and enforcement against traffickers, and through protection and assistance to victims of trafficking.” With this, Representative Chris Smith had immediate supporters for this cause. There were 37 supporters of this bill andEniFaleomavaega [D-AS],Neil Abercrombie [D-HI1],Richard Armey [R-TX26] , andCass Ballenger [R-NC10were four of them. Public support for this bill wasn’t hard to come accroos while researching.

Organizations such as the The Trafficking of Asian WomenandUnited States Conference of Catholic Bishops have been big supporters of this bill since it was signed on October 28, 2000 by William Clinton. This bill has also helped support other organizations likeSecurity on Campus, which is an organization that targets violence on campus. According toSOC, “It remains the first and only nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention of criminal violence at colleges and universities nationwide through educational, awareness, and policy initiatives.” The media response to the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (P.L. 106-386) has been very interesting. The most intriguing was a c-span video: http://www.c-spanvideo.org/videoLibrary/clip.php?appid=596401441.

This video held key information about the bill but there are still people who do not agree with it.

The opponents to this bill are only the human traffickers. There have been millions of people who have took part in this inhumane crime but in recent news Rubicela Montero has been convicted of human trafficking inChicago. This issue is only growing, but there has been progress and there will be more progress if the traffickers stopped. Human traffickers have the upper hand in this fight for these women and children who are trafficked everyday. Alison Siskin and Liana Sun Wyler wrote the Trafficking In Persons Policy. This policy will open the eyes of many people who are also fighting against human trafficking.

Raising awareness and having programs within schools to support people who have been victims of human trafficking or victims that go along with Human Trafficking, such as rape, abuse, and forced prostitution, is my ultimate goal with lobbying this topic. Alpha Kappa Alpha Inc. will be the major supporter at this time. Having access to the women in this organization will open opportunities needed to contact national officials fighting Human Trafficking in the United states. To inform the School District of Philadelphia about the seriousness of Human Trafficking will be a great stepping stone. Young women are the key targets of this terrible crime and the emotional brutality that comes along with rape and abuse, will last for the rest of these women's lives. By the beginning of February, there will be meetings set up with Alpha Kappa Alpha members to discuss the fight against Human Trafficking.

Lobbying #3- Public Transportation Crime

Amber Housley — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 09:54:37 -0500

Public Transportation Act 2010- implemented to ensure transit safety nationwide.

The bill is bipartisan and was written by Chairman Chris Dodd, Ranking member Richard Shelby & Chairman Robert Menendez.

The Pubic Transportation Safety Act 2010 aims to:

·      Establish a national public safety plan
·      Increase federal funding
·      Establish a transit monitor
·      Authorize appropriations for the public transportation safetyFederal Transit Administration (FTA)
FTA supports public transportation systems around the United States. Safety is the United States Department of Transportation’s highest priority.
“On December 8, 2009, FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff joined Secretary Ray LaHood at a hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, to discuss the Federal role in rail transit safety.”

Currently, there are no laws regarding crime prevention for SEPTA, however SEPTA Safety Plans and Actions are being negotiated. SEPTA created a Resource Management Review Group to brainstorm ideas for the safety and betterment of the customers and the company.

The SEPTA community affairs unit works with the Transit Police and various communities. The unit communicates with schools, community groups via presentation, etc to discuss crime prevention, transit etiquette, and other issues.

Researching the Issue

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 07:00:59 -0500

Last year in the summer of 2009 Mayor Micheal Nutter of Philadelphia held a news conference where he stated he would have to close the city library system, recreation centers and the entire park system. In the summer that just there was fear of a plan to close all public pools at recreation centers in Philadelphia. With help from outside donations the pools were able to stay open. Mayor Nutter is the main opponent of providing adequate amounts of money our recreation centers. Unfortunately Mayor Nutter has a large amount of power and influence on this issue, There was a bill in 2007 that tried to work towards the budget increase for parks and recreation centers but nothing recent.

In my search to find city officials to support my cause I found that I may have an ally in Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown. She devotes her work and legislative efforts toward improving the life of children in Philadelphia and the potential of girls in leadership roles. In 2007 Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown created a resolution to create a task force for Parks and Recreation facilities. Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown makes a point to try improve the lives of the youths of philadelphia, and with out recreation centers for children to find a safe haven that can't happen. Three other allies would be Majority Whip Darrell Clarke, Michael DiBerardinis, and Recreation Director Sue Slawson.

Philadelphia Parks Alliance could be an asset to me their work for the preservation of parks and recreation centers in Philadelphia. The groups main focus is parks but parks and recreation centers have to share funding so the higher the budget increase I fight for the recreation centers the more money parks get so, it is a win-win for both of us.

My best chance would be to get the people of the community on my side because it will be easy to convince them that it will be beneficial to have the budget increase.

I would take the next year to make a change in the budget for 2012. The budget for 2011 has already been made. In that year I will make connections with Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, Majority Whip Darrell Clarke, Michael DiBerardinis, and Recreation Director Sue Slawson to try to put an effective plan together.

Researching the Issue

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 07:01:08 -0500

My best chance would be to get the people of the community on my side because it will be easy to convince them that it will be beneficial to have the budget increase.

Researhcing the Issue

Desiree Mack — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 07:04:43 -0500

Last year in the summer of 2009 Mayor Micheal Nutter of Philadelphia held a news conference where he stated he would have to close the city library system, recreation centers and the entire park system. In the summer that just there was fear of a plan to close all public pools at recreation centers in Philadelphia. With help from outside donations the pools were able to stay open. Mayor Nutter is the main opponents of providing adequate amounts of money our recreation centers. Unfortunately Mayor Nutter has a large amount of power and influence on this issue, There was a bill in 2007 that tried to work towards the budget increase for parks and recreation centers but nothing recent.

In my search to find city officials to support my cause I found that I may have an ally in Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown. She devotes her work and legislative efforts toward improving the life of children in Philadelphia and the potential of girls in leadership roles. In 2007 Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown created a resolution to create a task force for Parks and Recreation facilities. Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown makes a point to try improve the lives of the youths of Philadelphia, and with out recreation centers for children to find a safe haven that can't happen. Three other allies would be Majority Whip Darrell Clarke, Michael DiBerardinis, and Recreation Director Sue Slawson.

My best chance would be to get the people of the community on my side because it will be easy to convince them that it will be beneficial to have the budget increase.

Researching The Issue...

Sinnea Douglas — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 19:56:57 -0500

Status: There are a few elected officials who support the issue. Their support and ability to get the issue out there would help a lot. Opponents are schools that perform well and make it seem as though testing is the only way to go.

Allies:

Who Else Is Working on the Issue?

Cody and Taylor. We all do not have the same focus are in Education but we all can still collaborate.

Influence: If we can show students, teachers, and officials the way we learn at SLA maybe they will see that there are other effective ways besides testing.

Time Frame: We only have until mid January and there will be time taken out due to winter break but there is enough time to get the information out there.

Key Dates: Thurs- Meeting with Cody and Taylor

Researching The Issue: Same Sex Marriage in Pennsylvania

Lenea Harris — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 15:26:11 -0500

     I'm not quite sure if 2010 or even 2011 will be a good year for my issue. On one hand, there seems to be issues that are the top priorities of the state and country. And regulating same sex marriage does not fall into either of those categories. On the other hand, majority of the elected House Representatives and Senators are either influential on this issue or take position for it. That would be an advantage on the process of getting a law passed.

     I looked into each member on the list of state legislators for pennsylvania, and each of them voted Nay on the Same Sex Marriage Resolution Act in 2006. This Act followed the Defense of Marriage Act; and both gave states the right not to recognize a same sex marriage that was granted in another state. They all also voted Nay on the Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment. This shows the history of their votes on anti- gay marriage legislature, but it doesn't show their position on the issue. Many of the politicians did not give their position on the issue of same sex marriage. I don't know how to analyze that fact.

     Senator Arlen Spector is my main 'opponent' in this process. He voted the Defense of Marriage Act through a decade ago, and according to Project Vote Smart, shares very little interest with the Human Rights Campaign- who actively promotes gay rights. As a State Senator, he has an important vote in the legislative process, but if his one opposing vote stood alone, it wouldn't have much effect.

     Governor Ed Rendell didn't openly express his position on the issue of gay marriage, but I'd assume that he is a supporter, and as Governor, his final approval makes the process run smoother.
No recent policy has been written for Pennsylvania on the topic of same sex marriage, but acts, laws, and policies have been written and/ or passed in other states.

     There are many public supporters behind this issue, but I would say that the most active, and the most publicized would be the Human Rights Campaign which is nation- wide.

     I began to look through the list of lobbying issues and topics, but did not find anything related to same sex marriage recognition in pennsylvania. To be honest I didn't look through the entire list, so I'm sure there are many, I just cannot name any specific lobbyist or group of lobbyists.

     Hopefully I'll influence all allies of the Lesbian, Bi- sexual, Gay, and Transgender community to become actively involved in the politics of their residential state at least because the legislature of their state affects them immediately before any other legislation.

Link to House Committee Meeting Schedules:

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/CO/HM/COHM.HTM

Link to Senate Committee Meeting Schedules:

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/CO/SM/COSM.HTM

Blog #4: Communication

Sinnea Douglas — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 10:27:15 -0500

So far the process of Lobbying for non standardized education has been okay. It is still a little difficult to find supporters and people in office who are strongly against it. I will now start looking closer to home for people instead of researching people in congress.

#4 Communicate

Christopher Cassise — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 12:31:45 -0500

The process is going slow and very difficult since Bob Casey and co. are very difficult to get in touch with. The educational board meetings do have some effectiveness to the process of hearing the problems from adults and students but I think it could go an extra step. I think the most effective way to try and change this NCLB act and lobby against it is to find a way to set up an appointment at a meeting with educational officials. Start off slow and show alternatives,surveys, statistics, etc to show that something has to be done and then while the lower ranked officials start to see in groups this effective campaign and presentation, the grass roots of word of mouth might take place where it becomes very public. Another good idea, off of this is to call news companies up to cover the story and hear more about the process and things being said in these town hall meetings for this act to be reformed. Hopefully overtime we can set up a meeting with the head official like Bob Casey jr.

First Step- Make a facebook page about standardized testing.

Second Step- Little video explaining why its bad, funny make it go viral. (hopefully)

Third Step- Start challenging officials to debate on NCLB.

Safe Driving - L.A. #4

Anthony Seeley — No Date

In the process of developing tactics to use in your grassroots advocacy campaign, keep these tips in mind:

Dominate something. Concentrate an action in a small period of days, for example, to concentrate its potency.
Do a few things well rather than many things poorly.
Make the strategy personal.
Force multiply. Find ways to leverage your existing volunteer advocates to get more volunteer advocates.
Keep recruiting. Keep a laser focus on building, sustaining, and expanding your base.
Follow up. Select strategies that are conducive to reporting back to volunteer advocates

FOR THE BLOG POST -

Detail your plan for communicating and report in on the steps you conducted, reflect on the process, effectiveness, etc.

Commucating out the bill

Perry Woods — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 17:39:42 -0500

The progress for my bill (for those who forgot it is S.3921 for helping stop animal testing as well as testing on humans) has been nothing so far which has been very complicated in helping me. I have been thinking of ways to help communicate out this bill to help it get progress. After thinking for a while I was able to think of ways that work with today's world to help get this bill progress.

Way number 1 is to start a twitter account made to get this bill support. Because twitter is a constant live feed it is easy to get information out there. It will also help get in contact with organizations and people who could help get the word out. This in turn can help build up a good following to help.

Another way to help connect with people would be to link the twitter to a facebook page. On there I could have information about the bill, why it is important and how to help. There would be a link out to a petition to people could sign if they are from Pennsylvania and also for the districts. For other areas I would have a area where they can create their own petition to send to their officials.

Lastly is trying to get through with more officials and people who could help. For this I simple need to arrange a better list. Also is figuring out the best ways to get through with each person or combination of ways to get through with people.This might be easier one the twitter and facebook are done because there will be more help with getting through. Hopefully this will all go through without a hitch to help.

#4 - Communication

Sky Kalfus — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 17:33:30 -0500

I'd like to begin communicating my message by writing a letter to Larry Farnese and inviting him to discuss education policy in Philadelphia. I think he'll be able to answer some of my questions about the state of the public education system. In particular, I'll ask him about the success of the Imagine 2014 plan. Larry Farnese is involved with education funding, and helps decide which programs get the most money, but he's not directly involved with designing the curriculum. Hopefully, conversation with him will lead me to other people in power who have more to do with my particular cause. I'd eventually like to pinpoint a specific piece of legislation that I can petition to have changed. If I'm successful, I may also write a letter to the Philadelphia Inquirer. I'll probably draw on anecdotal experience based on my time at SLA to encourage people to get involved with education reform.

Sae Driving - L.A. #4

Bria Wimberly — No Date

In the process of developing tactics to use in your grassroots advocacy campaign, keep these tips in mind:

Dominate something. Concentrate an action in a small period of days, for example, to concentrate its potency.
Do a few things well rather than many things poorly.
Make the strategy personal.
Force multiply. Find ways to leverage your existing volunteer advocates to get more volunteer advocates.
Keep recruiting. Keep a laser focus on building, sustaining, and expanding your base.
Follow up. Select strategies that are conducive to reporting back to volunteer advocates

FOR THE BLOG POST -

Detail your plan for communicating and report in on the steps you conducted, reflect on the process, effectiveness, etc.

Communication - Blog Post 4 - Stop Funding Abortions!

Taniera Reid — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 19:17:23 -0500

Taniera Reid

Stop Funding Abortions: Communication - Blog Post #4

My Issue: I am lobbying to stop the prodigal spending of government dollars on abortions in the United States.

Communication: The ones I will be in contact with throughout this lobbying process will be the senators Joe Sestak and Pat Toomey, as well as Obama’s administration at a later date. The people listed above play a role in the issue I am lobbying against.

Tactics: The tactics listed below are the tools that will aid me in the journey to getting my message across to someone of a higher authority.

Letters to the editor, editorials and commentary.
Petitions.
Phone calls to the targeted decision maker.
Faxes to the targeted decision maker.
Emails to the targeted decision maker.
Personalized letters and postcards to the targeted decision maker.

Steps: I am still in the researching process. I believe in knowing and understanding the law to its farthest extent before taking my issue to someone of a higher authority. One mishap in my evidence/documentation/information can make or break my argument. Having facts, details, dates, names and supporters will help my argument.

After the necessary steps are taken to gain all information,

I will begin to:

1. Write up petitions

2. Send emails

3. Organize rallies.

My tactics will be executed effectively with the assistance of my teachers and mentors with substantial knowledge regarding politics and perhaps marketing.

My next step would be to recruit members to join my fight against the wasteful funding of abortions in the United State and enforce the Hyde Amendment across the nation. Recruitments will consist of others that believe in and are as passionate, if not more passionate about this issue as much as I. With more than one voice fighting for a good cause, we have a greater chance at being heard.

Using social networks such as Facebook and Twitter and making groups regarding the funding abortion issue will help start off the recruitment process. This is an easy way to find out who in the world stands firmly behind the issue.

Communication Blog #4

Mckelly Timothy — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 19:41:01 -0500

I am now at the step of communicating with Dwight Evans. He has been working on strategies for reducing violence, which are very similar to mine. We both grew up in Philadelphia, so we know what it is like to be surrounding by violence. We both want to focus on children. If children learn about other ways to solve issues without violence it will be reduced. Providing children with education and activities will allow them to stay occupied. Without an education there is a low chance in becoming successful because with no education, there will be no jobs and with no jobs comes along poverty and at the end of the chain poverty leads to violence. One of his solutions was a bill called Philadelphia's gun ordinances. The bill was created so that:
 • The city is allowed to force its citizens to report a lost or stolen gun within 24 hours.
 • Police are allowed to seize guns from those “considered to pose a risk to themselves or others.”
 • Those subject to a protection-from-abuse order may not own a firearm within the city.
 • Need to purchase more than one gun a month then you can.

There isn’t much that I can do to increase the process of this bill being approved. So I thought about working with him on another solution. Which is improving education opportunities and conditions, and working to reduce violence in the City Of Philadelphia & reaching out to children and discussing violence and violence prevention. To start this I will e-mail / write a letter to him with my ideas:


    •    Interventions for teens to educate them about violence and create a way for them to feel safe when they feel in danger of uncomfortable.
    •    Creating more after school programs for teens rather than just younger children.
    •    Create another organization similar to Work Ready but make it more accessible so teens can have more job opportunities.

• I will also make a Facebook page and an anonymous survey to ask my friends if these things above were to happen do they think they would be a part of it.

Public Transportation Safety Concerns_ Communication Plan

Amber Housley — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 19:46:48 -0500

I would like to directly contact organizations that deal with the public transportation safety issue. First, I will deal with the smaller organizations. Then, I will learn more about the more influential people who have the authority to alter and initiate laws. I would sit in on public meetings, if there are any regarding the issue. I will ingest the plans/topics/concerns, and discuss solutions. Currently, I consider discussing the issues with Philadelphia School District students a necessary step. I stated in an earlier lobbying post, “Police have determined that most crimes that occur on SEPTA transportation usually take place during afternoon hours especially during school dismissal time. Therefore, most of the crimes trace back to high school students.” It would be helpful to contact and collaborate with people who have been working on the issue and who share concerns similar to mine.

In my previous lobbying posts I mentioned some groups that are essential to resolving the issue and have been working in communities to raise awareness. I do not necessarily see myself speaking in front of a group of people to express my take on the issue. However, I am more than willing to work “behind the scenes” and help to organize a public event or the like. My next step in this process is identifying the members of these community groups, their group goals and initiatives, etc. My hope is that collaborating with these groups will lead to a set proposal. The proposal might be viewed and considered by Mayor Nutter, Commissioner Charles Ramsey, and anyone who takes this issue seriously. Mayor Nutter and Commissioner Ramsey are officials who I do not think will overlook the issue.

The first organization that I will attempt to collaborate with is the SEPTA Community Affairs Unit.

The Community Affairs Unit Address & Contact Information:

1234 Market Street
4th Floor
Philadelphia PA 19107

Email the Community Affairs Unit
(215) 580-5747 | Telephone
(215) 580-5789 | Fax

Considerable Communicative Tactics:

· Letters to the editor, editorials, and commentary

· Phone calls to the targeted decision maker

· Faxes to the targeted decision maker

· Emails to the targeted decision maker

· Personalized letters and postcards to the targeted decision maker

· Personal visits with the targeted decision maker

Lobbying Against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Taylor Valentine — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 20:40:42 -0500

Blog Post #4

For Blog #1, click here

For Blog #2, click here

For Blog #3, click here

A lobbyist can spend months researching the issues they feel strongly about, and weeks researching the representatives that can make a difference, but until he or she gets involved, their actions are useless.

During the last week, I’ve attempted to make my own voice heard in the mess that is the current “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal attempt. As I have made calls and written emails, I have realized that gaining recognition from large organizations and politicians is much more difficult than the democratic ideal would have you believe.

I began the process by contacting Equality Forum, which, according to my research, had yet to take a strong stance and make its voice heard on DADT. I sent the following email to Chip Alfred, Equality Forum's Communication Director:

Dear Mr. Alfred,

My name is Taylor Valentine and I am a senior at Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia. I am currently working on an American Government lobbying project focused on repealing the Pentagon’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. I’ve spent months following the news, researching the issues and learning about my representatives. I am now tasked with actively getting involved.
I recently discovered Equality Forum and realized it has yet to make its voice heard on DADT. With the number and willpower of your members, a rally, petition or joint-letter could foster public awareness and garner massive media attention on the issue. The American public is not against repeal, they are simply unconscious of the current effort to allow it. Any action involving Equality Forum would have a critical impact on Senators Bob Casey and Arlen Specter, encouraging them to proactively seek repeal.
As you may know, time is of the essence. The end of Congress’ lame-duck session will mark the end of the possibility for repealing this blatantly discriminatory law. I hope to hear from you soon and look forward to any future collaborative effort on this issue.

Sincerely,

Taylor Valentine

While I hoped to receive information detailing ways the organization planned to get involved and ways I could help, instead I received a rather brusque response. Mr. Alfred informed me that they had, in fact, taken a stand and discussed it at their annual Equality Forum, which took place in May. After digging through the website, I finally found a reference to the panel he mentioned. Honestly, I was disappointed in the lack of recent action. As the largest LGBT issue debated in recent years on the federal level, it should warrant a more public response. I then replied, asking how I could get involved. I’m still waiting on a response.

Next, I focused my attention to those with the most direct influence on the success of the repeal: my senators. I drafted a very pointed email for Senator Specter, only to find that his contact page had been shut down since he will relinquish his post in January. When I called his Philadelphia office, I left a message with a secretary, who thanked me for my comment. Although it was satisfying to voice my concern to an actual human being instead of a computer, I doubt my comments will go much further than the notepad they were recorded on.

I then directed my email to Senator Casey, who will continue after the lame-duck session ends:

Dear Senator Casey,

I am writing in regards to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and the current attempt being made to repeal it. It appalls me that such a blatantly discriminatory piece of legislation has withstood 17 years of criticism and remains in place today. This is not the example that should be set in a country of such high moral character.

Furthermore, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” has impeded our military process. In a time when our troops are deployed around the world in attempts to protect our own freedoms and those of others, what benefit can be found in discharging able and willing troops? Will it improve military readiness and cohesion, a claim that so many senators have made? The Pentagon’s study found that it would not. Will it improve the public opinion of America’s military? Absolutely not. In fact, polls have shown the opposite. So I ask you Senator, why have you allowed this policy to continue?

I ask not only for your vote, which I know you’ve already pledged, but your voice as well. In order to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” Republicans must be convinced that it is the morally appropriate and necessary decision to make. I do not need to remind you that time is of the essence. If next year’s Defense Appropriation bill does not pass with language allowing repeal, you will have failed your fellow Americans, who only wish to serve with the same dignity and respect that all other troops are granted. This is not too much to ask.

Sincerely,

Taylor Valentine

I am waiting for a response from his office, hoping that it will be more than a generic “Thank you”. I’ve realized that it is almost impossible for one citizens to make an impact without the help of others. In the coming weeks, I plan to gather support and send more emails and phones calls to my senators. I also hope to start a Facebook page about DADT, encouraging others to get involved as well.

#4 Communication

Caroline Abdulbaki — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 21:08:04 -0500

Recent News: The DREAM Act has recently passed the House but was put to on hold until possibly next week or maybe longer in the Senate because the fear of a filibuster held by GOP.

To help lobby for my legislation I am going to write a personalized letter to GOP explaining why the DREAM Act is important and why they should vote. GOP is the Republican National Committee with the chairman being Michael Steele. A personalized letter will truly show him how important the DREAM Act is from a student's perspective.

Along with my personalized letter I would hope to get some of my friends involved with this topic as well and for them to write letters to GOP in order to persuade them more because many students are writing about a topic in a way related to them. Hopefully the letters will be mailed out before the next week. If I can’t get the letters mailed out my alternative would be phone call explaining instead.

I also plan to keep updated with the Senators who are not going to vote using the DREAM Act twitter. I will try get in contact with them, whether I am able to meet with some of them in person or send them letters. It might be a little bit difficult to convince most of their minds at this point in time but it never hurts to try!

Virtual Child Pornography #4 Communication

Tajh Jenkins — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 21:21:47 -0500

Tajh Jenkins

December 9, 2010

Blog Post #4

Communication

The process for banning virtual child pornography has become somewhat stagnant over the last couple of years. When I contact an organization, I want to be able to have an impact on making virtual child pornography, or child pornography in general, a topic that the government takes more notice of. In making my first approach, I want to start off making direct contact with local organizations in Philadelphia or in the state of Pennsylvania. In order for me to meet people and start speaking with them, I have to find them. The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare is a good place to start. I can come in contact in the DPW in a variety of ways. They already openly welcome feedback, questions, comments and concerns, through their “contact us” hyper link on their website. So, being able to express myself to them should be easy.

I am willing to communicate with them, my concerns, plans and actions that I would like to take against virtual child pornography. If I can get their attention, then I would like to openly discuss solutions to make it illegal, and too make stricter laws against it. Since 2005, the DWP has released a “Child Abuse Annual Report” each year. The 2010 edition hasn’t been released, but the 2009 edition has plenty of information for me to begin with in terms of contacting the many organizations across the state that have a say on virtual child pornography and child porn in general.

After I start becoming more familiar with organizations locally about the topic, I might be able to start reaching people on a more national scale. In blog post before, I talked about wanting to contact the authors who wrote the “Guidelines for Policy Makers on Child Online Protection”. The authors of these guidelines are people from across the country who have attempted to ban virtual child porn, and who are well instilled with everything that is related to online child safety. Rather than contacting the authors, I might want to take it a step further and write a letter to Dr. Hamadoun I. Toure. He is the Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

I’m not really much of an outspoken person. To come in contact with these resources I could send emails, create a Facebook page, make phone calls, write letters and start a petition. If I’m am lucky enough maybe my efforts could get me to take it a step further and make personal visits with these resources and other decision makers. If I could find other people who are passionate about putting an end to this situation than I would be in a better position to succeed, Hopefully I can effectively use my tactics to a great advantage and put virtual child pornography on the governments radar.

Water Preservation

Qianna Nelson — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 21:43:03 -0500

Qianna Nelson

To inform more people about water preservation I want to let every one know about all the places that are helping with water preservation and I also want to help them tell the world what they are trying to do. Over the summer my job went to Tinikim national park to learn how they are helping water preservation. I wool like them to help me inform people about our water problem and hopefully they will tell ore people about the parts we are all playing in destroying the little water we have.

I will then try to get into contact with Chaka Fatah to tell him about what I have been doing and try to persuade him to also be a advocate for water preservation. I also wish to inform him on the problem that we are now living with.

There are many other organizations that are involved in helping with water preservation all over the US and it is my wish to get these organizations more well known also because they to have the same goal I wish for everyone to have. To save our water because before we know it our water will be gone.

Communication Tactics

Lenea Harris — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 22:06:03 -0500

Though there comes a time to become active, I don't feel educated enough to immerse myself into specific levels of action. I want to cover a wide array of aspects when attacking this issue. I feel that communication tactics that are on a more personal level such as making an appointment for a meeting with a representative or even phone calls and emails are something that shall come after the "smaller" or more publicly involved forms of communication.

I plan to: (in order)

- Start a Facebook or some form of popular media campaign spreading awareness. (Kind of like the so- called Child Abuse Awareness Campaign on Facebook, or the Breast Cancer Awareness situation with the posting of the color of bras.)

- Start a petition.

- Send

- Possibly arrange rallies or demonstrations.

- Send emails, fax, and make phone calls to the senators and governor.

- Set up a visit with senators and/ or the governor.

Inhumane Acts Blog Post #4

Narcissa Haskins — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 06:37:28 -0500

At this time, my main goal is to create a video on human trafficking. I have to gather information about the seriousness and combine the statistics that I have already found into the video. By January 9, 2011, I would like to send the video to Alpha Kappa Alpha head quarters in Washington DC. Once the video is their hands, I will try to send my video to Chris Smith and explain to him in a letter along with the video, my goal. With these goals accomplished, it should be the catalyst for the main work to begin. If these contacts have a good response to what I'm trying to accomplish, I believe that this can have a big impact on a many of people.

In recent news:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2010/04/29/cnnheroes.koirala.profile.cnn

Anuradha Koirala is a woman who is trying to end human trafficking in her home country.

http://www.texasnepal.com/blog/2929

Blog Post #4

Oswald Dembowski — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 09:13:21 -0500

GREAT NEWS! The house has passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. Meaning America is already heading toward reform. So this last step I will do is, make a petition for President Obama to sign it, even though we know he will it will be there just to back up how many people are in support of this.

As successful as I feel, I do feel as though I just petition. The petition shall be via Facebook so everyone can “like” it. In my opinion social network is an effective tool to get lobbying messages through so with facebook available to me, I shall petition. With facebook I can contact more groups, and ask them to “like” my petition and it lets me keep recruiting which is effective.

I hope this bill lives up to it’s expectations and really gives kids nutritional foods. When it becomes a law I wonder how long it will take into effect. The things I’d like to see happen from this bill is I hope all kids who need free-reduced lunch actually get it. The bill also says that it will extend breakfast times. I hope that happens as well. But the thing I’m most curious about is that I hope this bill teaches children more about nutritious and how much it is important to lead a healthy lifestyle. The most important thing that this bill needs to do is destroy childhood obesity, which has exponentially increased.

So I make this petition, which shall be on Facebook.

“Dear Mr. President Barack Obama,

As you probably heard, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 has been passed by the House of Representatives and is awaiting your signature to become a law. We petition that you sign this bill because not only will it help reduce hunger around the nation but it will also help tackle childhood obesity with proper nutrition. Eliminating childhood obesity will help cut health care cost by an extraordinary amount. We spend almost 90 billion dollars on healthcare because of obesity alone. In the long term, this is will help boast life expectancy and help America reduce obesity numbers. If all goes well we will have a future generation of a smarter and healthier America. “

DADT: Blog Post 4

Andre Serrano — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 13:28:20 -0500

Dear Joe Manchin,

I am writing to you with regards of the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” repeal. This is history piece of legislation is absolutely necessary to reverse this discriminatory law that has plagued our nation for nearly 18 years despite abundance of criticism and ridicule.

"Don't Ask Don't Tell weakens our national security, diminishes our military readiness, and violates the fundamental American principles of fairness, integrity, and equality."

In a survey of 400,000 service men, it was deemed that the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell would not affect their ability to perform their civic duty. 92% stated that their unit’s “ability to work together,” with a gay person was “very good, “good” or “neither good nor poor.” And 70% of Service members said they would be able to “work together to get the job done” with a gay service member in their immediate units.

The pentagon has also vowed that the implementation of this legislation would not hinder any current military efforts. Thus, there is no reason to vote against this bill that has deprived thousands of Americans from the freedom to serve their country.

You’re vote is essential to the passing of this blatantly homophobic law. I strongly urge your vote in the upcoming attempt to pass this law once it is taken out of the military spending bill and regarded as stand-alone legislation.

Sincerely,

Andre Serrano

P.S. You can learn more about this issue at my blog.

__________________________________________________________

It is absolutely essential to reverse the homophobic law that has deprived millions of American from serving their country in the military. To make the greatest impact, I decided my efforts would best be targeted towards the members of the senate who still oppose the law even after the pentagon’s report. Historically, senators have continuously voted along party lines, with the exception of Joe Manchin. Therefore, I deemed it appropriate to target Joe and the Republican Party.

Lobbying Assignment Part IV

Kourtnee Lynch — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 09:39:26 -0500

Lobbying Assignment Part IV

Objective : To create a means of communication to society regarding my lobbying topic
What method will you use to communicate with others?

Personal Letter
Faxes to targeted decision maker
Petition

http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/article-29607.html
Tasks

Send this letter to officials that support and oppose “next of kin” law.
[Attempt to ] Contact the government in regards to this topic
Use petition to strengthen my position

Personal Letter:
Dear Louise Bishop,
I am contacting you in regards of representing the “next of kin” rights. I feel that the “next of kin” law that currently withstands, should be updated and highly reconsidered. The “next of kin” law should be altered so that it grants the “next of kin” rights to an opinion on what will happen to the deceased person, and shared custody of other remaining items. I don’t think that it is fair,that marriage is chosen over fair blood.I am aware that part of the reason this law was composed was because in the past,spouses have been left with no compensation or property from the remaining spouse. Before my school year as a senior started,I sat by my best friend’s father bed side as he passed away from many diseases. Day after day,we witnessed her father suffer and after he passed,his wife,who was not in favor of us,set up for someone come and have his body cremated an hour after he passed. The daughter and other family members of the deceased person did not concur. If it wasn’t for us reaching out to the wife,the family would have been devastated. So instead of requesting that full responsibility be given to the “next of kin”, I think its fair that shared custody is appropriate,(assuming that the “next of kin” is the appropriate age at the time of death). I do understand that if their is no remaining spouse the “next of kin” will then receive what is left but I don’t think this is respectable. I hope that I have convinced you so that you support my position and help me contact and reach out to other people with higher authority.
Thank you.
Dear Wolf & Baldwin Associates,
I would first like to start off by saying that I really appreciate the fact that regarding the “next of kin” rights,you all agree that some property and money be granted to the “next of kin”. I am contacting you in regards of this topic because I believe that if the “next of kin” is at the appropriate age at the time of death then they should have equal decision on what happens to the deceased loved one. I don’t think it is fair that the remaining spouse is given all the remaining items and full responsibility over the deceased loved one when their may be other people in the family who may disagree. I also believe that all merchandise and money that is left should be spilt equally because the remaining spouse is NO more or less important than the remaining children(in this case). I know that you will jump on board this in helping me represent those who would like to see the current “next of kin” law changed.
Thank you
Petition:
Objective: To use a petition represent the number of people who support a change in the next of kin” law which states that “next of kin” receives a portion of the remaining funds of the deceased person. Also,that they do not have custody over what happens to the corpse(being at the appropriate age)
Opening statement for Petition: With this petition I hope that you will support me with changing the “next of kin” law so that the “next of kin” will share custody with the remaining spouse{if their is one} or be given all the property and funds if their is no remaining spouse. With the desired amount of people,I hope to get the signatures that I need to strengthen my position in this situation.
Follow ups:

To email the following people who have been notified about this issue and check in on any upcoming information
To send out second copies of any information to confirm arrival.(if necessary)
Call people who have contacted to check their status or see what they have to say

Blog Post #4 - Jeremy Cothran

Jeremy Cothran — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 13:06:09 -0500

To Communicate with people I am going directly for the representatives and senators who will be voting for or against this bill. To do this, I am preparing a standard email that I will be able to send out to representatives and senators. This method of communication is formal and professional, Which is good if I want the people I'm trying to influence take me seriously.

If I don't get a response by email, my alternative will be to contact them via phone, and state my opinion and try to encourage them to vote this bill down.

Not only do I plan to contacting the big guys, I'm taking it down a level. Im going to take it to everyday people, and encourage them to take action against this bill, with Informative resources and methods to take action with.

With this bill being out on Calender, I have been granted more time to extend my efforts and hopefully make change that will work towards my goal.

Planning a Course of Action

Desiree Mack — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 16:13:46 -0500

Over The Next few weeks I will be composing a letter addressing Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown concerning the issue of gaining more funding for recreation centers in Philadelphia. From the letter I hope to set up a meeting to collaborate in writing a bill to propose to Mayor Michael Nutter. The next step would be to go out to all the recreation centers in Philadelphia and ask for their support and with that ask them to participate in a short movie showing the importance of the recenter in the community.

I will post the video on all major video streaming websites and on the SLA blogs. After the video I will draft up some flyers to promote the cause, recruit my friends to pass them out, and try to get signatures to petition for more money recreation centers. Within the next few months I would like to submit an article to the Philadelphia Inquirer talking about the progress my team has made and what we would like to accomplish in the future.

Course of action!

Graham Davis — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 09:17:46 -0500

Email to the Organization:

Dear Pro life,

I am doing a project in school about how/ and who can reduce the number of abortions each year, all over. There are some people with in the state of PA that would like to see this happen as well and can spread that news to higher powered authorities in the state and all over. Abortion is something that i see as a major crime, and should be treated as a crime.

I have been researching about the effects that it has on specific people, and why. also i have been really looking into who is for and against it so i can know who will help and who will not. There are a couple of senators that are really into not having the government support anything that has to do with abortion and taking a life. Even the President of the United States is for not having the govt. pay for any kind of abortion related activity within the US, and that can be a major changing factor for winning this battle sometime in the future.

There is a lot to be thinking about in that there are a lot of factors that only one can seem capable of completing. There are things that I as a young adult can only complete in this challenge. I need to know what i can be doing, and even if i can be doing anything to further help the organization of pro-life, to thence and further produce a positive effect on the people who are trying to make this problem get better in the future.

-Graham Davis.

I have already sent the email, and will be following up with them in the future.

Process for Campaign

Glenn Brailsford — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 12:36:52 -0500

Thoughts: 12/9 - I was going to write a few letters to send the different people in charge of finances such as the Mayor, CFO and who ever else I can send a letter to that will have a direct effect on the way that our finances are managed. I think that I will also make posters and try to hand out fliers that display something intriguing about our cities finances. I think that in order to really capture the audiences attention I’m going to have to make the fliers either very vibrant or have maybe a table listing how our finances our spent and [if I can find it] how much each member of our government makes like the mayor, CFO, etc...
• Process: First I will gather more information and think about everything I want to say in my letter to send out. I don’t think I will send out multiple copies of the same later because I don’t want to sound repetitive. I want each letter I send out to make a statement all on it’s own.

- For my fliers I hope to attract a lot of attention to myself maybe with some sort of catchy saying or something then get people to ask questions based on what info I will have on my fliers.

Communication!

Christine Walden — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 16:13:19 -0500

Throughout my previous blog posts I have been mentioning various lawmakers and restoration groups with whom I would like to get acquainted. I have a building in need of saving and I find I cannot accomplish this alone. I have now reached the stage in my campaign where I can no longer list folks I should like to meet but must actually take the steps to forge the bond. How do I plan on meeting (hopefully) my new colleagues? Read on dear friends, read on. First I plan on sending a letter. Outdated? Perhaps. Unoriginal? Indeed. Effective if done properly? Oh yes. We need these folks to understand the importance of protecting these buildings, particularly the Divine Lorraine. A letter is a most perfect medium for a heartfelt expression of the importance of revitalizing these dilapidated structures. However, a few letters alone will not bring about the change necessary to this cause but it is a fine start.

Another approach worthy of consideration, nay, of being enacted is to create little, adorable, perhaps comical films to be put on youtube. This will spread awareness and hopefully interest in the matter. This will lead to a meeting with various relevant people solidifying the explanation of its importance, a meeting that will involve the lawmakers to whom I have been sending letters. (Most likely just one letter, perchance two if pushed to such limits.)

One other approach I am considering to spread the word is a Dear Stranger campaign. I place festively designed envelopes with letters inside telling of my cause throughout the city and allow curious individuals to peak inside. I am tossing the idea around.

Adoption Reflection (Tajh & McKelly)

Mckelly Timothy — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 08:34:04 -0500

Adoption Flow Chart

My partner and I decided to choose adoption for our bureaucratic task. We first researched Adoption. We looked for steps and qualifications. We tried to find paper work but to receive the paperwork you have to contact an agency. The way the paperwork was described seemed difficult but within reason. There is a lot to do. Regardless of how awesome you may think your family is or how perfect you filled out paperwork the agency and lawyers have almost all of the say if you’re a good fit for adopting a child.

If I could change anything about my bureaucratic function and the process, I would want to contact a person who adopted a child. This would give me a chance to get a more realistic point of view on adoption and get information about the process that wasn’t available from researching.

After completing the flowchart, which included many steps to just meet a child or to get approved to be a candidate for adopting a child. I realized that this process is very complicated. I think that the bureaucratic system is complicated because all of the bureaucratic functions are serious and especially with adoption a child's life is involved. Maybe the process is complicated because it is a test for commitment and to also check to insure the person applying for the function is reliable and will live up to the responsibilities. I think it is also difficult because bureaucratic functions are things that everyone doesn’t qualify for. If adopting, divorce, buying a house, and getting a restraining order was available to everyone who applied it would be no purpose in applying for them.

Food Stamps: Glenn & Kamille

Glenn Brailsford — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 08:38:05 -0500

Car Registration Rob and Graham

Robert Nurse — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 08:39:52 -0500

http://www.lucidchart.com/documents/view/4d07be86-c19c-4c33-8639-52000af90ae1

Applying for Welfare Benefits

Taniera Reid — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 08:50:33 -0500

Flow Chart: Applying for Welfare benefits

Welfare: How Do I Get On Welfare?

Eligibility: To be eligible for welfare, one must be a U.S. citizen or lawfully admitted to the country for permanent residence, have little to no income. When a person applies for welfare, his/her citizenship is reviewed as well as each household member before access can be granted. A social securities number is required for all applicants. Social securities numbers will be needed not only for the applicant, but the each member living in the household of the applicant. Work requirement vary depending on the state an applicant. Some states provide work and/or training programs. Work is not always required for some applicants. For example, an individual in a single-parent household, with a child under 12 months old, may be temporarily excused from work requirements. Temporarily or permanently disabled recipients, and those involved in substance abuse programs are also excused from work. Applicants attending college may be exempt from work as long as their education meets welfare requirements.

Application Process: all applicants must complete the welfare application. You may download the application, then mail for processing. Or, you can find your nearest “human services” or welfare office and fill out an application in person. An online application is also available. If you need help with the application, contact your caseworker for assistance. Your caseworker will tell you which programs you are eligible for. Some programs may require documentation to prove your income, bills, marital status, and other information. After you’ve submitted all necessary documentation along with your application to your caseworker, he/she will submit the paperwork and let you know if you are eligible.

Opening a Restaurant

Bria Wimberly — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 09:03:39 -0500

Briefly summarize the bureaucratic 'task' that you selected.

Narcissa and I decided to open an Italian restaurant. We filled out papers necessary to have a business, selling, and having a license.

Give an overview of your process

First we filled out registration for our tax number to fill out the business license. Those are important to own a building and cash checks. Then we filled out the DBA, the Fictitious Name of our restaurant, then the EIN, Employer Identification Number is important if you want people working under your business. Afterwards we completed the Seller's Permit to sell things at our business.

Reflect upon the paperwork that you needed to fill out. Was it straightforward, easy, difficult, perplexing, etc.

Our paperwork wasn't hard, it was straightforward to complete.

If you could change one thing about the bureaucratic process that you flow charted, what would it be and why?

Something I would change is to lower the prices for all the documents needed for a selling business. I'm sure it's hard for small businesses to start because of money.

Why do you think the systems have become so complicated?

I think it became complicated so people who are dedicated to their business will work hard to start it. Owners who do things carelessly is wasting money.

Other thoughts, reflections, feedback.

It was hard to find the documents online to fill out.

Bureaucratic Reflection

Oswald Dembowski — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 09:07:53 -0500

We selected applying for a Green Card. Applying for a green card requires a lot and different forms must be filled out under various circumstances like if your getting somebody over here, or coming here for work. But the main forms that need to be filled out for such things is I-130, DS230, and I-485. All these forms require a fee that's incredible expensive and not to mention there are a lot of stupid question the you must answer.

Our process was kind of a long and tedious one. We began to actually fill out the paper work first like we were actually trying to get someone over here which was a pain in the butt. I kind of stepped into my parents' shoes for that process. Then we took notes on the paper work we were filling out. From these notes we were able to make the flow chart.

The paperwork had a lot of repeating and stupid questions. These question asked anything that if you probably said yes to it would not grant you access to the U.S. So I mean anybody could obviously lie about that. The paperwork itself wasn't that complicated, but it was just really LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG.

If I could change the flow chart in one way, I would made it longer and more specific but there was not much room on lucid chart and there was space limitation. LucidChart was over all cool but free-trials often limit you a lot. I would have done this on Inspiration if we still had it on our macs.

I think the reason these bureaucratic processes are so complicated especially anything to do with immigration is because there are a lot of forged applications and ones that are just complete fraud to gain access.

Overall I thought this project was really cool and it really got me to learn a lot.

Bureacracy Reflection

Oscar Holton — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 09:08:40 -0500

My bureaucratic 'task' was the process of getting a restraining order.

A restraining orders is needed to protect victims of violence and harassment from further abuse. In order for someone to get a restraining order, they must have been abused or threatened. They would need to go to a courthouse to get the restraining order forms to fill out. They must have information of the offender as well. After that a judge must look at the papers and either decide to give an immediate restraining order depending on the circumstances or they will call you for a court hearing. They will decide if you will get a restraining order. Once you have one, you are suppose to take them to your local sheriff's department.
The easy part was making a flow chart once I understood the process. The most difficult part was find the actual restraining order forms to fill out. I wouldn't change anything about this bureaucratic process. Everything in the process seems appropriate to keep.

Bureacracy Reflection

Sinnea Douglas — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 09:09:32 -0500

I did my project on applying for welfare benefits. The benefits included food stamps, health care coverage, child care, etc. The process was sort of hard because to apply for benefits online you have to create an account and fill out a lot of personal information but I couldn't do that because that was not apart of the project. So I had to stop at a certain point. If I could change this process I would make it so that people could find out more about the process online before actually applying and having to give out personal information. I think this process in particular is complicated because the government is giving you aid. If they are going to give it to you they want to know that you absolutely need it. The only way the can find that out is by getting all your personal information like income, bank reports, pay stubs, etc.

How to Obtain a Liquor License

Andre Serrano — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 09:09:52 -0500

The bureaucratic function I chose to investigate further was how to obtain a liquor license.

The process to obtain a liquor license isn't that strenuous, but it does take a lot of time and money. The application fee in Philadelphia can range between $65,000 and $100,000. You submit the fee with the application and all necessary documents to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, which then starts an investigation through the applicant's history. If you have a criminal record your application can almost immediately be disregarded. Throughout the investigation you must submit a public notice to your local newspaper incase the public has any objections to you receiving a liquor license.

All of the required paperwork was relatively easy to fill out. All of the questions were straight forward. We were also asked to supply the proposed food menu, interior/exterior designs, a code compliance certificate for the premises.

I think all parts of this process are necessary. The application fee, to an extent, ensures that only qualified people obtain a liquor license. The public has a right to know who is serving alcohol in their neighborhood, and it is essential to make sure that no criminals receive a license.

Bureaucratic functions have become increasingly difficult to obtain because it is essential that, at least in this situation, only qualified applicants make it through the process.

Bureacracy Reflection:

Glenn Brailsford — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 09:10:03 -0500

1) We selected food stamps. We talked out the process of how to get food stamps.

We went over filling out the paperwork, where to get it from and the interview process.

2) Our process was basically to fill out the application and to find out what it was like to go through filling out a lot of paperwork. We had to come up with different numbers such as social security and policy numbers for our insurance and things of that nature. We then had to get to work on starting our flow chart. We didn't really know how we wanted to do it at first but we tried some different things out and finally found something that worked.

3) The paperwork wasn't hard but it wasn't the easiest thing to fill out either. There were a lot of thing included in it that we didn't understand. We did the best we could with creating a fake identity and to come up with a social security number and with numbers for his insurance such as the policy number. Overall there were still some questions we had about the application itself because there were a lot of thing on there that didn't make sense, at least to us.

4) i would change the interview/paperwork process. I think that there should always be a worker or someone working with you throughout the process so there won't be the chance of getting turned down or anything. You can make sure you have all the paperwork and make sure that everything is filled out correctly the first time. Or at elate there should be someone that explains everything from the beginning of the process.

5) I think it's become so complicated for a variety of reasons. 1, in my opinion, is that they need to make sure there aren't any frauds going on and that there is accurate information being given and the right system for each person if given. Also to make sure people are serious about what is going on I guess they need to make it long because people wouldn't waste their time on something that they weren't serious about.

6) I just want to say if someone was going to fill out the application to make sure they do it with some so they don't get confused and will have done everything correctly.

Buying a HUD Home

Dominque Miller — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 09:10:45 -0500

My partner, Sky, and I tackled the process of buying a HUD home. A HUD home is a house owned by the state because it had previously been repossessed from its previous owner. The process it self was not very difficult, if you have a good broker/Realtor. Once you have found a decent home you can enter different programs like Teachers Next Door to get a reduced mortgage, as Sky and I did. After having a very vigorous inspection of the house you want to buy, and after it passes you can place a bid and hope the seller excepts it. If they do you can move onto closing to officially own the home, but if not you must start from the beginning of the process. After you official receive the home you must get home owners insurance and then finally sign the closing papers.

Now, even though the process was not very hard the paperwork was extremely difficult. Plus, my partner and I entered the Teachers Next Door Program which just added more paperwork. Filling out the Tax form was the most difficult paper and the rest was just very tedious. There were about 20 pages worth addendums and disclosure we had sign. It seemed a little scary because of all the 'Lead Paint Disclosures' it made the house seem not safe at all to live in.

If I could change somethings about the process, I would make it accessible online. If I was able to fill out all the information once and have it carry over to all the other hundreds of forms like, it would make it so much easier. I think these processes are so difficult because the American government want to be too specific and just difficult. Some things are just not needed in order to do things like buy a house or start a restaurant.

Overall the project turned out good. I feel as though Sky and I were able to make the process easy with out flow chart. Also I don't think we could have done all these this without the assistance of my aunt who is a Realtor and helped us with the process. Thus, proving why you need a good Realtor to handle this process.

Getting A Marriage License

Qianna Nelson — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 09:12:19 -0500

The task that my partner and I chose was how to get a marriage license. To get a marriage license is not complicated at all. You just need to have your Social Security Number and pay the $80 fee. If you have been married before or had your name changed you need to have the proper documentation proving such things. Also if you are a minor you need parental consent and you pay a extra $10 per person.

To collect our information we simply went on the Philadelphia Government website and collected the steps that people need to take to get their marriage license. Once we collected the steps we drew our flow chart on paper to see how all of the steps would connect together. Then we made our chart digital using lucid charts.

There isn't really paper work that you need to fill out. As I stated before you need only your social security number and all the proper documentation then to sign your signature, so it is very simple to get your marriage license.

I would change the fact that you have to pay $80 to get married, either I would take away the fee or I would lessen it. Because everywhere else in Pennsylvania the fee is $25.

I think that these systems don't need to be so complicated, the government makes you go through so much just to get what you want. I don't think there is a real reason for it all.

Reflection

Graham Davis — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 09:12:59 -0500

Briefly summarize the bureaucratic 'task' that you selected.

Well for ours, Rob and I, we had to research the process in order to get your car registered, we also found out about things like changing your plates in the process. There were steps that had to be taken in order to get you car registered.

Process:

We first broke down the work according to what the other person was willing to do.

Then we divided it evenly and gathering as much information as a team, we then picked out the most important things that we both had researched that were the same.

We put the major steps that we found in order to get your registration and we put them in a bulleted list and arranged them in the best order in order to complete the price.

I then sent the list to rob, and he has done more flow charts than I have, so he put the bulleted list in order, and after that was done.

After that was done, i got any forms that were necessary for registering your car and i filled those out.

The Paperwork:

Was quite simple there was one for a registration, and then one for a custom plate change. They were easy to fill out ant to the point.

I think that the change that would be made is the program that we used, there was another that was found later but to late, and you could add a lot more.

Registering your car doesnt seem as complicated as the other processes that i have heard about so im not sure if it was complicated, but for us it seemed pretty simple.

I think we did well but it can always improve.

Pennsylvania Firearm Laws: Cam & Byrd

Anthony Byrd — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 09:13:18 -0500

The bureaucratic task that i selected was the Firearm Laws in Pennsylvania. I made a flowchart according to the laws stating that you need a license to carry a concealed weapon and to have it in the car. The first thing that I had to do was to brush up on the law and the process in which you have to go through to carry a concealed weapon

Welfare Benefits: Reflection

Taniera Reid — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 09:13:42 -0500

The bureaucratic ‘task’ that my partner and I selected was to outline the steps needed to apply for welfare benefits. The process included research, paperwork and a flowchart. Our flowchart consisted of the necessary steps needed to receive welfare benefits. The paperwork consisted of an application in the form of about 30 pages. This was a very tedious process. We made certain that the alias name and information we used to fill out the application was as eligible for welfare benefits as possible. We created alias children to make our applicant seem like a struggling mom in need of financial assistance as well as other assistance in order to raise her children effectively. The process as well as the application was monotonous. There are so many women who do not qualify for welfare benefits because their income is above the poverty line. There are also other women who need financial assistance immediately, but the process is so long they may not get the necessary financial aid they need in a timely manner. I would change these aspects of the bureaucratic process because it inconveniences the welfare applicants who need it most. The system has become so complicated because there were many welfare benefits applicants who may have lied and worked around the “system” receiving more money than needed. To cut down on wasteful distribution of financial assistance, the process has become more complicated to make certain the applicant’s who need welfare the most is able to receive it.

Business Ownership Flow Chart

Narcissa Haskins — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 09:14:20 -0500

For this assignment in American Government, my partner Bria Wimberly and I had to complete a bureaucratic process. Originally we were going to do a flow chart that explained the process of applying into the air force. In the process of our research, we both came to the conclusion, that the process was quite annoying and decided to complete the process of opening up a restaurant.

We first had to go online and find all of the paper work that was required, and fill the paper work out. The paper work itself asked for simple things, for example, what was the address of the business going to be located and what was your mailing and billing address going to be located. It became a tad difficult when we had to research what a DBA and EIN was and why you needed it to own a business. I believe that this was complicated because I personally, never realized so much went into owning your own business. Over all, I really enjoyed doing this project mainly because I learned new ways to create a presentation.

Green Card Application Process Flow Chart

Taylor Valentine — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 09:15:59 -0500

For this project, my partner and I researched the process required to obtain a U.S. green card, which allows an immigrant to permanently live in the country. The actual steps and forms that are needed depend on a person's reason for coming. We decided to apply as a family member of a U.S. citizen and filled out three forms: I-130, Petition for Alien Relative; DS-230, Application for Alien Registration; and I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. Regardless of a person's reason, numerous questions must be answered about the immigrant's history and future plans to ensure he or she is admissible.

The forms were a nightmare to complete. The same questions were repeated multiple times and clear instructions were never given on how to proceed after a form was filed. The most upsetting realization I had was that immigrants were required to go through this same process. If my partner and I, both English-speaking seniors, had this much confusion during the process, it must be nearly impossible for a person just learning English to do.

This bureaucratic function has become so complicated because over the years, the United States' immigration standards have become more exacting. Many believe that if a person cannot complete the process, they do not deserve to be in the U.S. While unfair, this country is very elitist and that is shown in the processes of our bureaucracy.

Throughout the process, I couldn't help but notice how expensive it was. To obtain a green card through family, it cost $1,845 in filing fees. This is a ridiculous amount, especially for an immigrant who is probably looking for a better life in the U.S. On top of this large sum, lawyers are almost always needed, given the complicated language in the paperwork. If I could change one part of this process, I would change this price. Unfortunately, obtaining a green card has a prohibitive price tag for many immigrants.

Link to flow chart: https://www.lucidchart.com/documents/view/4d08f603-13f8-4783-afaf-310b0af90ae1

Bureaucracy Project

Caroline Abdulbaki — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 09:24:07 -0500

In American Government we were asked to choose a bureaucratic task and go through the process of completing it, and the task that I chose to complete was divorce.

Divorce is a process that needs patience in order to be completed properly and without many complications. My partner and I had a few disagreements here and there about certain topics but other than that it went smoothly and we were able to "final our divorce." The complications that usually revolve around divorce are if children/child are involved, the different types, and amount of paper work needed to fill out. You also need to hire a notary, have a non-lawyer and a judge which if you do not have are roadblocks in the process. The language of the paperwork is also confusing because the way certain sentences are phrased, if you are able to understand it, then everything is basically straightforward.

If I were able to change anything about the divorce process it would be the amount of paper work involved. I felt as if a lot of the paper work was repeated throughout the different packets that were required to fill out.

The systems may have become much more complicated because in a larger country that circumstances have changed, resulting in unnecessary paper work.

Divorce

John DeSalis — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 09:25:15 -0500

Other thoughts, reflections, feedback.

The bureaucratic 'task' that my partner and myself selected, was how to apply for a divorce in the State of Pennsylvania.

Our process was very rigorous, and by that I mean that their was certain times where I wanted to give up and goto an alternative route to this "divorce."

As for the paperwork part of this process, let's just say you wont be a big fan of the environmentalist with all the paperwork that is involved with this. By that, I mean that their was certain portions that were almost 8 pages long, and all together I think that we filled out a total of 22 pages in our process. This paperwork is not only long, but it becomes a whole different process, because you have to get judges, non-lawyers, as well as a notary. Thus, making this paperwork difficult to fill out, but also pretty much straight forward with the language it uses.

I think if I had to change anything to this process, I would have to change the amount of paperwork involved. Not only would I do that, but I would try not to make this any more difficult for people than it already is.

I think the system has become more harder, because since we became such a larger country, the circumstances have changed, and with more circumstances comes unnecessary paperwork.

I sometimes wanted to give Caroline the "OJ" treatment :)

The online flowchart is : http://www.lucidchart.com/documents/view/4d0b60aa-81d0-4743-a2c7-66840af90ae1

Foster Parent

Kourtnee Lynch — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 12:44:01 -0500

The bureaucratic task that I completed was a flow chart. This task was mildly complicated because I had to make sure that the flow chart corresponded with the application. I most importantly needed to make sure that the flow chart made logical sense and that for each question there was both a yes and no option. My process was probably more difficult than the application because I had to make sure that the questions were gong in the proper direction and that the were as accurate as possible,assuming that this flow chart would be in an assistance in the real world. The paper work was fairly easy,there were some questions that took more time then others but for the most part,filling out this application reminded me of a resume and a job application combined. In this situation,the more information is better so that the social worker can be sure that he/she is making the best decision for the child(ren). If I could change anything about this process,I wouldn't because as I said before these processes need to be a as accurate and precise for the children's safety. These systems have become complicated because there may have been cases where accidents have occurred and often taken lightly. In order to make sure that the least accidents happen as possible,they processes need to be as complex as possible

Adoption Reflection

Tajh Jenkins — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 13:09:08 -0500

1.) Briefly summarize the bureaucratic 'task' that you selected.

The bureaucratic task that my partner and I selected was "Adoption." Adoption is a complicated process to got through and it is rather lengthy. Before even starting the steps, you have to make it a priority to learn about adoption an decided if this is what you really want. Decided if parenting is something that you my want to add to your life. At times this process can be overwhelming, but if you really passionate about taking in a child and if your ready to have a child or teenager in your life to provide for, then this is the best way to go.

2.) Give an overview of your process

The first thing you should do is learn everything about adoption. Whether it's tendencies or statistics, you should want to lean them and keep them in mind. Finding an agency should be easy. Then you have to complete a home-study, so the agency can determine your qualification before you can search for a child that best fist you. Once you find your child, you have to exchange information between you and the agency. Once your information is reviewed the agency will contact you to tell you if your are selected. If you are selected you will meet and visit the child to get acquainted, then receive a placement. When the placement is finished you will finalize the adoption which include paper work. Finally you will be able to live your new life with your adoptive child.

3.) Reflect upon the paperwork that you needed to fill out. Was it straightforward, easy, difficult, perplexing, etc.

My partner and I were not able to get the actual paper work for adoption. In order to get the paper work we would have had to make online accounts with different agencies websites. Since we aren't really adopting, we did not want to create actual accounts and give the agencies our personal information.

4.) If you could change one thing about the bureaucratic process that you flow charted, what would it be and why?

I would not change anything about the bureaucratic process. I happen to believe that each step within the process is necessary.

5.) Why do you think the systems have become so complicated?

I think systems have become so complicated because the systems have grown and changed. Systems have to make sure that people are qualified for what they want to do. Therefore people might have to endure obstacles and complications, but if they are the right people, then it should be a straightforward process.

Other thoughts, reflections, feedback.

Liquor License

Christopher Cassise — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 13:47:10 -0500

Chris Cassise
Briefly summarize the bureaucratic 'task' that you selected.
We selected the liquor license as our bureaucratic task for a restaurant in a zone applicable for selling liquor. So we chose two restaurants Adobe cafe and Popis Italian restaurant.
Give an overview of your process
We found all the documents that had to be filled out and then seen what the checklist paper on what of them stated we needed to do. From there we created the flow chart using various step by step websites obtaining one and the paperwork documents.
Reflect upon the paperwork that you needed to fill out. Was it straightforward, easy, difficult, perplexing, etc
The paper work was only around 5 pages and pretty straightforward. There wasnt any hard parts except for finding out the height and width for how much space the alcoholic beverages are going to be sold on.
If you could change one thing about the bureaucratic process that you flow charted, what would it be and why?
I think make some more room to show all the different types of liquor licenses you can apply to if your not a restaurant and maybe show the transfer documents and how that is also a different process then just focusing on obtaining one.
Why do you think the systems have become so complicated?
The systems probably became so complicated to stop fraudulent processing. These documents asked and information asked really show you need everything, you cant just get away with estimating or lying.
Other thoughts, reflections, feedback.
I thought this project was informative and definitively opened my eyes about how confusing and complicated these bureaucratic functions are

http://www.lucidchart.com/documents/edit/4d07c4af-2bac-4ea4-b8a9-391d0afcbe04/0

FAFSA Process_Reflection

Amber Housley — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 20:05:01 -0500

The bureaucratic task that my partner, Lenea, and I selected is FAFSA. FAFSA is the free application for federal student aid, which is used for receipt of federal, school, and state aid. Lenea and I began by identifying the major components of the FAFSA—documentation, important steps, etc—we then examined the general components in greater depth. Eventually we both tried to tackle different aspects of the FAFSA process. We reconvened to share the information we found regarding our assigned parts of the FAFSA via google document and in-person discussion. As we both anticipated, the flow chart layout was the most challenging and time-consuming part of the project. However, we both continued to collaborate and compromise to create a solid, effective, and visually appealing product.

The paperwork for the FAFSA was straightforward, but when I arrived at the parent section things became confusing. I was not familiar with some of the questions—maybe because I am not familiar with the terms and I do not possess the information that was requested. I am sure that parents will be able to properly complete the section. I can’t identify any aspects of the FAFSA that should be changed because I understand, somewhat, why each step might be essential to the purpose of the process. The system might have become complicated so that people do not attempt to manipulate the system. The FAFSA specifically inquires a lot about family income, earnings, etc. The questions serve to ensure that the proper amount of money is granted to each family.

Reflection

Edward Abbott — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 14:05:28 -0500

Getting A Restraining Order

The paperwork for getting a Restraining Order really wasn't a lot. The bulk of the work had to be filled out by a court hearing. The most tedious part on there was having to fill out the paper work part for the kids if you have more then 5. Also when they ask for a description of the person your getting the order against, not that its weird but knowing there height, eye color, and weight seems a bit much.

If I could change one thing on my flow chart I would want it to be more complicated. Sometimes i feel like the more complicated things are it makes the subject more interesting.

I think this process has become as complicated as it is because anybody can get in trouble for any little thing. So making sure that they are not liable for anything they will cover each and every crack they can.

The only problem I had was locating a Philadelphia Restraining Order.

Bureaucracy Reflection

Kamille Granby — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 15:01:31 -0500

My bureaucratic 'task' that I selected was task Food Stamps. Food Stamps generally help low-income people purchase food. Although some of the wording on the paperwork was confusing. The paperwork was also lengthy and seemed to ask the easiest questions in the most complicated way. I would not change anything. The whole process was pretty straightforward altogether. But I think the systems have become so complicated so that the people who do not NEED the system, will not abuse it.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cVqOWzI78QjbhCxG_BbIuwSdgQ0H-8DWZACXH3agVfs/edit?hl=en

Immigration #4....

John DeSalis — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 15:14:17 -0500

As we already know, illegal immigration has become a recent rise in our country... However, it recently is comming up more in our nation not only through the DREAM act; which would allow immigrants the proper education of an AMERICAN citizen, I somewhat think this is a good thing, but at the same time it is WRONG. But dont let me get started on that issue, I came here to say that talking about the current problem with immigration is a "touchy" topic with politicians and many other high officials.

With that being said, not many politicians will be so quick to jump and do something on the issue as quick as you would hope they would. Which to me is kind of a let down and would really bring down my hopes of once again seeing this country taking action on the problem.

Buying a Home from the Department of Housing and Urban Development

Sky Kalfus — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 22:19:49 -0500

My partner and I chose to illustrate the process of a buying a HUD home. We began by reading the instructions available on the HUD website and choosing a house from the HUD Home Store. Next, we acquired the necessary paperwork frommy partner's aunt, who is a real estate agent. The paperwork for buying a HUD home turned out to be voluminous but straight forward . The hardest part of buying a house, we discovered, is negotiating with people about purchasing the house, and getting it inspected. The forms, as intimidating as they initially seem, actually guide the process. Furthermore, a person buying a HUD home would have a broker or a real estate agent to explain each step of the procedure. It's the decision making, the money managing, not the bureaucracy, that makes buying a home an arduous process.

Foster Parenting

Amirah Burkett — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 10:31:06 -0500

Kourtnee and I (Amirah Burkett) selected the bureaucratic task of becoming a Foster Parents in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I believe the hardest part of our project was the flow chart, it was the most complicated. The paperwork we needed to fill out was pretty straightforward and easy being as though we made ours how we wanted to fill it out, and it went into some detail. We couldn't find any official foster parent documents so we piggy backed off of a lot of other applications in other states. The flow chart is very similar to the application and asks most of the same questions. All of the qualifications steps like home inspections, being at least 21 years of age, and at least 36 hours of foster caring classes. I believe some systems have become more complicated because there's always going to be a person who's trying to get around it, so i guess they made it a little more complicated for certain bureaucratic 'tasks'

Bureaucracy Reflection

Robert Nurse — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 10:47:33 -0500

Process:

For our process Graham and I split up the work accordingly. We both picked what we were going to do and set up a timeline on when we were going to get it done. Graham and i both researched how to register your car, we compared information, and decided to use his. From here i decided I'd do the LucidChart and he would do the paper forms.

The LucidChart was kind of easy. Since all the car registration data was easy to understand making the lucidchart was quite easy.

Registering your car doesn't seem as complicated as people make it out to be. But, upon doing this project when it comes to registering a car I know what to expect.

We did well but we can alway improve.

License to Tie the Knot

Desiree Mack — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 10:50:07 -0500

The easiest task in the Bureacratic system is obtaining a marriage license. My partner and I found that the hardest part of this process would be to come up with the eighty dollar fee (minors pay 100 dollars). To research the process of getting a marriage license to create a flow chart, first my partner and I searched the city of Philadelphia's official website. We hit the jackpot with that website it had all the information we needed for every possible situation couples trying to wed could be in.

To get a marriage license in Philadelphia, you need the eighty dollar fee, your social security card or document containing your social security number. If a person was married before they need proof of dissolution of marriage or the death certificate of your former mate along with the previously stated items. If you are minor you need parental consent and an extra ten dollars per person. Lastly if you've had your name changed you need the court order. After you bring all the required materials all there is left to for the couple to do is sign their signature.

They only thing I would change about this process is lower the fee for the license. Philadelphia has the highest fee in the state.

Blog post 3 (graham)

Tue, 21 Dec 2010 13:08:58 -0500

Blog #3

1. What is the status of your issue at the legislature? Is this a "good" year?
This year is a good year according this there is going to be a stop to all abortion funding by the government, under the issue of Obama. This addition to Obamas health care plan has not only reduced the number of abortions but has also sent a message out to the country that they should not rely on the government to not only deal with a personal problem but also to destroy a life.

2. Who is essential to the outcome?

According to Obama, there are a few major people that have demonstrated that they have a say on the issue of abortion. They are the Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, and the second, a major judge, Leah Ward Sears. They are two major factors in this fight. That added on to the fact that they are both women, and the fact that the problem is abortion that they will have the most voice in this situation because in one of these controversial moments women will have more voice when talking to women because they have something to relate to in life.

3. Who else is working on this? Can you coordinate?

There are many other organizations that are trying to reduce the amount of abortions every day, year, and decade. Some of them include: Americans United for Life, Philadelphia Women Center, and some other smaller ones. Their mission is to help the women of the country to not only keep a child but at the same time save one. There are many things that I can do in order to facilitate with these groups. Such as send and e-mail or even a phone call, to set up some kind of in-person interview so that this can further succeed.

4. Who can you influence?

Abortion is the influence on women all over the world. They ask these different kind of questions, and yet abortion has their answers that they want about either saving their child or getting rid of them. Students in schools especially teen mothers, are people who would majorly be influenced by this. And with the 2 women mentioned before there will be major influence put upon them.

5. What is the time frame?

There is no set time frame for this and there cannot be one set unless there is a major realization for persons out there. Abortions happened every day and every minute. There cannot be a set time that this all can cease. There are things that people have that are setbacks, therefore making it extremely difficult for the people to set a time frame. There will be a drop however, because of the health care plan that Obama set up. And that could reduce the time frame by not a lot even though we dont know what it may be.

-Links would not go in, here they are:

http://blog.heritage.org/2010/08/02/obamacare’s-porous-protections-against-funding-elective-abortion/

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=31898

http://aul.org/aul3.html?cdtrack_creative=cbee5cc0-46a5-4590-861b-1347c3cf836c&cdtrack_source=3db6b64a-7523-476f-83ab-f6d50ea69417&gclid=CMjYhqSOyaUCFQJN4Aod4VqXYQ

http://blog.heritage.org/2010/08/02/obamacare’s-porous-protections-against-funding-elective-abortion/

Bureaucratic Flowchart Reflection

Christine Walden — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 15:13:30 -0500

Me and the great Harrison "The Cat" Talese-Rhodes were tasked with understanding how to file income tax and decided shortly after we began that never should wish to have to go through this process again. as Harrison said "I would rather get divorced than file income tax." Things did, however, take a turn for the better when we permitted to put limitations on the project, having to understand the income tax process for a single person with no dependents, it became markedly better. It became a great deal simpler for us to understand the basic steps and by the end we felt somewhat comfortable with income tax for single, dependent-less people. (If we were to have to do this for a family of four we may not have been able to finish.) When it came to paperwork, it was for the most part rather straightforward when you had the W-2 and instructions in hand. The biggest problem we initially faced was determining which of the 3 forms we needed to fill out and which aspects of the W-2 were relevant. With help we overcame such obstacles.

This foray into income tax, though logical in a fashion, when completely finished would benefit from changes being made to the resources provided to those filing for the first time. It took quite a bit of scavenging to find the list determining which 1040 form needed to be filled out and the list itself was mildly confusing. If I could change one thing I would make it so more of the lists were created and clearly displayed, filled with every and any definition one might need to complete this bureaucratic function.

As I list these recommendations for alterations I would like to see in this system, I must take a moment to consider why it has become so very complex way. I think in its initial creation it was rather simple since there were a limited number of lifestyle options. Now if you can dream is you can live it. What once was frowned upon or done by few is commonplace, the amount of diversity that has become ingratiated into American life is amazing. This diversity soon needed to be accounted for by its government and they most certainly did want to recreate the system to accommodate changes that may very well disappear in a few years so they add and add form after form leading to the overly complex system now in place. Or that is my theory at least.

Bureacracy Flowchart Reflection

Harrison Talese-Rhodes — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 11:33:57 -0500

The bureaucratic task that my partner, Christine Walden, and I researched and flowchart-ed was filing for income tax. In the interest of keeping it simple and clean, we decided to focus on first time income tax filers (under 65 years of age, non-home owner, etc).

We began by narrowing down our subject. We decided on making a guide for first time income tax filers because, quite simply, they are the ones who need the most help. We downloaded the forms, and using the W2 of a generous donor, we completed them. We then created, edited, and submitted the flow chart.

The paperwork that we needed to fill out was relatively short but tedious. We first made the mistake of printing the forms and the directions, after which we were left with 50 some pages to deal with. I personally mis-marked two forms before realizing that it would be easier to complete it digitally. After matching the correct directions to each sheet, it was pretty easy to enter the numbers and do the addition.

I think the most difficult part of the process was locating the correct paperwork and directions. The forms are labeled in a way that makes it difficult to find the one meant for your situation. If I could change it, I would make the online linking to the forms more user friendly.

The system was, at first, very simple, I'm sure. However, with the development of technology, government, culture, and economics, the process became appropriately tangled. It had to do with the country changing more quickly than the process could, so the powers that be settled for reformatory rather than flat out change.

Bureacracy Reflection

Perry Woods — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 18:07:05 -0500

For my bureaucracy flow chart project me and my partners looked into Social Security benefits for adults with disabilities. This is for helping people with financial pay or insurances like benefits. There was also a process into looking to get benefits for disabled children. Though it is similar to this in the process but we switched into looking into adults instead.

The process for going about working in my group was each of taking a part. My partners worked on most of the paperwork and on researching the forms. I also researched and used what they did to creat a flow chart. While working on the chart they would review and give input to help. The paperwork we went through with our project was complex for the fact that there were many other things that are needed to fill out these forms. With out them the process can not take place.

When working on the flow chart the one thing I would have changed would be that the process sometimes became hard. It was hard for the fact that at times certain forms couldn't be accessed without a really social security number. Others said there were things you needed from other sources which we needed to make up to complete this. I think that this complication it had though was in order to make sure people aren't abusing benefits for their own needs and wants. In the end though it was very interesting to look into and learn about.

Safe Driving-L.A #5

Bria Wimberly — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 21:11:03 -0500

For this last blog post, I was thinking about writing a letter to the department of transportation on a federal level. I wanted to bring up key facts as to why more regulations of new cars should be published for the safety of drivers. Beside new cars, foreign cars are also a danger, and in this letter I explain why and how we can improve

Dear Mr. LaHood or Office of Transportation,

Over the past couple of years, car accidents has become top news over the country. After the Toyota fiasco, I believe now is the time to change our judgments as to which car companies should have more regulations and more time before being sent into the market. In February 2010, the gas and brake pedals of the new Toyota's Prius Hybrid malfunction. Recalling around 300 thousand cars back, American began to recover from this chaos of "runaway cars" and being uncontrolled by a 90mph car. Also in March '10, Nissans' manufacturers in the brake pedals and fuel meters have failed to make efficient parts and the company announced withdraw of 540 thousand cars from markets around the world.

With each new car in the market, there's always a slight chance of putting drivers in harm. Though most car accidents are from unsafe driving, cars can be another dangerous factor. To prevent other incidents to happen, we should improve the regulations of checkups for new and foreign cars. Companies should be more responsible with mishaps. Added regulations should help shape America's future of safe driving.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/08/toyota-recall-prius-hybri_n_453188.html
http://www.cargurus.com/blog/2010/03/09/green-update%E2%80%93the-runaway-prius-and-some-thoughts-on-evs
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/5335476-technical-problems-in-the-car-nissan

Lobbying Assignment #5 - Finalize and Extend

Sinnea Douglas — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:08:21 -0500

For this last post I came up with an outline for a letter to the editors of The Philadelphia Metro and The Notebook.

Topic: Standardized Curriculum in Philadelphia High Schools

Main Point: The point of this blog post it to have people become aware of the injustices being done to students and teachers at Philadelphia Renaissance Schools ( and schools around the country) Standardized testing is not the one and only way to measure intelligence. Different students come from different backgrounds and have multiple intelligences, so why should they all be given the same test to measure those intelligences? Strictly Test Preparatory Curriculum's strip teachers of the right to be creative in the classroom and build their own lessons. My mission is to prove to the School District of Philadelphia that there is another way and convince them to try it.

I will complete this letter and email or mail it to the two newspapers mentioned above.

Saftey in Schools: Final Blog Post

Dominque Miller — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 21:40:18 -0500

The Problem In School Safety

On December 17, 2008 the School District of Philadelphia adopted a new bullying policy in order to increase the safety of Philadelphia schools. The school district stated the following on their website:

Resolved, that the School Reform Commission hereby adopts the attached primary Policy on Bullying and its prevention/intervention in order to ensure compliance with HB 1067 (PA), amending "Article XIII-A Safe Schools" in the Pennsylvania School Code of 1949, that requires each school entity to adopt a policy relating to bullying.

The newly adopted policy covered just about every piece of bullying, to make sure their procures were up to date with all the rules and regulations given by the state. From defining the act as:

Bullying is characterized by the following three (3) criteria:

It is aggressive behavior or intentional harm doing.

It is carried out repeatedly over time.

It occurs within an interpersonal relationship where there is an imbalance of power (e.g. one person is physically larger, stronger, mentally quicker or socially more powerful).

To laying out the coarse of action if a student were ever involved in bullying. So the issue is not that the system is non-existent but the fact that most kids don’t even know that this is around. Many of the problems that are district has faced in the past couple of months could have been handled better if the schools allowed the students to know of these guidelines. Instead of making the student feel as though nothing could be done, they would have known there were many outlets in order to keep them safe.

How to solve the Problem

ENFORCE THE POLICIES!!

Many schools don’t even mention the act of bullying or violence until something drastic happens. Like the incident that happened at South Philly High that made international headlines. Things like this would not have to happen if we were to crack down on the safety in our schools.

Link to the Policy: http://webgui.phila.k12.pa.us/offices/s/safety/bullying-prevention/bullying-policy3

The future of school safety

If we were to enforce the policies of anit-bullying then the numbers would decrease. Now, that these rules we’re being enforced, and setting up a no tolerance bullying system the safety of our students would take a turn for the better. If students began to understand the effect of what they have done then that would understand the seriousness of the issue, resulting in the drop of bullying.

If things were to stay the same, then the situation would have to choice but to get worse. Students would continue to act the way they do now, and the safety of our schools would never get better. If we continue to let these bullies think that what they are doing are ok, then students will no longer feel safe. It will not only hurt the schools but the future of the students. We have no choice but to enforce these rules, until kids understand.

Stop Funding Abortion: Final Blog Post- The Three Ps

Taniera Reid — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 21:10:02 -0500

The Passion.

The topic I decided to lobby is the government funding of abortions. When brainstorming a topic to lobby, I thought about the things I've fought against in previous classes while completing previous assignments. SLA really gives its students a chance to venture out into the real world to help fight for a particular cause or issue we feel should be changed. My passions lead me to this very topic of the incompetent acts on the government’s behalf. One incompetent act in particular acted as ammunition in my endeavor to help prevent the useless funding of abortions.

The Past.

In previous blog posts, I’ve listed public officials, direct contacts and some organizations working towards the same things I, a lobbyist, is working toward. I plan to physically stop government funding to financially remunerate abortion clinics for the destruction of fetuses. The Hyde Amendment, (passed into law by congress in 1976) became the backbone of my topic. This law acts as the foundation upon which I built my argument. Sometimes there are some things we all want to see changed, but laws act as restrictors. To move forward with this fight against abortion funding, I first had to identify what factors would hold me back. I previously listed all states that abided by the Hyde Amendment, and the states that do not. The states that abide by the law only fund abortions in the case of rape, incest, or if the pregnancy is causing harm to the mother. The 17 states that do not exercise the Hyde Amendment are the ones I will try my best to reach out to. The officials of those 17 states will be contacted about the issue. South Dakota is an exception. South Dakota will only allow the government to fund an abortion in cases of life endangerment. District of Columbia is not considered a state in the United State, but its policy is that the government funds abortions along with the 17 states listed below.

The Proclamation.

I, Taniera N. Reid, promise to do any and everything in my power to see the obliteration of the irresponsible government funding of abortions in the following states:

1. Alaska

2. Arizona

3. California

4. Connecticut

5. Hawaii

6. Illinois

7. Maryland

8. Massachusetts

9. Minnesota

10. Montana

11. New Jersey

12. New Mexico

13. New York

14. Oregon

15. Vermont

16. Washington

17. West Virginia

I, Taniera N. Reid, will also contact any and every person needed to see that Medicaid no longer funds abortions. I will join forces with any and all groups/organizations fighting for the same or a similar cause as the one I am lobbying against today.

#5- Finalize and Extend

Christopher Cassise — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 03:11:35 -0500

My lobbying assignment was on the No Child Left behind Act. I am in the process of finishing sending out a letter too public officials in Pennsylvania. With the hope of a response, we will lead to talking in person with the official(s) about the chance of revising or implementing some type of new act that could take NCLB acts spot since it is decreasing in all aspects and is not working at the face value they hoped when it was created 9 years ago. The idea also is to get word out to republican officials in Philadelphia because all voted yes back in 2001 for the act.

Possible revisions or new type of act:
Representative of Philadelphia’s 1st district.
Caseys statement on No Child Left Behind Act, a General Statement:

He has proposed The Pathways to College Act, with bipartisan sponsorship, is a bill designed to aid low-income and first generation students in their transition to secondary education by focusing attention on the importance of school counseling in the college and career planning process. This bill will provide funds to high school districts to invest in school counseling services to establish a college-going culture.

#Finalize & Extend

Amber Housley — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 18:38:15 -0500

I left a message at the SEPTA Community Affairs Unit phone line. In the message I stated my name, the school I attend and that I wanted to speak with someone who could aid in my lobbying process. SEPTA Officer Macklin returned my phone call informing me to e-mail him about the details of my plan. I e-mailed the officer and will hopefully speak with him soon about my take on the issue and how he and SEPTA can help. In short, I stated that I was lobbying for public transportation safety as an American Government class assignment. I also mentioned that I wanted to discuss concerns about the issue and prevention methods. Any additional information that is necessary will be given as requested. I will continue this assignment until I have spoken with someone who can directly impact this issue and help make awareness. However, I am still awaiting a response from Officer Macklin and will not take further action until he responds to my e-mail.

My Communication Tactics remain the same:

Letters to the editor, editorials, and commentary
Phone calls to the targeted decision maker
Faxes to the targeted decision maker
Emails to the targeted decision maker
Personalized letters and postcards to the targeted decision maker
Personal visits with the targeted decision maker

Finalize and Extend (Virtual Child Pornography)

Tajh Jenkins — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 20:35:37 -0500

For this blog post, I have decided that I will write a letter to the former House of Rep. Nick Lampson. Nick Lampson introduced The Securing Adolescents from Exploitation-Online Act of 2007 (SAFE Act). The states that anyone that offers open Wi-Fi Internet Connection to the public, that obtains actual knowledge of any facts or circumstances in relati9on to illegal visual media such as child pornography transferred over that connection must register a report of their knowledge to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Child pornography on the internet has been somewhat ignored by the public. Unless one’s child or relative in involved in child pornography then it’s not really a big topic to people. The whole purpose of me doing a series of blog post about this topic was to raise awareness about the situation and plan an action to take against it. Even though the Nick Lampson is a former House of Rep. I’m sure that he still can have a major influence on this situations being as though he introduced the SAFE Act.

My previous blog posts have given information about important officials, authors and everyday people who support this issue that I could contact. Me being a lobbyist, I have to put my best foot forward in emailing and phoning this people so we can spread the words about the negative impact child pornography has on our children and our society. The United States needs stricter laws for this type of things. Laws that would make people think twice about anything that deals with child pornography.

The SAFE Act is definitely something that as a Nation we can build off of. I take pride in making it that child pornography is no longer a lingering problem that is under the radar. As I come in contact with officials and others, I will make it my business that I can help create if not join organizations that are opposed to child pornography and that has the same mindset as me.

I am willing to do whatever to see that child pornography on the internet is no longer an issue that no one pays attention too. If I am not able to come in contact with Nick Lampson, then I will try and reach The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare and the authors of the “Guidelines for Policy Makers on Child Online Protections. Both of these resources have given me information that would come a long way in me becoming a more persuasive lobbyist to stop child pornography on the internet. Letters will be written, phones calls will be made. Lets bring forth change.

Future Plans:

Send letter to Nick Lampson or other resources
Create groups and organizations
Join groups and organizations
Call The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare
Send letter to the authors of “Guidelines for Policy Makers on Child Online Protection”

#5 - Finalize and Extend

Sky Kalfus — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 21:50:07 -0500

I just sent a letter to my district representative, Larry Farnese, requesting to meet with him to discuss education policy. I don't think I'm in any position to lobby for my cause just yet, but I hope to learn a lot about city politics and what it's like to be a representative. I plan on asking him what he thinks of Ackerman's Imagine 2014 plan. I also plan on finding out what he does as part of the state senate education committee. How does he influence political decision making? How does he serve my district? I'm also interested in his opinions about education - how does he feel about magnet and charter schools? And, with regard to my lobbying cause, what does he think of the SDP curriculum? I'm hoping he will also be able to direct me to other authorities involved with education who might be willing to speak with me.

Blog 5

Oswald Dembowski — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 23:11:32 -0500

Well December 13, 2010 was an amazing day for all people who were in support of the new nutrition bill. The president has signed it and it is now a law. Here’s more. This means children in many public schools across the nation will have better nutrition options and a better chance of getting free or reduced lunch.

"The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act makes the most significant investment in the National School Lunch program in more than 30 years. I look forward to continuing to work with the First Lady and Secretary Vilsack to combat our national childhood obesity epidemic and increase students access to the nutritional food they need to help them learn."

- U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan

Here are the voting totals for the bill in the House.

Aye: 264 (61%)

No: 157 (37%)

Not Voting: 13 (3%)

My representatives-

Joe Sestak

Patrick Murphy

Allyson Schwartz

- ALL VOTED AYE

This is what actually takes effect after the bill passes according to the fact sheet

Improves Nutrition and Focuses on Reducing Childhood Obesity

- Gives USDA the authority to set nutritional standards for all foods regularly sold in schools during the school day, including vending machines, the “a la carte” lunch lines, and school stores.

- Provides additional funding to schools that meet updated nutritional standards for federally-subsidized lunches. This is an historic investment, the first real reimbursement rate increase in over 30 years.

- Helps communities establish local farm to school networks, create school gardens, and ensures that more local foods are used in the school setting.

- Builds on USDA work to improve nutritional quality of commodity foods that schools receive from USDA and use in their breakfast and lunch programs.

- Expands access to drinking water in schools, particularly during meal times.

- Sets basic standards for school wellness policies including goals for nutrition promotion and education and physical activity, while still permitting local flexibility to tailor the policies to their particular needs.

- Promotes nutrition and wellness in child care settings through the federally-subsidized Child and Adult Care Food Program.

- Expands support for breastfeeding through the WIC program.

Increases Access

- Increases the number of eligible children enrolled in school meal programs by approximately 115,000 students by using Medicaid data to directly certify children who meet income requirements.

- Helps certify an average additional 4,500 students per year to receive school meals by setting benchmarks for states to improve the certification process.

- Allows more universal meal access for eligible students in high poverty communities by eliminating paper applications and using census data to determine school-wide income eligibility.

- Expands USDA authority to support meals served to at-risk children in afterschool programs.

Increases Program Monitoring and Integrity

- Requires school districts to be audited every three years to improve compliance with nutritional standards.

- Requires schools to make information more readily available to parents about the nutritional quality of meals.

- Includes provisions to ensure the safety of school foods like improving recall procedures and extending hazard analysis and food safety requirements for school meals throughout the campus

I hope this bill over a long-term period this law fixes most of the problems that many of us face now regarding childhood obesity and malnutrition.

Blog #5 Finalize & Extend

Mckelly Timothy — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 23:21:52 -0500

For my final blog post, I wanted to actually contact my representative Dwight Evans. I wanted to see what his plans are to reduce violence in Philly and introduce some of my plans to him. I also wanted to attend one of his events/ try to help him with his attempts to solve the issue. To start this process I wrote and sent an e-mail to him with my ideas:
My ideas included:

•Interventions for teens to educate them about violence and create a way for them to feel safe when they feel in danger of uncomfortable.
•Creating more after school programs for teens rather than just younger children.
•Create another organization similar to Work Ready but make it more accessible so teens can have more job opportunities.

My email was sent but I didn't receive a response. Dwight Evans didn't have any scheduled events that I was be able to attend before the due date of this assignment.

Here is a photo of the letter that I emailed him: Please Zoom in.

The final blog 1 of 2

Graham Davis — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 20:55:36 -0500

What has been done:
Research for those who are bound and affected by abortion and what it can do to them. The cases that were made for the peoples benefit in life alongside of having an abortion.
There were several major players in the government that had a say. There was a lot that was talked about and brought up among the people of the Govt. but they have their way of saying things and we have ours.
There are things that i will be able to do however that could impact very few , or hundreds of thousands of people.
    There are things that i saw in my project that i thought could use some work , and right now this isnt the best for them. Having other people take so much time as a result of a problem is even worse about doing something your self.
    There are thinks that i will do, i have. There are some kids out that just want hope, not someone saying they want to help.
    The letter was sent out again telling them what can i do to an organization that handles just these situations; making sure that there are things to be done.
    Here is the letter i wrote first to the organization and it sums up what i want to be doing and how i further want to help.

Final blog 2 of 2

Graham Davis — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 21:03:39 -0500

Here is the letter i wrote first to the organization and it sums up what i want to be doing and how i further want to help.

Dear Pro life,
   I am doing a project in school about how/ and who can reduce the # of abortions each year, all over. There are some people with in the state of PA that would like to see this happen as well and can spread that news to higher powered authorities in the state and all over. Abortion is something that i see as a major crime, and should be treated as a crime.
   I have been researching about the effects that it has on specific people, and why. also i have been really looking into who is for and against it so i can know who will help and who will not. There are a couple of senators that are really into not having the government support anything that has to do with abortion and taking a life. Even the President of the United States is for not having the govt. pay for any kind of abortion related activity within the US, and that can be a major changing factor for winning this battle sometime in the future. There is a lot to be thinking about in that there are a lot of factors that only one can seem capable of completing. There are things that I as a young adult can only complete in this challenge.    I need to know what i can be doing, and even if i can be doing anything to further help the organization of pro-life, to thence and further produce a positive effect on the people who are trying.

-Graham Davis

Lobbying Against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Taylor Valentine — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 21:26:28 -0500

Blog Post #5

For Blog #1, click here

For Blog #2, click here

For Blog #3, click here
For Blog #4, click here

On December 18th, Congress finally passed the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal, a process that has taken many months to complete. Democrats overcame the omnipresent threat of Republican filibuster and passed the bill by a vote of 65-31. Eight Republicans voted “Aye,” including Richard Burr (NC), who although not in favor of the timing, believed that “this policy is outdated and repeal is inevitable.” The repeal also marked an historic day for President Obama, who ran under the promise of repeal.

In the press conference before signing the bill into law, he stated, “With any change there is some apprehension. That’s natural. But as Commander-in-Chief, I am certain that we can affect this transition in a way that only strengthens our military readiness.“ Now that Congress has fulfilled its duty, it is time to initiate the next steps. However, the attitude among many is “Now what? We’ve repeal the discriminatory policy, but how can we even begin to change it?”

The answer seems to still be unclear even for the Department of Defense, who claim to be working as diligently, yet as quickly as possible. Sec. Robert M. Gates explained the process that the military plans to follow. “I see this as a three-step process. The first is to finalize changes in regulations [and] policies [and] get clearer definition on benefits. The second phase is to prepare training materials for use by personnel specialists, chaplains, commanders and other leaders, and those who are in daily contact with service members. My hope is that [this] can be done within a matter of a very few weeks, so that we can then move on to what is the real challenge, which is providing training to 2.2 million people.”

Regardless of how long this process takes, there are still provisions in the legislation that requires a 60-day waiting period, even after the plan is approved by Gates, Obama and Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mike Mullen, before the law is no longer in effect. Contrary to popular belief, “now is not the time to ‘come out,’” Mullen recently stated.

The main issue is actually acceptance. If every soldier was content with serving alongside a homosexual, there would be no need to retrain our military. What the Department of Defense needs to focus on is adopting a more accepting nature within the military and surrounding it. Since the birth of this country, military service was allotted to the “strong, masculine, courageous” patriot. However, this has slowly changed with the inclusion of women and soon, of homosexuals. We are no longer in colonial times, and as a country we need to realize this. Our military is only as strong as the average Americans’ support behind it. More than those actually fighting, it is the citizens at home who need to be trained.

On January 8th, I tuned into iPower 92.1, a radio station in Richmond, VA, as the host discussed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and the public’s response to it. I listened as people ranted about Christianity’s intolerance of homosexuals and condemned our country for allowing them to serve. One caller claimed that forcing heterosexuals to serve alongside homosexuals denied them of their own rights. “What if they are uncomfortable with it?” he asked.

I later called in with one answer. “As members of the military, it is their job to protect this country, regardless about how they feel about those serving alongside them. There are simply more important issues. I know that I am not brave or patriotic enough to risk my life , and I will always be indebted to anyone who is. Gay or straight, male or female.” To the religious callers, I referenced the Constitution, which established the separation of church and state. “Quite simply, religion can not and should not impede our safety.”

As I wrap up my blogging, I want to end by quoting President Obama at the signing. “We are not a nation that says, ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell.’ We are a nation that says, ‘Out of many, one.’” The repeal has been passed and it is only a matter of time before homosexuals are legally permitted in the military. My only hope is that soon, they will be accepted into it as well.

Lobbying Assignment Blog #5

Caroline Abdulbaki — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 08:13:48 -0500

This is my letter to Senator Scott Brown (R-MA). He is against the DREAM Act because he feels as if it is a "backdoor amnesty." With my letter I am hoping to convince him to vote for the DREAM Act. Though many students and people have tried to convince him and fail, giving up is not an option.

Dear Senator Brown,
            My name is Caroline AbdulBaki and I am a senior at Science Leadership Academy. This year, applying to colleges is an incredibly huge part of my life and filing for financial aid. While fighting to accomplish this overwhelming process, I tend to ask my friends to see the kinds of steps they are taking. All or most of them would say their process is complicated, easy, and or done, but not all of them mean it. Some of my friends would not be applying to colleges or for financial aid because they are illegal immigrants. They know that financial aid will not be given at any cost, and in some situations, they are declined from going to any college.
            The DREAM Act gives these hard working students an opportunity to be leveled as an incredible student. These students that you are now depriving from college have been attending your school districts since Pre-school. They should not be punished for a mistake their parents committed and the child takes all the sufferings. . These children may not be American on paper, but they are at heart. I understand the pros and cons of the DREAM Act, however “the children are our future” should be a huge reason why you should vote for the DREAM Act. These children work hard to receive an education and achieve in life in order to help make OUR country a better place to live. It is important for those who help represent the country their entire lives to be given a chance. They work hard to accomplish DREAMS they have had for a long time but not to be crushed by a system that limits their education. If you are not a favor of the wordingm try to change it, make it reasonable but I ask you to not take this opportunity away from these earning children.
            Take a minute and put yourself in their shoes. Put your children in their shoes imagine if they were to suffer from a mistake that you had made in your past. It is a frustrating proccess that any parent or child would be willing to fight. We want to legalizing immigrants and why not help those who deserve it. Take a second Mr. Brown and truly think about these children by helping to make the right choice for these children.

Sincerely,
Caroline AbdulBaki

Lobbying for a Greener Philadelphia #5: How YOU Can Help!

Harrison Talese-Rhodes — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 10:10:24 -0500

For the past two quarters, I have been lobbying for a greener Philadelphia. It began with a seed being planted, if you'll pardon the pun-- the tree that had stood outside of my house since my childhood was cut down. Although it was already dead and slowly falling apart, it was the only tree on my entire block. I wanted to be able to go outside and see something organic. Was that too much to ask?

Apparently not, because soon after that tree was taken away, another was planted in its place. A live one, this time. I wanted more of these trees, so I decided to do something about it.

My lobbying research eventually lead me to Greenworks Philadelphia, a project lead by Mayor Michael Nutter calling for an exponential growth in urban trees over the next 5 years. I expanded my topic to include other green aspects of Philadelphia-- carbon footprints, natural energy supplements, etc.

I have created 4 blog posts total. Each of them serve to educate, explain, or notify the public as to the environmental situation in Philadelphia.

My final blog post is in the form of a flow chart. Through answering a few yes and no questions, it allows citizens of Philadelphia to figure out the way they can best help to green Philadelphia.

Click here to see my (somewhat interactive) "How YOU Can Help Green Philadelphia," flowchart.

The earth, much like the human body, will only tolerate so much abuse before it gives in and dies. We will not be able to continue living here if we do not preform some much needed maintenance. Even though I am done lobbying, I hope to continue being part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

Lobbying blog #5

Jeremy Cothran — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 12:27:37 -0500

Throughout the process of finding information and ways to stop the bill S.3804 Combating Online Infringement and Copyrights act. (COICA) A lot of worry was spread through the people, but due to the late introduction to the bill, It didn’t have enough time to get signed as It was introduced in the 111^th congress, It is now the 112^th congress which means the current bills slates were wiped clean to be introduced in the new congress. However I am unsure that with the new senators and house members, and the change of Majority in the house switching over to Republicans, I am not sure if this will affect the outcome of the bill if it is reintroduced.

I have a good feeling that it will be because something like this is introduced every year or so, it is only a matter of time before serious consideration is put on hand towards the future of this bill and change the balance if it will be passed or not.

We have to be smarter and more informed about the things that will drastically shape the way we see and do things in our daily lives, the Internet isn’t just the internet anymore, it’s a part of people, and taking away the freedom of the internet is taking away the freedom of the people. Information has been exploited since the beginning of man, It is only when somebody exploits them does it become a problem and they feel the need to pursue the cause.

We have nothing to worry about as of now, we just have to sit and wait to see if a senator will put this bill back up on the ballad. We should though, be more preapred when this bill comes back up, because we know the possible dangers of this bill and how to possibly stop it, that's what we need to do, as soon as it is introduced we need to imemdiatly contact our senators and demand that they negate this bill and hope forever that this idea of limitation and control over the internet will be dismissed.

Final Blog Post: POSTER!

Glenn Brailsford — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 15:39:15 -0500

My Flyer for my lobbying assignment. I hope it's big enough to see

Don't Ask Don't Tell: Blog Post 5

Andre Serrano — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 20:31:04 -0500

For the past semester, I have been lobbying for the senate to repeal the blatantly homophobic policy that prohibited gays from serving in the military, called Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. I have attempted to help this cause by writing letters to senators who were seemingly “on the fence” about this issue, and publishing regular blog posts revealing the truth behind Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.

I have witnessed a complete turnaround in regards to the support it received in the senate. Originally, it was placed inside a larger defense bill; however, rejected the bill, deeming it too complex to be able to sufficiently debate the topic before the Christmas break. When the bill was apparently dead, Susan Collins presented the bill in a piece of stand alone legislation as a last attempt to get it through the senate, and on December 18, In a 65-31 vote, the Senate passed the repeal that would allow thousands of Americans to serve in the military being openly homosexual. This was a historic achievement by president Obama. This victory was symbolic of several victories Obama added to his repertoire throughout a very productive lame duck session. Although failing to pass the Dream Act, he was able to sign a nuclear arms treaty with Russia, and cut taxes for millions of Americans.

This was a pressing civil rights issue that had taunted the gay community for 17 years. I personally agree with President Obama who strongly advocated for soldiers to serve in the military being openly gay. "I don't know what it's like to be picked on for being gay. But I do know what it’s like to grow up feeling that sometimes you don’t belong. It’s tough.” This was a historic moment in Obama’s presidency. He was able to come through on a campaign promise that reigned in thousands of voters, and he was able to repeal a law that had hindered our nation’s security and the freedom of thousands of Americans.

2nd Quarter Benchmark Description

Diana Laufenberg — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 13:54:28 -0500

Three Branches - Legislative, Executive and Judicial
- For EACH branch identify TWO positive and TWO negative examples of how the branch of government impacts your life. (can be STATE, LOCAL or FEDERAL)
Identify at least one reputable source for each of the 12 different pieces of the project. DO NOT USE WIKIPEDIA AS A SOURCE
Cite the source using the MLA format
Write a one paragraph for each of the 12 pieces that summarizes the law, bureaucratic office or court case AND then EXPLAIN how that law/bureaucratic office/court case positively or negatively impacts your life. **If you would like to communicate the information in some other format than writing... clear it with me, I am open to creative suggestions. I REALLY welcome a more creative approach, don't be boring. please.

For instance... for me I would write for one of the legislative negatives:

No Child Left Behind Act of 2001

"No Child Left Behind Act of 2001" Pub.L. 107-110 January, 2002. 23 Dec. 2009. <http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/index.html>.

No Child Left Behind is a piece of legislation that brought stronger federal control over individual state and locally run schools. Under this legislation, federal monies were only disbursed to those schools and districts abiding by the stipulations outlined within the law. Throughout the tenure of this legislation, schools have increased the number and intensity of multiple choice testing to adhere to the accountability requirements. After beginning my teaching career in 1997, I was given free reign to teach the content and in the manner that suited project based learning. After the passage of NCLB, project based learning became an unpopular approach to teaching because of its inability to easily assess the student's learning. This devaluing of project based learning has had an overall negative impact on the teaching and learning that I witness in the vast majority of schools. In effect, this law has turned my profession into a less thoughtful and reflective career, thus negatively impacting my life.

2nd Quarter Benchmark: Government's Impact on my Life

Taylor Valentine — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 14:24:45 -0500

Click here to view the project.

For this project, I tried to choose items that were most prevalent to my life, even if they were slightly obscure. For example, Loving v. Virginia abolished statutes that prevented interracial marriage. I had never heard of this ruling before, but as a biracial young woman, it directly applies to my life. I utilized a lot of web articles that outlined important decisions or offices. Overall, it was a more difficult process than I thought it would be. In general, I believe that my government has my best interests in mind and makes decisions, laws and processes that are beneficial to me. Finding examples that negatively impact my life required significantly more research and analysis.

As I get older, the government will impact my life more frequently and severely. Currently, I'm just beginning to interact with certain offices, like Federal Student Aid and to be affected by laws, such as the Federal Uniform Drinking Age Act. Soon, I will have to pay taxes, one of the biggest impacts that the government has on anyone's life. When I begin to vote, purchase a car, get married, have children, etc., I will only increase my interaction.

This was a great way to conclude the learning that I've done it this class. I was able to apply what I've learned during the last five months about American government and directly connect it to my life. The project required me to take a long, hard look at my life and see exactly how it is affected my an entity that I often take for granted.

Dominque Miller's 2nd Quarter Benchmark

Dominque Miller — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 14:43:03 -0500

Link to my project.

The way I went about choosing the items that I felt applied was just thinking about what truly affects me in my every day life, which was easy. Paying taxes, and filling out the FASFA are things that I am facing right now, so it was only natural that I decided to write about it for this project. I feel as though this project was harder as went a long. I say this because I knew about the items I had chosen but when I had to actually put it into words it became difficult for me. Certain parts like unemployment were easy to write about, I just did not know what pages I should link it too, and it was almost impossible to find a legitimate author for the items.

I feel as though as I get older the way the government affects my life will definitely increase. Now I am affected but once I get out on my own things will most certainly change. I'll no longer be under mother anymore and will be seen as an adult so things are going to change whether I like it or not. I feel as though the process will be very difficult to get use to because the government is always so extra. I feel as though I didn't learn that much from this project that I hadn't already learned from this quarter. The only thing this really did was make me realize how much government affects out every day life, sometimes in a negative and sometimes in a positive way.

American Government_Q2B

Amber Housley — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 21:33:53 -0500

Here is my project.

Am Gov. Qtr 2 BM

Glenn Brailsford — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 09:17:29 -0500

You can find my benchmark Here.

AMGOVT Q2 BM

Bria Wimberly — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 09:27:27 -0500

Link to my benchmark

History Benchmark

Perry Woods — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 09:58:54 -0500

Here is the place to find my history benchmark.

This benchmark to me was definitely one that I learned from as I went along. Yet when it came to the process of working on this benchmark I did have complications. From choosing the correct tops to include and also actually writing each paragraph there where many little complications along the way. Still I continued to work hard in order to get the full amount that I could learn out of this project.

When it came to choosing my topics I tried to think of things that related to my life. Such as for looking into the judicial branch I found it easier to look into Supreme Court cases about students. Executive branch & legislative was easier to look into things I encounter everyday. Once I got to this point I then went onto pointing out specifics in order to narrow down my topics. From there I went on to researching, formatting and writing. Writing the paragraphs was the most complicated part for me as at times I was unsure what to say.

With this benchmark I realized how much of a role the government plays already into my day to day lie. From what I see I know that this wont change. As I get older attend college, get a job, eventually my own home, etc. The government will always be there in some way playing a role in how I live and what I do. The ways it will be present might change compared to now but who is to say.

AM Govt. Benchmark 2

Oswald Dembowski — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 10:00:45 -0500

I gots that link right here :D

Choosing the things that affect my life was actually an easy process but quite a bit tedious at times. What I first did was, I researched judicial branch since there were several sites that had descriptions about several landmark Supreme Court cases. Choosing those was easy. Then I did legislative and it was kind of hard but then I remembered I didn't have to do all federal laws and they could be at the city and state level. Executive wasn't too bad either because I also picked city and state level processes. Finding some of these was hard because I had to access an entire document and that was at times frustrating especially when it didn't have a summary on a website. Overall the project was easy but research was just a bit tedious. Also trying to write a lot about some of those were a challenging especially when they were very simple ideas. This project was interesting because it shows a lot about what freedom really is in a sense and how much the government does control our lives. One of the most interesting to look at was the TSA scans at airports because its a timless issue of freedom vs safety, we saw this in the Bush era with wiretaps. I think as we grow as a nation, people will further split between liberalism and conservatism. As I get older I think government will have further control depending on who becomes president. When I look at the Health care bill, I see that the government gets more involved for the benefit of others, while others don't see a problem with Americas Healthcare. Its like we let the freedoms of big business ruin the lives of others until the government came to stop. As I grow older I'm interested to see if this kind of interventionism will continue.

Q2 AmGov BM

Jeremy Cothran — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 10:16:39 -0500

do not click HERE, that is not the Benchmark, or is it?

REFLECTION

I went about choosing the items for my 12 laws by just googling and researching things, at first I looked up Laws, cases, and functions involving school and education because that would most commonly affect me because I got to school, Then I tried thinking outside the box and finding smaller things that affect me such as curfew and smaller things. Then I searched laws that should be repealed or laws that benefit general people and found some laws that were generally affecting to my life.

The Process for the project was tedious, It wasn’t hard writing it up, but there was a lot of research to be done for this project, I know we had a couple examples that we could use and I welcomed the examples with open arms when I used them, but I still needed to spend hours looking for things that affect me directly and what part of government they apply to, It was time consuming.

I do think my life will be more affected by the government as I get older, because as I get older I will have to worry about Taxes and Jury duty and stuff of the kind that applies to adults. Right now I’m living at home and my aunt is taking care of everything that needs to be taken care of to live, Working, Taxes, and health insurance.

Doing this project makes me think how much the government has an impact on how I live my life, and without knowing really, I do things that the government has set-up for me as a person to be able to do, and I can honestly be thankful for that, however, I know the negatives the government has set-up for me much more clear because it negatively impacts my life. Looking at this with that perspective I would disregard the positives that government has set-up for me and criticize the government for having negatives, which is very biased. You win some, you lose some, it’s the basis of life, can’t have everything you want.

American Government Q2 Bm

Caroline Abdulbaki — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 10:19:36 -0500

Benchmark link to google doc.

Reflection:
My America Government Q2 benchmark was finding 12 laws, cases, and offices 2 negative and 2 positive for each branch of our government, and find out how they affect me. When choosing the 12 laws, cases, and offices that were included in my benchmark the first thing I thought of was me. I thought about the things I do in my everyday life as a teenager and how the government wraps into that. The activities I perform, my education, safety, the rules I follow etc. I researched my laws, cases, and offices that revolved around those specific words and found the ones that automatically connected to me and placed them into my project.
This process had its difficult and easy times. The easiest parts for me were analyzing how each law, case and office affect me personally and why. It was also finding either the law, case, or office that I thought would portray this type of affect perfectly after fully understanding what the law was saying. That ties in to what I thought was difficult, the three most difficult things about this process were understanding some of the laws, finding the exact name, and locating laws/ offices with the Executive branch. Some of my laws for example the Keeping the Internet Devoid of Sexual Predators Act of 2008, I need to reread a few times in order to fully grasp the concept. I did understand the main task this law was trying to accomplish but some details and procedures were included that I did not fully understand. I also found it hard to find laws and offices that related to the Executive branch, because many bureaucratic functions effect me later into the future.
I found my life to be more affected by the government as I grow older. There comes a lot more procedures that I have to go through in order to obtain the things I want or need in life and almost all of them have a connection to the government. The government is related to many aspects of my life, and what I go through as an adult is held onto their decisions. The laws they make, the cases that win or lose, the offices and their heads all decide the major aspects of what happens in my life when becoming an adult. Though they do not control my curfew, or the things I watch on television, they deal with my education, future jobs, and others.
I enjoyed working on this project, not only because I learned how the government affects me, but also new laws, cases, and offices that set up the way I, we are all affected by our government. The people that decide many of the things that happen to the way its country is run. I learned information that I plan to continue learning and remembering.

Gov Benchmark: How The Government Impacts My Life.

Andre Serrano — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 10:24:14 -0500

Click here for my benchmark.

Quarter 2 Benchmark American Government

Taniera Reid — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 10:55:21 -0500

https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1kx8ecepsCEZ4NHuuauV3cU2q4dB9r32MKlzpfc-D3nk

Copy and paster above link to view my benchmark.

American Government: Quarter 2 Benchmark

Qianna Nelson — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:04:13 -0500

Click here to view my benchmark:
https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1alp-0kK7q6e8b19FkqRlfygonlr_RhxKYEzKj5jZGxQ

Reflection:

The way I went about choosing which laws, cases, or offices I was going to Identify in my Benchmark was I first thought about the things I know for a fact effect me personally. I knew certain things that really have been effecting me my whole life. So I went about researching those things and then added to them by learning about different things that effect me now.

This was a difficult process when I went to look for things on the executive branch. I found all that I needed for the judicial and the legislative very quickly, but the executive branch was hard for me. Once I got all the laws that I needed writing my descriptions was very simple. It was easy to say why these things and how these things have an impact on my life.

I think that as I get older I will be more affected by the government, when I get an actual job, when I go to buy a house, when I go to do a lot of things the government will be involved. I learned a lot about how the 3 branches work together and how they all keep each other in check so to speak. I learned specifically how the decisions they make impact my life on a regular basis.

Pro and Con's of Our Government through my eyes

John DeSalis — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:05:23 -0500

The following will show how I, John De Salis feel about the many different issues that are either in the process of being passed or have became passed. The 12 items that you can see here have an effect on me and also what I am able to do as a teenager.
However, going through all of the pages, I found that this research was difficult at times, but it was also kind of easy too. By that, I mean that their was so many different cases and bills that fit under this description, and to pick only a few of them is what kind of made this project for me.
With that being said, I feel like that my life is going to always be effected by the gov't because of the current talks of cutting social security benefits and also now that I am able to be a voter in the elections, I feel as though I have some type of power to change how the gov't will work for me.

American Government Benchmark Q2

Oscar Holton — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:08:47 -0500

Click here for benchmark.

I had a hard time choosing which items to include in my 12 identified laws, cases and offices. I chose by thinking about the things that have a negative or positive effect on me and I then researched information about the offices, court cases and laws that are related to my issues and benefit. It was hard finding reliable sources and the most difficult process was finding laws that had a positive effect on my life. I anticipate the government being more involved in my life as I get older. When I live on my own as an adult, I have to carry my own responsibilities and more laws and regulations are on me since I’m no longer consisted a minor.

American Gov. Benchmark Q2

Tajh Jenkins — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:14:00 -0500

The Benchmark ..

American Government Q2 Benchmark

Kamille Granby — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:32:19 -0500

Hey, look! It's my benchmark!

When I was deciding which topics to use, I read them and tried to apply them to situations that I've encountered. Most of the topics that I came across had nothing to do with me, while some had a somewhat relevance to my life. The most complicated process was trying to put how it effects me and how I live into written or typed words. The process overall was simple yet challenging. Some of the topics, such as the ones in the Executive branch were easy to sort through. While other topics that were in the Judicial, were a bit harder to sort through or find. I can see my life becoming more affected by the government but not by a large amount. Reasoning being, since I already feel as though I'm not extremely affected by it now, I don't think it will change drastically just because I'm getting older.

2nd Quarter Benchmark Shareout

Diana Laufenberg — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:34:13 -0500

1. Go to B Band Voicethread.
2. Register for an account.
3. Add one image to the collective voicethread.

Choose one of your 12 items from the benchmark to highlight
Locate an image that best represents that item - you can use the flickr Creative Commons to find an image if you do not have one
Narrate your paragraph that accompanies that item from your benchmark

4. Comment on at least two other 'pages' from the collective voicethread. Ask a question. Push back on their reasoning. Affirm their position. Be thoughtful

Sinnea American Gov. 2nd Quarter Benchmark

Sinnea Douglas — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:35:07 -0500

It wan't easy deciding which laws, court cases offices to include in my project. I tried to look for things that really interested me. I also wanted to include things that had a major impact on my life. It was hard trying to find comprehendible databases that included all laws, supreme court cases and bureaucratic offices.

As I get older I expect the government to affect my life more and more. I want to be a teacher which is a government job. I also will pay more taxes and be paid by the government. My entire career will deal with the government.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B22-A8zAGjXdNTY0YzQzZWUtODkwZC00OWM4LTgxY2EtZTRmOTc2Nzk4Mjcw&hl=en&authkey=CNi80K4G

Second Quarter Benchmark

Sky Kalfus — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:39:23 -0500

Click here to view my benchmark!

In researching my benchmark, I tried to find court cases, bills, and executive functions with local implications. It was easier to discuss the effects of executive departments within the City of Philadelphia, as I am more directly involved with Philadelphia bureaucracy. I also looked for court cases, bills, and executive functions that involved education. As a high-school student, nearly every decision my government makes regarding education has a direct impact on me.
Finding good examples for each branch of government was difficult, but not for lack of available information. Rather, I had most trouble wading through vast catalogues of court cases and legislative bills. To find information in manageable quantities, I had to pursue a creative line of research.
If I were to repeat this project several years from now, I suspect I would find it much easier. As I get older, I will become more involved with the government. I'll get a steady job, pay taxes, vote. As a minor, I'm not recognized as an independent citizen. When I turn 18, that will change.

Q2 Benchmark

Mckelly Timothy — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:51:11 -0500

Here is my benchmark.

American Government Benchmark

Kourtnee Lynch — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:55:31 -0500

Benchmark

Reflection

This assignment was very difficult for me because for the three branches,I couldn't find enough sub topics that effected me personally. If this topic was more about ones we could be effected by in the future than maybe I would've been mores successful but overall,this process was extremely stressful for me. In order for me to choose what topics were directly related to me,I looked at all my options for each branch,and picked out the ones that effected me. I do believe that in the near future,I will be effected by more of these topics,such as a marriage license,registering a car,maybe even adoption. Overall,I'm glad that this assignment is turned in and over with.

Q2 Benchmark

Christopher Cassise — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:26:40 -0500

Here is my Benchmark.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/14gCweUYXclL40redpugWhXytpEDL4lp08e2AQyur3ow/edit?hl=en

Q2B_Reflection

Amber Housley — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:30:05 -0500

Here is my project.

My first step in this process entailed performing general research. I made a list of possible topics to search for, that pertain to laws, cases, and offices. The topics on my list were: health, labor, civil rights, family and finance. As I searched these topics others came about such as the Philadelphia Curfew Ordinance and the process of obtaining a passport. I came across helpful websites that thoroughly presented cases and laws that affect me. At some point, I thought about my life and circumstances and what laws and court cases impact me without researching. For the bureaucratic offices, I viewed the bureaucratic projects that the class completed.

The process was straightforward, but overall difficult. Finding court cases, laws and bureaucratic processes that impact me directly was the most difficult and time-consuming aspect. I went back and forth a few times to ensure that I chose some different topics that actually impact me and I could explain. I anticipate that I will interact more directly with the government as I age. Currently, I interact with the government through my mother. In the completion of this project, I learned about government programs, laws, and court cases that I had not heard of before. This project helped me examine how the government impacts my life whether negative or positive.

American Government Q2 Benchmark

Narcissa Haskins — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:49:04 -0500

Here Goes My Benchmark :D

This project really caused to me to think about what positive and negative things that effect my life. At first, I didn't think I had much that really impacted my life currently because everything currently was fine. This thought process changed after speaking to my mother about some things that have really been going on in my life that I chose to ignore. When it came down to identifying the laws that I wanted to talk about, I thought about all of the disadvantages I have now because I am legally an adult. I also thought about what things that have happened between my family members and myself in the past few weeks.

The process for this benchmark as a whole wasn't to difficult, I would say that it was very time consuming. It is very clear to me that my life will be more affected by the government when I get older. This is because I know that I want to purchase a car, a home, have children, marry, and travel often. With these activities and goals, I know there are many things that are going to to require a lot of filling out paper work. Overall this learning process has been beneficial because I know how much the government really impacts my life. I believe that if I was ignorant of this, I would have many rude awakenings when it come time to take care of myself in the future.

American Government Q2 Benchmark

Amirah Burkett — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 17:44:26 -0500

Q2 Benchmark

Reflection: Q2 Benchmark

Taniera Reid — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 21:24:39 -0500

Reflection:

Choosing the items in my 12 identified laws, cases and offices was such a strenuous process. When first introduced to this assignment, I didn’t think as much thought and researching would be needed to complete the project. After researching just about all there is to know about the executive, legislative and judicial branches, I eventually came across some items that spoke directly to me. One court case that spoke directly to my life was the West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette case. Being raised with different religious views as most of my classmates, I was always looked upon awkwardly when refusing to say the pledge of allegiance. My friends never really understood why I didn’t say it, and to tell you the truth, I was never 100 sure why I didn’t say it. I just knew I respected my mother’s wishes. Because of this law, I am not forced to go against my religion by reciting the pledge of allegiance. The overall process of finding which items to include allowed me to learn more about the government, in depth, and really put into perspective which laws, cases and offices pertained to my life.

The difficulties with this project came with the research. I would have never guessed finding court cases relating to me would be as strenuous as it was. When I thought I’d found a case, it didn’t directly relate to my life. There were always things I could relate to as oppose to me relating to them currently. The less difficult aspect of this process was finding things that negatively affected my life. I found that when speaking of the negatives, everything I felt came easier to me making it easier for me to write and express myself.

As I mature and become older with age,, I would anticipate my life being more affected by the government. Since there are so many restraints set for children under the age of 18, as I pass the ages at which limitations are set, I will be more likely to part take in government activities. With age comes opportunity. The opportunities presented to me, the more likely it is for me to take advantage of those opportunities. This process has taught me so much about the world around me I hadn’t before known. Forced to research all aspects of the three branches of government, I now have a broader understanding of how I, as well as the world around me, is governed. I understand that laws are set forth for the welfare of this country, and that all three branches do whatever in its power to protect that.

Quarter 2 Benchmark + Reflection

Robert Nurse — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 23:31:26 -0500

Click this for my benchmark.

During the 2nd quarter we were told to find 12 identified laws, cases, or offices involving the 3 branches of the US government. Finding 12 identified laws, cases, or offices was rather easy, but took a considerable amount of time. Since we focused on the 3 branches of the government during the 2nd quarter I decided to use some laws, cases, and offices we talked about. To find information on some of the other branches of government I went to their main sites to find more resources.

When I was young I always thought getting older would be easy. But, as I got older I came to the realization of the true world. Upon researching the three branches of the government my eye have opened even wider. I know more about out government and how they will affect me when I become a legal adult.

Interacting With My Government

Lenea Harris — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 23:59:30 -0500

Click here to view published google doc.

Blog #3

Robert Nurse — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 02:19:04 -0500

PART 3

1. What is the status of your issue at the legislature? Is this a "good" year?

My bill is the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. On November 30, 2010, my bill passed the senate with a vote of 73 yes, 25 no. Before the Food Safety Modernization Act the legislation were trying to set in motion major improvements to the security and safety of our nation’s food supply.

2. Who is essential to the outcome?

The sponsor of the bill Sen. Richard Durbin [D-IL] currently is the stakeholder to whether or not this bill will get pressed on. Each year, illness from unhealthy food strikes 48 million Americans, hospitalizing and killing thousands. Because of this most of congress have supported this bill. If this bill were to pass foods that are consumed everyday in the United States would be check thoroughly before being distributed to the stores.

3. Who else is working on this? Can you coordinate?

There are many organizations working on this bill they include: Consumers Union, Citizens for Health, and the US Chamber of Commerce. These organizations plan on helping the bill pass by supporting it however they can. I could call a few of them and set up phone interviews.

4. Who can you influence?

Since the Secretary of Health and Human Services are going to be required to create a food tracing system that would streamline the process of finding the source of contamination, should an outbreak occur. Influencing many corporations is going to be easier. If there were another outbreak of contaminated food it will be easier for those corporations to get their products back, which in the end means less people will get sick and sue.

5. What is the time frame?

Since this is a fairly new bill there are no deadlines at the present moment. The latest actions that have taken place were in March.

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s111-510&tab=summary

http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s510/money

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/01/fda-food-safety-modernization-act-out-of-the-box

http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2010/11/30/s-510-the-fda-food-safety-modernization-act-the-basics/

American Government Q2 Benchmark Reflection

Narcissa Haskins — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 09:57:07 -0500

Inhumane Acts Final Blog Post

Narcissa Haskins — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 10:02:12 -0500

Q2 Benchmark Reflection

Lenea Harris — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 11:00:01 -0500

To decide which laws, cases and offices I would include in my project, I sat down and constantly thought about what effected me as a student, a teenager, a child in a household of 10, a U.S citizen, and as a resident of Pennsylvania/ Philadelphia. I also searched general topics on court case decisions/ laws/ bureaucratic offices that affect teens. I searched cases by topic on websites like oyez.com and uscourts.gov. Deciding which laws, cases, and offices affected me was the most difficult part of the process. Because I had to choose laws and etc that currently affect me, I was trying to find very specific laws, and that proved useless. My mind constantly visited the laws and departments that have recently affected me, and how they’d be great things to write about, but because the instructions were to identify laws and etc that currently effect me, I felt stuck with “boring” or more simpler laws to choose from.

There is no doubt in my mind that my life will be more affected by the government as I get older. In only a few months, I’ll be legally responsible for myself, and that will apply a new set of laws to me. In years, I will be buying a house, or paying bills, or getting married and all of those actions involve the government.

This project has helped me realize that the government does not only affect those that vote for the officials. I’ve always known that the government interacts with each citizen in many ways, but this project has helped me pinpoint specific laws, offices, and court cases that affect me personally.

Benchmark Reflection

Christopher Cassise — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 11:16:46 -0500

Chris Cassise

I was able to choose through a variety of laws and cases because of my age at seventeen/eighteen, alot of laws pertain to me in various ways. I am able to also look at taxes since I work and legal rights with school and in our state that effects me. This process was a bit difficult finding positive laws, usually its harder to find positive impacts through the laws that are made. It wasnt hard finding all the cases/laws for all the branches because I can identify with many groups that are effected by laws.

I believe my life will become more affected by the government. Buying houses, holding an actual job, and raising a family brings alot of taxes and other benifits like 401k that you dont have when you are younger. After turning 18, I pertain and follow to every law in the country at that point since I would be an adult. Its obvious that my life will be greatly affected by government. I thought the process of the project was a decent amount of workload over a period of time and I understood the three branches alot clearer and better after doing the project.

Q2 Benchmark Reflection

Andre Serrano — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 11:34:36 -0500

To choose which laws, Supreme Court cases and functions of the government I would focus on for my benchmark, I thought about what my current situation, and also which laws will have an effect on me later in life. For example, I wrote about the healthcare law. One aspect of the healthcare law that is important to me is the fact that I am eligible to stay on my mom's healthcare until I am 26. Rather than focusing on working to afford my healthcare in college, I can focus on my school work.
Selecting my topics was a fairly difficult process. It was difficult to find relative laws and cases that are applicable to my life. The older I get, the way the government is involved in my life changes - it's hard to say whether or not they are more involved because it is involved in different ways. Up until the age of 18, the government can force you to go to school, and they have passed laws recently regulating what I can eat in schools. Before 18 they are trying to protect you. After 18 their primary interest is the rest of the country. They take more taxes to help provide for people who are less fortunate, and they require to do things such as register for selective service in the need of a draft.

q2 bench

Graham Davis — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 12:07:51 -0500

Here is my Benchmark

q2 bm reflection

Graham Davis — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 19:28:27 -0500

I went about reading and choosing ones that I thought i related to the most. It was harder doing the court case ones, because some times it wouldnt relate to you at all. There was a lot of reading involved with this. And picking the right ones really was more difficult. i basically went through all the aspects of my life and picked the ones that matched with something in common or had to do anything with that thing that i picked from my life.
I think that it was more difficult than i thought because having the thing relate to you really had to be spot on. Making sure that you picked the right one was the hardest part. There was a lot that i didnt expect like typing something up and then realizing that there was no connection even though i thought there might have been and you had to go and find a better example.
When i turned 18 it felt alot different because i thought that the govt. was more in my life; i am able to get arrested, and i have to sign up for the draft. Just thinking of those 2 small things is scary. There are not a lot of things however when you are younger, but as you get older you worry more and more about them.

I learned that there is way more in the govt. that effects my every day life. In positive and negative ways. there is a lot now that i realize effects me that i never knew before.

c. Do you anticipate your life becoming more or less affected by the govt. as you get older? Explain.

d. Any other thoughts on your learning process.

Finale blog post on Ethical Pathway Act of 2010

Perry Woods — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 20:18:58 -0500

For my finale blog post in this series I did not know what to focus on anymore. The Ethical Pathway Act of 2010 that I had been tracking since the start of the project had not budged. The last reported update of it was on September 29th. Since then project I had to relay on getting in contact with people. This has been a very tricky part with contacting people. I knew for sure that besides wanting to get in contact with officials, I really wanted to get in contact with important organizations that could help me.

As I mentioned before in another post the most important groups I thought of getting in contact with would be PETA and Humane Society. Even the ASPCA I thought could be a good contact in trying to help push out info with this project. Because of another animal rights project I did before PETA’s official twitter had become a follower of mine. I used this as one resource into getting in contact with them. Though I did not get a message in return I tried on there as well as with other contact info I could find. The same went for the ASPCA but with them I also had another advantage. My father had known someone who worked with the ASPCA. With that he also helped with trying to help me with contact him.

At times it seemed as if trying to contact and all wouldn’t work out to something. Outside of those people I tried to contact there were other places that were talking about this. It was nice to see that a small amount of blogs did take the time too talk about this as well. It does mean that this bill is being heard and will help it get discussed about. At this point I now I wonder if I should continue this project since it is over and if so how.

Benchmark Reflection- Q2

Christine Walden — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 11:18:49 -0500

My benchmark is here!

    When attempting to choose the 12 examples of how the government and I interact, I found it easiest to observe my actions throughout a day and consider what has made them possible. For example while determining my outfit for the day, I realized the freedom I had to wear almost anything to school, be it a political and/or personal statement. A freedom provided to me to some extent by Tinker vs. Des Moines. It made the my list of 12. From here, once dressed and relatively awake, I get into a car to go to school. I situate myself and buckle up, a practice taught to me for safety and legality's sake. The Pennsylvania seat belt law made the list. This same manner of operations was applied for the remaining 10 and before I knew it I had a completed list.
   Though simple in concept, the actual self-awareness needed to create said list was rather taxing. I often forgot what it was I was doing and some of the government connections I managed to find were rather vague and a tad farfetched. These had to be invalidated and I found that completed list took its far share of effort.
   However throughout this process, when I managed to remember the task at hand, I realized at present I have it rather easy. I have my rights and I am expected to adhere to the law, but being a minor these rights are restricted and the laws are regarded to as norms enforced by parents and teachers, rather police and courts. When I get older, I imagine the government and I will become a great deal more familiar with one another. I will have to know my rights and defend them, rights far expanded.

Q2 Benchmark Reflection

Harrison Talese-Rhodes — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 11:48:51 -0500

I had a little bit of trouble starting this project. I began by organizing the 12 different examples that we had to make into positives/negatives and legislative/judicial/executive. I chose to focus on Philadelphia laws for the executive branch because they have the most noticeable, direct effect upon my life. For the judicial branch, I found my different examples/sources by collaborating with other SLA students and researching on various supreme court case organizing websites. For my legislative examples, I simply thought of positives/negatives in my life that had to do with the government, and traced them back to the legislative process.

When I began, I worked very quickly and thoroughly. I chose reputable sources and researched well before writing anything down as fact. It was difficult to find sources that had information on the example, result, and an example of the example. I wrote appropriately long, coherent paragraphs describing my examples, and then, at the end, I reflected on the effect that have on my life.

It was most difficult to find the different examples. There isn't a website that you can go to and just *find* different examples of government functions separated into the three branches. If I were to do something differently, I would have done more in-depth research on court cases, and hopefully would have found a more diverse group in terms of federal/state/city courts.

The 3 Branches of goverment

Desiree Mack — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 11:50:50 -0500

Desireé Mack

Am Gov Benchmark

Legislative Branch

Child labor law of Pennsylvania- Positive

The Child Labor Law (CLL) was put into place for the safety and health of minors by not allowing the minor to work in certain establishments and occupations, an under a certain age. CLL makes minors have work permits before starting work. Except farm or domestic work in a private home, the law covers any establishment other than the minor’s home.

Impact on My Life

As a teenager for me it’s important to look my best, go out and have fun, and buy the things that are important to me for example Chris Brown’s F.A.M.E CD when it comes out, to do this I need extra money that my not be in my families budget so I have to get a job. I work for the Mural Arts Program of Philadelphia. This law protects me from my employer exploiting me as a worker. This allows me to be sure I am working in safe conditions and are not doing jobs that could put me in danger. Also it assures me a break during my workday and proper payment for my labor.

Affirmative Action Law- Positive

Affirmative action is when a business or governmental agency gives special rights of hiring or promoting to ethnic minorities to make up for past discrimination against that minority.

Impact on My Life

Working in the art field as I do now it is hard to get a head with so many artist vying for the job so having Affirmative Action is an advantage. Instead of being maybe otherwise over looked for a new position I have an advantage at getting ahead. It makes me more excited to work hard at my job because I know my hard work will pay off and help me advance.

H. R. 3962 Health Care Reform- Positive

To provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes.

Impact on My Life

The health care bill has a big impact on my life. I have rheumatoid arthritis, which is an auto-immune disease. It causes your immune system to attack your joins and break down the bone and cartledge of the joint along with other side effects. I have to go to my doctor and a specialist frequently. Between the doctors appointments and the medication I take it cost lot of money. Without health insurance I would be spending hundreds of thousands of dollars. With out health insurance I would have to live in pain and watch my body breakdown.

Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act- Positive

Promoting health and reducing childhood obesity, helping schools improve the nutritional quality of school meals.

Impact on My Life

I normally take my lunch on the days that I forget or cannot bring it, I buy lunch from school. With this new law I can be sure the food being served is healthy and of good quality. This bill makes it so more local food is being used which is better for students because local farmers don’t use the same strong pesticides as the big companies. The bill also gives schools more money to get better cooking materials and appliances for better production.

Judicial Branch

New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985)- Negative
Students have a reduced expectation of privacy in school.

A teacher accused T.L.O. of smoking in the bathroom. When she denied the allegation, the principal searched her purse and found cigarettes and marijuana paraphernalia. A family court declared T.L.O. a delinquent. The Supreme Court ruled that her rights were not violated since students have reduced expectations of privacy in school.

Impact on my life

As proud citizen of the united states I have the right to privacy, the reason police need a search warrant to dig through my privacy. Why when I enter a building I lose my rights as a human being. That makes no sense to me.

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)- Positive
Students do not leave their rights at the schoolhouse door.
To protest the Vietnam War, Mary Beth Tinker and her brother wore black armbands to school. Fearing a disruption, the administration prohibited wearing such armbands. The Tinkers were removed from school when they failed to comply, but the Supreme Court ruled that their actions were protected by the First Amendment.

Impact on my life

Every person has a right to their own opinion and to express that opinion. It is not okay to tell some one because they are in school that they lose their First Amendment right. If a person is not blatanly forcing their views on others than they should be able to express it freely. As a person who likes to express her opinion this court decision makes it so no one can take that right from me.

Goss v. Lopez (1975)- Positive
Students are entitled to certain due process rights.
Nine students at an Ohio public school received 10-day suspensions for disruptive behavior without due process protections. The Supreme Court ruled for the students, saying that once the state provides an education for all of its citizens, it cannot deprive them of it without ensuring due process protections.

Impact on my life

As student it protects me from my school make quick rash decisions that affect me in a negative way. Not following due process is like arresting someone with out reading them their rights.

Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier (1983)- Negative
Administrators may edit the content of school newspapers.
The principal of Hazelwood East High School edited two articles in the school paper The Spectrum that he deemed inappropriate. The student authors argued that this violated their First Amendment right to freedom of speech. The Supreme Court disagreed, stating that administrators can edit materials that reflect school values.

Impact on my life

Executive Branch

Unemployment

Pennsylvania unemployment benefits provide temporary compensation to those workers meeting the eligibility requirements of Pennsylvania law. The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry and each other state's unemployment office administers its own unemployment insurance program within Federal guidelines.

Impact on my life

This has had an impact on me and the people I know. Last year my Aunt Theresa lost her job as research scientist with Temple University. She lost her job because the money from grants they had ran out. It impacts me because my aunt is a contributer in my household she and my mother split the bills. With unemployment benefits she is able to have money and still help pay bills.

Philadelphia Police Department DIRECTIVE 7 (12-09-05)- Positive

The purpose of this Directive is to establish effective guidelines, consistent with Title VI of the Civil rights Act of 1964 and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act, and the Mayor’s Executive Order of September 29, 2001, for departmental personnel to follow when providing services to, or interacting with, individuals who have limited English proficiency (LEP).The purpose of this Directive is to establish effective guidelines, consistent with Title VI of the Civil rights Act of 1964 and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act, and the Mayor’s Executive Order of September 29, 2001, for departmental personnel to follow when providing services to, or interacting with, individuals who have limited English proficiency (LEP).

Impact on my life

This impacts my life a lot because these are the officers that enforce the law were I live and are their to protect me and my family. There is a lot of crime and violence in the area so we need our officers. Seeing the blue uniform I feel safe. They are putting them selves in danger to protect others. I believe the police officers of Philadelphia are extraordinary people. I aspire to be one of these extraordinary people when I graduate from college.

FAFSA- Positive

Impact on my life

My family can not afford to send me to college with out help from the government. FASFA is huge asset to my future because it provides me funds for education. Without FASA I wouldn’t be able to go to college and without a college degree I can not be an FBI agent that aspire to be after I serve my time as a police officer.

Law & Policy: Funding Schools Fairly

State Law

Pennsylvania has three main sources of law on school funding. The Pennsylvania Constitution requires “a thorough and efficient system of public education.” Other Pennsylvania laws lay out, in general ways, how state money can be spent. The annual state budget contains most of the details on funding for public education.State policy

There are three main policy issues affecting education funding in Pennsylvania:

• Adequacy. Most public schools do not spend enough money per student to give all children an adequate education and a fair chance for success. Pennsylvania has never conducted an official “adequacy study” to determine the actual amount per child needed to provide a quality education.

• Equity. There is little equity between the spending levels in different school districts. Some districts spend more than twice the amount per student as other districts.

• State Share. Pennsylvania provides only 36 percent of the total cost of public education, one of the lowest state shares in the country. Local school districts provide most of the funding for public education through property taxes. This means that wealthy districts have more money to spend on education than poorer districts.

Impact on my life

This impacts my life because my school gets funding based on how well we do. I think that makes the schools who don’t do well do even worst because they are not given the money for better books and other material that would help them progress. I think the schools should get an equal amount of money because no school should be left out and made to fail because of budgeting. This affects all student because in we are not getting the money we deserve.

Websites I used:

http://www.votespa.com/portal/server.pt/community/child_labor_law/7508

http://definitions.uslegal.com/a/affirmative-action/

http://www.caricom.org/jsp/secretariat/legal_instruments/model_legislation_sexual_harassment.jsp

http://www.uscourts.gov/EducationalResources/ConstitutionResources/LegalLandmarks/LandmarkSupremeCourtCasesAboutStudents.aspx

Reflection

Finding laws and court cases that applied to me was a little challenging. I tried to look for things that were relevant to my life and the people around me. Being a young person not many things affect me but as I get older I will feel the affects of the government lot more. Form this I know more of my rights as a student and the differences between the branches.

Final Blog Post For Same Sex Marriage in Pennsylvania

Lenea Harris — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 13:14:51 -0500

I created a Facebook page for my lobbying topic to gather supporters.

Facebook Page

I wanted to write and present a petition, but then I realized that I didn't know EXACTLY what I would be requesting in the petition. I haven't written a new policy to suggest, so I stalled on trying to figure that out.

Bureaucracy Reflection: Flow Chart for FAFSA

Lenea Harris — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 21:42:46 -0500

My partner and I, Amber chose to create a flow chart that displayed the process of completing the FAFSA. FAFSA means Free Application for Federal Student Aid. With completion of the application, eligible students receive federal aid to pay for college. Amber and I decided to identify the main components of the process first. Then, we went into further research to find the step- by- step procedures, and all of the small details that take effect on the process of filling out a FAFSA. We made a rough draft of the steps and continued to edit it until we both agreed on the information and the format of how the information would be displayed. We made our flowchart on a website where we both could work on it at the same time.

The actual FAFSA application is pretty simple as long as you have the information you need. If you are a student with no job, and no source of income, then your section of completing the application is easy. The parents are the ones who may have to calculate yearly income and things like that, but the application doesn't call for too much. It can be completed in one sitting.

If I could change one thing about the FAFSA process, I'd change how it determines the 'Expected Family Contribution'. The application requires student and parents to input tax information and they use that information to determine how much money a person should be able to afford to pay for his college education. I'd change that because in my situation, the tax returns and the amount of my money that my family can actually afford to pay will be two completely different results.

I don't think that FAFSA is entirely complicated, but anything that deals with receiving money from the government wether it's free money or loaned money will not a very simple process. Any process that involves the government will reflect the government, and the government is not simple.

Blog Post 5- Global Water Issues: Water Wars

Qianna Nelson — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 19:08:27 -0500

When thinking about the water issues you need to conceder four main things:

Water scarcity: I some parts of the world the hot climates are drying up water resources leaving 1.1 billion people without access to safe water. This leads to death and illness from drunken unsafe water, affects ford production, leads to hunger and increased global food prices.

Water sanitation: Throughout poor countries access to clean water and basic sanitation is a major problem. 2.6 billion people are lacking adequate sanitation leading to 5 million deaths per day.

Water access:Many people have to travel long distances to get the water they need because the other ways of getting water such as through ground water, a spring, or a river.

Resource management: This is often a political issue, usually there are many groups trying to use the same water source and without political intervention these fights for water can become nasty

This is a link to "World Toilet Day 2009"

http://waterwars.pulitzergateway.org/?p=7060

Nearly 2.6 million people world wide, 40% of the worlds population, lack access to basic sanitation.

1.1 billion do not have access to clean water.

1.8 million people mostly young children die each year form water relatable diseases.

In sub-saharan Africa the lack of sanitary water is holding back economic growth.

On this site are some videos from the Representatives from Water for People, Natural Resources Defense Council, Center for Strategic and International Studies and Water Advocates. These people went to these places and saw first hand the depth of the crisis and came p with possible solutions. The above link will take you to their videos.

http://waterwars.pulitzergateway.org/

This is a good website to go and check out the Water Wars. On it you can take a test to see how many gallons of water you use and give your opinions and you can also see whats going on with the rest of the worlds water struggles and you can see what many people are doing to help the problem, you can also share your ideas on helping the water problem.

How the Branches Affect Me

Anthony Byrd — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 21:48:52 -0500

My Benchmark Ant Byrd

Lobbying Assignment # 5

Kourtnee Lynch — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 13:07:53 -0500

Here is my lobbying assignment. For the final lobbying assignment,I decided to transfer all my information into a newspaper article.
I thought this would be a better way to explain my topic and my point of view etc.

The Final Countdown

John DeSalis — No Date

Lobbying number five

Anthony Byrd — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 22:10:19 -0500

I am lobbying Global Warming. I want the state of Pennsylvania to do something toward Global Warming. As of right now the state of Pennsylvania have no real big supporters to help stop or slow down the process of Global Warming. Global Warming can possibly cause our children’s children to really be in trouble.
Maybe some of the ideas that have already been presented to help Global warming should be put to the test to help out the ozone. I feel as though if the city of Pennsylvania does something, because of its influence on the United States, that other people would follow and we could possible help out our future children. One of our main supporters are the STATOIL company.
I've looked up my areas legislators which are Vincent Hughes and Anthony H. Williams and I haven't heard or saw anything recent about them stressing the importants of clean energy or a decrease in burning of fossil fuels. Anthony Williams is apart of the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee but hasn't spoke out about using less factorial methods of creating energy.

Barbara Adams is another Pennsylvania supporter of stopping global warming. She was under the governorship of Ed Rendell.

I think a good place for me right now is to find away to come in contact with some of our representatives and talk to them about how passionate I am about helping the situation. If they can hear a high school kids concern on the situation it might do some good.

American Government Benchmark Q2

Cameron Clayton — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:41:31 -0500

Here is my American Government Benchmark for quarter 2

I chose some of my laws/cases from memory, cases I had heard about before I chose to look into more and elaborate on. There was a point where I didn't know any other cases by memory. Once I got to that point I began to search google for Judical branch cases, Legislative branch cases, and Executive branch cases. The process was easy at first because I researched laws/cases that I already knew, so I got those out of the way quick. The farther along I got the more complicated finding cases/laws it got. I expect my life to get affected more by the government as I get older because depending on the career I choose, different laws and decisions made by the government may effect me in different ways.

Lobbying 5

Cameron Clayton — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 14:01:40 -0500

I am lobbying against the FAA Retirement Age For Commercial Pilots. As of right now there are no groups or organizations who are showing opposition to this law, mainly because the cutoff age was raised from 60 to 65 in 2007.

Certain organizations actually argued against the FAA changing the age from 60 to 65 because they felt that some pilots weren't going to be physically able to fly after the age of 60.

I began to research more organizations run by airline pilots and I was able to find an organization called ALPA (Air Line Pilots Association). This organization has dealt with the FAA before and was also one of the reasons that the FAA retirement age was changed, so if I were to continue on with trying to succeed in this lobbying project, my best bet would be to contact ALPA and see what they could do to help.

Pie Charts

Amirah Burkett — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 11:57:51 -0500

Download PDF for Geography, Technology, Education Charts.