Will Donald Trump be Trumped?

As of right now Donald Trump is the GOP front runner. Meaning that Trump is the frontrunner for the Republican party. Although Trump leads,  60% of voters in a survey find Trump unfavorable, while just 33% find him to be the right choice for president.  Donald Trump leads his party by 15.8 points, but could he really be a president. Majority of Americans feel that Donald Trump is a racist, sexist and not the right choice, but he leads his party by a large amount.

My belief is that the real reason Donald Trump leads is his media popularity compared to the other candidates. Since Trump announced that he was running the media has been focused on Donald Trump and his campaign. Donald Trump constantly feeds the media controversial statements that lead to more popularity for Donald Trump. Donald Trump is getting nearly 15% more media coverage than everyone else which is almost three times more coverage than anyone else. Marco Rubio fellow candidate said in an interview that “ The media is enabling Donald Trump to destroy politics”.  Trump being well known outside of the political pool is also one of the main reasons he is winning the GOP. Trump has always been known to have a controversial personality, but add that to the big stage of the politics, it’s a gold mine for media. The media  alone has kept Donald Trump in the lead!

~Colby

Is the United States Really A Democracy?

The United States Constitution has been amended 17 times, and they have all been for extremely important reasons, such as the abolishing of slavery, and the women’s right to vote, but is there another major flaw in the Constitution that needs to be amended? The thing that people see is  beautiful about the United States is the freedom. We get to chose our leaders, and elect our president, or so most people think. While we

do get to vote for who we want to be our president, the real decision is up to these people in the image to the left, members of the electoral college. For years different organizations and groups have tried to get rid of the electoral college, but none have succeeded. What the electoral college actually is and what they do are kind of confusing, so I will say them in simple terms. On election day, voters vote for the candidate they want to be president. Whichever candidate gets the most votes in that state, their chosen electors go to the real election in the first week of December. They will then cast their vote, presumably based on who they said they would vote for, but only 29 states actually require electors to vote for who they pledged too. Whichever candidate receives the most electoral votes is then the president. When the Constitution was written in the 1787, the electoral college was a good idea because voters had very little, if any, opportunity to learn about the candidates, so it was the job of educated, state appointed electors. This system is, however, now severely outdated and badly needs to be removed because of voters ample opportunity to learn about candidates.   
The biggest flaw comes into view when you realise that 21 of state electors (not including Connecticut) can vote for whoever they want to, even if they pledged to vote for someone else. If you pledged that you would vote for a certain candidate, and you are representing nearly 600,000 people, you would think that you would vote for the person that the 600,000 people chose. What I don’t understand is when electors vote for someone completely different, and even sometimes someone who isn’t even running! You may think that this doesn’t happen very often, but it has happened in every single presidential election in U.S. history! You may also be thinking that it doesn’t really matter if one or two electors vote against whom they pledged to, because the vote has never been down to one or two votes, but it actually has. In the election of 1876, the electoral vote was 185 to 184, just barely giving Rutherford B. Hayes the presidency. I don’t know about you, but I would be very mad if the person I wanted to be president lost because my elector lied. I hope that after reading this blog, you can support those who are taking action to abolish the electoral college.   

~James

Being Part of the Secret Service Doesn’t Mean Keeping Secrets…

Two weeks ago, an intruder with a knife entered the White House and managed to get into the East Room. This has stirred up some concern about whether or not the former U.S. Secret Service Director, Julia Pierson, is doing her job of protecting the president. The ultimate reason why Pierson had to resign from her job was not because an intruder breached the White House. It wasn’t because an agent reportedly passed out drunk in a hotel hallway in March, raising second thoughts about her success at bringing the agency’s unacceptable behavior in line. It was not because of recent reports that it took the White House four days in 2011 to realize gunshots had actually been fired at the president’s residence. The reason she lost President Obama’s trust is because he found out bad news just minutes before it appeared in the media. There’s more. The agency made up false statements about the September 19th incident, which also crushed Obama’s trust in her leadership. When that happens, it’s close to impossible for most leaders to recover. The end of their career often comes quickly – it definitely did for Julia Pierson.

Just a few days ago, after news that the intruder had gotten much farther into the White House than it seemed originally, Julia Pierson gave a disinterested, unconvincing performance in front of lawmakers on Tuesday. Certainty about her position in the Secret Service quickly died out. Pierson – who read the agency’s inaccurate statement that the intruder was just inside the White House and unarmed – still allowed them to publish that version. Also, during a trip to Atlanta, a security contractor with a gun and a criminal record was just inches away from Barack Obama in an elevator. Everything about that is wrong. The security lapse should have been referred to an investigative unit, but the agency failed to do so. To make matters worse, Pierson did not share it with the White House. All of these serious mistakes are what the White House officials called the “decisive factor” of Obama’s withering confidence in Julia Pierson.

In my opinion, it is in the president’s best interest that Julia Pierson resigned because there have been many examples of her poor performance in ensuring he is protected. Pierson’s lack of attention towards detail and her attempts to cover up mistakes clearly show that she values her position and reputation more than keeping the president out of danger. During a time when there is so much precaution about threats to the United States both from domestic and foreign terrorism, it is essential that our leader is protected. Since Pierson was not truthful or reliable, she cannot be trusted with protecting our president’s life. What I’d like to know is, what changes will her replacement make so they don’t repeat the same mistakes? How will the Secret Service ensure that everyone from Pierson’s position to the president’s bodyguards is accountable for doing their job well? After all, the well-being of our country depends on it.

~Shreya

JFK’s Legacy Lives On

Jacqueline Kennedy, Robert Kennedy

November 22, 2013 is the 50th Anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (JFK).   JFK was the 35th president of the United States, but was assassinated before he could even finish his first term.   JFK was in Texas that day to start campaigning for a second term.   He was riding in the back of a convertible with the First Lady and the Governor of Texas as part of a motorcade in downtown Dallas.   Gunfire rung out just after 12:30pm as the motorcade was passing the Texas School Book Depository.  The president’s neck and head were struck with bullets.  He was pronounced dead only 30 minutes later.

            Lee Harvey Oswald was accused of the crime and was brought in by police that evening. Only two days later, a local nightclub owner named Jack Ruby shot and killed Oswald before a trial could take place.  This happened on live television!  While there was overwhelming evidence that Lee Harvey Oswald was the killer, there were many theories about why he killed the president and whether he acted alone or with others.   Many of the stories about the anniversary of JFK’s assassination are about these different theories.  One theory is that there were multiple gunmen who fired at the president.  Another theory is that Jack Ruby was involved and killed Oswald in order to keep him from talking to the police. Some people believe that Oswald was working for the Russians, while others think that the mafia or the CIA itself was behind the plot to kill the president.

            Instead of spending too much time arguing about the conspiracy theories about the assassination, I believe it is more important to remember JFK’s legacy and all of his positive accomplishments.  He is the founder of the Peace Corps, he made progress toward international peace with the International Test Ban Treaty, and avoided conflict with the Soviet Union during the Cuban Missile Crisis.  Even though he made many mistakes, such as the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, his presidency inspired many Americans and people all around the world and offers important lessons even for today.  The advice he gave during his famous inauguration speech- “My fellow Americans; ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do your country” – is still an important message for today.

~Luke

Government Shutdown Couldn’t Shut Down the President’s Cup

Just this past weekend, with the PGA Tour golf season soon coming to a close, the President’s Cup golf tournament took place at the Muirfield Village Golf Course in Columbus, Ohio. The President’s Cup is a golf tournament that is played every two years, showcasing a four day battle between the U.S. team and the International team. Naturally, the U.S team includes only players from America, while the International team has players from every other part of the world. Both teams have selected captains, who choose certain players to be on the team, while other players earn their spot on by achieving a certain goal. For the four day event, players play matches against the other team 2 on 2 or head to head. If one team gets a better score on a hole than the other, they win the hole, and go 1 up in the match. However, if the other team gets a point on another hole, the match goes back to all square. If both teams get the same score for the hole, neither team gets points. At the end of the 18 hole match, whichever team is up, whether they’re 1 up or 5 up, wins the match, and if a match is all square at the end, both teams receive .5 points. At the end of the four days, the team with the most total points from winning or tying matches wins the tournament. This year, as the rain came pouring down and delayed play many times, the U.S. prevailed, beating the International team 18.5 to 15.5. Tiger Woods sealed the deal for the U.S., securing his match down the stretch and earning the U.S. a very valuable last point.

Personally, I am a big golf fan and player, and I believe tournaments like this, and just the game of golf overall, are looked at by most as kind of a sissy and lame sport. But I don’t feel this way at all. Golf is a game against your mind: if you are completely calm, and focused on every shot, but not overly stressed, you can play great most times. But if you are doubting yourself, your swing, or you just have one bad thought as you’re playing, there is a very good chance you won’t play well. Plus, when you are playing well, it feels really good and can be very rewarding. However you are playing, though, it doesn’t matter: it is still a fun game. Also, as I have been to a PGA Tour golf tournament myself, I can freely say that it can be suspenseful and exciting to watch one live or on TV. Sitting by the 18th green with the best seat in the house, I’ve witnessed two tournaments that have been decided in the last few holes. I’ve witnessed Bubba Watson, now a star on the Tour, hit a miraculous shot to clinch to his 1st Tour victory, and be reduced to tears after the emotional win. Events like the President’s Cup and the Ryder Cup (a very similar tournament to the PC besides the fact that it is played every four years and instead of an International team, there is just a European team) are even more special, because it’s when most of the best players in the world come together and play against each other. Also, fans from all over the world attend, as ones from all countries and cultures come to cheer on the International squads. Lastly, the PGA Tour does one thing none of the other sports/leagues in our country do: raise the largest sums of money for charities around the world. And as we are in October, which is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we can appreciate of all the great work the PGA of America does for our country.

~Mark

The Inauguration is Coming Soon

In this past election, Barack Obama was elected to be president for another 4 years. He won 332 electoral votes and the other presidential candidate, Mitt Romney won 206 electoral votes. Since Obama has been elected, there will be another Inauguration address for him in January. An inauguration is the act of starting a new operation or practice. Basically what happens at the inauguration is that the President is starting his term and where there is the swearing-in ceremony, inaugural address, and inaugural parade. But if this is what an inauguration is; and Barack Obama has been president for the past four years, then why should there be another inauguration?

I personally think that there should never have been a second inauguration for anybody that was president for a second term. The inauguration costed 170 million dollars for president Obama. They really shouldn’t spend another 170 million dollars for another inauguration when it really isn’t an inauguration. This is because president Obama is not starting a new operation. They can just donate the money to a children’s hospital instead of wasting it on a second inauguration. So the question that I have been wondering is this: Why do they have a second inauguration for presidents that are reelected?

~Nick Ratliff

Presidential Election

After four years, it is time to elect a new president or reelect the current one. President Obama and Mitt Romney are this year’s candidates. At first, many believed Obama was the for sure winner but after the first presidential debate,  the predictions had changed drastically. According to many, Obama had lost the first debate because he didn’t fight back, barely looked anyone in the eyes, and was very unfocused. This left much pressure on Joe Biden, Obama’s vice president, to  help regain their lead. Depending on who you ask, Biden delivered. Some say he was very rude while others  enjoyed his smirks and laughter. At the third debate, it was up to Obama to prove he was a worthy president. Obama ended up winning that one although neither Romney or him were that impressive. And when looking at the final debate,  the majority thought Obama  won again. Now after all the debates have ended, the election is pretty close. The still wavering voters will in the end decide who wins.

Although I am not old enough to vote, I believe Governor Romney should win.  One reason why is because he has experience rebuilding failing businesses. Small businesses all over the US are failing because of the tough economy. But, with Romney’s expertise in this area America could get much better.  I also think Romney should become our president because of his skills in running a society. As we all know, Romney used to govern Massachusetts. He did his job successfully, getting his state to the top of academic charts, which means he has the capability of running our country well. Overall, I think that Romney should be president because he will fulfill his  promises. Obama was given four years to prove he was the right choice, and in my opinion he didn’t. After watching Romney for only about month I knew that he would be a very successful president.  Personally I think after being given four years and not improving  America, Obama should be voted out and Romney should be put in.

~Virginia Shugrue

The World’s Worst College

The latest NBC/Wall Street Journal presidential poll showed both candidates, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, deadlocked at 47% of the votes each. As the race tightens up, it is very possible that we may see what has only happened 4 other times in American history. A candidate may get more votes than the other candidate but still lose the election. How is this possible? Well, the presidential election is not determined by popular vote, it’s based on the Electoral College. In the Electoral College, each state gets a certain amount of electoral votes, which are based on population. For each state a candidate wins, they get that state’s Electoral votes. A candidate wins the election by winning 270 electoral votes.

I think the electoral system is really dumb, because a candidate should be chosen by how many total votes he or she gets, not how many populated states they win. A lot of other American’s must feel the same way I do, because in a recent poll by Gallup, 62% percent of adults want to abolish the Electoral College. The Electoral College makes it seem like votes in California (55 electoral votes) count more than votes in North Dakota (3 electoral votes). The electoral system probably also dissuades some citizens to vote, because they don’t think their vote counts. If we want a real democracy, then we should abolish the Electoral College once and for all.

~Rayan Vatti

The Presidential Battle

 

This year, in November, the new president will be elected or the old president will be reelected. The two candidates are Barack Obama, and Mitt Romney. Barack Obama’s plan is to cut the deficit by $4 trillion, and he wants to tax millionaires more. He also wants to make 1 million new manufacturing jobs, and have troops come home from Afghanistan. Mitt Romney’s plan is to have Energy Independence, to cut the deficit, and to make trade that works for America.

The presidential race is quite possibly the most important thing that this country does. The candidates are both trying to achieve similar goals, but in a much different way. The deciding factor for voters is; which candidate can get it done faster or more efficiently. Now, I am a Republican, but I think that Obama’s plan will work faster and more efficiently. He is more focused on creating jobs than Mitt Romney is, and creating jobs will greatly help the economy. On the other side, making trade work for America is an example of mercantilism. Mercantilism states that a country becomes rich by exporting more than it imports. This, and dealing less with China, will help the economy much as well, because China is one of the countries that we are in debt to. If you don’t vote, then you will not have a say in the government, and you might not get what you want. Vote for whichever candidate you want to.

~Eric Perez

Who Will Be Our New Leader?

Millions of voters, four years, one president. This is the 2012 Presidential Election. Once again, US citizens must vote for a new leader for our country. Since 2008, our leader has been Democrat Barack Obama. Obama is a candidate this year, running against Republican Mitt Romney. Who will be our new leader? Our nation will find out on November 6th, 2012.

As almost everybody knows, our country must vote for a new president. There are ups and downs about both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. A down about Obama is that voting citizens think he did a bad job at handling the economy, so people who believe this might vote for Romney instead of Obama. More downs include: only 30% of voting citizens approve of his federal budget handling, and ObamaCare has more opponents than supporters. On the other hand, some positive qualities about Obama is that he is an inspiration and has a good effect on some people. Meanwhile, Mitt Romney is described as “patient and peaceful”. Unfortunately, at a breakfast in New Hampshire discussing health care, he was heard saying: “I like being able to fire people who provide services to me”. He also said “You know, if someone doesn’t give me a good service that I need, I want to say, ‘I’m going to get someone else to provide that service I need’”. In my opinion, this is an awful thing for any president to say. This statement sounds mean and selfish. Hopefully, both Obama and Romney have more positive characteristics than negative ones so our country can easily choose a good leader.

~Julia Marcouiller