Down With Dope

In states where marijuana possession is illegal, state attorney's who are simply implementing laws are being threatened with prosecution of being a major drug trafficker. However, in states allowing possession under prescription, newspapers are being threatened by the Justice Department for running ads for medical marijuana services. This, losing integrity in relation to freedom of speech and the press. Though Obama has been targeted as the reason for the recent "marijuana crackdown", his relationship with it seems almost nonexistent, having only rarely and reluctantly answered questions regarding the frequent raids, and almost never bringing them up himself. Attorney General Eric Holder could himself change the law, without going through Obama, or Congress, changing marijuana from a Schedule I, on the list of dangerous controlled substances, to a Schedule II, which would allow legally for its' medical use. Although the Federal Government continues to ignore this reality, it remains just that. Smoking pot, even in regard to electoral popularity, has been deemed less and less of a disqualification, on things like  just not getting caught but still having done it. To some people, this changes the game from it being illegal, to simply illegal if you're caught.

#6

This article from USA Today explains the statistics necessary to at least turn heads of readers as to comments on Obama'e relationship to gasoline prices. Energy Information Administration reported that the weekly U.S. regular conventional retail price of gasoline was $1.832. The weekly U.S. regular conventional retail price of gasoline was $3.787 for the week of March 19, according to EIA.The White House has argued that the price of oil is cyclical and won't be tamed by drilling alone. When the price was $1.83 in January 2009. With evidence like this, I can't disagree with at least your introduction of these thoughts on the situation.

Assignment #5

Though troops have left Iraq, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, not alone, have started the largest diplomatic operation. 15,000 workers along with U.S. diplomats will be protected by a private army consisting of as many as 5,000 security contractors, armed with assault weapons and flying armed helicopters. State Department officials speak against these contractors acting as troops. "We run. We go. We do not stand and fight.""The order to fire is given by that U.S. government, State Department security professional. So the contractors just don't open fire." With an increase in pay for essentially the same field of performance, it should come as no surprise that most contract workers are in fact troops, largely those experienced. In 2007 a group called Blackwater was held responsible for the killing of 17 Iraqi soldiers, by these guards. The State Department is getting involved in action not only out of their culture, but out of their expertise.
Blackwater's, (now re-named Academi's) president says "what we'd like to do is follow through with all our changes so that we can do business in Iraq in the future".

Blog Stage #4

In a Huffington Post Blog, Night Politics Editor Leigh Owens reports some objective facts and quotes attracting both pro and anti gun restrictions in the U.S. The report is mainly focused around the said increase due to President Obama's "unintentional boost to the industry and to the NRA's membership rolls. The site even suggests that gun rights groups should perhaps rally in support of the president this November." Owens has been Chief of Staff of PA House of Representatives, and is a Drexel University graduate. The blog mentions and displays some of Ammo.net's statistical information and some visuals displaying more specific information. Although the report expresses both sides, the bulk of the information seems slightly towards and anti-gun audience because of the information presentation, however, there is plenty of substantiality provided for pro-gun advocates. I would have to disagree then, that Obama is indeed a predominant factor raising pro-gun percentages

Assignment #3

Ross Douthat has been a columnist for the New York Times for almost four years and before, was a senior editor at the Atlantic and a blogger for theatlantic.com. He's the author and co-author of works including "Privilege: Harvard and the Education of the Ruling Class" and is a Harvard graduate. In the opinion section of the New York Times, he evaluates Crime and the Social Crisis explaining that "any real prison reform effort is likely to prove much more wrenching than the optimism of policy wonks would sometimes lead one to expect". He uses evaluations from Adam Gopnik's New York essay along with Christopher Glaznek's piece "Raise the Crime Rate" to support his claim "how powerful one finds this counter-argument depends on one's views of mass incarceration and its consequences". He provides evidence on how swiftly crime rates have plummeted over the last decade and a half, which to him proves that there is no social crisis, or at least less of one than Charles Murray's analysis would indicate in his great debate. To me the most important piece of logical information in the commentary is when stated that "maybe they suggest that we've protected American society as a whole from the consequences of social breakdown by imprisoning low-income, less-educated men by the thousands and millions". I agree with a lot his ideas because of their individualistic views like personal perception and interpretation of popular thought.

Stage Two: Article Introduction and Colleague's Blogs

An article in the New York Times discusses how the law know as “No Child Left Behind” has been a long standing operation, heavily involving the federal government's role in education. Its focus is on the use of standardized test scores, encouraging raised academic standards, preparing all students for college or careers. This refocusing of energies, turning the few thousand worst schools, is not only valid, but essential in mediating between the more fortunate schools and themselves. Recently, under the Obama administration, in March 2010 announced its use of executive power to make such changes. This month it was announced that waivers were to be granted to the ten states having taken action. High scoring schools are to be rewarded thusly, and low scoring schools are to be singled out for “rigorous and comprehensive interventions”, mainly targeting the advancement of minority students. The article discusses thoroughly the history and specific significance of the law, and how the government has planned and will continue carrying out its focus.