Intrerest Groups 5/14

"Notice that the interests that all of these diverse types of organizations are expected to further are for the most part common interests: the union members' common interest in higher wages, the farmers' common interest in favorable legislation, the cartel members' common interest in higher prices, the stockholders' common interest in higher dividends and stock prices, the citizens' common interest in good government. It is not an accident that the diverse types of organizations listed are all supposed to work primarily for the common interests of their members."

Organizations are created to further the common goals of the people within. These goals are ones that they would not be able to reach individually. The common goal that they are trying to reach, keeps them united and working together. When the goal they are working towards is not making any progress or the progress is not great enough to need a group to create, the organizations starts to disband.

The Judiciary 5/7

Schenck v. United States:  

"During World War I, Schenck mailed circulars to draftees. The circulars suggested that the draft was a monstrous wrong motivated by the capitalist system. The circulars urged "Do not submit to intimidation" but advised only peaceful action such as petitioning to repeal the Conscription Act. Schenck was charged with conspiracy to violate the Espionage Act by attempting to cause insubordination in the military and to obstruct recruitment".

When America entered World War I in 1917, Congress passed a law called the Espionage Act. The law said that during wartime obstructing the drafting of soldiers and trying to make them disloyal or disobedient were crimes. Almost 2,000 people were accused of violating this law and were put on trial. Charles Schenck was one of those people. He mailed thousands of pamphlets to men who had been drafted into the armed forces. These pamphlets said that the government had no right to send American citizens to kill people. 

Along with the the others, government accused Schenck of violating the Espionage Act. Schenck answered by saying that the Espionage Act was unconstitutional. He said that it broke the First Amendment's promise the "Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech." After working its way through the federal courts, the case was judged by the Supreme Court in 1919. In a unanimous decisions, the supreme court ruled that the second amendment could not be used to shield who are creating a clear and present danger. It was during this case that the second amendment no longer was absolute. Though having the freedom of speech is an important law, boundaries are necessary to see that the law is being used correctly. The expression ' yelling out fire in a crowded movie theater' reminded me of this and caused me to pick this law. 

The Presidency 4/30

And they, too, had big dreams for their daughter, a common dream, born of two continents. My parents shared not only an improbable love; they shared an abiding faith in the possibilities of this nation. They would give me an African name, Barack, or “blessed,” believing that in a tolerant America your name is no barrier to success. They imagined me going to the best schools in the land, even though they weren’t rich, because in a generous America you don’t have to be rich to achieve your potential. They are both passed away now. Yet, I know that, on this night, they look down on me with pride.

Obama makes the theme his speeches something that people can identify with. Hearing his speeches and knowing that they have felt that way at some point in their life, cases the audience to connect with on a larger level, an emotional level. One theme that seemed evident in this paragraph is familial love. Whether it comes from your parents, grandmothers step-parents, friends, sisters cousins and so on, I'd like to believe that everyone has felt that feeling of love. With that feeling comes the want for that person to do well in life. That is something we all want. Another theme was the wish to come to this country to have a better life. That is the american dream. Obama uses these feeling to touch the hearts of those that are listing through their dreams and aspirations, one of few things that we as a diverse nation, have in common.

Garrymandering 4/16

Democrats won in nine of the 10 most-gerrymandered districts. But eight out of 10 of those districts were drawn by Republicans.This speaks to the notion that the point of gerrymandering isn't to draw yourself a safe seat but to put your opponents in safe seats by cramming all of their supporters into a small number of districts. This lets you spread your own supporters over a larger number of districts. And the way to do this is to draw outlandishly-shaped districts that bring far-flung geographic areas together. North Carolina's 12th district, which holds the title of the nation's most-gerrymandered, is a textbook example of this: It snakes from north of Greensboro, to Winston-Salem, and then all the way down to Charlotte, spanning most of the state in the process.

It  seems that gerrymandering means to separate the United States in to sections based on the population. Though I do not believe the term is fully understood by myself, it is clear that others are using to their advantage. I can see how drawing oneself in to a safe seat would offer some benefit. they would have a large section that was full of supporters that they could rely of for votes. It is more beneficial, however to have supporters in different sections to shift to overall voting process. That would give a group more control over the system. Shifting the opponents allies give them the power on only one section. This leave them at a disadvantage where they would have to build alliances with other sections.

Douglas 04/9

What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciations of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade, and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy — a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices, more shocking and bloody, than are the people of these United States, at this very hour.

While this speech begins with Douglas showing his appreciation for the brave and just original settlers of America, the speech quite abruptly changes into what it was meant to be, a speech against slavery. As I read this speech and identified with the slave on the day of America's birth, it was quite simple to see how this day could bring out only anger and sorrow in those who were colored and did not have the same rights that the very country was prided on. With the constitution as clear as is stated that all people have rights, is ignored while other laws are follow with the utmost respect. They are not part of this celebration of freedom from the British. They are not free. This day that brings so many people joy and happiness also brings others jealousy and irony. 

Civil Disobedience 4/02

"But, to speak practically and as a citizen, unlike those who call themselves no-government men,(4) I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government. Let every man make known what kind of government would command his respect, and that will be one step toward obtaining it."

-Civil Disobedience Part 1 of 3, Paragraph 3

While I can see the benefits of having the government, govern less, I do not believe this is the answer. The government has power and I believe it is a good balance. however it does need to change how it uses that power. I feel the government is seen as this looming force of negativity that people both hate and fear. While this can be a positive in some aspects it loses the respect of the people as a consequence. I do not believe that the positives are enough to out way that negative impact. I believe the government's first step would be to take more of an in-depth look at the decisions they make and the affects that they cause.

The American Political Tradition 3/11

"A longing to recapture the past, in fact, has itself been such a basic ingredient of the recent American past that no history of political thinking is complete which does not attempt to explain it. In American politics the development of a retrospective and nostalgic cast of mind has gone hand in hand with the slow decline of a traditional faith. When competition and enterprise were rising, men thought of the future; when they were flourishing, of the present. Now—in an age of concentration, bigness, and corporate monopoly—when competition and opportunity have gone into decline, men look wistfully back toward a golden age." Richard Hofstadter

I agree that people do long to recapture the past. It is natural that when one is in a tough situation, to think of a time where life was simpler. It may leave some with a sense of longing while leaving others with a feeling that things could begin to get better. That things may once again be like that time that occur a time ago. It is also natural that when a situation is getting better, to think what positives may become available to such a person in the future and of what decisions one can make in the present to lead one towards a good future. Looking towards the future for hope, looking towards the past for comfort and looking at the present to make decisions are all rather important to everyone. They keep people moving on in the present towards their futures. While this faith may not be the "traditional faith" I do not think we are suffering as we loose touch with it.