If you’re filling bankruptcy in NC, you’ll need to understand the specific laws of the state. Or, better yet, hire a North Carolina lawyer to help you with the process. Filing for bankruptcy is complicated, and having an attorney walk you through the process can really be helpful. Still, if you would like to get a handle on the bankruptcy policies of North Carolina, this article is a good place to start.

Piggy bank china (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Community property

 North Carolina is not a community property state, which means that it is possible to file for bankruptcy without involving a spouse. In a community property state, an individual must file with his or her spouse, because both of them “own” the debt and finances. In North Carolina, though, you only have to include a spouse if he or she co-signed on a loan.

Bankruptcy exemptions

 Most states allow a certain number of property exemptions, even if it is a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The exemptions in North Carolina include automobiles (with a certain amount of equity), and real estate (again, with a limit on equity). Limited amounts of other property may also be kept, as well as insurance, retirement savings and a few other assets. As compared to other states, North Carolina offers relatively generous exemptions. In 2005, when Congress revised the bankruptcy laws to prevent abuse of the system, North Carolina increased the value limits on a few exemptions.

Petition preparer

 In North Carolina, any individual (including the debtor) can file for bankruptcy as a petition preparer. The preparer files for the debtor, and charges a relatively small fee. Hiring a petition preparer can help make filing easier, as the preparer will know how to comply with federal guidelines. However, hiring a lawyer is safer, since some petition preparers have minimal experience.

Discretion

Bankruptcy is a public record in North Carolina. However, that does not mean that everyone you know will learn about your bankruptcy. If you’re famous, and the news picks up on it, then you’re in trouble. Otherwise, if you don’t gossip about your bankruptcy, it’s unlikely that it will be common knowledge.

In the end, filing for bankruptcy in North Carolina is a lot like filing in other states. And, just like in other states, it is a pretty complex process. Now that you know a few of the details of an NC bankruptcy, it would be a good idea to start looking for a good attorney. He or she can help you figure out what kind of bankruptcy to file, and what exemptions you will be permitted. Also, you may learn that you can keep certain assets, such as your home, with the help of a good bankruptcy attorney.

Cover of Wall Street (20th Anniversary Edition)

The Grumbling Hive

In Bernard Mandeville’s The Fable of the Bees, written in the early 1700s, Mandeville describes a hive of bees that serve as an analogy for London. In the beginning, these bees are full of vice and the hive hums along productively. However, once they realize that they are “wicked,” they pray to God to make them virtuous, which God then does and everything falls to pieces. Essentially, without greed or the desire for more than is necessary for life, the bees regress into — well — bees in a stump. For Mandeville, the “private vice” of greed had enormous “public benefits.”

David Hume

Writing just 50 years after Mandeville, Hume took Mandeville’s idea that the public benefits from private vices and expanded upon it. Without getting into all the details, Hume argues that greed drives people to work harder and fuels innovation. Without greed, according to Hume, people would work only hard enough to secure food and shelter for themselves, which in turn means that no one produces excess food. Not only does this leave the entire human race vulnerable to the whims of nature, but it leaves no room for art, science, music, or any number of other things that most people would definitely agree are good.

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Basic Assumptions in Economics

However, you might say, “that’s all very well. They have pretty theories but I’m still not sure I buy it.” Well, if that’s the case, let’s step back from the historical examples for a moment and consider some of the basic assumptions in modern economics. Economics assumes that people are rational and defines rationality as, “the perceived benefit for some action is greater than the perceived cost.” This implies that there is no such thing as a selfless action, and could even be taken to mean that all actions are greedy. Also, because we gain “utility” — a kind of made up currency that measures happiness — by getting more money, economics essentially correlates money to happiness, or at least perceived happiness. Some modern scholars, however, challenge these assumptions because the success of economics in predicting the outcome of a given market is a powerful argument in its favor.

A Modern Example

Let’s move even further into familiar waters with an example that hopefully you get to experience in real life. Pretend for a moment that you have just won a progressive jackpot and are now a multimillionaire. Would you be happy about it? would you consider it a good thing? Perhaps most importantly, would you give all but the bare essentials away to charity? I am guessing the answers to those questions — almost unanimously — go: yes, yes, no. I know that’s what I said, and I don’t blame either you or myself for answering that way. You know why? Because greed can sometimes be good.

Swing Voters – These are voters that do not have an allegiance to any one particular political party.

Term Limits – These are limits that are imposed on the length of time any politician is allowed to remain in office. As an example, the President of the United States can only serve up to two terms of four years in length in his office.

Third Party – This is any political party that is not one of the two primary parties, the Republicans and the Democrats.

Town Meeting – This is a gathering of voters in a specific town in order to discuss certain issues and to arrive at decisions about those issues.

Vote – This is a way to show preference and to choose an elected leader or to decide upon an initiative. Voting can be done by marking paper, raising hands or by filling forms out on a computer depending on the type of election that is being held.

Voting Booth – This is the small enclosure where a person can vote privately.

Voting Machine – This is a mechanical device that is used for the purpose of voting. There are numerous different types of machines used for this purpose in order to streamline and to automate the voting process.

With your right to vote, you stand above a lot of other countries. With your right to protest, you have even more abilities that far too many people don’t get in this world. It’s vitally important that you gain the knowledge necessary to protect your rights and freedoms. With your freedom and the knowledge you gain from an online degree, you can make a lot of great things happen in this world. You can also keep a lot of potential bad things from ever happening.

For one, everyone needs to be constantly on guard against losing our freedoms due to paranoia or fear of losing security. While defending ourselves is necessary, we must keep ourselves from making one of our leaders into an overt dictator just because we’re scared. With fear comes irresponsibility, so we the people need to be empowered to preserve our freedoms. If you do your part by getting educated and using your knowledge to the best of your ability, you’re a great citizen. Some of the worst things in the history of the world have happened because good people have done nothing.

One advantage of getting an education is the well-rounded nature that it will your life. The core curriculum taught at schools covers a range of topics, including civics, biology, history, foreign languages, literature, math and English. These give you a better base upon which to build your own perceptions about society and your role in it. You can now more easily pursue an online degree, which can be done in the comfort of your own home.

Your core classes are complemented with the more specific ones that match your major area of choice. These are often intermingled with the core classes as you advance. You can graduate with a general studies degree, which takes you across the curriculum into a variety of subject areas. This is a good choice for those who are unsure of the career path that they want to take.

When you have a higher education under your belt, you can more actively take part in society and enjoy culture at a whole new level. The arts, literature and other areas will have a deeper and richer meaning due to your greater understanding of them. It also makes you more competitive on the job market, which is something that you definitely want to take advantage of.

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Democracy is not just an American idea. Democracy has become one of the biggest forms of government around the world. That means that people all around the world are beginning to enjoy the rights that many Americans take for granted, such as voting. Most places consider Democracy a welcomed change over other forms of government, like Communism, Dictatorships, and Fascism.

One place that has recently turned toward Democracy is the Former Soviet Union. The Russian Federation is now run as a Semi-Presidential Republic, similar to how America is set up but with a President and a Prime Minister sharing duties. The Russian people are happy to have this new democratic government, though Communism is still a popular idea in Russia, as the Communist Party is one of the largest political parties in the Russian Federation.

Kazakhstan, also previously part of the Soviet Union, is now a Presidential Republic similar to America. Communism is still very predominant in the country, as the current Kazakhstan President and most of the Federal Government are members of the Nur Otan Party, which has many Authoritarian and Communist views, though they attempt to make their views work well within the parameters of Democracy.

Democracy has been gaining popularity world-wide since America declared its independence from Britain in 1776. Now more and more people are getting the right to vote and elect their officials. Whether it is in the form of a Republic, a Democratic Republic, or a Representative Democracy, the influence of Democracy is spreading through the world and is giving more people the right to have a say in their Government.

Part of knowing how to participate in a United States election is to have a thorough understanding of the language and lingo. This is part nine of the United States election glossary, including the more prevalent terms that you need to know.

Senate – The senate is a part of Congress. In Congress, the senators are responsible for proposing and voting on laws and legislation. Two senators exist for each state so there are 100 in total. Each senator is elected for a term of six years.

Soft Money – This is money that is given to a party but not specifically to a candidate in particular.

Straw Vote – This is an unofficial type of vote that is used in order to predict how a specific election may turn out.

Suffrage – This is the privilege or right of voting.

Suffragette – This is a person that once campaigned for the rights of all women to vote. In 1920, the 19th amendment was ratified in the United States Constitution to give all women the right to participate in elections.

Super Delegate – This is an extra-special delegate that is chosen but not elected by the party. These delegates are seated specifically because of the position that they hold in the government or their party, or they are chosen by the state’s party.

Super Tuesday – This is the day on which many special primary elections are held. Super Tuesday has been around since 1988, which is when many states in the south decided that they would hold their primary elections on the same day.

Part of knowing how to participate in a United States election is to have a thorough understanding of the language and lingo. This is part eight of the United States election glossary, including the more prevalent terms that you need to know.

Primary Election – This is an election where the primary goal is to choose the party’s candidate for a specific office. Whichever candidate is the winner from the party is later going to go up against the winner from the other parties in what is known as the general election.

Protest Vote – This is a vote that is cast for some third party candidate, a candidate that is not likely going to win. The purpose of this vote is to show displeasure with whatever mainstream candidates are running.

Redistricting – This is a process where the physical boundaries composing a voting district become changed.

Referendum – This is also known as a ballot measure, an initiative or a proposition and it is a promised piece of law that people are going to vote on during the election.

Representative Democracy – This describes a government where all adult citizens in the country can vote in order to elect the leaders of the country. The leaders that are elected are then able to make all governmental decisions.

Republican – Simply put, a republican is any individual that belongs to the political party known as the “republican political party.”

RepublicanParty – This is a major political party in the United States, also regarded as the GOP, which stands for Grand Old Party. The symbol for this political party is the elephant. Republicans came to be in the middle of the 1800s as an anti-slavery political party.

Part of knowing how to participate in a United States election is to have a thorough understanding of the language and lingo. This is part seven of the United States election glossary, including the more prevalent terms that you need to know.

Plurality – The plurality of the votes refers to whoever receives more votes than any other person.

Political Action Committee – Also known as PAC, these are political groups that are not related formally to a specific political party, but they are associated with some other group such as a corporation or a labor union. These groups try to influence candidates and elections through giving money so that they receive favor later.

Political Party – This is a group of organized people that have commonality in goals and values, attempting to get a specific candidate elected into office. The Republicans and the Democrats are two examples of major United States political parties.

Politician – This is a person running for an office, or a person that has already won an election and is in an office position already.

Poll – This is a survey of voters take in order to determine which issue or candidate they may decide to vote for.

Popular Vote – This is the result of votes from all eligible voters. Whoever wins popular vote is generally going to win the election, however sometimes the Electoral College is responsible for choosing the new president instead.

Precinct – This is a voting subdivision based on demographic area where party officials can be elected on a local basis. There are typically between 200 and 1,000 voters in a single precinct.

Part of knowing how to participate in a United States election is to have a thorough understanding of the language and lingo. This is part six of the United States election glossary, including the more prevalent terms that you need to know.

Matching Funds – This refers to public money that has been given to a presidential candidate in an equal amount to whatever has been raised privately. Before the convention, in the primary season, candidates that use these matching funds can get as much as $250 dollars in the matching funds for every single individual contribution that they receive. These matching funds are usually financed through the United States taxpayers. The way that this happens is because people can check a box when filing their taxes to donate $3 of their return to the cause.

Midterm Election – This is a general type of election that exists in a different year than the presidential election year, two years into the president’s term. In this midterm election, many other positions are voted on including local positions, state positions, House of Representative positions and some of the members of the senate.

Motor-Voter Bill – This is a bill that Congress passed in 1993 in order to allow citizens of the United States to register for voting whenever they are applying for a driver’s license.

Negative Ads – These are political advertisements that are designed to attack the opponent of a candidate, usually as a means of destroying the character of the opponent.

Open Primary – This is a primary where all of the registered voters are capable of voting no matter which party they have decided to register as.

Platform – This is a form written document stating the stances of the political party on a number of important issues as well as the party’s goals for the near and long-term future.

Part of knowing how to participate in a United States election is to have a thorough understanding of the language and lingo. This is part five of the United States election glossary, including the more prevalent terms that you need to know.

Exit Poll – This is an informal poll that is taken using people that are leaving the voting booth after voting. The purpose of an exit poll is to predict the upcoming outcome of the current election before all of the polls have been closed.

Front Runner – This is the political candidate that currently appears to be winning the election.

General Election – This is an election that will be held all throughout the country on the same day, as opposed to a local or small scale election.

House of Representatives – This is a part of Congress, and the House is responsible for voting on laws and legislation. There are always 435 members of the house, and they are divided up among the states based on their population, though each state always has at least one member of the House of Representatives. Each of the districts has 570,000 citizens in it.

Incumbent – This is someone who currently holds an office.

Independent – This is someone that is not associated with a single political party.

Liberal – This is someone who is generally interested in reforming current conditions. Liberals are typically referred to as being “left wing.”

Libertarian – This is someone that belongs in the Libertarian party.

Lobbyist – These are people that are associated with specific groups, such as corporations or labor unions for example, that try to persuade government members, such as members of the Congress, to enact beneficial legislation for their group.

Majority – This means more than half when it pertains to voters.

Part of knowing how to participate in a United States election is to have a thorough understanding of the language and lingo. This is part four of the United States election glossary, including the more prevalent terms that you need to know.

Delegate – This is someone who has been chosen in order to represent a specific local political party during a political convention.

Democrat – This is someone that belongs to the Democratic party.

Democratic Party – This is one of the two major United States political parties. The symbol for this political party is a donkey. The first ever Democratic president of the United States was a man called Andrew Jackson.

Democracy – This is a type of government where the people are responsible for holding the power, either through voting on measures directly, or voting on representatives that will choose measures for them.

Election – This is the process by which people vote either to decide on an issue or to choose a leader.

Electoral College – This is a group of people responsible for formally electing the president of the United States. This Electoral College is made up of delegates from each of the fifty states and three from the District of Columbia. The number of the delegates for each states is the same as the sum of the representatives and the senators added together. The electors assemble in the state capital and place their votes based on the plurality of the votes that are placed in the state or the area that they are responsible for representing. The candidate must receive more than half of the votes from the Electoral College in order to become president.

Part of knowing how to participate in a United States election is to have a thorough understanding of the language and lingo. This is part three of the United States election glossary, including the more prevalent terms that you need to know.

Congress – This is a shortened way to refer to the United States Congress, which is responsible for making the laws for the country. The United States Congress is divided into two different sections, the House of Representatives and the Senate. There are 2 senators from each state, making 100 total, and there are currently 435 representatives. Representatives in the House of Representatives are assigned based on population of the states, and each state has a minimum of one representative.

Congressional District – This is an area in a state from which a House of Representatives member is elected. There are currently 435 different congressional districts in the United States, and each one of these districts has approximately 570,000 people in it. The positions in the House of Representatives generally are reapportioned each ten years. Some areas will lose representatives and other areas will gain some depending on their populations during that year.

Conservative – These are people that would like to uphold the current conditions and that tend to oppose any big changes. Conservatives are typically referred to as being “right wing.”

Convention – This is an official meeting where the delegates belonging to a specific party gather to choose candidates and determine what the party platform will be.

Debate – This is a public, formal political discussion that involves at least two candidates that are running for a specific office. In such an event, the candidates will both state and defend the positions of their party on certain major issues. These debates are typically held over radio, television, online or in public places.

Part of knowing how to participate in a United States election is to have a thorough understanding of the language and lingo. This is part two of the United States election glossary, including the more prevalent terms that you need to know.

Butterfly Ballot – This is a paper ballot where the actual voting portion is done in the central fold between two pages, such as in a pamphlet-style ballot. Imagine that when open, the two pages are the wings of a butterfly, and the voting itself is done in the area where you would normally find the body of the butterfly.

Campaign – This is a series of different political actions such as public appearances, advertisements and debates that a candidate will use in order to help him or herself get elected into office.

Candidate – This is a person who is running for a position in an office.

Caucus -This is an informal meeting where candidates, representatives and potential voters can gather in order to talk about issues and the preferred candidate, and then everyone can decide which candidate they are interested in supporting and which delegates they want to send to the convention for the political party. Not every United States state will hold a caucus in this manner, however.

Census – This is an official count for how many people are in a specific region. The survey is held by the government on a periodic basis.

Chad – This is a tiny piece of paper that is punched out of a ballot when using a punch-mechanism mechanical voting machine.

Closed Primary – This is a type of primary election where only registered voters that have registered for a specific political party are capable of actually voting. For example, in a Republican primary election, only registered republicans are going to be allowed to vote, since this particular primary would be designed to choose a republican candidate that is eventually going to run for an office in a general election.

Registering to vote is not hard, and many people mark their 18^thbirthday—which also happens to be how old you must be before you can legally vote—by doing just that. In the U. S., registering to vote can be done in one of two ways:

1.Downloading or procuring a copy of The National Mail Voter Registration Form, completing it, and mailing it to your state elections office.

2.Going to your state elections office (this may be in a county courthouse or other government building) and registering in person.

If you are in the military or live overseas for other reasons, you can find out how to register to vote by using Canada 411 resources. (Just because the name says “Canada” doesn’t mean you can’t find information pertinent to the U. S). Once you are registered to vote, you will probably be given information on where your voting station is located. If you aren’t, again you can use Canada 411 resources to find out.

In Canada, the voting registration process is a little different. You can register to vote by checking the box on your federal income tax return. This will automatically add your name to the voters list. You can also contact your local returning officer (this is what Canada calls its election officials). They can give you information on how to register to vote. You can find out who your returning officer is by using Canada 411 resources.

You can also register at the advance poll. You will need a photo idea or two pieces of identification from a list of those documents that can serve as identification authorization. Again, using Canada 411 resources can help you find out which documents these are.

Part of knowing how to participate in a United States election is to have a thorough understanding of the language and lingo. This is part one of the United States election glossary, including the more prevalent terms that you need to know.

Absentee Ballot – This is a paper ballot that you can mail if you are not going to be able to vote in your home precinct on the Election Day, or if you choose not to place your ballot at your home precinct. You must mail this absentee ballot before the Election Day in order for it to be counted on the Election Day.

Ballot – This is a piece of paper that lists all of the candidates that are running for an office. You use the ballot to cast your votes for those candidates.

Ballot Box – This is the box where the votes are placed at each polling location.

Ballot Initiative – This is also known as a ballot measure, a proposition or a referendum. It is a piece of legislation or law that is being proposed, that people will be allowed to vote on.

Bill of Rights – This Bill of Rights is comprised of the initial 10 amendments made to the United States Constitution. The amendments were ratified back on December 15 of 1791. The purpose of the Bill of Rights was to make sure that all individuals would be entitled to basic civil rights, allowing them to avoid the tyranny that comes with a central government that is overly powerful.

Bipartisan – This means that it is supported by people from both of the major political parties, the Republicans and the Democrats.

Bicameral – This means that it consists of two different legislative branches, such as the United States Congress, which includes both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Blanket Primary – This is a primary election where all of the names for the candidates from all of the parties are included on a single ballot.

The candidate for the presidency and the candidate for the vice presidency run together for each of the parties in the election. In the November general election, the presidential candidate and the vice presidential candidate will run together on a single ticket. All of the voters across the nation are charged with the task of choosing a single ticket that they can vote for, meaning that you cannot choose your presidential candidate from one ticket and then choose your vice presidential candidate from a different ticket, it simply does not work that way.

The Electoral College

The next step in the process is the Electoral College. The presidential election on a national basis actually consists of separate elections in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia, meaning that there are 51 separate presidential elections. The voters are actually voting for their electors which will be pledged to one of the numerous presidential tickets. These electors are responsible for making up what is known as the Electoral College(don’t confuse it with colleges like accredited online colleges etc). In nearly all circumstances, the names of the actual electors are not written on the ballot, but instead the ballot allows voters to place their choice among the Electors for each of the available tickets, naming the individual presidential and the vice presidential candidates that each state’s electors are pledging to.

The number of Electors in each state depends on how many senators and representatives that state has. Every state only has a pair of two senators, but the actual number of representatives is dependent on the population of the state according to the most recent copy of the census report. The District of Columbia will also participate in any and all presidential elections despite not being an actual state, and it currently has a set of three electors. It is the Electoral college that is typically responsible for selecting the ticket for the president and the vice president of the United States rather than the popular vote, which only occasionally plays a role in the decision making process.

It all begins with the constitution. The basic processes behind selecting the President for the United States is completely spelled out within the pages of the United States Constitution, though there have been modifications by way of the 12th amendment, the 22nd amendment and the 23rd amendment. Over the years, numerous additional steps have been added both by custom as well as state law. The process throughout time has experienced numerous changes to fine tune and to simplify the process by various means. Much in-depth analysis on politics is provided in online degree programs where every basic process of election is described in detail.

The first thing that you are going to want to know is who is capable of running for office. Both the president and his vice president are elected once every four years. They have to be at least 35 years old in order to run, and they must also be a native born citizen in the United States. Additionally, they must have been a resident in the United States for at least the past 14 years. Presidents and vice presidents can only be elected to two terms, meaning that they can only be president or vice president for up to eight years.

Are you wondering how political parties decide on their candidates? This is up to the political party to decide. Most of the political parties generally hold a convention, and these are essentially large meetings that are attended by a number of delegates. Some of these delegates are determined by primary elections from state to state, while others are elected by the state caucus, which is similar to a primary but they use public voting in place of secret ballots, and some delegates are determined because they are prominent within the party.

A majority of all delegate votes is required in order for a delegate to win the nomination for the party. In most of all cases, the delegates are going to allow their chosen candidate for the presidency to select the vice presidential candidate that they would most like to run with.

A Verbatim Statement of the Act

The act specifically prohibits all U.S. states from “…imposing an voting qualification or prerequisite to voting, or standard, or practice, or procedure…to deny or abridge the right of any citizen of the United States to vote on account of race or color.” Congress initially intended the act to outlaw the requirement of citizens to pass a literacy test prior to voter registration. This was an underhanded means by which Southern States thwarted African Americans from applying their rights.

A Summary of the Act

Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson signed this bill into a law following the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Act specifically established federal control over elections in those states that have historically proven discriminatory voting practices. In order for those states to implement any changes to the state voting laws, they must first contact the Department of Justice for pre-clearance. The majority of these states were situated in the south.

The Renewal of the Act

Temporary sections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 have been renewed on four different occasions to remain in place. The dates of renewal were 1970, 1975, 1982 and 2006. Congress amended the Act to make a few sections permanent while the most controversial segment, section 5, was to be temporary with constant renewal. The last president to renew the Act was George W. Bush in 2006. The renewal extended the act for another 25 years. When former President Bush signed the act, family members of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks were present in the audience.

Current Touchscreen Voting Systems

However, most American’s think of Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) systems when thinking of e-voting. These same DRE systems are currently under a great deal of scrutiny. The most realistic version of an e-voting machine is a tabulation device. This indicates votes being counted on an electronic system which is clearly much quicker than a manual count. Many ballot machines resemble DRE systems with voters using touch screens to make a selection and pressing the print button to output their vote. The election official takes this paper ballot and places it in a central lock-box for manual counting.

Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) Systems

Although these are technically e-voting machines, it still outputs a piece of paper. On the other hand, DRE systems allow voters to view the options on a screen and make choices using an input device such as a mouse or a touchscreen. Some of these systems require a card swipe to be activated prior to voting. These votes are stored on a memory stick and transported to a central counting location.

The Issue of Fraud

Many critics feel the implementation of DRE systems present an opportunity for voter fraud. Advocates for the system argue it would take talented individuals who know the system well to compromise the information. Therefore, few people would be able to commit this type of fraud. Regardless, system vendors and election officials must consider many factors including voter secrecy.

The beginnings of our voting system start in England.  The common people did not have a say or vote.  The vote became the privilege of parliament and councils.  These positions were filled with nobility, the wealthy, and persons who through war, status, or social rank had become gentlemen and earned the right to vote.  This right included a small portion of the population less than 5%.  For most of human history, a few people are rich and the rest are poor, poorer, and poorest.

The first permanent English American settlement was Jamestown.  Jametown is familiar to us because of the love affair between Captain John Smith and Pocahontas.   When the first colonists arrived on the shores of present day Virginia around April 26, 1607, the leaders and the 105 colonists unsealed a box that contained the names of seven men.  These names were the picks for the colony’s council.  These councilors elected a president Master Edward Wingfield.  It was nearly the last time voting happened English style.

As the colonies grew and developed the government reflected the representative style.  Each colony created different voting systems.  Though these voting systems are narrow by today’s standards, the common theme was they intentionally allowed more and more people to vote.  It started with colonists choosing people for their legislatures.  Higher officials were determined by the King of England or by designated officials.

As the lists of who could vote increased and broadened so did our idea of democracy.  Voting creates and maintains democracy.  Voting is what makes America, America.

Academic freedom  is the idea that teachers and students have the right and duty to pursue the truth with no restrictions as long as it is along the lines of accepted scholarship.  Notice it includes students. Violations of academic freedom are handled with due process, just like criminal and civil cases. In an ideal world, a student can write and tell the truth in a scholarly fashion such as a debate or research paper and not be retaliated against.  A teacher does not have to adhere to any orthodoxy and it should not affect their job.

Now let’s talk reality.  There is some gray areas in these two basic rights that we as citizens and the courts struggle with daily. Motion pictures are slightly censored.  Communities have the right to ask for films to be given to a censor for review.  School publications that do not support the school mission can be censored.  Any music or art that is created using federal funding is subject to a decency clause. These philosophies have all been supported with court cases. Depending what community you are talking about, academic freedom varies.  The courts nearly refuse to put conditions that stifle the freedom to teach and learn. Yet, educational programs are investigated.  Teachers political views are put into question.  Student and teachers private political or social activities are brought to light anytime there is a conflict with censorship or academic freedom.

Live the lie or live the truth. Both have consequences. Or maybe it is the struggle that really counts.

Congressmen are suppose to listen to various interest groups and persons about various issues.  Lobbyist are organized, persistent, and like to wave around money and gifts. Since they hang around legislative offices and hallways, they learn things about Congressmen some of which can be extremely useful to use to pressure a vote.

By 1946, Congress decided it needed to do something about them. The First Amendment would not allow Congress to shut the lobbyist up. Besides anyone can talk to a Congressman, make promises, give money and gifts.  None of that is criminal.  It is when the Congressman takes some of those things and allows it to be the sole criteria for deciding his/her vote on an issue that it becomes criminal. So Congress passed an act to regulate the lobbyist groups and to give them maximum publicity.  Lobby groups declare their intent to use money to influence legislature, register under oath, and report quarterly on their activities.  If you bug a Congressman and are not registered, you could be fined $10,000, 5 year prison term, or banned for 3 years from lobbying.

Lobbyists are useful to Congress because they provide factual data and represent segments of American interest. Lobbyist practice sins of omission. Not all the facts are given.   They intentionally distort items, and have narrow views. By 1970’s with the advent of Watergate, lobbyists had taken corruption to new heights of grandeur.

Not much has changed.  Without public scrutiny, these people will not function properly. If you are bored, look up the information because it in the public records.

Political science studies these phenomena during the elections.  Looking at group patterns, there are trends.  Voters turn out for presidential elections, and national elections.  Geography determines voter turnout.  North votes more than the South. Small towns have a higher percentage of voters turning out than big cities.  Democratic voters tend to turn out in large numbers when campaign issues are about economics.  Low turnouts favor the Republican party. Sometimes our shallow side shows. More voters turn out when candidates are glamorous and beautiful/handsome.  Yes, sometimes the American public puts candidates in office not for their intelligence about the issues, but because they look good,  Sometimes the American public redeems themselves and voters turn out for spirited issue filled campaigns and America creates statesmen.

Many would like the process to be more orderly.  History has taught us micromanaging politics results in dictatorships and abuses of power. Democracy is a messy process simply because it lets every eligible citizen have a voice.  Out of this chaos comes an order the rest of the world envies.  It is a very strong system that can allow chaos to happen with very little violence, and from that chaos pull out an order that represents at least a little piece of every citizen.  It is not our perfection making our American spirit, but it is our mess and our willingness to confess it, and do something about it.

Generally today there are four types of ballots party column ballots, office block  ballots, long ballots, and short ballots.  Party column ballots are for general elections.  The arrangement was in columns with one party’s names, symbols, and candidates in each column. One could put a single “x” or pull a single lever to vote for all the candidates of one party.  No thinking, just it’s a party, join it. The office block ballot is a ballot where candidates are grouped together under the title of each office.  The feature is nice since it lets one know just exactly what they might be doing.  The long ballot is your state and local ballot.  Also, called the “bed sheet” ballot because it is full of numerous candidates, and a sure thing one of them will have scandal of that type.  In contrast, is the short ballot.  It has few candidates and offices. An example of it is the national ballot for the president and vice president.

Starting about 1965 Congress created the Voting Rights Act to cover the gap in the process that Civil Rights Acts could not cover.  At this time African Americans demonstrated across the country against voting discrimination.  People and institutions intentionally ignored the Civil Rights Act.  In response the federal government used the act to enroll thousands of minority voters.  It resulted in many African Americans elected to office.

Congress improved the Voting Rights Act in 1970, 1975, and 1982.  In 1970 Congress added uniform rules for absentee registration and voting in presidential elections.  The act in 1975 broadened to requiring bilingual ballots, insisting election law changes had approval from the United States Attorney or a federal court, and began specific protection of voting rights for Hispanics, Alaskan natives, American Indians, and Asian Americans. The 1982 act extends the law for twenty-five years and declares the intent to discriminate does not need proof if elections results show otherwise.

The act has worked well.  Today, several million minorities have registered to vote. The application of federal power to correct abuses at state and local levels is what the Constitution’s balance of power between the branches is for. Having an African American president today is most likely a direct result of the implementation of the Voting Rights Act.

Civil rights movements started long before the civil war.  Various groups fought in a variety of ways for laws to make all Americans have equal opportunities.  Not all states and territories of the time period handled difficulties the same way.   Some places Americans had the same rights, and some places a hierarchy arose depending on your ethnicity, sex, or properties.  Civil rights became an institutional movement with the passage of the 1866, 1870, and 1871  Civil Rights Act.  These legislative pieces banned slavery and declared rights for African Americans. It authorized suits for civil damages against state and local officials, and made it a federal crime for state officials to deprive another of their rights. For the next eighty years no civil rights acts were presented, but a variety of legislative pieces such as women voting, and lawsuits began to lay the foundation for future acts.

Civil rights legislature appeared again in 1957.  This time the federal government empowered the Department of Justice to make court injunctions and charge as a crime any deprivation of any kind to anyone of voting rights. The Act established the Civil Rights Division headed by an Assistant Attorney General. A Civil Rights Commission formed to investigate violations and recommend additional legislation. The civil rights laws got teeth.

Civil rights laws appeared again in 1960 with the passage of provisions which authorized federal courts to appoint referees to help African Americans register to vote.  In 1964 congress passed the civil rights act known today. Not one man, but many lives and many years made equal rights opportunities the norm.

What are the qualifications for voting?.  You have to be a citizen of the United States.  America is a country of immigrants, but to exercise your right to vote, you have to be a native or go through the process of citizenship. The Twenty-sixth amendment states one has to be at least the age of eighteen.  By that time you have had the opportunity to become educated about our nation and its issues.  A person needs a residence, or an address.   Requiring a residence prevents someone from organizing a group that trips the light fantastic by voting numerous times for certain candidates.  The Nineteenth and Fifteenth amendments to the Constitution prevent anyone from disqualifying someone from voting because of ethnicity or sex.

Rules that disqualify a person from voting are not in every state, but are present.  If one has been officially declared mentally incompetent, you are not allowed to vote.  If one is currently residing in prison, you do not get a vote.  Conviction of election fraud removes your privilege to vote. If you have no residence and are homeless, unfortunately, you do not get to vote.

Registering  to vote is a good idea.  Registration is the process where you certify your qualifications and are placed on the voting lists.  You generally receive a card periodically stating you are an eligible voter.  Taking the card to an election speeds the process of getting to vote.  If you do not have a card, the volunteers there will certify you for voting anyway.

Exercise your right to vote and change the world. It worked for our forefathers.

Yes, freedom of speech is a great quality of American citizenship and democracy. So, what? We’re allowed to say what is on our minds. The question stands – what are you really going to do about it?

There are issues that are prevalent in society, issues including education, health care reform, and so much more. Often, these issues can be heard at a local level, and local congressmen as well as senate representatives can take our valued opinions and work with them in Washington. That is, if we do our part and voice them. Voicing our opinions, while it starts with contributing to a voting society, our part doesn’t stop there.

Petitions can be presented to others in our area on certain issues, local or nationwide, emails can be shared on specific issues that pertain to our lives (the list goes on here), and we can allow our voice to be heard in our community and beyond in issues that people need to be educated about.

Complaining, bickering, judging, cursing, doesn’t help society change, in fact, it worsens the image of America that we impart on our children. Most families want to instill in their children firm guidelines for living, including citizenship within a democratic nation. Or, do you really want to ship your children to countries that have less freedom?

Seems like a pretty easy decision – help make a difference in our community and society. Where can you make a stand?

Though debate has always been present, it is worthwhile to remember that it is not simply a Democrat/Republican system that runs the US. There are always candidates running for office independently or under third parties. Moreover, this is not at all new or unique. It has been a part of American politics since very early on. In fact, almost a quarter of US Presidents as of 2010 were not Democrats or Republicans. A prominent one of these other parties that had presidents elected to office was the Whig Party.

Specifically, the Whig party grew in the United States in opposition to the policies of Andrew Jackson. Generally, however, the party was a group of people affiliated though their discontent. They saw something they believed to be wrong in the American Government and they aimed to fix it. They aimed high. Four of the Presidents of the United States were Whigs and several other prominent politicians had some affiliation with the party during their careers.

Though the Whigs as such no longer exist, it is refreshing to remember that politics do have the capacity to change and the Democrat v. Republican dichotomy is not an eternal truth. The majority of people do not identify solely one way or another. The world is not black and white. So, while it may often seem impossible, there is always a chance that things can shift. That power still lies with the people.

A filibuster is when a topic or vote is delayed at length to deter its passage. Usually, the term filibuster refers to when this delay is caused by lengthy and exhaustive debate. In the United States Senate, a senator is permitted to speak for any length of time, which means that they can hold the proceedings in the lurch, just by talking. This can be done to encourage the Senate towards a vote, or protest one. But mostly, it helps draw attention to the cause of the senator or senators who are on the floor speaking. In order to keep some sort of forward motion as an option, the Senate can enact a procedure know as “cloture” with a majority vote of 60 senators. This limits the amount of debate allowed, effectively ending the filibuster.

True filibusters are rare. The threat of filibuster can hold plenty of power, and the possibility of cloture limits its excess. However, they do still occur. On December 11th 2010, Senator Bernie Sanders, an Independent from Vermont, stood in front of the Senate and spoke for eight and a half hours in order to highlight his opposition to a recent tax deal. It was the longest speech of it’s kind in many years, though it was no record breaker. In 1957, Senator Strom Thurmond gave a speech that in 2010 still holds as the longest filibuster to date. Clocking in over twenty-four hours, his speech was a testament to long-windedness. Absurd as they may seem, filibusters provide a platform for a Senate minority to voice an opinion loudly and effectively. They make issues more visible.

One of the first acts of the American Government was to ratify the Bill of Rights. Among other things, the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights protects free speech in the United States. Pair this right with the impassioned power of music and a very strong tool emerges: the protest song.

Protest music has been a part of American culture since very early on. Spirituals sung by the slaves were a form of protest music, the Civil War showed its share of protest music, and so on. But, the most well known form of protest music today is probably the music of the folk revival. Musicians like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger brought a genre back to the forefront and gave it new life as opposition song, as the music of a movement. There are American tunes glorifying the working class, there are songs about the futility of war, there is music that sings to the power of the people in this country. Protest music can be found covering just about any topic that captures the sentiments of the people.

So much more than a simple genre, protest music in the United States is a tool that gives people voice. It transcends genre, showing up as soul, folk, punk, and rock n’ roll, to name a few. It waves the flag of the First Amendment and often speaks against the very powers that provide that right. However, it can also be a constructive form of criticism, lending strength to the opinions of groups that may otherwise be difficult to hear.

By separating the power in the nation, the founders hoped to create a country where no single tyrannical power could possibly rise up. No one branch of government was given enough power to make rash moves, or singular decisions. Each branch has some power over another, and so they must work in tandem for any great action to be taken. The Executive Branch has, as the name implies, executive power over the acts of Congress (Legislative Branch). The Executive (the President) can also veto any bill passed by the Congress. Congress, to counter this, can override a veto with a two-thirds majority. They also have the power to impeach a president. The third branch, the Judicial Branch, consists of the Supreme Court. They have the task of interpreting the US Constitution and deciding whether the laws passed by Congress comply with the it.

So, while this is only a quick run down of the limitations set up in the US government, it can be reassuring to remember that there are limitations, and that they are extensive. These not only help spread power, but also create a culture of deliberation in politics by slowing the process down.

If a voter does decide that one or the other of these parties voices an opinion similar to their own, it may be lucrative to join it. Because, when people join in larger numbers and compromise with those who are most similar, their effectiveness at getting politicians elected and issues brought forth is the strongest. There is power in cooperation.

Once a person is sure that a political party will fit their needs as a voting citizen, they can join. Usually, this can be done when a person registers to vote. At this time they can specify if they prefer to be registered with one party or another. They can also elect not to have any party affiliation. Additionally, registration is not limited to that moment. A person can usually join a political party by looking at their website and registering there.

In addition to grouping together like-minded individuals, registering with a party allows a person to vote in that party’s primary elections. This way, they can participate in making sure that a candidate is as closely aligned with their own personal views as possible. While not at all necessary, it can be interesting and rewarding to join a political party in the United States.

It’s not enough to vote these days. People think that because they take time out of their day to cast a vote for a candidate that it makes them absolved from having to make an informed decision. They think that voting is enough. It would be nice if that were the case but just saying you voted what for someone doesn’t make your vote meaningful. It makes it irresponsible. It’s ok to vote for what others think it the wrong person, so long as it was something you arrived at on your own.

Well, making the right decision, or an informed one, is no small task. There are problems all over with making the informed decision. You have to know what you are looking at. So here are some simple steps to knowing that you are making the right decision.

The first think you have to know is where these candidates stand on the issues that matter to you. Let’s say you have had to fill out an insurance claim with 21st Century Insurance because someone was wrongfully suing you for an accident you weren’t at fault for. Maybe this made you think that there were too many pointless and wrongful lawsuits. If that is something that you are passionate and determined to fix then you should find out what your local candidate feels.

You might not find direct information on that, but you can find out how they feel about the court system or what they feel about big businesses handling lawsuits. These are things that will help you immensely to make a choice that is about more than the last name of the candidate or who your friend told you to vote for. These elections are too important to you and your future to be flippant about your choice.

For many people, voting is a valued right that many plan on taking advantage of on election days.However for some election day comes all too fast. With poll times throughout the day, even the busiest people may not have enough time, or make enough time, to vote on election day.

Alternatively, others may not vote due to lack of memory. This unfortunately occurs for some individuals on election day as well. Forgetting to vote does happen, however. Taking the time to plan to vote is one important way to combat such oversights. This can overcome any difficulties relating to lack of time on election day. This can also overcome not being able to remember when to vote as well.

Planning to vote can be extremely simple. Taking note on your calendar is the easiest way to do this. If you have any scheduling conflicts on election days, perhaps you could rearrange your schedule or look at all of the election times for such dates. Carefully approaching election days in regards to planning to vote is essential. The right to vote can be easily undermined by simple oversights.

When it comes time to vote, plan out your schedule definitively to make sure you vote. Any scheduling conflicts can be worked out if you do so in advance. Additionally, check with balloting sites to confirm times. In many cases, you will have a choice of times that could make scheduling easier for you.

Do not underestimate your schedule and timing on voting days. Your right to vote is extremely important. Take time to schedule out election days to ensure that you make the most out of your right to vote. With some care you can ensure you have the time to and remember to vote. Election days can go smoothly with a little bit of awareness of timing and scheduling conflicts that may impede your ability to vote.

As the holiday season approaches in post-credit crunch 2010, those who are responsible for the buying of Christmas gifts for their family may find themselves faced with a fresh dilemma; what is the appropriate level of spending on gift giving in the current economic climate and what sort of gifts should be bought?

Some might argue that it may seem distasteful to splash out in the currently financial crisis and the over the top Christmas spending is not appropriate. However, if our economy is to recover from the knocks of recent months then it is imperative that the consumer, and the Christmas consumer, plays a part. For this reason it is possible to argue that a small spending spree on Aaron Basha trinkets for the family, or an investment in a conspicuous Christmas gift is a good thing. However, gift givers must also consider the situation of the recipient when selecting their gifts.

In families where the bits of the credit crunch has not been felt so keenly then an exchange of extravagant gifts might be acceptable. But if there are members of a group who are not doing so well then it is important to consider the possibility that they might be offended by expensive offerings or find such an exchange distasteful in light of their circumstances. If a gift giver is aware that members of the Christmas crowd are suffering the effects of the recession, then extra care must be taken to select items that do not seem overly frivolous.

Choosing practical gifts for all members of the family, such as clothing or essentials for school and play can be a good way of gift giving in a way that is conscious of circumstance. This allows for the providing of essentials without the appearance of charity and allowing for an exchange of holiday tokens with no feeling of guilt over excess.

Every vote counts. Voting is one important right that citizens have and should not be taken for granted.

However, how can one become more involved in politics? How can one become more involved in issues and characters amongst the local, national, and international scene aside from one’s support at the polls?

These very questions are part of what turns away potential voters that account for the nation’s non-voting population. They also oppose young individuals and new voters who don’t quite get it when they consider the role of one vote and one person.

Such concerns are valid. Politics can seem overbearing to many individuals, especially those new to the subject, with a great deal of criticism, speculation, and media coverage that goes many different ways.

However, it doesn’t need to be that complicated. Individuals can make a difference, of course beginning with voting. Support of local and national figures and issues can be done at the polls.

But it doesn’t have to stop there, additionally. Support of issues, for instance in one’s local school district, isn’t confined to one vote. You can actively support the well-being of an issue or other relevant topic by becoming more involved.

In your community you can attend important meetings. Nationally you can write to
figures who support you for matters that concern you.

Even in your personal life, you can make a difference. If you have a family, children, and loved ones who are unsure of their role in politics, you can demonstrate the power of voting and becoming involved. Leading by example is a great place to start.

One’s political interest and effectiveness isn’t limited to one vote. It extends beyond this area, offering individuals the ability to make a difference on large and small scales, helping to make the world and one’s community a better place. However, the power and value of one vote should never be taken lightly.

American students are average to below average in reading, science, and math compared to other nations. The answer it seems is more school reform with more rigorous academic standards, higher performance standards for teachers, and turning around low performing schools. This is all part of Obama’s existing Race to the Top Assessment Program, which invites those in education to the challenge of producing an array of students that graduate college and enter into the global economy.

States are individually responsible for the outcome of all of the areas that politicians seek reform. How can we do this? Dunan’s response is a challenge to local governments to change areas that will increase performance rates and negate the schools that have been under review for more than a few years with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2000.

Change is imperative in the education system within the United States. It might seem daunting to think more change is coming, especially for teachers and administrators who face existing challenges with their students, or parents who have struggling learners in their home, this change is coming.
The first step that has initiated this progress is with The Recovery Act, which has about 100 billion dollars aligned for education reform, in addition to schools being invited to apply for other government funds available that will help reform and change for today’s youth. Can money help change this growing problem? Let’s hope so.

Mr. Duncan comments, “The United States has a long way to go before it lives up to the American dream and the promise of education as the great equalizer.”

Education is essential for our country to grow. Can we achieve this reform with success?

Every vote counts. It is something that is much more than a saying or modern piece of wisdom, contrary to some beliefs by critics. Nationally some fear that every vote doesn’t count. After all, how could one vote count in millions of citizens in the United States?

One answer to this is there have been a definite number of close elections. The country has certainly seen its fair share of close races. Additionally, in presidential elections, it is not just the popular vote. It is broken down to a state by state situation, which can have further implications to how every vote can count, respective of the unique situation for the state, in regard to the overall presidential picture.

Thus in such a context it is important to look beyond such arguments to realize the power of one vote.

In communities and local politics, it may be a bit easier to see how every vote counts. In regards to elections and important issues that a community faces, every vote comes into play in regards to such needs. The community needs every voter to be active and to support the growth and well-being of its environment and atmosphere.

The presence of one vote can make a significant difference. Whether it is on a national or local level, it is important that individuals take advantage of this right to support issues and figures that can improve life.

Don’t forget that every vote can count. While it may seem that in some circumstances that one vote did not make much of a difference, it is important to see the bigger picture in some cases. More importantly, displaying support and carrying out one’s civic duties is a distinct part of every vote counting.

Healthy voting can transform our immediate and distant surroundings in a positive manner. Each of us can play a part in one of the most important rights that are available to individuals, the right to vote.

I was distressed to hear about this and really wished I could help without her feeling like I was giving her charity.  I understand what it is like as I lost my job as a casino hostess a few years ago when the real estate boom went bust in Las Vegas.  My husband and I decided to never rely on someone else again and started working for ourselves.

Being from Vegas, we decided to take what we had learned and see if we could make a living online.  My husband had always won local poker tournaments so he started playing online and did well enough to leave his full time job behind.  I was always good at sports wagering and betting on horse races.  I found sports betting sites online, did well, and never looked back.

So feeling blessed ourselves and knowing that our children will have a great Christmas, I could not stand to see my friend suffer.  I really wanted to do more than just listen but also know she does not want a handout.  In fact, I am so glad I have this blog so that I can not only ask for advice, but also vent a little at the same time. So, I’ll ask again, what should I do for her? How do I convince her?

The DREAM Act, compiled by White House leaders called upon religious leaders last week to help brainstorm and possibly initiate an act that would allow these immigrants to maintain legal citizenship status after a lengthy process, including one of two options as the front-running factor. Either they would need to go into a higher education program seeking a degree, or go into the military for a minimum length of time.

And thanks to the Internet, word is spreading about the DREAM Act.  People are not only spending their time online downloading movies, sharing music and shopping at sites like JRDunn.com; they are also participating in discussions about this subject.  They are using the internet to spread the word

Religious leaders have shared that these individuals are of our world, but are not in the world, which is a religious teaching to reach out to these individuals, in both Judaism as well as Christianity. Many religious leaders are for the DREAM act to assist in communities that are largely immigrants, and specifically reaching out to youth that have not really chosen where their home was. Congress and other leaders are stating that truly this act will benefit individuals that have not made the decision of where to live, yet shouldn’t be burdened by their parents’ choices. So, the ultimate question is: Can Dreams become Reality?

Will this Act make it and allow these youthful individuals new opportunities?

Getting a strong turnout for mid-term elections is very difficult, at least when you compare it the figures to those seen at Presidential elections. Various politicians, including current and past presidents, have made statements, sponsored campaigns, or otherwise tried to encourage people to vote—all to little or no avail. But now there are some comedians stepping into the picture, and their involvement may just spur some extra excitement for the 2010 mid-terms.

The entire event is essentially a spoof of the “Rally to Restore Honor” that Glenn Beck put on not so long ago. This time, however, it’s the more liberal end of the agenda that’s being presented, and it’s being showcased by two famous liberal comedian, Jon Stewart (host of the Daily Show, a comic news program) and Stephen Colbert (host of the Colbert Report, a spoof conservative news program).

As a part of the program, President Barack Obama will be appearing on the Daily Show, encouraging voters to become active in the politics of the nation. This marks his first appearance as President on programming of this nature, although he made multiple campaign stops on this program and others like it.

The target audience of these news programs does tend toward younger and more liberal groups, but that’s not the only audience who tunes in. Both of these programs are becoming more mainstream as news sources, and Stewart himself has stated that he feels a more moderate approach to American politics is needed, as opposed to what he views as a political climate of extremes.

Obama’s appearance on this program, the rallies from these comedians (including Stewart’s “million moderate march”), and other pushes from less mainstream information sources are all touching on a part of the population that votes less frequently. Whether you watch these programs or not, be sure you make it out to the polls.

Among the hot-seat issues in politics for 2010 is the question of gay marriage. While some states are pushing to allow gay marriage, others are actively seeking to make state constitution changes that would ban same-sex marriage—or even pushing for a federal ban. Among those who has taken a stand on this issue recently is Joe Miller, an Alaskan Republican and senate hopeful.

Miller stated directly that he would vote in favor of a federal-level ban on gay marriage should it ever get to that point. He made it clear that this would only happen if the issue was before him, which would first require a seventy-five percent majority of the population moving that amendment to a place where the vote could happen.

Some groups have attacked Miller for this statement, but it may not be the groups you expected. Conservative state rights activists are pointing out an apparent double-standard in Miller’s approach. While Miller had previously talked about how important he believed state rights were, the federal level restriction would create a large dent in those rights from the eyes of most activists.

Miller has been quoted as making apparently contradictory statements on gay marriage. He stated that he believes it’s really a “state issue” that should be handled at that level, but simultaneously made his stance on the potential constitutional amendment clear.

Gay rights activists have also brought Miller under fire for statements made, but they’re more concerned about statements that homosexuality is a choice—a controversial belief still held by many conservatives. Here as well, Miller has made less firm statements, saying that he doesn’t want to “intrude on the rights of the individual.”

Do you agree with Miller? Oppose him? More importantly, what about the candidate you’re voting for? Make sure that you do your research and get out to the polls whenever you can.

In the 2008 presidential election, African-American voters proved who significant their voice truly is. With a turnout percent that finally equaled that of their Caucasian counterparts, the black community showed that they can tip the scales significantly. The result since 2008 has been that politicians on both sides of the fence have been aiming to appeal more to black voters, and point out any comments that can be seen as racist that their opponents make.

The political landscape has become lined with this tactic, and much more strongly by the Democratic party. The targeting of advertisements and campaigns toward minority groups—including by working with labor unions and civil-rights groups—is one thing, but it certainly doesn’t stop there. Aggressive campaigns that point out statements from political opponents are also very common.

The Republican party members, and most specifically those with a more extreme angle (such as the Tea Party groups), have left plenty to be attacked, however. From accusations that Barack Obama wasn’t born in the united states to shouting obscenely racist language at political rallies, there’s no doubt that hard-right supporters have created some problems for their own party in this arena.

It’s not merely the crowds who have taken questionable tactics, however. Other representatives and common voices of extreme Republicanism have made strong accusations or said strong things that bring race into question. Comments from Glenn Beck (talk show host), Mark Williams (tea party organizer), and others have all presented racial views that seem less than positive. Even where the exact tone is ambiguous, the comments have disturbed the waters in a way that may lose the African-American vote.

Since many of the mid-term elections are in locales with large minority populations, these tactics are only to be expected. After all, African-American and other minorities currently have the opportunity to cast deciding votes in either direction.

Many people already know that there are a lot of positive and negative aspects to filing bankruptcy. The problem is that not many people really take the time to do research before making their decision to file their bankruptcy case. For example, think about how bankruptcy would sound to voters if you ever decided to run for public office. Even if you might not think that you are heading in that direction, this is something to consider. You just never know when you will get the itch and will find yourself running for a public office. It will be then that you will start to fear your past coming back to haunt you. The best thing to do is just to eliminate any problems right from the start. So, will a bankruptcy impact your political career?

After taking a look at www.totalbankruptcy.com, you are going to want to ask yourself a few questions. If you were researching a candidate for an election, how would you feel if you discovered that that person had filed bankruptcy? Would it matter how long ago it was? Would personal financial problems make you feel that the candidate would be unable to regulate and manage public funds? Now, think about what others might think of you if you filed for bankruptcy and later ran for public office. Of course, having major medical problems or a divorce that led to the decision to file bankruptcy is understandable. People might feel sympathetic with you, depending on why you filed bankruptcy.

The key here is to make sure that you are clearly thinking about your future and how your decisions of today will affect what you might do years from now. This is one consideration to keep in mind as you decide whether it’s the best decision to file bankruptcy, whether filing bankruptcy in California or not.
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Voting is a very important part of the American process, and it’s one of the reasons why this nation’s political system has been so resilient through difficult times such as war, economic slumps, and so forth. However, importance within that process isn’t the only reason why voting is important. In a previous entry we discussed three good reasons to vote. Here are three additional reasons to motivate you to do your research and make your voice heard.

American Education Is a Hot Issue

Education in America hasn’t been very well ranked when compared to other first world countries. There are numerous stances on how this issue should be addressed, and it’s an important part of most political campaigns. With everything from funding cuts in extracurriculars to large sweeps of reform, you’ll find a political stance that’s favorable toward your perspective. Just check into the issue and make sure you vote for a politician who represents you appropriately.

Internet Freedoms Are Coming Into Question

The Internet has always remained a mostly free playing field for all those who want to compete in it. However, for a variety of commercial and political reasons, this won’t necessarily be the case forever. Groups in favor of allowing the commercial freedom of both internet providers and other groups are pushing to stop any “free internet legislation,” while many net neutrality activists are pushing the opposite direction. Which side are you on? More importantly, what side is your candidate on?

Unpopular Legislation Is Sometimes Necessary

There are many politicians who will back down from any piece of legislation, even one that has a lot for it, simply because it seems to be losing some degree of support. On the other hand, there are those who stick to their guns regardless. Do you want to have a politician who abandons their ideology when it comes under fire, or do you want someone who will stick to their path until the bitter end?

Native Americans have a strange position in the country of their origin. When the white settlers came to North America, as any studious high schooler knows, it is a myth to say that this was an unspoiled, abandoned and virginal land. Unspoiled it may have been, but abandoned it definitely was not. The native American population at that time was over five times more than the population of the entire British Isles, and even considering how much bigger North Americas was, that was a sizable population.

After years and years of resettlement, and the forceful evacuation of native American villages and towns, today the situation facing native Americans is a sordid tale largely unknown outside the country. The prisons of the United States are unnaturally crowded with native Americans in a number much higher than their relative proportion in the population. Meanwhile, the numbers of native Americans in higher society is much smaller than the numbers in society at large. While geneticists will try to tell you that economic and intellectual progress is a matter of tribal genetics, that is one opinion that harks directly back to the good old days of the National Socialists.

Gambling casinos are perhaps the biggest business that native Americans are involved with. While gambling is illegal in many parts of the country, native American reserves are given special license to open casinos. With the flood of online gambling, many native American casino owners and co-ops are turning toward online gambling as a means of income, including high tech bingo sites and poker portals.

However that may be, many experts would argue that native Americans have singularly managed to elude the American dream, and that this country requires a more sympathetic integration of the native population within its fold, along with more education and business opportunities.

As if being a part of the democratic process wasn’t enough to motivate you to get to the polls, we’ve compiled a list of additional reasons why voting and voting whenever you can is important.

The Economy Is Still in Bad Shape

There are plenty of different stances on how the economy functions and what the best path to recovery is, but it’s certainly true that much of the work will happen in the political arena. Whatever your view on economics, voting for an appropriate candidate is one of the only ways that you can help directly contribute to getting the economy into a place that you’re comfortable with.

The Health Issue Is Still Raging

Although healthcare reform has already happened for the most part, the exact details, funding, distribution, and further questions are still in question. This is a major issue that, one way or another, will impact future generations. Whatever your stance, are you doing what you can to make sure that our country is investing in the things that are important to you? If you’re in favor of healthcare, do you feel it’s being done right? If you’re opposed to it, are you making your voice heard?

Congress Is Currently Gridlocked

Due to the current balance within congress, very little is actually getting done. A push in either direction will help an agenda start to fall into place, rather than leaving the country in a state of stagnancy for several more years. Given the foreign conflicts, economic status, and controversial issues that are currently in light, there’s never been a more important time to have a politically adaptive system.

Stay tuned. These are just the first three reasons why you need to get out to the polls. In future entries, we will discuss other reasons why getting to the polls in 2010 (and every time thereafter) is important.

Sometimes politics runs in the family. After all, a background where you’re exposed to politics from an early age gives increased motivation, idealogical background, and exposure that you wouldn’t have otherwise. However, in certain cases having parents in politics can be a drawback rather than a benefit. Such is the case with Andrew Cuomo, son of former politician Mario Cuomo.

It was three decades ago, back in 1977, when Mario Cuomo was fighting an intense political battle with Ed Koch, a gay rights activist. During this campaign, Mario launched a controversial campaign slogan that read “vote Cuomo, not homo.” Needless to say, the current political climate is less amenable to comments such as these.

Andrew Cuomo’s political rival for the gubernatorial race in New York, Kristin Davis, has gone back into the archives to remind people just what Andrew’s political and idealogical upbringing was. Her campaign slogan has reversed that of Mario’s from ’77, and reads “vote homo, not Cuomo.” Davis is a gay rights activist who’s campaign includes pushing for the legalization of gay marriage, decriminalization of victimless crimes (including prostitution), and the legalization of marijuana has used the chance to note the different positions through a “like father, like son” attack campaign, claiming that the Democrat Cuomo isn’t doing enough for gay rights.

The Davis advertisement is running on cable television programming throughout the area, and is integrated in many of her other campaign materials. Davis’s campaign seems to feature many other advertisements along a similar vein, including attacks on Eliot Spitzer for the crimes that landed him in Rikers a few years ago.

As always, all voters are encouraged to look beyond the advertisements themselves and check into the politics and policies of each candidates. Making your vote count is about more than simply voting against those who have done things wrong, but voting for the politician you think best represents you.

The idea of voting for “change” has been a popular theme in politics over recent years, but one change you may not have thought of is actually altering the name of your state. The state considering this action? Rhode Island. More importantly, however, is what they’re officially changing it from and what they would be changing it to.

No one intends to take the name “Rhode Island” off of the maps, but they do intend to change the official name in the records. All official records currently (and, in fact, must) use the full name of the state as it was declared during its original founding. The fully name is “The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.”

It shouldn’t take too much knowledge of United States history to know why “plantations” is something of a buzz word. For anyone who fell asleep all through their high school classes, however, the clarification is that “plantations” are directly associated with the times of slavery in North America. Rhode Island had a significant number of plantations, and due to its location was also a hub for slavery during these darker days of U.S. history. This is also a foreign relations problem to some, especially since the word “plantations” retains its negative connotation anywhere in the world.

The proposition is fairly simple. Rather having the official name of the state be “The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,” the state would simply be known as Rhode Island, and the entire plantations section would be dropped from the official record. Whether or not this change will actually happen is entirely up to voters.

If nothing else, this vote reminds voters of how much power they have to change the United States. You can change the way things function, who’s in office, how things work, and you can even change the name of the state you reside in.

The laws on voting, what is considered to be the foundation of the democratic process, have been fairly clear. They have been further extended over the years to include all genders, minorities, and other groups who have official U.S. citizenship. Fighting for the right to vote has been a strong and important American tradition. However, a few people have been able to successfully find some grey areas left in who can vote.

The question brought before the Susan Bysiewicz, the Connecticut Secretary of State, was whether or not people who dressed in costumes should be able to vote. This specifically came to the forefront due to some question on whether individuals in WWE wrestling outfits should be allowed into the polls. This represented the most extreme case only, hwoever. Additionally, some people in WWE gear were to be asked (as proposed by an aide to election officials) to cover up the WWE symbol.

The reasons behind this are centered on the political nature of much WWE programming. Much as people at the polls are asked not to wear anything clearly identifying who they plan to vote for, the idea was that those who have a strong implication through association should also have to abide by a similar standard. The official law that creates this guideline is the one that states no campaigning is to be allowed within seventy-five feet of any voting location.

As a result of all this controversy, one of the more strange rulings on who’s allowed to vote happened in October of 2010. Bysiewicz made a clear statement that those who wore fan gear, costumes, or logos belonging to the WWE would not be considered campaigners and would be allowed to vote without covering up the symbol. As a result, the voting rights of yet another minority group (wrestling fans) has been protected.

When we think of locations to campaign, we usually think of major buildings like large libraries, the Capital building, or stadiums. However, three Democrats in Chicago made an unusual stop during their campaign tour. The destination of choice? Manny’s Deli.

The three candidates who did this were Alexi Giannoulias, who is running for Senator; Robin Kelley, who is a candidate for the position of Illinois state treasurer; and Robin Kelley, running for Comptroller. They came to the eatery, which is lined with pictures of former Illinois Senator and Democratic President, Barack Obama.

The candidates spoke with people at the eatery in order to increase awareness and remind everyone to register and then vote. These candidates have stated that they are encouraged by what looks like a lead in the polls for each of their positions, but they nonetheless want to campaign to remind people to “guard the change” that they fought so hard for in 2008.

Manny’s Deli is a popular location to eat for many local officials, members of the business community, and others. As a result, it has been a major place to stop for people seeking to arouse political or other community awareness. In fact, this isn’t the first time that Manny’s Deli has been used as a campaign stop. Various politicians have stopped by the eatery to shake hands and talk about major issues in upcoming elections.

Whether or not you have the chance to meet politicians at your favorite place to eat, there are plenty of chances to hear the political stances of various candidates. Most public debates are free to the public, and many have videos available immediately thereafter for those unable to attend directly. Be sure to do your research on the issues and take the time to vote in all of your major community elections.

The electoral system of ballots for federal votes, most notably the vote for President of the Untied States, is one that may or may not be the best possible method. It has certain strengths in its simplicity and practice, but there are also various disadvantages. One of these disadvantages is that it leads many people to believe that their vote is thrown away, regardless of who they cast their vote for.

This is especially true for people in a state that’s clearly either “red” or “blue.” They feel that, should they vote the color of their state, it doesn’t matter because it doesn’t change anything. Similarly, voting against the color of the state seems like an act of futility. However, the vote is never wasted. Here’s why.

States Changes Color

States will change in their political preferences over time. Utah, as one example, is strongly Republican now. A few decades ago, however, the state was strongly Democrat. Various changes in the party politics, the outlook of the state, and other struggles made an impact. One other way that things changed, however, was that the minority voted, spread word, and grew, eventually becoming the majority.

Popular Votes Count for Something

The popular vote is tallied for a reason. It has a certain sort of sway when it comes to the actual authority of the candidate or the law. Making sure that your vote is counted toward the popular vote makes certain that the popular votes reflects maximum accuracy. Further, if you believe popular vote should be the method of choice, this number becomes even more important. If voting accurately demonstrates that popular vote is significantly different from electoral vote, the system will see a much greater need to change from one system to another.

Narrowing the Margin

The more you vote against the tide, the more that tide diminishes. Doing so will help encourage others to do similarly, and may even change the playing field.

If you’ve been paying attention to recent voting politics, you may have run into the term “Meg moment.” This is especially true if you reside in the state of California. So, what exactly is a “Meg moment,” and where did the term originate?

The term is based on Meg Whitman, a republican candidate for office in the state. In an interview Meg was asked what her voting habits were when she was younger. She responded by stating that she actually hadn’t voted for the majority of her adult life.

This statement was seized on by political adversaries of Whitman, who quickly began coining the phrase “Meg moment.” The idea of a Meg moment is one in which you are embarrassed due to the revelation that you didn’t vote, or regretted not voting because of the turnout of the political scene, your life, your ambitions, or something related.

The most notable place where the term has come into play is an ad sponsored by the California Labor Federation. Their brief television spot uses footage of Whitman’s own statements and concludes with a remind that everyone should go out and vote, especially since it can help avoid a “Meg moment” like the embarrassing one they witnessed in the ad.

It’s unlikely that the phrase itself will stick, especially after Whitman moves away from the mainstream political scene. Nonetheless, it is an important thing to recall that not voting can lead to regret later on in life. Even if your vote does not strongly impact the outcome, it may impact your own sense of civic responsibility, your feelings of responsibility and empowerment within your community, or even political ambitions. Whether you’d like to call it a “Meg moment” or not, be sure that you avoid the downfalls of not voting, and get out to vote in every major election your area holds.

Different locations, elections, and issues will get different results from groups across the board. Men and women, people of various political backgrounds, those with different beliefs, and those from different cultural all respond to different campaign styles and issues. However, it is certain that there are many groups who are under-represented when it comes to our nation’s polls.

The group who has the strongest representation in our democratic processes are the white, middle and upper-middle class females. Women exceed men in voter turnout by portion of the population and by popular vote. The long, hard struggle to gain a voice in Washington may have this group motivated to do what they need to be heard.

However, the same does not apply to other groups who also had to struggle for a right to voice. Minorities often lack full representation, with African-Americans seeing under a fifty percent turnout, and Hispanic-Americans seeing even less than that. Both of these groups voted at nearly a two-thirds proportion during the 2008 election, proving the immense power of their group when it comes to relevant struggles. However, this remains the exception and not the rule.

Beyond gender and race demographics, economics also seem to play a significant part. While those in the middle, upper-middle, and upper class see moderate to high voter turnout, those of lower-middle or lower class make it to the polls comparatively rarely.

For democracy to function in the way it was intended, all individuals, regardless of race, culture, economic position, and so forth, must cast their vote. This is especially important if you’re part of a group that is less represented. These smaller groups often don’t vote because they lack education on the matter, but it may also be because they feel that their minority position gives them insufficient voice to make any real impact. However, if the 2008 election is any proof, this simply isn’t so.

What Is the Tea Party?

If you haven’t been watching the news, then you may have missed the many political protests organized by the Tea Party, a movement that has been used to promote change in the government. The name refers to the Boston Tea Party, when American colonists demonstrated their disagreement with the British Government over issues such as the importation of tea (which the British government tried to monopolize).

The modern day protests are in opposition to things such as the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and the health care reform bills that have been passed recently. Tea Party members are calling for less control from the government and the government answering to the people. One of their goals is for the government to note in every piece of legislation what gives them the right to pass that law in accordance to the Constitution. Many members feel that the government handles too many issues that should be left to the people to regulate.

Making Waves in Primaries

This grass roots movement has made a big impact on this year’s Primaries. Despite President Obama’s campaign for change, many voters feel that the changes made over the last two years have not been the changes needed. The economy is still abysmal and jobs are scarce for many people. If there were ever a time when a movement such as the Tea Party were to be successful, it would be now.

What is so surprising is how many candidates have won in the primaries despite not being backed by the Republican Party. These candidates who are supported by the Tea Party Movement are Republicans and are deeply conservative (being politically aligned on the far right of the political scale). Being so extreme, it’s surprising that so many have won their Primary elections. The next step is to knock off their Democratic opponents and win spots in the Senate.

If they win, the goal of these candidates is to repeal the health care reform acts that have been passed and make other needed changes.

The Ellis Island inscription reads, “Give me your tired, your poor / Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” Despite whatever irony may be present in this because of current laws, the truth of the matter is that ours is a country of immigrants. The “melting pot” of North America has a huge diversity of cultures, beliefs, approaches, and people, and all of them need representation for democracy to be truly effective. Some groups are especially underrepresented, however. One group of note are Hispanic-Americans.

There are nearly fifty million Hispanic-Americans, but only a small portion of that group is registered to vote. Many of the people who aren’t registered are in that position because of a fear for legal ramifications, even if they immigrated legally. The antagonism of U.S. immigration laws to the Hispanic culture has created a wall that has yet to be torn down. Additional reasons cited not to vote include a feeling of powerlessness, language barriers, and a lack of political candidates who support group issues.

When comparing the percentage of Hispanic-Americans registered to vote with other groups, Hispanics have less than half the registration rate. This means a general underrepresentation when compared to other groups, but it doesn’t stop there.

Depending on which poll or statistics you study, and certainly varying from state to state, half or less of the Hispanic population that’s registered to vote doesn’t visit the polls on major election days. The Hispanic turnout in the 2008 presidential election, in fact, was the greatest exception we’ve seen.

Already under-registered, and voting even less than others within those confines, the Hispanic group gets very little voice in the democratic issues of the United States. As nearly a fifth of the U.S. population is currently Hispanic-American, it has never been more for those of Hispanic decent to vote for issues of importance to them.

There are many people who vote according to the party they align with, and oftentimes this party was selected simply because the parents of the person in question favored that party. However, a new paradigm is arriving which prompts people to vote more for the issues than the candidates. In fact, there are now more independent voters than there have been in all but a few brief segments of U.S. history.

There are various reasons why it’s important to vote on the issues rather than for the party of the candidate. The idea behind democracy is that people can elect those who best represent their ideals. However, the unfortunate reality of a system that relies just on two parties is that the ideals of the people often don’t even surface. By focusing on your core values and the important issues to you, you will be able to make a more significant and democratic impact in how the U.S. functions.

There are some additional risks because of the two-party system. If people ally with one side or the other for every issue regardless of any dissonance in stances, the parties begin to completely polarize the political scene. The extremes of each side will continue to drive one another further to the opposite end, creating a political climate of absolutes, rather than one based on actual public opinion.

Additionally, not every candidate within the same party has the same stances on all issues. There are democrats who are nonetheless pro-life, republicans who are in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage, and John McCain himself helped sponsor a bill for stem cell research. By understanding and voting on the issues themselves rather than the party that your candidate is a part of, you avoid the possibility of voting for someone who does not accurately reflect your views.

Fourteen different states or U.S. territories have reached an agreement or received an official judgment from the Justice Department prompting them to accept tens of thousands of overseas votes in this year’s mid-term election. While not all of these states were actively breaking the federal law in question, a history of abuse prompted the Justice Department to take action preemptively.

The law in question is the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment act. While there were already protections for voters overseas, they had some unfortunate limitations, especially when it came to those on long term military duty. This was remedied with the new 2009 act. Five states or territories were sued by the Justice Department in 2009 for a violation of the act shortly after it was presented.

The total number of people being protected in the 2010 mid-term elections reaches over sixty-thousand, although not all of those individuals are expected to vote. The method of protection is, however, the most important part of these actions. The law specified that the absentee ballots must be sent to anyone overseas, including those on active military duty, a month and a half prior to the election itself. This allows sufficient time that, even including the time to ship either way, all of the ballots are certain to be counted.

The five territories who were sued had failed to send these out with sufficient time, and the additional territories failed to follow exact protocol. All of these regions have now been prompted to remedy the situation, however, and thus overseas voters should still be able to make their vote in the 2010 mid-terms. One of the most important court orders was the order to count any ballots that came in late due to tardiness on the part of the state or territory. The official statement was made most clear by a judicial ruling in the case for Guam.

It’s been a while since political news talked about voter fraud. There was the scandal with ACORN, of course, but that wasn’t actually people submitting invalid votes—it was simply a group who received government funding registering people who didn’t exist (and would subsequently never make it to the polls) in order to get bonuses. Back in 2006 there was a strong movement from conservative politicians and activists claiming that there were actually many false votes and corrupted polling locations that were tilting the scales.

It’s important that when claims like this come up they are given due diligence, and such was the case back in ’06. The research showed that there was almost no validity to the claims at all, but that didn’t prevent the controversy from damaging the voter rights movements—reducing the number of voter registration groups who could get funding, giving bad PR to those who tried to push for candidates who were a part of the accusations, and so forth.

Now, in 2010, there is a new group claiming that voter registration fraud is running rampant in our polls. The group is the Tea Party members and organizers, and they’ve begun challenging a number of applications for voter registration due to the fact that they think the person (or group of people) is ineligible.

There are many groups on the more liberal end of the spectrum, as well as voting rights advocates, who have done what they can to counter these tactics, describing them as a “scare approach” that’s aimed at shooing away both the impoverished and minorities.

Conservative activists, conversely, are pushing to be certain that the voting itself remains fair and within legal boundaries. Some have gone as far as calling for police surveillance at polls, which many voting rights advocates fear will reduce the number of people who turn out for voting, especially in an already under-voted midterm election.

When the legislation was brought before the Senate at the beginning of August 2010, it was passed unanimously. Now it needs to be passed by the House of Representatives.

To help with the cost of these meals, which require higher nutrition standards, and to allow more low-income families to receive free meals or meals at a reduced cost, the legislation would include increased federal funding. To encourage this legislation to pass, Michelle Obama spoke on September 8 at a school in Sidell, Louisiana. This school was chosen because it was part of a program that promoted eating healthy and exercising. Because of this, it received cash rewards from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Her speech concentrated mostly on the finer points of her campaign to move more and eat better. She also mentioned how important nutrition in schools meals is to academic performance. According to her campaign’s website, the rates of child obesity have triples just in the last 30 years. It also states that it’s estimated that a full third of children born in this century (since 2000) will develop diabetes sometime with in their lifetimes. That’s a staggering number and really sad to hear, especially since so many medical conditions accompany obesity including high blood pressure, asthma, cancer, and heart disease.

The best way to help our kids is to be active ourselves. Not only will we be a good example to our children, being active naturally will lead to them being active. If we go on a walk, for example, they’ll come too!

In August 2010, Senate voted for a measure to give school districts more money — $26 million to be precise. When it comes for more money for schools, it’s hard to say no, especially since the purpose is to prevent the needs for layoffs. The 57 democratic senators voted for the measure to pass unanimously while 39 republican senators were opposed.

Senator Cardin from Maryland said that passing the measure was important – it keeps teachers in the classroom and other school personnel working. Many believe that keeping these school workers in their jobs is important for the economy. That’s true, isn’t it? Without these jobs, many people would have to find other, likely less paying, jobs.

So why did the Republicans vote against the measure? When it comes down to it, the Republicans believe that too much money is being spent to the point of excess. Is it possible that all of this government spending now will lead to a worse economy in the future? Will we be leaving a huge deficit that our children will have to repay? It makes you wonder if the Democrats are taking this into account when they agree to throw more and more money at our economic issues.

According to The New York Times, this bill won’t actually add to the deficit because the money that is being generated for the bill actually comes from closing a business tax loophole. Without this loophole, business won’t be able to take advantage anymore costing the government money. It’s also been created by making spending cuts in other areas of the government.

Overall, the bill seems like a good way for schools across the country to get the funding they need for teachers. The student to teacher ratio has been rising consistently with the current economic downturn and the last thing we want is for the quality of our children’s education to suffer because the classrooms are too crowded.

When it comes to the elections this November, the question on everyone’s minds is whether to vote for a Democrat and continue with the current trend or to try for another change and vote Republican. The Democrats feel that they have been successful as slowing down the economic downturn and blame the original problem on the Republicans. While the Republicans blame the Democrats for not helping the economy even more saying that the Democrats have pushed too much money towards the wrong places.

President Obama stated recently that he believes that electing Republicans will get us right back to the problem we had in the first place that caused the economic downturn. But will it?

The problem seen here is that there seems to be a belief that all Republicans are the same and all Democrats are the same. When you have a two-system party like we have in the U.S., there aren’t many choices. Very few from other political parties are elected and it’s hard to have more than two parties when you need a majority of the votes to win. So this seems to be what we’re stuck with. The best way to deal with this situation is not look at a candidate because of his or her political party. Instead, look at his or her platform, beliefs, voting (if previously elected), and history. This will give you a better idea of whether this person will represent your values and vote for what is best for you and your community.

Women’s suffrage has been talked about a lot; maybe because it happened less than a century ago, but when was it that citizens of any race could vote, regardless of color or being a former slave? This came with the 15th Amendment that was passed on February 3, 1870.

This amendment states that it is the right of citizens within the US to vote and that right will not be taken away by the federal or any of the state governments because of race or color.

On March 31, 1870, the first African American cast a vote for the local school board election. This man was Thomas Mundy Peterson. In fact, according to statistics, more black politicians were elected to a public office from the years 1865 to 1880 than at any other time in United States’ history.

The government protected the rights of these African American voters as well as white Republicans who were voted for black candidates and who supported the 15th amendment. IN fact, when a mob of white men tried to take over a government that consisted of both blacks and whites in New Orleans, President Ulysses S. Grant sent troops to restore the government. Despite this, there was a lot of unrest in the South that was hard to keep under control including fraud and many murders were committed that weren’t punished by local law enforcement.

The South tried to further prevent black citizens from voting by requiring literacy tests and poll taxes. Some areas made it difficult to find the places where citizens could register to vote, as well. When voted on in the House of Representatives, the vote was 144 for and 44 against with 35 representatives not voting. In the Senate, 39 members voted for while 13 voted against and 14 were absent. There were some who abstained from voting because there was nothing to prevent these literacy tests and poll taxes, including Senator Charles Sumner, which were felt to be necessary (and we can see later that such an amendment would have been beneficial).

The roots of women’s suffrage originally began back in 18th century France. According to a survey conducted using online survey software, women having the ability to vote was very limited previously. Typically on the head of the household was allowed to vote (probably with the idea that he voted for what was best for his family). Some European countries before this time allowed some women to vote as long as she paid taxes. Some areas allowed women to vote is she never married or was a widow including in the Corsican Republic in 1755.

In the New World, women were allowed to vote in New Jersey as long as they owned land, which wasn’t likely if they were married, which meant only unmarried women and widows were able to qualify for this. This, however, was changed in 1807 when the state’s constitution was changed to specify only white males.

Norway and Denmark gave women the right to vote in the years 1913 and 1915, respectively. In the years following, many countries began to allow women to vote including Germany, Poland, Canada, and Soviet Russia. In the U.S., some states allowed women to vote, but in 1920, this became a universal right for all women across the country.

In 1917, the National Woman’s Party was formed as an organization to help fight for a woman’s right to be able to vote in the United States. The idea was that women should have just as much right as a man to be involved in voting for legislation items and members of political offices. Their main purpose was to get an amendment to the Constitution passed that ensured women’s suffrage. World War I was the push that women needed to get women’s suffrage passed, finally convincing Woodrow Willson to support it.

This young, go-getter won his first election by knocking on doors and talking to the citizens of the city. He promised to overhaul the school systems and reduce crime with new police methods. In large part, he’s done these things. So why is he so disliked by citizens of the District of Columbia?

The main reason is many citizens don’t feel like he’s among the people enough. Many times he misses community forums and other public appearances. Many of the citizens, as well, don’t like how the overhaul of schools was dealt with. Fenty hired Michelle Rhee to be his schools chancellor. Her belief is to act and she feels that collaboration is overrated. She has gone through the school firing many teachers who have proved to be inadequate. Some citizens have hailed the efforts that have resulted in rising test scores and improved enrollment for the school districts in the city, but others feel Rhee is arrogant. They believe that these improvements are largely due to programs that were already in the works before she began her overhaul.

In addition to this, something else has added to his tarnished reputation; there is a belief that Fenty gave construction contracts to his friends that was inappropriate. That matter is currently being investigated, but Fenty claims that he had nothing to do with it. We’ll have to wait and see what the results of the investigation turn up.

Fenty is up against Vincent C. Gray, who is the City Council chairman. He currently has the lead (according to poles from August). Gray is a former head of district for social services. Fenty believes that part of the problems of the city are rooted in Gray not managing the human services in the city well in the 1990s.

In a surprise result from the primaries in Alaska, favored candidate for a Senate seat, Lisa Murkowski did not win. Instead, Joe Miller, who was backed by Tea Party activists, beat out Murkowski. The hope with Murkowski was that with her seniority, she would be able to be chairwoman for the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, an important issue for Alaska.

Since losing the primaries, Murkowski considered being a candidate for other political parties, including the Libertarian Party, but talks ended when it was clear that their political beliefs were too widespread. So she chose a second route: a write-in campaign. With $1 million left in her campaign fund, Murkowski’s campaign members are going to fight for her to be written in for the final elections.

In some ways this makes sense. Having her elected would give her seniority — an important issue in Alaska. Before losing the primaries, she was a rising star in the Republican party. Fighting for her senate seat shows how much passion she has for the job. But is this a smart move?

For one, encouraging people to write her in will split the votes between the two Republican candidates, which would give the Democratic candidate, Scott McAdams, who has been shown to be competitive with Joe Miller by polls. Splitting the votes between the two candidates might just give McAdams what he needs to pull ahead (which is exactly what is trying to be avoided by having primaries in the first place). For the Republican party, this is not a good thing. With Democrats having the majority in the House and the Senate, their goal has got to be to keep the seats they have and obtain more seats from other states. Murkowski could be undermining this by running as a write-in.

On top of that, many Republican leaders have endorsed Miller. With Murkowski’s opposing campaign, she’s challenging the party’s candidate. Overall, this does not appear to be a smart move by Murkowski. If she can pull it off, she’ll be hailed as a miracle worker. But if the Democrat candidate wins . . .

Fast forward to today. On August 23, 2010, Judge Lamberth ruled that research being funded by the government broke this law and ordered all research to be halted. This money was given by the National Institutes of Health to the tune of $78 million to 44 scientists and 8 research projects.

The court’s decision was immediately appealed and a ruling on Thursday, September 9 essentially said that research could continue until a formal trial occurred on September 20. This was good news for the researchers who would have lost some valuable research because of the suspension, as well as paychecks.

It was President George W. Bush who was the first that allowed federal funding to go to research on stem cells, though he made sure that research was limited to cell lines that already existed (such as ones created by infertile couples that ended up not being needed). President Obama decided to continue and even expand the research done on embryonic stem cells.

The judges for the appeals case noted that the judgment presented by Judge Lamberth was not made on the merits of the case itself. His judgment appears even more to be based on his opinion when he called the research as being a “parade of horribles.” This is one flaw in the legal system — when judges rule on their own opinions and feelings rather than on the law and how they believe the law is to be interpreted. That is why the system allows for appeals to try and prevent one judge’s opinion from becoming the law. We’ll see how this case plays out.

Trends in these TV ads have been appearing. Many democrats are distancing themselves away from their party. For example, an ad in Nebraska for Tom White, who is running against incumbent Lee Terry, just mentions “Nebraska Independence for Congress” in his ad.

Many of the democratic candidates are also acting critical of decisions made by Washington including agreeing to spend more and increase the national debt and passing the new health care reform or working to distance themselves from that position. For example, Walt Minnick, a Democratic Representative from Idaho, shot his ad in front of a home (presumably in Idaho) as if to say that he is not part of Washington.

For Republicans, the big thing, especially if they’re trying to knock off a Democratic incumbent, is to point out the mistakes that the Democrats have made in Washington. This often centers around not enough jobs being created, too much money being spent (and not spent wisely, and the health care reform. To top it all off, the Republicans are spending much more on these ads than the Democrats — about 35 percent more ($20 million vs. $13 million). Democrats are worried about this. In fact, President Obama is planning on increasing his efforts to raise money and Nancy Pelosi is making more efforts to get money out of donors. We’ll have to see if that’s enough to help the Democrats.

With how unhappy most citizens have been with job shortages and the economy, it may be that many incumbents for the Democratic party will find themselves out of a job come January unless they can persuade their voters that they’ve changed. In fact, Chet Culver of Iowa mentioned that he’s made mistakes, but he’ll do a better job if re-elected.

But there are those in Washington who disagree. One of them is Senator Joseph Lieberman who feels that the only way to help with recovering the economy is to keep money in private hands. The fact is, however, that the rich are more likely to save. So how much will this help the economy if the rich end up saving the money that they would have spent on taxes? In the meantime, our country’s national debt grows.

Lieberman isn’t the only person who is pushing for the tax break to apply for everyone including the wealthy. John Boehner of Ohio, the House Republican leader, is also encouraging others to join their side of the debate. Boehner did state that he would ultimately vote for Obama’s version of the bill is left with no choice has hopes that others will see how valuable it would be for all to have tax breaks. This statement came after President Obama criticized Boehner and other Republicans for possibly hurting the middle class to fight to help millionaires get tax breaks. The Democrats are worried about a filibuster because Republicans hold enough votes to cause one.

Now that Boehner has stated that he is willing to potentially vote for the bill, the next obvious step would be for the Democrats to put the bill on the House floor for a vote and see what happens — whether it comes to a vote or whether it’s filibustered. It will give Boehner a chance to prove himself and his word.

If you were voting on this bill, would you vote for or against it? What would influence your decision?

On September 12, a rally in Washington, at the foot of Capitol Hill, gathered to talk about their fight against the Democrats come Election Day. They talked about the Tea Party candidates who won in the Primary Elections and how they would now win over the Democrats.

They also spoke on the Contract From America. This is a manifesto from the Tea Party that was created online with input from many Tea Party members. Ideas were proposed and then voted on. Some of these provisions include adding an amendment to the Constitution that would require a balanced budget as well as requiring that all provisions to bills and legislation have a reference to what in the Constitution gives Congress power to make that legislation into law. The belief by the Tea Party is that the government believes it has more power than it does. This includes, especially, the health care reform that was passed earlier in the year.

Another hot issue that many members of the Tea Party are fighting for is illegal immigration. Signs found at the rally include ones that said, “Uncle Sam wants you to speak English.” The goal with the upcoming election is to elect enough of these Tea Party candidates to make real changes in Washington including repealing the health care bill from March.

We’ll have to see what happens in November, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the extremist attitudes of the Tea Party members put some people off. Would you vote for a Tea Party candidate? Do you agree with the Tea Party?

New York’s state’s primaries were held Tuesday, September 14, 2010. But on the eve of the Primaries, many voters were less than enthusiastic about voting. After years of voting and seeing no change, many felt like their votes weren’t doing anything and that the candidates were all talk and no action.

One of the big problems felt by voters in New York was the sky-high property taxes. Many voted in Democrats thinking that they would help to lower these exorbitant taxes, but nothing has changed — the taxes are still there. On top of that, many are still without jobs and new jobs are scarce. Nothing seems to be done about that either.

One of the biggest races in the Primaries is the race between two Republican candidates for governor. Former Representative Rick A. Lazio is running against Carl Paladino, who had to get a petition of 30,000 signatures to be able to run. This makes for a competitive race, but many voters find their not invested in the race itself. Basically it comes down to the feeling that candidates can promise what things they’ll do if elected, but when it comes down to it, only time will tell if what they promise will happen. One voter compared it to the candidates applying for the job with voters being the interviewers. Except that with most jobs, if it doesn’t work out, the person is fired and another person can be hired. With government positions, voters will have to wait awhile before being able to fire the person they elected.

Most voters just feel like there’s a flaw in the system – whether because of having only two major parties or not having the right candidates or mismanaging tax money and that there isn’t a way to fix it. It’s hard to be excited about voting in this election season when there isn’t a candidate that gets you really excited and makes you believe that things will change.

As voters, all we can do is look at each candidate and vote for the one we think will do the best!

Even though the Primaries are set, the elections for November are heating up. It’s hard to say at this point who will win. Although many favor Patrick because he’s good at wooing the public, his popularity ratings have been low. His campaign rests some on the merits that Massachusetts has weathered the economic downturn better than most states, but this often leaves voters feeling patronized and many believe that has more to do with the industries and economic stability in Massachusetts rather than the help provided by Patrick. And yet, he’s currently leading polls by five or six points. Will this change as the electron draws nearer?

Charlie Baker, on the other hand, seems ready to provide the change that Massachusetts needs. As a graduate from Harvard, Baker was an extremely a successful aide to two governors during the 1990s. What may hurt him during this election is his inability to woo voters the way that Patrick does. However, after talking to voters about important issues, many find themselves swayed by Baker’s passion for Massachusetts and his knowledge about what needs to be done for things to change. More than one voter has come away with the decision to vote for Baker. Before making a decision on who to vote for this November, voters should take a look at the platform for each of the voters rather than relying on emotion to sway decision on which candidate to vote for.

Tim Cahill is the state treasurer for Massachusetts and has chosen to run as an independent. He was formerly a Democrat and seems to have left the party in order to run. Cahill is currently trailing far behind Baker and Patrick in the polls.

Jill Stein is currently looking for liberal voters to vote for her and may pull some votes away from Patrick.

This will be an exciting race!

The modern day protests are in opposition to things such as the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and the health care reform bills that have been passed recently. Tea Party members are calling for less control from the government and the government answering to the people. One of their goals is for the government to note in every piece of legislation what gives them the right to pass that law in accordance to the Constitution. Many members feel that the government handles too many issues that should be left to the people to regulate.

Making Waves in Primaries

This grass roots movement has made a big impact on this year’s Primaries. Despite President Obama’s campaign for change, many voters feel that the changes made over the last two years have not been the changes needed. The economy is still abysmal and jobs are scarce for many people. If there were ever a time when a movement such as the Tea Party were to be successful, it would be now.

What is so surprising is how many candidates have won in the primaries despite not being backed by the Republican Party. These candidates who are supported by the Tea Party Movement are Republicans and are deeply conservative (being politically aligned on the far right of the political scale). Being so extreme, it’s surprising that so many have won their Primary elections. The next step is to knock off their Democratic opponents and win spots in the Senate.

If they win, the goal of these candidates is to repeal the health care reform acts that have been passed and make other needed changes.

This is what the candidates try to appeal to these swing voters. Of course, in any election, you want to strengthen your loyal voters to vote for you as well, but it’s the swing voters, the voters who are not swayed by political party alone, that are in need of persuading.

Another thing that candidates are trying to gain through advertising is passion enough to get potential up from their seats and voting. Too many citizens of the U.S. are apathetic when it comes to politics and don’t take the time to register to vote or to take the opportunity to vote when it’s presented. Considering how many people died to give this right to us, to each and every person who is 18 years of age and older, it’s too bad that so many people take that right for granted. If candidates can get potential voters fired up about the elections and excited about voting, that candidate is more likely to win.

Swing voters are not the only thing that can effect elections. For presidential elections, swing states also have an impact. These are states that in the past have sometimes voted for the Republican candidate and sometimes voted for the Democratic candidate. It will be these states that typically determine the outcome of an election. It’s also these states that the presidential candidates will visit most often. For states that are definitively Republican or Democrat, candidates feel there is no point, but for states that can go one way or the other, candidates will visit them to try and persuade voters to vote for them. So get out and vote!

Another victory for the Tea Party, with Christine O’Donnell who won the Primary elections in Delaware on September 14, means more loss hope for the Republican Party. O’Donnell won over Michael Castle for U.S. Senate for the Republican party. The margin was fairly close with O’Donnell getting 53 percent of the 57,000 votes. Party of the reason for her win, after losing many elections in the past, was the endorsement of Sarah Palin and Senator Jim DeMint.

Leaders of the Republican party that backed Castle feel that the likelihood of Tea Party candidates winning the general election are low, which is why they are appalled by just how many of the Tea Party candidates have won the Primaries. The hope was to increase the number of Republican seats in Senate after this mid-term election, but now it’s hard to say what will happen.

One reason the Republican Party leaders are concerned is that Tea Party members are extreme conservationists. It’s been shown in the past that moderate politicians are much more likely to be elected, especially in states that contain a lot of independent voters (i.e. voters that are not Republicans or Democrats).

In an interview, O’Donnell said that she was very confident in a win in the general election indicating that she expects the support of independent voters as well as Democrat voters. Her main goal with being elected is to get the health care bill repealed. Yet, even the leaders of the Tea Party don’t seem to believe that O’Donnell will win in the general election. On Tuesday evening, strategists for the Tea party stated that they would probably use their money on other elections, indicating that the money would not be well spent on O’Donnell’s campaign.

It seems unfortunate for the Republican Party that they have such a weak candidate for the general Senate elections in Delaware. It makes you wonder why the Tea Party worked so hard to get her chosen in the Primaries. Is the Tea Party just trying to throw their weight around? Ineffective if their candidates can’t win more than the Primaries.

Fenty’s loss will be felt by many who believed he was a good mayor over the last four years. Fenty revamped the school system, which was failing on all accounts. During Fenty’s time in office, test scores rose. The murder rate fell, as well.

When it came down to it, he lost the race because of public perception. Many felt that the connection he had with the low-income voters and the black voters was lost and that he wasn’t doing his best to know what these voters wanted and needed. Fenty was so focused on getting the job done and doing good that he forgot to make sure the voters knew he still cared. This led to many voters voting for Gray just because he wasn’t Fenty. Too often, emotions play a bigger part in voting than cold-hard facts, which is not a smart way to vote, but candidates can’t forget that many voters do vote on emotion. If Fenty had spent more of his time in office making sure that voters felt connected, he would have probably won this election.

One of Felty’s biggest criticisms was that when he worked to reform the schools, there was no collaboration. Michelle Rhee, who was appointed to do the overhaul, felt collaboration was overrated and unnecessary. During her time, she shut down 24 schools and fired many teachers for poor performance. She also pushed to have merit-based pay for teachers as a way to motivate teachers to do better.

In Gray’s victory speech, he refuted this saying that collaboration and reform were not mutually exclusive and he would prove it with his administration. Only time will tell if Gray will accomplish these goals or if he’s all talk and no action.

But Brad Ellsworth isn’t the only that deals with this problem. Many candidates find that domain names that contain their name are being bought up by other people. Some are by opponents used to sling mud; others are by people who are hoping that the candidate will pay a lot of money to buy the domain name back. For example, Joe Culligan owns over 500 political domain names. He sold the site PresidentHatch.com to Orrin Hatch, senator from Utah, for $45,000 and the site Forbes2000.com to Steve Forbes for $10,000. It can be big business.

Many have fought these cybersquatters through the legal system by suing them, but only some of the lawsuits have been successful and for the most part, it’s easier just to buy the domain name back. When it comes down to it, if you’re planning on running for office, it would be wise to buy as many domain names, in as many variations as possible, before you throw your name in the hat. Variations could include FirstnameLastname.com, FirstLastforPosition.com (such as BarackObamaforPresident.com), NicknameLast.com and all of those for .org and .net. Buying them now will save you headaches later.

The Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse is a Washington-based trade group was found in 2007 and is dedicated to stopping unethical infringement of brands and trademarks online. This not-for-profit corporation wants to decrease confusion found online by consumers caused by cybersquatting.

This group found that many government officials were not aware of their online image, such as sites containing their name that actually bashed the official. Online image in today’s world, with so many people online, is essential to successful campaigns. Many people search for information online more than anywhere else.

Charles Rangel, Democratic Representative from New York, faced five opponents in this year’s Primaries, but Rangel was by far the leader with 59 percent of the votes (after 32 percent of the votes had been counted). The closest opponent was Adam Clayton Powell IV with 25 percent of the votes.

What’s interesting is that Rangel won despite all of the allegations against him in Washington. In fact, a House panel is preparing for a public trial later on in September 2010. The charges are for 13 counts of ethics violations. Some of his Democratic colleagues have become frustrated with this trial, but Rangel has refused to reach a settlement with the House’s ethics committee, which has made the trial a necessity. It’s been eight years since the last public trial was held. The defendant, James Traficant, ended up being criminally convicted and sent to jail for his crimes.

Rangel’s charges include not reporting income from a villa located in the Dominican Republic that he rents out. It also includes his receiving four different rent-regulated apartments in Harlem and using his office to preserve a loophole for an executive of an oil company in exchange for a large donation to a public policy center that was named after Rangel. Additionally, he failed to report assets on his financial disclosure forms that are in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. He claims this to be just bad bookkeeping, but it’s hard to believe that that many assets would be displaced.

In response to the rent-regulated apartments, he doesn’t believe that it was wrong to accept them despite them being thousands of dollars below typical rates for apartments of that size and value. There is a prohibition for Congressional members to accept gifts that are worth more than $50 each month. How do thousands of dollars in rent not violating this.

It will definitely be interesting to see what happens with the trial and to see if Rangel ends up winning the general election and keeping his post in Washington. Only time will tell with this Washington Representative.

Another issue that some Republicans had was that the bill did not do enough to help small business owners reduce their anxiety. Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, Republican, stated that “Any good in this bill is greatly outweighed by what’s missing.”

Most likely, this piece of legislation was passed by Democrats in an attempt to look like they’re doing something to help the economy before the general elections in November. The current legislatures in Washington have been highly criticized for not doing more to turn the economy around and for spending money in reach prepaid card inefficiently causing the national debt to increase. This has been a major issue for voters and many candidates up for re-election for this mid-term election are looking for ways to look good for their constituents. Some have even gone as far as apologizing, admitting that they’ve made some mistakes.

Still, some believe that the government caused the mess in the first place, by relaxing requirements for mortgage loans causing people to qualify for loans that they couldn’t afford, and would prefer that the government not try and fix the problem. It may be possible that they will make the hole deeper. With many citizens calling for less government control in our lives, it makes you wonder just how far the government should be allowed to go. In California, one county banned toys from fast food kids meals that were deemed unhealthy because they county has high rates of child obesity. Shouldn’t it be the parents’ responsibility to make these choices, not the government’s?

One of the best ways to gain insight into a topic is to look at its history. This goes for any number of topics, it being a subject, sport, cultural issue, etc.

The same line of logic is easily applied to the right to vote. Certainly the
historical contexts of the right to vote allow a great deal of insight and understanding to an important and fundamental right.

Unfortunately the right to vote is something that is often taken for granted today. Times of great political turmoil, at least in certain regards, have passed. Thus, citizens enjoy the natural rights that everyone should have, although it has not always been that way.

The right to vote in the United States has not been around since the last few decades or so. Thus it is easy to see how current and future generations could easily lose touch with the seriousness of the right to vote.

Take some time to learn about the wealth of material regarding the right to vote. From the Civil Rights Movement to lesser issues in suffrage, there is a great deal to learn that can greatly enhance your understanding of the right to vote.

This can and should also be extended to your family. While your children will likely see some of this in their education, this is a great way to have conversations as your children become old enough to realize what it means to vote. Perhaps they will have a better sense of the role of politics as well.

Don’t forget other aspects of suffrage as well. Many are unaware of suffrage around the world and other particular points of interest, such as women’s suffrage.

Taking the time to learn more about suffrage can make a drastic impact on your or others understanding about the right to vote. This can go a long ways to realizing the seriousness and privilege of the powerful right to vote.

It is also relevant to bring up that many may not be receptive, to certain extents. Yet expressing the pride and responsibility, as well as the ability to make a difference in a simple way can leave a lasting impression.

Inspiring young individuals to vote is one definite area that many should concentrate. It is important for the young population to take a stand for certain issues and other political topics. If this occurs, the political atmosphere will be enriched with the valued opinions and involvement of future generations. This is extremely important to have. Inspiring others to vote doesn’t just mean that of persuasion. Often it can just be a simple reminder.

This may be the case with many who plan on voting, but may not have it in the forefront of their mind. Of course, this is perfectly reasonable. Yet a friendly reminder can freshen one’s memory, enabling them to utilize their right to vote and plan it into their day. The most simple reminder or explanation of voting can make a large difference. It can remind voters of important dates as well as persuade individuals to consider what they may be missing by passing up such opportunities.

Take the time to inspire others to vote when given the chance. Even a simple reminder can encourage support within the community or the nation in an important election or vote, which ultimately makes a large difference.

Taking the time to vote in both local and national elections shows you care about the decisions made by politicians and also that you value your right to vote. However, making uninformed voting choices is sometimes no better than skipping voting altogether. Therefore, here are a few tips to help you make more informed voting choices no matter which election you are participating in.

Research Candidate Information

One of the best things you can do to make an informed voting decisions is research the candidates running for office. Don’t just research the candidate you plan to vote for. Instead, learn the platforms of candidates from each party so you will know which platforms each candidate represents. The Internet has greatly simplified the candidate research process allowing you to quickly research candidate websites and learn more about campaign issues.

Talk With Others

A great way to learn about the campaign issues in the upcoming election is to talk with others and get their thoughts on the candidates and how the campaign season is going. Talking with others involves not only speaking with friends and family but also speaking with supporters of the opposing party. By learning alternative views, you can make a more informed voting decision and will have all the facts when going to the polls.

Track Political Actions

After a candidate is elected, whether they were the candidate you voted for or not, you should track how they handle issues once in office. Take note of how well they uphold their campaign promises and what decisions they make to improve your community and country. If the politician will be making decisions that directly affect your business, such as if you are involved in property management and they will be deciding on zoning restrictions, you will especially want to voice your opinion on their decisions.

In 1947 Jackie Robinson broke the African-American color line in baseball, making way for further progress towards giving all people the right to vote. As history demonstrates, the two seemingly loosely connected topics were closer than at first glance. The baseball color line was met with much disdain. Robinson himself met a great deal of racism directed towards him due to the color of his skin.

Such documented fire at Robinson is well-known. As a result of his character and further implementation of African-American players in baseball, such impact had a drastic effect on the Civil Rights Movement. It is interesting to consider the level of impact baseball had on the right to vote. It is not unreasonable to assume that it had a great amount of impact, even.

This branch of thought could be extended to other areas in society, and even sports. In fact, the all-black Harlem Globetrotters opened up eyes of racial equality after defeating the Minneapolis Lakers in 1948 and 1949, who was known to be the best team in the nation.

The close interaction of sports and society with something as important as the right to vote is indeed true. Keeping these things in mind it is important to realize the nation’s past, with regard to the high level of rights that citizens have currently.

After considering such efforts in sports or in society directly, such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s movement, the right to vote is an important right. It is grounded into the nation’s history in more than one way.

The sacrifices in the nation’s history pave the way for future rights and privileges that are enjoyed. Perhaps they are taken for granted to some extent, unfortunately. At any rate, even something as baseball has played an important role in one of the most fundamental rights observed.

The statistics of non-voters is particularly unfortunate. With regards to the fundamental right to vote in the United States, it is underwhelming when non-voting statistics are considered.

According to statistics, anywhere between 55 and 65% of Americans vote. This number is more or less accurate according to the nation’s statistics over the past 20 years.

These numbers are according to presidential elections. Of course, local elections are not as easy to define, due to wide variety and relevancy according to the size of the community.

Complex statistics aside, it is easy to see from these basic statistics that the percentage of non-voters in the United States is considerable. With 35 to 45% of Americans not voting, it undermines one of the most fundamental rights intact, the right to vote.

With rises and falls in the statistics for presidential elections, it seems as if though there is no general trend, at least according to distinct rises or drops in voters and non-voters. The only constant trend seems to be that a large percentage of Americans do not vote.

The implications of this fact are immense. Most directly, this demonstrates that the voice of the vast majority of Americans able to vote is not heard. If Americans do not vote, then there is no way that they can make their vote count in regards to important issues.

One of the more particularly frustrating aspects, looking into the future, is the effect this could have on young and upcoming voters. If they are surrounded by influences that are either against or lack interest in regards to voting, then perhaps this could rub off on younger generations, and those to come.

However, due to the Internet and media campaigns, young voters are increasingly present in elections. Hopefully that trend does continue to curb the lack of voters present overall.

The potential effects and implications of non-voters in America remain to be seen. Perhaps ongoing efforts to realize the power of the right to vote will succeed in enabling more Americans to voice their opinions and support.

Such is the case of many who enter the election booth for national and local politics. It is not uncommon for an individual to have casual interest in the outcome, such as caring for a particular issue or figure that they want in office. These lines of thought are important to consider. In fact it is one of the more popular reasons why individuals choose not to vote. Some believe that they must follow politics to some great extent, similar to one who follows his or her favorite sports team on a daily basis, to know or care enough to vote.

This is not true on a couple of different accounts. First of all, as previously expressed, it does not take an overwhelming interest in politics to take advantage of one’s right to vote.

Additionally, not everyone who follows politics does so to an overwhelming extent, as expressed in the comparison to sports. It is more common for individuals to have a consistent interest in the events that surround the community, nation, and world.

Many individuals who have a respectable level of interest in politics do so on a consistent but casual basis. This is important to realize, as believing that one does not know enough about politics to vote is dangerous. Often some with lesser political interest get into this line of thinking, leaving the voting up to others.

Realizing this can help individuals take advantage of their right to vote. One doesn’t have to have some kind of overwhelming interest in politics. Just follow through with your thoughts and feelings regarding issues and figures and you can do your part, with this important fundamental right that is shared.

However, this ability was not always available to all Americans. Before 1965, African Americans were not allowed to vote in the United States.  In 1965, the Voting Rights Act was adopted. According to this law, it is unlawful for states to use discriminatory practices in order to exclude someone of any color or race from voting. This was designed to allow all the right to vote by excluding common prejudiced practices of the time, including literacy requirements, poll taxes, and grandfather clauses.  These grandfather clauses were used as a loophole to allow illiterate white voters the ability to vote by stating that anyone whose grandfathers voted were allowed to vote regardless of ability to read.

Since then, the act has been revised a renewed a number of times. For example, recent revisions state that any voting municipality that receives requests for ballots in another language must comply.   However, even though the Voting Rights Act may sound like it provides all Americans with a basic right to vote, no Federal Law is in act that declares this. Many states are given the right to determine whether or not to give ex-felons the ability to vote, or to implement voter ID laws to discourage fraud.

As a result of the Voter Rights Act of 1965, many people who were previously unable to vote are now able to. All Americans should take advantage of this opportunity, so when the next election arrives, instead of heading to the poker tables, head to the voting booths and exercise your freedom to vote.

Such questions seem to plague those who are worried about voting for the first couple of times. Indeed it can be overwhelming in the beginning, yet it is important to not worry too much about these types of things.

Once you are registered to vote, you are ready to visit the polls on voting days. Simply bring identification with you, though even some polls may allow you to vote anyway, signing an affidavit.

Perhaps more troubling is the perceived need to research or know a great deal about the election. Certainly there is some level of familiarization that is helpful in order to make a decision, yet this should not trouble those visiting the polls.

If you are in this situation, don’t worry too much. Many voters who visit the polls on election day are not experts in politics. While some may have particular interests in politics, it is very common for voters to have general interest and thoughts into what is being voted on, in order to make the most of one’s right to vote.

If you would like, you could easily look up what is on the ballot, in terms of local and national elections, or issues. This could give you the opportunity to familiarize yourself with a name or topic if needed.

Finding an issue of interest if often the best way to get ready to vote on election day. It can also spark interest furthermore, giving you opportunities to get more involved in the political scene.

Beginning voters may feel some anxiety and nervousness when voting for the first time or two. While this is normal, try not to let this overcome your desire to vote. Voting is an important right that citizens should take advantage of on election days.

The Internet is one of the most powerful tools. This certainly extends to being able to prepare to vote more efficiently.

One of the best ways to utilize the Internet in this regard is to stay up-to-date with politics. There are plenty of valued news sources and political commentaries in which to choose.

Take advantage of these benefits by using your hp laptops, desktop computers, or mobile devices to find websites that interest you. You may prefer straight news or more dynamics coverage, from which many choices are available.

The Internet can also allow you to connect with others who share similar interests. Online forums are a popular way to talk to others regarding a number of topics, extending to politics and many others. You may be able to gain perspectives for an upcoming election or on a number of topics of which you are unsure.

In terms of a more direct link to the actual voting process, the Internet is again particularly relevant. It can be very helpful in planning to vote on election days.

You can use the Internet to search for voting sites in your location. This is especially helpful in locating times in which to vote as well.

Also relevant to election days is the ability to learn more about the ballot. As you may not be familiar with everything on the ballot for election day, you could locate the names and learn more about issues in order to make an informed choice with your vote.

Quite easily the Internet extends within and beyond these tools to make your vote more powerful. Most powerful is the ability of the Internet to be extremely valuable in terms of research, which can allow you to make the most out of your vote and of you awareness of politics.

Take advantage of your right to vote with the power of the Internet. It can be a very valuable tool for learning more about politics, planning how you will vote, and anything else that you may need in regards to the fundamental right to vote.

One of the best ways to express this is within the community. The community offers one the ability to make a difference in many different ways.

Of course one may be very active in local politics. Yet there are other ways to utilize one’s interest in order to extend their influence even further.

An example of this is within the school system. Apart from issues that you may vote on, there is a good chance, especially if you have children in these schools, that you may desire to have more impact, beyond political interest and support.

In this example, find ways to get involved. One way would be to join a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) or a Parent-Teacher Association (PTA). Such opportunities would allow you to be active in the activities that shape a school. This could also enhance your understanding of, while extending your interest beyond, local politics and issues.

Such is the case in other opportunities both in your community and around the country, and beyond. One of the best ways to do so is to get involved in any means necessary.

Volunteering your time and donating resources can also extend your influence in certain issues and areas. This is important to consider for those who desire to do something more, such as in the community.

Overall political interest and activity is not to be undermined or underestimated. Yet there are further opportunities to extend one’s influence and activity level. In the end, both lines of action work towards making the world a better place, no matter what you have to give.