Glen Beck: Conservative Talking Head

Glen Beck is the latest conservative political pundit to appear on Fox News. The Glen Beck Program appeared on Fox News in January 2009, a day in fact before Barack Obama was inagurated. Beck has previously had other talk shows and also hosts his own radio program. He also is an author of numerous political books, all which have become best-sellers. Beck, like other Fox News anchors, has plenty of controversy. A Libertarian, Beck has been harshly critical of the Obama administration and often talks about the threat liberals and progressives posse to America. He often goes on long rants against liberal officials, and may have influenced the outing of White House Environment czar Van Jones. His unique style of anchoring, as shown in the video, has garnered a huge fame base of conservative Americans. His influence in conservative politics is so great that he recently organized a rally in Washington DC titled "Restoring Honor" which he called Americans to once more embrace traditional values.
In this clip, Beck imploys a common practice on his program, looking back at American history and relating it to the present day. Beck here is talking about the 1946 mid-term elections, which saw a Republican sweep in Congress during the Truman Administration. Beck explains the similarities between this election and the current mid-term elections which may witness a Republican takeover of Congress.

Chris Matthews: Liberal Talking Head

Chris Matthews is the anchor of a political talk show on MSNBC called "Hardball with Chris Matthews". On this show, Matthews, a former Democratic political aide, has frequently expressed liberal sentiments on various political issues. He is somewhat of a polarizing figure in the media. He is often critizced by conservatives for controversial remarks he makes on various issues. Matthews is clearly an example of the "talking head" commentators that dominate political coverage on cable television.

In this clip Matthews interviews a representative from the Tea Party, and forcefully questions her on sentiments expressed by the Tea Party movement about President Obama. Matthews seems distasteful toward how the Tea Party is protesting, on how they are comparing Obama to a tyrant and how many of the signs contain strong anti-Obama messages. The interview swiftly turns into a three way debate between Matthews, the Tea Party member, and a representative from the NAACP, which had recently declared the Tea Party movement to be racist.

Robin Carnahan Attack Ad

Roy Blunt Attack Ad

Blunt v. Carnahan: Missouri Senate race 2010

One of the many close narrow mid-term election campaigns this year has been centered in Missouri Senate Race. Republican Congressman Roy Blunt is running against Democratic nominee Robin Carnahan to replace retiring Republican Senator Kit Bond. Third-party candidates also running are Jerry Beck of the Constitution Party and Jonathan Dine of the Libertarian Party.

 Roy Blunt represents the 7th District, located in Southwest Missouri, and deemed the most conservative part of the state. Before his election to Congress in 1996, he was active in state politics, unsuccessfully ran for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 1992, and from 1993 to 1996 was president of Southwestern Baptist University. Blunt is generally conservative. He voted to ban partial birth adoptions, in which a fetus is surgically removed from the uterus, and has opposed funding for abortions. He favors prayer in schools and supported the Federal Marriage Amendment which would place a national ban on same-sex marriages. Like many other Republicans, Blunt opposed the health care reform bill favored by Democrats and the Obama administration.

Robin Carnahan is the Current Missouri Secretary of State since 2004. Her family has a tradition of participation in the Missouri Democratic Party. She has worked in her position to reduce red-tape for business, which are the creation of more government bureaucracy and oversight over the private sector. Carnahan is a liberal Democrat, favoring government oversight of Wall Street and financial reform. She has said that she would have voted for the health care bill and supported a public option.
The key issues of the race concern the economy and mistrust in the Obama administration. Both candidates are focusing on how they will both work to bring down unemployment in Missouri and how they will help small business. Polls indicate that 62% of Missouri voters support a repeal of the health care law, while only 37% oppose. 77% of Blunt supporters think the economy is worsening while 81% of Carnahan supporters think it is improving. The race so far is narrow, with Blunt leading by about ten points. This is not surprising considering Missouri is such a conservative state that has voted Republican in the last few presidential elections. We may safely assume that Blunt will be elected the next senator from Missouri.
Information obtained from Wikipedia.org, RoyBlunt.com, RobinCarnahan.com, Ramussenreports.com

Manchester Essex Regional Poll

17 students from the school were asked the following questions


1. Do you support the school's "Going Green" policies and initiatives?
a. Yes, I do support them- 47%
b. No, I do not support them- 0%
c. There are some parts I like & other parts I dislike- 29%
d. I'm indifferent to them- 23%
e. I don't know- 0%

2. Do you believe that your student council or government is doing a good job?
a. Yes, they're doing a good job- 23%
b. No, they're doing a terrible job- 12%
c. They're doing an okay job, though not perfect- 59%
d. I don't know- 6%

3. What do you think of the decision to take the 2011 class photo in front of the Memorial School Playground?
a. I think it's a good idea- 18%
b. I think it's a terrible idea- 53%
c. I don't know- 29%

4. What do you believe student council should be most concerned about?
a. Social events. such as class dances- 41%
b. Athletic events- 18%
c. Other- 41%

5. Do you believe that cell phones should be openly allowed in classrooms?
a. Yes- 23%
b. No- 76%

6. How do you think discipline is handled at our school?
a. Discipline is handled well by the school- 29%
b. Discipline should be stronger toward misbehaving students- 12%
c. Discipline should be lessened then it is now- 0%
d. Keep some disciplinary practices and get rid of other ones- 35%
e. I don't care- 12%
f. I don't know- 12%

The hypothesis of my poll was to determine how students felt about different school policies and decisions made by the school administration and student council. Each question was both related and different from other one's featured in the poll. I am confident that my polling was accurate enough for this assignment. I interviewed as many people that I could find. I started in the library in the morning, and then asked students in my classes. I  eventually was able to question 17 students. The factor that could skew my findings is that I asked more boys than girls. My polls may now have a greater leaning toward the opinion of boys, making it unclear how girls as a whole would have viewed my questions.

Deval for Governor

Democrat Deval Patrick has been governor of Massachusetts for the last four years. He is the first African-American to hold the position of Massachusetts governor. Patrick is originally from Chicago, where he grew up in the city's housing projects in a poor family. Through a non-profit organization, Patrick was able to attend Milton Academy and Harvard College. He later attended Harvard Law School.  Patrick served in the Clinton Administration as Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. In that role, he served to prosecute cases of racial-profiling and hate crimes. In 2006, Patrick was elected governor with running mate Tim Murray against Republican opponent Lt. Governor Kerry Healey.

Patrick has many advantages for running a re-election campaign. He has the traditional advantage of the incumbency, where voters see him as an experienced politician, the proper one to lead Massachusetts through tough economic times. As a Democrat, he has the upper hand in being the governor of one of the most liberal states in the union. If most of the state's registered Democrats show up to vote, he has a good chance of re-election.

During his term in office, Patrick has made some unpopular decisions. His campaign for casinos in the state lead him into a fierce fight with opposition from both parties. Multiple scandals involving staff members has also hurt his credibility. Another infamous episode was when Patrick left the state during the casino debate to work out a book deal for his memoirs. During this election, Patrick faces opposition from his Treasurer Tim Cahill, who might split the Democratic vote.

I am personally not a supporter of Patrick.  I do recognize, though, the chance of his re-election in this liberal state. According to polls, however, Patrick and Republican Baker are almost tied with Patrick leading by a 1% advantage. If Republicans are able to muster the voter strength that swept Scott Brown into office, they stand a firm chance of unseating Patrick.

Charlie for Governor

Charlie Baker is the Republican candidate for governor, opposing Democratic incumbent Deval Patrick. Baker has history of serving in Republican politics and in state government. His father, Charles Baker Sr. worked in the executive branch under the Nixon and Reagan administrations. His son himself served Republican governor William Weld as Undersecretary of Health and Human Services in the 1990s. He later took the positions of Secretary of Human Health and Services and Secretary of Administration and Finance respectively during the rest of Weld's term. During his tenure as Secretary of Administration and Finance, he became directly responsible for financing the Big Dig Project in Boston. After leaving state government in 1999, Baker became CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. Under his leadership, Harvard Pilgrim received recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance, receiving the title of America's Best Health Care for five years in a row.

Bake has a built a sizable reputation over the years for his work in state government and the private sector. In a climate of anti-incumbency, Baker has a favorable chance of defeating Patrick in November. Much of the public's frustration is aimed at Democrats in power, who have seemed unable to effectively deal with the economic crisis. Given that Massachusetts voters elected Republican Scott Brown a US senator are signs that a conservative wave could give Baker a victory.

Baker still has to, however, compete in a state which is overwhelmingly liberal and Democratic. Most state residents are registered as Democrats. Patrick has the advantage of the incumbency, being that voters might not want to get rid of an experienced politician in such times. Baker also has to contend with the possibility that independent Tim Cahill could take votes away from him. If Baker does win, it will be a very narrow win. 

Tim for Governor

Tim Cahill is the current Treasurer and Receiver-General for Massachusetts who is running against his boss, governor Deval Patrick, which must make the situation extremely awkward for the two. Cahill used to be a member of the Democratic Party, but left the party to run for governor as an independent. Cahill was elected Treasurer as a Democrat in 2003. Before that, he was active in Massachusetts politics, serving in the Quincy City Council, and was the Treasurer for Norfolk County. He has claimed to have significant accomplishments while serving as Treasurer. The Massachusetts State Lottery reportedly 7.2 billion dollars, money which has been distributed to cities and towns all across the state. The Cahill campaign has repeatedly hammered this point in through in numerous ads, since this issue alone is what they believe Massachusetts voters care about the most.
 The Cahill campaign is running at a time when Governor Patrick's popularity is at a low, with citizens angry at the incumbent government for poor decisions (the casino fiasco). Many citizens are worried about the nationwide economic situation, how it affects them and their jobs, and are blaming the incumbent state government for being ineffective. Cahill can claim experience in state politics in, a moderate choice instead of a political outsider to lead them in such dire times. Even if you are a Democrat or independent opposed to Cahill, a vote for him could draw votes away from Republican challenger Charlie Baker, who is the more serious candidate opposing Patrick
Unfortunately for the Cahill campaign, any early energy is now losing steam. Cahill trails Baker and Patrick in the polls, making him less of a threat then he was before. Cahill's campaign seems to be falling apart, as top aides have deserted his campaign. A more damaging blow was the announcement on October 1, that Cahill's own running mate Paul Loscocco was stepping down and endorsing Charlie Baker. Cahill's chances of winning at this point are low, and we may find that he will not have much of an impact on the general election.

Jill for Governor

Dr. Jill Stein is currently running for governor of Massachusetts on the ticket of the Green-Rainbow Party. The Green Rainbow party is a merger of the Green party with the Rainbow Coalition. It supports eco-friendly policies, a more open, grassroots(funny), type of government. In political ideology, they can be considered to be left-leaning, as many of their policies echo the extreme liberal policies of the Democratic Party. The party is considered the third party of Massachusetts, as they have enough support to remain afloat, but lack the political power to be a major party. It's candidate, Dr. Stein is a co-chair of the party. She graduated from Harvard Medical School and currently serves on the boards of Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility and MassVoters for Fair Elections. Stein ran for governor in 2002, losing to Mitt Romney, and then ran unsuccessfully for the state House of Representatives and Secretary for the Commonwealth.
Stein's support will mostly come from middle-age to older women, who are part of her generation. Liberals-leaning-to-socialists will also support her for her platform supporting eco-friendly intiatives, "fairer" voting practices, among other favorite pet causes of the left. However, Stein has managed to increase her base of support in recent years. During her 2006 run for Secretary of the Commonwealth, Stein ran solo against an Democratic incumbent, who was virtually unopposed. In the final voting tally, Stein was able to capture 18% of the vote, making her the highest scoring Green Party candidate ever to run for Secretary of the Commonwealth
Despite this, it is highly unlikely that Stein will win the governor's race. Third party candidates rarely ever win actual elections, whether it be for governor or president, though they may gain a good percentage of voters. It is also likely that the Green Party realizes this too, or else they've been walking around with their heads in the clouds for the past 20 years. The main reason for this run is to raise awareness to the issues which the Green Party represents.

Three Questions: 1 Vote Each

1. I would vote Yes on Question # 1. The sales tax adds on extra payment to alcoholic beverages purchased in the state. Like many other commodities, such as cigarettes and clothing, the government sees' such a widely purchased item as a source of revenue for the state treasury. The sales tax on alcoholic beverages may be a source for state government revenue, but there are other less important commodities that can be taxed in its place. This is particularly important as of right now, during an economic recession, we need to boost our states' economy above all else. Since New Hampshire has no sales tax on alcohol, many people go out of state instead to buy alcohol instead of buying in Massachusetts. Because of this, we are losing an important way of helping business' in our state to improve our local economy and to erode the recession.

2. I would vote No on Question # 2. The current state law in question is charged with building government subsidized housing for low income people and families. A zoning board of appeals asks a community or town for a building permit in order to start construction on a house. The ZBA seems to be an established organization, which already has strict impositions on it. It may not issue a building permit without the consent of the permit, and if a community finds fault with the ZBA's handling of the construction or other matters, it may appeal to the Housing Appeals Committee. As discussed in class today, it is sensible to spread poverty throughout the state evenly, and not just center it in one area. An area of poverty will only lead to an increase of the vices usually associated with poverty, notably crime, which may then spread to neighboring communities. This is already what communities who do not want low income housing fear the most, and it will most likely occur if the law is repealed. A repeal of this law and the organization responsible for carrying out it's duties is unnecessary and will do more harm than good.

3. I would vote Yes on Question # 3. The new law would reduce our state's sales tax from a rate of 6.25% to only 3%.  A reduction in the state sales tax is necessary during these hard economic times. A reduction in taxes is helpful in bolstering small business at a time when such business' need them the most. Raising taxes is never the correct solution to dealing with an economic crisis, especially since this nation is in the worst economic recession since the Great Depression, if not in recent memory.  As with # 1, we have to invest in business throughout the state if we are ever to get out of this recession. The success of business and the private sector is always what has brought the United States out of it's worst economic woes. A reduction would also not be harmful to the state's revenue. The state already has a supply of wealth from property and excise tax, both which will make up for the reduction. We do not require any more unreasonable taxes on basic commodities, which are the key to economic revival. The availability of more consumer items will stimulate the state and benefit us more in the long run than keeping the current sales tax.

"When Preaching Flops" An Analysis

David Brooks argues in his article that preaching abstinence in high school does not generally have the desired effect it's supposed to have on teenagers. It is not for their lack of trying hard enough to reach out to students that is the cause of this. It is also not because such efforts are wasteful since teenagers are unlikely to listen to moral advice or commentary on sex. The deciding factor in this scenario, Brooks states, is the perception of human nature. Brooks touches on how the human mind will interpret a circumstance or situation that it comes in contact with, and then will create a pattern in the brain, which that individual will perhaps carry with them for a longevity of their life. Often these patterns come from our surroundings, where we live, how we live, and whom we come into contact with on a daily basis. This is an interesting overview by Brooks on the foundation of human nature. He provides a keen insight into how our social environment shapes our personality and characteristics, especially when explaining about how the functions of the human brain are responsible for this molding of ourselves. Brooks account is definitely recommendable material for those studying psychology and how the human brain works.

Truck Stop Confidential

1. The truck driver may vote either way. He seems to epitomize the typical blue-collar, working-class individual who is proud of their profession and suspicious of a different or higher class then they are. In politics, both the Democratic and Republican parties play on the issue between upper class elitism and ordinary working people in order to win that group's vote.

2.  The truck driver will be primarily interested in economics. He may be worried about how the state of the economy or government policies will affect him. Another likely factor may be dissatisfaction with government, either for it's policies or his view of them. He could view the government as out of touch with his needs and not connected to him at a social level.

3. Success may be viewed from your social status, whether you are upper middle class or a member of the affluent elite. A respected profession is often viewed as a point that that individual has reached success in their lives. Sometimes success depends on personal happiness that may stem from satisfaction with your professional or personal life.