Blog stage 8

ACC Government Topics Wrote about legalizing about a certain green herb. I do not agree with Cremente’s opinion on legalizing marijuana. Cremente states legalizing the drug will help the nation's economy and create more jobs. Won't legalizing drugs take jobs away from DEA’s?  Also, most people that are convicted of drug-related arrests are more likely to commit more serious crimes, so releasing all convicts would create more conflict. If legalizing marijuana helped the economy any, it would be helping Taco Bell and other fast food chains that cure the "munchies" or hospitals that would treat patients having negative effects of the drugs such as: chronic bronchitis or blood vessel blockage. 

Would the same laws that go along with alcohol apply to marijuana? Stoned driving is just as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol. Marijuana is also often used as a stepping-stone for harder drugs, just such cocaine. Or should we just legalize all drugs to completely elimate the problem and focus at more “important issues”? Marijuana should continue to stay illegal, there is already leeway with how many grams are considered worthy of time behind bars, more freedom with the drug will just create more problems than there already is.

 

#7

The Huffington Post posted an article regarding Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's prison regulations. Today, U.S. officials have come to an agreement to loosen Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's prison restrictions in response to his attorney’s complaints. Dzhokhar along with his older deceased brother, Tamerlan, have been accused of bombing the Boston Marathon finish line on April 15^th and face 30 federal charges. Tsarnaev's lawyers argued his regulations were too harsh and it was difficult to have a successful defense; the new rules include letting his attorneys discuss their defense tactics with third parties and allowing Tsarnaev to meet with a mental health specialist without having an attorney present, but his cell isolation doesn't lift. The government is still deciding whether or not to pursue death penalty for Tsarnaev, but he has yet to be found guilty.

What the Tsarnaev brothers did was horrid and absolutely wrong, but Dzhokhar has just a right to a fair trial as anyone does, innocent until proven guilty correct? 

 

Critique

AM Gov 

I agree the American government is too often sticking their nose into other countries' business. Congress could taint any future affairs we have with Iran if they impose sanctions on their oil exports (or any other country for that matter) and it would also cause a downfall in the economy, again. I think we should be cautious when it comes to dealing with Iran because of their possible nuclear weapon programs, but not so cautious that we make harmful, irrational decisions.

 

 
 

Texas' new abortion bill went into effect November 2nd requiring abortionists to have local hospital-admitting privileges within 30 miles of where the procedure takes places in case of an emergency. About a third of the state’s clinics shut down after the law went into effect and many women could not get the procedure done as planned. Many of the abortion doctors of these clinics are afraid ineligible women will turn to other unsafe processes to terminate their pregnancies or even their own life.

            The gap for getting an abortion seems to be getting more and more narrow, in July Texas allowed abortions up to 20 weeks and then an abortion inducing pill is prescribed. I am still on the fence about abortion, I do believe in “pro-life” but I also believe there are certain circumstances where women should be able to make their own decision. I do believe if abortions are going to stay legal to require women to be near hospital for their own health and safety but also, clinics not close enough to hospitals should stay open and continue to offer birth control, STI testing, and cancer screening. 

 

critique #2

Candy Crush on airplanes? I've seen billboards around advertising new planes coming out with WiFi soon, and honestly that scares me. Are people really willing to risk radio interference just because they can't take a couple of hours break from technology? USA Today posted an article about Wifi on planes stating it needs more study, and I couldn't agree more.

          Actor Alec Baldwin is reportedly the one that started it all after refusing to shut down a game on his phone. The ban to keep your phone completely off during takeoff and landing is being questioned and a proposal whether or not to allow to keep it in “airplane mode” is being pushed into affect.

I feel like companies are jumping the gun and not checking every technoligcal device and how it can interfere and affect flights just to be the first few flight companies to have Wifi. And really, are flight attendants really going to go through the trouble of checking everyone who has their phone out? Are fliers going to allow them to do that, will they even bother in the first place to put their phone in airplane mode? 

 

Critique #1

   healthcare.gov was set up because 36 states declined to set up their own exchanges, it was all the rage until it was open to the public and did not live up to any of the hype expected. USA Today posted an article about the new healthcare website and how it is causing more harm than good. They question why it took so long for any sort of action to take place and say the hearing should suggest changes in “the clumsy way the government buys and manages technology.” (USA Today) I completely agree with this article, after 3 years of this plan, shouldn't the website be flawless like none other complete with unicorns and rainbows shooting out of the wazoo? You would think so, especially after the government shutdown, it should be some sort of comeback to renew people’s faith in the government.   Is the website being a flop foretelling what the new healthcare plan will be?  Obama states once the website’s glitches are fixed and the website is appealing enough, people will be happy. Maybe they will be, at least until the healthcare plan comes into effect.

 

Gun control, gun control. gun control.

  On Tuesday September 17 CNN published: Gun control is not the answer following the shooting that occurred on Monday. It seems to be the hot topic these days; to break the second amendment or to not break, that is the question.  According to a count by USA Today, more than 900 people have been killed in mass shootings since 2006. The more we question it, I feel the more it becomes an issue, incidents happen, and gun control advocates go ballistic. But does taking away gun rights eliminate the problem? LZ Granderson of CNN points out gun shops are illegal in Chicago and yet, people continue to die on a weekly basis from gunshot wounds. So what about stricter gun laws? Perhaps. Aaron Alexis, shooter responsible for twelve deaths at the Washington Navy Yard, had a pattern of misconduct..so why was a allowed to have a gun? Because Alexis suffered from some mental health issues that overlap with his criminal history and mental health is one of the considerations the FBI applies for approval. The FBI also disregards those who were dishonorably discharged from the military from getting background check approval.