Turkey Task!
Your task, should you choose to accept, it is to read one of the following 4 articles and comment on its significance to our study of the executive branch. Keep your comments brief but thorough. Feel free to reference conversations we have had in class or your peers have added earlier. You will want to reference the article and the content of the article in your response. Assignment is worth 10 points and is due by the time you walk in the door after Thanksgiving break.
President Obama's approval drops in the wake of Paris attacks We will study polling and its uses later this semester. This article references recent polls conducted. Do they matter? Are the results significant?
Americans don’t trust government. But they still want government to do a lot. We used this exact line almost in class. We don't like our gov't but we love our gov't! Huh?? Read the article!
In Paris’s wake, a changed presidential contest — and electorate How Paris will change the 2016 election and maybe even future elections! Not sure what the electorate is...it is one of our vocab terms. If you are planning on running for president, you had better read the article because your job description may have changed.
How GOP campaigns are strategizing for Super Tuesday delegate bonanza In our study of electing a president, yes Iowa and New Hampshire are important but so is Super Tuesday. What! You don't know what Super Tuesday is! You had better read the article!
Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!
Mr. Thompson
posted by erdecker @ 3:49 PM
57 comments
57 Comments:
Americans Don’t Trust the Government.
Americans can’t have their programs and government given privileges and also keep government out of their lives, it’s just not possible. When programs are on the line to be cut, Americans try to find ways to keep them, and when government encroaches on individuals’ lives, Americans try to find ways to keep the government out or – since that generally is not possible – raise a fuss. Americans want all the benefits of a social contract but none of the potential negative or intrusive government involvement that comes with such an arrangement. But to reap the benefits of a social contract, individuals must give up power to the ruling body, our national government, including our president, who endures most of the criticism from the American public. Isn’t criticism of government, and the president, a chipping away at the social contract?
In Paris’s Wake, a Changed Presidential Contest — and Electorate
"The attacks that killed 130 and injured more than 350 in France’s capital Nov. 13 changed the 2016 contest for president — by changing what voters worried about...42 percent of likely voters in New Hampshire’s upcoming GOP primary calling terrorism and national security the country’s most important issues. Before Paris, they’d worried most about the economy."
Though I can certainly understand the concern, I think voters are putting too much weight on this single topic when considering electoral candidates. Terrorism and national security are definitely important issues and acting as Commander in Chief of the military IS one of the president's few formal powers, but a vote based on only this is not a well informed vote. The president also has many informal powers and is the "Chief Legislator" (as we discussed in class) because of his extreme influence over the decisions made and bills scripted by Congress regarding all issues. If the president is chosen based solely on his promise of security, the U.S. could end up with a leader who knows little about economic, fiscal, and social issues.
Steffi Tetzloff
President Obama's Approval Rating Drops...
A plurality of this article focuses on the statistics that show, as the title suggests, a "record breaking high" disapproval rating (on terrorism) from the American people. However, despite this overall fifty percent disapproval rating, and even lower ratings on his handling of ISIS and terrorism (which it seems the media is more than happy to eat up), a majority of the same citizens who are now hating on Obama are the reason he was elected- a majority of them supported him in enough states for him to win at least the minimal 270 votes in the electoral college. Granted, to my knowledge there was big terror attack right before the last election so response to terror was not quite at the same level it is now, but Obama was chosen by the established [antiquated] system that [supposedly] reflects the views of the American people: the electoral college.
AP Stats has taught me to be wary of polls (especially because those in the article seem to be voluntary response); either the stats are at fault or the fault lies with the American election process for, as the article suggests, installing a "highly disapproved" of president.
Christina Wentz
P.S. Thomas Hobbes would shame all these people in the survey the article references. He'd say something along the lines of, "Guys, this is your fault. You picked this guy as your leader, so suck it up and deal with it."
Americans don’t trust government. But they still want government to do a lot.
From what I've learned from class is that the leader/president acts on behalf of the people he or she represents and on simple terms does what the people ask the leader to do. In this article it had shown that we as a whole like our programs and such a certain specific way just like how bratty kids want to have their food prepared in such a tedious way that by the end they don't even like it (Courage the Cowardly Dog reference). I think that the government is trying to fulfill the desires of the people it governs but we as the people react negatively to their actions and we go in a cyclical cycle (thanks Sam) with how the nation is run. And referencing Aaron's comment on the social contract, I agree that our criticism of the government and our president is chipping at the social contract we have formed with the government.
--Darren Anes DyQuiangco
Americans don’t trust government. But they still want government to do a lot.
“This is why it’s so hard to find an area of government spending that people — even Republicans — want to cut."
Americans want the government to provide more services to the public but act as if the government has a magic wand and can please everyone almost instantly. Americans want also everything to be done, but without the money to check of their immense lists of complaints it’s rather hard to accomplish; which goes onto federal government spending in which one area has to be cut in order to improve the public’s want of another area. Furthermore, without the agreement of Republicans and Democrats to agree on a cut, nothing can really be done. It is as if Americans love local schools but hate education or even love some members of congress but at the same time hate congress. Americans can’t be consistent in which their massive complaint list gets rather redundant and mixed. How can one love local schools yet hate our education system? Congress is doing its best, but with Americans acting on a negative attitude in which has no room for trust to what the government is giving them, we, essentially, are going nowhere.
-Samira Hassan
President Obama's Approval Drops in the Wake of the Paris Attacks
This article has a lot to do with many of the things we have been talking about in class. As Commander in Chief of the military, Obama has the power to command the military in the Middle East, but of course not much action is being taken. However, because he has that authority, the citizens if the United States feel justified in blaming Obama for the problems in Syria and France. Also in this article, there are many polls, but their relevance is questionable. With the 2016 Presidential Election in full swing, Obama's approval rating isn't that important, as he cannot be reelected. One may argue that impeachment is possible, but as we discussed in class, the stubborn rivalry between our two main political parties leads to no decision making whatsoever. Even if Obama was eligible for such a process, the proceedings would likely fail in the two party stalemate.
-Nathaniel Eberhard
Americans don’t trust government. But they still want government to do a lot.
This article outlines the thoughts of a "typical American". One that doesn't want to be responsible for anything but then isn't satisfied with the result that comes from someone else's decision. According to the graph from Pew in the article, people want the government to a majority role in topics, even when they know they haven't been satisfied with the past outcomes of that. I feel people just say that because they want somewhere to put the blame when things don't turn out they way they wish, and the government is an easy target. Ironically, people may not realize that most of them are partly responsible because they put our leader in the role as President and he is supposed to be acting on behalf of us. I am not supporting either side but the citizens gave the President's all his "hats" when he was elected and so obviously not everyone can and will be happy, even when there will be a change in America's leader next year.
Emma Christensen
Obama's approval rating drops...
This article mainly discusses the disapproval of Obama in regards to terrorism. It also speaks briefly about "Americans voicing an appetite for greater military action against the Islamic State". A formal power of the executive branch is the role as Commander in Chief of the military and with this Obama could change the military;s strategies in the Middle East. Another power of the President, informal, is the executive order. Obama is able to make a law without passing it through Congress and it would remain in place for the duration of his term. An example of this in the article is with the Syrian refugees, and allowing them to reside in our country. Obama's approval rating may have dropped, but that really doesn't affect him as he cannot be elected again. Obama was reelected by the majority (270) of the electoral votes. This is the system that picks the President even if the disapproval of the American citizens is almost 50 percent. The polls may be relevant to the point of the article, but they cannot speak for all citizens as such a small number of only 1,004 Americans were questioned. Therefore the results are insignificant for an opinion of an overall nation.
Abby Anderson
In Paris’s Wake, a Changed Presidential Contest — and Electorate
This article outlines how "'Paris has changed this election.'" It mentions the opinions of several presidential candidates. Lindsey O. Graham is "selling a new military commitment in Iraq and Syria - 10,000 U.S. soldiers bolstering an allied (mostly Arab) force crushing the Islamic State." Trump is calling for the country to reject Syrian refugees. Bernie Sanders believes "Syrian refugees should keep flowing into the United States." Chris Christie is calling "for aiding Arab armies 'with arms, with training, with airstrikes.'" Obama and his administration are criticized for waiting to "'see what the French do' before expanding military action against the Islamic State." We've talked several times in class about how presidential debates never seem to focus on the real issues at hand; it was disheartening to me that it took a tragedy to force candidates to start addressing real problems. I read another article in The New York Times last week about how "[Paris] was a megaphone to be used for whatever you yearned to shout" and the "automatic, indiscriminate politicization of tragedy." The Washington Post article proves that point. In America's politics today, tragedies are immediately evaluated for their political effects which is an ugly and disrespectful impulse to those whose lives have been destroyed.
--Jenna Milligan
"How GOP candidates are strategizing..."
The way that the GOP candidates are treating Alabama in the wake of Super Tuesday is pretty amusing. Carson, Trump, Rubio, and Cruz, arguably the front-runners for the Republican nomination, are all spending a huge amount of time in Alabama, even though it is only "one of eleven primarily southern states holding primaries or caucuses on March 1." This is a great example of the mimetic phenomenon, which is most commonly observed in toddlers. When one child sees another child playing with a toy, the first child immediately wants the toy for himself/herself. In the case of the GOP candidates, Alabama is the toy they all want, while there is actually an array of options. As Super Tuesday nears, they continue to switch off campaigning in Alabama, leaving other southern states untouched. The strategy is somewhat juvenile, but someone's hard work in the state will probably pay off in the end. The candidates might even learn to share during playtime.
Kellie Frost
"President Obama's approval drops in the wake of Paris Attacks"
This article makes it sound like the American people have no faith in the president's actions, but as Christina stated we must always be wary of polls. The people choose the president via the electoral college and hopefully most of the people knew that the president would have the power to deal with terrorism as he pleases when he is president(Commander in Chief powers). The Americans who think a major terrorism attack is "very likely" clearly don't know how much America spends on defense (especially after 9/11)(thanks for the graphs Mr. Thompson ). In French class we discussed the Paris attack. These attacks are not only rare, but also require a tremendous amount of planning and effort to initiate. It is sad to think that some people believe blocking Syrian and other Middle Eastern refugees will solve the problem. This is not only racist, it is also very insensitive to the decent people who are trying to flee war torn countries. Isn't America supposed to be the world's safe haven? Just what message would we be leaving to the world and people within the U.S. if we begin to discriminate refugees based on their backgrounds? I personally think that we should trust what the government is doing (to a certain extent) because they probably have classified information that they are acting upon. According to Plato the enlightened should be leaders so hopefully our government has enough enlightened people to lead us in the right direction.
-Khiara Las
"President Obama’s approval drops in the wake of Paris attacks"
This article describes the feeling American's have towards Obama's handling of terrorism. "Obama's approval rating is 21 points lower among those who say an attack is 'very likely' than those who say it is 'somewhat likely' or less (61 percent vs. 82 percent" that quotes speaks of Democrats and leaning Democrats, which shows that American's want to feel safe. Obama's lack of action on the subject of terrorism has hurt his overall ratings. This may not affect him on his presidential campaign, however, it will play a factor on the upcoming presidential debate. Since American's want safety they will be more likely to choose a candidate who will give them that, and since Obama is a Democrat his party will be looked upon as not doing enough to stop potential threats. Hurting the next Democratic candidates popularity. Obama's unwillingness to listen to Congress and the American public has hurt his ratings, showing how the power of the president can become too much in some instances. Now the survey didn't question every American citizen, but those surveys do reach a diverse group of people to replicate the diversity of the American population as best they can.
-Jonathan Terpstra
How GOP campaigns are strategizing for Super Tuesday delegate bonanza
The way that this article talks about the candidates strategies makes it sound almost like a big game. I think it is interesting that an article describing the process of electing one of the most important people on the planet could sound similar to one of the strategy games I play on my phone while sitting on the toilet, but on a national level. In our society of uninformed voters, elections seem to have become all about which candidate can get the most ads out to boost their name recognition instead of which candidate would honestly be the best at running our country. An example of this would be any time Donald Trump says something stupid, it's all over the news, and then his poll numbers go up. People don't see him mocking a disabled reporter and say to themselves "Yeah. That's the kind of guy I want as president", but instead see that Mr. Trump made headlines again and think that he must be doing well! Overall, I condemn the uninformed voters, not the game-like process of elections, which are simply a result of the former.
-Jonah Amundsen
"President Obama's approval drops in the wake of Paris attacks"
Why is it that Americans are so quick to blame our leaders? Terrorism is a horrible thing, but the fact that it increases distrust in government is EXACTLY what the terrorists want. I also found it interesting that 60% of Americans were in favor of more ground troops but only 33% were in favor of the US taking over the effort. So we've learned from Iraq...but not quite. Anyways, at this point, Obama cannot gain the support of the public without putting us into even more danger. He can't do nothing because then everyone will riot and stuff. Also, he can't just bomb every country thought to have "terrorists" either because then we would be in even more diplomatic trouble. I feel for Obama, man. He's in a situation where whatever move he makes will be under scrutiny. He's like LeBron back when he didn't have a title. He's like Justin Bieber when his voice dropped. He's like Kanye....wait a second....
-Dylan Hilliker
KANYE 2020
Americans don’t trust government. But they still want government to do a lot.
As others mentioned above, Americans don't want to take responsibility for program outcomes, which means they generally choose to give the government control over such things. However, this comes with a price because after the government carries out these duties, Americans are not happy with the outcome. I think this is a testament to the lazy nature of Americans because we want things done a certain way but are not willing to put forth an effort to do these things the way we want, but instead pass on the responsibility and blame any mistakes on others. Unfortunately, this is a vicious cycle because as Americans find more and more problems with things, they begin to dislike the government more and more and begin to take a more inactive role and therefore hinder society as a whole. This problem can be solved if people begin to take personal action to accomplish projects the way they like, however with the way things are going now, I cannot imagine this happening anytime soon.
~Brenna Sharp
"President Obama’s approval drops in the wake of Paris attacks"
I'm surprised that his approval ratings have decreased since the attack because we mentioned that people tend to like their leaders more during disasters. It makes me wonder if approval ratings in France decreased or increased after 9/11. I feel for him because everyone blames him for issues that have been developing long before he became president. France is showing great maturity in the fact that they will take in more refugees after the attacks. They keep in mind that these people are trying to escape terrorism, not cause it. Every movement or religion will have extremists.
"President Obama’s approval drops in the wake of Paris attacks"
After the attacks on Paris, the ABC poll found that those who "strongly disapprove" of Obama's actions to deal with terrorism rose to 43%. However, despite the fact that almost half of the polled Americans disapprove of the way that our leader is responding to terrorism, the people still say something needs to be done about ISIS. We do not want to lead the force to take down ISIS, but still want action to be taken. This shows the doubtful nature of Americans, as we want actions to be taken but do not trust our own leader enough to deal with major threats of terrorism.
Sara Burnap
"In Paris’s wake, a changed presidential contest — and electorate"
After the attacks in Paris the fears of many U.S. citizens changed. The economy used to be the country's main concern but it is now turning to national security and how terrorism is handled. Many presidential candidates are addressing the threat of terrorism in the United States and Obama's leadership is doubted because he stated that ISIS had been contained yet the Islamic State attacked Paris. The president is dealing with the issue of the Syrian refugees as well at this time. In class we've talked about how the president is the chief diplomat and deals with foreign affairs so one of his main jobs right now is to deal with ISIS and Syria.. As commander in Chief he has the power to send troops to Syria if that is what is needed.
Andi Stensland
"How GOP campaigns are strategizing for Super Tuesday delegate bonanza"...
The whole "Super Tuesday" process fascinates me. You'd think that electing a candidate to represent your political party would be very black and white; whoever is the most popular earns the nomination. However, as seen with John Kasich, "For centrist Republicans such as [him], the aim may not be so much sweeping Super Tuesday as surviving it". It's clear that Mr. Kasich is not currently the popular candidate for Republicans, but if his strategy of getting just enough delegates pays off prior to Super Tuesday, he could find himself up at the top of the heap. I also have to comment on the strange fact that one day can change the course of an entire election. It is clear, as Jonah said, that there are too many uninformed voters: for if everyone was informed, the political visits and TV ads wouldn't matter. Everyone would know who they wanted to vote for.
Brett Herbers
"Americans don't trust government. But they still want government to do a lot."
This article demonstrates the panic and bewilderment of the American people. As Americans, we enjoy the things that the government provides for us such as programs and incentives, but when it comes to world and economical issues, we tend to blame the government. We always tend to criticize and speak out against the leaders of our government, but at the same time, we look to them for guidance. Therefore, we not only hold distrust in our government, but we also expect them to get us out of every crisis possible. It's somewhat of a complicated relationship...
Brandon Ratzloff
"Americans Don't Trust the Government"
"Even if Americans don't trust the government, they still want the government to do a whole bunch of stuff."
This conundrum is nothing new. It can be seen within our modern day society; whether in a child trying to get what they want from the grocery store to the executive branch trying to please all the children's needs (for those who need help the children are the population). "We the people...", as stated in the Constitution, "insure domestic tranquility..., promote the general welfare...", but how can that occur when tranquility and welfare cannot be agreed upon? It is said that Americans don't trust the government, yet we still want the government to watch out for us and be there. Ironic how teens get upset with their parents yet still rely on them for their basis of survival. I mean isn't that what is going on? The people want the government to give them space and yet they aren't satisfied when improvements are made for the betterment of society. When nothing is done they throw tantrums and get upset with the figure head of the country. But, its not the presidents fault that people are upset. One cannot please the world. "Sure he can try his best, but sometimes his best isn't good enough." There will always be someone out there to get him. This is clearly represented in the movie Bruce Almighty where God gave him the reigns to the world and it crashed and burned miserably. The fault lies with the people. If "we the people" stand together, rise up for the betterment of our country, set aside our differences and work as one the sky is the limit. How about instead of waiting on the world to change we change it? Put forth the effort and try.But, we both know that that day will never come... Don't we?
-Thomas Trahan
Obama's approval ratings drop after the attacks in Paris
When people experience real fear in regards to their family's safety and personal wellbeing (along with the fear of change and the unknown) they believe the government should react in a way fitting to their own needs. This, of course, is a completely natural response that often leads toward dissent amongst a people. How can political leaders be expected to react in a way that is fitting to everyone? I believe the drop in President Obama's approval ratings was inevitable due to the nature of the issue. When a matter such as the plight of the Syrian refugees is in question, a portion of the society will fight for personal safety and security, (Let them fend for themselves!) and another portion will defend the rights and wellbeing of the people in question (how would you feel if you were in their position?). Something as volatile as the refugees along with the debate of President Obama's approach to ISIS is bound to polarize people and their feelings of their political leader.
-Kristen Hansen
Americans don’t trust government...
This article talks about how generally, the American population is not happy with their government. I find it rather funny then, that in the last presidential election, only 54% of the eligible voting population actually voted, and only 36% voted in the 2014 midterm elections. It's clear that people who didn't vote are complaining about the state of the government. If they don't like the government, why didn't they vote in the first place? In my opinion, at least 46% of eligible voters really have no right to complain.
-Connor Davis
In Paris's wake, a changed presidential contest - and electorate
"Amber Jean Hyde, 27, said she feels less safe than after 2001 because she has seen the beheadings, the London bombings, the Paris attacks — and watched the “hate against Americans, against Christians, grow.”
Right now, people are scared. I'm scared. It's a funny thing, knowing that a terrorist might be planning to blow up your city tomorrow, and no one can do anything to stop it. But the scary thing isn't that it could happen to any of us at any given moment, it's scary that no one can do anything about it. Rich men with lots of power like to think that they could regain control of violence, terrorism, and the middle east with one term of presidency. I'm sure Obama once thought that, too. The fact of the matter is, preventing refugees from coming into the country isn't going to prevent terrorism, and fighting violence in the middle east with more violence isn't going to bring peace. If there is a future presidential candidate who figures that out, they have my vote.
Katrina Carrow
President Obama's approval drops in the wake of Paris attacks:
The recent heightening of fear as reflected by the President's drop in approval ratings is baseless. More people died in car accidents in the past few hours across the United States than died in the recent Paris attacks. Our biggest threat and worry is not the Islamic State. Of course we should address the threats of terrorism, but we should not allow terrorism to be the biggest problem in our agenda. If that is the case than we should be fearful of lightning, and shark attacks. Americans should confide in their President and trust that he'll handle this situation just as he handled the execution of Osama Bin Laden and Anwar al-Awlaki. Americans should worry about more pressing matters that just about affect their daily lives, and threaten future stability such as gun violence, climate change, and income inequality.
"Americans Don't Trust Government"
In a nutshell, Americans are lazy. As a general people, we want a say in decisions, but we don't want to put in any work. It's kind of amusing, honestly, that only 19% of Americans say they trust the government and yet on most topics, well over half Americans say that the government should should provide them with services. It's always hard to fully comprehend what the "best" thing to do in tough situations is when you've never been in a similar situation before. This criticism can be seen in just about any given leadership position. From a boss to a coach to even a parent, people want to reap the benefits but don't want to be a part of the dirty work that makes those benefits possible.
Hannah Walker
"Americans don’t trust government. But they still want government to do a lot."
I find it rather amusing how the relationship between Americans and the government is analogous to that of the typical American teenager and his or her parents. The teenager is constantly arguing with their parents, yet, in the end (if there is even an end in sight), expects them to pay the rent, cook their meals, keep the house clean, pay the WiFi, buy them a car, bail them out of jail, pay the Netflix account, etc. In reality, we as Americans are continually denouncing the government for not doing what we ask, but are never actually willing to take a step back to realize just how much we ask of the government. As noted in the article, the only time we stand behind our government is during a "major foreign policy crisis". But is that really what we need in order to truly come together as one nation, indivisible, rather than simply reciting the phrase every Tuesday afternoon? The government cannot possibly please everyone, and the programs put in place are, for the most part, an attempt to compromise. I think the sooner Americans stop being so stubborn and actually weigh the pros and cons against each other, the sooner the president can make proper use of his different "hats", steering us toward PROgress and away from CONgress.
Mohammed Bashier
"Americans don’t trust government. But they still want government to do a lot."
This articles embodies the typical American. A small 19% say they trust the government yet 94% of them remain firm that the government should still be expected to keep the country safe. We expect protections and services from the government yet are unwilling to compromise; presently the US government is in great debt and budgets cuts must be made yet there remains many disagreements as people want to keep many of the programs without compromising (such as higher taxes). Without a natural disaster or national event to unite us against the common ally, it is simply easier for Americans to say they distrust their government so they can make more [unreasonable] demands from them.
Lucy Li
"President Obama's approval drops in the wake of Paris attacks"
The article's various polls regarding Presidential approval, military action against ISIS and also providing a poll on the presidential candidates. While polls do not represent the whole of the United States population these polls are not always accurate as they are generally a random sample of the population. However, these polls are significant in the way that we as citizens may regard foreign policy as we may see that a significant number of Americans support bombing ISIS. This might change our outlook if we were not entirely certain ourselves of what we want our military to do and we would then align our views with the majority (generally speaking).
Mitchell Trantow
"Americans don’t trust government. But they still want government to do a lot"
This article says nothing new about the way Americans think. The paradox between the wanting the government out of our lives and keeping our services continues to play a constant loop in the public eye. Is their hop[e for Americans to get out of this loop of opposites.
-Samuel Wheeler
"Americans don’t trust government. But they still want government to do a lot"
Although this is the common cliche for government, it's rather astonishing to get the numbers behind all of it. The unified ideas of the both parties was a helpful insight, but at the same time I believe that the party system counteracts the current goals of the nation and what they want from government. It does no good to argue for the betterment of government and then conflict over how it does what it needs until it doesn't work and at a time when more than a majority is needed for work to be done, unreconcilable parties are more hard than good to the voter.
~Alex Ngov
Americans don't trust the government
To start things off, it is natural to not trust an organization that would "invade" personal privacy(regarding TSA issues within the past few years). However, these governmental actions are necessary and beneficial for the country as a whole;most americans do not look at the long run effects and demand immediate change. The president along with the government act as representatives for the people, and it is a bit hypocritical that americans would deem them untrustworthy. And on the topic that americans still want the government to keep doing what they're doing, i personally believe that they are lazy in some aspects and are unable to run without a government to lead them.
Josh ADQ
President Obama’s approval drops in the wake of Paris attacks
In the wake of terrorist attacks, how a president handles the situation plays a key part in his approval rating. That being said, President Obama's drop in approval rating is directly related to Americans believing that he is not handling the isis problem very well. I thought the article made a very good point when they said, "But approval of Obama's handling of terrorism has shifted markedly since before the Paris attacks, flipping what was once Obama's strongest issue to a clear weakness." Clearly isis is a problem and training forces in the middle east clearly isnt working. More action is needed, and the American public is calling for it, evident by the drop in his approval rating
-Joey Devlin
In Paris’s wake, a changed presidential contest — and electorate
Every candidate that arrogantly goes into office believing they are going to change the war in the Middle East and "do better than Obama" to paraphrase clearly doesn't realize that Obama probably thought the same thing and clearly keeping up harsh military action isn't working and maybe the only way to stop the threat of terroristic attacks would be not reduce the military force in the regions we probably don't belong, there's no gusrentee it would work but clearly our course of action now is not working so if any new candidate wants to change anything it's going to have to be a bold change and as soon as America realizes terrorists are not under our control they will realize that no matter what our government does we can't control what others will do, America should be scared, I am, but we need to also remember to be calm about it and deal with the problems as they come because at the moment our president and our government are doing what they can.
Super Tuesday
I find it interesting that despite the fact that this is only one state and caucus, many of the candidates are fighting tooth and nail in order to clinch the votes to win. Cruz is going for the win by devoting a lot of time and recourses to Alabama, and even sending his wife out to recruit for him. Trump and Carson, despite having a good lead in the polls, are still trying to get votes. This shows the importance of momentum and making a good name for the candidates. This is why Super Tuesday is super important, it is similar to the Iowa, in how it sets the tone for the rest of the election race.
Ryan Movall
Obama's approval rating dropping article:
I think a lot of his approval rating comes from the few that are terrified of ISIS slipping through our borders with the refugees, which I think is kind of stupid. The vetting process for letting refugees in is already extremely strict, and there are a thousand other ways much easier for these extremists to get in. It doesn't seems like Americans care about helping the people who are displaced but are all for putting a lot more troops in their homeland.
Americans don't trust the government
America's issue with the government not doing what its people want is and always will be a constant struggle. It seems as though citizens are never content with what the government is doing, whether it be the president or members of congress. We always look for something to criticize and want change, but no matter who we elect as president there will always be something we dislike about his or her tactics. This is why politics is so corrupt because politicians dance around the issue and work on pleasing the public. I mean how are they supposed to change anything when were 18.5 trillion dollars in debt?
Hannah Lucey
President Obama's approval drops in the wake of Paris Attacks
I honestly do not understand what President Obama could have done to prevent the attacks on Paris. His approval suggests that some Americans want President Obama to take a stronger stance on ISIS. President Obama has repeatedly stated what he is doing to stop ISIS, however some Americans want President Obama to take a different stronger action. We are going to have to just watch and see if President Obama changes what he is currently doing.
Asha Aden
Americans don’t trust government. But they still want government to do a lot.
I feel like this sentiment from the public really ties the hands of Obama when he proposes a budget; his actions will be criticized no matter what he does. If he wants to cut spending because some people don't "trust" the government, those same people, who also want the government to do a lot, will be disappointed. On the other hand, if Obama wants to increase spending in certain areas, people will display the distrust that they have for the government, and they will oppose any action either way.
Tim Brown
Americans don't trust government. But they still want government to do a lot.
As shown through the article, the people want the government to do some level of "it's job," that is to lead and act in certain scenarios. However, they still don't trust them. This puts the governing leaders in a bit of a predicament. They government might act in one way and appease one part of the population, but with almost everything there will be some level of opposition. It is this, which leads to distrust, because sooner or later, everyone will find themselves on the "losing" side of a decision made by the government. Therefore, everyone will have some level of distrust in the government. This leads me to make the point that, people should understand that in our system of government, it is the people which you elect who make the decisions, so if you don't agree...change the leader next election. And to those in executive office, do what you were put in office to do; there will always be distrust.
Jonathan Hickman
President Obama's approval drops in the wake of Paris attacks....
The article gives the results of a poll that say 46 percent approve of Obama while 50 percent disapprove. It then goes on to say that the reason for this drop into negative territory is a result of the way he is handling the issue of terrorism. This drop in approval ratings could not only be because of his actions, but also because of his views regarding terrorism. There has been some speculation that Obama believes climate change is a more pressing issue than the terrorist attacks because climate changes affect more people on a regular basis. It is possible that some people (say, people whose opinions are strong enough to take time out of their day to answer polls) might take offense by this. I certainly don't agree with Obama on much, but I don't believe anyone who answered the polls would do much more if they were in his position. Obama is the president of the United States, not Paris.
--Taylor
In Paris’s Wake, a Changed Presidential Contest — and Electorate
I think that voters tend to put too much weight on the few topics focused on by the media when considering electoral candidates. Many voters' beliefs on what is most important were greatly swayed by the Paris attacks which were covered obsessively in the news (as evidenced by 42% of New Hampshire GOP voters saying the biggest issue is national security since the Paris attacks as opposed to the economy before the attacks). Terrorism and national security are definitely important issues and the president is the Commander in Chief, but a vote based on only this is not a well informed vote despite the media's focus on this issue. The president also has many informal powers and is the "Chief Legislator", influencing bills about ALL issues. If the president is chosen based solely on the few issues popular in the media, the U.S. could end up with a leader who knows little about less talked about issues that are just as important.
Steffi Tetzloff
Americans don’t trust government. But they still want government to do a lot.
“They describe a public that is ‘ideologically conservative’ but ‘operationally liberal’”
The American public has contradicting viewpoints on what they would like to receive from the national government compared to what they think they should receive. The vast majority of people, Democratic and Republican alike according to Pew Research Center, want the national government to be involved in high risk/priority areas such as defense, immigration, and disaster aid. Therefore, to uphold its end of the social contract, the government has agreed to the public’s demands and taken control over such areas, which is why the U.S. government has within it executive departments such as the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security, and the ability to call upon the National Guard in cases of natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina. But whatever the national government does in regards to such issues and topics comes under fire from the same people that requested for the government to intervene, complaining that too much money is spent on defense, immigration, and the military and spending should be cut from those areas. Yet, the public likes being safe, immigrants like to immigrate, and disaster victims like receiving support. So why would the public suggest cutting from those areas?
Aaron Kapinos
Super Tuesday
As the prompt mentioned, in class we have talked about Iowa and New Hampshire being important. But what is Super Tuesday? Super Tuesday is the primaries or caucuses on March 1, which is important to a candidacy because it "probably determin[es] which candidates will survive for what could be a protracted battle for the nomination"(Rucker/Costa). This is especially important considering the ridiculously large number of candidates for this election. Super Tuesday is important because it either changes ore reinforces a candidate's success. This goes back to what we were talking about in the flaws of the electoral college; certain states have much more voting power than others, either from population/vote ratios or by the order of primaries. Plus, with gerrymandering, are these votes even fair? It's hard to say. We'll just have to see what occurs in March.
Nathaniel Eberhard
Americans don’t trust government. But they still want government to do a lot.
Americans don't want to take responsibility for program outcomes, which means they generally choose to give the government control over such things. This is shown in the pew graph included in the article which depicts American's support for certain projects to be lead by government which generally falls above 50% for both parties. However, this comes with a price because after the government carries out these duties, Americans are not happy with the outcome. I think this is a testament to the lazy nature of Americans because we want things done a certain way but are not willing to put forth an effort to do these things the way we want, but instead pass on the responsibility and blame any mistakes on others. Unfortunately, this is a vicious cycle because as Americans find more and more problems with things, they begin to dislike the government more and more and begin to take a more inactive role and therefore hinder society as a whole. This problem can be solved if people begin to take personal action to accomplish projects the way they like, however with the way things are going now, I cannot imagine this happening anytime soon.
~Brenna Sharp(revised)
Americans don't trust the government.
As the article states, "The low level of trust in government is not a surprise." However, in relation to Obama's drop in approval rating, Americans always want to believe that the newly elected President or the newly formed executive department will be a huge success. In addition, we are always concerned with the present and not what could happen in the future. This explains why there is a consensus from 95% of republicans and 93% of democrats that the government should play a major role in keeping the country safe from terrorism and another section of responding to natural disasters which is also largely supported by both parties. However, it seems as if the actions taken by our defense departments are always criticized in the eyes of Americans. There is a seemingly large contradiction in between parties in which areas the government should have a major role in, as seen in the Pew Survey. So how does the government pick and choose which areas are most important to tackle while trying to appease the general public?
Hannah Lucey
"President Obama’s approval drops in the wake of Paris attacks"
I'm surprised that his approval ratings have decreased since the attack because we mentioned that people tend to like their leaders more during disasters. It makes me wonder if approval ratings in France decreased or increased after 9/11. "The poll finds 46 percent approve of Obama while 50 percent disapprove, a reversal from a 51-45 positive margin in October, which marked his best score in more than two years." I feel for him because everyone blames him for issues that have been developing long before he became president. "Asked about Syrian refugees, the poll found 54 percent opposed to allowing refugees from Syria and other Middle Eastern countries to come to the U.S." France is showing great maturity in the fact that they will take in more refugees after the attacks. They keep in mind that these people are trying to escape terrorism, not cause it. Every movement or religion will have extremists.
Obama's approval ratings drop after the attacks in Paris
When people experience real fear in regards to their family's safety and personal wellbeing (along with the fear of change and the unknown) they believe the government should react in a way fitting to their own needs. This, of course, is a completely natural response that often leads toward dissent amongst a people. How can political leaders be expected to react in a way that is fitting to everyone? I believe the drop in President Obama's approval ratings was inevitable due to the nature of the issue. As shown in the graph included in the article, Obama's ratings have fluctuated on a regular basis and the margin between his supporters and dissenters has and will continue to be very small. When a matter such as the plight of the Syrian refugees is in question, a portion of the society will fight for personal safety and security, (Let them fend for themselves!) and another portion will defend the rights and wellbeing of the people in question (how would you feel if you were in their position?). Something as volatile as the refugees along with the debate of President Obama's approach to ISIS is bound to polarize people and their feelings of their political leader.
-Kristen Hansen
Americans don’t trust government. But they still want government to do a lot. (Revision for reference of article)
From what I've learned from class is that the leader/president acts on behalf of the people he or she represents and on simple terms does what the people ask the leader to do. In this article it had shown that we as a whole like our programs and such a certain specific way just like how bratty kids want to have their food prepared in such a tedious way that by the end they don't even like it (Courage the Cowardly Dog reference).The article states that "But when given along list of issues, most Americans still wanted government to have a “major role” in handling those issues" which I believe means that the government is trying to fulfill the desires of the people it governs but we as the people react negatively to their actions and we go in a cyclical cycle (thanks Sam) with how the nation is run. And referencing Aaron's comment on the social contract, I agree that our criticism of the government and our president is chipping at the social contract we have formed with the government.
--Darren Anes DyQuiangco
In Paris’s wake, a changed presidential contest — and electorate
Quotes like "Both McCain and Graham argued that colleagues such as Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) are using the no-refugees issue as a smoke screen to distract from their skepticism about fighting the Islamic State on the ground." make me wonder how much the Paris attacks are becoming a politicized weapon to further the goals of an individual. Politicians who have any power over what happens to the U.S. should be more concerned about truly doing what is best for our citizens, including ensuring our safety, but without compromising morals as well. In a democratic system, the people should not allow politicians to use fear to convince them that the Syrian refugees are the same people as the perpetrators of the Paris attacks, or that National Security is the sole issue that we should base our votes on.
"Americans don’t trust government. But they still want government to do a lot"
It is interesting to read that only 19% of Americans trust the government (according to the Pew Survey), especially since there is even correlation between what Democrats and Republicans feel about the government(Pew Graph). I like the quote describing America in "The Political Beliefs of Americans", "'ideologically conservative' but 'operationally liberal'". This relates to the article because people say they aren't satisfied with the government but they want to take care of the majority of the country's issues. People complain about taxes and such, but if the government isn't provided money, they won't be able to provide services those people are accustomed to having. So it seems that as a society most of us have the one thing in common, no matter what party affiliation or race, that we don't want to be responsible for the things the government does for us yet we continuously will not be satisfied with their decisions. Ironically, we may not realize that most of us are partly responsible because we put leaders in their roles and they are supposed to be acting on behalf of us. The citizens gave them their authority and the President's all his "hats" when they were elected, and even with an upcoming election it seems unlikely that there will dramatic change in how Americans view their government.
Emma Christensen (revised)
According to the article, "94% of Americans want the government to keep the country safe from terrorism;" however, as Americans we tend to harshly criticize the government when things don't go the way we would like it to. For example, a major economic crisis. As Americans we enjoy programs and incentives that the government provides for us, yet we distrust the government when something terrible happens. The confusing part is that the vast majority of our people still would like the government's help from terrorism. It's a bewildering relationship...
Brandon Ratzloff (revised)
Obama's approval rating drop I'd pretty riduculous-- the Post-ABC poll shows that 40% of the people pollef thought a terrorist attack was "very likely," and only 3/10 approved of his performance. I think Americans have a very inflated number in their heads about the frequency of terrorist attacks. There are so many more shootings in America by Americans, and the focus on the refugees in such a negative light is dumb. There are much easier ways for a terrorist to get into the US than a thorough 2 year vetting process. The people that are dropping his approval rating are also very radical-- the ones who said they thought an attack was very likely scored him 21 points lower than the people who thought it was only somewhat likely. I don't think the poll is a very good representation of Obama's performance.
President Obama's approval drops in the wake of Paris Attacks.
Most people feel ambivalent towards attacking ISIS in the middle east until an attack hits closer to home. After Paris US citizens felt a need for revenge or action much like the Afghanistan War after 9/11. While the feeling wasn't as extreme it's clear that no further action or no increase in air strikes which is the Obama policy caused a backlash fueled by the need for action. According to the article people who disapprove of his policy went from 33% to 45%. A slim majority of people now disapprove of President Obama. If he had increased attacks even slightly I think his approval rating would have gone up due to the American people's love for action on the face of an attack but paradoxical love for inaction on the case of sending American troops to fight. I think Obama has done the right thing by not giving in to the peer pressure and the hateful rage enveloping many of the American people. Unlike Orwell he has chosen not to shoot the elephant.
President Obama's approval drops in the wake of Paris Attacks.
Most people feel ambivalent towards attacking ISIS in the middle east until an attack hits closer to home. After Paris US citizens felt a need for revenge or action much like the Afghanistan War after 9/11. While the feeling wasn't as extreme it's clear that no further action or no increase in air strikes which is the Obama policy caused a backlash fueled by the need for action. According to the article people who disapprove of his policy went from 33% to 45%. A slim majority of people now disapprove of President Obama. If he had increased attacks even slightly I think his approval rating would have gone up due to the American people's love for action on the face of an attack but paradoxical love for inaction on the case of sending American troops to fight. I think Obama has done the right thing by not giving in to the peer pressure and the hateful rage enveloping many of the American people. Unlike Orwell he has chosen not to shoot the elephant.
Please add these quotes to my comment above:
"Asked about Syrian refugees, the poll found 54 percent opposed to allowing refugees from Syria and other Middle Eastern countries to come to the U.S., even if they are screened for security".
"After the Paris attacks, the Post-ABC poll found a sharp rise in the share of voters saying a major terrorist attack in the U.S. is "very likely," to 40 percent".
-Khiara Las
Americans don't trust the government, but they want the government to do a lot for them.
America, remember, you can't have your cake and eat it too. I mean, of course it is natural for us to want everything, but unfortunately, like we discussed in class, there's not a whole lot of room in the budget for more programs! You'll just have to make do. Even today--and perhaps it was the Mangeant that is responsible for this quote sticking in my head--I'm reminded by JFK, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." So, many Americans will be disappointed that they don't get more from the government, when the only thing they are doing for those that support the programs is distrusting.
-Kevin Andrews
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