Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Fuzzy Math?


In this cartoon there are four different types of chalk boards. Three of the chalk boards have math equations on them. However, each math equation is mathematically incorrect. One the first it states that seven plus four is eight. This is incorrect because seven plus four is eleven. On the second chalk board the equations states two plus three is four. This is incorrect because two plus three is five. On the final chalk board the equation state six plus one is five. This too is incorrect because six plus one is seven. Finally the last chalk board also has an equation. It deals with the issue of gay marriage. It shows that one man plus one man equals marriage. In this cartoon this is meant to be incorrect because it is an antigay cartoon.

Citizenship

Responsibilities of Citizenship
I feel like this experience was somewhat rewarding. It is very difficult to find an actual Bill or Resolution that makes sense to me. I have not had any formal training on how to search and understand Bills and Resolutions and that made the experience a little confusing. I do hope that the politicians from my state email me back with their responses. I have already received a reply letter but it seemed generic. I don’t know who, if anyone reads the emails, but I hope that there is someone who can better explain to me the Affordable Care Bill. Overall I would rate this experiment average compared to others.
The Bill that I found and emailed was the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a federal statute that was signed into law in the United States by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. The Act is a product of the health care reform agenda.
The law includes a large number of health-related provisions to take effect over the next four years, including expanding Medicaid eligibility, subsidizing insurance premiums, providing incentives for businesses to provide health care benefits, prohibiting denial of coverage based on pre-existing conditions, establishing health insurance exchanges, and support for medical research. The costs of these provisions are offset by a variety of taxes, fees, and cost-saving measures, such as new Medicare taxes for high-income brackets, taxes on indoor tanning, cuts to the Medicare Advantage program in favor of traditional Medicare, and fees on medical devices and pharmaceutical companies; there is also a tax penalty for citizens who do not obtain health insurance. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the net effect will be a reduction in the federal deficit by $143 billion over the first decade.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed the Senate on December 24, 2009, by a vote of 60–39 with all Democrats and Independents voting for, and all Republicans voting against. It passed the House of Representatives on March 21, 2010, by a vote of 219–212, with all 178 Republicans and 34 Democrats voting against the bill.
The bill was originally drafted by the Senate as an alternative to the Affordable Health Care for America Act, which was passed by the House two months earlier on November 7. However, after the Democrats lost their supermajority in the Senate on January 19, 2010 with the election of Scott Brown, the House decided to pass the Senate version and amend it with a third bill, the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. The Senate then passed a version of the third bill, amended to avoid application of the Byrd Rule, via the simple-majority reconciliation process. The amended third bill was then sent back to the House, where it passed. The President signed the reconciliation bill on March 30, 2010.
Emailing our state representatives allowed me to better understand the definition of responsible citizenship. Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, or national community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities. "Responsible citizenship" is the idea that people should work towards improving their community through political participation, volunteer work, and other efforts to improve life for all people in the community.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

My View CA#5


This cartoon is based on the presidency of the United States of America. It was published immediately after Barack Obama was elected President. The cartoon is mocking the times of segregation and showing the triumph of the first Black-American President. The setting of this cartoon is in an office building at the commonly known water cooler area. The water cooler is labeled “the Presidency” and is representing that specific political office. Above the water cooler is a shadow of a sign that was once there. Next to the water cooler is a trashcan that contains the sign that was once above the water cooler. The sign in the trashcan reads “Whites Only.” This represents the fact that America was once segregated and believed that separate is equal and the fact that since America has found that separate is not equal the office of the Presidency is the only office that was yet to be filled by anyone other than a white American. However with the popularity of Barack Obama and the vote of the people the presidency is no longer a symbol of white male power and is now a symbol of diverse American power. My opinion still holds true to today. That America is the land of opportunity for everyone no matter who you are. As a young white male coming from a background where one of my grandparents is still very segregated I am proud to know that now my children will grow up in a country that is equal for all.