Abstract This paper proposes a for and against argument on the issue of campaign finance reform. It examines how campaign finance reform has been raised as an important political issue for some time and there have been several recent proposals to deal with such reform. It looks at how these proposals deal with concerns about the growing amount of money needed for political campaigns and about how that money is acquired by candidates. It analyzes the McCain-Feingold Bill which addresses this issue and has been much debated for the constitutional issues involved. It evaluates how one side of the argument cites reasons why money is too prevalent in politics today and why the way campaigns are funded should be changed. It then cites the other side--that campaign funding is a matter of free speech and should not be changed in any way.
From the Paper "For many people today, people who can be heard on talk shows across the nation, people who speak on television and campaign for change, people who refuse to vote or have anything to do with the political process--for these people and others, political corruption is such a fact of life that they cannot separate the idea of government and government officials from corrupt practices. One reason for this perception is the knowledge that politics is expensive and that running for office requires vast amounts of money, and people want to know what those giving large campaign contributions want for their money. Public funding is an alternative to the current system, and it would be enhanced further by caps on campaign spending. The scandal today, as numerous commentators have pointed out, is not what is illegal but what is legal, with distinctions made between "hard" money and "soft" money that serve the needs of the political parties and yet do not answer the concerns of the public."
Tags: mcCain-feingold, bill, constitution, government
Abstract This paper presents both sides of the hurricane Katrina debate. It then provides a plethora of evidence to suggest that the federal government (rather than state and local government) is responsible for the delays in rescue and relief following hurricane Katrina. It cites the mistakes of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, FEMA and FEMA director Michael Brown and the President of the United States.
From the Paper "There is evidence to suggest that the federal government understood the serious threat hurricane Katrina posed on the low-lying Gulf region, and that they did make some effort to convey this danger and urge people out of harm's way. On Saturday August, 27th, President Bush declared a state of emergency in Louisiana and encouraged people to evacuate the New Orleans area before the storm made landfall. Prior to the storm, flood and storm surge predictions were made by the National Hurricane Center in Miami. At least 200 buses were sent to aid in evacuations before the event. The federal government did express concerns over the levee system's ability to weather the storm and operate under such difficult conditions."
From the Paper "Karl Marx, born in Germany in 1818, had tremendous influence throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The communist and socialist ideologies, the communist revolution in Russia, and the spread of communism throughout the world were all a result of Marx's social and economic theories. These theories were developed as a result of the situation of the working class in Europe during Marx's lifetime. .."
Tags: 19th, century, conditions, engels, european, history, labor, marxism, russia, soviet, union, unions, working
Abstract A review of "The Strange Career of Jim Crow" by C. Vann Woodward. The paper explains the Jim Crow laws of segregation during the 1890's. The author analyzes the race relations of the 1800's and the division that existed in society.
From the Paper "This book shows us the history of the Jim Crow laws and American race relations in general during the late 1800s up until the 1950s, and how they changed during these periods. Woodward convincingly shows that, even under slavery, the two races had not been divided as they were under the Jim Crow laws of the 1890s. In fact, during Reconstruction, there was considerable economic and political mixing of the races. The segregating of the races was relatively a new concept to the area. The time in our history when laws of segregation arose is referred to as the Jim Crow system and the laws, the Jim Crow laws. Thomas D. Rice wrote a song and dance in 1832 called 'Jim Crow,' and that is where the term originated."
Tags: history, reconstruction, slavery, woodward, division, society, north, south
This paper outlines the history of affirmative action starting in the 60s up to present; it is an unbiased argumentative paper on whether affirmative action is still needed.
1,557 words (approx. 6.2 pages), 6 sources, 2001, $ 51.95
Abstract This paper discusses discrimination and the history of affirmative action in combating it. The author mentions various presidents in American history and their attempts to make a difference in leveling the playing field for all races. Pros and cons for affirmative action are presented by the author.
From the Paper "For many years minorities were discriminated against in the job market. People in our country felt something must be done to fix this problem in our society. That solution was affirmative action. Affirmative action is a group of policies used by the United States to give minorities jobs and job advancement opportunities by favoring them (Encarta). This affirmative action is in place to make up for years of discrimination in the past, either by the country as a whole or specific companies. The history of affirmative action is a long and interesting one."
This essay discusses the Cherokee Indians, and the Trail of Tears they trekked across to reach the Indian Reservations that the United States government placed them in.
Abstract This paper talks about the background of the Cherokee Indians, the Indian Removal Act, the removal forts they were put into, and the trail of tears they trudged on, and symbols that symbolize the trail of tears and the pain the Cherokee Indians endured. The author includes several maps in the paper.
From the Paper 'In the 1800s, the Cherokee Indians were forced off their ancestral lands in Georgia and coerced to march the long, bitter journey to Oklahoma, where the government had decided they should live. This journey became known as the "Trail of Tears" for the grief it caused the Cherokee. It was called "Nunna dual Tsuny" by the tribe, which literally meant the "Trail Where They Cried". The Cherokee were a friendly tribe, but were stripped of justice as they were made to trudge hundreds of miles in bad weather; many were treated brutally, and many died either in concentration camps or on the trail itself."
An examination of the controversy which has swept across America since the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance was unconstitutional.
Abstract This paper examines the trend in America to totally separate religion from the state in as many ways as possible. The writer presents arguments for and against the recent court ruling calling the phrase "under God" as unconstitutional. Critics argue that the reference to God infringes on their personal freedoms, while supporters argue that the reference is part of the greater American character, and that the Court's decision simply reflects the views of a small, vocal minority of Americans.
From the Paper "Supporters of the 9th Court's ruling argue that the phrase amounts to a government endorsement of a specific religion, and is in direct opposition to the constitution that guarantees religious freedom. Critics of the 9th Court's decision, argue that the religious content of the phrase "under God" is minimal, and that the Court's decision paves the way for the removal of all religious references from the Constitution, the Star Spangled Banner and other quintessentially American areas. Critics argue that the Court's decision is the worst kind of political correctness, and simply reflects the will of a small minority, imposed on the rights of the large majority of Americans who want the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance."
Tags: religion, court, state, united, minority, character, freedom, expression, infringement
Abstract This paper presents an argument in support of the right of civilians to bear arms in America. It states that misleading information is used to support gun control and refutes some of the common myths. It explains the historical evidence regarding unarmed citizens and looks at the importance of guns in self-defense.
From the Paper "It is not an eye opening fact; guns used by people kill more people than guns by themselves. Yet politicians want to ban guns that look as if they may be more dangerous than other guns, and even more radical, ban guns altogether. NRAILA.ORG quotes Josh Sugarman, leader of the radical Violence Policy Center as saying, ?The public's confusion over fully-automatic machine guns versus semi-automatic assault weapons ? anthing that looks like a machine gun is assumed to be a machine gun ? we can only increase the chance of public support for restrictions on these weapons.? (n.p.) Guns have been an important tool in our country, both in the survival of early setters, and in our independence. In fact, without guns the United States of America would have probably continued to be held by the British. Militias during the establishment of our country are obviously the reasoning placed behind the Second Amendment. In the absence of an established military, it was the responsibility of a militia to defend the country. While the threat of an invasion by another country may not be as much of a concern in modern times, gun control overlooks too many of the benefits of an armed civilian."
Abstract This research paper argues that immigration in the U.S. has reached a crisis and we need to rethink our immigration policies. The paper briefly touches on the history of immigration, present immigration problems such as illegals, expert opinions, and ends with a call for an immigration moratorium.
Abstract A look at Martin Luther King Jr. A brief overview of his life and work in politics. The author gives a personal opinion about his impacts and contributions, and for his fight for freedom, equality and for the general understanding of justice.
From the Paper "I see King as a great visionary and a person who valued humanity and people for what they were worth. I admire his self-sacrifice and his courage to be controversial and be always outside comfort. As a journalist who must always step out of the comfort zone, I know how difficult that is. But I cannot comprehend what would it be like to be uncomfortable and constantly risk your life. I think there are very few people in history who put their beliefs and the interests of other people before their own, and there are only a few people who are willing to risk being unpopular and controversial while risking their well-being. Unfortunately, without those kinds of people big history cannot be made and changes are not possible."
Abstract This paper details the roots and causes of the Asian Financial Crisis in the late 90's. The author discusses some of the economic conditions responsible for the crisis and the various countries involved.
From the Paper "Some economic analysts have described the Asian financial crisis as one of the worst financial disasters to occur in history. These same economists argue that the Asian financial crisis was far worse than the Latin American debt crisis and could be likened to the great depression of the 1930?s. While not any one specific cause can attempt to explain the reason for the crisis, a number of factors during this time frame existed that helped to facilitate the collapse of the Asian economy. Each country affected by the crisis had different impending circumstances for being vulnerable to this predicament during that time period. The crisis began in a few concentrated countries in southeastern Asia and by the end had propagated throughout many of the countries located in Asia bringing devastating affects."
Abstract This paper views modern America's social diversity as an asset to business. It also describes the discrimination minority members of this workplace experience. The paper outlines the types of discrimination and the laws protecting the citizens of this society.
From the Paper "With the 21st century workplace ahead of us and a country full of diversity surrounding us, the changing ethnic, racial, age, and gender composition of the workforce will become more evident in the years to come. This modern workplace will bring in a group of diverse employees to accompany tighter labor markets and changing worker demographics. These changes in the modern workplace will have important implications for employers across the country. ?High skills and knowledge are important to American firms competing in a global economy.? (Dresser, 1996) As always, the best measure of a employee or potential employee is skills and knowledge. But we all know that it doesn?t always work that way. And, while the U.S. workforce as a whole has a higher educational level than ever, some problems evolving in the modern workplace are clear; discrimination is part of the problem. All the greater knowledge and skills level the United States is welcoming is coming to employers in all new packages."
Abstract This paper discusses some of the many issues that have been raised in the debate between the protection of civil liberties and national security that has arisen since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States. The paper looks at how and why the framers of the U.S. Constitution made the protection of civil liberties such an important part of the moral fabric of the country and how this may have in some way contributed to the difficulties in preventing such a devastating attack. The question of what needs to be done in order to prevent this from happening again, including discussion that may require changes in this basic tenet in American society, is also discussed. The author looks at some proposals for increased national security including profiling, that may, because of the nature of the Constitution, become impossible to enact. The paper also discusses why these changes must become necessary in order to protect the population against forces in society that were not in existence at the time the framers wrote the Constitution.
From the Paper "With the attacks of the World Trade Center the society saw the government investigators beginning to randomly eavesdrop on phone calls. They began to read mails that had before remained confidential; suspects were rounded up in thousands and detained without warrants and without any charges being made against them. New rules have since been established that claim that the administration has the right to monitor the communication that is considered with "reasonable suspicion". Racial profiling is being done as the FBI questions foreign nations within US soil on different visa statuses. Lists are drawn up and any person with even a remote link to the nations of the terrorist network al-Qaida is being rounded up. Justice officials say the men, all age 18 to 33 and with nonimmigrant visas, are not suspects but are wanted for voluntary interviews."
Abstract On January 8th, 2001, President Bush signed the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 into law. This law is a summation of Bush's reform of education platform and contains some of the most sweeping of all changes and modifications to the Elementary and Secondary Education Acct (ESEA) since it was put into law in 1965. The paper shows that this act has resulted in a great deal of controversy on all sides of the issue. The paper examines the nature of the NCLB, its impact and the controversy over the issue.
From the Paper "The new requirements for accountability include documentation of the program's effectiveness in supporting technology integration into curriculum and instruction and the intervention's influence on instructional practice. Research is showing that technology can effectively capture information about change in teachers' use of technology. For example, the California Department of Education developed the California Technology Assistance Project/Technology Assessment Profile, a tool for teachers to self-assess their competency in integrating technology into instruction. Typically, teachers complete CTA online before and after staff development. Results are graphically reported online as well. The state recommends that school districts use CTA as part of the overall assessment strategy and to assess the effects of the NCLB-EETT requirement that 25% of the technology funding be used for staff development (Cradler and Cradler, 2002)."
