Brooke Kennedy
American History
Cater Glass
10 April 2013
Bibliography:
" Immigration reform in the U.S.: Why it's being debated, what it means and more | PennLive.com." Central PA Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - PennLive.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Apr. 2013. http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/04/immigration_reform_in_the_us_w.html
Summary:
Gorge Bush's plan for immigration failed. Then Obama never did anything his first term and is now making immigration a priority in his second term. The problem is that there is more than 11 million immigrants illegally in the U.S. and we don't know what to do with them. There are plans to tighten the border security, but that can only do so much. Immigrant represent 13% of our population with 40.4 million of them. Of the legal immigrant there are 11.7 million are from Mexico, 25% from South and East Asia, 9% from the Caribbean, 8% from Central America, 7% from South America, 4% the Middle East and the rest are from other places. The illegal immigrates are about 58% from Mexico and about 6% from El Salvador and the rest is unknown. California by far has the largest population of immigrants. Then there is New York, New Jersey, Florida, Nevada, Hawaii and Texas. Coming into the U.S. without permission is considered a misdemeanor criminal offense. If you re-enter after formally being removed from the country can be considered a felony. People that are applying for a reprieve must have been in the country before they turned 16 years old and be currently younger than 31 years old while also being a being a high school graduate or have served in the military. They also cannot have a serious criminal record or pose any threat to public safety or the national security.
The House is making a legislation that will offer three different paths for illegal immigrants to their legal status. Agricultural workers will qualify for this path to legal status because they contribute importantly to the economy. Their kids will also qualify because they were forced to move to the country and should not be punished for it.
Analysis:
In my opinion I don't see a huge problem with immigration. There definitely are situations where I wish there were not as many immigrants and that in some ways the laws should be more strict about them being here. Not that the laws should be more strict about becoming a citizen here but once they are a citizen that the laws should become more strict for them. But they are little things that do not apply to everyone. Such as knowing English and speaking it clearly that people can understand you. I have heard that that is an issue for many people with immigrants. If they live in our country they should know our language and be able to talk well enough for people to understand. Like I said, they are little issues that are not a huge deal but can be an annoyance for many people that live in America already.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Maryland Bands Death Penalty
Brooke Kennedy
American History
Carter Glass
5 April 2013
Bibliography:
"Maryland will be 18th state to ban death penalty." USA TODAY: Latest World and US News - USATODAY.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Apr. 2013. <http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/03/15/maryland-death-penalty/1989977/>.
"Jodi Arias Juror Dismissed for Talking About Trial - ABC News." ABCNews.com - Breaking News, Latest News & Top Video News - ABC News. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Apr. 2013. <http://abcnews.go.com/US/jodi-arias-juror-dismissed-talking-trial/story?
id=18864045#.UWCx7RwYBnY>.
Summary:
The death penalty is currently legal in 32 states and in the past 5 years 5 states have gotten rid of the death penalty. Maryland is now one of the states considering abolishing it. There is also a poll that shows that about two-thirds of Americans are in favor of keeping the death penalty. The last inmate that was killed was in 2005 and only five other men have been executed in the past 37 years.
Analysis:
Each case is different and has has different situations. For example, the man in Randolph in 2009 that kidnapped and killed his niece after he had been raping her for years. That man deserves to serve the death penalty, instead he will live his life in prison. There is something clearly wrong with that man. Killing him does not mean that we are correcting a wrong. It is not a matter of right and wrong. If a man or women has committed such a horrific crime, it is simple, they do not deserve to live. It can be however hard to distinguish what crimes are horrific enough to deserve the death penalty.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Gay Marriage
Brooke Kennedy
American History
Carter Glass
29 March 2013
Bibliography:
"Inside the Supreme Court: The Case for Marriage Equality and Oral Argument | American Foundation for Equal Rights."American Foundation for Equal Rights | . N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2013. <http://www.afer.org/blog/inside-the-supreme-court-the-case-for-marriage-equality-and-oral-argument/>.
Summary:
The Supreme Court met on Tuesday, March 26th to open the arguments in v. Perry about proposition 8 in California. Two couple are representing DOMA Hollingsworth and arguing that Prop. 8 violates the Fourteenth Amendment. Then on Wednesday, March 27th opened the arguments in United States v. Windsor about the "constitutionality of the federal Defense of Marriage Act of 1996", (DOMA)"the law that prevented the federal government from recognizing the legal marriages of gay and lesbian couples in states with marriage equality". Edie Windsor is an 83-year-old widow who was married to a woman and is being forced to pay $363,000 in estate taxes, a tax she wouldn't have to pay if she was married to a man. Her argument is that DOMA "violates her right to equal protection of the laws".
Analysis:
Why does the government say anything about marriage at all? It should not be a government discussion or decision. However, without the government getting involved, nothing would get done. The government needs to be involved to keep everything organized as much as possible. The woman that had to pay $363,000 should not have had that happen to her just because she was not married to a man. Personally I do no disagree with gay marriage. It does not affect me in any way, therefore I believe that there should be equal marriage rights for everyone.
American History
Carter Glass
29 March 2013
Bibliography:
"Inside the Supreme Court: The Case for Marriage Equality and Oral Argument | American Foundation for Equal Rights."American Foundation for Equal Rights | . N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2013. <http://www.afer.org/blog/inside-the-supreme-court-the-case-for-marriage-equality-and-oral-argument/>.
Summary:
The Supreme Court met on Tuesday, March 26th to open the arguments in v. Perry about proposition 8 in California. Two couple are representing DOMA Hollingsworth and arguing that Prop. 8 violates the Fourteenth Amendment. Then on Wednesday, March 27th opened the arguments in United States v. Windsor about the "constitutionality of the federal Defense of Marriage Act of 1996", (DOMA)"the law that prevented the federal government from recognizing the legal marriages of gay and lesbian couples in states with marriage equality". Edie Windsor is an 83-year-old widow who was married to a woman and is being forced to pay $363,000 in estate taxes, a tax she wouldn't have to pay if she was married to a man. Her argument is that DOMA "violates her right to equal protection of the laws".
Analysis:
Why does the government say anything about marriage at all? It should not be a government discussion or decision. However, without the government getting involved, nothing would get done. The government needs to be involved to keep everything organized as much as possible. The woman that had to pay $363,000 should not have had that happen to her just because she was not married to a man. Personally I do no disagree with gay marriage. It does not affect me in any way, therefore I believe that there should be equal marriage rights for everyone.
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