Current Event #5

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/25/maine.same.sex/index.html

In Maine, Governor John Baldacci signed a bill that allows same-sex marriage six months ago. Now voters will have the opportunity to overturn it on November 3rd. If the legislation is upheld, Maine would join Massachusetts, Vermont, Iowa, Connecticut, and New Hampshire in allowing same-sex marriage.  The opposition believes that the bill "would strip the meaning and tradition out of marriage".  Both sides have become very involved across the country.

Gov. Baldacci said that previously he believed civil union was as far as his support would go.  However, after doing research he's realized that "civil union didn't equal a civil marriage".  I agree that there shouldn't be separate laws for separate people.  Separate is simply not equal.  There is no equivalent opportunity for the gay community as marriage for heterosexuals.  This can propose difficulties for same-sex couples economically and deny them certain advantages of marriage.

Handicap the Virginia Governors Race

Although McDonnell is not my choice for the next governor of Virginia, I do think he will win the next election.  Virginia has just recently become a democratic state, but the republican roots are still there.  McDonnell is the ideal republican candidate. He is very conservative and traditional which appeals to much of the southern parts of Virginia. And he does a very good job at appealing to those who share his views in his commercials.  I don't think McDonnell is the best candidate for our state, but he appeals to the slight majority in Virginia.

Current Event #4

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/10/17/u.s.iraq.troops/index.html 

The United States plans to withdraw all its combat troops from Iraq by August.  Around 50,000 advisors will be left in place until the end of 2011.  There was a cancellation of the deployment of over 3,000 troops to Iraq.  This is part of the effort to draw down troop levels in Iraq since the troop they were going to replace is still returning.

This cancellation is a reflection of Iraq's growing ability to protect Iraq citizens and institutions.  However, some are still worried.  There is an upcoming Iraqi election that is set to begin January 16th, but there is still no election law in place.  Our military has done a good job protecting Iraqi citizens and creating a basis for democracy. Now that troops are being taken away, the world will get to see if Iraq can handle this new government and improve the life of its citizens.

I think Obama needs to continue to remove troops so Iraq can learn to stand on its own two feet again.  The basis has been set and the military has done what it can to stabilize the government there.

Biggest Political Issue of VA

I believe the biggest political issue facing the state of Virginia is currently transportation and roads.  There are many roads that are currently in disrepair and clearly a need for a new transportation system.  The current roadways lead to auto repairs and a lot of lost time.  The problem is that although many Virginians complain about the transportation system, they do not want to pay to fix it.  So far, neither candidate for governor has proposed a plan that is very well received. McDonnell is pushing a plan that would divert funding from education and public safety to pay for transportation improvements in order to avoid raising taxes.  Meanwhile, Deeds has stated that he'd sign a bill containing higher taxes for roads.  Deeds is using transportation as a big part of his campaign. He wants to bring high-speed rail to VA, expand freight and passenger rail use, and reduce rush hour traffic through telecommuting and flex time tax credits. 

Obama Report CardB:

Health Care- A: Obama has showed that he is seriously committed to revolutionizing health care for our country. He's come up with various proposals.  While he recognizes they are not yet perfect, these new ideas for health care reform are giving millions of Americans hope for access to affordable health care.

Dealing with Economic Downturn-B+:  Obama has provided support for the unemployed and billions of dollars within stimulus packages to keep enormous corporations afloat.  I also love Obama's  plan to create more jobs in the green energy sector. This will not only decrease unemployment, but also jump-start the economy and our use of green energy.

War on Terror-B:  Each day more and more troops die fighting the war on terror. Obama has stated that he will have all troops removed from Iraq by the end of 2011.  This plan will allow the Iraqis to gradually take control over their own government and return our soldiers home. Within the first 100 days, Obama's plan was already set into action.  Finally, there is an end in sight.

Current Event #3

http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/obama/2009/10/09/president-obama-wins-nobel-peace-prize.html 

Obama is the first president to receive the nobel prize while still in office since 1919.  The committee says Obama's creation of " a new climate in international politics" contributed to their decision.  Obama is giving nations worldwide hope for the future.  Although some people believe the award was given too soon, others see it as positive encouragement for Obama to act further on his efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation and continue to work for peace.

Although it may seem a bit premature, granting Obama the Nobel Peace Prize acknowledges the great shift that has occurred in international politics.  He's managed to bring the U.N. and multilateral diplomacy into the spotlight.  Obama has made an effort to support the Muslim community as well. I think the additional attention to Obama's policy and goals will only further his ambitions to accomplish what he has said he will. President Obama deserves time to act and prove himself now.

Current Event #2

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/03/AR2009100301421.html

In Virginia, further budget cuts threaten to make class sizes larger, shorten library hours, lengthen bus routes, and overwork teachers. These are all challenges that the next Virginia governor has to face. The recession only magnifies the challenges already present when you're in a state with 1,800 public schools and 1.2 million students. A new urgency to reduce the drop-out rate intesifies the struggle to do more with less. Fairfax county's superintendent is considering cutting summer school, closing some schools, and increasing class size to account for the $176 million budget cut for next year.

State Sen. R. Creigh Deeds (D) has supported school funding for a long time. This record helped him earn the backing of the Virginia Education Association. His campaign has criticized Robert McDonnell's plans for funding transportation fixes through the general fund, nearly half of which goes to public schools. Even though Deeds and McDonnell have opposing plans for Virginia, they both support Obama's charter school plan.

Political Issue

A political issue that I am personally interested in is abortion. It's an issue that I feel I am well informed about and can make my own decision about instead of just following my parents' views. I believe that the government should not interfere with the woman's decision, or should do so only under rare circumstances. Pro-life people believe that a human is formed at the time of conception and from then on have all the fundamental human rights.Therefore, abortion is considered murder. I think this view is extreme and the government should not be able to override a woman's decision to have an abortion. It's the woman who has to carry the baby and endure the emotions that would come if then she needs to put the baby up for adoption. Even if she decides to keep the baby after being forced to carry it, the baby's life and her own may not be what anyone would consider good. As a woman I find this issue very important.