It's Just Criminal to Hire Criminals

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/22/criminal-record-employment_n_5372837.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

States, cities, and counties around the country are adopting, or at least considering, "banning the box". This means that employers would be prohibited from asking about an applicant's criminal record. While some applicants would have a higher chance of being hired if a ten-year-old disruption charge was hidden, these laws cause some employers unease. They are frightened that they could end up hiring a person with strong criminal tendencies. Roughly seventy million United States adults have criminal records that can disqualify them for jobs, even if the offense happened many years ago and has no bearing on the work.

This relates to hiring practices and lawmaking.

I believe that banning the box, or at least postponing background checks, could be quite beneficial for the job system in our country.

Change in the Academic Climate of Oklahoma

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/15/oklahoma-rejects-science-standards_n_5333578.html?utm_hp_ref=politicsA new set of educational science standards was voted on in an Oklahoma House of Representatives committee that could induce children to believe in global warming. Those against the standards wish to allow the children to form their own opinions on climate change. They address the controversiality of global warming, and do not want to force students into any one belief. The director of science education for the Oklahoma State Department Of Education says that the standards simply educate students about climate change, still allowing various stances on the matter.

This relates to public policy as well as the way that a bill moves through a legislature.

I believe that the new set of standards should be implemented if it is up to par. Climate change, however realistic, is still just a theory, and should be taught as such.

To Test or Not To Test, or Maybe To Opt Out, Is the Question

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/30/nyregion/standing-up-to-testing.html?

After the introduction of Common Core, many parents have chosen to opt their children out of state testing, saying that their children should be educated and not simply taught how to test. While a few say that it could leave children disadvantaged for school admissions, many agree. Some parents have noticed that in courses designed around a test, their child's attention lags, and they become less interested in the subject matter. Quite often, a lecture leaves students confused and disinterested, or the subject is done with as soon as a child grasps it.

Legislation has been under way since President Johnson to amend this system, but even with the No Child Left Behind Act, but still nothing has changed and the system remains just as flawed. This is a demonstration of the incapacity of our government to amend the great flaws that it has, such as tests being the measure of both a child's and a teacher's worth. This degrades both of them, and is unbeneficial for the child's development and the teacher's prowess and motivation.

This is ridiculous. Teachers have no room for growth and creativity in the classroom. Children should be taught to learn and to love learning, and this system of education does not show them how to pursue their passions, just to pursue their percentages.

Independence Now Unheard of in America

http://www.newser.com/story/184433/obama-gives-americans-the-foreign-policy-they-want.html

We as a nation were founded on the notion that each country should be independent if they so wished. This belief has come into question as we barged into other nation's wars and intervened in their occupations. Since our very own war for independence, we have been in wars with unrelated parties involved. We have also BEEN the unrelated parties in question. Now that President Obama is taking steps toward reducing that role, Americans have had lower approval ratings for his foreign policy. 

We study this in Presidency.

I believe that these steps should be taken, for it is not our business whether or not a country decides to fight another. 

Extra! Immigrants' Trip to Doctors Imminent

http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/09/us/obamacare-undocumented-immigrants/index.html?hpt=us_c2

The Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, but there are over eleven million undocumented immigrants in the country specifically excluded from signing up. A new loophole into the laws shows that youths in The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program should be eligible through it to Sign up for health care. Because some states have a very high level of undocumented immigrants, it would actually benefit them to provide health insurance. The DACA provides immigrants with a way to stay in the country and work, even pay taxes. These things beg to say that the youths in the program deserve to be treated like at least partial citizens, and they deserve health insurance.

This relates to law-making and immigration reform.

I, a native-born Texan, find it strange not hearing about all the students who are going to see their family in Mexico over the holidays. I have always had an open mind to immigration, and I believe we should prove immigrants with health care.

The Next Great Compromise

http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/02/politics/collins-minimum-wage/index.html

Maine Senator Susan Collins is attempting to define a clear cut compromise between the Democrats and Republicans when it comes to the minimum wage. Many arguments have been made, discussing poverty rates and job loss, and a solution is nowhere in sight. While Republicans argue that increasing the minimum wage from $7.25 would cause thousands of workers to be laid off, Democrats will not settle for a wage less than $10.10, arguing that the people need to be raised out of poverty.

This relates to the passing of laws, discussion in Congress, and political ideology.

I believe that the minimum wage should be increased to at least $9.00, to raise out country of poverty.

Bill of Argumentum Impudicitiæ

http://v4v6.cnn.com/2014/03/07/opinion/sutter-mississippi-lgbt-bill/?iref=obinsite

Iowa Representative Steve King said in an interview that such traits as cannot be defined on sight cannot be discriminated against and should not be protected in the Constitution. This insinuates that homosexuality must be easily verified in order for them to be protected from discrimination by law. The article says that the solution is gay-labeling laws.

This relates to our study of culture clashes and the verification of laws, as well as civil liberties. I believe that a new amendment should be ratified protected all members of the LGBT community from discrimination.