Interpreting the 2nd Amendment

COURT DAY
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/03/17/ST2008031702809.html?hpid=topnews

"It's precedent-setting. It's the first time the Supreme Court has commented on this in decades," said Sheri Anne MacNeil, 30, of the District, who is with the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. "It's monumental."

On the other side of the gun ban issue was Don Pollock, 67, a retired military special operations officer from Bowie. "This is the big one. The court finally gets to review the terrible [gun] laws of the last 70-something years."

2nd AMENDMENT
"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed."

Does the 2nd Amendment give all Americans the right to bear arms?

1. Can the government place limitations or restrictions on gun ownership? Under what circumstances?

2. What events in our recent past have fueled the gun debate? School shootings? Home invasions?

3. What are the arguments for and against limiting the right to bear arms?

D.C.'s Gun Ban Gets Day in Court
Justices' Decision May Set Precedent In Interpreting the 2nd Amendment

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/15/AR2008031502358.html

What do the statistics say? Below are educational, government and advocacy sites that list statistical information about firearms and related issues including crime.

http://youthviolence.edschool.virginia.edu/violence-in-schools/national-statistics.html

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/guns.htm

http://www.neahin.org/programs/schoolsafety/gunsafety/statistics.htm

http://www.vpc.org/

http://www.nra.org/home.aspx

MOVIES (on Google Video) THAT ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF GUNS IN AMERICA - OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS
Bowling for Columbine (R)
Michael and Me (NR)

Assignment (Due date TBA)

You are one of the 9 Supreme Court Justices hearing the District of Columbia v. Heller. Based on your investigation of the facts, how are you going to rule and why? Are you going to take a narrow or strict constructionist view, or more broadly interpret the Constitution in stating your opinion? Draft an opinion, up to 2 pages, that clearly states your opinion based on your constitutional views, and including any other factors that influence your position.

THE RULING BY THE COURT

Election News 2/25-2/29.

Democratic Debate. Finish watching the debate (next link) and respond to one of the following questions. MAKE SURE that you make specific references to points raised in the debate to support your position and get full credit. Responses are due Monday. We will begin comparing the positions of Clinton/Obama to those of the republicn nominee, Sen. John McCain, beginning next week.

1) Was there a winner? Who/Why or why not?
2) Does either candidate develop clearer pictures of his/her policies?

Final? Clinton/Obama Primary Debate.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/23361919#23361919

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Additional Articles:
1. Finding Political Strength in the Power of Words
Oratory Has Helped Drive Obama's Career -- and Critics' Questions
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/02/25/ST2008022503216.html?hpid=topnews

2. Democratic Governors See McCain As Formidable
They Cite His Life Story, His Appeal to Independents
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/02/25/ST2008022502488.html?hpid=topnews

Primary News and Currents 2/8-2/15

Read, watch and then respond to one of the current events/primary questions. (Stories will be posted throuout the week).

Romney Out, McCain Looks Ahead
Apparent GOP Nominee Tries to Mend Fences With Conservatives
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/07/AR2008020704239.html?hpid=topnews

Bush Signals Support for McCain
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/08/AR2008020800964.html?hpid=topnews

Video
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2008/02/07/VI2008020703393.html?sid=ST2008020800120

Question #1: Do you think McCain will be able to win over conservatives? Why/Why not?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/12/AR2008021201901.html?hpid=topnews

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/12/AR2008021203196.html?hpid=topnews

Question #2: Who will win the democratic nomination? Why? (Remember, you must cite examples from the stories that support your position)

The Immigration Debate

YOU DECIDE 2008 - IMMIGRATION
Read/view multiple perspectives on the immigration reform debate and make up your own mind. This will be one of the topics for our debate rounds in the new year.

Question to Respond to:
How should we as a nation address the issue of immigration? Justify your response by citing evidence/arguments presented in the sources below. You must incorporate at least three four sources into your response for full credit. Due Monday 12/8/08

Specific areas of immigration you can address. These are but a few.:
Jobs
Cost to Taxpayers
Border Control
Illegal Immigrants
Effect of Population Growth

Additional Guiding Questions:

1. On what issues do the various sides agree?
2. What are the major points of disagreement?

The Arrival of Immigrants at Ellis Island - Brief look at immigration from a historical perspective.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7516216082856962759&q=immigration+site%3Avideo.google.com&total=1484&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=3

By the Numbers - (Numbers USA - Advocacy Organization) What is this organization advocating? Are there flaws in the interpretation of the "Numbers"?
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4094926727128068265&q=immigration+site%3Avideo.google.com&total=1484&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

Immigration and Hispanics Forum - (NDN - Advocacy Organization)
Beginning to 19:00. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) - Introductory comments
23:00 to 39:00.Simon Rosenberg - President of NDN - Changing demographics and the hispanic voters.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8440058738521148171&q=immigration+debate+site%3Avideo.google.com&total=111&start=20&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1

States' Immigrant Policies Diverge
In Differences, Some See Obstacles For a National Law
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/14/AR2007101401266.html?referrer=emailarticle

Benefits of Immigration
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8520758607235721123&q=immigration+benefits+site%3Avideo.google.com&total=127&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

Minutemen: The Immigration Debate
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=347017415491805038&q=immigration+debate+site%3Avideo.google.com&total=111&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

English only debate over immigration in Carpentersille, Illinois. A small town grapples with immigration.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5371119415173542897&q=immigration+debate+site%3Avideo.google.com&total=111&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=8

The above videos and stories are but the tip of the iceberg. Do some of your own research.

Campaign Commercials

Links to some of the commercial sites we used in class.

Dueling Ads

News Story on the Obama 1984 ad
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=2963398&page=1

Hillary 19841 min 14 sec - Apr 10, 2007Description: Barack Obama spot using Macintosh 1984 ad.

Barack 19841 min 8 sec - Mar 19, 2007Average rating: (2 ratings)Description: Barack Obama in a 1984 like moment. A must see for all Obama, and Hillary Clinton Fans.

Infomercial/Attack Ads:

Code Pink Hillary Clinton Cindy Sheehan Sean Penn Barack Obama 1984 anti Iraq8 min 32 sec - Feb 12, 2007Average rating: (67 ratings)Description: Pansy4Peace Production's anti war video featuring Code Pink, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, 1984, Senn Penn, Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon. Original music written and performed by Code Pink. Thanks to Kirsten Michel - kirstenmichel.com - for her contribution of footage from Code Pink. *******Code Pink clips used by permission - Kirsten Michel - KirstenMichel.com*******

Hillary Clinton 1984 in 2008: The Big Lie That Won Her Election to the Senate10 min 36 sec - Jan 25, 2006Average rating: (58 ratings)Description: Documentary trailer that exposes the lies Hillary made to the voters and her opponent through the Washington Post (www.hillcap.org) and to the FEC in 2000 about who her largest contributor was,(Spider Man creator Stan Lee's partner, Peter F Paul) how much he gave and why he gave more than $1.6 million to her so he could have Bill Clinton work with his public company, Stan Lee Media, when Clinton left the White House.

Ad Sites:

Political Communication Lab – Stanford U.
http://pcl.stanford.edu/campaigns/2008/

Race42008
http://race42008.com/

The Primaries

As Campaigns Chafe at Limits, Donors Might Be in Diapers
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/23/AR2007102301882.html?hpid=topnews

Date of N.H. primary rests with one man
Granite State's Gardner waits to schedule first-in-the-nation contest
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21221397/

A taste of '08 in fight to split electoral votesInitiative on electoral votes has become a battleground for Giuliani, Clinton
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21124456/

The Disciples of Ron Paul, Spreading the Word in N.H.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/14/AR2007101401329.html?wpisrc=newsletter&wpisrc=newsletter

CNN Political Tracker
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/

MSNBC Republican Debate in Michigan

Michigan Republican debate