Fun Website - Which Candidate Matches Your Views

ABC News Match-O-Matic

Student Rights

Do you feel that the majority opinion in your Supreme Court court case was correctly decided? Explain your answer referring to the constitution, using evidence from the case documents and examples from your personal experiences as a student.

Due Friday Morning

CT Bullying Law
Cyber-bullying Laws in CT
State Cyberbullying Laws
CT Cyberbullying Info

Immigration

Keep checking back as I will be adding readings and other information.

Readings for Thursday 11/17
2006 Immigration Reforms

Reading for 11/30
Mexico - The War Next Door

Videos
O'Reilly and Heraldo
Immigration by the Numbers Part 1
Immigration by the Numbers Part 2
Benefits of Immigration 
NBC News "Patrolling Smugglers Alley"
NatGeo's Border Wars on Hulu

President Obama is receiving fire from both sides:
President Obama's Immigration To-Do List Is Almost Complete
Obama's Illegal Immigrant Crackdown
Obama Rolls Back Immigration Enforcement - Again
Obama Deportations...


Immigration Page

Blog response (due Friday 12/2)
You must advise President Obama or a current Republican candidate on a policy for immigration reform.  How should he/she address both the numbers entering and the legal status of those currently in the US?  How do we secure our borders?  Make sure you support your proposals with evidence from the video clips and news stories linked to this site.    

When Walmart Comes to Town

What are your thoughts on the Walmart debate?  Is it good for communities?  Does it suck the life out of them?


Due Monday Tuesday 11/14  @ 7:00am

The War Powers Act

Is our current system for deciding when, where and for how long to deploy US armed forces fairly balanced between the executive and legislative branches? Do "The People" have enough input?

Discuss with regard to the War Powers Act and the current conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Uganda, etc.

Due Friday by 7:30am

Afghanistan Crossroads

Ten years into the war in Afghanistan, where do we stand? Have me made progress since the 2008 Frontline Report? What advice would you give the the President as to the course of action from this point forward?

Afghanistan Crossroads

10 years on, Afghan Americans see lost opportunities

U.S. Recalibrates Remarks About Pakistan

Karzai accuses Pakistan of supporting terrorists

India and Afghanistan sign security and trade pact

U.S. drone strike kills Haqqani insider

Wallstreet Journal Interview w/ Adm. Mike Mullen

Due Wednesday 10/19 @ 7:30 am.

Current Issues 10/10

Sorry for the delayed post. Below are three current stories making headlines today. Read all three. Which you you find most appealing or interesting? Why? Which story is the most significant? Be sure to explain your answers with references to the articles.

Occupy Wall Street: Newcomers bring their worries and hopes to New York protest
What’s Next for Apple?
Perry Video Attacks Romney on Health Care

Responses are due Thursday by 7:30am.

Inside the Obama White House

Now that you have viewed Inside the Obama White House, what did you find surprising or interesting? Would you want to live there, or be interested in working there? Why/Why Not?

Due Friday 7:30am.

9/11 Ten Years Later

"9/11 Attacks - 102 Minutes That Changed America
For 102 minutes on September 11, 2001, the world looked on in horror as terrorists flew hijacked passenger planes into New York City's mighty twin towers, destroying the iconic buildings and killing more than 2,700 people. Watch unfiltered videos from nine New Yorkers who witnessed the day that changed America."
9/11 Attacks — History.com Interactive Maps, Timelines & Games." History.com — History Made Every Day — American & World History. Web. 09 Sept. 2011. .

"Remembering 9/11 - Oral History Exercise
Use this document as a guideline to conduct your own oral history of the effect of 9/11 on your family and/or friends. You may interview a parent, older relative or sibling and record his/her memories of that day. You may record responses in writing or with an audio/video device. If you choose an audio or video device, you must convert into a format that can be uploaded into Google docs such as windows media, or burn your file to a DVD. I cannot allow you to use personal jump drives in my computer to submit work. You will be sharing some of your material with the class.

"9/11 Memorial - Oral Histories

"Bearing Witness to History

"9/11 Timeline

Must be completed by class on Thursday 9/15

President Obama's Jobs Speech

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Evaluate president Obama's Speech. (You should be able to identify at least 5 key proposals he makes for spurring job growth in the US.) Where there specific ideas that you support or oppose? Why? Do you think that this speech will have influence members of Congress? Will it help create jobs? If you feel strongly about this speech, you should consider contacting our CT representatives and letting them know how you feel.

Due Monday by 7:30am

The News Today

Media Coverage

Google/Go to NYTimes Online, Washington Post Online, CNN, FOX, Google News.
• What common stories appear on each of these sites front pages? Provide examples.
• Are there differences in the types of stories appearing? Explain
• Which sources would you turn to, and why?
• What other sources do you go to for news? Locate at least three. What stories are they featuring today?
• Would you consider this/these sources “traditional” or “new” news sources. Why?

We've discussed changes in the news media over the past century. What changes do you foresee in the next decade or two?

Student Rights????

Do you feel that the majority opinion in your Supreme Court court case was correctly decided? Explain your answer referring to the constitution, using evidence from the case documents and examples from your personal experiences as a student.

Due Friday Morning

Blog Post 4: Civil Liberties and the War on Terror

Select two of the following three questions to reply to. Use readings, class discussion, and audio-visual clips from class and on my website to answer the questions. The responses should be more than a couple of sentences long to get full credit. This is due Friday, April 15, 2011 the last day of the quarter.

1) Does the PATRIOT Act infringe on Americans personal civil liberties? What specific provisions do you have the biggest issue with and why?

2) Should the Guantanamo Bay prison camp be closed by the United State government? Should Guantanamo prisoners be tried in US Federal Courts or Military tribunals?

3) Are enhanced interrogation techniques torture? Should they be kept as a viable option to be used on high-value suspected terrorists?

Blog Post 3: Libya No Fly Zone

Pres. Obama Speech
US action in Libya sparks concern among some lawmakers.

Watch President Obama’s speech outlining the United States role in enforcing a United Nations sanctioned “No Fly Zone” over Libya. Also read this article from the Washington Post regarding what role the Congress should have in approving a no fly zone and answer the following questions. You blog must be posted by Friday, March 25, 2011. If you have trouble posting on the Blog site, print off a hard copy or share your response with me in Google Docs.

1. According to President Obama what is the justification for the “No Fly Zone” in Libya and what role will the United States military play in the enforcement.
2. Should the Congress have debated and approved the military action in Libya or is President Obama within his powers as commander-in-chief to authorize the air strikes?
3. Based on the United States current military engagements in Afghanistan and Iraq, should the US military get involved in Libya?

Due Tuesday 3/29

Westboro Baptist Church and Freedom of Speech

Read this Washington Post article and watch the video and answer the following questions in two to three paragraphs.
Westboro Baptist Church and Freedom of Speech

1) Why was this case originally brought before the Supreme Court? What was the major issue?
2) Do you think that the Westboro Baptist church’s protests should be covered speech under the First Amendment?
3) Since the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the Westboro Baptist church’s right to protest, how would you peacefully counteract their actions?



Due Friday Morning 3/10

Bill O'Reilly Interview w/ Pres. Obama

1) Identify the issues addressed by President Obama. What do you know about them?
2) Who is the Muslim Brotherhood? Why is Bill O'Reilly worried?
3) What do you think would be the most difficult aspect of being President?

Test Response

Due Monday.

Submit a test response below. If you have any problems, please see me.

Test Response

Due Monday.

Submit a test response below. If you have any problems, please see me.

State of the Union

Full Speech @ the Washington Post


The Republican Response


Tea Party Response