"No doubt these remarks will be dismissed by some as alarmist, but I want to go further and name the emergent political system “inverted totalitarianism.” By inverted I mean that while the current system and its operatives share with Nazism the aspiration toward unlimited power and aggressive expansionism, their methods and actions seem upside down."


Response: 
In this specific passage where Sheldon Wolin states that the appear that "American Empire" have features in a totalitarian government whose procedure are reverse than to the Nazi regime. For instance, during the Nazi regime democracy was restricted to the government, big business was subordinated to the political regime, and there was a mobilized society eager to support warfare, whereas in the United States the government is filled with totalitarian ideologies, the government is subordinated to big corporations, and the population is pushed into a state of constant fear and collective futility that hardly mobilizes or votes at all. Wolin thinks that all the elements are in place for the establishment of a system that "permanently favors a ruling class of the wealthy, the well-connected and the corporate, while leaving the poorer citizens with a sense of helplessness and political despair."

Brown v. Board of Education

 Linda Brown in her words talked about when she thought she was going to be able to enroll in the school with her playmates. She stated I was sit outside of the secretary and while he was in the inner office I could her voices and hear voices his voices raise, you know as the conversation went on. An then immediately came out of the office took me by the hand and we walked home from the school. I just couldn't understand what happening because I was going to school with my friends. Just reading that i couldn't imagine being the father in this situation and telling your daughter that she can't go to her friends school because she black. I choose this case because it was one of the most important case to help African Americans to achieve a better education.

Response:

   The case Brown v. Board of Ed was an extremely situation on several cause that this case occurred right in the middle of civil right moment as well. This was a key element in the south as many dark skin students was not authorize to attend school with other students. The Black students was not authorize to attend a superior school in city which mean they wasn't getting the similar education as other students. The argument with this case was trying to make people see that these old racist people ways was wrong and it was already enough and they had to look for a change and no child should be with a poor of a education because of their race, they should not be discriminated. The Supreme Court took the decision that the long last law was completely incorrect and unfair and it was time to change this law. This law has never really been stimulated before so I was one of the laws that just stuck around for so long people just did not know are care about it. I choose this specific cases because it gives more opportunities to many people and they have the benefits of getting a better education to initiate a brilliant future. Many young people suffered being discriminated and the reason that they were not allow to get the same education as white people was not fair at all. Dealing with this situation was probability very difficult because they have to go through this situation every single day. I think that everybody should be treated equally no matter the race.

Barack Obama Speech at 2004 DNC Convention

            “For alongside our famous individualism, there's another ingredient in the American saga.  A belief that we are connected as one people. If there's a child on the south side of Chicago who can't read, that matters to me, even if it's not my child. If there's a senior citizen somewhere who can't pay for her prescription and has to choose between medicine and the rent, that makes my life poorer, even if it's not my grandmother. If there's an Arab American family being rounded up without benefit of an attorney or due process, that threatens my civil liberties. It's that fundamental belief? I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper? That makes this country work. It's what allows us to pursue our individual dreams, yet still come together as a single American family. "E pluribus Unum." Out of many, one.” Barack Obama

Response:

        The DNC convention speech in 2004 was indicated to suggest American to pick John Kerry as a democratic candidate. Alternatively he attracted the audience and announce himself to everybody. The fundamental idea of this type of speech was that each person in America is really treated fairly. Also the people who migrate the United States which comes from a totally different culture should be treated and obtain the same rights as everyone else. Everybody should be treated equally no matter where the person is coming from. The reason why I chose this passage I found it very  interesting to me. Plenty of people are in this current situation. Theres a lot of discrimination and that is the main reason why not everybody is treated equally. Obama perceive that the economic system can get better and from there this can lead the people to have a better life. But we need the support from the government in order for that particular progress. Some people are selfish they don't care about others, as long as they are receiving the benefits they don't complain. But that need to change because If we contribute little by little we can remedy the situation to have a better world.

        

"In contrast to North Carolina's Republicans, Indiana's did a remarkably good job of drawing sensible district boundaries. The same holds true for Nevada's Democrats, although with only four districts, the district boundaries in Nevada are dictated to a large degree by the state's borders." (America’s most gerrymandered congressional districts, Christopher Ingraham)

U.S. Politics. The dividing of a state, county, etc., into election districts so as to give one political party a majority in many districts while concentrating the voting strength of the other party into as few districts as possible. Most of the people know that the better way of gerrymandering to work is in small strangely form that is not compress with the congressional districts and Indiana’s congressional districts are strangely form because they are enormous to impede gerrymandering to happen. Moreover, Nevada has one of the largest and ordinary shaped congressional districts in the nation and that’s why it is not a problem in the state. The reason why I chose this passage it is because it demonstrated the expanse of how the congressional districts size can be impact or influenced the expectation of gerrymandering to happen.

Citizenship and Social class

                        Citizenship and Social class

British sociologist T.H. Marshall once stated, “Civil rights gave legal powers whose use was drastically curtailed by class prejudice and lack of economic opportunity.  Political rights gave potential power whose exercise demanded experience, organization and a change of ideas as to proper functions of government. All these took time to develop. Social rights were at a minimum and were not woven into the fabric of citizens. The common purpose of statutory and voluntary effort was to abate the nuisance of poverty without disturbing the pattern of inequality of which poverty was the most obviously unpleasant consequences.” Marshall spoke of the progress of civil, political, and social citizenship as a gradual sequence. One coming after the other. Civil Citizenship came first and established the laws and equality of the laws.  

Response:

I chose this passage because I perceive that Americans need to advance further socially.  We are currently facing several problems with the government and others that affect us every day. The consequence in or can be a particular felony, conflict and other problems. This government counts with its nationalism but does not take care of the society and its people. One major problem is the police aggressive behavior is a continuously issue. The reference of dispute within the minority society because they perceive that they are being differentiate against.  

Carolina Urraca
Politics 166
Assignment #3

                                           The Declaration of Independence

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Response:

This part of the article of The Declaration of Independence is describing how great it is to be independent and not have to be below any other country. The date that United States declared its Independence was July 4th of 1776 and notified the 13 colonies and not longer be considered part of the British Empire. This part of the paragraph where it says " That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States " is basically indicating that they finally reached their goal by having the right to do whatever they want and do the things as Independent States do. Having the ability to become Independent lead them to have more power, peace and commerce.

Carolina Urraca
Politics 166
Assignment #1

Despite Negativity, Americans Mixed on Ideal Role of Gov't

by Frank Newport

                   Majority Willing to Trade Off Lower Taxes for Fewer Services

A majority of Americans (56%) say they would be willing to pay less in taxes and accept fewer services, rather than either leaving things as they are now or paying more taxes for more services. This supports the general position of some conservatives and libertarians, including GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul. They argue that citizens should want their government to do less, and thus collect fewer taxes. Liberals, on the other hand, have focused on the value of the services the government provides, particularly in terms of creating jobs and providing a social safety net, and the necessity of keeping tax revenue flowing in order to fund those services. Fewer than half of Americans, however, currently want to keep or add to the level of taxes and services they have now.

Response:

This paragraph is explaining that the majority of Americans prefer to pay less taxes and less services instead of paying more taxes and getting more services. This means that they were not satisfied since they had to pay a lot of taxes which probability affected their lifestyle. Only the 56% prefer to pay less taxes with less service and the other percentage probability wanted to stay the way it is now. I choose this paragraph because I found it very interesting about the percentage of people who want to pay less taxes in exchange of less services. I totally agree with the 56% who are willing to trade off lower taxes for a fewer service because the less you have to pay the more you can save.