The New York Times
May 9, 2008
This aritcle was clearly written by a democrat. It discusses how Clinton is stuck in a lose lose situation with the new poles that say Clinton will lose as the democratic nominee. Basically, the author thinks she has the right to stay in the race against Obahma, so she fight. At the same time if she stays in the race she could be hurting her party. If she contiues to back Obahma some democrats may not vote for him.
I thought this article was not written well. It was very biased and was a turn off to all republicans. It bashed John McCain saying that he just was another Bush.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
The Death Penalty Returns
The New York Times
This article discusses the rash of executions planned after the Supreme Court ruling on Capital Punishment. The author gives some statistics about the planned executions but immediately shows bias and detracts from their credibility by using the phrase "Machinery of Death". The author proceeds with their bias throughout the rest of the article which also attempts to encompass the capital argument debate in a few sentences. The author also arrogantly assumes all americans share their view against capital punishment. The author makes no attempt to discuss the cons of capital punishment but instead states that the rest of the country feels as do. I'm not sure what the author was trying to say with this article but all it did was anger me.
This article discusses the rash of executions planned after the Supreme Court ruling on Capital Punishment. The author gives some statistics about the planned executions but immediately shows bias and detracts from their credibility by using the phrase "Machinery of Death". The author proceeds with their bias throughout the rest of the article which also attempts to encompass the capital argument debate in a few sentences. The author also arrogantly assumes all americans share their view against capital punishment. The author makes no attempt to discuss the cons of capital punishment but instead states that the rest of the country feels as do. I'm not sure what the author was trying to say with this article but all it did was anger me.
A Shot in the Arm
USA Today
Tom Harkin
This article discusses a farm bill passed by the senate and awaiting the president's signature. The author is the chairman of the senate agriculture committee which clearly establishes his credibility. Unfortunately, perhaps in an attempt to simplify the article for the general public, he makes claims about how the bill might affect farms and the public but doesn't cite any examples of what the bill entails. The reader is stuck with all these promises but not a single detail about what the bill entails or what changes will be made. Like most fast food, it looks good on the menu but most of us have no clue what's in it.
Tom Harkin
This article discusses a farm bill passed by the senate and awaiting the president's signature. The author is the chairman of the senate agriculture committee which clearly establishes his credibility. Unfortunately, perhaps in an attempt to simplify the article for the general public, he makes claims about how the bill might affect farms and the public but doesn't cite any examples of what the bill entails. The reader is stuck with all these promises but not a single detail about what the bill entails or what changes will be made. Like most fast food, it looks good on the menu but most of us have no clue what's in it.
The Tax Trickery Spreads
The New York Times
This article mainly discusses the recent gas tax break proposed by senators Clinton and McCain and how this campaign move has inspired other such proposals in various states. The author argues that this will save the consumer very little but cost the government a great deal. He also cites an example from 2000 when Indiana tried a similar tactic and it cost them dearly. Another point he uses is lowering gas prices will not stifle our dependence on oil thereby leading to even higher prices once the tax break is over. He establishes the senators' moves as being campaign pandering and counterproductive to our national economy at best. This is a concise article stating clear fact from a knowledgeable individual.
This article mainly discusses the recent gas tax break proposed by senators Clinton and McCain and how this campaign move has inspired other such proposals in various states. The author argues that this will save the consumer very little but cost the government a great deal. He also cites an example from 2000 when Indiana tried a similar tactic and it cost them dearly. Another point he uses is lowering gas prices will not stifle our dependence on oil thereby leading to even higher prices once the tax break is over. He establishes the senators' moves as being campaign pandering and counterproductive to our national economy at best. This is a concise article stating clear fact from a knowledgeable individual.
Teaching Rocket Science
The New York Post
May 6, 2008
Author: Unknown
This article was written in response to the recent death of one of the Islamic Jihad members, the head of the bomb making squad. This man was also a teacher in one to the top boys’ preparatory schools in Gaza. The author’s main point of writing is to send a message to Congress to stop sending money to the United Nation’s Relief Work Agency who pays for the running of these schools. This event proves that the leaders of these organizations cannot be trusted with our money. Congress has already considered limiting money sent to these areas, and now the author is encouraging them to do this once more. I agree that this would be an excellent idea!
May 6, 2008
Author: Unknown
This article was written in response to the recent death of one of the Islamic Jihad members, the head of the bomb making squad. This man was also a teacher in one to the top boys’ preparatory schools in Gaza. The author’s main point of writing is to send a message to Congress to stop sending money to the United Nation’s Relief Work Agency who pays for the running of these schools. This event proves that the leaders of these organizations cannot be trusted with our money. Congress has already considered limiting money sent to these areas, and now the author is encouraging them to do this once more. I agree that this would be an excellent idea!
Obama's Opportunity
The New York Post
May 8, 2008
Author: Unknown
The author of the article writes to bring to attention that the fact that Clinton is still in the race is not something to be too upset about, but rather Obama should look at it as an opportunity to show the American people that he can handle conflict and bumps in the road. The American people have seen so far in the campaign that Hillary Clinton is a fighter and she is not going out of this race easily. Obama should use this time to demonstrate to the public his diplomatic skills. I agree with the author of this article in the fact that Clinton has definitely lost the race, and I also have to agree with him that Obama should use this opportunity to his advantage to prove his capabilities to the American people.
May 8, 2008
Author: Unknown
The author of the article writes to bring to attention that the fact that Clinton is still in the race is not something to be too upset about, but rather Obama should look at it as an opportunity to show the American people that he can handle conflict and bumps in the road. The American people have seen so far in the campaign that Hillary Clinton is a fighter and she is not going out of this race easily. Obama should use this time to demonstrate to the public his diplomatic skills. I agree with the author of this article in the fact that Clinton has definitely lost the race, and I also have to agree with him that Obama should use this opportunity to his advantage to prove his capabilities to the American people.
Clinton can't win
Los Angeles Times
May 8, 2008
Author: Unknown
The author of this article believes that Hillary Clinton has officially lost the race. He states that she is now only doing harm to her party and the American people by remaining in the race. She is distracting from the real issues at hand, the fact that the American people need to be informed on the differences in the two real candidates for President. The author gives Hillary full credit for her efforts and says that Obama should not just become the Democratic candidate because he was unopposed, but rather that Hillary truly gave her full efforts in the campaign battle. The author also notes that Hillary has two last options, both ending in not very good outcomes. One is that she can appeal that delegate votes in Florida and Michigan be counted, but it is unlikely to get her anywhere because we are now in mid-swing and the rules cannot be changed. The other is to convince super delegates to vote for her and against what their area has voted, but this is unlikely because it can only do harm to the super delegates in neglecting their peoples’ vote. This was a well written, informative editorial that stated facts and left out bias.
May 8, 2008
Author: Unknown
The author of this article believes that Hillary Clinton has officially lost the race. He states that she is now only doing harm to her party and the American people by remaining in the race. She is distracting from the real issues at hand, the fact that the American people need to be informed on the differences in the two real candidates for President. The author gives Hillary full credit for her efforts and says that Obama should not just become the Democratic candidate because he was unopposed, but rather that Hillary truly gave her full efforts in the campaign battle. The author also notes that Hillary has two last options, both ending in not very good outcomes. One is that she can appeal that delegate votes in Florida and Michigan be counted, but it is unlikely to get her anywhere because we are now in mid-swing and the rules cannot be changed. The other is to convince super delegates to vote for her and against what their area has voted, but this is unlikely because it can only do harm to the super delegates in neglecting their peoples’ vote. This was a well written, informative editorial that stated facts and left out bias.
After the Cyclone
Los Angeles Times
May 7, 2008
Author: Unknown
This article was written concerning the recent cyclone that hit a portion of Southeast Asia called Myanmar. The cyclone has taken the lives of 22,000 people and there are 41,000 more people that are missing. This is a poor country that is not well governed. The government is being accused to not warning its people about the storm they knew was threatening them. The United States is now trying to step in and help as much as they can. So far money and aid have been sent to the country and the U.S. is trying to expedite visas for volunteers that wish to aid the people. Unfortunately though, the author criticizes the President and The First Lady for some of their actions. In the opinion of the author the President made a wrong move in giving an award to the leader of a country that is not in good standing with Myanmar shortly after the cyclone hit. The First Lady also chose a bad time to criticize the government of this country for their failure to warn the people of the approaching storm. The author applauds the efforts the country has made to help this suffering country, but he also brings to light some of the mistakes the leaders of our country have made regarding improper timing of events. This article was well written and brings up factual, logical accusations against our countries leaders, but is not too hard on them so as to turn anyone off.
May 7, 2008
Author: Unknown
This article was written concerning the recent cyclone that hit a portion of Southeast Asia called Myanmar. The cyclone has taken the lives of 22,000 people and there are 41,000 more people that are missing. This is a poor country that is not well governed. The government is being accused to not warning its people about the storm they knew was threatening them. The United States is now trying to step in and help as much as they can. So far money and aid have been sent to the country and the U.S. is trying to expedite visas for volunteers that wish to aid the people. Unfortunately though, the author criticizes the President and The First Lady for some of their actions. In the opinion of the author the President made a wrong move in giving an award to the leader of a country that is not in good standing with Myanmar shortly after the cyclone hit. The First Lady also chose a bad time to criticize the government of this country for their failure to warn the people of the approaching storm. The author applauds the efforts the country has made to help this suffering country, but he also brings to light some of the mistakes the leaders of our country have made regarding improper timing of events. This article was well written and brings up factual, logical accusations against our countries leaders, but is not too hard on them so as to turn anyone off.
Toward Better Student Lending
The New York Times
May 8, 2008
Author: Unknown
This article pertains to the government making new law regarding student loans. In recent years students have faced difficultly in actually getting what they bargained for out of student loans. The government has stepped in and said that the lenders are required to stay in the market even when times are rough on them in order to fulfill their obligation to the students they are aiding. Since times are not great for student loans the government will occasionally step in and make direct loans to students, but this is not a common practice and may not become common in the near future. The author suggests various ways that he feels will address some of the problems faced in the student loan market. This article provides good information, but was somewhat confusing to me. If I had better knowledge of the subject matter, I believe this would have been a very informative article.
May 8, 2008
Author: Unknown
This article pertains to the government making new law regarding student loans. In recent years students have faced difficultly in actually getting what they bargained for out of student loans. The government has stepped in and said that the lenders are required to stay in the market even when times are rough on them in order to fulfill their obligation to the students they are aiding. Since times are not great for student loans the government will occasionally step in and make direct loans to students, but this is not a common practice and may not become common in the near future. The author suggests various ways that he feels will address some of the problems faced in the student loan market. This article provides good information, but was somewhat confusing to me. If I had better knowledge of the subject matter, I believe this would have been a very informative article.
The Tax Trickery Spreads
The New York Times
May 8, 2008
Author: Unknown
This article concerns the mention of a reduction of tax on gas in the upcoming months. Senator Clinton and McCain both are in support of this tax; one because they are in the presidential race and believe this will appeal to voters, but also because they are looking to give the Americans some relief at the pump. The author of this article does not believe this is the right way to go about lowering gas prices. He says that this move will only hurt the economy and only aid the average driver about $2.50 a month. The economy will suffer because the proper taxes will not be collected from gas purchases. The author states that if the government is concerned with conserving fossil fuels, they should increase the price of gas instead of decreasing it to make it more appealing to the consumer. The author also believes the two presidential candidates that support this plan of action do not have proper evidence of the success of the tax cut. Personally, I would enjoy any relief I can get in gas prices, especially with summer approaching, but what do I know about how my selfish wants will affect the economy as a whole. Hopefully the law makers have a better sense of economics than the two Presidential candidates admit to having.
May 8, 2008
Author: Unknown
This article concerns the mention of a reduction of tax on gas in the upcoming months. Senator Clinton and McCain both are in support of this tax; one because they are in the presidential race and believe this will appeal to voters, but also because they are looking to give the Americans some relief at the pump. The author of this article does not believe this is the right way to go about lowering gas prices. He says that this move will only hurt the economy and only aid the average driver about $2.50 a month. The economy will suffer because the proper taxes will not be collected from gas purchases. The author states that if the government is concerned with conserving fossil fuels, they should increase the price of gas instead of decreasing it to make it more appealing to the consumer. The author also believes the two presidential candidates that support this plan of action do not have proper evidence of the success of the tax cut. Personally, I would enjoy any relief I can get in gas prices, especially with summer approaching, but what do I know about how my selfish wants will affect the economy as a whole. Hopefully the law makers have a better sense of economics than the two Presidential candidates admit to having.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Crippled Election Commission
The New York Times
May 8, 2007
Author: Unknown
This article addresses the concern that the Election Commission in now missing four of its six members and is unlikely to be able to function under these conditions. The Commission has just gotten rid of one of its members because he called to question John McCain's campaign funding. The author applauds the member, David Mason, for standing up for a discrepancy and for what he believes is right. In the author's opinion more credible people should be considered for the job than are currently under review for the position. As of now Hans von Spakovsky is an possible candidate for the job, but the author and many others are in strong opposition to him getting the job. The author gives his opinion that he would be an awful person to appoint to the position because of his opposition to minority voting. The article is well written and informative. I learned some good information by reading this article that I would have otherwise paid much attention to. It is a good issue to be aware of because of the coming election.
May 8, 2007
Author: Unknown
This article addresses the concern that the Election Commission in now missing four of its six members and is unlikely to be able to function under these conditions. The Commission has just gotten rid of one of its members because he called to question John McCain's campaign funding. The author applauds the member, David Mason, for standing up for a discrepancy and for what he believes is right. In the author's opinion more credible people should be considered for the job than are currently under review for the position. As of now Hans von Spakovsky is an possible candidate for the job, but the author and many others are in strong opposition to him getting the job. The author gives his opinion that he would be an awful person to appoint to the position because of his opposition to minority voting. The article is well written and informative. I learned some good information by reading this article that I would have otherwise paid much attention to. It is a good issue to be aware of because of the coming election.
It's about the White House
New York Times
may 7, 2008
Author: Unknown
The author of this article is writing to criticize the progress of the presidential race. He believes that Clinton and Obama are too busy trying to decide how the Democratic Party will determine who is president. He says that they should focus more on the issues the American people are interested in hearing that will help them decide who they really want running our country. The author states that there are major differences in the Democratic candidates and the Republican candidate, but Obama and Clinton have not separated their views enough for the people to make their decision. Through the author's extreme criticism of John McCain's right wing views, it can be determined that a bias was present in writing this article. It was a well written article stating some changes that need to be made in order to draw much need lines between where the Democratic candidates stand on certain views, but it was heavily opinionated in the Democrats favor.
may 7, 2008
Author: Unknown
The author of this article is writing to criticize the progress of the presidential race. He believes that Clinton and Obama are too busy trying to decide how the Democratic Party will determine who is president. He says that they should focus more on the issues the American people are interested in hearing that will help them decide who they really want running our country. The author states that there are major differences in the Democratic candidates and the Republican candidate, but Obama and Clinton have not separated their views enough for the people to make their decision. Through the author's extreme criticism of John McCain's right wing views, it can be determined that a bias was present in writing this article. It was a well written article stating some changes that need to be made in order to draw much need lines between where the Democratic candidates stand on certain views, but it was heavily opinionated in the Democrats favor.
The Death Penalty Reutrns
The New York Times
May 7, 2008
Author: Unknown
This article addresses the influx of people that will be put to death by lethal injection this year. The article states that between now and October there will be 15 deaths, and by the end of the year there may be as many as 50 to 60 deaths scheduled. The author does not believe in the death penalty and asks us to reconsider our opinion of the act as well. He brings up the fact that some of the drugs used on the people being executed have been known to cause extreme pain and this is a possible violation of the 8th amendment regarding cruel and unusual punishment. He wraps up his argument by restating that with the numbers of people being executed rapidly growing we should take into deep consideration whether our capital punishment laws are still valid. After reading this article I am still in disgust that our nation continues to allow such intolerable acts to take place, and hearing that the prisoners endure extreme pain at the time of the execution made me even angrier.
May 7, 2008
Author: Unknown
This article addresses the influx of people that will be put to death by lethal injection this year. The article states that between now and October there will be 15 deaths, and by the end of the year there may be as many as 50 to 60 deaths scheduled. The author does not believe in the death penalty and asks us to reconsider our opinion of the act as well. He brings up the fact that some of the drugs used on the people being executed have been known to cause extreme pain and this is a possible violation of the 8th amendment regarding cruel and unusual punishment. He wraps up his argument by restating that with the numbers of people being executed rapidly growing we should take into deep consideration whether our capital punishment laws are still valid. After reading this article I am still in disgust that our nation continues to allow such intolerable acts to take place, and hearing that the prisoners endure extreme pain at the time of the execution made me even angrier.
The Gas-Guzzler Gambit
This is an editorial piece on the gas tax. It written in a fairly abrasive manner and I could definitely see how some people would be turned away from it. As a whole, it quotes mostly mainstream economists and logical arguments stating that removing the gas tax is a bad economic idea. Despite his well researched points and logical arguments, I find that he doesn't actually argue against the topic as if he's trying to convince the reader. Instead, its almost as if I'm reading a page out of his journal in which he is griping about the state of our economy and why. The writer then goes on to insult Clinton for her blind support of this bill despite being completely unable to defend why she thinks it is a good idea. Claiming she's pandering for votes, the writer is obviously insulted. On the other hand, Obama is commended for not "caving" into this voting fishhook. Overall, while I do actually agree with the writer, this is an absolutely terrible article.
Sharpton Arrested At Protest Of Police Shooting
I first clicked on this article because I saw Sharpton's name and he never fails to make me smile. Aside from Sharpton's antics, however, this was an interesting article that was very well written. Al Sharpton and others gathered in front of a police station to protest the killing of a black man by three police officers. Calling it a hate crime, these people peacefully protested and demand that these officers be tried. The crowd did not leave after the police demanded it of them, and so Sharpton and his fellows were arrested. I thought this article was so well written because it remained completely unbiased in the face of very heated issues. Also, while remaining unbiased, the article managed to give facts about the case that lead the readers to their own opinions. Included in these fact are that the three officers were white, black, and hispanic. This information was not given in contradiction to the statement about this being a hate crime but instead was given at the end with other police information. The author also made good use of a quote by the victim's aunt, stating that "never has a white cop been convicted for killing a black man." While this statement is blatantly untrue, ignorant, and easily arguable, the writer did not even attempt a rebuttal but instead left the reader to criticize the statement.
Clinton Loans Herself $6.4 Million
This was an enlightening article about Hilary Clinton's campaign finances. While I was under the impression candidates usually raised money from outside sources (politicians, supportive businesses, corporations, citizens, fund raisers, etc.), this article describes Clinton's massive "donations" to her own cause. While it is normal for politicians to use some of their own money for funding, Clinton has so far "donated" $11.4 Million to her own cause. As an article, I found that it was well written and did not appear biased at all. Although it was not opinionated, I do feel the author recognized Clinton's finances as a problem because of the actual facts presented. After describing Hillary's loans, the article goes on to state the timeline in which it occurred, making it a point to state that she must continue to do this because she keeps losing support.
Luncheon created new pride in BR
The Advocate
May 7, 2008
Author: Dale Brown
Dale Brown wrote this article after recently attending the "What's Good in Baton Rouge" luncheon. He states that he left the luncheon with a greater sense of pride in the Baton Rouge community than he originally had. He acknowledged the "camaraderie, pride, spirit, and talent" impressed him. He also said that it upsets him that people in other parts of the country are making statements that Louisiana has a problem with ethics. He makes his claims sound credible by saying that he has traveled around the world (90 different countries) and he is still proud to call Louisiana home. I thought this was a pretty cool opinion article and it instilled an extra little sense of pride in my city.
May 7, 2008
Author: Dale Brown
Dale Brown wrote this article after recently attending the "What's Good in Baton Rouge" luncheon. He states that he left the luncheon with a greater sense of pride in the Baton Rouge community than he originally had. He acknowledged the "camaraderie, pride, spirit, and talent" impressed him. He also said that it upsets him that people in other parts of the country are making statements that Louisiana has a problem with ethics. He makes his claims sound credible by saying that he has traveled around the world (90 different countries) and he is still proud to call Louisiana home. I thought this was a pretty cool opinion article and it instilled an extra little sense of pride in my city.
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