Political People Study

THE THREE CANDIDATES to RESEARCH:
~ Gary Johnson (Libertarian)
~ Mitt Romney   (Republican)
~ Barack Obama (Democrat)

Gary Johnson:
Mitt Romney:
Barack Obama:

VIEWS: (These are just basic points on several issues. www.ontheissues.org/)
INFRASTRUCTURE & TECHNOLOGY:~Johnson
NM building twice as many 4-lane highways with no tax raise. 
Opposes Net Neutrality = no government regulation of Internet

~Romney
Invest in nanotech and materials science.

Believes in investing in education and technology to advance society.

Believes that government has no role in "managing" the Internet. (SOPA/PIPA) 

~Obama 

Double funding for key research agencies.

Invest 3% of GDP in public & private Research & Development.
Increase funding for math and science research & education.

Hopes to rebuild the country's crumbling infrastructure.
13B stimulus funds to upgrade rail lines & build new ones.

ABORTION:

~Johnson

Pro-Choice

~Romney

Pro-Life

~Obama

Pro-Choice

CRIME:

~Johnson

Supports Death Penalty (States the he is willing to debate about it.) (This shows that he wants to hear from other sides, appealing to the opponent, thus making him more likable.)

Zero tolerance for violence against government employees.

Willing to legalize drugs to cut crime.

~Romney

Supports Death Penalty

Supports "three-strikes" sentencing.

~Obama

Against Death Penalty.

Hopes to ban racial profiling & eliminate disparities in sentencing.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS:

 ~Johnson

Focus on prevention and states for Endangered Species.

No compromise on clean air, but no cap-and-trade.

~Romney

Believes that Clean Air & Water Acts are significantly out of date.

Believes in states rights in regards to emission standards

~Obama

Promotes green technologies and fuel efficiency standards

GUN CONTROL:

~Johnson

Believes laws regarding guns are ineffective.

~Romney 

Against gun control. Willing to ban assault weapons that potentially harm police officers.

~Obama

States he wants to leave gun control up to states.

Respects 2nd Amendment, but endorses gun bans in local areas/governments.

Again, these are just some basic points about the views on the candidates, and this is more of a note format to help me later.

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The candidate who I seem to agree with the most is Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson. When I took the online quiz I agreed with the Libertarian Party 73%. (this is most likely who I will choose to do the oration about.)

I will hopefully also be adding to this throughout the week.

Things to think about:
- Larger Issues (Crime, Abortion, Gun Control. These aren't going to have a lot of body to them. Environmental concerns, foreign policy, etc. <--- the types of things needed in the oration.)


~ Personal Anecdotes/Personal Connections (Connect with townspeople. Focus perhaps on how issues and opinions affect Alaskans/Skagwegians/8th graders etc.)
~ Statistical/Quantitative Data
~ Expert Testimony
~ Logic within position/stance/claim
~ Reflection of another side(s)
~ Answer to "So what?" question. Why should the audience care, focus on pathos within conclusion.
~ Hook, thesis, order of development
~

- - Portrait of an Ideal World Précis - -

    In the 1924 essay Portrait of an Ideal World, Henry Louis Mencken argues against the prohibition of alcohol by describing not only the benefits of being slightly intoxicated at all times, but what harms are in store for the world should everyone remain sober. He begins with describing how drinking small amounts “releases the qualities which mellow us and make our fellows love us—for example, amiability, generosity, toleration, humor, sympathy,” (Paragraph 1) and transitions to the dangers of a non-alcoholic lifestyle, “All the great villainies of history have been perpetrated by sober men, and chiefly by teetotalers.” (Paragraph 1) Mencken’s argument is rather silly, yet this is not accidental, for he does this in order to satirize how absurd banning alcohol is when the greatest harm from too much is “fatuous bawling or maudlin tears.” (Paragraph 2) The author’s argument appeals to the common man of the era by declaring the alcohol brings out the most enjoyable traits, making people generally more likable; Mencken appeals to the American Congress that abolishing such an act would benefit the country and further the advancement of the human race while simultaneously ridding the world of evil.



Re-written AP Essay

     As we gaze upon the activity in the local soup kitchen, we can see the careful ladling of a high school student; he gently pours the broth that will soon please the belly of a complete stranger. This student is not getting paid, or receiving any reward larger than a "Thank you!", so why would he/she partake in in this establishment? Well, one shouldn't feel obligated to receive anything, other than the knowledge that others will be better off because of their actions. People of all ages can give back and make their residence prosper along with their neighbours, and the earlier a person realizes this, the better! Should it be mandatory, especially for high school students, in order to graduate? If we want a nation of selfless, generous individuals contributing to the growth of humanity, we should definitely consider the possibility!

     The stereotypical teenager, notably ages twelve to fourteen, are entering odd stages in their life and typically busy with sports, video games, or experimenting with mom's makeup. However, John Prueter of Essexville started his voluntary work at this age, by helping the elderly. His duties were numerous as he regularly went to help in "cooking and gardening, playing games with residents and just chatting with them." (Detroit News, pg. 77) Prueter continued for many years, and it is likely he won't be stopping anytime soon. John Prueter is a prime example of what we can expect from the next generation, safely knowing that we can trust them with the future.

     Community service not only builds confidence, helps those among you, and provides an respectable, positive reputation; it's great for educational future! Those who are more willing to engage in community service are usually more keen in their studies. When asked in community service should be required for a diploma, 52% of kids with good grades agreed, as opposed to the 70% of children with poor grades, who disagreed (Lopez, Mark Hugo, pg. 81).

     We want kids to be smart, and getting them to do community service is just the thing for them to really set the bar high. As compliance to doing such volunteer work is good, colleges often look for students who have committed a lot of time to it! Willie Grotham of Washington-Lee Highschool started a service club to raise money for various causes and charities. He has a number of friends and peers involved who are really opening their opportunities up by participating. About his club, Grothman said, "All the college people I've been talking to have been fairly impressed." So it's apparent that by volunteering and participating in activities such as Grotham's club, the resumé of the individual becomes more attractive to institutions.

     By giving our next-in-lines the proper attitude on helping out their fellow man, we'll start to see exponentially positive growth in the country. Without inputting this knowledge early, we face the possibility of a nation who cannot govern itself due to the future leaders eating away at it from the inside out. To counteract this, let us all be reminded of what good community service can do and how it can shape character and pave a clearer road to a prosperous future.   
 



NOTES FOR RE-WRITE:
- Finish the essay
- Vary sentence structure; complex, periodic, cumulative, etc.
- Develop a more defined thesis statement + order of development
- Avoid using the word 'them' too often
- Eliminate all second-person 'you' instances.
- Perhaps a shortened hook.    

Essay on Community Service (Soon to be Re-Written)

     As we gaze upon the activity in the local soup kitchen, we can see the careful ladeling of a high school student; he gently pours the broth that will soon please the belly of a complete stranger. This student is not getting paid, or receiving any reward larger than a "Thank you!", so why would he/she partake in in this establishment? Well, you shouldn't feel obligated to receive anything, other than the knowledge that others will be better off because of your actions. People of all ages can give back and make their residence prosper along with their neighbours, and the earlier a person realizes this, the better! Should it be mandatory, especially for high school students in order to graduate? If we want a nation of selfless, generous individuals contributing to the growth of humanity, we should definitely consider the possibility!

     The stereotypical teenager, notably ages twelve to fourteen, are entering odd stages in their life and typically busy with sports, video games, or experimenting with mom's makeup. However, John Prueter of Essexville started his volutary work at this age, by helping the elderly. His duties are numerous as he regularly goes to help in "cooking and gardening, playing games with residents and just chatting with them." (Detroit News, pg. 77) Prueter continued for many years, and it is likely he won't be stopping anytime soon. John Prueter is a prime example of what we can expect from the next generation, safely knowing that we can trust them with the future.

     Community service not only gives confidence, helps those among you, and provides you with a positive reputation; it's great in the educational life! Those who are more willing to engage in community service are usually more keen in their studies. When asked in community service should be required for a diploma, 52% of kids with good grades agreed, as opposed to the 70% of children with poor grades, who disagreed. (Lopez, Mark Hugo, pg. 81)

     We want our kids to be smart, and getting them to do community service is just the thing for them to really set the bar high. As compliance to doing such volunteer work is good, colleges often look for students who have committed a lot of time to it! Willie Grotham of Washington-Lee Highschool start a service club to raise money for various causes and charities. He has a number of friends and peers involved who are really opening their opportunities up by participating. About his club, Grothman said, "All the college people I've been talking to have been fairly impressed." So it's apparent that putting yourself through volunteering, your life becomes more attractive to institutions.

     By giving our next-in-lines the proper attitude on helping out their fellow man...


NOTES FOR RE-WRITE:
- Finish the essay
- Fix highlighted words, for spelling and punctuation errors.
- Vary sentence structure; complex, periodic, cumulative, etc.
- Develop a more defined thesis statement + order of development
- Avoid using the word 'them' too often
- Eliminate all second-person 'you' instances.
- Perhaps a shortened hook.    

News -

Before my article, you might/might not enjoy this.
Obama's Got Jokes

Obama Administration Endangered the Lives of Navy SEALs As Well As Their Families...

Navy SEAL Aaron Vaughn

Article - (Video Included)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



     The parents of Navy SEAL Aaron Vaughn have come out more and more over the past year about the predicament they faced over a little less than a year ago. Aaron Vaughn was a member of the team that found and killed Osama Bin Laden on May 1st, 2011; Vice President Joe Biden publicly identified the soldiers in an effort to congratulate them. However, this was not the smartest course of action, as the SEALs, well known for their secrecy and involvement in covert operations, were on high alert after Biden's announcement. Vaughn's parent state that he told them to delete everything they had on Facebook/Myspace pertaining to him or any of his friends in an effort to keep his identity safe along with his family. 
    One might not think that such security was compromised, yet in the grand scheme of war and terrorism, it doesn't take much. In fact, just three months after the announcement, (August 1st, 2011) Vaughn's helicopter was shot down, along with 16 other SEALS. 

I think that since I read the article and watched the video on the Fox News site, there was definitely some biased towards the Democrats and the Obama administration. It was quite obvious too, in fact this article was pretty much an accusation of the vice president jeopardizing nation security.

I began to ask myself, since this article deals with events that happened a year ago, why would fox news feature this on the front page with the 'EXCLUSIVE' brand across the top of the headline?
 I'd have to figure that Fox, wanting to push the Republican agenda, would hope that voters/readers would see this and realize Obama and his administration act to the detriment of America's safety. It is also pretty clever how they posted this on September 11th, a day where we reflect on all who were lost in the tragedy as well as those fighting to keep it from happening again. It strikes a patriotic chord within our hearts, and by posting an article about risking the lives of such servicemen/women, the Democrats (Obama specifically) are in the wrong. I will not be surprised if I see/hear a commercial or news bit about Romney or a Republican news source (other than Fox) using this story as a means to sway voters away from thinking about Barack.

Group Précis On "Why I Went To The Woods"

     In chapter two of Henry David Thoreau's 1854 book Walden, he claims that life should be lived in more of a simple manner asking, "Why should we live with such hurry and waste of life?" (3) The author says, "Men think that it is essential that the Nation have commerce, and export ice, and talk through a telegraph, ride thirty miles an hour, without a doubt, whether they do or not, but whether we should live like baboons or like men is a little uncertain," (2) reinforcing his thesis that we require very little to fulfill our lives. Thoreau details this in order to connect with nature, sharing the simplicity of the world around us, while still finding time to value and appreciate the journey of life and all it has to offer. With a literal tone, the author hopes to connect with the American people, to persuade them that there are better, worthier outlooks on life.

Chapter Three (Going to Add-On Soon)

SYNTHESIZING SOURCES:
Entering the Conversation

Instead of just going out and stating your opinion based on what you already know, writers are encouraged to draw from other authors and pick up as much knowledge as possible on the topic. Issues, locally to globally, have many viewpoints and one should get to know all sides + angles to better determine their stand. 

- Citing Sources
     This is what should always be done when research is involved. Citing sources helps develop a persuasive essay by giving the reader the location of your information, which can lead them to explore by themselves, while also appealing to ethos, as it makes it seem that you took the time to care and research a side you may not necessarily agree with.
 
- Facts
     Don't Lie! Lying is bad. These facts should be verifiable through the aforementioned sources. These add professionalism, give the reader a quantity to grasp onto to put your idea into relation, as well as make you seem smarter. It's always good to seem smart, and the facts that you add will help your argument within a persuasive essay, furthering your cause and likelihood of drawing others toward your side.
 
- Quantitative Data
     These are more or less facts, but statistical information; numbers and whatnot. Yet they can be more, such as graphs, trends, deep analytical variables that give more views upon a situation. 
 
- Expert Testimony
     This is where you get the opinion of someone who is trained in whatever it is you are discussing, whether they are a professor, have a PHD, or have worked many years in some field relating to your topic. It's always best to hear from them as it helps you as well as the readers understand some things while also appealing to your argument.

The chapter basically encompasses what we should be doing in our writing about current events. Staying on top of things, forming opinions, and gathering as much as we can to strengthen our position/opinion. 

This will lead to writing synthesis essays. 

REVISION! Précis

NOW REVISED! (50% less sodium)   


     In Jonathan Swift's 1729 essay, A Modest Proposal, the notion of harvesting year-old human children is suggested as a solution to a nation's socioeconomic struggles. In depth, Swift explains the benefits, such as ridding the world of beggars, providing income for landlords who essentially 'own' the lower class, and allowing more food to go around for the rest of the country. He satirically proposes this in order to get the Irish people to think about what his mirrored persona is saying, challenging others to come up with a better alternative in order to promote a nation of self-sufficiency who can revive themselves from their situation. The audience should pick up the satirical tone of Swift's alter ego, yet realize and value the imperativeness of his words so that the people can prosper without continuing down the path of poverty and self-destruction.

Notes on "Everyday Use"

Late night on Route 66, Somewhere in Arizona. Nick checks the speedometer, slows. He looks over at Kate quickly, then focuses on the road. He clears his throat. Kate stares out her window. The corner of her mouth twitches.

NICK: "So do you think there are many cops on the road?"

KATE: "This time of night?"

NICK: (SPEEDING UP) "Well... guess not."

Kate reaches for the radio buttons. He reaches at the same time. Their fingers touch.

NICK AND KATE: (AT ONCE) "Sorry."

NICK: "I mean... for the radio."

KATE: "Me too."

Kate looks out the window again. She begins to hum with the radio. Nick looks over at her again, longer this time. He begins to hum too. She turns to him now. He slows the car.

NICK: So, do you still want to go to the Grand Canyon?"

Why can this be interpreted? Because of rhetoric of course! :D (No, seriously...)

The book says that these two just suffer from an argument and don't want to be the first one to apologize. Hmmm... I thought they were just an awkward couple being dumb or something. Shows how much I know, anyway........

Rhetoric has a meaning that negatively stereotyped as something lacking any substance. Rhetoric is thought of as a tool to persuade audiences to do bad things or to follow blindly certain agendas. This also implies that the stereotype suggests that a speaker who is described as using rhetoric suggests that he/she is just full of hot air with nothing to say.

ACTUAL DEFINITION: (According to the packet)
Rhetoric: An everyday art, which humans use to process all messages that are sent and received. This is apparently the reason why writers and readers can communicate effectively. Can also be:
     -The art of analyzing all the language choices that writer, speaker, reader, or listener might make in a given situation so that the text becomes meaningful, purposeful, and effective.
     -The specific features of texts, written or spoken, that cause them to be meaningful, purposeful, and effective for readers or listeners in a given situation.

" I want to be... the very best!"

What it means to be good at Rhetoric:

     -Being skilled at rhetoric means being able to make good speeches and write good papers, but it also means having the ability to read other people's compositions and listen to their spoken words with a discerning eye and a critical ear.
     -Being skilled at rhetoric means reading not only to understand the main and supporting points of what someone writes but also to analyze the decision the rhetor makes as he/she works to accomplish a purpose for a specific audience.
     -Being skilled at rhetoric means being able to plan and write compositions, not just write them.
     -Being skilled at rhetoric means being able to examine a situation--in school, in your community, in society as a whole-- and determine what has already been said and written, what remains unresolved, and what you might say or write to continue the conversation or persuade readers to take action.

Again the Rhetorical Triangle comes up (Speaker <-> Audience <-> Subject)

When developing rhetorical stuffs, one must consider three elements:

- The subject and the kinds of evidence used to develop it
- The audience--their knowledge, ideas, attitudes, and beliefs
- The character of the rhetor--in particular, how the rhetor might use his or her personal character effectively in the text

6 Keys to developing skill with rhetoric: 

The Easy Ones:
1.) Understanding Persona
Voice
Tone

2.) Understanding Appeals to an Audience
Logos
Ethos
Pathos

3.) Understanding Subjects


The Harder Ones:
4.) Understanding Context
Purpose
-- WHY ?!? --
 
5.) Understanding Intention

6.) Understanding Genre

Sentence Syntax Work

Write sentences with the following structure:
Periodic, Loose, Parallel, Inverted Order, Interrupted Order.

Write the following types:
Simple, Compound, Complex, Compound-Complex.

Label Each.


Periodic Sentece:
"That day, even after he got kicked in the shins and fell into a pile of dry leaves, he still managed to get to work on time."
 
Loose (Cumulative) Sentence:
"Johnson just sold his bike, after bargaining with Frankie for over two hours in the front lawn, baking in the hot afternoon sun."
 
Parallel Structure:
"What is the purpose of having breakfast, what is the purpose of having lunch, what is the purpose of having dinner, why bother eating at all, it just makes us fat!"
 
Inverted Order Sentence:
"Over the mountain, walks Jimmy the Squire."
 
Interrupted Order Sentence:
"Lincoln--a man who proved himself in the arena as a true warrior--fell victim to the black plague."

Simple Sentence:
"The kitten listened to music."
 
Compound Sentence:
"The kitten listened to music, despite the neighbours banging on the walls."
 
Complex Sentence:
"Although the kitten listened loudly to her music, the police made her quiet the noise down."
 
Compound-Complex Sentence:
"Although the kitten was arrested, the kitten had no regrets, and the neighbours slept soundly for the remainder of the night."

A Modest Proposal Précis

     In Jonathan Swift's 1729 essay, A Modest Proposal, the notion of harvesting year-old human children is suggested as a solution to a nation's socioeconomic struggles. He explains the benefits in depth such as ridding the world of beggars, providing income for landlords who essentially 'own' the lower class, and allowing more food to go around for the rest of the country. He satirically proposes this in order to get the people to think about what his mirrored persona is saying, challenging others to come up with a better alternative in order to help the Irish people, aiding their situation. The audience should pick up the satirical tone of Swift's alter ego and think of it as a call to arms, pumping up a nation to take action and self-sufficiently fix itself.