you go girl

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/26/sotomayor.bio/index.html

Finally, a second woman on the Supreme Court. Hopefully.

After reading, "Who is Sonia Sotomayor?" I feel I have a better understanding of where she is coming from and what she is going to do for this country. Coming from Princeton and Yale, with honors, it is an under-statement to say she is intelligent. Coming from the Bronx, raised by her single parent mother, it would also be an understatement to say she is tough. 

I think the tone of this article is a more optimistic one. It makes it clear about her rough background, her diabetes diagnosis, her experience, and her challenges with the GOP. It goes on to quote others, viewing her in very good light. Needless to say I think the author is pleased with this appointment. 

Named a district judge by George H. Bush and then promoted to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals by Clinton, she seems to have a even background with the parties. 

The article seems to consider her more liberal. Referred to as "liberal-leaning" and then the conservative stand point of  a "hard left record." I think, considering her Hispanic and less fortunate, financially, background, I would believe her ideology would be far more democratic.

As far groups she is representing, she is definitely covering her bases. Women, Hispanics, Catholics?,  Liberals, Moderates.

Watching Obama speak about her nomination, I was even more impressed, when he stated that she has more experience than anyone on the board when they were nominated.  She then spoke of her about remembering the "real-world consequences" and how she firmly believed in upholding the law. 

I think she is a tough woman, with an impeccable background.  I look forward to seeing how she handles her self in this great position. 

yikes

So I am not halfway done reading the list of the Congress Matters and my brain is kinda mushy. How on earth are all those people handling alllllllllllllllll those issues on ONE day?! I can barley eat three meals, go to class, go to work, pay bills, and maintain personal relationships through the course of a day. And those are just my personal issues. I went from reading about gun control, to credit cards, to "reviewing the status of military education twenty years after the Goldwater-Nichols Act and the Skelton Panel" Um. what?! Seriously? This is mind-boggling. 

How is our central government supposed to handle *efficiently* all 43 of these IMMENSELY broad issues? Its impossible obviously since, lets face it, did they really get all that shit done? When was the lunch break? 

I don't even know what to say. It is seriously upsetting as a citizen, literally paying for them to be there RIGHT NOW. And what are they doing, arguing for me? Ya right. If I wanted congress to do something for me today, I might as well jump off a bridge. 

Now I have to check myself here. I have the right to sit here and bitch about the "shity" job they are doing on my Mac laptop at my nice little school in the Burbs of IL. I have to consider them: how many of them really want to be sitting there "debating" ALL those issues all day. They have lives and families and blahblahblah. 

But back to reality, I AM PAYING THEM. And what did they do for me yesterday? NOTHIN. Did the CA Supreme Court rule in favor equality? NO! Am I *technically* considered an equal to males in this nation? NO! They just sit there and talk about "appropriations" and "foreign relations" and what it really boils down to is, "We need money so where can we take it from?" 

Ya, ya. America is the land of the free and if I wanted to write a Bill asking my government to make me equal I could, but where it would it go? Beneath homeland security and the whales! I'm sorry, I love the whales and I do not want to see America get "attacked" again, but how the hell is this system so whack that they can't take what, "We the People" REALLY want and need for our "pursuit of happiness" and really actually DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

Because its all political bullshit and as much as the House is for "the people" its for rich white men who are afraid of change and only want what is going to benefit them. 

So is the issue not what the flaw is in the Congress Matters but the Congress its self? I should think so. But to change something like that is impossible. Cause no matter what, whoever gets to sit in House of the Senate, they are allllll going to want the same things(coughmoneycough), regardless of political party or background, because thats how it was in 1776 and thats how its gonna stay. Why?! I have no fucking clue. 

I wish I could wrap my mind around people who desire to jump through all the government hoops and bend over backwards to get some power! 0o0o0o power. what the fuck is that? Who even has the power? The one with the nukes? The one with the most financial backing? 

Now, I have obviously gotten off course, so to wind it down, I remain baffled with our government and how it handles its self on a day to day basis. I hate to say it, but I know NOTHING about what really happens in there. But there in lies the problem. If there is to be change in this nation, shouldn't the people have a hell of a lot more say in what happens here, and not have to go to law school or live in D.C? The answer is yes. If that ever gonna happen? You tell me.

holla!

http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/courts/supreme/SF052609.PDF

This is so exciting!!! Tuesday is gonna be a big day for American government!!! 

represent yo

For the majority of my life I have lived in Palatine, IL which resides in Cook County. 

My state representative is Melissa Bean (D). She is currently serving her third term in the office and represents not just cook county, but also parts of Lake and McHenry Counties. Coming from a small family business background, she strives for more money for small businesses, tax relief, and affordable healthcare. Her website also states that she is trying to demand better fiscal responsibility from the federal government, which is nice. 

Reading the proposed amendments (what I could understand of them) it appears she is genuinely trying to promote more small business stability, as she stated. In fact, just today she joined President Obama in Washington D.C. for the signing of a foreclosure bill she helped write, which is quite impressive. The bill is doing exactly what she is promoting, helping the American family maintain their homes and finical accountability without completly bombing the economy even more. 

Personally, I'm impressed. She seems to be a busy woman (2 kids, husband, and a State to look after) 

My state sentator is Matt Murphy (R). Reading his welcome page on his website, he is saying what I assume most politicans are saying right now: we are working for more money. He appears to be unhappy with Blagojevich (who isn't) and is showing concern over the higher taxes citizens will need to pay to get out selves out of the situation . He agrees with Bean regarding a tighter rein on federal spending. I was impressed with the scholarship he listed on his website that is for the 27th district community. I plan on applying too : )

Coooooook County. O what a place. 5.3 million people; thats a lot!  I had no idea the "little" place I lived in was so large and had such an impact on the IL government. It is the second largest country next to LA country! Established in 1831 and named after Daniel Cook, an early statesman, representative, and attorney general of the state. In terms of pop-culture references, Cook County has been used many times in reference to the enormous Cook County Jail. 

All in all, I think Cook Country and its representatives appear to be working hard for us, but then again, Cook County, is enormous and I am sure that it has more than its fair share of bad guys. Unfortunately, I know I have only skimmed the very tip of the iceberg in terms of representative research and programs currently in Cook County. 

is it NORML?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-na-court-marijuana19-2009may19,0,141615.story

Don't laugh: I feel this issue is a very hot topic in the States right now. What with the economic crisis, thoughts have turned to a "bailout with pot," if you will. Even though Obama has more or less scoffed upon the legalization of marijuana for the general public, I feel that this debate in California is a step in the right direction.

A few weeks ago I watched the movie, "Super High Me" which was in no way an intellectual film, but informed me of the current drug "war" going on in the designated states that have legal medical marijuana cards and distribution locations for patients suffering from various ailments that they treat with a prescription for medical marijuana. However, many of these locations are suffering from local officers coming in and shutting them down, claiming that what they are doing is illegal, according to the Feds. All medications are then confiscated and the business must start from scratch, if they re-open at all.

I find it HIGHlarious that the Supreme Court rejected the appeals without a comment. And then went on to say that Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.  would "not devote great effort to prosecuting low-level marijuana cases." But to be perfectly honest, I think that a nation that has a "Controlled Substance Act" but then allows said substance to be distributed as medicine needs a bit of a fixer-upper. 

Either way this ruling is a great step for patients that actually suffer greatly and have come to depend on marijuana to sustain a life worth living. And it paves the way for other states to accept marijuana as valid prescription instead of a dangerous "refer madness" narcotic. 

So then, what next? We legalize marijuana state by state, until its nationwide, and everyone with a Dr. can get a "green-card"? That sounds a lot like legal pot to me. So why prolong the inevitable? I say Obama should spark one and get some green flowin'. Just sayin'. 

summerskool

Yo. My name is Melissa Redmond. I am a Art History and Painting Studio major. I enjoy listening to awesome music such as Phish, Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac etc. I have a pet rabbit Alice, and a hamster named Blue. 

My expectations for this course is to fulfill my Constitution requirement and educate me on the matters of government procedures.

I do not have much experience with government besides my high school history class.