Obama attending a meet-and-greet with former inmates

March 31, 2016
Unit 4: The Executive Branch

Obama Commutes Sentences for 61 Convicted of Drug Crimes

Summary 

President Obama is granting clemency to prisoners convicted of drug crimes from the 1990's war on drugs era. Sentencing during the war on drugs was harsher and since then the minimum punishment has become less excessive. Obama has described past sentencing as "unduly harsh, unfair to minorities and badly outdated," and that he believes "America is a nation of second chances, and with hard wok, responsibility, and better choices, people can change their lives and contribute to our society." So far, President Obama has pardoned a total of 248 inmates and wants to help them become a part of the community. The President also met with former prisoners at the restaurant Busboys and Poets (I've eaten there!), “You’ve got folks around this table who are now attorneys,” Mr. Obama said. “They’re raising children, getting married.”

A mother with a photo of her son who has been granted an early release

Analysis

Part of President Obama's policy agenda was to release those who were punished too severely and give them a chance to re-enter society. By exercising his right to grant pardons, he is giving many citizens a second opportunity which they are extremely grateful for. Other inmates have requested clemency but they will not be accepted due to the violence of their crime or they haven't served enough years in prison yet. 

 

Representative Steve Scalise (Republican)

Rep. Steve Scalise was recruited to run for Congress to replace Quentin D. Dastugue’s seat which he won in 1995. He supports the reduction of state sales tax on food and utilities in return for a higher state income. He also serves on subcommittees such as Communications and Technology, Energy and Power, and Oversight and Investigations which are all part of the Committee of Energy and Commerce. In 2011, he was a co-sponsor of the Stop Online Piracy bill but voted against the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in 2013. His biggest political contributors are the American Medical Association and Protect America Today.

Encrypt Act of 2016
Rep. Scalise would not support this act due to his contributions to the Communications and Technology subcommittee which stands for cyber security, privacy, and date security. As this bill refers to the case of Apple refusing to surpass their own security system on iPhones to give police access, security is a vital part to everyday life with technology everywhere. 

Aviation Innovation 
If this bill was enacted, it would take away the careers of 30,000 air traffic controllers which is against Rep. Scalise's ideal of employing the American people. This bill would be "subjecting the system to economic downturns and financial hardships," totally refuting Scalise's goal of supporting American families and businesses.

Sentencing Reform Act of 2015
Rep. Steve Scalise would also not support this bill because he believes ensuring the safety of families with a strong and powerful security. By reducing prisoners' sentences, it interferes with Scalise's belief of increasing security and "ensuring that local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies have the tools and support needed to protect families in Louisiana and throughout the United States."

March 1, 2016
Unit 3: Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media

American Independents Movement: Fewer Identify with Political Parties

 

Summary

Party de-alignment is becoming more popular these days as more and more voters (39%) identify as independents. This shift is led by young voters but they still lean Democratic and can be considered "the strongest generation for Democrats" based on how they're voting. The main cause in this deviation from the main two political parties is due to the level of distrust people have in their government. Recent Gallup polls show record low levels of people's confidence in state government. 

Bernie Sanders

Analysis

As the number Hispanics, Asian-Americans, the non-religious, and those with college degrees increases within the population, so does the Democratic vote. On the other hand, whites, the silent generation and white evangelical Protestants numbers decrease within the population bringing down the Republican vote. In today's current election, Bernie Sanders is an independent candidate running for the Democrat vote. In the future, a candidate from an independent party could have the chance of becoming the president.


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