Speak Outs
Should the government loosen restrictions in the No Child Left Behind Act? Posted on 2/15/2012 2:39:19 PM
When President George W. Bush championed the No Child Left Behind law, he set high goals for America’s students. The intention was that you and your classmates would all be proficient at reading and math by 2014. We’re now within two years of that deadline, and not anywhere close to achieving that goal. Obstacles cropped up, such as an achievement gap between minority students and their classmates. Teachers grew frustrated that the government expected them to make students perform better without providing the extra resources to make that happen. And the phrase “teaching to the test” began to spin around – the idea that teachers would be forced to instruct students only on content in the tests rather than overall concepts. This month, President Obama announced a change in law.

How should the federal government fund public transportation? Posted on 2/13/2012 9:33:36 AM
For many Americans, taking public transportation to and from work is a part of their daily routine. Buses, trolleys, trains and subways shuttle people from one place to another. While the routes may not be changing, legislation being debated in the House of Representatives could change the way the federal government funds public transportation. Called the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, the legislation would take the existing funding source for public transportation – money raised through taxes on gasoline – and instead fund mass transit with a onetime $40 billion deposit into a public transportation fund. The revenue from the gasoline tax would instead be given to states to finance infrastructure projects like road construction and repairs. How should the federal government pay for public transportation and infrastructure improvements? Should tax money raised through gasoline taxes pay for public transportation or infrastructure?

Same-Sex Marriage and the Constitution: What’s next for California’s Prop. 8? Posted on 2/9/2012 9:19:13 AM
The ever-evolving debate over same-sex marriage in the United States once again took a major turn this week, with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel ruling that California’s gay marriage ban is unconstitutional. That ban – known as Proposition 8, and passed by a 52 percent majority of California voters in 2008 – was meant to reverse another court decision, one from the California Supreme Court earlier that year that declared that same-sex marriage was permitted under the state constitution. The back-and-forth will probably carry on from here, continuing a dispute that has been waged for more than a decade.

Does law enforcement need a warrant to track someone with a GPS device? Posted on 2/6/2012 9:24:25 AM
If police use a GPS device to track someone, is that considered a search? That is the question the Supreme Court answered in late January, when it reviewed United States v. Jones. The court ruled unanimously that GPS tracking could be considered a search, therefore police need to obtain a warrant first. Do you agree with the Supreme Court’s decision? How will this affect police and law enforcement efforts?

Can schools refuse to publish a senior photograph for the yearbook? Posted on 2/2/2012 10:53:49 AM
The yearbook committee at Durango High School in Durango, Colo., is getting a lesson in the First Amendment. Seniors at the high school are allowed to submit their own senior photographs for the yearbook, and then a committee of five students reviews them. When aspiring model Sydney Spies submitted her photo, the yearbook committee rejected it, deeming it too racy for the yearbook. Spies submitted another photo, but it, too, was rejected, and instead of submitting yet another senior picture, she has decided to fight the decision. Should the school publish the photograph? Is a senior picture a form of expression?

No dropouts till 18: Is Obama’s proposal a good one? Posted on 1/30/2012 8:57:27 AM
Think about your classmates who have dropped out of school, or talked about dropping out. What do you think might happen if they couldn’t? President Obama thinks that it would force them to buckle down and achieve. In his State of the Union address last week, Obama proposed new dropout rules for schools in the United States. “When students don’t walk away from their education, more of them walk the stage to get their diploma,” he said. “When students are not allowed to drop out, they do better. So tonight, I am proposing that every state – every state – requires that all students stay in high school until they graduate or turn 18.”

Should Kim Kardashian pay more taxes? Posted on 1/26/2012 2:16:07 PM
“Being on TV changed my life,” quips Kim Kardashian on a YouTube video, “because I get lots of free stuff!” Kardashian’s claim starts off a video that campaigns to raise the tax rate for multimillionaires in California. Claiming that Kardashian made over $12 million in 2010 and paid only 1 percent more in taxes than the average Californian who makes $47,000 a year, the video makes the argument that millionaires should pay more taxes to pay for vital services like education and emergency responders. The tax, the makers of the video are arguing, could be a ballot initiative in California’s November election. But most millionaires and billionaires are against the idea. Should millionaires have to pay a higher percentage in taxes than middle-class taxpayers? Would the tax punish hardworking and successful people?

Online piracy and Internet blackout: What exactly happened? Posted on 1/23/2012 8:00:00 AM
If you tried to look something up on Wikipedia last Wednesday, you probably noticed something – you couldn’t. The free online encyclopedia’s U.S. edition participated in a nationwide Internet blackout on Jan. 18 in protest of two bills that Congress was debating – the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the House and the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) in the Senate. Visitors to the site could not search for information from its front page as they normally did; instead, they were greeted with a black page and appeals to call their elected officials. Other sites, like Google and Archive.org, also “went dark.” The blackout made enough of a statement that the two bills were withdrawn late last week, postponing a vote until there could be more debate and, in the words of Texas Rep. Lamar Smith, “wider agreement on a solution.” But what was the problem in the first place?

Do corporations have First Amendment rights? Posted on 1/19/2012 11:28:44 AM
With the Republican primaries under way, and national elections about to start heating up across the country, a new player is getting actively involved in elections: corporations. In 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a federal ban on spending by corporations and unions in federal elections was unconstitutional. It said corporations have the same free speech rights as individuals. The so-called super PACS, which are spending millions on ads in the primaries, are a direct result of the court ruling. Should corporations and unions be allowed to contribute unlimited amounts of money to influence elections?

Should the government regulate radio and TV broadcasts? Posted on 1/13/2012 1:42:15 PM
The Federal Communications Commission in charge of monitoring the broadcast airwaves – for, among other things, use of vulgar language – decided to step up its regulation, supported by a law signed by President George W. Bush. Television and radio stations could be fined for each instance of language considered vulgar by the FCC, or every time a violent act was portrayed. Broadcasters have been monitored by the government since the 1920s. In 1978, the Supreme Court in the landmark case FCC v. Pacifica Foundation upheld the FCC’s power to punish broadcasters that aired indecent material during prime time, when children were likely to be watching. But back then, broadcast media were people’s lifeline to the world around them – a small number of television networks and a small number of radio stations that the majority of Americans tuned in to for news and entertainment. The regulation was intended to protect children from content that might be suitable only for adults. Today, with hundreds of cable channels and millions of Internet sites, how much does broadcasting really matter?

How should the U.S. protect its border with Mexico? Posted on 1/11/2012 11:34:00 AM
In December 2011, the Department of Homeland Security announced it would reduce the number of National Guard troops on the border from 1,200 to 300. The department said it was able to reduce the number of troops because of an increase in Border Patrol officers in the region. The use of drones has also allowed the reduction of troops. The drop in troops also means that the Defense Department’s budget for border security would drop by half, from $120 million to $60 million. Additionally, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency has employed eight Predator drones to survey the border, mostly at night. Drone deployment is one of the many changes under way along the border as the United States and border states try to enforce the nearly 2,000-mile stretch of some of the driest, rugged land in the nation. How should the U.S. government secure its border? Will the increase in drones help fight illegal crossings? Will it be enough to lessen the need for troops on the border? Join the discussion and let us know what you think!

Path to the Presidency: How do parties choose their nominees? Posted on 1/10/2012 7:00:00 AM
Today, New Hampshire holds its presidential primary election, following the Iowa caucuses last week. Primaries are how political parties decide on their nominee before Election Day rolls around. Candidates from the same party run against one another, and the winner appears on the general election ballot. Primaries take place for Democrats and Republicans on all levels of government, from city councils to the White House.

Can drug-sniffing dogs violate your Fourth Amendment rights? Posted on 1/5/2012 2:00:00 PM
But can probable cause come from a dog? Lawmakers in Florida are urging the high court to take up the case of Franky the drug-sniffing dog, who during his seven-year career on the Miami-Dade Police Force led to the seizure of 2.5 tons of marijuana, 80 pounds of cocaine and $4.9 million in drug money from the region’s dealers. Many of those searches and seizures occurred in public spaces, such as the airport. In the instance in question, however, Franky was able to smell marijuana growing inside a house through its closed front door. Police used the dog’s nose as probable cause to obtain a warrant and make a bust.

Path to the Presidency: Primaries and political parties Posted on 1/3/2012 2:47:00 PM
If you watch television news or keep up with the headlines online, it’s difficult to miss the presidential primary elections. Every day there’s an update: results from another debate, a campaign speech, one candidate dropping in the polls while another takes the lead. Presidential primaries are the elections and caucuses held in each state to choose delegates to party conventions. There is a lot to keep track of. In this series, we’ll explore the presidential primaries, from the roots of party politics to the process of nominating a candidate. To understand how the primary process works, you first have to understand political parties. They are organizations of citizens banding together around shared beliefs and seeking power in numbers.

Clash of the Branches: Should Congress approve executive branch regulations? Posted on 12/19/2011 10:48:21 AM
In early December, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would stop any regulation issued by a federal agency unless approved by Congress and the president. The legislation, titled Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, was sponsored by Rep. Geoff Davis of Kentucky and supported by 200 other representatives who say that the legislation would cut down on unnecessary federal regulations that are hurting small businesses. Do you think the Regulation From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act should be enacted into law?

How will you celebrate Bill of Rights Day? Posted on 12/13/2011 2:02:22 PM
Imagine for a minute that the First Amendment did not exist. What would your life be like without the many freedoms it provides, just in that 45-word space? In it, you are given the freedom to speak as you choose, to worship in whatever religion you choose, to assemble with groups of your fellow citizens, and more.

Should Congress force the Supreme Court to allow TV cameras? Posted on 12/9/2011 1:47:09 PM
The U.S. Supreme Court conducts itself in a way that projects a certain image: intellectual, perceptive, dignified. A far cry from Judge Judy in her TV courtroom, hollering at defendants from the bench. Which is why the justices are worried about a proposed law that, if passed, would end the half-century ban on televised Supreme Court hearings. The Cameras in the Courtroom Act of 2011, being debated by the Senate now, would require television coverage of any hearings at the Supreme Court that are open to the public. If the law passes, nobody is quite expecting the court to change overnight. “I was trying to picture Ruth Bader Ginsburg turning into Judge Judy,” said Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar on ABC News. “It’s not going to happen.” But there is concern about a slow eroding of decorum in the nation’s highest court, according to Justice Anthony Kennedy.

Tweeting at the Governor: Social media and freedom of speech Posted on 11/30/2011 2:20:02 PM
A high school senior in Fairway, Kan., thought she was joking with a small group of friends when she poked fun at Gov. Sam Brownback on Twitter. Then the governor’s staff saw her post, and 18-year-old Emma Sullivan found herself in the middle of a national discussion about freedom of speech on the Internet.

Occupy and the Constitution: Are rights being violated? Posted on 11/21/2011 2:46:45 PM
As the Occupy movement presses toward its third month, the debate around it has also shifted. While observers once asked what the demonstrators were trying to accomplish, they now wonder (along with law enforcement officers and municipal officials across the country) whether the Occupy groups are acting within their constitutional rights. As images of police officers pepper-spraying protesters at close range circulated on the Internet last week, another question emerged: Are the Occupiers’ rights being violated?

Should social networks like Facebook better protect our privacy? Posted on 11/17/2011 7:00:00 AM
Calling Facebook merely a popular website would be a huge understatement. The social network is approaching universal, with 800 million users worldwide. Which is why it was such a big deal two years ago when the site altered its privacy policy. Backlash over the change, which critics said eroded privacy online, led to a recent investigation by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over whether or not Facebook was deceptive in announcing it to its customers.

Can the government force cigarette companies to run graphic warning labels? Posted on 11/14/2011 7:08:57 AM
Usually when you hear about free speech violations, the issue involves individuals who are prevented from expressing themselves. But it works the other way around, too. Your right to free speech can be violated if you’re forced to express yourself in a way you don’t want to. This fall, a U.S. District Court judge sided with a group of five tobacco companies in ruling that the Food and Drug Administration was violating their right to free speech by forcing them to place graphic warning labels on cigarette packs.

Nebraska vs. Keystone Pipeline: Is the state’s resistance constitutional? Posted on 11/7/2011 9:43:32 AM
When the Canada-based energy company TransCanada announced plans to build an oil pipeline through the United States, Nebraska lawmakers decided they wanted a say. Last week, a special session of the state legislature began to draw up a plan to alter the proposed route of the Keystone XL pipeline, which would begin in Alberta, enter the United States at Montana, cut diagonally through Nebraska and terminate in east Texas. The concern is that the pipeline would cut right through Nebraska's Ogallala Aquifer, a massive underground formation that provides drinking water for eight states. Environmental groups have raised concerns that the pipeline might leak and cause mass contamination, and the state wants to block the pipeline from the Aquifer. The company argues that it’s unconstitutional. Since the oil pipeline would be providing energy not just to Nebraska, but also to other states, it becomes an issue of interstate commerce – which the Constitution says (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3) is the jurisdiction of Congress. If Nebraska’s legislature were to pass a law blocking and rerouting the pipeline, it could be unconstitutionally exceeding its power.

When do religious symbols on public land violate the First Amendment? Posted on 11/2/2011 7:00:00 AM
The Bill of Rights protects against government endorsement of religion. It’s actually the first words of the First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” When people say “separation of church and state,” that sentence is one of the things they’re talking about. Referred to as the establishment clause, it is often found at the center of Supreme Court debates over issues like sculptures of the Ten Commandments in town squares or crosses on public land. The latter was discussed by the court this week – or rather, it was not discussed, as the justices announced they would not be taking up two cases involving memorial crosses along the highway in Utah.

How does the world population – 7 billion! – affect your world? Posted on 10/31/2011 1:54:52 PM
This week, a new baby in the Philippines tipped the scale in terms of global population. According to projections by the United Nations Population Fund, Danica May Camacho became the seven billionth person on Earth when she was born in the city of Manila early on Oct. 31. This landmark level of inhabitants on the planet seems as though it arrived quickly – in the 1960s, the population was 3 billion, and experts estimate it will hit 9 billion by 2050. In reality, the rate of growth has dropped since the ’60s, when it peaked at 2 percent. And really, this is just one more person – don’t expect a drastic change overnight. But even if its growth rate is slowing, the population is poised to make an impact, especially considering that 43 percent of the population is under the age of 24, and just starting to make its journey through the world.

Do animals have constitutional rights? Posted on 10/28/2011 7:00:00 AM
When the Civil War ended in 1865, the reunified Congress passed a series of constitutional amendments that established equal rights for all citizens, regardless of race. Most urgent among these was the 13th Amendment, which outlawed slavery. At the time it was written, the amendment specifically referred to the slavery of African Americans, particularly as kept by Southern plantation owners. But Congress used broad language so that the law could apply to slaves of any ethnicity or race. But does the 13th Amendment extend beyond the human race?

When does drug testing violate the Fourth Amendment? Posted on 10/26/2011 8:51:43 AM
When the economy is bad and unemployment is up, more people apply for financial assistance from the state or federal government. This role the government plays is enshrined right in the preamble of the Constitution: “promote the general welfare,” which refers to the well-being of the people. Congress has the power to do this, for example, by passing laws that require clean air or that provide for safe highways and bridges. Governments provide a safety net for citizens in their time of need with welfare programs such as food stamps. Critics of welfare programs say they promote laziness, do not encourage citizens to find work and, in extreme situations, support bad habits. Florida Gov. Rick Scott hoped to prevent the latter. Over the summer, he approved legislation requiring adults who apply for state welfare assistance to pass a drug screening.

Can the government help make college cost less? Posted on 10/24/2011 7:00:00 AM
When your parents were deciding where they wanted to go to college, they were looking at a much less costly experience. According to a National Public Radio report, the price of four years of higher education has skyrocketed in the past three decades. For example, University of California, Berkeley, students in the 1970s paid about $700 a year for college; today, they pay $15,000, an increase of 2,000 percent. That’s an extreme example, but college students are facing increasingly higher debt – in the past decade, public universities have raised tuition by 5.6 percent a year on average, according to the College Board Advocacy and Policy Center.

Is it constitutional to unregister voters? Posted on 10/21/2011 7:26:06 AM
Almost two decades ago, Congress passed a law known as the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. Its intent was to make it easier for citizens to have their say by participating in elections; the law required states to let individuals register to vote at the same time they registered for a driver’s license or for a renewal (hence its informal name, the Motor Voter Act). The law also made it easier to voters to keep their registration valid by prohibiting states from removing voters from the rolls for failing to vote. But as concern over voter fraud has swelled in an era of close elections and tense recounts, some politicians are revisiting this issue. In January, the Utah Legislature will take up a bill challenging Motor Voter’s limits on removing voters from the rolls.

What can the government do to create jobs? Posted on 10/19/2011 7:00:00 AM
Across the United States, jobs are scarce. In September, the Bureau of Labor statistics reported 9.1 percent of the workforce is unemployed. The unemployment rate for people your age – 16 to 19 years old – is 24.5 percent. While demonstrators from the Occupy movement rally against corporate greed and unequal distribution of wealth, President Barack Obama is traveling the country stumping for his jobs plan – which he says can put 2 million Americans back to work. But Congress did not agree with his approach, and rejected it in a vote in early October.

Who should regulate guns – the federal government or the states? Posted on 10/17/2011 6:43:38 AM
Last week, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed two pieces of legislation that gun rights advocates see as a blow to their Second Amendment freedoms. One law outlaws “open carry” of firearms. That means carrying a gun in a way that other people can see it. The second law requires the state to keep records of rifle sales – effectively treating rifles and handguns in the same fashion. Gov. Brown signed this legislation at a point when national trends favor looser gun laws. Forty-two states allow open carry, and a law being debated in Congress could make stricter state gun laws obsolete.

What do you think the Occupy movement will accomplish? Posted on 10/14/2011 7:00:00 AM
Still going strong after nearly four weeks, the Occupy movement has spread across the United States, and even around the world. What started as Occupy Wall Street, a grassroots protest meant to draw attention to corporate greed and unequal distribution of wealth in the United States, has grown, with mirror protests popping up in Denver, Boston, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. To some, this proliferation makes the effort appear a bit more legit. Critics scoffed as they watched demonstrators gather in New York City’s Zuccotti Park with homemade signs opposing a broad range of issues – from tax breaks for the wealthy, to student loan debt, to nonspecific concerns like “unemployment.” To them, Occupy was a bunch of noise with no focus, accomplishing nothing – hubbub without substance. But as the protests have stuck around, and spread, the collective anger of those taking part has become more tangible.

Is distribution of arts funding important? Posted on 10/12/2011 3:31:18 PM
Whether you’re talking about massive institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, or small organizations like your local community theater, it takes money to make the arts come alive. These groups often rely on all levels of government funding, but in an era of economic downturn, this has decreased, especially at the state and local level. And without as much government money pouring in, critics are pointing out discrepancies in how arts organizations get their money – and who gets more.

Illegal immigration: Is it a state or federal issue? Posted on 10/12/2011 7:00:00 AM
The alarm over illegal immigration has intensified in the decade since Sept. 11, and Congress has debated how to revise U.S. policy on allowing foreigners residency in our country. To some, the politicians in Washington are moving too slow. To others, their proposals are not going far enough to protect against illegal immigration. It’s estimated that 11 million illegal immigrants live in the United States, according to a Reuters report. Because of all these factors, several states have acted on their own, passing tough laws on illegal immigrants.

Do anti-discrimination laws protect parochial school teachers? Posted on 10/10/2011 7:00:00 AM
If you go to a public school, your teachers’ rights have the protection of their labor union as well as civil rights laws, making sure they receive fair and equal treatment from their bosses. Now, how about if you go to a parochial (religious) school? A case at the U.S. Supreme Court is showing that the situation there might be a bit different. This fall, the justices are deciding whether civil rights laws protect parochial school teachers or whether under the First Amendment’s religion clauses, courts cannot get involved with church matters.

Are new voting laws necessary or discriminatory? Posted on 10/7/2011 7:00:00 AM
As the 2012 presidential campaign gains steam, a number of states have passed laws that proponents say will ensure a fair election next November. However, critics worry that these laws do the exact opposite, and will prevent millions of eligible voters from casting their ballot – or make it burdensome for them to do so. In a year that experts predict will be filled with close elections, many worry those potentially excluded voters could mean the difference between a candidate winning and losing.

French, fried and off the menu: Should the federal government require schools to cut back on potatoes? Posted on 10/5/2011 7:00:00 AM
Fans of French fries, beware: Pretty soon, you may be eating less of them in your school cafeteria. The federal government is proposing sweeping changes to the nutrition guidelines regarding school lunches that bump up the servings of leafy greens and fruits, and cut down on starchy vegetables like potatoes. Do you agree with the government’s proposal to cut the servings of potatoes offered through school lunches? Should school cafeterias be places where students can learn about proper nutrition?

Should school libraries restrict access to the Internet? Posted on 10/3/2011 7:00:00 AM
Today there’s a new battle over censorship in school libraries – this one doesn’t involve banned books, but rather blocked websites. Last week, as schools across the country marked the inaugural Banned Websites Awareness Day, students and educators wondered what level of Internet access should be allowed in the school environment. As technology has become an increasingly important component to education over the past two decades, schools began to look for ways to keep their students from accessing potentially harmful material online – and to keep them focused on their studies. This led to website filtering, a practice that began about 10 years ago, when Congress passed the Children’s Internet Protection Act.

Should a City Council ban applause? Posted on 9/30/2011 9:14:56 AM
When bodies of government meet, it’s not always quiet. If they’re talking about something citizens are passionate about, the chambers might be abuzz. If there’s a lot of controversy, there might even be yelling – from those in the crowd as well as elected officials. But gathering public feedback is a key part of running a democratic society. That’s why governments of all levels allow room for citizen participation. At the local level in particular, meetings are frequently attended by crowds of citizens, and most of these meetings have designated points on their agenda to allow for public comment. But that is not the case everywhere. In Peekskill, N.Y., the City Council voted in January to remove the regular public comment sessions from its meetings. In September, it took another vote – to ban clapping from public meetings. City officials told the local CBS News affiliate that the move was meant to make the meetings more calm and orderly.

How should the Supreme Court rule on the health care reform law? Posted on 9/28/2011 7:36:28 AM
In 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which required that all citizens have health insurance beginning in 2014. Under the law, insurance companies cannot deny coverage based on preexisting conditions, and those who do not have access to affordable coverage through their jobs can buy insurance with the help of government money. If people do not, they will be penalized – with fines beginning at $95. Viewed as Obama’s signature legislation, the plan was fiercely debated, and criticized for various reasons. The old cry against “socialized medicine” argued that health care should not be provided by the government. In other words, “if you can’t afford health care, it is not my responsibility to pay for it with my tax dollars.” New objections emerged as well, saying the government cannot force its citizens to have health insurance.

Is the death penalty constitutional? Posted on 9/26/2011 7:00:00 AM
In the same week the state of Georgia executed Troy Davis by lethal injection, two other men convicted of murder were put to death in other parts of the country. Alabama executed Derrick O’Neal Mason, who was convicted of the 1994 shooting of a convenience store clerk, and Texas executed Lawrence Russell Brewer, a white supremacist who killed a black man, James Byrd Jr., by dragging him behind a truck. Davis’ case generated the most attention, nationally and internationally, when his cause drew some prominent supporters. After his conviction, several witnesses who identified Davis as the shooter recanted their testimony, and some jurors said they changed his mind about whether he was guilty. Davis maintained his innocence until the end. His execution reignited the debate over the death penalty in the United States, and whether it violates the Constitution's protection against cruel and unusual punishment. Is the death penalty constitutional?

Should the federal government raise taxes on the wealthy? Posted on 9/23/2011 7:18:35 AM
Fairness of taxes is a key principle of our country, going back to colonial days. When the colonists rebelled against Britain, their rallying cry was “No taxation without representation.” The colonies were taxed by Britain but did not have representatives in Parliament, so they broke free to form the United States. The colonists were not anti-tax – they just wanted a say in government and how their taxes would be spent. They wanted to be taxed equitably and tried to implement a just system in their fledgling nation. The country has been mired in bad economy for almost a decade, and its leaders are struggling to find ways to cover its perennial budget shortfalls. President George W. Bush gave tax breaks to the wealthiest individuals, reasoning that they would put money toward spending and investment, and could kick-start the economy. President Barack Obama is taking the opposite approach. This month, he announced his plan to bring down the debt by raising taxes on the wealthy. Should the federal government raise taxes on the wealthy?

What are the civil rights issues of today? Posted on 9/21/2011 10:54:43 AM
When the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in the 1954 case Brown v. Board of Education, the impact was felt across the nation. More than simply a piece of paper written in legal language, the ruling was a catalyst that sparked a movement: the civil rights movement. In Brown, the court decided that the “separate but equal” doctrine was inherently unequal; it violated the 14th Amendment’s promise of “equal protection of the laws.” The country’s public schools, some of which made a practice of separating black students from white students, were officially required to desegregate. This inspired citizens around the nation to rally against all forms of institutionalized racial discrimination – from voting rights to equal access to public services to workplace rights. In the decades that followed, significant progress was made, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – a law banning all forms of racial discrimination – and the appointment of the nation’s first black Supreme Court justice, Thurgood Marshall, in 1967. And the movement didn’t stop there. What are some contemporary civil rights issues?

Do prisoner strip-searches violate the Fourth Amendment? Posted on 9/19/2011 7:05:15 AM
When Albert Florence was arrested in 2005, he was strip-searched twice by prison guards. He had not been involved in a violent incident nor did he resist the officers who brought him in. Short of one time in his early 20s when he drove away too soon after a traffic stop, Florence had no criminal record. (His file mistakenly said he had been late paying fines for that incident, which is why the officers took him in.) Florence says he was absolutely no threat to prison guards or inmates, and has brought a lawsuit against the prison, saying it violated his Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable search and seizure.

Honking Your Horn: Freedom of expression or just plain annoying? Posted on 9/16/2011 7:42:05 AM
We all know car horns are noisy. They cut through just about any other sound in their immediate area. They grab everyone’s attention. This is exactly why demonstrators like them. Think about those rallies lining busy highways, where protesters ask motorists to “Honk If You Support” their cause. They make a ruckus, and they make a point. One man in Wisconsin, however, spoke out with his car horn a bit too loudly. Azael Brodhead visited Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s house every evening last spring. He pulled up in his car around 5:30, blew his horn repeatedly, waved his middle finger out the sunroof, and shouted, “Recall Walker,” in protest of the governor’s actions to balance the budget by curbing state employee labor unions’ bargaining rights and benefits. This continued until about April, when a trooper issued Brodhead a citation for noise and parking violations – but not before getting an earful about the Constitution. The trooper, Robert Simpson, told the Wisconsin State Journal that Brodhead argued with him, saying he was exercising his First Amendment right to free speech.

Is it discrimination to evaluate teachers on pronunciation? Posted on 9/14/2011 12:00:00 AM
Everybody has an accent. It’s a product of where you grow up. It’s part of who you are. It identifies you as someone with roots in a certain part of the country – or the world. Somebody from Boston might pronounce words differently from someone from Atlanta, who probably speaks nothing like someone from Sioux Falls, S.D. But beyond regional dialects, fundamental rules exist for the English language - think about the pronunciation and grammar guides you see in dictionaries. The country might pride itself on being a melting pot, but some believe those rules are how the language is supposed to be spoken, and taught. When Arizona passed its sweeping immigration reform law last year, it tried to enforce this, cracking down on public school teachers with heavy accents. This prompted a backlash from the education community and threats of a civil rights lawsuit.

Does an abortion-clinic law violate protesters’ free speech right? Posted on 9/12/2011 7:17:22 AM
The debate over Roe v. Wade isn’t the only debate about abortion in the United States. There’s also a question of free speech as it relates to the controversial issue. Protesters have a First Amendment right to publicly disagree with Roe, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court ruling that effectively made abortion legal. But how are these protesters speaking out? And could they be violating other people’s rights by doing so?

What should be done to fix the U.S. Postal Service? Posted on 9/8/2011 2:10:43 PM
For the U.S. Postal Service, a check in the mail might be needed to save the constitutionally mandated government service. Facing a $10 billion budget shortfall, Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe has called for assistance from the federal government. “We are at a critical juncture,” Donahoe testified at a Senate hearing. “Action from Congress is sorely needed by the close of this fiscal year” on Sept. 30. How should Congress handle the Postal Service's budget shortfall?

How has your world changed in the decade since 9/11? Posted on 9/7/2011 12:00:00 AM
A decade ago, two hijacked commercial airplanes struck targets in New York and Washington, D.C., and a third crash-landed in central Pennsylvania. The months and years following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2011, brought with them unprecedented changes in American life, from stricter immigration laws and increased concern about securing our borders to vociferous debate about how prisoners of war are detained by the U.S. military. In all probability, none of those changes we just mentioned affected your life. You might not even have particularly strong memories of the day that started it all. Maybe it was another Tuesday morning, and your elementary school routine was interrupted only when you weren’t allowed to go outside for recess that week. Grownups everywhere seemed scared, and you tried to understand why. But the changing America that unfolded afterward did trickle down to the individual level, and your world.

Are new school anti-bullying laws fair, or unreasonable? Posted on 9/2/2011 12:00:00 AM
As the new school year begins, students and educators are reminded that it’s been just shy of a year since the suicide of 18-year-old Tyler Clementi brought the issue of school bullying into the national spotlight. The Rutgers University freshman jumped off the George Washington Bridge in New York last Sept. 22 after being harassed for his sexual orientation. His death prompted a public outcry, and national news began extensive reporting on similar incidents elsewhere in the country. These included 15-year-old Phoebe Prince, who committed suicide when she was bullied at her Massachusetts high school by classmates, and 13-year-old Megan Meier of Missouri, who did the same when she was bullied on MySpace. State legislatures have responded by passing laws to curb bullying in school. But educators and advocates are asking if these school bullying laws go too far, placing unreasonable demands on educators and violating students’ First Amendment right to free speech.

How are you affected by the high unemployment rate? Posted on 8/31/2011 7:39:17 AM
When you began your summer vacation, you might have hoped to get a job to thicken your wallet only to find that the job market was pretty sparse and competitive. High schoolers and recent graduates, from both high school and college, are finding it harder and harder to get a job. The recession, the high unemployment rate, and competition from unemployed, older, skilled workers fighting for the same jobs have created this tough situation. Workers ages 16 to 24 account for 14 percent of all people in the labor market, often making up the bottom ranks of businesses’ employees. Often taking lower paying jobs at the bottom rungs, they are also the most vulnerable workers. During a recession, they are often the first to be laid off.

What does freedom of assembly mean in the digital age? Posted on 8/29/2011 7:29:40 AM
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects “the right of the people peaceably to assemble.” It’s a fundamental freedom that allows citizens to gather as a group to picket, protest, speak out and otherwise unite with a common purpose. Things begin get tricky when citizens assemble not so peaceably. Recent years have seen a global upswing in mass gatherings orchestrated via online channels. In 2009, protests in Iran were organized largely through Twitter and text messaging; the current anti-government uprising in Libya and Egypt came together in a similar fashion. This summer alone, digital organizing has been a driving force behind the politically charged riots in London, as well as the youth gatherings (dubbed “flash mobs” by the media) popping up on the streets of Philadelphia all the way to the Wisconsin State Fair. Whether motivated by social inequities, or just for reckless kicks, these gatherings tend to involve looting, property damage, assaults and other types of violence.

Should students and faculty be allowed to carry guns on college campuses? Posted on 6/9/2011 10:12:00 AM
The average college backpack probably contains notebooks, texts and a laptop. What if it were legal for it to also hold a gun? Since the shooting deaths of 32 people on the Virginia Tech campus in 2007 by a troubled student, state legislatures nationwide have considered bills to allow carrying concealed weapons on college campuses, including into classrooms and dormitories. So far legislation has failed to pass on 55 occasions in 29 states, but bills are still pending in 10 states.

Should schools be prohibited from teaching about homosexuality? Posted on 6/7/2011 10:34:00 AM
Discussing homosexuality in elementary and middle schools is never easy for teachers, with the serious subject sometimes bringing snickers from the students. But in Tennessee, discussing homosexuality in middle and elementary schools could cost teachers their jobs under a proposed bill. The Tennessee Senate has passed a bill that states “that any instruction or materials made available or provided at or to a public elementary or middle school must be limited exclusively to natural human reproduction science.” The measure must be passed by the state House and signed by the governor before it becomes law. The bill means that essentially, for eighth graders, the only instruction they would receive on sex education would pertain to human reproduction. Should middle schools teach only about natural human reproduction and not discuss other aspects of sexuality?

Should cities prepare for climate change? Posted on 6/2/2011 8:45:00 AM
While Chicago may be known as the Windy City, its city planners and climate scientists are preparing to cope with a trend toward higher temperatures and more rain and snow. “Cities adapt or they go away,” Aaron N. Durnbaugh, deputy commissioner of Chicago’s Department of Environment, said regarding the city’s initiatives to adapt to the changing climate. Chicago is not alone in preparing for climate change. Bolstered by stimulus funding from the federal government, cities across the country are installing green roofs, updating drainage infrastructure, and installing bike lanes and new public transportation lines to adapt to climate change and reduce carbon emissions. What do you think? Should cities prepare for changing weather? Do you think that it is a wise investment? How do you think your city or town is prepared for a drastic change in weather patterns? Join the discussion!

What should be the priority of U.S. space policy? Posted on 5/31/2011 8:35:00 AM
This year marks the end of the U.S. space shuttle program, and crafting a vision for American space exploration has been the subject of debate in Washington. At issue are the priorities in NASA’s funding. Lawmakers say the Obama administration’s 2012 budget request for NASA favors the commercial space industry over the construction of NASA’s next generation of manned spacecraft. What do you think should be the budget priority? How much of a priority should space exploration be in the federal budget? Join the discussion!

How should the constitutional rights of prisoners be protected? Posted on 5/26/2011 7:21:00 AM
This week, the Supreme Court decided in a 5-4 ruling that the State of California has “fallen short of minimum constitutional requirements” in providing for its inmates. The state prisons hold 143,345 inmates – that’s 180 percent of their capacity, according to a Los Angeles Times report. The overcrowding has caused “needless suffering and death,” according to the court. Some examples cited in Justice Anthony M. Kennedy’s ruling included 200 prisoners living in a gymnasium, or 54 prisoners sharing a toilet. The court gave the state two years to cut the prison population by 33,630 – either by releasing inmates or transferring them to county-run jails.

Is ‘zero tolerance’ the right approach to school discipline? Posted on 5/24/2011 12:00:00 AM
In the interests of enforcing good behavior and maintaining an orderly learning environment, many schools across the country in recent decades have taken a zero-tolerance approach to discipline. Some might go to extreme measures; last week a New Haven, Conn., woman alleged that her grandsons, ages 6 and 8, were required to lie on their backs and hold up heavy weights as punishment for misbehaving. The elementary school is under investigation by the state Department of Families and Children. Now, it’s rare for a school to use corporal punishment of this sort. But some schools are finding that their zero-tolerance policies are having negative repercussions all the same.

Does the Supreme Court’s ruling on a warrantless search undermine the Fourth Amendment? Posted on 5/19/2011 7:05:00 AM
If the police showed up at your doorstep today, would you know your rights? The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects you against unreasonable search and seizure, meaning you don’t have to let officers inside your home, unless they have a warrant. This was intended to preserve the home as an individual’s private space, and to keep law enforcement from overstepping its bounds. The Fourth Amendment says that “no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause.” This means that, from your local police force all the way up to the FBI, if authorities suspect wrongdoing or illegal activity is happening behind closed doors, they must obtain a warrant to enter. Police must convince a judge that there is probable cause for a search warrant. As a general rule, they can’t just barge in. But there are exceptions.

Should the government sell its property to reduce debt? Posted on 5/17/2011 2:35:00 AM
Say you woke up one morning and realized you owed your friends a bunch of money. You need to pay the money back, and have some options. Keep putting it off (like you’ve been doing), or scrounge up the money from your savings. As you look around your room, you notice stacks of video games, hangers full of nice clothes you don’t wear, old DVDs, a PlayStation you never play, and a third choice emerges. If you sold this stuff, you’d be able to pay back a large portion of what you owe to your friends. The U.S. government is faced with similar choices this month.

Is the United States ready to move from border security to immigration reform? Posted on 5/11/2011 12:00:00 AM
When you were in elementary school and middle school, what were you taught about immigration? Did you learn about the influx of new Americans of the 1800s, with the Statue of Liberty acting as a beacon of hope? Maybe you had to recite the Emma Lazarus poem painting America as a country of open arms? Or perhaps you were given a more realistic picture of struggles, of hardships and poor working conditions and discriminatory laws. Immigration has always been a heated topic, but in the past decade, it’s become especially so. With the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks the federal government made national security a top priority, immediately passing the Patriot Act in the fall of 2001. The law expanded the scope of immigrants who are ineligible for admission to the United States – or eligible for deportation – because of suspected terrorist activities. A debate about immigrants living in the country illegally spun off this, and became a balancing act for Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama: accommodating well-intentioned people who seek to become part of our country while barring those who would do us harm.

How should the government fight painkiller abuse? Posted on 5/10/2011 12:00:00 AM
Last month, the Obama administration made the latest move in the government’s war on drugs. But it wasn’t against controlled substances like cocaine and heroin, or concoctions like crystal meth. It was against prescription painkillers – which, obtained from a doctor, can be legal. In the past decade, a wave of new and extremely potent pain medications have been developed – OxyContin, Percocet and Vicodin, to name a few of the more recognizable ones. With them has come an increase in misuse (crushing and snorting pills that are meant to be slowly released through digestion), abuse (getting pills constantly, through fraudulent prescriptions) and the deaths that result from those behaviors. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), painkillers caused fewer than 4,000 deaths in 2000. By 2007, they caused over 11,000 deaths. (Compare this to 5,000 deaths from cocaine in 2007, or 2,000 deaths from heroin.) In April, the Obama administration proposed legislation that would seek to reduce deaths from painkiller abuse by 15 percent in five years. It would do this through two primary means: monitoring painkiller prescriptions and providing better training to pharmacists who dole them out.

What do you think of FEMA’s response to tornadoes in the South? Posted on 5/5/2011 2:30:00 PM
In late April, a powerful chain of tornadoes ripped across the southeastern United States – leveling small towns, destroying homes and businesses, and killing at least 340 people. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) snapped immediately into action, working with President Barack Obama, who declared the region a disaster zone, and mounting a response. W. Craig Fugate, administrator for FEMA, toured the storm-ravaged region the day after the 312 tornados touched down. By the following week, 11 disaster recovery centers opened, and 18,000 households had registered for assistance in Alabama, the state hit hardest by the twisters. This is a striking contrast to previous responses to natural disasters.

How will Osama bin Laden’s killing affect U.S. foreign policy? Posted on 5/3/2011 3:00:00 PM
Can you remember a time before terrorism was the nation’s constant fear? From airport security to military spending, keeping the nation safe from extremists has been high on the national agenda ever since the attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., on Sept. 11, 2001. When a team of Navy Seals entered a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, this weekend, killing 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden, America gained closure on a decade-long mission. But it also, in a way, lost its public enemy number one. In the short term, there was a heightened state of security at some of the nation’s airports, as fears of immediate retaliation bubbled. This is expected to calm down, possibly to pre-9/11 levels; some airports did not even go on official alert, according to a report in the Christian Science Monitor. In a broader sense, with bin Laden out of the picture, the 10-year-old military presence in Afghanistan – where bin Laden’s al-Qaeda terrorist network operates from – is being reexamined.

Should cameras be allowed in federal courtrooms? Posted on 4/28/2011 12:00:00 AM
What do you picture when you think of a courtroom during a trial? You might think of a high-drama scene from “Law and Order: Criminal Intent.” Or you might think of inky drawings from your local news station’s court artist. The reality of courtrooms isn’t as intense as the first one – and a lot more three-dimensional than the other – and the federal court system wants to break down this divide between perception and reality. A pilot program, approved by the U.S. Judicial Conference in September, will allow participating federal courts to record civil trials and post them on the Internet

Legislating Morality: Should a town lift its video game ban? Posted on 4/26/2011 9:09:00 AM
It’s not uncommon for municipal governments to ban things from their town’s borders. It might be something to keep their citizens safe – you hear about “dry towns,” which have passed bans on alcohol sales to curb drunken driving. It might be to keep citizens healthy, perhaps a ban on public smoking. It might be to keep their citizens behaving within a certain moral code – bans on gambling or adult-oriented businesses. And sometimes, the bans might just be head-scratchers. Today, the coastal town of Marshfield, Mass., has a 29-year-old law on the books banning video games from local businesses that might set them up – grocery stores, restaurants and gas stations. It remains in effect despite a challenge that went to the Supreme Court; the justices declined to hear the case, and the law remained in place. As a Washington Post editorial summed up at the time, “banning video games is no more illegal than banning such oldtime nuisances as pool halls and saloons.”

Turbines in the Nantucket Sound: Is wind energy green energy? Posted on 4/21/2011 12:00:00 AM
A year ago, an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig occurred that, over time, dumped more than 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. It prompted a discussion on ways to meet the United States’ energy needs in a “green” fashion – in other words, gathering energy in a way that’s clean (non-polluting) and renewable (doesn’t drain natural resources). This week, federal authorities approved a project off the coast of Cape Cod, Mass., that would gather energy from a renewable source: wind. On April 19, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Kenneth Salazar gave the go-ahead to Cape Wind, a ten-years-in-the-making project that would place 130 turbines in the Nantucket Sound.

What should the high school dropout age be? Posted on 4/19/2011 12:00:00 AM
There are lots of reasons why one of your classmates might drop out of high school. They might be bored or lazy, sure. But they might also have more serious issues such as drug or alcohol problems, or pregnancy. They might want to work full time and help out their family financially. But many states are trying to find ways to keep students in school. According to a report in the Boston Globe, a half-dozen states in the past ten years have passed new laws raising the dropout age, including New Mexico and Connecticut.

Enabling or Oppressing Free Speech? How a school deals with student protests Posted on 4/14/2011 12:00:00 AM
At the University of California, Davis, where a school policy on protests has drawn heat from the student body, as well as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Following state budget cuts in 2009, University of California campuses across the state raised tuition by 32 percent. This sparked a series of protests that year, including one at UC Davis, where 53 students were arrested. The administration says it started its Student Activism Team – students working for the school administration, and planted in student groups to keep tabs on protests– to keep other protests from getting out of control. When a police scene is created, officials told the Sacramento Bee, the message of the students is lost in the hubbub. As the Bee put it, the school’s goal with the team is “to make it safer – not harder – for students to exercise their First Amendment rights.” But students don’t necessarily appreciate the school’s effort.

Should gun owners’ identities be kept secret? Posted on 4/12/2011 7:34:00 AM
In the state of Illinois, all firearms owners are required to register with the state – and get a Firearms Owners Identification card. In February, Attorney General Lisa Madigan ruled that the names of those cardholders are public information under the Freedom of Information Act. State police had refused to release the information in response to an Associated Press request, citing privacy and safety concerns. A majority of the state’s House of Representatives disagree. State Rep. Richard Morthland told WREX-TV, “This could lead to a situation, where you have people who are gun owners and who are afraid that somebody who approaches their house might … try to take their guns away from them. And it is just better to have that information private.”

Should the U.S. open up Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil drilling? Posted on 4/7/2011 9:00:00 AM
Unrest in the Middle East – citizen uprisings in Libya and Egypt – is one of the factors driving up fuel prices this spring. Experts believe fuel could hit $5 a gallon on average by this summer. President Barack Obama set a national energy goal last week in a speech at Georgetown University: reduce the country’s consumption of foreign oil by one-third before 2025. If we find sources of energy within our own shores, the president suggests, our country’s cost of oil will not be determined by turmoil elsewhere. Within days, Republicans in the U.S. Senate forwarded a plan: reduce foreign oil consumption by opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration and drilling. The area in northeastern Alaska is oil-rich but vastly unexplored. Oil harvested from that region could be piped across Alaska to the contiguous 48 states. In a letter to Ken Salazar, U.S. secretary of the interior, Gov. Sean Parnell called Alaska “the United States' most important and abundant domestic source of future oil and gas.”

Should states place limits on local Internet access networks? Posted on 4/5/2011 12:00:00 AM
If you live in a city or suburb, chances are you have a fast Internet connection – probably from a company like Time Warner or Comcast. If you live in a more sparsely populated rural area, these companies might not be able to reach your region with their high-speed connections or decided it wasn’t worthwhile to invest in high-speed infrastructure for these areas. You might have to get your Internet from their lower-speed services. Or maybe they don’t offer service in your area at all. The federal government is trying to fix this by pushing for expanded broadband Internet service across the country. In the 2009 economic stimulus bill, $7.2 billion was set aside to help Internet coverage grow. Some small towns are taking advantage of this by investing in creating their own Internet services – ensuring fast connections in areas where the big companies underserve residents or don’t serve them at all. But some states are pushing back.

Can states imprison deadbeat parents without providing a lawyer? Posted on 3/30/2011 10:29:00 PM
State and local governments across the country go to great lengths to make sure a parent doesn’t skip out on child-support payments. In Kentucky’s Hopkins County, pizza boxes are printed up with wanted fliers displaying the names and photos of the region’s biggest deadbeats; West Virginia’s Department of Health and Human Resources wants to distribute a list of deadbeat parents to casinos in the state, that way it can keep a portion of whatever a deadbeat parent who gambles might win. In South Carolina, indigent deadbeat parents can be imprisoned without being provided a court-appointed lawyer. Other states, including Florida, Maine and Georgia, also do not appoint lawyers for deadbeat parents who can’t afford one. Some think this goes too far, and the Supreme Court will rule this summer on whether the practice is constitutional.

Does the First Amendment protect lies? Posted on 3/29/2011 12:00:00 AM
In 2005, Congress passed a law called the Stolen Valor Act. It was intended to combat an increase in people falsely claiming to be military heroes. The law established a system of fines – and even prison terms – for people who falsely claim to have been awarded a medal or decoration by Congress. If people falsely claim they received an extremely distinguished decoration (the Purple Heart or Medal of Honor) they can receive a year in prison. But now the constitutionality of that law is being challenged in court. The case involves Xavier Alvarez, a California man new to the board of directors for his local conservation group, Three Valleys Municipal Water District. He introduced himself to the group claiming he was a retired Marine of 25 years who was awarded the Medal of Honor. When it was discovered he lied, he was charged with violating the Stolen Valor Act – and found guilty. But a U.S. District Court overturned his conviction, saying the law was a violation of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

You have a right to remain silent: Juveniles and Miranda rights Posted on 3/23/2011 4:15:24 PM
In September 2005, a 13-year-old boy was pulled from class and taken to a conference room in his school. Inside the room sat the vice principal, an office intern and a police detective. The detective asked the student if he knew about a string of home burglaries near his home. After 30 to 45 minutes of questioning, the student confessed to the crimes. His grandmother, who is his legal guardian, was not notified of the interrogation, and the student was never read his Miranda rights, which include the right to have an attorney. Should the detective have advised the student of his Miranda rights before questioning? This question is now before the Supreme Court in the case J.D.B. v. the State of North Carolina.

How involved should the U.S. be with the conflict in Libya? Posted on 3/22/2011 12:00:00 AM
Over the weekend, the U.S. military led an international coalition in a series of airstrikes in Libya, which has been torn apart by a citizen uprising since mid-February. Inspired and emboldened by Egypt’s successful revolt against President Hosni Mubarak, the Libyan people are seeking to bring democracy within their borders as well. A rebellion was staged last month against Moammar Gadhafi, the country’s controversial leader who seized power in a military coup 42 years ago. The international community got involved last week with the declaration of a no-fly zone over the country, followed by the airstrikes led by the United States and joined by British and French forces.

How will Japan’s nuclear crisis affect energy in the United States? Posted on 3/17/2011 12:00:00 AM
After the massive earthquake and tsunami, Japan found itself thrust into another crisis – not natural, but nuclear. Here in the United States, the nuclear crisis has stoked fears among the public; a run on iodine pills on the West Coast reportedly left one manufacturer sold out through mid-April. Experts say that it’s too early to really tell how the contamination across the ocean would affect us, but that most likely airborne radiation would be dissipated by the time it reaches our shores. But the crisis is nonetheless changing the way the United States looks at nuclear energy.

Is our national motto unconstitutional? Posted on 3/14/2011 3:52:26 PM
When you open your wallet to make a purchase at your favorite store, are you thinking about religion? A California man argues that you are. Bills and coins are inscribed with the phrase “In God We Trust” – they have been since the 1800s, and the phrase was designated as the United States’ national motto in 1956. But Michael Newdow, a Sacramento attorney and atheist activist, has brought numerous challenges against religious phrases receiving public endorsement. He was twice filed lawsuits over the phrase “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance. The most recent one is under appeal to the Supreme Court. This month, the Supreme Court refused to review his latest challenge – that “In God We Trust” should not be put on the nation’s currency, since it makes him an “unwilling bearer of a religious message” when he goes to the store to make a purchase.

Who should decide whether children get vaccinated - their parents or the state? Posted on 3/10/2011 10:08:32 AM
Why would someone refuse a vaccination? Actually, maybe we should ask “Why wouldn’t somebody refuse a vaccination?” They may be unpleasant. They cost money. Oftentimes, they involve needles. Other popular but unfounded reasons: There’s “no evidence that they work” or they reportedly have “toxic side effects.” Doctors and medical experts across the country overwhelmingly recommend that people get vaccinated for communicable diseases like the measles, whooping cough and the flu. But that’s the most doctors can do – recommend. For adults, getting vaccinated is a personal decision. The only time vaccinations are required is if someone is traveling abroad. But how about for children and infants?

Should state lawmakers restrict your 26th Amendment right? Posted on 3/8/2011 12:00:00 AM
In the late ’60s and early ’70s, young people like yourself campaigned for the right to vote. They argued that if the government could call on them at age 18 to serve in the military – to fight and possibly die for their country – then they had the maturity to participate in their government’s democratic process. Now, lawmakers in some states are arguing the exact opposite: Young people are too immature and should have their voting rights restricted. A bill being debated in the New Hampshire legislature would prohibit college students from voting in their college town – unless they or their parents were permanent residents there. According to a Washington Post report, the bill’s sponsor, State Rep. Gregory Sorg, said in a speech that year-round residents in small towns are having their votes “diluted or entirely canceled by those of a huge, largely monolithic demographic group . . . composed of people with a dearth of experience and a plethora of the easy self-confidence that only ignorance and inexperience can produce.” Rep. Sorg’s views are shared by the state’s Speaker of the House, Rep. William O’Brien, who called young voters “foolish” and said students lacked “life experience” and “just vote their feelings.”

The First Amendment and Funeral Protests: What do you think of the verdict in Snyder v Phelps? Posted on 3/3/2011 2:49:00 PM
When fallen U.S. soldier Matthew Snyder was laid to rest in 2006, thousands of protesters showed up at his funeral. The Westboro Baptist Church brought its “God Hates America” message to the service, standing on the outskirts of the cemetery, speaking about how the country’s acceptance of homosexuality has distanced it from God, and every soldier’s death is punishment. They waved signs with lewd drawings and inflammatory phrases like “Thank God for Dead Soldiers.” According to a Supreme Court ruling handed down yesterday, the Westboro church was within its constitutional rights to do this. A nearly unanimous vote in Snyder v. Phelps – 8 to 1 – upheld the claim of the church and its pastor, Fred Phelps, that its provocative protest was protected as political speech by the First Amendment to the constitution.

Public Shaming Laws: Calling out negligent property owners in Mass. Posted on 3/1/2011 2:30:16 PM
Towns of any size, big to small, have a problem with what officials like to call "nuisance properties." That’s a polite way to put it. What they mean are run-down buildings, abandoned rowhomes, things property owners don’t take care of that grow into bigger and bigger problems. Nuisance properties make a neighborhood appear to be a sketchy, undesirable place, and because of that, they become a hot spot for illegal activities.The word for all of that is “blight” – and a town in New England has found a solution. This week, the Webster, Mass., health board approved what it informally calls “walls of shame.” When the board decides a property is a nuisance, or condemns the building, the town can now place a 4-by-8-foot sign on the building. These signs would explain the status of the building and carry the name of the property owner, address and phone number.The town hopes these signs will encourage property owners to keep their buildings up to code – and publicly shame those who do not.

States’ Rights: Does the federal government exceed its authority? Posted on 2/28/2011 4:17:51 PM
The wave of Tea Party-backed representatives and senators voted into office last election had a central, common goal: a hands-off federal government. On the state level, this is playing out across the country with proposed laws that attempt to dismantle Washington’s authority to regulate a range of things, from business to food. These legislators are exercising what is known as states’ rights, a guarantee in the Bill of Rights that any powers not given to the federal government by the U.S. Constitution are given to the states.

Should inmate labor help governments save money? Posted on 2/25/2011 4:08:12 PM
You’re probably familiar with the stereotypes: prisoners making license plates, smashing rocks or picking up trash on the side of the highway. But how about prisoners gardening, groundskeeping, painting buildings or performing underwater welding on public sewer systems?

Should states require employers to give 60 days’ notice before closing shop? Posted on 2/24/2011 1:55:07 PM
Charlie Brown’s Steakhouse was a New Jersey establishment with locations throughout the state. But when the company that owns the popular chain went bankrupt, it abruptly closed 13 of its restaurants, suddenly leaving 1,900 New Jerseyans without a job. “No one deserves to be shoved out the door in this or any economy without the fairness of advanced notice,” said Assemblyman Nelson Albano. That is why Albano joined with other state legislators to draft a bill that would require larger companies to provide 60 days’ notice of closing and mass layoffs. Should states require companies to give 60 days’ notice before a mass layoff? Would this help prepare their employees?

What will happen if the federal government shuts down? Posted on 2/23/2011 2:04:22 PM
Last week we told you about the federal budget, and what a headache it is to put together. How much of a headache? So much that Congress never passed a budget last year. President Barack Obama, the Senate and the House of Representatives could not agree on how to plan its spending for fiscal 2011. It missed the October deadline, which is when the budget for the following year goes into effect. The only reason the government is operating today is because of what are called “continuing resolutions.” Those are mini-budgets that keep things running for short periods of time; the current continuing resolution expires on March 4. So before lawmakers start really thinking about next year’s budget, they have to finish their work on last year’s.

Defunding Public Media: Should taxpayer money support PBS? Posted on 2/21/2011 12:00:00 AM
Maybe you grew up watching Elmo on Sesame Street or Arthur the Aardvark. Maybe you caught science programs like NOVA in middle school. You might recall hearing that those shows “were brought to you by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and viewers like you.” Did you ever wonder what that means? Public television stations that produce and present shows like Sesame Street are funded through a few different means – individual memberships (remember waiting out those insufferably long pledge drives as a kid?), business sponsorship and government funding. The latter is where the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) comes in, but its role may be dwindling.

Should in-school advertising be allowed? Posted on 2/10/2011 12:00:00 AM
The side of your bus features an ad for a popular sneaker. When you arrive at your stop, an electronic billboard greets you with a sale ad for a local car dealer. Inside your building, corporate logos are etched above the entrances to some rooms. Later, at the place you have lunch, a food company is passing out samples of its latest pasta creation. On the way out, you pick up a flier with a bunch of ads on the back. Nothing too unusual here, except that the bus is your school bus, the billboard is planted right outside your school, the logos are above the school gym and library entrances, the lunch place is the cafeteria, and the flier is a field trip permission slip. With school districts facing critical budget shortfalls, many are trying to raise funds by inviting advertisers to promote their products on school property. The idea of exposing children to ads in school has met with reluctance, but increasing numbers of parents and administrators are concluding it is a necessary alternative. “As uncomfortable as it may be for folks, it’s less comfortable to get rid of programs or go through more layoffs,” a Los Angeles school district official said. Should in-school advertising be allowed? Which types of ads are not acceptable? Should school districts restrict where the ads can be placed? Does your school have any advertising? Join the discussion!

How big of a problem do you think illegal immigration is? Posted on 2/4/2011 12:00:00 AM
The state of Arizona was heavily criticized for passing the nation’s strictest anti-illegal immigration law in 2010. In Europe, politicians have fiercely opposed an increase in emigration of Muslims from Turkey and Northern Africa. But last week, a report released by the German Marshall Fund (GMF), a nonpartisan research group focusing on transatlantic issues, showed that people in the United States, Canada and six European countries (the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain) think immigration is far more widespread, and consider it a bigger problem, than it actually is.

Gang Sweeps: Did police violate a student’s Fourth Amendment rights? Posted on 1/18/2011 12:00:00 AM
How would you feel if you were pulled out of your lunch period, taken to the office by police and accused of a crime you didn’t commit? Taking the scenario a step further, how would you feel if the police proceeded to search your bag and shoot photos of you for their file? This happened to Kaleb Winston, a 14-year-old in Salt Lake City, Utah, and his parents are saying the school and law enforcement violated their son’s rights.

Surface Mining: How to balance economic and environmental concerns? Posted on 1/14/2011 12:00:00 AM
When you switch on your computer, charge your cell phone or leave your bedroom light on, do you know where that energy comes from? From electricity, obviously. Which comes from power lines. Which are sourced from a local power plant. Many of which get their power from natural resources – specifically, coal. Coal accounts for almost 50 percent of U.S. electricity generation, according to the U.S. Government’s Energy Information Administration (EIA). That coal is mined from very specific regions of the country that are particularly coal-rich. West Virginia, for instance, came in second only to Kentucky in the volume of coal produced in 2009, according to the EIA. It’s strange to think about, but when you see lights on in New York City, that’s happening because of coal that came from the West Virginia mountains. However, a certain type of coal mining has stirred up much controversy in that state.

How will the Arizona shooting affect politics? Posted on 1/10/2011 12:00:00 AM
This weekend, a shooting spree at an Arizona rally killed six people, including U.S. District Judge John M. Roll, and critically wounded U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.It also sparked a discussion on the extreme nature of political conversation in the country. Are politics too divisive? It’s a common question, but one made particularly relevant by the shooting. When does political speech become more than just a motivation to vote for a certain candidate or party? When does it instigate violence?

Honoring fallen troopers or endorsing religion? Highway crosses in Utah Posted on 1/6/2011 12:00:00 AM
Crosses are once again in the courts as the state of Utah fights for its right to memorialize fallen state troopers through white crosses on highways. In August 2010, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the 14 white crosses violate the establishment clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits government endorsement of a religion. But it has since placed a stay on the order, which would remove the crosses, paving the way for the case to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Racial division or racial understanding?: Arizona’s new ethnic studies law Posted on 1/3/2011 12:00:00 AM
Does your high school have an African American Studies class or a Mexican history program? What do you think of it? Does it unite your classmates, providing them with a better understanding of one another’s racial backgrounds and cultures? Or does it deepen a discriminatory divide in your school? In Arizona, lawmakers and officials think an ethnic studies program in Tucson schools does the latter. Last year, the state’s outgoing superintendent of schools, Tom Horne, criticized a program called La Raza Studies, which teaches Mexican-American history and culture. He called it “one-sided progapanda” that is inconsistent with American values, and said it teaches minority students to feel oppressed and resent whites.

Free Speech Versus Hate Speech: What should the Smithsonian do about controversial art? Posted on 12/15/2010 12:00:00 AM
An exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., continues to be the center of debate over artistic expression versus hate speech.On view since Oct. 30, Hide / Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture is a national exhibit focusing on depictions of gay and lesbian subjects. One of the works featured is a four-minute video installation by New York artist David Wojnarowicz, who died of AIDS in 1992; the work, “A Fire in My Belly,” is a reaction to the AIDS epidemic of the late ’80s, and uses an image of ants crawling over Christ on the crucifix as a metaphor. The 11-second clip caused an uproar among members of the House of Representatives, including Rep. John Boehner of Ohio and Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia. Bill Donohue, president of the religious advocacy group The Catholic League, called the work “hate speech.” Fearing that the negative reaction would distract from the other works in the exhibition, the Smithsonian decided to remove Wojnarowicz’s video

Who should own Native American artifacts? Posted on 12/6/2010 12:00:00 AM
If you have ever been to a natural history museum, you probably saw an exhibit of what your hometown or state was like before Europeans colonized the land. These exhibits often include artifacts and possibly skeletons of Native Americans. Exhibits like these may be informative, but to Native Americans, they can be a source of frustration. Until recently, Native Americans could claim no ownership rights to artifacts that were taken from their land. Their burial grounds were dug up by archaeologists, and the findings were sent to museums across the country and world. Many artifacts were either purchased, often below the value of the object, or stolen, with little legal recourse for the tribes. In 1990, things changed. The federal government passed the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, which gave Native American tribes the legal authority to reclaim artifacts from federally funded museums. Who should own Native American artifacts? Does the passage of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act right the wrong of having cultural objects taken from tribes?

Is the government doing enough to prevent HIV-AIDS? Posted on 12/1/2010 12:00:00 AM
In the 30 years since the AIDS pandemic broke, some 30 million people around the world have died. But on this World AIDS Day, researchers, advocates and global health leaders are cautiously optimistic. Since it peaked in the late 1990s, the disease attacking the immune system (the acronym stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) has gradually begun to decline. Medical advances have made AIDS / HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus, the infection causing AIDS) less of the fearsome death sentence it was upon emerging in the 1980s, and more of a treatable long-term disease. Fewer people are dying as a result of AIDS complications – 20 percent fewer, according to an NPR report – while new infections are down by 19 percent. And last month, researchers announced a new treatment called Truvada, a pill that in studies lowered the risk of HIV infection by 44 percent. It’s not an AIDS vaccine or cure, but rather a treatment that prevents infection before it can happen, and experts are calling it “the most important development in years in the fight against HIV / AIDS.” But with the promising news come sobering reminders of the challenges that remain.

What should be the government’s role in vaccinations? Posted on 11/29/2010 12:00:00 AM
If you spent Thanksgiving dinner trying to avoid your coughing, sniffling, contagious younger cousins, you’re probably thinking about staying one step ahead of sickness this week. But would you take it as far as getting a flu shot? The government recommends that virtually the entire population get vaccinated to prevent the spread of disease. But vaccinations are a personal choice: You notice that the government is only recommending them. It doesn’t mandate shots on a national level, though some state governments have tried to step up their role by requiring vaccinations for health care workers. And in California, where a whooping cough outbreak caused the death of 10 infants this fall, a law goes into effect in January requiring students to be vaccinated for the disease.

How should someone dispose of unwanted or expired medicine? Posted on 11/22/2010 12:00:00 AM
Say you’ve got a splitting headache. You go into the medicine cabinet and pull out a bottle of pain relievers, such as aspirin, Tylenol, or ibuprofen. But before you pop them into your mouth, you notice that they’ve expired. Now you’ve got two headaches. You shouldn’t toss the drugs in the trash or flush them down the toilet because they will contaminate the environment if they reenter the water system. Traces of medicines have been found in drinking water. So how do you get rid of expired or unwanted drugs? Several drugstore and supermarket chains have implemented medication disposal plans and communities across the country have also created Drug Take-Back days, when people can drop off expired or unwanted drugs that are then disposed of properly. In San Francisco, the city has legislation in the works to require drug companies to pay for the safe disposal of their drugs. How should someone get rid of unwanted or expired medicine? Who should pay for the cost of getting rid of old or unwanted medicine?

When does airport security become a violation of privacy? Posted on 11/17/2010 12:00:00 AM
If you’re flying anywhere this holiday season, you’re bound to notice that airport security is tighter than ever. You may have to wait in a long line to get to your gate. You’ll probably be asked to show your ID multiple times. And depending on what airport you find yourself in, you may be asked to go through a full-body scanner. Those scanners have been the target of passengers’ ire since they were first announced last winter. Some travelers, and consumer advocates, feel that the X-rays from the scanners are potentially dangerous, especially for frequent fliers. They also feel the scanners are a violation of passengers’ privacy.

How long should the U.S. military remain in Iraq? Posted on 11/9/2010 12:00:00 AM
In late August, President Barack Obama announced that the United States’ combat mission in Iraq had concluded and that American troops would fully withdraw by December 2011. That deadline may be extended, however, if the Iraqi government asks our troops to stay longer. In a statement on Tuesday, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said, “We’ll stand by. We’re ready to have that discussion if and when [Iraqi officials] want to raise it with us.”

Should government money support religious schools? Posted on 11/4/2010 12:00:00 AM
If you attend public school, a lot of the things surrounding you - textbooks, computers, desks and chairs - are paid for through tax dollars. Schools get most of their money from local taxes, with some coming from state and federal taxes. But if you attend a private religious school, not so much. Religious education institutions - Catholic schools, for instance - get their money from the tuition your parents pay every year. Taxpayer money is generally not allowed to go to religious schools...but sometimes, it makes it to them through roundabout ways. Take a case in Arizona involving organizations that raise money for private school scholarships. The Supreme Court recently heard arguments in a case where some taxpayers allege the state tax credit program assisting those groups actually supports religious schools (and, going a step further, endorses religion).

Should government be allowed to forbid the sale of violent video games to minors? Posted on 11/2/2010 12:00:00 AM
If you are under 18 and a fan of violent video games like Grand Theft Auto, you might have to wait a little longer before you can buy your own copy of a new release. The Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments for Schwarzenegger vs. Entertainment Merchants Association, which will determine if a California law that forbids the sale of violent video games to anyone under 18 is constitutional. The state of California argues that minors lack the ability to make a reasoned choice, and the law reinforces the parents’ authority to prevent their children from playing violent video games. The video game industry is crying foul and says it also represents the parents’ interest. It says the government should not be the one deciding something that should be left to parents. Should government be allowed forbid the sale of violent video games to minors? Join the discussion and let us know what you think!

Should schools be allowed to ban religious symbols to protect against gang violence? Posted on 10/8/2010 12:00:00 AM
It’s not unusual for schools to ban students from wearing gang symbols. If students are unable to outwardly identify with rival groups when they are in school, it lessens the potential for school violence. But what happens when a gang symbol is a religious symbol as well? When a Colorado Springs school district found out that gangs in the Midwest had started adopting Catholic rosary beads and crosses as symbols of their allegiance, it decided to clamp down. One school says students who want to wear rosaries as a symbol of their Catholic faith must do so underneath their clothing. The parent of a 13-year-old student named Cainan spoke up to the school district and in the local press against the restriction. Jordan Sekulow, a human rights attorney at the American Center for Law, said that unless there is evidence that a student is part of whichever gang wears religious symbols, that student has a constitutional right under the First Amendment to wear a cross to school. Should schools be allowed to ban religious symbols to protect against gang violence? Join the discussion!

How far should juvenile sentencing restrictions go? Posted on 9/30/2010 12:00:00 AM
Until you turn 18, you’re pretty well protected from the more extreme aspects of the justice system. In 2005, the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional to execute juvenile offenders, no matter what their crime. And in May 2010, the Supreme Court ruled that juveniles may not be sentenced to life in prison without parole, unless they’re found guilty of homicide. The justices ruled that both violate the Eighth Amendment’s protection from cruel and unusual punishment. Some feel that these sentencing restrictions still don’t go far enough. Others feel they go too far.

What do you think about President Obama’s plans to help the economy? Posted on 9/14/2010 12:00:00 AM
Starting on Labor Day, and pledging to continue until November, President Barack Obama has been rallying support for two proposals, a transportation and infrastructure development plan and a middle- class tax break that he says will help turn the economy around. And stimulating the economy is the reason for creating the transportation plan and continuing the tax break for households that earn less than $250,000 a year. While avoiding specific numbers, the president said the transportation plan will put more Americans back to work, and the tax relief will help families struggling to make ends meet. The president’s proposals have not been met with open arms by Republicans, who are hoping to take control of the House of Representatives in November. House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio has spoken out against Obama’s transportation plan and his tax cuts. He argues that a tax cut across the board is necessary for stimulating the economy, and that government spending will only put the country further into debt without helping put Americans back to work. Do you think that President Obama’s transportation and tax plans will help turn the country’s economy around? Join the discussion and let us know what you think!

Should the government fund embryonic stem cell research? Posted on 8/25/2010 12:00:00 AM
Though they’re microscopic, stem cells have proven to be an explosive point of debate between medical researchers and right-to-life advocates. Scientists want to use embryonic stem cells (ESC) to study diseases. They believe that working with human cells at their most basic could lead to breakthroughs in treating spinal cord injuries, Parkinson’s, and other life-threatening conditions. President Barack Obama issued an executive order allowing federal money to pay for ESC research in 2009. But getting the cells for the research means destroying a human embryo; in other words, it means destroying a form of human life. This has set some of the public against it. A recent ruling by a federal judge has overturned President Obama’s executive order, saying that it violated a 1987 law prohibiting the use of taxpayer money for any research in which a human embryo is destroyed.

Do gay marriage bans violate the Constitution’s equal protection clause? Posted on 8/5/2010 12:00:00 AM
When the California Supreme Court ruled in 2008 that same-sex marriage was permitted under the state constitution, voters spoke out. Campaigns were waged, rallies were held, and Proposition 8 – a voter referendum amending the state Constitution, declaring that “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California” – was passed by 52 percent of voters. Now a federal judge says that Prop 8 is unconstitutional. In early August, U.S. District Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker ruled that gay and lesbian couples have a right to marry under the U.S. Constitution. In his ruling in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, Walker said the state’s marriage law “both unconstitutionally burdens the exercise of the fundamental right to marry and creates an irrational classification on the basis of sexual orientation.” The decision is expected to be appealed in what is shaping up to be a lengthy legal battle, possibly culminating at the Supreme Court.

When maps attack: A primer on political gerrymandering Posted on 5/17/2010 12:00:00 AM
In the world of politics, maps turn into living things. An Iowa attorney compared them to an amoeba during a 2007 NPR interview. A Philadelphia Inquirer writer used the more colorful description, “a mutant, one-legged lobster with an oversize claw.” And if you’ve ever played TheReDistricting Game, you’ve watched its cartoon of a map turning into giant green alligator, hungrily munching away at the elected officials around it. Obviously, we aren’t talking about your average, everyday atlas. These are political district maps, drawing the boundaries of where one elected official’s territory ends and the other begins. And the reason they get compared to monsters is because of a process known as gerrymandering. It’s something that  you’ll be hearing much more about as census forms are counted and elections approach.

Flash Mobs: From urban fracas to policy game changers Posted on 5/3/2010 12:00:00 AM
Imagine sitting on a park bench in your favorite park, or shopping in a department store. Suddenly, a mass of people descend, causing havoc and damaging property. You might be scratching your head and wondering what just happened, but don’t worry. The phenomenon has a name: It’s called a flash mob. Flash mobs started out peacefully about seven years ago as fun social experiments – often including street art, impromptu performances by bands or theater troupes. Sometimes they can be silly – pillow fights or silent iPod dance parties, for example – or they can be a marketing ploy to hype up a new product for the key teenage demographic. Recently though, they have turned violent throughout the United States, from large cities like Philadelphia, Boston, New York to smaller urban cities like Chattanooga, TN and South Orange, NJ. Philadelphia has witnessed four flash mobs in the past several months that have resulted in assaults and property damage. And unfortunately for you, the mobs were mainly high-school age students, leading to hysteria about high schoolers running amok and frightening people (because nothing freaks out parents and the authorities more than a mob of uncontrollable teenagers). But what causes this phenomenon?

Do You Have a First Amendment Right to Party? Posted on 2/25/2010 12:00:00 AM
Miley Cyrus sings that there is a party in the U.S.A. The Beastie Boys even proclaimed it’s a right that we should fight for. But is partying protected by the First Amendment? The right to party has become an issue in the sleepy resort town of Narragansett , R.I., where an ordinance allowing police to crack down on parties has been questioned. The partyers, mainly University of Rhode Island students who rent homes off-campus during the school year, claimed that the stickers are pretty much a form of public humiliation and sued the town claiming their First Amendemnt rights were being infringed. So the question must be asked, is partying a form of assembly? If so, is partying protected under the first amendment? Join the discssion and let us know what you think!

Is sentencing juveniles to life in prison without parole constitutional? Posted on 11/17/2009 12:00:00 AM
We’ve all done something bad. But imagine doing something bad, so bad that you go to jail for the rest of your life, with no chance of parole. Would this be considered a violation of the Eighth Amendment, which protects us from “cruel and unusual punishment”? That is the heart of the issue of the Supreme Court cases Sullivan v. Florida and Graham v. Florida. In both cases, the juveniles were found guilty of offenses in which no one was killed, and they received life sentences without the chance of release. These two are among the over one hundred cases across the country in which a juvenile was sentenced to life in prison without parole for non-homicide offenses. How should the court rule? Should a juvenile be sentenced to life in prison without parole for a crime in which no one dies? Does the age of the person matter?

How can Pennsylvania balance energy independence with ecological conservation? Posted on 3/16/2009 12:00:00 AM
Two goals of government are at the center of a debate in the state of Pennsylvania: environmental stewardship and energy independence.  The state is situated directly over the center of a geological formation known as the Marcellus Shale, a massive pocket of natural gas that spans 54,000 square miles from southern New York to West Virginia. With advances in drilling technology, national energy companies have converged on the region to tap into this massive reserve of natural gas - and harnessing domestic energy resources have been viewed by some as a key in reducing the United States’ dependence on foreign oil. However, many are concerned that tapping into the Marcellus Shale would have a major impact on the surrounding environment, from,  using local water in the drilling process to  possibly polluting local ecologies once the process is complete.  How can the state balance energy independence with ecological conservation? Do the tax and economic benefits outweigh the potential costs to the environment? Should the state place greater oversight on miners and treatment operations? What would be the best way to prevent a negative impact on our local streams and lakes?

How does the recession affect state and local governments? Posted on 1/9/2009 12:00:00 AM
The national recession is beginning to hit home, and it's very likely that you or someone you know has been affected by the economic downturn. Large retail stores and small boutique shops are going out of business. Across the state of Pennsylvania, major companies - such as the Pittsburgh-based Alcoa Aluminum - are instituting sweeping layoffs. And whether it's within the walls of the state capitol in Harrisburg, or in your own local municipal halls, governments are being hit just as hard. Locally, drastic cuts have had to be made to city services such as libraries, pools and snow plowing. Cuts were also imposed on the state budget, where legislators have instituted a hiring freeze and eliminated pay raises as a means of dealing with the recession. How should Pennsylvania and its cities deal with the economic downturn? How has the economy affected you and your community?

The Path to the Presidency: With the election over, what now? Posted on 11/5/2008 12:00:00 AM
The victory speech has been given, the balloons and confetti have fallen, and now Barack Obama is the President-Elect of the United States of America. After more than a year of campaigning, from the primaries to the general election, the nation has finally spoken, and now Obama’s journey has just begun. On January 20, he will make his way down Pennsylvania Avenue and be sworn in as President.  The next two months will be no vacation for the president-elect. Between now and the end of January, he will have to create policy to address the issues at hand, prioritize his goals in office and put together a staff of secretaries and cabinet members to assist and advise the new president.  With all of these new responsibilities, how will our new president accomplish the goals he talked about during the campaign? What issues do you think President-Elect Obama should tackle first? How would you advise the new leader of the United States of America?

The Path to the Presidency: Why is it important to vote? Posted on 10/24/2008 12:00:00 AM
Every year, many students like you turn 18 and cast their first ballot on Election Day, fulfilling the most basic action in a democratic society. Sadly, these students are in the minority, as the greater part of Americans age 18 to 22 do not vote, squandering their chance to have their voices heard. Voting is a fundamental process that keeps our system of government working. Through elections, citizens have the ability to decide on who represents them in government, whether a local official, a state or national representative, or the president. On Election Day, voters will not only be able to select their representatives in government for the next term, but they also often have the ability to decide on measures like bond issues that grant the government permission to borrow money for construction projects and other developments. And sometimes voters cast their ballots on social issues such as defining the bounds of civil unions or banning smoking in restaurants and bars. Given the importance of elections in the United States, why would so many people choose not to vote? Why is it important to vote? What would you say to your peers or family members to convince them to vote?  Have you already voted in an election? If so, what was your experience like?

The Path to The Presidency: What issues matter to you? Posted on 10/17/2008 12:00:00 AM
The presidential debates are now over and within days, the nation’s voters will elect the next president of the United States. When you go into the voting booth to make your choice, how do you make your decision? Many thoughts may go through your mind, and many concerns taken into consideration, when reflecting on the race between Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama. But what is this election really about? Many citizens cast their votes based on “the issues” - which is a casual way of referring to items of public concern relating to government policy, both domestic and foreign. What is government policy? It usually refers to a government’s established laws or guidelines for how the government enforces those laws. But through the lens of the   In this Speak Out, rather than look at the candidates themselves, we will look at the issues central to the campaigns and the nation as a whole during this election cycle. After reading the background article, how important are these issues to you in deciding who to support for president? Which of these issues affects you the most? Which concerns you the least? Are there any other issues that the candidates talk about that influence your decision? Are there issues that the candidates have not discussed that you want to hear more about?

The Path to the Presidency: Why are debates important? Posted on 10/6/2008 12:00:00 AM
By October, the presidential race is in its home stretch. Election Day is only weeks away, and every move a candidate makes -and everything he or she says - is placed under intense public scrutiny. The situation is magnified in a closely contested race, as we are seeing this year with Senators John McCain and Barack Obama vying for the presidency. An off-color quip or bold statement can potentially swing public opinion one way or another. This is precisely why debates are so important. While not an explicit requirement for candidates, debates have been viewed as a way for the public to get to know the candidates and their positions, as well as highlight the differences in their proposed policies. Debates give the candidates a chance to deliver their message on a massive public stage while providing an opportunity for committed and undecided voters to get to know the candidates - both their personalities and their stances on the issues - helping to determine their vote. Have you watched any of the national debates this year?  What did you learn from them? Was your opinion of the candidates influenced by their performance at the debates? Which issues do you hope to hear the candidates discuss? How do you “check the facts” after hearing what a candidate or campaign says?

The Path to the Presidency: What does the Constitution say about the executive office? Posted on 9/19/2008 12:00:00 AM
The role of the chief executive has remained much the same over the centuries. But many important rules about how they become chief executive have come into play through amendments to the U.S. Constitution. If the same rules were still in place from the 18th century, for example, the Nov. 4 elections could end with John McCain elected president and Barack Obama elected vice president, or vice versa. Until the Twelfth Amendment was passed in 1803, the vice presidency went to the runner-up in the vote count. However, Congress realized that it was difficult for two political rivals with potentially different viewpoints to govern together efficiently. Changes like this were meant to improve both the election process and the functions of government, to make it run more smoothly and give the president the maximum amount of support in fulfilling his duties effectively and efficiently. If the founding fathers knew then what we know now, what else do you think they would change about the way the executive branch works? How have the amendments made by Congress over the years affected the way our government is run? Do you think there are further modifications that could or should be made? How about the roles and responsibilities? What other qualifications do you look for when choosing who will best represent you as president? Join the discussion!

The First Amendment: Do you know your speech rights as a student? Posted on 9/3/2008 12:00:00 AM
In one of the final decisions of the Supreme Court’s 2006-2007 term, the justices considered the controversial Morse v. Frederick case and ruled that principal Deborah Morse was allowed to punish student Joseph Frederick for unfurling a questionable banner, even though it occurred, technically, off the campus of their Juneau, Alaska high school. The ruling has far-reaching implications for your First Amendment rights as a student. Some experts argue that because the message of Frederick’s banner was a cheeky statement that seemingly promoted drug use, rather than political or religious speech, it didn’t deserve protection. Others worry that this case sets a precedent for principals who want to punish students for protected political or religious speech off-grounds that they might find objectionable. Still another viewpoint suggests that the ruling could have implications for student speech online. How does the Supreme Court’s ruling in Morse v. Frederick affect students’ speech rights at school and away from school? How does the Frederick case correspond to and differ from past First Amendment cases involving schools and students? How would you have decided the case?

The Free Press and You: How does the First Amendment apply to student media? Posted on 3/11/2008 12:00:00 AM
The freedom of the press provision of the First Amendment protects the right of newspapers, magazines and other publications to print factual articles on whatever they see fit, controversial or conventional, without interference from the government. The framers found the concept so important that they placed it alongside freedom of speech, religion and assembly. However, in the case of Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, the Supreme Court supported a restriction on this right, ruling that school administrations had the right to censor student publications that raise legitimate pedagogical concerns. In other words, as acting publishers of the student press, districts and school officials can edit legally the student press if there are concerns over appropriateness of the content. What is the role of a free press in a school environment? Has newspaper censorship ever happened at your school? Should student journalists be completely free to publish without censorship or do administrators sometimes have legitimate reasons to pull stories? If so, when do you think it’s okay for them to do so? If you were a student who had your work censored, how would you react? What other outlets to you have for your voice? Join the discussion on free press and let us know what you think!

Does the First Amendment protect students’ speech off of school grounds? Posted on 4/4/2007 12:00:00 AM
This June, the United State Supreme Court will make a ruling on Morse v. Frederick, a case which could decide if school administration has the authority to suppress certain types of speech off of school grounds. The decision may have significant impact on how your First Amendment rights are interpreted, but Morse v. Frederick is not the first Supreme Court case dealing with students’ right to free speech. The case is being reviewed in the context of the groundbreaking Supreme Court case, Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969), in which the court decided that students’ speech in school is protected by the First Amendment as long as it is not disruptive to the educational process. With this in mind, the Supreme Court will determine whether the First Amendment allows schools to punish students for displaying messages, even if they are off of school grounds. In the context of Tinker v. Des Moines, should speech off of school grounds be held to the same standard as speech in school? Under which circumstances should school administrations have the right to limit student speech? In the case of Frederick v. Morse, do you think the student’s First Amendment rights were violated or did the administrator exercise proper authority?

National Security vs. Civil Liberty: How do you feel about the Patriot Act? Posted on 1/11/2007 12:00:00 AM
The USA Patriot Act was signed into law on Oct. 26, 2001, with government officials citing the need for more cooperation among all levels of security to protect the country against terrorism. Many provisions of the Patriot Act were due to expire at the end of this year, and President Bush pushed hard to get them renewed before January. But some congressional leaders, concerned about civil liberties being stripped by the act, refused, pushing instead for a limited extension while those problems are addressed. The U.S. Congress reached a last-minute compromise in late December to extend the Patriot Act for five weeks while lawmakers work out their disagreements. Opponents of the act and its renewal say that while the United States may be safer, the cost to our civil freedom is too high, while proponents say the law is necessary to keep Americans safe at home and abroad. Should the Patriot Act be renewed? Are there provisions of the act that you think should be removed? Do you feel safer with this law in effect? Join the discussion!
Speak Out


Join the Discussion
 
 
 
limited to 2000 characters including spaces  



Thank you for commenting.
Your comment is awaiting approval.
 Click here to view all Speak Outs
Comments
Be the first to comment on this Speak Out
Related News
This Speak Out does not have any related news
Related Resources
This Speak Out does not have any related resources
Share
Email Delicious
Facebook StumbleUpon
LinkedIn Digg
MySpace Twitter