Earth Day Video

Part 1- 

American Masters, a Fierce Green Fire. Dir. Mark Kitchell. 22 Apr. 2014. PBS. Web. 13 May 2014. <http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/a-fierce-green-fire/watch-the-film/2924/>.

This film was made to shed light on the battle for a healthier planet using celebrities to support the cause while they narrate the movie. There are five acts, each with characters and stories starting with The Conservation Movement, focused in the 1960's on the Sierra Club and trying to stop the construction of dams in the Grand Canyon. Next is the Pollution Cleanup and what is being done to save children from toxic waste that is put into our environment. Next is Greenpeace, a company that works hard to save animals endangered by waste. Next is Global Resources and the fight to save the Amazon rainforest. Last but certainly not least, Climate Change is addressed and the 25 year long battle is being put to a stop.

Part 2- 

Blackfish. Dir. Gabriela Cowperthwaite. 19 Jan. 2013. Web. 13 May 2014. <http://blackfishmovie.com/>.

Blackfish is a documentary that focuses on the captivity of Tilikum, a killer whale involved in the deaths of three individuals, and the consequences of keeping killer whales in captivity. The coverage of Tilikum includes his capture in 1983 off the coast of Iceland. Cowperthwaite also focuses on SeaWorld's claims that lifespans of whales in captivity are comparable to those in the wild, typically 30 years for males and 50 years for females, a claim the film argues is false Interview subjects also include former SeaWorld trainers, such as John Hargrove.

The Cove. Dir. Jim Clark. OPS. Web. 13 May 2014. <http://www.thecovemovie.com/>.

The Cove is a 2009 documentary film that analyzes and questions dolphin hunting practices in Japan. The film is a call to action to halt mass dolphin kills, change Japanese fishing practices, and to inform and educate the public about the risks, and increasing hazard, of mercury poisoning from dolphin meat. The film is told from an ocean conservationist's point of view. The film highlights the fact that the number of dolphins killed in the Taiji dolphin drive hunting is several times greater than the number of whales killed in the Antarctic, and claims that 23,000 dolphins and porpoises are killed in Japan every year by the country's whaling industry. The migrating dolphins are herded into a cove where they are netted and killed by means of spears and knives over the side of small fishing boats. The film argues that dolphin hunting as practiced in Japan is unnecessary and cruel.

Statement: I would love to see something done about injuring and killing innocent animals for profit. Both with Blackfish and The Cove, I saw that something is wrong with our society and why we don't give rights where rights should be given. I believe that it would be helpful to pass laws or legislature that ensures the safety of animals today. Animals should not be held in captivity for profit, nor killed for profit. Most of this horror goes on in foreign countries, but I believe that we in the United States can still do something about it.

National Interest Groups Essay #20

AMA

A. AMA targets Congress, more specifically, Medicare.

B. This group is made up of Physicians and medical students, the majority of these people will encounter Medicare patients or policies in practice, whether they choose to work in a private practice, or in a hospital. Since Medicare policies set standards for other insurance payers, it makes sense for the AMA to attempt to influence the way Medicare is run.

C. The constituents of the AMA include doctors and medical practice offices, and they have created a set of rules, policies, and procedure codes to standardize terminology. These Current Procedural Codes (CPC) are one of the primary ways that all medical forms and insurance forms are filled out. Since nearly all medical procedures are billed to insurers, and Medicare is the largest insurer in the United States, the AMA wants to communicate efficiently with Medicare so their constituency gets paid.

(1999_2)National interest groups often target national-level policymaking institutions to achieve their policy objectives.


Select one of the following national interest groups.- AARP- AMA (Medical Association)- NAACP- NAM (national assoc. of Manufacturers)

For the group you selected do each of the following.- a identify one major national-level policymaking institution that this group targets.- b describe one resource or characteristic of the group you have chosen and explain how it influences the choice of the target you have identified in (a)- c describe another resource or characteristic of the group you have chosen and explain how it influences the choice of the target you have identified in (a).


http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/repository/govpol_us_99.pdf

Media in Presidential Campaigns Essay #19

Two ways in which the media have contributed to candidate-centered presidential campaigns are: election profiles of all of the major candidates are covered on most of the major networks so many Americans tune in to learn about a candidates' early beginnings, and the coverage of a candidate's potential wrong-doing.

Two ways in which presidential candidates' use of the has contributes to candidate-centered campaigns are: the use of negative commercials to defame their competitor during election time, and through attention-gathering public appearances to enhance public attention to individual qualities.


(1999_1)In the 1990’s presidential election campaigns have become more candidate centered and less focused on issues and party labels. The change has been attributed both to how the media cover presidential campaigns and to how candidates use the media. Identify and explain two ways in which the media have contributed to candidate-centered presidential campaigns. Identify and explain two ways in which presidential candidates’ use of the media has contributed to candidate-centered campaigns.

Your answer should not include a discussion of presidential primary elections.

http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/repository/sg_gov_pol_us_99.up_7047.pdf

Federal Bureaucracy Essay #18

A) A description of a characteristic of the merit system is that hiring or promotion is based on merit, experience, and qualifications.

B) The structure of the bureaucracy contributes to bureaucratic independence because it is based on merit. Complexity of public policy problems contributes to bureaucratic independence because it delegates authority. Because Congress and the president cannot handle everything, they delegate authority to the bureaucracy.

C) -Congress can pass legislation affecting the bureaucracy. 
     -The Courts can implement rulings that limit bureaucratic practices. 
     -Interest Groups can utilize the 1st amendment while partaking in Lobbying, protests, and media use.

http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap10_us_govt_politics_q2.pdf

Party Trends Essay #17

A) One specific trend evident in the figure is the percentage of House seats for Democrats has trended down.

B)  From 1948 to 2000, Southern voters elected Democratic candidates to Congress more frequently than they elected Democratic candidates to the presidency. Incumbency advantage, even though Southern voters were voting for Republican presidential candidates, they continued to vote for incumbent Democratic congressional candidates because of the incumbency advantage. State versus national parties- because national and state parties were largely independent of each other, to get votes Democratic congressional candidates responded to local interests, whereas Democratic presidential candidates responded to a national constituency.

C)  Over the past few decades, party composition has changed in groups. Catholics have become less reliable Democratic voters. Women have: become more reliable Democratic voters, have increased in number and thus there are more Democratic supporters, and have become a larger percentage of the Democratic voting block. Labor union members have: become less reliable Democratic voters, have decreased in number and thus there are fewer Democratic supporters, and have become a smaller percentage of the Democratic voting block.

http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap10_us_govt_politics_q3.pdf

Federal Agencies Essay #16

1.  Two reasons why Congress gives federal agencies policy making discretion in executing federal laws are: because it's easier to come to an agreement, and it's more efficient that way.

2. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is under the policy of clean air and water. The EPA is in charge of protecting the environment by creating national parks and regulating pollution levels. The EPA passed pollution level laws and ordered all cities to change their requirements that didn't pass the test.

3. Two ways in which Congress ensures that federal agencies follow legislative intent are: investigations, and Legislative Veto. 

2006-3 The United States congress and the president together have the power to enact federal law. Federal bureaucratic agencies have the responsibility to execute federal law. However, in the carrying out of these laws, federal agencies have policy making discretion.
(1) Explain two reasons why Congress gives federal agencies policy making discretion in executing federal laws.
(2) Choose one of the bureaucratic agencies listed below. Identify the policy area over which it exercises policy-making discretion and give one specific example of how it exercises that discretion.
a. Environmental Protection Agency
b. Federal Communications Commission
c. Federal Reserve board
(3) Describe two ways in which Congress ensures that federal agencies follow legislative intent.

http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/_ap06_gopo_us_sg.pdf

Social Security Essay #15

A) Entitlement programs are government-sponsored programs providing mandated/guaranteed/required benefits to those who meet eligibility requirements and qualifications.

B) Payroll taxes are the primary source of revenue for the Social Security program.

C) One threat to the future of the Social security program should the trends depicted in the chart is running out of money to provide to the people who receive Social Security.

D) One demographic trend that threatens the future of the Social Security program is that people are living longer and have a greater life expectancy. Because the number of workers who fund Social Security is decreasing, the number of people eligible for Social Security is increasing. Therefore, the threat of running out of money is very likely.

E) If people were to work longer, less money would be paid out/more money would be paid in/the reserve would not decline as rapidly or as much.

2006-2 In recent decades, entitlement programs have constituted a substantial portion of the United States federal budget. Social Security is the largest entitlement program in the US. From the information in the chart above, and your knowledge of the US government and politics, perform the following tasks.
(a) define entitlement program
(b) What is the primary source of revenue for the Social Security program
(c) Identify one threat to the future of the Social security program should the trends depicted in the chart continue
(d) Describe one demographic trend that threatens the future of the Social Security program and explain how it is responsible for the threat that you identified in (c)
(e) Explain how any one of the trends in the chart above would change if the age of eligibility for social security were raised.

http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/_ap06_gopo_us_sg.pdf

Domestic Policy Essay #14

The Constitution grants the president certain enumerated powers. Describe two of these formal powers that enable the president to exert influence over domestic policy.

a) The president is granted many powers due to the constitution. One would be the legislative powers that he has. With these, he can veto bills, perform pocket vetoes and even sign legislation. Another power he is granted is his appointment power, where he can call anyone into office.

Choose two of the following. Define each term and explain how each limits the president’s ability to influence domestic policy making in Congress.

Lame Duck Period: The lame duck period is a period of time in which an officeholder’s term is coming to an end. It limits the president's ability to influence domestic policy making in congress because congress becomes less responsive to the president and the president's power is viewed as begin diminished.
Mandatory Spending: Mandatory spending is spending not controlled by annual budget decisions. This takes aways form the president's ability to influence domestic policy because budgetary constraints make it difficult to accomplish policy goals, as well as the fact that it is difficult to make budget cuts that might accomplish policy goals.

2008-2)A number of factors enable presidents to exert influence over Congress in the area of domestic policy. However, presidents are also limited in their influence over domestic policymaking in Congress.

-The Constitution grants the president certain enumerated powers. Describe two of these formal powers that enable the president to exert influence over domestic policy.

-Choose two of the following. Define each term and explain how each limits the president’s ability to influence domestic policy making in Congress.

*Mandatory spending

*Party polarization

*Lame-duck period

http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap08_us_gopo_q2.pdf

Congressional Reapportionment Essay #13

a) Congressional reapportionment is the process by which the House of Representatives in the USA are redistributed among the states following each mandated decennial census. It is important because it determines the increase or decrease in the number of seats a state has in the House or Congress.

b) Congressional redistricting is the process of redrawing district boundaries when a state has more representatives than districts.

c) During redistricting, politicians have two main goals during gerrymandering. One would be to enhance political party strength/to minimize the strength of the opposition party and another is to increase minority representation/to decrease minority representation.

d) The US Supreme court has created multiple limitations on congressional redistricting. One would be the fact that districts must be equally populated and another would be the limitation that district lines cannot be drawn solely based upon race.

2008-1) Congressional reapportionment and redistricting are conducted every ten years. When redistricting is conducted, politicians often engage in gerrymandering.
(a) Define congressional reapportionment and explain one reason why it is important to states.
(b) Define congressional redistricting.
(c) Explain two goals of politicians when they gerrymander during redistricting.
(d) Describe two limits that the United State Supreme Court has placed on congressional redistricting.

http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap08_gopo_us_sgs.pdf 

bp Oil Spill Assignment

Source #1:

The Spill. 26 Oct. 2010. Frontline. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/the-spill/etc/introduction.html>.

The large oil company bp has managed to create a bad reputation for the face of foreign oil by neglecting to attend to safety concerns. Cost-cutting measures have continued to lower the safety threshold and both injure and kill over 20 people so far. Frontline investigates and describes how this company has slowly decreased in safety and trust. It also shows just how dangerous the oil spills can be, leading to fire, explosions, and the death and injury of many bp employees. Lack of leadership in the company is the main cause of confusion with safety measures and cost-cutting which is making the company untrustworthy and not true to their word that they will bump up the safety measures to keep employees safe. 

Source #2:

Pelley, Scott. "Blowout: The Deepwater Horizon Disaster." CBS News. CBS Interactive Inc., 16 May 2010. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. <http://www.cbsnews.com/news/blowout-the-deepwater-horizon-disaster-16-05-2010/>.

The deepwater horizon disaster refers to the tragic explosion and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico by bp, the largest oil company to date. It claimed 11 lives and is particularly terrible because there could have been many things done to prevent this disaster. To cut costs, bp avoided doing things for safety measures, not sealing the cement blocks being the largest of the cost-cutting activities, and that lead to the oil spill heard around the world. There could have been so many things that could have prevented this but bp has a major lack of leadership, starting with the CEO, that have ruined bp forever. 

Source #3:

McClatchy, David. "BP's Troubled Past." Frontline. PBS, 26 Oct. 2010. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/the-spill/bp-troubled-past/>.

For years, bp has been avoiding necessary safety measures to cut costs which has let to the injury and death of multiple employees. Now, there are documents being released that identify that bp truly could have done so much to save the lives of their employees but instead, they thought of the money aspect of it because they are greedy. Not only were people killed in the Texas City explosion, but there was a huge oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that killed 11 people. The sad part of the whole story is that bp just needs new leadership to guide them in the right direction to make their company safe again and to prevent any more disasters from occurring anytime soon.