Line Of Reasoning

Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act allows for every U.S. citizen to have health insurance. President Obama signed this new Act March 21, 2010. The Affordable Care Act consists of thousands of complex pages and has been explained to be filled with multiple new regulations. Some politicians are even estimating up to 20,000 pages.  Due to the complexity of the new health care laws, The Affordable Care Act is still being processed and read by politicians, learning all of the new rules and regulations that will apply to it.  According to “PhysiciansforReform.org “ under the article “ Why Obamacare must be repealed”, it states “When the 2,700 pages of legislation are examined extensively, much of the bill does not detail how the new healthcare law will actually work; it simply transfers power to the Secretary of Health and Human Services”.Which in essence, means the government will have full access to all of your personal medical information.
From this point, they are able to start a triage like system.  In section 3007 of the ACA law, the secretary of Human Health Services has all rights to review the physician’s medical decisions and gives them power to punish financially the doctors who don’t comply with “cost effectiveness standards”  (J.Kartcher) Nancy-Ann DeParle the director of the White House Office for Health Reform claims that when Obamacare is fully implemented that it will reduce the number of uninsured by 32 million and that this program sets up competitive private health care exchanges.
These claims are a fallacy because the factual proof shows a different side. One of President Obama’s biggest promises to the American people was announced on June 5, 2008.  “In an Obama administration, we’ll lower premiums by up to $2,500 for a typical family per… we’ll do it by the end of my first term as President”.   Medicare’s Actuary has claimed that in the first 10 years, the ACA will increase health spending by roughly $621 billion. Through the years 2014-2022, the amount of health spending per family will go up $7,450.  These cost hikes will vary from state to state. In Ohio the increases will raise 41 percent, 72 percent in Indiana and the largest of 198 percent increase of healthcare premiums in Georgia.(Tevi Troy)This new law that was designed to help the 47 million uninsured Americans but has instead caused confusion among Washington and between Parties. With all of the issues the new healthcare law contains, some pros have arisen as well.  One exception is that with all pre-existing conditions no insurance company can drop you from coverage.

Gray, C.L. "ObamaCare." Physicians for Reform::. Physicians for Reform::, n.d. Web. 25 Apr.

Tevi, Troy. "The Three Failed Promises of ObamaCare." Ebscohost.com. American Jewish

Committee, Dec. 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2014

Kartch, John. "Full List of Obamacare Tax Hikes: Listed by Size of Tax Hike." Americans for Tax Reforms. Americans for Tax Reforms, 29 June 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.

The Challenge of Fighting Terrorism Online

Fighting terrorism online is a relatively new and controversial topic, especially after the released findings from Edward Snowden and the warrant-less surveillance conducted by the NSA.  One such problem that arises is the diversity within the ISIS fighters themselves.  The number of foreign fighters that have joined terror groups continues to rise. According to the The International Center for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence or ICSR exceeds 20,000 fighters. (icsr.info/foreignfighter)  France, Germany and the United Kingdom produce the largest number of fighters.  From a cultural aspect the diversity within these terror groups has become difficult to narrow down because of the melting pot of different ethnicities and cultures their coming from.  Many of these people begin communicating and discussing ISIS propaganda online.  The George Washington University based a study on terrorist’s related arrests within the U.S. and the American authorities have arrested nearly five dozen people in one year alone.  “The individuals range from hardened militants to teenage girls, petty criminals and college students,” said Lorenzo Vidino, the director of the university’s program on extremism, which conducted the study. “The diversity is staggering.” (cchs.gwu.edu) 

With all these potential risks the U.S. government is exploring different ideas and programs to establish an algorithm that can detect possible ISIS targets and members of that community.  The U.S. government is running between a fine line between surveillance on ISIS propaganda and the warrantless surveillance that was leaked by Snowden a few years earlier.  The government has started a program dubbed “Madison Valleywood Project” in which American tech companies, media organization and PR forms met behind closed doors with the Justice department.  Finding common ground between National Security and Invasion of Privacy has been a fragile topic.  Many citizens view government surveillance as not only unethical but illegal while members of the NSA view it as necessary to protect them people and the country.  Within this gray area the government has proposed an algorithm that determines a score for possible terrorist reported individuals.  This possible solution has different flaws that could affect the outcome of prosecuted cases.  After the incident with Apple and the FBI many tech companies have become weary of this upcoming ideas.

The American people have grown discontent with the government over the NSA’s surveillance program that was whistle blown by Snowden. I agree with the position in which these algorithmic programs will cause more problems to the system and the integrity of the country than help in locating terror suspects.  When Project Prism was released in which the NSA was gathering and collecting bulk phone records many officials were curious of the success of the Prism program.  The director of the NSA Gen. Keith Alexander claimed that the data collected from the NSA programs helped prevent “dozen of terrorist events.”  However Sens. Ron Wyden and Mark Udall released a statement contradicting Gen. Alexander’s comments.  "Gen. Alexander's testimony yesterday suggested that the NSA's bulk phone records collection program helped thwart 'dozens' of terrorist attacks, but all of the plots that he mentioned appear to have been identified using other collection methods.”  This two senators both serve on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and have access to the nation’s most sensitive secrets.  Today many possible terror attacks are thwarted by the use of informants.  The American public are not privy to all the information that top officials have access too.  From previous knowledge the NSA has abused surveillance on the American people and as far as public knowledge these programs have had more controversy than success.  Why would an algorithm program have higher success rates than the Prism program?  When we allow the government more and more access to our personal information, where do we as the American public draw the line, and once we have begun down this road of 24/7 surveillance and big brother watching what’s to stop them from gaining more explicit access.

   Bergen, Peter. "Did NSA Snooping Stop 'dozens' of Terrorist Attacks?" CNN. Cable News Network, 18 June 2013. Web. 22 June 2016.

Just Another Brick

Just Another Brick

While there have been many controversial topics among the campaign trail, immigration has always been at the top.  Donald Trump’s comments on the wall across Mexico have landed him in hot water on both parties.  His reasoning behind the wall is try slow or stop illegal immigration as well as the massive amounts of drugs being transported by the cartels.  In 2014 there were 11.3 million illegal immigrants according to the PEW Research Center.  This number makes up around 3.5% of the U.S. population and has since decreased because of the economy.  The largest states accounting for unauthorized immigrants are California, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey and Illinois.  Within the country the immigrants also make up 5.1% of the labor force with California and Nevada having the highest share of workers. All of these statistics show that although the number of illegal immigrants has slowed in the last few years it has not stopped and will not continue too.  Another factor into immigration are the removal of illegals in the U.S., according to ICE there were 235,413 removals in 2015, 96,045 were non-criminal violators while 139,368 were convicted criminals.  Clearly this is an issue that needs to be addressed and discussed.  To answer the question “Is building a wall a response to national security or an exercise in ethnocentricity?”

I believe it is not a response to national security, experts have projected that the possible cost of the wall would be around $17 billion or NASA’s operating budget.  Many walls have been built throughout time to keep out a nation’s enemy.  From the Great Wall of China to the Berlin Wall, they have been a symbol of physical expression.  The U.S. was built on laws and born from a country based on immigrants, with a process to allow citizenship.  In response to building a massive wall more emphasis should be used in expanding security though technology.  Using electronic and cyber defenses and drone can be used to control the flow of not only immigrants but drugs.  Walls can be breached and they will always continue to be broken through.  The only real solution is through a diplomatic result.  The U.S. is a great nation and we are a country are lucky to have the freedom and rights we do, nonetheless this does not make us better than another nation.  The U.S. is becoming a melting pot of diversity because of all the different people that make up the nation, and we are advancing as a nation because of the diversity we experience.

Krogstad, Jens Manuel, and Jeffrey S. Passel. "5 Facts about Illegal Immigration in the U.S." Pew Research Center RSS. Pew Research Center, 19 Nov. 2015. Web. 20 June 2016.

“FY 2015 ICE Immigration Removals." ICE |. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2016.

Gerstein, Daniel. "Walls Won't Keep Us Safe." US News. U.S.News & World Report, 16 Apr. 2016. Web. 20 June 2016.

Line of Reasoning

Line of Reasoning

In wake of the current terrorist attack in Orlando there has been much controversy regarding ISIS and the terror within the U.S.  One important controversial subject has been the release of terrorists from Guantanamo bay.  When President Obama took office one of his campaigns promises was to close Gitmo.  The White house has tried to entice lawmakers by portraying the cost savings of closing Gitmo, they have calculated that it would cost $65 million to $85 million less per year to detain prisoners in U.S. facilities. (politico.com/gitmoclosure) An article on the CNN website projected the number of detainees in 2013 at approx. 166 current detainees with an average cost of 150 million a year or 900 thousand per prisoner, this cost is partially due because of the ratio of personal to detainee at a rate of 1 detainee from every 13 staff members.  The average cost of an inmate in a Federal Jail for the year of 2014 was $30,619.85 per inmate. (federalregistarannualcost.gov) The cost difference is clear and the numbers explain the thought process behind the closure as well as the cost savings to the tax payers.  However the major concern is the release of known terrorists back into society.  Among some of the terrorists released by the administration was Muhammad Salih Husayn al-Shaykh whom was an al-Qaeda member and openly threatened to kill Americans while detained.  Many of the detainees have been thought to return back to al-Qaeda since being released from federal custody.  Federal data has shown that the number of terrorists suspected of reengaging in terrorism has gone from 6 to 12.(www.dni.gov/files/documents/Newsroom/Reports%20and%20Pubs/Summary_of_the_Reengagement_of_Detainees_Formerly_Held_at_GTMO_Ma%204_2016.pdf) The number of terrorists that have been confirmed to have rejoined terrorist groups is 7.  A total of 118 of 676 former prisoners under president Obama and Bush are confirmed to be reengaging in terrorism, while another 86 are suspected. (washingtontimes/gitmoreleased)  “Based on trends identified during the past eleven years, we assess that some detainees currently at GTMO will seek to reengage in terrorist or insurgent activities after they are transferred,” the intelligence report said. “Transfers to countries with ongoing conflicts and internal instability, as well as recruitment by insurgent and terrorist organizations, could pose problems.”(Howell, 2016) 

Both sides of the argument contain valid and factual points both from government released information, however it does pose the questions at what cost do we release terror threats to save money.  Does the cost outweigh the consequence? This quote was from President Obama on February 23, 2016 “For many years, it’s been clear that the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay does not advance our national security -- it undermines it.  This is not just my opinion.  This is the opinion of experts, this is the opinion of many in our military.  It’s counterproductive to our fight against terrorists, because they use it as propaganda in their efforts to recruit.  It drains military resources, with nearly $450 million spent last year alone to keep it running, and more than $200 million in additional costs needed to keep it open going forward for less than 100 detainees.” Is President Obama fallacious on his belief that Guantanamo does not insure safety for the country?  The answers are never clear in politics, but one does pose the question of would the U.S. be a safer nation with Gitmo opened? Howee

Nick, G., & Austin, W. (2016, February 23). Obama announces plan for closing Guantanamo Bay prison. Retrieved June 16, 2016, from http://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/obama-congress-guantanamo-bay-closure-plan-219663

What it costs to keep Guantanamo Bay open. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2016, from http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/17/us/infographic-guantanamo-bay/

Dodd-Frank Wall Steet Reform 306 in the last year. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2016, from https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2015/03/09/2015-05437/annual-determination-of-average-cost-of-incarceration

Howell, Kellan. "Number of Obama-released Gitmo Detainees Suspected of Returning to Terrorism Doubles: Report." Washington Times. The Washington Times, 8 Mar. 2016. Web. 16 June 2016.

Was Justice Served?

Was Justice Served?

On January 18, 2015 law enforcement officers responded to a report of an unconscious female near Kappa Alpha fraternity house where they found a young woman on the ground in the fetal position.  Once at the hospital here blood was taken at her blood alcohol level was at 0.12% and physicians estimated at the time of the assault to be around 0.22 %.( cnn.com/standfordrapecase).  Here are few excerpts from the victim’s statement during the trial “Alcohol is not an excuse. Is it a factor? Yes. But alcohol was not the one who stripped me, had my head dragging against the ground, with me almost fully naked. Having too much to drink was an amateur mistake that I admit to, but it is not criminal.” “Ruin a life, one life, yours, you forgot about mine. Let me rephrase for you, I want to show people that one night of drinking can ruin two lives. You and me. You are the cause, I am the effect.”(paloaltoonline.com) The Attacker Brock Turner has been under public outcry, his father wrote a letter to the judge arguing that his son should receive probation, not jail time, the following are excerpts.” His life will never be the one that he dreamed about and worked so hard to achieve,” “That is a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action out of his 20 plus years of life.” These are both powerful statements from two different people, however Justice was not served in this case.  The statements from the victim are profound and as she stated her life is ruined.  Turner’s father’s statements are ones that will haunt him for the rest of his life because of the language without emotion used.  

When the case is looked at all the information must be examined. Brock Turner comes from a middle class white family attending a prestigious college. Judge Aaron Pesky is a Stanford graduate and former men’s lacrosse coach.  He has been known to hand out strict judgements on sex offender cases.  According to reports he told the courtroom” A prison sentence would have a severe impact on him (Brock Turner). I think he will not be a danger to others.”  Brock Turner has placed the blame on a “party culture” of “drinking”, in one year alone 300,000 college women, over 5% of women enrolled in college experienced rape. (Kilpatrick, Resnick, Riggiero, Conoscenti, & McCauley, 2007) 98% of perpetrators are men (; Sedgwick, 2006) Men who consume alcohol two or more times a week and who have peer support for behaving in an emotionally violent manner toward women and for being physically and sexually violent toward women are 10 times more likely to commit sexual aggression toward women than men with none of these three characteristics (Schwartz, DeKeseredy, Tait, & Alvi, 2001). These figures are alarming and these men just like Brock Turner have used alcohol as the excuse for sexual assault towards women.  Justice was not served in this case like many others hopefully this story will shed light to an upcoming epidemic.

Foubert, J. D., Langhinrichsen-Rohling, J., Brasfield, H., & Hill, B. (2010). Effects of a rape awareness program on college women: increasing bystander efficacy and willingness to intervene. Journal Of Community Psychology, 38(7), 813-827. doi:10.1002/jcop.20397

Zika Virus

This relatively unknown new virus has been sweeping areas of South Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands.  The virus is transferred through transmission by mosquito species Aedes, the illness is mild and usually common symptoms consist of fever, rash and joint pain.  Zika is not known for fatality's, but is known for causing a serious birth defect called microcephaly.(CDC.gov/Zika)  The Cultural impact has affected many people around the world due to the taboo of vaccinations to prevent the Zika virus.  These common misconceptions cause more damage because it creates more of a panic in the health care industry.  Many theory's have come about online trying to explain how the disease was created, and who's immune and many other far fetched ideas.  However because of this much valuable information has been lost along the communication process along with the notion that vaccines cause death, illness and autism.  Meanwhile heart disease is the leading cause for men and women every year and kills more than 370,000 people annually.(CDC.gov/heartdisease/datastatistics)  The prevention is simple and the biggest issue the healthcare providers face now is providing true and accurate information of the virus without getting held up on misconceptions and taboo theory's.  Health  organizations who are trying to explain the prevention techniques and educate the public are becoming counter productive due to the fact that false claims are becoming more concrete in the minds of the citizens.  The cultural impact continues to gain traction because of preconceived notions of which has no medical basis. This can be related to the example of vaccinations and the apparent side effects that are linked to autism meanwhile almost every medical establishment has came forth and declared that these vaccinations are safe and that the public should not be misled.

Throughout history when a subject is misunderstood people begin to make theory's to base their knowledge off of.  Many of these have little or no professional evidence to support them reverting back to history this occurred during the era of the black plague when the citizens of Europe began to blame the Jews accusing them of poisoning the well and trying to murder them.  The plague was later found out to be caused by bacteria from fleas on the rodent population.  I agree with the position that the best defense for now is to educate the public on the factual information that is know.  Causing mass hysteria and hype are no benefit for anyone nor does spreading false information that could have potential threatening consequences.  An example of hysteria that caused damage would be the infamous H1N1 swine flu breakout.  During the outbreak many people held up emergency at the expense rooms because they wanted to be screened for the flu at the expense of people with real illnesses.  A better position would be educate the public and discuss about potential preventatives from Malaria, which in 2015 there were an estimated 214 million cases and around 438000 death.(who.malariafactfiles)

Civil Rights

Discussion - Civil Rights

The issue of the transgender bathroom law is one that raises more questions than it does give answers.  In my opinion the DOJ has overstepped their boundary with the issue of forcing states to allow high school students to chose the bathroom of their liking.  First this comes with a great deal of possible lawsuits and security issues,  we know how young immature high school boys can be and the possible problems that may arise because of this.  Secondly the DOJ has said they will with hold federal funding for education if this new law is not placed into practice which to me sounds like extortion. Thirdly I believe this issue is best left up to the states to decide based on what the voters would like to see implemented. Many people ask the question of what about the rights of the transgender community, they are people too and have protected rights as well, however so do the men and women of this country.  According to the Williams Institute article published in 2011 the number of transgender people in the U.S. is around 700,000 adults or .03 percent of the population.  This figures are not precise and could more or less.  Taking into account the population size should the transgender community be allowed to use the bathroom of their choice ? My opinion on this matter is that they should have their own bathroom not only for the safety of others but theirs as well.  In order to protect the security and dignity of both party's they should have a separate family bathroom.  If a man goes to prison then while in jail and then decides hes a woman should he be transferred to a woman facility ?  Why cant males and females use the same bath room if genders are no longer regarded as sexual identity's ?  This is a small example of the possible questions that could arise from this controversy.