Sunday, June 27, 2010

Comprehensive Assignment #3

Joseph Thomas
PS 101
Dr. McCombs
June 26, 2010
Comprehensive Assignment #3
In the past chapter I learned that although linked, political ideology and political opinion differ in distinct ways. The citizens of the United States don’t all have an underlying political ideology but most people do have some sort of political opinion for time to time. Americans do have a similar set of ideals however they hardly make up an equal group. In America the government we have relies heavily on the importance of public opinion. Even though the media tends to act as if there are only conservative and liberals few people actually have and believe in unchanging fundamental beliefs on all subjects. People can be labeled as liberal, conservative, and moderate. These labels are used to define political ideology and political opinion. Ideologies do not change from day to day or from subject to subject but opinions do.
The past work that I have done in this comprehensive assignment begins with my argument for a strong central government that James Madison also called for. In this paper I argue that America needs to continue to have a strong central government and that only a strong central government will be able to govern fifty states. Looking back this view does indicate political leanings that I did not realize I had. I was unaware that my democratic ideas of having government use taxes to regulate reflects the same idea of have a strong central government that I had in the first paper. I believe that without regulation powerful companies will not keep with public morals and beliefs and will dominate and control the public well-being. This is why we need to have regulation and also this is why in the beginning I agreed with James Madison in saying that we need a strong central government.
The next comprehensive assignment that I completed was based around a particular political cartoon. This cartoon was based on the right to freedom of speech. It mocked the idea of freedom of speech. The setting of the cartoon was in a vast ocean where there were many different types of fish. The ocean represented the world that we live in and the fish represented the people in the world. Freedom of speech is supposed to be given to everyone and in the illustration everyone is using it. However the main idea was in the size of the fish. The each fish represented that the people have the right to freedom of speech; however, the bigger fish are eating the smaller fish. This represents the fact that the bigger and more powerful you are the more your opinion matters. The least powerful person may have a voice but it is over shadowed by the speech or opinion of the more powerful people. This cartoon is intended for people in Eastern Europe who were realizing that even though they had freedom of speech that they were not powerful enough for it to matter what opinions they had. This cartoon shows my conservative side. I believe that government should be strong but I also believe that the people should be allowed their freedoms and that no matter how big the country gets we should never forget the little guy and the small businesses and their place in the development of the country and the country’s economy.
Looking back I can see evidence of my Pew Typology in my cartoon and essay. As I look forward to the rest of the term I believe that I am going to embrace my political ideology and use it in future projects to learn more about myself and what I truly believe in.

Freedom of Speech Cartoon


Joseph Thomas
PS 101
Dr. McCombs
June 25, 2010


This cartoon is based on the right to freedom of speech. It is mocking the idea of freedom of speech. The setting of this cartoon is in a vast ocean where there are many different types of fish. The ocean is representing the world that we live in and the fish represent the people in the world. Freedom of speech is supposed to be given to everyone and in this illustration everyone is using it. However the main idea is in the size of the fish. The each fish representing the people have the right to freedom of speech, however, the bigger fish are eating the smaller fish. This represents the fact that the bigger and more powerful you are the more your opinion matters. The least powerful person may have a voice but it is over shadowed by the speech or opinion of the more powerful people. This cartoon is intended for people in eastern Europe who were realizing that even though they had freedom of speech that they were not powerful enough for it to matter what opinions they had.

Federalist No. 10 by Joseph Thomas

Federalist No. 10 by Joseph Thomas
The Same Subject Continued: The Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection
“I am not an American but a Virginian.” I recognize that most of you reading this believe the previous quote to be true. However, I ask of you to think again the idea of the United States of America, what is right and wrong with it, what is good and bad, and what can the people of this infant country do to improve or sustain the ideas that are already in place. As you read this the Founding Fathers have been working diligently to improve the United States of America. We too must work hard and think seriously of all issues that are important to our country. An uninformed nation of people can never experience the results of their hard labor for the country.
I understand that many of you are worried about the Constitution and believe that it will give all power back to a central government and everyone will lose all that is rightfully theirs. Those same people believe that instead of a strong central government we need to remain with several strong state governments and continue the ideas of the Confederation.
I say to you do not throw the idea of a Constitution to the wayside. The United States will not survive without a strong central government. Everyone will keep what is rightfully theirs and no one will lose their inalienable rights. There are many concerned about this new style of government but I say to you there is nothing more alarming than a weak central government.
We required a central government when fighting off our oppressors and we need to continue to require a central government when building and sustaining our country. If the states continue to work alone and not consider even their neighbors, how will the country grow and prosper? If South Carolina does not give business or trade with other states how will supply and demand be meet to full efficiency and effectiveness? When will we know if one state is too powerful or if another is being misrepresented? If we do not continue to act united we will fall one by one to self satisfying interests and eventually be nothing more than a land filled will factions and special interests.
How will you answer those questions? What should we do if strong state governments are not the answer? I am telling you now that in order to avoid the dangers of self interests we must have a strong central government. The government that I speak of will be formed by the Constitution. No one state will have power over another state. States will be represented equally in the Senate and by population in the House. Everyone will have a voice and no citizen will lose their inalienable rights.
Our country is an ever changing one and the future holds dangers that we may not even be able to comprehend. If we do not have a strong central government in place ready to handle these issues and dangers we will surely fall. The country’s economy and the people will not be able to grow and prosper. States that do not fall under a strong central government and have no checks and balances will begin to think only for themselves and will not work together for the common good of the entire nation. Selfishness will consume the country and will slowly dismantle every state from within.
I say to you now men and women of the United States of America, take down your ears guard and listen to people who know the dangers of separate factions. With this new strong central government we will gain the ability to combat the dangers of faction but we will also be able to continue to maintain the cohesiveness of the states. Please understand ladies and gentlemen that we are no longer people of our states but of something bigger, we are people of our country. Never forget that we are American’s.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Reflection on Pew Research Study

Public Knowledge of Current Affairs Little Changed by News and Information Revolutions

Over the past 20 years radio, television, and the internet have changed the way we gather information. News networks are no longer limited to radio broadcasts and now can be viewed at any hour on television news networks and the internet. These changes would have many to believe that Americans are now more informed than ever. However the sad truth is that American’s percentage of actual knowledge of news and current information has not changed much in twenty years. This overload of information has enabled Americans to have more opportunities than ever to view the news however this overload doesn’t help Americans retain the knowledge they are receiving.