Gaffes and the political parties

The article "Is there a double standard for political gaffes?" from Fox News, compares the backlash from rhetorical mishaps between Republicans and Democrats. They give quite a few recent examples of politically incorrect public statements from both parties, and note how the Democratic Party seems to blow their opponents mishaps out of proportion. Although the Republicans try to do the same, it doesn't seem to have the same effect.

Reading this made me think about negative face, and how the two parties try to use bad things about their opponents in order to make themselves look better. Such as taking a gaff that probably didn't mean what it sounded like, and blowing it up so it makes the person look like they have bad intentions. With things such as social media being so prevalent with our politics now, there is more room for error. Tons of these quick tweets and posts have not been looked over by publicists and are then susceptible to the same blips that ordinary people make all the time. Now how each party uses them for their own personal gain, is a whole other part.

A Real Miracle

In a CNN article tells the story of a man who resurrected from the dead. On Wednesday night, a 78 year old man was pronounced dead by his nurse at a hospital in Mississippi. A coroner by the name of Dexter Howard was told to pick up the body from the home. Howard checked the man's pulse and he was positive there was none. As they were placing the body in the bag, they noticed that the bag was moving. When they got to the embalming room the mans legs began kicking and he was breathing. Paramedics were immediatly called and the man was hooked up to monitors. He had heartbeats and everyone was in shock.
When reading this article I was so shocked to hear how a man has resurrected from the dead. You never hear about this happening and it's amazing that this 78 year old man was able to come back from the dead. It is a serious miracle that this man is able to breathe again.

New App "Connect"

There is a new app available for smart phones called "Connect." This app allows you to view where your friends are and sometimes, what they are doing. The negative to this is that the app takes your location from other social networks, like Twitter and Facebook, and shares it with all of your friends.  You may not always want your friends to be aware of where you are. Yahoo News says it is a good thing if you are trying to connect more with your friends.

This new app is a great representation of the millennial generation. We rely on the internet and technology to update us on our friends lives. We are losing our sense of communication by connecting with our friends through apps like "Connect."

Jan Brewer

During the past week or so Arizona's legislature has been talking and voting on a bill that would allow businesses to refuse service to gays and lesbians (similar to what Kansas just passed). As we discussed with Kansas, this bill would allow businesses in Arizona to not serve these individuals, as it is against their religion, without getting in trouble for discrimination and, frankly, segregation. As of today, Arizona's governor Jan Brewer decided to veto this bill, very much to my surprise. It surprised me that a Republican governor, although not as radical as a state like Kansas, would deny such a bill from passing. That leads me to our in class discussion on the reading.
Today we discussed the reading on Jamieson that was talking about a few of Obama's speeches. in it, Jamieson gave both positive and negative (mostly negative) criteria/judgement on his speeches. In relation to Brewer's veto decision, I believe there is a strong connection. Jan Brewer is one of the well known individuals that will be running for the GOP in the 2016 POTUS election. It is my belief that if Brewer would let this bill pass then she would not have any chance of becoming President of the United States. It is my belief that Jamieson would critique this as a reckless career move that would have held her back.

Rep. Senator Tammy Duckworth

http://www.upworthy.com/whats-the-worst-thing-you-could-say-to-a-congresswoman-who-lost-her-legs-in-battle-found-it?c=ufb3

Blog 4

Vanessa Galvan
Joanna
Crystal Andrews

blog 2/22

McGee developed the term ideograph to explain language used in politically language that do not have a concrete definition, however have a clear meaning, understood by all. McGee gives an example of the ideograph equality. He explains how the word, on political reference, is defined by previous experiences in history and it's importance in politics. From his article we also see how ideographs are often intertwined. Equality and liberty are very popular in politics.

     Another ideograph we hear a lot is rights.  As Americans we are entitled to certain rights.  We hear this in almost every speech and campaign. cams re hearing a lot of this in reference to Arizona's recent law which legally allows discrimination against gays and lesbians.  The law allows business owners to deny service to the group if they make their religious believes known. Some argue that business owners have the right to deny service to days and lesbians because it goes against their right to religious freedom. Others argue that this such law takes away rights entitled to gays and lesbians due to equality

Our Group

Eura Chai
Krystal Solares
Colin Jones
Jenica Heron

Group Member

SILVANA :) lol

Group Members

Spencer Ruskin
Lanie Walker

Group Members

Edmund Smith
Jeffery Johnson
Philip Gonzales
Xavier Mariano

Group

Stella Davtyan
Jenee Galindo
Wynter Eddins

GROUP MEMBERS

Brandon Delavar
Shauna Hughes
Theresa (Tess) Nuemann
Maria Hashim

CNN Crossfire

As many of you may or not know, there is a series of segments covered by CNN in which reports essentially “Crossfire” arguments on a range of topics. This week the subject matter happened to be the involvement of the United States in foreign country specifically Syria. This debate brought up many questions we had discussed in class lecture and it explored the negativity and importance of interaction with such countries other than ourselves.

            While I agree that in times of strife and need; the necessary importance for our assistance can be overwhelming desired, but what is the outcome of our help? Does our help truly, help. The entire “Crossfire” covers that question. While in class lecture we discussed the vital and factual evidence of our assistance we did not discuss the level to which the country depends on us. Or for that matter the ignorance we have as Americans in trying to help.  In this certain discussion an overwhelming amount of critics and live twitter users roughly eight-five percent of viewers stated that we should not go into Syria and assist them. Now does that make our nation an awful selfish one or does it make us a smart geared one. The debate brings up the conversation over America being the “World’s Police” and whether or not that’s an admirable signifier.  

http://crossfire.blogs.cnn.com/2014/02/17/should-the-u-s-stay-out-of-syria/

Putin "cuddles" with Openly Gay Speed Skater

On February tenth, Vladmir Putin was seen attending a victory party for Dutch speed skater Ireen Wust, whom is one of seven openly gay athletes competing in the Sochi olympics.  Interestingly, after congratulating her for her victory, Putin briefly "cuddled" (which is the Dutch term for hugging) Wust and was on his way--a seemingly warm and friendly embrace.  This is interesting because of Russia's notoriously strict gay-laws, and many are speculating as to whether or not he is simply putting on a front, or if the presence of the games hae softened his heart.  

Personally, I believe that Putin is putting on a front, especially since the whole world is watching.  In relation to Hunter's reading "The Discourse of Adversaries," this issue deals with changing morals, as "a completely different approach to public is at stake" (Hunter 143).  It is quite possible that Putin is trying to avoid negative face in the public eye, as he wants to represent his country as a fair and well-liked ruler. Is it likely that Putin will reform his laws on homosexuality and same-sex marriage? Probably not, but whether or not this is true, the answer is bound to be revealed in the months after the Olympics.

A Little Behind, My First Blog - House Of Cards

Entertainment News - House Of Cards Season 2 Released On Netflix

Even though it's not exactly the most important current event, for me being in the entertainment industry, it is much more important.

The reason this is big news for me, is because I am not only a fan of the show, but the impact Netflix has on the market and economy is huge. If you asked me, I would say that Netflix is one of the most industry disruptive innovations that has ever occurred outside of the internet and the digitization of the music industry. A corporation such as this has a huge influence on mass media, and in turn, current events and public policy. There is another important reason aside from that, it's also that I think House of Cards is a great representation of back door dealings, political rhetoric, and how things can be played, dealt, and manipulated within the government.

While a lot of dramatization occurs, I think the display of power and strategy that takes place in the life of the main character Frank, can teach us a lot about how intentional and malleable policy, legislation, and political decisions are. I would also take in to consideration that the writer of the show has a phenomenal resume of adviser, press-related, corporate, and government posts which to me make him a legitimate source for writing a show providing both a view of the light and dark side of political inner-workings. In the show, political strategy and rhetoric are both enacted consistently. Power-plays are a frequent feature of the show, and Frank's communications between executives and White House influencers and policymakers are quite strategic. Due to Frank's obsession with power, he communicates with story breakers, news sources, corporate entities, and many other influential agencies, displaying his command of rhetoric. I would highly recommend anyone interested in politics or this class to check this show out.

Hilary Clinton

According to a report by the Wire, Hilary Clinton will run for president in 2016. If she is elected she will be the first woman in the United States to be president. Bill Clinton confirmed this and said that Hilary will be our next president. Hilary has been stacking up her cards many years now for this time, because she ran for Senate and she has a great political backing.

This article reminded me of the Its Complicated article where the authors spoke about the effectiveness of Facebook in political debates.

Russia's Secret Agenda

Currently, the Sochi Olympics are being broadcast around the world, but some of the athletes are crying foul. On top of already porous conditions, some of the competitors are accusing the Russians of foul play. One example is the skeleton track. According to one article, athletes are noticing that the further they go down the track, the slower they get. In reality, the opposite should be occurring as it is a downhill course. The key to losing speed, apart from a crash or bump, is warmer temperatures. The racers are saying that after the Russians race, the track is warmed up and thus slower times. This "strategy" hasn't worked flawlessly as the Russians took home silver in one of the event but it is something to consider

This ties to the idea of scapegoating. Communist Russia is an easy target to point the finger and blame for mishaps. The horrid conditions in the Olympic Village and safety concerns put a dent in the Russian reputation as a host nation. I also feel that the Russian athletes are under tremendous pressure to succeed, as evidenced by the "missing" technician of the failed 5th ring in the opening ceremony. As backwards as dictatorships appear to others in 2014, I can't help but wonder if there is validity to these claims.

Blog Post #3

        Not to long ago our nation was rocked with the killing of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman. Now, here we are just a few months later looking at a case of the same stature. In November of 2012, a seventeen year old African American Jordan Davis was shot and killed by Micheal Dunn, a white man claiming self defense. Michael Dunn shot ten rounds into the car that Davis and three of his friends were sitting in after an argument concerning Davis' loud music ensued. Dunn claimed that he saw a gun. Michael Dunn has been charged with First Degree murder and is now awaiting his verdict. 

        Social media has become a platform where people can voice political opinions, share what is happening in other parts of the world, and get news about petitions and other causes. I must confess that I have not been watching the news lately, and if it was not for Instagram, I would have known nothing about this case. Social media has prevented issues from being swept under the rug and it has empowered youth in that it opens our eyes and allows us to see things happening outside of our own environment. Although the posts about this case will not directly affect the verdict I am proud to see members of my race and peer group showing support for Jordan Davis and voicing their concerns about this case.

Syrian Peace Talks Stalled

U.N. mediator Lakhdar Brahimi apologized to the Syrian people Saturday saying about a second round of talks, "we haven't done very much". In fact, they have agreed on an agenda for a third round of talks but not how to approach that agenda. The Syrian government insists on discussing terrorism and the opposition wants talks on a transitional government. The opposition asserts the government is stalling while continuing to bomb and kill civilians. Syrian Ambassador to the United Nations Bashar Jaafari  accuses the opposition of trying to mislead observers and undermine the process.

This seems to me to relate to the article "The Discourse of Adversaries". Each side wants to appear to be the legitimate party and to cast the other as illegitimate and/or extremist. They do not appear to be able to discuss the same issues much less resolve them. With three years of bloodshed and months of talks little has been accomplished, even with a U.N. appointed mediator. It is understandable that he felt a need to apologize for all parties involved.

Changing Stock Photography (blog 3)

Facebook executive and head of the nonprofit organization Lean In Sheryl Sandberg has partnered with Getty Images to introduce a collection of unique stock photos. The article cites that one of the easiest ways to change perceptions of something is to change the imagery around it, especially in today's world where imagery is so heavily relied upon as a means of communication. Aimed at challenging traditional gender stereotypes, the collection features photos of "professional women as surgeons, painters, bakers, soldiers and hunters. There are girls riding skateboards, women lifting weights and fathers changing babies’ diapers. Women in offices wear contemporary clothes and hairstyles and hold tablets or smartphones — a far cry from the typical stock photos of women in 1980s power suits with a briefcase."

This article represents an example of the public sphere coming together to have their voices heard. It is also a good example of using positive face to present their side of the issue - rather than passing blame onto the creators of stock photos for perpetuating gender stereotypes, Sandberg and LeanIn are presenting their views of things "as they should be" and doing so in a way that is both productive and peaceful. 

Invitational Rhetoric Used In Utah Proposal

According to foxnews.com, "Breathalyzers and similar devices could pop up in more bars across Utah under a coming proposal". Under this plan, using the breathalyzers would be optional, however the hope would be that it would draw attention to the amount that drinkers have consumed.  This plan would also help bars by taking the responsibility of drunk drivers away from them.  With drunk driving accidents accounting for so many of the traffic deaths, Law makers agree that this plan would be a step in the right direction.

This article can be related to our reading on Invitational Rhetoric.  While most theories focus on persuading the opposition into changing their mind and converting to their way of thinking, Invitational Rhetoric has more of an emphasis on allowing one's argument to be heard and acknowledged without the pressures of conformity.  Although breathalyzers will be put into bars, there is no rule stating that drinkers have to use the machines.  In this sense, the state is using Invitational Rhetoric to convey that they believe drinkers should use the breathalyzers, however they are not attempting to force the machines on people. 

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/02/15/utah-proposal-would-put-breathalyzer-type-devices-in-bars/

Hillary Clinton and Public Sphere

On Thursday Hillary Clinton gave a speech at an event on empowering women and girls at New York University.From her personal experiences and knowledge, Hillary any public job is not an easy task, being under full scrutiny will weigh on an individuals self-image, public image and self esteem. Hillary Clinton addresses how to deal with the criticism of the public. She quotes Eleanor Roosevelt, “who said that women in politics or in public roles should grow skin like a rhinoceros. I think there’s some truth to that", because it is difficult being scrutinized for everything you do.

This article relates to multiple topics discussed in class, the public sphere stands out the most to me. "Today, newspaper, magazines, radio and television are the media of the public sphere", as stated in Jurgen Habermas article. This is interesting concept, whatever the media outlets report is what the audiences will listen to and hear. The public scrutiny public figures feel is intensified by multiple media outlets reporting on the same thing in different words.

Gender & Slacktivist- Blog 3

http://mediamatters.org/mobile/blog/2014/02/14/fox-news-isnt-comfortable-with-these-new-facebo/198057

Fox News isn't too happy about the new forms of gender one can apply on their Facebook account. According to the network, there are about 56 genders that a person can associate with, including male and female.  The topic of  gender identity isn't a new one, so Facebook to "take action" allow people to  express themselves  and feel  comfortable with how they identify; Fox News disagrees , they believe that gender is only male or female, because there are only men and women. So the network went on to ridiculing Facebook.

Is this political participation? Yes, this is Slacktivist at its finest. When it come to a government movement, Facebook, being one of the most popular social media network at this time, has taken an enamors step. By Facebook allowing this form of gender expression, it a allows a normalization of these gender identities. It allows people to believe that maybe there are more then just male and female, and we need to see that as a norm to be socially accepted. Sure, allowing it to be seen on Facebook is a little step, but it is a little step that allows the world to see that the standard of categories imposed into our lives need to be broadened in order to help society grow.

Blog Post 3: Drone Policy Problem

This week it was reported that a United States citizen and suspected al-Qaida member abroad who was plotting threats against the U.S. was targeted for a drone attack by the CIA.  President Barack Obama's new policy on drone attacks is that only the military, and not the CIA, can attack suspected U.S. citizen terrorists overseas.  So the CIA can watch the suspect using drones in another country, but they cannot attack.  The Pentagon, on the other hand, which is a different department, can attack the suspect, but their drones are barred from the country, and the Justice Department, another separate department is not done developing a case against the same suspect that would authorize the Pentagon to attack.  Before President Obama's new drone policy, the CIA and the Pentagon were basically free to attack any suspected terrorist overseas whether U.S. citizen or not.  This shows the policy complications with drones and with collaborations among the different departments within the government.  

I found this article related to "Reconsidering Political Cynicism and Political Involvement: A Test of Antecedents," by Fu et al because this news article mentions the complications that President Obama's new drone policy causes within the government, which "reveals a feeling of distrust in politics, politicians, and governmental institutions by the public" (Strama, 1998).  Since the current drone policy reveals several jurisdiction issues politically, geographically, and within the government's own departments, it can make it difficult for the average person to keep up with this topic and ultimately confuse the person and discourage his/her trust in the government's structure.  On the other hand the article does clarify the jurisdiction issue so that the average person can get a grasp on the situation and by doing that, it may cause the reader to look into the drone policy and what other politicians think about it.   

Blog 2

The article talks about how Brett Jones, a gay Navy Seal, tells his significant other, "I love you." Although the Seal was not talking to a woman but his partner who was also in the Navy. The Seal was then discharged from the Navy and honorably left his job over three simple words people say all the time. He decided to break his silence so people can know what happened to him and help spread the word.


I think Brett Jones totally had the right to say I love you, it was a personal phone call left on an answering machine and he shouldn't have been investigated. I believe a situation like this can cause negative face on the Navy. Whether or not the men serving come out or not, this story shows how ridiculous the Navy acts when they "think" you might be gay. The poor man had to go through months of investigation and heartache after serving our country honorably for years.

Blog 2

In Tennessee workers at the Volkswagen choose not to be represented by the United Auto Workers.  The plant voted on the issue Friday. The UAW face strong oppositions by Replublicans who wanted to keep Tennessee a non union state to attract business. 

Hazing Gone Too Far (Blog #3)

With the new semester starting, many boys are joining fraternities to get to know their school, make some friends, and make their college years memorable. Sadly for freshman Chun Michael Deng, his life was cut short due to unsafe partying. In an article by CNN, "Baruch College fraternity 'ritual' death ruled a homicide, coroner says" shares the story of Michael's tragic death. Michael was rushing for the Greek fraternity Pi Delta Psi and often in fraternities there is a ritual of "hazing" which is the act of the new fraternity rushers to do crazy acts in order to join the frat. Michael was taking part of one of the hazes called "glass ceiling". Which is the act of being blindfolded while carrying weights on your back as your frat brothers are guiding you and pushing you around. This "not-so-innocent" act got serious when Michael fell backwards and hit his head. Michael was then on life support due to trauma but was taken off and now dead.
This story took a really big interest in me because I often hear lots of stories about different acts of hazing in college fraternities. I was never one to think it was funny or acceptable. Hazing is a very serious issue in college fraternities because there are many deaths and injuries that occur that we are not aware of. I chose to write about this article because it's important for people to know the dangers of hazing. Fraternities can cause lots of peer pressure for college boys because they want to feel accepted and part of a group. But in cases like Michael, these hazes can lead to serious consequences like injuries and death. It is important for people to be aware of what is going on around college campuses and prevent these deaths from happening.

Occupy Movement Bringing out Political Cynicism

The occupy movement expressed more than just economic inequality. It established the creation of wealth as a critical situation shared amongst all. We see that it is more than a disposable sense of income. The current economic standstill and crisis affects much more than the American household income. The conversation between ourselves as well as our environmental standing altered the way we as a society look at own sphere. This then produced a change in the effect on our relationships and our "sense of social belongings". With this newfound intense realm of political cynicism the relationship between concepts of involvement and knowledge on political scales are negative. We gather from the reading "Reconsidering Political Cynicism and Political involvement the connecting variables between people and financial standings. The measures in which we perceive not only ourselves but our government are ever-changing. The Occupy Movement proved just that, it allowed a new realm of political involvement as well as drew attention to the ever growing cynicism in our society.




http://thechronicleherald.ca/thenovascotian/74811-income-gap-has-social-costs-breeds-political-cynicism?from=most_read&most_read=74811

Gun Laws

Governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley, explains why she is fine with people carrying guns without a license. She supports this hoping that people would use it for self-defense and not for criminal acts. I agree with her because of the saying "guns don't kill people, humans do." Most people who own guns do not have intentions on using them for a criminal act, we would hope. Just because someone has a license for a gun does not mean that they will not use it for criminal acts.

Nikki Haley is using invitational rhetoric to get her opinion across to the public. She is simply presenting her point of view, and allowing others to agree with it. She is not forcing her opinion on anyone, just informing the public of her reasoning.

Negative Campaigning, It's always complicated

In our most recent presidential election, 2012, the voters seemed to be in awe and confusion on who they thought would make the best POTUS. To me, and I'm sure to many others, it seemed like we were voting for the lesser of two evils. Being a huge Obama fan even I was disjointed with how negative our last campaign seemed to go, loaded with constant mudslinging ads rather than ads promoting oneself in an honest way. It is estimated that about 80-85% of ads launched throughout the campaign were negative (received from Huffington Post...I know, not the most reliable source), exemplifying the idea of negative campaigning (aka mudslinging). At the point where negative ads take over the airways we, as voters, tend to become more negative about our political system which results in us losing faith in it.
Making a connection to this weeks reading, in the article "It's Complicated," we are told that the age group of 18-29 is not voting at rates of other age groups. We are seen as lazy and apathetic to voting and participating in our political system. The article touches base on the idea that social media outlets are creating an atmosphere for our age group to get involved and, although we are participating more in the news via videos/blogs/etc, we are still not going out to the polls and voting. It is my belief that there is much more to it than the simple statistical outcomes. I believe that our generation has come to realize that through a negative campaign we are unable to truly understand what a candidate stands for, whereas we truly and overwhelmingly understand why we should hate both candidates with a passion. In addition, purely relying on social media to receive our political information allows us to curve the information that we see to suit our political views. If more outlets were used then perhaps we would see all sides of every issue an have a more rounded understanding of the issues at hand. In the long run, with studies backing this claim, it seems that constant negative campaigning is leading to the downfall of our current political system and without a change the voter turnout will either remain stagnant or decrease. Saying that, I strongly think we need to steer clear of negative campaigning and expand the possibility of other parties having a chance in the presidential election, as they would truly make way for equal representation of the whole nation.

Coca-cola

The newest Coca-Cola commercial was publicized during the Super Bowl. It is people all over America consuming Coca-Cola and enjoying it. Every one has smiles on their faces, so you can tell that they are having a good time. The people in the commercial are of all different races, including white. There is a huge controversy with this commercial because the song is translated in many different languages.

Even though these people are of all different cultures, they are still American. The ones who are complaining are scared that their "Public Sphere" will not be the same. They are threatened by these other cultures. It is unfair and we as Americans should come together and embrace the different cultures that can be involved in the "Public Sphere."

It's easy to have doubts

In an article published on Yahoo this week President Obama is once again criticized about his decisions involving the US economy.  Congress feels that the 5 year deficit is finally coming to an end.  The Federal Reserve is no longer going to pump any more money into the economy.  America's GDP is on a rise and annual budget deficits are decreasing.  Things look good, yet many people in Washington are pointing fingers at who to blame for the original deficit.  The Democrats who control the White House and the senate, and the Republicans who control the senate will fight over who will control Congress for the remainder of Obama's term.  This could greatly change the decisions made in the White House.

"Cynicism" refers to a degree of negative affect that the government and its statement is not generating outputs according for individual expectations.  The government had a large hole to dig itself out of after the Bust Administration left the White House.  During that time Obama has raised taxes and fought a war across the world.  Regardless of the good the Obama ministration has done, his approval has decreased and people continue to doubt him.

It is easy to disapprove of the decisions made by the President because there will always be people who have that same mentality.  It is easier to by cynical than is it to be accepting.

Blog 2

 The death penalty is something that society tries to ignore, because some of us rather let someone else decide.When it comes to the death penalty, many people believe that it depends on the level of knowledge that they have according to the case.Recently, there was a news story about what should be done about putting the Boston Marathon Bomber to the death penalty,  and all five "Gubernatorial candidates" in Massachusetts agreed that he should be put to the death penalty. This story made me think about a given scenario, and that is, if the defendant was able to come up with a rhetoric speech,what will be the given skills or things that he or she would use.  I mention this scenario, because in the past readings in class  have dealt with has to deal with persuasion, and how to be successful and powerful at it. The readings give us a definition of rhetoric, and that is, " A  style of speaking or writing, especially in language of a particular subject".

Now, if the  defendant was able to use the skill or tool of lets say, what the  definition of rhetoric tells us, and that is, the language in a specific subject, then the defendant can use what he or she mostly needs to defend him'herself with.In the readings, it also mentions how rhetoric has a relationship with persuasion, and language, and although court systems don't base their judgement on " language", I wonder, if persuasion and language were the main resource for a  judge, what would of really happened to the Boston Bomber,given the fact that he had some mental problems.

ObamaCare and the youngins

In an article on theweek.com there is a list of 11 ways ObamaCare is marketing itself to the "millennials" who are always on social media and constantly needing attention seeking ads in order to gain our attention as the reading referred to. The list of ways includes using cool celebrities in commercials with gimmicks in order to capture our attention. They also used interesting methods such as sending their supporters to Dennys at 2-3 am in order to be around the most young people, and sending them to Footlocker stores when they knew young people would be in line buying new Nikes.
   Along with personally influencing people to vote for ObamaCare they also used social media gimmicks such as the "pajama boy" campaign featuring a boy dressed up in a onesie in order to encourage people to vote early. Then they also have the "brosurance " ads featuring young men partying and yelling,  and doing keg stands yelling "got insurance" in an effort to get young fraternity men to vote for ObamaCare perhaps? Nonetheless the Obama administration is trying very hard to pump up its young crowd and cater to us in every facet of our lives, partying, sports, celebrities, and social media. Only time will tell if all of the gimmicks really pay off.

Scapegoating out of Bridgegate

The article entitled Gov. Chris Christie continues denying Bridgegate knowledge as office is subpoenaed reports on the currently unfolding scandal surrounding New Jersey Governor and the intentional closing of lanes on the George Washington Bride. The story has been unfolding since earlier in January when information arose indicating that Christies administration was responsible for maliciously closing the lanes. Immediatley after the scandal broke Christies Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Kelly was fired for being responsible for the lane closures. Christie has maintained that he had no knowledge that the closing was nothing more than a traffic study. Former Port Authority leadsman David Wildstein recently told the Port Authority that evidence exists that Christie had knowledge the lane closures were done with intent other than solely a traffic study. The story is continually unfolding with more juicy details to come out of Bridgegate. 

This article was particularly interesting and relatable to class after reading and discussing Scapegoating on wednesday. Christie and the administration instantly let go of the person "responsible" for the lane closures. This was done to shade the blame from the Governor and allege that his Chief of Staff was responsible and he had no knowledge of the lane closings. This scapegoating tactic was obvious trying to through Bridget Kelly "under the bridge" with the intent of shutting the scandal immediately after it surface…

Blog Post Two

     One would think that after being charged and tried with the murder of Trayvon Martin and subsequently cleared with a not guilty verdict, that George Zimmerman would want nothing more than to fade out of the media spotlight. Yet, here we are months later and it seems that I see his face every time I turn on the television. He has once again made it into the news because of his latest attempts to participate in a celebrity boxing match with The Game, Kanye West, and DMX who are all African American rappers.


     Habermas speaks of the public sphere being a conversation in which the public body can come together freely and express their opinions without judgments. The public has certainly exercised this right concerning this boxing match. Political figures such as Al Sharpton have urged the celebrities to not participate in this match and has also urged the public to not watch. To participate in the viewing of this show would be celebrating the murder of Trayvon Martin, as Zimmerman was not a celebrity before he killed a Black man.

Bill Nye vs. Ken Ham (blog #2)

This past week, Bill Nye the Science Guy "traded barbs" with Creation Museum founder Ken Ham at the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky in a debate of science versus faith. For over two hours Nye and Ham discussed topics falling under the long-debated subject of "creation vs. evolution". The topics under discussion ranged from the age of the Earth and the formation of the Grand Canyon, to Noah's ark, the Bible, human consciousness, and fish sex. Nye, obviously arguing in favor of evolution, uses scientific evidence (like the fossil record and tree rings) to support his belief that the concept of creationism is simply "not viable", while Ham cited the Bible as evidence on a number of occasions. 

The fact that this topic is so controversial brings to mind the concept of truth. Socrates' belief that truth is subjective ("truth with a lowercase 't'") is certainly the case here: Nye and Ham's beliefs are on polar opposites of the spectrum, and both of them are, for different reasons, absolutely steadfast in such beliefs. To Nye, the Big Bang is not just a theory, but the actual way that the universe came into being; to Ham, God created the universe and everything in it for a specific purpose. These men have, then, very different  truths. The videos were edited quite a bit so I did not see whether there was any mudslinging or ill-will going on between the two of them, but the ways that their words were presented seemed to portray somewhat of a clean fight. This goes along with the feminists' style of Invitational rhetoric - each men expressed his beliefs, but neither tried to change the mind of his opponent (which would likely be impossible anyway).

Could our troops REALLY be going home?

According to a CBS report, a group of senators is pushing for President Obama to get approval from Congress if he should remove soldiers from Afghanistan after this year. The senators, a tea party member, democrat, and libertarian are saying that their trying to seek the American people's best interest. There are many proposals, one that would lead the removal of the troops entirely by 2016. The mission for pushing President Obama to accept this notion is "meant to give Americans a voice in the costly process of sending American soldiers to war" (Pg. 1) The group of senators is criticizing the president for costing the country a lot of money to fuel an on-going war. The focus is to make sure the president "should not have unilateral, unchecked power to deploy troops" (Pg.1).

This report was on the blurred lines of invitational rhetoric. Feminist scholar Sonja Foss introduced this concept and said that invitational rhetoric must encompass equality, immanent value, and self determination. I found that the senators were sort of taking that needed to step to discover these things. In regards to equality, the senators were attempting to level the playing field by proposing this resolution to the president and asking him to be more inclusive in regards to decisions in the military arena. These decisions that previously disregarded immanent value of the soldiers and their families and therefore forced a military and political agenda to take flight instead.This proposal will allow some essence of self-determination in the American people because they can take ownership on who they elect in congress to represent their voice as fully as possible. I stated prior that this proposal is on the blurred lines, and does encompass some traditional aspects of rhetoric. Does congress really represent the American people as trustworthy as it can? By past record, I argue not, and can certainly see in the future, this proposal facing many hurdles as it makes its way to Congress.  However, we as an audience will be somewhat invited into the world of the rhetoricians to hear their stance on military action overseas, and just maybe we can share our stance too.