Social Networking Project

Articles

1)"If You Want To Win An Election, Just Control The Voting Machines"
http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0131-01.htm

This article discusses the flaws in our electronic voting system in Nebraska. When Nebraska Republican Chuck Hagel first ran there for the U.S. Senate in 1996, his company's computer-controlled voting machines showed he'd won stunning upsets in both the primaries and the general election. The voting record showed that he had one basically every Black primary that had never voted Republican in the past. This caused some people to become suspicious about why Hagel had won by such a significant lead. He ran again in 2002 and won by a landslide. The voting showed that he had been elected a seat by about 83% of the votes.

I decided to put this article in my playlist because it shows how some election may look a little sketchy. Maybe there are ways that some people have won elections based off of false information. This article shows the suspicions of the voting system and how there is no “paper trail of the vote” to prove that there was a fraud.

2) “Low voter turnout for Trent election”
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.trentarthur.info/elections.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.trentarthur.info/archives/001329.html&h=536&w=350&sz=49&hl=en&start=19&um=1&tbnid=1UvEO7vRMY6aLM:&tbnh=132&tbnw=86&prev=

This article discusses how the voter turnout of the Trent Central Student Association was the lowest it has ever been. This association is the student government for full time students. This year there was a dismal 184 students that showed up to vote out of 8,000 students. The thing that is the most shocking is that the positions for President, Women’s Issues Commissioner, International Issues Commissioner, Special Needs Issues Commissioner and Mature Students’ Issues Commissioner remain vacant. This brings up the issue of whether or not the younger generation is becoming less interested in politics.

I chose this article to put in my playlist because its discreetly discusses the issue of the younger generations becoming less interested in politics. Every election year, the voting turnout has been decreasing, and many people believe it is due to the younger generation. They think that all teenagers, or young adults, are not well informed of the government and therefore don’t care. This article shows the decrease in student voting, and may prove the point of many.

3) CNN.com - Florida's Election Day vote could be irrelevant - November 9, 2000
http://archives.cnn.com/2000/LAW/11/columns/fl.katyal.florida.11.09/

This article discusses the 2000 election with Al Gore and George W. Bush. This election was thought to be one of the most controversial because of the rare occasion of the candidate that won the popular vote, loses the election. The article shows the importance of getting the vote of the Electoral College. Al Gore won the popular vote in the election, but the Electoral College elected Governor George W. Bush as the President. Al Gore violated the 14th Amendment because he requested a recount of only a few cities in Florida instead of the whole state. This forced the judges to vote for Bush.

I decided to put this article in the playlist because it showed the importance of the Electoral College. Even if the candidate were to win the popular vote like Gore did, they still have the chance of losing the election due to the Electoral College. Bush ended up winning the election due to a constitutional technicality. I think that the Electoral College is often looked over at times because people think that their votes will automatically elect the President. That is not always the case.


Websites

1) The Democratic Party
http://www.democrats.org/

This website contains all of the issues and beliefs that the Democratic Party deals with in the election. It has blogs, their press schedule, news for national, local, and communities. It also has contact information and it comes in Spanish too. All of these things give people a chance to become educated and involved with their political party.

The website was included in my playlist because I thought it was very informational and well put together. It is very user friendly and it allows people to become informed about their political party. It also gives them a chance to express themselves by hosting a blog, allowing them to write down their opinions for the world to see. I think it is a very positive website for elections.

2) Federal Election Commission Home Page
http://www.fec.gov/

This website consists of information dealing with administering and enforcing federal campaign finance laws. It includes a Presidential Campaign Map that shows the amount of money that candidates have contributed. It gives a brief overview of the FEC and discusses the history of it. Also, it gives a viewer the finance reports and calendar of its meetings. Another feature that it has on it is a Quick Answer section, where it has frequently asked questions about the commission.

I chose this website for my playlist because it informs the viewer of the FEC. It shows you how the candidates are spending their money for the election and where. The map is very helpful if you are interested in how your favorite candidate is contributing money. It also discusses the campaign finance laws that the commission is planning on enforcing. I believe that it very useful and educational for the voters to visit.

3) Politics - News, Opinion and Analysis from CNN.com
http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/

This website has many different options of things to search and read about. It has a section that allows you to read up on the candidates and how they are doing in the election. It also has the top stories to read about from the current topics in politics. Also, it has videos, campaign news, and has a daily political cartoon that lets the viewers watch or look at something visual rather than just reading stories and articles on a topic.

I chose this website to put in my playlist because I thought it was very user friendly, and it seemed like a very interesting website. It allows you to read up on the important issues that are present in the world today, as well as looking up your favorite presidential candidate. I think that it has good resources and is very convenient for people to use if they want to become aware of political issues.


Videos

1) Bill Richardson 2006 Western Ad
http://youtube.com/watch?v=X0juSJ-y9xg

This video was a campaign commercial for the governor of New Mexico, Bill Richardson. It was a commercial designed for entertainment purposes more than educational because it only provided a few facts of information. The video basically took place in western setting, with Richardson dressed up in cowboy attire. It tries to convince the viewers to vote for him by showing humor.

I decided to put this video in my playlist because it shows how some candidates are willing to make himself look foolish in order to win an election. Elections have become all about entertainment and all about advertising. Each candidate tries to dig up dirt on the other candidate so that way he can expose the person for whatever he had done in the past. And this video is an example of a guy trying to gain the approval of people by pure entertainment rather than him actually being a good governor.

2) A new map of the United States
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RofWY8Op9ws&feature=related

This video is presented almost like a powerpoint in the way that it just has different information pop up and images. It discusses the question of whether all of the states are involved in elections. The video is a National Popular Vote Movement ad that talks about how only a few states are looked at to elect the President. Their opinion is all 50 states should be included in the campaigning process rather than only a select few.

I picked this video because it demonstrates how people feel that not all of the 50 states are being included in the election. Most candidates spend most of their time campaigning in a select few states because they seem to be more important to the election. Some of these “swing states” include Oregon, Florida, and Michigan and the candidates feel that they are the only ones that matter.

3) OBAMA TAKES LEAD IN IOWA: Hilary in free fall 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqeztaT0eU0

This video begins with a cartoon of Hilary Clinton falling and crashing into letters that spell out Obama takes lead in Iowa. The video contains information on how Obama is starting to gain momentum in the election and that Hilary is slowly starting to lose her lead in the election. It discusses how the other democratic candidates are trying to gang up on Clinton because they believe that she is not the right candidate for the position.

I chose this video because it shows how competitive the candidates can be when it comes to the election. All of the men are ganging up on the one and only woman in the election, who happens to the font runner. It almost seems like they don’t care who is elected, as long as it is not her. If she is the best candidate and is experienced enough to handle the job, then she should be the selected candidate. This video is just an attempt to get people to vote against Clinton.


Photos

1) Wrestling Advertisement
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://starbulletin.com/2004/10/24/special/artcoverbig.jpg&imgrefurl=http://starbulletin.com/2004/10/24/special/story1.html&h=504&w=429&sz=78&hl=en&start=2&um=1&tbnid=bigG0ZDJXP-lzM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=111&prev=

This picture is of Bush and Kerry looking at each other and it says Bush Vs. Kerry underneath them. It is made to look like a wrestling poster to attract viewers to watch them debate. The picture is labeled as the Main Event.

I chose this picture to be in my playlist because it again shows the advertisement aspect of elections. It shows that elections have come to be about entertainment in the way that the candidates campaign and gain approval ratings. Having the picture labeled as the Main Event is smart and ironic because it is definitely true. The Presidential elections are always the main event of elections.

2) Kerry and the Soccer Ball
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://johnstodderinexile.files.wordpress.com/2006/10/kerry-plays-soccer.jpg&imgrefurl=http://johnstodderinexile.wordpress.com/2006/10/&h=387&w=300&sz=25&hl=en&start=2&um=1&tbnid=fdaYidQta81bvM:&tbnh=123&tbnw=95&prev=/images%3Fq%3Djohn%2Bkerry%2Bheading%2Ba%2Bsoccer%2Bball%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DN

This picture is of Kerry trying to head a soccer ball. He, not being the most athletic guy, is trying to appeal to all of the voters. In the background it shows people laughing at his attempt to fit in. The picture, in a way shows that the candidates are willing to do anything to try to gain votes.

This picture was included in my playlist because it shows how bad media can be portrayed. Media is a big part in campaigning now, and there is good and bad media. This is definitely an example of bad media because it makes a very intelligent man, look unintelligent. The candidates are under constant scrutiny and the slightest mishap can ruin their campaign. They always have to look their best and be careful on how they are portrayed in the eyes of the public.

3) The Voting Box
http://ww1.prweb.com/prfiles/2007/06/11/532695/030731_hackedVote.jpg

This photo is a cartoon that is of a man stuffing the voting box. The ballots are overflowing from the box as he tries to shove his votes in.

I chose this picture to put in my playlist because it shows how maybe some people should feel like doing. They are so invested in their candidate winning that they are willing to do anything. If everyone had that drive, then maybe there would be a larger voter turnout. People are not interested in politics like they used to be and it is effecting the elections.


Audio Sources

1) Presidential season: one year before the 2008 U.S. elections with Carroll Doherty from the German Marshall Fund Podcast Series podcast
http://web.gmfus.org/mp3s/20071120ElecTour_DohertyFINAL.mp3

This podcast discusses how the candidates are doing in the election. They talk about who is up in the election, and who is down. This allows people to catch up and get a summary of what had happened in the last week if they had missed it.

I chose this podcast to be in my playlist because it is important for people to be aware of how their candidate is doing in the election. It is a lot easier for people to get a recap of the week rather than sit and watch all of the debated and other televised events.

2) Podcast: Remembering Mailer for Mayor - City Room - Metro - New York Times Blog
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/14/podcast-remembering-mailer-for-mayor/

Mayor Mailor has just passed away last month and this podcast discusses his memorable election. He was an inappropriate candidate because he rude, vulgar, and a convicted murderer. He was convicted of stabbing one of his wives. His slogan was “No More Bull” and that was unprintable.

I put this podcast in my playlist because it shows how entertaining elections are remembered. The controversial and shocking events that happen make things more interesting, and therefore more people follow them. This is a good example of how a horrible candidate can gain a lot of publicity.

3) Podcast on McCain
http://cdn.washingtonpost.com/podcast/p3podcast121307.mp3 (couldnt make a link, but copy it and search and it will work)

This podcast was made on December 13 and talks about the Arizona Senator John McCain and his family. In the beginning it discussed how he was not doing well in the Naval Academy, he was getting demerits for his early years in school. His sons are following in his footsteps, as he did with his father. One of his sons is in Iraq, and the other one is in the Naval Academy. This podcasts talks about how he grew as a person and how his sons may become involved in politics later on.

I chose this podcast to be in my playlist because it gives listeners a softer side to a candidate. It really discusses how he went from being a troublemaker in the Naval Academy to becoming a well-respected political leader. I think it is important for people to hear another side of a presidential candidate because they are always trying to be superior and strong, but to know that they are also human can be very reassuring.


Blogs

1) September 26th
http://www.dylansblogs.com/Sept26_2007.htm

This blog discusses how people think that Hilary Clinton should not be considered the frontrunner for the election because she has been slipping towards the end. They don’t doubt her ability, but they feel that she is too confident and already thinks that she has the Democratic Candidate locked. This rubs people the wrong way because they feel like she should be the least confident out of all the other candidates, not over confident.

I chose this blog for my playlist because I felt like a lot of people could relate to it. This blog obviously deals with the idea of elections because it has to do with the 2008 election, but it discusses the importance of personality. People respect people that have confidence, especially a woman, but too much confidence comes off as arrogance and that is not appealing to the public.

2) Today on the Presidential Campaign Trail - AOL News
http://news.aol.com/story/_a/today-on-the-presidential-campaign-trail/n20071204222009990002

This blog discusses the candidates and how they are doing in the election. Mitt Romney is ahead in New Hampshire and is fighting to gain the lead in Iowa and South Carolina for the Republican Candidate. In South Carolina Romney and Giuliani have 19 percent each, Thompson 18 percent, McCain 13 percent and Huckabee 10 percent.

I chose this blog because it shows how the Republican candidates are doing in the election because it seems like the Democratic candidates are getting all of the attention and publicity. This allows people to check up on all of the candidates because if the election is one sided, and one party is gaining all of the attention, people will forget about one.

3) Newsweek on Bloomberg, the Billion Dollar Wild Card - City Room - Metro - New York Times Blog
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/05/newsweek-on-bloomberg-the-billion-dollar-wild-card/

This blog discusses the chances of Michael R. Bloomberg running for president. He made the cover of Newsweek for this story. He recently left the Republican Party to become independent. He says he does not want to run unless there is a good chance that he can win. He said that he would not only want to win the popular vote, but also the Electoral College. People say that he could be successful as the president, but he is not sure if he wants to take the leap to run.

I chose this blog because it shows the beginnings of a potential candidate for future elections. It shows how he is vulnerable, but how he has the winning attitude. This blog is more informative than opinionated, so it allows people to learn more about upcoming news.

CNN YouTube Debate

The CNN YouTube debate seemed like a big joke a times. It was, in a way, a chance for people to be on television and ask a question to the well respected presidential candidates. I'm not saying that there weren't people that took it seriously and are concerned with the country's politics, but some people were acting ridiculous. For example, one guy asked, while shirtless, if he could intern for Senator Hilary Clinton. The debate was supposed to be a chance for the people to get their points across to the presidential candidates, and i think that some people did not take it seriously.

Blog #7

The debate last night was between the Democratic candidates, and it was basically an attack on Hilary Clinton. Barack Obama and John Edwards ganged up on the senator and questioned her plan or platform. Hilary, already trying to make up for the last debate, was on her heels trying to deflect the intense questions being thrown her way. I think Hilary held her composure very well while she was being attacked. Sure, the other two candidates really tried to crack her, but really she has, for the most part, kept it together. Therefore, i would name her the winner of the debate, because of the challenge she was faced with.

blog #6

(5) The CIA tends to have top-secret operations to investigate suspicious behavior of people related to the government. They inform no one outside the CIA about any of the operations because they are not necessarily legal. In Fairfax, Virginia the CIA broke into one of their employee's residence because they suspected she was involved with a Cuban national. They believed he was aware of some illegal business and they unsuccessfully tried to catch him in the act. The CIA doesnt really care or abide by a citizen's right to privacy. Also, everyone is a threat to them, they trust no one, even their own.

Congress Rep

Living in California, I have 2 Senators Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein. Boxer is a Democrat that has been involved in the Senate since 1992 when she was first elected. She is known for being in favor of eniornmental protection, human rights, and of women's rights for reproduction. She has been a force in Congress and an all around good representative for California. She is a member of many committees including Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation, Senate Enviornment and Public Works, and Senate Foreign Relations. And she has been in favor of many bills such as S.2109 which is the California Desert and Mountain Heritage Act.
Diane Feinstein is the other senator of California and was also elected a seat in 1992. She was then re-elected in 1998 and again in 2004. She was a co-sponsor of the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 and is a big believer in capital punishment. Feinstein is also a member of a lot of committees dealing with Defense, and Crimes and Drugs, along with many others. Having two female senators for California has been good because i think it is important to have females involved in the legistaltive branch. It sets a good example for young women who would like to pursue their dreams in politics.

interactive constitution

Article 1 discusses the roles of Congress and in the selection i chose, it talked about how the House of Representatives is known as the "peoples house." The members of the House are elected every two years because they do not have to deal with long term issues. The House is the only part of Congress that is elected by public and is a good representative for them. Having the House of Representatives is a good thing in my opinion because it is the only house that the people are directly linked to. It gives the public the feeling of power because it lets them feel involved with the important decision making for the country.

candidate selection

After taking the candidate selection quiz, i was paired up with mike gravel. I was suprised with the decision because i have never heard of him or his opinions on any issues. I also don't believe he has a real chance in winning the election because i dont think he is very well known by the public and he is not the leading candidate for the democratic party as of right now.