Reading Log 9

The Easy Voter Guid is designed to aid California voters in making decisions on issues such as; who will be governor, how should California spend it's budget, and choices about taxes and political campaigns. The Easy Voter guid helps voters to learn more about the different canidates running for the different political positions for California's government. The voters guid also helps to explain what roles each of these different positions play. For example the secretary of state, manages state elections, keeps records about campaign finances and lobbying, issues offical documents for new corportions and runs the state archieves to preserve California's history and constitution. The voter's guid also helps explain the different propostions and what they would do if passed. It also says the pros and cons of each proposition to help voters decide how they should vote. On the back of the voter's guid it describes the steps voters need to take in order to vote.

Every citezen in the United State has the right to vote, however I think that less than half of the people take advantage of this privilege. I beleive that everyone should take an active role in their government because the goverment is an important part in any society and we should uphold our responcibility as a citezen to make sure that we inform ourselfs about the different canidates and issues, so that we can elect the best possible leaders. I think that it is great that in America we have an opertunity to have an impact on the leaders we choose to make decisions. I also think that it is really cool that we can vote on propositions that can have an affect on our comunities. Therefore I would encourge anyone who can vote to educate themselfs so that they can make good choices about the canidates they are voting on and the different propositions. I realize that there are a lot of different canidates running for many different political positions and unfortunately I do not know very much about a lot of the canidates or even the positions they are running for. Since I will be voting in this election I am hoping to learn more about these canidates and their positions, so that I can make good decisions. I am also exited about our ad campaign project and it has been very helpful in teaching me about the different propositions and what to watch out for.

Questions:

How should I research the different canidates and find out more about their oponets and what positions they are running for?
If I am unsure about how to vote on a proposition, what further research should I do?
How do I know who to believe, and how can I trust what I read or hear?

Reading Log 7

I have continued reading "Americas Empire: Global Leader or Rogue Power". In the last chapter I read it talked about how the New World was similar to the ancient legend of the lost world of Alantis. Just as in the legand of Atlantis the founding fathers of America saw America as a new light. If you look at the United States seal printed on every one dollar bill you will see that it is an ancient Egyption pyramid with an the eye of Horus the Egyption Sun God, who's essence is light a and who represents the eye of knowlege. In this image the founding fathers of the United States created America to be a became an example of the most perfect nation in the world and a became of freedom for the rest of the world to seek. As with all empires march to power the United States march to dominance was not without bloodshed. Through our relative short history we have almost been involved in some overseas conflict. Through military power the United States achieved independence from Great Britain, something that no other colony of Great Britian was able to acheive for two more centuries. After WWI Great Britian acknowleged that the United States had a navel equal navy as her own and reconized the United States as an equal world superpower. Since the beginning of the United States history she has deployed troops all over the globe sending troops to Asia, Africa, and South America, to represent America's foreign interest.

Today the United States is continue to spread it's empire through military power and futrth expand it's base of influence. Recently the United States was attacked by a small group and for the first time America realized that it was not invisiable. The United States felt threatend and in responce tried to prove to the world that the United States was still the strongest most powerful nation in the world through military oppuration in the middle east. First the United States consintrated on Afganistghan and then moved to Iraq. The United States based it's foreign policy on a strike first policy. The strategy of this policy is that you can not show your enemies that you are weak and that the only way to prevent them from attacking you is to intimidate them. Furthermore the some leaders of the United States beleives that the beacom of freedom that the United States represents needs to be spread throughout the world through military force so that all global citizens can enjoy the same freedom and opertunities excessible to every ctizen.

Questions:

Is there a way for the United States to still be able to promote it's foreign interest and at the same time make decisions that are beniefitial for the world?

How will the United States respond to the globalization that is overtaking world economics and politics?

How does the rest of the world view the United States and do they feel that the United States is attempting to try to take to much power and what are the other nations doing to try to balance the United States global power?