Democrats Unleash Ads Focusing on Rivals’ Pasts

To retaliate against recent gains in the polls, Democratic Congressional candidates are releasing a string of negative advertisements against their opponents. Party strategists say these negative ads are appealing earlier in the campaign cycle than ever before. Specifically, many of these ads use results from a yearlong investigation into the business and personal histories of Republican candidates to convince voters of their dubious moral character. In New York, for example, Republican House candidate Richard Hanna is depicted as someone who "got rich while his construction company overcharged taxpayers thousands, was sued three times for injuries caused by faulty construction and was cited 12 times for health and safety violations.”

This story shows the importance of media exposure in the political world and in turn, the policy process. Birkland lists the media as an unofficial actor in the policy process, meaning that it has an indirect effect on the national agenda. Negative ads paid for by political candidates influence voters as to who they will vote for in November. The balance of the political parties in Congress will determine what items make it onto the national agenda and how far they progress into law. Even if citizens make their priorities known to legislators through voting and grassroots efforts, in a top-down system these lawmakers will ultimately decide which policy issues are most important to our nation.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/us/politics/26dems.html?hp

Insuring Young Adults

The health care reform is one policy process that has been on the public agenda for quite some time, and doesn’t appear to be going anywhere. Obama, as well as a majority of US citizens, have a cognitive judgment towards this issue and know that it can be altered. This past Thursday, implementation of the new health insurance policy was enacted. This policy ensures that young Americans may stay on their parents’ insurance plans until they are 26 years of age. Whereas before they were dropped at 19, or 23 if they were full time students. These policy objectives have been clearly and consistently defined, making this a “top-down” implementation approach.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/24/insuring-young-adults/?scp=1&sq=health%20care%2026&st=cse

-Kelly Neary

How College Health Plans Are Failing Students

New college health plans are about to come into affect however there is a major flaw. "Since student plans for the 2010-11 school year were negotiated before Sept. 23, they aren't subject to the regulations this year". These rules include offering coverage to men and woman until the age of 26 and devoting at least 80% of their revenue to health-care costs. Some students depending on when they entered school will be exempted permanently from many new elements of the law. In the article there are many examples of insurance companies and colleges not being able to properly provide inexpensive health care to their students and therefore are forcing some into deeper debt. These plans have not been thoroughly scrutinized," says Bryan A. Liang, executive director of the Institute of Health Law Studies. Providing affordable health care to students is important and the policy should not just have a date where some students are allowed and some are not.

article

Despite Setback, Gay Rights Move Forward

In this article, Schwartz dicusses the fight over gay rights and which part of the government takes action on proposing and implementing new policies. Activists believe that the gay rights cases should be handled through the state courts rather then the federal judiciary. Professor Pinollo explains that “The most strategic approach was to look at state action, not federal action, because a United States Supreme Court and federal judiciary dominated by Republican appointees did not provide a very favorable risk analysis for litigation"

This connects to class because we have talked about the offical actors and their part of polcies, in this case gay rights. These cases are specifically on the agenda because it grabbing the attention of the public and news media.


Elizabeth Sziler

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/22/us/22legal.html?sq=recent policy issues&st=cse&adxnnl=1&scp=3&adxnnlx=1285430729-W1o4GclxdeDb3jN+X1UZ/A

Obama, Wen huddle in a side meeting at U.N.

United Nations (CNN) -- President Barack Obama urged Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to speed up the revaluation of his nation's currency, telling him in a two-hour meeting Thursday that the slow pace of reforms was affecting both the global and U.S. economies, a top U.S. aide said. The talks on the sidelines of this week's U.N. General Assembly opening also covered security issues including Iran, Sudan and the dispute between China and Japan -- a major U.S. ally -- regarding the South China Seas, said Jeff Bader, Obama's special assistant and senior director for Asian affairs. Most of the focus was on economic issues, Bader said, because Wen is responsible for managing the Chinese economy, the world's second largest behind the United States.

On the economic front, although the world economy is now growing again, I think it's going to be very important for U.S to have frank discussions and continue to do more work cooperatively in order to achieve the type of balance and sustained economic growth. The premier is correct in a sense. The American mindset of limiting imports due to the incorrect and simple populist notion that somehow U.S will increase employment by cutting off trade, or artificially protecting either jobs or wages. This fear is commonly used by our politicians on both sides of the party system to get elected and stir up angst against the Chinese. They are not good or evil; they are looking out for their self-interest and cannot be faulted for doing so.

Post by: Ziying Yuan

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/09/23/un.china.wen.meeting/

Democrats losing control of Congress

With the resent mid-term elections not favoring incumbent Democrats, it seems Democrats could lose their control in Congress and possibly have their policy ideas deflated. In the Wisconsin Senate Democrat incumbent Russ Feingold is trailing Republican Ron Johnson by eleven points. In West Virginia there is a special election to replace Sen. Robert Byrd who passed away earlier this year. West Virginia's governor Joe Manchin seemed to be the favorite, but now has Republican John Raese closing in on him in recent polls. If Democrats lose their control in Congress it could change all the policies Democrats have been fighting for since Obama was elected and they took control of Congress. It makes you wonder if any true policy action can take place with all these changes in whose in control. Republicans have spent the last two years trying to harbor the Democrats policy ideas. If Republicans take back control over Congress then it will be Democrats turn to try and keep their policy ideas on the agenda, while they try to harbor Republican policy ideas.

Unusual worry for economy: Is inflation too low?

We have all been affected by this economic downturn one way or another. Finally, our economic recession has come to a halt. It seems like the unemployment rate is finally diminishing as prices everywhere seem to be increasing, such as medical care and college tuition. However, the Federal Reserve believes that prices aren’t going up fast enough. The Federal Reserve is an elite/nonmajoritarian group of private bankers that control our money supply, thus controlling the inflation in our economy. The Feds believe a little more inflation is just what our economy needs to “start a chain reaction” that would eventually create jobs and stimulate economic growth. This came to a shock to the public because inflation is usually considered an economic evil.

-Rebecca Jania

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Unusual-worry-for-economy-Is-apf-1253519994.html?x=0

Are you serious Senate?

Yesterday Republican Senators led by John McCain managed to filibuster the Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 because part of the legislation would likely lead to the repeal of the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy. How can American Senators conscientiously prevent a bill from coming up for debate, when so much lies on the line for our troops? A vast majority of the American population supports a repeal of such discriminatory policies, but our federal leadership has allowed homophobia to cloud their perception of the will of their constituents. Now is the time for citizens to speak out about such a blatant misrepresentation of the American people in the federal government, and to ensure that this legislation finds its way back to the agenda.

Article: http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2010/09/dont_ask_dont_tell_0

—Josh Browning

Iran warns U.S.

In reading the New York Times, there is an article about Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Mr. Ahmadinejad is at the UN and apart from normal topics he mentions that, with his increasingly controversial nuclear programs, he is not backing down or intimidated by America or the UN. He also holds that nothing illegal is going on even though he denies information or access to UN inspectors. Mr. Ahmadinejad also claims that if America brings war to Iran it will be greater than any other American conflict in history. He insists that he will not stop for any means and if any threaten violence he is ready to fight.

This type of claim is a threatening one. It leads me believe that something illegal may very well be going on. Do you think that if the situation escalates that war could erupt between Iran and the U.S.?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/22/world/middleeast/22iran.html?ref=todayspaper

What are we going to do about immigration reform?

Immigration reform has been on the public agenda for a minimum of seven years now. It even made it to spot number six on the classroom list of biggest public problems. In this article, Scott Biddle says, "You can't hope to implement sound strategies unless you understand what brings people to the United States and what they thing about the nation once the get here". One thing thats clear from the research is immigrants are happy in the U.S. and would do it all over again. They even hope for their kids to grow up here. There are currently 34.2 million foreign born immigrants and over 12 million illegal immigrants in addition. The legislature need to make a decision about this situation and get the reform off of the public agenda. But are immigrants really hurting the U.S., or are they helping by working for minimum wage and putting their money back into our economy?

www.publicagenda.org/pages/immigration

Michelle Watkins

Tight Budgets for Campaigns May Hinder Republicans

The republicans were ready to go into the final weeks election and take down the competition with flying colors. They thought nothing could stand in their way until examining their financial position. They examined this only to find that they were a long shot behind the democrats. Referring to the public problem discussed in class of the economy, this is proof that everything traces back to it. The economy is having damaging effects on everyone,including the republican party. How much will this, and should this, hurt them. Without the proper funds they are going to have to tighten campaign budgets which will leave out many voters that they would have gotten if they had the money necessary. Will this fact alone be enough to ruin the election for the republicans? Only time will tell.

-Jordan Goodman


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/22/us/politics/22repubs.html?_r=1&hp

Obama’s Economics Chief Is Set to Leave

According to Matt Bai of the NY Times, President Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel< is pretty much set on leaving his position to run for mayor of Chicago. Everyone's attention is caught by the personnel change, but that is not the focus of it. The focus is on who President Obama will select to replace Emanuel. People know that Obama is ready to take this country on his own path and whoever he choses for this job will be a hint to the people of where that path is going to go. First this issue gets to the media where proceed to stir up a story line and eventually reaches the ,ass public. Everyone is critical of Obama and want to know whether he has what it takes. But shouldn't people try to be optimistic and confident, since after-all, they put Obama in presidency. Obama is going to have countless spectators on every move he makes, and that countless number will fluctuate depending on reactions by the people.


-Jordan Goodman


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/23/us/politics/23bai.html?hp

Wen will not meet Japan PM

Premier Wen Jiabao will not meet his Japanese counterpart during an coming UN summit in New York because the atmosphere at present is not suitable. On Sept 7th a Chinese fishing trawler by Japanese coast guard vessels near the Diaoyu Islands, followed by Japan's illegal detention of the boat's captain. A Japanese court accused him. Because of the conflict of the Diaoyu Islands, the relationship between China and Japan is getting worsen.On the other hand, China and Japan are highly interdependent especially in trade and they the two biggest economic entity in Asia, for the development of East Asia, Chinese government announces that we need peaceful means to solve this problem.

Fed Prepared to Ease Further to Revive Economy

The Federal Reserve said it’s willing to ease monetary policy further to spur growth and support prices while refraining today from expanding its holdings of securities.

“The committee will continue to monitor the economic outlook and financial developments and is prepared to provide additional accommodation if needed to support the economic recovery and to return inflation, over time, to levels consistent with its mandate,” the Federal Open Market Committee said today in a statement in Washington.

Policy makers said the pace of recovery and job growth have “slowed in recent months.” The committee also said “measures of underlying inflation are currently at levels somewhat below those the committee judges most consistent, over the longer run, with its mandate to promote maximum employment and price stability.”

Gold rose, the dollar fell and the yield on two-year Treasuries hit a record low on speculation Chairman Ben S. Bernanke will purchase additional U.S. government securities in coming months in an effort to lower long-term interest rates. The FOMC retained its stance from last month of keeping its portfolio stable at around $2 trillion to keep money from draining out of the financial system.

“Inflation is likely to remain subdued for some time before rising to levels the committee considers consistent with its mandate,” the statement said.

Blatant Signal

“This is a Fed blatantly saying they are out of their mandate now on inflation,” Diane Swonk, chief economist at Chicago-based Mesirow Financial Inc., said in a Bloomberg Television interview. The FOMC will likely ease should inflation further subside and the unemployment rate not decline “dramatically,” she said.

Treasuries gained, with the yield on the two-year note falling four basis points to 0.420 percent at 3:12 p.m. in New York. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell 0.8 percent to 1,141.83.

Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank President Thomas Hoenigdissented for a sixth straight meeting, tying a record for most consecutive dissents at regular FOMC meetings since 1955 because he “believed that continuing to express the expectation of exceptionally low levels of the federal funds rate for an extended period was no longer warranted.”

U.S. central bankers are on guard against an economy that may be stuck at a pace of growth that won’t generate higher levels of employment for years to come. Fed officials in June forecast the unemployment rate would be in a range of 6.8 percent to 7.9 percent by 2012.

Worst Recession

The National Bureau of Economic Research yesterday said the worst recession since the 1930s ended in June 2009. Unemployment in the U.S. may stay above pre-recession levels until at least 2013, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said in a report the same day.

Gross domestic product expanded at a 1.6 percent annual rate in the second quarter, and St. Louis forecasting firm Macroeconomic Advisers estimates growth is tracking at a 1.4 percent annual rate for the third quarter.

Bernanke told central bankers gathered in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, on Aug. 27 that “preconditions for a pickup in growth in 2011” appear to be in place. Even so, policy makers are “prepared to provide additional monetary accommodation through unconventional measures if it proves necessary, especially if the outlook were to deteriorate significantly.”

Weighing Risks

Bernanke said the benefits of a resumption of large-scale asset purchases must be weighed against risks that include an erosion of public confidence that the Fed will be able to reduce its balance sheet and prevent a surge in inflation.

Since Bernanke’s Jackson Hole speech, reports on retail sales, manufacturing and employment have tempered investor concerns that the economy is at risk of sliding back into a recession.

Retail sales rose in August for the second consecutive month, and the Institute for Supply Management’s factory index rose to a three-month high. Companies in the U.S. added 67,000 jobs last month, more than forecast by economists.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index has rallied 7 percent since Bernanke’s Aug. 27 speech and is up more than 2 percent this year. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note has fallen 1.17 percentage point to 2.66 percent since Jan. 1.

Consumer Spending

Even so, the pace of payroll growth is too slow to make up for the loss of more than 8 million jobs caused by the recession or spur the consumer spending that makes up more than 70 percent of the economy.

Memphis-based FedEx Corp., the second-largest U.S. package- shipping company, said last week it will eliminate 1,700 jobs as it forecast earnings for the current quarter that fell short of analysts’ estimates.

“If you are outside the workforce right now, the door is barely cracked open,” John Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a Chicago-based outplacement firm that helps 5,000 to 10,000 workers a year find new jobs, said before the announcement.

Consumer confidence fell in September to a one-year low, according to an index compiled by Thomson Reuters and the University of Michigan.

Companies have little pricing power after the recession ravaged incomes and household finances. The consumer price index, minus food and energy, rose 0.9 percent for the 12 months ending August.

Lure Shoppers

To attract shoppers, companies such as Bentonville, Arkansas-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Cincinnati-based Kroger Co. are discounting merchandise.

“Our customer remains challenged,” William Simon, president and chief operating officer of Wal-Mart’s U.S. operations, said at an analyst presentation Sept. 15. “We need to figure out how to operate in this environment.”

Household wealth in the U.S. fell 2.8 percent in the second quarter as share prices were depressed by the European debt crisis, according to the Fed’s Flow of Funds report on Sept. 17. The Census Bureau said last week that the number of Americans living in poverty rose to 43.6 million, the most in 51 years.

Gross domestic product will expand at an average annual pace of 2.5 percent next year, according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists this month, down from a forecast of 2.8 percent in early August.

“The longer you have weak growth the longer you have no underlying healing in your economy,”Ethan Harris, head of North American Economics at Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, said before the announcement. “You don’t heal the housing market, you don’t heal the household balance sheet. By allowing growth to sit below trend, you create a huge window of vulnerability to a shock.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-21/fed-says-it-s-prepared-to-ease-further-refrains-from-new-asset-purchases.html

Mitchell Kellman

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-21/fed-says-it-s-prepared-to-ease-further-refrains-from-new-asset-purchases.html

The U.S. Senate Punts on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Even though nearly 80% of Americans are in favor of ending the law that currently bans servicemembers who are openly gay from serving in the U.S. military, also known as the law “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the U.S. Senate has decided to forego the issue for the time being instead of acting on it and taking a step towards equality. In asserting the public agenda, this policy issue provokes public problems that some believe cause unfairness to others. GetEqual and other equal rights activist groups believe that today was a disappointing day for everyone engaged in ending the ban on lesbian, gay, and bisexual servicemembers. A filibuster pushed by Sen. John McCain kept the NDAA from advancing in the Senate this afternoon. GetEqual continues to push President Obama to end military discharges immediately.

http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/the_us_senate_punts_on_dont_ask_dont_tell

Kilee Imlay

Tax breaks to improve Democratic party popularity

Democrats, led by President Obama, are trying to gain more followers by putting tax breaks and government backed loans for small businesses first on the agenda. The democrats submitted a multi-billion dollar package of tax breaks and loans to congress for approval, and received approval on Thursday. Obama and the democrats are attempting to “illustrate their efforts to revive the faltering economy, and to define republicans as obstructionists.” Democrats are using agenda setting to gain support from US democrats and to make the Republican party look bad. This relates to our class because we have been discussing the agenda-setting process, and here is an example of agenda setting put to use in politics.

Aria Greenberg

Strange genius behind destructive economic policies

If you keep up to date about America's most pressing issues, then you would know that illegal immigration has remained an issue for a great extent of time. Illegal immigration affects the economy in a negative aspect. Statistics have shown that the entry of illegal immigrants into the United States has decreased compared to previous years now that President Obama has taken office. Some observers conclude that President Obama's new policies have caused the economy to experience a downfall which in effect has driven away even illegal immigrants. Do you agree with this coralation?
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20109140309

Abortion Up For Debate

Abortion and life-rights have always been a hot topic for debate on the public agenda, new advances in technology seem to fuel the fire. With safer procedures, the topic of abortion seems to reach its way to the top of the list. The supreme court is trying as hard as ever to ban the process entirely. In 2003 the Partial-Birth Abortion Act was enacted which sought to ban a late abortion ("intact dilation and evacuation"). Now the Roe v. Wade decision is being fought over, if it is overturned it doesn't mean that abortion would automatically become illegal, it would just be the decision of the courts. Even though the issue is rising, reports say that the abortion rates have dropped from 1.4 million in 1990 to 854,122 in 2002. Views from the public haven't changed much since the 1970 Roe v. Wade debate, studies say that two-thirds of Americans say abortion should be legal during the first trimester, but then drops 8 percent in the third trimester. This is a hot topic that has high salience in the public eye, in the next few months there could be some big changes in the maternity department.

Website

Conservative paper fights alongside Immigrants

Recently in Utah a Mormon based paper The Deseret News, who is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints published articles supporting immigration. This practice is seemingly out of place in the normally ultra conservative paper, which regularly speaks up about same-sex marriage and deficit spending. The editor a former GOP member has not backed down from his stance on illegal immigration, even after great backlash from his faithful right wing readers. A recent article sympathized with immigrants, saying that their plight is very similar to early 19^th century Mormons. Public policy and opinion are being affected through a faith-based newspaper, and while many may disagree with the papers motives, if compassion and greater understanding arises then motives become secondary.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/20/business/media/20deseret.html?ref=us

Ben Rains

For the Unemployed Over 50, Fears of Never Working Again

With our economy still in ruin, many elderly workers (50+) are fearful that they will never be able to find a job again. More and more of them realize that even with them being highly educated and qualified that their resumes and being ignored my companies in favor for the younger crowd.
Some non-profit companies, such as WorkSource, and providing seminars for this age of workers to "age proof" their resumes and to encourage them to continue with their job hunt and to also not forget to try and stay relevent with more technology classes.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/20/business/economy/20older.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp&adxnnlx=1284995664-vit8/mbwksqu6/I9xKnkew

Recession Has Officially Ended

According to the Business Cycle Dating Committee of the National Bureau of Economic Research, the recession has officially ended in June of 2009. the recession started in december of 2007 and lasted 18 months, making it the longest economic downturn since World War 2. Recession dates are based on economic indicators and trends such as gross domestic product, income, employment, industrial production and wholesale-retail sales. Economists generally wait quite a while before officially declaring the recession is over to make sure it does not plummet shortly after. Economists claim that a recovery began later in the same month it ended, however the recovery has not been significant enough for most average Americans to take note.

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/20/the-recession-has-officially-ended/?hp