Indiana’s Experimental Purple State May Just Turn Red Again

In the 2008 presidential election, Democrats in northern Indiana helped sway Indiana’s electoral vote to a blue state; A move that has not been seen in Indiana since 1964. Indiana has historically been considered a conservative red state mainly due to the southern most counties, which are considered to be part of the “Bible Belt”. However, during the last presidential election many moderates, fed up with Bush’s policies, helped sway the state to an experimental state, known as a purple state. A purple state is the mixture of conservative (red) and democratic (blue) votes, which can create a fickle election.

Today, after only two years of Barack Obama’s term, this is no longer the case. Many Hoosiers seem angry over the liberal agenda and policies set by the Obama administration. Several democratic candidates are much less publicly known compared to their republican counterparts. The upcoming November election may help southern Hoosiers and northern moderates turn this experimental purple state back to pure red.

By Michael Rocus

http://www.economist.com/node/17204952

Japan start to implemented the "zero interest rate policy".

This news basically talks about the Bank of Japan implemented of the "zero interest rate policy" after an interval of 4 years. And also it casued the Japan's central bank unexpectedly decided to cut the overnight rate to 0.0% -0.1% range on Tuesday. and promised to maintain the this pocily until the price stabilizes. The purpose for Japan is the government trying to drive down long-term market interest rates and lower risk premium. I think, because the economics going down, the price is going up, then make people more hard to live, so the government take this act to increase the economic and to keep the economic proce situation. Meanwhile, Japan cut interest rates also intended to prevent further appreciation of the economic downturn.

http://biz.cn.yahoo.com/ypen/20101008/41124.html

Fiscal Woes Deepening for Cities, Report Says

Coopers mentions in this article that cities are seeing that they are in the worst finicial shape then they have ever been since the past quarter century. Ever since the "housing bubble burst" there has been an 1.8% decrease in property tax collections. With sales tax collections decreasing and unemployment, its beginning to take a toll on cities that rely on income-tax revenues. The cities have few ideas to help the situation, but their main options are tax increases and service cuts.

This relates to what we discuss in class especially in chapter 2 when birkland talks about the overall process of policy making and eventually implementing.

Elizabeth Sziler

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/07/us/07cities.html?_r=1&ref=us

Deportations Hit Record Number

The United States continues to put its foot down when it comes to illegal immigration. The US deported a record 392,862 illegal immigrants and arrested more of there employers this past year than ever before. I think the government is correct in doing this because

"nearly half, 190,000, of those removed by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in the fiscal year ended Sept. 30 had criminal records."

These criminal records included murder, sexual assault, as well as lesser charges. I think our government should begin to focus on these types of illegals and not just ones that are here working and are not being a problem.


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704689804575536301580024586.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5

IMF, World Bank Try to Ease Currency Tensions

“WASHINGTON (Reuters) - World leaders must defuse currency tensions before they worsen to avoid repeating the mistakes of the Great Depression, the head of the World Bank said on Thursday. The spirit of global economic cooperation, first forged in 2008 during the darkest days of the financial crisis, was weakening as the recession gives way to an uneven and shaky recovery, the head of the International Monetary Fund said. ‘If one lets this slide into conflict, or forms of protectionism, then we run the risks of repeating the mistakes of the 1930s,’ World Bank President Robert Zoellick told reporters at a briefing. ”

Personally, I think that “market sector” and world bank “government sector” power control and regulate the world currency problem. Fears of global currency and trade wars, which were key factors in the Great Depression, have jumped to the top of the agenda at IMF and World Bank meetings this weekend, and are also expected to be a primary topic of discussion when Group of Seven finance leaders gather on Friday. These meetings are expected to provide a forum for intense discussions about efforts to persuade China to let its currency rise and tamp down pressures for other emerging countries to control capital flows as the U.S. dollar weakens. Emerging markets are caught in the crossfire. Investors turned off by low returns in the United States and elsewhere are pouring money into fast-growing economies such as Brazil, driving up asset prices and inflation. Actions to control disruptive currency swings were understandable but over the medium term currencies would have to adjust to permit a necessary rebalancing of the global economy.

Post by: Ziying Yuan

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wirestory?id=11822159&page=3

AIDS still a problem

In 2005, HIV/AIDS was reported the sixth-leading cause of death in Americans age 25-44. There are currently over 56,000 new cases of HIV/AIDS each year with a total of 1.1 million currently. Even with these reports, Americans' perception of the problem has drastically decreased in the past few years. In 1995, 44% of Americans said that HIV/AIDS was the most urgent public health problem facing the United States. Today, that number has fallen to just 6%, this is most notably due to politicians turning their attention to the overseas situation. Public awareness has also dropped, in 2005 35% of Americans claimed they had heard "a lot" about the problem of AIDS. In 2006, that number dropped to just 14%. The Obama administration recently committed $45 million for a public awareness program "Act Against AIDS", a five year program intended to raise the public saliency of the problem. The public must be educated about AIDS, policy makers are faced to ask the public if it feels that AIDS is a serious issue?

URL: http://www.publicagenda.org/pages/HIV-AIDS-May-2009

Using Food Stamps To Slow Obesity

In New York City, Mayor, Michael Bloomberg is pushing for a ban on using food stamps to purchase soda. The city has 1.7 million food stamp recipients this will affect. The reasoning behind this is that obesity and diabetes are increasing in the city and this may help lower those conditions. Not using the food stamps on this "junk food" will allow them to be used on foods with actual nutritional value. This new policy idea allows both a push for healthy society as well as a reason to ensure that food stamps are used in the proper manner rather than on junk food. I think that this is a step in the right direction for both NYC and the country. I would like to see this policy adopted on a larger scale in both a geographical perspective of the policy and a scope of items covered in the policy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/07/nyregion/07stamps.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper

200 Days Seem to be More Appealing than 180

In Indianapolis, the meetings just began today in hopes of making Indianapolis Public Schools change to a year round schedule. This was the first out of 5 public meetings being held before the decision is made on November 23 of this year. If approved by the school board, the intercessions will begin next August. Many people at the meeting stated that if this problem was solved by approving year round school, children would make better grades and there would be less trouble for them to get into. This issue has been on the agenda for a few years, and finally it is being adressed because many citizens are expressing their want for Education Reform. There are pros and cons to this problem, but the community says they are supporting the School Board with all decisions being made.


http://www.wthr.com/story/13280338/meetings-begin-for-ips-year-round-schedule

California's Prop 19: Leading the Way to Pot Legalization

While medicinal marijuana has gathered majority acceptance by citizens and politicians, the upcoming election in California could alter how America's political system veiws the use of marijuana regularly. Next month californians will be asked to vote on Prop 19, which would allow for the regular use of marijuana and allow for taxes to be gathered from the legal selling of it. Even though the idea of legal pot sounds "crazy," support of about 50% on a California poll has said it isn't such a wild notion. Currently, California is leading the way in use of marijuana either recreationally or medically, but many more years will pass before a final decision is made in other states. However, the main selling point for legalization during this time of economic downturn is that is has been estimated that $8.7 billion in revenue would be generated from legalization of marijuana.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2023860,00.html

Father Asking Supreme Court for Decision

Today the Supreme Court will hear a case that calls into question the most fundamental right in American policy history. Albert Snyder will get a chance to convince the Supreme Court to reinstate a 5 million dollar verdict against a church for picketing his son's funeral. His son was an American soldier killed in Iraq in 2006. The church maintains it's first amendment right to free speech. The Supreme Court must decide if the first amendment must tolerate intentionally inflicting emotional pain on a family during a funeral. The first amendment right to free speech is part of the Bill of Rights which is contained in the Constitution, which is the document that gives Congress the right to create policy. I think it's obvious what the Supreme Court should do in their interpretation of the first amendment. The first amendment doesn't protect a fanatical church from protesting a soldier's funeral.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39531700/ns/politics/

Local Newspapers benefit from Marijuana Ad's

In many states such as Colorado, California, and Montana, where drugs for health purposes is legal, local newspapers have been making a large amount of unexpected revenue from marijuana advertisements. While nobody expected to witness such huge benefits from advertisement's with names such as, "The Rolling Paper," "Chronic-le," "Mile-High Mike's," and "Happy Buddha and the Healthy Connection," local papers have continued to publish these without a doubt. In Denver, money from advertising for marijuana-related business is 15 percent of the Weekly Westwards revenue this year, as well as 40 percent of its classified advertising revenue. Stephanie Pressley, the publisher for The Daily Chronicle states, "My point of view is, for the moment at least, its legal. The joke around here is that its a budding business." The Daily Chronicle generates $7,500 a month for marijuana advertisements. It will be interesting to see if this business strategy continues and what effects it will have on other local papers.

- Matt DiPietrantonio

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/05/business/media/05pot.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper

Obama Pledges Aid To 2-Year Colleges

On Monday President Barack Obama announced his "Skills for America's Future" initiative. The aim of this is at increasing cohesion between community colleges and industry partners, at a meeting of the Economic Recovery Advisory Board. This initiative will use $2 billion over four years which will be taken from the controversial Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act. The plan will create private partnerships and training programs in community colleges nationwide. Since the recession has placed such a burden on state and local budgets, community colleges have been forced to cap enrollments and scarp courses. Obama said, "Not only is that not right--I think it's not smart." A few corporations which Obama said will be participating in this program will include, McDonald's, Dap Inc., Accenture and United Technologies. The goal of this program is 5 million more community college graduates and certificates by 2020. This plan is definitely needed and extremely valuable. Education in America in the past years has declined and unemployment rates are at its peak. This plan could only help both of these crisis issues. Students with lower financial status and who are not able to attend public colleges and have the grades for four year colleges still deserve a chance and a some what equal chance to all other students; this plan will give these students the equal opportunity they deserve. Having 5 million more students with certificates rom 2 year colleges and actually graduated from these colleges is a huge impact from that of just $2 billion.

http://www.lsureveille.com/news/obama-pledges-aid-to-2-year-colleges-1.2354197

Will Utah Follow Arizona's Lead

Immigration is of major concern, especially states that share a border with Mexico. Recently, a group of 12 Utah legislators traveled to Arizona to discuss the suprisingly popular controversial legislation. They held meetings with Arizona officials, buisness leaders, religious communities, border-patrol agents, etc. Currently, Utah has close to 110,000 illegal aliens and a Utah Representative issued a draft of an Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act, which is modeled after Arizona law. While the draft is gathering large support, there is still controvesy rising even among the political groups. Some believe that the bill would be violating the 4th amendment by illegal searches, punishment of a single group and not the others that are complicit in the problem with undocumented workers. Additionally, some fear that the bill itself will be too costly by the need for facilities of those detained, costs for law enforcement, training of immigration agents, etc. Whether or not Utah directly follows Arizona's lead, an immigration bill will be passed at some point in Utah to help combat the issue
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2022734,00.html

Gun Policies and Debates

Gun control is a constantly debated topic and has been for some time. Some people argue that guns should never be privately owned because it increases our nations crime rates, other argue stricter laws should be instated to ensure a decline in the crime rate, and some feel as though it is their right to own and carry a gun at all times. There are 2 significant US federal gun control policies. The National Firearms Act of 1934 and the Gun Control Act of 1968. Although gun related fatalities are continually decreasing, many still feel as though there should be stricter firearm regulations.

-Robbie Nichols

http://www.policyalmanac.org/crime/guns.shtml

Another Blow to the Chin? Government V Market

It seems that once again members of our hard working congress sees it fit to apply one more half baked idea into the Market Sector. The September 14^th “paycheck fairness” bill intends to make it easier for women who feel that they are receiving less pay due to sexual discrimination to file class-action, punitive-damages suits against employers they accuse of sex-based pay discrimination. This sounds great and President Obama even referred to it as “a common sense bill”, but this bill ignores all the research that shows that discrimination is not a big factor in pay disparity. It’s a bill that can easily lead to large legal expenses for businesses in an already shaky economy. Luckily though this bill hasn’t made it to the mass audience and picked up and ran with, so we might have dodged another bullet from congress for now.

Laws Allowing Handguns in Bars and Restaurants

Recently, there have been multiple states that have decided to enact a law that allows people to carry guns in restaurants and bars. This law also requires that the owner has a permit. Controversy has resulted due to this newly enacted law in Tennessee, Arizona, Georgia, and Virginia. On one side, people feel that this law can only lead to problems that may harm both the subjects and innocent outsiders. Phil Bredeson, the Tennessee governor stated, "Gun's and alcohol don't mix, that's the bottom line." On the other side, there are many supporters of this law that feel that individuals have the right to personal safety, such as a Mr.Ringenberg. He commented, "If someone's sticking a gun in my face, I'm not relying on their charity to keep me alive." Other states such as New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts are currently debating whether to put this law in motion. It will be extremely interesting to see whether this law will lead to trouble.

-Matt DiPietrantonio

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/04/us/04guns.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Fnational%2Findex.jsonp

Companies borrow at low rates, but dont spend

Many big companies, such as Microsoft have been issuing bonds at really low rates, but aren't spending the money on new factories, equipment, or other various expenses, instead they are stockpiling the money until the economy improves. This brings up a big problem because companies are saving money waiting for the economy to improve, however it is necessary for these corporations to spend money in order to lift the economy. The federal reserve has held interest rates at nearly zero for two years which allows companies to sell the bonds at rates even below one percent. This allows companies to invest and create jobs, however they are not doing so.
Corporations now sit on a combined 1.6 trillion dollars in cash. Companies are worried about the economy tumbling down into another recession, and therefore are holding on to their investments. Although this might be the most rational move for a company, it is not the best move when it comes to pushing the economy forward.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/04/business/04borrow.html?pagewanted=2&hp
Tom Millman

More States Allowing Guns in Bars and Restaurants

A new law that allows citizens to carry a concealed, loaded firearm into restaurants and bars is proving to be quite controversial. Although gun rights activists may be in favor with the new law, many believe that it is asking for trouble. The new laws in Tennessee, Arizona, Georgia and Virginia have made the laws of other states including New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts in question. Once the Supreme Court ruled that citizens have an individual right to keep a handgun for home defense it became easy for states to change their stance on gun control. Advocates of the law claim that people “were getting robbed, assaulted – it was becoming an issue of personal safety.” Tennessee Governor Phil Bredeson, a democrat, argues, “Guns and alcohol don’t mix, that’s the bottom line.” It will be interesting to see if more states follow in the footsteps of the four states that have decided to alter there gun control laws.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/04/us/04guns.html?_r=1&hp

More States Allowing Guns in Bars and Restaurants

In a time where gun control is an issue that is debated in our country, four states have passed laws allowing guns to be in restaurants and alcohol serving establishment: Virginia, Tennessee, Arizona, and Georgia. The movement was brought up in response to the anti-gun policies being enforced in states such as Illinois and has actually turned up a lack of stance on guns in restaurants in 20 other states. The main issues are the same as in the debate over the right to bear arms; the pro-gun stance stating that it is strictly for protective purposes only, and the anti-gun stance standing by their belief that guns can only cause harm.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/04/us/04guns.html?_r=1&ref=us

Posted by: Sam Livingston

Details emerge on no-tax California budget pact

After a 94 day deadlock, a no-new-taxes budget has been agreed upon in California. Right now California is 19 billion dollars in debt, under this new budget the state would cut 7.5 billion dollars in spending and receive 5 billion from the federal government. These terms were fought over by the democrats and republicans. It is amazing that the United States is in debt and needs change, yet all the “elected officials” do is fight with one another. Instead of making progress, they negotiate over certain terms to better themselves. This issue is a large problem not only in California but the entire country. Instead of looking out for the political parties its time the officials start looking out for the American public.

Will Kalish
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101003/ap_on_bi_ge/us_california_budget;_ylt=ApR5EVtlWRosxKxIBHnD_nis0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNvcDM2NGJjBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAxMDAzL3VzX2NhbGlmb3JuaWFfYnVkZ2V0BGNjb2RlA21vc3Rwb3B1bGFyBGNwb3MDNQRwb3MDMgRwdANob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX2hlYWRsaW5lX2xpc3QEc2xrA2RldGFpbHNlbWVyZw--

Centerpiece of Health Overhaul Not Living Up to Expectations

As everyone already knows, America is in the process of enacting a new healthcare system. It’s still early in the process of reforming the system and numerous doubts about the bill have already been raised. Currently, there is help available for people who are “uninsurable” because of medical problems. The bill passed to help this is already in question because the premiums are too high for people to pay them. Each state has a limit on the number of people, who can apply, which is in the thousands, however, only hundreds have signed up. If this bill is going to change the system, issues like this must be resolved. Hopefully, these will get fixed and it will help the people in need of healthcare.

Will Kalish
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/10/03/centerpiece-health-overhaul-living-expectations/

Ask America votes split 50-50 on gay marriage

It may seem as if the economic issue is a top priority in people's mind as we lead up to the midterm elections but the debate over gay marriage has its own spotlight. Currently, gay marriage is legal in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Washington D.C. However, the five states only allow such practice after courts or legislatures step in. Popular vote on gay marriage has never legalize the unions. Marriage is not the only area of gay rights. Recently, the debate over the "don't ask, don't tell" policy is strongly debated.

Last month, a federal judge in California declared the military's policy unconstitutional and may order the military to stop enforcing it any day now. A few weeks later, a judge in Washington ruled that a lesbian who had been discharged from the Air Force Reserve must be reinstated because her dismissal violated her constitutional rights. Any of these cases may end up in the Supreme Court. This issue can be categorized under the institutional agenda since it is an issue currently being debated in different courts around the country.

Ask America has been collecting people's thoughts on the issue and currently the votes are 50-50. Some supporting the issue stated that the people in the gay community has the right to marry and individuals who does not support the issue said that marriage should be between a man and a woman. Additionally, people also brought up a point that comes up fairly often for the debate: government should stay out of this issue altogether.

The future of this issue will depend on how official and unofficial actors decide to do. It will have to depend on how courts rule these cases (and if any of these cases end up in the Supreme Court of the U.S.), what kinds of actions citizens, interest groups, political parties, and the media will take, and so on. In addition, one interesting point that people point out is whether or not the government should be involved in this issue. Does the government have the legitimate claim of responsibility to this problem? By thinking of this question, we then ask ourselves whether or not gay marriage is a public problem. If so, what is the scope, intensity, duration, and the resources of the problem? If not, what is a better way to resolve this issue? These questions are definitely worth some time to think and analyze.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_askamerica/ask-america-votes-split-50-50-on-gay-marriage

Post by: Christina Cheng

Shift to Wealthier Clientele Puts Life Insurers in a Bind

For decades, the life insurance industry has justified its policies' tax benefits by professing that it caters to the well-fare of widows and orphans. Once relying heavily on the support of the folks on Main Street rather than Wall Street, it now turns to more affluent clientele to ensure greater returns on investments. In addition, the federal government is desperately scouring for alternate sources of revenue to alleviate their growing monetary deficiencies. With middle-class Americans caught in the cross-fire of the two entities, voices of the mass-public are disregarded. Congress, while an elite medium, is still considered majoritarian, and with its main subjects being overlooked in this paradigm shift to wealthier patrons, average Americans are losing political clout within their own government.

Smugglers of Drugs Burrow on Border

It is well known the problem that the United States has with the smuggling of drugs and illegal immigrants from Mexico. This problem is especially big in Arizona where they have found that new trend to smuggling in drugs is through man made tunnels. Immigration officials and Border Patrol have to continue to hunt for these man made tunnels and destroy them by filling them with concrete. But as soon as they fill one, the Border Patrol will find another one, about one a month. This is a huge problem for America as more and more drugs and being pushed and it also gives another passage way for illegal immigrants enter through.
The Border Patrol will have to continue to make new polices and also work even more with the Mexican government to get this under control. The new digging of tunnels also is weakening roadways that connect the two countries which will take tax money to fix.

-Hannah Shearer

www.nytimes.com/2010/10/03/ustunnels.html?.red=us

For Female Marines, Tea Comes With Bullets

This article is centered around a controversial situation where three American women from the marines were forced to use lethal defense tactics in Afghanistan. These women signed up for a non violent job consisting of going to visit Afghan women in their home and reach out to them over a discussion and a cup of tea. It was a normal day for them until the bullets were fired. A civilian man was shooting at them for his home and killed one of their fellow women marines. Whose fault is this incident? Is it the women's own fault for getting themselves into a dangerous line of work? Or is it the fault of the marines at whole for putting the women in this situation when they originally signed up for non violent positions? In reality the women knew that they were in a dangerous situation but they were told that the positions they were taking would be completely clear of the danger. So it should not be considered their fault. But then again, the marines cannot be everywhere and neither can they control every civilian. So what can be done to abolish these incidents in the future?


-Jordan Goodman


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/03/world/asia/03marines.html?ref=world

US/European Terrorism threat

The British government, along with other European nations have recently raised their terrorist threat warning from general to high. Because of this, the United States has issued a travel alert. Although this is concerning, a "travel alert" is considered to be far less disruptive than a “travel warning”. A travel warning would advise Americans to stay away from particular areas that contain a high threat. The Europeans are aware of our warnings and back us fully. A member of the French foreign ministry, Bernard Valero stated, "We have noted the vigilance recommendations announced by the United States for Americans traveling in Europe, which are in line with the general recommendations we ourselves make to the French population." The evidence that there will be another large terrorist plot is relatively low but European intelligence officials picked up some information about a purported plot from a German citizen of Afghan who was captured in Afghanistan in July. The man's name is Ahmed Sidiqi who was reported traveling to Pakistan to receive firearms and explosive training. Americans traveling through, or living in Europe are strongly advised to be on guard particularly when using public transportation which have been terrorist targets in the past.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/04/world/europe/04security.html?_r=1&hp

-Robert Nichols

Health Care Reform

This article discusses the bill Obama signed in order to provide healthcare coverage to an estimated 30 million people who currently lack it. The bill would require most Americans to have health insurance, and add some 16 million people to Medicaid plans. This law will cost the government about $938 billion, but according to the Congressional Budget Office (which is acting as a legislative "shadow" in this case in order to decide how much legislation will cost and how much revenue it will generate) it will end up reducing the federal deficit by $138 billion. This relates to the legitimacy discussion we had in class. This type of government, making it mandatory for Americans to buy health insurance, could be rejected as illegitimate. This even relates to the common themes about legitimation, especially money and knowledge are key influences. Officials are saying that this reform of the healthcare system will ultimately lower our federal deficit.

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/health_insurance_and_managed_care/health_care_reform/index.html?scp=1&sq=Buy%20health%20insurance&st=cse

-Kelly Neary

Gay Marriage Gets Boost From Wall Street

The American Foundation for Equal Rights held a fundraiser recently in New York City to challenge the ban on gay marriage in California. They were able to raise more than $1.2 million dollars with many of the donors coming from Wall Street. This relates to what we talked about in class, about this type of government being rejected as illegitimate. In public policy we select and then enact alternatives, but there are still so many Americans that want to reject the legality of gay marriage. The AFER acts as a legislative "shadow" in this instance, working behind the scenes but still having an influence on public policy. They are representing the broader interest, but if they're just representatives then who really is in charge?

http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/23/gay-marriage-gets-boost-from-wall-street/?scp=2&sq=gay%20marriage&st=cse

-Kelly Neary

Side Effects May Include Lawsuits

Antipsychotic drugs are currently the top-selling class of pharmaceutical drugs in America that generate revenue so large that actually surpasses sales of heart-protective statins. The origin of how these drugs became so universal and profitable is their start with the company Big Pharma that got behind the drugs in the 1990s and used them to treat conditions and mental illnesses like hallucinatory schizophrenia. Today, however, they are being recasted to much broader uses for less serious illnesses.
These drugs have been given to children as young as preschoolers and even to patients as old as nursing-home patients. The drugs are not safe for patients of these ages and could be fatal. Lawsuits have arisen from these unknown side effects that have included tics and restlessness.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/03/business/03psych.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=illegal%20drugs&st=cse

Kilee Imlay

Drug Makers Accused of Ignoring Price Law

Drug manufacturers are required by law to provide the government with pricing data needed to calculate discounts on medications prescribed for poor people under Medicaid. This article reveals that most manufacturers do not always provide this information and as a result Medicaid pays a large percentage of the prescriptions. Under Obama's new health care law, this problem is expected to grow because it increases the discounts and the amount of people on Medicaid. The government will begin enforcing $10,000 a day penalty on manufacturers that refuse to follow regulations. This is a prime example of the three legged stool analogy. The mistakes of the market sector (manufacturers) Medicaid (the non profit sector).

-Victoire Iradukunda

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/03/us/03drug.html?ref=us

Emanuel: He's preparing to run for Chicago mayor

Elections are coming up fast the public’s agenda, one that is particularly significant to me in the Chicago mayor election. Rahm Emanuel, who was once the chief of staff for Obama, announced Sunday that he will join the democratic running for mayor of Chicago. His campaign aims to reconnect with local Chicago voters. This is why he appeared so laid back and casual in his announcement video he posted on his website. This was his attempt of relating with the voters. He also mentioned his past connections with Chicago in the video, noting his three terms representing a North Side district in Congress, which as we learned in lecture is a elite/majoritarian group that is elected by the mass public to represent them. One of the unofficial actors, the media, has proclaimed his as a “shoe in” for the position.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101003/ap_on_el_st_lo/us_chicago_mayor_rahm_emanuel

-Rebecca Jania

New enforcement on Drug Manufactures to save Federal Government Billions

Recently the Department of Health and Human Services, led by their inspector general have discovered that drug manufactures are neglecting to submit quarterly and monthly updates on pricing data, that greatly affect the discounts Medicaid patients receive. Under Federal law since 1990 the government has the right to fine any companies that fail to report their costs and data $10,000 a day until the numbers have been collected. This practice has been unenforced up to this point costing the government and Medicaid a substantial amount of money in overpaid prescription medicine. The new enforcement of this law will save the federal government 35 billion dollars over the next 10 years, not only through discounts but the use of generic prescriptions, in favor of the brand-name. The continued enforcement and responsibility of the drug companies will help to lower the ever growing costs of health care in the U.S.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/03/us/03drug.html?_r=1&ref=us

Ben Rains

Amerca Less Anxious About Foreign Affairs

American citizens are less worried about foreign policy than they have been in four years, according to Public Agenda's Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index. As Elizabeth Woolen's blog notes, the elites and leaders surveyed thought that jobs and the economy were more pressing issues. This is an example of what we learned about the conditions of a public issue that get that issue onto the public agenda. One of those conditions was the scope of the problem. Job-loss and poor economy affects most Americans directly, while foreign policy does not. Jobs also affect those Americans with higher intensity and higher cost than foreign policy does. That is why even though foreign policy may need to be higher on the agenda, it will not be until the economic problems are solved.