Cell Phones and the Constitution

I believe that police should not be able to look at our phones without a warrant. Unless it is an EXTREMELY urgent and dangerous situation between life and death, I believe everyone should have a right to privacy on their phones. If a person is a suspect for committing a crime and the police want to check his/her phone, they should have to have a search warrant. But if a situation is, for example, a threat against the safety of lives, or someone who has committed multiple heinous crimes and is on the most wanted list, then police should be able to look at his/her phone. There should be very specific standards to keep people safe and to prevent tragic events from occurring, but also give people as much privacy as possible.

In Riley v. California, I would have to agree with the Supreme Court. Although it was a horrible act he did, it had already occurred so I believe that the police would have needed to receive a warrant "just as the police [would] need permission to search inside someone's home" (14). Going through his phone without a warrant was a violation of the Fourth Amendment. And to get a warrant, the police can use e-mail and get one within 15 minutes (17). Because this case was not a real emergency situation and happened in the past, I think that the police could have gotten a warrant. And in some "now-or-never" cases, "like finding a ticking bomb or a kidnapped child," a search can occur without a warrant for these emergencies (17). This case was just not one of them. 

Vacation Blog

Last January, six same-sex couples went to the Miami-Dade County Clerk's office and demanded they have their marriage licenses, but they were turned down. The couples sued and as of today, January 5th, they have their won their lawsuit.

Miami-Dade County has become the first place in Florida to allow same-sex marriage, half a day before it is legal in the rest of the state. Less than three hours after Circuit Judge Sarah Zabel lifted the stay on the ban of gay marriage, two of the couples (Catherina Pareto and Karla Arguello, and Jeff and Todd Delmay) were married by Zabel herself. The other four couples are taking their time and plan to have the wedding of their dreams.

Florida is now the 36th state where same-sex marriage is legal after South Carolina, which legalized it in November 2014.

The fight for the right of same-sex marriage started in the 1920s and is still a HUGE issue. There are still 14 states where same-sex marriage is illegal. Many people have different opinions on this topic. Some people are all for it while others are extremely against it.

I, personally, am all for it. Love is love. So I am very happy to hear that another state has taken a step towards equality. Same-sex couples are no different than any other ordinary couple. They are people who deserve the right to be married. I find it hard to believe that some people think otherwise.

All of the articles that I have read about this event have all been positive, which I am very happy to see. This is a huge step for the same-sex couples in Florida and it should be celebrated. Because this has just happened today, there will most likely be more news about the event as well as the issue itself soon.

President Obama's Executive Order

President Obama has recently announced that he is carrying out an executive order regarding immigration. His executive order gives immigrants temporary protection from deportation in addition to keeping children, who are legal U.S. citizens and residents, with their parents. I believe it is constitutional. I believe that children should not be separated from their families. Most immigrants are contributing to the United States and are actually helping it. 

Obama's executive action is strengthening our immigration system. It makes it easier for felons to be deported. This will keep immigrants who are helping our country in, while deporting immigrants who do not follow the rules. For example, parents with kids who are born the in United States have extended time here. These parents are actually working to support their family. There is also more enforcement at borders to keep illegal immigrants out. 

Many of the previous presidents have placed executive orders. There were most likely many people who were against them, for there is never anything in politics in which everyone can agree on. Presidents in the past have done the same thing Obama is doing. All of these presidents are doing what they believe is for the best of the United States.

Head of State

In the movie Head of State, Chris Rock plays an alderman named Mays Gilliam. In the beginning of the movie, he helps out the people in his town and everyone knows him. After one of the candidates die from a plane crash, Mays is chosen to run for President. At first, he is given cue cards and is told what to say, how to act, and what to wear.

Towards the middle of the movie, he makes the decision of doing his campaign the way he wants to. He speaks from his own heart and does what he thinks is right. He also dresses in his own clothes instead of the suits. We see him go into a store wearing a suit and he comes out wearing a sweatshirt and sweatpants. Towards the end of his campaign, Mays turns out to be an actual threat to Brian Lewis, the other presidential candidate. 

Although some of the things he says on television and in his speeches are not what candidates would typically say, Mays understands and can relate to lower and middle class people and they love him. In many of his speeches he swears but he has experienced all of the troubles they have been through and understands them. He can represent them and help them. He uses this to get people's support and votes. In the end, he wins the race for President of the United States.

The movie also satirizes political parties in many scenes. For example, in the very beginning of the movie, some guys are shown in a car listening to a rap radio station. An announcement from the news comes on for a moment saying one of the presidential candidates have died in an airplane crash. The Right after the announcement the music comes back on and the people do not even react to what they just heard. This shows how a lot of people do not even pay attention to the government or care about it.

At the start of his campaign, Mays travels around the U.S. to get votes. For each place he goes, he says the same thing from a card that will appeal to the people he is speaking to. This shows how political parties say what the people want to hear. For instance, he goes to a farm and tells them how important the workers are to gain their support. 

2014 Mid Term Election

If I was 18 who would I vote for in the 2014 Mid Term Election? Before I decided there are 5 main issues to take into consideration in which Martha Coakley and Charlie Baker have different views on.

First is early education and K-12. Here I have to go with Coakley. I like how her focus is on early childhood education. This is where children are growing and there brains are developing. It is important that they get a good education at this period of time. I like how Coakley plans to make early education accesible to all children including in impoverished areas.

On the issue of higher education and its cost, I agree with Baker. I like his idea of shortening the years to get a bachelors or masters degree. Doing this will save someone a whole year of tuition and fees in addition to many other costs. In addition, the sooner students get degrees, the sooner they are able to get to work and get experience.

Next is the debate for sick time for workers. I am for Coakley's Plan. I do not like Baker's plan in which only businesses with 50+ workers would be eligible. Unlike Baker's plan, Coakely's plan includes businesses with just 11+ people. This gives more people the opportunity for sick days.

For the welfare reform issue, I disagree with Baker so I would have to go with Coakley. I don't think it would be right for people on welfare to have a better advantage of getting a job over other people who work just as hard who are not on welfare. I agree with Coakley on how for the most part, welfare is just being used for alcohol, tobacco, and other unnecessary things.

Lastly, I do not like Baker's contradictory view on climate change so Coakley's plan seems more appealing. Although I do like the idea of the windmill project in New Bedford, I like Coakley's plan of taking action towards helping the environment.

In the end, after thinking about the main issues, I would vote for Martha Coakley. Her plans are more appealing than those of Charlie Baker.

Lincoln Discussion

In the movie Lincoln, we see Lincoln trying to pass the 13th amendment to abolish slavery and it is not easy. The Republicans wanted the 13th amendment to be passed, while the Democrats were against it. The main reason is racism. Democratic representatives did not want to pass the amendment because they did not want African Americans to be able to vote, own property, and most importantly, take jobs away from white men. They were afraid of the thought of all slaves being freed at the same time. It was also difficult because his own cabinet members did not agree with him for the majority of the time.

Lincoln also uses implied powers. For example he twists the truth about a peace delegation in Richmond, Virginia. To get the amendment to pass, he writes a note to the members of the House of Representatives that he does not know of any delegation. He also promised Lame Duck politicians jobs. Lame Ducks are politicians that are not to be re-elected in the next election. Because they would have to search for a job, they might have swayed to the majority opinion, to not pass the amendment. So the offer of a job appealed to them so they voted for the amendment. Doing that was not exactly morally right.

Lincoln needed to pass the 13th amendment because without changing the Constitution, the Emancipation Proclamation could be abolished. If he lost reelection, the Emancipation Proclamation could be removed. That is why Lincoln wanted to get the amendment passed as soon as he could. The passing of the amendment would also lead to the end of the Civil War.

Bill Of Rights Memes

The 4th Amendment gives people the right of privacy. Recently, Edward Snowden, a former  NSA (National Security Agency) worker, revealed that the NSA keeps track phone calls, messages, and online activity. This has become a very controversial issue because the NSA's purpose is to find any threats against the United States but we have our right to privacy.

The 5th Amendment states that you can't be tried for the same crime twice, which is called Double Jeopardy.  Once there is a verdict on a case, they cannot be tried again.