Chapter 13

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) is responsible for administering the Department’s programs that provide financial and other forms of assistance to Veterans, their dependents, and survivors. Major benefits include Veterans’ compensation, Veterans’ pension, survivors’ benefits, rehabilitation and employment assistance, education assistance, home loan guaranties, and life insurance coverage. I think this agency is important, because I think it is important for the people, who risked their life for our country, to be taken care of after their service. I could not find any agency that could be terminated with the least impact, because they all seem to have an important mission. I would create an agency that aids in self-help for depression and mental illnesses. I think depression and mental illness has become a huge issue in the United States. People want to blame the gun for killing innocent people, when it is actually the person behind the gun that is suffering from severe depression or a mental illness. These issues are being taken too lightly, and something needs to be done.

I commented on the blogs of Robert Johnson, Mathew Cooper, and Sarah Ham.

Chapter 12 Blog

Presidents are judged by their ability to implement policies, and people love to rank presidents based upon “greatness.” Policy vision, communication and negotiation skills, and effective use of powers are all aspects that make a president great if they succeed in these areas. First, they have to have a policy vision that the people will approve, next, they have to have good communication and negotiation skills to get the government and people on board, and then, they have to use their powers effectively to implement their policy vision. 

Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Ronald Regan have been two of the greatest presidents. The key points of Roosevelt’s presidency that makes him great is: he was elected at the height of the Great Depression and he attacked the financial crisis with a vision for a “New Deal,” he was responsible for the significant expansion of the size and the role of the federal government, and he created job programs by suggested creation of new agencies to train and put people back to work. Regan thought that tax cuts were essential, and he wanted to reduce the size and scope of the government. He was a good communicator, because of his previous acting. He focused on building up the military, and he sparked a military spending war with the Soviets that strained its economy.

A president I was previously unfamiliar with is Millard Fillmore. I learn that he was the last Whig president, and the last president not to be affiliated with either the Democratic or Republican parties. I also learned that he was the only Whig president that did not die in office or get expelled from the party. He was not an effective president, and he is in the bottom ten of historical ranking of presidents. One reason he was not an effective president is because he backed the Compromise of 1850 that delayed the Southern state’s secession by allowing slavery to spread.

I commented on the blogs of Katelyn Dozier, Mathew Cooper, and Robert Johnson.

Chapter 11 Blog

My Senators and Congressman are Lamar Alexander, Bob Corker, and Diane Black. Lamar Alexander sponsors more bills that address environmental issues. Is support his efforts to conserve the environment while still allowing public access, because I believe people should be able to whatever they wish with environment and its surroundings  as long as they are not taking advantage of it or doing illegal things with it. Bob Corker sponsors more bills that address foreign affairs.  I agree with his efforts, because I think some foreign involvement is good, but there should be a limit as to how much involvement there is. Diane Black sponsors numerous bills that address insurance issues.  I support her concerns for insurance, because I believe it is important for everyone to have insurance that covers health, dental, and etc. 

Lamar Alexander sponsored a bill to amend the Clean Air Act to prohibit the regulation of emissions of carbon dioxide from new or existing power plants under certain circumstances, and I disagree with, because I think plants can prevent some emission or carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.  The
Earth is not going to last forever, but I think everyone needs to do their part to prevent as much pollution as possible.

I commented on the blogs of Katelyn Dozier, Mathew Cooper, and Robert Johnson.

Chapter 10 Blog

In the Supreme Court case, Bush v. Gore, I think there should have been a recount allowed, because even though the Court ruled in Bush’s favor that it would have violated his equal protection right, I think it violated Gore’s equal protection right by not allowing the recount. I do not think that a recount would have violated Bush’s equal protection right, because with the recount, he may have still won the election.

Yes, I think the ability to fundraise is too important in elections; good candidates are prevented from running, because they cannot raise the funds they need. I witnessed firsthand this problem in action when my uncle ran for sheriff. He did not have the funds, so he relied on the money he raised. The person he was running against had more money to contribute to their campaign; so therefore, his opponent had his name seen more than my uncle. I think something should be done to fix this problem. Maybe like a maximum amount that candidates can put forth in their campaigns should be put in to affect, so people who do not have access to numerous funds can have a fair chance.

I do not really have an answer for why there is low voter turnout for elections, other than what excuses I have heard and my theory. Most of the excuses I have heard is that people do not have time or they do not care enough to vote, but my theory is that for today’s youth, there is not an emphasis on voting. Yes, they are taught that it is their right and duty as an American citizen to vote, but other than that, they are not taught or told that they need or should vote.

I commented on the blogs of Robert Johnson, Mathew Cooper, and Katelyn Dozier.