Arizona SB 1062: Changing Norms and Comparative Governing and Politics

A couple of governmental and sociological teaching points coming out of this week's breaking news where Arizona's Governor Jan Brewer (R) vetoed SB 1062, a controversial bill that would have allowed businesses to deny service to lesbian and gay customers.

First, with a reminder that my Sociology class has its Culture and Society test on Monday, Brewer stated that "long held norms on marriage and family are being challenged,'' For Monday's test, there may be a short answer essay on what leads to cultural and societal change.

Second, our government and politics talking points (hopefully you'll share your thoughts here during your break).

Domestic:
Was Gov. Brewer's decision all about the "Benjamin's" -- be it Constitutional (14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause or about the dollars that it could cost the state, as expressed by national businesses like Marriott in this letter (right) urging the veto?

• Among the First Amendment's five basic liberties is the right to freely exercise your religious beliefs. This makes the United States, a liberal or industrial democracy that has rule of law that protects civil rights and civil liberties. But some have said this decision lessens one of these rights at the expense of another. Your thoughts?
• This Watchdog media exchange shows how we are not a democracy (despite the above) but rather a republic with checks and balances in a federal system with reserved powers to state's like Arizona. Also, how many politicians use the media as a scapegoat.

Comparative:
For Bonus Popp blog points, take any of our CP 6 and look into any same sex legislation it has on the books and summarize in the comment section. (ie: What Would -- UK, Russia, China, Mexico, Iran, Nigeria -- Do?)

Crisis of (new) Nation-building in Ukraine

 

 

BBC News: 'Protesters Should Stay in Square' says opposition leader

To try to tap into comparative government's attempts to solve a real Crisis of Nation building building currently developing in the Ukraine, on Wednesday we will hold a Model UN-type of General Assembly meeting, with the goal of producing a resolution on the situation in Kiev.

First: Watch the videos linked above and read the article, Europe's New Battlefield. Individually, you will need to fill out a dialectical journal (dialectical journal Ukraine linked and Shared at Wolak Google Docs page).

Second: You and your partners in your country of case study, will follow the Model UN format, and draft a resolution on what to do about the situation in the Ukraine. Each resolution must have a comparison to political cleavage that your country has/or is dealing with. The format for your resolution is linked here:

Sample Model UN Resolution

Third: On Wednesday, will have a simulation with the goal of drafting a joint resolution of the multi-national organization. Would this solve the crisis? Is it even possible to agree to a joint resolution coming from these comparative/contrasting  political cultural perspectives.

Country Briefs to get you started:

Russia:  Russia to help Ukraine solve the crisis, if Yanukovych asks Is this a crisis for Putin's Russia, as Sen. John McCain suggests above. Russia considers the Ukraine a near abroad. An Ukrainian cleavage can be seen in the map below. As written in The Economist article, "Of all the former Soviet republics that won independence in 1991, Ukraine was arguably the most passive."  Also, may need to consider Chechnya.

 

China:  China Urges Ukraine to Resolve Crisis

Think Tibet and/or Taiwan here.

 

Mexico: Interestingly, as U.S. President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Harper made strong statements on the Ukraine this week from Mexico where the NAFTA leaders are meeting, Mexico has been pretty silent diplomatically. Ukraine comments underscore how NAFTA trade partnership is drifting. Research and consider the Mexican ethnic conflict in Chiapas here.

 

Iran: Not exactly a global partner in the UN, the Iran foreign ministry had this to say Thursday. Foreign intervention to exacerbate situation in Ukraine: Iran.

 

Nigeria: Nigeria has its own rebel issues, this week President Goodluck Jonathan order the closing of the northern boarder of Cameroon. But as long as two years ago, the Nigerian ambassador to Ukraine warned against Nigerian students from studying there

 

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/02/19/3945940/obama-heads-to-mexico-summit-amid.html#storylink=cpy

Putin and the Oligarchs

 

Putin and the Oligarchs -- Foreign Affairs

Watch the two videos and read the article, "Putin and the Oligarchs." By Monday, in the comment section, complete the following 3-2-1 flipped assignment:

3 - Pick three quotes from the article and roll an analysis of the quotes (like you do on your dialectical journals)

2 - Compare/Contrast two Oligarchs -- KHODORKOVSKY and any other -- like Mikhail Prokhorov (owner of the Brooklyn Nets).

1 - What is your one take away (summary paragraph) on Putin and the Oligarchs.

Mock Springfield Agenda and other "Democracy is a Verb" Action

 

 

 

 Political Warriors -- See Mock Springfield Agenda above. It's Thursday at Neuqua Valley from 5:45-to-8 pm.

Also remember the other "Democracy is a Verb" opportunities:

• Feb. 25 at West Chicago Community H.S. -- 6-to-8 pm -- Candidates Fair followed by the one and only Lt. Governor debate of candidates prior to the March 18 primary. This will be a student run debate. Submit your questions for the candidates at #bemygov.
• March 1 at Waubonsie Valley -- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. -- Campaign 'Field Day.' Political Warrior students will have the opportunity to get a hands on real-world campaigning experience just over two weeks before the primary. At least three governor campaigns will be represented and they WANT YOU to help them GOTV (get the vote out). Be here for experience at phone banking or pavement-hitting pamphlet passing as we take action in our political process. WV government teachers will make this more than worth your while. Plus there will be free pizza!

Happy President's Day!

Tomorrow we will do our Russian BBC Country Profile, where the presidency is a bit different. For example, the Russian president can pass law by decree. But before we do, we should reflect back on the U.S. President's we honor today. At one time a day to honor George Washington, then another day was added to laud Abraham Lincoln, now it's one day to honor all 43 -- love 'em or leave 'em.

 As CitizenU wrote:
 Most of us learned our U.S. history by way of presidential stories.

Washington began it all.

 Jefferson purchased Louisiana then hired Lewis and Clark.

 Jacksonian democracy resulted in a chaotic inaugural.
 Lincoln saved the Union.
 Roosevelt gave us a New Deal and then saved the world.
 Kennedy brought sex appeal, and so began a revolution.
 Nixon broke our trust.
 Reagan made us feel good again.

  The threads that weave our American story invariably include one of our forty-three Masters of Ceremony, one of our Chief of State, one of our Presidents. For this reason we honor our Presidents today.

 President's Day, at one time only a day to celebrate Washington, is now dedicated to remembering much more. A strong single executive has guided the rich tapestry of American history. Our story is wrapped in Presidents’ stories.

 The President of the United States truly matters. Yet citizens matter too. Perhaps this is why our presidential candidates expend so much energy these days. Without us, their stories become less important.

 Happy President's Day. For a holiday bonus two points, blog here your favorite presidential quote captured here. And by the way, do you think the Youdia film poster was liberal, moderate, or conservative in the based on the quotes they chose?
 _________________

Traditional Government Assisgnment:

 Identify any presidential liberal or conservative quote and explain what makes it liberal or conservative. Do you agree or disagree with the quote? Answer here in the comment section (3 points, due Monday, 2/24.

Red-Letter Day

 

 

Enjoy the Communist Party Valentine's found by a former student of mine two years ago, while you think of if Valdimir Putin, as returned president of Russia, has a Soviet-style Cult of Personality following today in Russia.

The Telegraph (UK) reported last November, that:

One in four Russians believe country is mired in Vladimir Putin cult of personality

The number of Russians who believe the country is in the grip of a Soviet-style cult of personality centred around Vladimir Putin, the prime minister, has more than doubled in the last six years, a poll has shown.

The poll, conducted by the independent Levada Centre, came as Mr Putin prepared to return to the Russian presidency for a controversial third term amid signs that he sees himself as a Charles De Gaulle father-of-the-nation like figure.

The survey was conducted last month and revealed that exactly one quarter of Russians believe that such a cult does exist, while a further thirty per cent said they saw increasing signs that such a cult was emerging.

The findings reflect a big swing in public opinion.

In 2004 when Mr Putin was president, only 10 percent of those asked said they thought that a cult of personality had grown up around him.

Since then, Mr Putin's dominance of state TV and of the country's political life has only grown however, and his supporters have been increasingly vocal about casting him as the man who saved Russia from the chaotic 1990s and restored national pride. . .


 

Has hosting the Sochi Winter Olympics, made for an even greater Putin cult?

 

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Above, PBS Sound Tracks, "A Man Like Putin," looks at Putin at a high of popular culture, if not political culture,  popularity.

 

 

Putin targeted Virgin voters in this 2012 campaign ad. One Minute News' story above, full version of ad below.

 

Ken Wedding (in 2010) posted this compilation of the Cult of Putin that is still going strong in Russia, even if the economy is not:

Karmin Tomlinson, who teaches in Oregon City, OR, sent along these hints for understanding part of the Putin mystique.

The video for "I want a man like Putin" Такого как Путин (English version)

Or how about Такого как Путин / One Like Putin (English subtitles)?

If you want 28 seconds of The Putin Girls (just the song): I want a man like Putin

And here are the translated lyrics for "I Want a Man Like Putin"

My boyfriend is in trouble again,

He got into a fight and got stoned on something,

I am sick of him and so I told him, 'get out of here',

And now I want a man like Putin.

A man like Putin, full of energy,

A man like Putin who doesn't drink,

A man like Putin who wouldn't hurt me,

A man like Putin who wouldn't run away from me.

I saw him in the news yesterday,He was saying the world was at the crossroads,

It's easy with a man like him at home or out and about,

And now I want a man like Putin.

"Here's another music video: Putin forever - Путин навсегда

And yet another: Putin "the legend"

How about a blog entry on the Putin Cult?

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So is Putin following akin to the Stalin legacy that still lingers in parts of the post-communist Russian world?

Read this article from The Economist from 2003, and blog your thoughts.

Still Mourning Stalin?


"Democracy is a Verb" tomorrow (everyday?) at WVHS

 Calling all Political Warriors not yet registered to vote for the March 18 Primary, whether you will be 17 or 18, thanks to the new Suffrage @ 17 law all Waubonsie Valley seniors that will be 18 by November's general election can register to vote here tomorrow and vote in the March 18 Illinois Primary.

All you need is two (2) forms of ID, one with your address on it. It will take you 2-5 minutes and you will have done your part as Citizen Warrior, and earn 5 points of extra credit in government class.

Additionally, on Feb. 25 at West Chicago High School (326 Joliet St, West Chicago), students will host the four GOP candidates for Lt. Governor in a campaign fair/debate hosted by the Mikva Challenge. This will be a civics opportunity that will gain you additional bonus points in your government curriculum.

Join us from 6-7 for a campaign fair featuring statewide and congressional campaigns. Then the main event starts at 7 pm when Mikva Challenge students will moderate a debate between the four Republican candidates for Lieutenant Governor. Submit questions on Twitter at #BeMyGov.