Top Secret America

Things I learned

1. The CIA knew the most about Al Qaeda- even more than the military knew.
2. The codename for the Al-Qaeda mission was "Greystone."
3. Greystone initiated in less than a week. The CIA went in before the military.
4. Greystone worked with locals to minimize the American footprint.
5. The CIA was given permission to use enhanced interrigation methods. 
6. Covert actions must be approved by Congress and the President.
7. The CIA has hundreds of buildings hidden in plain sight.
8. Obama expanded covert affairs in Afghanistan. 
9. More people are in the CIA than in the military.
10. NSA mission: prevent future terrorist attacks.

Questions

1. How long did it take for the Taliban to fall?
2. Why was the war kept such a secret?
3. What techniques did the CIA use to extract information?
4. What is meant when Iraq is referred to as the "unconventional war?"
5. What were the clues that suggested there were weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East?
6. How must does the government spend on hidden intelligence agencies?
7. It is worth it to spend so much on intelligence agencies?
8. What is Americans' opinion of the CIA?
9. Where does the name "Greystone" come from?
10. Why was 9/11 ao secretive?
11. 
    

Government Interview

            When we first received the assignment to ask someone ten opinion questions about our government, I decided I would interview my mom. However, my mom, who is one of the most intelligent people I know, insisted that she did not know enough about our government and constitution to even answer my questions. Although this surprised me, I hardly think my mom’s situation is rare. There are certainly many Americans who could not describe more than a couple amendments, and yet still contribute to society and take part in the voting process. I just thought this was interesting.

            So, I asked my dad instead. I learned that although he used to be a registered Democratic, he is now an Independent. He believes that the government should stay involved in the social services, such as healthcare, social security, and insurance, as well as gasoline and energy issues. To him, the most important political issues are healthcare, unemployment, and our domestic infrastructure.  If a Presidential election is approaching, my dad says he prepares by watching debates, reading the newspapers, and by doing research to find out how each candidate voted on past issues. He also thinks it is important to become aware about the current issues in order to better understand what each candidate is saying.  When asked whether he thinks multiple people should be in charge (i.e. three presidents), my dad said no; he believes that that would prevent any progress because it would be nearly impossible to reach an agreement. If he had the power to change an Amendment, my dad would edit the “right to bear arms” one because he thinks it is outdated. 

"A People's History"

            In this chapter of the book, one point is greatly emphasized: the men who worked together to create the Constitution were all relatively wealthy. This meant many things for the new nation, one of which being that the people were being ruled, directly and indirectly, by the same men who had been in charge when they were colonies and even when they were back in England. This setup created an issue because, just as it is today, the masses of people were middle-class citizens, not the wealthy men who constructed the nation’s laws.

            The reading continues to talk about the consequences of this structure, which include the average working men growing dissatisfied with their poor representation in government. It seems as if the wealthy citizens were the only ones who were capable of participating in government, and to some extent, this is the way government is even today. The average working Americans most likely could not afford to campaign, giving the more privileged candidates the upper hand.

            As a new nation, the United States had been all about promoting equality, although it seems like this goal was not achieved right away due to the lack of representation in government. It is sort of shocking that men who did not own property, women, Indians, and slaves were excluded from government and the voting process. Right off the bat, the founding fathers were hindering the nation from ensuring true equality.

            Even so, it is clear that the Constitution was a success because it has lasted so long with relatively few modifications and additions. 

This is a "wordle" of the U.S. Constitution. Most of these words are not surprising, and you can really get a good idea about the main topics of the document. 

At the time that the Constitution was written, many groups of Americans were not represented, including African-Americans, Native Americans, women, and slaves. Throughout history, civil rights and women's rights movements led to the creation of new Amendments that included these groups. 

Did the American citizens realize that the people representing them were not very diverse? 

Political Cartoon

1. Which political issues are addressed in this cartoon?
2. Do you think the perspective is too cynical or harsh? Why or why not?
3. Are you able to guess whether this is a Republican or Democratic  viewpoint? Or, do you think political parties are irrelevant and this is simply the perspective shared by the general public?

The American People, Census and Sensibility, and Immigration- Is the Door Still Open?

Questions related to these readings:

1. What are some political values that all Americans appear to share?
2. Since 9/11/01, have less immigrants settled in the United States?
3. How many immigrants are permitted to take up residency in the United States every year?
4. Why do you think immigration is mainly open to the European countries?
5. In 2001, why was Mexico the only country considered for amnesty?
6. Do Americans feel the same uneasiness about Middle Eastern immigrants that they feel for, say, western European immigrants?
7. How could the government enforce tighter border controls?
8. How long does it take to apply for legal citizenship in the United States?
9. Why does the INS only require men entering the United States from North African and Middle Eastern to be fingerprinted and photographed?
10. Is it ethical to "target special religious or nationality groups?" (American Government Ninth Edition, page 9)
11. Why is it that most people that are born poor in the United States remain poor? What factors contribute to this?
12. Why do poorer Americans vote less than their wealthier counterparts?
13. Is it common that a person's political views alter, maybe even to the point of switching political parties, as they age?
14. Does diversity play as large of a role in the political systems of other countries as it does in our's?
15. Explain how "multiracial" Americans create conflict among the Census Bureau. How could this problem be avoided or solved? Is there a solution?
16. In what ways does diversity affect American politics?
17. What are some reasons for opposing the multiple-choice approach in terms of collecting racial and ethnic information?
18. Why does our government collect information on race?
19. Realistically, is it possible to have one political culture in the United States?
20. What are some reasons that government exists?

Political Issues

As teenagers, we tend to shape our own opinions around things we hear from friends and family, whether that applies to how we dress, what music we should like, or what shows we should watch. Our views on political issues are, for the most part, formed in a very similar fashion; sometimes we believe things simply because our parents believe them, and if our parents believe something, then it must be true... right?

Well, sometimes the things the adults in my life say go right over my head purely because they do not really seem to directly affect me in any way, which makes it difficult to wrap my mind around the idea. The issues that do have connections to my life in one way or another are the ones that I have been able to form my own opinions on, separate from my parents and friends. 

As a student who needs to begin deciding what I want to do with my life after high school and                               college, the issue of unemployment is of much interest. It is worrisome to hear about all of the people who are out of work. When it comes time to make plans for after high school, it is unfortunate that many young people will be forced to choose between what they actually want to do and what is considered to be a "safe job" simply because they fear they will never find work. 

Another issue that I am interested in is the topic of guns. It seems as if every time I watch the news, there is a new story about a teenager who has been killed or injured in a shooting, and I always think about how these young people were able to acquire weapons. I know that it is the American right to bear arms, but I do think we should make it harder for people to buy guns in order to prevent any possible loopholes. 

I hope to learn more about these issues and to listen to other people's perspectives in order to expand my own opinions.