Like bungee jumping... without a rope

If you read my blog post about sequestration, you learned about a major election issue that many people haven't heard of.

Except you HAVE heard of it.

It's now known as "the fiscal cliff."  And if you haven't heard about this over the past month, here's what you're missing (it's a 7 minute video, but very informative and pretty interesting):

But the problem of the fiscal cliff isn't one that will be easily solved, and it's pretty alarming.  People are getting nervous... and I talked to two of them.

Grab your pitchforks! We're going on a witch hunt.

So it seems I'm sort of out-of-the-loop on something, which isn't a great way to start this post on a blog called "In The Know."  But as they say, honesty is the best policy.

My mom sent me an e-mail asking me to sign a change.org petition.  Now change.org is very reputable, but the petition seemed so outlandish, so ridiculous, so couldn't-possibly-be-true, that I had to do my own journalistic research to look into this issue.  After going through my rigorous Google searches, it turns out.. it is true.

The issue is Uganda's so-called "Kill the Gays" bill, and here's why you should know about it (if you don't already):

Personal scandal in a political world

Scandal.

It's everywhere. Athletes, movie stars, politicians.  Heck, there's even a TV show now called "Scandal."

So I wasn't totally shocked when news recently broke about General Petreaus' affair, leading to him stepping down from his role as the Director of the CIA.  That resignation was accepted by President Obama.

Yes, I have already done a blog post about scandal, asking if we are too quick to judge.  But in the wake of recent events, I would like to amend my question.  I stand by my first post, but now I want to know... does it all even matter?

So let me break this down.  When it comes to scandal in politics, it absolutely matters.  I wrote an entire research paper about scandals in Congress since 2000, complete with statistical analysis.  It was actually very depressing spending months looking at horrible things people have done.

So when it comes to political scandal - embezzling tax payer money, buying votes, whatever - those are obviously fire-able offenses.  Those are times when people should step down from office because it directly impacts their professional responsibilities.

But here's the crux of it - should personal scandal (like an affair) cause professional ruin?

Now I know there are bigger issues at play here - i.e. was Petreaus giving up confidential information? (If you're not up-to-date on the scandal, I think the Global Grind gives a fabulous break down.)   But let's put that aside for just a moment.

When politicians do something morally, but personally, reprehensible, should it cost them their jobs?

For example, President Bill Clinton kept his position, but was impeached following the Monica Lewinsky trial.  He was impeached for lying about the scandal under oath. But why was he under oath in the first place?  Who gives a crap?  Did we literally just put the President under oath to ask him whether he had a totally inappropriate personal affair?  And then slap him with a pretty hefty professional impeachment when he lied about it?  Seems like a disconnect here...

Then think about Anthony Weiner.  Who posts pictures of naked online?  Totally stupid.  But again, personal.  He had the right to make that dumb mistake.  Then he was forced out of office.

So back to Petreaus.  If he was having an extramarital affair that did not impact the body of his work, no matter how morally reprehensible, should he be expected to step down from his professional role?

I honestly have no answers to these questions - I simply wonder... when do politicians have to give up their right to be human?

What do you think?  Should public officials have to step down from their jobs in the wake of a scandal?  Should professional and personal life remain separate?  Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below!

A history of rights in post-election 2012

Since it was announced that Obama was reelected on Tuesday, a lot has been going on in the world of social media.  Some people are overjoyed.  Others... not so much.

This Tumblr, "White People Mourning Romney," has been making the rounds.  I thought I'd take a peek, see what all the fuss was about.  But instead of giggling at silly reactions of children falling on the floor or people caught on camera in unflattering ways, I was somewhat disturbed by some of the comments posted.

Many people posted about our country having no morals.  One post discussed the opening of a new "anti-gay" Chick-Fil-A restaurant as a sort of coping mechanism for sad Romney supporters.  Still other posts talked about how our country has been flushed down the toilet and how the United States is now going to be socialist.

From what is posted on this site, many people quote the founding fathers and the foundation that our country was built upon.  I encourage you to look at the site on your own.

 I started to think.... and this is what I've come up with...

Why I love election night

I graduated from undergrad with two degrees - journalism and political science - and while everyone else is tearing their hair out and can't wait until this election is decided... I kind of wish it was always election season.

There's something exhilerating about a newsroom full of people milling about, no-nonsense, getting things done.  Sure, it can be stressful, but the payoff is huge.

So here is the shortest post I'll ever write.  I'm running a mile a minute, getting in scripts, updating social media and cramming our faces with delicious food.  But I just want to take a minute to enjoy this.  In the midst of the negative ads, crazy facebook and twitter posts, angry people and everything else... how wonderful it is to live in a country where we have this right to vote.  No matter who wins, I voted and I hope you did, too.

The damage... after our newsroom was let loose on our dinner goodies!  It was so delicious :) Plus, of course, election coverage!

What Hurricane Sandy means for election 2012

There has been a lot of speculation about the hurricane that hit the east coast Monday and what it means for the upcoming presidential election.  While I certainly don’t have the answer, I’m going to throw my hat into the ring of speculation.  I hope you do the same.

I want to start by offering my sincerest condolences to those struggling with the loss of power, property and, worst of all, life from Hurricane Sandy.  We must remember that an election, while important, is not as important as people.  There are a lot of things you can do to help with disaster relief – things as small as giving blood locally and as big as going out to help with clean up.   For information on how to help or to donate, visit the Red Cross hurricane page here.

Now when it comes to the election, many began to wonder if the election date would be moved.  This seems incredibly unlikely, although certain counties could change polling locations if your local site was destroyed.  Even some of the hardest hit places in New Jersey don’t seem to be phased.  The election has been placed on the back burner while officials are concerned with flooding and clean up, but in a recent CNN article, New Jersey’s Governor Chris Christie (R) said “the election will take care of itself.”

In my opinion, there are two factors which could actually impact the election, and they’re things that BOTH parties should be worried about.

When employment just isn't enough

One of the biggest issues this election cycle is jobs. Unemployment. But there is a whole category of the employed that is overlooked.

I have a DREAM...

I will continue to follow campaign 2012 in my blog for the time being, and in particular I want to focus on “little known” issues in this year’s election.

When it comes to immigration, there is a lot of confusion about “illegal aliens.”  Many don’t know what that means or why there is a debate.  Shouldn’t they be sent back to the country where they came from if they are in the United States illegally?  Maybe, but maybe not.  When it comes to “illegal aliens” in the United States, here is where things get sticky…

The biggest election issue you've never heard of

With just 40 days left until the presidential election, Americans must begin to decide what candidate they will vote for.  More importantly, they must decide why.

Issues such as abortion, gay marriage and job creation have all been hot topics in the 2012 election.  But there is another issue looming just over three months away, an issue that many people have never even heard of.  This issue could lead to thousands of jobs lost in Maryland alone, said Businessweek.  Another study found that 2.14 million jobs could be lost.  Why have so few people heard out this?

Politics... it's war.

They say "all's fair in love and war," but I think what they meant was politics.

This election has focused less on the economy than on warfare. But I don't mean the war overseas.  Rather, any issue where two sides disagree has been dubbed "warfare" during this election cycle.

Health Care: Why We Should Care

We are in the last hour before the Supreme Court rules about President Obama's famous health care law and speculation is abound.  Will it be struck down?  Upheld?  No one is quite sure, but everyone has a guess.

I don't.

Some of you may know that one of my undergraduate degrees is in political science with a focus in law.  I studied for the LSATs and considered going to law school.  I decided instead to get my Masters in journalism.  That being said, I've studied the legal system quite a bit.

So amidst this speculation, this uncertainty and uproar, there is a bigger question than "will this be upheld."  That question is "what are the repercussions?"

Why I Caved.

Yesterday a friend of mine asked if I was planning to vote in the recall election today.  I said no.  I am a Maryland resident and want to keep my Maryland residency for when I move back after graduating.  Why go through the hassle of becoming a Wisconsin resident to vote once (actually twice, with the presidential election in November. I planned to vote absentee.)?  My friend didn't ask any more questions, but smiled at me and said ok.

I voted today (clearly my friend knows me too well).  Here's why...

Got my mind on my money and my money on my mind

Lindsay has loans.  A lot of loans.  So does her husband.  Between the two of them, these loans total about as much as a house. 


Where did they go wrong?

Gaga will marry the night. Kony will cover it.

I was honored a few weeks ago to receive my first request for a blog post.  I certainly want to encourage any readers of my blog to send me a message or comment with something you'd like to hear about.  You're the one reading it, so it should be about what interests you!  That being said...

The most viral video of all time was released just over a month ago, with over 87 million views as of this morning.  In case you missed it...

The video inspired millions and began a movement...that quickly deteriorated. In case you don't feel like watching a 30 minute video (although it is of some cultural significance and I might recommend it..just to know what your friends are talking about), here is the crux:

"Hey mom and dad! It's me...again!"

"I did everything that I was supposed to do to succeed in life," he said. "And I did it while working predominantly full-time."

Cory Stine, 24 years old, has always been a go-getter. He acted in high school and college theater, mastering the complicated accent of Fagin in Oliver and Einstein's German dialect. He has an active social life, pledged an academic fraternity, and spends time with his family. He took six years to graduate college - one year at a community college in Maryland, followed by five years at a state university. He worked 80-hours per week between school coursework and his retail job in a local mall, as well as additional hours of work required for his major. Cory graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 3.7 GPA, excitedly clutching a degree in Electronic Media and Film. Today, he lives at home with his parents.

Cory isn't the only one moving back in with dear old mom and dad, a recent PEW study finds. Among young people between the ages of 18 to 25, 53 percent currently live at home with their parents. This so-called "boomerang generation" consists of young adults (like Cory) who often return home to live with their parents after briefly moving out to live on their own (or never moving out to begin with).

Like oil and (holy) water

The thing you don't realize when you're younger is that the things you do/say will most likely come back to haunt you in a few years.  No one discovers this faster than a politician running for president.

About a month ago, a clip of presidential hopeful Rick Santorum in 2008 was discovered.  In it, Santorum was asked about Christianity and liberalism.  He said that there is no such thing as someone who is liberal and Christian. "You’re a liberal something, but you’re not a Christian," he said.

So I started to think about this in light of everything going on in politics right now.  When Rush Limbaugh is calling a law student a slut because she stands up for women's rights, where is the line?  Is there a line?  And most importantly, is Santorum right and we're all just kidding ourselves?  Is liberalism the oil to Christianity's (holy) water?

Ring 'er up!

Sometimes I like to think of the President as a father figure.  Some of the so-called "Founding Fathers" were presidents - John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison, for example.  Fathers, to me, are men who at least try to look after their children.  Sometimes they go astray, but it is always with good intention.  I couldn't think of a single President who set out to completely tear down our country.  They may have succeeded, but they certainly didn't do it on purpose.

That being said, fathers often hold the finances of the family - deciding where certain funds are allocated.  Imagine, if you will, a trip to the grocery store.  What should we buy?  What is too expensive?  What should we get, but maybe just the store brand?  Recently, pops released his newest budget for the upcoming year.  I decided to take a peek at that grocery store receipt for dear old dad...

I see you.

You pour yourself a cup of coffee, haphazardly sloshing milk into the brew and spilling a few rouge grains of sugar on the counter top.  Out of the corner of your eye, a light flickers on, and the melodious greeting of your computer peaks your curiosity.  You take a sip, pulling back as the liquid scorches your lips.  Plopping into the arm chair, you open up a web browser on your computer.  You type in those beautiful, beautiful words....

Facebook.com

You begin to peruse your news feed to see if anything interesting has happened since you checked Facebook on your phone 20 minutes ago.  You "like" a few statuses and post your own update:

"I love the smell of coffee in the morning :)" - a nod at Apocolypse Now.  Five seconds later, a notification:  (Insert Name Here)   has liked your status.

Perhaps this is innocuous enough, but maybe it's something more.  Do we have enough information?  Should you be alarmed?  Maybe so...

Weary Wanderers Wary of Winter?

We've been lucky this year. It hasn't been quite so cold in Wisconsin. Sure, it dropped down to zero degrees one day this year, but it's mainly hovered around the teens and twenties.  Today, it got up to 40.  I gladly shed my parka and trotted down University in just a t-shirt and unbuttoned cardigan.

That being said, the mild winter has surely been a blessing to the over 3,000 people who stayed in homeless shelters (admittedly, the most recent numbers are from 2010).  Of those who stayed in shelters, 20% said they had slept outside or in a car the night before.

So is a warm winter something to be happy about if you're homeless?

"Let's talk about sex, baby......"

It’s one of the best and worst words in the English language.  It makes people uncomfortable.  It makes people excited.  It causes grown men and women to shout at each other, to lose their cool, to forget all decency.  It happens behind closed doors.  It’s talked about in hushed tones.  Gossip magazines make millions off of it.

It’s “sex.”

Once again, it’s taking the media by storm.  The controversial topic has recently been brought up in the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times since a mandate requires religious employers to provide health care access to contraception for their employees.  In the past, many religious (mostly Catholic, it seems) institutions have refused to supply contraceptives to those who receive health care through the institutions, which include universities, hospitals, and charities.

A little background may be needed…

State of Insanity

Last night, President Obama gave his State of the Union address to our nation.  Tonight, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker gave his State of the State address.  These men might not have much in common...one is a Democrat, the other a Republican.  One is black, the other white.  However, the pair does have a few things in common, and these speeches came with high stakes.

The content of the speeches themselves were similar in a number of ways.  Both men discussed a specific person who had been laid off, but was re-hired at a better job and is now thriving.  Both men discussed energy sources - Obama discussing oil; Walker, mining.  They touted the job creation within their constituency, and how they aided that progress.  They also discussed education - Obama proposed that students must finish high school, or be in school until they turn 18.  Walker proposed reading reform to keep kids in school, as well as an accountability scale for passing and failing schools.