Blog Post 2.5

. In changing environmental policy, how much bureaucratic regulation has the Trump Administration reduced?
53 rules have been rollbacked, and 32 are in the works. Even Republican chiefs of the EPA from Reagan and Bush's era have criticized the regulations.

2. How has the Trump Administration changed America's approach to resource extraction?
Trump has increased the extraction of natural resources. American oil output has soared, and net imports of crude oil and petroleum products are the lowest in a long time.

3. What changes has the Trump Administration made to the Medicaid program?
He pared back the social safety net by allowing states to impose work requirements on their Medicaid programs.

4. What has been the result of these changes?
This caused a lot of people to lose their health insurance, for example nearly 20000 lost insurance in Arkansas alone.

5. What policy changed has caused the biggest changes in the federal deficit?
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017

6. How has the Securities and Exchange Commission changed its enforcement of regulations about the stock market?
They brought about 40 percent fewer regulatory actions. 

7. What impact have Trump's policies had on the banking industry?
They allowed banks to update their failure plans less frequently and made stress tests easier to pass, causing banks to become more profitable but may make financial crises more risky.

8. What are three actions Trump has taken to change immigration enforcement?
travel ban
built a layer of impediments in Central America, at the border, in detention centers, and immigration courts
cut refugee resettlements by over 80 percent

9. What impact have Trump's policy changes had on refugee resettlement in America?
He's made it harder because he cut them by over 80 percent.

10. How do Trump's appointments to Circuit Courts compare to Obama's time in office?
He's [put 46 Circuit Court judges in 3 years than 55 across 8 years of Obama.

Blog 2.4

1. How much has Trump spent advertising on Facebook about the impeachment process?
$1.6 million.

2. Which voters is he targeting his ads towards?
He's targeting his base rather than persuading voters who live in the states that will decide 2020.

3. What are the ads about?
They're reinforcing the narrative cycle that impeachment is a political plot against the president by Democrats.

4. How much did political groups spend on advertising on Facebook in the 2018 elections?
$284 million.

5. What percentage of Trump's advertising is about the impeachment?
30%

6. What age groups is Trump targeting with this advertising?
The vast majority is aimed at people over the age of 35, particularly those 65 and older.

7. Where is Trump avoiding using these ads?
He's not focusing impeachment ads at voters in the states that helped him win in 2016, such as Wisconsin and Michigan.

8. What impact are these ads having on other Republicans?
It gives Trump more potential donations and backers to volunteer for the campaign. They also puts pressure on Republicans to hold the line.

9. How does Trump's campaign money compare to his potential Democratic opponents?
Donald Trump has raised much more money than the Democratic candidates.

10. What states is Elizabeth Warren targeting with Facebook ads and why is she choosing these?
PA, NC, AZ, MI, WI. 

Blog Post 2.3

1. What changed about Virginia's government in last week's elections?
Democrats took control of both state's legislative bodies.

2. What would the Equal Rights Amendment proposed in 1972 do?
It would grant equal rights regardless of sex.

3. How many states ratified the amendment when it was originally proposed?  What states have ratified it recently?
35 did it rapidly while Nevada and Illinois ratified it recently.

4. According to the constitution, why is it necessary to have a 38th state ratify the amendment?
3/4 of the states need to ratify an amendment before it becomes law, which translates to 38 states.

5. What stipulation for its ratification did Congress add to the proposal in the 1970s?
They made it so that it would take effect two years after ratification and have 7 years for a deadline.

6. How did the Virginia legislature vote on ratification of the ERA last year?  
They rejected it.

7. How can Congress change the ratification deadline from 1982 to now?
They could just vote to change the previous deadline.

8. How does the 27th Amendment provide an example that this amendment could be ratified now?
The Madison Amendment was stalled for 190 years.

Blog Post 2.2

1. Why is the Liberty and Justice Celebration dinner important to candidates?
It's the largest gathering of voters in Iowa, so it provides the opportunity for candidates to gain support (solidify momentum or reenergize their base).

2. What percentage of voters still consider themselves undecided?  What percentage of voters are currently certain of their choice in candidates?
29% are undecided, 20% know for certain.

3. Which candidates are seeing an increase in support? Which candidates are seeing a decrease in support?
Increase: Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg
Decrease: Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders

4. What message does Pete Buttigieg use to try to stand out to voters?
He cemented his position as a centrist in contrast to Warren.

5. What message does Elizabeth Warren use to try to stand out to voters?
She sought to remind voters about her ideas, arguing progressive policies were the way to energize voters.

6. What does Bernie Sanders do differently than all of the other Democratic candidates?
He doesn't attack other opponents, and he didn't buy any seating for his supporters, hosting a watch party instead.

7. WHEN ARE THEY FINALLY GOING TO HAVE THE IOWA CAUCUS????????
February 3

Blog Post 2.1: Impeachment

1.  After the impeachment process, how did Clinton's relationship with the public and his party change?
Clinton's approval ratings were high and his party supported him. 

2. What are differences between the investigations that led to the Clinton impeachment and the potential Trump impeachment?
The case against Clinton was based on the findings in Starr's report while today's Democrats are building a case against the president in real time rather than orienting their inquiry around the findings in special counsel Mueller's report.

3. What trends in public opinion about impeachment occurred in the lead up to the formal announcement of impeachment by the House against President Clinton?
There was never a majority in favor of impeachment. 

4. What was the effect of the impeachment on the 1998 midterm elections for the Republicans?
The Republicans lost seats in the midterm.

5. How did Democrats vote about the impeachment inquiry compared to how they voted to actually impeach President Clinton?
Some Democrats supported the impeachment inquiry but few actually supported the impeachment.

6. How many Republicans in the Senate voted in support of President Clinton?
10 Republican senators voted in support of President Clinton.

7.  What lessons about the 1998 impeachment might Democrats consider when deciding whether or not to impeach President Trump?
The public might think the Democrat's true motivation is to hurt Trump, like in the 1998 impeachment. 

8. How are the investigations in the Clinton and Trump impeachments different?
The Democrats are doing their own investigation on Trump while the Republicans based their argument on a completed investigation.

9. How are the issues involved in the Clinton and Trump impeachments different?
Allegations against Clinton were personal and moral, while allegations against Trump are aligned to his power as a president.

Blog Post 1.5: Congress and POTUS

1. What is Nancy Pelosi's role in Congress?
She is the Speaker of the House.
2. What is President Trump alleged to have done?
Trump may have attempted to have Ukraine interfere in the 2020 presidential election.
3. What is Nancy Pelosi's goal, since she does not want to impeach the president?
She suggests that laws ought to be passed to make clear when and how a sitting president could be indicted once Trump is no longer in office.
4. What does Pelosi say has harmed Congress's ability to investigate the Executive Branch?
The executive branch is not cooperating, and they're declaring they have executive privilege.
5. How did the Director of National Intelligence (who works for the president) violate the law?
He declined to relay the whistleblower's complaint to Congress, which is required by law.
6. What is Adam Schiff's role in Congress?
He's the House Intelligence Committee chair.
7. Why do "moderate Democrats" want to avoid impeaching the president?
Moderate Democrats and those representing swing districts have warned that moving forward on impeachment would alienate their voters.
8. How does the American public feel about the issue?
70% of Democrats say they support impeachment proceedings, while only 6% of Republicans said the same.

Blog Post 1.4: Judicial Impeachment

1. How much of the House must agree to impeach a judge? How much of the Senate must agree to remove a judge?
A majority of the House must approve an indictment to impeach, and a two-thirds majority of the Senate is required to convict for the justice to lose his position.

2. Has this process ever been used before for the Supreme Court?  How many times? 
A Supreme Court justice has been impeached before, but he wasn't removed. This occurred only once.

3. Where in the Constitution does it set up the impeachment process?
Article II, Section 4

4. What are the reasons for the impeachments of the 5 most recent judicial impeachments?
Harry Claiborne: falsifying income tax returns
Alcee Hastings: receiving a $150,000 bribe to reduce prison sentences for members of the mob
Walter Nixon: committed perjury 
Samuel Kent: obstructed justice and lied about his sexual abuse of female employees
Thomas Porteous: committed perjury

5. Why does the current makeup of the Senate make it unlikely that Supreme Court justices Kavanaugh or Thomas would be removed if impeached today?
Both of them have enthusiastic supporters in the Senate, and not enough Republicans would defect to make removal viable.

6. Why is it hard to tell which offenses are "impeachable offenses" for a justice?
It's hard to tell which offenses are sufficiently serious enough to justify impeachment. Thus, it's just whatever the House and Senate think it is.

Blog Post 1.3: Iowa Caucuses

1. What was the Iowa Democratic Party's plan for changes to this year's Iowa Caucus?
They wanted to hold a virtual caucus over a phone system alongside the regular caucus.

2. Why has the Democratic National Committee decided to recommend rejecting these plans?
They say it could be susceptible to hackers.

3. Why had the Iowa Democratic Party recommended these changes?
They wanted Iowa's caucus to be more accessible to voters who can't show up in-person.

4. Why is it so important that Iowa is the first contest?  How do they influence the nomination process?
The first caucuses show which candidates have momentum and which don't. Iowa decides the first people to get cut, deciding who won't be the final nominee.

5. Why are caucuses controversial as a nomination process?
Caucuses are long, complicated affairs where people sort themselves into groups based on the candidates they support. These can take a lot of time and exclude certain groups of people, meaning many people cannot participate. 

6. What is the problem with more people participating in the caucus process in recent elections?
Caucuses are meant for few people, between 50-100.

7. Why are many arguing that this new form of caucus could be manipulated?
Some fear the system could easily be hacked. A test at the Rules and Bylaws Committee meeting in San Francisco showed tele-caucuses could be hacked.

8. What would be the problem with Iowa changing to a primary?
Then Iowa wouldn't be the first-in-the-nation caucus anymore, and it would not be the first primary either.

9. How does New Hampshire ensure that it is the first primary?
A NH law states that if any other state tries to move its primary before NH, then the NH Secretary of State can change the primary date to a week before the other state.

Blog Post 1.2 "Marijuana Law Issues"

1. How much of the US population lives in a state or district with access to legal marijuana?

More than a quarter of the US population lives in a state that gives access to legal marijuana.

2. Where in the US were the first places to make marijuana fully legal?

Colorado and Washington were the first states to make marijuana fully legal.

3. In the states where marijuana is legal, what differences might there be state to state?  And how are Vermont and DC different?

Some states may have marijuana fully legalized, while others may only allow medical marijuana. Some states have decriminalized marijuana and others have not. Vermont and DC do not allow marijuana sales for recreational purposes.

4. What is the difference between marijuana legalization and marijuana decriminalization?

Legalization represents the removal of all government-enforced penalties for possessing and using marijuana while decriminalization generally eliminates jail time but other penalties remain in place.

5. Why does the ACLU argue that marijuana prohibition is bad for the government?

It costs a lot of money and law enforcement's time. It also damages the government's credibility.

6. Why do some argue that "Big Marijuana" corporations would be dangerous if marijuana were legalized?

They would market and sell to heavy pot users that may have a drug problem. 

7. How has public support for marijuana legalization changed since the year 2000?

Support for the legalization of marijuana has increased from 12 percent in 1969 to 31 percent in 2000 and 66 percent in 2018. 

8. How does the federal government classify marijuana?  What does that mean?

The federal government classifies marijuana as a schedule 1 drug, meanning it has no perceived medical value annd has a high potential for abuse. 

9. How have the Obama and Trump administrations treated the states that have decided to legalize marijuana?

The Obama administration took a relaxed approach to marijuana legalization, generally letting states do as they wish as long as they met certain criteria. The Trump administration suggested it would take a tougher line, but the current Attorney General said he would go back to Obama's policies. 

10. Why are many marijuana businesses in "legal states" operating only in cash and not using banks?

Many banks are nervous about dealing with businesses that are essentially breaking federal law. 

Blog Post 1.1 "David Koch"

1.  How did the Koch brothers describe their political goals and how did they participate politically?
The Koch brothers aimed to roll back environmental and business regulations and vote Democrats out of office. They said they supported liberty and economic freedom. They were against policies aimed at reining in carbon emissions and combating climate change. They also helped many Republican candidates.

2. How did the Koch family become wealthy?
The Koch family became wealthy when Fred C. Koch founded an oil refinery company. Charles Koch continued his legacy, and he transformed the company into Koch Industries, making him and David some of the richest people in the world.

3. How did David Koch first become involved in politics?
David Koch was on the nominee for vice president for the Libertarian Party. Charles and David were both interested in libertarian ideas on economics.

4. Why did the Koch's escalate their political efforts when Obama became president?
Obama was trying to pass both a major expansion of government health care spending and bills designed to decrease carbon emissions and combat climate change. The Koches believed this platform was "the greatest assault on American freedom and prosperity in our lifetimes."

5. What did the Koch's spend their money on in order to help Republican candidates in elections?
They used a complex web of dark money groups that spent money on organizing and ads. They also got many other wealthy Republicans to donate money, and the effort was successful.