United States of Secrecy

"New Obstacle to Senate Panel's Release of Report on Torture of C.I.A. Detainees"
Current Event of December 5, 2014

Taking of the Cape

          In recent news, there has been a disagreement between Obama's administration and Congress regarding the release of of a report to the American public. For a while now, the Senate Intelligence Committee, headed by Dianne Feinstein, has been working on writing the statement. The report covers how the C.I.A. was found to have tortured some of their captives. Everything was going well, and the statement was planned to be released next week. However, in the final steps, just days before the public was to know the truth, John Kerry, the Secretary of State, was reported to have called Ms. Feinstein regarding the issue. The executive branch did not believe that the release of the report would be beneficial to the country as a whole. With everything that is going on in the Middle East with ISIS, Obama's administration does not want to risk getting negative publicity. Regardless, the report will still be released in the next week as planned. 
          Public opinion has an immense impact on the actions of a national government. When people read the report about the torture of those held captive by a division of the U.S. government, there is bound to be unrest. This is partly why Obama's administration acted the way they did by trying to prevent, or at least delay, the statement from being accessible to the public eye. Dianne Feinstein held her ground as a member of the Senate and made it so that the average American will know the truth. This is an example of how people within the same party can sometimes disagree. Ms. Feinstein, representing liberal Californians, and Obama are both Democrats. It seems that their viewpoints would be the same. But, when it comes to individual issues, such as when to release a report to the public, things are no longer as black and white as the Republican and Democratic parties. 

Bop to the Top

When the Budget Gets Tense 
Mike Enzi Slides into the Spotlight

Who needs anything when they can chair a committee?

          As the year comes to a close, the tension within the Republican Party is growing. Soon, the GOP will be the majority party in Congress. In the case of Mike Enzi, he has proclaimed that he wants to be the chair of the Senate Budget Committee. But, this is easier said than done. Mike Enzi is not the current ranking member of the committee, although he is the member with the most seniority. In order to chair the committee, Enzi will have to push Jeff Sessions, the current ranking member, out of his spot. This is bound to cause controversy in the Senate because both men will not back down. Enzi refused to explain his tactics for how he plans on achieving the coveted spot, claiming that he does not want the media to have anything to do with the outcome. 
          Mike Enzi's intentions have not yet been discussed with Mitch McConnell, the current minority leader, or the other Republican members of the Senate Budget Committee. January is when the group will have a vote to elect the next person to chair the committee. Committee chairs, by far, have the most power as compared to the other members of the group. Their opinions can determine the actions of a committee as a whole. This is the perfect opportunity for Mike Enzi to shine, as the Republicans take control of the Senate. He has been in Congress since 1997, so he deserves to at least attempt to cement his place as the chair of a committee. As the new year rolls around, Enzi will have to fight for what he wants in order to end up on top. 

It's Match Point on the Supreme Court

"Why the Supreme Court should be the biggest issue of the 2016 campaign"
Current Event of November 28, 2014
From The Washington Post 

Left or Right?

          With the Supreme Court having five conservatives and four liberals, the next election could determine the makeup of the judicial branch of the federal government. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, one of the Democratic justices, is the oldest member of the Supreme Court, having had a heart surgery at the age of 81. She has no plans to step down from her position before President Obama's term is over. This means that she is not guaranteed a liberal replacement. If the next leader of the United States turns out to be Republican and one of the Democratic justices retires, the number of conservatives in the court will outnumber the liberals 6-3. In contrast, if a Democrat is elected in the 2016 Presidential election and a conservative justice retires, then the liberals will gain better traction. Regardless of what happens, both parties should be concerned about the outcome of the election because it relates directly to our justice system. There will be an upset either way. 
          When it comes to the federal government, every aspect is connected. One of the principles that America was founded on was the separation of government into distinct branches. Checks and balances prevent there from being any funny business. Nonetheless, no matter how hard they try, the judicial, legislative, and executive branches become dependent on one another. In the case of the Supreme Court, the president is only meant to have the power of appointing justices. It just so happens that the next person to be given the job could influence the entire branch by tipping the scale, making the courts either conservatively or liberally dominated. It does not seem like a big deal at first, but major court cases are brought to the Supreme Court and their decisions have a huge say in what happens in this country. By giving the President the power to choose, the courts are now in the hands of the executive branch. 

When Old is Not Old Enough

"Landmark state pension law struck down by Springfield judge"
Current Event of November 21, 2014
From Chicago Tribune

This is the life 

     In December of 2013, the state of Illinois passed a state pension law requiring workers to wait longer for retirement and, in turn, their pension. The intention behind it was to reduce the $104.6 billion retirement debt that brings major issues for Illinois. Recently, a judge, John Beltz, has decided to bring this law to the Illinois Supreme Court. He, along with labor unions, has seen the problems with the legislation and are actively protesting it. If the pension law is repealed by the state's Supreme Court, the government will have to pay almost a billion more to the pension fund. But, if the the law is upheld, it will benefit Illinois as a whole. The problem with the law is that none of the workers agree with it. Regardless, the state needs some way to solve its major debt problem. Hopefully, some alternative ideas will be suggested in the next few weeks. 
       When it comes to money, Americans will go to every measure to protect their right to what they deserve. That is one of the defining characteristics of the United States. Work is life to many people. Their lives are dedicated to working long enough to retire and live with enough funds to be happy. When that dream is taken away through something like the Illinois pension law, people begin to distrust their government. Unions are in direct disagreement with the state legislature and individual workers know that the government may not have their personal interests at heart. The state faces the glaring debt that has been accruing for the last years. Somehow Illinois has to figure out how to best represent the common people while still staying afloat financially. 

Best Friends Forever

Enzi Works Well With Others (if they are Republican)

 Mike Enzi and His Pal, The Republican Party 

          If one thing can be said about Mike Enzi, it's that he represents the Republican Party well. He is known for being one of the most conservative members of the Senate and his relationship with the Republican Party is strong, to say the least. Enzi can be trusted to vote the way his party wants him to, as his conservative viewpoints are quite predictable. Since other Republicans view Enzi with acceptance, he has a plethora of "friends" in Congress. He works the best with other conservatives. John Barrasso, Wyoming's other senator, and Mike Enzi have worked well together to try to influence the federal government in a positive way. Slowly but surely, they are trying to bring little bits of the Wyoming legislature to the national level. 
          When it comes to logrolling, Mike Enzi is most likely to cooperate with other Republicans in the Senate who share some of the same viewpoints as him. For example, Enzi may not know a lot about one topic in particular, so he will give one of his votes to a trusted Republican to get one in return. In general, Mike Enzi is well liked by the masses, considering that he has been in office since 1997. His incumbency is due to all of the alliances he has made over the years. Mike Enzi's "friendships" have paid off and he is consistently supported fully by the Republican Party.

When Nature Strikes Back

"A US-China Breakthrough for the Planet--and the New Economic Growth"
Current Event of November 14, 2014
From Huffington Post

We're All in this Together

     Scientists have predicted for a long time that the earth will not last much longer because of the choices the human race has made regarding the environment. The earth is suffering and something needs to be done as soon as possible to reduce the negative effects people are having on the planet. Luckily, two of the most economically dominant countries have decided to stand up to combat the growing environmental disaster. President Obama, representing America, and President Xi Jinping, the leader of China, have made statements regarding how their respective countries plan to move forward. China wants to transition into using renewable sources for almost 20 percent of their energy. This change should happen by 2030. America plans to reduce its carbon emissions by about 27 percent by 2025. This is just the first step. In order to make a legitimate impact, the rest of the countries have to step up and take responsibility. Each country has an important part to play if the planet is to be saved. 
      The strength of relationships between foreign nations has always been debatable when it comes to American politics. While some believe that the United States should have no engagement with other countries, others see value in the union. In the case of this new development between America and China, it seems to be beneficial for both parties. Not only is there a shared incentive to save the planet, but also, by reducing the carbon footprint, economies will improve. By investing in clean energy, cities will become more desirable with a lack of air pollution. Also, the job market will expand to compensate for the new industry. America can't save the world on its own. It will need the assistance of the most prominent nations to make goals regarding the environment. Foreign relations are a necessity if this is going to work. 

America's Bright Future

"Obama to nominate Brooklyn federal prosecutor Loretta Lynch for U.S. attorney general"
Current Event of November 7, 2014
From Chicago Tribune

Looking Forward

          As the midterm elections were this week, President Obama has been busy making the changes he needs. For the office of U.S. Attorney General, he had to pick some one the country could trust. Loretta Lynch will be the first black woman ever to hold this position. She is extremely qualified and has been working in law her entire life. She is also known for having an even temperament in the face of pressure, meaning that she will be able to hold her own without causing too much controversy. Of course, Obama's decision has to be approved by the Senate for anything to come to fruition. Lynch will be replacing the current U.S. Attorney General, Eric Holder, if she is approved. Over the past 6 years, he has had a history of disagreements with the Republican members of the federal government. Hopefully when she is instated, Lynch will do a better job than Holder. 
        Obama is trying to impact as many aspects of the country as possible before his term ends. One of his contributions is picking a person for the job of U.S. Attorney General. As the Senate is going to be dominated by the Republican Party, he has to be careful in the the coming times. The government will soon be divided by a Democratic President and a Republican Senate. Another important piece of information about this current event is that Loretta Lynch is not only African American, but a female. It just shows how much progress has been made in the last years. There is hope that change is possible even in a place as corrupt as Washington D.C. President Obama has made the right decision by nominating Loretta Lynch.