Week 13

Obama’s Long Game on Middle East Peace

Article from TIME
http://swampland.time.com/2012/11/26/obamas-long-game-on-middle-east-peace/

Summary:

Second-term U.S. President Obama is already planning to strengthen diplomatic ties with Middle East, hoping to succeed where his predecessors failed. Obama took the first step to negotiate peace when he dispatched Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Gaza last week, seeking to build goodwill with Israel, Egypt and the Palestinians. When he took office in 2009, Obama sent his special envoy George Mitchell to the Middle East, but that investment proved fruitless. Even before Obama took office, Israel launched a ground invasion of Gaza. Even though Vice President Joe Biden visited to Israel, it was aggravated by the construction of new settlements and evolved into crisis later in 2010. Obama backed without question Israel's right to defend itself and sent Clinton to broker a deal when needed, risking his own political capital if the cease-fire fails. Obama also spent time persuading Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy to use his sway over Hamas to bring about a cease-fire. This is actually the first time two leader have worked together on regional issues, and for the most part, it was a success. 

Opinion:

Negotiating peace is not going to be a quick process. I think this term will be important years for Obama to strengthen ties with the countries in Middle East. If Morsy and Obama can develop a working relationship, it would be a significant step toward peace. I hope U.S. foreign policy reduces the incidence of terrorism by brokering peace in the Middle East. However, negotiation should be prudential and careful.

Week 12

Gay Vote Proved a Boon for Obama

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/16/us/politics/gay-vote-seen-as-crucial-in-obamas-victory.html?hp

Article from NYTimes

Summary:

Gay vote is seen as crucial in Obama's victory. While President Obama’s lopsided support among Latino and other minority voters has been a focus of postelection analysis, the overwhelming support he received from another growing demographic group who is Americans who identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual, has received much less attention.

Gay voters are another demographic group along with other groups such as African Americans, Latinos, Asian-Americans, and Jews in which Democrats have been winning big victories over Republicans. As exit polls showed, Mitt Romney and Mr. Obama won roughly an equal number of votes among straight voters nationwide.

Mr. Obama’s more than three-to-one edge in exit polls among the 5 percent of voters who identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual was more than enough to give him the ultimate advantage.
As with Latinos and Asian-Americans, the number of voters who identify as gay appears to be growing.

Opinion:

In the younger population, there is a much wider range in the geography and ethnicity of those who are identifying as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. They will be growing to a large, influential demographic group.

As Republicans plan to reach out to Hispanic and Asian-American voters, another question is whether they would also help themselves by improving their standing among gay voters. Republicans should try to do so, in part to win over some moderate straight voters. However, if Republican candidates move to the center on gay rights, they might also risk losing support among cultural conservatives.

Week 11

Obama makes history, again

Article from CNN

Summary

Four years ago, it was the first breaking of a racial barrier that African American win the presidential election. In the midst of national splintering and a time of deep ideological animosity, Americans elected President Barack Obama to a second term. Yale University sociologist Jeffrey Alexander who is the author of “Obama’s Victory and the Democratic Struggle for Power” sad that “This is affirmation that his color doesn't matter and that his message resonated with people. It is very important in that it will indicate that an African-American can be viewed for what he says and not what he is.” A changing America will be very much a part of Obama’s national conversation in a second term. That includes a stronger stance on race relations, an issue some believe Obama had distance himself from in his first term for political expediency.

Opinion

I think it is a significant moment to change the United States. If Obama lost the election, he would likely have been remembered in history as the first black president. But now, he has a change to create a legacy rooted not in his identity, but in his ideas. I personally think that Obama will do a better job than he did for last four years. Based on what he had done, I believe he will improve his abilities. 

Week 10

Why Election Day won't be postponed

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/31/politics/sandy-election-day-postponement/index.html?npt=NP1
Article from CNN

Summary:

Even though Superstorm Sandy leaves communities under water, stranding millions without power and consuming public resources in several states, next Tuesday's vote for president cannot be postponed to a later date. Without passage of a new federal law, voting for president is required to take place on Tuesday, November 6, as planned.

However, partial postponements of voting in some affected areas might be possible, consistent with the laws governing the election of the president and vice president. Because the Constitution give Congress the authority to determine time of choosing electors. Also, the same law also gives states some leeway in picking electors to the Electoral College. When that happens, the electors may be appointed on a subsequent day in such manner as the legislature of such state may direct.

Opinion: 

Since there is an enormous number of hurricane victims, the number of vote will be pretty low if the election for president will be still held on November 6. Not only the hurricane victims but also the candidates and other politicians are very busy solving this problem. Therefore, I think it will be better to postpone the election day at least in some affected areas.