HACK: Pennsylvania Governor Corbett and New Jersey Governor Christie

By John Conway

For this week I am hacking Governor Corbett and Governor Christie for their ignorance of the need for education and the funding thereof, with continued harsh and unnecessary marks to teachers. Great that Gov. Corbett is sticking to his promise of not raising taxes, but he's compensating by cuts in a key area. 6 percent decrease in financial assistance for college students through the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, 30% decreases in funding for state's 3 largest universities, 14 universities in State System of Higher Education getting 20% cuts, and most disgusting is cuts to Pre-K and Head Start funding. That is an area of education that is crucial, and deserves funding. Head Start education initiatives brings education young children in not just poor families, but BROKEN families. They provide learning opportunities and social development that is necessary. Cuts in education funding irk me. We cannot afford to fall behind. Poor education is why we are falling behind other nations. I understand some cuts are necessary, but cuts to education are ones we cannot afford. Gov. Christie irks me just as much for his continued negative comments towards teachers and teacher unions. He has continually told them to quit or find a new job when they ask for more pay, though they are severely underpaid considering all that their profession does. Just recently, when the executive director of the New Jersey Education Association said that it was unfair that poor inner-city kids had to go to underperforming schools, Christie became outraged, saying "Life is not fair." That is simply not the answer.

 

 

Hack - Rick Santorum

Recently Santorum was campaiging against Gingrich because he appeared on TV ads promoting Congress to do something about global warming. Santorum said he had never believed in the "hoax" of global warming. There's no hoax it's real. It's called science and you shouldn't deny its claims.

 

can't get my source because im on a school computer but its from @politico on twitter and the link is there.

mike fiore

 

 

 

 

Hero and Hack

 

 

I would like to hack Joe Biden for making the secret service pay rent to stay in a cottage on his property. I find this ridiculous because they are performing a service for Biden. The secret service actually turned down Biden's offer to pay rent to stay in his cottage. In turn, Biden began to rent it to someone else. When this resident moved out he offered the cottage to the secret service again and they took him up on his offer. He charges the agency $2,200 in rent per-month. I believe Biden should be hacked for this because the secret service are making their service more available for Biden and his family. They could have a rented a place further away for a cheaper rent, but would not be as readily available for the Biden family. Biden is just be a greedy politician and hypocrite who promotes cuts in wasteful government spending. 

http://arapgov12.pbworks.com/w/page/50785952/HERO%20AND%20HACK%20FEBRUARY%2010#view=edit

-Maddie Clifford 

Hero/Hack

 

Jessica Phares

 

My heroes for this week are Washington State legislators and the federal appeals court in California who both legalized same-sex marriage. Washington just passed their bill yesterday, and in California, Prop 8 was repealed on Tuesday because it was considered unconstitutional. Proposition 8 was passed several months after same-sex couples were allowed to marry, and it again made gay marriage illegal. However, those who were married in this small window were able to have their union recognized and did not have to retract their marital status. This law was made to specifically restrict the rights of specific individuals and it's only purpose was to discriminate against gay and lesbian couples making them second class citizens. Because of this, the federal court repealed the law, but it will not go into effect until two weeks, allowing those that oppose gay marriage the ability to appeal. As stated before, Washington also just recently passed a bill legalizing gay marriage, making it the seventh state to do so. The state Senate pushed it through, however, and not only the governor is expected to sign it so it can officially become a law. It will take about 90 days for gay and lesbian couples to be officially married, so they can't walk down the isle immediately. Also, opponents are trying to fight these actions and need 120,000 signatures to hold off the enactment of the bill until November, but they need those by June 6, otherwise, gays and lesbians will have the freedom to marry there. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/08/washington-gay-marriage_n_1264038.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/07/proposition-8-california-same-sex-marriage-ban-ruling_n_1260171.html

 

Marygrace Urmson 

Hero: Barack Obama

My hero this week is President Obama. Despite his opposition to same-sex marriage, Obama attended the nuptials of lesbian couple from Chicago today. Obama’s view on same-sex marriage has been “evolving” in recent years, but it wasn’t seen to have evolved to such a level until recently. Due to his show of support, Obama will be receiving around $1.4 million from members of the gay/lesbian community who were in attendance at the nuptials.

 

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/02/obama-no-same-sex-marriage-supporter-solicits-cash-at-home-of-lesbian-married-couple/

 

 

Hack: Obama Administration

As a lot of other people, I have chosen to hack the Obama administration for the part in their health care plan that would have everyone on that plan pay for contraceptives and abortions, including Catholics. Catholics are known for their opposition to such measures, and this health care plan would not only go against Catholic beliefs, it goes against the first amendment. We have religious freedom in America and by forcing a Catholic to pay for abortions and contraceptives, which goes directly against their beliefs; it is showing intolerance for another’s beliefs and forcing them to go against their religion to fit in with the rest. The government is supposed to protect the rights of all citizens, no matter what race, sex, or creed, and this health care plan does not protect everyone’s rights.

Christie McLaughlin

 

Hero: Ron Paul

Ron Paul is my Hero for this week because of his stance on the issue of Obama’s decision and plan regarding funding abortions and contraception. Forcing religious institutions, such as Catholic hospitals, to provide and fund abortions, contraception and sterilization is wrong. I disagree with it and therefore agree with Paul’s stance on it. I like that he hasn’t supported it in the past. Forcing people to do things that go against everything they firmly believe in is, as one person online said, not just “a moral issue” it’s “a constitutional issue.”

“I am the only GOP presidential candidate who has consistently opposed the federal promotion, funding, and mandating of contraception and abortion.  Unlike Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, I never voted to provide taxpayer funding to Planned Parenthood.  And unlike Mitt Romney, whose Massachusetts health care plan contained a contraceptive mandate similar to the one contained in ObamaCare, I have never supported any government health care mandates.” ~ Ron Paul

http://www.ronpaul2012.com/2012/02/09/ron-paul-issues-statement-on-obama-contraception-decision/

~Chelsea Ann Rovnan

 

I am heroing the House this week.  They have passed legislation to ban TANF(temporary assistance for needy families) at strip clubs, liquor stores and casinos.  While I am all for welfare, and helping out poor, working families, I think it is a disgrace that people are abusing the system.  The government money given to them is supposed to go towards food, rent, and the necessities. Kudos to you house, let's hope it passes as smoothly in the senate.

-Alexandria McNamara

 

 

HERO: Democrats in Congress

 

 

Never thought you would hear me say this, but this week my political heroes are Democrats in Congress who are practicing bipartisanship in Congress and standing up for what they believe in.  President Obama, and therefore the majority of the Democratic party, is steadfast in his support of the 2008 health care law and his decision to allow by Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius to not exempt health insurance plans sponsored by religious employers from the requirement to provide contraception as part of their health care packages.  This would require religious or religious-affiliated hospitals and health care providers to support contraception, abortions,  and sterilizations, things that are firmly against core beliefs of some/most religions.  Despite Obama's firm support of Sebelius and her decision, a good number of religoious, conservative, and moderate Democrats in Congress have openly shown opposition to Sebelius' revision; they even voiced their opinions to Obama himself.  I think this is a great example of Congressional leaders promoting what they and their constituents want and overcoming party barriers. 

-Deirdre O'Leary 

http://nbcpolitics.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/07/10346010-some-democrats-seeking-reversal-on-contraception-decision

 

HACK:The Obama Administration 

Sarah Hammer

 

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/02/policy-and-politics-of-contraception-rule-fiercely-debated-within-white-house/

 

The Obama Administration has absolutely no right to tell the Catholic church that they should fund health insurance coverage on birth control and contraceptives while the Catholic Church is fully against it. This is wrong on so many levels.. the Catholic church is being disrespected of their beliefs; the Church consider this to be a sin. It violates the separation of church and state; this is a border that the White House should not even consider crossing. 

 

 

 

My hack for the week is Bank of America. One of the greatest financial crisises of the past few years has been the bad loans banks have given out, resulting in a large scale of foreclosed homes. Bank of America was among these banks that caused these homes to be foreclosed and the economy to fall. Currently, a mortgage deal is being debated and discussed to set up monies to be given to those who have suffered from home foreclosures or underwater home owners. Bank of America is one of the five participating banks that have joined the state and federal government to aid in the monies given to homeowners of foreclosed homes and the states. I find this ironic seeing as Bank of America previously was being bailed out with tax payer dollars when it filed for bankruptcy earlier last year. By giving funds will it be a repeat of bankruptcy or does bank of America really want to aid strugglers? I feel that it is somewhat a slap in the face as these banks are only giving small amounts of money that will not go fairly far in the long run. 

 

-Mary Radziszewski (http://money.cnn.com/2012/02/09/news/economy/mortgage_settlement/index.htm?iid=HP_MPM)

 

HACK: The Obama Administration

My hack for this week is The Obama Administration because of the issue on contraception.  There has always been a line between church and state and that line is slowly getting crossed and blurred.  The Catholic Church has always been against contraception, and the Obama administration is trying to put down the Church and her beliefs, the same beliefs that have always been around.  Representative Diana DeGette, a Democrat from Colorodo said "I woke up in the 21st century, not the Middle Ages."  I believe this to be a clear put down on Catholic beliefs.  The whole issue just has so many problems and there's probably many people who could be hacked for this situation.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/09/politics/contraception-controversy/index.html

~Michelle Deacon

 

HERO: Pentagon

 

 

My hero of the week is the Pentagon. After a year or so of waiting, the Pentagon has finally stated that they are easing up the restrictions on women and combating positions. Defense Department declared that they are opening an estimate of 14,000 combat-related positioning jobs. If women wish to serve on the battlefield side by side with the men, they have every right to do so. It’s about time more women serve.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/pentagon-to-ease-restrictions-on-women-in-some-combat-roles/2012/02/09/gIQAwnL41Q_story.html

 

-Diana

 

HERO: TIM THOMAS

My hero for this week is the goaltender from the Boston Bruins, Tim Thomas. A few weeks ago, Thomas, along with the rest of the Boston Bruins, was invited to the White House to meet with President Obama. Thomas, however, refused to attend because of his dislike and opposition to Obama. I chose him as my hero this week because he stood up again against President Obama's contraception ideas. Thomas released a statement saying "I stand with the Catholics in the fight for religious freedom". By saying this, Thomas is backing the church and its beliefs about birth control. President Obama has no right to lay this onto the Catholic church and it completely goes against the idea of a "separation of church and state", which our government was based on. Thomas 1 Obama 0

        p.s. I hate Tim Thomas.

- Dan Nucero

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Bruins+Thomas+back+blasting+Barack+Obama+this+time+over+birth+control/6121679/story.html 

 

HACK OBAMA

as many have done already, I would like to HACK Obama for the issue on contraception. I think that Obama is being first off insensitive to people's beliefs. Just because citizens have less faith in WASHINGTON does not mean that they have less faith in their God. Catholic's have always been again abortion. For the Obama Administration to even consider a health program that would enforce Catholic's to become a bystander(so to speak) is a disgrace. What ever happened to the seperation of Church and state?

-EMILY GUMPPER

 

Hero: U.S. Department of Defense

http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/09/women-in-combat-policy-could-change/?hpt=hp_t3

     My hero of the week is the U.S. Department of Defense. It announced to Congress yesterday that about 14,000 jobs will be open to women in the military, who want to serve closer to the front lines. Currently nearly 15% of the active military personnel are women. Women currently are restricted from serving in small ground units directly involved in combat, under a 1994 policy. This will allow women to serve as tank or artillery mechanics, crew members on missile launchers, or field surgeons in forward deployed brigade combat teams. Although this will not allow women to serve in jobs directly involved in combat such as infantry or sniper units. This shows the military is finally acknowledging the equality between men and women. 

     - Anthony Nicolo

 

     Shocker here, I'm heroing the republicans at CPAC over the weekend. As much as i fail to understand republican views, I am glad to see the sence of logic they have in the straw poll over the weekend. CPAC is where the most diehard conservative of republicans meet to discuss and debate over political agenda, so one would assume the results of their straw poll this past weekend would have resulted in a landslide victory for the self proclaimed "Conservative alternative to Obama," Rick Santorum; however, this was not the case. Santorum placed Second with 31% of the vote, trailing behind Romney with 38%, and leaving Gingrich and Ron Paul in the dust at 15% and 12% of the vote, respectively. I caught a clip on the morning news sometime last week interviewing several people at CPAC, and the general consensus was "We like Santorum, but we know Romney will win." They seem to have taken this into account during this Straw vote, and began to put their support behind Romney to give him a better chance at winning the primary.

~Charles Unruh