Madison's Present 2nd Article

McKenzie Fink

NC Times

Brown Defends tax plans, says money goes to schools

http://www.nctimes.com/news/state-and-regional/brown-defends-tax-plan-says-money-goes-to-schools/article_36584269-4ce1-5794-9995-4a28e3ad4412.html

This article is about how Governor Brown defends the tax he has created, saying all of the money from the tax goes to schools.

The article is about how Governor Jerry Brown is defending his new "millionaires tax" by saying 100% of the taxes would go right to the schools. Not only that, but his plan "would help cover the state's budget deficit, provide money for local law enforcement, and prevent deeper cuts to education and other services." Plus, the tax would give money to counties with lower-level offenders that are being sent to jails instead of state prisons. His opponent, Molly Munger, is saying that Brown is being untruthful by saying all of the money will go to the schools. However, he insists that the tax was created for the schools and that's where the money would go. His tax plan is mainly aimed at the wealthier people. "Anybody who makes $250,000 becomes a millionaire very quickly if you save it. You just need four years," Brown said. "It is a millionaires tax. It taxes millionaires, right? And it's for schools." It seems to be that the government is actually trying to clean up their act, and are actually taxing the rich more than the less-wealthy people. Or is it all just a ruse?

Questions:

1. How much of the money actually is going to the schools?
2. Whose plan actually is better: Brown's or Munger's?
3. Can people really afford the tax Brown is creating?
4.  How does Brown plan to accomplish getting his new tax to be accepted and effective?
5. Will Brown's tax actually work?

Concerns:

1. Will Brown really give all of the money to the schools?
2. Will the tax actually benefit the schools?
3. How does the millionaires tax work (what is the tax on?
4. Why didn't the government have a backup plan in case this happened?
5. What will happen if this tax does not work?

Happy Birthday Mr. Madison! (First Article)

McKenzie Fink

NC Times

"School funding messier than usual"

http://www.nctimes.com/news/opinion/columnists/walters/walters-school-funding-messier-than-usual/article_20dd70ea-19e8-5189-97ac-9eb6717e2ea5.html

The government is really making school funding even more confusing than usual.

This article was about how school funding in California is already difficult enough without the Legislator arguing with Governor Jerry Brown and his plans to overhaul how school money is distributed. The state is torn on which idea they want to use to distribute school money now. The California Teachers Association agrees with Brown's sales and income tax, but the California Federation of Teachers is supporting and state PTA are supporting other ideas. Yet, all sides are against Brown's plans to make multibillion-dollar cuts in schools if his tax idea is rejected. They also disagree with altering the distribution of school funds by giving less money to some well-preforming schools and more money to low-preforming schools. The Education Coalition told legislators that until the state repays $10 billion-plus already owed to schools, aid should not reduced in some schools to increase it for others. To make it worse, Legislators' and Brown's budgets are not matching up on how much money the current state's tax system will make. Nor how much money will be made if the governor's plan would make more or less money if it is approved. Basically, school officials have no idea how much money they are going to be getting from the government and are having to use the "worst case scenario" plans which include sending thousands of preliminary layoff notices to teachers and other employees. School officials have until late May to make the final decisions on whether or not they will fire these teachers but it is highly unlikely that the Legislature will be able to come up with a budget until--at least--after the June 5 primary election. Even then, legislators will not be sure of whether or not voters will approve the new taxes for schools in November. To sum everything up, our government seems to have no idea what it is doing with its money which is effecting the children of the next generation by possibly ruining our education.

Questions:

1. Why didn't the government think about saving money for school budgets if they realized they were losing more money than they were making?
2. Is the situation really that bad or is the government over-dramatizing the issue to try and get more money?
3. What new taxes are being created to give money to the schools?
4. How many teachers will actually be laid off?
5. Will the legislators be able to come up with an income plan fast enough to help the district decide on how many teachers they will lay off?

Concerns:

1. What will happen to class sizes if a lot of teachers are laid off?
2. How will students be affected by the increase in class sizes?
3. What will happen to electives like band, choir, art and more if the budgets are cut too much?
4. Will schools be closed down because the government can't afford to keep them running?
5. When will the government realize that unless they figure out their stuff, our schools will have no money, therefore causing fewer children to be taught, finally ending up with a country full of fools without any education?

KONY 2012

McKenzie Fink
NC Times
"Web star born: Kony video gets millions of views"
http://www.nctimes.com/news/national/web-star-born-kony-video-gets-millions-of-views/article_a4e0ea9b-de66-5b79-952b-0c12de77db85.html
A new video about the atrocities of the LRA group, led by Joseph Kony, has now gone viral in an attempt to bring this monster to justice.

This article is about how the group Invisible Children has created a video about the monstrosities of the LRA and its leader, Joseph Kony. Although the video was created just this Monday, it has over 26 million views on Youtube by Thursday. The video was created to support an effort called KONY 2012 that target Kony and the LRA. Col. Felix Kulayigye, the spokesperson for Uganda's military stated, "Kony is a monster. He deserves to be prosecuted and hanged." Many people agree with this statement and that is why this effort began: to end the 26 year history of the LRA and its brutality against children. Experts have estimated that the once thousands strong LRA now has only about 250 fighters. However, the militia still abducts children to force them to fight or worse. A woman named Jolly Okat was once a captive in the LRA but somehow escaped and is now a country director for Invisible Children. Okat says, "The most exciting thing about this film is that I'm so grateful that the world has been able to pay attention to an issue that has been long neglected. I think it is an eye-opener and I think this will push for Joseph Kony to be apprehended, and I think justice will get to him." Many other people have the same hop too. Sadly, the burst of attention has also brought a lot of criticism on Invisible Children's sites. However, Invisible children has posted rebuttals to answer and doubts or criticism that might arise against their cause. Besides those few critics, people from around the world, celebrities and politicians alike, are coming together to end this monstrosity and create peace in Africa, so kids can just be kids.

This article connects to what we are learning in class for a few reasons. First of all, there seems to be either a very weak or just no government in Africa because groups like the LRA are all throughout Africa. This is like the Articles of Confederation because that was a very weak government, just like in Africa. The chaos happening in Africa kind of represents how the states were disorganized and had no proper government. Also, people from around the world are coming together for an important cause: to save these innocent children from being abducted. In a similar fashion, the delegates from each of the states came together for an important cause: to save the nation by creating the Constitution.

This connects to my life because so many regular citizens have come together to do something great. I mean, this whole situation proves that people can do so much more than just sit by and sadly watch the bad things happening in our world. I am just a kid and often times kids feel like they can't do anything to try and change the world. However, this effort has proven otherwise. We don't have an excuse to just sit by and watch as other countries fall apart. Every citizen can do something to help not only our country, but others.

My opinion is that Kony and the LRA need to be found, prosecuted of their crimes, and sentenced to a life filled with the regret of their wrong doings. These people have abducted, tormented, murdered, and terrified children for no reason! The LRA is not fighting for a cause or any beliefs they have, they are just a group of horrific people who are out to steal children to use them. I don't think anyone would want those kinds of monsters in the world. I just hope that people everywhere will come together to save these poor children. Hopefully, Kony and the LRA can be found before the U.S. government pulls its troops out of Africa. I just pray that no more children will be hurt and can return to their family, if they still have one, and just heal from the monstrosities they had to go through. I hope the combined efforts of people around the world will catch these criminals and children in Africa will no longer have to worry about whether or not they are going to be safe when they fall asleep at night.