Blog 1.6: Free Speech Week

1. Why do conservatives want to hold this event at Cal-Berkeley?

They want to gather an audience that will listen to the speakers and&  law down a markernat the center of intolerance.

2. What is the initial position a public university should take when they get a request to host a speaker?

"Sure. But we have to think about some things before we sign off." All demonstrators have the right to use the streets, park, or auditorium. 

3. What are "content neutral" rules?

Any policy that is not based on what demonstrators say, but will/can be said to any group. 

4. In what ways might there be conflict between school officials and the group requesting to speak over the site of the event?

Officials telling organizers to move their event aren't basing their decision on who is speaking/what he is going to say. If the demonstrator is skeptical of the motive, a hearing can be called where both parties testified. If the officials say no to a proposed time/venue, they have to offer a reasonable alternative. 

5. What financial issues might the speaking group have to be responsible for?

Paying for additional security, cleaning up after, and other minor issues. 

6. What happens if the group cannot pay this additional cost?

Students believe that the university or city has to eat the cost. 

7. What restrictions are legal concerning what the speaker can actually say?

A speaker can say whatever he/she wants as long as it does not incite imminent danger. 

8. What can the crowd do to limit the speakers?

Crowds can shout down the speaker.

9. Under what circumstances can the police shut down the entire event?

If the police are overwhelmed by the violence and cannot manage it on their own, they can shut down the demonstration. 

Blog 1.5: What really happened in 2016?

Blog 1.5 

1. How popular were Clinton and Trump compared to past candidates for president?

    Both Trump and Clinton were unusually unpopular compared to past presidential candidates.

2. How much did minor party voting increase from 2012 to 2016?

    Because both party nominees 

3. How did Clinton's negative attacks on Trump, combined with minor party candidates, end up hurting her?

    Although a majority of voters acknowledged that Trump was unfit for the presidency, many ended up voting third      party, denying her the victory. 

4. How did Trump compare to Romney in 2012 among white voters?

    Trump received fewer votes than Romney: Trump had 45.95% and Romney had 47.15%.

5. How did Clinton compare to Obama in 2012 among the different groups of nonwhite voters?

    In each category of nonwhite, voters, Obama received more votes than Hillary.

6. How did college-educated voters vote in 2016?

    There were more white college-educated women and non-whites who voted for Hillary while a majority of the            non-college educated voters voted for Trump.

7. What was unusual about the choices of both major parties in the 2016 election?

    Both parties took the unusual step of nominating someone who was already well-known but unpopular by the            end of the primaries. 

8. What's wrong with attributing Trump's victory to racism?

    Trump did not discover that the white population wanted racism, but he also got a slightly smaller share of the          white vote that the more normal Mitt Romney.

9. What's wrong with assumptions that Clinton was wildly popular among women?

    Clinton was not in general more appealing to women that prior Democrats. She actually did worse with                    noncollege white women than did Obama four years before. 

Blog 1.4: Why Don't People Vote?

1. What % of Americans voted in the 2012 election?  What % of registered voters voted in the 2012 election?

    Only 58.6% of Americans voted and 84% of registered voters voted.

2. How do state requirements to register ahead of time prevent people from voting?

    Many people either miss the registration deadline or don't want to put in the effort to actually register.

3. What reason do most people give for not participating in the election?

    People do not think that their vote will matter. The process of registration and voting is a hassle: lines are        long and voting often take place during inconvenient times of the day. 

4. How do families and upbringing impact voter turnout in the future?

    In affluent households, parents' opinions shape the kids'. If you're growing up in this environment, it's            likely that your parents vote, teach you to vote, and your neighbors vote. Many on the other hand are              taught that politics is a dirty business.

5. Why does having so many elections in the US cause turnout to decrease?

    The overwhelming number of elections is tiring and makes it easier for people to not vote because there          are so many their vote won't matter.

6. How do political parties impact which people show up and vote?

    America's elections are often winner-take-all events with only two major parties in the competition. Often,      voters do not agree with either party and abstain from voting. The two parties also don't have to turn out        all voters. They can just focus on turning out loyal supporters. 

7. What is Oregon experimenting with to try to increase voter turnout?

    Oregon has tried voting by mail to allow later registration. 

8. What would be the likely effect of turning Election Day into a giant festival?

     Doing this can boost turnout because throwing a giant party can help cement cultural norms around               voting.

9. Why do mandatory voting laws work if the punishments are not bad?

    If punishments aren't bad, mandatory voting signals to the people that voting is expected.

Blog 1.3: Trump and DACA

1. Why is President Trump taking action over Labor Day Weekend?

Trump was under pressure to make a decision because that day, a group of Republican state officials would sue over the constitutionality of DACA.

2. Who was the DREAM Act intended to benefit?

Children who crossed to the U.S. illegally with their parents.

3. What did DACA do to help these same people?

It offered DREAMers a temporary grant of protection from deportation & a permit to work in the US.

4. What requirements do people have to meet in order to be eligible for DACA?

Immigrants had to have come to the US before 2007 and have been 15 or younger when they arrived. They have to be younger than 31 when DACA was created in June 2012. They must have a clean criminal record and be enrolled in high school or have a high school diploma and apply for DACA.

5. How was the original DREAM Act a compromise on the immigration issue?

It would allow people who had come to the US illegally as children to be able to apply for legal immigrant status and later for citizenship. 

6. Why is education hard to obtain for people who would qualify for DACA?

Those who qualify often don't meet educational requirements: they either drop out of high school without a GED or don't go beyond high school. These immigrants also are likely to be raised in low-income households and without a SSN, are unable to apply for financial aid and loans.

7. How do these obstacles cause people to "adjust their expectations"?

Many DACA recipients feel dissuaded from going to college and achieving greater things because they lose motivation. They can't imagine being able to succeed as an illegal immigrant. 

8. Why is it important to note that 25% of DACA recipients have a US born child?

These DACA recipients are fully integrated into America: they have lived here most of their lives and even have made a living, but they do not view themselves as American.

9. When Obama created the policy in 2012, what did it actually do?

It allowed young unauthorized immigrants who meet certain criteria to apply for a commitment against deportation for two years as well as a work permit. 

10. What economic impact did DACA have on those who qualified for it?

Annual earnings for DACA recipients increased 80%. Many were able to find jobs and careers suited to their education and interests. DACA recipients were able to support themselves economically and educationally. 

11. What are the states suing the federal government for?

A group of state attorney generals led by Texas is suing the government to rule DACA unconstitutional and get rid of it. 

12. What happens to people protected by DACA if Trump ends it?

These people would have to give up their jobs or continue working with the legal risk to both themselves and their employers. Students would have trouble retaining their financial aid. If DACA ends, those who were protected would be open to be arrested and deported. 

13.How did the DACA program make it easier to deport these people now?

DACA recipients had to provide extensive personal information, making them extremely easy to track down and placed in deportation proceedings.