Political Cartoon 1

1.)  H. Payne drew the cartoon.

2.) It was published in the Washington Times on November 17, 2009. Found on page A21

3.) This cartoon mocks Obama's health care plan. 

4.) The cartoon shows an average looking man posing for 2 mug shots. The bottom caption reads "For not buying health insurance." Instead of the box where his name would be, it says HR 3962 which is the name of the health reform bill. The cartoonist is expressing his disapproval of the requirement under the new health care bill that all Americans would be required to buy health care. This average man is being arrested just because he doesn't want to buy the government health care.

5.) I agree with the cartoonist. I don't think a person should be arrested just because they don't want to use a generic government health care policy. I think that Americans should have the right to choose their own policy.

Cartoon on page A21 of Washington Times. 

Qualities for HHS Principal

Herndon is a very diverse community and I think that the new principal needs to understand this and be able to get along well with all the students. I would definitely not want our principal to think that he is the boss of the students or that he is on a high pedestal and never needs to talk to us. I've seen a lot of principals and administrators come and go and the best ones have been the people that are social with the students and actually know our names and like to chat with us. That makes them seem less like an obnoxious adult and more like a cool person. The new principal should be committed to his/her job here at Herndon High and be willing to stick around for awhile :)

I feel like students at Herndon High have suffered from having so many different principals. I never really realized how important it would be to stick with the same rules and person in charge until the principals kept changing.

I hope that the new principal is very successful and thanks to Mr. Cooper for subbing!

Free Choice! Voter Turnout

I wanted to do some research about voter turnout because of the elections coming up this week.

Poll numbers show that McDonell (R) is ahead in the VA polls which is surprising after many Democratic victories last year. In the 2008 elections, there was a significant increase in voter turnout among young people, blacks, and Hispanics. Traditionally, voting percentages are highest in the Midwest.

This year, low black turnout threatens the Democratic candidates in Virginia and New Jersey. Experts think this is because they are grappling with job loss and uncertainty about Obama's health care plan.

I think it's surprising that Black Democrat turnout numbers are decreasing. I expected that demographic to be very active this year because of Obama's 2008 victory.

Young people are the least likely to vote, so I encourage everyone who is eligible to vote tomorrow!

Current Event #6- Man Fired for Patriotic Pin

A cashier for a Florida Home Depot named Trevor Keezor was fired on Friday for wearing a pin on his apron that says "One nation under God, indivisible."

Keezor said that he had worn the button for over a year to support American troops, especially his brother who was in Iraq. He also said that after he started reading his Bible at lunch, Home Depot asked him to remove the pin. Home Depot defended its actions by saying that employees are not allowed to publicly state personal beliefs and that the button was a violation of the dress code.

Kara Skorupa, Keezor's lawyer plans to sue Home Depot. She said "There are federal and state laws the protect against religios discrimination. It's not like he was out in the aisles preaching to people."

Unfortunately for Skorupa and Keezor, it will be difficult to win a lawsuit of religious discrimination. Home Depot is a private business so they don't have to abide by the free speech provisions of the First Amendment. Furthurmore, Keezor's button is not a traditional form of a religious display.

Click here for the article.