1. Current Events and Other Important Topics By Ms. Rampey May 2013

2. Population Issues Large growth in population – Baby Boom!!

3. What is the Problem?? Same Baby Boom is now Aging causing a burden on younger generations… Social Security!

4. Civil Rights / Human Rights 13 th, 14 th, 15 th Amendments Civil Rights Acts, Voting Rights Acts, 24 th Amendment Have we achieved Equality for All? Emancipation Proclamation Gettysburg Address I Have a Dream Speech

5. Equality for All ? Defense of Marriage Act? Gay Rights ? Interracial Marriage?

6. Women’s Rights Continue to make strides in employment and general equality. Most recent achievements – – Military – right to fight in combat situations. – More women CEO’s than ever before. – Women Running for President (Hillary Rodam Clinton, Michelle Bachman, Sarah Palin) – Women in high ranking political postitions – Condaleza Rice – Secretary of State (GW Bush) Hillary Clinton – Secretary of State (Obama)

7. Immigration Issues Need immigrants to keep our economy growing. Without the immigrant population the U.S. would reach a negative population growth which then results in a lack of young people to support the older generation. Illegal Immigrants – – Border Control – Taxation – Dream Act

8. Stem Cell Research Research done with the stem cells of an aborted fetus or a fetus that has been grown in a lab from fertilized eggs. Ethics? What could it do? Does it work? Fears – Cloning

9. Gun Control 2 nd Amendment – Right to bear arms. 2 nd Amendment – Right to bear arms. Argument for gun control – take away or limit access? Argument for gun control – take away or limit access? Assault Weapons – Do everyday citizens need them? Assault Weapons – Do everyday citizens need them? Does the Federal, State or Local government have a right to make these decisions? Does the Federal, State or Local government have a right to make these decisions? If gun control does not stop crime what will? If gun control does not stop crime what will?

10. Social Media Positives Positives – Interaction with people all over the world. – Information instantly. – Education Negatives Negatives Easy to hide from reality. Information OVERLOAD!! Increasing weight gain in our country – lack of exercise from sitting in front of the computer.

11. Taxation Why do we need taxes? – What do taxes pay for? Is it fair to pay taxes? How should taxes be divided up? – Equal portions for all? – Current system some pay a higher percentage of their income than others.

12. Economy Tax Cuts – Goal to boost Economic Growth – George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan – Sometimes leads to large deficit in the budget because the government cannot afford to keep programs running due to loss of tax dollars. Higher Taxes – Usually Democratic Platform – Higher taxes on the wealthiest – Goal Balancing the budget – problem – Wealthy don’t want to pay.

13. Technology Advancements in technology – have taken America to lots of great places. The moon, advanced war technology, computers in our pockets, major medical advances… Bad sides of Technology – – Loss of individual ingenuity. – Loss of movement – depending on a computer for everything. – Loss of jobs – computers can do everything for us! Manual labor employees replaced by computers have a difficult time finding a new job.

14. Outsourcing Cheap Labor around the world – Leads to a shortage of manual labor jobs here in the United States.

15. Education Keeping up with the rest of the world… – For more than two decades data reports that US students are falling behind the rest of the world in Math and Science. NCLB – No Child Left Behind – supposed to solve problems of some kids or schools not making the cut. Common Core – changes curriculum to be deeper and more meaningful rather than so detail oriented. But the reality is it puts a lot more on the student to learn on their own or a lot more pressure on the teacher to get basic details taught so you can get to the deeper pieces.

16. Foreign Affairs Fall of Soviet Union 1991 – US only Superpower Focus our attention on other countries around the world that have some American interest – North Korea – Kim Jong Un – Iran – Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – Israel – Shamon Peres – Russia – Vladimir Putin

17. Recent Presidential Elections Close – often need recounts Illustrates a major division with in the country or the idea that candidates are actually too much alike. 2000 Election – Florida could not determine a winner – Recounts – Court judgments – Finally Supreme Court decides = George W. Bush

18. Changes to Political Parties Independent Party has seen a major increase in membership over the last 20 years. Why? Democrats Republicans