Scottish Independence Claim #2

 

Desired Resolution:

Scotland should remain part of the British monarch and live by the laws of the U.K and European Union.

Scotland isn’t able to form a liable means of income other than the oil, which is controlled by Britain and will eventually run out since the richest reserves have already been plundered (debate.org, para 1). Unemployment is also currently at a high in Scotland and those numbers will only rise if the economy of Scotland can’t support big business and if the British cannot support their economy (debate.org, para 5).

References:

Should Scotland become an independent nation? (2013). Debate.org. Retrieved November 4, 2013, from http://www.debate.org/opinions/should-scotland-become-an-independent-nation

Edward Snowden Blog Post 6 and 7

Triggering Event:
In 2013, Edward Snowden declassified thousands of top secret documents detailing the mass surveillance systems of the United States, Israeli, and British governments.

Conclusion:
Although Edward Snowden’s actions were rash, he did the American people a favor.

Premise Claim 1:
McCullagh, D. (2013, June 15). NSA spying flap extends to contents of us phone calls. Retrieved from http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57589495-38/nsa-spying-flap-extends-to-contents-of-u.s-phone-calls/
Edward Snowden’s actions were merited because the NSA was overstepping its power (McCullagh 2013).
A: Domestic wiretapping B: Tapping German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s phone.

Premise Claim 2:
Cummings, W. (2013, November 4). Snowden justifies leaks in ‘manifesto’. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/11/04/snowden-manifesto/3429851/
Edward Snowden had no other motive than to inform the American people the extent of their government’s abuse of power (Cummings, 2013).
A: Gave all further documents to American journalist B: Report say there is a 0% chance that Chinese or Russian governments have any documents

Blog Post 7

Stephanie Ratzlaff

Blog post 7

 

In the argument of same-sex marriage some people say that DOMA is a conditional law and should be upheld as a law. Here is some evidence to support that, “There is nothing in our Constitution that mandates same-sex “marriage.” The law reflects timeless realities of human nature and family structure. It is unquestionably constitutional. And families, as they have always been understood, still matter.” (Perkins, 2011) What should the federal government recognize as marriage? “For federal purposes, the basic human condition of joining a man and a woman in a long-term relationship and the only one which is inherently capable of producing another generation of humanity. Whether that understanding is to continue is for the American people to decide via their choices in electing the Congress and the President. It is not for the Judiciary to search for new standards by which to negate a rational expression of the nation via the Congress.” (Whelan, 2013)

 

Bibliography

Perkins, T. (2011, 3 14). USA News and World Report . The Defense of Marriage Act Is Constitutional , p. 1.

Whelan, E. (2013, 3 21). National Review Online. Clinton Judicial Appointee: DOMA Is Constitutional , p. 1.

 

Blog Post 6 DOMA

Stephanie Ratzlaff

Blog Post 6

 

In the argument of same-sex marriage some people say that DOMA is unconditional and should not be in law. Here is some evidence to support that, “The federal statute is invalid, for no legitimate purpose overcomes the purpose and effect to disparage and to injure those whom the State, by its marriage laws, sought to protect in personhood and dignity,” Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion. “By seeking to displace this protection and treating those persons as living in marriages less respected than others, the federal statute is in violation of the Fifth Amendment.” (unknown, 2013) “Justice Anthony Kennedy, speaking for the 5-4 majority, said DOMA was unconstitutional because it violated the right to liberty and to equal protection for gay couples. “By seeking to displace this protection and treating those persons as living in marriages less respected than others, the federal statute” violates the Constitution, he said

Four years ago, several gay couples who were married in Massachusetts launched a lawsuit to challenge DOMA, arguing it denied them equal protection of the laws. They won before a federal judge in Boston and before the federal appeals court there.” (Savage, 2013)

Bibliography

Savage, D. G. (2013, 6 26). Los Angeles Times. Gay marriage ruling: Supreme Court finds DOMA unconstitutional , p. 2.

unknown. (2013, 6 26). Huffington Post. Supreme Court DOMA Decision Rules Federal Same-Sex Marriage Ban Unconstitutional , p. 3.

 

Scottish Independence Claim

Desirable Resolution:

Scotland would gain its independence and be completely free of British control.

Scotland is able to hold its own and it can support itself economically and politically. The Scottish National Party is currently at the height of its popularity and was already in charge of the minority government running Scotland’s internal affairs before (Gallagher, 2012). The Scottish are also leaning towards a society rooted in religious activism and a successful education system instead of a consumer society, so they are not worried about finding a replacement for the income from British oil (Gallagher, 2012).

References:

Gallagher, T. (2012, April 13). The rapid and unlikely rise of Scotland’s independence movement. The Atlantic. Retrieved October 17, 2013, from http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/04/the-rapid-and-unlikely-rise-of-scotlands-independence-movement/255854/

Blog Post 6

What do you claim is the direct cause of your conflict?

Conclusion Claim: Too Many Immigrants Are Coming Into The United States Illegally.

Premise Claim: According to (Preston, 2013)  “there are about 11.7 million immigrants living in the United States illegally.” (para 1).

Premise Claim 2: According To  (Dinan, 2013) “The number of illegal immigrants in the U.S. is actually closer to 20 million,  according to former Border Control agents who issued a letter this weekend disputing the count of 11  million that the government and most top private demographers use.” (para 1).

Reference List

Preston, J. (2013, September 23). Number of illegal immigrants in the U.S may be on the rise again, estimates say. The New York Times, p.1.

Dinan, S. (2012, September 9). Nearly 20 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., former border patrol agents say. The Washington Times, p.1.