blog #9

1. Which political party do you most identify with?  Why?  Are there things in the party platform with which you disagree?  I think I agree most with the Republican Party because I would think there should be a smaller federal government with more rights set fourth by the states and I do think that we should keep a better handle on entitlements. There are things that I don't agree with completely like the  abortion issue because I could careless what someone does I don't think it is right but I can live my whole life and never get an abortion if I so choose.
2. Does America need political parties?  The founders originally hoped that American politics would operate without need of parties?  Would that work today?  Why? I do think we need parties for the sake of elections I think that to reach the people in this day you need a lot of money and you have to have an organized effort to do it otherwise only rich would be able to get there name out
3. Please research lesser known political parties - which one do you most identify with?  Why?
I like the Libertarian party I like the views on tax reform and there I ideas on limited government. I like the idea of having more control over my life without having rules put on others and vice versa. I think socially liberal and fiscally conservative rings true with what my bottom line view is, this keeps the government keeping there check book in order and does not allow them to force any social issues on me.

Chapter 7

1. Does objectivity still exist in the media's coverage of politics?  Of the major news outlets (CNN, FoxNews, MSNBC, NPR, NBC, etc.), which are the most objective and which seem to have the most bias?
2. How does talk radio (Rush Limbaugh, Keith Olbermann, etc.) affect your view of politics?  Why?
3. Is media objectivity important?  Why or why not?

I do not think that objectivity exists completely in any of the news organizations and this is because there is someone who owns it who has a bias in someway, I do think that there is a degree of lean with reporters but how far they can lean depends on which organization they work for if they go against the grain they usually end up switching news stations, I think CNN is fairly even not that they are objective but they have some left and right talking points so it balances out a little were as most others seem to go just one way. I prefer talk radio it seems that it is a little more hard newsmaybe because they do not spend much time on make up. I think that talk radio is more interactive that is why it affects views a little more you have people call in and sometimes they are so uninformed that it almost drives you crazy, I feel more engaged even if I am not calling in I am listening to a conversation not words just repeated off of a teleprompter. I do think being objective is important because it lets the officials know that they are being watched and since they fight back and fourth with such fire I do think there are few things they get away with some people probably are criticized unjustly just for ratings.

commented on Cassandra Kunsman
Megan Biggs
Nathan Tollett

post chapter 6

1. Is American news media too dependent upon polls?  Is it appropriate for news agencies to create polls and then report on them?  Why or why not? I think that the media uses polls to give a backing for stories they want to tell. If they are for or against something I think that is what they use to prove points, invoke conversation, and stir controversy.  They have become so dependent on them they have polls for everything I would not be surprised if they don’t have a poll for how people react to polls.

2. How important is political party identification to you (e.g. as a Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, etc.)?  Was it more or less important to your parents & grandparents?  Does it seem more or less important to your friends?  Why or why not?  Party identification is not that important to me, I would think that is was more important to people of past generations because they had a closer tie to social issues of classes of people when there was less of a middle class and more of a blue collar VS white collar agenda. Most of my friends seem to be the same most call themselves independent or libertarian but truth is I think they don’t even vote. Politics seems to be like a reality show that keeps regurgitating the same talking points.

3. Do you feel that you opinion of politics is more influenced by economic issues or by social issues?  Why? I think social issues only because if you watch the news that is what seems to be talked about it is if the president had a beer with some Joe or if the first lady has a recipe let’s not forget who in office has the juiciest sex scandal. To even listen to politicians talk is so frustrating you almost have to just change the channel I would like for once for someone to bring some numbers to a conversation or even wheel in a chalk board it is like listening to a child give you excuses why they over spent on their checking account, you never hear the truth sorry I messed up I could have done better.

posted on Jenna MCcarty
                   Nathan Tollett
                   Donna Spradlin