AP Government Class Teams with Radio Station to Host Mayoral Debate by Peyton O.

A local Mayoral Debate was held in the small town of Ozark on Tuesday, October the 23rd. Ozark High School’s AP U.S. Government and Politics class, led by Mrs. Tracy Dawa, teamed up with KDYN Radio to host the debate. Ozark currently has three candidates running for mayor, Roxie Hall, Steve Whiteaker, and TR McNutt. However, Mr. McNutt did not participate in the debate because of an already scheduled eye surgery. There was a total of 18 questions asked during the debate. Both candidates were given the opportunity to speak for every question. Both candidates performed well, but one prevailed over the other. Steve Whiteaker provided a lot of accurate information and facts and used that information to show how he would help Ozark if elected Mayor. Mrs. Hall just generally agreed to what Mr. Whiteaker was saying. Mrs. Hall rarely supplied her own plans or ideas for the town, rather relying on her friends and family to vote her in. Steve said that he planned on spending the millions of dollars in reserves so Ozark can apply for more federal funding. I think that this idea will help Ozark overall because it gives us more money to spend in the long run.  Most people in attendance agreed that Mr. Whiteaker won the debate.

Honduras Caravan Coming to the US by Elizabeth B.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/10/23/migrant-caravan-president-trump-mexico-us-mexico-border-immigration-central-america-honduras/1736274002/

A group of Central American migrants are on the move heading through Mexico and on their way to the Mexican and US border. Starting their journey on October 13 they embarked on their long expedition to America. As of right now they have estimated a high of 7,200 or more migrants on their way. The first group of migrants arrived in a small town in southern Mexico on Monday night. They had many reasons to leave Honduras, but the main ones were to get away from government corruption, extreme poverty, and rampant violence. Even though these migrants are wanting to better their life, it is a concern for President Trump and the nation. As of right now Trump’s plan is to send troops to the border and block the caravan. He is referring to the expedition as an assault on our country. The main concern is the November midterm elections coming up and all of these immigrants coming over. This is also going against Trump’s immigration policies that he has so strongly enforced. Trump has made numerous statements about how he believes the Democrats are to blame for this and that they are launching an attack on the sovereignty of our country. Are Democrats responsible for the migrants coming over? Is this good or bad for our country? What would be some good reasons for them to be allowed to come over?

Suspicious Packages by Kalli B.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/suspicious-package-found-at-clintons-home-police-say

Wednesday two suspicious packages were “intercepted” by the Secret Service. These packages that were sent to former President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were identified as “potential explosive devices.” First, the FBI was investigating the package sent to Bill and Hillary Clinton’s home in Chappaqua, New York. According to the Secret Service, the package that was addressed to Clinton was caught late Tuesday and the second package addressed to Obama was “intercepted by secret service personnel in Washington, DC” on Wednesday morning.  An explosive device was found in the mailbox of George Soros, causing a security scare. It is still unclear if any of these incidents are related. CNN employees have said that they were evacuated from their office in New York after a suspicious package was reportedly placed at the Time Warner Center. In a statement made by the Secret Service it said, “The packages were immediately identified during routine mail screening procedures as potential explosive devices and were appropriately handled as such. The protectees did not receive the packages nor were they at risk of receiving them.” A criminal investigation has been launched to determine the source of the packages.

How do you feel about this? Why do people feel like they should do this? Do you think the person will be caught?

North Korea Sends Soldiers Home by Gabby S.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/us-sends-home-korean-war-remains-handed-over-by-north-korea/2018/08/01/087e210e-9570-11e8-8ffb-5de6d5e49ada_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.e25f2999518f

North Korea sent a mass of 50 boxes of remains of American soldiers from the Korean War, over 60 years ago. There were believed to be about 50 soldier remains in total, a mere 1% of the total carnage of that devastating war so long ago. A number of military supplies that belonged to the deceased soldiers were included in the boxes.

This transaction occurred soon after the Singapore 2018 summit meeting between Trump and Kim Jong Un, where they discussed many trade alliances and agreements between the two countries. It has been known that Trump very much admires Kim, and has praised his leadership and judgment. During the ceremony in Hawaii at the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickman, Vice President Pence said “What we see today is tangible progress in our efforts to keep peace on the Korean Peninsula. But today is just the beginning.” This leads the American people to believe that The United States and North Korea have a political alliance, which makes some Americans feel safe and some apprehensive.

Is this a step in the right direction? Or should we be wary about whom we align ourselves with? Do you believe that this relationship between the two nations is beneficial for America?

Democrats Have a Greater Chance of Taking Over the House of Representatives by Gunner F.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/chances-of-gop-maintaining-control-of-house-of-representatives-narrowing-pollster-nate-silver-predicts

Democrats to Republicans in the current House of Representatives.

The House of Representatives while in session.

Nate Silver, a political forecaster has estimated that Democrats have an 86% chance of taking over the House of Representatives in the November elections. He says that the chances of GOPs retaining control of the House of Representatives is narrowing down. This means that come election time in November, that the Republican party could potentially be outnumbered by Democrats in the House of Representatives. 

This situation is good for the Democratic party, but bad for Republicans. Some people are having a hard time trusting polls after Donald Trump won during the 2016 Presidential election, even though polls had President Trump losing by a lot. Even though the current numbers show Democrats ahead in the polls, Nate Silver says that there is still a small possibility for the Republicans to come back and win. 

The White House now gets to deal with trying to win the battle, so that more Republicans can get elected in November. Since Trump is Republican, hopefully Republicans will keep control over the House. If Democrats have a majority of the say, I think that nothing will get accomplished within the House since they constantly bump heads with President Trump. As of August, there were 193 Democrats and 237 Republicans in the House of Representatives. How Americans vote in November will affect a lot within our nation such as lawmaking, relationships between the two parties, and other things. 

If the Democrats take over the House, how do you think this will affect lawmaking? How can we get the Democrats and Republicans to work together? How do you feel about this situation?

Rare Moment of Unity by Marissa J.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/10/03/opioids-senate-passes-legislation-battle-nations-opioid-crisis/1515372002/

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/03/politics/senate-opioids-legislation/index.html

A legislation for an Opioid Epidemic was approved by a 98-1 in the Senate and is being sent being sent to President Trump for his signature. It is a rare moment between republicans and democrat lawmakers to both agree on the legislation. The house passed it 393-8. Opioids are a devastating crisis and have an impact all across the U.S. The National Institute of Drug Abuse reports that at least 115 people die from an opioid overdose a day. If the legislation passed it would require the centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to implement programs for prevention and treatment of opioid addictions including drug management to prevent over prescribing. Senator Mike Lee was the only no on the legislation. 

Why would Mike say no?
Do you think passing the legislation will really help with the issue?
Do you think that democrats and republicans will team up again any time soon?

Petrochemical Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Plastic Pollution by Graysen G.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/04/climate/climate-change-plastics.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fpolitics

When you go to a beach, what do you expect to see, to feel? Plastic bottles floating in the water, or aluminium cans crunching under your feet? With greenhouse gas emissions from the petrochemical industry-which includes plastic, medical equipment, and fertilizer- increasing, our climate has very little time left. Reductions that other industries have been intemplimenting could be completely useless and undone if these emissions continue. It has been estimated that greenhouse gas emissions from petrochemicals alone would increase 20% by 2030, and 30% by 2050.  The biggest climate footprint of all will come from the plastic produced by this industry. With around 300 million metric tons of plastic items produced yearly, our climate is in serious danger.

Americans are a huge part of climate endangerment. Each American uses and throws away around 185 pounds of plastic each year. Environmentalists are very adamant to preserve our country and have begun to advocate to replace plastic drinking straws, shopping bags, and water bottles with more environmentally friendly options.  However some plastics cannot be replaced so easily. For example IV drips were originally made of glass, but were eventually traded for plastic because it is cheaper and less likely to shatter. Hospitals need these parts to correctly run their facilities, no matter how unfriendly to the environment they are.

Should the government try and regulate greenhouse gas emissions? Are the environmental policies already set in place working? How could you personally reduce your petrochemical use? How can America replace plastics that are not easily replaced?

Borrower Defense Rule Goes into Effect by Dougie D.

https://apple.news/ATwlKMs9vR-eniC2MtMmTqg

A judge ruled on Tuesday, October 16th that an Obama-era set of consumer protections for defrauded students will go into effect immediately. The Trump administration along with the for-profit college sector made multiple attempts to delay this regulation.

Now that the regulation, known as borrower defense, is in effect, there is an easier process through which defrauded students can have their federal student loans cancelled. Certain students whose schools closed while they were enrolled will be entitled to an automatic discharge of their debt. On top of all that, schools that receive federal funding can't force their students into arbitration (settling disputes outside of court) or require them to forgo class actions.

More than 160,000 students claim to the government that their school defrauded them and more cases keep coming in. Almost all claims come from for-profit schools (there are about 7,000 of which in the US).

The regulation was announced in 2016 by the Obama administration, aiming at canceling the debt of those with degrees from schools that misled or deceived them.

The regulation will affect the American people by giving 160,000 defrauded American students an easier way to go about getting their federal loans cancelled. Do you side with Trump and the for-profit colleges on this situation? Or do you feel that this regulation brought justice upon defrauded students?

U.S.- Saudi Arabia Arms Deal by Gavin S.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/15/saudi-arabia-top-us-weapons-buyer-but-doesnt-spend-as-much-as-trump-boasts.html

During a CBS “60 Minutes” interview on Sunday, President Trump announced that he was disinterested in abandoning the U.S. arms deal with Saudi Arabia despite the disappearance of Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi. Saudi Arabia is currently America's No. 1 weapons buyer, accounting for almost 18% of total U.S. arms sales between 2013 and 2017. The Saudis have purchased nearly $9 billion worth of arms from the United States but is nowhere near the $110 billion sales projection President Trump has spoken of. The State Department announced that Riyadh has the intentions to purchase the projected amount of arms but the money hasn't come through yet. 

Trump cited national relations as the reason for refusing to potentially place sanctions on Saudi Arabia due to Khashoggi's disappearance. Saudi Arabia's oil empire is one of America's most crucial partners in the Middle East and large patron of American defense companies. Sanctions would jeopardize the arms deal and possibly disrupt positive relations between the two countries. Trump additionally cited that blocking arms sales would hurt jobs in defense companies such as Lockheed, Boeing, and Raytheon. Despite this, many have criticized Trump for selling arms to Saudi Arabia. However, under the Obama administration the U.S. offered over $115 billion in weapons to Saudi Arabia. 

Do you feel that the arms deal will be beneficial to both the U.S. and Saudi Arabia? How will the arms deal affect relations between both nations? Is the arms deal even a good idea?

Pocahontas or Elizabeth Warren by Caroline J.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-calls-on-warren-to-apologize-for-heritage-fraud-mocks-bogus-dna-test

Video: http://video.foxnews.com/v/5849418175001

Elizabeth Warren, a senator from Massachusetts, has claimed to be Native American. It is believed that she has used this to further her career. After taking a DNA test it was proven that she was 1/1024, or .09 percent Native American. European Americans average 0.18 percent Native American, so Warren is below the national average. Stanford geneticist Carlos Bustamante, who conducted her DNA test, told the Boston Globe that “the results strongly support the evidence of an unadmixed  American ancestor” dating back six to 10 generations.

The media is speculating that Warren has decided to conduct the DNA test and get the issue of her Native American blood, or lack thereof, to rest before the 2020 presidential election because she plans to run for president.

President trump has tweeted on this issue calling warren the bad version of Pocahontas and calling her claims to being native american a lie. Republicans are criticizing her saying that she had no right to claim minority status.

If it is believed that she does have the right to claim minority status many americans would also be able to claim minority status. This could affect scholarships and advancement in career like Elizabeth Warren used the claim. This could change the way minorities are looked at in our country. What is considered as diversity would change.

Cherokee Nation called her out on her claims saying, “Current DNA tests do not even distinguish whether a person’s ancestors were indigenous to North or South America.”

Does Elizabeth Warren have the right to claim minority status? If she ran in the 2020 presidential election do you believe she would have a chance? Did President Trump react appropriately to this situation?

California Passes Bill To Expunge Old Marijuana Convictions by Doug D.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/california-marijuana-expunge-convictions-passes_us_5b7f02efe4b0348585febd0f

On Wednesday, August 29th, California lawmakers passed a bill that provides a legal framework to wipe out previous marijuana convictions.

The bill, named AB 1793, would force California's DOJ to review the records of cannabis convictions eligible for “recall or dismissal of sentence, dismissal and sealing, or re-designation” under current marijuana laws. 

A Drug Policy Alliance study found that nearly 500,000 Californians were arrested on marijuana charges between 2006 and 2015. California first legalized medical marijuana in 1996 and passed a proposition legalizing recreational use in 2016. 

If Gov. Jerry Brown signs the bill, state officials have until July 1, 2019 to complete a list of eligible cases for recall. Prosecutors will have a year from then to decide which cases they will challenge. There are more than 218,000 convictions that could be potentially wiped out or downgraded under the new law. 

Do you think it’s right to expunge old marijuana convictions where it is now legally recreationally? 

Bump Stock by Jesse F.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-guns-bumpstocks/trump-says-close-to-finalizing-effective-ban-on-gun-bump-stocks-idUSKCN1MB3C3

President Trump stated on Monday of this week that his administration is “knocking out bump stocks,” referring to a weapon attachment that allows semi-automatic weapons to fire continuously. According to Trump, the legislation that would effectively ban such attachments is “in the final two or three weeks” of completion.

Bump stocks have been strongly condemned by many political commentators since they came in the news a while back. Reuters points out that the perpetrator of the Las Vegas shooting last year used bump stocks on twelve of his guns, allowing him to fire hundreds of rounds per minute, and that while fully-automatic weapons are already banned in the United States, bump stocks are not.

If it is true that this legislation will effectively ban bump stocks, then it should be harder for criminals to use firearms that can fire continuously, possibly decreasing mass gun violence.

Is banning bump stocks a necessity, or is there a possible justification for their use? How effective would this legislation be at lowering mass gun violence? Is there any more legislation on this topic that one could argue should be introduced as well? And if so, what, and why?

Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds by Graysen G.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/22/us/politics/immigrants-green-card-public-aid.html

In September, Trump announced that green cards could be denied to those who legally get food and housing benefits. This is because these necessary resources are seen as a drain for America. This regulation is not meant to affect those already with their citizenship status, but many fear that it will. These immigrants will likely stop using their benefits to protect their status. Any immigrant seen as a ‘public charge’ cannot become a legal resident due to the new policy. This new regulation is estimated to affect around 328,000 people yearly.

This could also affect our nation's economy. Workers and students with temporary visas are also being affected and therefore are not allowed to do their jobs or participate in things they normally would due to this regulation. Activists predict that these immigrants will slowly start dropping out of public assistant programs even if it means losing food, shelter, and medicine. Withdrawing from these programs will also affect the children of these immigrants. In fear of keeping their families together, parents will take their children out of these programs that provide needed resources. This new policy could even harm those with mental disabilities and the elderly by not giving them the necessary medicine they need.

Do you think these necessities are a burden for our country to provide? Are things like medicare and food stamps providing too much aid to immigrants? How do you think immigrants dropping out of aid programs will affect our country?

Trump Engaged in Suspect Tax Schemes by Marissa J.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-engaged-in-suspect-tax-schemes-as-he-reaped-riches-from-his-father/ar-BBNQIfU

In the 1990s President trump participated in dubious tax schemes including fraud that increased the fortune from his parents tremendously. The New York Times investigated the accusations. Records show that trump helped his father take improper tax deduction worth millions more. The president's parents transferred well over $1 billion in wealth to their children which could have produced a tax bill of at least $550 million under the 55% tax rate on gifts and inheritances. Trump refused to release his income tax returns even though past presidents made it a practice. In 1987 Trump’s loan debt to his father was at least $11 million. Canceling the debt would have resulted in him having to pay millions in taxes. Father and son found another solution which involved an unreported multimillion-dollar gift and a potentially illegal tax write-off. It is an open secret that the evasion of gift taxes is rampant and rarely prosecuted. Times found evidence that trump dodged hundreds of millions of dollars in gift taxes by submitting tax returns that grossly undervalued his gifts. According to tax experts, it is highly unlikely that Trump would be vulnerable to criminal prosecution because the act happened too long ago and are past the statute of limitations.

Should there be a statue of limitation on tax evasion?
Should trump have higher morals since he is the president?
Should he be prosecuted for helping his parents evade taxes?

Updating NAFTA by Elizabeth B.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/10/01/us-canada-mexico-just-reached-sweeping-new-nafta-deal-heres-whats-it/?utm_term=.302bf602af87
After a year of negotiation, the North American Free Trade Agreement was updated.  This agreement involves not only the United States, but also Canada and Mexico.  This agreement first came to light in 1994 and governs more than $1.2 trillion worth of trade.  The new changes that will be made will not go into effect until the year 2020.

One of the changes that will take place is first and foremost a name change.  The trade agreement will now be the United States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement (USMCA).  Another main purpose of the new deal is to get rid of tariffs.  In 2020 more car and truck parts will be made in either the US, Mexico, or Canada.  It will be required for at least 75 percent of the parts to be made in any of the three nations. 

Not only does this deal involve the parts, but it also involves the employees.  It is going to increase their pay to at least $16 an hour.  This will be an amazing boost to the economy. It is not only going to help the economy, but the environment as well.  The USMCA is going to require higher safety regulations for transporting goods over from Mexico to the US.  It is also going to make it more easier to organize and form a union for the Mexican workers. 

Will the deal will help the nations?  Will it help the economy?  Did the deal need to be updated?

U.S. and Canada Reach Trade Deal to Salvage NAFTA by Kalli B.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/30/us/politics/us-canada-nafta-deal-deadline.html

In the late hours of Sunday night, the United States and Canada reached a last-minute deal to salvage the North American Free Trade Agreement. Tense talks helped to overcome the deep division and strained relations that have formed over the last year in attempt to keep the 25-year-old pact alive. The deal would allow U.S. farmers greater accessibility to the Canadian dairy market. Our workers, farmers, and ranchers will be involved in a “high standard trade agreement that will result in freer markets, fairer trade, and robust economic growth in our region.” Also, according to officials from both countries, it will address concerns regarding potential U.S. auto tariffs.

The deal has also taken on a new name. It will now be called the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The deal will “strengthen the middle class, and create good, well-paying jobs and new opportunities for the nearly half billion people that call North America home,” said U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. The USMCA was a win for President Trump. Trump has praised this agreement by posting on Twitter, “The USMCA is a historic transaction.” and saying that “it is a great deal for all three countries.”

This is a big deal for the United States. It is important for the well-being of our farmers and ranchers. I believe that the USMCA will be very beneficial for the U.S. economy and help boost the free markets for dairy farmers and other agriculturalists, as well as businesses.

What is your opinion on the USMCA? How do you think it will affect the United States? Will it be beneficial for all three countries?