Yo!

C.A.'s dad here.  I have been invited to post here so.

  POST!

Representative Ryan's Plan

I just went over what Representative Paul Ryan is planning to propose for the 2012 budget. I think it is great. It starts to reform: medicare, medicaid, taxes, social security, and get rid of $3 trillion dollars.  Don't take my word for it, as I would imagine no one ever does seeing as I'm just 18, see his website about it for yourself. I think it is a pretty good way to start heading in the right direction.

http://www.roadmap.republicans.budget.house.gov/

Progressive Era Essay

We recently learned about the progressive era in AP History and it was interesting to see that it wasn't just government reforming things it was private people, who were classified as progressives. What confuses me with the progressive era is when it was right for what reforms (i.e. Woman's Right to Vote) and when it was destructive reform such as in Government (i.e. Teddy Roosevelt's Square Deal)? I can tell with major reforms (such as the ones previously mentioned) if it was good or not but others, such as meatpacking plant reforms which involved creating bureaucracies,  are sometimes a gray area for me to figure out if it was right or wrong. Anyway here is the essay I wrote.  The question was something like, What and Who were the major reforms that benefited a majority of Americans during the progressive era:

The Progressive Era: A Period of Reform

            The early years of the Twentieth Century brought with them major social changes and reforms.  These changes took time and many hours to implement in order to produce beneficial results.  Men and women of the Progressive Era such as Jane Adams, Upton Sinclair, and Theodore Roosevelt all contributed to this large reform movement in their various ways.  Social critics, women's advancement reformers, and even two of our first presidents in the nineteen hundreds contributed to the reforms and changes which define the Progressive Era.

            "Muck-rakers", as they were called by Theodore Roosevelt, were some of the first to push for reform in society.  (Document G) These social critics which including Upton Sinclair, Lincoln Steffens, Jacob Riis, and Ida Tarbell were essential in bringing about social reform through their propaganda and journalism known as "muckraking".  In McClure's Magazine an editorial was written in 1904 which called for reform because of a "city employing criminals to commit crimes for the profit of the elected officials" (Document A) Reforms against machine politics in cities helped society become less oppressed at the hands of machine politicians.  Lincoln Steffens also wrote of the grievances of the political machine when he said that "the [political] machine controls the whole process of voting, and practices fraud at every stage..." (Document B).  His book, The Shame of Cities, pointed out the criminal and unethical acts of machine politicians in order to spark reform towards benefitting a majority of Americans.

            Social Critics also pointed out workplace issues that needed reform.  A man by the name of Upton Sinclair became critical in the push for better workplace regulations.  In his book, The Jungle, Sinclair pointed out the horrible conditions and many disturbing images specifically about meat processing plants.  Sinclair noted that beef often came from "old and crippled and diseased cattle...[who] had become what the men called "steerly"- which means covered in boils." (Document D) The Jungle, and its description of meat processing plants helped enact the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act.  These acts created better conditions for both the majority of food service workers and consumers in America.

            Another important aspect of the Progressive Era was that of women's suffrage and the idea of the Settlement House. The generation of women at the beginning of the twentieth century were some of the first to attend college.  However, there was not much a woman with a college degree could do professionally.  So, in order to help women advance in working options, Jane Adams began the Settlement Houses in Chicago.  With the help of Florence Kelly, Jane Adams assembled women to work in Settlement houses were they provided relief for the poor, taught personal hygiene, and essentially became America's first social workers.  The Settlement House Movement not only helped many women, but many poor people were aided as well.

            Shortly into the nineteen hundreds the movement for a women's right to vote picked up speed and momentum as women such as Jane Adams, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony realized the need for reform in society and the possibility of creating reform through voting.  It was portrayed in one poster in nineteen-fifteen that by giving women the right to vote a person would "give [their] children equal rights." (Document J)  Jane Adams contended that America's "electorate should be made up of those who bear a valiant part in...[caring]  for children." (Document E). When Women's suffrage was granted by the Nineteenth Amendment, woman benefited by being allowed to have their voice heard.  Also, much of future social reform relied on women voter's support.

            Many progressive reforms were enacted and pushed by United States Presidents.  In the Progressive Party Platform of 1912 the idea that America's "resources, it's business, its institutions, and its laws should be utilized, maintained, or altered in whatever manner will best promote the general interest" was established (Document F).  When the founder of the Progressive Party, Theodore Roosevelt, was president he pushed for and helped achieve legislation that altered business and the countries resources.  This was known as the Square Deal and through it Roosevelt became "the trustbuster" of many large corporations that he felt were taking away competition, thus destroying common interest (Document C). Woodrow Wilson, another progressive president, clarified Theodore Roosevelt's trust-busting policy by adding that he "had been dreading all along the time when the combined power of high finance would be greater than the power of the government." (Document H).  To progressives like Roosevelt and Wilson, government could and should enact reform that would benefit American society.

            Politics also became reformed through Theodore Roosevelt.  When Roosevelt established the Progressive Party he did so because he felt that "[o]ld  He felt that his Progressive Republicanism would "uphold the interests of popular government against a foolish and ill judged mock-radicalism." (Document I).  Thus, Roosevelt used government to help get rid of corruption and reform politics as well as large corporations.

            The Progressive Era was a period of reform.  Both politician and journalist, women and men, were involved in producing change that benefited many Americans in their cities, factories, and working environments.  Our way of life as Americans today has been greatly affected by the reformers of the Progressive Era.    

Envy: A Good Thing

     

 "...[I]n the hands of someone who beleives in themselves, envy can also be one of life's greatest motivators.  Jealous of the guy who's dating the girl you like?  You're motivated to lose those last ten pounds.  Jealous of your co-worker who makes more money? You're motivated to work harder and longer.  Jealous of your teammate who hits more home runs?  You're motivated to get stronger and spend more time at practice.  A distinction has to be made, however, between envy and another one of the deadly sins: greed.  Envy for the sake of simply accumulating more stuff is not what this country is all about. But envy for the sake of the reward it brings, for the chance to reap the fruits of your own labor and ideas, is exactly what this country is about."   -Glenn Beck, Broke: The Plan to Restore Our Trust, Truth and Treasure

Of Studies by Francis Bacon

We read this today in English.  After I figured out what it means, I really liked it.

OF STUDIES by Francis Bacon

      STUDIES serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. Their chief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring; for ornament, is in discourse; and for ability, is in the judgment, and disposition of business. For expert men can execute, and perhaps judge of particulars, one by one; but the general counsels, and the plots and marshalling of affairs, come best, from those that are learned. To spend too much time in studies is sloth; to use them too much for ornament, is affectation; to make judgment wholly by their rules, is the humor of a scholar. They perfect nature, and are perfected by experience: for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need proyning, by study; and studies themselves, do give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience. Crafty men contemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them; for they teach not their own use; but that is a wisdom without them, and above them, won by observation. Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider. Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention. Some books also may be read by deputy, and extracts made of them by others; but that would be only in the less important arguments, and the meaner sort of books, else distilled books are like common distilled waters, flashy things. Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man. And therefore, if a man write little, he had need have a great memory; if he confer little, he had need have a present wit: and if he read little, he had need have much cunning, to seem to know, that he doth not. Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtile; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend. Abeunt studia in mores. Nay, there is no stond or impediment in the wit, but may be wrought out by fit studies; like as diseases of the body, may have appropriate exercises. Bowling is good for the stone and reins; shooting for the lungs and breast; gentle walking for the stomach; riding for the head; and the like. So if a man’s wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics; for in demonstrations, if his wit be called away never so little, he must begin again. If his wit be not apt to distinguish or find differences, let him study the Schoolmen; for they are cymini sectores. If he be not apt to beat over matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, let him study 197 the lawyers’ cases. So every defect of the mind, may have a special receipt.

Social Security and Immigration-The Lincoln Plan

       Here are some suggestions of mine (with some input from my dad especially with Immigration) on how to solve a couple of America's biggest problems:

Social Security

       This program created by one of our most progressive presidents, FDR, is likely to be the biggest wormhole for our economy.  What I think the U. S. should do to solve Social Security is this.  First, go to a plan, similar to the one proposed by George W. Bush, were Social Security starts being payed into your own personal government account.  This would last for about ten years and part of the social security would still go to the elderly so as not to completely cut them off immediately.  Second, all money taken out of Social Security would go to your own government account for you.  This would go on for another ten years. Third, less and less money would be taken out of income for Social Security and people would be encouraged (not required or forced) to put money into their own private retirement fund. This process would last for about five years.  Last of all, the whole Social Security program will be taken away and people will have to save for their own retirement.  In the end people might not save for retirement, but that is their choice, to work the rest of their lives.  Although it would take years, my idea would get rid of Social Security in a gradual way, rather than completely dropping it altogether.

Immigration

      My plan for immigration would be as follows.  First of all, make the process of obtaining citizenship easier.  Make the cost of citizenship minimal and give no excuse for illegals to say it's too hard to come legally.  On the other hand, tighten border security to maximum capacity. Allow law enforcement to use force to stop illegals from crossing the border.  It sounds almost inhuman, but after a few examples, illegals will be more willing to come legally.  Last of all, increase the penalty for hiring an illegal immigrant to a detrimental height, such as 20,000 per illegal immigrant.  Without a job what would illegals want to come to the U. S. illegally for?


      Well these are just some of my opinions on how to deal with immigration and Social Security.  And as always things sound so good on paper, but a lot of times never really work well.

English Creative Writing Story

Here is a story I wrote for English.  My teacher had us use a story to fulfil the researce benchmark for our state.  Hopefully you'll enjoy:

From Potato Field to Battle Field

The story of the human race is war (Churchill, 102). And now the story of my life had become war, war, and more war. Every single day since January 6th 1942 had been hell, pure hell on earth. Today was no exception.

Driving through the jungles of Okinawa in my Sherman tank was like driving a tin can through an oven. Battles were even worse because of the heat coming from my tank’s 75 mm gun as it fired off rounds at Japanese bunkers (Hickman). Today we were trying to destroy a ring of bunkers, but to get into firing range we had to cross an open area that had been clear-cut by artillery. I could hardly hear my commander over the noise of battle, so I relied heavily on his feet taping my shoulders for direction. Tap left, two taps—stop, three taps—go, tap right and the tank continued on at 24 miles per hour with machine guns blaring all the way (Hickman). Bang, one shell into the hillside…a minute later another. All were sounds I had heard before. Screams of horror and pain rang out all over the place, but no one cared. Along with the ping of bullets ringing in my head, I had become numb when it came to that horrible sound of human screaming.

My commander tapped my shoulder to stop, so I obeyed. My fellow tank crew members began to unload shells and machine gun bullets at one of the Jap bunkers. When we typically stopped all I did was wait until I felt the tap of the commander’s foot and then I would drive on. Waiting there with nothing to do was torture. Deaf as I was from the canons, I could still hear screams of men dying all around my tank.

Oftentimes I would think back on my life before I was sent to this hell they call war. Now, as I sat in the driver’s seat of my Sherman I recalled the life I had before this one. I could remember the summer days in Idaho picking potatoes and sugar beets. At the time I had hated those days, but now I looked back on them with fondness. There was no shooting, dying, or screaming. There were only those potatoes and beets. Potatoes and beets, boy, did that sound good. Of course while in high school I wouldn’t have wanted to ever see another potato again, but here in the jungle canned food was the only thing to be had. A nice hot potato, it was almost too much to bear, sitting here in this hellish place.

Three taps. I awoke from my dream and faced reality, as I pushed the Sherman closer to the enemy entrenchments. Now it would really get ugly. Our tanks and men were now within one thousand yards of the bunkers.

We had been firing at one particular bunker for the past half hour and it appeared invincible. The fire coming out of that Japanese stronghold was mind blowing. I swiveled my periscope over just as the tank on our left flank was covered with dirt and smoke from a near miss. The explosion caused a tower of debris to shoot up above the tank, perhaps seventy-five feet in the air (Dick, 149). I didn’t receive the order, but I immediately backed up as I saw the closeness of the shells.

Not three minutes had passed before I saw a Japanese shell land right in the place where I had just parked the tank. We could have been dead men. I was not going to be in trouble with the commander for driving without his orders, rather he would most likely thank me for moving. I had just saved the lives of myself and my fellow crew-members. It was time to head back to a safer area for some rest.



In my tent back at camp, after I had eaten a can of beans from my K-rations, I wrote one of my usual daily letters to my younger brother:

Dear Robert,


Today, was hot. Real hot. Regarding your question as to whether you should join the army when you graduate, I will now answer.


First I want you know that this is no bed of Roses. The signs you see may sound and read good but they are nothing like the army. The minute you sign your name to that piece of paper you are no longer your own boss. Anytime someone of a higher rank tells you to do something you have got to do it no matter how it hurts you. So gets on your nerve and sometimes you get so mad that you could knock them all down and give up and quit but you know it won’t do you any good because they can court martial you and if they want then can send you to prison for the rest of your life (A. Sorenson). If at all possible don’t join the military. It controls your life and if you saw half the stuff I see here you would understand.


Anyway, I hope life at home is going well. I wish I could be there just for one meal to taste mothers baked chicken, but I’m here on this mass grave they call an island instead. Write soon.


Your Brother,


Raymond

After finishing my letter I went into my usual restless sleep just waiting to hear the sound of a Japanese night attack. Luckily the night it never came and I made it through to fight another day.

Today our mission was different. Convoy duty. My tank was to be the lead tank of a convoy of fifteen supply trucks. This was stressful driving. As the lead escort, orders were to never stop until reaching the destination. Twenty miles through a mountain pass just to take some Marines a few letters and some smokes? It didn’t make sense to me, but then again I wasn’t the smartest man. Heck, I joined this army voluntarily. How smart was that?

As I drove along the mountain rode I looked for any sign of a Japanese ambush. Then I saw it. There was a large wooden spool blocking the road. I had two options run it over and go on or stop and have some men move it. Since orders were to stop for nothing I figured I’d run it over and continue leading the convoy.

As I drove the tank closer to the spool I began to feel a little nervous. Was this a Japanese trap? I guess I would find out.

About three feet away from the spool I heard an explosion right underneath the tracks of my tank. It was an ambush! The Sherman immediately halted as its tracks were disabled. Then came the unnerving scream of Japanese soldiers, most likely drunk with false courage. This would end up being a fight for survival.

As we couldn’t go on because the tank wouldn’t move, the commander ordered us out to fight before a Japanese soldier had the opportunity to open the hatch and toss down a grenade. I grabbed my .45 ACP M3 submachine gun and took of out the hatch (Military Factory). This type of fighting was the most unnerving. The first thing I saw when I jumped out of the tank was about fifteen Japanese soldiers attacking my tank crew. The commander was in hand to hand combat with one of the soldiers and he ended up winning by stabbing him in the chest with his knife. I lifted the submachine gun and began firing at a rate of 350 rounds per minute at the remaining Japanese soldiers (Military Factory). One went down, shot through the heart, another wounded in the leg.

The gunner caught a Japanese bayonet to the right of me and without hesitation I shot his attacker. Killing was no big deal when it meant survival. I no longer thought of the Japanese as humans, but mere animals. It made killing them a little easier to do. Deaths were happening so often now that it was impossible to muster much emotion (Hughes, 3).

I continued fighting. The Japanese wouldn’t surrender. Death was all over the place. I turned and shot another Japanese soldier as he ran at me with a knife. Did they ever stop coming? I spun around and noticed a Jap climbing the tank. He began opening the hatch and in his hand I noticed a grenade. If he got into the tank to its 400 hp Continental R 975-C1 engine and blew it up, that would be the end of the Sherman and there would be no way out of the mountains but to walk fifteen miles through enemy held jungle (Hickman). I needed that tank. Tracks could be put back on, but repair a blown up engine? It wouldn’t happen. I needed to stop that Jap. I fired a shot hitting him in the shoulder. He winced in pain, but continued to raise the hatch. I jumped up onto the turret and went after him pulling out my knife. He was inside already and as I jumped down into the Sherman I felt the scream of a bullet fly past my ear. This was battle.

The Jap swung at me with a fist, but I quickly dodged the blow. Then it was my turn. I punched him right in the stomach. He bent over in pain. It was just enough time to kill him with my knife.

As he died he pulled the pin of the grenade in his hand. I quickly grabbed it and through it out the hatch, but it was almost too late. It blew up five feet in the air knocking me unconscious.



I awoke in a medical tent with a strange feeling in my head. I was alive with only a large chunk of flesh missing from my arm. I could feel the wound under its bandages. I looked around the tent and noticed a few other people were there. My commander lay in the cot next to me and I noticed he had lost an arm. He was headed home. We had survived.

Today, I was lucky to get away with what I did, only a large hole in my arm. Others were not so lucky. I had made it and I hoped I could just hold on in this hellish war until I was shipped home to Idaho for a nice home cooked meal.

Works Cited

Churchill, Winston, and James C. Humes. The Wit & Wisdom of Winston Churchill: a Treasury of More than 1,000 Quotations and Anecdotes. New York: HarperCollins, 1994. Print.

Dick, Robert C. Cutthroats: the Adventures of a Sherman Tank Driver in the Pacific. New York: Presidio / Ballentine, 2006. Print.

Hickman, Kennedy. "M4 Sherman - World War II M4 Sherman Tank." Military History - Warfare through the Ages - Battles and Conflicts - Weapons of War - Military Leaders in History. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. <http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/vehiclesarmor/p/M4Sherman.htm>.

Hughes, Dean. Since You Went Away. Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book, 2005. Print.

Sorenson, Alfred. Personal Letter. 28 November 1942

Writer, Staff. "M3A1 (Grease Gun) - Submachine Gun - History, Specs and Pictures - Military, Security, Civilian, Law Enforcement and Sporting Small Arms, Weapons and Equipment." Military Factory - Military Weapons: Cataloging Aircraft, Tanks, Vehicles, Artillery, Ships and Guns through History. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. <http://militaryfactory.com/smallarms/detail.asp?smallarms_id=65> .