Walmart to close 154 stores in the US; 10,000 workers affected (5)

Walmart is closing stores around the U.S.                                       beforeitsnews.com

At the end of the month, Walmart is closing more than 135 of their stores in the United States. These stores account for less than 1 percent of its global revenue, so they are closing them down. More than 95% of the stores that are going to close are within 10 miles of another Walmart. Most of the Walmarts closing are Walmart Expresses, which were opened as a test in 2011. By closing these 135 stores around the U.S., more than 10,000 workers are being affected.

Fox News: Walmart to close 154 stores in the US; 10,000 workers affected

Earmarks, Logrolling, and Pork Barrel Make-up Work

1. Earmarks: a legislative (especially congressional) provision that directs approved funds to be spent on specific projects, or that directs specific exemptions from taxes or mandated fees. Origin: England, meaning "to set aside money for a special purpose".

• An example is the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) signed last year. This $787 billion act was supposed to provide earmark funding for "shovel-ready" projects that would help get Americans back to work. However, they added a $3.4 million "turtle-crossing" project to be constructed under Highway 27, so that they can cross safely. This is an example of an earmark because they added this act in to make more people, environmentalist, vote for it. 
• Earmarks are legal, accepted, and commonly used. Politicians don't want to rid earmarking because they can use it to their advantage, even if someone else uses it to their disadvantage. 

2. Logrolling: the trading of favors, such as vote trading by legislative members to obtain passage of actions of interest to each legislative member. Origin: American English, from the notion of neighbors on the frontier helping one another with the heavy work of clearing land and building cabins. No body falls off the log- they keep it rolling.

• An example of logrolling is the Hurricane Sandy Disaster realsease act. Conservatives voted against the aid because there was so much unnecessary stuff tagged onto the bill. This made the Conservatives look extremely bad because who would vote against aid for a hurricane? However, all the Democrats passed it because it was a helpful act for the Hurricane Sandy Disaster that appealed to the public, but they tagged on a lot of extra things.
• Logrolling is legal, accepted to who uses it, not accepted to those effected by it because it is a corrupt practice, and it is commonly used.  

3. Pork Barrel: a metaphor for the appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured sole or primary to ring money to a representative's district. The term is used in derogatory fashion to attack opponents in election campaigns. Origin: American English. 

• An example of pork-barreling is when Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa received $7.2 million for his self-untitled program, the Harkin Grant Program, which benefitted Iowa's public schools.
• Pork Barreling Politics has been used since the 1800's, so it is a very common practice. 

Each of these three concepts are connected because they are all corrupt, the legislators doing it are all after their own agenda to get stuff done for their sake. Most of the things they do is wasteful spending. Tax-payers deserve to be treated better than this. Logrolling refers to the how a few people work together to "stay on a log and make it roll around" right. They work together to pass what they want for the "good" of each other. Pork Barreling and Earmarks do not refer to the act of working together, instead they both use funding for their own benefit. Earmarking is regularly called earmarks, so they are very similar. 

Fiorina knocks Clinton's tech IQ (4)

Carly Fiorina, former HP CEO                                              www.ibtimes.com

During the Thursday evening Republican primary debate, Carly Fiorina challenged Hillary Clinton's understanding of tech issues. She repeatedly mocked her for her responses to questions about her email system. Fiorina is the former HP CEO, so she is an expert in technology. She retaliated to Clinton about a comment made in August, "We need a President who understands technology in the Oval Office. Mrs. Clinton, actually you cannot wipe a server with a towel". This comment was when Clinton casually diverted a question on whether her server had been wiped clean or not.

Fox News: Fiorina knocks Clinton's tech IQ: 'You cannot wipe a server with a towel'

Mexico moving recaptured drug lord 'El Chapo' from cell to cell (3)

El Chapo stands for his prison mugshot

Six months ago, El Chapo escaped from a maximum security prison through a tunnel. He was recaptured on Friday and is being held in the same prison in which he escaped in. The prison has 24-hour video surveillance of El Chapo in all parts of his cell. He has also been moved eight times since he was recaptured. He only spends hours or a couple of days in the same cell. El Chapo has escaped two previous times, which is embarrassing for the government of Mexico. Now, Mexico is doing everything they can to keep El Chapo from escaping again. The U.S. has sought his extradition, however, Mexican officials have said this process could take a year. 

Fox News: Mexico moving recaptured drug lord 'El Chapo' from cell to cell

Iranian footage shows US sailor apology, arrest in Gulf incident (2)

U.S. Sailors Surrendering to Iranian officials                    www.nydailynews.com

Apparently, 10 U.S. sailors drifted into Iranian waters, causing Iranian officials to board their ships and arrest them. In the process, Iranian government officials recorded the incident as a propaganda tool. In the images, the sailors are helplessly on their knees with their hands behind their heads and on the video, a U.S. sailor is apologizing for drifting into Iranian territorial waters. These images and clips promoted by Iranian media is very embarrassing for the U.S. It makes us look weak.

Fox News: Iranian footage shows US sailor apology, arrest in Gulf incident

Powerball Lottery Jackpot at $1.5 Billion; Winning Numbers Drawing Wednesday (1)

Powerball, The Largest Jackpot in the History of the World.                 www.ksfy.com 

The Powerball has the biggest jackpot, of $1.5 billion, in the history of the world. On Tuesday, there was $326.5 million in sales. Wednesday is predicted to have $600 million in sales, and by rush hour, the lottery is estimating tickets will be sold at more than $1.3 million every minute. Steven Richardson, a Powerball hopeful, proclaims that "it's a chance. You got to play to win. So it's just taking a chance". If he wins, Richardson plans to donate to charity. If the Powerball jackpot rolls over, the next drawing will be Saturday night.

ABC7: Powerball Lottery Jackpot at $1.5 Billion

Make Up Work

MAKE-UP WORK – AP GOV 1/12/1

The bill I researched, the African Elephant Conservation and Legal Ivory Possession Act of 2015, came for the committee House Natural Resources, Federal Lands Committee. Committees hold meetings to investigate problems and to oversee the executive branch. By doing this, they control the congressional agenda and guide legislation. There are four types of committees; standing committees, joint committees, conference committees, and select committees. The House Natural Resources, Federal Lands Committee investigated problems with African elephant conservation and decided to create a bill to protect them.
I think the words specialized, overlapping, and partisan are the three words that best describe committees. Committees are very specialized. There are an immense amount of committees for an immense amount of issues. Committees also are overlapping. Committees are overlapping with each other, often times they are addressing the same issues. Committees have to go through the house and the senate to pass a bill, and the house and the senate are overlapping as well. Committees are partisan because they have certain issues to address that involve Republican and Democratic views.  Each of the parties pass bills that affect their views.
Committees are not efficient because there are so many people encompassing them and too many opinions to get things done. Most of the time, they don't get things passed because of the different opinions. It is very hard to get a majority vote. 

Exploring Congress; How it Works

I researched the African Elephant Conservation and Legal Ivory Possession Act of 2015. This act was made "To amend the African Elephant Conservation Act of 1988 to conserve elephants while appropriately regulating ivory in the United States". It was first introduced/referred to The House Natural Resources, Federal Lands Committee on February 3, 2015. This status of being referred to the committee is the first step in the legislative process. An earlier version of the act was introduced on December 11, 2014. This act has not yet been reported by committee, passed by the house, senate, or President. The act's sponsor is Don Young (R), a representative for Alaska At Large. 

I researched Terri Sewell, a Democratic representative of the House. She represents Alabama's 7th District and began serving on January 5, 2011 and will end her time on January 3, 2017. Sewell is the first black woman to ever serve in the Alabama Congressional delegation. She has more than 15 years of experience as a corporate securities and public finance attorney. Sewell ranks the 1st highest among Alabama Delegation with her powerful cosponsors, bipartisanship, working with the Senate, government transparency, and passing laws. In 2015, she introduced one bill that became a law. This is very surprising because very few bills ever become a law, and an African American woman from Alabama passed one.  

Don Young, Sponsor for
African Elephant Conservation 
and Legal Ivory Possession Act 

Terri Sewell, Alabama's 7th District
Representative of the House