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Donald Trump's speech on the shooting in Las Vegas

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Donald Trump's speech on the shooting in Las Vegas

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For my civic participation I chose to watch President Trump's speech on the Las Vegas shooting which took place in Washington D.C. before he and the first lady went to Las Vegas to visit the hospitals and interact with victims. On October 1st, 2017 a gunman open fired from a hotel room above the concert. Since, 58 people have died and more than 500 were injured. The shooting affected our state so greatly considering the fact that it actually  happened in our state, as well as several of us knew a person who attended the concert. I personally had a close family friend who had attended the concert, and the event changed his perspective on things greatly. The speech the Trump delivered was meaningful in that he, as well as the first lady, showed their care and support for the tragic event. In the speech Trump brings hope to the American people by telling them that there's always a light in the darkness. Meaning that it's an event that we can see and come together to overcome as a nation. This act was great on Trump's behalf for his image in the media and with American citizens who tended to dislike him.
-Alyssa Wing A5

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Donald Trump's speech on the Las Vegas shooting

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Donald Trump's speech on the Las Vegas shooting

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For my Civic Participation I watched Trump's speech on the Vegas shooting after the horrible tragedy where more than 50 american civilians died from October 2nd, 2017.  His speech took place in Washington D.C. before he went to LA Vegas, NV to meet with the police, first responders and families who lost someone in this incident. This tragic event did not just affect the victims families and loved ones, it affected the entire country. For one day, America came together to mourn the loss of American citizens. After Donald Trumps speech in Las Vegas, the governor of Nevada thanked them  and stated "the greatest darkness can't put out the smallest light..." He is trying to say that no matter how bad things get, there will always be good that comes out of it. Donald Trump and the First Lady went on to thank the hospitals and the people that helped the wounded for their courage. Donald Trump showed the American people that after a tragic event like this occurs he is willing to go all the way to Las Vegas to show his support to the media and to the American people. If we had a government where the states had more power than the central government than it would not be necessary for Donald Trump to fly to Nevada because the state government could handle it on their own. Even though our government is split in two political parties with very a different point of view on every topic, we can all come together when tragedy strikes America. The amount of love and support that has been given to the families that had relatives in this massacre is tremendous and it really brings people together in dark times like this.
Matt Gunkel B2

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I just watched President Donald Trump's speech in Las Vegas, Nevada after the Vegas Massacre. The video starts at a gathering, in the police station, of what looks to be politicians, officers, and the media. One of the five roles of political parties can be observed, because people in the same political party are together and connected due to being members of the same organization. The governor thanks Donald Trump, the First Lady, the staff that were involved in helping the people during the shooting, and all hospitals that helped the wounded. The governor states that "the greatest darkness can't put out the smallest light." Donald Trump, accompanied by his wife, takes over the microphone. Just like the governor, the president thanks everyone who has been involved in helping those who got hurt. This serves to show that we as a united nation are in this together. We are team, which is what political parties want to make us feel like. Donald Trump's purpose of going all the way to Las Vegas was to show everyone that he has solutions to problems, that America will keep getting back up after falling. Later in his speech, Donald Trump talks about how sad it is for all victims' families. Donald Trump is being pressured by the media, because it doesn't take just money to go to Las Vegas and give a speech about the situation, it also takes time and will. Because citizens did not have a good impression after his speech on Hurricane Harvey, he had to prove the media and the people wrong showing them he is actually very concerned with our nation. We are a strong central government and not too powerful over the states, because if the states each run themselves, it wouldn't be necessary that the President of the USA fly over to Nevada. The state of Nevada would decide what to do on their own. Rival parties, or factions are presented in the room because there are both democrats and republicans that both have a common goal of passion, or of interest. Both want the wounded to receive as much help as possible. A final observation, is the fact that pluralism is obvious- groups are compromising to find mutually acceptable position on the Vegas Massacre. No group can disagree on the statements being made by Donald Trump; we can all work together and help the nation become a better one even after all the terrible situations that have occurred.
- Julio Loera-Hernandez, A5

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By Andrew Shuster |

Celebrities are reacting on Twitter to President Donald Trump 's speech on the mass shooting at a Las Vegas music festival. See below Hollywood stars' tweets and reactions to the president's remarks about the horrific tragedy.

As Gossip Cop reported, at least 58 people were killed and more than 500 were injured after a 64-year-old gunman named Stephen Paddock opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest Festival, a three-day outdoor concert attended by more than 22,000 people. The shooter sprayed bullets on the crowd from his hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, where he was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The attack marks the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

Speaking from the White House, the president expressed his "sadness, shock and grief" at the events. Trump called the incident "an act of pure evil" before thanking the "miraculous" first responders who "prevented further loss of life." As for the families of the victims, the president stated, "We can not fathom their pain. We can not imagine their loss... We are praying for you and we are here for you."

Trump also prayed for the "full and speedy recovery" of all those injured in the attack, revealed he'll be visiting Las Vegas on Wednesday to meet with law enforcement, first responders and the victims. "In moments of tragedy and horror, America comes together as one and it always has," added Trump. "We call upon the bonds that unite us - our faith, our family and our shared values."

One celebrity weighing in on Trump's speech is Lady Gaga, who noted that the president offered condolences to the victims but never once mentioned the issue of guns. "Prayers are important but blood is on the hands of those who have power to legislate. #GunControl act quickly," the singer tweeted. George Takei said, "With terrible, heartwrenching news filling national headlines, we are met with tone-deaf inanities from our president. He cannot lead us." And Emmy Rossum wrote, "I am tired of how easy it is to: 'Pray for (insert latest attack or natural disaster here).' Prayer + Action is the answer."

In response to Trump ordering all American flags to be flown at half-staff, Michael Ian Black offered, "Feels like they're in a permanent state of half-staff because of all the mass shootings. Maybe flying them upside down would be more apt?" And Sophia Bush asserted, "Leaders who send 'thoughts and prayers' condolences while supporting a bill that will allow silencers to be more accessible are bullsh*t."

As Gossip Cop reported, many Hollywood stars reacted to the shooting on Twitter when the news first broke, while several additional celebrities urged stricter gun control laws in the wake of the massacre. Gossip Cop will update as more stars react to Trump's speech on the Las Vegas shooting.

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celebrity reactions donald trump las vegas shooting speech

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hollywood stars tweets donald trump las vegas speech

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Celebrity Reactions: Donald Trump Las Vegas Shooting Speech

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Celebrities are reacting on Twitter to President Donald Trump's speech on the mass shooting at a Las Vegas music festival. See below Hollywood stars' tweets and reactions to the president's remarks about the horrific tragedy. As Gossip Cop reported, at least 58 people were killed and more than 50

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Governor Sandoval's State of the State Speech, Civic Participation 1

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Governor Sandoval's State of the State Speech, Civic Participation 1

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Natalie Anderson A5

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Debt Management Commission, Civic Participation

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Debt Management Commission, Civic Participation

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My civic participation for the first quarter was on a debt management commission video that was stored in the archives of carson.org. This video was recorded August 15, 2017. While watching this video I took notes on the ideas and issues presented in the meeting. This hearing was held to present some of the current debt that Carson City has for public programs. This was the first part of a hearing that will continue sometime in February. The meeting explained the different types of debt and how much total debt there is. They also talk about ways that this debt will be paid off. Because nobody was there to represent the Carson City School District, the Carson Water Subconservancy was the only program present. One connection this meeting has to A.P. government was the example of checks and balances. These debt issue are not only ruled upon by the debt commision, but it will also be later reviewed by the taxation board. In order to pay off this debt, a taxation policy was approved by the debt commision, but it must also pass through the taxation board to be approved. This is almost identical to how a bill gets passed in our Federal Government. Popular Sovereignty was also present in this meeting because the citizens vote for this taxation approval. The debt commision board also asked if anyone present in the public had any key issues to talk about. One thing about this activity that I learned was the way Carson City’s debt compares to other counties. The Carson Water Subconservancy debt is also combined with the School district unlike other counties. I also learned that the main purpose of debt management is how proposed debt fits into the property tax rate and the allowed amount of debt. Through watching this meeting and observing how these hearings take place, I learned that government is extremely complex even at the state and city levels. I also learned that I should be more involved in my local government.

Tanner Kalicki A3

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On October, 12th 2017 I got registered to vote.The process was quick and very straightforward. I registered online through the Nevada Secretary of State web page and carefully read all that was expected of me while filling out the from, and printed two copies, one to keep and one to mail to the Carson City Clerk’s office.

Exercising my right to register to vote as an adult gave me responsibilities, and choices that I needed to make. I was given six boxes to choose from that would decide what party I registered under, of the choices I chose the Libertarian Party. I chose this because I fall into a moderate category on the political spectrum, and the agenda being pushed by the Libertarian Party is the one I most closely agree with on solutions to issues.

The process of Registering was quick and painless, I visited the Nevada Secretary of state webpage and followed each laid our instruction. I learned that people who make the argument for registering to vote as a long process is likely a complaint derived from laziness, and lack of care for the Local, State, and National Government levels. In the next election term I am excited to use my vote wisely, but I'm still left with a few questions. Will I need to renew this paperwork as I move forward in life, or is this a one time document? I anticipate to gain clarity of these questions as the next election term approaches, the countless linkage institutions can easily answer all my questions.

Clariessia Jamison A3

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A local forum group invited  Marta Adams, a special deputy attorney general  familiar with legal processes and Robert Halstead, an Executive Director of the State of Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects, someone who has been working in the field of nuclear energy for decades to discuss the implications of Yucca Mountain. For my civic participation this quater I atteneded the forum to learn more about Yucca Mountain.
Both speakers discussed the problems such an endeavor would face, and why ethically and politically Nevadans shouldn't allow Yucca Mountain to become a bureaucratic reality. The site was not suitable for storing nuclear waste, and because of the weaknesses it could damage the surrounding environment and would cost even more money. Also discussed was the legal context surrounding it and even though initially the bills proposed many other possible storage locations that could be explored to find if they are suitable locations, but all of the other locations were removed from the list for political reasons and only Yucca Mountain remained. Even though later investigations have proven Yucca Mountain to be unsuitable, only politics drive it still to be a storage location. As alternate solutions, both proposed that other storage locations should be on seismically and volcanically inactive places, isolated, along secure routes for transportation and closer to nuclear plants. Salt and crystalline places, with less water are ideal, and instead of forcing Yucca mountain, we should look to these more ideal, cost friendly alternatives.

Sarah Jeffries A3

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I went to a Yucca MOUNTAIN forum for my civic participation. During the forum, two professionals talked to us about the problems with turning Yucca Mountain into a nuclear repository. Whenever Yucca Mountain is mentioned in the news, they never seem to explain it well enough as they did at this forum. I'm the news I have never learned that there is no actual repository to hold nuclear waste and there is no current waste handling equipment. The news doesn't give the full view which may be due to media bias they are forced to show by their sponsors. I also learned about the people who oppose and the people who are for making the mountain a nuclear waste repository. An organization against the Yucca plan is the commission on nuclear project which shows why Yucca is a bad idea. A  Tennessee governer did not want a repository in his State but supports one for Nevada which is an example of bureaucratic theory because his decision is based on his own wants. From what I learned, the process of moving nuclear waste is extremely risky and time consuming. The possible risks include human error, terrorist attacks, enviromental impacts, and even the creation of more waste. The cost is incredibly high as well. The litigation for this contains 5 cases. Yucca Mountains is a very controversial proposal because of all the conflicting views and it embodies hyperpluralism.
Zoe coursey A3

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Donald Trump's speech on the Las Vegas shooting

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Donald Trump's speech on the Las Vegas shooting

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For my Civic Participation I watched Trump's speech on the Vegas shooting after the horrible tragedy where more than 50 american civilians died from October 2nd, 2017.  His speech took place in Washington D.C. before he went to LA Vegas, NV to meet with the police, first responders and families who lost someone in this incident. This tragic event did not just affect the victims families and loved ones, it affected the entire country. For one day, America came together to morn the loss of American citizens.

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For my first quarter civic participation I viewed the prerecorded debt management commission video.  The video is from the meeting held on August 15, 2017.  While viewing this video I took notes on what was discussed and debated.  The primary purpose of this hearing was to present proposed debt that our city has for public programs.  This was the initial part of the hearing, the following of which will be held in February.  The meeting covered the debt that must be paid off.  There were no representatives from the Carson City School District, and so the only group present was the Carson Water Subconservancy.  This meeting helped to illustrate the significance of checks and balances within the government, or any good system.  The debt issues are not only controlled by a commission, but will be reviewed by a taxation board before approval.  This parallels the passing of laws in our government.  I also witnessed the role of popular sovereignty, as citizens also had a vote on the matter.  Following some discussion, the debt commision board asked if there were any issues of importance to be discussed.  This meeting provided extra help to me in understanding some of the fundamentals of government, and how major ideas such as checks and balances, are able to be universally applied to things as minor as city meetings.  I would have liked to know what role the school board would have played had they been present.

Jacob Wolz B2

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For my civic participation i had a meeting with the ex governor Jim Gibbins. During this discussion Jim and I talked politics and his view on politics after his 20 years involved in the government. Jim states that he worked for 6 years in the state legislature, 10 years in congress in washington D.C., and 4 years as the nevada state governor. While having this meeting with the ex governor, he states that his biggest concern with america today is that the public expects too much of government. The public expects the government to solve all their problems. " this is the problem with people today". They expect everything to be done for them and the government will be there to baby them. continuing the discussion Jim say the government should be here merely for structure. To run a military, to connect state-state-federal government. There was a lot more that i took out of this conversation with the ex governor.. I have learned that he has a more libertarian view on the government. A couple things i learned and took from it are that the federal government cannot come into a state or city and tell a school or district how to educate their students. No where in the constitution does is state that the federal government is allowed the control and govern the education of students. This experience was very cool and exciting to be apart of.

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VETERANS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

This event was put together for the purpose of veterans to be recognized and included in the legislative process for a day. This event specifically allowed for veterans and citizens to participate in the state legislative process and see how the process is carried out. Veterans are invited to be assigned to a specific legislator for a session. I was present as a spectator in the viewing area of the room while the legislators carried out a meeting. The meeting started with a color guard and the pledge and then the legislators went straight into review. They reviewed certain documents and voted on whether or not they should be changed. This showed a representative democracy by voting through representatives and platforms. The documents were brought to attention by the public and then democratically voted upon by the representatives. The media was also represented and present throughout the event taking photos and asking questions to the veterans who were present. This connected the public to the event by being a connecting platform. What I learned was that the legislative process is very official and very slow. Everything was very precise and formatted. I also learned that every legislator there has his or her own individual opinion and vote on items. I expected it to be very boring and almost like a courtroom where there are only a couple people who matter however I was very wrong. Almost every legislator got to voice his or her own opinion on every matter, as well as they got to shout out their own groups that they were representing. There was also a “master of ceremonies” who narrated what was happening which was very helpful, as well as a judge that made sure that everything was orderly and efficient. I still wonder how often certain topics get reviewed or brought up again. Also how it works when a legislator cannot be present to the meeting, do they have to send a representative or does the vote just not get voiced? Overall this was a very cool event to be a part of and to get to see what happens behind the closed doors in the state capitol.

Adam Daniels (A3)

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For my civic participation, I watched a CCSD school board meeting online from September 9th, 2017 and related it to what we’ve been learning in class. The meeting covered upcoming events happening at the school sites in the future, campus upgrades that the district paid for over summer, and a discussion on the removal of multitude of policies currently in place for CCSD. In the meeting, the board acts much like the legislative system. If there is a topic on the agenda that needs a decision on whether to act on it or not, the board first hears about the issue during a meeting where there is only discussion. They then have a followup meeting on the plan of action for the subject. This is very much like how when congress wants to ratify an amendment, they first suggest it to both houses, then on a separate date they vote to make the physical change. In the meeting Susan Keema discussed many out of date policies with the board. For most of these policies, Keema suggests that it is either redundant and should be removed, or needs rewording to be updated. On agenda item thirteen, Keema stated that the regulation 527.1 was redundant and should be put into a separate policy category, or the name of the regulation should change from “Individual Student Purchase of School Related Items” to “Solicitation of Students”. While this change of terminology may seem unnecessary, it is necessary to remove any possible confusion in the future. This relates to how difficult it is to bring an amendment into actuality, because the houses often take years perfecting the language and grammar of said amendment to make it as clear as possible. The board also used the public platform they had. While only three people sat in the audience, for every public discussion, the board president Mrs. Crossman would offer to open the microphone if anyone wanted. This easily relates back to the idea of popular sovereignty, and that the government (the school board in this example) relies on the consent and action of the governed.
Bethanney Winder B2

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Nevada Girls state Girls State is a program that offers training for girls in the processes of good citizenship in a democratic society. Throughout the week the we heard from different lawmakers, elected officials, and government personnel about their roles in the shaping of how our communities function. At Girls State, the “citizens” study City, County, and State government processes. We did this by setting up our own miniature City, County and State governments.After arriving at Girls State, the citizens are divided into two faux-political parties to gain knowledge about the operation of a two-party system. We were in the Federalists or the Nationalists party. This gave us the idea of federalism, the division of power between the state and national government. It also gave us an idea of the bureaucratic theory on how the different department works to form the government.  Within these parties, delegates form committees to revise and write legislation to be debated by the State Senators and Assembly women that they have elected to represent them. This gave us an idea of Article I and what powers the legislature holds.  The citizens also receive special instruction in parliamentary procedure. In the end I learned a lot about democracy and the legislative system. I learned a lot about our voting system by holding our own elections and voted for our representatives in polling booths. I also learned how to write my own piece of legislation and basically held a mock legislative session.  With that I learned that the majority of the chamber needs to pass the bill. With the Girls state program, my expectation was that it was going to teach us how democracy works and it did, but different from what I imagined. They let us run the elections, the campaigning and the voting. I didn’t imagine that we would actually sit in the assembly rooms and vote on our bills like the legislative branch at the federal level would have. Most of my questions are mostly about how can we become assembly women in real life and how citizen can give or city representatives pieces of legislation that would benefit our community.

Hesed Rosas, B2

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On Thursday, October 10th, a forum detailing the the Department of Energy's plan and progress regarding the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste disposal facility. I attended this forum with an already preconceived opinion on the topic, even though I was drastically uninformed on the situation, towards a pro Yucca Mountain standpoint on the bases of believing there was a completed facility, and that the secluded Nevada desert would be an ideal location, especially considering the large government presence already within the area. Upon entering the forum, many of my misconceptions were quickly corrected, as there is no existing facility and the cost of finishing the project to a working state would be upwards of $80 Billion in tax dollars. Not only that but the geological location of Yucca Mountain has also come into question as well due the relatively frequent seismic activities in the region and the emergence of volcano's in the region. The two speakers framed this issue in a very bi-partisan light, never bringing up party affiliations or ideological alignment, in order to convince others to support his cause in repealing funding for the Yucca Mountain Project. While bias may have been present in the presentation, evidence used to object to the project varied greatly, from absurd transportation costs, destruction of local landscape art, geographical distance from Nuclear facilities that create waste, continued construction costs, effects on local Indian tribes, and bias towards large funders in Caliente, NV. Speakers also mentioned that issuing this project before alternatives were fully explored, such as fuel recovery, which has yielded potential in major programs in nations such as the United Kingdom, France and India, potentially making the need for a repository useless, which would be short sighted and costly. One of the major acts showcased by the speakers was the "Nuclear Waste Written Consent Act" which would simply be to obtain the written consent of the governor of the state which is being affected, the local entities affected, and local Indian tribes who may be affected. Garnering public support for this act to be ratified was a primary goal of this forum, considering the speakers recommendations to contact representatives and to voice public opinion. Viewing this forum was a great way to objectively hear opposing points of view, and to become more educated on topics that will affect my state of Nevada.

Paul McCorkle, B2

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CIVIC PARTICIPATION: NUCLEAR WASTE IN YUCCA MOUNTAIN

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CIVIC PARTICIPATION: NUCLEAR WASTE IN YUCCA MOUNTAIN

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On thursday, I attended a meeting with other carson citizens in regards to the issue with Yucca Mountain. The issue with Yucca Mountain is that the government wants to create a nuclear waste site in the U.S., and the states have been narrowed down to Nevada. The speaker, Mr. Halstead, explained the reasons why they shouldn’t place a waste facility in the mountain, and extended on to list multiple options that would be less harmful to the environment. One of the major reasons why it shouldn't be placed there is because the nuclear waste spot will interfere with native americans living in the same site. It also conflicts with the underground streams and rivers flowing underneath that wells depend on. One of the options Halstead suggested was through the research of granite deposits, where strong granite was lined on the walls of the waste room. With this leap into granite research, we can place nuclear waste storage rooms anywhere underground. As multiple granite rooms are constructed, the government can leave Yucca Mountain alone and focus elsewhere.

This issue pertains to what we are learning class, as this meeting was a linkage institution event. The meeting at the Brewery Arts Center linked the government decisions with the public to spread the awareness and help us make connections to what laws are being passed around us. It also acts as the media, informing the people of what debates, choices, and decisions the government agrees upon.

I have many questions pertaining to the alternate methods Mr.Halstead plans to use to save Yucca Mountain. If the government decides to go with the plan of the underground granite, how much would it cost to build a single chamber, and how long would it take to finish it? Another valuable question to add on top of the case is how much toxic waste is actually going to be pumped into the mountain? Are we talking about tons, megatons, and how much space will it be able to fill up?

Picture is on Logan Smedes post

Ethan Snyder

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On October 10th, 2017, the Carson City School Board had a meeting where they discussed recent happenings in the Carson City School District. I was able to view the meeting online. Superintendent Stokes reported that a grant for about $1.4 million was approved that would go towards the school system and that the district will continue to apply for grants to better the Carson City School District. Various representatives from schools in the district reported about current events and Sheila Story gave a report about the Family Life Committee and what the committee accomplished over the past year as well as discussing how the Family Life Committee views and approves education materials to show in classrooms. Susan Keema and various school employees discussed the College and Career Readiness Initiative has and will continue to aid current high school students with their ability to be ready for college. Information about AP students was also introduced and a graph showed that in 2017, about 75% of AP students received a 3 or higher on their exams which is higher compared to the state of Nevada and globally. Tasha Fuson discussed how new AP courses were added this year and that students are continuing to excel in AP as well as the Jumpstart program. It was interesting to watch the School Board meeting because the representatives, members, and chairs all worked together to discuss specific agenda items. For every agenda item, President Crossman opened the floor to discussion which ensures that the public will always be able to have a voice.

Link for meeting: http://carsoncity.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=631

Melanie Proctor B2

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LAS VEGAS MEDIA

October 2nd 2017, President Trump gave a speech for the tragic event that happened in Las Vegas, Nevada. He speaks of the event as a sad, shocking, and grieving moment in the United States.

Sunday October 1st, the state of Nevada was attacked, this event occurred at a country music concert, outdoors. This not only affected the people of the victims, but everyone around the United States that had watched videos or saw the news. The next day our President, Donald Trump, spoke for those who sacrificed their lives to save others and the first responders; the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police station. “The speed in which they acted is miraculous and prevented further loss of lives” said Trump.

The shooting was announced as it was happening, so many innocent bystanders were trying to enjoy their lives. They were trying to enjoy the good country music. Most people nowadays have electronics, that photo, video you name it, it's probably got it, or close to it. The electronics have improved government. Think, when we first started out having no TV or any electronically device we would here the news about something that happened weeks ago. Today, the “media” can get any information that is deemed important, to anyone within seconds.

For example, the Las Vegas Shooting. At the time, I was in Anaheim, California. The same night it happened, I heard what happened and was devastated. We had turned the news on to see what was going on and all you could hear was PRAY FOR VEGAS, or MASS SHOOTING IN VEGAS. We couldn't get away from it. We were in California, not Nevada. Had the media not been there to report what was happening, we wouldn't have found out until a couple days after.

The media is important. They have a process, a process in which they only allow certain information out at a time. Or who can get a story out fastest. These processes are called Gatekeeping and Horse Race journalism. The gatekeeping was the decision that allowed the media to announce the fact that there was a mass shooting, the horse race journalism was the first report of the story. These two processes come in when President Trump decided to speak, as well as the event itself.

Mikaela Asby A3

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I spent some time viewing the last school board meeting in which they began to discuss the approval for the development of the Lompa ranch. This project will bring more apartments to the city which will help with bringing new housing developments into town. This will bring more money into Carson City and improving its economic status. This process has been expressed in several mediums of the media including the internet. There are those who are against developing these apartments on this land because they want to preserve the the land. However, bringing more homes to Nevada citizens is allowing for them to pursue happiness and shows that state government is taking time from their schedules to take into account its citizens. Some of my concerns regarding this meeting and plans to begin construction is how the students of the neighboring high school will feel about the project. will it impact their learning? Will it make the campus less secure since there will be more people? These questions show different parts of the political process such as thinking about the states education desire. Another conflict that arises from this situation is the cost of building new apartments. However, that cost will be worth it since it means bringing new residents to the streets of Carson City.

Joey Calderon
A3

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Yucca Mountain- Nuclear Waste (Civic Participation)

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Civic Participation

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My civic participation occurred at the Department of Motor Vehicles. I had just completed registering for my car and began to exit the building, when an older gentleman asked if I could sign a petition involving veterans. As the patriotic American I am, I agreed. At this point, after I handed the clipboard back, I believed our interaction had ceased and I initiated my walk to my car. The gentleman then propositioned if I wanted to register to vote. I was aware that registration is a necessary process in order to vote in any federal election, so I complied. I filled out a sheet that required personal information such as my name, my date of birth, my social security number, and my party alignment.Completion of the form lead to the man giving me a receipt (as shown in the picture) In this democratic republican nation, I have allowed myself to participate in a democratic function of our union: voting. Voting allows any American above the age of eighteen to select a leader to represent the nation and select lawmakers from their state. Our constitution, the social contract of Americans, contains writing that endows us with the liberty to commit such a unique action in global politics . Even though this is just the beginning, I have just demonstrated that someone my age can be active in the government. I believe every American should vote even if the candidates do not entirely represent your values and beliefs because we should not ungrateful of a right that many don’t have in the world. It is true that the United States population has surpassed 300 million people, but it doesn’t mean our voice doesn’t contribute.
Tristen Quintero B2

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After walking around for a little, we noticed that we were allowed to go into the law library. We started looking at some of the laws and their dates. A security guard, Travis Hughes, asked us what we were doing because two teens and two young kids does look a little odd. We told him about the project, and he invited us to a special locked room to look at really old laws. He showed us "Magna Charta" from 1587 with the leather cover and old pages. My little sister had turned up her cuteness and kept asking the man "where are we going next," so he took us up to the courtroom. He let my little sister bang the gavel and took our picture. Not only did this show the separation of powers physically with each branch of our government getting their own branch, but it also showed that in every case, the government pulls from documents from all over the world and history. In that room, contained laws from Ireland in the early 1800s and a low book from the Bahamas during the late 1800s. Nevada and America as a whole do not make decisions solely on what they believe, they collect data from what works elsewhere and in the past. The foundations of the constitutions and the policy comes from other's failures, successes, and ideas. The government ideology is based on other, and it is very good that the public has access to most of these resources. The court room is where the justices of the supreme court of Nevada have their hearings and make decisions. Although government is one whole, represented by all the building being in the same area, each branch has a power that none of the other branches have, called the separation of powers. Every government in the United States, state and federal, has a system of checks and balances that protects the people from possible tyranny at any level. This projects showed how ideals from the federal level are also reflected at the state levels.
McKenzie Henley-Ballard A3

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On October 9th, I visited all three government buildings and linked them them with the different branches of government. I first visited the Capitol building and walked around to check out the offices and exhibits. The capitol holds the offices of the Governor, the secretary of state, and the state treasurer. While I was walking around, I noticed that there were portraits of past governors everywhere. The capitol building is a symbol of the executive branch since this is the spot were laws passed by the legislature are either enforced or vetoed by our governor Brian Sandoval. I then made my way over to the Supreme Court. The very bottom floor was a library with thousands of books containing laws and regulations from other states. I made my way up to the second floor in hopes of checking out the actual court; however it was locked. A court martial was kind enough to open it up and I got to see where all major cases of the state are held. He mentioned how later in the month the court will be holding pardon trials that will be open to the public. The supreme court is a symbol of the judicial branch. It's a symbol that ensures the separation of power and the use of checks and balances. The supreme court makes sure all the other branches don't do unconstitutional things judicial review. I then made my way to the state legislature. The legislature is where both sides of congress meet. The senate meets on the north side, and the assembly meets on the south side. I was able to make my way into both assembly rooms which was very interesting. It was neat to know that this is where states come to conclusions in order to ratify an amendment or pass laws. I was also able to see the infamous Abraham Lincoln painting with a gunshot in it while we were there. The state Legislature is a symbol of the legislative branch. Here is where all laws are discussed and passed. The other branches make sure these laws are constitutional and enforced. Its all a cycle of checks and balances. Visiting these buildings was very interesting because they served as a visual representation of what our government stands for. I learned that not a single branch has more power over the other. Each building was vastly different but they all were aiming for the same goal, to make Nevada a better place to live in.
Edson Lemus A5

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REGISTER TO VOTE                        In order to register myself as a legal voter, I visited the Nevada Secretary of State website to fill out my Voter Registration Form. It was necessary for me to confirm that I am a citizen of the United States of America, that I will be eighteen years of age or older on, or before, the day of the next election, and that I have lived in the Nevada county of Carson City for at least thirty consecutive days and at least ten days within my precinct. I then filled out the minute details of the form, including last name, first name, middle name, mailing and home street addresses, my Nevada Driver’s License Number, email address, phone number, and date of birth. I then chose my party affiliation, and selected the box confirming that I filled out a “new registration” form. This process allowed me to complete the application that must be signed and submitted, in person, at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). I also filled out the online application; the only thing different here is that it asked for the last four digits of my social security number, in place of a signature.Completing this process showed many connections between the different units we have covered in class. By becoming a registered voter, I am now legally bound to the United States political system, for I must actively participate in our democracy, while educating myself about politics, and evaluating how individuals shape public policy. The form asked me to choose a party to which I align. In the Political Parties Unit, students were informed about the different parties in American politics and what each major and minor  party stood for. This included the two major parties, Democrats and Republicans, and the four minor parties such as the Natural Law Party, the Libertarian Party, the Green Party, and the Reform Party. Here, I am actively participating in the democracy, by choosing a party to which I affiliate, that represents the ideals I stand for and hope to be implemented within our society.By filling out my mailing and street addresses, along with my party affiliation, my future choices in elections will become statistics for the regulation of politics throughout the nation. My vote will be recorded along with my demographics, so that linkage institutions, such as political parties and the media, may act as ways for individuals to express preferences regarding public policy. The media can gain access to the information gathered in polls, and during election seasons, they will either act as a gatekeeper, providing narrow views on current politics, appealing to a set audience and supplying a limited amount of information to the general public, or they will become prominent in horserace journalism, where the media continuously floods the public with information regarding how each candidate is ranking during an election.Through this voter registration process, I was able to utilize my 26th amendment right, which states, “The right citizens of the United States, who are 18 years of age or older, to vote, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on the account of age.” I could also consider, that because I am female, I utilized my 19th amendment right, which states, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on the account of sex.” Being able to vote ensures that I now have the right to participate in free and fair elections, allotted by in this nation’s representative democracy, or republic.    Makenzie McDaniel A3

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REGISTER TO VOTE                        In order to register myself as a legal voter, I visited the Nevada Secretary of State website to fill out my Voter Registration Form. It was necessary for me to confirm that I am a citizen of the United States of America, that I will be eighteen years of age or older on, or before, the day of the next election, and that I have lived in the Nevada county of Carson City for at least thirty consecutive days and at least ten days within my precinct. I then filled out the minute details of the form, including last name, first name, middle name, mailing and home street addresses, my Nevada Driver’s License Number, email address, phone number, and date of birth. I then chose my party affiliation, and selected the box confirming that I filled out a “new registration” form. This process allowed me to complete the application that must be signed and submitted, in person, at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). I also filled out the online application; the only thing different here is that it asked for the last four digits of my social security number, in place of a signature.Completing this process showed many connections between the different units we have covered in class. By becoming a registered voter, I am now legally bound to the United States political system, for I must actively participate in our democracy, while educating myself about politics, and evaluating how individuals shape public policy. The form asked me to choose a party to which I align. In the Political Parties Unit, students were informed about the different parties in American politics and what each major and minor  party stood for. This included the two major parties, Democrats and Republicans, and the four minor parties such as the Natural Law Party, the Libertarian Party, the Green Party, and the Reform Party. Here, I am actively participating in the democracy, by choosing a party to which I affiliate, that represents the ideals I stand for and hope to be implemented within our society.By filling out my mailing and street addresses, along with my party affiliation, my future choices in elections will become statistics for the regulation of politics throughout the nation. My vote will be recorded along with my demographics, so that linkage institutions, such as political parties and the media, may act as ways for individuals to express preferences regarding public policy. The media can gain access to the information gathered in polls, and during election seasons, they will either act as a gatekeeper, providing narrow views on current politics, appealing to a set audience and supplying a limited amount of information to the general public, or they will become prominent in horserace journalism, where the media continuously floods the public with information regarding how each candidate is ranking during an election.Through this voter registration process, I was able to utilize my 26th amendment right, which states, “The right citizens of the United States, who are 18 years of age or older, to vote, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on the account of age.” I could also consider, that because I am female, I utilized my 19th amendment right, which states, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on the account of sex.” Being able to vote ensures that I now have the right to participate in free and fair elections, allotted by in this nation’s representative democracy, or republic.    Makenzie McDaniel A3

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The political process is a complicated one. Much of the public only sees what is shared through social media and the news, but behind the headliners are millions of people working hard to keep the process moving efficiently. My dad is an application developer for the Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau, part of the Legislative Branch of government. He helps the legislative process of making and passing bills into laws easier. I went to his office and I watched him put in code that designs the image and the commands of a new website that will digitally submit fiscal notes to a bill. When a bill is proposed, it usually is determined what the state or local financial impact will be. A fiscal note is used to approximate what that cost will be, although it is not required to be submitted when a bill is proposed. When, a new potential bill is suggested, that suggestion is drafted into a bill draft request by the Legal Division of the legislative branch. The Legal Division decides if the bill will have any financial impact on the state budget, and then sends this determination to the Fiscal Division. With the new website, Fiscal will be able to send a fiscal note request to the agencies that the bill is relevant to. The agencies are able to access and edit the note. They will estimate how much the bill will potentially cost and submit the completed note back to Fiscal. Fiscal notes are very important to have because when the legislature is voting on bills, they are informed on what the financial impact of the state budget will be. Legislatures have to be cautious of bills’ financial demands on the state budget. The fiscal notes allow them to make an educated decision and vote on that bill, and the state will potentially be better off because the legislature could make a better decision. As I watched, I learned how my dad and his team are working to make the legislative process of making and passing bills faster and more accurate, helping the legislative branch of government run smoothly for the citizens of the United States.

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For my civic participation, I applied for a passport. I visited the U.S. Department of state to find the application. Within in the application, I filled in important information about myself. I filled in my name, date of birth, my address, information about my parents, and other identification information. After I filled out the form, I submitted it online, and printed it out. I had to gather other important documents like my birth certificate and a state issued id. I then had to bring all of the paperwork down to the post office for it to be approved. This is a political process because it is a way the government interacts with people. The government has gotten my information. The government has also given me a document and rules to follow. An important part to democracy is natural rights. These natural rights allow for me to be able to travel. The right that allows for this is the right of liberty. Liberty is defined as “the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views.” The passport removes the restrictions of staying in one place. A passport can be considered a social contract. It is an agreement between me and the government, it has been signed, and is accepted by all that apply for one. This process only works because of popular sovereignty. The government is only able to put in place rules with the consent of the people. If the people decided they did not want to follow rules for getting a passport or any rule in general, the government could not function. Because the people agree to fill out the paperwork and gain approval, the government can still function. From this process I have learned the importance of filling out paperwork for the government. The government needs to know a lot of information on a person to keep their country safe. Without knowing who is in their country, they have opened themselves up to danger. I have also learned that my actions matter. Everyone must follow the same guidelines in order to keep the country functioning. If everyone believed that they were the only ones not participating properly, no one would do what they should be doing. Simple things like filling out a government application are important to democracy. It allows for the protection of natural rights and allows the government to do its duty to protect the people. Even though I have learned a lot information on the process, I still do not know everything. I am still unsure of how the government processes all of the information from everyone applying or how the information is stored. Although applying for a passport is a lengthy process, it is important for the government to properly function.
Jessica Camelon A3

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For my civic participation project I went to carson.org and watched a meeting centered around debt management commision. During the video I took notes on important topics that came up during the meeting. The main focus of the meeting was to discuss overall debt among certain public programs and discuss ways to help eliminate this debt. The Carson Water Subconservancy was the only organization present at the hearing because there was no representative present for Carson City School District. Some of the elements of the meeting I watched can be related to AP government. For example during the meeting the Taxation board was supposed to propose a policy for the Debt Management Board to review, however they failed to come to an agreement in time so it was never reviewed. This is an example of hyperpluralism because they were unable to make a compromise. Popular sovereignty was present during the meeting because the public has to vote for the taxation approval. Furthermore, the Debt Commissioner board also asked if any of the public present had any further issues to discuss. During this activity I expanded my knowledge on how our city manages debt and how taxation gets approved. I would have liked learn how the School Board manages debt to their programs and how those programs are funded, however, with no representative from the School Board present, I was unable to do so.
Landon Truesdale
A5

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On October 10th, I attended a forum based around the topic of Yucca Mountain at the Brewery Arts Center. During this forum, Robert Halstead, executive director for nuclear projects in Nevada, and Marta Adams discussed the dangers of using Yucca Mountain as a dump. From the beginning, it was obvious that these representatives were strongly opposed to nuclear waste being deposited at the mountain. Basic information on the subject was provided in the first half of the forum by Halstead, as well as reasons why this would be an unsafe place to be used. In the second half, Marta Adams discussed in more detail more legal information and processes that have been acted on in this project. Adams presented Nevada’s case against the Department of Energy as well, which included pre-closure safety and transportation impacts of this project. One bill passed by the House in July provided $120 million to the DOE and $30 million to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission mainly for Yucca Mountain. I also learned that in order to restart the licensing process, Congress must provide funding for the NRC and DOE, and the current presidential administration has been showing interest in licensing for Yucca Mountain. It was also mentioned that because Nevada had no representative in Congress, this was the most likely reason that this site was chosen. I can relate all of this to my learning in class through our learning in the constitution unit, relating to the different branches of government; The executive branch expressing interest in reconsideration for licensing the project, and how it relates to the legislative branch regarding the pending cases mentioned that discuss problems with the site itself. Although it is not a extremely large “media” issue, I also believed that the project regarding Yucca Mountain and the opposing views behind it have been represented in Nevada’s circulating news, and this could relate to what we learned about the media and bias in class. I thought this forum was very interesting, and it provided a lot of background and important information on the topic. I would be interested in attending the next forum for this project in November.

Rheanna Jackson A3

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As an act of civic participation, I went to a public forum discussing the details of the Yucca Mountain Deal as well as actions several groups have taken to try to prevent the deal. One of the largest issues is the hyperpluralism that controlling the situation. Both factions, most people in Nevada and several key politicians against the Department of Energy, have rooted themselves so deeply that neither have even considered a compromise. Rather the group against the DoE has developed 299 contentions to the Yucca Mountain Repository plan, enacting their freedom of protest. These contentions will take about 400 hearing days (about 5 years) to be reviewed and then a decision will be made whether the plan will continue or be suspended again or perhaps cancelled. Currently, the project is inactive after receiving a full restart from federal courts and also receiving no new funding from Congress between the years 2011 to 2016.  A large blow against the anti-Repository group is the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2017 which has received bipartisan support since its conception. This act will expedite the project and have the Department of Energy start a temporary storage program. The bill will be voted on in Congress in October of 2017. The facts provided against the repository plan has shed light on why most Nevadans do not approve of the project. First, the nuclear material must be contained safely for one million years as per the agreement for the project. Should this not be the case then the whole of Yucca Mountain and the groundwater beneath it may be contaminated by radiation. The containment must not only withstand time but also external forces that may affect the repository. One of the most shocking forces mentioned is the potential for an aircraft to potentially crash into the mountain whether in an act of terrorism or accident. However, this contention and others presented could be held to scrutiny as that situation seems unlikely and farfetched. This forum served as a refresher course and another forum will be held as further details on the plan are finalized by Congress.

Paxton Spence B2

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CARSON CITY SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGFor my civic participation, I attended multiple Carson City School District School Board Meetings. I have been to various School Board Meetings where I listen as a “community member” to items on the agenda list and I am allowed to input my “public comment” when the time presents itself, meaning that there is a specific agenda item where motions previously mentioned are up for public comment. In 8th grade, I not only attended the meeting to listen, but I stood up and spoke to the board members about the numerous substitute teachers I was experiencing in my classes due to the Race to the Top Grant implementation and how this implementation was effecting my education. Recently, I also attended another School Board meeting to be recognized as the 2017 Carson High School Homecoming Queen. Throughout the meeting, political processes take place. First of all, the meeting and its attendees have to follow parliamentary procedure, or, Robert’s Rules of Order. In a way, parliamentary procedure is the Constitution for running a meeting. The procedures include making amendments to motions and checks and balances because majority of the board has to agree on any decisions the President is to make. The meetings follow an agenda and only items listed on the agenda are allowed to be talked about, in the order that they are listed in the agenda, unless a majority vote shows that there is willingness to add to the agenda. On the school board, which is similar to the executive branch, there is a president and a vice president. There are 7 members of the board, each representing a different subdistrict within the whole district. Having been to multiple school board meetings, I have learned about the way the school board and district make important district-wide decisions and how to properly address those decisions, as student and community member, just as the president and vice president help make decisions that influence our country. I have greatly learned about the political process of a school board meeting through how the meeting must be ran and kept in clean and precise order. Hannah Golik A3

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CARSON CITY SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGFor my civic participation, I attended multiple Carson City School District School Board Meetings. I have been to various School Board Meetings where I listen as a “community member” to items on the agenda list and I am allowed to input my “public comment” when the time presents itself, meaning that there is a specific agenda item where motions previously mentioned are up for public comment. In 8th grade, I not only attended the meeting to listen, but I stood up and spoke to the board members about the numerous substitute teachers I was experiencing in my classes due to the Race to the Top Grant implementation and how this implementation was effecting my education. Recently, I also attended another School Board meeting to be recognized as the 2017 Carson High School Homecoming Queen. Throughout the meeting, political processes take place. First of all, the meeting and its attendees have to follow parliamentary procedure, or, Robert’s Rules of Order. In a way, parliamentary procedure is the Constitution for running a meeting. The procedures include making amendments to motions and checks and balances because majority of the board has to agree on any decisions the President is to make. The meetings follow an agenda and only items listed on the agenda are allowed to be talked about, in the order that they are listed in the agenda, unless a majority vote shows that there is willingness to add to the agenda. On the school board, which is similar to the executive branch, there is a president and a vice president. There are 7 members of the board, each representing a different subdistrict within the whole district. Having been to multiple school board meetings, I have learned about the way the school board and district make important district-wide decisions and how to properly address those decisions, as student and community member, just as the president and vice president help make decisions that influence our country. I have greatly learned about the political process of a school board meeting through how the meeting must be ran and kept in clean and precise order. Hannah Golik A3

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CIVIC PARTICIPATION: DEBT MANAGEMENT COMMISION

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CIVIC PARTICIPATION: DEBT MANAGEMENT COMMISION

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For my civic participation for the first quarter, I went to carson.org and watched a prerecorded debt management commission video that was stored in the available archives. This video was recorded August 15, 2017. While watching this video I took notes on what was addressed throughout the meeting. The purpose of this hearing was to present some proposed debt that carson city has for public programs. This was the first part of a hearing that will continue sometime again in February. The meeting explained the different types of debt and how much debt there is total. They also talk about ways that this debt will be paid off. Because nobody was there to represent the Carson City School District, the Carson Water Subconservancy was the only program present. One connection this meeting has to A.P. government was the example of checks and balances. These debt issue are not only ruled upon by the debt commision, but it will also be later reviewed by the taxation board. In order to pay off this debt a taxation policy was approved by the debt commision but it also has to pass through the taxation board to be approved. This is just like in our Federal Government when a bill is trying to get passed. Popular Sovereignty was also present in this meeting because the citizens must also vote for this taxation approval. The debt commision board also asked if anyone present in the public had any key issues to talk about. One thing about this activity that I learned was the way carson city’s debt compares to other counties. The Carson Water Subconservancy debt is also combined with the School district unlike other counties. I also learned that the the primary purpose of debt management is how proposed debt fits into the property tax rate and the allowed debtedness. Some parts of the meeting were a little confusing because of the debt vocabulary that was used by I was able to follow the main gist of it. All in all this was a good experience to take part in and I really should be more involved in the politics around my city.
Kyle Glanzmann A3

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CIVIC PARTICIPATION: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING

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CIVIC PARTICIPATION: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING

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To compete my civic participation I chose to view a board of supervisors meeting to see how the city's legislation dealt with local policies and ordinances. I went to carson.org and found archive footage of several previous meetings from different committees with different agendas and viewed the board of supervisor meeting held on September 7th. Throughout the meeting, several groups requested some type of amending or ratification of for new types of legislature. For example the fire department had requested that the board restructure their administrative staff by elevating some of the ranks. The board had voted an unanimous yes which allows the fire department to fulfill their desire. Most of the ordinances that were presented to the board were passed with unanimous support from the board. Other than government institutions like the fire department, businesses also need the boards approval. One business needed the board to determine which business had won the bid on job and award the higher bidder with the job to work on the sewers. This case is a good example of bureaucratic theory because it shows the structure of power within the government and how it relates to businesses, plus the necessary steps to get the job. Other ordinances in this meeting were approval of abandoning an area, replacement of voting machines in Nevada, and purchasing water meters for replacing old ones. All these cases represent federalism, because its the board of supervisors who have the power to control local policies and how money is spent within the city. This taught me how city meetings are held, how the voting process in this events worked, and what they do for Carson City.

Robert Bush B2

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For my civic participation for the first quarter, I have decided to register to vote. This would mean that I will be able to participate in the next election to vote for our next president in 2020. I would also be able to participate in any elections at the local, state, and national levels. To be eligible to vote one must be at least 18 years old on or before the next general election and will be residing in the county that they are registering in. They also have to be a citizen of the United States and have a valid driver’s license or identification card issued by the state which they are registering in. Registering to vote is involved in multiple political processes. One political idea would be the constitutional principle of popular sovereignty, which is the idea that the government is run by the consent of the people. Registering to vote relates to popular sovereignty by letting me be directly involved in selecting who will run the country, which is a giant responsibility and privilege. Another political process that registering to vote relates to is republicanism and the 12th amendment. It relates to the 12th amendment because voting directly involves the election and the electoral college. Republicanism is the right to free and fair elections and when I register to vote, I will have the clear conscience that my vote will actually matter and that the election will not be corrupt. Voting is also one of the main principles required in a democracy. One cannot have a democracy without voting. Registration to vote also relates to Rousseau’s idea of the social contract. The social contract states that citizens must elect people and the citizens need to trust those leaders to make the right decisions. Registration to vote also highly involves the concept of political parties because when you do registrate, it is required to do party registration. These parties include Democratic Party, Green Party, etc. Throughout this process, I have learned multiple things. I have learned that it does not take much effort to register to vote and the voter turnout should increase with this easy process. I expected it to be longer because it is a legal process that is important relating to the government. I have also learned that people should take advantage and be grateful to have a government where their voice actually means something. Not everyone in the world has this privilege and it still remains a question to me on why some people do not vote.

Raul Lopez

A5

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CIVIC PARTICIPATION: REGISTERING TO VOTE

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CIVIC PARTICIPATION: REGISTERING TO VOTE

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For my civic participation I choose to register to vote. In order to do so, I just googled “registering to vote in Nevada”, and the secretary of state website popped up, with the needed information. Since I have a valid Nevada driver’s license, all I had to have to register to vote was my number from the driver’s license card, my social security number, and other on hand information including my birth date and my home address. To start the system told me the restrictions to be able to register, some of which were you have to be at least 18 by the date of the next election, that you have to be a U.S. citizen, and you have to have no outstanding warrants or other such things. I met all the criteria so I continued to fill out the submission and actually submit it. I then was registered to vote. This activity of registering to vote shows how I personally renewed my social contract to participate in government. Since I choose to affiliate myself with a party, that shows how political parties are involved, and since one of the political parties roles in government is to encourage voter turnout, my party may celebrate another person who registered. Also I registered online, which is an example of how media acts as a linkage institution. What I learned from this activity is that it was very easy to register to vote, much quicker and painless than I thought it would be. It makes me wonder why eligible people decide not to register to vote. I also learned what was required to be able to register, and one surprising thing was you didn’t have to be 18 to register, you just have to be 18 by the time the next election comes around. I have some remaining questions, such as how do they know for sure it's me? I didn’t have to sign, it just used my signature from the DMV. How does this website protect from hacking, or from someone stealing the information I typed in. This process was overall really quick and easy, and set me up for the next election.
Madeleine Eustis B2

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For my civic participation assignment, I wanted to look at how Carson City runs city board meetings. To do this, I watched a pre recorded video about a meeting that the Carson City debt management commission held. While watching this meeting, I took notes on important issues, and on topics that relate to what we learn in AP government. Throughout the meeting, the commission talked about the different types debt in Carson City, the total debt of Carson City, and the city will pay off some of these debts. Some of the debts that the meeting addressed were Sewage and water debt; the way the city will pay off the debt is with the revenue they make from the providing the service. For example, to pay off the water treatment debt they would use the revenue from selling people water through their homes. During the meeting, the representatives would use principles that we are learning in AP government. One principle would be popular sovereignty; the way they used this was by asking the public, if present, to address issues that are affecting the city. Also, the debt commission used a system of checks and balances with the city taxation board. Both of these principles relate to the constitution, and when they addressed these ideas I knew about what they are and how these principles can be applied. Watching this video and learning how the city board meetings are run was really interesting to me because these fundamental principles that we learned are so universal that they can be used in a small scale like a city board meeting, and could be applied to a larger scale like running a nation, and understanding how they work will help me understand my government and community better.

Gurjant Mand A5

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CIVIC PARTICIPATION : U.S. PASSPORT APPLICATION

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CIVIC PARTICIPATION : U.S. PASSPORT APPLICATION

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For my civic participation this first quarter I decided to apply for a passport. I have previously gone out of the country in order to go visit family down in Mexico and I thought it was about time I got one, although I had no idea what would be necessary of me in order to apply. Another thing to add to my agenda, yet it was also my own decision and right to get a passport. My mother ended up accompanying me to the post office in order to get an application, in which she grabbed one herself, except both forms available were different. The one I grabbed was the application for a new passport if not already in possession of one, whereas hers I believe was just to update her information. In order to have my application be accepted I had to obtain the following reliable sources: a photo, my social security, my birth certificate, and lastly my drivers license, along with my mother's driver's license indicating she is the parent. Along with the process was the need to set up an appointment in which I would need to come in and have my application examined and if need be have a picture taken there for the cost of fifteen dollars. Once the photograph was taken I exited the small office they had and returned to the counter in which the woman explained the guidelines and requirements necessary in order to obtain a passport. According to the federal tax law it was required of me to provide my Social Security, and if not containing one, there must have been one presented from previous country. Failure to perform these actions results in my application for a passport as denied and I would have been subjected to spend five hundred dollars penalty enforced by the IRS. The Social Security number that would need to be provided to the U.S Department of Treasury is used in connection with debt collection and checked against lists of ineligible person to receive a passport. There are two options for passports, those being whether to get the booklet, the identification card, or both. In my case I resulted in applying to receive both a card and passport book, each containing certain privileges and because I am above the age of 16 the document would be valid for a total of 10 years from date issued. The total payment was over $100 and soon after all the finances and the application was filed with the remainder of the information, the woman in front of us looked us in the eye, with our rights hands up, and we repeated as she did, accepting to the terms, conditions, and policies that went along in obtaining a passport. Throughout the application process personal questions were needed to be answered and, the individual viewing the document filled out the remainder that needed to be correctly identified in each section. The process was new and I had no knowledge of how simple yet how much had to be done in order to obtain a passport.

Ana Gomez A3

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My civil participation was fulfilled by attending the Yucca Mountain discussion on October 10th. At the forum I learned much about the Yucca Mountain debate. For instance, one of the many reasons Yucca Mountain was chosen was because at the time Nevada did not have any strong supporters in Congress. Several other states had representatives in Congress that were able to get their states off the hook. The forum itself was split into two parts: the first on the problems with Yucca Mountain and the second the legal remedies. I learned that the area around Yucca is prone to seismic activity and that the water system needs work. Another problem with Yucca Mountain is the absence of a rail system. Also, the projected amount of travel to Las Vegas is calculated to be about 48 percent. This debate can be connected to state’s rights and federal authority. In the Constitution there is no mention on waste and where it goes not to mention nuclear waste. Naturally, the 10th amendment would leave it up to the states to decide but the “necessary and proper” clause could give Congress the authority. Another big problem would be with cost. It would cost millions of dollars to just relicense Yucca Mountain and then to repair it and upgrade it so that it can feasibly store nuclear waste. This discussion can be an example of bureaucratic theory because in the end it is up to the officials on how and how not to use Yucca Mountain. One of the legal measures to stop Yucca Mountain can be seen in the Nuclear Waste Informed Consent bill which requires that permission be given by both the host state and the local government involved. Recently, this issue has not been in the news. This can be because manly the only people who really care about this issue is Nevadans and the media’s role as a gatekeeper. Most people do not care about Yucca Mountain and news stations are interested in selling stories people care about not what they don’t care about.

Sam Legott A3

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CCSD SUPERINTENDENT ON CHANGES IN CIVICS COURSE REQUIREMENTS

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CCSD SUPERINTENDENT ON CHANGES IN CIVICS COURSE REQUIREMENTS

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For my first quarter civics participation project, I elected to correspond with the superintendent of the Carson City School District, Mr. Richard Stokes, regarding the new civics course requirements for the class of 2019 and beyond. I asked Mr. Stokes several questions in this email.

1. What are the official requirements for the civics credit for future high school seniors?

2. How do these new courses differ from the current set of classes offered?

3. How does the curriculum of these new courses differ from the current curriculum offered?

4. If Mr. Stokes is unable to answer these questions, who is the best person to ask these questions of and where would I go about contacting this person?

The basis of this project was the newly-passed legislation that the 2017 Nevada Legislature passed regarding graduation requirements for current juniors and classes beyond. This state-level political process affects students on a local level. Mr. Stokes is of a position on the local government level, meaning that he represents the school district on a local level. His office is here, in Carson City.

From Mr. Stokes, I was very kindly informed of several things:

The official bill related to this change in curriculum is Senate Bill 322 from the 2017 Nevada State Legislative Session.

All high schools in Nevada are permitted to issue a civics exam with questions from the United States naturalization test, which is an examination for immigrants that seek citizenship in this country. (Note that this is not a requirement until July of 2019)

Following July 1, 2019, ALL high school students must take such an exam in order to receive a diploma or certificate.

Certain exemptions apply for students with an IEP, those learning English at the time of exam proctoring, or the principal of the institution determines probable cause or merit constituting a waiver from the exam.

In addition to his response, Mr. Stokes also attested to the legislation of Senate Bill 249 of the 2017 legislative session that “...requires high school pupils to enroll in one-half unit of credit in economics and limits American Government to one-half unit of credit.” As stated by the superintendent, “These provisions go into effect July 1, 2022.”

It is to be noted that throughout his correspondence with me, Mr. Stokes continually referred me to the bills and their locations on the Nevada State Legislature’s website, should I desire to examine the specific language conveyed for each document. Following his annotations of the legislation, the question remains in my head: “If the provisions are in effect in 2022, how and why does the bill affect the class of 2019 with split government and economics courses?”

For those interested in viewing a full transcript of my discourse with Superintendent Stokes, you may view it here.

Johann Thomsen
B2

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For my civic participation, I attended and listened in on a forum and discussion on the Yucca Mountain Nuclear waste repository. The forum was led by Marta Adams and Bob Halstead. Mr. Halstead began the discussion by demonstrating Ideas on what should be done with the nuclear waste rather than store it in Yucca Mountain and why. He gave some very useful insight on the economics and geology of the location and why nuclear waste storage should be done elsewhere. After Mr. Halstead’s valuable words, Mrs. Adams discussed her portion which was largely based around the licensing and legal work regarding Yucca Mountain. This went on and included other reasons Yucca Mountain is a bad site and the licensing processes that have occurred. Then she took a little time to describe to us pending cases that would be challenging various aspects of the site. Lastly Mr. Halstead took the stage again and summarized the uses of repositories and why they would be a better option in other places. It helps you relate us to what we’ve learned in the ways that they have taken to court the topics and are working to prove that the repository is wrong and should be reviewed as such. There was discussion on the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act and other acts that are currently being worked to passing by Nevada’s Senators. This falls close to our learning on our country's republic and how we have representatives working towards a common idea that many Nevadans share. However, I also learned from this that a strong representation of the state is very valuable to keep the well being of states better. I learned this when Mr. Halstead took some time to explain the audience how Nevada had poor representation at the time of deciding on a repository. He explained that because the Senators of the time in other states were better, they got their states “off the hook.” Because we had a weak voice at the time we were chosen not out of geological science, but out of political science. I did not understand necessarily all of the ideas that were discussed, but I did get a strong idea of what and why Yucca Mountain exists and should be walked away from.

LOGAN SMEDES A3

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For my civic participation, I took a self guided tour of the capitol grounds. I went to all three buildings and made connections to what I have learned in class to what I saw. In the capitol building, the offices of the treasurer, secretary of state, and the governors offices were there. It was interesting to see where the governor and his staff pushed their agenda and how they enforced the laws passed in the legislative building. The next building I went to was the supreme court. When I went there the court was closed. Luckily a court martial opened it up for us and I was able to see where the judges did their job and where the judges interpreted the Nevada constitution and how it applied to the cases they were overseeing. It is also the place where the judges used their power of checks and balances to ensure that the other two branches were following the constitution in their work. I then went down to the library where all the books of laws were. After that I went to the legislative building. There I was able to see where committees met and made decisions and I also saw the senate and assembly rooms. It was cool to see these rooms because that is where my state legislature makes laws which directly affect my everyday life.In the assembly rooms, you could see how many votes were needed to make amendments to the Nevada constitution or how many votes were needed to ratify an amendment to the U.S. constitution. It was amazing to take this tour because I was able to see where my state government works and how they do their job. Seeing that each government building represented a branch of the government, I clearly saw the separation of powers which is one of the six constitutional ideas.
Charly Lawlor A5

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CIVIC PARTICIPATION: DEBT MANAGEMENT EXPLORATION

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CIVIC PARTICIPATION: DEBT MANAGEMENT EXPLORATION

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In my exploration into civic participation, I learned multiple fronts of the political system of economics. Although on a smaller level, state and city government operates in a way very similar to national government. The video I watched and analyzed provided examples of the tasks of the Debt Management Board of Carson City. First of all, the Debt Management Board provides representatives to approve of a situation, two representatives of different branches of the City Council, and to approve a situation, the two individuals must vote “I.” The other three major Board members review the situations and help to lead the Board meeting. In this meeting, representatives of the city are presented in front of the Debt Management Board and present the economic situation of the city and the organizations throughout city. The organizations talked about frequently in this meeting branched from the local water treatment plant, Capital Improvement, Debt Management Policy, local water rates, and taxation. All of these topics included the debt of each and how the debt gets paid for, either by national or state grants or by revenue. The most interesting piece of information talked about became taxation, local taxation policy related interestingly to the national level. First off, a possible taxation policy was granted approval by the Debt Management Board and must now be checked by the Taxation Board, this circle of events compares to checks and balances in national government. Also, city and state citizens must vote upon approval with a taxation policy change, creating popular sovereignty. Furthermore, the Taxation Board was supposed to propose a policy change for the Debt Management Board to review but could not come among agreement in time of the Debt Management Board meeting, so the policy was never reviewable, this series of events relates to the Bureaucracy Theory. Moreover, the Debt Management Board of Carson City relates to the National Government in terms of their policy of debt, they both continually raise the debt ceiling in order to remain efficient. The one thing I would have liked to further understand was the way the Debt Management Board related to the School Board, with no School Board representative able to appear to this meeting, no information was provided for the School Board situation. Dawson Lamb A5

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At the Brewery Arts Center on Oct. 10th, 2017, I went to a public meeting that discussed the reasons why Yucca Mountain should not become a site for nuclear waste. Through this forum I learned that the current location of the nuclear waste is across the country as well as those who are at risk if the process goes through. This meeting was lead by speakers Robert Halstead and Marta Adams. In the beginning of the forum, Robert Halstead spoke of his major concerns about the issue. He spoke of the policies surrounding nuclear waste and how they have changed as time goes on. He also allowed the audience to understand how the bias has changed with the issue because of political representation in Nevada. At the time the project was proposed, Nevada did not have as big of an influential political group to defend Nevada. Now many groups and powerful people oppose the project, even the commision on nuclear projects . Marta Adams then took over to discuss how unstable the environment of Yucca Mountain is and how this location could cause major problems with storing of nuclear waste. She also showed the licensing requirements in managing this waste. Both of these speakers had informative points backed up by the legal conditions surrounding the issue. Not only that but it was discussed as to how it would affect the environment and the native americans near the area. They urged the public to think about those whose lives would be affected and showed us how it would negatively impact our state. This meeting was open to all, and everyone was allowed to write down questions they had about the issue, some in favor of the project also attended to listen to the opposing sides points.

Chloe Hataway A3

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As part of the Naval Academy Application, a nomination from the applicants Senator, or Representative is required. I recently completed my application for a nomination from both Senator Dean Heller, and Congressman Mark Amodei.  Being somebody who is a Naval Academy applicant, this nomination is a crucial part for myself to become part of the most elite public school and to gain the best military training this country has to offer. Also, I had the opportunity to get involved with my Government and see the roles different officials have. I first hand got to see that our elected Representatives have the role of nominating young adults to a position in which they will one day be part of the Go
vernment system as well.

Derek Redlark B2

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On October 10th, 2017, the Carson City School District held it’s customary meeting, discussing various programs and actions being taken in regards to the School District. As I sat watching the video of the meeting, with the agenda next to me, I was struck by the formality and seriousness of the meeting. They had a very strict and rehearsed routine that communicated a strong belief and faith in the importance of what they were engaging in. They took the state of Nevada’s rules on conducting this meeting very seriously, with a regimented agenda to conduct their business. They innately cared for the business they were conducting, and gave it the respect as such. This showed me something that I have never truly seen in government. Yes, this is a very small form of it, but I saw how these people, just like you and me, cared deeply for the success of the next generation of students. They were human, with true feelings for the children of our district, wanting nothing but for their students to succeed. As we went through Foundations and Constitution units in Ms. Chandler’s class, I got the impression that the government cared nothing for the people they governed. I saw how the elitist theory was very real, and believed that it truly was a big part of our government. But as I watched this school board meeting, I was assured by their discussion of the CTE programs and the various programs being worked on to solidify our success as independent adults. Through something as simple as a school board meeting, I was able to see the real working of our Foundations and of our Constitution. The understanding of these concepts of government provided by AP Government is what proved to myself that while government in itself is flawed, there is hope for us yet.
Brennan Peterman A3

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Hundreds of people gathered at the Yucca Mountain Forum held in the BAC in Carson City, Nevada October 10, 2107. This event was held and hosted quite professionally, speaking on the issue in Las Vegas Nevada, where Yucca Mountain is the storage place for tons of nuclear waste. Two speakers presented the mass amount of issues that come with storing so much waste, but they also shared the same ideas and opinions. Robert Halstead, executive director for the state of Nevada's agency for nuclear projects was  heavily opposed to the idea of hazardous waste being left in the Nevada desert. In his thoughtful opinion, Halstead believed that was the tipping point from Congress, as he made quite the effort towards  ending  the idea of placing a depository in Nevada. Along with the many safety concerns that go with transporting this deadly waste, Halstead continued to point out the present and future geological affects that go with Yucca Mountain. Using many statistics, polls, and graphs  to show the public's opinion on this  issue too. For this reason, many representatives opposed to this issue were most likely elected rather than not. Just based on this issue along, this may be a significant issue of states' rights. Thanks to Mrs. Chandler's AP Government class, I have an increased understanding of certain rights that belong to the state may be violated without any further acknowledgement. This may be a direct issue when it comes to Yucca Mountain,  as Congress is in the process of approving a $120 million restart licensing activity. Funding an interim storage program that would allow immediate development on the area against all provisions and knowledge of Nevada's negative response towards any construction in Las Vegas. On the other hand, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto introduced legislation that would require states consent to storing the extreme levels of  waste. Giving Nevada the ability to refuse it. While establishing their rights to not kneel to congress at all costs. This current situation brings an interesting topic to the table of politics, is it possible that voters care not for the actual policy of the issue, but the emotional response that politics creates? If that is the case, we may be in for quite a journey to say the least. With that being said, this forum helped bring the political opinions and ideas learned in class to action towards a serious issue in the state of Nevada.

ISAIAH BURROWS A5

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On October 10th, 2017 there was a public forum held at the Brewery Arts Center in Carson City, NV regarding Yucca Mountain and what should be done about the nuclear waste. The speakers at this forum were overwhelmingly opposed to the idea of nuclear waste being buried in the Nevada desert. Speaker Robert Halstead, the executive director for the state of Nevada's agency for nuclear projects believes that the main reason why Nevada has had such an aggressive push from Congress to place a depository in Nevada is because of the lack of political power that the state holds. Director Halstead continued to point out safety concerns about transporting the nuclear waste, as well as geological concerns about Yucca Mountain itself. The polling statistics cited about the public opinion has shown that the public, and therefore likely elected representatives as well are strongly opposed to this movement. If these statistics hold true, this will be an issue of states' rights. Judging from the crowd at this event, I was able to gather that in our representative democracy, it seems that not many thoroughly participate. At this forum, the speakers made this out to be an extremely dire subject. A dire subject, which gets sparse recognition from a seemingly apathetic populace. In light of the current political cycle it is plausible that the voters care not for actual policy but the drama and emotional feedback which serious politics create. This raises the question if our democracy has degenerated into demagoguery, and I am hopeful that this is not the case, and it is likely not, as this is just one event out of many.

Liam O'Brien A3

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After the events of Las Vegas, president Trump made a speech at one the Las Vegas police stations addressing a room of heros and the press on the incident that recently occurred.

In his speech president trump emphasized the involvement of the law enforcement and first responders, thanking them for their bravery in the face of danger.  Really pulling towards the emotional investment of those who lost friends and family. President Trump made the right decision of following his speech and not going of on his own like observed in Puerto Rico. This is significant for him because of his track record with going off on his own. With the reading from the speech, Trump focused on the aspect of a united country. “ In the depths of horror we will always find hope in the men and women who risk their lives for ours”. With the emphasis of our hero’s he addressed the different senators from both parties and the governor, which to me was a move that came in from the left field. Addressing both parties and implying a notion of Bipartisan cooperation between the parties in time of a crisis. Which seems to be one of the only times both parties fully cooperate. Moving from the recognition of the political members present, Trump goes back to the men and women who risked their lives, Recognizing a select few individuals who were injured or killed while trying to help others. “ Dashed into a hail of bullets to rescue strangers”. Utilizing impression emotional language, the president addressed those involved and respectfully thanked the men and women who acted so bravely during the shooting.

Reading from the script and thanking the men and women. Although his approval rating has been dropping in every state. The way he conducted himself during the speech leads to believe that he is learning more about the way politics work and how he is developing more in his position.

Sam Wilson B2

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Girls State was a week long camp that imitated Nevada's legislative branch in the United States' democratic system. We did this by creating two political parties that had individuals run against each other for positions in the legislature, voting after various speeches from candidates, and creating legislation that would better the state of Nevada. We also had guest speakers such as Assemblywoman Amber Joiner to Dean Heller's representative come speak to us. I learned the history behind political parties and that the goals of political parties is to win elections. I also learned that there are different kinds of voting such as the direct and open primary voting. Because the 79th legislative session ended a few weeks prior to the camp, I learned some of the new legislation that was passed such as the bill that allowed for kids under the legal drinking age to call for emergency help if someone is at a health risk and not be in trouble. Another concept I learned was the process of which a piece of legislation has to go through in order to be passed in Nevada. The piece of legislation has to be approved by a majority of both the chambers of the legislature in order to get to the governor to approve or veto the legislation. I also learned fun facts that are in the legislative system such as a filibuster. A filibuster is a person that speaks for a consistently for a long period of time without sitting down, in hopes of buying enough time to gain support for their bill. In addition to that, I also learned how to run for candidacy. Through that, I learned that candidates have to be very persuasive, make their political party trust them enough to represent them, and campaign a lot. What I took from this camp was that a lot of complex processes goes on in the government system, but it is a very stable type of government. I also learned that I have a valuable opinion in our government system and involvement in politics ranging from the local to national level is very important.

Constance Chan A5