Changes: New(er) Faces in Washington

The 2018 midterm elections are over, with a lot of interesting results. Some of the races still do not have a confirmed winner because voting was so close. Some facts:
https://www.cbsnews.com/live-news/2018-midterm-elections-results-polls-us-races-live-updates-today-2018-11-06/

There were some remarkable winners among women, women of color, and other minorities gaining office: the youngest woman elected at age 29, 2 Muslim women elected, 2 Native American women elected, and a number of first women governors, some of them also minorities, in several states.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2018/11/06/election-results-2018-women-minority-candidates-history-firsts/1912048002/
After this week's election, there will be some changes in our local, state, and national government. Let's brush up on who does what at the federal level:

What is the President's Cabinet?
It is a group of people who head up different departments and advise the president as to the status of those departments. But, did you know that in theory, these department heads could take over (succeed) if the president and others were removed or died in office? Below you see all the different department heads, and the order in which they could possibly become president.

What is the order of presidential succession?

The Cabinet is crucial to the presidential line of succession that determines the order in which officials succeed to the presidency following the death or resignation of the President. The Vice President tops the order, followed by the Speaker of the House, then the President pro tempore of the Senate. The Cabinet officers succeed to the presidency in the following order: (from https://www.dummies.com/education/politics-government/what-is-the-presidents-cabinet/)

• Secretary of State, Department of State
• Secretary of the Treasury, Department of the Treasury
• Secretary of Defense, Department of Defense
• Attorney General, Department of Justice
• Secretary of the Interior, Department of the Interior
• Secretary of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture
• Secretary of Commerce, Department of Commerce
• Secretary of Labor, Department of Labor
• Secretary of Health & Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services
• Secretary of Housing & Development, Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Secretary of Transportation, Department of Transportation
• Secretary of Energy, Department of Energy
• Secretary of Education, Department of Education
• Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs
• Secretary of Homeland Security, Department of Homeland Security

The House of Representatives now has a Democrat majority, so the Speaker of the House will change to a Democrat, Nancy Pelosi, who was Speaker of the House from 2007 to 2011. She is a representative from California (San Francisco) and, by the way, she was the first woman Speaker of the House. Here is the role the Speaker plays:

The Speaker of the House exercises duties as a Member of Congress, as presiding officer of the House of Representatives, and as leader of the majority political party in the House.
These responsibilities include voting on legislation, administrative duties such as maintaining order within the House chamber, and other tasks such as appointing special committees
                           -from Government For Dummies,


The day after the election, our Attorney General stepped down at the request of the president. There is an acting AG at present. What is the role of Attorney General?
The Attorney General of the United States is the main legal advisor to the federal government. This person provides legal advice to the various department heads, deals with litigation against the government, and also can be involved in death penalty court cases.

Here is an in-depth explanation from Free Dictionary/Legal
The attorney general is head of the u.s. justice department and chief law officer of the federal government. He or she represents the United States in legal matters generally and gives advice and opinions to the president and to other heads of executive departments as requested. In cases of exceptional gravity or special importance, the attorney general may appear in person before the U.S. Supreme Court to represent the interests of the government.
As head of the Justice Department, the attorney general is charged with enforcing federal laws, furnishing legal counsel in federal cases, construing the laws under which other executive departments act, supervising federal penal institutions, and investigating violations of federal laws. The attorney general also supervises and directs the activities of the U.S. attorneys and u.s. marshals in the various judicial districts. (U.S. attorneys prosecute all offenses against the United States and prosecute or defend for the government all civil actions, suits, or proceedings in which the United States is concerned; U.S. marshals execute all lawful writs, processes, and orders issued under authority of the United States.) The Attorney General, then, represents the government, and is not the President's personal legal counsel.

The branches of government and what they do, the concept of the Constitution, the first 10 Amendments:

https://www.dummies.com/education/politics-government/u-s-constitution-for-dummies-cheat-sheet/ 

It's our government. We need to know how it runs and who does what.

Vote!

On November 6, a number of offices are up for election. If you are 18 or will be by election day, then you should go and vote. You can vote early, if you prefer. Check the website below for all kinds of info on voting.


Here's how to find out where to vote, and to see a sample ballot based on your location. https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/  You can also see how to vote if you are attending college away from home.

Every city or town in Minnesota belongs to a district. Based on your district, different things can be up for a vote.

In addition, each district has a representative in the State Senate--you may see ads on TV for various candidates, but they may not be in your voting district. You need to know who is, and what they favor, to be sure which candidate matches your wishes.

People can always run on any 'ticket' they want; that is, while the major political parties are Democrat and Republican, there are others, too, such as Independent, Green, Libertarian, Grassroots, or no affiliation. You don't need to be a member of any party at all to run for office, nor to vote.

You may also see several judges on your ballot, and it's likely you don't know anything about them. They frequently run unopposed, but they are elected officials.


This election, all voters in the state will be voting for United States Senator, State Auditor, State Attorney General, Governor (Mark Dayton is retiring from office) and Lieutenant Governor (Tina Smith held that office but became U.S. Senator to fill Al Franken's role, so now she is running to be elected), as well as local offices such as City Board Members and Judges. You will see some of them are running unopposed (no one else is running for that office).




Some of the candidates will say 'Incumbent' by their names, that means they currently hold that office. They may be unopposed or opposed. You can vote for the incumbent or someone else if you want to.

You forgot? The weather was bad? It wasn't at a time you found convenient? If someone gave you months of notice there was an important concert happening on a certain date, you'd show up, right? It's stunning how many people who could vote, do not vote. Why? It's the least you can do for your country. And it's so simple!

OK, these are mostly pretty lame reasons not to vote. Unless lines are long, it should only take about 15 minutes of your time, possibly even less. You stand in line to get coffee or McDonalds, don't you?


And, did you know Uber and Lyft are offering free or half price rides to your poll? Another 'problem' solved:  https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Uber-Lyft-To-Provide-Free-Trips-On-Election-Day-Vote-Polling-Place-Midterms-Elections-497528571.html




You can also write in anyone you choose if you feel like that person is better qualified than anyone else. This is, logically, a "Write In" vote.


Here's what a ballot typically looks like. You fill in the ovals with a pen or marker provided at the polling place. Be sure to turn the sheet over, usually there are more candidates and offices on the other side.

Not sure where the candidates stand on issues that matter to you? Confused by campaign ads on TV? Every candidate has a website. You can check and see if that candidate's views match yours.

                                               Really??? A bit over half of potential voters actually voted?? Belgium, we're not.
Why vote???

• We have a democracy. That means we all decide who represents us and what laws we want passed. If you vote, you make your voice heard.
• It's a way to honor veterans: They fought and served our country to preserve our rights. Show your appreciation by participating!
• It shows you care about what goes on in your community and your country
• It's the simplest and most basic way to participate in your government
• Majority rules. If an issue or a candidate is important to you, then speak up with your vote.
• You can't sit home and complain about what's going on if you didn't make the effort to vote.
• Everyone 18 and older can vote. It's not just up to the older generation to vote, it's everybody's right and responsibility-don't 'let those people handle it' thereby giving up your power.
• If you want someone in or out of office, you speak with your vote.
• It's easy and doesn't take much of your time. Your polling place is close to home, registering is simple, go and get it done.

 

 

 

Online Privacy: You Know I Love Ya Facebook, but.....

You may have read lately about Cambridge Analytica, a company that 'mined' information from Facebook accounts in an attempt to influence voting in the last presidential election. More on that here: https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/facebook-data-influence-elections/

                                                                        Interesting profile page...

I think we're clear about sharing questionable pictures or getting into heated fights or slandering someone on a Facebook page (I hope so, anyway), and we're aware that potential and present employers and college admissions people can see what we post unless we have our privacy settings set up right... But just how 'safe' is your personal information online?


It's good to remember that anything you post online in any way, is permanently out there, with the potential of any number of people or companies finding and using what you share for whatever reasons they might choose.


When it comes to ''mining'" data from Facebook, what information was helpful to those who wanted to influence the election?

• Ages of people
• What ethnic background these people have
• Where they live
• Whether they tend to share posts that have a liberal or conservative 'lean' to them
• Their support of organizations that also indicate their preferences
• What posts they share
• Who their friends are on Faccebook
• Which apps they use

• When people click the 'Like' button, and about what
• When their Facebook friends click a 'Like' button and about what
• Where they work
• Their incomes
• What their religious beliefs are
• If they have had health issues
• What schools they attend or have attended
• After-work activities they enjoy
• Possibly, pictures that indicate a political preference
• Whether they have children
• Ways in which they volunteer

A lot of information is shared when you do a quiz: Remember how often it will say: This app (or this game) needs access to your... and then you have to check that it's ok? That might be a lot of information you're sharing to see what type of dog you'd be if you could.

 

Why? Because all of these things are thought to influence the way a person votes in an election..

Here's someone who, as an experiment, 'liked' absolutely everything he saw on Facebook for just two days, and the results were remarkable. It really is an interconnecting web: If he 'liked' one thing, Facebook suggested something related, then something else related to that, then something else.... (note: There may be topics or words that offend you in his article): https://www.wired.com/2014/08/i-liked-everything-i-saw-on-facebook-for-two-days-heres-what-it-did-to-me/

 

So, what can we do to avoid sources mining our information?

• How to tighten up your privacy on Facebook:  http://www.winknews.com/2018/03/22/use-facebook-privacy-settings/
• If you want to delete your Facebook account, it can be done, but it's not exactly simple. Facebook has two options, delete or deactivate. Here are steps to completely, 100%, delete your account. https://mashable.com/2014/07/02/how-delete-facebook/#pHFaaLpb5OqW

Some people dropped their Facebook accounts and are now only using Instagram, but be aware: Facebook owns Instagram as well.


If you're unsure about closing your Facebook account, remember, you do have some control over it on a daily basis.

• You can choose who sees what you post: choose specific people only, Public, Acquaintences, Friends, Close Friends 
• You can create a 'Restricted' list of people who see nothing unless you allow it. You could use this for people you're not comfortable 'unfriending' just yet.
• You can change these selections with every post if you want to.
• You can un-follow people who post things you don't want to see, and re-follow if you want to give them another chance.

• You can create a 'blocked' list of people you don't even want to find you on Facebook, and add to it whenever you want.
• Remember, it's your account, you can set it up the way you want it.
• Also, consider who you allow to be Facebook friends with you: do you know the person well, and trust him or her? If not, perhaps don't be Facebook friends. People sometimes 'friend' absolutely anyone that asks, and wind up with several hundred of them. The maximum amount of friends and pages you follow is currently 5,000. There may be times when a business page merits that many, but truly, how many 'friends' do you actually have? You can always weed out your list and un-friend a batch that you barely know.
• When all is said and done, it's just Facebook.

Your information, pictures, anything you've posted, is 'out there' forever, so be selective and smart with what you share and with whom.

Voting: A little Quality Time To Yourself

This year's election will be on November 8. Polling places will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.. You might be wondering what it's like to vote. Here you go:


First, find out where you are supposed to vote. Voting locations are based on your address. They're usually conveniently close to your house. Usually, your polling place will be a local school or possibly a church building; this is in order to accommodate a large number of people with no problem. *You need to go the polling place designated for you, you cannot just go into any polling place.


You can look up where your polling place is by entering your zip code and address here: 
http://myballotmn.sos.state.mn.us/Street.aspx?ModeType=1&ZipCode=55434


The polling place will be tended by a number of election judges. These people keep order, check registered voters in, register new voters, and make sure all ballots are kept secret and secure for the day of the election. They often work from 6:00 a.m. until after the polls are closed for the evening. If you're interested in becoming an election judge, click on this link: http://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/get-involved/become-an-election-judge/


**Did you know students ages 16-17 can be Election Judge Trainees and help out at the polling place on Election Day?** Sounds like a great way to see the process of election!!






This link tells you how to vote if you are away at college, and other special circumstances. There are links to a paper registration and where to mail it, or to register online as well:

http://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/register-to-vote/im-a-college-student/?searchTerm=college 

Graphic from 2012: Look how many people were in the 21-40 years old age group--That's voting power.

If you haven't registered to vote, you can bring with identification and register right before you vote. You will need a Drivers License or your Social Security number. You may also need to show a bill, such as a utility bill, to prove you live at your address.

 

You can vote in Minnesota if:

• You are a Citizen of the United States
• You are 18 years old by Election Day, November 8, 2016
• You have lived in Minnesota for 20 days prior to November 8. Thus, you have to have lived in this state on October 19th.
• You must not have been convicted of treason or a felony
• You are not legally incompetent

 

You only need to register one time.

This is a typical ballot from the last election.

Once you are registered, an Election Judge will hand you a ballot. These are often long sheets of paper with all the candidates listed for each position being elected, and will be in a large cardboard folder. You'll be given the right sort of pen or marker to use on the ballot, Be sure you turn it over and look at all the different offices you can vote for.

Other officials may be up for election on your ballot, and there may also be items specifically related to one city or one district. For example, this year in Minnesota, voters can cast a ballot for these people:

• President and Vice President: The ballot lists Democrate, Republican, and Independent Party choices. You have the right to write in another name of your choice and vote for that person.
• U.S. Representative, District 6
• State Senator, District 37 and 37A
• County Commissioner, District 3
• Soil and Water Superintendent
• Mayor, City of Blaine
• Council Member: Ward 1, Blaine
• Some Associate Justices
• Many Judges
• A question put to the voters of Blaine about a community center/Senior Center.

 

While it would be appreciated if you look up these folks and make an informed decision, you are not required to vote for any other officials. If you only want to vote for President, you can do that and your vote will be counted. If you see the word "incumbent" before a name, that means the person already holds the office and is running for re-election.

A ballot like the one you see above  requires you to fill in the ovals next to the candidate you want to vote for. As with any scanned type of paper, be sure you fill the oval neatly, not too small and not too sloppy; the scanner can't read those and will reject your ballot.

If you mess up your ballot, take it to an election judge to get a fresh one. Don't crumple it up, just hand it to a judge.

The next time there is an election, since you have registered, you simply go to your polling place, give an election judge your name and address, and then sign next to your name. Then you'll be given your ballot (voting paper) and directed to a booth.


Some booths have long curtains for your privacy and some have sides that would prevent anyone from seeing who you're voting for. Some places have curtains behind the voter, but either way,  keeping your vote secret is no problem.

Ballot Booths. They each have tall sides so you can't see anyone's ballot.

When you are done (and take your time, be sure you are voting for the people you want) you can put your paper ballot back into the large cardboard folder and bring it to the person who is putting the ballots into the counting machine. No need to remove it from the folder, it will hang out enough for the scanner to grab it. The machine looks like this:

No one is going to see who you voted for, including the election judge.

You'll probably be offered an "I Voted" sticker to place on your jacket.

That's it!! You just made your voice heard. Now you can keep tabs on results as they come in by watching it on TV or online.

How Much Power Does The President Have?

With the election coming up soon (Tuesday, November 8!!) we got to wondering: No matter who wins the election, how much power does the President of the United States actually have??

 

There are three branches of government in the U.S.: Executive (the President), Legislative (Congress and Senate) and Judicial (U.S. Supreme Court). In theory, at least, these three are supposed to cooperate to pass laws. In reality, there is a lot of negotiating, stalemates, and disagreements occurring between Congress, Senate, and the President. When the legislative part is run by one political party but the President belongs to another, this frequently causes problems.

President Obama signs the Affordable Care Act. The President uses several pens to sign these bills and then hands them off to people as souvenirs that they were present at the signing.

According to the United States Constitution, the President can:

 

• Suggest legislation to Congress, although Congress still has to pass it into law
• Sign or veto bills if 2/3 of the members of Congress agree
• Make treaties with other countries
• Grant reprieves or pardons
• Appoint ambassadors
• Appoint cabinet members
• Appoint Justices of the Supreme Court
• Fill vacancies in the Senate if it is in recess, without an election
• Nominate a new Vice President if that position is vacated, without an election

More in-depth explanations can be found here:

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/powers-president

The President is the Commander in Chief of all the Armed Forces in our country. This means he or she, even though a civilian, is in charge of all branches of the military: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines. There are chief advisors for each branch that confer with the President to keep him or her informed of any military actions. The President does not have the power to declare war, only Congress can do that.

A further explanation of "Commander in Chief" is here: http://work.chron.com/duties-commander-chief-16065.html

The President can be removed from office (the procedure is called impeachment) by an Act of Congress if he or she is suspected of:

• Treason-Treason is doing something that betrays your country, such as trying to overturn a ruler or take the ruler's life
• Bribery-Bribery is paying someone for his/her silence when you have done something wrong or illegal
• Other high crimes and misdemeanors-this 'catchall' phrase would include the types of things done by Richard Nixon when he was in office: lying about things he ordered to be done, to spy on the Democratic Party, for starters.  Read about his impeachment here: http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/impeachments/nixon.htm
• Presidents William Clinton and Andrew Johnson were also impeached, but unsuccessfully, so they completed their terms in office. President Richard Nixon resigned before he could be impeached.

What does the Vice President do, you may ask?? One duty of the Vice President is to preside over the Senate when it meets. The Vice President does have the power to vote only in cases where the Senate is tied in their votes.


The main job of the Vice President is to be available should something happen to the president; that is, the President dies, becomes unable to fulfill the duties of that office, or is removed from office. At that point, the Vice President steps in and becomes President. This has happened 8 times in our history. On 13 occasions, a Vice President has gone on to become elected as President.

While the President of the U.S. enjoys lots of perks, he or she does not actually hold a lot of power. That was the agreement when the country's Constitution was written.

 Air Force One is the President's jet. It is specially equipped for safety and is always 'on call' for use.

 So as far as power is concerned, the President is somewhat limited. He or she does, however, represent the whole country to the rest of the world, and has the responsibility of diplomacy, tact, and wisdom in dealing with other nations. He or she will travel extensively and will receive visitors from many countries during his or her time in office. The way the President conducts himself or herself is the way the rest of the world views us.