Discussions4

=**2011-12 Current Events Discussions**=

Please don't post to the discussion tab on this page. Post your thoughts, comments, and questions on the pages created for each of the weekly discussion topics below.


 * Topic 1- Issues 2011: **NOW CLOSED! Please post your thoughts and reactions to this discussion forum to practice using the wiki for current events discussions. This board will be open through Tuesday, September 6th.


 * Topic 2- 911 and America:** NOW CLOSED! What do you remember about 911? How did it affect your family? How has it affected America? What lessons are most important to always remember? Is Freedom or Security more important to America as a nation? This discussion will run through Monday, September 12th.


 * Topic 3- 911 Memorials- 10th Anniversary Dedications:** NOW CLOSED! Most 12 Sep Article Reports were about the September 11th Remembrance Ceremonies held around the country but mostly at the 9-11 Memorials in NYC at Ground Zero, the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, PA, and the Pentagon Memorial in Washington, D.C.. Additional television specials presented countless perspectives on 9/11, 2011 and the 10 years since. What did you see ? Which did the best job at telling the important stories?


 * Topic 4- Cut Spending or Raise Taxes? :**NOW CLOSED! The President's jobs bill which is now being debated in Congress has both. Also upcoming is the work of the Super Committee on Deficit Reduction charged with finding 1.5 Trillion dollars in cuts by November as part of the August budget compromise. What is your opinion? Can we do both? This discussion will run through Monday, September 26th.


 * Topic 5- American Hikers Released by Iran:** NOW CLOSED! This week, 2 American hikers were released by Iran after about 2 years in captivity in an Iranian prison. They had been taken along with a women- released earlier along the unmarked border with Iraq and were kept on charges of espionage or spying. Mediation by the Swiss and Omani embassies in Iran seems to have secured their release. What does their ordeal say about relations between Iran and the U.S., about individual rights and human dignity, and about the risks taken by people traveling abroad? This discussion will run until Monday, October 3rd.

**Topic 6- Coyotes in Aurora and other Nuisance Animals- Whose Responsibility?** NOW CLOSED! Coyotes have lived in Aurora for years, and like other formerly wild animals: Deer, Raccoon, Opposum, Skunk, Beaver... are adapting to living comfortably in Suburban areas. Recently, a coyote attack that killed a small, pet dog in front if its owner in a neighborhood raised alarms. People spoke up, and the city has responded with a trapping program. What do you think about all this? This discussion will run until Tuesday, October 11th.


 * Topic 7- Wall Street Protests:** NOW CLOSED! Are these growing and very organized grass roots protests in NYC and now in other cities likely to make a difference for the American Economy? The targets are America's big corporations and banks and the way they do business to favor investors over workers. Will the government or business respond first ? Are these protests more positive or negative? Are the protestors exercising their 1st amendment rights to peaceful protest, or have they crossed the line? __**This discussion has been extended to Monday, October 24th.**__


 * Final Discussion for 1st Quarter- Congressman LaTourette**. In Washington, your representative to Congress, Steven C. LaTourette will give you a personal tour of the Capitol including a question and answer session in the House of Representatives chamber. What questions do you have for him about his work in Congress, current events and issues, and advice for Mock Congress? After D.C., this discussion will continue as a debriefing of our visit.

=**4TH QUARTER 2010-11 DISCUSSIONS**=
 * PLEASE DON'T POST TO THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSIONS. THESE ARE FROM 4TH QUARTER LAST YEAR AND HAVE BEEN KEPT FOR YOU TO SEE AS EXAMPLES.**


 * 4th Quarter, discussion topics will range from your personal experiences through breaking news and Mock Congress issues topics to applying lessons from our studies of the Civil War and Reconstruction to present situations...**


 * Topic 1: A Spring Break Perspective on America NOW CLOSED- (Monday, April 4th through Sunday, April 10th): Whether you stayed home in Aurora or traveled the country or beyond, chances are you learned some things about America and Americans that you never noticed before. Post your thoughts and observations here to create a collage of who we are as a nation.**


 * Topic 2: Balancing the Budget NOW CLOSED-(Open Monday, April 11th through Sunday, April 17th): This past Friday, the Congress narrowly avoided a federal government shut down by compromising on a budget that will allow funding through the remainder of the year. With tax revenues declining due to the weak economy, the government can't afford to maintain all of its programs. To spend more in one area would require less spending elsewhere. If you were in charge of the budget. What would you cut ? What would you keep ? How would you balance the budget ?**


 * Topic 3: Bullying- UnAmerican or an American Tradition ? NOW CLOSED-(Open Monday, April 18th through Monday, April 25th)- Check out this Center for Civic Education Collage of student artwork on the topic of Bullying. Many of you have explored this as a potential Mock Congress issue- because it is an issue that you live. This is an issue that's we've lived with throughout our history that is also known as discrimination, predjudice, ... Check out the collage, answer the questions, and post your thoughts.**


 * Topic 4: Royal Wedding NOW CLOSED (Open April 25th through May 1st). So William and Kate are getting married this Friday and the whole world is watching. Why ? Why are Americans especially fascinated with the British Royal family going back to Charles and Diana ? We're a democracy for crying out loud. Are you following the news ? What are you most interested in ? Why is this wedding important ? What role does the British Monarchy play anymore in the government of Great Britain ?**


 * __Topic 5:__ Tornadoes and other Natural Disasters NOW CLOSED(Open May 2nd through May 8th). Did you see the news about the tornadoes that killed over 300 people last week in the American South ? Have you ever seen a tornado ? If you were to experience and survive a tornado, what would you do? What would you expect city, state, and the national government to do ? Who else could you turn to for help ?**


 * Topic 6: End of Osama Bin Laden NOW CLOSED(Open May 2nd and CONTINUED through May 15th). By now, you're aware that Osama Bin Laden was killed in a U.S. Military Operation in Pakistan. What does that mean for the War on Terror?**


 * Topic 7: Mock Congress (Open May 16th through May 27th). NOW CLOSED- Here is your chance to plug your bill. Publicize, push, build support even before your bill gets to committee. Make your bill the one your peers are talking about.**


 * Topic 8: Mock Congress Best Overall Bill Nominations (Open May 30th- June 5th). NOW CLOSED- You've considered a great number of bills during the course of Mock Congress. Other than your own- which one do you think was the best bill over all ? This is the bill that was most practical, understandable, affordable, and needed... Post and defend your nominations here, and we'll have a final vote next Monday in class along with the Student Council elections.**