Gerrymandering - Definition and Examples in Politics

Gerrymandering s in Politics Gerrymandering is the act of drawing congressional, state legislative or other political boundaries to favor a political party or one particular candidate for elected office. The purpose of gerrymandering is to grant one party power over another by creating districts that hold dense concentrations of voters who are favorable to their policies. Impact The physical impact of gerrymandering can be seen on any map of congressional districts. Many boundaries zig and zag east and west, north and south across city, township and county lines as if for no reason at all. But the political impact is much more significant. Gerrymandering reduces the number of competitive congressional races across the United States by segregating like-minded voters from each other. Gerrymandering has become common in American politics and is often blamed for the gridlock in Congress, polarization of the electorate and disenfranchisement among voters. President Barack Obama, speaking in his final State of the Union address in 2016, called on both the Republican and Democratic parties to end the practice. â€Å"If we want a better politics, it’s not enough just to change a congressman or change a senator or even change a president. We have to change the system to reflect our better selves. I think weve got to end the practice of drawing our congressional districts so that politicians can pick their voters, and not the other way around. Let a bipartisan group do it.† In the end, though, most cases of gerrymandering are legal.   Harmful Effects Gerrymandering  often leads to disproportionate politicians from one party being elected to office. And it creates districts of voters who are socioeconomically, racially or politically alike so that members of Congress are safe from potential challengers and, as a result, have little reason to compromise with their colleagues from the other party.   The process is marked by secrecy, self-dealing and backroom logrolling among elected officials. The public is largely shut out of the process, wrote  Erika L. Wood, the director of the Redistricting Representation Project at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law. In the 2012 congressional elections, for example, Republicans won 53 percent of the popular vote but carried three out of four House seats in states where they oversaw redistricting. The same was true for Democrats. In states where they controlled the process of drawing congressional district boundaries, they captured seven out of 10 seats with only 56 percent of the popular vote. Any Laws Against It? The U.S. Supreme Court, ruling in 1964, called for a fair and equitable distribution of voters among congressional districts, but its ruling dealt mostly with the actual number of voters in each and whether they were rural or urban, not the partisan or racial makeup of each: Since the achieving of fair and effective representation for all citizens  is concededly the basic aim of legislative apportionment, we conclude that the Equal Protection Clause guarantees the opportunity for equal participation by all voters in the election of state legislators. Diluting the weight of votes because of place of residence impairs basic constitutional rights under the Fourteenth Amendment just as much as invidious discriminations based upon factors such as race  or economic status. The federal Voting Rights Act of 1965  took on the issue of using race as a factor in drawing congressional districts, saying it is illegal to deny minorities their constitutional right  Ã¢â‚¬Å"to participate in the political process and to elect representatives of their choice.† The law  was designed to end discrimination against black Americans, particularly those in the South after the Civil War. A state may take race into account as one of several factors when drawing district lines- but without a compelling reason, race cannot be the predominant reason for a district’s shape, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. The Supreme Court followed up in 2015 by saying states could form independent, nonpartisan commissions to redraw legislative and congressional boundaries. How It Happens Attempts to gerrymander happen only once a decade and soon after years ending in a zero. That’s because states are required by law to redraw all 435 congressional and legislative boundaries based on the decennial census every 10 years. The redistricting process begins soon after the U.S. Census Bureau completes its work and begins sending data back to the states. Redistricting must be completed in time for the 2012 elections. Redistricting is one of the most important processes in American politics. The way congressional and legislative boundaries are drawn determines who wins federal and state elections, and ultimately which political party holds the power in making crucial policy decisions. Gerrymandering is not hard,  Sam Wang, the founder of Princeton Universitys Election Consortium, wrote in 2012. He continued: The core technique is to jam voters likely to favor your opponents into a few throwaway districts where the other side will win lopsided victories, a strategy known as packing. Arrange other boundaries to win close victories, cracking opposition groups into many districts. Examples The most concerted effort to redraw political boundaries to benefit a political party in modern history happened after the 2010 census. The project, orchestrated by Republicans using sophisticated software and about $30 million, was called  REDMAP, for Redistricting Majority Project. The program began with successful efforts to regain majorities in key states including  Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, and Wisconsin. Republican strategist Karl Rove wrote in The Wall Street Journal before the midterm elections in 2010: The political world is fixated on whether this years elections will deliver an epic rebuke of President Barack Obama and his party. If that happens, it could end up costing Democrats congressional seats for a decade to come. He was right. The Republican victories in statehouses across the country allowed the GOP in those states to then control the redistricting process taking effect in 2012 and shape congressional races, and ultimately policy, until the next census in 2020.   Who is Responsible? Both major political parties are responsible for the misshapen legislative and congressional districts in the United States. In most cases, the process of drawing congressional and legislative boundaries is left to state legislatures. Some states impanel special commissions. Some redistricting commissions are expected to resist political influence and act independently from the parties and the elected officials in that state. But not all. Here’s a breakdown of who is responsible for redistricting in each state: State legislatures: In 30 states, the elected state lawmakers are responsible for drawing their own legislative districts and in 31 states the boundaries for the congressional districts in their states, according to the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University’s School of Law. The governors in most of those states have the authority to veto the plans. The states that allow their legislatures to perform the redistricting are: AlabamaDelaware (Legislative districts only)FloridaGeorgiaIllinoisIndianaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaine (Congressional districts only)MarylandMassachusettsMinnesotaMissouri (Congressional districts only)North CarolinaNorth Dakota (Legislative districts only)NebraskaNew HampshireNew MexicoNevadaOklahomaOregonRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth Dakota (Legislative districts only)TennesseeTexasUtahVirginiaWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming (Legislative districts only) Independent commissions: These apolitical panels are used in four states to redraw legislative districts. To keep politics and the potential for gerrymandering out of the process, state lawmakers and public officials are prohibited from serving on the commissions. Some states also prohibit legislative staffers and lobbyists, as well. The four states that employ independent commissions are: ArizonaCaliforniaColoradoMichigan Advisory commissions: Four states use and advisory commission consisting of a mix of legislators and non-legislators to draw up congressional maps that are then presented to the legislature for a vote. Six states use advisory commissions to draw state legislative districts. The states that use advisory commissions are: ConnecticutIowaMaine (Legislative districts only)New YorkUtahVermont (Legislative districts only) Politician commissions: Ten states create panels made up of state lawmakers and other elected officials to redraw their own legislative boundaries. While these states take redistricting out of the hands of the entire legislature, the process is highly political, or partisan, and often results in gerrymandering districts. The 10 states that use politician commissions are: Alaska (Legislative districts only)Arkansas (Legislative districts only)HawaiiIdahoMissouriMontana (Legislative districts only)New JerseyOhio (Legislative districts only)Pennsylvania (Legislative districts only)Washington Why Is It Called Gerrymandering? The term gerrymander is derived from the name of a Massachusetts governor in the early 1800s, Elbridge Gerry. Charles Ledyard Norton, writing in the 1890 book  Political Americanisms, blamed Gerry for signing into a law a bill in 1811 readjusting the representative districts so as to favor the Democrats and weaken the Federalists, although the last named party polled nearly two-thirds of the votes cast. Norton explained the emergence of the epithet gerrymander this way: A fancied resemblance of a map of the districts thus treated led [Gilbert] Stuart, the painter, to add a few lines with his pencil, and to say to Mr. [Benjamin] Russell, editor of the Boston Centinel, That will do for a salamander. Russell glanced at it: Salamander! said he, Call it a Gerrymander! The epithet took at once and became a Federalist war-cry, the map caricature being published as a campaign document. The late William Safire, a political columnist and linguist for  The New York Times, made note of the words pronunciation in his 1968 book  Safires New Political Dictionary: Gerrys name was pronounced with a hard  g; but because of the similarity of the word with jerrybuilt (meaning rickety, no connection with gerrymander) the letter  g  is pronounced as  j.

Management of Human Resources (MBA) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management of Human Resources (MBA) - Essay Example Building rentals accounted for 1.8% of sales in the late 1970's. This was the lowest level for major discounters. Additional building rentals of Wal-Mart took it up by only 0.1%. Wal-Mart was able to keep it's cost of goods as low as possible. It had a centralized purchasing network, and therefore purchased in bulk. It also had distribution centers and a good distribution network that ensured it's stores always had a consistent supply of stock. These steps further reduced cost greatly. Wal-Mart had Goodwill in cities where it was established because of their promotional strategy which was tailored by it's philosophy of "Everyday low prices". It had a high sales turnover and spent just 1.1% of it's net sales in the second half of the 1970's. Costs were greatly reduced here too. Wal-Mart undertook capital investments to improve labor productivity. Salaries and wage expense had declined to 10.1% of sales by 1985. This reduced cost, however employee incentives, like profit sharing were enabled to ensure employee satisfaction. Their employees put in their best to satisfy Wal-Mart customers in return. Cost is minimized as much as possible, allowing for continuous reduction in prices of commodities. The reduction in prices led to increased sales and a high rate of turnover, hence increased profits and more operating income for expansion and performance. How does Wal-Mart have superior profitability Exhibit 2 (page 10) is a financial performance that compares Wal-Mart's performance with that of it's competitors from 1974 to1984 in (%) 2. Wal-Mart has superior profitability because of the high percentage of sales. It was very competitive in terms of prices, Wal-Mart was able to sell at very low prices governed by it's philosophy of "Everyday low prices". It ran a lot of promotional sales and was able to balance this with a low cost profile. Increased sales brought in more profit, Wal-Mart had the highest return on equity of 33.0%, sales growth of 40.3% and earnings per share growth of 38.8%. How do Wal-Mart's retail prices compare to those of it's competitors Wal-Mart was very competitive in terms of prices. The store managers had the liberty to set prices as compared to their counterparts that didn't have. This latitude in price setting enabled prices to be set uniquely to a particular location, while having the overall objective of the organization in mind. In a comparism by Sachs in late 1983 and early 1983 on a location

Management Control Systems Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Management Control Systems - Case Study Example The monetary measure becomes a common measure that is understood by all functions of the organisation. Also, profitability measure is essential to the success of all organisations. Thus, management monitors performance in terms of monetary value. Most especially, financial results provide a mechanism to suggest whether the business strategies implemented by an organisation benefited them. (Kimmel, Weygandt, & Kisco, 2000) This paper focuses on the management control systems established and implemented by a banking institution - Grameen Bank. Grameen Bank is a non-traditional bank that surpasses conventional banking practices of its contemporaries. In view of this, the paper will illustrate the different performance measurements that the organisation established as well as create a performance evaluation of the organisation. Grameen Bank is a micro-credit organisation that had initiated lending to the rural poor and was very successful that they rise above the normal banking conventions. Muhammad Yunus founded the bank in order to help the poor people in his country. He envisioned create an organisation that would alleviate the poor from poverty. He created the bank because no other banks shared his vision. In his speech as a Nobel Peace Prize Awardee, Yunus started the bank as a home-grown project that was run with the help of his students. Now, the Grameen Bank has increased in multitudes and the Grameen idea has spread around the world. Grameen-type programs are being implemented in almost every country. (Yunus, 2006) The target market of Grameen is the poorest of the poor in Bangladesh and most of their customers are responsible women of the poor families. Yunus developed a lending methodology where loans are paid in miniature weekly payments. The purpose of micro-credit lending is to detect problems early and increase borrowers' confidence. The objectives of the Grameen Bank are to extend the banking facilities to the poor people without collaterals but instead of mutual trust, accountability, participation and creativity. The organisation aims to become an enabler for the unutilized and underutilized manpower to create opportunities for self-employment. (Grameen Bank, 2009) Management control systems According to Kaplan & Norton (1996), what an organisation cannot measure, the organisation cannot manage. In order for an organisation to be successful in its business, they must know what to look at or the indicators that show the health of the organisation. It is part of the role of management to create strategies for the organisation in order sustain their existence as well as grow in their business environment. It is the nature of management to have control over the organisation. It is the function of management to define various measures to safeguard its assets; check the reliability and accuracy of accounting information; ensure compliance with management policies; and evaluate operating performance and efficiency. Without control, the people in the organisation will be functioning in chaos and without direction. Management control is one of the reasons that an organisation would look professional, systematic and trustworthy, inside and out. A management control

An Assessment Of Human Resource Information System Information Technology Essay

An Assessment Of Human Resource Information System Information Technology Essay Nowadays, we are in a highly dynamic and competitive business globe. Hencea key person or top management of any organization tries to earn a larger share of the existing market. In such an environment, Information Technology (referred to henceforth as IT) and Information Systems (referred to henceforth as IS) would sharpen the business process and smooth the functions of the day-to-day operations. Although there are number of software or ISs are available in an organization, Human Resources Information System (referred to henceforth as HRIS) is the only system which takes care of human capital of the organization. Therefore, it is very important to have an effective and efficient HRIS and it should be maintained properly. Especially, infrastructure of the telecommunication organizations should be consisted with innovative technologies to cater quality service through their satisfied staff. Human Resources (referred to henceforth as HR) Department should pay more attention to achieve the desires of internal customers such as employees, middle managers and senior managers. According to the pilot survey, nearly all the employees in Sri Lanka Telecom PLC are using HIRS which has been implemented island wide. Existing users are facinga lot of system issues such as outdated, incorrect, inconsistent data, less reliability and user-friendliness, low performance, insufficient user training and most importantly poor contribution in making decisions. Theseissues mightheavily affectthe companys HR functions. The main objectives of this study are to assess the effectiveness of existing HRIS implemented in Sri Lanka Telecom PLC and identify its implications, advantages of introducing Online Performance Appraisal System (referred to henceforth as OPAS) to support the Strategic Human Resource Management (referred to henceforth as SHRM) in same organization context. To achieve the above objectives, the researcher has to address different aspects and various categories of employees and all managerial and technical difficulties in using the system, user trainings, inaccuracy of data, and use of web base sub sets of HRIS, etc. Conceptual Background Main focus of this section is to describe the main concepts which would be used in the entire research study. What isHuman Resource Information Systems? Tannenbaum(1990, p. 27) defines that Human Resource Information System is the system used to acquire, store, manipulate, analyze, retrieve and distribute related information regarding an organizations human resources.Nowadays, HRIS functionality includes corporate communication, recruitment, selection, training, employee opinion survey, compensation, payroll services and employee verification as well as general information (NgaiWat 2006). Same time HRIS assists HR professionals to focus on human capital analysis, but simply having more information does not automatically lead to a better analysis (Roehling et al. 2005). HRIS is an important tool for many businesses. Even the small office needs to realize the benefits of using HRIS to be more efficient. Normally,HR system should provide the capability to plan, control and manage HR costs more effectively; achieve improved efficiency and quality in HR decision making; and improve employee and managerial productivity and effectiveness. They also provide centralized location for company policies, announcements, and links to external URLs, reliable communication processes and save paper by providing an easy-access. There are two types of IS for HR Professional. The software available as web-based and desktop based. More popular some HRIS modules are: Recruitment Attendance and Leave Organization charts Employee self-service (Employees can update personal information and view benefits selections, absence transactions and payroll information) Automatic alerts Benefits Administration (Save paper and postage, take weeks off the benefits open enrollment period, reduce administration time, and improve data accuracy) Training and developments What is Human Resources management? Human Resources management is the process of managing human capital in organizations in a systematic and structured manner. This covers the job analyses, planning, recruiting the right people for the job in right time, managing wages and salaries, providing benefits and incentives, training and development, performance evaluation, resolving disputes, and communicating with all employees within the organization. What is the Performance Appraisal System? The Performance Appraisal System (referred to henceforth as PAS) is a software program which provides the facility to evaluate an individual employees performance and productivity link with objectives of the organization and pre-defined criteria in systematic way. Generally, performance appraisal interview is conducted once a year. Some companies have implemented mid-year review to monitor the progress of achieving individual targets. In the process of PA interviewing supervisor provides feed back to the employees, recommend trainings, and discuss compensation, disciplinary decisions, or job status. Performance management systems would align and manage organizations resources in order to achieve corporate goals through highest possible performance. What is the Strategic Human Resource Management? The strategic human resource management is relationship of strategic goals and objectives of the organization, with human resources in order to increase productivity, flexibility, to develop organizational culture and competitive advantage. HSRM involves as a strategic SHRM partner to achieve corporate goals through human resources functions such as employee selection, recruitment, carrier development, benefit management, etc. Main features of SHRM: There is a precise relationship with overall organizational strategic goals and HR policies and practices. HR management delegates much of their responsibilities down the line. There are some organizing schemas linking individual HR interventions mutually supportive. Contextual Background This section covers the current context of the research study in brief. A pilot survey was conducted to identify the contextual background of the Sri Lanka Telecoms (referred to henceforth as SLT) HRIS and used a semi-structured interview guide line to interview six senior managers who are attached to the HR group and other user group who are involving implementation and currently using the HRIS. Through the pilot survey the researcher has identified the problems of the context. Furthermore, SLT Annual reports were referred to in order to identify their policies and practices and also Telecom Management Information System (hereinafter referred as TMIS) documents such as user guides, architecture, diagrams were referred. At present,Sri Lanka Telecom is the leading Telecommunications Service Provider in Sri Lanka. For the first time SLT introduced a HRIS in year 2000 through a local company. It included very basic HR functions and facilitated simple operations. However in year 2005 the system was upgraded and currently using new version which has many automated HR processes keeping up-to- date employee records such as payroll, Attendance, personal information, training and development, benefit management, etc. Chief Officer Human Resource (referred to henceforth as CHRO) of Sri Lanka Telecom stated that SLT had spent around 30 Million LKR for Telecom Management Information System to upgrade the entire HR system in 2005. Although, SLT is paying approximately 1.5 million LKR for the annual maintenance of HRIS there are some technical and managerial issues available. Most of the users who are using existing system face lot of -issues such as out dated, incorrect, inconsistent, information less reliability and user-friendliness, low performance, insufficient user training and especially poor contribution in decision making. Human Recourse activities are very important for any organization to carry out their day to day business activities. As displaying in Figure 1.1, there are twenty sub modules are available in TMIS and it starts from employee recruitment to termination.HR processes include HR planning, exam assessment information, recruitment, Employee Information Manager, transfers, promotions, payroll, bonus, training development, attendance leave, disciplinary, welfare benefit management (e.g. loan, housing loan, medical reimbursement, circuit bungalow reservations, quarters allocation). Module Overview of the Telecom Management Information System C:UsersSLTUSERDesktopTMIS Diagrams.jpg Figure 1.1.HRM Enterprise Module Overview.Reprinted from TMISV2 System Architecture Document (p.11), by Hsenid Business Solutions,2005. Reprinted with permission. Research Issue Although, Sri Lanka Telecom PLC has been using the existing Human Resources Information System for the last decade, there is no sufficient improvement in human resource management and it does not support the strategic decision making. Furthermore, manual performance appraisal stem is not contributed to the strategic human resource management effectively and efficiently. Purpose of the research The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of existing Human Resource Information System implemented in Sri Lanka Telecom Public Listed Company (referred to henceforth as PLC)and to understand weather existing sub systems and web-based applications are supported to the strategic human resource management adequately. Especially HRIS should be contributed to the decision making in human resource management. Outcome of this research would contribute to the body of knowledge by filling existing gap in strategic human resource management of HRIS at SLT studies by analyzing senior HR mangers, middle HR mangers and senior officers of other user groups who are engaged in human resources group as well as Human resources information system. This study would determine the advantages of online performance appraisal system further for strategic human resource management at Sri Lanka Telecom PLC. Significance of the Study All employees are using SLT HIRS in their day-to-day activities to fulfill various individual, operational and managerial requirements. Currently, SLT has implemented the HR system island wide (All groups, divisions in head office and regional offices). Most of the users who are using existing system face lot of issues such as out dated, incorrect, inconsistent data, less reliability and user-friendliness, low performance, insufficient user training and most importantly poor contribution in making decisions. which might affect the operations relating to the HR matters such as salary, overtime (OT) and Bata payments, maintaining employee master records, attendance, leave and benefit management (Issuing loan, medical reimbursement, etc..)etc. Therefore, it is necessary to have an assessment of all subject modules in existing HRIS and identify the advantages of automating the performance appraisal system (referred to henceforth as PAS). We have to gather ideas from different aspects, and various categories of employees including senior managers. All managerial and technical difficulties in using HRIS, training requirements, inaccuracy of data, barriers to maintain up to date records, use of web base sub system, etc., need to be addressed. It is also necessary to assess existing HRIS and its relevance to the strategic human resource management in line with the organizational HR goals. Objectives and Research Questions Table 1.1 Objectives and Research Questions of the Study. Objectives Research Questions To identify the features of HRIS What is HRIS? What are the features of HRIS at SLT? To evaluate the existing HRIS for Strategic Human Resources Management (SHRM) How existing system is supported to strategic human resource management? How web-based applications are useful to strategic human resource management at SLT? To identify the advantages of Online Performance Appraisal System (OPAS) for Strategic Human Resources Management(SHRM) at SLT What is performance appraisal system? What are the advantages of online performance appraisal system for strategic human resource management at SLT? Note. Researchers work Research Method and Design Research approach The researcher uses deductive approach since general quantitative data would be moving to the particular situations of organizations. Time horizon Researcher gathered data one time interviewing from senior managers in a pilot survey and through e-mailing the research questionnaire to the sample group within the SLT. Therefore, time horizon is cross sectional. Population, Sample Sample Techniques All employees in SLT have been considered as population. Sampling process of the research is based on the stratified random sampling technique. Data collection methods and procedures 1. Semi-structured interviews Six interviews were conducted with senior managers in SLT based on semi-structured interview guide line. 2. Questionnaire Research questionnaire was designed using the liker scale method and e-mailed to the sample group. 3. Journal articles and work papers Journal articles and work papers were used to find out more information on previous research work relevant to HRIS, HRM, PAS and SHRM. 4. SLT annual reports and TMIS documents Annual reports and TMIS documents were referred. Internet / web sites Refer online journal articles, text books, etc. Scope of the study / Delimitations Existing HRIS contains twenty separate modules to provide HR practices such as Human Resource Planning, Recruitment and Selection, Training and Development, Time and Attendance, Disciplinary, Payroll, Welfare and Performance Appraisal, etc. SLT HRIS is same as traditional HR services which provided conventional HR systems in other organizations. Four out of twenty modules (Recruitment, HR Planning, Exam Assessment and Disciplinary) are not being using and Performance Appraisal module is not yet implemented. In this study, researcher hopes to evaluate the existing HRIS and its usefulness for strategic human resource management and identifies the advantages of sophisticated On-line Performance Appraisal System which will improve the strategic human resources management at SLT. Organization of this dissertation Chapter 1: Introduction -This chapter contains the background of this study, research issue, significance of the study and its objectives. Literature survey would be discussed under chapter 2 which include spats studies and their findings. It also highlights the existing gaps in body of knowledge and discovers the potential contribution of the current research to fill the gap. Mainly, chapter 3 explains the Research Methodology of the study which includes research philosophy, approach, strategy and conceptual framework of this research. Conceptual framework is developed identifying context of the study. Furthermore, select the suitable statistical methods to analyze the data. The researcher elaborate the results and present using appropriate graphs, charts and tables using statistical software packages would be consider in Chapter 4 called Data Analysis. Chapter 5: Discussion, Conclusions and Recommendations Point out the observations, findings of this study and highlights the future researches for the potential researchers. Chapter Conclusion This section briefs the facts of the entire research study. Present business world is very competitive and running with the state-of-the-art technology. Many organizations use Information Systems in four levels (strategic level, management level, knowledge level and operational level) in their day-to-day operations. HR Department uses HRIS for the workforce management. However Human Resource Information System implemented in Sri Lanka Telecom PLC has lot of issues, such as insufficient user training and less supportive for the decision making at each organizational level. Therefore, main objective of this study is to assess the effectiveness of existing Human Resource Information System in SLT and its usefulness for Strategic Human Resource Management to identify the advantages of Online Performance Appraisal System which will advance the Strategic Human Resources Management at SLT. Outcome of this research would contribute to the body of knowledge by filling existing gap in strategic human resource management of HRIS at Sri Lanka Telecom PLC.

Essay --

Good morning/afternoon everybody. Today, I am here to discuss the overall wealth of America, in hopes to better justify our economy. It is to my understanding that as of this moment, the United States and its economy stands fairly well, increasing total tax revenue by 13%, from $2,482.241 (two trillion four hundred eighty two billion) in 2012, to $2,806.386 in 2013. In addition, we were able to decrease our budget deficit by an additional 27%, with a final deficit standing at $811.851. Although our standings are settled at a decent position, there are ways we could execute even greater; and that is through the improvement of health and human services, the return of our nation’s military from the Middle East, education, alternative energy, and the regulation of taxes. One of the major focuses of our proposal is the improvement of health and human services. Prior to my election, there has been concern about this department due to the recent government shutdown. From October 1 through October 16, the United States entered this shutdown, and reduced most routine operations after Congress failed to enact funds for the fiscal year 2014. The principal factor to this shutdown was The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare. What this law required was for all Americans to have health insurance—regardless if they truly need it or not—so the total costs towards Medicare and Medicaid spending would decrease. However, it is not worth disrupting government funding to undercut healthcare costs. Congress has one key duty in the Constitution, and that is to pass spending bills that fund the government. With no compromise, our government may experience another one of these disastrous events. To fix this predicament.. . ...ity that continues to be a problem is the amount of alcohol and cigarette users here in the states. The adverse health affects from alcohol consumption accounts for an estimate of 75,000 deaths, while cigarette smoking accounts for an estimate of 443,000 deaths each year in the United States. To promote a healthier lifestyle, in addition to internalizing the externality, we will be placing a $0.10 tax on alcohol and a $0.50 tax on cigarettes, in hopes to reduce demand and utilization. However, if alcohol and cigarette users continue to be unresponsive to the change in price, consumers would still continue to purchase these products, and it would eventually benefit the government in terms of raising money with minimum waste, for it would raise revenue with minimal distortion. In other words, as a result of this tax raise, we will be increasing revenue $5.323 billion.

The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Twenty-Nine

â€Å"You should be proud.† The Vitale Society pledges were lined up in the underground meeting room, just like they had been the first day when they removed their blindfolds. Under the arch in front of them, the Vitales in black masks watched quietly. Ethan paced among the pledges, eyes bright. â€Å"You should be proud,† he repeated. â€Å"The Vitale Society offered you an opportunity. The chance to become one of us, to join an organization that can give you great power, help you on your road to success.† Ethan paused and gazed at them. â€Å"Not al of you were worthy,† he said seriously. â€Å"We watched you, you know. Not just when you were here, or doing pledge events, but al the time. The candidates who couldn't cut it, who didn't merit joining our ranks, were eliminated.† Matt looked around. It was true, there were fewer of them now than there had been at their first meeting. That tal bearded senior who was some kind of biogenetics whiz was gone. A skinny blonde girl who Matt remembered doggedly grinding her way through the run wasn't there either. There were only ten pledges left. â€Å"Those of you who remain?† Ethan lifted his hands like he was giving them some kind of benediction. â€Å"At last it is time for you to be initiated, to ful y become members of the Vitale Society, to learn our secrets and walk our path.† Matt felt a little sWellof pride as Ethan smiled at them al . It felt like Ethan's eyes lingered longer on Matt than on the others, like his smile for Matt was just a bit warmer. Like Matt was, among al these exceptional pledges, special. Ethan started to walk through the crowd and talk again, this time about the preparations that needed to be made for their initiation. He asked a couple of pledges to bring roses and lilies to decorate the room – it sounded like he was expecting them to buy out a couple of flower stores – others to find candles. One person was assigned to buy a specific kind of wine. Frankly, it reminded Matt of Elena and the other girls planning a high school dance. â€Å"Okay,† Ethan said, indicating Chloe and a long-haired girl named Anna, â€Å"I'd like you two to go to the herb store and get yerba mata, guarana, hawthorn, ginseng, chamomile, and danshen. Do you want to write that down?† Matt perked up a little. Herbs were slightly more mystical and mysterious, befitting a secret society, although ginseng and chamomile just reminded him of the tea his mom drank when she had a cold. Ethan moved on from the girls, his eyes fixed on Matt, and Matt prepared to be sent in search of punch or ranch dip. But Ethan, locking eyes with Matt, inclined his head a little, indicating that Matt should join him a little apart from the rest of the group. Matt jogged over to meet Ethan, slightly intrigued. What couldn't Ethan say in front of the others? â€Å"I've got a special job for you, Matt,† Ethan said, rubbing his hands together in obvious pleasure at the prospect. â€Å"I want you to invite your friend Stefan Salvatore to join us.† â€Å"Sorry?† Matt said, confused. â€Å"To be a Vitale Society member,† Ethan explained. â€Å"We missed him when we selected candidates at the beginning of the year, but now that I've met him, I think – we think† – and he waved a hand at the quietly watching masked figures on the other side of the room – â€Å"that he would be an ideal fit for us.† Matt frowned. He didn't want to look like an idiot in front of Ethan, but something struck him as off about this. â€Å"But he hasn't done any of the pledge stuff. Isn't it too late for him to join this year?† Ethan smiled slightly, just a thin tilting of his lips. â€Å"I think we can make an exception for Stefan.† â€Å"But – † Matt began to protest, then instead smiled back at Ethan. â€Å"I'l cal him and see if he's interested,† he promised. Ethan patted him lightly on the back. â€Å"Thank you, Matt. You're a natural for Vitale, you know. I'm sure you can convince him.† As Ethan walked away, Matt watched him, wondering why the praise felt sour this time. It was because it didn't make sense, Matt decided, walking back to his dorm after the pledge meeting. What was so special about Stefan that Ethan had decided they had to have him pledge the Vitale Society now instead of just waiting til next year? Okay, yes: vampire – that was special about Stefan, but no one knew that. And he was handsome and sophisticated in that ever-so-slightly European way that had al the girls back in high school fal ing at his feet, but he wasn't that handsome, and there were plenty of foreign students on campus. Matt stopped stock-stil . Was he jealous? It wasn't fair, maybe, that Stefan could just waltz in and be immediately offered something that Matt had worked for, that Matt had thought was only his. But so what? It wasn't Stefan's fault if Ethan wanted to give him special treatment. Stefan was hurting after his breakup with Elena; maybe it would do him good to join the Vitale. And it would be fun to have one of his friends in the Society. Stefan deserved it, real y: he was brave and noble, a leader, even if there was no way Ethan and the others could have known that. Firmly pushing away any remaining niggle of not fair, Matt pul ed out his cel phone and cal ed Stefan. â€Å"Hey,† he said. â€Å"Listen, do you remember that guy Ethan?† â€Å"I guess I don't understand,† Zander said. His arm around Bonnie's shoulder was strong and solidly reassuring, and his T-shirt, where she had buried her face against him, smel ed of clean cotton and fabric softener. â€Å"What were you and your friends fighting about?† â€Å"The point is, they don't trust my judgment,† Bonnie said, wiping her eyes. â€Å"If it had been either of them, they wouldn't have been so quick to jump to conclusions.† â€Å"Conclusions about what?† Zander asked, but Bonnie didn't answer. After a moment, Zander reached out and ran one finger gently along her jawline and over her lips, his eyes intent on her face. â€Å"Of course you can stay here as long as you want to, Bonnie. I'm at your service,† he said in an oddly formal tone. Bonnie looked around Zander's room with interest. She'd never been here before; in fact, she'd had to cal him to find out what dorm he lived in, and how weird was that for a girlfriend to not know? But if she'd tried to picture what his room would be like, she would have assumed it would be messy and very guyish: old pizza boxes on the floor, dirty laundry, weird smel s. Maybe a poster with a half-naked girl on it. But, in fact, it was just the opposite. Everything was very bare and uncluttered: nothing on top of the school-issued dresser and desk, no pictures on the wal s or rug on the floor. The bed was neatly made. The single bed. That they were both sitting on. Her and her boyfriend. Bonnie felt a flush rise up over her face. She silently cursed her habit of blushing – she was sure that even her ears were bright red. She'd just asked her boyfriend if she could move into his room. And sure, he was gorgeous and lovely and kissing him was probably the most amazing experience of her life so far, but she'd just started kissing him last night. What if he thought she was suggesting something more? Zander was eyeing her thoughtful y as Bonnie blushed. â€Å"You know,† he said, â€Å"I can sleep on the floor. I'm not – um – expecting – † He broke off and now he was blushing, too. The sight of flustered Zander immediately made Bonnie feel better. She patted him on the arm. â€Å"I know,† she said. â€Å"I told Meredith and Elena you were a good guy.† Zander frowned. â€Å"What? Do they think I'm not?† When Bonnie didn't answer, he slowly released her, leaning back to take a close look at her face. â€Å"Bonnie? When you had this big fight with your friends, were you fighting about me?† Bonnie shrugged, wrapping her arms around herself. â€Å"Okay. Wow.† Zander ran a hand through his hair. â€Å"I'm sorry. I know Elena and I didn't real y hit it off, but I'm sure we'l get along better when we get to know each other. This wil al blow over then. It's not worth it to stop being friends with them.† â€Å"It's not – † Tears sprang into Bonnie's eyes. Zander was being so sweet, and he had no idea how Elena and Meredith had wronged him. â€Å"I can't tel you,† she said. â€Å"Bonnie?† Zander pul ed her closer. â€Å"Don't cry. It can't be that bad.† Bonnie began to cry harder, tears streaming down her cheeks, and he held on to her. â€Å"Just tel me,† he said. â€Å"It's not that they just don't like you, Zander,† she said between sobs. â€Å"They think you might be the kil er.† â€Å"What? Why?† Zander recoiled, almost leaping across the bed away from her, his face white and shocked. Bonnie explained what Meredith thought she saw, her impression of Zander's hair beneath the hoodie of the attacker she chased off. â€Å"Which is so unfair,† she finished, â€Å"because even if she did see what she thought she saw, it's not like you're the only person with real y light blond hair on campus. They're being ridiculous.† Zander sucked in a long breath, his eyes wide, and sat stil and silent for a few seconds. Then he reached out and put a gentle hand under Bonnie's chin, turning her face so they were gazing straight into each other's eyes. â€Å"I would never hurt you, Bonnie,† he said slowly. â€Å"You know me, you see me. Do you think I'm a kil er?† â€Å"No,† Bonnie said, her eyes fil ing with tears. â€Å"I don't. I never did.† Zander leaned forward and kissed her, his lips soft against hers, as if they were sealing some kind of pact. Bonnie closed her eyes and leaned into the kiss. She was fal ing in love with Zander, she knew. And, despite the fact that he had run off so suddenly last night, just before Samantha's murder, she was sure he could never be a kil er.

Turner Syndrome And The Age Of Puberty - 1018 Words

Turner Syndrome Introduction Turner Syndrome is a disorder that affects one in every two thousand girls. Usually girls are born with only one X chromosomes. Some are born with an extra chromosome, or sometimes even half of one is missing which causes Turner Syndrome. Symptoms of Turner Syndrome Most of the girls that have Turner Syndrome are way shorter than average girls. The girls often have their normal height up to three years old. After they are three the growth rate starts to slow down. Ovaries that are non-functioning are other symptoms of Turner Syndrome. A girl’s ovaries begin to produce sex hormones at puberty. This doesn’t happen with most girls who have Turner Syndrome. Most don’t start their periods or develop breast†¦show more content†¦Diagnosing Turner Syndrome Usually the girls with TS are diagnosed around the time they are born. Or at the time they are expected to go through their period. Usually if a baby girl has the signs of Turner Syndrome, a doctor around the hospital will order a special blood test called a karyotype. This test counts the number of chromosomes, this test can also identify any that are abnormally shaped or have some missing pieces. If the blood test shows that a girl has Turn er Syndrome, her doctor may order additional test to check for problems with her kidneys, heart, hearing, and other problems that are often associated with Turner Syndrome. Some diagnosing can be made at birth or close to birth because of heart problems, an unusually wide neck or swelling of the hands and the feet. 2 Turner Syndrome can also be suspected in pregnancy during an ultrasound test. Turner Syndrome during pregnancy can be confirmed by prenatal testing by sampling, or getting cells from the baby for a chromosome analysis. If the diagnosis is confirmed prenatally, also the baby may be under the care of a specialist pediatrician, also the baby may be under the care of a specialist immediately after birth. Noonan s Syndrome is associated with some of the clinical features of Turner Syndrome. Noonan s Syndrome has some of the same usually features, for example short stature, heart defects,Show MoreRelated Turner syndrome Essay1096 Words   |  5 Pagesabnormalities. The Turner Syndrome (known as Ullrich-Turner Syndrome in Germany) is a congenital disease. A German doctor named Ullrich published his article in 1930. American doctor Henry Turner recognized a pattern of short stature and incomplete sexual maturation in otherwise normal females. He published a comprehensive medical description of the syndrome. It was not until 1959, that it became clear the syndrome was due to lack of sex chromosome material. Turners Syndrome is a rare chromosomalRead MoreTurner Syndrome, A Rare Medical Disorder1351 Words   |  6 PagesDysgenesis Gonadal Dysgenesis, also known as turner syndrome, is a rare medical disorder that affects 1 in every 2,500 girls (kidshealth). It is a chromosomal that occurs when one of the two X chromosomes found in females are missing or is incomplete. This condition only affects females. Although researches don’t know exactly what cause turner syndrome, they do know that it’s a problem with a female chromosome. Females who are born with Tuner Syndrome are short in height and effects their sexualRead MoreTurner Syndrome : A Chromosomal Disorder1165 Words   |  5 PagesTurner Syndrome Shinji Lin December 15, 2015 Period 5 Turner syndrome is a chromosomal disorder that affects development in females. This condition is caused by a missing or incomplete X chromosome. In 1938, Henry Turner, an American endocrinologist, described seven women with short stature, lack of sexual development, neck webbing (extra skin on neck), low hairline, and cubitus valgus (arms that turn out at the elbow). Years earlier, Otto Ullrich, a German geneticist, independently describedRead MoreDNA is Everywhere522 Words   |  2 Pageserrors occur then mutations can happen. Turner Syndrome is only found in females. This syndrome is caused by the absence of an X chromosome or the nondisjunction of the X chromosome. This is a chromosomal disorder meaning â€Å"an abnormal condition due to something unusual in an individuals chromosomes.† Turner Syndrome is due to a chromosome mutation rather than a gene mutation. The missing X chromosome affects the development of the female. Usually Turner Syndrome is not inherited from the parent andRead MoreGenetics Synthesis: Marfan Syndrome Essay1514 Words   |  7 PagesMarfan Syndrome Marfan Syndrome is an autosomal dominant disorder mainly caused by defects in the gene FBN1 that codes for the protein fibrillin. Approximately 1 in 5,000 people are affected. Cardinal features involve the ocular, musculoskeletal, and cardiovascular systems. There is a high degree of variability of this disorder, sometimes presenting itself at birth or later in childhood or adulthood. On one end of the spectrum is severe neonatal presentation with rapidly progressive diseaseRead MoreEtiology, Incidence, Clinical Manifestations, And Diagnosis Of This Condition1591 Words   |  7 Pagesmay experience problems with peers, milestones, and adolescence are individuals diagnosed with Turner Syndrome. The purpose of this paper is to explain the etiology, incidence, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis of this condition. Also discussed within this paper will be the current treatments for this condition along with its potential affects within specific areas of development. Turner Syndrome is a genetic condition that affects mainly woman and occurs on the X-chromosome. Instead of havingRead MoreTurner s Syndrome : A Condition That Effects1609 Words   |  7 PagesTurner’s syndrome is a condition that effects 1 in 2,500 newborn girls (Bondy, C.A. 2009). There are many names for this condition including 45 X, TS, Ullrich-Turner syndrome, and Turner syndrome. While females usually have two X chromosomes, these girls are born with only one X chromosome or the second X is altered. While some of the babies make it through full term, some who have this condition are prone to unexpectedly aborting. Diagnosis of the missing or altered chromosome could happen duringRead MoreSymptoms And Treatment Of Celiac Disease1068 Words   |  5 Pagesnon-HLA genes), the enzyme tissue transglutaminase modifies ingested gluten and an abnormal T-cell mediated response occurs in response, leading to initiation of an inflammatory reaction, subsequent intestinal tissue r emodeling and malabsorption syndrome (Koning, 2015 Rostami-Nejad, et al., 2015). This insensitivity differs from food allergies, which are mediated by IgE or IgG (Hill, 2016). Prevalence and Clinical Manifestations CD is one of the most common chronic diseases in children andRead MoreAn Autoimmune Disease : A Common Cause Of Death For Young Women3326 Words   |  14 Pagesk.a. lupus). Both are composed of roughly 85-90% women (Figure 1).1 Autoimmune thyroiditis is one of the most common autoimmune diseases; existing in roughly 1 out of every 200 people.1,3 It is rare in children and most common in women above the age of 60 (~1 in 13).3 Its primary symptom is hypothyroidism. The other autoimmune disease, lupus, is less common; existing in roughly 1 out of every 2,000 people. Its symptoms can include arthritis, rashes, photosensitivity, serositis, oral ulcers,Read MoreSAGHE Case Study1289 Words   |  6 Pagesbe classified and sorted based on demographic variables, sex, age, year of treatment and country. SAGhE study will also extract the additional information in order to provide the most accurate research result based on specialists’ best interpretation of the existing informati on. These information will be including, but not limited to: Birth characteristics, heights, weights, parents’ heights, bone age, GH stimulation test results, puberty status, rhGH dosage and duration of treatment and the initial