Kirk Watson Livestream

The Kirk Watson Interview was a trip and a half. I was extremely excited to view this livestream given I do not know much about Texas politics. Though to my disappointment, the Texas Tribune did not make it easy for viewers to access the interview. Due to technical difficulties they decided to switch the platform to Zoom. This seemed odd, but what do I know about virtual interviews? So I stood in my kitchen awaiting to be given access to said interview, but this access just simply was never granted. I was disappointed, but also knew everything lives on the internet and I could always view it at a later time.

The content of said Interview was very interesting. I take interest in what plans politicians are discussing regarding COVID-19. Though what I found particularly interesting was the difficulty I had finding this interview, and it made me think. I am a middle class white woman living in the suburbs of Chicago; I am as privileged as they come. I have access to information that many do not have the privilege of acquiring. How would someone with no access to technology fare during a pandemic such as this one? Though more importantly; is it our responsibility to ensure this information is made accessible?

In a country that prides itself on giving all an equal opportunity to success, how can we sit idly by while many remain voiceless? Those without access to the nightly news, podcasts, interviews, and news apps remain in the dark about topics that actively affect us all. This is something that must not go ignored. Everyone is entitled to a political voice, and an education to back it up. We spoke of the inequalities that result from Voter ID laws. Though the sheer number of those who remain voiceless due to inaccessibility make Voter ID Laws look like a day in the park.

In order to remain a fair and equal society I believe all should have free access to information, especially in the face of a pandemic. By silencing Americans without access to news platforms, we are further isolating politics to benefit higher paid citizens.

Trump’s Interview with ABC News

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Earlier this evening, Trump sat down with David Muir from ABC News in Arizona to discuss what reopening the country means for the U.S. One of the topics we talked about in class was party polarization. This interview is an example of different sides not willing to budge on where they stand or admit the other could have been wrong, or take responsibility for their actions unless it benefits them. Muir’s opinion of Trump can be seen through his performance on air through the current administration’s history, and its not a secret Trump is against most media that doesn’t reflect his republican views…so that conflict is already put in place. So here we have two people representing two different parties, Trump as republican and David Muir as democratic (even though he is supposed to be neutral). During this interview, Muir’s body language and at times tone demonstrated his disagreement with Trump’s actions, as did his questions. The interview questions were designed to seek out ways to make the President say something he shouldn’t. Muir wanted to see if Trump would admit he’d messed up. Whether he wanted this to provide the country with a response that seemed sincere, or a as a strategy to show voters Trump didn’t know what he was talking about dealing with COVID. Meanwhile, Trump wouldn’t give. His answers were solely about which made him look the best in the eyes of his supporters. For example, when asked about deaths that could take place when the country reopens, Trump talked about how there were people that can’t stand for it to be shut down and how we have to get the economy rolling again. The truth is nobody knows what to do with this situation, but the States had time to prepare having seen what was going on in China and Italy, but the constant polarization of views on how to handle things doesn’t even allow room for common ground in the middle of a pandemic.

Reopening Texas

On April 27, 2020, Governor Abbott of Texas announced his plan to reopen the great state of Texas.  He used a press release to deliver his plan to the media which was then broadcasted to Texans all over our state.  I happened to be on a break at work and got to keep up with his release almost right after he gave it.  As an essential worker, it was a good thing in my opinion to get the ball rolling and I was super interested to hear what his plan was, because although we need to open back up we need to make sure that our count stays low.  I believe that the way the President handled things in allowing the states to make their decisions for themselves was an excellent idea and we should give credit where credit is due.  Not all states can afford to be shut down for lengthy periods of time or some didn’t even shut down at all because they had zero cases.  America is a federalist nation, and that was exactly the way that should have been handled.  Governor Abbott is a Texas man and he knows that Texans want to get back to work.  It is not good for our unemployment numbers to be this high.  Texans are proud, hard working people and we pride ourselves on that.  Governor Abbott opening up the state is a great idea in my book, as long as the spread of the Coronavirus continues to dwindle.  I believe his plan is going to make that work for Texas.  His plan includes 25% occupancy for restaurants and some businesses and keeps non-essential businesses shut down.  Slowly but surely we are going to reopen this great state and get our economy back up and running. 

Civil Discourse at SU

The Civil Discourse Festival was held in the Bishop’s Lounge at Southwestern University on March 3, 2020.  This was a very interesting event where we got to talk and speak to multiple campus groups on what their group does and how they are helping the campus community.  This festival was centered around getting people from all over campus to join together and debate and discuss political ideas and theories to promote more political involvement from the Southwestern and Georgetown communities.  It was an excellent time for all of us to have friendly discussion about issues going around in our world at the time.  Everyone there was very open-minded and respectful and were very courteous in allowing others to get the chance to speak.  The food truck outside was a great addition to the event because it got a bunch of people to come to campus from the area, not just current students.  And once they were there the festival was a great place to bounce ideas off of each other.  Another interesting thing was the many different opinions of people.  I find it interesting how the campus is so diverse with it’s politics.  Overall, it was a very enjoyable event that had a great turnout and I am glad I was able to attend.  

President Trump and Coronavirus Task Force hold briefing at the White House

During this live event that took place on April 23, 2020 Donald Trump relays information pertaining to the progress of the Covid-19 pandemic. This was a live streaming video that is now recorded an uploaded-on YouTube to anyone who wants to re-watch or watch for the first time.  He goes on to state the current situation of the Corona virus as well as, the progress of the United States medical staff in researching the virus stating how the virus is weaker in hot climate areas compared to colder climate areas. Donald Trump then hints at a special guest to come out to the stage later in the briefing and then calls up Mike Pence. Mike Pence further explains the repurposing of other facilities towards helping minority areas affected by Covid-19. As well as mentioning the new taskforce and hen he brings up Bill Bryant who leads the science and technology directory at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Bill Bryant yet again gives his report on how they are studying the virus as well as what they have studied so far working with CDC. He says the biggest thing that has killed the virus has been sunlight and intense heat as well as the half-life of the disease itself. They also convey their unique aerosol testing ad the affects of UV rays on the virus which makes it last from 6 hours to 2 minutes. Another way he states how to get rid of the virus is increasing the humidity and heat as well as bleach will get rid of the corona virus even just as a spray to apply to get rid of the virus.  The rest of the briefing and interview questions form the reporters go on to just reiterate the Nation’s situation with Covid-19 as everyone is trying to ask if quarantining will end and when. Trump just goes on to state how he will let everyone know if there is an extension or if they will end t when the time comes.

2020 US Census

I took the 2020 Census today at 7 pm it was an educational experience towards my future as I had to use documents from my parents to sign in to do the Census. After putting in my information I had to input my family’s information. In the census it asked how many people live in the house as well as who owns the house. I then had to give the full names of each of my family members and the ethnicity of both my parents and my siblings. This census was easy to do taking around 10 – 15 minutes to put in all my information and submitting the questionnaire. The way I feel after filling out the Census is one of fulfillment as it helps me keep my promise from the civil Discourse signing event I took part in earlier in the semester to do my civic duty as apart of this country. I have seen all the ads that conveys how important this census is to get the public opinion of the nation and I hope by doing my part to be a part of the stats for not only myself but my entire immediate family. The census also considers who is living in the house the entire time or if you have kids or siblings who live part of the year in college or some other area. I hope especially during this time of the pandemic everyone can find the time to fulfill this Census as it was easy to accomplish as I stated taking only 10 – 15 minutes of your time.

Super Tuesday

On Super Tuesday my roommate and I planned to go vote for the first time at a place in Georgetown near Southwestern. We were a little nervous/ intimidated to go for the first time just because the whole process was entirely new to us. 

When we first walked in, they separated us by political party to help the process of voting go by a little smoother. Then I was required to show my ID to the lady working the front desk. Unfortunately, my roommate and I ran into a bit of a problem. We both forgot to register to vote in Williamson County. The lady working the desk was a bit rude and scoffed at us when she realized that we couldn’t vote as if we had wasted her time (there was no one else in line). Although we had recognized that we should’ve realized that we weren’t registered to vote in the correct county earlier, the women was not understanding in the least bit. I learned a very valuable lesson which was to double check the county I’m registered to vote in. 

Governor Abbott’s Plan to Reopen Texas

Last Monday, I was able to watch Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott’s press conference about his plan to reopen Texas. Opening states back up in the midst of a pandemic is currently the hot topic and governors across the country are left to decide whether they should keep their state shut down or open it back up for business. 

Of course, there are pros and cons to reopening Texas. First if the governor acts too soon in letting the shelter in place expire before we have an adequate amount of testing, this could lead to a second and possibly bigger outbreak. So far, we have seen a bit of an increase in corona virus cases since the reopen but it’s not drastic. One benefit of opening Texas again would be that it would enable herd immunity or in other words, a widespread infection among the populations that will later lead to immunity from the virus. While some doctors have found this to be a beneficial plan at beating Covid-19, there is also concern that it will overwhelm hospitals. Greg Abbotts plan of reopening Texas includes doing so at a progressive rate. This means that “phase 1” includes only opening essential businesses like restaurants and some clothing stores but only at 25% occupancy while still closely following CDC guidelines. I believe this is an appropriate plan of action just in case if a second outbreak where to happen, it would quickly be contained. 

US 2020 Census

One week ago, I filled out the Census for the first time. When I first got onto the website, I was a little confused because it asked for a Census ID and I had no clue what that was. But I was still able to fill it out just by clicking a link specifically for those without an ID. After some research I found out that you can find your Census ID on the questionnaire mailed to you.

 It honestly didn’t take as long as I thought and it’s pretty convenient for those who are looking to quickly fill it out in between errands or at work. The Census is important not only because it’s a tool for the government to ensure funding for communities that need it but also because you can be fined for not filling it out. In addition, it will help those who might be underrepresented in certain areas.

A concern I have is that there are people out there who don’t have access to a computer or phone. This would result in a miscalculation of data in communities that might be underfunded especially those that hold a higher number of immigrants. This can also affect the representation the state has in the house. 

Overall I’m glad I was able to fulfill my civic duty in filling out the 2020 Census.

Civil Discourse Signing

The Civil Discourse Signing event happened in the Afternoon between the times 10 am – 12 pm and consisted of signing your name on a banner that would be held up on the wall during the Civil Discourse Festival. For this event I met up with my friend Will and we walked over from the dorms to the front of where the Cafeteria is where there were a group of other individuals signing the banner. While we waited for our turn to sign the banner Will and I discussed about how the festival was going to be as well as what kind of booths would they have there. We also talked about how lacrosse practice would be happening before the festival and how we would meet up and head over there with Pau and Santos and check out the Festival together as a group. After we were done talking it was my turn to sign the banner that would signify my commitment to fulfill my civil duty to this country and participate in this Nations government.  As well as attend the festival that would be happening later that day this signing was significant to me as I made a promise after signing my name on this banner. The promise I made that day was to do my upmost to do my civic duty for this country and hopefully make a difference in the world. I then started up a conversation with the people who gave us the sharpies to sign the banner and asked where the festival was going to be at. Besides that, after signing the banner I went back to my dorm to prepare for my Lacrosse practice and prepare clothes for after practice to head over to the festival right after.