*Our_United_States*

Source:  http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/39159/
Constitutional Connection: Artcle 2, Section 1, The Powers of the Executive Branch
Analysis of Connection: This political cartoon entitled Contaigious Behavior diplays the actions of the executive branch when George W. Bush & Dick Cheney were in office. George Bush being greedy, and over using the executive duties. He is drinking a bottle labeled Hubris, which is arrogance, basically saying that he has become arrogant, greedy and percieved as overreaching his duties as president. I like this artist abd majority of his artwork. He seems to tell the truth and possibly could be a democrat. Because he mostly speaks from a democrat's point of view.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37122637
Constitution Connection: Article 3, Section 2: "The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed."
Analysis of Connection: In this case a 32 year old lawyer was killed in 2006. There are 3 susepects being charged with conspiracy, obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence in the murder of Stephen Wone. Prosecutors say the suspects know who killed Wone and did not call police but instead cleaned up and disposed the evidence. The 3 suspects say they want the judge to come to a conclusion instead of the jury. They waived their right to trial by jury. I think that the suspects probably wanted to have the judge to decide instead of the jury because they probably think the judge would be more lenient on their crime. Although, this is a good right to citizens, to be able to waive trial by jury, I think this right should be used in only certain predicaments. Because members of a jury can influence eah other, but a judge has his one thought and sticks to his opinion.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37145286
Connection to Constitution: Article 1, Section 8: "Congress shall have Power … To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof"
Explanation of Constitution: In this article, Congress is trying to pass a bill that will limit direct wine shipments. This bill would decline the wineries' income and could harm their businesses. The wine businesses usually ship wine to the consumer's houses and profit off of the trip and the products bought. But Congress claims that this process could be allowing minors to drink, encouraging alcohol assumption and will ensure states sales. The wineries also sale their alcoholic to wholesale distributors, who give it to grocery and liquor stores. I think this bill could be a disadvantage to the income of the wineries and they could lose profit and possibly go bankrupt. But this can also be an advantage, because people are drinking alcohol is always a bad thing. When people drink there is never a good outcome. And having alcohol shipped to a customer's house is encouraging alcoholism. I think Congress should pass the bill, but only restrict the sales of alcohol directly to the customer's house and only allow the winery to distribute it to the wholesalers.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36916471/ns/us_news/
Constitutional Connection:  Article III, Judicial power is the power ''of a court to decide and pronounce a judgment and carry it into effect between persons and parties who bring a case before it for decision.''
Explanation of Connection: In this article, a district judge of Michigan said that nine Militia members could be released since their charges did not mean they would overthrow the government. These people talked of killing local police officers and even judges. The judge dismissed this case and let the Militia go home and wait for their trial while on electronic monitoring devices. In March, they were charged with conspiracy to commit sedition and attempted use of weapons of mass destruction. The judge claims that the Michigan Militia named Hutaree will not impose any threat upon the public. I think that this order of the court could possibly have a bad outcome. These people obviously wanted to endanger people and were ready to do so. I watched this on MSNBC in March when this first surfaced. The broadcast explained how the Militia claimed this was for God and they had to carry this out. They also showed video of them training in the woods as if they were going to the war in Iraq. I believe that if a group is that dedicated to destroy, then they should be kept in jail or prison until they prove themselves innocent.

Source:  http://www.studentnewsdaily.com/cartoon/poll_stayskal/
Constitutional Connection: Second Amendment, "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

Explanation of Connection: This cartoon shows how people have the right to have a gun. I find that this right should have some restrictions on it. Not everyone should have have the right to possess a weapon. People that do not know how to use a weapon properly should not have the right to obatin a gun. Also, I think that guns should be kept at home in a very safe place. Because of all of the murders and victims of violence due to gun possesion, there should be a ban on all kinds of guns in public.

Source:  http://www.tankerbob.com/newsmeeting-dhimmis-explain-why-no-cartoon.jpg

Constitutional Connection: First Amendment "...or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press;"

Explanation of Connection: In this political cartoon it shows how this newspaper has the right to produce a cartoon about Mohammed and Islam but instead chose not to, because it would be disrespectful. And the man on the right says that the Muslims could kill them. I think that this is a good thing, because as long as the information being portrayed is accurate and came from a reliable source, why not tell everyone else the truth? But I agree with the editor, because this cartoon that they wanted to release could possibly trigger violence.

Source: http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/assembly/overview.aspx

Constitutional Connection: First Amendment,"...or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
Explanation to Constitution: In this article it explains that the Ku Klux Klan have the right to assemble, as long as it is peacefully of course. But when you think of the KKK you mostly think of the lynchings and threats that they make to other races and religions. But according to the First Amendment, the Ku Klux Klan have the right to peacefully assemble. In the article it tells of how government officials may not make or enforce restrictions on parades or protests in order to censor a viewpoint of a group. I think this is an advantage to some extent, because everyone should have the right to express their opinion, even if it means protesting. And as long as it has a peaceful outcome, where no one ends up hurt. But this can also be a disadvantage, especially when it comes to the KKK, this group that was formed around the idea of racism, anti-semitism, and hatred should not be able to parade the streets and express their opinion of how they are the only superior race. Most likely anything involving the Ku Klux Klan will not have a positive outcome.

Source:


Constitutional Connection: Tenth Amendment  "The governmental powers not listed in the Constitution for the national government are powers that the states, or the people of those states, can have."



Explanation of Connection: This picture shows the right of the states to change what the national government can not change. For example, this teenager is getting her driver's license most likely at an early age. In other states the age for someone to get their license will most likely differ, since the state decides certain things that the national government does not have the right to do. Other rights the state determine include the rights to marriage, divorces, voting, state taxes, job & school requirements, rules for police and fire departments etc. I think this is an advantage that the states have because since the Constitution does not give the national government those rights, the states gain these certain rights. This can also be a disadvantage, because when it comes to voting different states have different ways of voting. This can cause a confusion similar to the incident with Al Gore and George Bush.