Obama hosts Hu as world powers seek common ground

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110119/ap_on_re_us/us_us_china

President Barack Obama welcomed Chinese President Hu Jintao to the White House on Wednesday with full honors, a red carpet and a color guard. But the two leaders wasted no time in delivering pointed messages to each other at the start of daylong meetings to address trade, security and human rights issues that have been the cause of past strain between the two powers. Obama said each country had an enormous stake in the other's future, and he then referenced human rights.For his part, Hu said the relationship between the two powers should be based on "mutual respect," with each country respecting the other's core interests and choices of development paths — suggesting limits to how far the U.S. can push China on issues from currency to human rights.

I think the United States needs to keep a stong relationship with China. China is huge compition to the United States because it's so powerful. But we need them because they have cheap labor and produce i ton of products for America.

This has to do with government because if our relationship with China ended our economy would be in trouble and the government is responsible for the outcome of this meeting.

New Alabama governor Just Christians are his family

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley told a church crowd just moments into his new administration that those who have not accepted Jeses as their savior are not his brothers and sisters, shocking some critics who now question whether he can be fair to non-Christians. After his speech, Bentley said he did not mean to insult anyone."The governor clearly stated that he will be the governor of all Alabamians including Democrats, Republicans and Independents, young, old, black and white, rich and poor.

I think that Governor Robert Bentley's comment is very inappropriate. When you become a public figure you need to appeal to most everyone your representing. I bet this comment insulted a lot of people and now they cant really trust that their governor is going to take what they said into consideration because he made them sound beneath him.

This has to do with government because the governor is a new addition to our government and it also ties into the way some people feel about president Obama not being a Christian and their feelings towards that.

Gilbert focusing on illegal immigration

http://www.nvdaily.com/news/2011/01/gilbert-focusing-on-illegal-immigration.php

Delegate Todd Gilbert has introduced three bills to the Virginia General Assembly to address illegal immigration, including one designed to determine the cost taxpayers incur for every illegal child enrolled in public schools. The 3 bills will range from law enforcement to gangs and public assistance.
Gilbert's House Bill 1775 would require someone registering a child in a public school to provide documentation of the immigration status or citizenship of that child. He said it's not meant to keep a list of illegal students or keep people from enrolling in school but to find a cost associated with educating them.

I think that it's very unfair for tax payers to be stuck with paying for illegal immigrants. They are given the opportunity to become a real citizen and they should take that opportunity. It's not fair that they dont have to pay taxes or anything like that if the want to live like an American they should be treated like one too.

This has to do with goverment because our country really has a problem with illegal immigrants. We need to figure out some way to prevent it or atleast reduce it.

Pro-gun group plans meeting

http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/554682.html


Local resident Art Thomm is no stranger to the gun debate, especially since the shooting rampage in Tucson, Arizona, which left six people dead and 13 wounded. The wounded included Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Thomm has long been active locally and at the state level in promoting gun owners' rights and responsibilities. He currently serves as Eastern Panhandle representative of the West Virginia Citizens Defense League, and he wants to share his message during a meeting this weekend. He will host an open-carry membership meeting and public forum to discuss a proposed bill as well as pending local litigation, Thomm said. "We aren't just looking to get more guns for more people, but law-abiding citizens should have the rights provided to them under the Constitution. And we're willing to have a stiffer law with stiffer penalties," Thomm said.

I think that law-abiding citizens should be allowed to own guns and have gun permits because they have been responsible and done everything right while they've been a citizen. If they do mess up and do something wrong i think that there should be a harsh penality. and depending on what the crime was they should either get their privlages suspended or taken away permenantly.

This has to do with government because their was just a tragidy in Tucson, Arizona. It has brought up a lot of questions about how affective our gun laws are. Its hard to regulate everyone because right now pretty much anyone can get their hands on a gun legal or not.

Animal rehab centers still at work after BP spill

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/la_gulf_oil_spill_stragglers;_ylt=AvrwIXge4UjZE9WEduumHyewhrZ_;_ylu=X3oDMTNhNnU3MDd1BGFzc2V0Ay9zL2FwL2xhX2d1bGZfb2lsX3NwaWxsX3N0cmFnZ2xlcnMEY2NvZGUDbXBfZWNfOF8xMARjcG9zAzMEcG9zAzMEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yaWVzBHNsawNhbmltYWxyZWhhYmM


Dozens of animals are still being treated at Gulf Coast rescue centers five months after the capping of the Macondo oil well off the Louisiana coast. The animals include a baby sea turtle that escaped from a shark, only to get stuck in oil spilled from BP's well in the Gulf of Mexico, and a young dolphin that apparently was attacked by his mother and then swam into oil. The animals are among thousands rescued since more than 200 million gallons of oil began gushing from the well. Since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded April 20, rescue officials say 2,079 birds, 456 sea turtles, some terrapins and two dolphins have been plucked from the oil.Another 2,263 birds, 18 turtles and four dolphins were found dead with oil on them. Workers are seeking to determine whether crude from the BP well killed them.

This relates to government because when the oil spill happened the efforts of the government to help stop it were almost nonexistant. They did not take it upon themselves to find a solution to plug it and now five months after the oil well was capped animals and other wild life are stuff suffering the effects.

I think that the government should have down more to help plug the oil well. Even though it wasn't their fault that is exploded it's had a huge impact on the animals and wildlife living in the gulf. Their are organizations still trying to clean up the mess that took so long to plug.

House Democrats are mad over Obama's handling of tax deal

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_obama_democrats

The struggle over tax cuts is really straining President Obama's relationship with House Democrats, who have backed him on key issues even when it cost them politically. Democratic lawmakers say Obama ignored them at crucial negotiating moments, misled them about his intentions.The president has responded that he acted honorably and drove the best bargain he could. "Hardly anybody in the Democratic caucus here feels that the president tried hard enough to deliver on his campaign promises," said Rep. Alan Grayson of Florida,
Hurt feelings can mend over time and it's not clear how much political damage Obama will suffer because of disenchantment among House members. His allies note that House Democrats will be in the minority in the new Congress, and it's essential for the president to negotiate with the newly ascendant Republicans to get things done.

This relates to government because it's an issue that our government is dealing with. The tax cuts are causing a huge conflict between republicans and democrats. The President has lost a lot to "friends" over this issue.

I think that is was imporant for the tax cuts to be extended because Americans are already broke and cannot afford to pay their bills. If they were expected to pay even more money towards taxes they obviously couldn't afford it. I don't think it would do the government any good to raise the taxes because their aren't very many people that could actaully afford it so they probably wouldn't make much money.

Metrodome roof collapse

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101214/ap_on_sp_ot/us_winter_storm_metrodome_collapse


      On Monday crews began inspecting the Minnesota stadium's three decades-old roof after it collapsed under the weight of heavy snow and forced the Vikings to move their game to Detroit. Sunday's roof collapse was the fourth since the 29-year-old facility opened, and it has brought back up the debate about whether the broke state should build a new venue using taxpayer money. The Vikings have asked lawmakers for more than 10 years for a new stadium, arguing the Metrodome is outdated and doesn't generate enough revenue. The team's lease runs through the 2011 season and they have said they won't renew it. The stadium's Teflon roof gave out on Sunday after a  storm hit the region, dropping 17 inches of snow.

     This is related to government because it's just the start of the winter season and the snow is already causing millions of dollars worth of damage that our country cannot afford to pay for.

      I think they need to replace the Vikings stadium because it has already collapsed 4 times and the costs to repair it all 4 times will be a ton of money so they should just fix it right so it doesnt continually happen. I also think that the snow this year is going to cause a huge budget deficite for tons of states and our country in general.