Bernie Burning Across America

This campaign ad, while has no words displays a very clear message to the American public. Bernie doesn't attack any other runners in the video which almost makes him seem higher up in a way.  Like Michelle Obama says, Hillary Clinton these days too, "When they go low, we go high." Which I thought was very interesting because all that both current candidates seem to be doing is attack the other on basically everything.

Bernie uses a very strong ethos approach in the ad. The scenes of all the citizens is very reminiscent to the scenes of an Obama ad. Displaying farmers, some sort of industrial workers, people in the suburbs, and crowds of supporters shouting Bernie's name with signs waiting to hear him speak. Bernie is greeting his supporters and speaking on his beliefs. Which really shows how much of a true person he is.

Feel the Bern

In this recent presidential debate many candidates have slogans that try and captivate and persuade their audiences to vote for them as their respective parties candidates. This picture of Bernie Sanders shows multiple things regarding the debate of 2016. The red like flames show youth and "umph" to his name which also gives a good vibe when thinking of him. The red, white, and blue show patriotism and how patriotic he is. The word Bern and his last name show how fun and "hip"he is while the word burn literally means composition and so he will burn and decompose of his rivals in the debate without fail. Finally the picture of Bernie shows who your voting for and who he is a candidate in the debate which one "bad a** mother pluber". However, sadly Bernie burned his own self out and lost to Hillary Clinton. Still Bernie's followers will still burn for Bernie but this time following Bernie who is now following and supporting Hillary

Social Reform Is Necessary

History has proven that breaking down social barriers is no easy feat.  To completely abolish a social barrier is to change a society as a whole from the inside out.  One of these social barriers is gender equality, and the fight for this equality has been raging for centuries.  There is no denying that the world has come a long way on the road to giving equal opportunities to all, but we are definitely not out of the woods yet.  This is because the ideals of yesteryear seem to rule how society functions today.  The author of Ways of Seeing, John Berger, makes this apparent when he states, "men act and women appear."  In current society, relations between men and women are dictated by the actions of a man, and the appearance of a woman.  If Berger's statement is indeed true, then American culture cannot continue to be ruled by this way of interacting between sexes, because it only hinders society's progress to achieving the goal of equality on gender lines.

The most apparent situation in which the statement "men act and women appear" is true is in romantic relationships between men and women.  For decades, the customary form of beginning a relationship is the male asks the female out on a date.  What must be analyzed here is all that goes on before the male says anything to the female.  First, the female has to get herself noticed by the male -- this is her way of appearing. Then, the male has to notice the female and decide what to do in the matter -- this is his way of acting.  What this classical interpretation of a relationship creates are the gender roles that have become very familiar to much of American society.  If one of the biggest parts of the human experience, relationships, are dictated by men acting and women appearing, then society as a whole will follow suit.

Entertainment media in America plays a big part in furthering the ideal that "men act and women appear".  In some of the the biggest movie franchises of all time, men are given the roles of the savior and hero, while women are most often portrayed as objects or trophies.  This is the case in countless action movies, and in the quite recognizable James Bond films.  These films are widely distributed and beloved around the world, which means that all around the globe, gender roles are being heavily enforced in something that is meant to bring simple entertainment.  The problem is not necessarily with the Bond franchise itself, but that there is no adequate female equivalent that has the same cultural impact.  There is no sense of equality in modern media in America, which once again pushes society away from any positive reform.

Another profound statement that Berger makes is, "The surveyor of woman in herself is male: the surveyed female."  This is intriguing because it creates a distinction about how women see themselves.  This statement asserts that in order to appear, a woman must survey herself with the mindset of a male.  In other words, for females to foster a successful relationship with a male, they must adopt a male gaze.  This takes away from the agency of the female, as they are put into a box by this male-dominated ideology.  If society is going to move forward from this current state, the male gaze has to be abolished.  This would effectively restore agency to females, and hopefully lead to a better sense of gender equality in our society.

As a culture, we have made leaps and bounds towards equality in this modern era, but we are nowhere near finished with the struggle yet.  One only needs to see the wage gap between men and women, or the disparities between the sexes in depictions throughout popular culture to realize that.  This means that, sadly, the reality that Berger described is true, although it does not have to continue to define out society.  If social restraints can be broken and reformed, then there is hope for an equal American society and a culture that fosters equality.

Election of Immigration

Immigration has been one of the driving problems in the presidential debates this year. The methods of dealing with immigration problems vary incredibly. Whether you are Donald Trump, with a very xenophobic policy, or Bernie Sanders, who has been shown to be very compassionate on the issue of immigration. With so many opposing views, it is important to know where each candidate is coming from.

Recent research suggest that about 15% of the United States population is comprised of immigrants. That is about a 10% increase since 1970. These are the kind of facts that have Donald Trump riled up. Trump doesn't want illegal immigrants to come to the US and be able to get jobs that other Americans could also be competing for, which is a valid fear, but his policies are too harsh. Trump wants to build a wall around the country and very strictly enforce border control, to decrease the number of immigrants from mexico. Trump also wants to restrict access from other countries too, mostly in Muslim countries. He sees recent terrorist activity as directly connected to the Muslim faith. This is a closed minded idea that seem xenophobic and offensive, but in an era with so much uneasy feelings, this is the kind of policy people seem to be flocking to.

On the other side of the immigration coin there stands Bernie Sanders. Sanders has very different policy ideas than Donald Trump. Sanders says that The United States are a country built by immigrants, and because of that they should be accepted. Sanders has constantly said that he is ready to give many people any and every opportunity to pursue a life in The United States. "Their story, my story, our story is a story of America: hard-working families coming to the United States to create a brighter future for their children," Sanders' motto for immigration. Sanders' policies will provide the county's already diverse culture to go further in the direction of full equality and acceptance.

These are just two of the views surrounding immigration, one of the most important topics of this election year.

Hilary Clinton's Circular Reasoning

Hilary Clinton is widely known for her ability to avoid giving clear answers to questions. She's even been named a "masterful dodgeball player" by the Washington Free Beacon. Her ability to utilize the logical fallacy of circular reasoning, combined with her enthusiastic and uplifting tones, frequently win the support of audiences, tricking them into thinking that she has answered a question-- especially audience members who don't take the time to actually evaluate her arguments.When looked at closely, it seems as though Hilary may not be as qualified of a candidate as she should be. One example of Clinton's use of circular reasoning was on the October 13th Democratic Debate on CNN. When attempting to justify and defend her flip-flopping positions, she first diverted attention from the question, accusing all the presidential candidates of changing position at some point, and then went on to make the fallacious statement, "I never took a position on keystone until I took a position on keystone." This argument is fallacious because it's conclusion is used as evidence to prove the conclusion itself. Therefore, this argument literally cannot go anywhere-- using this tactic, Clinton is able to avoid answering the question while offering a conclusion that makes it appear as though she did. These subtle flaws in candidates' arguments are extremely important to keep en eye out for, especially when so much power is at stake.

Sen. Sanders Strikes Back

Throughout the many months of Sen. Sanders and Sec. Clinton having divided opinions, this most recent Democratic Debate on Jan 17 was no different. In the very start of the debate, Clinton verbally attacks Sanders for his background with where he stands on gun violence and how she is appreciative he has changed his opinion. In his unprompted response to her attacks, Sanders statistics, multiple rhetorical questions, and specific diction to regain control and to rally support.

Although the moderator seems to have a different question for Sanders, he quickly responds to Clinton's accusations of his platform. Sanders starts off stating, “We have a broken justice system. Who in America is satisfied that we have more people in jail than any other country on Earth including China, disproportionately African American and Latino?” This question is pretty heavy-hearted, it begs the audience to consider the hard fact in which our country has such high incarceration of the minorities. He continues with a statistic, “51% of African American young people are either unemployed or underemployed. Who is satisfied that millions of people have police records for possessing marijuana when the CEOs of Wall St companies destroyed our economy have no police records?” Again his questions with the use of logos, invokes serious consideration in the audience. His words have significant weight in them and truly makes the audience consider and ponder how our system works. Finally, Sanders concludes with the use of words like “we”, “us”, and “our” to signify that it is our duty as citizens to unite to change our justice system. By using these words, he evokes the feeling of being unified and integrated. And that together, the citizens can do something about the injustice. All in all, Sanders knows how to use rhetoric to join the audience for his support.

Sanders' New Approach

Bernie Sanders is one of the prominent contenders for the Democratic Party's nomination of the 2016 presidential election. Sanders gains his support through emphasizing and expanding his skills of rhetorical strategies. In the most recent Democratic debate, Sanders took a more aggressive attitude towards his opponents, Hillary Clinton and Martin O'Malley, ultimately allowing him to receive the final 'win'(as according to most viewers and internet users) before the first primary election in Iowa. Throughout the debate, Sanders contentiously establishes his ethos and pathos to draw more voters and convince Americans that he is best suited to be the next president of the United States.

In the beginning of the debate, Sanders uses ethos when he forcefully depends his viewpoints on presented issues. When moderator asks Sanders about his controversial split-viewpoint on gun control, Sanders fires back with a clearer point of direction. Sanders expresses that "as a senator from a rural state with virtually no gun control" he is the position to make American feel united about this issue. Sanders explains how he knows from experience that he will succeed in making Americans unified on gun control. Additionally, Sanders also speaks of the time of when he was a congressman in Vermont in 1988. He continually uses vehement words such as "stood up," "came out," and "maintained the position" to establish his trustworthy character towards the audience. Sanders also asserts his views are legitimate, due to his previous experience in such gun legislation. He attacks the issue with background and strong emotion to rigorously establish his views. Ethos prevails as one of the dominant forms of rhetoric Sanders uses to capture his audience. 

Furthermore, Sanders creates strong pathos when expressing his future plans for America.  When discussing his top priorities if elected president, Sanders determines he stands for universal healthcare, increased minimum wage, and more employment opportunities. He frequently asserts phrases such as "I'll bring America together," and "[I'll] have a government that works for all of us!" enthusiastically to convey to his audience that he is active and will respond to the needs of his voters. Sanders pulls emotion from stating powerful words to convince his audience he will make a better America. Additionally, Sanders claims that this campaign is a "political revolution!" Sanders declares such powerful and possibly radical terms in effort to demonstrate his positive and beneficial differences from the other candidates. Conveying such terms allows the supporters to rally behind Sanders and to see him have his motivation for a cause he is passionate about. From these examples, pathos is a eminent element Sanders establishes to win over voters. 

Feel The Bern From The Cold, Hard Facts

In the recent Democratic debate, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders butted heads over a variety of topics. All politicians have special techniques they use to sway the voters their way. In particular Bernie Sanders love sticking to the cold hard facts. Bernie Sanders employs logos to show voters how he will improve America and convince them to vote for him.           

Bernie Sanders uses key facts to show voters how his policies will positively impact them. Last Sunday at the Democratic debate, Sanders and Clinton argued over health care. Sanders said, “29 million people still don’t have health care.” This kind of information is used to shock listeners. Sanders followed up this astonishing fact by saying he will “lower health care by 5,000 dollars for middle class families.” A majority of voters are part of the middle class. Hearing that Sanders can save them 5,000 dollars on health care grabs their attention and encourages them to vote for him. While Sanders tells voters he can save them money, he also reminds them that they are spending far more money than other countries when it comes to healthcare. Sanders says, “Tell me why we are spending almost three times more than the British, who guarantee health care to all of their people, 50% more than the French, [50%] more than the Canadians.” Sanders intends to bring the cost of healthcare down for middle class families. By showing how much cheaper health care is in other countries, Sanders hopes to show voters that he can close that gap and bring the United States to the same level as these other countries. Throughout the entire campaign, Sanders has been very logos centered and has used facts to support his arguments and appeal to the American voters. 

The United States of Huck and Tom

In The United States Of Huck, George Saunders interprets Huck and Tom's personality traits into two different representations of the American Character. Tom represents America's large ego and close-mindedness, while Huck represents the hopeful, free-minded America. There are many figures in American society who represent both Tom and Huck. With the campaign for the upcoming 2016 Presidential Election in full swing, Bernie Sanders immediately pops into my head when thinking of someone to fulfill the image of the United States of Huck. In particular, Bernie Sanders' view on immigrants highlights his receptiveness.

Saunders' states in The United States of Huck, "Because Huck believes that other people are real, he also believes in the reality of their suffering..." (202). Similar to Huck, Bernie Sanders has compassion for immigrants and believes they all deserve to pursue their interests and live out "The American Dream." Sanders' quotes "We are a nation of immigrants. I am the son of an immigrant myself. Their story, my story, our story is a story of America: hard-working families coming to the United States to create a brighter future for their children. The story of immigrants is the story of America, a story rooted in family and fueled by hope. It continues today in families all across the United States." Sanders' view on immigrants reflects his hopefulness for the future in America. Unlike other relevant politicians who are more concerned about how immigrants will impact their lives, Bernie Sanders instead thinks of how immigrating to the U.S. will positively impact many immigrants' lives. America is a nation of immigrants, and having open arms will only strengthen the country. If Bernie Sanders is elected as President in 2016, America will hopefully turn into The United States of Huck.

The Classic Ethos Apeal: The Middle Class

Bernie Sanders, like many politicians, has strong feelings about the middle class. He knows that gearing his argument towards the middle class will give him more votes in the end than the wealthy 1%. Sanders says that congress is focusing on the interests of the billionaires in America and not the lower classes. Sander says what the "political revolution is about is bringing people together to finally say enough is enough, this government belongs to us not just the billionaires." Sanders strongly emphasizes the interest's of the middle class and the degradation of congressional values. Instead of looking out for the good of the country, Sanders says congress focuses too much on the wealthy. By aligning himself with the middle class, Sanders has a good stake in the middle classes' vote.

Sanders Establishes Firm Ethos/Pathos

Sanders repeatedly appeals to ethos and pathos when he discusses how he 'will break up the big banks' (as cheers from the audience arises). He also states how he is running his campaign differently because he uses 'small campaign dollars' from smaller individuals rather than bigger companies. Sanders asserts this statement to ensure the public to know he stands with the ordinary people and that he knows how to make the right decisions. Clinton seems offended by Sanders's claims and stops Sanders, and once again, mentioning how a majority of her donors are women.

Sanders' Sarcasm

Sanders continues to support the middle class by restating his opinion that minimum wage should be raised to $15 per hour. And in concluding his one minute to discuss it, he states "And I'm sorry to no one". This sarcastic joke raises laughs and applause to his platform.

Clinton and Sanders Want to End the Embarrassment

On the topic of healthcare, Clinton appeals to women through her pathos, when discussing her plans to end healthcare discrimination. She says, 'for example, women...' to show she is on their side and to make women feel they are also empowered in this type of issue. Furthermore, Sanders appeals to pathos, but stating he wants to end the 'international embarrassment' of spending more money per capita, but do not have universal healthcare. By stating this, Sanders intends to rally people to support his idea and for personal/relatable connections with the audience.

Bernie Sanders Cracks a Joke

Sanders appealed to pathos by inadvertently making a joke when talking about how much he would tax the wealthy and Wall Street. Sanders says he would not tax 90 percent as he said Eisenhower did, and states that he is not as much of a Socialist as Eisenhower. This comment got the audience and even Sander's opponents laughing and lightened the mood a little bit. Sanders comment appealed to the emotion of mirth.

Sanders For the People

Bernie Sanders addresses the maldistribution of wealth in America. He states that the wealthy should be taxed heavier than those in the crumbling middle class. He continues to support his point by sharing the inequality in paying taxes between two people of complete opposite ends of the wealth spectrum. This shows that Sanders is for the people, the middle class.

Sanders Calls Out Clinton

Sanders appeals to his own ethos by calling out Hillary Clinton and reminding the nation that Clinton did vote for commencement of the Iraqi war. Sanders says that the Iraqi war and the invasion of Iraq are directly connected to the magnitude of terrorism today. Sanders said that any sensible person would have voted no for the Iraqi war and Sanders appeals to his own ethos by showing that he is a man against terrorism.

Politician's Best Friends: Ethos and Logos

During the 2016 presidential debate there was a common theme between each of the candidates intros; they all established their ethos. It is imperative that politicians establish their ethos right off the bat. A politician’s first impression on the voters depends heavily on whether the politician is qualified for presidency or not. Governor Chafee was the first democrat to give his introduction. He started off by saying; “I'm the only one running for president that has been a mayor, a United States senator, and a governor.” He asserted himself as the most experienced. He then proceeded to go through his experiences as mayor, senator and governor and explain each of his accomplishments. From voting against Bush-Cheney tax cuts and the Iraq war to flaunting his pride of being scandal-free, Chafee has accomplished a lot. His accomplishments make him qualified to become president. Then Senator Webb had his turn to introduce himself. He established his ethos with the audience through his previous jobs of being an author, a journalist and a sole proprietor. He connects with the audience on the premise that he has not always been a politician. He then expressed his qualifications through his career with the military. Not only is he a Vietnam veteran but he also served as Assistant Secretary of Defense and Secretary of the Navy in the Reagan administration. Just like Chafee, he proclaimed his qualifications for president through an ethos-based approach. Martin O’Malley, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton all had similar introductions. They all stated their achievements and followed up with a quick preview of their policies.

Senator Bernie Sanders loves his statistics. During many of the times Sanders spoke, he used a logos approach to either express a problem in America or back up his argument. For example, he first states “America has more people in jail than any other country on Earth.” He then connected this issue to a problem with employment within minority youths. In his intro he quoted a statistic about African-American and Hispanic youth unemployment. Fifty-two percent of African-American youths are unemployed and thirty-six percent of Hispanic youths are unemployed. Instead of building more jails, he suggested putting more money into education and jobs for kids. Later in the debate he stated, “Republicans win when there is a low voter turnout.” He backed this statement up by saying “Sixty-three percent of the American people didn't vote, eighty percent of young people didn't vote.” Sanders’ usage of statistics and factual evidence support his arguments and make them more believable and more effective. It is essential for politicians to have effective arguments. Using good rhetoric strategies and having a good argument allows for politicians to sway voters to vote for them.

Black Lives Matter; Bernie's Appeal to Pathos

#BernieSanders displays an appeal to pathos during Democratic debate when asked the question: "Do all lives matter or do black lives matter?". "Black lives matter," was his response. Bernie appeals to emotion when he uses words like "us" and "we" and "our nation" because it sets a tone of unity. He also appeals to pathos, especially those of black people, by recognizing we need "major reforms in our corrupt criminal system" because of the killings of innocent black lives.

Bernie's #InOurCorner

Bernie Sanders established that he stands with Planned Parenthood, stating that he wants paid leave for women and families. In depth, he wants to provide access to safe and legal abortion, expand access to birth control, and overall supports PP. By supporting Planned Parenthood, Sanders sets himself apart from the Republican candidates.

Importance of Consistent Opinions (Live Blog 2)

Bernie Sanders urges people, "to go to berniesanders.com and see what he said in 2002" and follows with, "much of what I said I thought would happen with the destabilization did happen." Bernie is proving his unwavering views in contrast to Hilary's ever-changing opinions. So far in the debate Hilary has been called out regarding her changing views on gay marriage and going to war in Iraq. Bernie emphasizes the importance of a candidate with consistent views. If a candidate can't figure out their own opinions, are they really fit to make decisions for our nation?