politics

One of my favorite questions to ask in (especially) Introduction to Sociology classes is: In an ideal world, for what reason does the U.S. government exist? That is, what is a state for? For protection from other states? To protect private property? To maximize happiness? To pool and then redistribute resources for the collective good? It’s something most of them have never thought about. After a discussion, I show them this:

This is where our federal tax dollars go. Students are horrified by the military spending, but completely stumped by the interest on the debt. Most of them have no idea that our debt has any consequences at all.

The pie chart is from http://www.nationalpriorities.org/. You can go every year and update your chart here.

I took these pictures of a store front in Orange County. They illustrate the co-optation of our democracy by capitalism and the way in which “freedom” has been reduced to being able to “choose” how to spend your money.

Don’t miss the “Denim Now” button with the peace dove.

Click here for a fascinating 7 minute video in which a man interviews pro-life activists and asks: “If abortion was illegal, should women who have abortions go to jail?”