Andrew Johnsons Impeachment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Andrew Johnsons Impeachment - Essay Example His war against the Negro doesn't end there. In an act of pure bigotry, he has allowed a Southern radical group, named the Ku Klux Klan, to rape, beat, and lynch Negro men and women. Also, he has vetoed every single bill regarding civil rights for these disadvantaged people, whose only crime is he wear dark skin. For the white rebels, they are treated like kings! The President has pardoned many of the top Confederate officers and generals, allow former Confederate soldiers to vote without fully pledging allegiance to the Union, and other senseless acts. Now to top it off, the President blatantly and willfully broke the Tenure of Office Law, which requires all the President's cabinet members to be approved by a majority vote of Congress before they serve. My fellow Congressman, this is the straw that breaks the camel's back! I urge you to stand with me to impeach President Johnson, before he hand over the keys to the Union to those unremorseful, troublemaking rebels!

American Born Chinese Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American Born Chinese - Essay Example They are intended to change the whole viewpoint that the readers have about that particular scenario. These writings are always radical in nature and tend to convince the reader to see things from the same viewpoint. One such text is American Born Chinese, a 2008 graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang and Lark Pien that contains a great deal of protest. It can be easily noticed in the plot development of the story, and this will be the basis of discussion in this paper. The story begins with the monkeys hanging on the trees; generally, one would say that this is the nature of monkeys. They are supposed to live on trees. However, according to Yang, there is one monkey, the king of monkeys that has ruled the other monkeys for many years. At this time, he has mastered the ways of the gods; these ways are the eight Kung-fu disciplines. As a result of his reaching, he yearns to leave the monkeys behind and join the ranks of the gods. This is the first act of protest that we encounter. One could comfortably say that it is part of monkeys’ nature to stay on trees and behave like any other animal (Yang 4). However, here we encounter a monkey that wants to protest against all that and elevate itself to another level. It wants to behave like a god. In addition to this, the monkey wants to protest against the true nature of the monkeys by passing a rule that all monkeys must wear shoes just like human beings. This is another protest because generally, monkeys and all other animals do not wear shoes. For the monkeys, this would even make their life harder since they cannot climb trees while wearing shoes. The monkey becomes arrogant to other gods when he starts to demand that he should be treated like an equal. The leader of the gods, Tze-Yo-Tzuh, tells him, ‘you are what I created you to be.’ Tze-Yo-Tzuh further tells him that he made him from the rock (Yang 7). The monkey challenges the gods’ king to prove this and tries to run away, but the king catc hes him. After learning that he cannot change who he is, he still refuses to repent, and the king of the gods buries him under a mountain rock till a time when he realizes and accepts who he is. Here, Yang tries to prove that when we try to be different persons from what we are we will only end up hurting ourselves. Another protest that we encounter in this comical novel arises from a character, Jin Wang. At this point, Yang introduces us to a boy born of immigrant parents in the United States. His life in the states is virtually peaceful; however, when his family moves from San Francisco to a white dominated suburban region, his life changes. He finds that he is the only Chinese in the whole school, and this fact makes him a subject to the prejudice (Yang 31). This is the point where he begins protesting against his culture. He constantly has to tell the other children in the school that he was born in America, and that his family does not eat dogs. Yang, at this point exhibits ano ther protest, which is against his culture. Jin Wang does not want to be associated with the Chinese way of life yet this is his culture (Yang 31). Jin Wang struggles to fit in his white peers’ way of life in every aspect. He even eats sandwiches (Yang 37), food that is not common for his culture. Jin struggles to be like the whites even when he is not in the school environment. This is evident in the conversation that he has with an old lady about being what he wants to be. The lady replies by telling him, ‘

Community Based Correctional Systems Criminology Essay

Community Based Correctional Systems Criminology Essay Community corrections is an umbrella phrase, which includes everything from intermediate punishments to pre-trial diversion. A community correctional system includes any non-incarcerative, but supervised way of handling offenders who have already been convicted or who are facing conviction. Parole and probation are the most renowned forms of community corrections, but the phrase also includes: electronic monitoring, home confinement, work release, day fine programs, restitution, halfway houses, check-in programs, community services, community based correctional facilities and curfews. In Ohio, community corrections refer to a system of particular facilities, which provide non-residential and residential services to a convicted offender. A good example of a community based correctional system in Ohio is the Western Ohio Regional Treatment and Rehabilitation Center (W.O.R.T.H. Center). This paper will attempt to cite the strength and weaknesses of the W.O.R.T.H. Center. I will also exp lain whether or not this system serves the community better than institutional correctional systems. Discussion The W.O.R.T.H. Center, just like other community based correctional systems in the United States, receives funds from the state, but, it is based in and operated by the local community in Ohio. In addition to this, this center is a male and female community based correctional facility, which houses criminals for a period not exceeding six months. This center provides an à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦intermediate residential sanction at the front end of the system between prison and probation, known as diversion and re-integration services at the tail end of the system between parole and prison, known as transitionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Bronstein, 2005). The W.O.R.T.H. Center has various programs that are aimed at fully rehabilitating the offenders such as: moral reconation therapy, skills class, chemical dependency, substance abuse, AA meetings, educational services, job readiness, money management, anger management, domestic violence, public service, parenting classes, Bible study, recreation, and community meetings. Each program is highly structured with evaluation, treatment, follow-up services such as transitional counseling (W.O.R.T.H Center, 2011). The offenders who effectively complete the program at this facility normally continue on non-residential probation that is supervised for a certain period of time. And those offenders who do not are sent to jail. Offenders sentenced to the W.O.R.T.H. Center are normally felony low level felony offenders or probation offenders who are otherwise headed to jail or prison. Rather than being sentenced to jail, such offenders are diverted into centers such as the W.O.R.T.H. Center where they receive severe treatment for education, chemical dependency, family relations or employment assistance. In numerous ways, the W.O.R.T.H. Center is similar to a conventional prison setting since it is a residential placement with very little freedom to actually move around. However, this facility has minimum security operations, which houses between fifty and two hundred male and female offenders, so it is somewhat smaller than most jails and offers to some extent, more freedom to the offender. Community based correctional system such as the W.O.R.T.H. Center is believed to be an evident improvement over conventional corrections programs for humanitarian reasons. The W.O.R.T.H. Center can be considered humanitarian because it provides less serious male and female offenders with choices, which allow them to continue with various elements of their lives. In addition to this, this community based correctional facility is also humanitarian because it avoids many of the negative effects of incarcerations such as stigmatization, damage to mental or physical health as well as constant exposure to criminal peers (Bronstein, 2005). Another advantage of the W.O.R.T.H. Center is that it offers opportunities to be more responsive to the needs of victims, offenders and the community at large. For instance, the restorative resolution program in the W.O.R.T.H. Center is a community alternative to imprisonment. This program targets lawbreakers who are facing a prison term of about six months or at times even nine months. Another sentencing plan is developed for lawbreakers referred to this program that aims to tackle the individual needs of the lawbreaker as well as address victim concerns. Another advantage is that the community programs at this facility are more effective than prison or incarceration. Effectiveness can be measured in terms of avoiding exposure to undesirable effects, reducing recidivism as well as promoting the successful re-integration of offenders into the community (Bloomberg, 2000). Moreover, the cost of running the W.O.R.T.H. Center is not as costly as conventional prison. However, the W.O.R.T.H. Center is not without its weaknesses. This community based correctional facility appears to have very little impact on the rates of recidivism among the ex-offenders (W.O.R.T.H Center, 2011). In addition to this, since the W.O.R.T.H. Center includes residences or halfway houses where the ex-offenders learn to make the successful transition from prison into society, the residents who live around are naturally kept on a strict curfew. In addition to this, these halfway houses are located in a neighborhood, as opposed to remote locations and this commonly disturbs the residents of that particular neighborhood, who live in fear of being victimized or even threatened by the ex-offenders residing in the halfway houses. Recidivism is the repetition of criminal behavior. Clearly, one objective of community based correctional system such as the W.O.R.T.H. Center is to prevent the offenders from repeating any kind of criminal behavior. In the past, these facilities have been commended for being more effective in reducing recidivism than conventional prison settings since they never take the offender completely out of the community and that they also provide a transition period between the community and the prison (Bronstein, 2005). Ideally, community based correctional systems teach the offender how to be productive and successful members of the community. But, regrettably, some offenders in community based correctional programs do recidivate. The re-arrest, charging and return of criminals to correctional facilities has a public safety advantage and numerous social as well as fiscal costs. Proponents of community based correctional systems argue that community programs are in reality more effective than prison. Effectiveness can be measured in terms of avoiding exposure to undesirable effects, reducing recidivism and so forth. According to Benzy (2004), incarceration is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦not more effective than community corrections in preventing re-offending and treatment programs have been shown to be more effective when delivered in a community settingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. What is more, community based correctional programs spare the offenders numerous negative effects of incarceration. I believe that community based correctional system serves the community better than institutional correctional systems. Community based correctional programs facilitate many of the factors linked with the successful re-integration of the offender into the community. For criminals being released from prison into a community based correctional facility, the benefits of community corrections are rather obvious. Not only is the criminal provided with the chance to steadily re-integrate into society, he or she is able to pursue educational and employment opportunities. Moreover, family ties are better maintained when a criminal is residing at a community based correctional facility rather than a prison. Presently, community based correctional facilities have not been widely accepted by the general public and this opposition manifests itself in numerous ways. For instance, the general public has never fully embraced community corrections programs like fines, probation, full and day parole, intermittent prison sentences and temporary absences. A majority of communities in the United States are unfriendly to the notion of having residential centers such as the does a community based correctional system serves the community better than institutional correctional systems for law offenders located in their midst for fear that adjacent property values will drop and crime will increase, a phenomenon commonly referred to as Not In My Back Yard Syndrome or NIMBY (Benzy, 2004). But, most individuals agree that the current institutional correctional system does not work and many are even willing to consider community based correction systems. Institutional correctional systems such as prisons generally make individuals worse. Presently, nothing much has changed other than that there are many more individuals in prison and our prisons are currently larger and in fact, more destructive of the human personality than before with harsher regimes and fewer programs (Bronstein, 2005). Research reveals that there are only three possible changes in the life of an offender during his or her incarceration in an institutional correctional system: availability of a reasonably supportive job, family upon release, as well as the process of aging that ultimately eradicates criminal behavior as an alternative (Bronstein, 2005). It is rather obvious that in the institutional correctional systems, offenders are incarcerated not to treat them, but for other reasons. Increasingly, such systems are places of punishment and have nothing at all to do with rehabilitation unlike the community-based correctional systems. Conclusion Community based correctional systems offers workable alternatives to incarceration for offenders at different stages of the criminal justice process. The alternatives that are available to the offenders include: alternative measures programs, bail supervision programs, fine options programs, restitution programs, probation, community service order, parole and so on. The community based correctional system serves the community better than institutional correctional systems since the offenders are given a chance to steadily re-integrate into society, pursue educational and employment opportunities and in general, be more productive in the community.

American Legion Report :: essays research papers

American Legion Post 108 Oxford, MI   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The American Legion was chartered on November 11, 1919. It was formed with the purpose of helping out retired war veterans and the communities surrounding their posts. All members, or former members, of the U.S. Armed Forces are eligible to become members of their local American Legion. They are eligible as long as they were honorably discharged after serving on active duty during basically any major war in our history. Presently there are 325 legion members in Oxford, and nearly 3 million members’ nation wide.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Oxford American Legion is a sponsor of many clubs and groups within our community. Some of the sponsored groups are: Boy Scout Troop 108 Cub Scout Pack 44 and Little League baseball teams Along with sponsoring clubs and groups, the American Legion also hosts regular events in the Oxford community such as: St. Patrick’s day dinner Memorial Day Parade Strawberry Festival Parade Softball Pool Tournaments Halloween Party Christmas Parade and New Years Party The Oxford Post is also the only post in the the state of Michigan that has a â€Å"Military History Museum.† It is a collection of uniforms, weapons, books, and other artifacts spanning over two hundred years of our American history. The museum is open to the public every Friday evening from 5-9 p.m. American Legion Post 108 Oxford, MI   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The American Legion was chartered on November 11, 1919. It was formed with the purpose of helping out retired war veterans and the communities surrounding their posts. All members, or former members, of the U.S. Armed Forces are eligible to become members of their local American Legion. They are eligible as long as they were honorably discharged after serving on active duty during basically any major war in our history. Presently there are 325 legion members in Oxford, and nearly 3 million members’ nation wide.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Oxford American Legion is a sponsor of many clubs and groups within our community. Some of the sponsored groups are: Boy Scout Troop 108 Cub Scout Pack 44 and Little League baseball teams Along with sponsoring clubs and groups, the American Legion also hosts regular events in the Oxford community such as:

Greek Mythology and Medea Essay

Medea is a Greek tragedy which was written in 431 BC by the Greek philosopher Euripides. The story of Medea is one filled with anger, jealousy, and death. The main character, Medea, has to overcome the personal heartache of seeing her husband, Jason, marry another woman. The ensuing struggle she has with this notion is the focus of this play. In a very important scene, Medea hatches her plan to murder the princess, who is Jason’s new bride, as well as Jason himself. She says that first, she will pretend to beg for Jason’s forgiveness, and then she will have him bring the children back to the palace. At the palace, the children will present gifts to the princess from Medea. The gifts of a veil and bridal robe were covered with a poison that is designed to melt the skin from her body, as well as anyone who touched her. When the children give the gifts to the princess, she cannot resist putting them on immediately. After she put them on, the gifts begin to work as Medea had hoped. The skin begins to melt from her body and her hair begins to fall out. She also bursts into flames. Upon seeing this, a servant goes to fetch the king and Jason, and when he saw his daughter, King Creon collapses helplessly on the body, and as a result died from the same poisons. Jason returns to the place where Medea is staying and insists to see his children. But he is too late, as Medea has killed them as well. Her reasoning was that she hates Jason more than she loves her children. The sheer cruelty of this scene illustrates Euripides’ point that a clever woman with enough time to hatch a plan is a very dangerous woman indeed. It also proves that hell hat no fury like a woman scorned. Euripides was aiming to show, in my opinion, that when a woman is wronged in a manner such as this one, the man who has scorned her had better think twice about turning his back on the woman, especially if she is a clever one, as was Medea.

The Legality, Morality, and Social Responsibility

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed into law on March 23rd, 2010. The Act is a daring attempt by President Barack Obama to reform the healthcare system in the United States. The new healthcare reform act is historical because of its scope and size. Opponents to the healthcare act state it is an attempt to increase the size and power of the federal government and it is one of â€Å"the largest tax increase in the history of the world,† despite it being almost equally in size to President Clinton 1993 tax increase (â€Å"‘Obamacare’ isn’t the largest†, 2012).There is an abundance of questions surrounding the new healthcare act ranging from the constitutionality of Act to the ethical and moral ramifications of such wide sweeping legislation. This paper will attempt to answer some of these questions as they pertain to healthcare provider Florida Blue. We will also explore how Florida Blue is transitioning as a company under these ne w laws and their role as a socially responsible company in the community. On June 28, 2012, the Supreme Court rendered a final decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act.According to (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2008) this was possible due President Lincoln’s leadership, implementing the legal system; it was restored to be more liberal, justified, and democratic. The idea is that every law enables the government of the people, by the people, and for the people to make laws that befit the people. The constitution was effectively written to allow for flexibility. The new provisions would allow families and small business owners the ability to make choices that work best for them. The power of the government is divided into three branches judicial, executive, and legislative.In order for a bill to become law, all three branches of government must approve it. That separation of power is what does not allow one branch from becoming more powerful than any of the others. Under the law, the ne w â€Å"Patient’s Bill of Rights† gives the American people the stability and flexibility they need to make informed choices about their health. (Obama, 2013) The main purpose of President Obama’s bold healthcare reform was to address the affordability and quality of health care as well as to curb the growth of healthcare spending in the United States.Many of the provisions in the Affordable Care Act are aimed at fixing these major issues facing the U. S health care and insurance industries. In the idea of not only helping the people to consider and obtain health insurance. The group agrees that the law is constitutional and should be addressed, in most countries there are laws stating that you much have health insurance and based on your income you get it for free or you pay a very small amount. The United States has waited a long time to enact this law and should be enforce.Despite evidence to the contrary, explained in the joint dissent the Chief Justice name d Roberts, along with 4 other Justices Breyer, Ginsberg, Kagan, and Sotomayor upheld Obamacare’s â€Å"penalty imposed upon individuals’ failure to purchase federally-approved health insurance (the Individual Mandate) as within Congress’ taxing power. † A majority of the Court held that the Constitution’s Commerce Clause did not grant Congress the power to institute an individual mandate.A significant portion of the law’s Medicaid provision was partially overturned as an unconstitutional coercive federal spending condition imposed on the states. Instead of entirely striking down this provision, the Secretary of Health and Human Services is prevented from withholding current Medicaid federal spending to those states who decide not to participate in Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion. (Teller, 2012). Whether Obamacare was upheld as a proper exercise of Congress’ taxing power or through the commerce power is simply a distinction witho ut a difference.The law as it was before the Supreme Court decision is virtually the same as it was afterward. But, as a matter of legal precedent and technical legislating, such a determination is monumentally important in terms of how future cases of congressional power will be decided, as well as how bills are crafted for consideration. The Chief Justice’s opinion recognized the long-standing history of Congress attaching conditions upon states in exchange for receiving federal funding under Congress’ Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 spending power.17 The legitimacy of this power â€Å"†¦ rests on whether the State voluntarily and knowingly accepts the terms of the contract,† since the â€Å"Constitution has never been understood to confer upon Congress the ability to require States to govern according to Congress’s instructions. †18 When â€Å"pressure turns into compulsion, the legislation runs contrary to our system of federalism,† (Teller, 2012). Florida Blue, the largest health insurer in the state of Florida, had to reinstate 300,000 policies in order to meet the new Affordable Healthcare Act requirements.Florida Blue is attempting to offset many of these costly new healthcare requirements, which now include things such as maternity/newborn care, mental health services, substance abuse services, and emergency services. These services will now be covered by individual and small market plans. Under this new law anyone the government determines can afford healthcare, and does not purchase it by 2014, may have to pay a fine. This fee will be referred to as an individual responsibility payment, individual mandate or penalty.The Supreme Court of the United States has determined the Affordable Care Act, and its provisions, are constitutional and have upheld the legality of the act. Therefore a discussion regarding its legality would be mute. However, the ethical ramifications of the act are worthy of noting and di scussing. Ethics is one of the five branches of philosophy that deals with human character and how humans conduct themselves in society. Humans have the freedom of doing various activities that may benefit them, ethics is essential because it defines their character and conduct.In essence, ethics systematically assesses human activities in an attempt of establishing whether they are right or wrong. In a society where chaos and disorder prevails, ethics offers an appropriate solution because it provides moral values, principles, norms, and ideals, which humans should adhere to as standard practices of human conduct and behavior. According to (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2008), the goal of ethics is to understand the epistemology of human conduct and character so that it can define the best ways in which humans can co-exist and attain the real meaning of life.In this view, ethics enables humans to regulate their conduct and character in order to be more in line with the moral values, norms, ide als, and principles that society cherishes and upholds amidst chaos and confusion. To define and expound ethics, diverse philosophers have come up with theories and models such as utilitarianism, deontology, pragmatic ethics, and postmodern ethics. Hence, this term paper seeks to use utilitarian theory and model in assessing whether it is moral for Florida Blue to implement President Obama's health care reform act.Utilitarian theory is the dominant ethical theory that philosophers and ethicists apply when analyzing human conduct and character. John Stuart Mill is one of the pioneers and proponents of utilitarian theory. Fundamentally, utilitarian theory belongs to the category of consequential theories that assess morality based on the consequences of an action. According to Mill (2010), rightness or wrongness of an action is dependent on its consequences rather than the nature of the action.On this assertion, utilitarian theory rejects the assessment of morality based on the action s. Hence, utilitarian theory assumes that human actions have no morality in themselves unless assessed using their consequences. Cavico and Mujtaba (2009) argue that an action is morally right if its consequences are good, and it is morally wrong if its consequences are bad. Hence, the consequences of an action are central in determining if an action is right or wrong. The utilitarian theory also assesses the degree of morality or the extent to which an action is right or wrong.According to the utilitarian theory, for an action to be morally right, it must generate greatest happiness or pleasure to most people and cause the least pain and harm (Mill, 2010). In this view, the theory does not only assess the degree of morality basing on the consequences, but also assesses morality basing on the number of people that gain happiness or experience pain. In the examination of utilitarian theory, (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2009) state that the consequence of an action should be good and beneficial to most people in the society.In this view, utilitarian theory requires consideration of action’s consequence and the number of people that experience happiness or pain. Thus, an action is morally right if its consequences are good and beneficial to most stakeholders, and it is morally wrong if its consequences are bad and harmful to most stakeholders. The use of the utilitarian model in the assessment of human actions provides a quantitative way of analyzing morality. The utilitarian model apportions numerical values to goodness and badness of an action’s consequences.The goodness of an action has a positive scale of 1 to 5 (1 to 5) while the badness of an action has a negative scale of 1 to 5 (-1 to -5). Zero is an intermediate value on the scale, which shows that actions’ consequence is neither good nor bad to a specific stakeholder. The utilitarian model quantifies the degree of pleasure and pain, which are consequences of an action (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2009) . Therefore, the term paper utilizes the utilitarian model in establishing if it is moral for Florida Blue to implement the Affordable Health Care plan. 1.The act that the term paper seeks to evaluate using the utilitarian model is whether it is moral for Florida Blue to implement the Affordable Health Care plan. 2. The following are the stakeholders that the implementation of the health care reform affects, both directly and indirectly. a) The government The foreseeable good is that the government will improve general health of the population, and thus enhances the health of the nation. However, the foreseeable bad consequence is that the cost necessary to sustain health care reforms may not be sustainable in the end.b) Health care system The foreseeable good of the health care reforms is that the health care system will offer improved quality of healthcare services (Rosenbaum, 2011). Given that quality of healthcare services depend on many factors, the foreseeable bad is that the quality of care may deteriorate with time. c) Florida Blue The foreseeable good of the health care reform in Florida Blue is that it will increase the number of patients and thus improve its growth. However, Florida Blue may not be able to satisfy the demands of the patients.d) Insurance companies If Florida Blue implements health reforms, the foreseeable good is that it will provide a competitive environment for insurance companies. The foreseeable bad consequence is that the insurance companies will increase insurance premiums. e) Healthcare providers and working environment The foreseeable good of the health reforms is that it will improve competence, remuneration packages, and the working environment of healthcare providers. Since the number of patients will increase in Florida Blue, theforeseeable bad consequence is that healthcare providers will have to perform extra duties to serve all patients. f) Patients The foreseeable good among patients is that they will receive quality services that they have been unable to afford. Nevertheless, the foreseeable bad consequence is that the quality of healthcare services offered to patients may deteriorate with time. g) Citizens and society Since health care reforms legally require citizens to acquire health insurance coverage, the foreseeable good is improved health and lifespan of the people.However, the foreseeable bad consequence is that the cost of health insurance may increase and become unaffordable to many people. Quantification of Good and Bad Consequences Stakeholders Foreseeable Good Foreseeable Bad a) The government +5 -2 b) Health care system +4 -3 c) Florida Blue +3 -3 d) Insurance companies +5 -1 h) Healthcare providers +3 -3 e) Environment +4 -2 f) Patients +5 -2 g) Citizens +3 -3 h) Society +4 -2 i) Total 37 -22 Conclusion The assessment of the act of implementing the affordable health care plan in Florida shows that it has more good than bad.Since the good consequences of implementing Obamaâ€℠¢s health care reform outweigh the bad consequences, from the utilitarian perspective, it implies that the act is moral in the case of Florida Blue. The utilitarian analysis shows that Florida Blue should implement health reforms to improve healthcare services that it provides to all stakeholders. Another major ethical work exploring is the Kantian Ethical Principle. Kantian ethics originated from the German philosopher Immanuel Kant.It revolves around his work—Groundwork (or Foundation) of the Metaphysics of Morals (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2009). The basis of Kant’s work was reason. Kant deduced that reason is the source for morality. To Kant, morality relied only on human reason. His definition and elaboration on morality excluded conscience, law, and utility. According to Kant, to be moral is to be rational (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2009). Morality and rationality must coexist; therefore, morality consists of acting rationally. It must be noted, however, that rationality must be employed to arrive at a moral conclusion.The intellectual use of reason, or â€Å"intellectualism†, is a form of egoism and does not serve a purpose toward morality (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2009). In comparison to the utilitarian approach, the Kantian approach does not take into account happiness when deciding morality. Kant deduced that dignity and worth were not fulfilled from a sense of happiness, but rather from the ability to reason. After all, it can be argued that the human ability to reason is the only differentiation from other species. Happiness, or the lack there of, is not an appropriate measure for morality.In summary of Kantian ethics, it is not arriving at a moral conclusion that is the challenge (any rational human can do that), it is possessing the self-control to follow through with what is right, regardless of consequences. The Categorical Imperative is the principle which Kant called the â€Å"supreme ethical principle† (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2009). A catego rical imperative regards certain actions are absolutely vital, regardless of desires or end result. The rules that surround moral conduct are, according to Kant, absolute. Kant went on to create a â€Å"test† to discern between moral and immoral actions.His categorical imperative must satisfy three conditions, without exception. The three conditions that an action must have to be moral are as follows: 1) the action must have the possibility to be made consistently universal, 2) it must respect rational beings as ends in themselves, and 3) the action must stem from and respect the autonomy of rational beings. Kant concluded that by satisfying the aforementioned conditions, the question of morality would be unaffected by consequences, personal gain, and compulsions. Instead, any rational human being would be able to rationalize the morality of actions by fulfillment of his three tests.In determining the morality of the Affordable Care Act using Kant’s Categorical Imperat ive, the main point of focus will be the morality to the intended benefactors (United States citizens and legal residents) from the law. The first test forces one to ask oneself: can the Affordable Care Act be applied universally? For argument’s sake, â€Å"universally† implies throughout the United States for this analysis. Furthermore, satisfaction of the first test eliminates any individuals from regarding themselves as â€Å"special. † Rather, nobody is exempt from the moral â€Å"law.† The Affordable Care Act will require U. S. citizens and legal residents to obtain healthcare. Healthcare for all U. S. citizens and legal residents can be consistently universal. Furthermore, with proper planning, the idea behind the Affordable Care Act can be sustained. Currently, the U. S. has many uninsured pockets of people that are unable to get a routine medical exam without a hefty fee. Although there are caveats in the Affordable Care Act, it can be applied ove rall to the majority of the population. The Kantian tests for determining morality disregard â€Å"privilege.† Instead, by applying universal healthcare, a rational person can deduce that everyone obtaining healthcare is logical and consistent. The first test is satisfied. Kant’s second test is called the â€Å"Kingdom of Ends† test. This test works to further eliminate the possibility of immorality by taking into account the human condition. Kant states that,†each people must be treated by every other person as an end† (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2009). Again, we are forced to reexamine whether the Affordable Care Act treats each person with â€Å"dignity and respect and as a valuable and worthwhile entity.† The current state of healthcare denies various groups of people the ability to obtain medical care. Through his second test, Kant holds the intrinsic worth of human beings as an undeniable truth. Thus, by existing as a human, one has an unconditio nal value. Because a rational human would be able to identify their own intrinsic value, so would they be able to identify that value in others. The Affordable Care Act extends healthcare coverage to individuals that would previously have no viable options. In addition, it minimizes discrimination by encompassing groups of people that have consistently gone without healthcare coverage.By expanding Medicaid to 133% of the federal poverty level, alone, the government is extending its recognition of intrinsic worth to those that have been previously disregarded. The â€Å"Kingdom of Ends† test is centered on human dignity; by extending healthcare coverage, the U. S. government has empowered more individuals to be free to make a choice of what medical services to pursue. Although the implementation of the Affordable Care Act may result in higher costs to the public, the self-interest of individuals is not a basis for determining morality.Rather, the freedom, empowerment, and reco gnition of intrinsic worth provided by the activation of the Affordable Care Act satisfies the second test. The final test is deemed the â€Å"Agent-Receiver Test†. This third test allows for further dissection of an act. The use of the â€Å"Agent-Receiver Test† in relation to the Affordable Care Act is extremely relevant and allows for a more black-and-white approach by further stripping any vested self-interest. A rational person must be able to accept the action or rule, regardless if they are the agent (giver) or receiver of the action or rule (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2009).Would an individual accept the Affordable Care Act whether they were supplying or receiving the benefits? In this case, there are stereotypically many white collar, upper middle-class U. S. citizens that oppose the act because of the implied rise is costs for themselves. However, a rational person would be able to remove their selfish motive by analyzing it from the point of view of the receivers. Sa y the individual was, instead, an uninsured, 20-something pregnant woman barely living above the federal poverty line, would they still oppose the act?The Affordable Care Act allows healthcare to become more impartial to people using it. The â€Å"Agent-Receiver† test, thus, proves the act moral. Analyzing such a complex act, such as the Affordable Care Act, does present exceptions and caveats as it is currently written. The overall basis behind the creation and implementation of the act aims to value more humans and increase dignity and self-worth. By removing individual motive and self-interest, the Kantian model for determining morality strives to decide morality based on impartial tests.After reviewing and applying the three tests to the Affordable Care Act, we have found it is moral. The theory of ethical emotism is centered on feelings and emotions (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2009). David Hume is credited as one of the most important contributors to the idea of the emotist theor y. The theory is ethical emotism lies on the other side of ethical theory spectrum from the Kantian model. In the Kantian model, reason is the basis for morality, but in ethical emotism, reason is merely a tool employed to help one judge morality.In ethical emotism, the act itself is not used to decide morality, rather the feelings from the act are what is important. Morality is viewed as a purely emotional response and is, therefore, extremely subjective under this theory. Although ethical emotism is, on the surface, a rather simple measure of morality, it often overlaps with ethical relativism and utilitarianism. The concepts behind ethical emotism can be laid out simply. If one has positive emotions towards an act, the act is deemed moral and good. If one has negative emotions toward an act, that act would be deemed immoral or bad.In terms of the morality surrounding the Affordable Care Act, ethical emotism can present some consequences that will not allow for a sound moral concl usion. First and foremost, this theory relies heavily (entirely) on emotions and emotions may be very subjective. When employing the emotist theory, the Affordable Care Act must be analyzed from the perspective of each group affected and/or involved. Because of the subjectivity of emotions, different groups of people will feel different ways, thus, creating the large possibility of different moral conclusions.As an example, a 24 year old, recent college graduate, in an entry level, minimal salary position may feel positively about the act because they can be under their parents’ insurance for an additional two years. The implementation of Affordable Care Act is moral in this instance because of the positive feelings felt by the receiver. However, five years later, this same individual may be earning a higher income, invested in real estate, and covering their own health insurance with no assistance—their feelings may have changed. The aforementioned individual likely h as negative feelings regarding the Affordable Care Act because of higher taxes.In this sense, the implementation of the Affordable Care Act is immoral. The changing of one’s feeling is a big consequence of the ethical emotism theory. Since individuals will deem the Affordable Care Act moral or immoral based on their own individual feelings, reaching a general and standardized consensus is impossible. From the prospective of those becoming eligible for obtaining healthcare, the act is likely moral. Those individuals have not had or have lost the opportunity to make decisions about their health and are feeling extremely positive about the act.On the other hand, individuals who have had no problem covering their healthcare insurance costs could have feelings of disapproval towards the Affordable Care Act. In their case, the act is seen as simply a probable increase in their own taxes. Moral conclusions are subjective under the ethical emotism theory and must be addressed individ ually. Many different theories can be used to help decipher morality, especially on large-scale issues like the Affordable Care Act. However, each theory must be maximized, while taking into account the consequences that accompany each train of thought.The above theories discussed use various criteria to determine morality. However, ethics and morality become an even greater point of focus when applied to real world scenarios. Ethics and morality must transcend their place as theories of study and come into play in our current world. In the case of Florida Blue, it is certain they will have to embrace the Affordable Care Act if they want to continue as a functioning healthcare provider. As the company will likely continue to grow in size and influence, they will likely take a closer look at their role within American society.It is becoming a common trend among many high stature corporations to integrate a humane tactic into their company’s strategic plans. Companies are begin ning to give back to the community, while in return noticing the positive reaction consumers are developing towards their product especially when they see the company’s brand is perceived in a positive and philanthropic light. Now more than ever before, corporations have taken notice of the increased benefits being perceive as a positive, giving company can bring such as an increased rate of profitable.This sincere act of kindness, which no company is legally liable to fulfill, is what we call social responsibility. Social responsibility is the act of an entity to provide a need for the community. When a corporation takes the initiative to create a solution for society, they are deemed as a socially responsible firm. The organization is not necessarily the last resort or the only solution to the problem, however the corporation takes ownership of the need and the responsibility for creating a solution for a particular problem their consumers face.The success factors and formu lation of fulfilling the act of a socially responsible entity, quoted by (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2008), according to Banks, a few reasons for being a socially responsible firm is by â€Å"1) obtaining a â€Å"social license† to operate from key stakeholders, 2) ensuring â€Å"sustainable competitiveness,† 3) creating new business opportunities, 4) attracting and retaining quality investors and business partners, 5) securing cooperation from local communities, 6) avoiding difficulties due to socially irresponsible behavior, 7) obtaining governmentsupport, and 8) building â€Å"political capital. † Florida Blue, formerly known as Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, is a not-for-profit health insurance company that strives on social responsibility. In preparation for the Affordable Care Act, Florida Blue has prepared several different tools for consumers to utilize to educate themselves about the new law that will eventually have an effect on everyone in the U. S. Flori da Blue has created a Health Care Reform eBook that can be downloaded on any tablet. This eBook is constantly being updated as changes are continuously being made to the law.Also, to ensure they are doing their due diligence as an educational source for the community, the app is available in English, Spanish and Creole. According to Florida Blue CEO, Pat Geraghty, between the 16, soon to be 18, Retail Centers across the state the company will have organized over 3,000 Health Care Reform seminars by the end of the year. As a socially responsible company, these tools Florida Blue has put tremendous amounts of effort into creating, are not only available to Florida Blue members, but they are available to the general public.Whether you are insured with another company, not insured at all, or insured with Florida Blue, the organization prides on being a tool for Floridians to turn to in reaction to this new law that has many consumers dumfounded. In addition to being accessible by any me mber of our community, all of these tools are complimentarily available to the consumer market. Florida Blue has been in preparation for Health Care Reform since 2006 when they opened their first Retail Center.With the Affordable Care Act implementing a new focus gearing towards individual plans, and steering away from the well-known and accustomed group plan, Florida Blue has built these Retail Centers to accommodate selling to the individual rather than selling to the employer (â€Å"Health Insurance Companies†, 2013). These Retail Centers offer the face-to-face experience that consumers need and allow health care shoppers and customers to build a relationship with one individual agent that they can rely on and come back to time and time again with any questions and concerns.In addition to face-to-face Retail Centers, there is a FloridaBlueHealthCareReform. com website that anyone can visit, a Health Care Reform hotline facilitated by employees trained to specialize in the Affordable Care Act, and customers can also call into any Retail Center and talk to any sales or service consultant over the phone just as you would meet with them in person. In any recommendation of social responsibility it would be a wise business decision for a company to partake in socially responsible acts.As (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2008), state, â€Å"business also gains an improved public image by being socially responsible. An enhanced social image should attract more customers and investors and thus provide positive benefit for the firm. † For a company to engage in community affairs in order to enhance the level of success it would be somewhat foolish not to participate in socially responsible acts in an effort in improve your company’s prosperity, while achieving greater good for consumers.Overall, is it a legal requirement for companies to be socially responsible? No. Is it implied that companies should partake in some type of social responsibility to enhance th e well-being of the community in order for them to be considered a moral organization? Yes. It is solely up to the discretion of a corporation and their shareholders whether they determine to provide a socially responsible contribution for their consumers, but more than likely it is in their benefit to give back to the community they operate in and engage in socially responsible acts.To be perceived in a positive manner, generally has a positive return on investment for the company and their shareholders. It is simple to determine that being socially responsible has a positive impact on all parties involved in the act. As mentioned earlier in this paper, the legality of the Affordable Care Act, and its implementation by Florida Blue, has been deemed legal by the Supreme Court.Ethical analysis of the Affordable Care Act and Florida Blue using the Utilitarian and Kantian ethical theories have all proven both the Act, and the implementation of the Act by Florida Blue, to be ethical. It was also shown that using the Ethical Emotism theory for such a complex matter would provide mixed results and no definitive answer would likely ever be reached. Florida Blue continues to develop tools that help explain and guide the average consumer through the new healthcare process.By providing information to all consumers-not just their clients, holding fairs and encouraging face-to-face contact, they are continually shaping the public’s perception of their company and attempting to show the public they are committed to assisting them regardless of whether or not they are members. It would be in Florida Blue’s benefit to continue to show good will and become further engaged in the neighborhoods where they operate. It is our opinion that Florida Blue will continue to grow as they now have access to new groups of people seeking insurance.

Mad Scientist Lab Directions for Fizzy Potion

Mad Scientist Lab Directions for Fizzy Potion Mad scientists arent known for drinking tap water. The mad scientist craves fizz! This potion froths and fizzes and is available in the classic radioactive colors or tasty color-change formula. It looks vile and evil, but the fizzy potion is safe enough to drink and tastes better than most soft drinks. Gather the Fizzy Potion Ingredients First, lets cover the basic radioactive-colored fizzy potion. You will need: mad scientist glasswaterfood coloringbaking sodavinegar Lets Do Science! Pour a little water and baking soda into your glass. Add food coloring to get a nice deep color.When you are ready for fizzing, add a splash of vinegar.You can add more vinegar, baking soda, and food coloring to keep things going. You can drink this potion, but it will taste like salty vinegar (ick). This potion can keep fizzing for quite a while (as you can see in this  video). Make The Magic Potion Taste Better and Foam Longer Cant stand the taste of baking soda and vinegar? Stir a small amount of baking soda into fruit juice. Add a splash of vinegar to initiate the fizz. Juices not only taste better, but they can maintain foam longer. Beet juice seems to foam particularly well (though the flavor isnt that appealing). Make the Potion Change Color If you used fruit juice, did your potion change color when you added the vinegar? Many fruit juices (e.g. grape juice) are natural pH indicators and will respond to the potions change in acidity by turning colors. Usually, the color change isnt very dramatic (purple to red), but if you use red cabbage juice, your potion will change from yellowish-green to purplish-red. How It Works The chemical reaction between the baking soda and vinegar produces bubbles of carbon dioxide gas as part of this acid-base reaction: baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) vinegar (acetic acid) carbon dioxide water sodium ion acetate ion NaHCO3(s) CH3COOH(l) CO2(g) H2O(l) Na(aq) CH3COO-(aq) where s solid, l liquid, g gas, aq aqueous or in solution Breaking it down: NaHCO3 Na(aq) HCO3-(aq)CH3COOH H(aq) CH3COO-(aq) H HCO3- H2CO3 (carbonic acid)H2CO3 H2O CO2 Acetic acid (a weak acid) reacts with and neutralizes sodium bicarbonate (a base). Carbon dioxide is responsible for the fizzing and bubbling of this potion. It is also the gas that forms bubbles in carbonated beverages, like sodas.