Election 2012: Get Ready to Vote

ACLU: Election 2012: Get Ready to Vote

http://www.aclu.org/voting-rights/get-ready-to-vote/
Americans are going to the polls to vote for president, but that's not the only important issue at stake. Nearly every state legislature is up for election and critical ballot measures in states across the country will make a big difference in people's daily lives.

About this video:
Some things go better if you get prepared. People should get ready to vote now to make their voices heard in this important election year. There are a few ways voters can get their votes in easily, get their votes counted, and make sure their voices are heard. Read more here: http://www.aclu.org/letmevote/

Control of US Senate Up for Grabs

VOAVideo: Control of US Senate Up for Grabs

Next month, Americans will elect a president and a new Congress. The political make-up of Congress will help determine whether the next president can enact his agenda in the next four years.

Republicans are expected to retain their House majority, but control of the Senate, where Democrats currently have a majority, is in question. VOA's Michael Bowman reports some of the pivotal contests include a hard-fought Senate race in the state of Virginia.

Asian Brothers Use Comedy to Attract Voters

VOAVideo: Asian Brothers Use Comedy to Attract Voters

Asian Americans are the fastest growing minority group in the United States. But historically, mainstream political campaigns around the country have not given them much attention. With general elections just a few weeks away, two brothers are trying to use comedy to get the attention of potential voters among the Asian American youth. Elizabeth Lee has this report for VOA from Los Angeles.

Obama, Romney Differ on Energy Policy

VOAVideo: Obama, Romney Differ on Energy Policy

President Obama and Governor Romney agree that the U.S. is too dependent on foreign oil. But their views differ significantly on how to reduce or even end that dependence to make the country energy self-sufficient. VOA's Indonesian Service filed this report, narrated by Amy Katz.

California Propositions 2012 ppt

California Propositions 2012 (new video)

Propositions are proposed laws presented to the public to vote on.

Text by EasyVoterGuide.org
Presentation by uscitizenpod.com

Download The California Proposition 2012 ppt

Goggle docs presentation of California Propositions 2012

West Wing Week: 10/26/12 or "The Difference One Person Can Make"

wh.gov: West Wing Week: 10/26/12 or "The Difference One Person Can Make"

Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. This week, the President urged Congress to join him in helping responsible homeowners refinance, Cecilia Muñoz reflected on the importance of the Cesar Chavez National Monument, and the Vice President and Dr. Biden honored Breast Cancer Awareness Month, while the White House wrapped up its annual fall garden tours and held a Garden Social Tweet Up.

African Americans Vote in Key Battleground State

VOAVideo: African Americans Vote in Key Battleground State

The U.S. presidential election is approaching, and excitement is building in key states where voters could determine the outcome if the race is close. VOA's Chris Simkins reports from North Carolina where the contest between President Obama and Mitt Romney is too close to call and where African Americans are turning out for early voting.

New York Candidates Court Muslim Voters

VOAVideo: New York Candidates Court Muslim Voters

Politicians across America are making calculations about which blocs of voters to court as they seek the votes needed to win their respective elections on November 6. VOA correspondent Peter Fedynsky reports that greater political engagement among Muslim Americans is drawing the attention of politicians in Brooklyn, New York

Obama, Romney Debate Range of Foreign Policy Issues

VOAVideo: Obama, Romney Debate Range of Foreign Policy Issues

President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, traded jabs over a range of foreign policy issues Monday in their third and final debate of the 2012 U.S. president campaign. The debate was held at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, and VOA National correspondent Jim Malone has more from Washington.

US President Chosen by Electors, Not Popular Vote

VOAVideo: US President Chosen by Electors, Not Popular Vote

While millions of Americans will cast ballots for president in November, their votes do not directly send one of the candidates to the White House. In this segment of How America Elects, VOA's Jeffrey Young explains that the selection of the president is actually done by a group called the "Electoral College."

Effort Underway to Boost US Voter Participation

VOAVideo: Effort Underway to Boost US Voter Participation

The U.S. presidential election is approaching, and political parties and advocacy groups across the nation are making a final push to get people registered to vote and to the polls for the November 6th contest. VOA's Chris Simkins reports on efforts to get an underrepresented group of eligible voters involved in the process

West Wing Week: 10/19/12 or "The Power of We"

wh.gov: West Wing Week: 10/19/12 or "The Power of We"

Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. This week, the President reflected on the state of the auto industry, the White House opened its garden doors to the public for its annual tours, and honored blog action day, while Bill Allman spoke on the history of the Presidential Seal. That's October 12th to October 18th or "The Power of We."

Some Illegal Immigrants Allowed to Stay Under Obama Order

VOAVideo: Some Illegal Immigrants Allowed to Stay Under Obama Order

President Obama's executive order to temporarily halt deportation of some undocumented immigrants has provided hope to them, but it also has put many families and friends on opposite sides of a divide. VOA's Bernard Shusman reports from New York.

Obama Fights Back in Second Debate

VOAVideo: Obama Fights Back in Second Debate

The day after President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney faced off in the second of their three debates most analysts agreed that Mr. Obama fought back forcefully against Romney, after what was viewed as a weak presidential performance during their first debate. VOA's Cindy Saine looks back at the town hall encounter with an audience of undecided voters.

Obama, Romney talk about IMMIGRATION from Second Presidential Debate

QUESTION: Mr. Romney, what do you plan on doing with immigrants without their green cards that are currently living here as productive members of society?

ROMNEY: Thank you. Lorraine? Did I get that right? Good. Thank you for your question. And let me step back and tell you what I would like to do with our immigration policy broadly and include an answer to your question.

But first of all, this is a nation of immigrants. We welcome people coming to this country as immigrants. My dad was born in Mexico of American parents; Ann's dad was born in Wales and is a first-generation American. We welcome legal immigrants into this country.

I want our legal system to work better. I want it to be streamlined. I want it to be clearer. I don't think you have to - shouldn't have to hire a lawyer to figure out how to get into this country legally. I also think that we should give visas to people - green cards, rather, to people who graduate with skills that we need. People around the world with accredited degrees in science and math get a green card stapled to their diploma, come to the U.S. of A. We should make sure our legal system works.

Number two, we're going to have to stop illegal immigration. There are 4 million people who are waiting in line to get here legally. Those who've come here illegally take their place. So I will not grant amnesty to those who have come here illegally.

What I will do is I'll put in place an employment verification system and make sure that employers that hire people who have come here illegally are sanctioned for doing so. I won't put in place magnets for people coming here illegally. So for instance, I would not give driver's licenses to those that have come here illegally as the president would.

The kids of those that came here illegally, those kids, I think, should have a pathway to become a permanent resident of the United States and military service, for instance, is one way they would have that kind of pathway to become a permanent resident.

ROMNEY: Now when the president ran for office, he said that he'd put in place, in his first year, a piece of legislation - he'd file a bill in his first year that would reform our - our immigration system, protect legal immigration, stop illegal immigration. He didn't do it.

He had a Democrat House, a Democrat Senate, super majority in both Houses. Why did he fail to even promote legislation that would have provided an answer for those that want to come legally and for those that are here illegally today? What's a question I think the - the president will have a chance to answer right now.

OBAMA: Good, I look forward to it.

Was - Lorranna - Lorraine - we are a nation of immigrants. I mean we're just a few miles away from Ellis Island. We all understand what this country has become because talent from all around the world wants to come here. People are willing to take risks. People who want to build on their dreams and make sure their kids have an even bigger dreams than they have.

But we're also a nation of laws. So what I've said is we need to fix a broken immigration system and I've done everything that I can on my own and sought cooperation from Congress to make sure that we fix the system.

The first thing we did was to streamline the legal immigration system, to reduce the backlog, make it easier, simpler and cheaper for people who are waiting in line, obeying the law to make sure that they can come here and contribute to our country and that's good for our economic growth.

They'll start new businesses. They'll make things happen to create jobs here in the United States.

Number two, we do have to deal with our border so we put more border patrol on the - any time in history and the flow of undocumented works across the border is actually lower than it's been in 40 years.

What I've also said is if we're going to go after folks who are here illegally, we should do it smartly and go after folks who are criminals, gang bangers, people who are hurting the community, not after students, not after folks who are here just because they're trying to figure out how to feed their families. And that's what we've done. And what I've also said is for young people who come here, brought here often times by their parents. Had gone to school here, pledged allegiance to the flag. Think of this as their country. Understand themselves as Americans in every way except having papers. And we should make sure that we give them a pathway to citizenship.

And that's what I've done administratively. Now, Governor Romney just said, you know he wants to help those young people too, but during the Republican primary, he said, "I will veto the DREAM Act", that would allow these young people to have access." His main strategy during the Republican primary was to say, "We're going to encourage self-deportation." Making life so miserable on folks that they'll leave. He called the Arizona law a model for the nation. Part of the Arizona law said that law enforcement officers could stop folks because they suspected maybe they looked like they might be undocumented workers and check their papers.

You know what? If my daughter or yours looks to somebody like they're not a citizen, I don't want - I don't want to empower somebody like that. So, we can fix this system in a comprehensive way. And when Governor Romney says, the challenge is, "Well Obama didn't try." That's not true. I have sat down with Democrats and Republicans at the beginning of my term. And I said, let's fix this system. Including Senators previously who had supported it on the Republican side. But it's very hard for Republican's in Congress to support comprehensive immigration reform, if their standard bearer has said that, this is not something I'm interested in supporting.

CROWLEY: Let me get the governor in here, Mr. President. Let's speak to, if you could...

ROMNEY: Yes.

CROWLEY: ...the idea of self-deportation?

ROMNEY: No, let - let - let me go back and speak to the points that the president made and - and - and let's get them correct.

I did not say that the Arizona law was a model for the nation in that aspect. I said that the E-Verify portion of the Arizona law, which is - which is the portion of the law which says that employers could be able to determine whether someone is here illegally or not illegally, that that was a model for the nation. That's number one.

Number two, I asked the president a question I think Hispanics and immigrants all over the nation have asked. He was asked this on Univision the other day. Why, when you said you'd filed legislation in your first year didn't you do it? And he didn't answer. He - he doesn't answer that question. He said the standard bearer wasn't for it.

I'm glad you thought I was a standard bearer four years ago, but I wasn't.

Four years ago you said in your first year you would file legislation.

In his first year, I was just getting - licking my wounds from having been beaten by John McCain, all right. I was not the standard bearer.

My - my view is that this president should have honored his promise to do as he said.

Now, let me mention one other thing, and that is self-deportation says let people make their own choice. What I was saying is, we're not going to round up 12 million people, undocumented illegals, and take them out of the nation. Instead let people make their own choice. And if they - if they find that - that they can't get the benefits here that they want and they can't - and they can't find the job they want, then they'll make a decision to go a place where - where they have better opportunities.

But I'm not in favor of rounding up people and - and - and taking them out of this country. I am in favor, as the president has said, and I agree with him, which is that if people have committed crimes we got to get them out of this country.

ROMNEY: Let me mention something else the president said. It was a moment ago and I didn't get a chance to, when he was describing Chinese investments and so forth.

OBAMA: Candy?

Hold on a second. The...

ROMNEY: Mr. President, I'm still speaking.

(CROSSTALK)

ROMNEY: Mr. President, let me finish.

(CROSSTALK)

ROMNEY: I've gotta continue.

(CROSSTALK)

CROWLEY: Governor Romney, you can make it short. See all these people? They've been waiting for you. (inaudible) make it short (inaudible).

ROMNEY: Just going to make a point. Any investments I have over the last eight years have been managed by a blind trust. And I understand they do include investments outside the United States, including in - in Chinese companies.

Mr. President, have you looked at your pension? Have you looked at your pension?

OBAMA: I've got to say...

ROMNEY: Mr. President, have you looked at your pension?

OBAMA: You know, I - I don't look at my pension. It's not as big as yours so it doesn't take as long.

ROMNEY: Well, let me give you some advice.

OBAMA: I don't check it that often.

ROMNEY: Let me give you some advice. Look at your pension. You also have investments in Chinese companies. You also have investments outside the United States. You also have investments through a Cayman's trust.

(CROSSTALK)

CROWLEY: We're way off topic here, Governor Romney.

(CROSSTALK)

OBAMA: I thought we were talking about immigration.

(CROSSTALK)

OBAMA: I do want to make sure that...

CROWLEY: If I could have you sit down, Governor Romney. Thank you.

OBAMA: I do want to make sure that - I do want to make sure that we just understand something. Governor Romney says he wasn't referring to Arizona as a model for the nation. His top adviser on immigration is the guy who designed the Arizona law, the entirety of it; not E-Verify, the whole thing. That's his policy. And it's a bad policy. And it won't help us grow.

Look, when we think about immigration, we have to understand there are folks all around the world who still see America as the land of promise. And they provide us energy and they provide us innovation and they start companies like Intel and Google. And we want to encourage that.

Now, we've got to make sure that we do it in a smart way and a comprehensive way, and we make the legal system better. But when we make this into a divisive political issue, and when we don't have bipartisan support - I can deliver, Governor, a whole bunch of Democrats to get comprehensive immigration reform done, and we can't...

ROMNEY: I'll get it done. I'll get it done. First year...

OBAMA: ... we can't - we have not seen Republicans serious about this issue at all. And it's time for them to get serious on it.

CROWLEY: Mr. President, let me move you on here please. Mr. President, (inaudible).

OBAMA: This used to be a bipartisan issue.

transcript from CNN.com

Obama, Romney to Face Off in Pivotal 2nd Debate

Air Time: Tuesday, October 16, 2012 @ 9pm et / 8pm ct / 7pm mt / 6pm pt

Channels: ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and more including CNN Espanol and others

Moderator: Candy Crowley (CNN Chief Political Correspondent)

Format: The second presidential debate will take the form of a town meeting, in which citizens will ask questions of the candidates on foreign and domestic issues. Candidates each will have two minutes to respond, and an additional minute for the moderator to facilitate a discussion. The town meeting participants will be undecided voters selected by the Gallup Organization.

Americana Quilts @ PIQF 2012

gagliajn: Americana Quilts @ PIQF 2012

The 2012 Presidential election is only days away. Many quilts at the Pacific International Quilt Festival inspired us to be better citizens by reading the US Constitution, studying American history, participating in community organizations, serving in the US military, and healing socio-political factions.

HINT: there are USCIS questions associated with most of the quilts. Watch the slideshow with the "comments" ON.

Biden and Ryan Engage in Spirited Vice Presidential Debate

VOAVideo: Biden and Ryan Engage in Spirited Vice Presidential Debate

Vice President Joe Biden and Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan clashed over a wide array of domestic and foreign policy issues Thursday in their only debate of this year's presidential campaign. The debate was held at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. VOA National correspondent Jim Malone has more from Washington.

West Wing Week: 10/12/12 or "Our Journey Is Never Hopeless, Our Work Is Never Done"

wh.gov West Wing Week: 10/12/12 or "Our Journey Is Never Hopeless, Our Work Is Never Done"

Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. This week, the President established a new, national monument in honor of Cesar Chavez, declared Fire Prevention Week, and sat down with Diane Sawyer, while the White House honored educational innovators and 4-H and FFA Champions of Change. That's October 5th to October 11th or "Our journey is never hopeless, our work is never done."

Vice-Presidential Debate Moments - Elections 2012

• USCIS 100:29. What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?
• USCIS 100:30. If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
• USCIS 100:31. If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
• USCIS 100:36. What are two Cabinet-level positions?

NYTimes: Vice-Presidential Debate Moments - Elections 2012

Sam Tanenhaus, editor of the Book Review, talks about some of the most memorable vice-presidential debate moments of the televised era.

Read full article: http://nyti.ms/QdYC7y

USCIS 100:29. What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?

▪ Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
▪ Joe Biden
▪ Biden

USCIS 100:30. If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?

▪ the Vice President

USCIS 100:31. If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?

▪ the Speaker of the House

USCIS 100:36. What are two Cabinet-level positions?

▪ Secretary of Agriculture
▪ Secretary of Commerce
▪ Secretary of Defense
▪ Secretary of Education
▪ Secretary of Energy
▪ Secretary of Health and Human Services
▪ Secretary of Homeland Security
▪ Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
▪ Secretary of the Interior
▪ Secretary of Labor
▪ Secretary of State
▪ Secretary of Transportation
▪ Secretary of the Treasury
▪ Secretary of Veterans Affairs
▪ Attorney General
▪ Vice President

US Green Card 'Lottery' Gets Underway

VOAVideo: US Green Card 'Lottery' Gets Underway

Iranian-born businessman Naeim Karimi spent his lunchtime glued to his computer station at his Toronto office on Tuesday.
He wanted to be among the first to enter the so-called U.S. Green Card Lottery, which began taking applications at noon.
Karimi has already entered the lottery unsuccessfully three times, but he told VOA via Skype on Tuesday that he felt his luck had finally turned. Mana Rabiee for VOA has more.

Analysts: US Presidential Debate a 'Game Changer'

VOAVideo: Analysts: US Presidential Debate a 'Game Changer'

In the U.S. presidential race, a strong debate performance by Republican candidate Mitt Romney may breathe new life into his campaign to unseat President Barack Obama. VOA's Michael Bowman reports any shift in polling numbers for the two candidates may take several days to materialize.

Presidential Debate Brings Political Theater to Denver

VOAVideo: Presidential Debate Brings Political Theater to Denver

Every four years, millions of Americans turn on their TV's to watch the major party candidates for president do battle. The televised presidential debates offer a chance for American voters to see them on the same stage. Modern debates are political theater -- part hype and part show business. VOA's Carolyn Presutti is in Denver, with the story on the customs and scene surrounding the first general election debate.

West Wing Week: 09/05/12 or "Operation Educate the Educators"

wh.gov: West Wing Week: 09/05/12 or "Operation Educate the Educators"

Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. This week, the White House and The Treasury hosted events highlighting innovative apps, we travel with Dr. Biden to events in Washington and Virginia and the White House Blue Room Christmas tree is selected in North Carolina. That's September 28th to October 5th or "Operation Educate the Educators".

Romney Puts Obama on Defensive in First Debate

VOAVideo: Romney Puts Obama on Defensive in First Debate

President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney Wednesday clashed over taxes, health care and the best way to create jobs in the first of three debates. VOA National correspondent Jim Malone has more from Washington.

1492: An Ongoing Voyage

Hispanic Heritage Month 2012

USCIS 100:59. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

USCIS 100:100. Name two national U.S. holidays.

Library of Congress: 1492: An Ongoing Voyage (online exhibit)

1492. Columbus. The date and the name provoke many questions related to the linking of very different parts of the world, the Western Hemisphere and the Mediterranean. What was life like in those areas before 1492? What spurred European expansion? How did European, African and American peoples react to each other? What were some of the immediate results of these contacts?

1492: An Ongoing Voyage addresses such questions by examining the rich mixture of societies coexisting in five areas of this hemisphere before European arrival. (read more)

59. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

▪ American Indians
▪ Native Americans

100. Name two national U.S. holidays.

▪ New Year’s Day
▪ Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
▪ Presidents’ Day
▪ Memorial Day
▪ Independence Day
▪ Labor Day
▪ Columbus Day
▪ Veterans Day
▪ Thanksgiving
▪ Christmas

Colorado Hispanic Vote Important in 2012 Election

Hispanic Heritage Month 2012!

VOAVideo: Colorado Hispanic Vote Important in 2012 Election

One of the U.S. states where President Barack Obama, the Democratic Party nominee for president, and Republican Party challenger Mitt Romney are virtually tied in public opinion surveys is Colorado, where Mr. Obama won handily four years ago. Although some surveys show the president with a slight lead, a key factor could be enthusiasm among his supporters, including Hispanics, who account for more than 20 percent of the western state's population. VOA's Greg Flakus reports from Pueblo, Colorado.

Hispanic Heritage Month 2012

Hispanic Heritage Month 2012

September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month!

The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society. (read more)