The “Reign of Error” is Over

A recent ownership change in the World of Sports has inspired me to write this weeks blog post on Regime Change. Recently, the LA Dodgers were up for auction and the famous basketball legend “Magic” Johnson led the ownership group to the acquisition of the historic baseball franchise.

The ownership group led by Magic Johnson won the bidding for the Dodgers late Tuesday night in an auction worthy of Sotheby’s that even included (Chad) Billingsley.

However, this acquisition did not come without a price, and a price it was at a gigantic price  tag of $2 billion!! Now to these millionaires this is “chump change,” but just imagine the other benefits this money could go towards.

Furthermore, I’m sure you’re all wondering how this deals with Regime Change, and originally I was wondering myself as well. A Regime Change can be defined as an overthrow of a company or organization that is considered an illegitimate regime and replace it with a legitimate regime. In terms of ownership, this is exactly what happened.

Regime change rarely has looked so inviting.

Things went downhill under the ownership of McCourt and there was very little hope for the ball team. Just like the government, it takes a new leader to bring the government out of the rubble and from corruption, and the like the Dodgers, they need a new owner to turn the team around and gain hope for the organization. Frank McCourt:

Single-handedly did what two-plus decades of failing to win a World Series couldn’t do: He drove Los Angeles baseball fans away by the thousands.

A miracle happened with a little “Magic”

LA Dodgers Regime Change

“KONY” Gone Viral

After the recent “KONY” video that has gone completely viral with over 100 million views already, I feel it is appropriate to right on this topic. It became one of the 5 craziest social movements in history! Now thats a big statement…

Kony 2012 may be the most recent example of how social media helped jump-start a social movement. But it’s not the only good example of how it can happen. To celebrate the power of Kony 2012—say what you want about it, 100 million views in six days is unbelievable—we decided to put together a list of five other recent social movements that used social media to make history.

A social movement can be defined as a “group of people with a common ideology who try to achieve certain goals together.” The majority of the youth who have watched the 30 minute video in regards to Joseph Kony, a devilish Ugandan war criminal, have felt empowered to create change and band together as a social army fighting for Kony to be brought to justice. The media has become the main source of advertisement for the social activists using items such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube videos, and even posters. These movements are powerful and proved just how the Internet simply can help the change the world for a better place.

The target market for the social movement was to get celebrities, as well as politicians, to aid   in the campaign. A powerful person on board with the movement will persuade other people to jump on board as well as they may be role models to many people.

t took just six days to reach the 100 million mark and, in that time, it picked up the support of celebrities like Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Christina Milian, Kim Kardashian, and Bill Gates.

KONY 2012 Social Movement

However, Jason Russel, the co-founder of Invisible Children and producer of the video that has gone viral, was found vandalizing cars and masturbating in public causing many of the activists to become skeptical towards the movement.

Jason Russell Article

Overall, the movement, through the use of the Internet has blown up, in a good sense, making the majority of people aware of what is going in Africa and causing many people to join the social movement to make a difference and promote change.

“Robocall” Gone Wild

Elections are an opportunity for each individual to freely express their political views through the form of voting. Realistically, one vote can change the whole outcome of the Province’s leadership as it can bring your desired Premier into power, or the Premier in which you absolutely dislike! Today’s Premier in the Province of BC is Christie Clark; who is a woman and that alone has provided controversy.

However, the gender of the Premier is not the controversy that is going on in the country, nor the individual provinces, but the “Robocall” Scandal that has swept the nation.

Canadians in dozens of ridings have reported either receiving automated calls telling them to go to incorrect polling stations on election day, or being telephoned late at night and harassed by people who claimed to represent political parties.

Rallies were planned in 27 cities after the voters received these suspicious calls. It goes to show how the political groups, such as the Liberals and Conservatives, will do anything in their power too attempt to gain power of the country, or province, or even municipality. Although it has not been proven that this is the case, the voters seem to believe otherwise. Overall, the citizens of our country are outraged at the “dirty tricks” that occurred during the Federal Election.

Robocall Scandal

 

Pesky Past Prime Minister

“The Executive” is this week’s topic! After learning about The Executive, concerned with the implementation and enforcement of laws & other, authoritative decisions of the state, formulating public policy, and providing political leadership, and their functions,which is to provide quick and decisive political leadership, to implement laws approved by the legislature with help from the bureaucracy, as well as to ensure taxes are collected and public services are delivered, and to make rules and regulations, and to administer government departments and other agencies, I have a discovered a new topic brought forth in the continent of Australia.

The leadership situation in form of the Prime Minister has brought forth a heated discussion in Australia.

Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of Australia announced on Friday that he would challenge his successor, Julia Gillard, for the leadership of the Labor Party and the country in a vote set for Monday morning. The move sets up a showdown to end an acrimonious public leadership battle that analysts warn has begun to paralyze the Australian government.

This political battle has caused quite an upheaval throughout the continent as the government’s leadership has now hit a stand still because of Kevin Rudd’s reappearance in the face of the government. Rudd felt he needed to restore the position of Prime Minister after Gillard began to lose the Nationalistic views and trust from the Australian people. The roles of Prime Minister are also at halt and the determination of government departments, one of their many roles, has their been affected by the thought of a new Prime Minister to relieve the current one from her duty.

Overall, the contient has hit a “poitical paralysis” and it shows how one position within the government can affect a whole countries outcome!

Prime Minister Battle

Political Leader from the Past to Present

After completing the Political Compass Test, I found that age, in my circumstances, did not greatly affect the outcome of the political ideology. I, Adam (Age 18), completed the Political Compass Test and discovered that I was Economic Left: -5.75 and Social Libertarian: -0.15. When relating these numbers to the International Chart I realized that I was most closely related to Nelson Mandela. To me, this actually quite inspiring to know my political views are most close related to such a strong and inspiration leader who fought for rights within his country; a truly inspiration man!

When my mother, Erica (Age 48) completed the Political Compass Test she had similar results to mine. She was Economic Left: -2.62 and Social Libertarian: -1.28. She was also closest to the Political Ideology of Nelson Mandela and after doing some further research, I discovered that he was religious and Christian which helped him through his trials.

Nelson Mandela Article

Coming from a Christian family, the significance of being closely related to Nelson Mandela’s Political Ideology means more than just a similarity; it means a resemblance to an icon that helped change this world.

Globalization: The Determining Factor

Globalization simply translates to the connections among people across the planet. It brings communities together as they begin to see the world as one and begin to imagine new roles for themselves within it.

Nationalism is the patriotic feelings, or efforts, towards one’s country.

Contemporary Globalization (after 1945) now rest on a multitude of multilateral institutions, whereas before World War II it was based on imperialism, colonialism. and coercion.

NOW to answer the question, I believe Contemporary Globalization strengthens Nationalism. Nationalism, due to Contemporary Globalization, has emerged as a powerful and popular theory that is supported by wide and diverse constituencies looking to preserve their cultural heritage and emerge as a powerful state, especially in terms of economic nationalism. Globalization has aided in the process by expanding the state’s economic nationalism on a worldwide scope, rather than within their own state. For example, countries such as North Korea and Iran, who are extremely nationalist, can now transfer money and other economic resources using the Internet as a result of technological outbreaks allowing these countries to expand their economy not just on a national level, but into the global world, which in return allows them to be a self-determining nation.

(Sorry about the smaller post, struggled with this topic)

Terrorist Problems!

In an attempt to keep the first “real” blog simple, and with my very little background knowledge on the world of politics, I have chosen a fairly simple concept; the connection between the failing states and terrorism. Interestingly enough, as mentioned in the textbooks, failing states have become a “safe haven” for terrorists looking to engage in their devilish crimes after the horrific events of 9/11. Now how someone can find it within themselves to mass murder approximate 3,000 people that day is beyond me! No matter what God, animal, statue, or whatever it may be, a human life should not fall victim to the beliefs of another. It seems the Middle East has been hit the hardest by the failing states as terrorist groups such at the Taliban, and Al-Qaeda have now began to form states within a state. Before I go any further, let me remind you that the definition of a failing state is a state perceived as having failed at some of the basic conditions and responsibilities of a sovereign government. And the definition of terrorism is technically the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims. “It is a tragedy that such proposals have no chance of being acted upon until some truly great tragedy occurs,” like another 9/11. A more recent terrorist group that has come forth and taken advantage of a failing state are the pirates in Somalia taken cruise ships hostage. But unfortunately, the problems in Pakistan and Somalia are both the causes of a failure of governance in which no immediate action can  bring the government back into a stable condition. Well I’ve expressed my ideas and you’ll hear from my once again next week on another topic! Thanks for reading