JStell

HB17 JStell __**Name and Political Party:**__ Joel Stell, Democrat __**State and congress person:**__ Maryland, Dutch Ruppersberger [] __**5 Interesting Facts:**__
 * Has the highest median income of middle class families
 * Ranked 40th in energy consumption
 * Mainly democratic
 * Gave away land for settlers to come to join the state
 * Baltimore was threatened with cannon to stay with the union

__**5 important facts relating issues:**__
 * A democratic state
 * Maryland was founded for providing religious toleration
 * This was than reversed and Catholicism was discouraged
 * Home of the Annapolis Naval Academy
 * Was known as the “free state” and “old line state”

3 issues that are most interesting: I think that all liberties and rights in the constitution should be protected. We should be able to have freedom of speech and freedom of prayer. Kids should be able to pray freely because its what they believe. Its discriminating to not let them have religious freedom. I think we should work towards giving more complete rights to citizens, and stop being so nice. By this I mean that the first amendment gives us religious freedom, but if someone is affected by that religion than they sue and win, taking away the freedom of religion from that person. The government should start enforcing this amendment more in court cases to allow religious freedom. I think the U.S should keep to themselves more and not get involed in foreign affairs. This was stated by George Washington and he was one of our most influential presidents. I think the only way to get involved would be if there was an intimate threat to our country or NATO. Also if there is any threat of WMDs anywhere we should intervene because these are extremely powerful weapons and should be keep limited. We need to focus on our countries priorities than someone else’s problems. I think they’re many ways we can protect our countries borders. Mainly it is based on how the world evolves and the different threats that come with this evolution. One way is the missile defense system “Star Wars”. this system included a laser or other projectile that would destroy any WMD or Nuclear device. This would be a great help because only space-faring countries would be able to take it out and it would create complete missile defense.
 * Civil Liberties and Constitutional issues:**
 * Foreign policy:**
 * National Defense:**

My bill is bill HB17. This bill is to introduce new privae schools for religious kids. It also allows Publc schoosl to have relgious freedom. This I feel is very important because we should have complete religious freedom everywhere including schools. The bill also includes a new mandatory tax on the cities that are affected by my bill. I think people should vite for it because it will gaurantee complete religious freedom, and we should have this because it is discrimination if we are not allowed to have this.Our goal as Americans is to have a country that dosen't discriminates or breaks the laws. if we are not allowed to have complet religious freedom than we are breaking the first amendment.
 * MY BILL:**

Sources: "Indiana High School Student Fighting Graduation Prayer Tradition." //American Civil Liberties Union//. Roger Baldwin, 3 april 2010. Web. 20 May 2010. []. "school prayer." //First Amendment Center//. First Amendment Center, 11 feb. 2010. Web. 20 May 2

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"Preserving Our Values." //2008 Republican Platform//. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2010. []. "CIVIL RIGHTS & LIBERTIES." //THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY//. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2010. [] "SOCIAL JUSTICE." //Green Party of the United States//. David Doonan, n.d. Web. 20 May 2010. []>. "Privacy." //LIBERTARIAN PARTY//. Kyle Hartz, n.d. Web. 20 May 2010. []>. Garamone, Jim. "Stavridis Expands on NATO Strategic Concept’s Aims." //UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE//. N.p., 20 May 2010. Web. 20 May 2010 . Conetta, Carl, and Charles Knight. "A New US Military Strategy." //Project on Defense Alternatives//. Carl Conetta, Knight Charles, 21 May 2001. Web. 20 May 2010 [|_http://www.comw.org/pda/0105bm20.html__]. Conetta, Carl. "Terrorism, World Order, and Cooperative Security." //Project on Defense Alternatives//. Carl Conetta, Knight Charles, 9 Sep 2002. Web. 20 May 2010 . [|__http://www.comw.org/pda/0209coopsec.html__]. Knight, Chrales. "What Justifies Military Intervention?." //Project on Defense Alternatives//. N.p., 27 sep 2001. Web. 20 May 2010. []