free response #4-my favorite holiday

My favorite holiday is christmas.though i dont agree that it is exactly a religious holiday, it is a time to be greatful for your family and to enjoy all the things you have in life. it should be fun, full of family time and time spent with friends.it should also mean lots of food. no time to diet during the holidays! I enjoy it because it gives me a chance to spend time with the relatives that i love that i dont normally get to see during the rest of the year.I get to see my little cousins and how much theyve grown and spend time with them, playing board games or helping them set up mini bowling pins to play with. I also like the food, that i normally dont get to eat the rest of the year because some of it I only get on special occasions, especially the scandinavian foods, which being of all scandinavian decent(norwegian,swedish,danish) is a real treat(haha). I also love seeing my little cousins open up their presents on Christmas day and the pure joy they get from playing with their brand new toys.its not so much of a big deal what presents you get as you get older, its more fun watching the little kids enjoy theirs.I celebrate Christmas by getting together with my relatives,which usually includes flying out to North Dakota, where they all live, and having ALOT of good food, playing games, and just spending time with them. I really love my family so I am greatful for every moment I get to spend with them, especially around the holidays.

political cartoon #4-http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/dec/20/health-care-reform/?opinioncartoons

1. Clay Bennett drew this cartoon

2.It was published online in the Chatanooga Times Free Press(www.timesfreepress.com) on Sunday, December 20, 2009

3.This cartoon covers the health care reform

4.The insurance agencies(bear trap) are destroying any attempt to bring any sort of advancement in health care reform(the stockings)

5.I agree because the healthcare going through means less money for insuance agencies because it would be government run and not run by the agencies. they would be losing all this money because of all the money needed to keep up this reform, however poorly its being run

free response #3-religious symbols on public property

I feel that the display of religious symbols on public property during the holidays is a right that people have to express themselves. we have the freedom of religion, and freedom of speech. besides, religious symbols are displayed everywhere around us, not just during the holidays, "in god we trust" is on our coins and there are many references to god in our historical documents which are displayed all over america for the public to see, what would be the point in terminatiing the right to display other religious symbols, especially on a holiday where all types of religions are honored? to deny that right would mean changing everything america stands for, we'd have to pretty much take every religious reference out of everything,historical monuments,documents,money, even the pledge of allegiance. displays that include the menorah or manger,etc, should be on display because we, as americans have the right to display our religion.people have died to protect that right because it would be hypocritical for us to have religion displayed in one sense, but not in another, especially during the holidays when religion is most highly acknowledged.

political cartoon #3-http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/dec/05/recovery/?opinioncartoons

1. this cartoon was drawn by clay bennett

2. it was published in the Chattanooga Times free press on dec. 5, 2009

3.this cartoon deal with the economic recovery in the U.S.

4. the cartoons message is that the economic recovery is happening so slowly that there aren't enough jobs available in the U.S. the pine needs are all the job losses happening and the base of the tree represents economic recovery but its holding up an almost pine needle-less economy. the economic recovery is doing more harm than good, causing are economy to become withered and bare like a christmas tree

5.I agree with this message because obama's plan for economic recovery is causing more job losses, which makes times harder for everyone, especially over the holidays.

#2 question of the week

republicans and democrats are still debating the bill. apparently, everyone might be kept through christmas break to get to a solution. debate is going on about the costs of the bill, and whether to raise taxes in order to pay for the universal health care.democrats are all for it, yet republicans are against it because they think it will be more trouble than its worth because it is so costly.

I think that universal healthcare is a good thing, because people should have the right to good healthcare,especially if they cant afford it.though i don't think people who already have insurance should have to pay for it, it's a good idea and is worth the money.