Upcoming School Events:
November 1, Open House
November 15-18, Book Fair
December 15-16, Parent-Teacher Conferences
CONSTITUTION ARTICLE OF THE MONTH
Article III. - The Judicial Branch Note
The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behavior, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services a Compensation which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.
Section 2 - Trial by Jury, Original Jurisdiction, Jury Trials
(The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority; to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls; to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction; to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party; to Controversies between two or more States; between a State and Citizens of another State; between Citizens of different States; between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.) (This section in parentheses is modified by the 11th Amendment.)
In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.
The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed.
Section 3 - Treason Note
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.
The Congress shall have power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Reflection on Poverty by Michael Phillips
The readings identified an important theme about poverty that can often be directly linked to globalization. Poverty-stricken countries, which also embrace globalization, have an immense growing disparity between the rich and the poor. “Killing for Scratch on BMW Reveals China’s Wealth Gap,” by Jonathan Watts, explains how one road rage incident between a peasant and a wealthy woman reiterates the increasing gap between the Chinese rich and the Chinese poor. After a peasant woman scratched a BMW of a wealthy businessman’s wife, the wife ran over the peasant women and instantly killed her in a state of anger. The businessman’s wife breezed through the justice system and only received a punishment of a suspended sentence. The women’s rich husband had connections with important members of the justice system and he gave an affluent settlement to the peasant woman’s husband. Bribes were offered and the wife of the businessman walked away from a murder case because of ‘negligent driving.’ Although many rumors circulated the Internet regarding the businessman’s connection to senior officials, no on can deny that the Chinese public believes that wealth equals corruption and that officials exploit the control of land, the courts, and the media to grow rich and escape justice (Watts, pg 324). Communism is suppose to stand for a growing equality between the social classes; however, after China opened its doors to a market economy, the rural poor have often suffered because of loss of property, job loss, and unequal treatment in the justice system. On the other hand, China still manages to harness economic expansion for huge public works projects that allow poorer Chinese to partake in the benefits of the affluent economy due to globalization. Many Chinese are not deprived of basic services, whether clean water or basic schooling (New York Times, June 9, 2008).
Democratic India, the main Asian competitor to China, who also partakes in globalization, has a similar growing disparity between the rich and the poor. More than a quarter of all Indians live below the official poverty line; one in four city dwellers live on less than 50 cents a day; and nearly half of all Indian children are clinically malnourished (New York Times, June 9, 2008). On the other hand, globalization has given access of luxuries that include market goods, running water, round-the-clock electricity, and a private proficient education system to the upper and middle classes. However, for the massive poor citizens of India, the government does not have enough water, electricity, and sewage-handling facilities for the population. Public-funded education is inadequate and often without resources (New York Times, June 9, 2008). Although the Chinese government offers these basic human needs to its poor populations, India still has not achieved this basic offer to its citizens, running water and electricity. Both countries partake in the benefits of globalization and a market economy, but the riches are not taxed or equally distributed.
Countries, like India and China, who reap in the benefits of globalization, should also be held accountable for the treatment of their citizens within their country, whether rich or poor. Countries that participate in globalization with China and India, like the United States of America, should police, compromise, educate, or negotiate with governments that do nothing to help the growing disparity between the rich and the poor. If economic standards, laws, and taxes were put in place to equate the wealth between the upper and lower classes, then only can globalization become beneficial to all. Not only will this benefit the lower classes, it will also help the government of these respective countries. When a country has massive differences between the populations of a small upper class and a huge lower class, public dissent and government criticism increase. To promote government stability, it is important that the lower classes reap in the benefits of globalization. Poverty does not have an easy solution; nevertheless, attempts to help the poor victims of globalization can be instituted by the players who partake in the lucrative global economy.
Resources Used
1. Watts, Jonathan. 2004. Killing for Scratch on BMW Reveals China’s Wealth Gap. The Guardian. April 8, 2004.
2. Sengupta, Somini. 2008. Inside Gate, India’s Good Life; Outside, the Servants’ Slums. New York Times. June 9, 2008.
STUDENT of the MONTH: for accomplishing great student citizenship and academic achievement! Say congratulations when you see them!
Michael Phillips
Divya Dutta