Juan Carlos Rodríguez

1               According to MLK, how can we tell the difference between just and unjust laws? Understanding this questions is the most important part of this module, and I will ask it again during our second exam.

*Just laws are laws that are morally correct and equal in punishment and fairness as well as dignified and unjust laws are laws that worsen dignity violates morality and creates inequality.

2               In your view, is this an important distinction (between just and unjust laws), do you think it makes a difference in the way someone (as an individual, or our society as a whole) lives their lives? Can it affect our politics?

*Absolutely it helps pinpoint problems in our society by pointing out what’s just and unjust to create a more dignified morally correct and inclusive society that treats everyone equally.

            3          Based on our discussion of Question 1, give an example each, of an unjust and just law, in the US today. Explain what makes it unjust or just (using MLK’s definition of those two types of laws).

*Bail is unjust because poor people don’t have the same opportunities as rich people to pay bail money and a just law would be the civil rights law which promotes equality and protects against racism.

The Supreme Court decided to go against plaintiffs in Walmart v. Dukes due to failing to meet rule 23s commonality Scalia stated that the claims made by the women did not outline a common issue or solution because of the multiple stores claims being unparalleled, therefore no common ground was reached to make their case. They also made a mistake by filing rule 23 (b) (2) instead of 23 (b) (3).

One reason why the court system is better for protecting individual rights is that the judges are usually in power for their entire life which essentially means they can’t be kicked out if the public disagrees with a decision. It’s not like the presidency in which we vote to remove/elect someone new based on performance. Which in practice means that a judge can defend minorities without risk of being fired.

I think its not because if we had a similar system as the presidency it would mean that the judges would be actively changing basad on public vote and make it harder for judges to focus on rule of law because they want to appeal to the public so they can be voted in for a second term. Judges serving a life term means that they don’t need to worry about losing their jobs because of the public and can simply focus on applying the law in the court rooms.

Juan Carlos Rodríguez.

The establishment clause is part of the the first amendment what it does is it stops the U.S government from officially supporting a single religion as superior or mandatory

Burning the flag is protected by the first amendment this was established by Texas v Johnson in 1989 they ruled that burning the American flag is considered exercising freedom of speech.

Taking the fifth means you have the right to not answer questions that would incriminate you this was enforced by Miranda v Arizona in 1966. That the birth of Miranda rights as we know today.

Juan Carlos Rodriguez

Patricia Williams says that traditional war is different then war on terror because because the war on terror is more broad. Usually in war there is one enemy like ww2 it was hitler, but in war on terror it changes to a spectrum to anyone that causes fear.

Roving wiretaps could violate the fourth amendment by letting one wiretap access multiple devices.

Sneak and peak warrants can also break 4th amendment rights by not informing individuals of the search before it happens.

1)        In a confederation citizens have a larger power compared to the government itself, usually having a better relationship with said government mainly interacting with state governments

1)        In a federal system like the one in place in the United States of America Every four years citizens vote for a person to represent everyone for a cycle of four years they can be elected again for an additional four years after that someone you must take its place people that are elected. Have the power to change laws and policies so it is crucial, that people choose someone who they align with because they’re every day life could change.

1)        In a unitary system revolves around having all the power in a national government. National decisions are more uniformed and compacted.

2)        Division of power is how *power* is spread within the government with different levels of government like state by state government and federal government. As en example the United States of America has two powers, state and national. Having two powers acts as a balance so that one power takes all. Instead it is balanced out.

3)        Federal government response to Covid 19 in New York was strong, we had more funding for Medicaid but also unfounded mandates which means New York had to meet federal standards without financial support on a federal level.

1.        To me something surprising to see was the surplus and just how high it is. French economist says that %166 surplus emerged which means that for every $90 an employee makes, the owner would make $149.40. But let’s bump it up even more that same employee that makes $90 a day and assuming the employee works 5 days a week for a year, that employee would make 23.400 and the owner would make 62,244 minus 23,400 paid to the employee, it leaves the owner with 38,844 profit.

2.        Education inequalities, wealthier parents usually send their children to expensive school and better education, they also live in safe neighborhoods and the students end up getting a better degree due to having the money for college. Others only graduate high school and because they are wealthy due to their parents, they get higher paying jobs. Sometimes it’s their own parents that give their kids a position on their own business and earn more than any student who went to a public school and just starting college.

As we learned thus far, the capitalist class consists of people who own wealth, as well as the means of production in American society. An important question in understanding how this class works is to ask: how does a capitalist remain wealthy? The answer to this question depends largely on understanding the diagram M-C-M’. So, let’s practice by explaining what happens in this diagram in our own words (but basing our ideas on Reading 5.1). Respond to the following question:  Explain M-C-M’ to show how capitalists maintain and increase their wealth. (hint: your answer should weave a summary that includes what you reviewed in the self-assessment exercise question 1-7)

M.C.M stands for money commodities and more Money: money is the bases of everything in a capitalist economy money is best seen as capital for capital or better way to say it, an investment. Spending money to make money usually seen in the likes of merchants or street vendors. They buy a product and sell it at a higher price and make a profit. This is why merchants travel far and wide. Merchants buy a product in a place where that product is plentiful (therefore the price is lower) and then sell it at a place where that item is less common (at a higher price).

Money for commodities on the other hand is money used to buy materials and equipment to make products as well as labor (employees) to make that product.

Then that product gets sold and make even more profit because of mass production.

1.    Two key concepts in this video are the means of production and labor. In your comment, explain how you understand the means of production and labor. Give an example of each

Means of production refers to resources and machinery needed for something to be made as well as building or land.

Labor on the other hand is what humans add to the mix, often being on hand labor to produce the goods from the means of production.

A good example is Mc Donald’s, the owners of McDonald provide the means of production like fryers cashier tables and chairs and then workers provide labor by making food for the customers.

2.    Another important concept in understanding social class is value. Based on the ideas presented in Video 5.1, what is value?  What give “value” to value, what makes something valuable? 

To have something valuable you must make it valuable like his example of the block of wood. If you have a block of wood and you do nothing with it then it’s just a block of wood with no significant value but by turning it into a chair the value goes up.

3.    How are labor and value related? What’s the relationship/connection between the two?

Using the example of McDonald’s workers create the labor like making a burger, but before the burger is done, it is simply bread and raw meat in the freezer while both of them have value in it of itself, combining them into a burger by the labor of workers it’s value goes up. Time is money, so labor = time. The more time something takes the more valuable it is unless you are just lazy and take forever to make something that would otherwise take less time.

4.    How do you understand the difference between labor and labor power? Hint:this is a key difference, give it your best shot based on what the video says about it, and your own ideas. We’ll clarify and develop it in our discussions, and in my video comments.

Labor power is the laborers ability to produce something. Or the laborers abilities in general that contributes to production.

5.    Surplus Value: what is it? Why is it important to know about, in our study of social classes? Think about an example of surplus value?

Surplus is the amount the owners make after expenses

For example, if an employee at subway makes $90 a day that same day that employe has to make a profit for the owners to justify their $90 a day. A worker that makes the owner $300 a day means that the owner keeps $210 profit after paying the worker his or her “fair” wage of $90.

1. What is the distinction that Reading 4.3 makes between owners and employees? Give an example of each.

in the reading 4.3 there’s clear difference between owner and employee, for example owners control production and labor meaning the ‘goods’ (or product) and those who sell the goods (employees) employees have to sell the goods to get their wages

2. How do you understand the quote by Adam Smith on pg. 28? What is it saying about labor?

the quote by Adam Smith on page 28 to me seems to indicate that labor is the root towards being rich.

3. What are your thoughts on the main argument of Reading 4.4 that class is NOT an identity?

it’s instead system of production. The teachers would act as owners and students as employees teachers create labor, and students do the labor.

4. How do you understand the argument Reading 4.4. makes when stating that “class structures are built around a close form of dependency”? What is this close form of dependency, and can you think of an example?

Class structure is built on the pendency because students need teachers to learn. They depend on them. They depend on their teachers for their grades and even depend on the teachers for their safety. Teachers depend on students in order to maintain their wages if too many students complain at the teacher is not doing their job properly that teacher could be fired. an example would be the owner of Uber eats depends on its delivery drivers to make deliveries in order to make a profit, and Uber eats drivers depend on their job provided by the owner in order to maintain a wage.