Elizabeth Jorgensen, Dem. Now 1st journal Soc 122

Elizabeth Jorgensen

2/9/14

1. Kids For Cash: Inside One of the Juvenile Justice Scandals:

(http://www.democracynow.org/2014/2/4/kids_for_cash_inside_one_of, 2/4/14)

The interview on Democracy Now covers the corruption behind two judges in Pennsylvania who are being prosecuted for thousand of faulty charges, receiving 2.6 million dollars worth of kick-backs from builders and owners of private prison facilities. The two men: Mark Ciavarella and Senior Judge Michael Conahan are being held responsible for pushing the thousands of naive families into little or no representation and plea bargains at the systems mercy in desperation to avoid lengthy jail times. The children and families who were pushed into the system had their entire lives disrupted, bullying the parents and children into lengthy stays in juvenile detention centers, leading to years of chaos with little appeals met by judge Ciavarella The corruption running deep within the judicial system lead to countless run-arounds for the families who had little knowledge or resources at their disposal for protecting their families. The two men were convicted, one being charged with a 28 year verdict, and the other with a 17-and-a-half year sentencing within a federal prison. 

2.Job Killer? How Media Spin Got Obamacare Wrong — and Why Single-Payer Could Cure Its Actual Flaws

(http://www.democracynow.org/2014/2/6/job_killer_how_media_spin_got) 2/

Recent findings on initial media coverage of Obamacare finds that media data covering the Act was misleading in dealing with issues of raising job opportunities and that the affordable care act would actually reduce unemployment over the next few years of development. This act will bring coverage to over 2 and a half million Americans who wouldn’t otherwise have health insurance. The Affordable Care Act helps relieve pressure Americans have retaining health insurance through employers. The ACA (affordable healthcare act) provides a major step towards a single-payer, and in the long run the people will see this through the development of healthcare being taken from private insurers which will provide less costs in the long run for people.