Students were abuzz as a camera crew from Inside Edition filmed shots of the girls posing in front of their lockers and signing yearbooks at a table in the courtyard, while a reporter from the San Jose Mercury News took photos.  The front office phone was ringing all morning as other media from around the country called to get the scoop.

“It was Nguyen-sanity,” said full time sub Catherine Furtado, who was working in the front office this morning.  “The phones haven’t stopped ringing all day.”

Students and teachers alike expressed surprise at how quickly the story went viral.  Yearbooks were distributed Monday, and several students who found the pages amusing posted a photo of them on Facebook and Tumblr.  From there, the photo found its way around the world, reaching the UK Daily Mail, reddit.com, and the Huffington Post, where it had garnered nearly a million views by today.

“I think it’s insane how quickly it went viral,” said junior Amber Viado. “I was tracking it as it went from Facebook to Tumblr to the UK Daily Mail, and it was just crazy.”

The Nguyens’ original yearbook quotes were rather traditional, but late last semester the eight girls had the idea for the special message and requested a change. The yearbook editors liked the idea and were happy to accommodate them.

“The editor-in-chief and I are very grateful that we didn’t mess this up because we had no idea it would have such a big impact,” said Yearbook Managing Editor Michelle Chellino.  “It’s really important to the school and to the Nguyens, so we’re happy we were able to do this for them. It was nice to be a part of the experience.”

Any reporters who show up next week–finals week–in the hopes of interviewing the Nguyens might be disappointed.  Presentation seniors who earn an A in their class are exempt from the final exam. With solid grades, the Nguyens have been able to avoid many of their finals.  So the media might be here next week, but the newly famous  Nguyens won’t.

To read media coverage of the story and see the photo, click here.

In her April article “Global Warming: Fact or Fiction,” Ms. Proffit asks us to imagine a young boy’s summer tragedy: a melting 50-50 bar. She says many would wrongly blame global warming for his plight. In her climate-denying piece, she supports this claim by referring (frequently with sarcastic quotation marks) to the two-sided story presented by popular media regarding climate change, or lack thereof. But in claiming that it is important to understand both sides of a story, neither side is done justice, and instead opinions are mistaken as facts.

This sort of backwards, anti-science approach isn’t new and isn’t going away. Tennessee, for example, just passed a law that gives cover to teachers who preach skeptical science that includes anti-warming and creationism. We, as a nation, are divided on a lot of issues—gay marriage, abortion, immigration. But we need to depoliticize science. When something becomes scientifically accepted, we don’t get to say that lack of universal agreement means the issue makes for an acceptable political football. Facts are facts.

We need to get out of Stage 2 and into Stage 3. Fast.

Bjorn Lomborg was once a favorite for climate deniers. He is a real-world example of traveling through all three stages. Ten or so years ago Lomborg was a well-known climate denier. In 1998 he released a controversial book claiming that global warming was not new or man-made. He, along with nearly every other scientist on earth, has since come around to the facts. In a 2010 interview for the New Statesman, Lomborg clarified that he believed that global warming was real, unique, and man-made. The reason for this change is because the science that once could have been questionable is now all but indisputable.

CO2 ice core temperature lag is a favorite target for deniers. They argue that temperature increases, then CO2 increases. Claude Lorius explains that the conclusion is wrong because CO2 creates a feedback loop as a dangerous cycle emerges: human activity increases the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere, the temperature increases, as a result more carbon is released (that’s been trapped in ice, under water, in frozen tundra, etc.), the temperature rises more and so on.

Recently, even the most staunch deniers have begun a public rethinking of their stance. The impetus for the change is best demonstrated by meteorologist Paul Douglas, who happens to be a self-proclaimed moderate Republican.

In a recent story for Bloomberg, he presents some of the facts that cannot be ignored: In March of 2012, 15,000 new temperature records were set in the U.S. alone; formerly predictable weather like snowfall is not predictable; extreme weather events are more extreme and more frequent; 2000-2010 represents the warmest decade ever recorded; 9 of the first 10 years of the new millennium are the hottest years ever recorded; there has been a 70% drop in peak ice at the Great Lakes; plant species are migrating north; 95% of land-based glaciers are losing mass; sea levels are rising

This all helps to explain why even the super-conservative Governor of Ohio, John Kasich, said in early April that he couldn’t explain the science behind it but he now recognizes that human activity is causing climate change.

That seems to hit at the heart of the climate denial. It’s hard for us to accept things we cannot explain. It feels human to have an inherent distaste for blind faith in technocrats.

But it’s time to get over it – 97% of climate scientists agree that human influence is the driving cause of earth’s warming. There’s simply no dispute to be had. The word “theory” cannot be held out as an indicator of uncertainty on the part of science. That’s a poor excuse for an argument.

If we as a community, country, and world don’t get behind this reality immediately, people are going to suffer. Not just distant people that you don’t know. We will all deal with rising temperatures, limited water supply, coastal city destruction, food insecurity, the Dust-Bowl-ification of the entire U.S. Southwest, more catastrophic weather events and worse.

The NOAA said that the worst impacts of a warming planet would be “largely irreversible for 1000 years.” MIT estimates that the temperature will increase by 10 degrees before the end of this century. That’s something you may all be around to deal with.

If we all act now, we can leave a planet for future generations to steward. The first step is accepting the facts.

“I wanted to apply for rural plunge so I would not have such a biased opinion towards migrant farm workers and so I could understand their lives more,” said Junior Sarah Borrelli.

“I really want to be a teacher, so visiting the sisters in Tipton and teaching ESL classes was definitely my favorite part of the trip. We helped them grow more confident with their English and we even got to practice our Spanish a little, too.”

Ms. Foley concurred that the trip teaches valuable lessons. “Rural Plunge isn’t the most popular or glamorous trip, but the students who go work hard in the fields and in helping to teach English classes. It’s hard work and we’re sore and tired afterwards. But it gives you a great deal of respect for the people you meet in the ESL classes and the type of work they do.”

For the first two days, the trip participants did farm work such as picking strawberries and planting butternut squash. Although the work they did was physically demanding, their days were significantly less physically demanding than that of a real migrant worker.

The next night they ate dinner with people from the Learning and Loving Center, which is an English learning center run by the Sisters of the Presentation. By talking with the determined woman learning English at the center, the Pres girls were able to see first-hand how important education is.

Borrelli said, “The women we met made me realize I could do whatever I wanted if I set my mind to it. They were all working towards citizenship and most of the women had passed. It was really inspiring to know they were doing this all because they wanted their kids to have a better life.”

Junior Emma Roth had a similar experience with this often overlooked population. “Through talking with these people, I came to understand that our society as a whole has a tendency to assume people are stupid just because they can’t speak English. In reality, those ESL students were hands down the smartest, most determined people I have ever met and I have so much respect for them. They come to make a better life for their families, especially their kids.”

In the middle of the week they visited various organizations that provide job training to immigrants and work with the law side of farming.

For the last two days they volunteered with El Proyecto de las Rosas, which is also run by the Sisters of the Presentation. There the girls were able to help teach English classes and even toured a local dairy farm.

To finish off the trip, they visited the National Chavez Center in La Paz. Learning about such an influential figure in workers rights was an excellent recapitulation to their entire trip.

Even though Ms. Foley has been on the trip before, she said she learned even more this time around: “From the ESL classes I learned what it meant to be committed to education. It’s truly a privilege and a gift to have an education and it’s not something to complain about. From the sisters, I learned about generosity and simplicity. They recycle and reuse everything.They are so respectful of their environment. From the farm work I learned how much sacrifice goes into every mouthful of food I eat.”

The film starts off with the story of Tyler Long, a seventeen-year-old boy who takes his life after being bullied for years on end without any productive assistance from his school in Murray County, Georgia. As the film progressed, I began to notice the prevalent theme of lack of administrative action taken to prevent bullying or to help victims of bullying.

Bully does an excellent job of portraying this lack of school support through Alex Libby, an Iowa native and junior high student who suffers from other kids calling him “fish face,” stabbing him with pencils and jamming his head under a school bus seat and sitting on him. When Alex’s parents contact the school’s assistant principal about the problematic students riding the school’s buses, she claims that she has ridden the school buses and has never once seen any abnormalities. She calls these buses, “good as gold” and tells Alex’s parents not to worry–she will take care of it.

To some extent, she tries, but falls very short of creating any positive change whatsoever. Instead, she does the exact opposite, treating victims of bullying like it is their fault, while sympathizing with the bully.

When one frequently targeted child named Cole refuses to forgive the kid who is repeatedly threatening and abusing him, the school’s principal chastises him for “hurting his [the bully’s] feelings” because they could “have become really good friends at some time.”

At this point in the documentary, I was well aware of the unanimous feeling of anger and frustration radiating from the audience as well as myself. If anything, the movie did a very good job of calling up these feelings and placing viewers in the shoes of bullied victims.

The film also furthers the message of schools’ neglect through Kelby Johnson, a homosexual student living in Oklahoma, who is shunned and tormented by her peers as well as the faculty at the school. In the film, Kelby says that she had hoped to change attitudes towards homosexuals of those living in the socially conservative “Bible belt” region of the country, but now realizes that it is going to take much more than her story to do it.

Ja’Meya Jackson, a young girl also living in Oklahoma, is repeatedly teased by her classmates. Taking matters into her own hands after receiving no assistance from her school, Ja’Meya stands up for herself, scaring those who bully her, and is then placed in the psychiatric ward of the Juvenile Delinquent Center.

While maintaining focus on the problems of the school in failing to adequately, deal with bullies, the film also addresses the problem of communication between parents and their bullied children. Bully adeptly focuses on the hardships bullied children face as they struggle to admit this problem to their parents, because although the parents are aware that their children were being picked on, they never understand the full extent of the problem until watching clips from the movie.

Similarly, those of us who are not frequently bullied will never know the depth of this epidemic until watching Bully. I myself was unprepared to watch many of the scenes in the documentary, previously believing that many of the horrors faced by bullied children only appear in fictitious stories to enhance the plot.

Bully ends on a tragic but hopeful note with the story of Ty Smalley, who commits suicide at just 11 years old after years of being bullied at school. Ty’s father now runs an anti-bullying organization called Stand for the Silent, so that no other family will have to endure the loss of a child to bullying. Stand for the Silent travels across the United States, holding lectures in schools to teach children early on the harmful effects of bullying.

The filmmakers also took steps to further address bullying after the movie was released. Since various bullies are captured on film in the movie, director Lee Hirsch had to meet with each of the families of bullies after the movie was complete in order to obtain permission to show the bullies’ faces and actions. Hirsch says that many of the families were shocked to find out their children are bullying other kids and are taking measures to end that. Every family, with the exception of one, agreed to have the face of their bullying child shown in the movie.

Considering the compelling stories and emotion-invoking characters, I believe that Bully deserves a ten out of ten rating and is a must see documentary for people of all ages. The film opened in theaters March 30, 2012 and the DVD is expected to come out shortly after the end of its cinematic debut.

In the series New Girl, with his self-absorption, semi-strong Jewish faith, and first ever “douchebag jar,” Schmidt (Max Greenfield) deserves to have his own TV show. He is a self-proclaimed womanizer who is also the only male employee at an all-woman work place. His relationship with model and partner Cece do bring out the best qualities in him and at the end of the day, his roommates and he are all good friends.

Schmidt’s television show would be a comedy that highlights his boastful personality and “eloquent” way charming women. He is eager to climb up the social ladder and become the ultimate ladies’ man. Although he does have a cocky side to him, his heart is in the right place, shown when he helps out his roommate, Jess, or the other guys.

The character Gloria Delgado-Pritchett (Sofía Vergara) in the show Modern Family, demands to have the spotlight on her. Her flamboyant style of dress, thick Colombian accent, and many secrets of past dangerous encounters before marrying Jay make Gloria an interesting personality to be a main character of her own show.

The show would focus on her past life in Colombia where she was able to pick locks, use a gun, and claim that when family loves each other, they all yell at each other. In one episode of Modern Family, Gloria said, “I know you can’t tell by looking at me, but I’m not a natural homemaker.” The character Gloria knows she is beautiful and voluptuous. Also, she knows all that she can get when she highlights those features. She may not be the most conventional mother and wife, but she does truly care about and love her son and husband.

Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) from Parks and Recreation is one of the most original and hilarious characters on television. Ron is a libertarian who believes that little, if no, government should exist, even though he is working for the city Parks and Recreation department, which he also believes should not exist. Though his sarcastic humor is sometimes overlooked since it is not followed by a laugh track, his severe and deadpan tone of portraying his extreme opinions and political ideas are both ironic and hilarious.

He continuously tries to make city hall less effective and interact with the public as little as possible. Ron is mostly known for his extreme fondness of meat and expressing little emotion or care towards anybody’s personal life. In one episode, Ron says, “I work hard to make sure my department is as small and as ineffective as possible.” If Ron Swanson were to have his own show, it should be called The Daily Life of Ron Swanson, just to be able to see what he actually does on a regular basis and outside of work.

Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski) from the show 30 Rock already has the mindset that she deserves her own show. She constantly makes herself the star in every show she is featured on or believes that she is the star, even when acting as minor character. She has good intentions, usually, but they are never put into action the right way or her intentions are used to make her own life better.    

She is diagnosed to have histrionic personality disorder, which causes her to always have the excessive need for approval and have inappropriately seductive behavior. Jenna’s goal in life is to have people accept and like her and she will go to extremes to make people love her. Jenna’s show would have to be a reality television show where she could behave dramatically and over the top to try to win the approval of the people with her on the show and the viewers watching the show.

Hey reader, suggest your own characters you want to have their own television show on presentationvoice.com!

Technology at school has been unreliable all year, making it difficult for students to learn and to work effectively.

“The inability to access the internet affects my learning because I can’t download PowerPoints or homework assignments. During lectures, I try to download the PowerPoint that my teachers are lecturing from so I can take notes directly from the PowerPoint,” said freshman Monica Boss. “Also, during study I try to download my homework off my email and it is so frustrating when I cannot due to internet issues.”

Lack of access significantly affected the school last January when one of Presentation’s servers was down for several days. Many teachers were unable to carry out their lesson plans because they involved the use of a computer in some way, shape, or form.

The tech meltdown served as a warning that teachers should not be completely dependent on it to teach their classes. “A teacher’s ability to teach should never be affected by technology,” said computer teacher Ms. Newton. “You are either a good teacher who can work under extreme situations, or you are not a good teacher. Technical equipment should never be connected with a teacher’s ability to teach.”

While most teachers would agree with that assessment, many suggest that an engaging lesson plan is made better by video and multimedia.

“Technology provides access to additional information,” said social studies teacher Dr. Duwel. “For example, you could go to the White House website for a few minutes instead of making an entire homework assignment out of it. It also allows teachers to customize lessons to students with different learning strengths.”

The Presentation administration is aware of the technology problem, and is working diligently to correct it.

“We are actively working to develop a three-year technology plan that will address many issues, including student laptop use,” said Vice Principal of Academics Ms. Edson. The rapid rise in student laptop usage was unexpected, Edson said, and led to an overload on the network.

The current network is six years old. “In 2006, few students brought their own laptops and very little media was streamed from the internet,” Ms. Edson said. “We have seen a growing number of users needing to access web-based applications and the current network cannot handle the traffic.”

The tech problems will be addressed this summer.

“We are planning a complete upgrade to our wireless network this summer. The new network will be able to accommodate all Presentation users, faculty and students alike, on the wireless network at one time. This should result in a huge improvement and eliminate many of the problems and frustrations we have experienced this year,” said Ms. Edson.

According to IT Director Jeff Martin, part of that upgrade will include 12 new access points to cover the “dead areas” on campus, which are inevitable in any large building.

The summer upgrades will be modeled on the upgrades that are happening now. Over Easter break, Martin led the effort to install a test wireless network. The new solution allows school laptops to log in in just under 60 seconds, instead of the former 10 to 25 minutes, he said. The library and study center are experiencing these much faster log-in times.

“The library now has three Cisco wireless access points and that makes internet connectivity much faster and more reliable. Students can get online much more easily than they could before,” confirmed librarian Mrs. Lemon.

Added Academic Support Director Ms. Gutto, “Since the wireless router was replaced, I have heard no complaints about the internet connection. If they were having any sort of a problem at all with the internet, I’m sure I would have heard about it by now. Pres girls aren’t known for their reticence.”

Another improvement will include an upgrade to the school’s external connection to the internet. The current connection is through a DS3 circuit,which allows simultaneous uploads and downloads at 45 Mbps in each direction. The summer upgrade will allow for speeds of 200 Mbps in each direction, Martin said.

All this comes as good news for students returning to Pres next year.

“It’s important for students to be able to use the internet at school in order to get work done,” said junior Jacqueline Remmel. “It’s definitely necessary, especially for student who already have bad internet at home and need to use school resources to do work.”

Google’s Driverless Car

Do you tend to get frustrated when trying to read a road map, have no sense of direction and get lost easily? Do you have trouble driving through traffic or can never seem to park in between the lines perfectly? Have no fear because the driverless car is here!

The multi-billion dollar Google industry has totally revolutionized and revamped the concept of the traditional car. The company has invented an autonomous vehicle with the leadership of Sebastian Thrun. In 2005, Thrun helped Stanford win two million dollars in the U.S. government DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) Challenge for creating a driverless car that will be the first to safely navigate through a desert route. Since then, Google’s intention for the vehicle is to help the handicapped, disabled, old and young find their way to get from point A to point B.

This automobile has a $75,000 laser, which is placed on top of its roof, that is able to rotate and formulate a 3-D image of its surroundings. There is also a computer attached to the laser, which sends information on when to change speed, turn or stop. Through countless testings with Toyota Prius and Audi TT models, the car is able to recognize every road and traffic light, and even reacts to other cars and pedestrians. Even though one reported crash has occurred with this driverless car, a person will definitely be able to multitask and drive safely down San Francisco’s famous Lombard Street. Last but not least, numerous fatal accidents can be prevented on the road.

The release date and projected cost are still unknown.

Transition, the Flying Car

Usually when you’re driving on the freeway on a hot, summer day, you roll down your windows trying to achieve that supermodel look of wearing sunglasses and having the wind blow through your hair. But wait. Instead of seeing the typical background of the valley’s mountain range, you are only surrounded by a sea of white clouds and flocks of flying birds.

This imagination has become a reality through the inventors of Terrafugia Inc. They have combined the features of a car and a jet plane all in one, which they call the Transition. On the normal days when you feel like driving on the road, the wings are able to collapse and fold inward into a convenient space. The vehicle looks just like a mini-plane, but with two small panels against the sides of its body, when being driven. In addition, you can save money on gas since it has an estimated 35 mpg. But on the days when you feel adventurous, the wings can be easily expanded to its normal length so that you are prepared for liftoff.

The estimated cost for the Transition is $279,000 and there is a refundable deposit of $10,000 in order to reserve one. However, if you’re not a pilot but would like to purchase this cool invention, don’t panic. There is an available course you can take that is designed specifically for the Transition, in which you can become a Sport Pilot in as little as 20 hours. With this new technology, you surely will be able to literally “fly” through traffic with this car.

Google Glasses

We’ve all seen advertisements about smartphones and tablets or heard of movies about smart houses. But have you ever heard of smart glasses?

Another one of Google’s inventions is the Google Glasses, also known as Project X. This gadget was created to schedule appointments, video chat, message friends, act as a personal GPS device, check the local weather and take pictures all done by voice command. With these glasses, you no longer have to worry about losing your handheld device. All of the information you need hovers over your field of vision, without obstructing your peripheral vision.

As for the style, the glasses have a thin silver frame which connects to two nose pads for extra support. In addition, it has a white one-inch bar that is placed on only one side of the frame. But the most interesting part of design is that it has no lenses, which gives off a retro flair and futuristic look.

The estimated cost for these glasses ranges from $250 to $600 and are scheduled to be retailed to the public by the end of this year.

Almost Waterless Washing Machine

The first question you may ask is: What makes this washing machine almost waterless? Well, the answer is that it just runs on a cup of water and small nylon beads. This invention was based on the University of Leeds professor Stephen Burkinsaw’s idea, but is now being tested by a British company called Xeros Ltd. The nylon beads act like detergent and fully absorb the dirt and grime from each load of laundry. All the stains are then trapped into the beads’ core, which allows the beads to be reused more than once. In addition, another benefit of having this machine is that once the all the washing is complete, the clothes come out fairly dry. This can save you a lot of time and energy because you no longer have to worry about hanging your clothes and waiting for them to dry.

If you buy this appliance, you not only become eco-friendly and conserve over a thousand gallons of water per year, but you can also get rid of the annoying grass stains from your white shirt at the same time. The estimated cost for this machine is similar to the price of conventional machines that are on the market now.

According to the San Jose Mercury News, she was on her way to Sobrato High School in the morning but never made it to the bus stop or her school. Sierra was last seen at 6 in the morning, and her parents reported her missing when she didn’t come home that night.

The next day authorities found her cell phone a few blocks east of the bus stop. The day after that, her clothes and Juicy bag were found. Sierra did not have a history of running away and had a good relationship with her family, so it was suspected that she was abducted.

Police and over 3,000 volunteers have been searching for her since her abduction. On March 20, KlaasKids Foundation started to organize the first volunteer searches. This is an organization that was established by Polly Klaas’ father, Marc Klaas, after his daughter was abducted and found too late. He said to the San Jose Mercury news, “I tell the families to keep their heads up, that God gives them the strength and courage.”

I joined the search for Sierra LaMar on April 14 with my grandma. Both of us felt that if we were in Sierra’s family’s circumstance, we would want everyone in the valley to help in the search. We wanted to contribute in the investigation because Sierra’s family needed help, and we could have easily been in their situation.

When I got to the search center, I was asked if I wanted to look in the residential area or in the fields. I chose to join a residential group whose job was to go to an assigned neighborhood area and go door to door asking specific questions. Someone had to have seen something the day Sierra went missing, but sometimes they just need their memories to be pushed a little to remember.

Before our group went out, we had to get briefed about what the rules were, what questions to ask and what things to look for. The most important thing they emphasized was our safety and not to put ourselves in unnecessary danger.

We were told to look for suspicious behavior and any buildings that looked out of the norm. When we asked people the four specific questions given to us, we had to write down their responses. Many people were willing to help us in our search for tips to help find Sierra. There was only one person that I encountered who was not willing to talk to us.

The people at the search center dedicated to finding Sierra consisted of people who knew her and many who didn’t, but all had the same goal of helping find her. One teenage girl in my search group had been coming to volunteer since it started because Sierra’s story really touched her. Sierra’s story has influenced many volunteers and people in my group came from as far away as Reno, NV to help.

Most recently a red Volkswagen Jetta was found that has a connection with the case. “After two months without anything, it’s significant that we got this car, and we’re hoping it yields something major,” said Sgt. Jose Cardoza, of the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office to the San Jose Mercury News.

Sierra’s abduction should remind us here at Presentation that we need to be very careful. As young females, we need to be cautious and not put ourselves in dangerous situations.

Make sure to travel places with a friend or a group of people, especially if you walk to and from school. Since this is not always possible, make sure people know where you are if you are going somewhere alone.

It is also very important to remember that not everyone you talk to online is who you think they are. Do not give out personal information to someone you do not know and never arrange to meet that person.

Sierra is simply another teenage girl, just as we are. This is not to scare you, but is a reminder to be safe. Listen to your intuition, and if it says that you are in a bad situation, then get out of it. If you would like to help in the search for Sierra, visit the search center at Burnett Middle School in Morgan Hill on the weekends. You can go out with search groups, put posters up or buy bracelets or shirts. You can also visit findsierralamar.com to print out posters and find out other ways to help.

I have never identified with either the Democrats or the Republicans and have considered myself an independent voter. Being socially liberal and fiscally conservative, I find that I agree with many points of both parties, but there are key issues in both parties that I also disagree with.

However, the main reason I do not identify with one of the main political parties is their inability to reach compromise and consider the other’s point of view. The most recent Gallup poll ranks Congressional approval ratings at 17 percent. Why? Because Congress can’t seem to get much done because of their constant bickering and inability to work together across party lines.

The idea of a democracy is that all people are entitled to their own opinion, and without these different opinions, our country would lack the fundamental freedom, independence, and diversity that make our nation great. However, it is necessary for members of different political parties to work together and consider each other’s opinions in order to truly determine what is best for our country.

To me, the ideal third party would be one with very loose political philosophies. The party would determine what is best for America at a specific time. For example, although the party may believe that lower taxes may be the best solution at one point, they may also believe at another point in time that larger taxes would be more beneficial.

Basically, the only philosophy of the party would be to do what is in the best interest of the country. This includes working together with other political parties in order to compromise and do what is best for America. Henry Clay, a Kentucky senator from the 1800s, really embodied this philosophy. He was called “The Great Compromiser” because he was willing to work together with the different political parties to create compromises that were in the best interest for our country and got the job done.

My ideal third party would basically be like the eagle my sister was referring to. The party would transcend the bounds of the major political parties and act as a mediator, reaching both arms out to embrace both sides of the issues. The party would work towards a more equal, free, and beneficial country by putting differences aside in order to work together as a united America.

This third party would be called “The Eagle Party,” symbolizing the party’s love for America and their willingness to make the country a better place for all.

I think that another good third party candidate would be very beneficial with the upcoming election. Although the Eagle Party would be willing to work with other political parties and compromise, they would have some initial positions on some of the key issues of the upcoming presidential race.

I would want the Eagle Party to work for the equality of all people. The party would strive for equality in terms of gay marriage and rights of different groups such as different races, genders, and sexual orientations.

Abortion is obviously a hot topic in the country right now, so the Eagle Party would have to have a position. Since the Eagle Party is about equality, they would oppose abortion. They would work for equality even for unborn human life.

Because this third party is dedicated to creating a better America, they would emphasize education and work towards making a quality education accessible to all Americans. Education reform would be key to the party because education is the foundation of all progress. It is impossible to build a better America without educating our future workers and leaders.

Immigration is another key issue in our country today. The Eagle Party would allow all undocumented immigrants in the country now to stay. However, instead of worrying about keeping undocumented immigrants out, the party would focus on rehabilitating the economy and safety of the other countries these immigrants come from, especially Mexico. If Mexico becomes a safer and more prosperous place to live, America would experience less undocumented immigration from this country. This policy outlook would benefit both our country and the immigrants’ native countries.

And, of course, the Eagle Party would need a philosophy on taxes. Because the party is committed to equality, it would create taxes in a way that are equal to all people. And no, I’m not talking about a flat tax. The richer citizens would be required to pay more taxes, but they would not be required to pay a grossly larger sum than the rest of Americans. Citizens with lower incomes would also be required to pay taxes, but it would be at a much lower rate than middle class citizens. Basically, the tax policy of the party would be to tax as little as possible for all Americans.

Even though the Eagle Party would have these political philosophies, they would not be completely binding. If a President from the Eagle Party said “these are the policies we are pursuing and there are no exceptions,” we would be in the same stalemate our country is in today. Although a President from the Eagle Party would push their policies, they would be open and willing to work with others and compromise to create the best possible solutions for our country.

I think a third party like the Eagle Party would be a great addition to our political scene. It embodies the best of both parties and strives to make changes for the good of the country rather than for the glory and pride of the party.