To start off the blogging part of our class participation, lets talk about government. I'm sure that we all have a story. Lets hear it.
Do you have any positive or negative experiences interacting with government officials?
And by government official I mean in the broadest terms: it could be a US Senator, a park ranger, a DMV clerk, a judge, a tax clerk, a police officer, etc. Maybe someone was aided by a public official--their house was saved by firemen or a district attorney helped them out of a jam. Or perhaps someone was ticketed by a county sheriff or a state trooper. The point is that, whether you like it or not, you are regularly interacting with governmental agencies.
These men and women are the face of "the government."
If you check your mailbox and find a bill or a check waiting on you, then you know that the government has been there. If the pothole on your morning commute is filled, then you know the government has been there. If your tap water is parasite free, then you know some governing agency is at work. At the same time, sometimes the water is contaminated, the meat is infected with e coli, and the pothole on your commute goes unfilled for months on end--the government is not perfect and is only partially successful and making its presence felt on a daily basis.
It could be worse, however. You could live in Somalia. There, the federal government is practically nonexistent. Warlords serve as governing agents. The roads, where there are roads, are never fixed. You eat at your own risk and the water, where it is in fact drinkable, is hard to access.
Here in the USA and most countries around the world, the government is a more or less important part of peoples' everyday life. How has the government touched your life? Lets hear your stories.
In my past I have had mixed experiences with government officials. For example, I was pulled over by a police officer for not coming to a complete stop at a stopsign. The officer was polite and straightforward and decided to let me off with a warning. I drove off with a good feeling, and I would have likely had the same feeling had he actually given me a ticket. I understand the need for order in society and would have dealt with the consequences of my infracture accordingly. In a seperate incident, I was pulled over due to my tags being recently expired. The police officer was rude to say the least in his dealings with me and after he gave me my ticket I left quite upset. I didn't feel as though I had interacted with a adequate representative of my government. It may be rash to say that he was a bad cop just because he was spiteful and inconsiderate. Im sure he does well to protect the streets according to his strict idea of justice. Which leads me back to feeling as if I hadn't met with a gov. official, but instead a vigilante or something. There is elbow-room for officers to work within, giving them each individual power instead of leveling the entire field by establishing clear, cut protocol. Maybe thats the way it is in other counties, I dont know. But I would much rather prefer the consistency it provides then the uncertainty of what I've experienced.
ReplyDeleteBrandon who? Please put your full name on the post. This goes for everyone in Politics and Government who comment here.
ReplyDelete-Jacob Stump
And what class section? PSCI 100.03, 100.04, or 100.05? Please put that info too.
ReplyDelete-Jacob Stump
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletei have also had experiences similar to brandon's, I had a state trooper pull me over saying my tags were expired when they were not and he gave me a warning, but he was polite and professional when dealing with me, several months later I merged into a lane of traffic and hit my brakes to slow down to the speed limit and a off duty officer pulled me over by showing his badge so i saw it in my rear view and started to yell at me for hitting my brakes too hard and didn't even state his name or where he was an officer, other than he was off duty, or ask to see his badge, which i know realize i should have asked to see. i understand the importance of officers to keep laws up and roads running smoothly but if a lot of officers act like the off duty officer i can understand peoples distaste for police. i think as Brandon does that police should have clear cut protocols and limits because some policemen like the off duty one give the public a bad opinion of police officers and how they act because only some are rude like that
ReplyDeletepoli sci 100.03
Last semester I had the opportunity to intern for Victim's Advocate. This is a federal program working in the Prosecutor's office. I found this to be a valuable learning experience in that I got to watch the interactions of the attorneys, the judge, the police officers, the victims, and the accused. Each time I went into the court room was a learning experience. I really enjoyed watching how the system really works. It is quite different than what you see on T.V. I have a whole new respect for police officers, judges, and even attorneys.
ReplyDeleteKaren Martin PSCI 100.04
When I was ten, my sister was born; she was born at about three months early. During this time, my father was working a crappy job and income was little. The government assisted us with food stamps and WIC checks. On the other end of the spectrum, I've been pulled over by police officers who were completely rude and inconsiderate despite my politeness.
ReplyDeleteZachary Roach PSCI 100:04
The only experience I have really had with government was in the DMV. I dealt with them both when I got my permit and liscence, and then when my grandparents sold me their car. Both times I found them to be very friendly and helpful. So, I haven't really had a negative experience with government so far.
ReplyDeleteKatherine Martin PSCI 100.04
Riding with my older brother we were pulled over for a loud muffler, which the officer thought warranted a search of the car and a pat down for both of us. Finding nothing he let us go. That has got to be the most uncalled for invasion of privacy. The only reason we complied with the officer was because he had a gun. (He was trigger happy, and had nearly pulled his gun out when I reached into my pocket to give him my wallet, which he had requested)
ReplyDeleteDavid Hickerson PSCI 100-04
I have never had a bad experience with the government. That being said the only time I ever really interact with them is when I’m at the MVA or getting pulled over for speeding. In both cases the people are super nice; at the MVA the people don’t get real personal they just try to get as many people in and or in the shortest time possible. As for getting pulled over, they always ask you the same questions: What is the speed limit? How fast were you going? Why? Then they give me a warning and send me on my way! Yes sooner or later I’m going to get a ticket but until then… I love government officials!!!!
ReplyDeletePSCI 100.05
Susan Stout
Almost everyday I interact with government officials. Both of my uncles are police officers and have been for years. A few years ago a police officer was killed in my town by a man who went on a rampage after killing his ex-girlfriend and mother of his two children and then proceeded to kill this police officer. My uncle was on the SRT team who had to go after this man and stop him. Seeing how it affected my two uncles to see a fellow man in uniform die was devasting. I don't understand why it's so hard for people to follow the simple rules of a town. These officials put their lives on the line everyday to protect the citizens of the area. If it wasn't for men and women our towns would be way worse than they are. I value my protection that is given to me in the government and respect each official for what they do everyday for me.
ReplyDeleteHanna Simane
PSCI 100.05
I have experienced government officials mainly as an observer to someone else's meeting with that person, but the one time that it was for me, I had to go before a judge in a settlement hearing. Before going into the hearing, I was extremely nervous about talking to a judge. We grow up seeing TV shows in which people see judges when they are in trouble, so even though I knew that wasn't the case, it still had me nervous. Once I got a chance to talk to the judge, my nervousness was abandoned almost completely. He was a nice, down-to-earth person; his status as 'judge' had made me forget that fact. Everything went well, and it was overall a good experience.
ReplyDeleteRebecca Herbert
100.05
Brandi Parsons Psci 100.04. I have had a negative experience with the government only with the DMV. I dread going to that place because there are only long waits and tons of people! I originally bought a car in MD and had to transfer over everything to WV to get tags and registration. After 2 hours of waiting for my number to be called to see the clerk, I only found out that I was missing one paper to get the tags and registration that I so badly needed. I had about 5 other papers but apparently not the magic one. I finally got everything straightened out and cringe every time I have to go to that place.
ReplyDelete{Brandon Nicholas psci 100.03}-First Comment
ReplyDeleteI have had some rather unfortunate times with the police. This mainly attributes to me being at the wrong place at the wrong time. An ex boyfriend of mine was caught setting off toilet bowl cleaner bombs, and i was "seen driving him around" earlier that day. Lets just say it ended in a very UNPLEASANT visit from the fire marshal and month grounding from my parents. The grounding was perhaps the hardest punishment, because the marshals let me off with writing a one page paper.... I'm still mad that they got my parents involved.
ReplyDeleteThe second incident happened in a series of events that consist of my many visits to the DMV. I never failed my drivers test, not once, in fact I got near perfect on the score card. However, every time I've gone there something has gone wrong. The first two times I went my drivers ed school never sent in my certification slip (require in MD). The third time i went it was cancelled due to bad weather. The final time I went I was nearly turned away yet again due to a missing lug nut on the back tire. Luckily I was able to replace it within a half hour and I was able to go on and take the test from there. Might I add that my teacher was very rude and smelled of urine!
The third incident was on my way to the Ocean City last summer. I was driving down the road when a cop pulled me over for not having my lights on. Did i mention is was 12:00... in the afternoon. Much to my surprise, some roads in the east require people to have their lights on 24/7 due to the "fog". On this particular day there was not a cloud in sight, and about 90% of the cars did not have any headlights on yet I was the one pulled over.
None of this compares to the impeccable envy that I have for my father. I have seen him get pulled over countless times, and every time he gets let go with a warning. All he has to do is flash his doctor ID badge and they wave him on like nothing ever happened. I can't wait to be a nurse.....
Yasmin Modica
PSCI 100.04
On my way to Shepherd from home I have encountered many cop incidents. A lot were infact the same exact thing. One cop was riding on my bumper, and there was no need to be doing so because he could have easily gone around considering there were three other lanes. When he decided to fly past me I sped up and he got behind me and turned his lights on. He didn't pull me over; he turned his lights on so I would pull over out of his way and he could get around me.
ReplyDeleteMorgan Himmighoefer
PSCI 100.05
Everyday I have interacted with the police. My dad is a retired police officer. He was in the Department for about 30 years. Now, he works for the Government in DC. I never really had a bad encounter unless of course I was getting in trouble by my father by not coming home by curfew, not cleaning my room, stuff like that.However, that is hime as the dad not the police officer.Two very different people. Other than that nothing. I do however, know that if I get pulled over in my hometown where every cop knows me. I know I'll get a harsher punishment than maybe just the random guy Joe who was going above the speed limit the same speed I was. The first thing that would go through my mind if I ever got pulled over, is my dad.Not the officer coming up to the window to ask for my lincense and registration..So don't think just because im a police officer's daughter I'll get off easily.That's a lie.
ReplyDeleteCourtney Pepperling
PSCI 100.04
I havent had much experience with the government besides going to the DMV to get my learners and license. I have had good experiences there. The workers did there job and got me in and out of there as fast as possible to keep lines moving.
ReplyDeleteStephanie Hudlow
PSCI 100.05
My latest run in with the cops came about a month or two ago. there is a place in my hometown where the speed limit changes from 45 to 25 going around a corner. i come around this corner at 50mph not seeing the 25mph sign once again. he pulls me over and does the cop thing then comes to give me the ticket and says im not going to give you reckless. i am going to give you failure to follow a traffic sign or something like that. after he left i thought to my self why would he let that go and i realized that cops are like little kids and the government is the parental figure. now and again we are the ant under the magnifying glass.they are not wanting to give out tickets but they do what their jobs require.
ReplyDeleteRobert Hayes
PSCI 100.04
My run in with a judge in traffic court was a less than pleasant experience this summer. I was in a fairly seriously car accident in which the accident was sighted as "my fault" although there were many variables that were not taken into consideration by the judge. Although my original encounter with the state trooper was relatively pleasant in my state of sheer terror. My court experience was not as shall we say, warm and fuzzy. The state trooper at the scene advised me to go to court to avoid points on my license and he essentially all but said that if I went to court he would not show up and I would be found not guilty. The judge however, tried to as my father likes to say "throw the book at me" simply because I was a minor at the time of the accident so she could supposedly teach me a lesson. Im pretty sure the 2nd degree burn from my seatbelt was enough of a lesson to not try to get t-boned by a car again, not that it was my intention in the first place, that is why they are called ACCIDENTS!
ReplyDeleteSarah Jeffries, section 100.05
Over the Fall break the wife and I were heading down to Gatlinburg, TN for a little get away. If you haven't been paying attention, they have changed the signs from 60/65 to 70 just like WV, but not every were. So i thought that i would set the cruise control for 75-ish and we'd be there in no time. Well the last 15-20 miles of VA we were running low on gas so i turned off the cruise and about that time I saw the blue lights flash and i got over and evidently i was going 87 in one of those 65 zones. either way i would have been speeding. But for my first speeding ticket it was a pretty exhausting experience and I'll defiantly be more cautious.
ReplyDeleteCordova,Jacob, N. PSCI 100:05
Everyone has their own experiences with government officials. At times, I have absolute respect for them but at other times, I tend to have no respect for them at all. They do keep our communities safe, but sometimes I feel as if they have nothing better to do then try to get people in trouble. Teenager usually seem like their main target! I come from a very small town, but we have a numerous amount of cops on duty at all times. About two years ago, my friends and I were hanging out by our cars in a local park's parking lot. It wasn't very late and the park wasn't closed yet, but a police officer had the nerve to tell us to leave because we were 'loitering'. Honestly, where else are we supposed to go in such a small town!? I though a park was a place for people to relax and hang out! I truly don't know how us being there was creating an unsafe environment, but apparently he had nothing better to do.
ReplyDeleteKelly Sweeney
PSCI 100.05
The only experience I've really had with the government is with the police. One for when I had my first wreck, and for the most part the police officials were nice. I did have one state trooper who wasn't very pleasant. But, maybe he was just having an off day and decided to take it out on me. As for the other times, it was for what most teenagers get pulled over for...speeding! Every police officer I have ever been pulled over by has been extremely nice. They ask the questions you get asked every time you get pulled over, then they smile and say just slow down and have a good day and that is all. But from what I've experienced government officials are very kind.
ReplyDeleteAlicia Watts
PSCI 100.04
I had a run in with some police officers in Martinsburg after my car was stolen. They didn't believe my story and wouldnt file the report. A few weeks later i got a ticket in the mail from a truck with my plates that went through a tollbooth without paying. I went back to the policestation and they tried to tell me I didnt own a thunderbird, that a i had a truck. I'm pretty sure I owned a car, not a truck. I just kept telling them i wanted the car reported stolen so I wouldnt be heled responsible, but they just kept picking at the truck and got confused when i talked about my thunderbird. I made the mistake of saying you guys in reference to the chief and the rest of his co workers when he complained about me keeping him past his shift. That realy got him mad and he said it wasnt his fault and I blew up on him and told him it was his fault because he wouldnt report my car stolen, that's all I wanted. So I'm not so fond of cops. Though i know not to base this on every cop, it was still very frustrateing.
ReplyDeleteMatthew Kimberlin
PSCI 100.05
Everyday I interact with a government official, since my dad is a police officer. There are often many times when my dad comes home affected by the dumb choices people make. People dont understand that the choices/decisions they make can affect everyone. I take for granted what the government has done/will do for me.
ReplyDeleteMegan Long
PSCI 100.03
Secily Butts 100.05
ReplyDeleteI have dealt with the government a few times in the past couple of years. One incident is when I rear ended someone on my way home from school, the fire department, ambulance, and police arrived, and luckily we were all okay. I recieved a warning, thank goodness. Another time my sister and I were going to get my nephew's pictures taken and someone almost hit our car, my sister made a comment to them, and altercation broke out, and the guy punched me in the face. I took him to court and of course I won the case because he assaulted me. My neighbor is also a city cop for Martinsburg and he's a cool person, sometimes he tries to pull me over just to pick on me, but as long as I'm not getting a ticket I'm happy!
I have had both positive and negative experiences with the government. When I was going through the process to gain my license I was interacting with the government through the DMV. This was the positive experience I have had with the government. However, along with my license , eventually a ticket came as well. The cop was nice ,he wrote my ticket and we both went about our business. We interact with the government on a daily basis and these interactions influence the way that we live our lives.
ReplyDeleteone time was when I got pulled over for speeding on my way to the beach. When the officer asked to see my registration, I could only find my expired one. I knew my new registartion was in there somewhere, but I could not find it. While he was processing all the paperwork, I found my new registartion. He said it was too late and I ended up getting a ticket for having an old registartion and not a speeding ticket. I guess it was not to bad, but I was still a bit annoyed that he would not change the price because he had already done the paperwork.
ReplyDeleteAnother time I worked for my local county health agency. I was in the enforcement and tobacco health department. One of my jobs was to try and buy tobacco products from vendors. I was under 18 at the time so if I was sold any products the vendor and the person who sold would get a fine. Being part of the health government I got to see a lot of ways of how the government controls people and the strategies it takes to try and help them.
Sam Beatty 100 04
Hannah Hime, PSCI 100.04
ReplyDeleteI haven't had much of an encounter with police of my own. Recently, my boyfriend was in a car accident and since he's from Georgia and doesn't know many people, I went to the accident because it totaled his car. The police officer was very one sided and placed the blame on my boyfriend when it was the other person's fault. He also claimed my boyfriend was intoxicated and did some sobriety tests on him which proved he was not. He also asked him why he was shaken up, my boyfrined answered " i was in a car accident, what do you expect?" He took the ticket to court and the first thing the police officer stated was that he would like to change the charge of the ticket because he wrote down the wrong charge. This decreased the fine by 300 dollars. I know not all police officers are like this, but it really makes you wonder sometimes...
Ian Hickman 100.05
ReplyDeleteI had a negative encounter with a State Trooper on rt.81 heading from Winchester to Mt. Jackson this fall. It was 1:00 on a Saturday, I was driving, my mother was in the passenger seat with our dog on her lap, and my little sister was in the backseat. I was going 9mph over the speed limit when I checked my rearview and saw the dreaded blue lights. This state trooper was hidden in between two trees on the side of the road which first and foremost makes me angry because if there job is to protect the community and ensure the safety of as many drivers as possible, why hide? Instead of ticketing one person and having the next 15minutes worth of cars passing by tap their brake, a posted visible cop could slow down a long line of traffic just by the sight of his car parked on the side of the road. Anyways, he came up to my window (keep in mind my family is in the car, all dressed nice, and we all were very polite and apologetic). The officer proceeded to say that he had been following me for quite some time and that I didn't pull over, on top of a speeding violation. He then wrote me a ticket and charged me with evading an officer. I couldn't believe it. Luckily my cousin is a top attorney in the metro area so I received minimal repercussion, but my attitude toward the state trooper remains skeptic as he misconstrued the story in his filing of the report and showed no respect to me or my mom during our conversation.
My personal experiences with the government have not been unpleasant as much as they were inconvenient. I've had one parking ticket, one official warning for speeding, and one speeding ticket. The parking ticket came from me parking in a no-parking zone at my high school. The speeding warning and ticket occurred on the same stretch of road and were given to me by the same officer both times. Both times the officer was going the opposite direction from me. Since he gave me a warning the first time he pulled my over, the second time, the fine on the ticket was higher than normal. The officer however, was very polite and didn't make me feel uncomfortable. When I went to court, the judge took all points off the ticket and cut the charge in half. Overall, it was just the routine bureaucracy of government at work.
ReplyDeleteAlex Yates, PSCI 100.05
I had an experience with a police officer in Maryland. I had been in a car accident and the police were called to the scene. The other vehicle involved in the accident darted out of a parking lot without looking and t-boned my car. I was turning left into an adjacent parking lot. When the policemen arrived and asked for our statements, the other driver told the officer it was all his fault. The police officer responded, "Well that may very well be, but in the state of Maryland, It is her fault." I was furious...... I responded by asking him why he was blaming it on me when clearly the other guy was at fault. he proceeded to tell me it was my fault because I was turning and the other person was in a straight lane. I was so angry I could have spit nails. The officer proceeded to argue with me and then told me he just enforces the laws, he doesn't make them. The law is called the boulevard rule. I feel this law is ridiculous and the officer should have been more professional. I do not feel the answer of ITS THE LAW gives me the answer I deserved.
ReplyDeleteChristina Athey PSCI 100.04
My parents make it a point to stay very involved in the government and usually stay up to date with the issues that arise in the local, state, and federal levels. As a result, I have grown up surrounded by a need to remain constantly aware of current events. My mom has worked for the Republican National Committee and has been fortunate enough to volunteer for several rallies and conventions for the political advancement of the Republican party. In the past I have been "encouraged" to attend these gatherings with her and have had many experiences meeting with our local and state public officials. During these convocations, I spend the majority of my time observing the behavior of our politicians. In this type of public environment, politicians put on quite the convincing front in order make the most magnificent impression on each other, the voters, and those who do the majority of their fundraising. They often make huge deals of issues that I have no reason to believe they care much about and when they are called to make a speech on such issues they are usually judged on the fluency and attractiveness of the WAY they speak rather than the content of their words and the legitimacy of their message. While these conventions do have a decent amount of legitimacy and good intent directed toward the voters, much of the agenda is usually directed towards fundraising and personal gain of the politicians involved.
ReplyDeleteSheridan Webb, PSCI 100.05
I can agree with many other students' comments when it comes to my experiences with the government. I have yet to have had any serious governmental experiences which I could not overcome or seen through the situation, but that still gives me an experience. After reading the initial blog, I realize I interact with the government on a daily basis, more than I even thought... I drive on the roads, sit in a classroom, go to work, and fulfill my part in society. Sure, if I think about it, I know its government who impose all these things. However, I don’t think about it when I’m doing it. It’s second nature- I don’t think about who or what is involved in a political aspect until after it has already been brought to my attention. I've had car accidents, gotten pulled over, had tickets issued, went to the DMV, post office, and so many other daily happenings. I don't begin to think of the government unless it involves political parties, elections, political affairs, or a civics class. Government has allowed us to learn through experience. I now know how to go about claiming a car accident and where I should and shouldn’t park so that I will not receive a parking ticket. I know that I will have to re-new my license when I turn 21 and that the post office will hold my legal documents until I go and get them. People look at government as a nasty, bad part of life, but without it we would be living in a world of chaos. We may not like to go to school or have a police pulls us over or wait in line at the DMV, but it’s all part of a social order set up to make life more functional.
ReplyDeleteCayce Martin PSCI 100.04
I agree with Cayce. The every day dealings with govt officials are usually not something that on the forefront of anyone's mind (unless your into that type of thing)I know we have all had run ins with the govt because we have either a permit, drivers license or ID. Seeing as no one can obtain those for you, you have been to the DMV, or MVA and interacted with a govt associate. I have mixed feelings about the government, its there for a reason but alas some people take their job to seriously, or they depict an attitude of disinterest and act as if they are just at work to do their time, get paid and wait for the end of the day to be free. I have ran into folks like that and on very rare occasions I have dealt with govt workers that are actually polite with no power struggle and attempt to care about your situation. Case and point, contacted MD Unemployment office because I had lost my job. The lady on the phone spoke to me as if she was invincible, she sighed when I asked her all of two questions. Even after taking my info (soc sec, ect)down she was unable to answer any of the questions that I was directed to contact her office about. However, I was directed to contact MD unemployment office yet again and dreaded the outcome. I was pleasantly surprised, so much so that after I was done talking to the gentleman (and he answered ALL of my questions) I asked to speak w/ his supervisor so I could let her know that I appreciated his time. It was almost like I had called Sprint, or Best Buys customer service because he did everything in his power to assist me (even calling me back, like he said he would a few hours later) I DON'T expect to call govt establishments and be greeted/dealt with as well as you would contacting a company about ya cell phone or cable bill. As far as dealing with police it just like everything else. We just have to deal with every situation accordingly I suppose.
ReplyDeleteMarChell DeShong PSCI 100.04
As a member of the U.S.A.F, I have multiple experinces of dealing with government officials. Whether it is dealing with a person directly (a cheif) or indirectly (president). The rules and regulations are ever-changing in the military. Uniform standards, publications, checklists, and/or code of conduct are all examples of being affected by government officials. In my experience the only that is constant; is change. We all adapt accordingly.
ReplyDeleteAlex Kwiatkowski PSCI 100.03
I have a few experiences with government officials. Last May, I was in a bad car accident because a drunk driver ran a red light and hit me head on. My car was totaled and i had severe injuries. I was treated unfairly because the officer at the scene was friends with the drunk driver. I had witnesses at the scene, the officer did breathalize the driver, but he did not put the fact that the driver had been drinking in the report.Afterwards, when I tried to contact the officer about my accident, he refused to speak with me until his leiutenent forced him to.I did not receive any money from the accident because the officer didn't put all the facts in the report so I had to come up with the money to buy another car myself. PSCI 100.04
ReplyDeleteThe only experience i can think of is my ticket i got when i was sixteen. I was going just a bit over the speed limit, music blaring, and was not paying attention to the cop i just passed. He clocked me at 78 in a 55. I had to appear in court the next week and paid a $215 dollar fine.
ReplyDeleteLaura Elkins PSCI 100.04
I believe the government is good when it comes to fixing roads, providing a sense of security, etc. However, I have had a quite a few run in with the police and have found that I neither trust or care for them much. I am sure they are nice individuals but the ones I encountered were pompous and unrelenting. Also, I am currenty in a legal disagreement and have found that the famous saying "innocent until proven guilty" obviously does not apply to me; just not good with authority I guess. Glad they (police, judges, etc) are there for the serious crimes but wish they would think seriously sometimes and let little stuff go, especially situations that could seriously harm an individual's reputation and future.
ReplyDeletelbobbi01.....Laura Bobbitt, 100.03
ReplyDeleteOver the summer, I was pulled over by a police officer. I had me and my 4 friends with me in the car. We all had seatbelts on and I was going the speed limit 25 m.p.h. We passed the police officer, no problems. about 100 feet after we passed him, he pulled out. He followed me almost 3 blocks and then decided to turn on his lights. I had not changed speed limits, I was still going 25 m.p.h. and had made no turns or lane changes. I pulled over and before he came to my window he peered in the back for an awfully long time. I am guessing because I looked younger than 18, he thought I was driving with too many passengers. He asked me for my licenses and registration with out even telling me what I did wrong. He was gone for about 10 minutes. When he came back he said I was going 35 m.p.h. in a 25 m.p.h. zone. He said he lowered my ticket so it would not go on insurance. I was furious. He follwoed me, pulled me over and did not tell me what I did wrong then just gave me a ticket. I know he pulled me over because he thought I was younger and breaking the law, but I wasnt. So indtead of just giving me a warning or fessing up to his mistake he wrote me a ticket. Now grantit it was a small town and almost the end of the month. So he probably needed to meet his quota. But pulling people over for something they did not do is wrong. When the people who really did do something to break the law get away. I did fight the ticket and won, because the officer did not show up to the court date, So the judge had no witnesses. Lindsey Walls PSCI 100.04
ReplyDeleteThe government officials in my life have not really been good experiences. I do respect our government and the authoratitive figures. In my experiences with skateboarding cops act likes jerks on power trips. Whenever a cop has approached me while skateboarding I do not run away or try to argue with them I expect to have a simple conversation like civilaized people but generally the cop is screaming at me and whoever I've been with. He or she will throw out insults and treat us like little kids when I'm just sitting and listening trying to be respectful. Just because some skaters are out to make trouble doesn't mean we all are. I just enjoy the sport. Cops acting like that are why people call them pigs and it frustrates me that we can't just get told to leave th place we are at an if we don't then they have a right to be rude about it.
ReplyDeleteAnthony Harley 100.05
Last semester I was on the way home after an outing with one of my classes and less than 100 feet from F lot, where i had just left, one of the campus officers pulled me over for not having my headlights on.I'm not going to say it was a pleasant expierence because that would be a lie, but the officer was very polite and I only ended up receiving a warning.I felt like a total idiot for forgetting to turn my headlights on and i felt embarrassed for getting pulled over for it. But i also understand why the officer did so and I'm glad he did because if I trust the police to protect me from drivers under the influence, and now my own stupidity.
ReplyDeleteJessica Hall 100.04
Last summer, I was driving on the Parkway in NJ on the way home from a friend's house. I had 4 friends in the car. I was driving the speed limit when a cop came onto the parkway from an entrance. The cop passed me in the slow lane and got in front of me, into the passing lane. Then, after about a minute he went back into the slow lane, went behind me and turned on his lights. We were all confused. It was a young cop and he said that I was speeding. I didn't argue with him and he let me go without even a warning. One of the weirdest experiences of my life but it was the only time i've dealt with an official
ReplyDeleteMorgan Gabriel 100.05
Well just like the many other people on this subject one of my own experiences is as well with a police officer. Last year around Christmas me and two of my friends where driving home from making Christmas cookies and wrapping gifts at a friend’s house when we get pulled over by a officer for one of my head lights being out. Well I guess because the guy knew it would be easy to take advantage of our rights as younger people, he decided to call seven more cops, plus two drug dogs and unlawfully search my whole vehicle, all of our belongings, and each of us individually as well as a sobriety test and interrogation. Because of my friend who looked out the back window to see what was going on, he suspected us to be guilty of somthing and on drugs. The cop that was searching me told me I better not try and cut her, if you know what I look like you know I couldn’t even kill a fly nor have a shank to cut her with. But they of course found nothing and warned us we were lucky. But I think the worse experience I have had is when I went through the airport bag security. I had forgotten to take out all my lighters; there was eight, a nail file and wine opener for work. Well I was put aside and the guy dumped my whole bag out asking me what everything was and what I did with it, including obvious stuff girls have in their purses. then the pervert security guard starts screaming code red like I have a bomb because of my pepper spray I forgot to take off my keychain, thank god for the guy in charge who ran up to us, looked at me and laughed knowing I didn’t have the ability to do such a thing. Now whenever I go to the airports I’m so paranoid at security that I look scared and guilty of something, when really I'm completely innocent of everything.
ReplyDeleteKatie Clevenger, PSCI 100.05
Like most of the people on the blog I have been pulled over as well, not once but twice. My first was coming home from football practice in highschool. The officer even bummed the speed in was going to under reckless so wouldnt losse my driving rights. My second ticket I was on the way to beach week with all my friends and one police car pulled me over and the car in front of me, so that showing self policing because the car infront of me could have easily took off but they pulled over because they were scared of getting into more trouble.
ReplyDeleteLike many teenagers, I've been pulled over. Multiple times. I haven't been as lucky as most and just gotten away with a warning, nope, I received a ticket every time. Monthly, I also receive a credit card bill and have a due date of when to send it in. And just about every day, as I drive to school or work, I pass numerous potholes that have been filled in. So, in conclusion, I and interacted with the government on a daily basis.
ReplyDelete100.4
Every month I pay between $50.00 and $130.00 to a government agency, more specifically the public sewer services. Typically when a person pays out money they receive a good or service, but this is not the case in my situation. Several years ago I purchased a home on 2 acres that included a septic tank for all my sewage needs. This means I am responsible for maintaing the septic system so it functions properly. My immediate neighbors and those in sub-divisions and communities surrounding my home also had the same set up which was functioning just fine. But then a broker/ contractor decided he wanted to build new homes in the area. He discovered that if he installed septic systems for each home the requirements for how much land each home must have was greater than if these homes were on city sewer. Since the city did not have these services in place for the area the contractor propositioned the government to bring the sewer to this area. But in order for this to occur the city required that all homes within the community go onto public sewer. The large majority of pre-existing homeowners were not in agreement for this imposed increased expense to the homeowners, some of which had lived in the area for 30 years or more. Petitions were signed and lawyers were obtained and the issue went to court. We the people went through all the right channels and took appropiate actions to stop the will of one man. Now this contractor and his family is a big name in my town and they have money. So it should be of no surprise then when I say the local court ruled in favor of the contractor. Remember almost all of the homeowners protested this, but within weeks each home suddenly had city workers on our property bulldozing trees and digging treches for the sewer lines right through our back yards. On my own property alone they cut down more than 1/3rd of my trees and ripped up land and installed an ugly cement access unit on my yard. We had no rights as public easement laws allowed the city to use our land for city upgrades. Next the government informed us that we must hook into the new sewer system but that the expense of doing so would come out of our own pocket. The cheapest estimate was over 2,000 per home. Many of us didn't have the money but the government offered to give out lower interst loans...which most people declined since our septics were working just fine. Those of us he chose not to hook into the sewer were told that we would be unable to sell our home until we hooked in. In addition, the government said all homeowners would pay a fee for the sewer service even if we remained disconnected. Well this fee is based on a homes water consumption (from this the city decides how much "would" be processed through the city sewer. Myself and the majority of my neighbors still rely on our personal septics and our sewage is never processed by the city at all, but we still must pay an average of 100.00 per month for NO SERVICES! The majority is being penalized so one individual could cram more houses into less space therefore making more profit for himself. This seems to be an example of how government can fail to serve the people when it is influenced by others in positions of power or status. My question is how did the government benefit form allowing this unfair action...we may never know but we can be sure they did.
ReplyDeleteChristina Page psci 100.04
Christina Page says: "My question is how did the government benefit form allowing this unfair action...we may never know but we can be sure they did."
ReplyDeleteWhen we say "the government," we often miss the fact that we are talking about particular people carrying out the work of the government. So, to reformulate your question, how did those government officials who made this decision benefit from this decision?
One way to answer this would be to access the public debates among the officials and determine who argued for the policy change and who argued against the policy change. From there, you can start more clearly seeing who is benefitting from this decision.
-- Jacob Stump
I have been pulled over by state police once for window tint and headlight out. Also, when I was in my car accident, I had to talk to the state police and give them my statement. I am part of a fire company and we come in contact with police a lot. Every time I go to renew my tags for my vehicle I talk to the DMV personnel. Some of these government personnel are friendly and others not so much.
ReplyDeleteLacie Sirk, PSCI 100.05
Like everyone else on here..i have also been pulled over! The very first time I was pulled over I was going 45 in a 40. 500 yards in front of me there was a speed limit sign that said 50, so i sped up. Within 2 secs I was pulled over told i was going 52 in a 40. The police officer was very rude. Luckily I didnt get a ticket..just a warning. He ended the conversation with "Merry Christmas and have a great New Year"
ReplyDeleteAshley Eckenrode PSCI 100.05
It's amazing how many people have been pulled over by the cops for ridiculous things. I was pulled over one time for not completely stopping at a stop sign on the back road I live on. I have traveled the road thousands of times and not once have I ever seen a cop except for one night and that is the night I got pulled over. It was dark out and I seen this car behind me, but I figured it was just the neighbor who has a habit of tailgating so I thought nothing when I seen a car catching up to me. I hate being tailgated so I made a half stop at a stop sign and the next thing I seen was the cops' lights in my rearview mirror. He was polite when he asked for my information and I thought I was going to get off with a warning, but to my dismay, he handed me a citation with a $109.50 fine. The only good thing was that he didn't give me any points. That is my most recent experience with government.
ReplyDeleteJenna Peck PSCI 100.04
I have had many encounters with government representatives. My aunt is one that i really like to stay in contact with, she is special service director of the FBI. Before she was doing that she was a Capitol Police officer for many years, and since she was working on capitol hill she let me meet many different government reps. One time i skipped school to go see Jessica Simpson because Jessica was giving a speech to congress about helping homeless kids have better teeth. Saying all of this I to have also had negative experiences with government officials, but hey they are the government....nothings perfect, but they still try and help the people so i keep a positive out look on them.
ReplyDeleteJustin Jennings PSCI 100.03
I have not had any very bad experiences with government officials, other than one time. On my way to Senior Week in Myrtle Beach I was pulled over in Virginia for doing 81mph in a 65mph zone. The officer wrote me a ticket, however, because it was my first time for ever being pulled over he lowered it to doing 80mph in a 65mph zone. Thankfully he did that because later on I read that anything over 80mph in a 65mph zone is considered wreck less driving in the state of Virginia and that would have not been a fun way to start off Senior Week.
ReplyDeleteMatt Santmier
PSCI 100.03
Now that I think about it, I run into government officials more than I realize. They're everywhere. Like everyone else who has written on this blog, I feel like the times that stand out the most are the times I've been to the DMV and when I've been pulled over for speeding. I've been to the DMV three times for myself: to get my permit, to get my license, and to renew my license when I turned 18. I'm from Berkeley Springs, a town just slightly larger than Shepherdstown that is approximately 45 minutes from it. Because there isn't a DMV in our small town, the closest one for me is located in Martinsburg so I've always traveled there. Luckily, I've never had any bad experiences. Because they serve a smaller area of people than most DMVs, I've never encountered long lines or long waits and the people have always been very polite.
ReplyDeleteAs far as being pulled over, it has happened to me twice. Luckily, both times when the officer pulled me over, they were very nice and calmly told me how fast I was going and asked my reason for hurrying. Both times I was unaware of how fast I was going, and got off with a warning (even though I deserved a ticket).
Also, as a side note, I met Shelly Moore Capito once while on a school trip to DC. She asked us about what we felt were important issues that should be more addressed in politics, and it was interesting and surprising to know that she wanted to hear the opinions of a bunch of 16 year olds. -Jessica Meyers 100.05
Receiving mail gives me a great and exciting feeling. I always get really jittery when opening up a letter or a package. The FedEx guy is always so nice when delivering packages, and the postman leaves treats for my family and I in our mailbox on holidays. I usually arrive home when the mailman gets there, so I wave and we exchange smiles. Whether it is a bill or a thank you card from Aunt Nan, I personally enjoy getting mail. Its also a great feeling getting a letter from a loved one so far away. My father, brother, and boyfriend are all in the military. The government “owns” them. My dad just got back from Afghanistan about two months ago. I had received letters and packages almost every week until he got home (we wrote each other every day but it takes a long time to travel half way across the world). My brother, on the other hand, was stationed only 3 hours away and could come home on the weekends. My boyfriend is stationed in Alaska and he was all the way around the world from where my dad was standing. I talk to my dad, brother, and boyfriend every day. This is my main interaction with government. In my senior year of high school, I wrote letters to the senators and to the delegates on certain bills, and almost every letter was responded to. My encounters with the government have always been positive until I received my first ticket for speeding. I wasn’t going just a little over the speed limit, I was going 20 over! I was going 45mph in a 25mph zone. Luckily, because it was my first ticket ever, he reduced the speed I was going so it wouldn’t be over the 15mph limit for reckless driving. These are just a few of my encounters with the government, and I have no doubt there’s much more.
ReplyDelete-Pamela Smoot PSCI 100.04
I don't have any good stories about my own life with the government, besides the people at the MVA who could be much nicer, but I did hear a story on the news about a police officer that really worried me. In 2010, an Illinois state trooper had been texting while driving and well as e-mailing his girlfriend and driving. He was going 126mph on the interstate. He hit the median and hit two girls in another car and killed them instantly. This is a tragic story. The part that confuses me is what happened to the state trooper. Instead of a few years in jail, he received thirty months of probation, ended his career, and did not receive two years worth of pay. This man killed two teenage girls because of his own mistakes and that's all that happens. I feel like the government should have taken serious actions immediately, instead of this little bit of punishment. He is also filing for workers compensation, so he will get tax-payer money. That makes me sick. I just thought I would share this. I'm sure we all can relate in some way to this story.
ReplyDelete-Kellen Williams PSCI 100.05
On the way home for Thanksgiving break, last semester, I was pulled over for speeding. I had just crossed the bridge over the Potomic River into Maryland and there was a car driving unbelievably slow, impeding my foward progression. There was a chance to pass so I took the opportunity. I had to be quick with my passing because I was in the other lane of traffic and, as a result, I sped. Further up the road I came upon a police car driving in front of me. I slowed my speed and noticed that he was pulling off the road. I passed the now stopped officer and he pulled back on the road behind me. I bet you'll never be able to figure out what happened next though: HE TURNED ON HIS LIGHTS! So I pulled off the road and this is where my first ever run-in with a police officer happened.
ReplyDeleteThe weird thing about this Maryland officer was that he couldn't speak understandable English. He was very much American, but he was "hick American." It really sounded like this man was speaking "banjo" (imagine the sound of a banjo). Fortunately I knew to show him my liscence and registration, but had I not there would have been a communication issue.
To make this already long story short: I ended up with a warning. But the whole situation was bizarre for two reasons. One being that this officer pulled me over without actually witnessing me speeding. And two, that I could not understand his dialect.
Stephanie Trupo PSCI 100.03
Brittney Butler PSCI 100.03
ReplyDeleteI have not had any run ins with the law officials per-say but my encounter with the DMV staff led me to believe that they are very miserable in their occupation and come off with a rude vibe. They are in an occupation that deals with the public and are the most unfriendly characters one can encounter. I feel that they should be more friendly and outgoing because it is already really stressful enough for people who take their tests and a friendly environment would be less overwhelming. In addition, the people who are waiting hours in line will not want to put up with the rudeness and the attitude that the staff displays.
Brittney Butler
After reading some of the posts, I must say that police officers seem to be pretty prevalent in the posts. Well I shall join the club as well and share my experiences with government officials, such as the police. One of my experiences with the police took place in the state of Maryland as I was driving to a friend’s house with my sisters after watching a play on campus. It was around nine o’clock in the night and we had decided that we’d go see one of our friends. So we left from A lot, parking lot behind the library heading towards the bridge. We drove and drove and drove heading towards the Hagerstown. Well I noticed that as I approached the little town of Sharpsburg, a light from the distance. No guys it’s the lights of a police cop but the headlights of a police car. See what I saw was a speck in the distance in my rear view mirror and that speck grew bigger in a matter of a couple seconds and soon it right behind me. Well I thought to myself that is really odd and ignored it and went through the town of Sharpsburg and as I took this left turn saw behind me that it was a cop car. Well what stood out the most was that it sped and it was right up against my bumper following every turn I made, but wasn’t pulling me over. I got worried and tried to push away the discomfort and soon enough the development approached where I was to merge into the turning lane. Then, I saw the lights come on of the cop car, bright blue and red. So at this point, I am thinking to myself that I know for sure I wasn’t speeding but what could be the reason. Well the gentleman approached the car and I rolled down the window and he says to me something along the lines that my right rear tail light was out. Well I don’t know about how everyone else would feel in this type of a situation but I was like worried that I would get a ticket for that, but nope it turned out that I got a warning. I wasn’t too proud about getting that warning either because the funny thing is that I afterwards checked the tail light and it wasn’t out and I even showed it to my dad. It wasn’t that bad of an experience considering that he was doing his job.
ReplyDeleteSofia Khan PSCI 100.5
Last semester I was unfortunate enough to be pulled over by a state trooper. At the time I did't have a voice due to some sickness. As the officer asked for my liscense and registration he also asked, "Do you know how fast you were going?" I thought to myself for a second knowing I was going pretty fast, then replied, "No." Turns out I was going 95 in a 70 which in turn gave me a reckless driving ticket. Now I have to go to court for a second time to recieve my punishment which could include jail time, lots of money, and a liscense suspension. SIGHHHHHH..
ReplyDeletePSCI 100.03
I got in a car accident my senior year of highschool which was over 2 years ago. A lady hit me in the middle of an intersection at like 1030 at night and i flew like 50 yards up on a hill, threw 2 trees and my car stopped before hitting another tree. Well the police officer on my case said when my parents got there that their were more than one witness stating that i was in the right and it was the other ladys fault for running the red light. However, then when our insurrance companies talked now all the sudden the witnesses were on her side, and said i ran the red light. Well now the lady more than 2 years later has come back and decided to sue me. I am currently involved in a major case right now. And the reading the police report the poilice officer was an IDIOT and has the entire descriptions wrong. saying my car hit hers and hers flew on the hill, when i got hit in my back door. So as of right now i will soon be dealing with a judge and having to get a lawyer. so i am hoping that everything is going to work out because there are a lot of details that in her summons form doenst even make sense, and she is just a rich lady with a bmw trying to sue who was a 17 year old who had just gotten her license. So unfortunate how nasty rich people can be. all they want is more money. because she thinks she can.
ReplyDeletekasey mercier plysci 100.03
I have been aware of the influence of government in my life from a very young age, beginning with my father (and four uncles) being absent during my toddler years to serve in Vietnam, working for the FBI in Washington, D.C. for four years, and at various junctures in my life such as applying for financial aid for school, vaccinating my children before attending school and filing for a divorce.
ReplyDeleteOne experience that stands out happened this past year when I filed for divorce from my spouse after sixteen years of marriage. The New Hampshire State government required me and my ex-husband to attend a Child Impact Course at my expense - $80 per person, not per couple.
The intent of the course was to help parents realize that they were probably going to encounter their ex-spouses throughout their children's lives beyond the child support years and wanted to offer advice on how to begin doing this nicely.
Throughout the course, attendees were strongly encouraged to refer to their ex-spouses as "co-parents" even eschewing the terms "father" and "mother." Even when speaking directly to me to answer questions, the speakers used this word. My ex-spouse, the father of my children, barely "co-parented" when we were married. I refused to apply this term, or to believe the propoganda that this term would make divorce more understandable for the children and for them to more easily understand that we were both still their parents. So, I was supposed to address my nine-year old daughter using the term "co-parent" and not "your father" when discussing the divorce with her or anyone else? Honestly, this set me on edge from the very beginning and made it difficult to swallow anything else they put up on their Powerpoint presentation.
But the thing I took issue with the most was that most of the directives in the course worked on the assumption that the couples divorcing would be sane, cooperative, sympathetic, loving parents. It did not take into account that some "co-parents" were abusive. Yes, even those involved in physically abusive relationships were required to take this class, and I can only imagine their revulsion at some of the suggestions that were made on how to "play nicely" with an ex-spouse. It did not offer any suggestions about how to cope with spouses who were irresponsible, neglectful, and dishonest in regard to their children. Everything was geared toward the basic idea that everyone was in this together and all would work out perfectly for the children and parents if you just followed the rules and never said anything negative or ill-willed.
But, what about the plain truth? While I don't believe a parent should tell their kid(s) that Dad is a "low-down, stinking ()&*&#^ who doesn't give a da** about them and never will" I also don't believe that they should be given a sugar coated version either. It should be perfectly acceptable to truthfully tell them "You can't go to the dentist yet for that tooth pain, because your father refuses to provide the dental insurance information." or "Your father didn't feel it was worthwhile to work at a low-level job or sell his vast collection of comic books and DVD's to prevent the house from going into foreclosure."
Overall, I felt that the government had no right or reason to force parents to attend this class and advise them how to handle their individual situations through generic terms. I know I wasn't alone in this view since I witnessed many other parents, male and female, shaking their heads in disbelief at some of the suggestions. If the government doesn't offer a parenting class before the children are born and give advice about how to be a responsible parent, they should not wait until a dissolution of marriage to step in and advise it then.
Denise (Dee) Pierce
PSCI 100.03
The only experience I have had with the government was with the police. When I was thirteen I was in a car accident and I had to give them a statement because they wanted to see if the girl who hit us was going too fast for the road conditions. Then my uncle was the sheriff of our town at one time and then the sheriff now is a friend of the family. So from my experience government officials are very kind.
ReplyDeleteAshley Mellott
PSCI 100.03
I have had one experience with the government and that was with the police. I was a junior in High School and I was on my way to school when I got into a small fender bender. In this fender bender was three cars, one person was new to where I lived and the other was a senior at my school. We called the police and the officer was there in a few minutes. After we exchanged our information and got the damages checked out, we were all let go on a warning. Since that accident, I have been a more careful driver and I haven't gotten in another minor accident.
ReplyDeleteAlaina Meserole
PSCI 100.05
I personally have not had any real experience with the government. However, I do know someone who has had their social security number stolen and now "supposedly" owes the IRS over $3,000. In order to get everything straightened out, and turn it in to the police. According to him, they were really friendly and supportive of his they had to fill out a lot of paper work, etc situation. So in my experience, and in his, government officials have been very helpful.
ReplyDeleteHeather Reynolds
PSCI 100.04
About 2 years ago i had experience with the government. I was driving home from school and this cop was behind me, so i mean sure i was doing the speed limit. I turned onto my road i notice the cop was following me. He turn his lights on and pulled me over. He checked all my information and i asked him the reason i was being pulled over. he said my brake light was out. i got home and checked it an my brake light worked fine.
ReplyDeleteWayne fleming Psci 100.04
One time when I was driving my parents car I was pulled over by a cop. Apparently there’s a sticker on one’s license plate with a date on it and the sticker on my car was not up to date. The officer was very polite and just told me that I needed to find the right sticker and put it on as soon as possible. This was my only encounter with the government.
ReplyDeleteEmmi Shambeda, PSCI 100.05
I think that usually the government is pretty good about fixing the roads and maintaining them but the government in Morgantown WV where I live seems to do absolutely nothing to the roads. Morgantown has some of the worst roads that I have ever experienced. Other than the fact that they are always filled with pot holes and they are never fixed, I've read in the news that the city government passed on on funds from the state to fixed the roads and since they did so they won't have any money for the roads for a few years or more.
ReplyDeleteBen Hackett PSCI 100.03
It looks like everyone is going with traffic ticket stories so i'll have to add my story to the mix.
ReplyDeleteI was pulled over for having my parking lights on instead of regular light. I was in downtown Martinsburg so I couldn't even tell because of the street lights. When I was pulled over the officer asked "i pulled you over because you had your parking lights on."
Me: "Oh man, I'm sorry. I didn't realize..."
Officer: "Listen! I anit you're man, I anit you're homie, I anit you're boy, I anit you're dude. You best learn respect."
Thats when i realized exactly what kind of person i was dealing with. I shut up and took my $215 ticket. Government officials are just people like everyone else; Prejudice, temperamental, flawed people.
On the brighter side the government is responsible for one of my favorite; National Public Radio.
Christine Pannuty
ReplyDeleteI was pulled over one time when I was younger and the officer asked me if I knew I had a tail light out. I was young so I replied," Yes because I drive behind myself all the time." The officer thankfully was younger and good natured because he laughed too. He also admitted it was a silly question to ask and made a mental note to try not to ask it again. He let me off with a warning and made me promise to get it fixed asap. Another time years later I was pulled over for speeding and the officer was a jerk. He had let the person who was quite a bit in front of me fly by and then pulled me over. I questioned him on this and he became biligerant and angry which made me become so also. I took the ticket to court and only had to pay half of it because when I told the judge what happedned he listened and was fair and agreed with me. I had no problem paying for my speeding but the officer was in the wrong also and that fact needed to be brought to light and since the judge was a fair one it was.
Christine Pannuty
PSCI 100.03
I have been pulled over twice since recieving my license, and thankfully both times they only issued me a warning. Although I would not say police officers are my favorite people in the world,my first experience was a rather good one. I was speeding a long a back country road when I saw the lights in my rear view window. I was very scared because I had never been pulled over before however, the man was very nice. He explained to me the dangers of driving fast on back country roads with lots of deer, and he said he would never want to read in the newspaper that I had been killed in a car accident. He could tell I was very nervous and responded to my emotions very well. There are Police Officers out there that take advantage of their position and the people driving on the roads however, there are also police officers with the genuine concern for our safety, and these are the ones we need patroling our streets.
ReplyDeleteKathryn Stevens
ReplyDeletePSCI 100.04
I have dealt with government a little bit since I got my license. The first time I got pulled over I got a written warning for going ten miles over the speed limit. The second time I was going 88 and the speed limit was 65 mph. I got a $300 fine but got off lucky with no points but I regreted that ticket. Then a third time I got another written warning for going 65 in a 50 mph. I want to say I have learned my lesson but I don't think I have. I have also dealt with pot holes all through my development and they don't do anything about it. One time they filled them in with rocks which did nothing. When we moved in they said they were going to pave the road and it has been almost seven years and still have not seen anything. When it snows the plow truck does not come for two or three days later. So when it snows I am stuck. I feel like there is no government around my development.
I do not think I have ever had really a "direct" encounter with the government. I have, however, been directly affected by government policies. It is common knowledge that health care benefits have been recently extended under the Obama administration. As a result, I am now able to stay on my parent's heath care plan until I am twenty-six years old. Although I have mixed feelings about twenty-six year olds, people who could be married, have kids, a job, on their parents health insurance, living off of their parents health insurance, I cannot deny the benefits this legislation provides for a student like me.
ReplyDelete-Aaron Ladd, 100.05
Sorry about the typos. It's late and I didn't notice before I sent it.
ReplyDeleteSo far, I have not had many direct encounters with the government other than at the DMV. I've yet to be pulled over by a police officer but they still make me nervous when I see them and i'm driving. I think it's the anticipation since it's bound to happen sometime even though I'm a reasonable driver. I felt the same nervousness when I went to the DMV for my driver's test. Though the workers weren't particularly unfriendly you could tell they didn't really like their jobs. It has to be pretty mundane to work there everyday filling out the same paperwork and hearing the same stories...come to think of it, that sounds a little like my job (I work at a bank...but I actually like it. People are usually friendlier at my job, but that's probably because we're giving them money.) Anyway, though I didn't have too terrible of an experience at the DMV, I will certainly never enjoy going.
ReplyDeleteMiranda Beahm, PSCI 100.05
Growing up less than 30 miles from our nation's capital and having parents who have worked for the government for over 30 years, and as someone who used to work in the House of Representatives, I have full faith in the government. I have never had a bad experience with it. Granted, it has its flaws, which form of government doesn't? But it's definitely not the worst. The government can be a very good thing when it works in favor of the common man. I like it when the firemen come and put out the burning building across the street, I like it when I can send a letter to a friend halfway across the country for less than 50 cents, I like it when I can go to a building that houses thousands of books and read them all for a small one-time fee, and I like that I was able to go to a high school that was paid for by the taxes of me and my fellow community members.
ReplyDeleteI do wish we could expand the social programs we already have, such as medicade, medicare, and social security. Taxes can be an excellent source of funding for such things, obviously.
In my opinion, government is a very positive thing in our lives, when handled properly by the lawmakers. Meaning that they use it in favor of everyone, not just a select wealthy minority.
-Ross Tamaccio Psci 100.03
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI have had many different positive experiences with different types of government. My senior year, one of my teachers had us write Shelley Moore Capito about current political topics. I also interned at Jefferson County Magistrate Court. I now work for a police department. Overall, my experiences with any form of government have been positive and I think that is why I am planning on having a career with the government. I even got pulled over and received only a warning. I am lucky to have had only positive experiences.
ReplyDeleteLaura Bright 100.05
I would like go think I have had more experience with the government than most. I have lived in Washing DC almost my entire life. I have known prominent politicians and am very active with current events and understanding how the government works. As well, mt older brother is in the secret service. We often go to the White House for functions and get special privileges and are clued in to more than the average citizen. As well my political views are along the lines of anarcho-syndicalism, which is a radical version of socialism. I am an avid protester which can often times lead to conflicts with the government and sometimes with my family.
ReplyDeleteErin Stamp 100.4
My mother works in the Winchester/Frederick County Parole office and before that she worked at Camp 7 which was a prison and correctional facility before being partially shut down. Working for the state has been a joy in some aspects and not so great in other ways according to my mom. The good thing is that she always gets a paycheck and her retirement continues to build. Not getting raises is the biggest negative facing government officials now. I think this facet of government is effective because it serves as a detection agency for criminals.
ReplyDeleteLevi McDonald 100.03
One negative that I have had is when I was voting in the 2008 presidential election. I mailed in my absentee ballet atleast a month in advance. I know that from Shepherd to York, PA(wich is only 2 hours away) that it only takes 2-3 days to mail something. Two days before it was time to vote, I received my ballet back in the mail saying that it was not excepted within enough time. I drove home 2 hours that night just so I could vote.
ReplyDeleteOne positive thing is visiting a National Park. One can see how the government is restoring and retelling America's History. The workers are always nice, and the grounds are kept very nice.
Amy Sultner 100.03
I have had many encounters with government officials or representitives. Senator Bohanan from Souther Maryland lives in my neighborhood and all throughout high school would come in to history and current events classes and talk about what he does as a senator. Aside from the actual government in DC my dad is connected with the government by working for them at the Naval Air Station. He serves to them by working and testing out government planes. There are many different ways that one can encounter with government officials. One of my friends, her dad is a police officer, recently he has gotten many oppurtunities to patrol certain events up in DC for the special government officials. Because of where i live (Southern Maryland) it is a very big navy/military place, so not only do we have a Senator representing my county, but we also have many navy and military officers that do as well.
ReplyDeleteChristina Ferrara PSCI 100.03
I two stories about how government has affected me, one being positive and the other negative. My positive experience with the face of government was with a Shepherdstown cop. A few years ago I was pulled into a lot of things I shouldn’t have been, and was picked up by said cop. After he did his job and I dealt with my consequences, I figured I would never see him again and that would be that. He regularly took the time to talk to me and help me out whenever I needed it, with his help I was able to get turned around for the better. His positive influence on me helped a lot. The more negative of the two, involved two state troopers. If you have ever encountered troopers they are fairly stern people. I was pulled over by two of them and they immediately asked to search my vehicle. I consented, and they proceeded to put gloves on and search my vehicle for twenty minutes. After finding nothing they said,” we pulled you over for suspicious driving have a nice day.” After being late for work due to this I realized that they had only pulled me over because my vehicle was beat up and they thought I was pushing drugs. This stereotype has given state troopers a bad name in my eye. PSCI 100.03
ReplyDeleteKindra Bittle
ReplyDeletePSCI 100.03
I never really think too much about the government officials I work with or around. I know they're there. I know they're watching. It's their job, but the only times I can think of that I've interacted with them would be when I got pulled over once. The police officer was personable, he gave me a warning and was friendly. It wasn't a positive experience because who likes getting pulled over? but it was in no way a negative experience because nothing went wrong and he was nice. The other government official I had to deal with was the DMV clerk because my friend lost our licenses on new years. We both brought our social security cards. I went first and got mine no problem but because she was born in Massachusetts she needed her birth certificate, so we had to drive all the way home and back for something they usually had on file. It was kind of a hassle. But then again, maybe it's a good thing they're so strict on having the right papers because I'd rather make a trip home then have someone else be able to get a copy of my license because the lack of necessary evidence.
Ben Goldman
ReplyDeletePSCI 100.03
There have been numerous occasions where I have had negative interactions with Government officials. Most times I have interacted with Government officials have not been on the best terms. I am not saying that all government officials are out to get me or are against me, but it sure seems like it here in West Virginia. One Thursday night last year, I was intoxicated to say the least. The plan was to go into Tonys and have a great night; this did not end up happening. As soon as I got into the door the bouncers at Tonys escorted me outside. Next thing I know, the bouncers and I are in a scuffle in the streets of Downtown Shepherdstown. After about 15 minutes, the West Virginia State Trooper had arrived. He had asked me to stand down and get on the ground but I told him I was not getting on the ground. The officer is now yelling and how well does that usually work with an enraged drunk? I guess I started to get mouthy and the officer responded with k-9’s and taser guns. The officer tased me for the first time and I immediately dropped to the ground. When I was on the ground the officer had this k-9 barking right in my face. He could have placed the handcuffs on me then. Instead, he decides to let me proceed to get on my feet. I guess he did this so he could tase me again. I ended up getting tased 3 more times before I got to the Shepherdstown Police Station. Supposedly, I was still acting enraged at the police station, where the tased me again, while in handcuffs. This was unacceptable for a government official to act with such brutality. There was absolutely no need to tase me 5 times. There is no reason for anyone to be tased 5 times, unless the police feel like they are in danger. Which, in West Virginia, I guess that means when a police officer does not like the way you are speaking to them. This is just another lesson learned.
On a negative aspect I have had with the police is a friend who constantly is getting pulled over for countless of reasons that are different everytime. They are ride to her because she isn't liked by one of their brothers. She got in trouble for being publically intoxicated but she was not causing any trouble.... and one positive thing is that i receive federal grants from the government.
ReplyDeleteCourtney Owens PSCI 100.03
Many of the posts have focused on the police and the regulation of traffic laws and driving behaviors.
ReplyDeleteDee offers a nice alternative example of the government at work in areas of our lives that we often call "personal."
As she describes, the government works to educate, or inculcate, the governed. It defines what is an appropriate way to relate to your former spouse and your children and then it requires (by law) your participation in the institutions geared at changing your understanding and interpersonal behavior.
Last year I got pulled over for speeding in a school zone. I took it to court and the police officer who pulled me over didnt show up to the court date so I was lucky and got out of it. So I think that was a positive run in with the government. But usually you dont end up that lucky.
ReplyDelete---Kristin Knotts, 100.5
I have never really had to deal with any government officials except for one time a few months ago. I was at a friends house when I got a phone call from my younger sister, who was crying. She had told me that she got pulled over and she needed me to come get her. I started freaking out a little bit and I left my friends house and got her. She had gotten pulled over because she did not stop completely at a stop sign. But the reason I had to go get her is because she is only 16, so she was not supposed to have anyone in the car with her, and she had two other people. When I got there the officer asked to see my driver's license and asked me how I was related to her. I told him I was her sister and I had to drive her car home and my friend had to drive my car. The cop was very nice to me and my sister both. So I would say I had a positive experience with a government official.
ReplyDeleteLeigh Ann Nelson PSCI 100.03
For most of my life I grew up living with a police officer. He was a good cop, and had been through a lot on the job. At home he drank copious amounts of alcohol, and this became a regular thing. He never became violently physical with me, but would grab a hold of me and yell for no discernible reason. Although most of this was a bad experience with government officials, I will always have some respect for him. That respect if because of the job he encounters and because he saved my life when I was younger.
ReplyDeleteChristopher White 100.03
Both of my parents work for the government, my dad works for US Postal as a letter carrier and my mom works for the inspector general. I usually ask my dad what sort of policies and regulations that come from up top effect the postal service and some of the things he thinks should be changed. Iv also talked first hand with congressman Rosco Bartlett as he came to speak to my high school during my freshman year. I asked him what hes currently working on improving in our district and what will we look forward to in the coming years.
ReplyDeleteNicholas Mullican 100.05