Trump's First Year Accomplishments

     It has been a bumpy first year for President Trump. Even though he has been thrashed by liberal media, he has pressed forward to deliver on his promises. Here are some of the promises he has fulfilled in his first year.

Tax Cuts for Christmas

    After a two-month long process, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 has passed. Trump has touted it as the largest bill of tax cuts since the 1980s. Indeed, it has numerous pro-business, pro-middle class provisions, from which we have already seen benefits. The most immediate benefits are the bonuses and raises many large companies are giving their employees:

• AT&T, the mobile service provider, has given 200,000 non-management employees a $1000 bonus this year, a $200 million dollar investment.
• Boeing, an airplane manufacturer, is investing $300 million in its employees, which includes training, gift-giving, and workplace upgrading.
• Wells Fargo, a banking giant, is raising its minimum wage to $15 an hour, up from $13.50.
• Sinclair, a broadcasting company, is giving nine thousand employees a $1000 bonus, an investment of $9 million. 

     From my home state of Wisconsin, we are seeing benefits as Associated Bank, based in Green Bay and the largest financial institution based in the state, is raising its minimum wage by 50% to $15 an hour and is giving a $500 bonus to 55% of its workers. 

     The tax bill passed 224 - 201 in the House of Representatives and 51 - 48 in the senate, with Senator John McCain abstaining. Other provisions included in the bill are the opening of oil drilling in the Alaskan Wildlife Refuge and the lowering of tax rates in every income tax bracket.

Reformed Judiciary

     More judicial nominees have been confirmed in the Trump administration's first year than in any other president's first year in office. Trump has already confirmed twelve nominees, four times that of Obama, who only had three confirmed. Richard Nixon and John Kennedy came the closest to Trump with eleven nominees confirmed each.

     The rapidity with which the judiciary has been reformed can be largely attributed to the genius of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY). Mitch McConnell has battered down every attempt by Democrats to stop the hearings and has devoted much time in each session to clearing the nominees. 

      Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch is the best example of McConnell's patience and political genius. In 2016, when Justice Scalia passed away, President Obama recommended Merrick Garland to take Scalia's place on the Supreme Court. McConnell suggested that Obama was a lame-duck president and that a lame-duck president should not have the right to propose the next justice, resulting in McConnell's refusal to hold hearing for Garland. 

     Despite calls from members of the public and his own party to hold hearings for Garland, McConnell did not budge. Nearly one year later, when President Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch to replace Scalia, McConnell wasted no time in holding a hearing for him, and Gorsuch was confirmed. 

Leadership on the World Stage

     Recently, President Trump has announced that he would be moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. The United Nations voted overwhelmingly to condemn that move to no one's surprise. Nikki Haley, our ambassador to the United Nations, made it clear that "we would be taking names" during the vote. In response to the UN vote to condemn the embassy being moved to Jerusalem, Nikki Haley announced that $285 million would be cut from the UN budget next year. 

     Following Trump's lead, Guatemala announced that it would move its embassy to Jerusalem as well, with many other countries considering a similar move. 

     In November, Congress authorized a nearly $700 billion defense bill. Included in the bill are provisions to give our service members raises, purchases more LCS ships, orders more Join Strike Craft, and allocates $60 billion to the Pentagon war accounts. This bill fulfills a promise by President Trump to modernize our military and make it the most effective military in the world. 

     Lastly, ISIS has been defeated. Trump did not manage the war against the Islamic State. He delegated the entire war effort to James Mattis. Mattis wasted no time in allowing the military to do what they do best: blowing things up and killing the enemy. 

     

     After Trump's delegation of the war to Mattis, the war effort was accelerated and just in time for Christmas, the UN announced that ISIS had been effectively destroyed. 

     President Trump is doing what he said he would do. He has boosted the economy, reformed the judiciary, and modernized the military. 2017 has been a successful year for his administration, and America is looking forward to what he has planned for 2018.

What you need to know about the Senate tax bill

     Friday night, the Senate finally passed a long-awaited tax bill, that reduces taxes and gives more freedom to small businesses.

What's in it?

As Donald Trump insisted, the tax bill will include a massive tax cut for corporations. The rate will go down from 35% to 20%. This is widely expected to boost the stock market and create more jobs.

Pass-through businesses (those that are not incorporated) are given a larger tax deduction of 20% off their revenue. This as Senators Daines and Johnson said, will give Main Street a bigger boost. Coming from Iowa and Wisconsin, respectively, these senators were insistent that the bill could not exclude small businesses.

Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska demanded that drilling rights for oil companies be allowed on the Alaska Wildlife Refuge. These demands were met and drilling operations will reduce the price of oil and give more jobs to Alaska.

Other elements include repealing the ObamaCare individual mandate and increasing the Teacher Education deduction to $500. This deduction is for teachers who pay for many class supplies out-of-pocket. In the bill, the United States tax system becomes territorial, meaning that money is only taxed when it arrives in the United States.

Lastly, tax-payers are allowed to deduct $10,000 from property taxes.

How it passed:

After passing the committee vote on Wednesday, floor debate began on Thursday. The bill was widely expected to pass late Thursday night or Friday. The vote was delayed after many senators expressed concern over the budget report, stating that the bill would add $1 trillion to the national debt after economic growth is accounted for.

This caused concern with senators such as Bob Corker and Jeff Flake. After much discussion Friday night, Mitch McConnell, the Senate Majority Leader, convinced Flake to vote for the bill and a vote-a-rama was commenced.

Early Saturday morning, after all the amendments were voted added, the final vote finally came and the tax bill was passed 51-49, with Bob Corker being the only Republican to vote against the measure.

What's next?

Paul Ryan, the Speaker of the House, has begun setting up a conference committee, which will meet with a Senate committee to decide what the final bill will consist of. When McConnell and Ryan finally reach a bill that they are confident will be passed in both houses. If both houses pass the final bill, the President has said he will sign it into effect. Only the Corporate tax reduction will be postponed until 2019 under the Senate bill.

Effects of the bill:

Due to the smaller rates on corporations and small businesses, businesses throughout the country are likely to respond by hiring more workers. Prices are expected to drop and consumer confidence will increase.

In rural states, such as Wisconsin and Iowa, "Main street" will see an economic revival. Smaller businesses will be more prominent in the community.

Gas corporations, such as Exxon Mobil, will begin drilling in the Alaska Wildlife Refuge, resulting in more jobs in Alaska, advocated by Lisa Murkowski, and lower oil prices.

Because of the repeal of the individual mandate of ObamaCare, fewer people are expected to have healthcare.

If the effects of the bill are as positive as they seem on paper, Republicans will most likely see positive election results in 2018. As the majority increases in Congress, they will be able to pass legislation that reflects the party's agenda.

Are There Benefits to Student Debt?

     As a rule, student debt is not looked highly upon. In 
the individual case, many people are weighed down by student 
debt. Graduates are questioning the value of their college degree, and rightfully so. For example, many people graduate from college with a degree in Gender Studies. I am not saying that the GS degree is absolutely useless; I am saying that students need to be actively thinking about what they are going to do with their degree after college. A GS degree is not going to pay off $37,000 in college debt, which (according to the Federal Reserve) is how much the average 2016 graduate owes in debt. If students thought about how they are going to pay off college debt, they will make the economy more productive. Student debt is not fundamentally a good thing, but it does have its benefits.

     High school students will see how badly debt affects college graduates, and they will seek alternatives to large student loans to pay for college. Trade school is one of the most overlooked alternatives to college. Not only does it cost much less than a four-year degree, but the ROI will be much greater. Welding, flooring, and plumbing are very lucrative careers, and they are in high demand. 
     
     Military service is not just a great alternative to attending college, but it is also a great pathway through which to pay for college. The GI Bill provides generous funds to reward you for your service and invests in the economy by investing in you. The funds are directed straight to your college of choice. I would much rather see people serve our country than pay off a huge loan for college. 

     The last alternative is the one that has contributed to America's greatness: Entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs, from Henry Ford to Bill Gates, have brought millions of jobs to this nation. They are pioneers who have many times dropped out of college. Those who start a business show that you do not have to be in $37,000 in debt to succeed.

     The second benefit to college debt is keeping the economy stable. Our economy rests on the banks; this was seen in the 1930s and again in 2008. As soon as our banks crumble, the economy will soon follow. Banks make a profit off the interest they charge college students. While it may seem unethical to do so, banks are stabilized when students pay off their college debt. A stable banking system results in a stable economy. Student debt, at $1.45 trillion, is larger than credit card debt. If banks cannot make that money back, our whole financial system will crumble.

     The last benefit to college debt is putting our national debt in perspective. The average college graduate is $37,000 in debt. Every man, woman, and child in the whole United States would have to pay $47,000 to get rid of our national debt. That is if every living human being in America paid for our debt. Every single taxpayer would have to pay $122,000 to get rid of our national debt. On a national level, student debt takes a higher priority than our national debt. Why is that? Why do we not follow the common sense rule of Big Rocks First? Before we can politically tackle the issue of student debt, we must tackle national debt first. 

     I am not saying that student debt is a good thing. I am saying that if high school students put student debt in perspective and looked into alternatives, our economy would be much more productive. It is the individual's choice as to whether they want to go into debt or not. By forgiving student debt, the government would hurt our banking system, make students lazy, and damage the economy.
    
     There are benefits to student debt, so long as we do not make it the norm of college graduates.

The Constitutionality of the Anthem Protests

     The NFL protests are at the forefront of the news media right now. Conservatives are criticizing those who sit for the anthem, portraying them as unpatriotic snowflakes - over-payed jocks who should get a college degree. The liberals are proud to stand in solidarity against the police brutality that they believe plagues our nation.

     Both sides have no Constitutional basis for their accusations. The First Amendment gives NFL players a clear right to sit down or stand up for the anthem as they please; however, the constitution also gives our officers the right to protect themselves when threatened.  In the end, the Constitution does not condemn those who sit down for the anthem. It is legal to do so. 

     Is it patriotic to sit down for the anthem? No. 

     Are liberal claims about police brutality well-founded? No.

     Are NFL players disrespecting fallen soldiers by sitting down for the anthem? Yes.

     Is it legal to sit down for the playing of the National Anthem? Yes.

     Here is the catch. The NFL teams that these players represent are privately-held entities. Therefore, since the players are being payed by the owner, the owners of the football teams have the right to tell the players to stand up for the anthem or leave the team. The owners of the teams give the ultimatum. The government does not. The calling for government interference in the matter is unconstitutional. Liberals who call for the players to continue protesting are telling employees of a business how to do their job. 
  
     The free market decides what the fate of the NFL will be. As NFL ratings continue to go down and as the NFL continues to lose money, they will eventually halt the anthem protests. Even if the NFL does not halt the protests, the football teams can individually fire the players until the players get the point. 

     Our Founding Fathers knew what they were doing when they wrote the constitution. They knew that if decisions people were making were immoral, the free market would correct it. The free market is an engine that is fueled by We the People, not Big Brother in Washington, D.C. 

Jeffrey D. Edgecombe

A Counter-Argument to 10 Common Reasons College is Overvalued

     College is not cheap. Many people graduate with thousands - sometimes hundreds of thousands - of dollars in debt. This sparks the question: "Is college worth the heavy price tag?" Many have answered with arguments why college is overvalued. In what follows, I list the arguments, and I offer a rebuttal to those arguments.

1. Colleges judge your work with scores. Scores are irrelevant in real life.

Scores are a reflection of how hard we worked. When there is an upcoming test, the score does not simply show how you did on your test. It shows how disciplined you were in studying. A high score proves that you worked hard before the test and did your best. Striving for high scores involves studying hard. Developing discipline in college and high school by studying and preparing for tests is a skill that carries over to day-to-day life. So, the score reflects your discipline and shows you what you need to improve. That is very relevant.

2. In following your passion, you work to magnify your strengths. School, by contrast, attempts to suppress your weaknesses. 

School does, in fact work to magnify your strengths. School offers different majors based on what your passion is. If you did not choose a major that reflects your passion, you are at fault. Classes that are focused on your major are taught by people who have a passion about what they are teaching. The electives are classes that can supplement your major in building on your strengths, or assist in suppressing your weaknesses, based on what electives you choose.

3. College teaches you to think for yourself, but totally ignores the idea of teamwork.

First of all, teamwork is not vital to success. It is up to you to make yourself a success. If that involves surrounding yourself with people who will work with you, then that is up to you. Second, school does promote teamwork. In various classes, you may have group research projects. On campus, there exist many student organizations that are all about teamwork and assist in helping you become a better person.

4. Money is a good thing. Colleges promote a scarcity mindset that downplays the value of money.

The entire point is invalid. The whole selling point of universities is that you will make more money with a degree than without one. The price tag of the college proves it. Tuition is at an all-time high. Colleges know the value of money, and want to help you make more money in your career.

5. In college, you have to ask permission for everything. In life, you should not have to ask permission for anything. 

The second sentence is true. In life, you should not have to ask permission for anything. But we need to learn to be respectful of those in authority. Raising your hand to ask teachers for assistance or use the restroom shows that you value what they are teaching, and you do not want to blatantly interrupt them. When we value what others have to say, we become more likable.

6. One does not have to always follow the rules or conform to the norm.

Let me say. If everyone thought this way, the world would be in anarchy. The established rules that colleges, workplaces, and governments have are there because they sustain order. These rules have worked for many, many centuries. By learning to follow rules, you learn what rules are good and bad, preparing you for a possible leadership position down the road.

7. It is okay to fail. College teaches you otherwise. 

Yes. It is okay to fail. School does not condemn failure. It teaches you to learn from it. Did you not get a good score on your test? Study harder next time. School teaches you not only to avoid failure, but to achieve success. Studying, taking notes, and listening in class are ways you can practice preparing for success. 

8. College teaches you to accept what you have been given, and no more.

If anything, college is a way you can achieve better than what you have been given. You may have gone to school, leaving a bad situation at home or your career may be stuck in a rut. School allows you to overcome how you were raised. It opens many doors and develops many skills to advance your career. 

9. School teaches us that logic is more important than emotion. We are emotionally-driven beings and cannot operate this way.

This answer is up to you. Two main philosophies exist about life: Epicureanism and Stoicism. The Epicureans teach to live life based on what your emotion wants now. Stoics teach you to avoid excessive comfort in favor of a lifestyle based on productivity and contemplation. If you are a Stoic, by all means go to college and learn. If you are an Epicurean, college may be kind of hard for you.

10. College is expensive. 

Yes. It is expensive. You are paying for a place to stay, for food to eat, and you are paying your teachers. They work hard every day to benefit you. They are investing in you. You are paying for knowledge that might be otherwise inaccessible outside the classroom. You are paying for lifelong friends you may meet. You are paying for memories.

Mitch McConnell's Comeback

Mitch McConnell Will Make a Huge Comeback

     Despite what seems like loss after loss for the Senate Majority Leader and increasing pressure 

from an impatient President, Mitch McConnell is not-at-all down for the count. 

     

     He hit the ground running when Trump became President. He held off Obama's supreme court 

pick Merrick Garland for an entire year without the public batting an eye, and after Trump became 

President, he had Gorsuch confirmed promptly. This big win gave Trump the momentum that he 

needed.

                                         Mitch McConnell gave Trump momentum.

     President Trump clearly laid out his agenda. He wanted to get health reform accomplished before

the August recess. The Senate Majority Leader fought tooth and nail to get some sort of bill passed

through, but to no avail. 

   
     The first repeal bill McConnell introduced was right in the centre of the political spectrum, so it

took heat from both sides. That is what Mitch wanted. He wanted input from all sides about how

he could make the bill better and make it appeal to all sides. 

   
     After amending the bill slightly, he introduced the revised version. Within hours of the bill being

released to the public, four conservative senators refused to support it. Ted Cruz, Ron Johnson, Mike

Lee and Rand Paul would not put their support behind the bill.

                                         Ted Cruz refused to support the bill. 

     Ted Cruz proposed his own amendment, which would allow insurers to offer at least one

ObamaCare-complicit plan, and then offer as many of their own plans as they want. This received

applause from the right side of the aisle. When McConnell agreed to take on that amendment to the

bill, three other senators from the center took their support away: Shelley Capito, Susan Collins, and

Lisa Murkowski.

   
     McConnell realized than an attempt to repeal and replace ObamaCare was hopeless, so he went

straight to the Senate with a repeal-only vote, which failed 49-51. Collins, Murkowski, and McCain

were the three Republican defectors. 

   
     Trump was furious at this failure. Repealing ObamaCare was going to be the centerpiece of his

first year as President. He immediately punished McConnell with his favorite weapon: Twitter. 

   

   

     The President let the public know clearly

what he thought of McConnell's leadership. He

took to Twitter to bash the Senate Majority

Leader's ability. Many polls reveal that the

majority of Republicans support Trump's bashing

of the Majority leader. McConnell later vented

about how tired he was of Trump bashing him. Many Senate Republicans came to McConnell's aide,

claiming that he was the best leader they have ever worked under.

   
      Despite all the fire and fury, McConnell has a plan. He always has a plan. He is lying low now.

He and his super PACs are quickly raising money for the upcoming midterm senate elections.

Already he is showing his influence in the Alabama special election. Because Jeff Sessions was

chosen as Attorney General, someone needs to take his place in the Senate. McConnell saw a clear

opportunity here. He wants to reign in his caucus, to make it more controllable. He needs

establishment senators who will follow through with his agenda.

   
      He endorsed Luther Strange, the man who Jeff Sessions chose to temporarily replace him in the

Senate. McConnell and his super PAC showed just how powerful they were when they ran attack ads

and invested millions of dollars into Strange's campaign. After the first primary, they managed to

push Strange into the runoff, which will be much closer. You can count on it that McConnell will not

sit idly by and let the election happen. He will be

investing even more in attack ads and

fundraising for Strange. He needs every victory

he can get.



   
     If he can push Strange through to a victory,

this will give him momentum going into the

2018 midterm elections. He will have demonstrated that his political machine is not-at-all rusty.

This is all a part of his comeback that he will make. He is, after all, Mitch McConnell. And his game,

is the long game.

     

Five Problems with Liberal and Conservative Media

     You know exactly what I'm talking about. Liberals say, "Fox News paints (insert minority/religion here) as terrible!" And then you have Conservatives who say, "What about your very own CNN? You guys are not even giving Trump a chance!"

     Both sides do good things and bad things. In this article, I am going to explain what the five worst things about media on both sides of the aisle are, and then I will give you the solution.

1. They are all biased.

     By far, this is the most obvious problem. Breitbart, Fox News, and Drudge all suck up to the Donald, while CNN, ABC, and NBC all bow down to Bernie Sanders. This is probably the root of all the other problems I list in this article.

2. They all point the opposite side of the aisle as the enemies.

     When will you hear a biased media source say, "Maybe, we should recognize that the other side is trying to make things better, but in a different way,"? 
Never. You will never hear any biased media source say that. They always point their fingers at the opposite side and blame them for all the problems.

3. They all paint a grim view of the future.

     Conservatives say that because the younger generation is being raised to be liberal, they will inevitably vote in liberal people and ruin this country. Liberals, looking at Donald Trump, will moan and groan about how his policies will be the downfall of America. I have yet to see either side express optimism about the future of America.

4. Their language is absolutely brutal.

     Neither side is diplomatic or uplifting. From calling one side a basket of deplorables to calling the other side's presidential candidate a nasty woman, they are filling their speech with some horrible words. Why can we not go back to the days when everyone was urbane and limited the deprecating language to their homes or local bars? 

5. They are dishonest.

     Why do we have to have fact checkers in presidential debates? Why news sites fact check other news sites' material? It is because they are all dishonest. Even the fact checkers are dishonest. It has gotten to the place where we do not know what is real news and what is "fake news", as our President would call it.

Lucky for us, there is a solution - Switch the news you watch or read.

     You do not have to watch Fox News or CNN. Did you know that? There are a plethora of other news sites out there that you can read or watch. Here is a list of a few I personally love:

Business Insider

Forbes

L.A. Times

... and of course Edgecombe News Outlet!

A Christian Defense of Donald Trump against Christian Attacks

Introduction:

     Many of Donald Trump's most vehement opponents have been Christians who have been dissuaded from supporting Trump because of his questionable ethics; but many of Trump's most fervent supporters have been evangelical Christians who firmly believe that Donald Trump will revive the old America in which "kids will pledge allegiance to the flag every day at school" and "every respectable citizen with have the old fashioned Protestant work ethic". I am not writing this article to defend Donald Trump; I am writing this so that fellow believers who oppose Trump can see Donald Trump through our eyes. 

     

     I will outline four common arguments against Donald Trump and subsequently outline defenses against those arguments.

1. Donald Trump lacks the diversity in his administration that Obama had in his.

     This is completely untrue. Donald Trump has Christians, atheists, Mexican-Americans, Asian-Americans, men, women, Republicans, and Democrats in his administration. Some members of his administration even opposed his nomination for President during the Republican primaries.

     

     His administration is not designed to please the media, social activists, or even his support base as Obama's was. Trump's administration is designed to get things done efficiently, quickly, and effectively.

     It is true to a limited extent that Trump's administration is not as well educated as Obama's was, but he did not pick people with a strong degree. He picked people who have the necessary experience in their field to get their job done well.

2. Donald Trump's Muslim ban does not reflect Christ's love for everyone.

   Firstly, this is not a Muslim ban. If he wanted to implement a full Muslim ban, he would have banned immigrants and refugees from Indonesia, which has the largest Muslim population in the world; the United Arab Emirates, which has some of the richest Muslims in the world; and Saudi Arabia, which has some of the most powerful Muslims in the world.

     Secondly, the refugees are banned temporarily. He supports refugees, as seen by the statement the White House released after implementing it. He will allow them to enter the country after reviewing the vetting process thoroughly. He is doing this for America's national security. He is prioritizing American citizens' security, but is not deaf to the cries of the refugees in the Middle East.

     All of the countries named in the executive order are either state sponsors of terrorism or do not have a stable central government.

3. He wanted the Presidency to increase his wealth or power.

     He turned down the Presidential salary, and divested his stocks in various companies. He gave his company to his kids and self-funded his campaign. If anything, he lost money during the past two years.

     

     He left his skyscraper and luxury in New York City to live in the White House and clean our country up, and he is determined to get our country back together whether that means facing the corruption and politics by himself or not. He also gave up his position of being able to lobby Congress for special favors. 

4. He is not born again; therefore he cannot truly represent or implement Christian values.

     As Christians, we cannot possibly say this without realizing what we are doing. We are doubting God's sovereignty over a man that He created. We are essentially saying that any hold Satan has over a man's heart cannot be broken by God. We do not know what God has been doing in Donald Trump's heart. However, we do know, from what Trump has done in the White House, that he is sympathetic with Christians.

     He has re-implemented the Mexico City Policy which, in short, means that federal funds can no longer go overseas to fund abortions. He has taken a pro-life stance, a Christian stance which he said he would take during the campaign.

     Surrounded by Christians, Donald Trump is in a place to be heavily influenced by believers. Rex Tillerson, Ben Carson, and Mike Pence are evangelical Christians (or at least their life shows it). They will no doubt support strong morals and advise Trump to pass pro-Christian measures through Congress.

     Donald Trump is attending the National Prayer Breakfast, where he will see believers talking to God. I strongly believe that this will have a positive effect on Trump.

Conclusion:

     As Christians, we know that God's plan will be accomplished whether it is through a fallible man or not. Trump's rise was all a part of God's plan. We can all take comfort in knowing that God holds the whole world in his hands, including the refugees in the Middle East. There is no use in criticizing the man that God put in government. Just as we prayed for Obama during his eight years, we should also pray for Trump during his presidency.

    

Nine Books I Believe Every Well-Rounded Person Should Read

Introduction

     I am diverting from politics for a little bit to infuse some variety into my writing. I want to be well-rounded myself, not just a political geek. So, here are my nine books that I think everybody should read: (Note: These are in no specific order.)

1. A Short History of the Renaissance and Reformation Europe: Dances over Fire and Water by Jonathan Zophy

     Recounting the story of Medieval Europe in meticulous detail, this well-written book gives what I think to be some of the most thorough descriptions of what the Renaissance and Reformation were like.

2. The Lords of Finance by Liaquat Ahamed

     The Lords of Finance, a critically acclaimed book, walks you through the stories of the four bankers who "broke the world" during the Great Depression. I found while reading this book that I could not tear my eyes away for one moment.

3. Napoleon: A Life by Andrew Roberts

     One cannot just look at Napoleon and see another figure in world history; you would be blind to the fact that looking at Napoleon is looking at many people you see today. Donald Trump, Kim Jong Un, and even Steve Jobs could be equated with him. They are all either successful, power-driven, or ambitious. In order to see how they think, studying Napoleon's life is an absolute necessity.

4. Dracula by Bram Stoker

     If anyone considers themselves readers -of fiction or nonfiction- you have to have read Dracula. If not, you are missing out on a cultural and classical experience that you will no doubt want to read again, and perhaps once more after that.

5. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

     An inspiring tale that will keep you immersed from cover to cover, The Hobbit has already gotten its share of attention from the movies based off the book. You will find Tolkien's clever humor in various subtle remarks throughout the book. 

6. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

     Whether you consider yourself a Christian or not, Mere Christianity is a recommended read because it contains  philosophical and academic arguments about various Christian topics that even the secularist will find interesting to read. Even if reading this is just to broaden your horizons, it will no doubt be worth your while.

7. EntreLeadership by Dave Ramsey

     Dave Ramsey, a highly respected businessman, recounts his story of failure and success in EntreLeadership. He describes the initial closing of his real estate conglomerate and how he worked hard just to eat. Then he reveals how he became the financial mogul he is today and lessons we can learn from his experiences.

8. Pour Your Heart Into It by Howard Schultz

     Everyone drinks Starbucks... at least everyone who is human. Howard Schultz describes his life growing up in the Projects and how he fought to grow his once-small coffee company into the beverage empire it is today.

9. The Art of War by Sun Tzu

     Have you ever seen those movies with the mysterious Chinese guy that is all-wise living in the mountains? This is Sun Tzu, except Sun Tzu is real. The Art of War gives timeless advice on how to deal with relationships or business matters calmly and strategically.

Rex Tillerson: Who Is He and Will He Be Secretary of State?

Rex Tillerson

     Rex Tillerson is Trump's Secretary of State nominee. Scrutinized by many people on both sides of the aisle, he is commonly associated with "big oil", "climate change deniers", and the "top 1%". 

     He was born in Wichita Falls, Texas. When he was young, he became a boy scout, eventually rising to become an Eagle Scout, one of the highest ranks in the Boy Scouts of America. He graduated from the University of Texas with an engineering degree, and after school, became an engineer at Exxon Mobil. 

     After becoming CEO in 2006, Exxon Mobil has become widely criticized for allegedly denying climate change. During his tenure as CEO, he has supposedly conducted business in Sudan, Syria, and Iran. 

As Trump's Nominee

     Chosen by Trump to be the Secretary of State, his politics have quickly come to the spotlight. He is pro-free trade, supporting the TPP, which is a trade agreement with eleven other Pacific nations, including Japan. In an op-ed in the New York Times, he has expressed his support for Common Core standards in our schools. 

     While questioned by many Republicans on his ethics, he has also donated to many Republican candidates, including Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush, and George Bush. As a traditional conservative Texan, his "conservative credentials" are undeniable. 

Conclusion

    Clearly a dividing figure, it is up in the air as to whether or not he will be Secretary of State. Liberal Democrats will certainly not want a pro-oil man in one of the most powerful positions in the United States. Conservative Republicans, on the other hand, will be completely in favor of a man who has supported them and their ideals in the past, and will no doubt continue to do so.

Putin's Rise to Power

Vladimir Putin

     Vladimir Putin, Russia's president, the world's most powerful man, is a man everyone should know about. Whether you like him or not, it's vital that we see how he rose to power and how he revived Russia to become a world power once again.

     Early Life:

     Vladimir Putin was born in Leningrad on October 7, 1952, to a factory worker and a conscript in the Soviet Navy. In the Russia Putin grew up in, Eastern Orthodox Christianity was outlawed. Nonetheless, his extremely devout mother baptized him no matter how illegal it was.

     From a young age, he was interested in sports, martial arts, and he wanted to become a secret service officer. In sixth grade, he realized he needed to get good grades in order to become something big; through his persistence, he eventually did so.

     After graduating from a chemistry-centered school, Putin attended Leningrad State University, from which he graduated with a law degree. Fulfilling his childhood dream, he applied for the KGB (Russian secret service) and was one of very few people to successfully get in.

   Not very much is known about Putin's early life. He has always wanted to keep it hidden. Even his family is seen very rarely. When asked why he keeps his early and personal life in the dark, he said that many people have ruined their political careers by flaunting their past and personal selves.

Career in the KGB:

     Fresh out of training, he was assigned to the foreign service branch, which recruits foreigners to join Russian secret service. But, before he did so, he got married in the early 1980s. 

     

     He was assigned to East Germany. He was one of very few servicemen to enjoy the Germans' company and culture. He genuinely enjoyed conversing with them and grew to respect Germany as a country.

    The most striking event during Putin's assignment in East Germany was the tearing down of the Berlin Wall. Russia was being led by Mikhail Gorbachev, whom Putin grew to admire and support. During the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, there was much rioting and many demonstrations in the streets. Because of the great threat the disorganization posed, Putin burned KGB documents to prevent them from being captured by rioters.

     Eventually, he was to be promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. He was then assigned to St. Petersburg University serving as a foreign relations officer. There was an attempted coup d'etat against President Gorbachev and Putin then had to choose a side, the communist rebels or the democratically-elected Russian government. He made his choice; he immediately came to the aid of President Gorbachev which led to his becoming Deputy Prime Minister. 

     Presidency:

     Suddenly, with no warning, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as President of Russia. Putin, being the next in line, immediately took up the presidency in 2000.

Military:

     Mr. Putin's goal was to revive Russia as a world power. He immediately took steps to organize and professionalize Russia's conscript force. Russia now spends more of its GDP on its military than the U.S. does. Russia's military is now one of the largest, most organized, and most powerful in the world. 

Foreign Policy:

     As President, he has made many foreign policy moves that had polar reactions. He has shown good will to Israel by being one of the first Russian politicians to ever visit the Middle Eastern state. He has also shown good will to Bashar al-Assad of Syria and the government of Iran, which has been criticized the world over. When President Obama lashed out against Assad over use of chemical weapons on Syrian rebels, Putin came to Assad's defense, claiming that accusations of use of chemical weapons on his people were unsupported. 

     Putin has improved relations with many Asian countries like China, Iran, and Syria at the price of good relations with the European Union. While political unrest was rampant in Ukraine, Putin sent in roughly 16,000 military personnel to seize land. He has defended the action claiming that they were not invading troops.

     In 2015, Russia shocked the world by beginning strategic airstrikes in Syria. While Russia says these airstrikes are focused against ISIL, there are some who claim that some of these strikes are actually targeted against Syrian rebels.

Domestic Policy:

     To the West's dismay, Putin severely limited the rights of gay couples, completely ridding them of adoption rights and freedom of expression. Putin wants children in Russia to have Russian parents, so he passed a law saying that U.S. parents cannot adopt Russian children.

     He has increased central control over media and big corporations in Russia. He has had many reporters arrested and he was in charge of the demise of many influential Russian business leaders.

     Under his leadership, the Russian parliament passed laws extending the Russian presidency from four to six years. Yet, he retains one of the highest approval ratings by his people in the world. 

Conclusion:

     Vladimir Putin's persistence, resolve, and political brilliance makes him one of the most feared men in the world. He has no intention of backing down from power any time soon, and you can be assured that Putin will be in world news again soon.