IT CAN COST MILLIONS TO RUN FOR CONGRESS. WHERE DOES IT COME FROM? WHAT DOES IT BUY?
Why is America special to you?
Because it’s not like other countries where, it’s just like really free and there’s a lot of things to do and that’s what I really like about it. And that’s pretty much it.
Why do we celebrate the Fourth of July?
Because it’s America’s birthday and it’s very special because America’s like where we started kind of and. It’s like a land of free kind of. Cause it’s really free. And that’s pretty much it.
Do you know what a democracy is?
Mmm-mmm. [No.]
What does it take to become president?
To be very like loyal kind of and to be really like nice and to be like very I mean thinking you have to say like about good laws you would think of to do like no like guns or something stuff like that.
Do you think it costs money to run for president?
Yes, I think a little, some.
How much?
About like forty five, like forty-four?
Why do politicians need money?
So they can help our environment more because if they don’t have money then they don’t really it. They can’t really help our environment as much as having more money cause they need pay money to do stuff to help the environ environment.
Why is it important for them to help the environment?
Because if there’s no environment it’ll be like the air won’t be fresh ever. It’ll be like always polluted and it’ll always be very, very hot cause it’s the sun. Well it’s hard to explain except it’s something like about the sun I think. That makes it it’s more hot or something not more hot except, it’s just. I can’t explain and I don’t really know anymore.
What does our government do?
They help us to like do the environment, and help us stop polluting like get more polices and that’s all I know about it.
Why is the gov’t good?
Because, like I said, they help us do all that stuff. They help us do a lots of good things like stopping a lot of bad things.
Like they would help us stop making guns, they would stop help us doing the polluting a lot. And they would help us buy more polices and they would uh that’s all I know actually.
What are taxes for?
Well it’s hard to explain what they’re for, except I can the only kind I can say is like what they are. I think they are like you can buy stuff and then there’s like more money to it, a little more like a tax. That’s what I think about it.
What do you think of wars?
Very very bad. And it kills a lot of our people and that’s why it’s very very bad, and that also makes lot’s of forest fires and so that can burn down the forest a lot. And we need the forests because there a bunch of animals live there. So that’s it.
How do laws get made?
Well in the very early like nineteen wait not way before that except. There were like a a bunch of. I bet like the laws are made by people seeing people do bad stuff and then they’re and then they try to tell like the government or president or that like that shouldn’t happen and that’s how I think they would make laws.
Do you ever worry about our country?
Sometimes a little bit. Because like when the Iraqi war was going eventually it stopped now by now I was kind of worried about the country because it could it could have got a little to our country like some of the blasts or something could’ve got to the very edge of our country and I was kinda worried about that. So that’s all.
Do you ever worry about the world?
Yes. Like the wars because the wars like it’s like the wars are like killing parts of the world kind of. That’s what I kind of think it’s not it’s just like killing part of the world except well like killing kind of. That’s what I think.
Would you ever think about being president?
Mmmm maybe. Maybe.
What would you do if you were president?
If there’s still like a bunch of wars I would try to stop the wars and try to stop the pollution try to make the government help a lot and get more polices into our country and maybe yeah like into our country.
And stop all the people stop all the hunters from hunting all the all the animals and stuff like that.
Why is America special to you?
Well, because there’s freedom and friends.
Why do we celebrate the Fourth of July?
Well, because that’s when the president bought the country, bought the land and that’s when America kind of became in and a lot of people were moving there.
What do you have to do to become the president?
Well, I think you have to, well, you have before you even try maybe you have to think of good things to do. And then maybe you have to like tell a lot of people those good things so a lot of people think that you’re a good president and then you might be able to become one.
Do you think it costs money to become president?
Well not really.
What does our government do?
I’m not sure.
What would you like them to do?
Give me money!
What would you do with that money?
I would buy LEGOs. Down tack and a bunch of other cool LEGOs. Like a bat helicopter that I never got; that’s brand new.
What are taxes for?
Well it’s like extra money and I think they go to like homeless people and don’t have a lot of money and also go to presidents. So things like cost extra money because of taxes.
What should the president do with tax money?
Well, maybe buy more land.
What do you think of wars?
Well I think they’re bad because it’s killing people for no really good reason. There’s no really good reason for wars.
How do laws get made?
Well, for safety usually.
What would you have to do to get laws made?
Well I think, I should think about some good ones. They should select the best ones out of those good ones, and then those would be the law some new laws.
Do you ever worry about the country?
Well, sort of, because people are cutting down trees and the environment and building more like factories that aren’t good for the environment.
Do you ever worry about the world?
Yes because of all of the water we waste and also again all the people who are cutting down [trees].
Would you want to be president?
I don’t know. I don’t think so.
Why?
Well, because I want to do something else instead of being president.
What do you want to be?
A comic writer. Write comics and make comics. Ninja ones.
Why is America special to you?
Because of it’s freedom and independence and it’s loyal to what it believes to be right.
Why do we celebrate the Fourth of July?
Because we beat England in the war. That’s the day we got independence from England.
What do you think it would take to become president?
You’d have to work very hard and help people to be the president, so it would take a lot of work.
What kinds of things should the president do to help people?
Help other people and maybe visit schools and places and talk and make speeches
What would you do if you were in charge?
Make speeches places and help other people to show that I would make a good president.
Do you think it costs money to run for president?
Yes.
How much do you think it costs?
Maybe five, six thousand dollars or more.
What’s a politician?
It’s a person who works for the government, or like Abraham Lincoln I think was one.
Why do politicians need money?
I don’t know.
What does the government do?
First of all they make the money and they the governors I think governors of the states and that’s all I know about the governors.
What are taxes for?
For the president I think. To buy the president’s things I think.
What do you think of wars?
I don’t think there should be any wars unless you can’t settle the problem with talking and then you try to end it as soon as possible.
How do you think laws get made?
You would like write the law down and send it to the president. And he would like say yes or no and if he said no if like half or more of the congress, most of the congress said yes to it then the law would be made. And if the president said yes it would be made also.
What is Congress?
Well it’s a group of people and it sort of works with the president or something and I don’t know anything else.
Do you ever worry about the country?
Sometimes. Like I worry about like the war, and yeah. And I think it should stop because they’ve already defeated the person that they that was that they wanted to defeat and so I think they should stop the war.
Would you want to be president?
No, I don’t think so. Because I think they have too much responsibility.
What would you be if you could be anything?
A writer probably. Probably children’s stories.
Why is America special to you?
Well, because it has independence and freedom for our country.
Why do we celebrate the Fourth of July?
Cause that’s when it had the independence from England. Cause England first ruled America.
What do you have to do to get elected president?
Earn money and stuff and try to like be kind and also. There’s lot’s of different reasons for it to be a president.
How much money would it take to become president?
A few thousand dollars or something.
Is it fair the person with the most money wins?
No, not really. Because if just people can’t earn money just like, oh I want money and the doing hard work and job to earn money. You can’t just say oh I want money cause that’s because maybe somebody has more like better job to earn more money.
Why do politicians need money?
Well, you’d need money to sort of be the government to just help people sometimes. Help poor people and stuff yeah and just that’s how you can be the government.
What does our government do?
The government does really just earns money by the time and just sits down [unintelligible] and stuff yeah.
What are taxes for?
Just to like you need sometimes taxes for gas and stuff. Just to get gas and maybe you get a lot of gas you need to pay money for the gas and the taxes.
What do you think of wars?
I don’t think it’s really right to have a war. Just be happy for your country because I don’t think they should have a war. It’s really. Doesn’t help people, just die and stuff. Just you need one thing just like say something some one country wants another a more stuff from another country but so they just wanted to get it. But you still shouldn’t have a war. You should just [unintelligible] or something.
What do you have to do to get a law made?
You have to like send in to the government or the president and ask them if it’s OK yes or no otherwise it would be a law and just hold it up for law the presidents.
Do you ever worry about our country?
Yeah I’m just sort of. Sometimes just worried they have a war here then just it would be bad for our country.
Why would a war here be bad?
Cause lot’s of houses could get killed, people could get killed. Yeah and we could get things stolen. Well of course people want to get things stolen.
Do you ever worry about the world?
Not really no.
Do you want to be president?
No. I just want. I just want to be like I want to do some other jobs and stuff that I think I’d like to do.
What would you want to do?
Maybe be a biologist of wildlife. Wildlife.
Why is America special to you?
I think America is special because we have like special rights and it’s a free country and we’re not really totally commanded that much it that’s what it seems like.
Why do we celebrate the Fourth of July?
Because that’s when we gained independence from Great Britain in 1776.
What does your family do on the Fourth?
We like go to the county fair we go see fireworks or parades.
What’s a democracy?
Isn’t it a place where people can like vote and they have a way to like choose they don’t. They have rights.
Is democracy a good thing?
Yeah, I think that like it’s good for people to have the right to choose and like be their own person.
What does it take to become president?
I think that they have to try really hard and like really believe in themselves to be president and they have to have a good campaign and like just be a good person.
Do you think it takes money for a president to run a campaign?
Yes.
How much money do you think it costs?
A few million dollars.
Where do you think the money comes from?
I don’t know. Never really thought about that.
What’s a politician?
It’s a person who’s involved in politics and they are I don’t know like. They’re just involved in politics.
Why does a politician need money?
To promote their campaign, or like to promote their idea.
What does our government do?
They create laws so we don’t do bad things, and they try to make things better.
What kinds of bad things do they keep us from doing?
Like breaking the law, like stealing or killing people.
Is our government good?
I don’t know.
What are taxes for?
So are country can have money and like be able to do things with the money and like create new things and like build more cities and like buildings and to pay people who work for the government.
What would you do with tax money?
I would like give it to people who work for the government and I would try to like help maybe like homeless people or something.
What do you think about war?
I mean they’re probably not the best thing for us to do, but like there’s probably better ways to solve our problems than like fighting each other.
How do laws get made?
You have to write a bill and then submit it somewhere and like have someone look at your bill and like make it a law.
Do you ever worry about our country?
I don’t know. I mean, sometimes.
Would you want to be president?
I don’t think so. I think it would be like really hard to be president cause there would always be people who didn’t like you and people who did like you and it would just be like hard.
What qualities would you look for in a president?
Someone who seemed like honest and had a good campaign who would like try to make things better and just like have a better country.
Why is America special to you?
I think America is special because of the diversity and the different people who are come here to live freely and also the democracy how we have our rights to vote for who is in the office.
Why do we celebrate the Fourth?
We celebrate it because it symbolizes America’s independence from Great Britain. When we became a free country.
What do you like to do on the Fourth?
I like to watch parades and see fireworks.
What is a democracy?
It’s where people vote for who is gonna be the president and the majority gets to choose.
Is democracy a good thing?
Because it allows people to choose who they want and it’s not like a dictator so it’s most of the people actually want them in office and will listen to them.
What’s a dictator?
Someone who takes over country and just tells them what to do, does what they want.
What does it take to become president?
You’d have to be voted in and you’d have to have some sense of leadership and be intelligent I guess. You should probably know what you’re doing and make the people wanna like you.
How much would it cost to run for president?
Five thousand.
What’s a politician?
Yeah. I’ve heard of it, but I don’t know what it, someone who is into politics I guess?
Why do politicians need money?
To support the president.
What does our government do?
They pass the laws.
Do they do anything else?
Yeah. I don’t know, just like make sure everything’s going smoothly.
Are you happy with our government?
Yeah, I think they’re doing a good job.
What are taxes for?
Taxes are for to pay for things like fireman and hospitals and also to pay for things that we do like the president.
What do you think of war?
I mean, I’m not too into violence, but if it solves the problems then I think they’re OK.
How do you get a law made?
I think you have to pass it through a lot of people to read over it and then, of course, the president it has to be approved.
Do you ever worry about the country?
No, not in general I think we’re doing pretty well.
Would you ever run for president?
I think it would be an experience definitely, but I don’t know if I’d ever run.
What qualities would you look for in a president?
I’d want them to have good leadership, intelligence to know what they’re doing, and to work well with other people. I’d wanna be able to trust them.
Would you wanna change that?
Yeah, I would try to change it. I would just protest I guess. Not related to money.
Why is America special to you?
Well, I think it’s a lot about how everything’s sort of mixed together, where all the races and different types of people are mixed together so you get you can meet everybody and play with different people and do things with different types of people.
Why do we celebrate the Fourth?
To celebrate our independence from England.
What is a democracy?
A democracy is where the people get to either represent themselves, or with our kind of democracy a representative where we elect where the people elect representatives to represent them in their government.
Is democracy a good way to run the country?
I think it’s one of the better ways of all the different types of governments you could have because it seems to be pretty fair usually.
What do you think it takes to get elected president?
You have to like a lot of people. People have to like your ideas and what you’re gonna do. Most usually you gotta have a lot of money just that would, that helps. And if you have connections with our president his father was president so that would mean he had a lot of connections and things like that so those would be three things that would help.
How much do you think it costs to run for president?
Millions of dollars just to get all the commercials and things like that.
What is a politician?
A politician is someone who represents people in any type of government like a city councilman or a president things like that. They’re the people who have been elected to do the things that would help the world and help what they’re controlling.
Why do politicians need money?
They need money because they’re kind of like us, basically they need a house and food but they need money. Yeah, I think that’s all you need they would need money for.
What about for campaigns?
Oh, yeah. They would need money to run their campaigns from maybe sometimes their own pockets, but also from big fundraisers and things like that.
Who do you think pays for those campaigns?
Sometimes people who give money to their people who they’re gonna vote for, and then also the businesses that like their ideas, and their ideas will help them, help the business.
Why do businesses donate to campaigns?
Because either one, they like what the new politicians gonna do about business will help them, or because someone has promised them things.
Like what kind of things?
Like for instance, I think it was with our president or vice president, Halliburton was promised stuff like being in Iraq and helping rebuilding to get that big contract without having other people do it.
What does our government do?
Well, it’s one of the world’s superpowers so it has to try to help the world because it has all the money and the power, and it also is to make our country and the people in it happier and the be a better place, be just the country be a better place.
What are taxes for?
Taxes are when you buy stuff, or you have to pay a certain amount of money to the government so the people working for the government. Like judges and politicians, they get paid from taxes and then the taxes also help support things in the government. So the all the money the government makes it from taxes.
What do you think of war?
They’re bad. They they’re the wars are usually fought for almost no reason, like I know of not many wars that are fought against one evil it’s usually because people want land or power or other thing or just don’t like someone so they just attack them, they have a grudge against them.
With some wars when people such as with like Hitler and things like that where they needed to be stopped and you couldn’t of and by a certain times you couldn’t have done anything then you need to fight back and use force, but usually the wars are for bad reasons.
How do you get laws made?
I think if a group of people came together and wanted a law made against something they could talk to their Senator and try to get it voted and try to get the politicians to vote for a new law.
If a business didn’t like your law could you get it passed?
Depends on if a ton of people, if maybe a couple businesses or one big business and a ton of people were helping me then maybe. But if there were some businesses that really didn’t like what I was doing then I probably couldn’t cause they would just sabotage it.
Do you ever worry about our country?
Yes, all the time. Cause it seems like we’re spiraling down, so the world doesn’t like us. Because people don’t like that we invaded Iraq and people don’t like our president right now.
So it’s kind of like we’re all the things we’re doing are not helping things we need, like helping Darfur for instance, and so people are really not liking us now. So I worry about that in the end we’ll just people really hate us.
Do you worry about the world?
Oh, yeah. Because there are people who are insane and have weapons of mass destruction who might have them or the world isn’t helping some places where it needs to be helped, like Darfur again, and it just seems that right now it’s not the greatest time. There is North Korea and genocide and nuclear weapons. It’s a problem.
Would you like to be president?
Maybe. I don’t like the way of politics where you have to promise things to businesses like with Halliburton and the current administration so that’s the only thing I don’t like, but if I got to be president and would be able to change things for the better that would be great, I’d like that.
What qualities would your ideal president have?
Someone who didn’t just focus on America, focused on the world overall. Someone who was kind, honorable, someone who would seem to just help everybody, and not do things for grudges or because they want more power.
Is it fair that the candidate with the most money usually wins?
Well it’s bad that it works out to that way because then if you have someone who’s not as rich or didn’t get as much money for some reason then they lose even if they’re a better person or someone better fitted for the job. But I can’t think of any other system that would work better unless I think there is a limit on how much money you can get so that kind of helps.
But I think it’s an OK system just there are a couple problems in it that maybe I can’t think of anything that would fix them right now.
Do you think it would be a good idea to have a fund for candidates without a lot of money get their message out?
Well, I mean having a fund for poor people with less money to run would be great because then once you get up to the position where you can talk to people. Where you get a couple commercials out or anything like that where you’re on TV.
Then in the end people will see you and you can start having fundraisers and you won’t need the fund anymore you can create your own you can bring in your own money through fundraisers. So having a fund for people with less money to run would be great that would be a I think that’s a great idea.
Why is America special?
I think America is special because it’s so much different from all the other nations, everyone has a say in what goes on. Something goes wrong it’s no one’s clear fault. There’s some things we can improve on, but no nations perfect and all nations have their problems so I just feel that it’s different and I like that.
Why do we celebrate the Fourth?
I recently heard that it’s because of our independence, but I feel like a lot like Thanksgiving, we don’t celebrate it for that reason it’s more of to appreciate what we have, but that’s why I think.
What is a democracy?
Well, a democracy is what our nation’s built off. Everyone kind of has a say in what goes on it’s brought the nation pretty far, but if it’s brought it far enough I don’t think it’s up to a thirteen year old to say.
Is a democracy good?
I think it’s so far the best one invented. I don’t like the whole king, queen one has ultimate power. You know, as it goes on we’ll probably find a better one but for the time being I think it’s perfect.
What does it take to become president?
Well, the truth to that answer is I think to be elected president these days is you need a lot of money. But in my opinion, if I would to vote for a president I’d want him to be honest, I wouldn’t wanna have him spend over a million dollars on advertisement. I’d want him to win fair and square.
What is fair and square?
Well, if you will do commercials I want him to tell how great he is and not how bad his competitor is. I rather have him say what great he’s gonna do and not how bad his other competitor is not gonna do. I’d want him just to win fair and square.
How much do you think it costs to run for president?
I don’t even want to think about that. Millions I think. I mean they have commercials everywhere. Commercials about themselves, commercials about their competitors, just all around millions probably.
What is a politician?
I say someone that argues a lot. I don’t pay too much attention to politicians, I’m not in denial of them at all, I know they exist, but I hate that there always has to be one right answer and one wrong answer. Someone wins, someone loses. I wish they could as much families do and the totally works, I wish they could compromise, but it doesn’t work like that.
Do you think our government compromises?
I think they do sometimes. I think they could do it more.
What do politicians use money for?
Advertisement, somehow making people think that they’re better than the other guy. It’s totally what they use it for.
Where does the money come from?
Well, the government gets much of their money from taxes. Taxes is a portion of money paid from an item that you buy that goes to the government to use for advertisement, or weapons, or things like that.
What does our government do?
Well, they make laws, they protect people from laws. They actually have a big job and sometimes I do feel that people are a little too hard on them. I mean no one’s perfect, and they’re gonna make a mistake. I mean, but they do a lot up there. They basically run our nation.
So you think our government is doing a good job?
Well, they’ve made many mistakes, I hope that from all the mistakes they are gonna learn things from them. Just every president has gotten better and better, hopefully. But yeah I think it’s fine. It’s not the best, but it’s the nation’s decision and if they think that’s the best president let’s just see what happens.
What are taxes for?
Well, we can use them for war, more war. We can use ‘em for people that are in need of things, poor, many things like that.
What do you think of wars?
Well, I hate that so many people lose their lives to such wars. Many people believe in them, I for one think that they could be negotiated. I don’t think one nation has to be the Alpha Male. That’s pretty primitive. Yeah it’s not it’s not my favorite thing.
How do laws get made?
Well, it goes through the legislative and executive and then is brought out by the judicial branch, which is where judges go and bring them out if anyone breaks them. It’s a long process executive branch, like our president can veto bills and but you can make them if it’s really a good one.
Do you worry about our country?
Not so much our country, but more of the people in it. I mean our country’s doing fine so far, people in it are starting to get a little reckless and I hope there’s going to be an end to that soon. But as the overall country, no. I think it’s fine.
Do you worry about the world?
The big circly ball. I feel that there is many places that can use improvement and many places that I’d like to help, but as I said before, I’m only thirteen for now I think I’ll work on preparing myself to help later on.
Would you run for president?
I’ve thought about that and I come to the conclusion of absolutely not. I mean there’s so many people that hate you and there’s so many people that just like you so much you’re privacy is just violated completely it’s just not a job that I’d like.
What qualities would you vote for?
I’m voting for the guy that doesn’t spend a mass amount of money on advertisement, not a guy that brings the other competitor down instead of bringing him up. I want a guy that’s honest and I don’t want a guy that uses the same excuse that I’m gonna lower taxes because I’ve heard that way too much.
Where do politicians get their campaign money?
Well, a lot of times they competitor doesn’t have enough money, so he relies on people like the oil companies, but I feel like that’s not the best solution cause after he gets all that money, if he does become president he owes the oil company something.
Is the food we eat safe?
Actually, the food I was eating a couple months ago was not safe. I actually, recently just went on a diet; I was a little chubby. I’m eating better now I’m not going to the fast food stuff, sometimes people over exaggerate fast food though. I mean literally a McDonald’s hamburger and a pizza have almost has the exact same calories. I try to stay away from both, but a lot of kids don’t have the option.
A lot of kids have the option of either going to Safeway to get a sandwich or going to get something really cheap like a double cheeseburger at McDonald’s and it’s a lot quicker and it tastes a lot better. I’ve tried to think of how to make it easier, but I can’t so far.
What would you say to the president?
I’d say with all the taxes the mass amount of taxes that he’s getting to support the war. I’d say spend a little bit on people that are in need. I know it’s only one person on a huge globe, but it could be him.
What would you do to change things?
I’d like there to be no advertisement at all. I’d like there to be just one on one, like not two people, not both of them at the same time. Not I’m going to do this and he’s not going to do that. I want, I’ll do this, I’ll do that not he’s terrible. I just want to say how good he is.
Why is America special to you?
America’s special to me because it’s just the mix of people. There’s so many different people and you can learn so much from all the different cultures and stuff. Especially in California like when the Gold Rush was happening everybody was coming here.
Why do we celebrate the Fourth?
Well, there’s lot’s of people think different things. I think we celebrate it because it’s the day we got our independence; it’s when we got free basically from everything like every people were. It’s like you’re in a glass bubble and then one day it just breaks and you’re free.
What is a democracy?
A democracy is when it’s a bunch of people and they’re saying what they think should happen.
Is democracy a good thing?
If everybody agrees on something it’s good, and then it’s also bad if the thing’s not a very productive thing.
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