Presidency Voicethread Photocube

Photo Cube 1) My first image was of a solitary stick figure to reflect the students' belief that the lone figure of president was more commanding (and well-known) of a figure to the American public than all 535 members of Congress.

2) The image of the September 11 attacks conveys the students' belief that sudden attacks such as that one create a rally event that (like its name implies) rallies Americans around their president and gives the president more power during these times.

3) The cartoon of the imperial presidency (portraying Obama as a lazy king) reflect the students' belief that the president's power has grown significantly since the 1900s at Congress's expense.

4) The cartoon of someone jumping to conclusions parallels the president's frequent decisions to "stand your ground" through preemptive self-defense. Most students believe that these decisions are unnecessary and should be reconsidered, as they tip the balance of power toward the executive.

5) The image of the spotlight shows the students' belief that in order for a political candidate to gain attention and support, he (or she) must act more in one of the extreme sides of the spectrum than the center.

6) The image of the well-dressed man looking in the mirror was taken from Katherine's comment, which sums up the students' opinion well: politicians act in their own self-interest, in ways that would help them be reelected.