Recent orders
The US Immigration Policies
Name
Professor
Course
Date
The US Immigration Policies
One of the thorny issues currently across the United States is matters to do with the country’s immigration laws policies and the recent developments with President Trump’s presidency has brought much focus to immigration issues. Historically, the United States is known to be a country of immigrants and this over the years has made the immigration policies contagious. The first law that was enacted in the United States to address the challenges of immigration includes the Immigration and Nation Act in 1952. The country later sought to address illegal migration through the enactment of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. The act ensures that the welfare that was initially available to illegal immigrants was squashed away and more sanctions were slashed on employers of illegal immigrants. The American constitution has vested all the powers of the formulation of all the immigration related regulations on the Congress while the president and the executive plays the role of enforcement of the immigration laws.
The constitution has ensured that the conflicts between state and federal laws concerning immigration laws are addressed by allowing federal laws to overrule state laws. The supremacy of federal laws has in many occasions been affirmed by rulings by the American Supreme Court on issues that related to conflicts between state and federal immigration laws. According to rulings by the the Supreme Court, the mandate of the federal government is broader and exclusive in the regulation of immigration issues in the country compared to state and local laws. The state immigration laws are often supposed to stem from the existing federal laws to avoid the conflicts that might arise.
The Texas State immigration laws have been seen by many as conservative and retrogressive. Over the years, many state governments have complained that the federal government was reluctant in enforcing the country’s immigration laws and this has led to a strain on state budgets that have to bear the costs of illegal immigration. Historically, states such as California, Texas and Florida has sued the federal government for lack of commitment in enforcing existing immigration laws leading to numerous undocumented immigrants within their areas of jurisdiction. The latest of the state’s immigration laws was the attempt to target sanctuary cities. The immigration law although its application was suspended by a court of law. Many critics of the Texas immigration law SB 4 have condemned it and termed it as a blow towards achieving good governance. The law that was signed by the Texas governor requires the police chiefs, state sheriffs the powers to inquire into immigration status of the people living within the state’s sanctuary cities and even ensures that if such officials do not implement it they face hefty fines, imprisonment or removal from office.
Currently, research has shown that the state government of Texas has often employed punitive actions as a way of deterring illegal immigration into Texas. Many people have challenged the success of this policy as a majority of the critics have argued that it has not succeeded in meeting its intended purpose. The immigration rate into the state continues to soar and there is need for change of tactic if the issue of undocumented persons in Texas has to be addressed. According to the official federal and state figures, about 17 percent of the state’s population comprises of fore-born immigration persons with a majority of them being from Mexico. By 2016, research showed that 15 percent of the people who lived in Texas and were legal citizens had one parent being an immigrant.
In initiating the changes required in the state’s immigration policies, there is need for the state to move from punitive measures to generous and all inclusive measures. The state should focus on coming up with measures that allow undocumented immigrants to come up and acquire legal residence without any fear of victimization. This is important as it will ensure that the state has proper documentation on immigrants and put measures that can restrict future immigrations into Texas.
There are various policy options that the state of Texas should use in addressing the immigration challenges that it faces in a lawful and morally acceptable manner. First, there is need for advocating for increased border security especially across the border with Mexico where many immigrants are using to access the state. The state should work with the federal government to increase the use of advanced technology to ensure the American southern border is not porous and it is not used by immigrants who want to move into the country illegally.
There is also need for policy intervention on interior enforcement of immigration laws to ensure that undocumented persons can be identified and be undertaken through the justice system. The American laws makes illegal immigration a crime against the country and any person who is in within Texas illegally should face the wrath of the law. The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 gives state and federal organs the powers to investigate, arrest and prosecute aliens. There is need for empowerment of state departments concerned with immigration and homeland security to legally deal with immigrants. The state should also ensure it implements the e-verify properly and make changes to the legal immigration systems to ensure immigrants who qualify to attain legal residence are able to do so.
Although these policy interventions are necessary, there are various challenges that are likely to come with their implementation. For instance, when it comes to strengthening border security, many measures that have taken in the past have received global criticism and did not attract public support. For instance, the attempts by the President Trump’s administration to construct a wall across the Mexican border with the United States forced public uproar. Many people seemed not to buy the idea as it seemed not to foster proper working relationships with neighboring countries. The state government has made attempts to strengthen interior immigration law enforcement but resistance from the public and slow decision making form the judiciary has ensured that the process drugs along. A policy intervention that ensures that illegal immigration can legalize their status could act as a motivation for more people to move into the country as legalizing their status might seem easy and simple.
It is important for the government of the state of Texas and the federal government to realize that immigration is a sensitive issue that requires continuous cooperation with various stakeholders. The federal government and the state government cannot succeed in dealing with illegal immigration issues without involving the local communities with immigrants live. Since the immigrants exist within the communities, public sensitization is important in ensuring the public understands why immigration is not working for the benefit of them or the government itself. If the public understands this, they will be able to cooperate with state and federal departments in dealing with the issue. The state and federal government should come up with policy interventions that work towards improving the lives of the neighboring countries by promoting good governance that will lead to improved living standards for Mexicans and other neighboring people. This will ensure that more people will not need to move into America in search for better economic and educational opportunities.
I believe that promoting public participation in dealing with immigration will help state and federal enforcement officials succeed enormously. Empowering our neighbors by promoting democracy and good governance will improve the living standards of people in such countries and create more economic opportunities for them. Once our neighbors have jobs and employment opportunities, they will not need to immigrate into the USA in search for better economic opportunities and this will reduce immigration significantly.
ReferencesDoty, Roxanne Lynn. The law into their own hands: Immigration and the politics of exceptionalism. University of Arizona Press, 2016.
Hoekstra, Mark, and Sandra Orozco-Aleman. “Illegal immigration, state law, and deterrence.” American Economic Journal: Economic Policy 9.2 (2017): 228-52.
Johnson, Kevin R. “Immigration in the Supreme Court, 2009-13: A New Era of Immigration Law Unexceptionalism.” Okla. L. Rev. 68 (2015): 57.
Motomura, Hiroshi. “The President’s Dilemma: Executive Authority, Enforcement, and the Rule of Law in Immigration Law.” Washburn LJ 55 (2015): 1.
The US Film Industry
The US Film Industry
Name
Institution
The US Film Industry
IntroductionThe US film industry has been appreciated worldwide, and this has been as a result of the various history and development procedures that have been implemented to enhance the growth of this sector. The society has benefited from the landmark events that have shaped the US film industry from the early days to the present day. The US film sector has been addressed as the Hollywood where most superstars have emerged as the industry has created different job opportunities in the film market. It is the role of the media to facilitate the exchange of ideas and information through various social platforms that seek to improve the conditions of the society. The paper reflects on the different ways that the US film industry has shaped the country and how this segment has been influenced by the emerging social conditions. The development of this medium can be linked to the occurrence of significant events that ensured the success of the industry. Industry rivals have emerged as time progresses by the US film industry has adopted the most effective measures and strategies to ensure that they have higher bargaining power in the film market. Their higher competitive advantage is associated with its historical development and the social conditions that have shaped it to the position it stands in the modern community.
The History and Development of the US Film Industry
The origin of motion pictures as well as movies started in the late 1800’s where there was the creation of motion toys that were intended to lure the eye into seeing an illusion of gesture from a spectacle of still frames in a quick sequence. The first actual motion picture was initiated in 1872 by Edward Muybridge as he placed twelve different cameras on a racetrack and fitted them to capture shots in a quick series of running horses in front of the lenses (O’Connor & Jackson, 2016). This invention by Edward gave other inventors the courage to try forming similar devices that would capture such motion. The most successful person was Thomas Edison who produced the kinetoscope, and this device was used by earliest filmmakers in their film production process. This indicates that the emergence of this device gave filmmakers an opportunity to produce movies that would entertain the audience. This was a good starting point because, as time passed by, the filmmakers decided to try new alternatives because the kinetoscope was heavy and massive and it stressed them during their shoots.
D.W. Griffith, on the other hand, realized that a static camera was not sufficient to mediate vision and he developed movie editing. In 1915, he was the first person to shoot a movie in Hollywood that was a three-hour classic about the Civil War and its immediate aftermath. Movie editing has helped the filmmakers in the past and modern societies to produce exquisite pieces of artwork that have helped the audience to get inspired or motivated because it allows the creation of high definition films that have improved as technology intensifies. The major film genres that emerged during this era include slapstick comedies, historical films, swashbucklers, as well as melodramas. The Jazz Singer of 1927 was premiered, and it marked the launch of a new technological breakthrough known as the talking picture or talkie. This consequently led to the fall of the silent film and most actors lost their careers because they not meet the demands of the new style of moviemaking. This was disappointing because most actors disappeared and the U.S film industry was affected by the adoption of the new method of making movies.
In the 1930s, other movie genres had emerged, and they included musical, biographical pictures and animated cartoon. During this era, the producers, actors, film technicians, as well as directors worked on specific studios. There emerged different studios that developed cinemas in the cities where they managed to show their films. Therefore, each studio had its personnel, and their salaries depended on the culture of the studio they worked with. General Wills Hays, however, introduced the Protection Code that was enforced in 1934 to set specific guidelines for artwork concerning violence, sex, and religion (O’Connor & Jackson, 2016). This was meant to regulate the infamous affairs and scandals that were prevalent in the U.S film sector. In the 1930s, other film genres that were developed include horror films, adventure and fantasy movies. This expanded the US film industry, and the government identified this sector to be significant because it improved the country’s economy by raising huge revenues.
The major studios that operated since the 1920s included the MGM films, Twentieth Century Fox, and Paramount Pictures. These studies gave actors a chance to exercise their careers, and it helped them to grow and develop filmmaking skills to advance their careers. Films managed to attract talented actors because there existed numerous cinemas that were owned by the studios that had been created (O’Connor & Jackson, 2016). This changed the US film industry because there emerged experienced and skilled directors, actors, producers, as well as technicians. It was an industry on the rise, and it allowed people to enjoy scenes that reflected their day-to-day life experiences. It is understood that most audiences were aware of the importance of the film industry and they were motivated and encouraged to ensure that this sector succeeds and attains the stipulated goal and objectives. This influenced the filmmakers to create epic movies that reflected on the society giving the people ideas of addressing various problems within the community.
The desire for wartime propaganda influenced the US film industry to respond to World War II in the early 1940’s. It was a tough time for the industry, but the attack on Pearl Harbour by the Japanese sparked a mixture of reactions (Shindler, 2014). During this time, movie production had advanced because technology use helped the filmmakers to make movies modern and appealing by improving sound recording quality, beginning to use colour film and using specific effects to come up with quality pieces of art. It was during the World War II that the US film industry decided to create a surge of wartime pictures that enhanced American patriotism because they managed to generate war-related propaganda, documentaries, and created awareness to American citizens of the wartime need (Shindler, 2014). This influenced high attendances at the theatres helping the film industry to make huge profits. The aspect of patriotism was instilled during this wartime, and most people were encouraged by the educational pictures to join the US defence forces to protect the freedom of the United States primarily from the Germans and the Japanese who had declared war on America.
In the 1950s, the American Film Industry recorded substantial loses because the society was introduced to televisions. Most families by this time had a TV in their home and the activities of the cinemas reduced. In response to this, the filmmakers began making films for television to avoid minimizing the profits acquired through the movie theatres (Foster et al., 2015). This period marked the entity of the US film into the television industry. The late 1960s were characterized by the push for social change. Movies focused on fashion, fun, shifts in cultural values, and societal transitions. This was influenced by the Vietnam War and the rapid changes in governmental power. This time also marked the difference in the world’s view of America and the country’s culture. This indicates that the film industry was growing at a faster rate than expected amid technological advancements that were taking place in the world. America is an excellent example of how the film industry has helped the society to address various social issues that slow growth and development of the country.
In the modern society, the use of special effects while producing films has increased the production costs of films. Most studios seek to capitalize on improvements in special effects technology, and this has helped them to focus on the quality of their product. In 1992, CD-ROM’s were developed and this helped movies to be watched on DVD. In addition, films and series can be viewed on smartphones, computers, tablets because technology has paved the way for the development of advanced streaming services like Netflix (Crane, 2014). Directors and producers have focused on creating films that imitate different themes that they intend to portray. This is accompanied by the use of the right personnel to ensure that the film produced captures the mind of the audience where he or she can point out the ideas of the writers. Various social institutions have used the film industry to create awareness to the people regarding social issues helping them to acquire information on the ways they can address the issues that affect them as a community. The American film industry has undergone changes that have increased their level of global competitiveness vital in the competitive film market.
Conclusion
Different events and social issues have shaped the US film industry since its birth. The modern society enjoys the fruits of these land marking events because Hollywood is the best in filmmaking across the world. The sector produces numerous movies and series that entertain the people of all backgrounds. Today, most people worldwide enjoy the films and sequence provided by the US film industry, and this has been a source of income for many. There are thousands of directors, actors and actresses, producers, and film technicians who have revolutionized the US film sector. Americans are proud because Hollywood has managed to build a strong brand image that is appreciated and respected across the world. The filmmakers have also recognized the works done by the earliest people in the industry because they have given them a chance to be who they are today amid the challenges that they experienced. In the society, the US film industry has contributed to the success of the nation because there has been the production of educative pictures and documentaries that have been used by most institutions to increase knowledge and acquire new information. It has been an industry that has struggled against the social changes and preferences in the country, but with the appropriate measures and strategies, the US film sector has managed to improve their level of global competitiveness.
References
Bodnar, J. (2017). Memorializing Pearl Harbor: Unfinished Histories and the Work of Remembrance.
Crane, D. (2014). Cultural globalization and the dominance of the American film industry: cultural policies, national film industries, and transnational film. International journal of cultural policy, 20(4), 365-382.
Foster, P., Manning, S., & Terkla, D. (2015). The rise of Hollywood East: Regional film offices as intermediaries in film and television production clusters. Regional Studies, 49(3), 433-450.
O’Connor, J. E., & Jackson, M. A. (Eds.). (2016). American History/American Film: Interpreting the Hollywood Image. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Shindler, C. (2014). Hollywood Goes to War: Films and American Society, 1939-1952. Routledge.
According to the case You are Pre-Approved! (2011) college students spend a lot of money and the Credit Card Marketers know t
Marketing
Assignment 1
According to the case You are Pre-Approved! (2011) college students spend a lot of money and the Credit Card Marketers know this too well. These marketers have taken advantage of this situation and have developed an advertisement strategy that specifically targets these students. College and university students should not be left in the hands of these marketers because they take advantage of their vulnerabilities and afterwards, the students are left with huge debts that they are unable to pay. For this reason, it is unethical to target to let credit card marketers on campus.
Since most college students are big spenders, the use of a credit card would lead to an expensive spending habit. This will result in huge debts that have very serious implications. According to reports, recent suicides by college and university students have been linked to huge credit card debts. Most students try to take more than one job so as to pay the debts, but at times, the debts overwhelm them pushing them to suicide. Late payment of credit card debts or the accumulation of huge amounts of debts can reflect on a student’s debt record reducing their chances of getting employed or to access higher education (Roy, 2011)..
College students are a vulnerable group and should be excluded from accessing credit cards. This is because most of them are not wise enough to make wise decisions concerning their spending patterns. Accumulation of huge credit card debts has serious implications and wherever possible, these students should be selectively excluded from credit card marketers on campus.
Assignment 2
Competitive pressures and changing of customer preferences force many marketers to consider position of their brand. However, huge investments on the company’s brand often lead to failure to produce any noticeable improvement in the market share or the overall image of the brand. McKinsey and Company successfully repositioned their brand which increased their market share thus maximizing their profits. To do this, they followed three major steps that they attribute to their success (Copeland, 2001).
First, the repositioning of the brand should be relevant to the consumer preferences. McKinsey and Company was fully aware of the customers’ preferences therefore devising a strategy that would attract more customers. In addition, customers’ attitudes should be well examined to determine the situations in which the brand is bound to bring powerful insights. Second, the company acquired the permission of customers in the repositioning of their brand. The repositioning of the brand should be logical according to the customers for it to be well accepted in the market. This gave the brand emotional benefits from the customers making it easy to move customers from the current brand to the anticipated one. Third, the company was committed to keep its promise to its customers thus delivering on the promise. Constant survey of the market is also important to get customers’ views and check on the performance of the new brand. Prior to launching the repositioning of a brand, trials should be done to assess performance of the brand and signals from customers (Copeland, 2001).
By following the above mentioned steps keenly, McKinsey and Company was successfully able to reposition their brand giving them a competitive edge over other key players in the market.
References
Copeland, J. (2001). Marketing Practice. McKinsey Company. Retrieved January 26, 2011 from HYPERLINK “http://www.marketingritson.com/documents/mckinseyonrepositioning.pdf” http://www.marketingritson.com/documents/mckinseyonrepositioning.pdf
Roy, A. (2011). You are Pre-Approved!