Unit 9

1. Who Rules America?

For this topic I chose to write on The Bohemian Grove. The Bohemian Grove is a place about 75 miles north of San Francisco where "the rich, the powerful, and their entourage" meet for the last two weeks in July. However, it is not a place for power, but simply a place where the powerful go to relax, kick back and enjoy the peace of nature without worrying about anything else.
What I found interesting about this article was that it stated several times how 'buddy-buddy' these rich folk become. Because of the close relationships formed at this 'club for the the rich' many of the social requisites are kept in the families and within the social proximity of those they know- leading to class power and domination. The fact that people of wealth and power from all over the country meet in once place and spend so much time together, is evidence that their is a cohesiveness to the community at large. because of this their is solidarity among them, and in turn the group becomes close to each other and can form more ties both business-wise and personally.
I also found it interesting when reading that The Bohemian Grove is such a peaceful place- perfect for relationships and friendships to prosper without the stress of business decisions lurking behind them This provides the perfect environment to make those personal ties that may in turn create more opportunities for better business and growth in wealth.

2. The State and Embodiment on Campus

The State itself plays a large role in campus life at Bellevue College. One way is the immediate invasion of law and regulations run by the state as you walk onto campus. These can be seen in was of "firearm free zone" or "smoke-free zones" or the smoke-huts seen around campus. These are regulations set forth by the State of Washington and enforced by laws and rules both politically on campus and by the government. .Another example is the prices and financial aid across campus. The State of Washington offers students both loans and certain grants or scholarships. However, due to the recent cuts in the government budget, Pell Grants have dropped significantly and therefore student are suffering financially. Many students are buying their books online for a cheaper price, students are taking the bus, or trying to configure ways to have shorter commutes or commutes only 2 days a week to save on gas.