EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’S DESK Dear Reader, I would like to cordially welcome you to the Winter installment of the 2012-2013 The Junior Statement. The Junior Statement is a magazine that is sent to tax paid JSA members and teacher advisers across the nation and is publicly available for viewing online through the national JSA website. Its contents consist of student-written submissions that range from reports about JSA events, conventions, and chapters to general opinion articles about divisive issues. The Junior Statement aims to increase political, cultural, and social awareness in an effort to promote civic engagement and social justice in America’s youth. The Winter Edition includes articles that respond to the past election between President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney, essays about MIddle East relations, and reports that recapture important JSA moments from the past two months. However, there may be a topic of importance to you that is not covered in this month’s release. If this is the case, I encourage you to voice your opinion about such an issue by writing and sending your work to The Junior Statement. Being included in The Junior Statement is an honor and simultaneously an opportunity that no politically interested young person should decline. I hope all of you take advantage of this outlet and submit pieces for publication. Please contact me via email at akayruz@jsa.org if you are interested in contributing to The Junior Statement. Sincerely, Anthony Kayruz Editor-in-Chief *Most photos used in the Winter Edition were taken from the Internet and belong to their respective owners
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Access is Power......................4-5 Death Toll in Syria Rises............6 Chapter Con/One-Day..............7 The Issues Are What Matters....8 Reforming the AP System.........9 JSA Averts Fiscal Cliff..............10 JSA Summer School.................11 The DREAM Act.................12-13 Follow the Leader....................14 ORV District System................15 Third Parties.......................16-17 JSA Winter Congress...............18 Filibuster Reform.....................19 Following Dreams..............20-21 JSA Fall State.....................22-23 Junior State Activism...............24 Debate of the Month..............25 Party Dynamics..................26-27 From Rags to Riches................28 JSA in China............................29 Democracy in Egypt............30-31 The Junior Statement Winter Edition