Everyone has problems, but when you happen to be a nation, those problems always seem to be a littler bit bigger. Without problems there would be no need for changes and growth and innovation, I guess problems can be a good thing to learn from, but in the end a problem is still a problem. For me personally I think that the three biggest problems that America is facing today are rising gas prices, no national health care and a lack of literacy in the nations youth.
First off the price of gas, and everything else in on a huge upswing that is not looking to stop anytime in the near future. According to msnbc.com just this past Friday oil prices rose to above $110 a barrel. Prices at the pump are expected to reach over $4 a gallon during this summers driving season. For me this is just mind blowing, why aren't we pushing harder for alternate fuel sources more, with global warming becoming a huge concern for may people why doesn't the government develop a fuel source that could be a renewable energy source and make us less dependent on other countries. This issue is splashed all over the news every night any yet nothing is done about it. With Exxon Mobile's quarterly revenue at nearly $100 billion in sales it is pretty clear to me that nothing is being done about it because some powerful people are making themselves a whole lot of money.
Another issue that America is facing today is the nations health care. With families going bankrupt over trying to pay off medical bill they can not afford after being turned down by every health care company out there is unacceptable. In the documentary SiCKO by Michael Moore he talks about how the nations health care industry is a system that is failing the people is is supposed to be protecting and that it is only about making money. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention actually reported that 54.5 million people were uninsured for at least part of the year. 18,000 Americans will die this year simply because they're uninsured. People are even sometimes forced to go across the border into Canada to get their much needed medical attention because they have free health care in Canada.
The problem with the literacy and youth is the most disturbing of all the problems that I mentioned. Across the country readership in down, with most people pointing at media, including video games, computers and cable television. This is even happening right in our own backyard, just recently Buffalo schools did very poorly on ELA test scores. The statistics show 65% of students in third through eighth grade are unable to read at grade level. These children are supposed to be the leaders of tomorrow? That's a scary thought. Something should be done and more time and resources should be given to these children, specifically those in lower level income families who can not afford to buy books and are in school districts where the teaching may not be up to par.
I have come to the decision that these topics are important both through personal experience and through the media. Just hearing about things on the news may but be enough to make it a concern to some people, but having it happen where you live makes a difference. Things are not perfect and there are problems that we have to deal with, we had the problem of polio, but that is no longer a factor in today's society because we took care of it and learned from it. Hopefully some day that problems that we are dealing with today will also be a thing of that past that we have resolved and no longer have to think about.
4 comments:
The price of gas IS ridiculous. I wasn't aware that it is said to reach over $4!! Good post, even though the information is quite depressing!
I’m actually kind of glad about the rising gas prices. Even with all the recent hullabaloo about global warming and the earth’s climate and ecosystem reaching condition critical, I don’t think it would get much response if it wasn’t coupled with a blow to our wallets. Kind of sad really, thinking how even with the recent price increases we Americans still pay much less than people in many other countries because of government subsidies to gas prices. The government (taxpayer’s money) goes to big oil companies to decrease the cost of gas in order to encourage more buying of cars/more buying of bigger cars. And think of this: you can get a $100,000 write-off (worth about $35,000) on a Hummer but only a $2,000 tax deduction (worth at most $700) for a Prius.
Yeah, and that movie really showed how ridiculous and cutthroat the U.S. medical system can be. Though it may not be the most complete, well-balanced picture possible, it does point out genuine, existing deficiencies. I remember how they went to Cuba and the one lady who had been struggling to pay hundreds of dollars for her medication got it in Cuba for five cents. But even more than the problem of not being insured, I think is the problem of insurance agencies doing all they can not to actually pay out and provide care for the people whose money they take.
I totally agree with you about reading and literacy. It’s a scary thought to see the declining trend in independent thought. The recent funding cuts for public libraries seem like a huge step backward. Kind of like the quote, “It will be a great day when our schools get all the money they need and the Air Force has to hold a bake sale,” where are our priorities? But while it’s one thing to point out the glaring shortcomings in the U.S., it would be good to try to think of potential solutions as well. What would it take to effect the change we’d like to see? It might be less than we think.
I totally agree with you and nicole! the price of gas is ridiculous! Your post really makes come to the realization of the world's issues! i am so glad im out of a car right now! lol! this information is so accurate and it makes me sad just thinking about it!
I like the post! The price of gas was one i was just about to put in but i left that one out. I feel that's a huge problem in this country that has only seems to get worse. 4 dollars a gallon why doesn't that surprise me. Only 4 years ago it was in the 1.75 range, what's next. With all the problems we have this one doesn't seem to go away. Nice post.
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