Replied to Obesity in America

I definitely agree that America's Problem Obesity is a huge problem in America today.  The reason there are so many obese children is actually two fold.  One, they learn their eating habits at home.  If one eats high calorie meals which are also high in fat content and then sit on the couch and watch television or play on the computer, it is not hard to understand what the outcome will be.  If the parents continue to eat fast food and take their children to eat the same, then there will never be a change.  But first the parents have to be willing to do is to change their habits if they expect their children to do the same. 

Children learn by example, and what kind of example are we setting?  If the child started out their life eating more fruits and vegetables, and fewer snacks and fast food items then the problem would slowly start to resolve itself.  The other contribution to childhood obesity comes from too much television, too many video games, too much time on the computer and not many outdoor activities.  What ever happened to going outside to play ball, ride a bike or other out door activities with neighborhood friends after school?  It is a struggle as some families are trying to be more creative in their activities but are countered by the children stating that their friends are allowed to play video games, etc.  So it will take a greater effort on the parent’s part to plan family activities that are fun for everyone and still get the job done. 

Perhaps if the children see their parents doing more and eating correctly then it won’t be such a struggle to follow along.  Something definitely needs to be done, or the problem is only going to continue to increase, both for the children and the adults.

Fighthing Hunger In Our Communities

     Every time we turn on the television to watch the news, pick up a newspaper or read a magazine we are reminded of the problem of hunger in this world.  There is a great deal of focus on children in particular.  We read their stories and see their pictures and it is heart wrenching to think that these young people have to suffer this much.  But what can we do about this?

     There are many organizations and individuals who are addressing this situation, particularly in some of the poorer countries like India, Africa or Latin America.  One of the problems is funding and the man power to work on this issue.  For every dollar that we give to one of these organizations to help these children, a certain percentage must go to the people who are actually doing the work.  It is admirable what they are trying to accomplish, however, they do not have the resources to do this work out of the kindness of their heart.  So, we ask, what is a possible solution to this dilemma?

     I believe that one of the things we can do to help is to concentrate on our own communities.  Do you have any idea how many children are homeless and how many children go to bed hungry every night right here in Austin, Texas?  If we were to have those figures readily at hand I think we would be amazed.  But as individual citizens or as part of a group such as at Church, at work, or through an organization we belong to there is much that can be done without involving a large amount of cash.  We could each add some items to our weekly grocery list or ask that others we know contribute in like fashion.  Then all that would need to be done is to distribute these items to the neediest.  Yes we could go to the Red Cross or the Salvation Army, but there again part of the contribution is going to the organization itself.  It we took the initiative to collect and distribute items ourselves then we would know that the most good was being done by every dollar collected and/or spent.

     Think about it.  If at least half of the population of Austin were to do this on a regular basis, many of those going hungry on a daily basis would be helped.  Not only that, it would let them know that we care about our neighbors right here at home.  Perhaps even this boost would help even more in the future when some of these children remember what was done for them, and pay it forward to those who might be in need when they have grown-up and hopefully overcome some of their own problems.  Wouldn’t that make Austin a better place to live and a better place to raise our children and grand children?  I definitely believe that each of us can make a difference in our own communities.

I read your article and it’s a very interested article.  I like the comments you are presenting and how you began when you were a child and how you perceived government when it was taught to you in Elementary school through High School being honest as to not being real interested and how you see it now, “…far from perfect…” but it is still our Government and the need to tell our Government what and where we think changes should happen.

The examples you are giving are important subjects that I really believe our Government should take into consideration.  I agree with you that one of the biggest issues is to protect the Mexico/Texas border and as you say, not from illegal aliens, but from the drug war.  

Mexico is losing the battle against the drug war and the United States needs to act quickly in order to not be invaded as it had happened already in Mexico.  I also agree that the best solution is not to “avoid Mexico at all cost.” as our government suggests.

Our Government is confronting to a lot of big issues and it is necessary to act fast on many of them.  The ones you are mentioning in your article are worth to pay attention and act promptly.  Thank you for taking the time to write this article and to also share it with your classmates.

Education for Everyone

By: Marisa Contreras

     One of the things that concerned me is that Education is not available for everyone and there is a lot of young people that would love to have the opportunity to have an education just like everyone else in this country.  Right now, education is given to everyone free or without any legal requirements until High School, but not college, much less University.

     One big obstacle is that many of these young people were brought to this country when they were small children and now, as adults, they do not have the option to enroll in a University or get any kind of grants from our government because of our legal system. 

     I understand that most of these grants should be given to residents of the United States, but there should be a small budget for some outstanding students that throughout all the previous years dedicated their time to school and received excellent grades. 

     I really believe that our government should dedicate more time and effort looking at this situation and see that potential excellent citizens get the education they dreamed of.  Also, as a public and as a community we should seek for ways to make easier channels available to these students or give our government the agenda to follow and make it possible.

     I know there is a lot people that will be opposed to my way of thinking, but we are living in a country where we preach freedom and freedom should be given to make education available for everyone.

Six-Figure Bus Drivers and Other Working-Class Heroes

     This is a very interesting article wrote by Ann Coulter in her blog.  Ann Coulter is making a statement on how the public employees in Wisconsin like the system that pays them an average of $76,500 per year, it is a very generous amount plus benefits and is asking us to stop looking at them as the heroes who are promoting their own self-interested.

     Ann Coulter give us examples of how we do not see as working men and women who deserve a decent pay when Wall Street Opposes financial reforms or when a tobacco company opposes new cigarette taxes.

     The Democratic governor of Illinois, Pat Quinn, only said that the government workers are fighting to preserve their employments contracts.  The news are presenting as it the Republicans are against the workers and not looking at what originated this situation.  Because of the insane union contracts, these sector employees got themselves tremendous overtime and around 7 bus drivers took home more than $100,000 during 2009.  The total overtime paid during 2009 was $1.94 million.  Now, responsible elected officials in Wisconsin are trying to balance the budget.

     These workers are pursuing their own financial interests and not the current damage of everyone else in the state.  Ann Coulter is also commenting on the union contracts as not fairly bargained and that only one side was negotiating. 

     Ann Coulter raises questions at the end of her paper and asks why do public sector employees have absurd overtime rules? why they don't pay their own health insurance? I agree with this article and I don't understand why the state allowed these types of agreements and still defends them as if they are heroes.  It is a decent job, but not to make these gigantic amounts that make more than teachers and lawyers.   

The Back Alley

I read an article in SLATE called “The Back Alley” and it’s about how the politics of abortion protects bad clinics, written by William Saletan and it’s very interesting; it presents how in last year the FBI investigated and found out that one of the abortion clinics in Philadephia ran by Dr. Gosnell was the worst licensed abortion clinic in the United States, and while they are doing this investigation, they also found that decades ago, no one was really making regular inspections to these clinics.

On this investigation, the author believes that for political reasons the abortion clinics were not inspected anymore; since 1993 Mr. Gosnell was not inspected anymore and one of the reasons could be because the change of administration from Governor Casey, who was pro-life to Governor Ridge who was pro-choice.

            The author is trying to persuade the audience to understand and be informed on how these abortion clinics has not been inspected from decades ago and how they were still running and the states were not doing what they suppose to, and women were being neglected in these clinics and not treated in a sanitary environment.  The evidence that the author presented were very clear as the grand jury is taking this case and evaluating all the circumstances and trying to make regular investigations to abortion clinics all over the United States so this situation does not happen again.

            I agree with the author on her arguments and how the system is not working properly.  I personally am a pro-lifer and the idea of these clinics doing these horrors to unborn fetus and women makes me think what the government is really doing to bring a solution.  I don’t understand how they do these kinds of things. 

The Grand Jury did some investigations to these clinics until there were two fatalities two years ago.  They are working on bringing new laws for the protection of women.

Obama Wants Jobless Aid Help for States

New York Times

Published: February 7, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is proposing short-term relief to states saddled with unemployment insurance debt, coupled with a delayed increase in the income level used to tax employers for the aid to the jobless.

The administration plans to include the proposal in its budget plan next week. The plan was described late Monday by a person familiar with the discussions on the condition of anonymity because the budget plan is still being completed.

Rising unemployment has placed such a burden on states that 30 of them owe the federal government $42 billion in money borrowed to meet their unemployment insurance obligations. Three states already have had to raise taxes to begin paying back the money they owe. More than 20 other states likely would have to raise taxes to cover their unemployment insurance debts. Under federal law, such tax increases are automatic once the money owed reaches a certain level.

Under the proposal, the administration would impose a moratorium in 2011 and 2012 on state tax increases and on state interest payments on the debt.

In 2014, however, the administration proposes to increase the taxable income level for unemployment insurance from $7,000 to $15,000. Under the proposal, the federal unemployment insurance rate would be adjusted so that the new higher income level would not result in a federal tax increase, the person familiar with the plan said.

States, however, could retain their current rates, meaning employers could face higher unemployment insurance taxes beginning in 2014.

Though the administration could face criticism for enabling states to increase taxes, the thrust of the administration's argument is that federal taxes would not increase and that the move is fiscally prudent because the federal government ultimately would be repaid at a faster rate than if it did nothing.

The person who described the plan said only 13 of the 30 states that owe the $42 billion would be expected to repay their share of the money in the next nine years under current conditions. The administration's proposal would allow 15 more states to repay the money, this person said.

House GOP considers privatizing Medicare

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR Updated: 10:28 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 27, 2011

     WASHINGTON — Months after they hammered Democrats for cutting Medicare, House Republicans are debating whether to relaunch their quest to privatize the health program for seniors. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., is testing support for his idea to replace Medicare with a fixed payment to buy a private medical plan from a menu of coverage options.

Party leaders will determine if the so-called voucher plan will be part of the budget Republicans put forward in the spring.

     "No decisions have been made on the details of our House GOP budget." Michael Steel, a spokesman for Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said Thursday. "There are a lot of ideas out there, and we're going to listen to our members and the American people."

Medicare was one of the most highly charged issues during last year's congressional elections, which put the House back in GOP control. Republicans slammed Democrats for cutting Medicare by about 6 percent over 10 years to finance President Barack Obama's health overhaul.

But replacing Medicare's open-ended benefit with a fixed payment would cut projected spending much more deeply.

     "Anyone who doesn't think privatization will mean severe cuts to Medicare benefits, I have a bridge I'd like to sell them," said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. "Privatization will make the cuts previously proposed by either party look tame."

     Republicans say it may be the only way to preserve taxpayer-funded health care for seniors in an aging society. The Congressional Budget Office reported this week that the government will borrow 40 cents of every dollar it spends this year, as the deficit hits a staggering $1.5 trillion. Over the long term, health care costs that keep growing more rapidly than the economy are the biggest challenge to the budget.

     The idea of a Medicare voucher recently received bipartisan support from a debt reduction panel led by former Republican Sen. Pete Domenici of New Mexico and prominent Democratic economist Alice Rivlin, a former Federal Reserve vice chairman. Obama's own debt commission said the idea should be considered as an option if other strategies fail to get health care costs under control.

     Under Ryan's plan, current Medicare recipients would get to stay in the program. People within 10 years of eligibility — ages 55 to 64 — would also go into Medicare. But those now 54 and under would get a fixed payment from the government when they become eligible at age 65. They would be able to use the voucher to buy a Medicare-approved private plan from a menu of coverage levels and options.

     The amount of the voucher would be based on total current Medicare spending and indexed to grow year by year thereafter. But that growth would be less than the torrid pace of health care inflation now. Proponents say it would be like putting the health care system on a diet, forcing every player from drug companies to hospitals to be more efficient.

     Americans are wary of the idea. An Associated Press-GfK poll last year found 51 percent opposed a voucher plan for Medicare, while 35 percent said they supported it. Opposition was strong among seniors and baby boomers. But those born after 1980 favored the approach by 47 percent to 41 percent.

House Republicans have backed Ryan's idea before, in a 2009 budget plan supported by Boehner. It's unclear whether they will do that now. They might save it for deficit reduction talks with Obama later in the year.

     "We'll outline our budget in the months ahead, after we see the president's budget," said Boehner spokesman Steel.