blog 8

It is daunting to know that the Presidents security isn't as secure or trustworthy as you might think it is. If i were the President I might have been a little embarrassed of the whole situation especially because it was a couple whom he didn't even invite. I recall the fellow that "crashed" the party make a remark saying something like "You see how easy it is to get into this place. They'll let anyone in." I think it was just a remark to make the President look bad and his security look bad as well. It does strike a nerve to know even after 9/11 our security of our President is less than best how can we be sure to know that the safety of country is good enough. I agree that I dont think that our nation would be able to handle another 9/11 event especially not with the war we already have going on, and not to mention our ever failing economy. Like the President once said it is going to get worse before it gets better.

Commentary on sending more troops to Afghanistan

In the news recently it says that President Barack Obama will be sending 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan to help fight the war against terrorism. According to the article it says that we have 71,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan plus another 42,000 from other allied nations. Also the U.S. have called on our allies to send more of their troops to Afghanistan. From the article I read there are a number of people who are for this new strategy such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell who praised the new "surge of forces" saying it would help "reverse the momentum of the Taliban."And of course their are others who oppose Obama's decision of sending 30,000 more troops. I personally think that there does need to be an end to this war but there also needs to be a good end and issues resolved and if that means sending more troops to put force on the Taliban than so be it. I don't see the additional troops as a negative thing because if it was than other allied nations would not also be sending additional troops to help aid the United States. This is just not a war against the Taliban and the U.S. it is a global issue and all countries need to be involved to help fight against terrorism. Just recently I read that a group of suicide bombers stormed a packed mosque in Pakistan's garrison city Rawalpindi on Friday opening fire and detonating explosives that killed at least 32 people. This here shows just how powerful and strong the Taliban are and if things arent resolved and the Taliban isn't taken down than another attack could happen here in the U.S. or in any other country. I support the decision to send more troops and I know that these soldiers risk their lives each and everyday and I hope that the war against terrorism comes out with a good ending.

Commentary on colleagues blog

i agree that our soldiers and their families do need more special attention. The avg. income for a soldier is considerably low and not enough for their family to live comfortably. I recently met a couple and they have two little boys and they are an army family. The husband was gone in iraq for 15 months and has not spent a holiday yet with his 3 year old son. He is home now working and trying to provide for his family where he has to work from 7-4pm and gets paid $10 an hour. The couple just recently moved to round rock from georgia and they barely had enough money. The wife was so concerned about food she went and applied for food stamps. Just recently the husband received a phone call saying that he has to go to the army reserves for 5 months and he has to leave in january. To make matters worse he has post traumatic stress syndrome and he is overly cautious. I personally dont have a loved one in the military but I could only imagine the lives these families live each and everyday worrying about their loved ones and if they are going to come back ok physically and mentally. The incident at fort hood is sad but i also think its a cry for help to wake up America and our government letting us know that our soldiers are suffering and we need to do everything we can to help them. After all it is them who are fight for our freedom.

Commentary on Healthcare Reform

I am doing a commentary on President Barack Obamas Healthcare Reform. I like millions of Americans have no health insurance. I have the option to have health coverage through my employer but a good chunk would come out of my paycheck every 2 weeks that I feel that I could use that money to pay my everyday living expenses. To live in the land of opportunity its saddening to know most Americans have to choose between paying for health coverage and putting your health on hold just to have enough money to pay for groceries to last you until your next paycheck.
Alot of people are against the government taking over the healthcare system but if Obama's administration is in a position to help us get coverage I see no reason for them to not be involved. The administration believes that the health reform should assure affordable, quality health coverage for all Americans, it should maintain coverage when you change or lose a job, and it should end barriers to coverage for people with pre-existing medical conditions. I had experienced a situation when I first found out I was pregnant and trying to get health insurance-first most insurance companies wouldn't take me because of my pre-existing condition and the companies that would cover me their monthly premiums were outrageously priced.
The Healthcare Reform benefits for Texas would give us choices on insurance prices and health plans, it would help us to decide which quality affordable option is right for me and my family. Also the reform will work to create a system that prevented illness and disease instead of just treating it when its too late and costs more. In addition, the healthcare reform will extend coverage to 11 million children and will cover kids dental,vision, and hearing needs.
I know for me not having health insurance is soemthing hanging over my head especially now that I will have 2 kids I feel a greater urgency to get health insurance. Thankfully enough my son is insured but its such a burden to know how expensive health coverage is and how much of a necessity it is as well. I hope the Obama administration and Congress can come to some agreement to make the lives of millions of Americans easier and better.

Blog 4

My critique is over the cost of credit card swipe fees by the Star-Ledger editorial board linked with the Huffington Post. The author is commenting on the ever increasing credit card charges applied to credit card users. This article has an effect on any consumer who has credit cards. On average, an American has about 8 credit cards to their name. And the only people to be benefiting from this are the credit card issuers.
U.s. consumers and businesses pay higher charges than those in other developed nations, when it comes to purchasing with plastic according to a report by the Merchants Payment Coalition. The coalition, a group of retailers and other businesses wants Congress to crack down on what they claim are excessive charges. Excess and unnecessary charges are exactly what they are. Recently, Congress passed a bill about not increasing interest rates and credit card issues are retaliating against it and now are placing a charge on those consumers who actually pay their bill on time. The beauty part for the credit card issuer is that it scores twice-once in a transaction fee it gets from the merchant and again with an interest charge to the customer. In 2008, those charges produced $48 million for American banks, and avg. of $427 per household, the merchant coalition claims.
The Obama adminstration has criticized the banks for these high fees and lawmakers such as Senator Richard Durbin (R-Ill) have introduced legislation that would impose more restrictions on such fees. I agree that credit card issuers are the ones benefiting here and leaving consumers to hang dry. With all these fees coming form different directions it makes it difficult for one to try to even establish good credit. I feel its a constant game that I get tired of and I feel that most Americans get tired of to because it seems that we are on the losing team.

Blog 3

The article I choose to critique comes from the Austin Statesman Commentary section written by Lance Armstrong:Put Cancer at top of global agenda. Today is Friday Oct.2,2009 and it also happens to be Livestrong day which is a global day of action to raise awareness in our communities about the fight against cancer. Today is the 13th anniversary of Lance Armstrong's own cancer diagnosis and with no medical insurance. Had it not been for one of his sponsors, Oakley, who threatened their insurance company to cover him he may not be alive or he would but with a pile of medical bills.
Cancer is projected to become the world's leading cause of death next year. And without greater progress in detection,prevention, and treatment that number could triple by 2030. Also if the epidemic continues to grow, it will have a devastating effect on world economies. A new Economist Intelligence Unit Study commissioned by the Lance Armstrong Foundation pegs the global economic impart of the disease at more than $300 billion in 2009 alone. In coming years, developing nations will be forced to spend increasing amounts of money on treatment and on public assistance to patients. In the U.S. and Western Europe, where aging populations are already straining public health costs, the rise in cancer means an even greater percentage of national budgets will be devoted to healthcare.
But the disease has an even greater impact on personal economics. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, cancer survivors in the U.S. and Europe were 37 percent more likely to be unemployed than those who have not been afflicted by the disease. This is a health and economic crisis throughout the world.
In conclusion, cancer won't wait. The threat grows minute by minute and countries have to find a way to drive the cost of treatment down. Livestrong Day for the first time is being marked globally and events around the world are trying to make it a global agenda impossible to ignore.

Blog 2 Article

I found this article in the Chicago Sun Times worth reading because I like most of my student colleagues have to rely on federal aid to continue to go to school. This article talks about cutting back on private student loans and expanding government grants. I personally don't look forward to paying on my student loans when I graduate because of the interest that accrues over the years. So if the government can find a way to increase grant money and save taxpayers money I am all for it. But some see it is wrong to put the government in total control of student lending especially those private lenders, such as Sallie Mae, the biggest student lender. If Sallie Mae were to be removed than that would create job losses. Currently, private lenders employ more than 30,000 people whose jobs depend on the subsidized loan program.
On the other hand putting the government in charge of all federal loans would save taxpayers money. The money would boost Pell Grants for needy students by increasing the maximum grant by $1400 to $6900 over the next decade. Even though Pell Grants would increase it doesn't help college cost, nor does it make loans cheaper or even help pay them off but if will help keep interest rates from increasing. So I guess we can't have it all but if the government cand find a way to make college more affordable why not let them?