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.