Melissa’s Blog

We talk all of the time about the U.S. being a free country and that all people can live “the American Dream.”  The reality is though, that many people are living or chasing the Americac dream with a little or a lot of assistance from the government.  The government of the United States provides services like free public education, social security, and welfare benefits.  These programs seem to go against the idea of a free market economy where people who work hard can acheive and those who don’t or can’t fall through the cracks.  I always see some good and some…not so good when I think about this system.  It does bother me that some people who don’t work hard seem to get to “milk the system” when others who work hard and are truly in need of services are not eligable to receive them.  Please share with me your thoughts on the current economic system as it relates to free enterprise and benefits for those who are falling behind.  Is our system truly a market system.  Explain your answer.

• Leave a comment... (5)

Sometimes I get really angry when I watch the news.  I feel like we show too much violence and not enough of the “good stuff” but they I think, well it’s the news.  Because of the large impact that the media has on the development of teens and the connection between seeing violence and becoming a violent adult I think more education and effort should be put into exposing young people to more positive images.  As a society, we focus on so much of the negative.  Is this a problem?  If so, what can we do to help build awareness for the dangers of violence in the media and what can we do to prevent it?  Please share your thoughts and ideas with me.

• Leave a comment... (0)

It seems like forever ago that I turned 18.  Like most newly 18 year olds I wanted to start spending my jard earned money, and it didn’t take long for me to discover “credit”.  I applied for a student card with a credit limit of $500.00.  It isn’t a huge amount of money, but its enough to cover any minor emergencies.  Unfortunately, I didn’t use it for emergencies…unless you consider shopping and eating out an emergency.  I was soon at my max, but then I got a letter in the mail saying that my limit had been etended to $1,500.00.  Great!!  I spend some more, usually when I was strapped for cash or found something that I really needed (ok wanted).  I eventually couldn’t pay it off and applied for another credit card with a lower interest rate to pay off my first credit card, and so the story goes.  After a couple of  years and a few hard lessons I was finally able to get it all figured out, but I still have a bit of an attachment to the plastic.  We live in a world where credit it not only available, but pushed upon young people.  Some know how to use it but others, like me, do not.  It seems like the use of credit gets more every year, and with that the economy starts to slip.  Which comes first the credit or the debt?  It seems like such a vicious circle with little relief in sight. 

Please share with me your ideas on how the credit industry can do a better job of educating students or consumers on the use of credit.  How have you used credit, or will use it in the future?

• Leave a comment... (2)

Democracy means that government is controlled by the people, but when I think of the electoral college I don’t think democracy!  Democracy should include the people having a direct say in who will be the leader of their country.  Under the electoral college system it is far too easy for the popular vote of the people to be undermine by fact that electors are not obligated (don’t have to) vote for the candidate that the people of their state voted for.  How unfare for those people to vote and win a majority, only to find out that their state electors decided to vote in a different way.  I also find it unfair that a state can be split almost equally, but the majority (no matter by how much) gets all of the votes for the whole state.  So if California is split 49% Republican to 51% Democrat, all 53 of California’s electors should vote Republican.  My final argument against the electoral college is that, in the event that no canidate gets 270 votes (possibly due to a third party candidate) the House of Representatives will choose the President. 

I have shared with you my argument against the current method of electing the U.S. president, please share with me your thoughts on how this system could be amended so that it would better reflect the needs of this changing country.

• Leave a comment... (1)

We have been talking a lot about the National Debt and where it is coming from and where is is going.  In the five years that I have been teaching this unit, the national debt has nearly doubled in size.  Most of you have been really suprised about how much money the United States is in debt, and why the number doesn’t seem to be going down, no matter how much we pay in taxes.  I have had many discussions with students who have ideas about how the United States should approach decreasing the national debt or increasing revenue.  Please share with me your feelings on this issues, and what you think the government should do to either increase government revenue or decrease government spending so that we can start paying down the debt.  I don’t want to leave that kind of expense to my children and grandchildren.  I would be in favor of a combination of decreases in government spending and a small increase in taxes, but only if I knew where my money was going and what types of programs were being supported.  Brain storm and try to think of creative ways that the government can start thinking about handling the national debt.

• Leave a comment... (7)

People have been coming to the United States for various reasons since the founding of this country, and as history tells us, some have been welcomed more readily than others.  I find it ironic that a country that was founded on freedom, by people seeking freedom, who took land from others who were living on it, now feel the need to stop others from gaining the same opportunities.  The issue of immigration is in hot debate, with people on both sides very passionate about the issue.  Some so strongly oppose immigration that they are willing to jeopardizethe rights of American Citizens to prevent non citizens from joining us.  Others still believe that America is the land of opportunity and that we should be embracing those who would like to join our country.  Because of the complexity and the history of immigration, government has been hesitant in taking a firm stand on either side of the issue leaving many Americans, immigrants both legal and illegally trying to find a way to fit in.  Based on what you know and have learned about immigration, and what is currently happening around the country relating to immigration please form an opinion of your own about your feelings on the immigration debate.  Please share those feelings with me and offer some suggestions on how the U.S. government might proceed in dealing with the very sensitive issue of immigration to the United States, particularly from South American countries.  I can’t wait to read your opinions.

• Leave a comment... (6)

I don’t know about you, but I always feel a little bummed when I look over my pay stubs and realize that nearly a third of my income is taken from my paycheck to go to the government through taxes.  I don’t know how many times I have thought, I sure pay a lot in taxes…and it feels like I don’t get anything back.  Then I look around me and realize that tax revenue funds so many of the things in my community that I take for granted.  Every morning I get up and come to school, it is taxes that provides funding for my job.  Each property owner in Bismarck is helping to fund public education, even if they don’t have children in school, becuase schools and educated children benefit the community thus all of the property owners who pay taxes.  I spend evenings at the library reading to my kids, and I pay for that service through taxes as well.  The roads that I drive on, museums that I visit, and public services that I use are all funded through tax revenue.  In addition, I have students, friends, and family members who have stumbled on hard times and can’t aways make end meet, but I can thank the government for being their as a safety net for them when they were in financial need.  The taxes that we are paying go to provide, welfare, medicaid, medicare, and so many other types of assistance to families in need. 

So next time you are grumbling about how much you have to pay in taxes look around you and consider all of the services that you are using that are provided to you through taxes.  Maybe when you can see where your money is going, you won’t feel so bad about losing it.

• Leave a comment... (5)

Since the beginning of this country Americans have fought for the rights that they valued the most.   We build this country from the ground up and with that comes a great deal of accountability.  I have heard so many people say lately that they don’t vote or “why bother” when it comes to voting.  I wonder if people really understand the value that having the right to vote holds.  Aside from the fact that if you don’t care about it on election day, you shouldn’t be complaining about it any other day either, voting is a right that so many Americans fought hard to get.  It seems silly to take advantage of that now.  Democracy needs to hear the voice of the people,  both is support or in opposition.  Not only is voting our civic duty, but it is our right and priviledge.  Please share with me your thoughts on voting.

• Leave a comment... (4)

For many of us it would be true to say we are desendants of immigrants, people who came to America looking for a new life, better opportunities, a fresh start.  I don’t know exactly why my great grandparents sailed aross the ocean and settled in Almont, ND but I can assume that it is for one of those very reasons.  I know that my grandparents and my dad have been successful as Americans, despite whatever circumstances brought them here.  The heated debate over immigration remains as strong or stronger today than it was in years past; partly because of recession and high unemployment, partly because Americans have a strong sense of what we have belongs to us and we are not obligated to share it.  This may or may not be true, but despite our reasons aren’t we all immigrants?  Do you believe we have the right to say that others who want to immigrate here should not have the opportunity to do so?  If so do you think that we should…why?  Please write me a reflection on your thoughts regarding the issue of immigration and the immact that you believe increasing or decreasing immigration will have on the government or economy of the United States in the years to come.  I am very curious to see how you all feel on this issue.

• Leave a comment... (4)