How can the American Government Monitor Welfare more Closely

Response to the blog of America: The Greatest Story Ever Told, the post on "Who receives Welfare?"

I agree that that people may not understand what type of situation or people the welfare program is in place for and that drug testing to obtain one's aid would be very beneficial. Because there are many struggling families who need a little help until they are able to get back on their feet. However on the flip side there are plenty of people who take advantage of the system and cost tax payers more money.

The writer was off base concerning what and how the system was being abused, but the fact is the system is being abused. And there is no actual way for the government to over see how every welfare and food stamp recipient is spending their money. It is very easy for a recipient to go sell the food stamps for half of what they are worth and put cash in the recipients hand. Or someone who has been on welfare for years who hasn't truly been looking for a job shouldn't continue to receive aid. The system is being taken advantage of, but the question is not who receives welfare? The question is how can the American government monitor it more closely to ensure the proper people are receiving the help.

Ginger White accuses Herman Cain of a 13-year affair

The Presidential candidate Herman Cain has been accused by Ginger White of having a 13 year long affair and she did an interview with a news station in Atlanta Georgia to tell her story.  This editorial and interview can be found at http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/herman-cain-reveals-a-woman-to-accuse-him-of-a-13-year-affair/2011/11/28/gIQAxnPu5N_blog.html. The problem with this is how much does this truly matter when it comes to running a country.  Some people would say it has nothing to do with his ability to lead our nation while others may have the opinion of if he cannot be loyal to his wife how can he be loyal to his country.  This goes a long way in politics.  It all goes back to the Monica Lewinsky scandal, it was not enough to get him impeached  So maybe our country isn't about old fashioned values anymore.
In my opinion if this "scandal" can be proven and it was a full blown affair that lasted 13 years I would not be inclined to vote for someone who put his career over his family.  Because it seems that is excatly what happened.  For a politicians career divorce hurts them, but a good family front helps them.  He apparently cut this relationship off right before he began running in the Presidential race, which shows how important his work is versus his family. 
What if none of this is even true and it leads all the voters astray from the vote they would have actually cast if this alleged scandal did not go public.  The things that are leaked with out true evidence is what makes politics so cut throat and dramtic.  However if it is true then it is important that the people know what kind of person they are voting for. 
It seems that more and more as time goes by it is not the choice of good and evil but the lesser of the evils.  It seems that the traditional values have gone out the window on all ends, the politicians, media, and the society that is voting.  Society thrives on scandal and that is excatly what we get from politics these days.

Obama for reelection yes or no

   The article "Obama’s bite-size initiatives reminiscent of Clinton reelection" by Anne E. Kornblut explains what Obama and his White House team have been doing in order to be reelected for the next Presidential term.  He has taken on some of former President Bill Clinton's strategies that won him his second Presidential term.  Instead of huge agenda's he is going day by day and speaking about fixing smaller issues like relief for students with loans, mortgage relief, jobs for veterans, etc. He also committed to fulfilling the remainder of the promises made when he became President in the next five years.  Obama has not really spoken about reelection, but with everything he is doing as of right now it seems that is his top priority.

I do not believe Obama should be reelected because the issues that were at large when he came into office are still at large if not larger.  He says what every candidate says, Peace in the Middle East. better health care, more jobs, and a better economy.  These things are all well and good if someone can actually make them happen and happen without putting more strain on the economy and the national debt.  Obama's job plan sounds great because it will employ so many people, but it is a $447 billion dollar plan.  And what will that mean for taxes for everyone or will it mean our social security will be taken away.  I realize that issues do not change over night and many of them will take decades. But we need someone that can at least make a dent in the unemployment, make health care more affordable, lower taxes, and ensure children are the next generation is well educated.  All of Obama's big plans to change these issues are not getting passed because in theory they are good, but realistically would not work in the society we have.  Just like his health care plan that did not pass.  We need a practical and an action now approach so that things start to change. 


Obama's bite-size initiatives reminiscent of Clinton Reelection

Health Law to Be Revised by Ending a Program

Health Law to Be Revised by Ending a Program
This editorial written by Robert Pear that can be found in the New York Times published October 14, 2011 is pointing out the major issues with the long term care insurance program created by the new health care law. Experts such as Kathleen Sebelius, the secretary of health and human services point out that the premiums would be too high which would make young, healthy people less likely to sign up.  This would in turn ruin the 75 year plan and would only make premiums rise more and more over time.  According to the article Senator John Thune of South Dakota and Representative Charles Boustany Jr. of Louisiana believe the Obama administration ignored repeated warnings in terms of the new health care law and all the problems it would face.

 I agree with what the sources in this article are saying, due to their positions in politics they have more access to exact information and decisions that have been made in terms of this law.  It seems that there are great ideas in the new health care law, but the way to keep it affordable long-term still seems to be an issue as it always has.  The question is what is the Obama administration going to do about this issue from here on.  There are still plenty of elderly and dissable people who either cannot afford good health care or have none at all.  The ideas seem great, but until a solution can truly be formed there is no use inexciting the people who are in need of this or the people advocating for it.  And it does not need to be the quick fix, it needs to be the long-term and make the nation better plan.

Why U.S. troops should stay in Iraq

Why U.S. troops should stay in Iraq

The article by Meghan O’Sullivan  is about the reasons for American troops to stay in Iraq and the benefits for both sides in doing so.  First off she believes that it will help the Iraqi people develop a stable government without falling back into dictatorship, secondly it will allow us to keep an Allie in the middle east where we have fewer and fewer, and thirdly for their oil resources.  In my opinion these are all great reasons to keep our troops there.  Even though many people ask the question of what about the cost? Wont our taxes go up? Even though our gas prices also continue to rise.  But Iraq has already "signed 11contracts with international oil companies geared toward increasing production more than four-fold to over 12 million barrels a day — more than Saudi Arabia produces today." This would be a tremendous help for the lower and middle income families who are struggling with the cost of gas.  And oil is a resource that the world will need long-term.  Having an Allie with an abundant amount will be very beneficial for the future to have.  Not to mention that if we were able to help their people rebuild to ensure a better future for the Iraqis that would be a wonderful thing.  Meghan O'Sullivan was the National Security Advisor for the Iraq and Afghanistan during George W. Bush's administration. This gives her the credibility and insight that allows her to truly understand the pros and cons for keeping troops there long term.  It is an argument to everyone who continues to say keep troops home, though there are so many greater outcomes for staying.  The long term result is what will matter not a quick fix now.

Boehner gets GOP primary challenge from Tea Party

This was a fascinating article that I think everyone should read because it is a great depiction of the battle between running politicians and what they say they stand for and what they actually fight for.  Abortion is a very controversial issue that many politicians are against yet they act very little. Just as Boehner has done.  He is anti-abortion yet did not follow his cause all the way through to ensure planned parenthood did not recieve anymore federal funding.  David Lewis is running against Boehner for the position of speaker of the house on the platform that Boehner does not follow through.  This article was a great for insights between politicians and their major beliefs and what they stand for.


http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2011/09/john-boehner-primary-challenge-tea-party-abortion-/1













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