Everyone seems to be thinking a lot about Iraq these days. That's good, this crisis should not wash over idle minds. I haven't heard anybody talk about what is going on in the US though. True there have been mentions of increased oil prices and our soldiers at war, but I'm going to talk about something else. I want to adress our education system. I want to adress our Prison system. I want to adress our medicare system. I want to adress the economy. I want to adress the standings of the citizens of the USA.
Education. Our education is among the worst of the industrialized nations, yet we still continue to make cuts to it so that F-22 fighters can control the skys from which B-2 bombers drop bombs. Over the next few years the Navy and Marine Corps plan to spend in the ballpark of $35 million perplane for about 600 or so new F/A-18 E/F super hornets, this is not to mention the air force's plans to purchase some two squadrons F-22s (For in the ballpark of $100 Million a piece). That totals out to about $2.4 billion (total squadrons cost are only an estimated $200 million more than the cost of a B-2). good planes, but not necessary to fight the "war on terror." With 13, the US has 10 more carriers (all of them classified as Supercarriers) than the next closest Navy in the world (our ally Great Britain), yet our education system is in shambles. Arts AND science programs are being cut to help make funds for our efforts over seas. More money is being spent on the war in Iraq than is being spent on education (yearly). Our test scores indicate that our children are not measuring up to the standards of the rest of the world. Most of our high school graduates do not read at a 12th grade level, the estimated standard is optimidtically placed at the 10th grade.
Prisons. Our prisons have been becoming overly crowded over the past three decades. Prison rates have risen 40% over the last 30 years alone. the US has the highest incarceration rate (at one million plus) of any western nation, yet the only response made is to put more police officers out in the streets and to build more prisons, all the while cutting proven prison education programs.
Economy. Common statements have been that "its still the economy stupid," but Bush seems to be more focused on the "axis of evil" than the country that did not even elect him. The economy is in the dumps, and the only major efforts to alleviate this problem have been to lower interst rates and to go to war. the first is according to the SOP of our country's economics, the second seemed to work in WWII. Lowering interest rates has not helped all that much in stimulating an economy that is wrought with false profit supporting and bankrupcy. War may have kicked us out of the depression, but we are a sevice oriented nation now, not a production nation. This should be realized before it is considered that war might help out the economy. The political arena seems poised to start a cold ar that is set up to battle terrorists, as the cold war helped the post WWII economy through four full decades. I remain skeptical of this scheme.
Medicare. Where is it? Just a few months ago there was a post on here to raise some money for Rhino from WA because he had hurt himself in a crash and had no insurance. the bills were going to take the rest of the man's life to pay off (and may still in spite of monkey efforts). If the good 'ol USA had socialized medicine like other western countries like Australia, Sweden, France, blah, blah, blah, then this type of issue would not be a problem. The insurance business makes Billions of dollars every year because it is not worth it to risk no insurance. Social medicine could be provided at a much lower cost (because the government would not need to profit form it) than insured health care.
FOrget Saddam for a second, what do you think about what is going on here in the good 'ol USA?
Education. Our education is among the worst of the industrialized nations, yet we still continue to make cuts to it so that F-22 fighters can control the skys from which B-2 bombers drop bombs. Over the next few years the Navy and Marine Corps plan to spend in the ballpark of $35 million perplane for about 600 or so new F/A-18 E/F super hornets, this is not to mention the air force's plans to purchase some two squadrons F-22s (For in the ballpark of $100 Million a piece). That totals out to about $2.4 billion (total squadrons cost are only an estimated $200 million more than the cost of a B-2). good planes, but not necessary to fight the "war on terror." With 13, the US has 10 more carriers (all of them classified as Supercarriers) than the next closest Navy in the world (our ally Great Britain), yet our education system is in shambles. Arts AND science programs are being cut to help make funds for our efforts over seas. More money is being spent on the war in Iraq than is being spent on education (yearly). Our test scores indicate that our children are not measuring up to the standards of the rest of the world. Most of our high school graduates do not read at a 12th grade level, the estimated standard is optimidtically placed at the 10th grade.
Prisons. Our prisons have been becoming overly crowded over the past three decades. Prison rates have risen 40% over the last 30 years alone. the US has the highest incarceration rate (at one million plus) of any western nation, yet the only response made is to put more police officers out in the streets and to build more prisons, all the while cutting proven prison education programs.
Economy. Common statements have been that "its still the economy stupid," but Bush seems to be more focused on the "axis of evil" than the country that did not even elect him. The economy is in the dumps, and the only major efforts to alleviate this problem have been to lower interst rates and to go to war. the first is according to the SOP of our country's economics, the second seemed to work in WWII. Lowering interest rates has not helped all that much in stimulating an economy that is wrought with false profit supporting and bankrupcy. War may have kicked us out of the depression, but we are a sevice oriented nation now, not a production nation. This should be realized before it is considered that war might help out the economy. The political arena seems poised to start a cold ar that is set up to battle terrorists, as the cold war helped the post WWII economy through four full decades. I remain skeptical of this scheme.
Medicare. Where is it? Just a few months ago there was a post on here to raise some money for Rhino from WA because he had hurt himself in a crash and had no insurance. the bills were going to take the rest of the man's life to pay off (and may still in spite of monkey efforts). If the good 'ol USA had socialized medicine like other western countries like Australia, Sweden, France, blah, blah, blah, then this type of issue would not be a problem. The insurance business makes Billions of dollars every year because it is not worth it to risk no insurance. Social medicine could be provided at a much lower cost (because the government would not need to profit form it) than insured health care.
FOrget Saddam for a second, what do you think about what is going on here in the good 'ol USA?
