<snip removed>

 

The second topic I would like to mention is the welfare system. The welfare system is a system which is supposed to provide bare essentials for Americans that make little to no money. There are many Americans abusing the system and just sitting at their homes sucking in the welfare money. The main thing that rubs me the wrong way is the actual benefits. If you have little or no income, why in the hell do you need a cell phone. I work at Best Buy and I pay taxes. I expect my taxes to help the country, not pay for some person to have a cell phone when I can't even afford a plan with my income as it is. The government should do monthly meetings with the recipients of the welfare checks to analyze their needs. If they are physically or mentally strong enough to work, then they should help them get a job. Even though we are in a hard economic time, there are still a ton of jobs out there.

 

 

 

People are just horrible at financial management. Having regular meetings with them will cost money too.

 

 

The last topic I would like to write about is the government. The government is a group of elected officials that run the country. When running for a government position, these people advertise that they will do a certain thing if elected. Whether it be lower taxes, create more jobs, or stop wars, most of it is just BS.

 

Welcome to politics bro.

I don't see your point in the No Child Left Behind Act. Why should it be abolished? Your point is contradicting. You like the act, but yet think it should be abolished? I think it actually should be raised a little bit more, because some kids just need that extra push to succeed, and I'd rather have a country of people who succeed rather than those who just get by. Dumbing down test doesn't hold those who want to succeed back, if you want to learn more, tell your teachers, they'll give you more work.

 

The welfare system has always been abused, and as long as it's around, it'll be abused. People will always find a way to cheat it, and if you just take it away, than those who actually need it will be on the streets. I'd rather have some people cheat the system than fill the streets with more people. The government has more things to do than to find people jobs, that's their own thing, they need to do it.

 

The government is corrupt, I would know, I'm in it. I defend this country, and I don't like the government. No matter what you do, a government will be corrupt. You cannot tell me one government that doesn't have some sort of corruption. That's what power does, it corrupts people. I'm not saying EVERYONE in the government is corrupt, I'm just saying, there's no way to get by this corruption.

 

P.S. These represent my views, and not the views of the entire crew.

Topic 1: Personally, I feel that we should adopt a Japanese school system. If the students don't feel like accomplishing anything in school, send them to learn a trade. The reason why Asian test scores are higher than ours is because their schools have people who care about learning. We also need to get rid of our janitors and cafeteria workers. It'll raise the school's budget for things that actually matter. We're all capable of making our own lunch and if the students are the one's staying after school to clean, then they will stop making such a mess.

 

Topic 2: There should be some sort of proof system that tells the government if they're actively searching for a job and not sitting around doing whatever. It may cost a little more but it should reduce the amount of people who get welfare checks.

 

Topic 3: That's politics. :thumbup:

Topic 1: Personally, I feel that we should adopt a Japanese school system. If the students don't feel like accomplishing anything in school, send them to learn a trade. The reason why Asian test scores are higher than ours is because their schools have people who care about learning. We also need to get rid of our janitors and cafeteria workers. It'll raise the school's budget for things that actually matter. We're all capable of making our own lunch and if the students are the one's staying after school to clean, then they will stop making such a mess.

Getting rid of janitors is too idealistic; kids won't clean after themselves. Plus, in our school the janitors also maintain the gardening. You can't expect kids to trim trees and cut grass.

 

But I have different views for cafeteria. Maybe not at the elementary or middle school level, but for high school I say privatize lunch. Let smaller fast food restaurants be set up in schools. Saves the district money, allows for competition so lunch will be worth the quality it should, give business opportunities (lunch ladies could work at the restaurants), and the students become happy.

Topic 1: The problem is that these days we have bleeding heart people who won't let people fail. these kids who goof around and cause trouble, i could not care less if they fail, if in 5 years I see them begging in a street I wont flip them a nickle. There should be programs to help people who want to learn, including those who have trouble, but those who don't should quite frankly gtfo.

 

Topic 2: The problem is that these people don't want to get jobs, and if you stop supporting them then people will say "Oh but they have 7 kids and they have no food!" Imo if you can't afford the kids then quite churning them out.

 

Topic 3: I agree that some officials think they don't answer to the American people, this was laid bare early in the healthcare debate when loads of people said we don't want this and the officials said too bad you're getting it, they have since been told/shown who their daddy is. If I was a representative I think I'd try to have monthly meetings in which concerns and opinions were expressed and I'd argue my point, but if I'm overruled thats the way I'd vote. You see even if i know that it will turn out bad, it IS what they want, and if they don't like it later they have themselves to blame (though I'm sure I would be). But alas i wouldn't last very long in office, the price of honesty in politics.

Let smaller fast food restaurants be set up in schools.

 

wat

Topic 1: Personally, I feel that we should adopt a Japanese school system. If the students don't feel like accomplishing anything in school, send them to learn a trade. The reason why Asian test scores are higher than ours is because their schools have people who care about learning. We also need to get rid of our janitors and cafeteria workers. It'll raise the school's budget for things that actually matter. We're all capable of making our own lunch and if the students are the one's staying after school to clean, then they will stop making such a mess.

Getting rid of janitors is too idealistic; kids won't clean after themselves. Plus, in our school the janitors also maintain the gardening. You can't expect kids to trim trees and cut grass.

 

But I have different views for cafeteria. Maybe not at the elementary or middle school level, but for high school I say privatize lunch. Let smaller fast food restaurants be set up in schools. Saves the district money, allows for competition so lunch will be worth the quality it should, give business opportunities (lunch ladies could work at the restaurants), and the students become happy.

It works pretty well in Japan. And I'm sure they hire gardeners and mechanics for the other things that janitors do. And I don't agree with a small fast food restaurant. It just doesn't seem right to make school lunch a business. Although anyone who has their license should be able to leave the school during lunch period and get something to eat provided they're back before class begins and they don't do something stupid while out.

Topic 1: I would have to agree. We are holding people back because we are trying too hard in order to get people to pass; we are lowering the standard in order to accomplish this end. This is the wrong way to approach education! Some people just simply don't want to learn, so don't force it down their throats; it's their own stupid decision. Also, if people aren't capable of doing a task, don't try to sloppily teach them how to do the task at a sub-par level and throw them out into the real world. Give them something that they can actually do, even if that means shipping them off to a trade school.

 

 

Topic 2: I don't have much of an opinion on the subject other than the fact that it's despicable that many people are living fairly comfortable lives while on welfare; it's obvious exploitation. I do have a potential solution to some of the problems with the welfare state. Instead of just giving people money if they are unemployed, why not adopt a below minimum wage system? For example, a person goes to an unemployment office and states that they need help. The people who work at the unemployment office assign the person to some temporary industrial job in order to manufacture license plates or military equipment. The person earns a few dollars an hour, but they both contribute to society, and they earn money. It's a win-win situation. It also reduces the unemployment rate, thus it is highly beneficial to society. Likewise, it keeps the person in shape; I have known some people who were laid off/fired, and they became very unhealthy because they didn't bother to do anything after losing their job. Working in a factory will do wonders, compared to just being a couch potato.

 

Here's another good thing about the unemployment idea: it encourages people to continue to look for a real job, one that pays at least minimum wage. The person would be able to be hired instantly, and they can resign at any time. Nothing binds them to the job except necessity.

 

Topic 3: Welcome to politics.

With the school issue, imo it's to make each generation dumber so they don't question anything. Keeps the nice healthy chasm between the rich and the poor.

 

Australia has a pretty good setup with the dole. You have to report your earnings, come in for appointments, be actively looking for work and you do volunteer work too. They also provide certain training such as footing the bill for security guard courses.

they need to stay the away from invading countries and deal with their own problems first. just imagine if you spent 50% of your current military budget on.. you know your own people.

WTF @ the No Child Left Behind act. The solution should be to make different test forms to challenge those brainy ones and give the dumb ones the easier questions. My math class uses that system and it works out well for us.

 

And WTF @ the Welfare act. Abusing the system to gain free money, while also giving the really desperate something they can't even use? :mellow:

 

And I don't really understand the third problem. Is it that government people get elected but don't actually do the things they said they want to do? If so then WTF @ that as well.

 

In truth, yeah, I agree these things need a serious fix.

I like the US. There are problems, sure, but we're doing pretty damn good.

 

Too bad it'll fall in my lifetime. And I may very well contribute to that.

@ Government

You can say all you want to get elected, but even if you go in with the best intentions it just might not be possible.

Topic 3: I agree that some officials think they don't answer to the American people, this was laid bare early in the healthcare debate when loads of people said we don't want this and the officials said too bad you're getting it, they have since been told/shown who their daddy is.

 

Well that is just completely wrong, when the health debate really got started last year the majority of people wanted it. Then Fox News and the like started turning out FUD and propaganda against it, and the Democrats were too chicken [cabbage] to do anything about it when they had a super-majority. That disillusioned many citizens, along with the continuing propaganda, to where now it may not be supported by the majority. If the insurance companies didn't own the Republicans and the Democrats weren't limp [bleep]s worried about re-elections 2 years away then we could have got a bill through last fall that would have actually helped Americans.

Instead of just giving people money if they are unemployed, why not adopt a below minimum wage system? For example, a person goes to an unemployment office and states that they need help. The people who work at the unemployment office assign the person to some temporary industrial job in order to manufacture license plates or military equipment. The person earns a few dollars an hour, but they both contribute to society, and they earn money. It's a win-win situation. It also reduces the unemployment rate, thus it is highly beneficial to society. Likewise, it keeps the person in shape; I have known some people who were laid off/fired, and they became very unhealthy because they didn't bother to do anything after losing their job. Working in a factory will do wonders, compared to just being a couch potato.

 

Here's another good thing about the unemployment idea: it encourages people to continue to look for a real job, one that pays at least minimum wage. The person would be able to be hired instantly, and they can resign at any time. Nothing binds them to the job except necessity.

 

 

You're assuming that there are jobs out there. Right now, there are 6 people for every job. And it isn't looking too great either.

 

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/03/how-a-new-jobless-era-will-transform-america/7919/

 

The Great Recession may be over, but this era of high joblessness is probably just beginning. Before it ends, it will likely change the life course and character of a generation of young adults. It will leave an indelible imprint on many blue-collar men. It could cripple marriage as an institution in many communities. It may already be plunging many inner cities into a despair not seen for decades. Ultimately, it is likely to warp our politics, our culture, and the character of our society for years to come.

No Child Left Behind

-If you're not happy with the testing level, then get out of regular classes and take advanced or AP courses. It depends on the school you go to for the level of testing. My school is one of the top schools if not the top in Kentucky, and transfer students from other schools say that it's tougher than the schools they came from. Apparently if you can get a B here it's the same as an A at surrounding schools in the area. Now compare one of the top schools in the state to a school in hicktown kentucky where obviously the standards are much lower. It depends on the area you live in.

 

Welfare

-Yeah, I agree welfare needs to be monitored better... Obviously some families actually DO need help with survival and paying the bills, but some don't as well and mooch. A way to monitor people for a while would be nice.

 

Politics

-With our government we've got the problem of two main sides and usually one controls the executive branch and the other controls the legislature and all we do is block each others policies to no end. Like the current health care bill that keeps getting slapped down... Thank god Mitch Mcconnel(sp) is leaving. The republicans are never able to haggle on anything with the dems... That's why nothing gets done, because it's their way or the highway.

You're completely wrong with your view of the No Child Left Behind Act as well as your plan of fixing it. The problem lies within the tests, but not the, "dumbing down," of the tests. They've always been ridiculously easy. The problem is they don't teach students anything. Teachers base entire curricula on one test, forcing rote memorization on students to get high passing rates. Students learn NOTHING. In history class, we memorize dates and events and people and wars. And that's all we do for twelve years. The only time I've actually had a change of pace was when I took AP European History. There was much more memorization, but luckily a little bit of analysis of political documents old and new. But that was rare, and it felt like the previous years of history with more rote memorization than was ever necessary.

 

Thankfully it's difficult to ruin a mathematics course; by the time a student gets to Algebra 2 or Trigonometry, they're going to start having to think hard regardless of their intelligence or competence of the teacher/course. The worst that can happen is the student gets a bad teacher and curriculum, causing them to be unable to grasp the concepts. At least in this case there is actually useful material to be learned for whoever takes the course, unlike history, which really only makes a major effect on students interested in politics or a few other vocations. While fascinating and essential to know in some jobs, history really isn't as useful as schools would like to think.

 

Unfortunately it is very rare for a student to actually obtain a good education prior to university. It isn't always a case of a student getting a bad teacher, and unlike the students' opinions, most teachers actually are good teachers. They just have to teach material that doesn't do the students any good, otherwise none of the students will graduate because they'll end up failing a ridiculously easy and useless test. AP courses are rarely any better. While they do give a better idea of the difficulty of the work a student should expect in the course in college, they still don't learn much. More often than not the teachers are people with measly teaching degrees and a training course on how to teach an AP course that lasts a few weeks. With the difference in college being actual access to a real professor with a Master's degree and actual experience in fields related to the courses.

Something that certainly annoys me is income tax. It used to be only one percent, and as a "temporary" measure to pay for the cost of WWI. Now, the cost is much higher... say, twenty percent and up. To anyone who makes any kind of money, that is a ridiculous amount to pay, and it usually goes to waste. Seven hundred BILLION (a mind-boggling number) was thrown out the window to pay companies (who did nothing but line their own pockets).

 

The government is not a movie set. We are not to waste the money of our citizens in order for useless schemes, making the rich fund the poor (and the poor to fund to poor, and so on), funding illegal immigrants, et cetera.

 

Edit: Jobs are certainly available. There is clearly money to pay for these jobs, as long as the company/organization is large enough (thanks to the bailout). My uncle said that if he couldn't get a job doing anything for his particular skillset, he'd rather mow lawns for a living than sit on his [wagon] and cash welfare checks.

 

As to welfare: Some people just pump out kids so that they can get a higher welfare check and not have to work a day in their lives. Also, illegal immigrants don't pay taxes... and there are so many illegal immigrants. In my last town, around fifty percent or more were illegal immigrants from Mexico/Brazil.

Also, illegal immigrants don't pay taxes... and there are so many illegal immigrants. In my last town, around fifty percent or more were illegal immigrants from Mexico/Brazil.

What a horrible misconception. Most working illegal immigrants have some sort of fake social security. Which forces them to be taxed. You get social security to get a driver's license, credit, and other things to be more stable in this country. You could also pay taxes through some sort of PIN number ONLY illegals can get. So don't act as if the government doesn't know about them.

 

This country really needs to stop being so god damn racist and stupid: we protect people from poor communist countries but not poor countries, Western USA is an occupied territory not part of the core English-speaking provinces, and you gotta understand the difference between working immigrants and not.

Also, illegal immigrants don't pay taxes... and there are so many illegal immigrants. In my last town, around fifty percent or more were illegal immigrants from Mexico/Brazil.

What a horrible misconception. Most working illegal immigrants have some sort of fake social security. Which forces them to be taxed. You get social security to get a driver's license, credit, and other things to be more stable in this country. You could also pay taxes through some sort of PIN number ONLY illegals can get. So don't act as if the government doesn't know about them.

 

This country really needs to stop being so god damn racist and stupid: we protect people from poor communist countries but not poor countries, Western USA is an occupied territory not part of the core English-speaking provinces, and you gotta understand the difference between working immigrants and not.

 

 

Just stop there, just stop.

 

 

How was he racist?

 

If you want to get into this country, get in legally, or get out. Call me a bigot, if you want. Its's cool. Call me racist, ok. But just stop throwing around blanket statements like this.

Also, illegal immigrants don't pay taxes... and there are so many illegal immigrants. In my last town, around fifty percent or more were illegal immigrants from Mexico/Brazil.

What a horrible misconception. Most working illegal immigrants have some sort of fake social security. Which forces them to be taxed. You get social security to get a driver's license, credit, and other things to be more stable in this country. You could also pay taxes through some sort of PIN number ONLY illegals can get. So don't act as if the government doesn't know about them.

 

This country really needs to stop being so god damn racist and stupid: we protect people from poor communist countries but not poor countries, Western USA is an occupied territory not part of the core English-speaking provinces, and you gotta understand the difference between working immigrants and not.

 

 

Just stop there, just stop.

 

 

How was he racist?

 

If you want to get into this country, get in legally, or get out. Call me a bigot, if you want. Its's cool. Call me racist, ok. But just stop throwing around blanket statements like this.

The overall attitude of 'native' Americans to illegal Hispanics is disgusting and you know it. If a illegal Pole or Dane came over here no one would suspect anything. But cuz the Hispanic is darker and speaks funny, he must be illegal and must get out. Its [bleep]ing [cabbage].

 

Another thing you got to realize: you CAN'T BECOME LEGAL IN THIS COUNTRY IF YOU'RE A POOR UNSKILLED LABORER. Doctors, scientists, engineers, people who can greatly contribute in this country would be let in. But why would those people leave their native countries, where they're part of the rich? They won't. The unskilled poor won't contribute anything here, cuz unskilled white people should fill that necessity. So its [bleep]ing impossible for a unskilled laborer, 99.5% of working illegals, to become legal.

 

So stop throwing around stupid statements like that.

Life isn't fair, isn't meant to be, and never will be. A fact we must all come to terms with.

Life isn't fair, isn't meant to be, and never will be. A fact we must all come to terms with.

Okay, I expect you not to ever reply in any problem/current event thread about changing the status quo or anything of the sort.

Also, illegal immigrants don't pay taxes... and there are so many illegal immigrants. In my last town, around fifty percent or more were illegal immigrants from Mexico/Brazil.

What a horrible misconception. Most working illegal immigrants have some sort of fake social security. Which forces them to be taxed. You get social security to get a driver's license, credit, and other things to be more stable in this country. You could also pay taxes through some sort of PIN number ONLY illegals can get. So don't act as if the government doesn't know about them.

 

This country really needs to stop being so god damn racist and stupid: we protect people from poor communist countries but not poor countries, Western USA is an occupied territory not part of the core English-speaking provinces, and you gotta understand the difference between working immigrants and not.

 

Just stop there, just stop.

 

 

How was he racist?

 

If you want to get into this country, get in legally, or get out. Call me a bigot, if you want. Its's cool. Call me racist, ok. But just stop throwing around blanket statements like this.

The overall attitude of 'native' Americans to illegal Hispanics is disgusting and you know it. If a illegal Pole or Dane came over here no one would suspect anything. But cuz the Hispanic is darker and speaks funny, he must be illegal and must get out. Its [bleep]ing [cabbage].

 

Another thing you got to realize: you CAN'T BECOME LEGAL IN THIS COUNTRY IF YOU'RE A POOR UNSKILLED LABORER. Doctors, scientists, engineers, people who can greatly contribute in this country would be let in. But why would those people leave their native countries, where they're part of the rich? They won't. The unskilled poor won't contribute anything here, cuz unskilled white people should fill that necessity. So its [bleep]ing impossible for a unskilled laborer, 99.5% of working illegals, to become legal.

 

So stop throwing around stupid statements like that.

No one would suspect an illegal Pole or Dane because they aren't the problem. There aren't enough jobs for all of the legal Americans. We can't just accept every poor immigrant wanting to come to America for a better life because it just makes more people without jobs.

 

We also shouldn't be blaming the American government or illegal immigrants. It's the major companies' fault because they've all gone overseas to countries with no minimum wage laws in order to gain more profit.