Blog assignment # 2
By Joe Bassi
I chose to answer question 3 for this blog post. I shall restate it here for those who may not be in the class. It asks’ “Why are so many people uncomfortable with the idea that many problems don’t have a single solution? Give an example of a current controversy in which there are different factions arguing that theirs is the one RIGHT answer and explain why there is in reality no one right answer to the issue”. I will answer the opening question in the previous statement first. In my opinion, people are uncomfortable with solutions that conflict with their own and people are uncomfortable with complications of any kind; especially in the realm of the controversial .Tempers arise. Ideals clash. We are all familiar with the saying “Do not discuss religion or politics at the kitchen table.”
A current controversy that encompasses all of the above elements is illustrated in our country’s Health Care Reform Bill. I do not follow the news frequently, so in an attempt to better understand this controversy and what all the squabbling is about I shall examine a few websites. According to Thomas Bates http://www.rockthevote.com/issues/health-care-center/
Featured Video on Rock the Vote.com .He sums up the current state of the Bill as the Senate has passed a bill, the House has passed a bill that is similar, but both versions of the Health Care Reform Bill are supposed to be compromised upon and the result would be a conference report. After it is voted upon it would then be up to the President to approve it. ( I’m a bill , I’m a bill on capitol hill that’s how I remember civics’ lessons).
Yesterday a 7.5 hour White House summit and debate ensued in D.C. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_health_care_overhaul
To summarize whets happening, Democrats disagree over the President’s plan but they are moving forward with the goal of achieving some kind health care reform.”It’s time to do something, and were going to do it.” Said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat from Nevada. President Barack Obama says “I don’t need a poll to know that most Republican voters are opposed to this bill and might be oppose to the kind of compromise we could craft... And if we can’t… I think we’ve got to go ahead and make some decisions and that’s what elections are for.” The article includes Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky who said “Frankly, I was discouraged by the outcome” and “I do not believe there will be any Republican support for this 2,700 page bill.” The only voice from this article I read and hyperlinked here that made sense to me was that of our own John McCain, a republican from Arizona who said on ABC’s “ Good Morning America “ that the White House summit was beneficial and a good learning opportunity. I like when he said it is time “to start over. What we’re saying is, let’s start out on the areas we agree upon.” According to the article further on it says those items are dropping sick policyholders, ending annual and lifetime monetary benefits, and letting young people stay on their parents insurance longer, into their 20’s. All these quotes and the information from this paragraph can be found in the hyperlink at the beginning of this paragraph.
Through my research I have stumbled upon the White Houses’ official site. http://www.whitehouse.gov/health-care-meeting. The opening page asks “what will the Presidents’ Proposal mean for you?” then I click on “I have insurance through my work.” This leads to an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) screen. The Q (question) says “will my premiums / costs go up because of health care reform” The A (answer) says No. I like the sound of that, but I know that someone has to pay for it, probably me in the form of higher taxes.
From my research I can see that there is no one solution to our health care dilemma. No easy way to care of our people, we are the richest country in the world we should have health care for all of us. How to accomplish this? I think law makers should put into effect those things that both parties have agreed on. This would be a victory in bipartisanship and would help some people in the country. Mostly it would get things started, even it was just those three little things it would still be a win/win for Washington and the people. It would be something to build on, and it would lessen the frustration of people like me who just want to see our elected officials accomplish some form of bipartisanship.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
Joe B blog #1 "patriotic shopping"
Joe B
Hum101
Blog assignment # 1
Is it patriotic to shop? It depends on where the product you are buying was made. If you are buying “patriotic” let’s first define the word. A patriot is “one who loves and zealously supports one’s own country” ( from Webster’s New World Dictionary), would mean you would by only U.S.A. made goods.
From this point of view one would be a patriotic shopper if everything he purchased was American made. Lets for a moment consider that sadly very little is made here in America these days. Then let’s consider our former President George W. Bush’s plea to “ get on the airlines, get about the business of America ”http://www.commondreams.org/headlines01/0929-04.htm. This was of course said shortly after 9/11. He was talking about keeping money flowing thru our economy. And at least when you fly, you are on an American made plane.
As an owner of two Toyota’s and a Nissan I have contributed to the downfall of Detroit. I am not proud of this, but they were used when I bought them. My Nissan Quest is really a Mercury Villager (Ford) with Nissan electronics, a Nissan nameplate. It was built in America by Ford for Nissan. My Toyota Camry was built in Kentucky U.S.A. so it’ confusing these days as to what an American car is. I think it would be patriotic for me to buy a new Chevy or Ford made by American Auto Workers in Detroit , but I cannot afford to right now. Of course it must be said that most Chevy’s and Ford’s are assembled in America, but from international and outsourced components and materials.
U.S.A. made items like pants that are made here of domestic materials cost dearly. http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/clothes-workwear/mens/mens-pants/84011.aspx?feature=product_11. They are $ 69.50 for a pair of pants, pants advertised along with work pant’s. I would not work in them. These are pants that the working class can’t afford. They are made in Kentucky, and I can picture the employee’s working their finger’s to the bone for $7.00 an hour.
Despite the confusion over what is American made and the often bleak picture I have painted of America’s manufacturing capacity. I believe it is patriotic to shop. When you shop you are moving money thru the economy, paying sales tax to fund public works projects and pay off our deep debt. Also you are encouraging capitalism and the American way of life. But this is not enough. It’s time America started to manufacture again. The question I addressed was “Given that the U.S. economy is based on consumer spending, is it patriotic to shop?”. We must create jobs. The other component in the economy is that the consumer must have an income to spend .
I worked at a small manufacturing plant before I started the internship program, that was bought out by a large international competitor and subsequently shut down. Being a lowly welder there I wasn’t informed why this was done and lucky for me I landed this job before they shut the doors. My father’s manufacturing job was outsourced to another country a short time after he was willing to relocate across the country to stay with the company. The point of all this is America needs to get back to what we do best which is manufacturing . In addition to mining and farming it is what we need to get our country on track financially.
Hum101
Blog assignment # 1
Is it patriotic to shop? It depends on where the product you are buying was made. If you are buying “patriotic” let’s first define the word. A patriot is “one who loves and zealously supports one’s own country” ( from Webster’s New World Dictionary), would mean you would by only U.S.A. made goods.
From this point of view one would be a patriotic shopper if everything he purchased was American made. Lets for a moment consider that sadly very little is made here in America these days. Then let’s consider our former President George W. Bush’s plea to “ get on the airlines, get about the business of America ”http://www.commondreams.org/headlines01/0929-04.htm. This was of course said shortly after 9/11. He was talking about keeping money flowing thru our economy. And at least when you fly, you are on an American made plane.
As an owner of two Toyota’s and a Nissan I have contributed to the downfall of Detroit. I am not proud of this, but they were used when I bought them. My Nissan Quest is really a Mercury Villager (Ford) with Nissan electronics, a Nissan nameplate. It was built in America by Ford for Nissan. My Toyota Camry was built in Kentucky U.S.A. so it’ confusing these days as to what an American car is. I think it would be patriotic for me to buy a new Chevy or Ford made by American Auto Workers in Detroit , but I cannot afford to right now. Of course it must be said that most Chevy’s and Ford’s are assembled in America, but from international and outsourced components and materials.
U.S.A. made items like pants that are made here of domestic materials cost dearly. http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/clothes-workwear/mens/mens-pants/84011.aspx?feature=product_11. They are $ 69.50 for a pair of pants, pants advertised along with work pant’s. I would not work in them. These are pants that the working class can’t afford. They are made in Kentucky, and I can picture the employee’s working their finger’s to the bone for $7.00 an hour.
Despite the confusion over what is American made and the often bleak picture I have painted of America’s manufacturing capacity. I believe it is patriotic to shop. When you shop you are moving money thru the economy, paying sales tax to fund public works projects and pay off our deep debt. Also you are encouraging capitalism and the American way of life. But this is not enough. It’s time America started to manufacture again. The question I addressed was “Given that the U.S. economy is based on consumer spending, is it patriotic to shop?”. We must create jobs. The other component in the economy is that the consumer must have an income to spend .
I worked at a small manufacturing plant before I started the internship program, that was bought out by a large international competitor and subsequently shut down. Being a lowly welder there I wasn’t informed why this was done and lucky for me I landed this job before they shut the doors. My father’s manufacturing job was outsourced to another country a short time after he was willing to relocate across the country to stay with the company. The point of all this is America needs to get back to what we do best which is manufacturing . In addition to mining and farming it is what we need to get our country on track financially.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Week 4 pop-culture survey
I did not keep a very good log of my pop-culture activities so , I will have to go from memory and knowledge of my typical pop-culture habits. Last Saturday I was busy going to the store and did a little work on our family van. I watched the 1969 Film "Bonnie and Clyde" that night. I've seen it before and I recomend it , good movie. Sunday I watched the superbowl. I watch alot of football on a typical weekend during the season anyway , so the superbowl is the climax of probably over a hundred hours of time spent "actively" watching football. I say "actively" meaning just watching the game and focusing on the game not doing something productive around the house with the t.v. on as background noise.
I was disappointed by the ads this year. On monday I caught about an hour and a half of post-game analysis , but I was not "actively" watching it. I was "actively" thinking about some of the analysis .The thing that caught my attention most was sport's commentators "roasting"of Colts Quarterback Peyton Manning. Peyton Manning is a household name, and a pop-culture ad pitch-man, and his team lost. I think this might hurt his career as a pitch-man.
Other than that I am in the stone-age of listening to music, I listen to cd's. I would like to learn how to use an i-pod. I listen to music while driving to work on Monday for 90 minutes. I listined to Metallica, CCR,The Real McKenzies, and the Ray Charles movie soundtrack.
I was disappointed by the ads this year. On monday I caught about an hour and a half of post-game analysis , but I was not "actively" watching it. I was "actively" thinking about some of the analysis .The thing that caught my attention most was sport's commentators "roasting"of Colts Quarterback Peyton Manning. Peyton Manning is a household name, and a pop-culture ad pitch-man, and his team lost. I think this might hurt his career as a pitch-man.
Other than that I am in the stone-age of listening to music, I listen to cd's. I would like to learn how to use an i-pod. I listen to music while driving to work on Monday for 90 minutes. I listined to Metallica, CCR,The Real McKenzies, and the Ray Charles movie soundtrack.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Joes update for Feb 5
Hi Interns. Im updating mmy blog. I am not excited about the two teams in the superbowl. But I am looking forward to the spectacle of super-sunday, the commercials. Also I am looking forward to Spring. Have a good weekend-Joe.
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