Blog Post 8: Commentary #2

It's just one thing after another with this government. First the banks, now our government... pretty soon we're going to have a global economic collapse and be stuck back in the dark ages. I mean really people, $700 BILLION dollars? Does anyone grasp the concept of that amount of money? I think I've won the lottery when I get a $700 paycheck in a week. What does that kind of money even look like? It's too bad that we couldn't have figured out this budget crisis years ago: putting it off till now only makes it harder and harder to bear living in this country. Pretty soon we're going to have an entire nation of people on welfare, no one can afford to live decently these days. I'm only hoping that next time around we can elect someone who can actually solve problems, not approve band-aids to patch them up. Congress needs to wake up and stop padding their pockets with corporate incentives and solve the economic crisis for the good of us all!

This is in reference to Shane Young's Blog Post.

I'm pretty sure pizza isn't a vegetable...

What is congress thinking? Making tomato paste legally a "vegetable" so that it can be left on school lunch menus? Simply ridiculous. As the article says "poor nutrition in school lunches [is] a national security issue because obesity is the leading medical disqualifier for military service". How scary it would be if our nation was too obese to defend itself? Congress wants to make it legally acceptable to leave fatty and unhealthy foods in school meals because they are cheaper and more easily made than whole grain or organic foods. Children eating school lunches don't have much of a choice on what they eat, and if all they are offered are junk foods, then obesity is sure to follow. Children are easily manipulated to do things, and if congress passes this bill, it only reinforces the idea that these foods are healthy and acceptable to eat on a daily basis. Congress should do the right thing and impose stricter laws and regulations on foods served to children in the public school system. Fruits and vegetables may be a little more expensive to provide for public school meals, but the high cost of medical bills and possibly losing national security outweigh the temporary budget fix.


Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45306416/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/t/pizza-vegetable-congress-says-yes/

Editorial Comment on "Also in shock"

I agree that we are to blame in the high infant mortality rate. For such a civilized country as we claim to be, we are lacking in our ability to fund and alleviate the health care problem. Short staffing at hospitals and overcrowding in areas causes long wait times for ER visits, health care and health insurance is so expensive and jobs are hard to come by.

I am lucky that my employer offers low cost health insurance for me, but many people go without, which in effect, affects their children. Pregnant women go without pre-natal care, infants go without doctor visits when they are sick and women are under-educated in how to care for their new child. Not only that, but we have environmental factors to contend with. Pollution and availability of food, water and shelter become a factor in the lives of infants when their parents are unable to afford basic necessities for their children. Parents become stressed and can (most unfortunately) take their stress out on their young child, which could eventually lead to death.

I like the way Nate wrote his piece, although I think it could have had more substance to it. It addresses the main point of the article, but doesn't flesh out anything more. Good job though! :)