In all years my years of being educated, the topic of politics and the American government have barely been a focus in our curriculum. Sure, we have learned about the history and basic setup of our government, but is not enough to fully understand how our political system works and what issues it may create. Now that it is time for us to participate in the U.S Government and Politics course, it is important for students to be more aware of political issues and the government.
As a teenager, unemployment is a very important issue. At this age, we start looking for jobs to save money for college, supplies we may need, money to spend on school events, and other desired, personal items because our parents will not always be able to give us money when we want it (especially if they are also unemployed). This issue not only affects teenagers and students, but also many adults. Recently, more and more Americans have been laid off, leading to struggle paying off debts and monthly bills. While having no income, most people try to save the money they have and limit the amount they spend. This would negatively impact local businesses because losing customers would mean they will have less income. In some cases, business owners would also lose their job if they are unable to pay for their business. Unemployment seems to create a cycle because it negatively affects almost everyone.
Another political issue that concerns me is healthcare. When Barack Obama was elected President, he wanted universal healthcare, where everyone is required to buy health insurance. This is important for everyone because you never know when you may be ill, injured, or have any health issues. As students join sports activities in school, it increases their chances of getting an injury, thus, it is important to have insurance to ease the cost of medical bills. In certain schools and colleges, it is also a requirement for students to get specific vaccines and shots to help prevent illnesses, such as flu shots, meningitis, etc.
Despite my limited knowledge of politics and the American government, I hope to become much more educated throughout this course and have a better understanding of how our government works. Politics is a great part of our daily lives, yet it is usually ignored by many students. Through this course, I hope to learn more about this subject because it will soon have a greater affect on me as I plan for college and apply for a job.
I really liked your points talking about unemployment,i totally understand the need to have a job so you can save, pay bills and have some spending money. Have you been effected by this, were you looking for a job this summer and were unsuccessful? One thing is older Americans taking jobs that up to a few years ago teenagers had because they can not find jobs and are now resorting to jobs for lower pay. Do you think there should be jobs specifically for teenagers that older Americans can not have giving more teens the chance to work?
ReplyDeleteI really liked the points you made about healthcare. Students who play sports are at a high risk for getting injured and they need to be insured. Do you think most people are glad that health insurance is required? Also, I agree that unemployment is a cycle that negatively affects many people. Do you think more jobs should be created to help prevent this?
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