What's the big deal about healthcare? This topic I struggle with. I don't see how a national healthcare program would infringe on our rights as an individual. In Alabama, we are already required to pay car insurance for the safety of our car.  Why shouldn't we pay taxes for health insurance for the safety of our bodies! The poor overwhelmingly support this bill, so obviously the money is not the issue.  Is the issue the pride? Must we depend on our own hard work for everything? Obviously we love help because we have religions based off of gods who help us, so why must we neglect help from other human beings? Wars happen because the countries refuse to help each other, so why not avoid that altogether? National healthcare is not a revolutionary idea, it had been going on in other countries for years.  Lucas Siefert was telling us the other day that national healthcare isn't even a problem because it's just how things are.  Only because we are given the opportunity for protecting our selves is it a problem.  After years of continuation, things become the norm.  Civil rights is now no longer an issue to the young generation of 2013, 50 years from now, gay marriage will be just as normal.  Healthcare will be the same way.

The first week of the government shutdown has gone by and still no progress.  Republicans are refusing to raise the debt limit and Obama is determined not to give in on this issue.  The US may be facing the decision to default, which would cripple the US economy and also impact the global economy.  I believe that both sides are right in what they want.  The liberals want to raise the debt limit and the conservatives want to decrease the debt.  Because neither side can get what they want, why not do both? Raise the debt ceiling so that the government has breathing room to comfortably make decisions on how to lower the debt.  We need not be selfish as a nation to get what we want.  If we remain selfish and eventually default because of our stubbornness, the world economy would be crushed because so many countries rely on payment from the United States for bills. We should raise the debt ceiling and re-open congress so that the lives of other countries aren't ruined, then we can take care of our own policies.  Make congress publish a budget to hold them responsible and put responsible people in congress.  If we take these small steps, then we ca avoid disaster.

It amazes me how as children we are taught how to share, compromise, and work together, yet we cannot exhibit those things when it comes to the US congress.  It is inexcusable how congress has refused to fund some of Obama's health care act.  It has already been passed, it has already been Supreme Court approved, so what's the hold up? This selfish act of some of the republican congressmen is detrimental to the whole nation.  If we live in a democracy, then officials we elect must learn to accept the democratic policy that sometimes the public will go against your opinion.  The refusal to cooperate has driven America into a government shutdown.  Everyone of those congressmen should be replaced because they have failed to prove productive.  It has been said that 10% of people are happy with the job congress has done.  My question is where are the 10% of America that actually approves? Those voting that way obviously are not educated about what congress has achieved.  Since I am under 18 I cannot vote, but I challenge you to vote for someone that YOU know will do a good job.  It is time to end the ignorance in America end the time of congress stubbornly arguing for hours only to accomplish nothing.  Please vote so that America can continue on as a nation.

Wherever you look, you can read about Syria.  A big question in America is to whether we should go to war against Syria and bomb their country.  Yes, it is sad that the government is using chemical weapons against people, but we don't really know a lot about these people in general.  In America, whether the government will tell this or not, people rioting against the government will be punished and tortured to give information.  We as Americans do not question this act because we deem it necessary because we trust our government to do the right thing.  I think it is time that America stops acting like the policeman of the world, and letting other countries rule how they want to.  Governments do not kill people, unless they feel that those people are dangers to society.  If the Syria thing results in civil war, we should leave them be because it is their responsibility to fix it.  During the American Civil War, Britain didn't bomb one side because they felt like they were bad; so neither should America.  In a "free country" we need to start letting other countries be free from our rule.

Every time a mass shooting happens, like the one at the naval yard yesterday, there is mass grief for the victims.  Soon afterwards, people advocate for stronger gun laws.  Many believe that it would be the most logical fix to a gun problem would be to take the guns out of the hands of people, thus eliminating the option for a shooting.  It is obvious that eliminating guns from citizens is impossible because the 2nd amendment guarantees the right to hold one.  Because we will never be able to eliminate guns in America, we need to think of smarter ways to eliminate these mass shootings.  The answer is not more guns either.  Because this shooting took place in a naval yard, it is easy to assume that many guns were at that facility.  The killing ended in a gun battle.  If the answer is not to eliminate guns and the answer is also not to have more guns, then what do we do? I think the quick answer is to elevate security.  Having metal detectors at every door in every institution would be quite a hassle, but it may be beneficial! Having a security guard everywhere would provide for more jobs, thus providing more safety and a better economy. Even though this is an awful suggestion, it seems like the best overall policy I've heard yet

It is difficult for me to reflect on what happened this day 12 years ago from my experience.  At the time the planes flew into the World Trade Center, I was only 5 years old.  I don't believe that my parents sheltered me too much from the incident because there was really nothing I could do about it. I learned about the history of 9/11 mostly from school where they would have a little assembly every year in remembrance.  It was not until today that I actually saw footage of the planes crashing into the Twin Towers.  It made me think what kind of person would do this kind of thing.  The Al Qaeda group is the truest definition of evil there is.  Not only are they responsible for so many deaths of innocent people, but they also disgraced the religion of Islam.  Muslims do not have any more sympathy for these terrorists than we Americans do.  It is truly unfair that the Islamic religion has been associated with this group! The back-bone of Islam is peace and love of God.  Somewhere, deep within the depths of Koran is a passage that tells if you die in battle, then you shall receive a special spot in heaven.  This is the passage that the Muslim extremists have twisted and corrupted to mean "if you kill innocent people, God will like you more". Just like the Koran, the Bible has some passages in the Old Testament that make Christians Crinkle their noses at, just like in Christianity there are some denominations who other Christians want no part of.  My point is that we cannot ignorantly label Muslims as terrorists.  Muslims like Christians are kind, peaceful loving worshipers who believe in the same God.  We can however label terrorists as terrorists, and we can unite as a world against terror and evil so that no country will have to live in fear of being attacked by these hateful souls.

Everybody is talking these days about Syria and American intervention.  Many believe that we should help out against the evil Syrian government because they are using chemical weapons against its people, but many others think that we as a nation should not get involved because we will just go into more debt and have more American soldiers die.  Obama turned to congress to ask for their opinion after the Syrian government crossed the line by using chemical weapons.  Congress came to him and most said that their state says that we should stay out of intervening.  I believe that as a nation we must not be the leaders of the UN who are quick to jump to battle.  Because we are just returning our soldiers from the Iraq war and because we are in debt, I think we should be one of the countries who does not join the fight unless we have other countries who will fight with us.  Slowly in recent days, foreign governments have backed away and said that they do not want to get involved.     Because of this, I think America shouldn't play "big brother" to the world, but rather be independent.  In George Washington's farewell address, he advised America to not get involved in European wars.  I think we should stay out of intervention because it would put American lives at risk.