Republicans vs Democrates vs Youth

With all the hot topics and issues going on in the news today, it is very important that we pay extra attention and exercise our right to vote at every opportunity we have.  Many of the issues that I have highlighted throughout my blogs are current issues that are being argued by congress every day, but it is us who will eventually deal with the consequences of the decisions made. How will they affect OUR future? As I stated in my first blog, 24 million young adults between the ages of 18-29 voted in the last presidential election, this is enough to sway an election one way or another.

After researching, reading, and observing I have realized how strongly political parties divide the US. If we took the concentration off the republicans and democrats, and focused more on what politicians have to say or maybe even work together, I feel that we can accomplish much more in Washington. Although I am a registered Independent, I tend to believe and side with Republican views, i.e. less government in personal life, less taxes, personal freedoms, etc. But that definitely does not go without saying that I agree with all the decisions that the GOP is making.  

  

My goal in writing my blog was to help update under informed students and youth of political issues that affect them. Being the youth today means governing our country tomorrow; therefore we must be motivated at every chance of improvement.    

  

How the Government is Spending Our Money.

I was sent some interesting, and maybe a bit comical, articles yesterday about how the government is spending our money.

The first was about Chinese prostitutes and cotton farmers. The article starts by asking, “How can the big spenders still call proposed budget cuts draconian?” The US is paying $2.6 million to train Chinese prostitutes to drink responsibly on the job, and also an estimated $147.3 million to Brazilian cotton farmers (a result of a last minute deal from a trade dispute).  

• U.S. Will Pay $2.6 Million to Train Chinese Prostitutes to Drink Responsibly on the Job

•  Why the U.S. Is Also Giving Brazilians Farm Subsidies 

• Chinese Prostitutes and Brazilian Cotton Farmers

 

Next I read an article on House members giving out bonuses to staff, spending about $21.5 million over budget on office payroll for the fourth quarter in 2010. Lawmakers who were defeated or retiring were paid an average bonus of $4,000 and the returning was paid an average of about $2,300. 

Next, I read an article reporting that the number of limos used by the government increased by 73 percent during the first two years of the Obama Administration. The GSA, General Services Administration, says that the number of recorded limos is unreliable and that the increased number of limos is for the safety of government officials in a ‘dangerous world’.

Just because I discussed Anthony Weiner in a previous post, I read an article titled: Members-Only House Gym Subsidized by Taxpayers. Weiner admitted to taking his dirty pictures while at the members-only House gym. The gym is equipped with flat screen TVs, workout machines, and a swimming pool. This is amenity is provided because ‘important work gets done there’.

Lastly, I read an article on how much money was spent on social security overpayments: $6.5 billion in one year. Improper payments totaled $125 billion last year, when in 2009 was totaled $110 billion. Errors like this are an abuse of tax payer’s money, and it also puts these benefits to risk from the people who need them in the future. 

I think it is fair for the House members to receive bonuses and have perks like gyms, they are very hard working people and to make good decisions they need to be at their best 24/7. If we are going to provide perks like gyms and limos with our tax money, they should never be used for irresponsible play (i.e. topless pictures). And to be honest, there is no logical reason as to why the amount of money spent from improper payments has increased so much in the past few years; it is an abuse of tax payer’s money. And they want to raise our taxes?