Archive for the ‘health reform’ category

The End of Communist Russia

May 3rd, 2010
Richard Monk asked:




The end of communism in Russia spelled the end of the Soviet Union as a super power in the world. So, what led up to it and how did it come to be?

Russia ceased to be its own country in the year 1922, when the formation of the Soviet Union created a country that encompassed Russia along with many other small countries, states, and territories of Russia. When the Bolsheviks and the Red Army fought against the White Army (composed of imperialists) in the civil wars following the Russian Revolution of 1917, they prevailed, setting up a system of rule and economics known as communism. Many thought this way of life would continue forever, but with the end of communism, Russia has been much changed.

Communism was the way of life for the USSR in the years between 1922 and 1991, during which the government, culture, religion, economics and everything else in the country was covered by the communist ideals. Leaders such as Joseph Stalin and Nikita Khrushchev provided a strong backbone for the communist government, implementing plans to industrialize the rural country, as well as change the system of commerce that imperial Russians had lived under. Religion was forbidden, capitalism was gone, and the average citizen had no say in the way their country was run.

In the 1980′s, Mikhail Gorbachev came into power as the head of the USSR. His policies involved much more reform than his predecessors, with ideas of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) being his theme. He removed the heavy restrictions on free speech that other communist leaders had created, allowing the citizens to criticize the government without fear of repercussion. Gorbachev also tried to de-centralize the economy, which did not sit well with conservatives. A military coup proved unsuccessful in rousting him out of power, but it did cause the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Gorbachev lost power and was replaced by Russia’s first elected head of state, President Boris Yeltsin. The USSR was also dissolved, creating fifteen separate independent republics, one of them being the country of Russia. The election of Yeltsin marked the true end of communism, Russia was now seen as democratic. Since this time, the country has been struggling with the creation of a democratic government and capitalist economy.

While some Russians feel that they are much better off now without the influence of communism, others are disappointed with the poverty and governmental issues they are facing. The Russian economy has yet to become strong enough to support all who need to make a living here, and the government still is questioned over items such as human rights.

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2008 Presidential Candidates and Gun Control – An Overview

May 2nd, 2010
Roxanne Davenport asked:




As the presidency of George W. Bush draws to a close, the candidates to fill his position are being examined ever more closely as Election Day draws nearer. One major issue for hunters, sportsmen, law enforcement, and just about everyone on some level, is the issue of gun control and 2nd Amendment rights. The common wisdom is that the more liberal the candidate, the more he or she will be for stricter gun control, whereas the more conservative, the more for gun ownership rights. Below is a look at some of the front runners and the stances they have taken on the issue.

Barack Obama, the Illinois senator, has a consistent record of working to increase restrictions on firearms. He supports banning the sale or transfer of all forms of semi-automatic weapons. He is also in favor of increasing state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms, and believes manufacturers should provide child-safety locks with all firearms. He also voted no on a bill that would have prohibited lawsuits against gun manufacturers (the bill would have still allowed lawsuits for such things as defective products).

Hillary Clinton attributes lower crime rates and gun violence in the 1990′s to a combination of policies putting more police in communities and removing assault weapons from the streets. She has supported waiting periods for buying handguns, and also voted no on the bill prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers. She supported legislation that would have required anyone purchasing a gun to obtain a “gun license”, a state-issued photo identification. She spoke in favor of a national registry to record every new handgun sale and transfer. In 2000 she was quoted as saying, “I realize the NRA (National Rifle Association) is a formidable political group, but I believe the American people are ready to come together as a nation and do whatever it takes to keep guns away from people who shouldn’t have them.”

In 1995, Rudy Giuliani appeared on the Charlie Rose show and compared the NRA with “extremists”. He stated that the anti-gun control policies of many Republicans are “terrible for states and cities…terrible for America.” Giuliani put some blame on lax gun laws for a shooting that occurred from atop the Empire State Building in 1997, saying “It should be as difficult to get a gun in Florida as it is in New York City.” He criticized southern states for their permissive gun sale laws. He has also intimated that urban settings should have stricter gun laws than rural or suburban; while he felt tough laws were needed in New York City, “in another place, more rural, more suburban…you have a different set of rules.” As a Republican presidential candidate in 2007, he has moved away somewhat from his tough gun control stance, saying that states and cities should be allowed to make their own gun legislation locally.

Mitt Romney has stated his support for 2nd Amendment rights, but also supports an assault weapon ban. He supports the five-day waiting period for handgun purchase outlined in the Brady law. He is a member of the NRA, but has stated that he does not “see eye to eye with the NRA on every issue.” In an interview with Tim Russert, he stated that he had the NRA’s support in his campaign for governor, and would like to have it again now. He also supports background checks for weapons purchases.

Candidate Mike Huckabee has stated that his position on the 2nd Amendment is as clear for him as most journalists’ towards the 1st Amendment. He describes himself as a hunter and sportsman and said that he proudly owns a variety of firearms. He supports laws that allow individuals to use necessary force to protect their homes, and for self-defense. He is in favor of allowing “conceal and carry” and has said he has a permit to carry a concealed weapon himself.

Making an informed decision at the voting booth can be challenging, with all the competing sources of information in the media and Internet. When researching a candidate on this and other issues, it’s always wise to look for information from a variety of sources to get the best picture.

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Should English Be The Official Language?

May 1st, 2010
Jonathan Rhyne asked:




This debate has risen in media coverage and people’s minds as all American’s debate whether illegal immigrants should have a path to citizenship and what should be required if they are given this privilege.

Personally, I have a hard time understanding why english shouldn’t be the nations official language. In most arguments, I like to hear all perspectives and try to empathize with them. Still however, I don’t see why this is a bad policy.

Is making english an official language racist as Harry Reid said before?

I have a hard time calling this policy racist. If it is racist then almost every other country in the world are racists too. But that doesn’t prove whether it’s racist or not.

The main reason I think that this is a no-brainer is the simple fact that are founding documents and current government documents are written in english. Really to read and know your rights you have to understand english. If a police officer arrests you; They read you your miranda rights in english.

Will making english an official language alienate certain ethnic groups?

No way! I think it will actually do the opposite in the long run. The main divide and cause for tension between non-english speaking Americans and english speaking Americans is just that. Look at the divides in Canada between the French Canadians and english speaking Canadians. Making english the official language would ease some of this tension and give the ability of every American to communicate and articulate arguments.

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Understanding Immigration Through Empathy

April 27th, 2010
Rick Weaver asked:




Although it’s illegal, immigration has been a hot topic in the United States, other countries are also dealing with illegal immigrants. Nine European countries have joined together to get tough on illegal immigration, forming the European Union’s borderless Schengen zone.

One of the nations, the Czech Republic, estimates that 20,000 Americans are living in Prague although only 5000 are registered with the United States Embassy. These numbers do not include 4000 illegal immigrants that were deported in 2007.

The viewpoint of illegal immigration seems to depend on one’s status. Americans legally living in Prague support the new policy. Likewise one’s view of illegal American immigration can differ.

To put this in perspective, imagine for a moment how you would feel about this topic if:

You are a Latino Hispanic that risked your life crossing the desert to get to America to be threatened with deportation if found? You are Cuban Hispanic that risked your life crossing the ocean and was granted permanent residency the moment you touched a grain of sand on an American beach You are a Puerto Rican Hispanic that received citizenship at birth? You are a Madrid Hispanic on a 10 year waiting list for an American visa?

This is not to imply that all illegal immigrants are of Hispanic descent. We are only using Hispanics as a reference point as Hispanics are receiving the most attention in the American debate.

Immigration is an interesting topic with no easy answers. Use the little role-play above to understand the complexities better.

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Starbucks Monopoly

April 27th, 2010
Lance Winslow asked:




Is Starbucks a monopoly? It fits all the definitions. Does this mean the FTC will make them break it up like AT&T? Or is the Federal Trade Commission too chicken after losing the case with Microsoft? The FTC knew better than to go after Microsoft, after all they did nothing wrong except adding features to their operating system and programs. Is the FTC not attacking the Starbucks because all of its employees go to the one across the street in Washington, D.C..

It appears that the FTC is afraid of laying it on the line for predatory pricing after creating the Starbuck’s monopoly. The FTC has made it tough on franchises, which are new to enter the market to company with all the disclosure law to give Starbucks a run for their money. So essentially the FTC helped Starbucks become a monopoly in the first place, now they are afraid to look like the truly cheesy agency that they are in all their puffery.

How can we trust an agency of the US Government, which is so submersed in bureaucracy to be in-charge of anti-trust laws? Since Starbucks has bought up all the coffee fields in the world they have risen the cost of coffee world wide, this makes it very tough for other coffee companies to make a profit. Starbucks fits the perfect Monopoly Scenario, but the FTC will not do anything about it, because their attorneys are weak, wet behind the ears and they know Starbucks would kick their ass in a court of law. Our government, which is afraid to take on a real case cannot and will not enforce their own laws. Maybe they are seeing the error of their ways in the Anti-Trust Laws. Unfortunately the FTC is equally afraid to admit the mistake of the Anti-Trust Laws. May I ask why we need the anti-trust laws in the first place and once we get rid of that joke of regulations in the World’s greatest nation; can we please get rid of this worthless agency? What a complete waste of taxpayers money? Why not go to “FourBucks” and think on it?

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