Substantial Commentary

On February 15, 2008 an editorial was published from the New York Times describing formaldehyde contamination in trailers supplied to hundreds of thousands of New Orleans residents made homeless by the storm. FEMA, the agency sent to help those in need, has failed to provide a correct response again. Yet the government's attention is misdirected, focused on things that are significantly less important. How do you leave an issue unfinished then jump to another? The Bush administration is so dedicated in sending out a stimulus package in order to build the countries economy. But we have we have citizens still facing issues from Hurricane Katrina having health issues in the comfort of their own home. It is ironic that the president has taken his sweet time to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina when it occurred, but he won't hesitate to send troops to Iraq. Isn't the purpose of our government to preserve our lives?


It is like the government is so fixated on helping countries out of its own reach. How are we going to help others if we can't even solve our own problems? It is a lot easier, cheaper, and smarter to help those that are within in your own ball park. When someone's health is in danger, time is a big factor and it's only logical that it become our government's top priority. The victims of hurricane Katrina are not going to set roadside bombs for the government to take action, and they shouldn't have to in order to get the government's attention.


The editorial titled FEMA's Formaldehyde Foul-Up stated that in 2006 a man had complained about formaldehyde fumes and died. The government talks about helping building the economy and those that are in serious need. What about the real priority and those that are serious need? The people who are most at risk, for reasons of age, illness or poverty; are the least able to defend themselves. Instead of our tax dollars being spent on highways and how pretty we can make a city, how about the money go toward new housing, because there are still about 35,000 homes that are still being affected.


If you would like to follow up on the article, the link is located below.


http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/15/opinion/15fri2.html

Introduction to the Economy

A few days ago, the House passed a Stimulus package. The package was aimed towards the middle class and the poor. The package offered rebates of $600 an individual, and $1,200 for couples, and $300 a child. The citizens that would be eligible would have to be making less then $75,000 per year and couples that made less then $1,200 a year. Now this is $161 billion dollars that is being borrowed and increasing the countries deficit.

On January 31, 2008, The Houston chronicle posted an article called Senate Democrats pushing for more rebates, basically planning to add perks for veterans and Seniors to the stimulus bill. The democrats feel as if Seniors and veterans have been singled out and want to increase rebates for them as well which would pump the economy up to $193 billion in a two-year time frame.

I think that it is wonderful that we are focusing on bringing the economy up. But it is going increase the national debt that has been raised four times in the past five years. We have too many people in office trying to help those in need. But why send the country into a bigger deficit? Why not knock out two birds with one stone and hit the ones singled out a few years from now.

This article is very important, regardless how much money you make, if the countires deficit keeps increasing, what do you think will happen to you, or the life style that you live in? Maybe if the country did not try to purpose so many things at a time. The national debt might not be as high as it is now. It is good to bring to economy up, but also watch the consequence that may come from borrowing all that money. Take it one day a time and focus on a certain group. If we try to do too much at once we are going to put ourselves in a bigger whole then what were already in.

This article was posted on January 31, 2008, 10:49 pm, from the Houston Chronicle. You find it under the Mainstream Newspapers links or you can hit the following link that will take you directly to it.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/5504302.html