| Survivor is one of CBS TV’s most popular shows. It depicts the majority of Americans. With 9-11 seemingly behind us, a mid-term election is on its way, with an under thirty percent turnout projected. Bankruptcies are at an all time high, the divorce rate is over fifty-five percent, and more than sixty percent of children are being raised by someone other than their biological parent. So it seems “Government by the people and for the people” is neither. Apparently the government is more concerned with the Israeli-Palestinean conflict than with Chandra Levy and other missing persons who are a part of the most under-represented segment of the American public. Most of them don’t vote and have no representation or spokesman. Single parents and the working poor, pre-dominantly female, have much different concerns such as child care, health care, and child support payment collections. Most single parents are busy finding someone to take care of their children while they’re working, picking up and driving their kids to child care and home, and dealing with health care concerns. There are people who work five days a week and can’t afford to go to a doctor. Could this be because we are one of only two countries in the world without some form (Medicare doesn’t count) of socialized medicine? Huge political lobbies, HMO’s, pharmaceutical companies, and many doctors have stopped any form of conversation (see Hillary Clinton) on the issue. Some insurance companies have pulled out of a number of states, California, Nevada, and many others. Other than credit card debt, health catastrophes are the leading cause of bankruptcies in America often ripping families and their finances apart. The government, not wanting to offend big contributors, has been an ostrich with its head in the sand, refusing to do anything about this problem. With insurance companies bailing out at a record pace, Americans have no way out. If anything happens to the bread winner in the family, that family is in major trouble. There’s no uniform child care in America. The pay is low, the hours are long, and the complaints are many. Those people who need it the most can least afford it. Some of these areas “need” government intervention. We know it creates another beaucracy, child support collection is an area that, state by state, the government has tried to make some inroads. Health care is the most pressing issue in this country. Under its umbrella (catastrophic health care, cancers, stroke, Alzheimer’s, pre-natal care, long term health care). Health care is the main issue in America today, but no one wants to address it. Lawyers and malpractice suits are part of the problem. Our children are over medicated. Yes, there are hard choices to be made such as working with pharmaceutical companies, lowering prices not only for Seniors but for everyone. Logical, but tough choices, are going to have to be made. Preventative care, yearly basic check-ups (done in conjunction with drivers license renewal) done, not with a doctor but with a health care professional at a low cost fifty to a hundred dollars. A basic low cost check would work like smog checks on the West coast. Why should your car receive better care than you do? “Sex education”, yes that’s right, needs to be taught. Abstinence should be a part of a full curriculum. We would all like to believe our children aren’t having sex until after their second child, but that’s not the case. Divorce has become much easier and staying married much tougher. Like it or not our country has changed. Such as, women having children alone (Madonna, Liz Hurley) aren’t unusual, it’s the norm. Homosexuals adopting children, Melissa Etheridge, Rosie O’Donnell. “Mr. Family” Bill Cosby, Dr. J., Congressman Dan Burton. “God Fearing” Evander Holyfield having 10 children out of wedlock, “President” Clinton, and Congressman Henry Hyde having affairs. Single parents are under-represented (females) and under served. This country must be representative of all the people. |
