A GLOBAL PROBLEM, BUT ITS OUR PROBLEM

          Scientists use the phrase global warming to describe the atypical increase in the Earths surface temperature since the start of the 20th century.  The Earth's climate is going through intense changes.  Global warming and climate change came from human contributions to the release of greenhouse gases. Emissions from transportation, manufacturing, agriculture, and other human activities are affecting the earth's atmosphere.  Humans produce greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane.  Its produced by burning fossil fuels while powering homes and factories, generating waste and cutting down trees.  Global warming will increase the temperature and cause heat waves and poor air quality.  The wildlife will suffer and animals could become extinct.  Just like with any other serious, important issue, the U.S. governments political parties disagree.  As you can see this is clearly a major problem.
          Politicians and economists didn't start taking global warming seriously since the 1990's.  For years conservatives didn't agree with what studies have shown.  They didn't think global warming was man-made.  Recent polls and present day republicans are singing a different tune--- sort of.  Although they that agree global warming is a reality, how much of it is the fault of human behavior is in question.  Conservatives reject the science behind global warming because they do not like the solutions.  They claim that the science is unreliab

le.  Some conservative
s say that even if they agreed to cut emissions, China and India wont. so whats the point.  President Obama unveiled tough new regulations on existing power plants that would significantly curb carbon emissions in the coming decade.  But conservatives said if would kill jobs, raise electricity costs and hurt the economy.  House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said "The President's plan would indeed cause a surge in electricity bills and also cause power plants to shut down and potentially put more than 220,000 people out of work.  This was proven to be false by an independent study.
          I'm an Independent.  I don't agree with the Republicans stance on global warming.  Although I disagree with Democrats on plenty of issues too, I think that the Obama Administration is doing a pretty good job addressing global warming and climate change.  Under Obama, the Department of Transportation issued new fuel-economy standards.  That hasn't been done in decades.  The EPA(The Environmental Protection Agency) began regulating carbon dioxide emissions from power plants.  In fact, carbon pollution is at the lowest level in nearly 20 years.  Being the proud father of an eight year old, i'm happy that President Obama has our nations kids future looking bright.  This Administration has put a solid outline together to accelerate the development of clean energy.  I would like to do my part and get involved with some of the programs that are offered.  If we are going to get a hold on global warming, we must work together because talking about the issues is only half of the solution.  

IS EBOLA COMING TO AMERICA

   If the United States doesn't come together and fight this Ebola crisis,  I fear it can turn into an epidemic.  Even though the U.S. is steering into the face of a killer,  the liberals and conservatives can't come together and come up with a bi-partisan solution.  It seems like every major issue that arises in this country,  that there needs to be two sides.  And the two sides(republican and democrat) always have a political agenda.  The Ebola virus is a severe and often fatal disease caused by infection with ine of the Ebola strains.  The virus causes fearsome symptoms which include: high fever, headaches, joint and muscle aches, sore throats, weakness, stomach pains, and loss of appetite.  As the disease gets worse it causes massive internal bleeding, as well as bleeding from the eyes, nose, and ears.  Some even vomit and cough up blood and have bloody diarrhea.  Symptoms may appear from 2-21 days after exposure.  According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) the Ebola outbreak started back in December of 2013 in Guinea, West Africa.  Researchers report a 2 years old boy was the first case.  Since then the virus spread throughout West Africa.  There have been over 7,000 cases and more than 3,400 deaths reported.  So far theres been 3 cases and 1 death reported in America.  Clearly this disease is a serious situation.
          Instead of trying to get this under control, both parties are exploiting Ebola to win the upcoming elections.  Republicans are bashing Obama for having no realistic strategy for stopping the crisis.  They are blaming the Obama administration for the CDC's spending funds on exercise(jazzercise), healthy diets, urban gardening, and massage therapy.  Some republicans believe Obama isn't doing enough to keep the United States' borders safe.  They want a no fly zone immediately put into effect and a ban on any West Africans from entering the country from any infected regions(Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea).  Democrats are trying to gain political power by claiming Republican--driven spending cuts have hurt the nations ability to fight the Ebola virus.  They argue that republicans voted to cut  the CDC's budget to fight and develop a vaccine for Ebola by over 300 million dollars in the past few years.  While blaming Obama, the republicans move backfired and opened up the GOP to the media and public scrutiny that they systematically whittled away vital funding for dozens of health programs since 2010.
          It's pretty obvious that using Ebola to get votes or at least take votes away from the other party is a viable strategy.  Both the liberals and conservatives are testing Ebola's political power.  Americans are paying attention and the politicians know it.  The only way we are going to avoid the same problems West Africa is having is to come together as bi-partisans. Both the democrats and republicans have to work as one, instead of two.  Everyone needs to put political agendas aside and focus on stopping Ebola.  Republicans and democrats came together to fight AIDS/HIV and the 9/11 tragedy.  If anything those two examples show that when this country is in trouble, a bi-partisan is the way to go.
       

9-11

      On September 11, 2001 our country was attacked by terrorists.  It was the worst attack on the United States since Japan bombed Pearl Harbor(1941).  Osama Bin Laden sent his agents from the Al Queda terrorist network to America to hijack airplanes and fly them into the World Trade Center Twin Towers and other targets. Four planes were hijacked from our own airports and were intended  be used as missiles on the Twin Towers, The Pentagon, the White House( never made it to White House).   More than 3,000 innocent people died as a result of the attacks.  The nation was crushed as a whole.  Through all the confusion of the "why" and the "how",  America wasn't sure how to react.  President George W. Bush and his Administration didn't waste much time before the United States military invaded Afghanistan, where the Al Queda terrorist network was believed to be.  Two years later(March 19, 2003), the U.S. and the Coalition of the Willing declared war on Iraq.  The coalition forces mostly included the United Kingdom, Austrailia, and Poland.  The Bush Administration justified the invasion of Iraq by accusing Sadam Hussein of having WMD's( Weapons of Mass Destruction). Bush also claimed Sadam of having a hand in the 9/11 attacks and connections with top Al Queda leaders.  On May 1, 2003 the president declared "Mission Accomplished" in a speech to the nation on the invasion of Iraq.  Reports state the there has been more fighting and casualties than before the speech. Today "The War on Terror" is still going on.  Over time, as the years passed, American citizens began to question the decisions that were made by the Bush Administration and the government.
      After the attacks the Bush Administration and the government set out and changed the nations security infrastructure.  New bureaucracies were created.  The Department of Homeland Security was created to protect the nation.  Congress also passed The USA Patriot Act (United and Strengthening America-- Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism) in Oct. 2001.  Some think that the Patriot Act is a vital weapon in fighting terrorism and that the law simply allows counterterrorism agents to use tools to avert potential disasters.  It helps prevent terrorism while only posting little violations to citizens civil liberties.  Supporters of this say that invading Iraq was a vital move by the government to help stop the war on terror.
      Osama Bin Laden and the Al Queda network attacked our country and killed thousands of innocent people in a most cowardly way.  Sadam Hussein was a twisted, evil dictator that murdered his own people in unimaginable ways.  They both deserved what they got and i'm even more proud to call myself an American because of it.  But afer the attacks on America I feel like President Bush and the United States government had its own agenda.  I thought The Patriot Act was passed into law so that it could be used against terrorists.  When I read that it can be used on any crime its violating our 4th amendments rights. It goes against our human rights and civil liberties as citizens.  The government tried to get a similar law passed before 9/11 but was unsuccessful.  Bush convinced congress that invading Iraq was a good idea. Was it for oil profits? Or to avenge his father, whom couldn't achieve victory against Sadam??  In the years since 2001, most reasonable people and the media started asking questions wondering if the retaliation to the attacks on 9/11 were handled correctly and objectively.  Its a slap in the face to anyone that lost their lives on that fateful day, and their families, if our government reacted for the wrong reasons instead of for the ones that paid the ultimate price.