I was so impressed by the quality of posts last week! Excellent job! This makes me very excited for when you begin to write opinion papers later this semester!
This week's thought question is brought to us by Chazz:
In "A Letter to America," Margaret Atwood used the tone of a scolding mother. Joel and I had a discussion about this on our Facebook wall--although our discussions mainly centered around America's role as "world police." "Inside the Home" raised another question for me. Rather than trying to make other countries "function properly," shouldn't our health care be improved before we worry about others'? Couldn't the money spent on foreign affairs go towards bettering our nursing homes, hospitals, and assisted living programs? What is your opinion on how we seemingly put off our own needs in order to deal with other countries' needs first? Even more, what might Atwood, Frawley, and Shalit say? What is some of the rhetoric you may have heard concerning this issue?
Thank you, Chazz! Again, remember to post a minimum of five sentences and proofread closely! I'm anxious to read your responses!
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36 comments:
I think that the U.S. does need to take more time and put more money into assisted living and nursing homes and hospitals because there are a lot of things that happen in hospitals and nursing homes like the things that Frawley describes in the story "Inside the Home". My mom is a Registered Nurse at Iowa Methodist in Des Moines. Often she is left doing other people's jobs because she cares about and respects the patients and has respect for herself and her job. Mostly the things that she has to deal with are nurses that just stand around until their shift is over when they need to be tending to their patients, and then she has to enforce them to do their jobs or she will just end up doing their job at the end of the night. I also have friends who work in nursing homes and they tell me about some bad things that they either do to the patients or they let happen because of one thing or another. Like the story by Jill Frawley, patients are left in their soiled undergarments because the staff is too busy or there are not enough people on to take care of the patients in a timely or orderly fashion. There are many other things from the story that apply to nursing homes all over the United States that are similar or matching exactly what Frawley says in "Inside the Home". I'm sure that if authors like Atwood, Frawley and Shalit took notice of these kinds of things, there would be an uproar of sorts to say the least.
Signed,
Niki C
Comp. II
11:15-12:30
Yes, I agree with Chazz and Joel that America should worry about our own problems before dealing with other countries’ problems. I do feel America sometimes seems to put off our own problems to quickly to aid others. They may not realize the health problems we do have or they may not want to acknowledge that we have these health issues here in America. Just like the “men in suits” in Frawley’s essay America might not really listen or realize the whole story of our health issues. Do you feel America is trying to be a hero to other countries before dealing with our own problems?
Yes, I definitely agree that America should be worried about our own problems first. I've always been proud to say I'm an American, but lately I'm thinking we're just a bully. Yea, I feel we should address some of the problems we're dealing with over seas, but I think we've gone a little overboard with it. We need to work something out to where EVERYONE has healthcare, and nobody needs to worry about going to a nursing home or hospital. I've worked in both, and it's just like the story "Inside the home." I know when my grandparents or parents have to go to a nursing home or hospital I'm going to try to do whatever it takes to keep them out. I know sometimes it's not possible to keep your family out of a care facility, but we should do more to improve the care they get there. Maybe the government shouldn't be so worried about other things and pay attention to what's going on here. Or maybe they can learn how to budget taxpayer's money better so people in the health fields can get higher wages, and we can get more people hired this way.
I strongly believe that the U.S. does put forth too much money on foreign affairs and not enough into health care. My mother has been a nurse's aide for a long time and just recently went to working every other weekend so she could stay home to care for my nieces and nephews. I think she'd rather actually make a difference with the people she cares for everyday. There aren't many people you can trust to care for your parents, grandparents, or your children these days. Anyone agree that childcare could fit into the category of needing improvements?
I think that the government should raise the hourly wage for childcare workers, nurses, and nurses aides. The pay would help with hiring of more people for these positions and not working short staffed. Frawley's essay, "Inside the Home" was true in so many ways. I know when my parents get older, I will try my best to keep them out of nursing homes.
I think U.S. needs to put more money down for long term facilities and hospitals. I have been a cna for almost two years now and i believe that they should get more staff so that the residents and patients get the proper care. When you are short staff you are in such a hurry to get your work done and you may have to do other peoples work, that you don't have time to even really talk to the residents/ patience. I do my work and I treat the residents with care. But I have seen other cna's do much worse, and I am the one ending up telling the higher ups. I believe in the story "Inside the Home" if you have a relative in a nursing home visit at different hours, go in while it's a meal time, just check up on them two to three times a week.
I think the most powerful country in the world has some responsibility to help unfortunate people that fall victim to murderous tyrants. I don't believe it was a mistake to take an evil ruler out of power. I suppose we could just care for our own needs, but does that mean that we should just forget about the problems of the world? Aren't they just as, if not more needy than us? I disagree with Atwood when she says that the elderly have no voice. Because they could speak up, or at least their sons and daughters could speak up for them. After all, aren't most of the elderly put into the nursing home by their sons and daughters? It's their responsibility to look out for their loved ones.
Throughout history, the United States has always been a powerful country to step in and “help” other nations in need. Many people would argue that our assistance wasn’t needed is some of these situations, and possibly made the circumstances worse. Vietnam is a great example. It can be argued both ways as to if American aid was really needed, and if American involvement in the war could have been avoided all together. Did the United States overstep it’s boundaries in order to assist others? Is it the same situation with the current war in Iraq?
The care facility in which Jill Frawley worked is not the only one in America that mistreats it’s patients. Hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities all over the U.S. are understaffed everyday. Their employees are forced to work brutal hours and receive poor payment. Without enough money to go around, it’s often extremely hard for care facilities such as these to be properly staffed all the time.
If such an extreme amount of money wasn’t being spent of foreign affairs, the United States would have a lot more money to assist hospitals, care facilities, and so on. In some situations, we’re not even sure if these other nations really want our help. It’s sad to think about all of the mistreated patients here in America that truly need assistance, but don’t receive it due to the amount money being spent on people that really don’t want it.
I believe that the United States should be paying more attention to the problems in our own country, than worrying about those problems of other countries. Atwood is an outside viewer of our country and even she was able to depicted
the problems our country is facing. Our government is so worried about being this world power that they have forgotten what made us that world power: our
people's spirit. Atwood described our problems in general but Frawley focussed on one main topic, the health and living conditions of our elderly. If our government was smart they would be focussing on these problems. Yeah sure they all say they're going to fix medicare and make it avilable to everyone but has that happened yet, no. It's all talk and no action. The government needs to face the fact and stop worrying about other countries problems and focuss more on our own before we are no longer.
This is a really difficult question because we should take care of our own healthcare facilities in the United States before other countrys' problems. We pay the government taxes to take care of ourselves and anyone else in need of help within the United States. Here's the problem, we are the wealthiest and healthiest country in the world which means we should help other less fortunate countries. Were like the big brother that takes care of his little brother. As for Frawley's writing that we went over in class, i don't beleive that is the situation with all care facilities across our nation. I'm not saying these things don't happen but i don't think they happen on such a large scale as the writing made it sound.
I beleive the authers would argue for the United States to care of our problems first because this is something that they care about since they have writing papers on topics such as this one.
I have to agree with Jacrim. While America does have its own problems, I am glad that we still make the effort to help people around the world who are in worse situations. I know that American health care is far from ideal, but how far do we want the government to go? If we expect our government to meet all of our needs (education, medical care, federal loans, etc.), then we have to expect significant tax increases. Either we decrease taxes and lose some benefits from the government or we increase taxes so that everyone gets "equal" shares. We can not have it both ways (unless, of course, we want the national debt to escalate even more). Do you think that people want the kind of government already in power in Sweden- one that supports people "from the cradle to the grave"? While Frawley might approve of health benefits at any cost, I don't think Atwood would condone that kind of governmental control.
I would have to say that the safety of this country is the most important thing! I've always seen that the United States of America as a developed country, which has so many resources and good economy in its businesses. My country had received help from America with the economy itself and also my country's health problem.
I agree everybody about making a better health care, hospitals, nursing homes and other assisted living programs for the society. Not only by making it happen, there has to be a motives and encouragement to develop those health cares for better ones.
I don't think that America is trying to be a hero by helping other countries. I do think that America has a great motive to help other countries, which need most help.
Writers such as Atwood, Frawley and Shalit, they're so concern about the world around them. Atwood would definitely writes something about what America should and need to be done for the society. Frawley would be more concern about the little people who need better health cares. With Shalit, I believe she would be the one who writes a story with the title "The future of America's Health Care"
I think the U.S. needs to shape up and put more time and money into nursing homes, hopitals, and assisted living. I worked at a assisted liveing/nursing home and I saw some things like Jill Frawley said she did and saw in her story. We all want our loved ones taken care of when we put them into places like this but we don't do the research or background to make sure this is a safe place to live. It doesn't help when all our money is going into other things when we should be putting it towards living spaces. The U.S. should come up with a way to use the money for better use plus have some left for the other things in our lives. If I have to put someone is a nursing home now, I would be very scared to do so. Wouldn't you? Think before you act!!!
I think that the United States should definately put more effort toward improving our own country than dealing with other countries. I think that Atwood would think we were being selfish if we put more effort into ourselves though, she just seemed to want to bash America. I think Frawley would agree that we need to put more money and time into our health care system because that's basically what she was complaining about in her essay.
I agree the U.S should put more money into the states. They spent millions of dollars sending money to other countries for food and clothes when there are kids in the U.S with nothing to eat.
Cy Wynn
I strongly agree I think that we should put more money to other things then foreign affairs. I believe that they really need to look more into that so they one know the truth about what's going on inside nursing homes and the kind of treatment that is going on to the people in these homes. I think we spend too much time focusing on things that could be taken care of later and there are more important things that need to be taken care of.
Often times I wonder why we provide so much assistance to other countries before we deal with our problems in the United States. Our healthcare system is in a horrible state, with too many people that have to decide to eat or get their medication. I worked in a nursing home while I was in high school. I worked in dietary, laundry and then was a nurses aide. It is very hard work, both mentally and physically. I always made an effort to know their names and try to get to know them. No matter how hard you work though, there is never enough time to do everything. I think alot of the problems in this country are the big corporations. They only hire the bare minimum of people they can get buy with, not caring about the residents never getting enough attention. AMY H.
Clearly almost everyone has agreed that the United States needs to put more money into our nursing homes, care facilities, and hospitals. I have taken my CNA class and as a requirement to pass the class you have to do 20 hours of clinical time. During my clinical I saw many problems all throughout the nursing home. The staff is very under paid in my opinion. They are almost always understaffed and the ratio of staff to patients is horrible, something like 1 to every 15. There in hundereds of problems that I can relate to that happens in a nursing home everyday, just as Jill Frawley had mentioned in her story "Inside the Home". I also do agree that instead of America looking at everyone elses problems, they need to step back and look at thenselves.
Like other people I also think the U.S. needs to spend money to make our country better rather then spend it on other coutries. I do agree with other people that it is good we help other countries in need but I dont think some of the problems here are adressed the way they should be. Some of the countries we are trying to help might be beyond repair because they are segregated and will most likely never "function properly." I also think we need to spend more time improving nursing homes and hospitals. Nursing homes need to improve alot of the next years because some of the things said in "In Side the Home" makes me feel sorry for the patients. I also agree with what you question said about the U.S. being a type of world police. Sometimes hearing things we are doing reminds of the movie Team America.
I agree that the U.S. needs to put more spending back into its own country. Burma is the next country we have set out to "save" and all I can think is this is not our responsibility. We have a responsibility to our citizens to provide them with the best healthcare, education, and opportunities that we can afford. We are one of the richest nations in the world so if we direct our spending away from our role as world savior we can put it towards something we actually have an obligation to.
I also think that we need to make a better effort to ensure that hospitals and nursing homes get the proper care that they deserve. I work in a nursing home currently. I don't see much of what "Inside the Home" talked about, but I do see residents in the hall calling for people to take them home or to the bathroom. I think that more money does need to go into nursing homes and hospitals. Would we really want to go to a hospital that tells you they don't have the funding for this and that and that can't hire enough people to make rounds needed? I sure wouldn't.
-abshafer
I feel that the U.S. does need to take more time and put more money into our nursing homes. Some of them yes are very nice, but yet then there are some that need some major work. Like she says in this story "Inside the Home" we do know whats going on, but we don't do anything about it. And we should be. I also think that the U.S. needs to put more money to the hospitals as well. I mean I understand why we are putting money towards other things, but we here in America are just as important. We are putting our own problems off to fast, and are going to help others before ourselves.
On the health care issues mentioned above, we would come into the problem of having to raise taxes and that is something nobody is willing to do. Despite the fact that if we had developed a free health care system that would be hundreds of dollars a month back into the pockets of anyone already paying for health insurance.
I myself work at residential care facility taking care of individuals with mental and physical disabilities. We go through staff because the pay is to low for what we have to do. And with the low pay it tends to attract people who have no where else better to work and have a poor attitude and work ethic so the residents suffer because of this. But the state already pays over $200 dollars a day towards each individual to pay for housing, food, workers, and any other personal needs. Sounds like a lot of money but it gets burnt up quick. And with the cost of living going up for all of them there is less money to go around so they have to make cuts to the extras. Heath insurance went up with higher co-pays, and deductibles; while earning less PTO each pay period.
But in order for things to get better, it would mean they would need more tax money which nobody is willing to pay when that extra buck could be use it for themselves.
I think that America's role in this world is wrong. We spend outrageous amounts of money on military, and foreign aid endeavors. While I think that it is a great thing to help out countries that are in dire need, we must take care of our own people first. Health care, nursing homes, schools, and needy American families need to get this support first. I think that Atwood would say the same.
She thinks that America needs to stop being the world police as well. Why do we force our values upon others? Can other people and cultures not have different ways of life?? Frawley would say that the money needs to go to the health care system, mainly nursing homes. We pay for other countries people to get good medical care, why can't we pay for our people to have the same?
I read the story "Inside the Home" and it is very sad, that, how nobody can do something about it?. Minority people and poor people living in this country shoul have benefits no matter what,so these people need to get the medical card. The government should see the necessity of the american people and do something about it, and resolve it, instead of waisting money in Irak. America needs a good Gov. whom really cares about this country and this people, specially focus in the elders whom need a lot of support and good homes with qualifie employes, good compasion and decent salary, where, the elder can be confortable with good attention, more activities for them, good care, good food, good assistances, good nurses, qualifie CNA's, good services, and clean enviromental as well. With all this requirements and the effort of this Gov. and all citizen this country will contribute for the better future of this nation.
I think something that many people forget about is that the government is involved with other countries to create alliances. We give them our tax dollars essentially so people leave us alone. However, the government is not the only people involved here. There are many charity organizations that donate to causes outside of the US. It seems more that the people who whine about helping other countries and not fixing the problems at home, usually are not the people that are doing anything at all, except for maybe paying their taxes. So, in conclusion, if you are going to complain of where your taxes are going, do something yourself. Write your congressman, build an organization to fix the problems in the US. If you don't help the problem, then really, all you are doing is complaining and annoying everyone else around you.
I really am not in the arguing mood which really sucks because it would be a great time to start. But ill give it a shot. I believe that at times we are spending to much money out of the USA, but at the same time believe what we are doing in other countries is just as important. The United States has it good compared to a lot of the world. Like sammi said in her thought question it kind of makes us sound selfish if we just worry about are selfs, because as long as we have been a world power we have helped others. We arent just interferring with other countries just to make a mess but to also help out and once the state of the country is better hope for them to become a allie so if in need if we were ever attacked they would help us as we did the same for them. I rather have someone say well the United States helped us back then so we are goin to help them now then rather have them be like they didnt help us we arent helpin them. For Atwood she can just stay in Canada its like a heard before not for sure where. If your not going to stand behind us as we fight then stand it front and be shot. JOEL KRAMER
I think that the American policies do focus a bit to much on foreign affairs and not enough on own issues here at home. I think though that we should add more spending on education of our children. It seems every time that there’s cuts in the budgets our kids get shorted. Teachers probably don't even make enough to pay back their student loans. I think that’s why we wind up with people teaching our kids who are just power hungry. I know that’s not all Teachers but I think that some are. Getting back to subject I do agree with Frawley that long-term care and nursing homes for the most part are appalling. My bother lives in Missouri right now in a nursing home of sorts. My brother’s story is along one so I won't go into all of the details. Anyway this just recently came to my attention and am doing all that I can to get him out of there and home with me. Frawleys essay served as a reminder how important it is to get him out of there.
Normally, when someone would ask me a question like this, I would say "Let's no go there." The national debt and health carefunding is disaster. There seems to be no money for anyone. Yet, there is for everyone else. I a going to be a Social Worker. Sometimes I don't even know why, for the government has cut funding for that area of health care too. We need someone in offic that cares about this country's health crisis. And thats why I am voting for Hillary. Even if you are "Just one little nurse", or whatever. You should do what you can to help the people. If there are one million people in the world that think just like you, thats at least one million people who are being cared for better than if someone like you were not there.
I completely agree with the idea that the U.S. should focus more on things like improving nursing home care and funding public schools other than focusing mostly on foreign affairs. The very first nursing home I stepped foot in was horrific. The elderly stood in puddles of their own urine and I could hear some of the residents in their rooms down the halls yelling things like "Papa, take me home" and various other incoherent things. Obviously we did not leave my great-grandmother there but the nursing home we finally chose for her was definitely sub par, but what other choice did we have? And some schools, some wonderful schools, are in desperate need of funding. The elementary school I attended, for example, will be closing in only a matter of years. But that's beside the point. I believe the important thing is to fix things here at home first, to create a place that we'd want other countries to look up to. Perhaps it's just my idealist views but don't you think that, with a country stable and happy at home, we'd be more comfortable and less stoic about turning towards foreign affairs and other countries would be more likely to accept help from us, a country that they could gladly emulate?
-Mollie B.
This country does have a problem with trying to fix other countries problems when we need have our own problems. America has too many men, women, and children without healthcare to worry about other countries problems. I think that is a matter of political correctness. We are this big and mighty coutry with a ton of money. If we spend it on ourselves then we look bad to other countries and those that complain about everything about this country. If we spend it on other countries then our own families and friends go without healthcare and other basic needs. In the world that we live in today everything has to be politicaly correct. It is time that it comes to an end so we may begin to take care of our own people. Besides how are we supposed to be able to help other counties if we don't even know how to help ourselves?
Brandon Harrison
I feel about America the same way I feel about finding one of my children coloring in permanent marker all over the wall(which has happened)....disbelief, anger and frustration. I want to ask, What makes you think you can do this? or How can I trust you now? Please don't get me wrong. I love America from her Hollywood hills to her Broadway lights, but each year I become a little more disappointed in all of us who call her home. Our leaders think only of themselves, how will " ? " make them look and what will it do to their approval rating. The People they are ment to represent are as a whole, only slightly less self-involved. Too many believe they should do the minimum and recieve the maximum. The, you have something that I don't and even though you worked hard for it and I didn't you should still have to share it with me mentality, gets to me after awhile. My husband gives plasma twice a week to help pay for gas and each time he is bombarded by strangers wanting a buck or two. Some get a little aggressive if you don't oblige. We invade countries telling everyone it is for their own protection and while a few fill their pockets off of the war, we fill our graves with brave soldiers who in the end might have died for nothing. America should help those who can not help themselves, at home and on foreign soil. We should demand that those in care facilites of all kinds recieve outstanding care and those who can't afford health care, recieve it anyway ( and I don't mean the I don't like to work more than part time, it cuts into my PS2 time crowd). If our country is attacked we should demand immediate repercussion, get in, get it done and get out. Finally, if a country is being ruined by tyrants we should help only if they are willing to fight as hard as we will. You can not give freedom away and expect it to remain. Freedom must be fought for, earned. Only then can you really have it. I guess to sum up my thoughts in one sentance it would be, I will give you the shirt off my back if you deserve it. I know my blog has run all over the place, but the questions being posted are loaded. They are great questions, written to make you really think. Good job to those who have come up with them!
It is true that america needs to focus on itself, however the aid we had offered to so many countries cannot simply be revoked. It is a duty of the citizens of the U.S. to step up and take a stand at home; for example to help the homeless or poor. The healthcare is one of much debate, a fire that Frawley throughs flame to. However honest and eager she may be, it is not a simple as saying,"Hey guys, let's fix this problem." The fact is if taxes are not there, then the money is not there. Up the job market, pay the taxes, buy local, the list of things that need fixed doesn't just end... it only gets longer. America idealizes it's power too much, and therefore acts like super hero both over zealous and ill-equiped. So does it do more harm then help for the "most powerfull" not be all-powerfull but power-hungry?
I think that our country does need to spend more money on health care. More and more we are seeing what health insurance doesn't cover instead of what it does. Also the nursing homes are costing so much but yet there is not enough help in them to give them all the care that they need. Yet, we are still putting the money towards other countries that need help instead of our own. It was just on Oprah today that we could give everyone health care for a year. with the money that is spent in Iraq in a nine month period.
I do believe we should take care of our own at home first,but in the same respect, I do not believe that going to Iraq centers only around taking care of their needs. I believe that our presence in Iraq and what we are and have done over there also says that we will not just lay down and let you walk on us. I believe that had we not responded in the manner in which we did that the terrorists would have gotten the message that they can do whatever they want to us and we will just take it. This would have given them entirely too much power to at least entertain in their mind that they could treat us however they wish. We needed to let them know that it is not ok to murder hundreds of innocent Americans. I believe the message needed to be clear to them that we will respond.
I think that American has a problem doing things for themselves but no problem going to help others, even if they don't want our help. American needs to start focusing on itself and work to get things in order for its people. Then they can worry about the other people around the world. There are many people across the US that need help with things like healthcare and poverty and recieve little help or attention. America just needs to step back for a minute and look at how they can better themselves not just the world around them.
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