Health Care: Why We Should Care

We are in the last hour before the Supreme Court rules about President Obama's famous health care law and speculation is abound.  Will it be struck down?  Upheld?  No one is quite sure, but everyone has a guess.

I don't.

Some of you may know that one of my undergraduate degrees is in political science with a focus in law.  I studied for the LSATs and considered going to law school.  I decided instead to get my Masters in journalism.  That being said, I've studied the legal system quite a bit.

So amidst this speculation, this uncertainty and uproar, there is a bigger question than "will this be upheld."  That question is "what are the repercussions?"

Why I Caved.

Yesterday a friend of mine asked if I was planning to vote in the recall election today.  I said no.  I am a Maryland resident and want to keep my Maryland residency for when I move back after graduating.  Why go through the hassle of becoming a Wisconsin resident to vote once (actually twice, with the presidential election in November. I planned to vote absentee.)?  My friend didn't ask any more questions, but smiled at me and said ok.

I voted today (clearly my friend knows me too well).  Here's why...

Got my mind on my money and my money on my mind

Lindsay has loans.  A lot of loans.  So does her husband.  Between the two of them, these loans total about as much as a house. 


Where did they go wrong?

Gaga will marry the night. Kony will cover it.

I was honored a few weeks ago to receive my first request for a blog post.  I certainly want to encourage any readers of my blog to send me a message or comment with something you'd like to hear about.  You're the one reading it, so it should be about what interests you!  That being said...

The most viral video of all time was released just over a month ago, with over 87 million views as of this morning.  In case you missed it...

The video inspired millions and began a movement...that quickly deteriorated. In case you don't feel like watching a 30 minute video (although it is of some cultural significance and I might recommend it..just to know what your friends are talking about), here is the crux:

"Hey mom and dad! It's me...again!"

"I did everything that I was supposed to do to succeed in life," he said. "And I did it while working predominantly full-time."

Cory Stine, 24 years old, has always been a go-getter. He acted in high school and college theater, mastering the complicated accent of Fagin in Oliver and Einstein's German dialect. He has an active social life, pledged an academic fraternity, and spends time with his family. He took six years to graduate college - one year at a community college in Maryland, followed by five years at a state university. He worked 80-hours per week between school coursework and his retail job in a local mall, as well as additional hours of work required for his major. Cory graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 3.7 GPA, excitedly clutching a degree in Electronic Media and Film. Today, he lives at home with his parents.

Cory isn't the only one moving back in with dear old mom and dad, a recent PEW study finds. Among young people between the ages of 18 to 25, 53 percent currently live at home with their parents. This so-called "boomerang generation" consists of young adults (like Cory) who often return home to live with their parents after briefly moving out to live on their own (or never moving out to begin with).

Like oil and (holy) water

The thing you don't realize when you're younger is that the things you do/say will most likely come back to haunt you in a few years.  No one discovers this faster than a politician running for president.

About a month ago, a clip of presidential hopeful Rick Santorum in 2008 was discovered.  In it, Santorum was asked about Christianity and liberalism.  He said that there is no such thing as someone who is liberal and Christian. "You’re a liberal something, but you’re not a Christian," he said.

So I started to think about this in light of everything going on in politics right now.  When Rush Limbaugh is calling a law student a slut because she stands up for women's rights, where is the line?  Is there a line?  And most importantly, is Santorum right and we're all just kidding ourselves?  Is liberalism the oil to Christianity's (holy) water?

Ring 'er up!

Sometimes I like to think of the President as a father figure.  Some of the so-called "Founding Fathers" were presidents - John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison, for example.  Fathers, to me, are men who at least try to look after their children.  Sometimes they go astray, but it is always with good intention.  I couldn't think of a single President who set out to completely tear down our country.  They may have succeeded, but they certainly didn't do it on purpose.

That being said, fathers often hold the finances of the family - deciding where certain funds are allocated.  Imagine, if you will, a trip to the grocery store.  What should we buy?  What is too expensive?  What should we get, but maybe just the store brand?  Recently, pops released his newest budget for the upcoming year.  I decided to take a peek at that grocery store receipt for dear old dad...