Change

As we are all aware, we were promised that change would come to America. It was a good promise, and I believe that the promise really was made with good intentions. But lately, I began wondering what kind of changes that I would like to see. After a little thinking, I think I have a little list. The problem that I have encountered so far resides in the interconnectedness that I see between many issues, so the list has many sub points.

First and foremost, I would like to see healthcare reform. I don't want us to rush into things-- I want us to do things right the first time. I would like to see a system that is a mixture between what the British have, and what the Canadians have. The only thing that I worry about would be the inequalities that would arise, manifesting similarly to the way that k-12 public schooling gets paid for. Essentially, this means that it cannot be local taxes that pay for this system.
I don't have insurance, and I sure as hell don't have the $$ to pay for a doctor's visit. I haven't had a physical check up in years. My dad has the V.A. and my mom is in the same boat as I am. (Even though shes had a steady job for the last 45 years)

I believe that the second step in healthcare reform, after policy changes that would institutionalize universal healthcare, would be in changing how people eat. Our food intake is ridiculous. The quantity is high, the quality is low. We are inundated by quick energy coming from refined wheats and high fructose corn syrup. We are packing nurtrients into smaller things. We are creating items for consumption that don't resemble real foods, and as a result, our health is failing. We are getting cancers and heart disease at unprecedented rates. Every product now gets to make claims about their health benefits, but watch our for these claims. Someone is selling you snake oil. If your great grandparents wouldn't recognize it as food, be suspect.

Another great way to increase the health of the population would be to increase the amount, and usefulness of public transportation. Studies have shown that places with public transportation have skinnier populations as they have to walk more. The average new yorker walks 4 miles a day. Texas people drive everywhere. Nuff said. This is important because obesity is now one of the top killers in America.


For the second issue, I would like to see Jail Reform. 1 in 32 Americans are currently in jail or are on parole, and to me this means that there is a problem with the system. What would I change? For starters, the idea of a for-profit prison system bothers the hell out of me. The emphasis on religious services, including giving religious believers special privileges, bothers me and ought to be illegal.

However, those issues aren't as important to me as the death penalty. Also, they don't solve the problem of overcrowding, or the fact that 10% of americans are in jail. For starters, I believe strongly that the death penalty ought to be abolished. I do NOT want the government to have the right to kill anyone. Period. I don't condone killing in any fashion. (Note, I don't believe that Abortion is killing unless the baby could survive outside of the mother)
Furthermore, its cheaper in legal fees to just keep prisoners in jail than to kill them. And the inmates on death row are mostly African Americans, which obviously shows the innate bias and injustices of the system. (Especially considering that African Americans don't commit a majority of the crimes that would normally 'merit' the death penalty) So getting rid of the death penalty would be the first thing that I would do.

However, to combat the increase in prison populations, I would, by and large, remove jail sentences from people who don't commit violent crimes. What would I consider violent crimes? Taking away another person's rights, Killing someone, Battery, Rape, and Burglary(not necessarily theft). I think the three strike rule is also fucking stupid. I might have accidentally omitted some crimes that I would consider jail worthy, but drug use would not, in any circumstance lead to jail time. Drug use ought to be considered a social problem, and treated as such. The war on drugs costs taxpayers billions of dollars, and hasn't worked. If anything, more people do drugs now than ever before.

Its time that our practices forgo ideologies that lead to failed policies. Acting tough, and doing the right thing rarely go hand in hand. Lets learn from our mistakes and do the right thing. Jailing Potsmokers leads to over-crowded jails. It ruins families, it hurts the economy, it ties up our court systems, and it is a possible source of revenue that could (would) generate billions.

I am against the use of psiologically addicting drugs like coke, heroin, and ketamine, however I believe that if we do not want these drugs to affect our society, we need to rehabilitate people. For example, in California, clinics will inject people with Heroine if the junkies come in and ask them to. This leaves to less accidental deaths due to accidentally injecting air, less overdoses, and less dirty needles. This also means that healthcare visits will cost less in the long run, as there will be less emergencies that require expensive, immediate care.
This also gives the junkies the option to be rehabilitated. As a result of these policies, California has seen drastic decreases in prolonged heroine use.


And lastly (because three is a good number for a list) I would argue that environmental reform is a must. Recycling should be a no-brainer. Policies should be developed such that they encourage innovation. Developers should realize that going green is almost always more profitable. Talking about environmental reform is the hardest for me, since it can be achieved in so many different ways. The mores and social customs of our society have been corrupted by the ideology that we have infinite supplies of things. But supplies are not infinite, and these overindulgences have left the US, as a people, weak. We are pampered, and we no longer have any need to challenge ourselves. A change in environmental policy must begin with our built environment, which must include a change in our transportation systems as they dialectically interact in ways that are often overlooked.

But most importantly, a change in our Environmental policy must change the mechanism which previously allowed pollution to occur. If that means upping prices so that we must ration our energy use, then so be it. There aint no such thing as a free lunch, and we are just now starting to realize the extraneous costs of using too much energy. What we havn't been paying in up front costs for our energy, we have been paying for in bigger stomachs, worse hearts, worse lungs, and a need to have everything illuminated at all times.

These are the issues that I find important, first and foremost. I also believe that Educational reform is a necessity, but I think that the three issues that I listed are far more important and pressing matters.

Feel free to chime in. I'd love to hear what you have to say.