Student Loan Interest Rate

One of my peers wrote about the Student Loan Interest Rate.  I also agree.  I hope President Obama does have us as students in their best interest.  Every year the cost of tuition is rising at all schools.  In an article by CNN it stated the sticker price of studying and living on campus at the average public university rose 5.4% for in-state students, or about $1,100, to $21,447 this fall, the College Board estimated.  The chief cause of that increase was a dramatic spike in tuition and fees at hundreds of public universities. Tuition at the average public university jumped 8.3% to $8,244.  When you combine the number of graduates that are unemployed with price of a rising tuition, new graduates start life a negative situation.  Loans can be deferred, but the interest keeps accruing.  The lower interest rate will definitely help debt to income ratios.  Hopefully the price of tuition does not rise as fast and economy becomes stronger and the interest rates can be kept to a minimum.  Lower interest rates may increase the number of students that attend college.  The students of today are the future leaders of this country.  Congress should help the young people become educated as much as possible.  

 According to Wikipedia Benjamin Franklin was appointed the first postmaster general. The cabinet-level Post Office Department was created in 1792 from Franklin's operation and transformed into its current form in 1971 under the Postal Reorganization Act.

The USPS employs over 574,000 workers and operates over 218,000 vehicles. The USPS is the operator of the largest vehicle fleet in the world. The USPS is legally obligated to serve all Americans, regardless of geography, at uniform price and quality. The USPS has exclusive access to letter boxes marked "U.S. Mail" and personal letterboxes in the United States, but still competes against private package delivery services, such as UPS and FedEx.

The USPS is an independent agent of the U.S Government.  The USPS has not directly received taxpayer-dollars since the early 1980s with the minor exception of subsidies for costs associated with the disabled and overseas voters. 

On April 26, 2012 Washington Post wrote an article titled “Bill Affecting, Federal Workers Begin Moving through Congress.”  The article was in reference to Post Master General Patrick Donahoe meeting with Congress on August 25, 2012.  The meeting was about postal reform to save the service of the post office.

With a steady decline in first class mail due to the internet and Congress required overpayment into the retirement system the post office has to restructure its service standards to ensure its survival.  What does the reform has to do with politics?  As mentioned above the post office does not directly receive taxpayer dollars.  Yes, the post office generates its own income.  Even with the decline in first class mail volume, majority of its financial woes come from an overpayment in Civil Service Retirement Fund and Federal Employment Retirement Fund.  The USPS cannot overcome the requirements to prepay retiree health benefits greatly in advance – an imposition unheard of in either the corporate world or by any other government agency.

Removing the devastating fiscal effect of these prepayments would take care of 80 percent of the postal service’s deficit. Moreover, the federal government already owes the postal service.   According to the U.S. Postal Service’s Inspector General the federal government owes over $80 billion dollars in overpayments that the USPS has made to the Civil Service Retirement System and the Federal Employees Retirement System.

Since the USPS does not receive tax dollars why does it not have more control of its organization?  Instead of closing post offices, cutting six day delivery, not providing a service that was established for all American people, and above all eliminating jobs, why not refund the $80 billion dollars back to the post office.  Even though Congress states they do not want to eliminate any of the post offices or services yet, they skip over the real issue of the $80 billion dollar overpayment.  They are contradicting themselves.  The government “takes” more money from a historical company and pays it back by forcing it to downsize.

Congress rarely speaks of the overpayment.  The post office needs to make changes now.  No decision can be made without the approval of the government, which is an ongoing slow process.  Benjamin Franklin is probably turning in his grave knowing that the biggest service provider in the world is faulting because of mismanagement and greed of the government and postal managers. 

Education Crisis in America

I have to agree with the EducationCrisis in America.  The high school and college dropout rate is on a steady increase.  School is not being taken as serious as it should be.  Lack of education also increases the incarceration rate.  There are many different things contributing to the lack of seriousness and the high number of school dropouts in America. 

            The American Post ran an article titled Education vs. Incarceration.  The article shows examples of different inner cities in America where the government spends more money on incarceration than education.  For example in the 2009-2010 academic years, state budget cuts forced the Houston Independent School District to manage a projected $10 million shortfall. However, in the preceding year, Texas spent over $175 million to imprison residents from just 10 neighborhoods in Houston. In Houston, of the six schools deemed lower-performing, five are in neighborhoods with the highest rates of incarceration. By contrast, of the 12 schools considered higher-performing, eight are in neighborhoods with the lowest incarceration rates. Education and incarceration work hand and hand, the same as education and voting.  75% of prison inmates are high school dropouts and only 33% of high school dropouts voted.

            With steady government cuts in educational spending we have increased stress with teaching community on equal or less pay.  Teaching is a job and with fewer incentives and as a result teachers may not go the extra mile to educate the students.  Also with the decline in workforce in other fields some people become a teacher just to survive.

            Education should also be a joint relationship between parents and teachers.  Parents have lost focus in educating their children and rely heavily on teachers to get the job done.  Parents with little to no education may not know how to educate their children.  There are other educational factors, such as preventive sex and teenage child birth.  Only 50% of teenage mothers graduate high school.  This appears to be a vicious cycle that repeats itself.  The center for disease control and prevention reported that teen pregnancy accounts for nearly $11 billion per year in costs to U.S. taxpayers for increased health care and foster care, increased incarceration rates among children of teen parents, and lost tax revenue because of lower educational attainment and income among teen mothers.

            Overall a lack of education cost the government causes poverty in America that attributes to government spending.  Statistics show that people without education tend to become incarcerated, may need a government assistance program, less likely to vote  and or may have teen pregnancies.  Lower poverty neighborhoods usually have the worse schools.  This is a major issue that the government and the citizens need to address for a brighter future in America.

All across America there has been a stir concerning the Trayvon Martin case.   In Sanford, FL George Zimmerman shot and killed the teenager allegedly as self defense.  Yet Trayvon had no weapons just a pack of skittles and a ice tea beverage.  As a result of his murder there has been an outrage across America and rallies in major cities like Chicago, Austin, and New York.

As it relates to the Trayvon Martin case, I believe Zimmerman should be arrested and held accountable for the death of this young man.  This case has not been handled correctly.  In certain situations Trayvon has been viewed as the aggressor when Zimmerman was clearly told by the 911 dispatcher not to follow Trayvon.  Zimmerman, a self appointed neighborhood watch person, did not listen to the dispatcher.  The 911 call also captures Zimmerman calling Trayvon a "coon."  The statement alone can turn this case into a hate crime which the Florida authorities have not even considered.

Let's consider the force that was used.  The Florida statue 776.012 states a person may be justified in using force if he or she is protecting himself or herself or someone else, or if he or she believes that a felony is about to occur; however, it does not state that deadly force can be used, unless the person believes his or her life is being threatened.  How can Zimmerman be free based upon standing his ground for self defense when he stated to the dispatcher that Trayvon was running away?  Zimmerman should have been viewed as the aggressor since he followed Trayvon.

There has been indications that Trayvon attacked Zimmerman before he was shot.  Zimmerman is 10 years Trayvon's senior and a 100 pounds heavier.  I find it hard to believe that Trayvon got the best of Zimmerman in a physical confrontation that resulted in Zimmerman using deadly force.  Furthermore,  since Trayvon was in a unfamiliar place, being followed by a person he did not know, it is evident that he went into fight or flight mode.  He began by running away and when Zimmerman followed him and ran up on him his instincts took over and he began to defend himself, hence the altercation.

There has been comments on this case in every reporting agency across America.  It has definitely turned into a race related situation.  Even blind eyes can see the truth.  Over 55 plus years later and after the civil rights movement, this case can be related to the case of Emmett Till.  Will America ever change?  Will a higher ranking government law enforcement agency step in and correct the situation?  It is obvious that Florida's law enforcement agency is not doing a thorough investigation.

Postal Closures All Political

On March 7, 2012, Ed O’ Keefe of the Washington Post reported a blog titled The Postal Serviceto Suspend Closures During the Election Season.  Ed O’ Keefe writes a blog covering new from across the federal government.  His blogs are supposed to go behind the scenes to report on the personality, turf wars, traditions, triumphs, failures, etc. across the government.  The blog gives a broad overview of one situation with the post office.  It does not give detailed insight. 

                They fail to mention some of the real reasons why the Post Office is closing so many facilities.  The Post Office generates all of its own revenue, (the same as a privatized company) yet it is still controlled and scrutinize by Congress.  Closing down the selected facilities will reduce jobs by 120,000.  Since congress is directly related to the post office, they do not want postal facilities to close because a lost job may be one less vote.  If the facilities remain open the officials may be voted in for another term.  While Congress is obtaining their votes, the post office will continue to lose billions every quarter, because of the mismanagement and politicians who stand to gain something from the Post Office.  This article fails to mention the pre-fund into retirement that only the Post Office is obligated to pay.  The $75 billion that Congress has received in an overpayment and refuses to refund back to the Post Office would be a big help in coming out of the red for the lost every quarter.   The article mentions closing of facilities in rural areas.  Some of the facilities on the list for closing are not in rural areas.  An example would be the main distribution plant in New Orleans, LA. 

                The article is informative in that the Post Office will not be closing any facilities in the next few months but it lacks essential information that is needed when Ed O’ Keefe is supposedly reporting the behind the scenes things going on in our government.  What will happen when the elections are over?  Congress is not worried about the American people who look forward to their checks or medicine in the mail every month.  Seems to me they are concerned more with winning the elections than the American people. 

Donors With Agendas

On February 24, 2012 The New York Times wrote an article in the opinion pages titled Donors with Agendas.  The article has a small briefing of how super PACs are buying our democracy.  Super PACSs are federally registered PACs that raise unlimited contributions from the super-rich, corporations, labor unions, and other entities and spend these funds to make independent expenditures in federal elections.  In conjunction with the abuse of money and power in the article there have been other studies of these Super PACs and how much influence they have.  A recent study by Demos and the U.S Public Interest Group found that, as Politico reported, “Super PACs raised about 181 million in the last two years-with roughly half of it coming from fewer than 200 super-rich people.  The study also found that 93% of the itemized contributions raised by Super PACs came in contributions of $10,000 or more, with more than half of this money coming from just 37 people who each gave 500,000 or more. 

                Super PACs are for millionaires and billionaires.  They are for corporations and other wealthy interests.  The money buys influence.  A candidate is not going to vote against what his or her supporters want.  This would immediately stop contributions and may risk the winning of an election.  Super PACs allow the rich and wealthy interests to buy influence over government decisions, in the event that their candidate wins the election.  Whether the decision is morally correct or beneficial for the country as an whole does not matter.  Super PACs are geared for their own self interest and political ideologies.    Super PACs do not represent the majority of the people in our country, but yet they have majority of the influence.  The average person can vote, but how much influence do they really have? 

The "NEW" budget plan

On February 11 2012 New YorkTimes posted an article titled "Obama Budget Bets Other Concerns Will Trump the Deficit." The new budget is supposed to increase taxes on the rich and more spending on infrastructure and manufacturing. Even though Obama and congress has been trying to reduce the national deficit, there has not been much success during the Obama's presidency. Most of the deficit can be contributed to the war during the Bush era and the economic recession. With a more aggressive tax plan on the rich this may help bring down the deficit. Also investing money back into the country for employment of the U.S. citizen will be very beneficial to the economy. Although it is not mention in the article but with the war almost over, there will be less spending on those issues. Hopefully there will be a moment of peace for America.  The New budget also mentions of a $61 billion dollar “financial crisis responsibility fee” for the largest companies and a tax overhaul referred to as “everyone pays their fair share.”  Maybe this make the large companies uphold their business and assume responsibilities for their actions and not have to receive a bailout.