Societal Issues
Discussions on life decisions
Tax the Rich to feed the Students 2/19/16 by Bao Nguyen
Today, there are many students in need of money for college funding so that they can become productive citizens of society. After college, students go to the next stage in life swaddled in debt, so the question being asked is where they can get that money they need. Coincidentally, many rich people today keep money that can be used productively, yet instead gather it all in unnecessary amounts.
In the U.S., the rich are often keeping excessive amounts of money while countless students are struggling with student loans. Many politicians have decided to fix both problems by arguing that the U.S. must give the rich higher taxes, so that the government can use their tax money to help students with their loans.
The student loan debt is nothing to ignore now that it is $1.2 trillion. Students are the world’s next generation and yet they’re struggling to pay for their vital education. Politicians such as Hillary Clinton and Elizabeth Warren are calling for laws that will give higher taxes to the rich to lower the student debt.
There is justification in that these laws apply to the rich who “waste” their money by not using it. However, though, opposition likens these laws to communism, supporters for these laws counter that this is a tax on wastefulness. Just as people are fined for wasting water and certain restaurants charge for leftover, unused food, these similar taxes would apply to the rich who fail to use their money productively.
Additionally, these laws would help with student loans, public research, and federal assets, stimulating the economy. The rich don’t have just an economic obligation to pay their taxes, either; they have a moral obligation as well. Many millionaires have reportedly abused loopholes in the system to avoid paying taxes almost entirely. This tax evasion is harmful to the U.S.’s economy and debt.
Consequently, if the U.S. taxes the rich more, this will right the wrong of the rich avoiding their taxes. Not only that, but it could help students with their debts and stimulate the economy, giving even greater potential for the super power.
EQUAL PAY 2/19/16 by Neema Ismail
Although the passage of the Equal Pay Act in 1963 which required equal pay for equal jobs the situation has not been fixed and the White House tells that "Pay discrimination is a real and persistent problem that continues to shortchange American women and families." Will this ever change? Well, according to "World Economic Forum" women will get equal pay... in 118 years. Around the globe in the past seven years no progress has been made and on top of that women's pay lags nearly a decade behind.
These wage gaps aren't only happening in business', schools, hospitals, but even in Hollywood. Jennifer Lawrence spoke up on after the Sony hack she learned how much less she was making than her male co-workers. They star in the same movies and at the times she was the leading role but a supporting actor made more money than her.
On "I Side With" polls were taken on topics that included Equal Pay. The question being asked was "Should employers be required to pay men and women, who perform the same work, the same salary?" Of the people who answered 80 percent said that women should receive the equal pay with 20 percent of people saying they shouldn't. That shows a majority votes for women to receive equal pay.
The solution is to give gender pay equality when it comes to work. Pay discrimination and shortages are not only affecting the women but also their families. An article released by the White House shares "When women are not paid fairly, not only do they suffer, but so do their families." All people are trying to support their family and among those people are some single women but they are not receiving the just and equal pay they deserve for their work.
Abortion Rights 2/19/16 by Caroline Wingard
A baby is a gift. But sometimes it can be an unwanted gift. Which leads us to the topic of abortion. Abortion is defined as the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often preformed during the first 28 weeks of pregnancy. Abortion is a hot topic right now and many people are either pro life or pro choice.
The pro-life movement is made up of people who are opposing abortion. They believe that abortion is wrong and should be made illegal. There are many other alternatives to abortion such as placing the child in a foster home or an adoption center. If a woman is financially and emotionally stable, then she should consider raising the child herself.
The other group is the pro-choice who believe that abortion should be legal and that a woman has the right to choose whether or not she wants an abortion. The most common reason that women choose abortions are inability to care/support for a child, to end an unwanted pregnancy, or to prevent the birth of a child with birth defects.
Medical abortions preformed within the first 9 weeks of pregnancy have a low risk of complications, in fact less than 1 out of every 10,000 women who have a medical abortion die. When compared to the some 68,000 women who die form unsafe abortions, medical abortions are much safer. When you take away safe medical abortions, you take away the chances for a woman to live.
Abortions happen for many reasons. The top three are inadequate finances, not ready for the responsibility, and a woman’s life would be changed too much. Having a family to take in the baby could easily solve each of these problems. Many couples want a child but are biologically incapable of having one. Even if the baby is born brain dead, then its organs could save a lot of lives, so if you have an abortion, it’s not just the child’s life you’re taking away, it could be many.
However, it is a women’s right to choose if she wants an abortion or not because it is her body and the government cannot tell her what to do with it. If abortions become illegal, then women will resort to self induced or back ally abortions. Which could end up harming more people than save abortions ever will.