inquiringminds

As we all know today is January 4, 2009. What does this mean? Well, it is sixteen days until president Elect Barack Obama is inaugurated. Apparently, during this time the White House ushers will take out everything of  the White House and the first residence that is President and Laura Bush’s. It is a very fast process. I have read about it before. The leaders of he world are very excited about the new incoming president. Many countries were very interested in the election of President Elect Barack Obama. People far and wide danced in the streets when he was elected in November. Kenyans especially were touched that a man who is of American and Kenyan descent can be President of the United States of America. In these last sixteen days, we as a country are going to go through the motions of change. We now have more hope.

A woman in Miami Florida named Meagan McCormic faked a missing baby story. She said that her five month old son was missing. She said that her son’s name was Riley Buchness and that she had left him with a nanny. She did this to get her ex boyfriend back. This is really despicable. She does not even have a child and never did. I think she got the idea from Casey Anthony who did not report her daughter Caylee missing and then lied and said that she had left her daughter with a nanny.The woman has been filed with filing a missing police report. I really cannot believe that things like this happen. How can you do something like this especially during the holiday season. I feel bad for the ex boyfriend who thought that he had a son and then thought that his son was missing. She belongs in jail for what she did. This is a slap in the face to all those parents who actually do have children that are missing and need help to find their children.

Okay, we have all heard that this election hinges on catering to middle class voters. My question to every one is, what is the definition of middle class now? I mean is there an income minimum? I mean you can earn 70,000 a year and be up to your neck in debt and have no savings. Now are you middle class? I ask because I always thought that people who made  at least 50,000 as a household was middle class but I do not think that, that is the case any more. I mean it is hard to survive on a household income of $50,000 right now. Rents can be so expensive, especially a two or three bedroom apartment. Credit card interest rates are high and the standard cost of living has not been adjusted to change with the economic problems that the United States has been facing. I think middle class and upper class have changed because even if you were given a million dollars, you could not survive for the rest of your life. Being a millionaire isn’t even rich, eventually you will end up needing to work. My question is what is your definition of middle class and rich?

Today, college costs so much money. So many people come out of college with thousands of dollars in student loan debt.Why is college so expensive? I mean one college textbook can cost more than a hundred dollars depending on the subject. I mean that is literally insane. There are technology fees if you have a class that is online. I mean what does that fee even cover if you are using your own computer and Internet connection at home?

Shouldn’t there be a cap for student loans? I mean basically you are giving all of these debts to people aged 18-22 and really strapping them financially for years to come. Isn’t that basically negligent? I mean teachers pressure you to get good grades to get into college and then you are rewarded for all that hard work by having to pay huge student loan debts. I mean parents pay taxes for public schools, if your kid is in college shouldn’t that money be shifted to their college expenses, thus decreasing the overall cost of college expenses? What do you think is necessary to decrease college costs so more people can attend college.