Health Reformation

The video on health care was very interesting and inspiring. It struck a particular chord with me I feel because I have family members who struggle with obesity and/or struggle with diabetes. Diabetes is a very misunderstood disease and many people are under the impression it is only a large disease for people who are overweight. Diabetes is very prevalent in my family, and the diet that is expected is difficult to follow most times. Simply hearing how much of a difference 30 min. can make in a life of someone, made me wish that this information and video in particular could be shown to a wider audience on a regular occasion. It would help people, I believe, with the excuse that getting in shape takes a lot of work.

Michelle Obama's, Let's Move initiative is a great policy issue that she has taken upon herself to try and revive focus on. The video mentioned that the average adult spends about six hours in front of a screen, which made me question how much children spent in front of screens as well. Her initiative is obviously a large supporter of more fitness. What shocked me most about the video was that it was one of the first that didn't focus on a strict type of dietary plan but instead focused mainly on a simple cardio exercise.

I feel a great policy for communities around Arizona and the U.S. would be to provide incentives businesses that sponsor school teams or club teams. With these sponsorship it will allow the people who work at these businesses the opportunity to either be a part of an adult team or coach a team in a way to give back to the community. Businesses could also be held accountable for at least once a year participating in a marathon walk or run. I feel that if more businesses in a community took part in these type of activities, it would be highlighted in the media as well as in residential areas since they are the easiest to reach out too. Places like Intel, which offer recreational activities on the premises need to be implemented in other businesses so that it can encourage a place to be active on breaks or outside of work. I feel that the issue over health has reached such a high extent that the government does need to be a part of it. This isn't stating that the government needs to be completely in charge of it, but I feel that there needs to be some type of action through government to get the reformation process all over the United States going. If the government does not begin to show an interest it's people it could very well fall even further behind. The U.S. does not need to become a socialist nation but if other countries can find ways, like Switzerland, to not charge their citizens for health insurance and have healthier citizens then it is very possible for the U.S. to do the same.

After reading some of the articles from the many think tanks, I feel that the major concern with the implementation of the affordable health care of 2010 primarily is focused on economic concerns. There is little focus on the overall advantage it gives the families that it can help or what it would mean for patients or doctors. It primarily focuses on how it will affect programs such Medicaid and what it will mean for tax payers. It focused on employment and unemployment opportunities and what this will mean for people of different standing from middle class to upper class citizens. It focuses much more on how this reform will affect employers and people with or without insurance.

Economic Development- Saratoga, New York

The great state of New York has always attracted many tourists from thousands of places but it can offer even more for a future for both the success and happiness for your business and family. To increase your business and join a welcoming community, Saratoga county is the place for you. Saratoga county offers a great global power house with many corporations that will offer great competition and a possibility of growth in working together in some areas such as science and technological areas. Your business can grow exponentially with the assistance of the surrounding colleges and universities in creating the type of workers that you seek while they are in school.

In family aspects, whether you have a family or wish to begin one, Saratoga county offers a great area that is in close proximity to everything around the area and state. Traveling to areas in or around New York is very easy if you come to Saratoga County. It is located in a growing area that has no where to go but up in the world. In an effort to entice more businesses I would seek to start local small teams and major league sports teams so that it would bring in more revenue and a large opportunity at spreading the world of Saratoga county. On top of supporting athletics, I would also seek to enhance the arts in schools. Both of these extracurricular activities and organizations offer a range of things to be involved in or have your child(ren) be a part of. To add to this implementation, local business would offer assistance with places such as childcare facilities, job training and placement, and transportation improvements so that this city could offer the very best that it possibly could.

I would not apply for a HOPE VI grant for the city of Saratoga. I feel that this project, although with great intentions, promotes segregation in both ethnicity and financial standing. The great community of Saratoga can offer incentives to businesses in forms of tax credit breaks for businesses that help with the community and help give back with people who need help making ends meet or revitalizing areas. In such a quiet and easy going community which is full of revitalization in large forms, I feel that an initiative such as HOPE VI will offer no major change. A place such as Saratoga county would benefit more from a neighborhood-based strategy.