Defining Marriage

Lately the definition of marriage is causing tremendous controversy in the United States. Organization such as Human Rights Campaign have formed and advocated for people who are homosexuals. Particularly in Indiana, it has become a heated debate as Governor Mike Pence is pushing legislators to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Even if a gay couple were to get a certificate at the court making them a legal union, Governor Pence wishes to incriminate those people and fine them a set fee for even trying. There is not much justification for people being judgmental and prejudice toward the gay community. The largest group that opposes them is the evangelical Republicans who see that a 1 out of 30,000 scriptures in the Bible justifies their actions, which wasn't originally in the Bible till after a revised edition was released. When it comes to Christianity, from my perspective, Jesus taught us to be loving and forgiving to all and to judge others is a sin. Beside the point, many who have the perception that gays are unequal are limited and are slowly going away.

Not only is this unethical to treat people unequally, but it is also hurtful to the economy. We can analyze the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s when African-Americans participated in peaceful protests to stand against oppression to see examples as to how minorities play a role in the community. One specific example of how the economy was affected during the Civil Rights Movement was the bus boycott in Alabama. Since African-Americans used the bus frequently and were treated unfairly, they decided to take action and not ride the buses at all. Eventually this created such a hurtful impact to the economy politicians had no choice but to meet those demands. Similar economic downfalls happened when African-Americans did things such as attend a theater, eat a restaurant, etc. that were illegal to them due to race that they were arrested for causing jails to be overcrowded to the point that it was hurting the economy and overcrowding the jails resulting in their release. By discriminating against a group of people, you discourage growth in the area because you are discouraging investors and people to come to your state. Not only does it deter people from moving to the community and creating a positive and stable economy, it also deters potential employers from coming to that area because they do not see any potential of growth in the community. So far organizations such as Eli-Lilly (one of the largest employers in Indiana) and Indiana University (one of the biggest and most accredited public schools in the Midwest) have openly opposed the bill HJR-6 (bill defining marriage in Indiana) because they understand how much it will hurt Indiana's economy by opposing a large population in the country and saying "we don't want you here". There are also many legal ramifications creating much dispute in insurance claims as well as wills that would hurt the economy further by not allowing certain tax incentives to gay couples. It is essential that a state like Indiana as well has many other states do not follow the idea of defining marriage in their state because it will not only create similar social problems like those in the 1960s, but it will also be hurtful to the economy by setting a standard that people are not created equal. It is a standard by the United States Constitution that we are all created equal with the same rights and discriminating against a minority and claiming them as unequal is both unethical and hurtful to the economy.

Is the Keystone XL Pipeline actually good for us Americans?

Recently, the Keystone Pipeline has been approved by President Obama as a way to help the economy and provide new jobs, but is it really helping Americans all that much? For those of you who aren't familiar with the Keystone Pipeline it is a large pipeline that will begin in Canada and transport tons of tar sands all the way down to Texas. When the idea was first presented, it was told to common everyday Americans that this would give the economy a huge boost providing thousands of new jobs and creating an oil supply for us that would reduce gas prices. We only later found out that this was not the case at all. As a matter of fact, the pipeline will cause more problems than it will create opportunity.

With the development of the Keystone pipeline, many people have concerns about the environment. Now I know many of you are thinking "here goes another crazy environmentalist rant", but I've done some research into this and the pipeline would truly cause great impacts on multiple states. Several states have already declined the development of the Keystone pipeline for very good reasons. Their main concerns is the extreme amounts of water that it takes to move tar sands. The states that declined the development stated that tar sands traveling through their states could greatly reduce their water supplies causing concern for the people living their. In terms of environmental issues, the Keystone Pipeline would also have multiple leaks as many oil rigs/pipelines/plants have that would cause tremendous damage to the environment. This is also a reaction to what is called "fracking". Fracking is a drilling technique that goes deep into the Earth to extract oil or natural gases deep in the Earth. When this is happening a lot of this is simply released into the air or causes terrible damage to the environment as well as destroying pipelines. A lot of this is occurs around the Keystone Pipeline.

Besides environmental issues, the Keystone Pipeline will not hold up to many of its promises made. A majority of the job opportunities that were suppose to help the United States economically are only temporary and will not have much impact on the economy at all. Many of the people that got the jobs that were suppose to help the economy will simply be told that they are no longer needed and "good luck finding a job somewhere else". This is a terrible move that would lead me to suspicions about the Keystone Pipeline and why exactly we need it.

The biggest impact that the Keystone Pipeline will have is on rich oil industries both here and in Canada. The pipeline project will have little or no effect on average Americans nor on a national scale. I say this because most of the money being had is by Canadian oil companies that have claim over the tar sands which is being sold to us. The oil that we get from Canada will not even be used here in the United States and gas prices and energy efficiency will not be effected at all causing prices to stay the same and possibly even increase. The reality of it is the United States would be selling all of the oil extracted from the tar sands to foreign countries/refineries and will not have a large impact on average Americans, unless the "trickle down" economy works (which last time I checked it didn't). The biggest debate that is happening now is where fracking is going to happen and if people want it allowed in their state. I encourage you to look further into this as you explore more information about the Keystone Pipeline, get involved at your state house, and learn about the impacts the pipeline will have on your area.

Expansion of Medicaid in Indiana

Currently, Indiana is having a big (or maybe not so big) debate on the expansion of Medicaid and if Indiana should go through with it. This of course being a state that is predominantly Republican, it is unlikely that they will agree to take such actions. Currently, the state of Indiana runs a program called the Healthy Indiana Plan. If Republicans were to agree on any form of expansion, it would most likely be on this. This would be a mistake. The Healthy Indiana Plan, although seemingly smart, is a failed program in the state that does not help many people. Let me explain what all HIP is. It is more or less a health savings fund that low-income people pay into each month. The program typically takes 2%-5% of the money they make and that money is put into an account in order to pay for doctor's visits and some medications. That seems nice and all, but this is a lot of money to ask from someone if they need that for groceries. Second, the Healthy Indiana Plan does not cover emergency room visits, maternity care, some medications, and even some doctors/hospitals. Also, if you happen to miss a payment for the month, you will be removed from the program and you lose the money that you've been paying into that account. That isn't even the worst part. The worst part is the amount of people that are on the "waiting list" and/or turned down from receiving benefits of the Healthy Indiana Plan. With over 30,000 on the waiting list and untold numbers turn down, the underfunded medical system that Indiana aims to use is not doing well for the people that are in desperate need of medical attention. Indiana has one of the largest uninsured/low income populations in the country with over half a million people uninsured and our leaders are not doing much to fix it.

There are many reasons to expand Medicaid for the state of Indiana. One being the reason I just listed that many people in this state do not receive much help from their leaders and are left to fend for themselves. Two, a law in Indiana states that nobody can be turned down at the emergency room so many homeless and low income people are simply going to the emergency room for very basic things causing health care to be more expensive in the area since their bill will typically be written off. Three, the state would receive billions in funding to help get the program started and taxes would not increase for several years for taxpayers. Four, thousands of new jobs would be brought to the state where most people who graduate from school move away because it is too hard for them to find work here. Five, by providing health insurance/coverage to those who can't afford to go through private companies would mean a competitive market thus reducing health care premiums for people in the state. So even if taxes would eventually go up it would not make a significant difference on the fact that health care for the state would be significantly cheaper.

Many people in the state of Indiana believe that Medicaid would just be taken advantage of and it wouldn't help anyone, but the system would provide health care for half a million people who don't have it otherwise. It is important that the state pushes this initiative forward and I hope this article sheds some light on those who are thinking about it or if you were simply curious and wanted some information. If you would like to help push the initiative forward contact your local representative at 1-800-382-9842

For more information on Medicaid/HIP check these websites:

http://www.unmc.edu/publichealth/docs/2013_Stimpson_Indiana_Medicaid_Expansion.PDF

https://www.mdwise.org/hhw-hip/member-handbook/ebook/pageflip.html

Here is a link to letters that Lafayette Urban Ministry (the people I currently work for) that were sent to the governor urging the expansion of medicaid in Indiana http://lumserve.wordpress.com/2013/06/17/letter-to-governor-urging-the-approval-of-medicaid-expansion-1-of-3/

The Fourth Branch of Government

Telecommunication is the transmission of information over significant distances to communicate. The media has had a huge influence over citizens of the world for many years in many forms. For the United States, it all began with the first amendment of the Constitution. It states that U.S. citizens have the freedom of the press. This guarantees the right to express ourselves without the government interfering or preventing us from doing so. The first amendment alone, whether the fathers of the constitution realized it or not, created a “4^th branch” of government.

            The fourth branch of government is the action of the citizens for which it reports on. It has been existent since colonial times. During colonial times, colonists were like a pot of water over the fire. It remained dormant, but with a little heat began to boil. With the power of the fourth branch, a revolution began. An easy example would be the “Boston Massacre”. Tensions were already high between colonists and the British, but with the media playing its role, a volcano erupted.

            The “Boston Massacre” was an event played by the media in order to gain support from colonists in order to create a revolt against the British during a time of high tensions. According to the Boston Massacre Historical Society, only five colonists were killed in a fight that they provoked. The newspapers the next day reported it as a “massacre” in order to dramatize and hype the occurrence in order to get more people to oppose the British troops. This is a great example of the fourth branch of government in play because many believe that if it were not for the over dramatization of “Boston Massacre”, Boston would have never had such a big movement in the revolution and may not of even been part of it.

            This is not the only example of the fourth branch at work in the United States. The fourth branch also has a large effect on who becomes a member of office, such as the President of the United States. When analyzing political campaigns, the media will make or break that politician. The first notable occurrence of this would have to be Thomas Jefferson in his pursuit to become president of the United States. According to an article “How Presidents and Presidential Candidates Use The Media”, Thomas Jefferson created a newspaper sponsored by himself in order to promote is political campaign. By using his own paper, Thomas Jefferson was able to make himself look professional, advertise any policies for his campaign, advertise information that only he wanted to make public, and argue any statements made against him by his opponents. It was a genius idea for his period of time and definitely helped him on his way to office.

            In more modern times, it is a lot more difficult to do. For politicians to look professional in the present is a hard thing to do with the multiple news sources that are available. Everything can now be publicized instantly whether through radio, blogs, phone and tablet apps, internet, and television news feeds. In an instant, whether a debate, public speech, or even a sneeze, can be made public to the world. By having such power, the media plays a large role on the chances of a candidate wining office. Having such instant media is a great tool in order to see and here things instantly without the influence of anything else, when it is live.

             Recent examples can easily be seen of the fourth branches power with the Republican Party receiving so much attention for the Presidential run. According to cnn.com, Herman Cain was the former leader in the Republican polls for the Presidential candidate slot. Due to media coverage, the whole nation now knows of Herman Cain’s unpopular activity while working in the restaurant industry. Ever since his misconduct was exposed, his support in the polls have dropped. This is because of the fourth branch of government controlling the outlook of Herman Cain and then expressing the public opinion as well as influencing the public opinion of which it controls. This is a wonderful way for U.S. citizens to be actively involved in politics as well as have influence and understanding in what happens in society.

            The media does not only influence the personal image of politicians, but it also has influence over social movements. The Wall Street Occupiers are an example of the fourth branch at work. At first, the Wall Street Occupiers were simply people protesting Wall Street without a set goal or idea in mind. Through the media, attention was brought to these protesters and more people joined this protest and began having a target as to what they are doing and what they should do in order to have demands met. Without media coverage, this movement would not have been as effective or as large as it has become.

            The fourth branch of government may seem like a great thing, but like everything else there is also a negative side. The fourth branch of government can also use its power for corrupt purposes. Many examples come to mind when the fourth branch has used its power in order to control the population. The biggest events that media uses in order to do this is disease/infections/epidemics/etc. The H1N1 virus is a perfect example of the media latching on to something in order to gain ratings and influence the actions of people.

            H1N1 began recently in the year 2009 when people began reporting cases of this flu. During that time, every news source imaginable latched on to this for months and declared that it was a pandemic which resulted in many people panicking over the virus. It was almost as if nobody had ever heard of the flu before as multiple cases were being reported and in some instances death. According to Center of Disease Control, the average number of deaths from the H1N1 was 12,470 and the average number of hospitalization was 274,000. This seems like a lucrative number and something many should be concerned about until the regular influenza statistics are taken into account. Reports by the Center of Disease Control are as follows in reference to the regular flu: It is estimated that, on average, approximately 5% to 20% of U.S. residents get the flu, and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized for flu-related complications each year. Over a period of 30 years, between 1976 and 2006, estimates of flu-associated deaths in the United States range from a low of about 3,000 to a high of about 49,000 people.

            By doing more research and truly being aware of the extent of H1N1, it did not seem as serious as the media made it out to be and yet many people feared this disease that they knew nothing about and resulted in mass spending and a need for the vaccine for H1N1. Not that it is important or discredits anything, I have never received a flu shot and have only been infected by the flu once in my life and I certainly did not need hospital attention to become healthy again. 

            Although it is nice to be informed about such things, it is also nice to have valid information on the subject at hand before going Armageddon. Besides H1N1, there are many things that the fourth branch of government uses in order to gain power from the public through fear of minimal information. This includes reports on Y2-k being Armageddon, December 21, 2012 being Armageddon, microwaves creating harmful radiation levels to your body by standing in front of them, President Obama’s religious backround, former President Bush’s search for secret weapons in the Middle East, President Obama supporting the construction of a Mosque near the 9/11 World Trade Center site, and so on.

            Y2-k obviously never happened, the Mayan prediction is based on loose interpretation and small amounts of information, tests on microwaves showed that it was impossible to be exposed to radiation (unless you stick your head in the microwave while it’s on), President Obama’s religious backround has no factual support to prove the claims made against him, former President Bush was never able to find the “secret weapons” that he claimed existed, and the Muslim Center built near ground zero wasn’t as close as the multiple Mosques that are near ground zero. This is just to name a few of the hypes that the media creates in order to persuade and influence the public in a certain favor that had minimal information, but a large impact.

            By using the media many politicians and organizations can influence the nation on a wide scale. What media tends to report on that the government tends to avoid is religion. Religion has had a strange alteration over the years in terms of media coverage and how the general public perceives different religions. For example, Christianity has taken a wide turn in society and is at its demise through media coverage. More and more the radical, beuracratic, fundamentalists are viewed in the news instead of the general, average community of Christianity and yet people believe Christianity is dysfunctional due to news coverage. For example, Wethro Baptists received huge publicity and gave the image that Christians are almost cult like by preaching hate messages and holding anti homosexual and military protests. Things such as this receive publicity which give a negative outlook on Christianity. Many media sources report on this and yet did not report the positive things that Christian organizations did for the nation. For example, after Hurricane Katrina happened the only thing reported was the lack of action done by the government. The untold story was the amount of Christian organizations that responded immediately and did most of the clean-up and volunteer work during the recovery of the area. Even in sports it is visible that Christianity is something that reporters don’t like to cover. When Tim Tebow involves his faith in football, media absolutely hates it which is why he is not present in many interviews. It is even present in SEC football when very few football players are interviewed because the media is aware at this point that many of them are Christians and will talk about God helping during the game as they are being interviewed.

            It’s not just Christianity that gets a bad rep in the news, but Islam has been getting an excessive amount of negative coverage ever since the United States went to war back in 2003. Due to only certain coverage and a lack of understanding, many people believed all Muslims were terrorists and enemies to the United States and only found in the Middle East. After years of being at war with terrorist groups, studies were finally done and information was let out about the different degrees and levels of Islam, which gave Americans a better understanding, but many still remain skeptical or opposed to Islam. Some people even blame Muslims for 9/11 even though it was acted upon by a terrorist group.