Our Election Matters Presentation
Jose Escobedo
Our Election Matters
With
the midterm elections that have recently occurred in the United
States, several issues have been presented as important issues,
issues that can make or break a voter's mind. Health, education, law and order, immigration, the racial divide, economy -- these are just some of the issues that many voters have been most concerned about. And while the election results are still ongoing at the time of this writing, many voters look on with anxiety, awaiting to see which candidate will win and what changes will these candidates bring about. Because of the past couple of controversial elections, including the Presidential election of 2020 where Americans stand more divided than ever, our country could be deeply impacted by whichever candidate and whichever political party wins the local elections, the state elections, and the House and the Senate on Congress.
Group 3: Health and Education
This first presentation is a great one that discusses the politics concerning our health care and our education system. The presenters did a fantastic job talking about each topic, each of which has been important in the upcoming midterm elections. Such topics included the ups and downs of a universal health care, prescription drug pricing, student loan forgiveness, abortion, gun control, and homeschooling.
We learned about the benefits of a universal health care system, and conversely, we learned about the downsides of such a system. The slides used examples of countries all around the world. Next, the presentation pivoted towards psychological therapies, an important issue given the epidemic of mental health problems facing this country. Prescription drug pricing, which was an issue that was discussed, is another issue that has received national attention, affecting everyone who relies on such medication. This relates to the current Biden administration due to his role on certain policies such as the Inflation Reduction Act and his negotiation with the pharmaceutical industry.
Next, the presentation discussed student loan forgiveness and its effects on college tuition which received attention a couple months ago. Speaking of education, the presenters talked for a while about the teacher shortage crisis and its effects on our children’s education system. Homeschooling was also discussed as well, along with the rules and regulations concerning it and the rising trends of teaching children at home amidst a global pandemic. Proper educational planning was another topic of interest during the presentation. Because it has become hot button issues, we later talked about abortion and the recent controversial Supreme Court hearing as well as gun violence and the pressing call for gun control laws.
In conclusion, I would say that I learned a lot about the state of our country concerning such areas and why it is so important to focus on them. In my opinion given our political landscape, it is a good thing to be able to hear different sides on such controversial issues since everyone feels strongly about it, especially with the adoption of Obamacare and proposals to make further nationwide changes, not to mention the state of our education system and whether we also need reforms in these areas.
Group 2: Law and Order with Immigration
Our first slides talk about the high crime rate and the various causes and effects of such. We also talked about which communities experience higher crime rates than other communities, explaining the correlation between poverty and crime. Then, the conversation shifted towards immigration, starting with the recent current events of immigrants being shipped all around the country. This political stunt is a result of Republicans and Democrats disagreeing with one another about border control and how the country should manage its own borders, with several politicians using this even to call attention to such an issue.
But what is border control and why is it such an important issue? Border control is concerned with preventing illegal activity, terrorists, and criminals from traversing between countries. The presenters explained in a nice way about these kinds of issues and its effects, and I certainly learned a lot because of such research into these topics. We also explored about why such migration exists outside of criminal activity, such as people struggling in their home country and looking for a better way of life, and the many ways in which these people face discrimination.
Speaking of immigration influxes, this was another topic of interest in the presentation. Small towns in border states are feeling the effects of such influxes, claiming there is not enough resources available to manage. These influxes have caused issues with our housing and rent prices, according to the slides presented, but they also contribute to the US economy and its labor force. Current President Joe Biden is considering giving the parents of children that were separate at the border a psychological evaluation to measure the trauma stemming from President Trump’s former policy. Many critics considered these practices as damaging and barbaric, and unfortunately, they have been shown to cause anxiety as well as psychological damage in people as young as children.
But what is the immigration policy in the United States? It provides several purposes such as reuniting immigrants with their families, admitting workers for jobs that are in high demand, and providing refuge. The presenters provided us with a video to watch concerning how our immigration policy is pushing immigrants to take dangerous routes to enter the country. The video itself is a news report about a recent tragedy taking place in Texas where a tractor trailer was found with many people trapped inside who were suffering and needed to be hospitalized; unfortunately, some people never made it out and lost their lives strewn around the road.
The Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals, also known as the DACA, is a law passed during President Barack Obama’s presidency that offers temporary lawful status to those who qualify. The Department of Homeland Security is tasked with granting DACA status to applicants, while the US Department of Citizenship and Immigration Services keeps children from being deported.
To pivot to law and order, former President Donald Trump and the classified federal documents that were discovered in his possession at his home in Mar-a-Lago in Florida was briefly discussed. The recovery by the FBI was announced on mainstream news recently as of the presentation, but the contents of these documents remain unclear.
Finally, the presentation finished off with the topic of police brutality and misconduct, a topic in which I personally researched a lot while making my slides. I discussed what is police brutality and its effects on our communities, particularly among minorities and other people living in poverty. I mentioned several high-profile cases of police brutality and the lack of trust among the public towards police officers. Additionally, I talked about what the Republicans and Democrats are doing to manage accusations of police misconduct and whether police departments should be funded.
All in all, every presenter did a great job explaining each of their slides on each of their topics and how they all relate to our democracy, especially when it comes to law and order and immigration. The video highlighted a case of an attempt of illegal immigration ending in tragedy and each slide provided key information and a decent number of pictures to illustrate each point.
Group 1: Racial Divide and the Economy
Economy refers to the wealth and resources of a region, especially when concerned with production and consumption. In Miami, our economy relies on several industries such as tourism, telecommunications, international trade, and financial services. Additionally, our unemployment rate lowered since last year and there has been a substantial increase in many job areas in the workforce. However, Miami’s housing situation has gotten worse every year for several factors such as income growth. The video shown to us by the presenter showcases this; the video in question was a news report of a public conference done by mayor Levine Cava who was discussing the county’s public budget proposal.
What is our current economic situation in America? Several factors contribute to our assessment of the current state of the economy such as wages, availability of jobs, and health care costs. This does bring up a question: are we currently heading into an economic recession? According to CNN, the economy is not suffering from any downturn related to a recession, due to a rising number of jobs, lower unemployment rates, and the slowing down of inflation, among other factors. The video that the presenter made showcasing various reporters asking about the same issue was a nice addition that explained different perspectives of the situation in question. Another video was displayed talking about the political influence on the economy and how both political parties affect the economy as well as our perceptions of it. Yet, one more video explains income inequality and John Stossel’s take on these claims and myths as it concerns the United States.
Racial divide is concerned with the differences between Caucasians and minorities as it concerns their respective situations and how they feel towards one another. In Miami Dade County, there still exists racial disparities and segregations despite being known for its diversity. In America as a whole, education attainment of the work force vastly differs between races and ethnicities. This racial divide also exists when it comes to wealth, employment, violence, and racial justice. For racial divide around the world, we discuss why South Africa as an example is still segregated.
To discuss the perceptions of race relations in America, the presenter for this topic chose a video to display to us, posted by CNN. The video illustrates the differences that lie between whites and other minorities in their respective communities that still exist even to this day. Then, the presenter shifted to critical race theory, which would bring a greater focus on race in our schools; however, Republicans disagree on bringing such focus into the classroom. The slide contained a video for us to watch discussing this, which supplemented the presentation’s information quite nicely.
Overall, the group for this presentation did a fantastic job showcasing each and every one of their topics, proving numerous illustrations and an ample number of videos. I learned a lot about the issues that minorities face due to the racial divide in our county, our country, and our world. I also learned about the current state of the economy and the perceived recession and inflation as reported by the news media and whether it is fact or myth.
Great post!!
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