Senate vs House of Representatives Essay Example

Senate vs House of Representatives Essay The government of the United States is made up of three branches: The legislative branch, the executive branch and the judicial branch. The legislative branch, which is called Congress, is responsible for making the laws. Congress is made up of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. I present the ifferences and similarities between these two houses of congress. There are many differences between the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Vice President of the United States is over the Senate. He must vote in the Senate if there is a tie. The House of representatives’ leader is called the Speaker of the House. The Representatives elect him or her. The Senate Vs the House of Representatives3 Another difference is that the Senate is made up of 100 Senator Two from each state. The House of Representatives is made up of 435 representatives.The number of representatives From each state is determined by that state’s population. The Greater the populatio n in a state, the more representatives that State will have in the House. A third difference is that senators are Elected to six-year terms, while representatives are elected to Serve two-year terms. Every two years, the nation holds an election For members of Congress. It is at this time when all the members of the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate are up for reelection. There are also similarities between the Senate and the House ofRepresentatives. Both houses of Congress are made Up of men and women. Both senators and representatives are members of Congress who must work together toward the same Goal: to create, discuss, debate and vote on bills, some of which The Senate Vs the House of Representatives 4 Eventually become laws. In the U. S. Capitol Building in Washington D. C. , The senators and representatives often meet with each other And in smaller groups to discuss laws. Before the President can Sign a bill into law; it must first be approved by a majority ofMembers in both the House and Senate. Even though Congress is made up of two types of lawmakers, They must all work together for the benefit of all Americans. The legislative branch, the executive branch and the judicial branch. The legislative branch, which is called Congress, is responsible for making the laws. Congress is made up of two Houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate Vs the House of Representatives 5 Reference page Www . Compare and contrast essay. com/examples and different compare and contrast titles and essays.

Africa in an African Perspective

Africa in an African Perspective Ways in which Africa and Africans are represented by Africans Description of Africa in an African perspective can be as problematic in the same manner western representations are about Africa. The continent has been marred by political issues ranging from democracy, national elections, economic status and cultural practices from different corners of the continent. In Africa, political issues affect beyond political environment, economic and social aspects are also affected.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Africa in an African Perspective specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There has been an increased case of corruption, which signifies a lack of accountability and ethical leadership within most African countries. Rising cases of political instability have led to problems such as widespread violence, change of leadership and embezzlement of aid funds. The problems of sub-Saharan Africa are further deepened by genocidal c onflicts, diseases, poverty and economic stagnation (Mengara, 2001). The film Motherland, which is African-owned cinema, represents the glory and majesty of Africa and at the same time calls for unity, self-determination and the rebirth of Africa. According to the film, Africans became black within the period they were being enslaved. Slavery was designed to disconnect the African from having any positive notion of their Motherland.  Languages used in describing parts of Africa like ‘sub-Saharan Africa’ are used with the intention of dividing and conquering the continent. According to the film, such terms have been used to confine Africans to corridors of make-believe locations without any political affiliations (African Union), ethnicity (Tuareg), and economic status (COMESA) and with historical and physical boundaries, by use of names such as Sudan and Mali. The same aspect is revealed through post-colonialism perspective in the Yeelen film (Mengara, 2001). African development presents an important factor in the many discussions about Africa and Africans. The rate of development within the continent has contributed to its positioning within the global politics. Such developments focus on technology, economic status, infrastructure, disease prevalence and socio-economic inequalities. Analysis of the conflicts in Africa or the reality behind political processes has become difficult since numerous factors are considered in the process of investigating causes of such conflicts. Based on African Renaissance movement, comprised of intellectual agencies, the real definition of Africa should be based on African creativity and knowledge on cultures.Advertising Looking for essay on african american? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This makes African identity a contested concept since there are multiple identities from various perspectives. There has been rising difficulty in conceptualiz ing the real identity since the discussions are based on factors such as; defining African identity in relation to the rest of the world, definition in relation to each other with many considerations on migration and xenophobia. How do these representations differ from those in the first section of the course? There is a raw synergy of films and history on the description of Africa as a continent and Africans. The first representation focused so much on the negative aspects of Africans, portraying them as the most violent race in the world. This is purely from a Racists perspective. The elaborate representation of black freedom and power struggles across political spectrum left everything on self-focused consumerism. The black-focused films from the white-man perspective are marred with violence while African focus on black films presents the rich history of the continent from cultural to economic aspects. The perspective from the second argument disputed the fact that post-colonial ism is all about the relationship between Africa and their former colonialists. Hence, the focus is on developing links based on unity and authentic African identity. Most of the representations by Africans within African films are based on post-colonialism which basically explores the connections between African cultures and their history of colonial exploitation. The oppressions from the colonial masters resulted into rebellion as portrayed by African-produced films. The overall analysis within these films seeks to explore the root of cultural and political forces affecting the continent amidst domination by western culture. Yeelen focuses on the rich African aspect based on modernity which provides great challenge on the former western perspective about Africa. All post-colonial descriptions on Africa reveal the unequal and uneven representations of the cultural forces within the political and social sectors. Hence the overall facts given in the description of Africa and Africans based on post-colonial perspective can be considered strategic and true representation of contemporary African culture. In the previous review, Africa is considered passive participant in overall world development. The continent is portrayed as the object of Western actions through colonialism while in the second perspective, in Yeelen, Xala and Touki-Bouki films, Africa is considered an active participant in contributing towards their own history (Murphy, 2000).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Africa in an African Perspective specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the whole concept on wars in films can be traced back to the fact that western citizens, especially American citizens, had full obligation of arming themselves for the purposes of protecting families and their nation from foreign encroachments as well as domestic tyrants. This is contrary to forms of military organization where professionally trained soldiers and officers are established and isolated from the society for the purposes of protecting entire nation. The whole perspective was injected into the African culture during colonialism. However, the idea of allowing citizen-soldier establishment enabled direct involvement of the people’s will power in the preservation of liberties and rights within the society like in the case of Mau Mau. Impact of these representations on personal view of Africa and Africans From the perspective of the films, descriptions on Africa differ based on the region from which the description is made. Western perspective portrays Africa as a continent marred with inadequacies and violence. Africans represent race confronted with daunting ironies which can be traced back from unsettled paradigm shifts. Even after decolonization, the now independent Africa still wallow in poor economic performance. However, there is profound dignity and richness within the African continent. This can be realiz ed from the continent’s rich natural resource base. Statistics reveal that Africa alone produces 46% of world’s chromium, 48% diamonds and 29% gold. The continent is portrayed as one with elaborate problems ranging from poor infrastructure, instability within governments, diseases and corruption. Africans are also portrayed as those over-relying on resources, since they focus on simple sale of natural resources instead of providing value-added services. This has made most of the countries within the continent to largely depend on aid from foreign countries. They are portrayed as those with inability to create and restructure conditions for the benefit of the natives. Most of the films associate Africans with ghetto streets depicting where they focus their real lives (Murphy, 2000).Advertising Looking for essay on african american? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Africans have their rich practices such as circumcision which existed even before colonialism. However, the rich ethnic diversities the continent enjoys presents lots of threat since each ethnic background and country seems to hostile towards each other based on focus towards leadership and resource ownership. There is lack of brotherhood amongst Africans owing to conflicts based on selfish ambitions towards wealth. This has made it difficult the forging of a United States of Africa (Murphy, 2000). References Mengara, D. (2001). Introduction: White Eyes, Dark Reflections in Images of Africa:  Stereotypes and Realities. Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press, Inc. Murphy, D. (2000). African Filming Africa: questioning Theories of an Authentic African Cinema. Journal of African Cultural Studies, 13 (2), 239-249.

Food journal analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Food journal analysis - Essay Example Of these foods, the yogurt and the cheese are complete proteins while the beans are an incomplete protein. The beans and cheese combined together become a complementary protein. I took in more than the daily recommended amount of protein. This did surprise me because I didn't include any meat into my daily intake, which is what I would have assumed would take me over the daily limit. Clearly meat is not the only food that can serve as a good protein source. In order to bring my protein down and to better balance my diet I can cut down the portion sizes that contain protein such as the servings of beans and cheese, and I can add more fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables, as well as some more fiber rich foods such as whole grains. If I had eaten beans and cheese only once during the day rather than twice, I probably would have taken in the recommended amount of protein and I could have then eaten some of the other foods that I am lacking in place of that unneeded protein. Protein is one of the most essential elements of our diet and is often referred to as the building block in our body because of its function in the growth and repair of our tissue. According to the CNPP website, proteins are involved in the production of many hormones and are necessary to maintain the immune system and fluid electrolyte balance. They are also involved in the transport of nutrients throughout the body. Given these facts about protein, it is easy to see how insufficient amounts of protein intake could leave the body unable to do some of its most vital functions. Without enough protein the body's tissues would not be capable of repairing themselves. In addition, our muscles, which are fueled by protein, would not grow and develop as they should, and our organs, many of which are made up of muscle tissue, could ultimately suffer and cease to function optimally. Also, our immune system would not be able to function as it should, which would cause more frequent, as well a s more prolonged illness, and our electrolytes would become unbalanced causing all types of health problems.In contrast, too much protein can also pose a problem for the body. According to the CNPP website, too much protein coupled with a lack of enough other essential foods can cause the body to go into a state of ketosis which can wreak havoc on the body causing all types of medical problems. Additionally, many times, high protein intake is coupled with high saturated fat intake, which is also bad for the body and can cause disease and general health problems. Also, a higher than normal protein intake can often coincide with a diet that lacks in other essential areas such as whole grains, vegetables, and fresh fruits. This lack in the diet can also lead to health problems and illness. Given these facts, it seems clear that keeping with the recommended daily protein allowance will help to ensure that one's diet remains as healthful as possible as well as adequately and appropriatel y balanced. My fiber intake for the day was 22 grams, which is 3 grams less than the recommended daily intake of 25 grams. I think that this intake is a bit low and I would like to come up to the recommended amount of 25 grams per day. I would like to raise my fiber intake the remaining three grams because I know that fiber is good for me and can serve to help keep my weight under control and my general food

How do you think the United States government can be improved upon, Essay

How do you think the United States government can be improved upon, changed, or reformed, to better represent your ideal governm - Essay Example Every citizen either born or lives in the country is free and enjoys a number of liberties envisioned in the American constitution. The country tries to protect the interests of American citizens living out of the country. In order to secure a a safe society for her citizens, the country tries to develop working relationships with other countries in the international community. After more than a hundred years of independence, the country has grown both economically, socially and politically to become the world super power it is today. However, the government is still not ideal and therefore deserves a number of changes in order to create a government that protects the interest of the citizen2. An ideal government exists only in an ideal society. This implies that before changing the government into an ideal government, the society must also change to represent the different social groupings all of who must exist peacefully. Peace is an essential attribute and a tool of governance tha t most democracies such as the United States try to create in their countries. A peaceful society is conducive for development and depicts a just society that values humanity. Human rights still is an issue in the country’s social spheres. While the country has developed through the years to result in the creation of a liberal society in which everyone is free and at liberty to make his or her own choices. The society has shown some extent of laxity in accepting dynamism among its population. The victimization of minority groups such as the gay and lesbians depicts a society that is slow to accept those it considers strange. An ideal society is one in which everyone lives freely enjoying their differences3. By victimizing a section of the population, the population portrays a failure by the government in creating a free fair and just society. Political leadership make policies and their acceptance of such minority groups compel adherence to such decrees thereby improving resp ect for humanity despite the diversities that humanity present. The country has an effective legal system, one that shows respect for humanity and offers equal opportunity both for the defense and for the plaintiff to present their argument and thereafter determine an effective judgment followed by a culpable punishment. The legal system works in unison with other arms of the government through which it obtains the legislations it implements. This requires unity in the operation of the different arms of the government. An effective judicial system coupled with an ineffective correctional facility is equally unrealistic. The correctional facilities must portray respect for human rights thereby defend them. It is in jails that people exist lawlessly and carry out activities that demean the value of humanity. The government should therefore develop correctional facilities that do not only restrain offenders from interacting with the rest of the society but just as the name suggests cha nges them thereby making them better citizens. Rehabilitation of behavior begins from the recognition of the equal value of humanity in the inmates thereby defending such. However, the system must be punitive enough to earn the plaintiff the satisfaction of compensation. The United States of America is not as peaceful as it may appear. The tranquility that the country enjoys currently exhibits deeper social injustices and past transgressions that the government must address in the process of becoming ideal4. For a long

Generation X expatriates Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Generation X expatriates - Essay Example ter displays the outcomes in a statistical measurement fashion, with some qualitative emphasis by way of a summary of the findings from the key informants, describing significant opinions and comments. The general analytical approach was used to analyse the interviews and descriptive statistical analysis was undertaken to identify survey outcomes. This approach has contributed to some noteworthy results on the topic of The Hidden Depths of Global Ambition. When the question was asked about the number of employees worked in the organizations of participants so there were 36% respondents who respond that there are over 1500 employee in their organization, 11% respond less than 50 employees they had in their organizations. When the question were asked to the respondents regarding their studies in abroad then there were 68% respondents who respond that they studied abroad and there were 32% respondents who respond that they didn’t studied abroad. In response of the question regarding time spent abroad, there were 41% respondents who respond that they spent about 5+years in abroad, 24% respond 2-5 years, 15% respond 1-2 years and there were 14% respondents who respond that they spent less than 1 year in abroad. When it was asked to the respondents that what motivates them to go abroad, then on the option of career advancement there were 67% respondents agreed that the career advancement motivates them to go abroad, 14% disagreed with it. When it was asked to the respondents that is the seeking better future is an important factor behind their abroad visit, 68% respondents agreed with this statement and there were 13% respondents disagreed with this statement. When it was asked to the respondents who didn’t go abroad that is the reason behind not going abroad was lack of job opportunities then from the 6 respondents there were 2 respondents disagreed with this statement and 4 respondents agreed with it. From 6 respondents there were 2 respondents respond

The Future Of The American Dream Sociology Essay

The Future Of The American Dream Sociology Essay As Franklin Roosevelt understood, Americans will postpone immediate gratification and endure hard sacrificesif they mustso long as they are convinced the future can be better than the past. But we face a far more difficult problem at our moment in history. What do you promise people who have been told they can have anything they want, who are repeatedly congratulated for living in the best of all possible circumstances? How do you tell them the good times, as we have known them, are not coming back? Americans need a new vision that helps them deal with reality, a promising story of the future that helps them let go of the past. Here is the grand vision I suggest Americans can pursue: the right of all citizens to larger lives. Not to get richer than the next guy or necessarily to accumulate more and more stuff but the right to live life more fully and engage more expansively the elemental possibilities of human existence. That is the essence of what so many now seem to yearn for in their lives. Peopleeven successful and affluent peopleare frustrated because the intangible dimensions of life have been held back or displaced in large and small ways, pushed aside by the economic systems relentless demands to maximize yields of profit and wealth. Our common moral verities have been trashed in the name of greater returns. The softer aspects of mortal experience are diminished because life itself is not tabulated in the economic systems accounting. The political order mistakenly accepts these life-limiting trade-offs as normal, as necessary to achieve good times. At earlier periods of our history, the sacrifices demanded by the engine of American capitalism were widely tolerated because the nation was young and underdeveloped. The engine promised to generate higher levels of abundance, and it did. But what is the justification now, when the nation is already quite rich and the engine keeps demanding larger chunks of our lives? What families, even those who are prosperous, typically lose in the exchange are the small grace notes of everyday life, like the ritual of having a daily dinner with everyone present. The more substantial thing we sacrifice is time to experience the joys and mysteries of nurturing the children, the small pleasures of idle curiosity, of learning to craft things by ones own hand, and the satisfactions of friendships and social cooperation. These are made to seem trivial alongside wealth accumulation, but many people know they have given up something more important and mourn the loss. Some decide they will make up for it later in life, after they are financially stable. Still others dream of dropping out of the system. If we could somehow add up all the private pain and loss caused by the pursuit of unbounded material prosperity, the result might look like a major political grievance of our time. More important than all the other losses is that people are also denied another great intangiblethe dignity of self-directed lives. At work, at home and in the public sphere, most people lack the right to exercise much of a voice in the decisions governing their daily lives. Most people (not all) are subject to a system of command and control over their destinies. They know the risks of ignoring the orders from above. Not surprisingly, many citizens are resigned to this condition and accept subservience as the way things are, and their lives are smaller as a result. Many find it hard to imagine that these confinements could be lessened, even substantially removed, if economic organizations were informed by democratic principles. Whats needed in American life is a redefinition of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Given the nations great wealth, the ancient threats of scarcity and deprivation have been eliminated. Yet people remain yoked to economic demands despite wanting something more from lifefreedom to explore the mysteries and bring forth all that is within them. Collectively, Americans need to take a deep breath and reconsider what it means to be rich. Greider, William. The Future of the American Dream. The Nation [The Nation] 6 May 2009, May 25, 2009 edition ed.: n. pag. Web. 28 Mar. 2010. greider>. What Happens to the American Dream in a Recession? Pollsters for The New York Times and CBS News set out last month to try to answer that question. And the results seemed somewhat contradictory. Although the nation has plunged into its deepest recession since the Great Depression, 72 percent of Americans in this nationwide survey said they believed it is possible to start out poor in the United States, work hard and become rich a classic definition of the American dream. And yet only 44 percent said they had actually achieved the American dream, although 31 percent said they expect to attain it within their lifetime. Only 20 percent have given up on ever reaching it. Those 44 percent might not sound like much, but it is an increase over the 32 percent who said they had achieved the American dream four years ago, when the economy was in much better shape. Compared with four years ago, fewer people now say they are better off than their parents were at their age or that their children will be better off than they are. So even though their economic outlook is worse, more people are saying they have either achieved the dream or expect to do so. What gives? We asked Barry Glassner, who is a professor of sociology at the University of Southern California and studies contemporary culture and beliefs. You want to hold on to your dream even more when times are hard, he said. And if you want to hold on to it, then you better define it differently. In other words, people are shifting their definition of the American dream. And the poll conducted on April 1 to 5 with 998 adults, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points- indicated just that. The Times and CBS News asked this same open-ended question four years ago and again last month: What does the phrase The American dream mean to you? Four years ago, 19 percent of those surveyed supplied answers that related to financial security and a steady job, and 20 percent gave answers that related to freedom and opportunity. Now, fewer people are pegging their dream to material success and more are pegging it to abstract values. Those citing financial security dropped to 11 percent, and those citing freedom and opportunity expanded to 27 percent. Heres some respondents answers that were put in the category of freedom and opportunity: Freedom to live our own life. Created equal. Someone could start from nothing. That everybody has a fair chance to succeed. To become whatever I want to be. To be healthy and have nice family and friends. More like Huck Finn; escape to the unknown; follow your dreams. Those who responded in material terms were hardly lavish. Heres a sampling: Basically, have a roof over your head and put food on the table. Working at a secure job, being able to have a home and live as happily as you can not spending too much money. Just financial stability. Owning own home, having civil liberties. Mr. Glassner said, For the vast majority of Americans at every point in history, the prospect of achieving the American dream has been slim but the promise has been huge. At its core, this notion that anyone can be president or anyone can be a billionaire is absurd, he said. A lot of Americans work hard, but they dont become president and they dont become billionaires. Still, he said, Americans have always believed in possibilities. And they have consistently said over time that they can start poor in this country and become rich, regardless of the economy or their circumstances. The 72 percent who feel that way today is down from the 81 percent who felt that way in 2007, but 72 percent is still a very high percentage, especially given the downward economy. It would be hard to find another country where its as high, Mr. Glassner said. The percentage of people who say the American dream does not exist or is only an illusion has remained low 3 percent today and 2 percent four years ago. As one such person put it to our pollsters last month: A bunch of hooey. By the way, the phrase the American dream is generally agreed to have been coined first in 1931, in the midst of the Depression. In his book, The Epic of America, the historian James Truslow Adams wrote, It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain the fullest stature of which they are innately capable. Seelye, Katharine Q. What Happens to the American Dream in a Recession. The New York Times [e.g. New York Times] 7 May 2009: n. pag. New York Times. Web. 28 Mar. 2010. . The American Dream Goes On By Mortimer B. Zuckerman Posted June 13, 2008 Is the American middle class an endangered species? The majority of Americans have long shared one state of mind: that they are in some central way members of the middle class and hold a passport to the good life. Click here to find out more! Its true that theres been a contraction of the number of middle-tier households earning between $45,000 and $90,000. And its true they are having a tough time. Six in 10 testify to incomes falling behind the cost of living; six in 10 find it hard to pay for gasoline; and five in 10 say they cant afford healthcare. More than a quarter say they have trouble even affording food. To maintain their lifestyle-including those fancy cable TV packages, broadband Internet connections, and travel-theyve sent more family members to work, taken on more debt, and borrowed through home equity loans, though the housing slump has undermined that asset. At the other end of the income spectrum, the well heeled keep doing better. The number of millionaires has shot up, and the wealthiest 1 percent of U.S. families have pushed their share of total national income to levels-21 percent-unseen since the Gilded Age. Yet growing inequality has had little traction thus far as a political issue. Why is this? Partly because some have moved up, as economist Stephen Rose points out. There are 12 percent more households earning in excess of $100,000 than 20 or so years ago. And those making less than $30,000 have not increased. So virtually the entire decline of the middle-class group has come from people moving up the income ladder, not down. Higher standards. Those in the middle, and below, are also living better. As William Robert Fogel, the Nobel Prize-winning economic historian, put it, In every measure that we have bearing on the standard of livingthe gains of the lower classes have been far greater than those experienced by the population as a whole. Among the inequalities that have narrowed: The quality of goods at the more moderate price levels has improved faster than at higher price tags; rich and poor are less apart in life expectancy, height, and leisure. Its the attitude of Americans that explains the low combustibility (at the moment!) of income inequality. Most Americans tend to believe that people bear primary responsibility for supporting themselves and that market forces are immune to public policy. Theres a reflection here of the optimism and confidence characteristic of American life. In one study by Roland Benabou, more than half of Americans think they will be above the median income in the future (e ven though that is mathematically impossible). Americans, quite simply, believe that plenty of opportunities exist to get ahead, and, indeed, 82 percent of those born into poverty are much better off than their parents and more than a third of them have made it into the middle class or higher. Education is another great American success story. There has been a dramatic increase in the percentage of adults completing high school and college. Nearly 90 percent of all adults get high school diplomas today compared with 33 percent in 1947; college graduates have soared from 5.4 percent in 1947 to almost 30 percent today. More than two thirds of Americans concur with the statement that people are rewarded for intelligence and skill-the largest percentage across 27 countries taking part in an international survey of social attitudes. This reflects the widespread belief in the ability to get ahead and helps explain why Americans are more accepting of economic inequality than peoples in other countries and why Americans are less likely to believe their government should take responsibility for reducing income disparity. For all that, reaction is gathering force in at least two areas. One is an increasing distrust of free trade. There is a widespread conviction that globalization-seen by economists as a boon-holds down earnings for millions of Americans who compete with workers overseas. Free trade has become a political albatross. Secondly, the level of wealth in the stratosphere of incomes has gotten so extreme that it is provoking a considerable majority to support the notion that wealth should be more evenly distributed through higher taxes. Zuckerman, Mortimer B. The American Dream Goes On. www.usnews.com. US News and World Report, 2010. Web. 28 Mar. 2010. the-american-dream-goes-on.html>. Is the American Dream Still Possible? By David Wallechinsky published: 04/23/2006 To be middle class in America once meant living well and having financial security. But today that comfortable and contented lifestyle is harder to achieve and maintain. PARADE commissioned Mark Clements Research Inc. to survey Americans nationwide about their finances and outlook for the future. Contributing Editor David Wallechinsky-author of recent articles on where your tax dollars go and on pork-barrel spending-interprets the results. The traditional American Dream is based on the belief that hardworking citizens can better their lives, pay their monthly bills without worry, give their children a start to an even better life and still save enough to live comfortably after they retire. But many average Americans are struggling-squeezed by rising costs, declining wages, credit-card debt and diminished benefits, with little left over to save for retirement. (See statistics below.) Does the dream survive? Do most Americans still believe they can forge better lives for themselves? PARADE surveyed more than 2,200 Americans, of whom fully 84% described themselves as belonging to the middle class, regardless of where they live (living costs are higher in some regions) or the size of their household. For this report, we focused on U.S. households earning between $30,000 and $99,000 a year. Most of those surveyed describe themselves as married and having a family. More than 64% say they are employed full-time or part-time. Most say they are in reasonably good health and have a satisfying religious or spiritual life. They own a home and at least two cars, and they are able to take vacations. By international standards, they live a life of prosperity. Yet behind this prosperity is a growing unease. Half of the employed respondents say that theyve experienced either increased health-care costs or a cut in health benefits over the last three years, and 39% have had cuts in their overtime, raises or bonuses. Almost two-thirds say they live from paycheck to paycheck, and 47% say that no matter how hard they work, they cannot get ahead. More than a third worry about job loss. Richard Oden of Conyers, Ga.-married, with five children-worked in the beer industry for 23 years. Last year, he developed pneumonia and required major surgery. When he was unable to return to work by a given date, he says, his company terminated him at age 54-even though he had a perfect attendance record and no performance problems. To help support his family, Oden had to dip into his 401(k) fund, paying a penalty for premature withdrawal. This was very stressful, he says. Everything had gone up-except wages. Oden has since started his own business, a leadership and personal development consulting firm. His wife, Josett, works as a representative in the health-care field. I do believe I will recover financially, Oden says, and that I will realize a decent retirement. But the traditional American Dream? For most Americans, its still a dream-a pipe dream. Having drawn on his own retirement fund, Oden knows that saving can be a big problem. In the survey, nearly 83% say that there is not much left to save after theyve paid their bills. Statistics from the Commerce Department bear this out: The savings rate for Americans is the lowest it has been in 73 years. Self-reliance and sacrifice. Most of those interviewed display qualities common to American success stories: determination, flexibility, pragmatism, willingness to work hard and especially self-reliance. Almost three-quarters of the middle-class respondents surveyed say they take responsibility for their own financial destiny and believe that they will succeed or fail based on their own efforts. Still, many are downsizing their dreams. Shelly Comer, 43, of Dos Palos, Calif., is a divorced mother of three who also takes care of a friend of her oldest child, Michelle. She is going into debt so that Michelle can go to college. Shelly has worked her whole life-as a receptionist, janitor, preschool teacher and activities director at a hospital. Recently, she became a registered nurse and now works the night shift in obstetrics at another hospital. Her annual income is $70,377. Michelle, 19, is a freshman at the University of California at Merced. She says she is concerned about the financial burden her education is placing on her family: In order to meet our expected family contribution, my mother had to borrow the entire amount of her share. For her part, Michelle earned six small scholarships, two of which are renewable for next year, and took out a federal loan. She also works 16 hours a week in the financial-aid office at the university. Shelly has a retirement plan through the hospital. But I have nothing saved for me, she says. Im putting it all into the kids, so that they can succeed in school. Our parents did everything for us, and I hope to do the same for my kids. I dont count on anyone else to help us get to where we want to go. Its all up to me and my family. And I trust in God to help us. Who is responsible? One of the most intriguing results of the Parade survey is that 89% of the middle class believes that businesses have a social responsibility to their employees and to the community. Yet 81% believe that, in fact, American businesses make decisions based on what is best for their shareholders and investors, not whats best for their employees. Randy Omark, 55, and Cherie Morris, 58, of Stroudsburg, Pa., husband and wife, are former flight attendants for TWA. Cherie took a buyout in the late 1990s-before American Airlines bought TWA in 2001. After the acquisition, Randy was put on furlough (as were about 4,000 other former TWA flight attendants) and never rehired. After 26 years with the two airlines, his pension was frozen and then taken over by the government. Now he gets $324 a month in payments. Today, despite having a college education, Randy works for $9 an hour finding community jobs for mentally challenged adults. Cherie works for a greeting-card company for $7.25 an hour. It used to be that if you stayed with your job, you would be rewarded, says Cherie. Now there is no guarantee. As for retirement, Randy says, Eventually, we will just downsize everything, sell our house and move into a smaller one. Is the dream changing? Simone Luevano, 46, and Miguel Gutierrez, 44, run a garage-door installation and repair business in Albuquerque, N.M. While the business grossed $453,000 last year, they took home just $50,000 net to live on. They have a daughter-Marilyn, age 7-who is deaf in one ear and goes to a private school that costs $3600 a year. Simone says that financial stress is part of their lives: It comes from the maybe, could be, should be nature of our business. When the economy is down, people dont buy a new garage-door system. The cost of gas at the pump is a major factor, she adds: When the price of gasoline goes down, business goes up. Have they prepared for retirement? Simone laughs, then replies, The words retirement and vacation are not in our vocabulary. You know that old Tennessee Ernie Ford song: I owe my soul to the company store? We dont think about retirement. Theyll have to take me out of here with my high-top tennies on. The American Dream is a bygone thing, she adds. Its not the way life is anymore. I used to believe I was responsible for my own destiny. But its not that simple. Now its faith and fortitude. The Stressed Middle Class National statistics show the increasing pressures on middle-income Americans: The real median household income declined 3% from 2000 to 2004. The percentage of households earning $25,000 to $99,999 (roughly middle-income range) shrank 1.5% from 2000 to 2004. Last year, real average weekly earnings actually fell 0.4%. The savings rate for Americans is the lowest it has been in 73 years. Credit-card debt is at an all-time high, averaging $9,312 per household. The average cost per year of a public college (in state) is $12,127, a 25% increase since 2001. A private university costs $29,026. Heres What Americans Say Our survey of middle-income Americans about their financial outlooks showed both skepticism and hope. More than 52% of middle-class Americans think that theyre better off than their parents were, but 56% think things will be worse for their own children or for future generations. Nearly 57% say they believe that the middle class in America is decreasing. 51% of employed members of the middle class have experienced either increased health-care costs or a cut in health benefits, and 39% have experienced cuts in overtime, raises or bonuses. 66% say they tend to live from paycheck to paycheck. 47% say that no matter how hard they work, they cannot get ahead. Nearly 83% say that there is not much money left to save after they have paid their bills. 89% of the respondents believe that businesses have a social responsibility to their employees and to the community, but 81% believe that American businesses make decisions based on what is best for their shareholders and investors-not what is best for their employees. 74% of the middle class say they take responsibility for their own financial success or failure. 80% say they believe it is still possible to achieve the American Dream. Wallechinsky, David. Is the American Dream Still Possible? Parade [Parade] 23 Apr. 2006, Final ed.: n. pag. Web. 28 Mar. 2010. edition_04-23-2006/Middle_Class_feature>.

Australia is at War Essay -- Prime Minister Robert Gordon Menzies

‘Australia is at War’ is a primary source from the year 1939 and is a speech by renowned Prime Minister Robert Gordon Menzies (1894 – 1978). This speech was delivered at the beginning of World War II declaring Australia’s participation and assistance to its â€Å"Mother Land†, Great Britain. World War II was developed and initiated by the infamous Adolf Hitler, a notorious German leader and the head of the Nazis. German’s invasion of Poland initiated Great Britain’s move towards force rather than their original approach of negotiations and peace, as stated in Prime Minister Menzies’ speech, â€Å"they [Great Britain] have kept the door of negotiations open; they have given no cause for provocation.† So the purpose of this source, Menzies speech, which was broadcasted on national radio, was to inform Australia of the drastic measures that were to be taken against Germany in the defence for their Mother Land. As Australia ha d only pronounced federation a mere thirty-eight years earlier, Great Britain was still referred to as the â€Å"Mother Land†, as it was still greatly depended upon it, concluding that when Great Britain had declared war upon Germany, as a result, Australia too was also at war. From Australia’s contribution to Great Britain began the rise of varies army reinforcement groups such as AIF (the Australian Imperial Force), RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force), RAN (Royal Australian Navy) and many more. Prime Minister Menzies announced this speech to the whole of Australia on a radio broadcast to enlighten the nation of the beginning of World War II, Australia’s involvement and the circumstances surrounding this catastrophe that affected the whole of the world. Robert Menzies was born on 20th of December 1894 in Victoria, Australia a... ...peech ‘Australia is at War’ spoken by Prime Minister Robert Menzies at the outbreak of World War II in 1939 is a trustworthy and accurate primary source. The national announcement broadcasted by Menzies himself was addressing Australia of their forces uniting and aiding Great Britain in their war against Hitler and Germany. Justifiable historians and authors such as Joan Beaumont, Allen Martin and Christopher Waters’ work corroborates with the contents and purpose of Robert Menzies speech to display its accurateness and reliability. Works Cited Beaumont, Joan. Australia's War 1939-45. Sydney: Southwood Press, 1996. Martin, Allen William. Robert Menzies: A Life. Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1993. Waters, Christopher. "The Menzies Government and the Grand Alliance During 1939." Australian Journal of Polotocs and History 56.4 (2012): 560-573.