Issues Involving Our Country
The Top Ten Related Issues of the Country are as Follows:
- Crime
- Budget Deficit
- Job Outsourcing and Company Movements
- Political Polarization
- Career Politicians
- Educational Decline
- Genetical Engineering of Crops
- Parmaceutical / health insurance / medical services inbreeding monopoly driving costs into orbit
- Energy alternatives / dependency of foreign oil
- Terrorists / Drug runners / Immigration
Crime and Prison Cost
Debate on criminal issues and controversies such as abortion, handguns, hate crimes, the war on drugs, medical marijuana and others are on the rise which causes more spending and less safety in the nation. The United States has the highest documented incarceration rate in the world. The Cost for keeping a Prisoner is higher than a 40,000 dollar tuition for college each year.
The Budget Deficit
Most economists are extremely alarmed about the effect of the expanding deficit on the current account. In 2004 the deficit stood at $668 billion, or 5.7% of the gross domestic product (GDP). For 2005 we have estimated that the deficit was around $788 billion, or 6.3% of GDP. As a result of the ballooning deficit, the value of US net external liabilities, expressed at historical cost, jumped to $5.1 trillion in 2005 from $4.3 trillion in 2004. As a percentage of GDP, net external liabilities climbed to 41% in 2005 from 37% in the previous year and 4.9% in 1980. If the Americans do not begin reducing their trade deficit, there will come a time when foreigners will become less willing to hold dollar denominated assets. This in turn will weaken the US dollar.
Job Outsourcing and Companies overseas
U.S. multinationals shifted millions of jobs overseas in the 2000s.As overseas outsourcing has expanded. U.S. manufacturing has suffered the brunt of the blow. The global electronics contract manufacturing industry reached a staggering $360 billion of revenue in 2011, and is expected to expand to $426 billion by 2015. Private equity firms have increased the pressure to cut costs by any means necessary, leading to more overseas outsourcing. Labor costs are the main driver of corporations sending jobs overseas, but foreign countries' costs are increasing compared to the United States.
Political Polarization
In politics, polarization is the process by which the public opinion divides and goes to the extremes. It can also refer to when the extreme factions of a political party gain dominance in a party. In either case, moderate voices often lose power and influence as a consequence. Many fear that the U.S is being pulled into this definition when it comes to politians, and many believe it would bring a demise of our country.
Career Politicians
When we talk about Washington DC (and other governments) passing regulations that impact how entrepreneurs and innovators build great new companies, this is the kind of thing that we're worried about. The vast majority of elected officials really have no idea. They pass rules and regulations that sound good and are meant to serve a good purpose, but they rarely take into account the consequences of the regulations they pass or how they'll impact how companies act. This is not to say that there shouldn't be regulations, but that regulators need (a) a much better understanding of business and (b) they need to be aware that the impact of regulations can be stifling.
Educational Decline
According to a new Council on Foreign Relations report on U.S. Education Reform and National Security, declines in U.S. education performance are jeopardizing U.S. national security, including the country's ability to compete in a high-skill global marketplace. Educational failure puts the United States' future economic prosperity, global position, and physical safety at risk. More than 25 percent of U.S. students fail to graduate high school in four years; for Hispanic and and African-American students, the number approaches 40 percent. Only 25% of U.S. students are proficient or better in civics, as measured by the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
Genetical Engineering
Genetic engineering alters the genetic makeup of an organism. Critics have objected to use of genetic engineering per se on several grounds, including ethical concerns, ecological concerns, and economic concerns raised by the fact GM techniques and GM organisms are subject to intellectual property law. GMOs also are involved in controversies over GM food with respect to whether food produced from GM crops is safe, whether it should be labeled, and whether GM crops are needed to address the world's food needs.
Healthcare
The nation's health care system is under the view as growing numbers of Americans are uninsured, costs keep rising, and the public grows increasingly worried about it. The U.S. spends more money on health care than any other nation.
Energy Crisis
Oil prices are escalating and Americans soon may pay $5 for a gallon of gasoline. This grim fact has not escaped the notice of politicians. America's latest energy crisis has prompted heated rhetoric from Republicans and Democrats. Renewable energy in the United States accounted for 14.3 percent of the domestically produced electricity in the first six months of 2011.
Immigration/Drug Trafficking/Terrorism
Domestic terrorism in the United States between 1980 and 2000 consisted of 250 of the 335 incidents confirmed as or suspected to be terrorist acts by the FBI. These 250 attacks are considered domestic by the FBI because they were carried out by U.S. citizens. Migration is difficult, expensive, and dangerous for those who enter the US illegally across the Mexico-United States border. A UN report said "the global drug trade generated an estimated US$321.6 billion in 2003." With a world GDP of US$36 trillion in the same year, the illegal drug trade may be estimated as slightly less than 1% (0.893%) of total global commerce.