Thoughts and Questions for Those Posting on October 28

1. What are the costs and benefits of living in a city? Is city living worth all of the hassle?

2. The United States has one of the most mobile populations in the Western world. People move from city to city, state to state, and region to region easily when motivated by economic factors. Americans move when they have lost their jobs, gotten better jobs, or when industries shift. Is this positive or negative for the United States in the long run?

3. The late nineteenth century marked the United States government's first foray into the regulation of industries with the Interstate Commerce Act. Since then, the government has regulated labor laws, food and drugs, environmental conditions, and a bevy of other economic issues. Should the United States government take over healthcare in the United States? To what extent should the US government regulate healthcare? Should it set rules and guidelines for employers, healthcare providers, and insurance companies? Should it provide Americans a "public option" in which the US government becomes a health insurer for some Americans who lack quality insurance? Should it take over all helath insurance and cover care for all Americans using tax dollars? (This is a big debate in Congress right now, so look at some news and take a stance. :) Then you can watch CSPAN!!)

4. One of the biggest problems of the turn of the century was the huge divide between rich and poor. There was no such thing as a national welfare program and state programs were corrupt and inadequate. What, if anything, do the wealthy owe to the poor? What, if anything, should the government do to help equalize differences between the rich and poor? How effective have programs in the United States been in equalizing these differences?

5. One of the innovations of the turn of the century was the introduction of free public education, provided by tax dollars and available to all children. How has this innovation helped the United States? What are the successes and failures of public education? How could public education be improved?