This is an article I wrote for my school newspaper. It is about issues that will affect teenagers and how the new session of Congress can handle those issues. Please bare in mind this article was written in November 2006, but due to technical problems it has yet to be published. This was approved by my journalism teacher and is the final version of the article (unless something big happens before publication).
The 110th Congress is now in session and is looking to make some radical changes that will affect teenagers in many ways. A number of key issues are at the top of Congress’ list. These issues include minimum wage, illegal immigration, and the Iraq War.
The federal minimum wage hasn’t been raised since 1996. Congress has passed legislation to raise the federal minimum wage to $7.25 over the next two years and increase tax breaks for small businesses. The bill passed Congress on February 1, 2007 and now needs to be signed by President Bush to become law. The Economic Policy Institute reports that raising the minimum wage will reduce worker exploitation, stimulate consumption (i.e. consumer spending), and increase worker’s yearly pay.
Illegal immigrants compete directly with teenagers for jobs. Industries such as retail and food service hire illegal immigrants because of cheap labor and low risks. Analysts predict that with Democrats in the majority, projects such as President Bush’s guest worker program will have a higher chance of approval. The guest worker program will allow U.S. employers to employ immigrants for three years. If the immigrants don’t obtain a Green Card before then, they’ll be deported.
The Iraq War has claimed over 3,000 American lives. The National Priorities Project estimates it has cost more than $365 billion. President Bush’s new plan for Iraq would send an additional 21,500 troops to Iraq. The House of Representatives passed a non-binding resolution on February 16, 2007 that disapproved of President Bush’s decision to deploy more troops. With costs rising constantly higher, economists predict teenagers will have to pay steeper taxes to make up the deficit when they become adults. Analysts predict that Congress will try to either cut funding or develop a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq.
one thing that bugs me is our government can track a cow born in Canada almost three years ago, right to the stall where she sleeps in the state of Washington? And, they tracked her calves to their stalls. But they are unable to locate 11 million illegal aliens wandering around our country. Minimum wage here has been raised twice in the last year. I started work at $8.00 and am now making $8.50 and that is for dishwashing. and dont even get me started on the Iraq war, I have been saying that China is so happy about this war because Bush is using and depleting the army making it easier for china to envade once everything is said and done. Thats all I am going to say about that issue.