U.S. Issues

Educational achievement

When it comes to elementary and high school education, the United States is not up to par to other nations. In terms of our international standing when it comes to other things, our education system falls extremely behind, especially in the sciences and math. Education here is a deep, complex hole. School officials have tried different things - starting school at later times, having a longer school year, etc. But I feel those are temporary solutions. We need a national standard, where we have GREAT teachers. Finland ranks at the top -- teachers are looked at as on the same level with doctors and lawyers. They require a master's degree, paid for by the government, and only the best of the best are able to land such a prestigious career. Not trying to put our country down, but studies have shown that students landing in the bottom 25% of college GPA's end up in the public education field. What does that say?

Economic issues

The current economic climate is not pretty here. Although it sometimes seems "easy" to ignore, we have moved to a second-class country, even if our mentality hasn't moved there yet. Our economy is no longer self-sufficient. Sometimes it seems like nothing has changed - the neighbors are still going on their cruises, and friends are remodeling their homes. In fact, American just spent an insane amount of money this Christmas season. But consider: many are not able to retire at 65 anymore. Stay-at-home moms are becoming rarer. The bleak job market for new college grads. Plus, we're not really getting any healthier despite our medical advances… Unless major changes happen, I feel like our economy is steadily declining.

Gender Issues

In the U.S., women are treated more equally than in other countries, comparatively. Not completely equal, but at least the differences are subtle. (For example, no law forcing that women must be paid a certain amount less than men, etc.) Salary discrepancies still exist, but I'd like to think that the gaps are being bridged. Women surpass men in college and in medical schools, so hopefully trends will lean towards equality. However, I've read that in many other countries, they consider our women quite liberated and equal, so we're at least ahead of the game in this aspect.

Health Issues

Number one killer is heart disease. Then cancer, stroke, respiratory diseases. We need to decrease the sodium and fat intake, but I think culturally, our food is just.. unhealthy. Is it sad? The articles I read all repeatedly emphasized: stop smoking, eat healthy, exercise, maintain a normal weight. Honestly, the majority are pretty controllable. Our health issues will have to be solved on our own, I think. Although I've heard of some companies implementing higher salaries for those with a healthy BMI, or hospitals that won't hire smokers. We're getting there, slowly but surely.

Human Rights

On the outside, it appears that all citizens are treated equally (legally, from day-to-day). However, I disagree on this being reality. Our government holds to double standards, and our leaders have proven to prioritize their own interests over the country's. In terms of respect for human rights, the death penalty is often criticized, in addition to the innocents that are killed. I can't help but insert my opinion here: if a human found it their right to take away someone else's life, why should they be granted the same mercy? It's irreparable damage. Police brutality has been known to be a problem, as well as hazardous working environments and ill-treatment in prisons.