9/11 Illness

It is 6 years later, and the workers that were involved with the cleanup of the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks have yet to be compensated. Many of these people did not have adequate health insurance, some didn't have health insurance at all. Some of these workers were unable to afford the cost of health care. This is where the government should step in. Senator Clinton, and others, lobbied for and got $52 million for the workers of the cleanup. This was nowhere near enough. Most of the people who are sick, will need medicine and care for the rest of their lives. The government should pay for this, that's why we pay taxes. My cousin, Chuck, was one of the construction workers at ground zero. Since then, he has asthma and a really gross cough from inhaling the dust. He was wearing a mask but needed to be wearing a respirator like the firemen wear. I think the financial changes that need to be made for correcting the problem is that the government should carefully screen the 9/11 workers, and support them as long as they have a medical record with their conditions listed.
The blame for the illnesses of the workers should be placed on the terrorists. If they didn't purposely fly those planes into the buildings, none of this would have happened. Some people might suggest that the city could be responsible because the cleanup crew was told that the air quality was safe when it clearly wasn't.
The question on who should be responsible for health care is a hard question to answer. If it's a federal responsibility, the government will try to keep it as cheap as possible, therefore you won't get such great care. On a city level, it might be more money for the city to pay, and the care might be better. If you pay for your own insurance, you can pick the plan to suit your needs. Let's face it, you get what you pay for.

By:
Richard P.
902

What America Means to Me

Being an American means that you are free, you have opportunities, and you get fair treatment. Being free means there aren't any restrictions on where and when you can go places. Here, in America, you can go anywhere you want without fear of being arrested for ignoring a curfew. Opportunity means you have the right to choose your job, lifestyle, and education. In America, we have civil rights that are protected under the US Constitution. Laws are written to protect both the perpetrator and the victim. We live with a government that is "by the people, of the people, for the people".

By:
Richard P.
902