The O-Zone and the Po'-Zone

In my economics class, the teacher posed these two questions in the Discussion Forum:

1. Do you think our (the human race's) advancing economic progress and growth could be contributing to a massive "externality" known as global warming? How do you balance that with your values/ faith?

2. Explain why some critics claimed that the old welfare system created a “ culture of poverty.” Using economic reasoning, explain the negative incentive to work that results from cash assistance.
____________________________________________________
My reply:

The O-Zone:

As far as global warming goes, I am undecided. I believe that our advancing technology and buildings, machines, chemicals, toxins, population, and pollution have to somehow both positively AND negatively affect our environment. And I believe that in the just last two hundred years alone, we have advanced so much, that there wasn't really time to stop and say, "hey, what do you think will happen to these if we keep doing this over and over right here next to it?" ... The demand exceeded the concern. However, I also know that throughout history, we have had "ages" and stages of freezing, drought, torrential rains, etc etc and that our earth has survived and thrived.... and I believe that God does continue to bless his creation, and he "cleans up" the living room, so to speak, by causing these different stages needed. That sounds a little bit childish, but my faith tells me that God has control over the outcome. And while I should be concerned, and show compassion, and empathy; I should not fear.

The Po'-Zone:

I grew up in Tampa, FL, now I live in Johnson City, TN....

Here's some comparison facts for ya:

In 2013: Tampa city limit's population was at 352,957 people - and inside the County (Hillsborough County) 1,291,578 people.

In 2013: Johnson City's (city limit) population 65,123 people - and inside Washington County 125,546 people. The entirety of Washington County, is only around half of what is inside Tampa's city limits. That's something crazy huh!?

Growing up in a city that big, with that many people in close proximity, makes it hard not to see poverty. And quite unfortunately, my experience with the culture of poverty is that they have made careers out of depending on the government. My father used to work in the postal service, and had to sometimes go into the poorest areas, he has told me of how every first of the month, they would all be outside waiting for their "checks" and they were rude, and demanding. And it angered him. I remember driving past the welfare office and seeing the line of people, LITERALLY, around the building and even out on the sidewalk and in the street. They would block the traffic of people trying to get to their jobs. All in all it left a very bitter taste in my mouth, and I fully support the concept of requiring drug tests and birth control as a requirement for government assistance. I believe that those who truly NEED the help, would be willing to take drug tests. And those who only WANT the help so they don't have to help themselves, will be angry that it is required.

These programs were created in good faith, as a good samaritan act, so that no one would be left behind. And that everyone could have some quality of life. And I even agree with Thomas More, in the book Utopia, when he said “For if you suffer your people to be ill-educated, and their manners to be corrupted from their infancy, and then punish them for those crimes to which their first education disposed them, what else is to be concluded from this, but that you first make thieves and then punish them.” What these programs have turned into is very sad, the negative connotation of getting "help" from the government is discouraging.

I feel as though, the best thing we could do is put more emphasis on education AND after school programs. Public Schools are also suffering and could use more assistance. These "welfare babies" that are in school could and Should recieve more one on one and more encouragement in their lives. And if they could go to after school sports / extra curricular activities for free to low-costs, it would keep them active and learning.

Also, I think Norway has the right idea in having their college as part of their public school program. Gee, what a novel idea. If we want people to be educated, why don't we offer the school as part of a public program, instead of charging them crazy amounts of money, that the government ends up putting out up front anyway. Ugh. I could go on and on, I just think it's insane that we have such a lack of enthusiasm in education.