A proposal for American citizenship

I have had an idea, which may or may not address a myriad of problems affecting these United States...

We should begin letting all natural-born Americans be citizens.  But only at age 18 can they become full citizens, with all the rights and privileges that comes with such citizenship.

However, for that to happen a person must be made to prove beyond any reasonable doubt that he or she is up to handling the responsibilities that comes with being a fully-functioning member of a democratically-elected republic.

Each individual would have to demonstrate basic knowledge of the Constitution, some simple geography (i.e. be able to find the United States in a world map) and basic English.  Perhaps along with some understanding of American history, economics and accounting.  Let the examinations be done in the randomly-applied style of the SAT, the GRE and similar tests.  It shouldn't be too hard but neither should it be ridiculously easy: people should be made to learn material which once was standard throughout America.

Once a person has shown such competence and understanding, only then can they become citizens with the right to vote.  With the right to run for office.  With the right to have access to resources like government college assistance, food stamps, Social Security etc.

"But Chris, what you're advocating will lead to taxation without representation!"  No it won't.  All eligible persons will be able to demonstrate that they can be represented.  This government already enforces income taxes on young people under the age of 18 but work part-time jobs... and they still can't vote yet.  I don't think it's unreasonable that if an individual desires to be represented, that there be obligated some measure of thoughtful competence in deciding the matter.

If we expect naturalized citizens to be sufficiently qualified before partaking of our government and its full complement of services, then we should expect everyone else to be qualified as well.

We've too many politicians who keep getting elected because of ignorant, irresponsible voters who only want a place at the public trough without contributing anything.

It is time to compel them to start contributing something. Even if it is only having responsible consideration about what it means to be a citizen in this society.

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Woman declared dead by government must prove she's still alive

And just think: these are the same people who might soon be in charge of our health care!

"I'm not dead yet! I don't want to go on the cart!"

Terri Thompson of Maynardville, Tennessee has been classified as "dead" by the government, because she has successfully fought off a disease for most of her life in defiance of every prognosis by her physicians. Thompson had been told years ago that she wouldn't live to see age 25... and she's about to celebrate her 49th birthday.

According to the United States Government however, she should be dead...

An East Tennessee woman has spent her entire life fighting a disease, living more than 20 years longer than doctors told her she would.

But on Christmas Eve, she found out the government classified her as dead, cutting off all her coverage.

Leaving Terri Thompson to face one of her toughest battles.

She calls herself a fighter, finding out at 6 year sold that she has a rare and incurable blood disease.

Terri says, "It's called Hypogammaglobulin Anemia." "It affects my immune system, when I don't have enough white blood cells." "It's caused many of my organs to stop on me."

"I've been a fighter, and a fighter, and I've had 6 doctors give up on me," says Terry.

Laying in her Union County apartment, hiding from the germ-ridden world, she leaves every 3 weeks for treatment.

But, on Christmas Eve, she needed to go by the bank to take out money for dinner with her son.

"When I showed that lady my license, she turned white as a ghost." Terry says the bank employee, "said, I got a note that you died, that you're dead. So, I sent your Social Security back to the Social Security office."

Then when she got home, she found a letter in her mailbox saying her medical coverage ended.

"That letter stated to my family my condolences, and sympathy at the death of Terri Thompson, and I'm reading that myself."

Tearfully, she called the Social Security Administration in Knoxville. "They really couldn't tell me nothing. They told me I've got to come into the office and talk with somebody, and that they didn't have an opening until the 14th."

That's 3 weeks from the date of the call, and in between, Terri has a treatment, and several bills, that she can no longer pay for.

"I can't understand how they can make a mistake like this," as Terri chokes back her emotions.

Now she faces two fights: one to keep her life, and the other to prove she is still alive.

"I'm taking a chance at losing my life over somebody else's mistake."

So... anyone else feeling confident about health care "reform" now?

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