Identifying Local Opportunities

"Enough is Enough"

• http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00073860/00076   (p.11)
• The Florida Education Association held a march at Florida's capital in Tallahassee. Buses from all over, including Gainesville/Alachua, flocked into the capital city to protest what they are calling "cheating of our children". The protest was held on January 14, 2016 and was done because people feel that some education reforms are not aimed at helping children in Florida schools.
• The problem that is being protested is the choices of policy makers and whether the reforms are beneficial. Some of these reforms include high-stakes testing, voucher schools, and the demonizing of teachers. These reforms are perceived to be targeted at adults, rather than the wellbeing of students.
• Parents of students in Florida are the ones witnessing the problem. They feel their children are being ripped of a proper education due to the poor choices of policy makers. Ultimately, those making the policies may be the ones with the problem.

Stand up to Plum Creek/Weyerhaeuser

• http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00073860/00077 (p.6)
• Beginning in 2011, Plum Creek began a task force to assist with plans to develop East Alachua.  In order for a change like such to occur, the city would need to be completely shifted. Rural citizens, as well as environmentalists, have shown their opposition to the move. Throughout multiple meetings, those citizens who opposed the plan outnumbered those for it by 3 to 1. These odds show there may be an issue.
• According to citizens, the problem came about due to the greed of Plum Creek and their mindset that money can buy anything. By trying to bribe off rural citizens with money, Plum Creek is likely destroying what made this city what it is and hurting the environment as it seeks more money. 
• Alachua County citizens are feeling the urge to keep task force members off the voting block for the project. If task force members become elected officials, there will be no way of stopping it. Rural citizens especially are facing this issue because their life is what they know and people with money are trying to change it.

Medicare Cuts in FY 2017 Budget 

• http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00073860/00077 (p.10)
• Medicare is a moral program based on the issue of added healthcare costs as a person ages. Medicare is paid for during a persons working years so people rely on it to be there when they get old. For the 2017 Fiscal Year, the president has made proposals that not only increase the cost for future beneficiaries, but also hurt those beneficiaries now. The Administration believes that if people pay more for these benefits, they will likely make wiser choices about how they use their healthcare services. 
• The problem in this story is the fact that Medicare cuts would bring an unnecessary burden on seniors and lead to them not seeking the care they need, ultimately causing more serious health issues and a poor quality of life. Medicare cuts would often be based on income. It seems unfair to make those who work a full life to be worried about whether they will have proper care.
• Senior citizens are noticing the issues within this problem. Proposed cuts will deteriorate peoples will to invest in their retirement and future. Seniors now feel that a burden like this is not fair to the future medicare beneficiaries. People want their earned benefits protected and not cut.

Florida State Parks in Peril

• http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00073860/00077 (p.16)
• Government officials have been in the process of cutting essential funding an employment to Florida's state parks, specifically Paynes Prairie. Even worse, many of the employees don't even want to stand up to it and fight for the parks. Luckily, volunteers have stepped up and began campaigns to keep our parks a priority.
• The problem begins with the employment and funding cuts to our parks and reserves. Without proper funding, the parks will not be able to be maintained and ultimately become a lost cause. Additionally, hunting, cattle grazing, logging and other harmful activities have impacted the parks and ecosystem as a whole. 
• Everyone in Florida should have this problem because officials are slowly taking away the last of our natural environment and even the people who work there are not standing up for it. Volunteers and environmentalists have began displaying their opposition through protest and word of mouth. Even three former park directors and the media have taken a stand. They hope good citizens will come forward and fight for what is right.

Noam Chomsky on income inequality, student debt crisis

• http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00073860/00078 (p.1,16)
• The story goes into depth about the problem people are facing by getting an education. Lack of government funding to institutions is causing an interesting cycle of poor education that is making money. The United States, at one point, had a pretty much free education. Now, the U.S is one of the few countries who make people pay incredible prices for their education. These prices often leave people in debt for years after graduation. In some cases, the debt is much larger than what they would be making after graduating with their degree.
• The problem initially began with neoliberal policies that shifted burdens onto the more vulnerable and away from the wealthy and powerful, who do not want to pay taxes. Temporary workers are often used in education. Graduate students, for example, who can not defend themselves, are often stuck doing most of the work because just like what is happening with policies, is happening to institutions themselves. With the administrative class shooting up, the rest of the people are baring the burden.
• Students are facing this problem face to face. Loans end up accumulating into debt that is unfairly high. People are being forced to live at home after they graduate because their wages are not close to satisfying their debts.