Financial Reform

     The United States economy is in one of the worst shapes it has been in in the 237 year history of this great country.  One of the most important items that need to be addressed to help repair the economy is financial reform.  The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, enacted on July 21st, 2010, is one piece of legislation that needs to be repealed in order to begin reforming this nation's economy.  There are many things that are wrong with this legislation that include resolution authority, the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), the National Flood Insurance Program, and the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau.
     Resolution Authority was drafted by lawmakers during the 2008 financial crisis and was signed into law by President Obama in July 2010.  Its goal was to prevent future bailouts by giving the FDIC power to liquidate even the biggest firms.  This allows the FDIC to borrow money from the U.S. Treasury in order to maintain stability then get that money back by charging a fee to the largest financial firms in this country.  The CBO has estimated that cutting resolution authority would cut $22 billion over the next 10 years.
     The Home Affordable Modification Program allows people to get their monthly morgage payments reduced to make them more affordable for the long-term.  The problem with this is that it costs the government a lot of money and it's very easy for someone to obtain this service.  You can even be eligible for it if you've previously received a HAMP trail period plan, but defaulted in their trial payments or you previously received a HAMP permanent modification, but defaulted in their payments, therefore losing good standing.  If the government is going to give out money to people who have already proved they can't handle it, we need to cut this program in the better intrest of the economy.  The CBO estimates that cutting this program would result in $2.8 billion over the next 10 years.
     The National Flood Insurance Program also need to get structure changes to improve the spending in this country.  House lawmakers have already approved cahnges to the flood insurance program but the Senate is yet to agree on a deal.  We also need to place the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau under the congressional appropriations process which would save $5.4 billion according to the CBO.  Demacrates have been pushing for the consumer bureau to be free from the appropriations process eventhough doing this would save the country a great amount of money.

The Awakening: Edna Pontillier

     My personal opinion of Edna throughout The Awakening changed the more I read through the story.  At first, I felt bad for her.  She was treated poorly by her husband and she was just using Robert as a way to get away from Leonce for a little bit each day.  She thought of Robert as just a friend that she was going out with and enjoying herself.  I thought very strongly that the actions Edna was taking were justified and that all of the blame should be place on Leonce for not treating his wife the way she deserves to be treated.  At this point in the story I wouldn't have acted any different than she was.  Then Edna starts to act out and falls in love with Robert and this is where my personal opinion changed drastically.
     When Edna falls in love with Robert, she almost wants Leonce to treat her badly so that she will have more of a reason to run away with him.  She pushes Leonce to treat her bad and does things that no wife should do.  There are many occasions where she acts like their children don't exist and she is never taking care of them throughout the novel.  This is something that would make any husband mad with their wife if this was her responsibility.  She also completely abandons her other jobs around the house like entertaining guests and things of that sort.  I'm not saying that she should have to do these things but if they are something she's supposed to do, she should do them.  Edna completely oversteps the whole situation and now took it from where her actions were justified to making Leonce seem like the one who's getting hurt.  If I were to fall in love with another woman during my marriage, this would be the last possible way I would act.  Sneaking around your spouse and making them be mad at you on purpose to use it against them is not the way any person should act in a marriage and I feel for Leonce having to deal with this.  Edna is also completely unfaitful to Leonce which is the worst thing you can do in a marriage.  She spends tons of time with someone who she is completely in love with and she also ends up kissing and who knows what else with Alcee.  This is aldultery and this is against most religions and societies but especially against the views of the creole society she lives in.
    None of what Edna is doing now is justified and she should be held completely responsible for the ending of her marriage.  If a man was to cheat on his wife and fall in love with another woman now-a-days, he would be considered an awful person and everything bit of fault would be thrown on him.  Now that it is the woman, she should be held just as responsible and she should take responsibility for her acting and make things right going on with the story.