lignatious


 * Liz Ignatious**
 * South Dakota**
 * Republican Party**

 **The senate peron I am most like is John Thune.** **[]**  I agree with John Thune on multiple different issues, including healthcare. For my Mock Congress Bill, my issue focused on healthcare and civil rights. He is under the impression that in order to provide better healthcare for our society, we have to tax certain items such as tobacco, alcohol, and junk food more. I am under this impression as well. Another issue I agree with him on is our economy. He believes that our economy today is crashing and burning. and something needs to be done to prevent further destruction.

** Five Interesting Facts About My State **
1.) In my state you will find the national monument, Mount Rushmore.This includes the faces of George Washington, Abe Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Thomas Jefferson. 2.) South Dakota also has a corn palace. This is the only corn palace in the world, and it consists of a huge stadium which sporting and other significant events take place in. 3.) Visitors to South Dakota's Badland's National Park will find evidence of fossils over 35 million years of evolution! 4.) It is illegal to lie down and fall asleep in a cheese factory. 5.) South Dakota has one of the largest Native American populations, with nine tribes and somewhere around 60,000 people.

**Five Issues Occurring Within My State** 1.) We have to start protecting our national parks and environment, because we are destroying our natural habitats and wildlife. 2.) Our economy is crumbling right before our vary eyes, and it's obvious that we need to do something about it in order to provide for our citizens. 3.) Healthcare for more citizens, including seniors, immigrants, and those in poverty. 4.) Obesity. South Dakota has been labelled as one of the top ten states with the deadliest eating habits in our country. 5.) Gay rights, and the right to get married to the same sex.

**Issues That Are Important To Me**
1.) Our Environment. - In my perspective, our environment and ecosystem is __the__ most important issue that needs to be dealt with immediately in this state.  - If this matter is not dealt with soon, our Earth will become unable to support the human race, or any race for that matter due to pollution and lack of oxygen. Our Earth is the most precious thing that we have, and I believe that we need to appreciate that and take on our responsibilities as humanity and make it so that our Earth does not become harmed.  - Not only does polluting our environment have a negative impact on us, but it has a negative impact on our wildlife as well. Without our wildlife, our world would not exist. Due to the drop in our economy from the lack of meat products.

2.) Obesity.

- Obesity is a huge problem in South Dakota because the average person's diet includes deadly eating habits, such as not getting the right food from the food pyramid and eating too much fatty, junky foods. - There has been a huge rise in obesity over the years, and in order to prevent further problems, **I** believe that we need to try to persuade Americans to eat healthier. - Something else we can do is start to take away some fast food places, or maybe even make health requirements so that their food isn't so unhealthy.

3.) Our Economy. - Our economy is racing downhill, and I do not believe the government is doing as much as they could be doing to help it.  - Taxes are a huge deal, because people who are making a living, and are earning quite a bit of money, owe more than people who just aren't trying as hard.  -This is a problem because it is not fair for the people who are making a living for themselves to give away their hard earned money to other citizens.  - Gas prices are outrageous now a days due to oil prices going up. They are doing this so they can make more money because they figure that's the easiest way to do it.


 * My Bill: We would love to make a lower health care plan that is depending on your income a year. With lower Health Care plans such as the ones we would like to create we would be helping the 1,887,000 Homeless. The second thing we would love to do is tax more on such things as tobacco and alcohol products. If we can get more people to stop smoking then our children don't have to deal with second hand smoke. People will also not spend as much on cigarettes and alcohol then they can put there money to better use. Such as a better health care plan. If people stop smoking then they wont keep dieing off by the hundreds. The people wont get lung cancer and such diseases from tobacco. Alcohol is another huge problem we are having today. People also get caught drunk driving and getting into car accidents that can kill people that don't deserve that. Some people who drink don't think of the problems that they can get such as liver failure. Drinkers who get liver failure can't afford the surgery because they don't have any health care. They spend their money on the things that can kill them.  **

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