How Money is Created

How Money is Created Essay Where Money Comes from Student: Gulnaz Miniakhmetova Introduction â€Å"The process by which banks create money  is so simple that the mind is repelled† John Kenneth Galbraith, Economist. There are many social institutions in our world but one of them seems to be the most difficult to understand – monetary institution. Why do we have it and how it works? Being small children, we already understand that to get a toy parents need money. Stuff costs money. Money is a tool, and not necessarily one which facilitates access to the resources necessary for survival, as they are given freely on the earth[1]. If we look back at the history of the great Depression, we will see that people can’t live without money. During the Great Depression, money stopped circulating yet the sun still shone, the plants were growing but people starved. Food was available because nature does not depend on our monetary problems. It continues to exist as many times ago. Why then people lose access to food without money? It sounds incredible but how our society allow money to function as a barrier to nature resources. Nature does not take money for her great work[2]. Few people are interested in the way money are created and in who controls the system. Complicated economic terminology and calculations keep most of the people away from understanding the system but one attentive look at it helps to see how simple the scheme actually is. This paper is going to investigate where money come from and what makes the ink on the paper be so valued, if it is really valuable? Ancient Money. Modern Money. It is interesting to trace the evolution of money across years and check if â€Å"money-of-today† has the same value as â€Å"money-of-yesterday†. It is fascinating that long ago money appeared in different corners of the world in a nearly similar way. We observe various currencies in those times. American Indians used Wampum; West Africans were trading in decorative metallic objects called Manillas; Fijians used whale’s teeth. Shells, amber, ivory, decorative feathers, a large number of stones – were all used for trade across the world. We cannot but agree that these funny forms of money are sensible things for trading. Later gold and silver were the most favorite currencies. The appearance of coins in our life was a significant step for economy, which still exists. The first coins appeared about 600 B.C. in a place where Lydians lived, ancient Greece territory where now modern Turkey is located. It had a form of lion’s head and were made of electrum. If we compare other ancient types of money, coins were the first to become a firm currency. Coins spread throughout the Mediterranean very fast. By the 6th century Athens, Aegina, Corinth and Persia, all had their own coins. Coins helped to expand trading easier. Soon coins were made out of gold and silver thus reflecting the actual value of the metal. Modern currency, unfortunately, lost this value. Money evolved from barter but barter had two limitations: 1) the traders must have products of equal value and; 2) as society grows, traders must be ready to make the trade at the same time, as the trust of the small group no longer exists. What if the person who has what you need might not need what you want to trade? What about large transactions? In this case, money appeared to be a convenient value for everyone and perfectly dealt with barter limitations. Even gold and silver are bulky for large transactions. The need for lighter equivalent generated paper money. Modern money system comes from the Middle Ages from the goldsmith trading. People started storing their gold and silver to the goldsmith who was supposed to keep it safe. The owner of the gold got a receipt for what had been left at goldsmiths. This way a paper started to circulate in the society being much easier to carry than gold and silver. Precious metal was replaced by paper. After a while, the enterprising goldsmith figured out that only few of his depositors come to demand their gold. Therefore, he decided to loan out the gold for other customers or just issue a receipt instead of actually giving the gold. Finally, clever goldsmiths found out that they could print and give printed loans even more that they had it in gold. In the idea of loaning the value of gold they did not own, but only held in trust, and the value of gold that did not even exist, was the germ of the invention of modern money[3]. The goldsmiths or bankers were doing a clever thing. They received interest by loaning the gold that they were paid to hold in trust for others. They received interest from loans on gold that did not even exist. This system has a name of â€Å"Fractional Reserve Banking† which means lending much more money than you have assets on deposit. This simple scheme follows human beings up to the present moment. Modern banks are allowed to loan out ten times the amount they are actually having. If you are charged 11% interest rate, be sure it is not 11% a year they make on that amount but actually 110%[4]. One thing that differs modern monetary system is that money can no longer be redeemed for gold. If earlier, we could find a phrase â€Å"in silver payable† on the American dollar banknote, today there is only â€Å"Federal Reserve note†. It means that money used to represent value by gold and silver and could be redeemed by gold or silver. The gold standard lasted until 1971. President Nixon announced that the United States would no longer exchange dollars for gold. It happened because the volume of gold reserve came to a dangerous point. For example, at the end of the World War II France insisted on changing their American dollars to gold. America was in a critical situation. Henry Hazlitt forecasted the dollar devaluation at the beginning of 1971. He said that America would have to increase the cost of one ounce of gold (previously it was 35 dollars per ounce). The decision of the present was unexpected. No devaluation followed. Nixon just stopped â€Å"gold standard†, which actually can be accounted as a financial bankruptcy. Since that date, the world trade is conducted with the help of dollars, which are nothing more that paper. All the rest world currencies related to the gold through dollar, became â€Å"gold-free† too. Earlier â€Å"gold standard† prevented countries from printing too much money, as the supply of gold does not change quickly. The supply of money was stable. If there is too much money, people start to exchange it for gold. Finally, treasury may run out of gold. Quitting the â€Å"gold standard† modern America can buy nearly whatever they want with a currency having no inner value. Now dollar can be redeemed only to another paper or digital dollar. In fact, â€Å"old† monetary system backed up by gold and silver was â€Å"debt free† while modern one is â€Å"debt based†. How? The proof of the money’s debt nature will be discussed in the next chapter of the paper. How Monetary System Functions Today As a basis for discussing the modern monetary system, I would like to take the views and explanations of the Zeitgeist Movement since I find it clear and laconic for perception. However, there are many other followers of the idea â€Å"money is debt†. If we ask an ordinary person on the street, â€Å"How money is created?† The most probable answer will be â€Å"By governments and banks†. Governments only borrow money from the banks. Alternatively, one can say, the bank takes money from savers, and then lends it out to the borrower. That is not true. Banks do not need a customer deposit for giving a new loan. It is viÑ e versa. Loans create new deposits. Let us illustrate how the system works. Government of the USA decides that it needs money. It requests the Federal Reserve (The Fed) for $10 billion. The Fed agrees to buy $10 billion government bonds. The government takes a paper and draws Treasury bond where it shows the value of the bonds $10 billion and sends them to the Fed. In its turn, the Fed draws their papers, which are called â€Å"federal reserve notes†. Their price is $10 billion. Then the Fed trades these notes for bonds. As soon as government gets the notes from the Fed, it puts it into bank account. Only on this account money become real money adding $10 billion to the USA. In reality, the process is done without any paper, i.e. electronically. Necessary to note that only 3% of physical currency exist in the USA. The other 97% is digital nowadays. Now we see that money which appeared in such a simple way are equal to debt. The Federal Reserve purchases government bonds with the money created out of thin air. The government promises to pay back that money to the Fed. In other words, money were created out of debt. The most interesting thing is that ten billion dollar deposit becomes a part of the banks’ reserves. As stated in the â€Å"Modern Money Mechanics† – â€Å"Under current regulations, the reserve requirement against most transaction accounts is ten percent. It means that with a $10 billion deposit, 10%, or one billion is held as a required reserve (10%*$10,000,000,000.00=$1, 000,000,000.00). While the other $9 billion is considered an excessive reserve, and can be used as the basis for new loans. Therefore, we assume that this $9 billion comes out of existing $10 billion deposit but that is not true. The Zeitgeist states, what is really happening is that $9 billion is created on top the existing $10 billion deposit. Totally, bank has $19 billion. This is how money supply works. Banks do not really pay out loans for money, which they receive as deposits. It is important for banks to receive loan contracts in exchange for money. $9 billion is created out of nothing just because there is a demand for such a loan and there is $10 billion deposit to satisfy the reserve requirements. Let us assume that someone borrows that available $9 billion from the bank and most likely, he puts this money to his bank account. Therefore, this deposit becomes banks reserve. Ten percent is isolated and we get 10%*$9,000,000,000.00 = $900,000,000.00 and $9,000,000,000.00 $900,000,000.00 = $8,100,000,000.00[5]. This $8,1billion is now available as newly created money for more loans. This process of money creation is endless and it is based on debt. Money is debt. Debt is money. If money is created so easily, why is it so valuable? It is simple. There is always demand for money because people want it. A person needs money because he knows that other person needs money as well, so money can be used to others to get goods and services in return. In its turn, those others can also use the money they got to satisfy thir needs. Goods and services function as engines in the economy, and money helps people to exchange goods and services. It seems the process of modern money creation will go on forever. Money is Debt We are afraid of the word â€Å"debt† but it often helps people to raise their living standards. Debt is risky and has future obligations, but can also provide a means of generating future income. Everyone knows how disastrous debt can be for a person or a business. In history there are examples when â€Å"growth and prosperity have flourished at times when overall indebtedness was rising rapidly, and some economic slowdowns have coincided with periods of debt reduction†[6]. Thus, it is a paradox that debt can be both good and bad. Looking back at the history, we may find out that once the national debt was fully paid off. It happened in America in 1835. The president Andrew Jackson shut the Central Bank, establishing Federal Reserve instead. Jackson called the debt a national curse. He vowed to pay the national debt, to prevent a monied aristocracy from growing up around our administration that must bend to its views, and ultimately destroy the liberty of our country[7]. However, the period of â€Å"zero debt† did not last long. International bankers established another Central Bank. While there is such an institution, the debt is there too. Many economists admit the Debt nature of money. For example, governor of the federal Reserve, Marriner Eccies once said â€Å"If there is no debts in our money system, there wouldn’t be any money†. Or, â€Å"the dollar is based on credit and every dollar in existence represents a dollar of debt owed by an individual, a business firm, or a government unit.†[8] Apart from the fact of money creation on the debt principle, there is one more important trick about banks. That is interest. When a person gets a money from the bank, he has to pay them back with the interest. A question arises here: if we borrow money from the banks through loans, where do money for paying off interest come from? The answer is – from nowhere. The fact is that the money people or companies owe to the bank will always exceed the amount of money that is available in circulation. That is why inflation takes place. New money is needed to cover the deficit caused by the need to pay the interest. Inflation is built into the system as well as defaults and bankruptcy. Nowadays more and more people join the endless debt system by taking home mortgages, personal loans, and credit cards. Some kinds of debt are long-term. For example, home mortgage may spread for more years than a person has active working years. If you are unable to pay the loan, the bank takes your property. It is frustrating, when you understand that the banking system and the fact that those money on the day of singing the contract did not even exist. There is one interesting court case which took place in America, Minnesota and which proved the corrupt nature of the banks. The case took place in 1969 between First National Bank of Montgomery and a citizen Jerome Daly. Daly took a mortgage from the bank. Daly was demanding the foreclosure of his home by the bank. The bank provided the loan to purchase the house. His argument was based on the fact that mortgage contract stands for equal participation of both parties. Each party put a legitimate form of property for the exchange. Daly was trying to prove that the money was not the property of the bank since money was created out of thin air on the day of signing the agreement. If we look up at the â€Å"Modern Money Mechanics† booklet, we will find out the following about loans â€Å"what they do when they make loans is to accept promissory notes in exchange for credits†¦Reserves are unchanged by the loan transactions. But deposit credits constitute new additions to the total deposits of the banking system.†[9] It means that money does not come from already existing assets. In a cunning way the bank simply invents money and there is nothing like a property on the bank’s side, except for a liability text on paper. Mr. Daly won the case, as the bank’s president admitted the fact of unexciting money and he noted that this was a standard banking practice. Here is the speech of Mr. Morgan, the bank’s president â€Å"Plaintiff admitted that it, in combination with the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, did create the entire $14,000.00 in money and credit upon its own books by bookkeeping entry. That this was the consideration used to support the Note dated May 8, 1964 and the Mortgage of the same date. The money and credit first came into existence when they created it. Mr. Morgan admitted that no United States Law or Statute existed which gave him the right to do this. A lawful consideration must exist and be tendered to support the Note†[10]. As a result, the court rejected the bank’s claim for foreclosure and Daly lived happily in his home. This case once again proves the corrupt nature of modern monetary system. One feels miserable when realizing that any time he borrows money, the money appears to be not only a counterfeit, it is even an illegitimate form of agreement. The bank never has the money as property in contrast to golden standard period. If there was a successful case with Mr. Daly, why do banks continue mocking at people? Well, we proved that money is debt. What are your actions when you are in debt? You go to work in order to pay the debt off. But, if money is created only out of loans, it means that society cannot be debt free. People are slaves of banks running on the hamster wheel. Only those at the top benefit from the system. There will always be the rich and the poor with our present system. It is an incredible system ever created for social manipulation. â€Å"Debt is the weapon used to conquer and enslave societies and Interest is its prime ammunition†[11]. Banks are making private profit out of what should be public revenue. Rich countries developed the international money system which serves their interests at the expense of the poor countries. Conclusion Earlier monetary system was more honest in its nature compared to present times. â€Å"Modern Money Mechanics† answering the question â€Å"what makes money valuable?† say that a dollar bill is just a piece of paper. Coins do have some value as a metal, but less than their face value. The value is explained just by the fact that people believe in money’s power to be able to be exchanged for goods and services whenever there is a need. Money is actually created of debt and it is not money that make debt possible. Money and debt appear at exactly the same moment. Money is a blood of society and it goes and will go on circulating to provide life. Bibliography A Primer on Money, U.S. Congress, House, Committee on Banking and Currency, Subcommittee on Domestic Finance, 88th Congress, 2nd Session, Government Printing Office, 1964, page 23 Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago: Two Faces of Debt, http://freedom-school.com/two_faces_of_debt.pdf , (17.03.2014) Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago: Modern Money Mechanics, http://www.dollarnoncents.com/MMM.pdf, (18.03.2014) David Graeber: Debt. The First 5,000 Years, https://libcom.org/files/__Debt__The_First_5_000_Years.pdf , (17.03.2014) John Steele Gordon (February 18, 2019): A Short History of the National Debt, http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB123491373049303821 , (17.03.2014) Mongomery vs Daly, http://criminalbankingmonopoly.wordpress.com/montgomery-vs-daly/, (18.03.2014) Money Owned and Owed, http://www.thetwofacesofmoney.com/files/money.pdf , (19.03.2014) Paul Krumm: How Money is Created, Disappears, and Works, and the Values Involved in the Process,  http://www.vantagequest.org/trees/money.htm#.UycKMah5PtU , (15.03.2014) The Fractional Reserve Banking System / Zeitgeist Addendum (March 27, 2009), http://truth11.com/2009/03/27/the-fractional-reserve-banking-system-zeitgeist-addendum/ , (16.03.2014) The Monetary System, http://www.zeitgeistaustralia.org/the-monetary-system/, (15.03.2014) XAT3. The History of Money: http://www.xat.org/xat/moneyhistory.html , (17.03.2014) 1 [1] The Monetary System, http://www.zeitgeistaustralia.org/the-monetary-system/, (15.03.2014) [2] The Monetary System, http://www.zeitgeistaustralia.org/the-monetary-system/, (15.03.2014) [3] Paul Krumm: How Money is Created, Disappears, and Works, and the Values Involved in the Process, http://www.vantagequest.org/trees/money.htm#.UycKMah5PtU , (15.03.2014) [4] XAT3. The History of Money: http://www.xat.org/xat/moneyhistory.html , (17.03.2014) [5] The Fractional Reserve Banking System / Zeitgeist Addendum (March 27, 2009), http://truth11.com/2009/03/27/the-fractional-reserve-banking-system-zeitgeist-addendum/ , (16.03.2014) [6] Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago: Two Faces of Debt, http://freedom-school.com/two_faces_of_debt.pdf , (17.03.2014) [7] John Steele Gordon (February 18, 2019): A Short History of the National Debt, http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB123491373049303821 , (17.03.2014) [8] From A Primer on Money, U.S. Congress, House, Committee on Banking and Currency, Subcommittee on Domestic Finance, 88th Congress, 2nd Session, Government Printing Office, 1964, page 23 [9] Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago: Modern Money Mechanics, http://www.dollarnoncents.com/MMM.pdf, (18.03.2014) [10] Mongomery vs Daly, http://criminalbankingmonopoly.wordpress.com/montgomery-vs-daly/, (18.03.2014) [11] The Fractional Reserve Banking System / Zeitgeist Addendum (March 27, 2009), http://truth11.com/2009/03/27/the-fractional-reserve-banking-system-zeitgeist-addendum/ , (16.03.2014)

Diversity in Law Enforcement: the Report

The Everly Police Department is facing a problem in which there is not an policy or procedure in which complaints from the newly formed Diversity Complaint Bureau can follow to resolve the complaints that are being submitted. Analysis Recently a report was made public by the Minority Police Officers Organization regarding the lack of diversity within the Everly Police Department. Results detailed the fact the Everly Police Department is a male dominated and paramilitary force and it has not taken any steps in order to promote or celebrate it. Numbers show that the majority of all force members are white males, with the minority being women, Hispanics, African-Americans and Asians. Since this report was made public the newly appointed assistant superintendant of public for administration, Linda Michaelson, has been given the role of damage controller in order to reverse the results of the report and show the public that the Everly Police Department is diverse and that they have the right procedures in place for employees to submit their complaints regarding diversity in the department. Linda started by formulating a plan for a new bureau within the Internal Affairs Bureau called Diversity Complaints. This plan was approved by both the superintendant and the city council and was put into action. The plan brought forward some hesitation from both mid-level field-commanders and union representative as they felt as if someone was always going to be looking over their work and it was not approved into agreements by union officials. The plan was put into action anyway and proved to be successful with 7 complaints submitted within the first month. Complaints are submitted by forms which can be accessed through a variety of sources, including electronically (on-line) and hardcopy (a copy mailed to each employee, and located visibly in all departments). Once a form is complete, it is submitted via email or regular post. From a complete formal complaint, an internal affairs detective would investigate it and form a reasonable resolution. Linda suggested that the ending resolution of a complaint could come in the form of sensitivity training to employees or possible position dismissal of employees involved. Once a resolution has been reached the complaining employee would be contacted. With seven complaints in one month, reviewed and investigated, Linda and her fellow diversity bureau employees had one more step to take and that was to resolve the complaints in fashion in which all parties involved would be disciplined, should the complaint be legitimate after the complaint was investigated. This is where Linda was stumped. Linda needs to formulate a guideline for the Diversity Bureau to follow once a complaints investigation is complete. The guidelines must be fair to the parties involved. Another problem is that each complaint is going to be different so it is going to hard to set a resolution for each and every complaint that may be submitted. Individual(s) Linda Michaelson has been with the Everly Police Department for 22 years and was the key player in the making of the ‘Hostile Work Environment’ report and implementation process of a new bureau within the Internal Affairs Bureau called ‘Diversity Complaint’ within the department. She like most started off as a patrol officer and moved her way up into higher positions within the department. According to the case however, these moves up did not come easily without critism and judgement from other officers, as she was a female in a male dominated field of work. Her positions have included being a patrol officer, a public school safety officer, a contact for the detective bureau and most recently an assistant superintendent of police for administration. Linda’s father was a retired sergeant with the Everly Police Department and always gave Linda advice on how to overcome the biases of her gender in the department. He also was her greatest supporter of following her dreams to keep moving up. He gave advice saying ‘to be the best at what she did’. As now the assistant superintendant of police for administration, one of Linda’s roles was to manage the results of the recently released report, paid for by the Minority Police Officers Organization, on the diversity within the Everly Police Department which came back as quite damaging to the force. Linda was told that her job was to do the damage control for the results. Linda was able to relate and react to some of the complaints being issued and brought forward by fellow department employees as she too has been the subject to gender and sexual harassment in the workforce and has seen others be subject to the same. Linda was influenced by her father to succeed and move higher in the force if she wished to do so. As woman in the male dominated career field she knew it would not be easy and her father was the one who gave her advice on how to proceed, especially if someone got in her way and told her she could not do it, or gave her difficultly doing what she has wanted. Linda knew that even though she was a woman, there was no job within the department that a man could do better than her. With these thoughts she proceeded to move up and not letting anyone get in her way. I believe that the Everly Police Department could have indeed avoided the situation in which they have now found themselves in. Should the Everly Police Department had done something, whether it be their own research, changes with time and the changing workforce in their in existing policies and procedures for complaints, they would not be in such a reputation damaging situation. With the new formation and implementation of a Diversity Complaint bureau within the Internal Affairs Bureau, Linda hope to achieve an easier, more effective and trusting way for employees to have their complaints and biases heard. She also wishes to achieve effective ways to respond and actions to take when dealing with the complaints; a way that the incidents will be resolved and a way that will ensure that they will not happen again. Linda can justify feeling the way she does about the need of this new bureau to be formed in the Everly Police Department as she has been the subject first hand to workplace harassment and the hesitance that many people feel when making a complaint to the superintendant or union member. Linda’s passion to create a diversity complaint bureau that all employees can submit a complaint(s) to without judgement and fear of the complaint being thrown out or not resolved is very much present. This new venture will make all employees, minority or majority, feel a lot more comfortable and place more trust on the organization should there be a procedure in which results and implications are being made. I do not believe that there is another explanation for the current situation in which the Everly Police Department is in. They clearly have an issue of corruption in the complaints department that has now made employees scared, anxious and uncomfortable at their place of work, which is clearly not acceptable. Until this time, there was no talk of trying to fix the issues that they have in regards to diversity within the organization or the policies and procedures for employees to follow to submit complaints. Organization The Everly Police Department has found themselves to now have a very bad public image and bad reputation for being un-diversified. The department never took upon themselves to look into and hire an outside source to research the diversity within the department. Now, an outside organization called the Minority Police Officers Organization has completed that task and has released the results to the public through many media sources. In having these results published severe damage has been done to the department. It shows them to be a male dominated, paramilitary organization, in which has no ability to integrate minorities. The department has also never considered the re-vamping or the new creation of a way for employees to submit complaints in confidence, knowing that action will be reached and not thrown out because of corruption within the complaint process. The department may have also found themselves to be in this predicament as they have never approached employees on the states of the program that they have in place now. They do not know how employees feel about the processes that are in place now and whether or not employees are feeling that the complaints are being adequately resolved and are not reoccurring. Within the Everly Police Department there has been no recent change in the policies and procedures that employees must take to submit a complaint. For years complaints were to be submitted to the superintendant or to a union representative. They then were suppose to take the complaints and resolve the issue at hand. Many times, as stated in the case, these complaints were disregarded as the superintendent or union representative said that the complaint was not legitimate and that the older employees are still adhering to policies from 20 years ago, the one that they were used to. The external environment is pushing the Everly Police Department to change it values. The department is stuck on values that were established 20 plus years ago. The generation that is now being employed is a generation that wants values where everyone is accepted, where there is no discrimination in the hiring process, and where harassment amongst co-workers in any form is not tolerated. In today society many people of all races, ethnic backgrounds, and religions are entering the workforce and are determined to be treated as an equal. There is no explanation or reason why they should not be, they are the same as everyone else and can perform the same tasks no matter what their gender, race, ethnic background or religious beliefs, and the pressure is high for organizations to conform to these societal expectations. External organizations have now gone as far as pursuing their own research studies into the values, policies and procedures of the police department and are publicising reports that are being proven to be very damaging to the department. The present situation could have been prevented if the Everly Police Department’s structure and policies had been different. Should the structure and policies have been updated and revamped with the newer values of the new generation of employees and older employees educated on the ways why they should also open their minds to change, I do believe that the report that the Minority Police Offers Organization has publicised would not have been so damaging. The Everly Police Department has made the right decision in regards to the damage control of the report that was made public. It has taken the right steps in asking Linda to create and implement the new bureau for diversity complaints. Although this move has been long overdue and the reputation of the Everly Police Department has been given a bad name, I believe that it was the push that they needed. This new bureau has already shown to be successful as within one month seven complaints have already been submitted. Now, Linda and the diversity complaint bureau must work together in order to form the right set of procedures that will allow for all complaints to be resolved and limit the complaints on the same action in the future.

Cultural Competence and Clinical Expertise

To identify the link between cultural competence and clinical expertise, their meanings should first be defined. Cultural competence is defined by the US Department of Health and Human Services, as â€Å"the level of knowledge based skills required to provide effective clinical care to patients from a particular ethnic or racial group†. Furthermore, it has been qualified and classified as: â€Å"†¦behaviors, attitudes, and policies that can come together on a continuum: that will ensure that a system, agency, program, or individual can function effectively and appropriately in diverse cultural interaction and settings†¦.† (US Department of Health and Human Services website). Although there has not been one single exact definition of cultural competence in the practice of medicine in general, each institution that has sought to define it did so within the premise of identifying ethnic differences in the general population that the medical community seeks to ser ve.The growing ethnic diversity in the US population now currently at 15% averages in major urban centers (Elliott) and by 2050, at least a quarter of the elderly population (Elliott), the importance of cultural competence as it relates to clinical expertise and medical service efficiency cannot be denied. As such, if a health professional is not well versed in communicating or interpreting reactions of the patient (either the patient is the one belonging to the minority group or vice versa), the impact on diagnosis and prognosis could be substantial enough to affect the outcome of medical service provision.Different ethnic groups have their varying interpretation with regards their interpretation of certain illnesses or diseases and how it impacts their family and well being. Thus, if a health professional aims to be well rounded and claim to be efficient in clinical applications, a degree of understanding all the varied cultural differences among his/her patient population should be reached. 2. Discuss a difficult interaction you have experienced or observed that may have resulted from intercultural differences (consider that every form of interaction between 2 people can be considered intercultural in some sense of the word).Define the interaction and an optimal approach to resolve it. One particular experience that I can easily recall is an encounter with an elderly Filipino couple while on duty at the local community clinic. I wasn’t privy or aware of Filipino customs and traditions with regards to care for the elderly in general but I assumed that like most of Caucasian elderly or senior communities, anybody 65 and above would be living in a senior community, or at least living independently of their adult children.When discussing the prognosis for the care of the husband’s post operative needs (he had colorectal cancer) and early symptoms of dementia, I assumed that he would be place in an elderly care skilled nursing facility. The couple, particularly the wife was livid even at the suggestion (or assumption) that her husband would be put away in a facility. After a lengthy discussion with the wife, and a succeeding session with an adult daughter, it was only then that I came to know that Filipinos are like most South East Asians. They have an extended family household setting.They take care of their elderly at home and expect everybody to participate in the care of the elderly. They cannot fathom or even begin to think of putting one of their elders in a group home or skilled nursing facility no matter how difficult the post operative care requirement is. The encounter with the Filipino couple and their extended family was an eye opener for me. When I made the assumption that the husband will presumably be transferred from the hospital after corrective surgery, I just assumed wrong and simply offended the sensibilities of the wife and even the daughter.It is a lesson that I will not make again in the future. I shoul d have put into consideration their profile more closely rather than just go over the clinical and medical aspects of the patient’s profile. In conclusion, because of our growing diversity in the US, clinicians should not only be aware of one or two ethno-cultural group but be more â€Å"culturally competent† in dealing with each minority culture’s differences and how they would possibly interpret certain prognosis and care for each patient in the family. References: Cultural Competence in Action: Retrieved on May 28, 2007 from: http://convention. asha.org/2006/handouts/855_1440Mahendra_Nidhi_091029_101806104800. pdf â€Å"Cultural Competence†. (2001). Mental Health Information. Friday's Progress Notes – March 16, 2001. Vol. 5 Issue 6. Retrieved on May 28, 2007 from: http://www. athealth. com/practitioner/newsletter/FPN_5_6. html Elliott, V. S. (2001). Cultural competency critical in elder care. Health & Science. AMNews. Retrieved on May 28, 2007 f rom: http://www. ama-assn. org/amednews/2001/08/06/hll20806. htm US Department of Health and Human Services website (1994): HRSA, Bureau of Health Professions. Retrieved on May 28, 2007 from: http://bhpr. hrsa. gov/diversity/cultcomp. htm

Lowering The Minimum Legal Drinking Age - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1310 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2019/07/01 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Lowering The Drinking Age Essay Did you like this example? The National Minimum Drinking Age Act, passed by Congress in the year of 1984, enforced a change in the state laws of young drinkers to satisfy the worries of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, or MADD. The minimum legal drinking age was up for debate, yet the minimum age for more serious decisions stayed in place, despite national and international statistics which both prove how early drinking would help in practicing moderation and preventing the feeling of having privileges deprived. While the federal government cannot modify the minimum legal drinking age due to this law qualifying as a choice of the state government, they threatened to withhold ten percent of the annual federal highway funds from states who refused to raise their minimum legal drinking age from 18 to 21 by October of 1986. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Lowering The Minimum Legal Drinking Age" essay for you Create order In response, every single state in America eventually agreed to meet the commands of the federal government rather than forfeit their annual allowance for their highway needs. In the United States of America, an 18 year old legally becomes an adult. He or she finally owns the right to make very important decisions independently. Not only do their decisions affect their entire life, but they can also have an impact on their community. These relatively young adults legally vote for candidates of their choice to participate in very significant political roles, thus affecting their community. In the United States of America, 18 year olds own a right to smoke tobacco cigarettes which cause an annual average of 480 thousand American deaths, but prohibited from drinking alcoholic beverages which cause an annual average of just 88 thousand American deaths. Parents should enforce moderate drinking at a young age which would be possible with a lower minimum legal drinking age. A 2014 article by David J. Hanson proves this point. No country other than the United Kingdom has a minimum legal drinking age for drinkers under parental supervision. The United Kingdom allow s six year olds to drink alcoholic beverages with parental supervision and allow 18 year olds to drink independently while the American society looks down upon drinkers this young and do not legally allow 18 year olds to drink without parental supervision. In short, the American 18 year olda legal adultin some states abide by the same drinking laws as a six year old in the United Kingdom. In other American states, an 18 year old has even less drinking privileges than a six year old in the United Kingdom. Out of the nearly 200 countries in the world, only 12 countries, according to a 2016 article from ProCon.org, have a minimum legal drinking age of 21. The United States of America, Cte dIvoire, Equatorial Guinea, Iraq, Kiribati, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Oman, Palau, Samoa, and Sri Lanka share the highest national minimum legal drinking age in the world. In the United Kingdom, children as young as six years old begin drinking alcohol under parental supervision and, in result, only 16 percent of traffic fatalities involved an intoxicated driver. America nearly doubles this number with 31 percent of traffic fatalities involving the influence of alcohol. Germany has a minimum legal drinking age of only 16 years old. Such a low minimum drinking age may frighten some American parents, however, only a diminutive four percent of vehicle collision fatalities in Germany can be traced to a driver under the influence of alcohol consumption. Furthermore, a slideshow published on MSN.com in 20 16, The Worlds Drunkest Countries, ranked the United States of America as having the 20th highest drinking level in the world! The majority of the countries listed in the slideshow were said to have been successfully decreasing their drinking levels within the past several years, but the United States has kept a steady average of eight liters per person since the beginning of the century. According to studies performed by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, a total of 6.3 billion gallons of beer were consumed in the previous year. Of the 50 states in America, another ProCon.org article says five have absolutely no exceptions to the minimum legal drinking age of 21 defined in their state laws. This ten percent of America results in significant discrepancies in statistics for traffic fatalities related to alcohol in comparison to the remaining states statistics. However, these discrepancies do not compliment the strict ten percent of American states like one may imagine. The five states who refuse any exceptions to the minimum drinking age include Alabama, Arkansas, West Virginia, New Hampshire, and Idaho. A 2018 article, These Are Americas Drunkest States, by Cheyenne Buckingham shares various alcohol-related statistics of all 50 American States. The article recognizes that Arkansas has the lowest alcohol-related traffic fatalities of these five states, but comes in 15th lowest when compared to the entire nation. According to Yellow Hammers News, an astounding 41 percent of underage adult drinkers in Arkansas a re binge drinkers which means they consume a minimum of four drinks within a two hour time period. Utah, New York, Rhode Island, and Georgia have the lowest alcohol-related traffic fatalities in the nation respectively. Each of these states have legalized underage drinking with consent from a parent or guardian who exceeds the minimum legal drinking age of 21. The parent or legal guardian supervising the underage drinker must also literally and physically provide the drinker with the alcoholic beverage (not allow someone else to hand the child or young adult the drink, or allow the drinker to take the drink himself or herself) and of course give verbal consent to the minor. Utah and Georgia allow minors to consume alcohol for medical and religious purposes. The state of Rhode Island permits minors to consume alcohol for educational purposes such as for an assignment in the culinary arts. These exceptions to the minimum legal drinking age also take place in many other states laws, al ong with a variety of other possible exceptions. On average, 90 people in the United States die tragically in vehicle collisions on a daily basis. Sixty of these daily traffic fatalities involved an intoxicated driver. Contrary to popular belief, the majority of these drunk drivers responsible for the devastating deaths of those involved in alcohol-related vehicle accidents did not come from the minors age group but from an age group seen by the American society as responsible drinkers and drivers. A 2010 study revealed that intoxicated drivers between the ages of 21 and 24 have caused more fatal traffic collisions in the United States compared to any other age group. Thirty-four percent of fatal vehicle collisions involving drivers under the influence of alcohol intoxication consisted of 21 to 24 year olds, 30 percent including 25 to 34 year olds, and 25 percent due to 35 to 44 year old Americans. This leaves less than 11 percent of fatal vehicle collisions due to intoxicated underage drinkers. Despite Americas trust in 21 to 24 y ear olds with alcoholic beverages and the fragile lives of their neighbors on the road, more than double the number of underage drinkers had recently gained the privilege of consuming alcoholic beverages independently when they found themselves in life-threatening vehicle collisions. Sixteen year old drivers are new on the roads and not legally allowed to consume alcohol (even when not behind the steering wheel) which causes citizens to fear these teens may make dangerous and even life-threatening decisions with alcohol on the roads. Since altering the minimum legal drinking age in the United States of America, drinking levels in wine and beer both escalated and dangerous drinking became more common. Although the National Minimum Drinking Age Act was passed to decrease the frequency of driving while intoxicated, many devastating deaths involved in fatal alcohol-related vehicle collisions have continued to increase. America denies 18 year olds the privilege of consuming an alcoholic beverage, yet permits more serious or even dangerous activities. Statistics across the nation and around the world prove how early drinking results in less dangerous drinking habits and alcohol-related vehicle collisions. Therefore, drinking at a younger age would, contrary to popular belief, help keep teenagers and young adults safe.