#7: Drought

Although it seems like it is always raining in North Carolina, there's a major drought going on across the Midwest right now. This article talks about some of the effects and this article describes some of the efforts of the government to help.

One of the common threads this summer is the question of where the government should be involved, or not....healthcare and gun control epitomize this debate. So I'm particularly interested in what those of you who tend to be more conservative have to say here. Should the government step in to help these farmers? Should they have to deal with the environmental and economic effects of drought on their own? What other steps could be taken to help farmers out?

#6: Gun Control & Tragedy in CO

I'm sure you have all heard about the terrible shooting in Colorado this week. When events like this occur, it refocuses national attention on the question of gun control. This article explores the issue. What is the fundamental debate about gun control? Why do you think America has such a different attitude towards gun control than other nations (most notably those in Europe)? Would better gun control laws prevent tragedies like what happened in Colorado?

#5: Romney and Mormonism

Check out this article on Mitt Romney and a little bit about the history of Mormonism in the United States. Do you think Romney's religion will impact the political race significantly? Think about financial factors, peoples' perceptions of Mormonism, and the influence of religion on American politics in general. Do you think it will have more or less of an impact than Obama's race?

#4: The American Dream

This current event is a little different. I spent some time this weekend reading this article in Time about the evolution of the American dream--the idea that with hard work and effort, anyone can make it in America. Meacham's thesis is that the government has often helped the American dream along, by giving support to the people in times of need.

Your task: find a news article that illustrates this idea, or refutes it, and post the link in the comments below. Summarize what the event is, and explain how it shows that the government helps people reach their "American dreams" or that it stands in their way sometimes. No copying articles or events from others, if you're posting to this one, you've got to come up with original work :)