HOME

 

BTT Structure

Thinking Reports

BTT News

Applying to BTT

Contact Us

 

Social and Political Issues List - October, 2000

The participants in the Beacon Think tank generated a list of what they deemed the most critical contemporary social and political issues. Each participant ranked their top five issues. These issues will generate the discussion leading to the development of a single topic from which the Thinking Reports will be developed.

  1. Reinstatement of federally managed welfare program versus block grants to states.
  2. Universal multi-media approach to dissemination of research.
  3. Congressional, senate, state and local meetings made public through multi-media venues.
  4. Universal health care
  5. Recognition of 18-23 year olds as late adolescents, not adults.
  1. Poverty
  2. Education
  3. Housing
  4. Discrimination
  5. Racism
  1. Funding, knowledge and awareness of mental health related issues.
  2. Affordable housing.
  3. Universal health coverage
  4. Gun control
  1. Campaign finance reform
  2. Health care
  3. Social security
  4. Education
  5. Foreign policy
  1. Literacy promotion
  2. Sex offender legislation
  3. Innovative approaches to drug education
  4. Education and community engagemen
  5. Access to higher education
  1. Universal health care
  2. Campaign finance reform
  3. Drug war/Prison-Industrial Complex
  4. Affordable education
  5. Urban sprawl- mass transit
  1. Economic inequality
  2. Education
  3. Health care
  4. Taxes/surplus
  5. Military spending
  1. Education
  2. Civicism
  3. Environmental issues
  1. Campaign finance reform
  2. Health care
  3. Social Security system
  4. Governmental budget surplus
  5. Foreign policy
  1. Health care
  2. Education
  3. Affordable housing
  4. Poverty/homelessness
  5. Social Security
  1. Health care
  2. Environment
  3. Education reform
  4. Campaign finance reform
  5. WTO/IMF reform
  1. Health care
  2. Gun control
  3. Education
  4. Family values/social security
  5. Minimum wages/tax cuts or tax breaks
  1. ADA legislation
  2. Aid for dependent families and children
  3. Homelessness
  4. Health care/Social services
  5. WomenÕs issues
  1. Homelessness and hunger
  2. Health care
  3. Education reform
  4. Social security
  5. Youth violence
  1. Free health care for children
  2. Gun control
  3. Free education
  4. Leniency in welfare laws
  5. Social security
  1. Health care
  2. Student funding (scholarships and federal aid)
  3. Social security/ elder care
  4. Environmental issues and natural resources
  5. Defense spending
  1. Education
  2. Health care
  3. Social security
  4. Campaign finance reform
  5. Foreign policy
  1. Globalization/"bigness"
  2. Environmental complacency
  3. Party loyalty
  4. Voter participation of 18-25 year olds
  5. UMB physical appearance
  1. Racial inequalities for Blacks
  2. Inequality and injustices between Blacks/African Americans and Whites
  3. Affordable housing
  4. Education
  5. Disposal of nuclear waste in third world countries
  1. Government responsibility vs. social responsibility vs. individual responsibility
  2. Distribution of political voice
  3. Proper allocation of funds
  4. Population and poverty
  5. Inequality of education
  1. Control by corporate monopolies (political influence, domestic/international working conditions, control of media, health care, higher education environment)
  2. Allocation of tax money (military spending, education funds, social services, research)
  3. Health/Education disparities
  4. Environment control
  1. Health care availability/access issues Ø Housing
  2. Impact of globalization
  3. U.S. involvement in international affairs
  4. Environmental issues
  1. Working poor (underemployed or unemployed)
  2. Affordable housing/escalating housing prices
  3. Education
  4. Marketization of basic human rights (quality health care, housing, jobs, etcÉ)
  5. Environment
  1. Environment
  2. Education
  3. Health care reform and patient rights
  4. Campaign finance reform
  5. International issues (climate, AIDS, hunger, etcÉ)
  1. Education
  2. Global economy
  3. Health care
  4. Environment
  5. World population
  1. Elementary education
  2. Campaign finance
  3. Racial profiling
  4. Prison population
  5. Health care
  1. Campaign finance reform
  2. Wealth gap
  3. Housing
  4. Health care (overstressed society)
  5. Patriotism and civic education
  1. Lack of cooperation between nations
  2. Poverty
  3. Feeding the hungry
  4. Medicating the sick
  5. Lack of government funding for social programs
  1. Education
  2. Tax cuts for the middle class
  3. Health care
  4. Social welfare programs
  5. Environment

 

I UMASS Home Page I Contact us I

This official web page of the University of Massachusetts Boston
was last modified: Friday, October 27, 2000 9:36:02 AM