How the inauguration affects the subject matter of this class?

남의 글 읽어보는 것도 도움이 되니까, 나중에 상인이가 기회가 되면 꼭 읽어보면서 그냥 글의 structure정도를 파악하는 것도 괜찮을 것(From Yeari, Jan. 22. 2008)

It seems everyone in school watched. Today was only second day of his presidency, and everybody around the world never stops talk about him and the inauguration. Even though I am not a citizen of the U.S., still, president Obama’s journey to the White House has always been my interest. So it was pretty exciting to watch the inauguration and discussions about it. As BBC’s news presented yesterday, it was not just about the U.S., it was about a new beginning of the world’s history. He might not have the power as much as everybody expects, but so far, he is surely “America’s loved child.” And I love what he did on his first day: freezing the salaries of his senior aides, and mandating new limits on lobbyists.

Because I was in oversea, I did not have as many as opportunities to hear and understand his public pledges during his campaign like others. However, I am not sure how the inauguration itself affects the subject matter of this class. The inauguration was surely a huge social event, but it doesn’t seem to have many aspects to affect any kind of social work, but his presidency will. So far I only know one thing that relates to social work that is he will rescind a Bush administration policy that has impeded state efforts to provide health insurance to children from low- and middle-income families. As far as my understanding is that he will expand federal health programs to cover the uninsured, including middle-income families who have lost health benefits along with their jobs.

Unlike my country – Republic of Korea -, the health insurance in the U.S. is pretty high cost and requires numbers of things to have one. To me, visiting a doctor and staying in the hospital without insurance is ridiculously expensive and complicated in here. Korea’s health insurance system is more like European so it’s really easy and common to see doctors as possible as we need. That’s why I’ve always thought the insurance system here should be changed especially for young children and seniors.

It is really good to hear that he will change the program to cover more uninsured people. As his ministration goes by I look forward the changes in social work.