Nepaali, agree with some of your points. However, even under the Clinton administration, the unemployment rate was at 5.1% in 1996. He didn't start any expensive wars like the Bush administration has. Plus, if Iraq becomes a success, it can in fact do something about the rising gas prices. It is a cause for concern. Of course the unemployment rate will never be zero percent, but the government can sure as hell strive to make sure that it is as low as it can be. Sure, the healthcare issue is one of the primary issues that America will need to address. Your healthcare solution sort of resembles the solution put forth by Thomas Friedman in his book about outsourcing. Furthermore, even though this may address the poverty issue in america a bit, it doesn't take into account the fact that American taxpayers pick up the tab for illegal immigrants as well. A steady stream of illegals, mostly poor, are coming to America from South of the border. They just exacerbate the poverty problem. You can't deny the fact that the reason they hire illegals in the first place is due to the fact that they work for less than minimum wage and don't demand healthcare benefits. So, it seems to me that even if healthcare alleviates the poverty problem to a degree(it is an important issue, but it just one of the various problems), poor people from South of the border keep on exacerbating the problem. I guess your solution would be to grant them amnesty. If you legalize illegals, they're not gonna work for less than minimum wage. Do you know what this means? More illegals will be needed to fill the void and the vicious cycle continues. Reagan granted amnesty in the 1980's and look what has happened now. The problem has only worsened. Furthermore, this guest worker program won't work because it doesn't grant amnesty. These people will fear deportation, and the bulk of them won't even sign up for guest worker status. This thing is bound for failure. Illegals have a big part to play in the equation. Illegals are poor people, not rich folks. They make a lot less money than American workers. Furthermore, I stand by my view that they are taking jobs away from poor American workers. 5.1% unemployed Americans right now. I don't buy for one moment that Americans aren't willing to pick apples. My view is that Americans come first. Do something about America's unemployed first. Sayami, you came here in 1982? What the hell do you do, wash dishes or something? That explains some of my hunches. You sound retarded. Sheetalb, good, go to Hong Kong then. Most of these places don't accept immigrants like America does. Get that head out of the sand.