Take the time to focus on the positive

With the world suffering through financial troubles, it becomes easy to see everything in a negative light. We all get caught up in the whirlwind of bad news. The economy is in a sorry state, and Nevada is not growing like it used to—times are hard on everyone, and it can be very depressing. This definitely shows in the Center for Disease Control’s recent poll about which cities have the heaviest drinkers: Reno came out on top. But what about the good in our lives? We have a tendency to neglect the good things—our community—when things are bad. And that is when we should cling onto positive news the most.

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U.S. Rep. Dean Heller was appointed to the House Committee on Ways & Means. This is the tax-writing committee, which is in charge of Social Security and Medicare issues, as well. With the new president coming into office, there will be many changes in the medical field. The Ways & Means Committee will be more important than ever for all of America because of the economic downturn.

Having Rep. Heller on such an important committee is great for Nevada. Heller will be the voice for this state, a necessity with all that we face in the near future. Regardless of your political party, this representation will be very beneficial to the state. Even if you didn’t vote for Heller, this is the best representation we can get, because anyone can call Heller and voice an opinion because he is this district’s representative.

Again, this is great news for Nevada. We have someone to voice our opinions on one of the most important committees in the House of Representatives.

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People are under more stress during bad economic times. Many are turning to any means necessary to keep their heads above water. This is bad news in a lot of ways, but in others, it’s a good thing. Perhaps in part due to the economic state, Nevada campuses find themselves with a greater number of students. For example, enrollment has gone up 6 percent this spring at Truckee Meadows Community College.

People are going to seek education for a variety of reasons. Many are trying to bring more to the table for their employers since, often, more education expands a worker’s usefulness. Some are seeking to further their education to help in their search for a new job path. It’s also possible that some people can’t afford to leave Nevada right now for their first year of school so they are getting their education here.

One can take this in many ways, but I believe it’s an optimistic development. With the increase in Nevada colleges and universities, there will come an increase in Nevada’s economy. This will create more money for the state, and more professors will be able to keep their jobs. And on a more personal level, people are seeking out more education for themselves. This is always a good thing. Knowledge is without a doubt one of the greatest powers a person can possess. And because of the state of the economy, people are seeking to gain more knowledge. That should be considered personal gain in the long run.

It is easy to focus on the negative when things go wrong, but there are still good things in life and in our government. In a time like this, people just need to take the time to look.