Dear Mrs. President: 

     As an informed, sixteen year-old United States citizen, I am deeply concerned for the economic future of our nation. We are currently in over nineteen trillion dollars of national debt, and that  number is multiplying by the second. I am concerned that we are doing nothing to minimize this amount or even to prevent it from growing further. So my question to you, Mrs. President, is what are you planning to do about it?

     A great deal of our national spending contributes to international affairs. We have military bases in peaceful areas such as South Korea and Italy that exist purely to prevent conflict. I propose that we withdraw our military from these locations and either relocate them to areas in greater need or bring them back home to their families. It is not our job to referee the world and there is no reason to keep our soldiers from their families when their services are not needed. We are paying to transport people to and from these bases, deliver supplies to them, and maintain the physical landscapes. The cost to operate these bases is tremendous and that money could be more effectively utilized within our nation to build jobs, improve public schools, or develop better public health care. It makes no sense to exploit our economic resources in foreign countries when we have greater needs within our own borders.

     A substantial portion of the national budget spent within the United States goes to support the welfare system. I believe that this system is meant to help those in need but has been abused and misused by people who consider it a career choice. I do not mean to say that there aren't people who truly need help, or that welfare does not help those people, but the problem is that it is too easy for those who don't need it to receive financial assistance from the government. I suggest that every applicant be drug tested before being granted assistance. Before a patient in need of an organ transplant is added to the UNOS list, they must first be drug tested to ensure that they will take care of the organ they are receiving. The same reasoning should be used when considering recipients of welfare. Why should tax dollars be spend to support those breaking the law? Also, we should consider adding a fluctuating time allowance for each individual case, to ensure that those who are able are seeking to achieve financial independence. This would make sure that able bodied people are supported in their time of need, but do not have to choice to remain on assistance for the rest of their lives. When people are accepted into the program, it should be with the understanding that is is a temporary window of assistance, meant to help them while they work to eventually support themselves. 

     By making these improvements, we could substantially decrease our national debt and begin building a more stable economy for our next generations, such as my own. I ask that you address this issue and develop a plan to improve it.

                                                                                                                  Sincerely, 

                                                                                                                 An Informed Citizen