Dear Future President,

As many other Americans, I am concerned for the future of this country and where it will lead us. I would like to bring up two issues I think need to be addressed in the near future.

The first problem that is affecting more and more students each year is the price of college tuition. As of 2016, American college students are more stressed about their tuition than ever before. Studentloanhero.com states the average student has roughly $37,000 in loan debt, increasing by the year. In fact, this high end number has gone up in 6 percent just in the last twelve months. I am asking you to possibly look into the background and reasoning for this extreme tuition and debt, and make it aware to Congress and help address the problem.

In addition, getting a degree doesn't even guarantee an instant job. These days, it's harder to find a job after graduating college because so many employers are looking for experience. It seems there is more work being done for fewer results. Politicians claim they are searching to find a way to lower costs but not much work is being done, looking at the increasing percentages.

My second concern is global warming. Even though there is speculation on whether or not global warming is real, it is a fact that Earth’s surface temperature is increasing. According to climate.nasa.gov, recent documented proof in past years include the rising sea level (it has risen about 17 cm in the last 100 years), shrinking ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica, increasing acidification in the oceans, and decreasing amounts of snow in the Northern Hemisphere.

This website also states Americans produce the largest percentage—25 percent—of carbon dioxide in the world, and since 1880 Earth’s surface temperature has risen 1.7 degrees Fahrenheit. Of course on a contradicting side, CO2 can be a positive thing since plants use this during photosynthesis, but the large amounts from burning coal, oil and gas are in no doubt harmful to the environment. If in some way you can bring more attention to the issue to the public, this could prevent global warming or even help our environment instead of damaging it. This could encourage Americans to preserve our world for future generations to enjoy.

Whatever you do in your running of office, I ask that the changes you make have a sole and positive purpose, for the improvement of others and intending on making this country truly the land of dreams.

Sincerely,

Ashley S.