A Modest Proposal

  Swift uses his satirical proposal to identify issues regarding the treatment of the poor in Ireland and overall British policy in Ireland. His satirical approach helps to show just how ridiculous the British policy is in Ireland. By proposing something as ridiculous as selling kids to be eaten, he shows just how little value the British put into the Irish people. Through his proposal, it is clear that his opinion is that the British would do anything to the Irish that would be economically beneficial. The purpose of this piece is to bring to light this mistreatment, through the proposal of such a ridiculous idea like this one. By doing this, he exaggerates the mistreatment in a way that makes the reader really think about just how badly the Irish must be getting treated for Swift to go about proposing something as ludicrous as this just to prove a point.

  Due to the ever increasing budget deficits at both the state and national level, I think it is more than necessary to institute some major changes in our economic policies as a nation. In accordance with the new budget deficit solution in Pennsylvania, which is a brilliant one I may add, it is time to fix that deficit through one major outlet: education cuts. Yes, I believe we need to cut nearly all spending on public and higher education. Honestly, what is an education even good for? We have spent trillions of dollars as a nation trying to provide a free education for all. Well my friends, the free ride needs to end. If all public schools were to turn private over the next ten years, this country would end up with more money than it knew what to do with. We could return to the glory days of prosperity in America and, like always, only the ones who truly deserve an education, the rich, will get one. What state university's tuitions are now will rival what high school students will pay for schooling, and higher education will be reserved for only the top of the upper class. We could even go one step above this, and tax those people who still can afford to pay tuition to go to school. That way the country can save the hard earned tax dollars that would have been spent on education and also generate increased revenue through a fee on those who do still pay for schooling. I believe that this may be the only solution for deficit reduction. It definitely beats taxing big business or cutting spending on "police actions" in foreign countries.