Analytical Assignment: use the images in the picture to show our culture

Hi, everyone! I have a question about making an argument for my analytical assignment. I need to base on what I see from the picture to find the implication of it. The purpose is to use the images in the picture to show our culture. The picture is about when Obama were shaking hands after he spoke at a town hall meeting about health care reform. Obama's back faced to the camera, and a group of people was shaking hands with him. In the crowd, there was one lady was holding a sign to against his reform.(Obama disregarded that lady.) In the background, you can also see some people were just sitting there. I have an idea that this can describe three groups of people in American society. They are people who support the government, people who are against the government, and people who are neutral/ do not care about the changes. However, I cannot find a central argument to write this paper(4-5pgs). I hope I can use this picture because I spend a long time to find it. I hope someone can help me to make an argument or give me some ideas. By the way, I can use other research to support my paper. Thanks!

I like your idea. You do have a central argument: That the American public can be broken down into those three groups, as illustrated by the picture. Let's see a draft.

I am thinking if I want to talk about these 3 groups of people, I will put them in 3 body paragraphs. However, I think that idea is too general. I cannot write that for 4-5 pgs. Furthermore, my professor wants us to think in depth. If I just write about the American public can be broken down into 3 groups of people, how can I conclude each paragraph? I do not know much about American politics or culture, so I hope someone can give me an idea. Thanks!

I don't see why you couldn't write a 4-5 page essay on the three groups of people you have chosen. You might want to change the "people who don't care" group to "independents" or some such, though. Obviously the people cared, or they wouldn't have shown up at the town hall at all. Perhaps, though, they didn't have a pre-existing stance on the issue. The Obama supporters did, clearly, and were probably there because the Democratic Party had sent them to provide the photo op. The protesters, likewise, were probably there because the Republican Party had sent them to ruin the photo op. In any event, the partisans on both sides already had set stances. The Democrats would like, by and large, to ultimately nationalize the health care system, though they are willing to settle for doing it in increments if the political will isn't there to do it all at once. The Republicans would like, by and large, to keep the health care system in private hands as much as possible.

The independents and moderates, though, are the ones whose support will ultimately determine what actually happens. They include the vast majority of people who recognize that both the Democrats and the Republicans are fundamentally wrong. Anyone who looks at any existing government system in America can see plenty of proof that the government couldn't run a lemonade stand without going horribly overbudget while providing only mediocre service. Worse, it would probably manage to completely ruin the lemonade stand industry in the process. On the other hand, the current, mostly privately run system, is clearly untenable. Insurance companies jack up premiums when people get sick, attempt to find ways to avoid paying out, and will even refuse to renew coverage for people who develop longterm illness. Essentially, they are not providing the coverage people are ostensibly paying for with their regular payments when they are healthy. Also, the current system is not actually privately run. The government provides millions in coverage to the very poor, making the American healthcare system among the most expensive in the world.

So, maintaining the status quo won't work. Putting more trust in the insurance companies is foolish, as they've already proven that they won't operate in good faith. Turning control over to the government would probably be even worse, given how poorly the government has run everything else it has ever touched. Also, for reasons I won't get into here, government programs are generally destined to end up being costly and inefficient, no matter how well-run they are at their inception. Reform is necessary, but none of the alternatives seem particularly appealing. So, the partisans and ideologues yell at each other, while the rest sit by in silent despair. That gives you plenty of material for analysis. You may have to research the various positions a bit to flesh out your points, but there should be plenty of material available, give how topical this is.

If you think that the idea is too general, then stare at your picture until some other ideas come to you. Or free-write: Look at the picture and then just start writing, without worrying about grammar or structure, to see what ideas emerge.

Simone and Sean, thank you very much!^^ This is a great forum!