Ryan+Tozier+the+story+of+broke

Explain how Annie Leonard argues that we "aren't broke," and should have plenty of money for public education in the United States.

The central argument of the film is that we have the tax dollars that we need to build a better future, but right now right now that money is being sucked up by in ways that many Americans don’t approve. If we were as careful with our tax dollars as we are will the money that is actually in our pockets we wouldn’t be paying for endless wars or subsides for companies that do little to move our country towards a more sustainable future. She makes the argument by carefully explaining where taxes dollars go and what the recipients do with it.

The film makes it points by explaining that we could be our country better by spending tax dollars on a sustainable future. This future would have money going to developing better recycling processes instead of unstainable incineration plants. It would have the government subsidies going towards companies that are make a positive societal impact in the form of green energy for millions of Americans. This film explains that if we want to live a sustainable future we have to prevent the government from giving it to people aren’t helping us move forward.

The most persuasive part of the video was when she started to explain how we could improve the country by putting taxes towards things like green energy and 70% recyclability. I found this to be the most compelling because it clearly details why it will benefit the watcher if they decide to take a stance on issue and reduce subsides to big oil and gas companies and voting for officials.

The narrator talking about how we are cutting schools and the EPA, and I didn’t find this compelling because it sounded manipulative to word it this way. She meant that funding is being cut to these division, but because of the way it was worded it sounded like the government was getting rid of public schools entirely. I don’t like being manipulated so it made these statements less powerful even if I understand and would otherwise endorse these ideas. 6. What kinds of corrective action are suggested by the film? If the film itself does not suggest corrective action, describe actions that you can imagine being effective. This video proposes several solutions to the problems that it proposes. One solution was to prevent government officials who are elected by the power of big business from maintaining their office, and to elect officials who vote to reduce subsides to companies that aren’t helping our country.

This film supports the EcoEd literacy to understand the potential for change and the literacy understand the value of cooperative action. I wouldn’t change anything about this video because it is simple and to the point, so that it is easy to understand. It requires very little commitment in terms of time. It quickly covers the main problem; the potential for a solution; what the solution would look like; and how to help make that change.