Personal Statement -- Public Policy Essay

Total Length: 980 words ( 3 double-spaced pages)

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Page 1 of 3

If given the opportunity to amend the policy, what action would you take and why?

The national proposal to increase sin taxes on alcoholic beverages is long overdue and should be supported not only by all sectors of the government but the American public most especially. The fact is well-known that alcohol consumption is not only dangerous for the consumer but also has various economic and social harms for the society as well as users' immediate environment. It means that alcohol can affect not only the drinker but other people in the form of violence or road accidents. Taxing alcohol at higher rates will provide a mechanism that will taper buying due to high prices. But I believe that taxing alone should not be the only thrust of this policy. Rather, continuous education and awareness campaigns by both the public and private sector will go further to ensure that people will be cognizant of the dangers of alcohol consumption.

Statistics have provided grim facts and evidences to the menace of alcohol consumption in society where almost 95,000 people died due to over-consumption of alcohol in United Sates in early 2000s. In the United States alone, approximately 7000 people die under the age of 21 due to excessive usage of alcohol. Thus, the policy should not concentrate merely on taxation as a preventative measure and control mechanism but back by various educational and information drives. In addition, laws should be amended to increase penalties for those causing deaths and injuries and engaging in criminal acts resulting from alcohol use. This three-pronged approach -- taxation, education, and legal liabilities, will not only be deterrents but provide the viable mechanism that can curb alcohol usage in the country.
3. Please share any additional information about yourself that you believe would be of interest to the Admissions Committee.

We all have learnt what honor, courage, and commitment are as far back as our primary education years. The true meaning of these words though can be truly realized when a person enters public service and performs the duties and responsibilities of the office with vigor, zeal and fortitude. Thus, as a public servant, the deeper meanings of these words were instilled in me not only by the organization that I served but by those who have mentored me and ensured that I become a better person. In the navy, I am able to project these character traits not only through the work that I do but via the leadership skills I learnt. As I come from an Eastern background (China), and have been raised in the Western world, my leadership skills encompass both the cultures. My leadership is the "best of both worlds" so to speak, and I know that these will further improve once I have completed the rigors of training and education at SIPA especially in the field of international policy with….....

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