We may have had the last month off, but the rest of the world didn’t.

While we got to sleep till noon and enjoy the comforts of home, the health care debate pressed on, a crucial election took place in Massachusetts and the Supreme Court ruled that corporations can spend freely in political campaigns. It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of these three events.

When Obama promised us a straightforward and transparent health care system during the elections, we put aside our skepticism and took him at his word. Now, a year later, the issue has become so politicized and secretive that even the most fervent supporters have lost patience. We’re not seeing reform or improvement — the only result so far has been insurance companies jacking up their prices, which everyone could have lived without.

If this project isn’t working, then politicians should scrap it, go back to the drawing board and come up with a better plan. A comprehensive and working health care system is obviously doable, as a number of other countries have had it for years, so the excuses are wearing thin.

The battle over Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat only aggravated an already-tense situation. The fact that a Republican was able to win a seat that has been staunchly Democrat for decades shows that Americans are not happy with the way things are going on in Washington. The Democrats were too confident. They picked the wrong candidate and failed to adequately support her. While Scott Brown’s election to office will undeniably make pushing through the health care bill more difficult, the more important issue is that there isn’t even a comprehensive bill to be passed.

If nothing else, the election should serve as a wake-up call that something needs to be done.

While we’re on the subject of things that have gone wrong in the last month, it’s impossible to forget the recent Supreme Court ruling, which approved unlimited corporate spending on elections. Even putting aside the strange legal argument behind the decision — that corporations are entitled to the same rights individuals are and should therefore have free speech — its implications are truly frightening. Many say that our government is already influenced too much by corporations, and if this is allowed to stand, they will be able to take complete control.

A corporation is not responsible for the public good or the benefit of humanity; its sole responsibility is to make money for shareholders. When you factor in their deep pockets and take away all restrictions in spending, the resulting scenario is not a promising one. There will be nothing to stop corporations from supporting candidates who will advance their agenda, blocking those who don’t and controlling a political figure’s actions while in office.

If this is allowed to happen, how can we continue calling our system an unbiased and equal one?

These issues are not something we can leave to political scientists and politicians to puzzle out — they’re important enough that we need to stay updated, protest when necessary and make our opinions heard. But don’t take our word for it; do the research and see what you think once you know the facts. This isn’t about Democrats or Republicans anymore. It’s about saving America.