Who?
An immigrant is a person who comes to a country to take up permanent residence, according to Merriam-Webster dictionary. Immigrants (legal and illegal) make up a growing portion of the US population increasing to 12.4% in 2005. Georiga had the highest growth rate among the states, but California still has the highest number of illegal immigrants. Immigration from Hispanic countries has remained constant since 1980s, but immigration from Europe, Canada, and Asia has increased.
What?
There have been many immigration policies passed in the US starting with the Immigration Act of 1990. This act increased the level of employment based immigration and allotted a higher proportion of vias to highly skilled immigrants, In 1996, the welfare reform was put into place, which disentitled most legal immigrants from food stamps, welfare and SSI. The same year as the welfare reform act that took away many rights from legal immigrants, the Immigration Reform and Control Act was passed. This doubled the size of border patrol and stifferned penalities for document fraud/immigrant smuggling. Imposed sanctions on employers if hiring illegal immigrants, granted legal status to undocumented immigrants who had been in US since 1982 or had worked in agriculture. This gave nearly 3 millions immigrants citizenship. After that act nothing was really done about immigrantation until Post-September 11, 2001. Immigration regulations and enforcement have become more stringent, thousands of people have been deported and students much prove they have been accepted to a school before they can enter, due to the fact some of the 9-11 terrorists were admitted as forgein students. Also, the number of border agents weas increased and the National Guard was dispatched to the borders. Congress has also passes laws increasing border control (700 miles of fencing along the southern border of the US), but no progress has been made in passing an mmigration reform bill. Basically, the government feels increasing border control will fix the problem, but I do not agree. It has been proven that immigration from Hispanic countries has not increased so why do we keep spending money to control borders instead of taking care of the immigrants we already have??
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Session 13: Housing and Community Development
Who?
Of course people who cannot afford housing turn to the government for help, but I was also surprised to know that not only poor families look to the government for help, working families do as well. The number of working families facing critical housing needs increased 73% from 1997 to 2005. Thats crazy to me. How can a family be working a full time job and not be able to afford housing? Something is seriously wrong with that. The region with the highest rates of citical housing needs are in the West and Northeast. This is a little shocking to me because a few sessions ago we learned people in the South are the poorest so I thought they would need housing more than the people in the West/Northeast.
What?
Government housing is extremely important to people who cannot afford to purchase a house of their own or cannot rent an apartment. There is two types of government assistance: public housing or vouchers. Public housing requires residents to pay 30% of monthly income and live in a designated area built by governments. Vouchers are either given to landlords provided the unit meets quality standards or given to a tenant so they can rent a home in private housing market or help pay mortgages so that low income families can purchase homes. In my opinion vouchers are the best option. Not only does it improve outcomes for children because it allows people to live in low-poverty neighborhoods and racially-mixed neighborhoods, which leads to less likelyhood of becoming involved with volence and children usually get a better ecducation, but it also helps families leave and stay off welfare. Although vouchers should great there are always down sides for government assistance. Only 1 in every 3 families gets vouchers and it doesn't provide equal acces to low-poverty neighborhoods. If the governemnt made it easier to recieve vouchers and live in nicer neighborhoods, it would make life better for thousands, even millions of American who are stuck in public housing.
Of course people who cannot afford housing turn to the government for help, but I was also surprised to know that not only poor families look to the government for help, working families do as well. The number of working families facing critical housing needs increased 73% from 1997 to 2005. Thats crazy to me. How can a family be working a full time job and not be able to afford housing? Something is seriously wrong with that. The region with the highest rates of citical housing needs are in the West and Northeast. This is a little shocking to me because a few sessions ago we learned people in the South are the poorest so I thought they would need housing more than the people in the West/Northeast.
What?
Government housing is extremely important to people who cannot afford to purchase a house of their own or cannot rent an apartment. There is two types of government assistance: public housing or vouchers. Public housing requires residents to pay 30% of monthly income and live in a designated area built by governments. Vouchers are either given to landlords provided the unit meets quality standards or given to a tenant so they can rent a home in private housing market or help pay mortgages so that low income families can purchase homes. In my opinion vouchers are the best option. Not only does it improve outcomes for children because it allows people to live in low-poverty neighborhoods and racially-mixed neighborhoods, which leads to less likelyhood of becoming involved with volence and children usually get a better ecducation, but it also helps families leave and stay off welfare. Although vouchers should great there are always down sides for government assistance. Only 1 in every 3 families gets vouchers and it doesn't provide equal acces to low-poverty neighborhoods. If the governemnt made it easier to recieve vouchers and live in nicer neighborhoods, it would make life better for thousands, even millions of American who are stuck in public housing.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Session 12: Social Security
Who?
Social security really affects everyone. People are compelled to insure themselves through payroll or other taxes so they will have money in retirement, loos of a job, death of a family breadwinner, or physical disability. Social security is the most successful anti-poverty program, but started to show signs of fiscal trouble by mid 1970s. This is very worrisome to me because I have always heard by the time I retire there will not be enough money to take care of me.
What?
I originally never considered social security as a program helping poor people. I do think social security is a good program, but considering that it is depleting as we speak it wont last long. Since the Obama administration is so against privatizing social security, what else could be done? If you are strongly against one idea, it would be more helpful to come up with other ideas rather than just saying no like Obama has. According to AJC, if taxes went up about 2%, the government would be able to cover the 75 year shortfall. I dont think this is a good idea since other taxes are already so high. Of course there is always the option to save your own money for your own retirement. Who in America would be able to save enough money to be self-stainable by retirement? Thats a hard call.
Social security really affects everyone. People are compelled to insure themselves through payroll or other taxes so they will have money in retirement, loos of a job, death of a family breadwinner, or physical disability. Social security is the most successful anti-poverty program, but started to show signs of fiscal trouble by mid 1970s. This is very worrisome to me because I have always heard by the time I retire there will not be enough money to take care of me.
What?
I originally never considered social security as a program helping poor people. I do think social security is a good program, but considering that it is depleting as we speak it wont last long. Since the Obama administration is so against privatizing social security, what else could be done? If you are strongly against one idea, it would be more helpful to come up with other ideas rather than just saying no like Obama has. According to AJC, if taxes went up about 2%, the government would be able to cover the 75 year shortfall. I dont think this is a good idea since other taxes are already so high. Of course there is always the option to save your own money for your own retirement. Who in America would be able to save enough money to be self-stainable by retirement? Thats a hard call.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Session 11: Health Care Policies
Who?
Young adults are the least likely to have health insurance, only 28.6% of people ages 18-24. This is not shocking to me at all. I am 19 years old and I do not have health insurance. My parents are self employed so they do not have insurance, which means I do not have insurance. I tried to get insurance on my own and I couldnt even afford the cheapest policy out there. I have asthma and have to take medicine twice a day to make it easier for me to breath, this medicine is 250 dollars a month. I make 100 dollars a week and have to pay rent and bills. It is very difficult to afford my medicine at the end of the month, which means my asthma is going untreated and I could have an attack at any time and end up in the emergency room. Also, the race that is least likely to be insured is Hispanic. This also is not shocking to me because whenever you visit an emergency room most of the people waiting are Hispanic because they do not have a regular doctor to see so they visit the emergency room for anything.
Why?
There are a few reasons health care is failing in the United States. One, health care is far too expensive. Two, it is very hard to get a health care policy, even government policied like Medicare is hard to qualify for. I believe that health care companies need to care more about their customers instead of the money. If that happened, more people would be able to afford health care and stop relying on emergency rooms for minor problems.
Young adults are the least likely to have health insurance, only 28.6% of people ages 18-24. This is not shocking to me at all. I am 19 years old and I do not have health insurance. My parents are self employed so they do not have insurance, which means I do not have insurance. I tried to get insurance on my own and I couldnt even afford the cheapest policy out there. I have asthma and have to take medicine twice a day to make it easier for me to breath, this medicine is 250 dollars a month. I make 100 dollars a week and have to pay rent and bills. It is very difficult to afford my medicine at the end of the month, which means my asthma is going untreated and I could have an attack at any time and end up in the emergency room. Also, the race that is least likely to be insured is Hispanic. This also is not shocking to me because whenever you visit an emergency room most of the people waiting are Hispanic because they do not have a regular doctor to see so they visit the emergency room for anything.
Why?
There are a few reasons health care is failing in the United States. One, health care is far too expensive. Two, it is very hard to get a health care policy, even government policied like Medicare is hard to qualify for. I believe that health care companies need to care more about their customers instead of the money. If that happened, more people would be able to afford health care and stop relying on emergency rooms for minor problems.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Session 9: Policy Responses
Who?
Once again this session confirmed that mostly African Americans, children, and single mothers are the poorest people. After watching the film "American Dream," single mother Angie was on welfare for many years, working two jobs, as well as overtime, and couldnt make ends met. It is very clear that the welfare reform does not help people out of poverty.
Why?
In my opinion, the biggest reason for being poor is due to lack of education. Angie was very against quitting her job and going back to school even though the woman she met had gotten out of poverty because she furthered her education.
What?
The Us government has put into place many poverty programs to assist people to get out of poverty. For example, Bill Clinton's 'end welfare as we know it' program and food stamps/financail aid. Are they working? In my opinion, not at all. Angie from the film "American Dream" was on welfare for 12 years and almost lost everything. She had no electricity, no healthcare and sometimes no food. Even with welfare Angie couldnt provide for her family. Yes, the government is trying, they need to step it up more.
Once again this session confirmed that mostly African Americans, children, and single mothers are the poorest people. After watching the film "American Dream," single mother Angie was on welfare for many years, working two jobs, as well as overtime, and couldnt make ends met. It is very clear that the welfare reform does not help people out of poverty.
Why?
In my opinion, the biggest reason for being poor is due to lack of education. Angie was very against quitting her job and going back to school even though the woman she met had gotten out of poverty because she furthered her education.
What?
The Us government has put into place many poverty programs to assist people to get out of poverty. For example, Bill Clinton's 'end welfare as we know it' program and food stamps/financail aid. Are they working? In my opinion, not at all. Angie from the film "American Dream" was on welfare for 12 years and almost lost everything. She had no electricity, no healthcare and sometimes no food. Even with welfare Angie couldnt provide for her family. Yes, the government is trying, they need to step it up more.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Session 7: Poverty and Wages
Why?
I think session seven explains one of the main causes of poverty more in depth, low wage jobs. I learned last session that 35% of poor families have one member working a full time job. How can a person working full time not support a family? Well, the current federal minimum wage is $7.25/hour. If a full time person is working forty hours a week that is only $290 a week before taxes. $290 times four weeks in a month that is $1160 a month. The average person in Atlanta needs at least $1449 a month to live a sufficent life. It increases to $3601 a month if that person has two small children. I also learned that the federal poverty rate is based on the cost of fodd a year, not including housing, helath care, or child care. If a family of four needs just food for a year a full time employee needs to make at least $8.65/hour. That's a $1.40 more than minimum wage. That might not sound like a lot to you, but dollars quickly add up and that $1.40 can determine whether you have food on the table or not. Now you really can understand why a person working full time can easily slip into poverty.
What is being done?
The living wage movement is trying to change how people who work full time live. Many people in America feel if a person is working full time and spending all their money just to keep their head above water, they shuld not be living in poverty. This movement started in Baltimore, Maryland in 1994. Of course like every proposed plan people feel there could be horrible consequences like small businesses will be forced to close, which will result in more job losts, but at least people are trying to create a way to decrease the number of families living in poverty.
I think session seven explains one of the main causes of poverty more in depth, low wage jobs. I learned last session that 35% of poor families have one member working a full time job. How can a person working full time not support a family? Well, the current federal minimum wage is $7.25/hour. If a full time person is working forty hours a week that is only $290 a week before taxes. $290 times four weeks in a month that is $1160 a month. The average person in Atlanta needs at least $1449 a month to live a sufficent life. It increases to $3601 a month if that person has two small children. I also learned that the federal poverty rate is based on the cost of fodd a year, not including housing, helath care, or child care. If a family of four needs just food for a year a full time employee needs to make at least $8.65/hour. That's a $1.40 more than minimum wage. That might not sound like a lot to you, but dollars quickly add up and that $1.40 can determine whether you have food on the table or not. Now you really can understand why a person working full time can easily slip into poverty.
What is being done?
The living wage movement is trying to change how people who work full time live. Many people in America feel if a person is working full time and spending all their money just to keep their head above water, they shuld not be living in poverty. This movement started in Baltimore, Maryland in 1994. Of course like every proposed plan people feel there could be horrible consequences like small businesses will be forced to close, which will result in more job losts, but at least people are trying to create a way to decrease the number of families living in poverty.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Session 6: The Economics and Causes of Poverty
Why?
Initially I said that I think people are poor because of alcohol/drug abuse and the lack of sufficient jobs. On the chart, 'Potential Causes of Poverty,' low paying jobs is listed, but alcohol/drug abuse is not.
I am shocked that alcohol/drug abuse is not listed because its impossible to support your self or any sort of family if you are addicted to drugs/alcohol. Instead of buying your kids food, you buy yourself a bottle of vodka or some cocaine.
I am not shocked that low wage jobs is a cause of poverty. In 1997, 37% of poor families had a member working full time and 35% had a member working part-time. How is it that a person working a full time job (40 hours a week) cannot keep his/her family out of poverty. That makes me wonder why the government does not recognize this and try to raise minimum wage so hard working people can provide their families with sufficient food, clothing, and housing. The possible solutions listed on the PowerPoint make perfect sense to me. If there was a way to distribute income equally among all classes there wouldn't be such a large gap between rich and poor.
Something that I did not list in my original blog about causes of poverty is education. It was found that a person without a high school degree has a 22.3% chance of being poor compared to a person with a degree, 9.6%. This definitely makes me realize that education is important and living without a high school degree can be difficult and unnecessary. I do not understand why a person would drop out of school for any reason. If it is proven that someone without a high school degree has a higher chance of slipping into poverty, it should make kids want to graduate. There are programs in America for high school moms so that's not a reason to drop out.
Initially I said that I think people are poor because of alcohol/drug abuse and the lack of sufficient jobs. On the chart, 'Potential Causes of Poverty,' low paying jobs is listed, but alcohol/drug abuse is not.
I am shocked that alcohol/drug abuse is not listed because its impossible to support your self or any sort of family if you are addicted to drugs/alcohol. Instead of buying your kids food, you buy yourself a bottle of vodka or some cocaine.
I am not shocked that low wage jobs is a cause of poverty. In 1997, 37% of poor families had a member working full time and 35% had a member working part-time. How is it that a person working a full time job (40 hours a week) cannot keep his/her family out of poverty. That makes me wonder why the government does not recognize this and try to raise minimum wage so hard working people can provide their families with sufficient food, clothing, and housing. The possible solutions listed on the PowerPoint make perfect sense to me. If there was a way to distribute income equally among all classes there wouldn't be such a large gap between rich and poor.
Something that I did not list in my original blog about causes of poverty is education. It was found that a person without a high school degree has a 22.3% chance of being poor compared to a person with a degree, 9.6%. This definitely makes me realize that education is important and living without a high school degree can be difficult and unnecessary. I do not understand why a person would drop out of school for any reason. If it is proven that someone without a high school degree has a higher chance of slipping into poverty, it should make kids want to graduate. There are programs in America for high school moms so that's not a reason to drop out.
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