Posts with the tag poverty

Sign My Petition! Reform Social Security Disability SSDI and SSI Determination Processes

AmericaForgotMe — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 09:04:38 EDT

Please Sign Petition to Reform Social Security Disability SSDI and SSI Determination Processes

Take Action! Sign My Petition! Reform Social Security Disability SSDI and SSI Determination Processes - http://tinyurl.change.org/zXUto Thanks! I won at the hearing level 2006, but got cut off soon after that due to husband making too much $ for SSI/Medicaid. Now hubby left, have to reapply all over again in April! Just got first denial notice... Here we go, reconsideration, again. Not so sure I'll make it for hearing again this time. It is ridiculous. You must First become a supporter of Poverty in American, then click on sign my petition button.

Medical Reform

Susan — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:36:07 EDT

After 40 years spent working, I developed serious medical problems. Because I put money into the social security system, I receive $1400 a month to live on from them, stripped down to $1308 to pay for medicare and medication. My cost of living I've managed to get down to $950 a month by cutting out everything but rent, phone, unilities and transportation. $684 gets spent on medical expenses and medication not covered by Medicare. Until now, the extra $326 has been coming out of savings but savings is almost gone.

Next month that $684 figure will jump to $1,238.00 because medication is only paid for up to a certain dollar amount.

Boulder CO means POVERTY for Art & Artists

Art for the Soul — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 06:54:50 EDT

Boulder does not support my art life, I am kept in poverty for 3 decades.

"Will Sell Art For Food"

Art for the Soul — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:32:34 EDT

In Boulder, you can see people on corners with signs -"Will Work for Food"

it works so well for them, I thought I would give it a try here, with a little change to the wording.

We are gaining momentum

Join us to make a difference — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:28:14 EDT

I am really encouraged by the progress being made with our Democratic Deliberation on the issue of Poverty in St. Louis. Our last meeting included a multi-cultural crowd who excited about change. So excited they are willing to work for it. We hope that more of you, who care about those who soiciety forgets will join us in our efforts. This Thursday at 6:00 p.m. we will have another meeting were we will discuss further actions and our mission statement. Please join in our efforts.

Democratic Deliberation on the issue of Poverty in St. Louis

Left Bank Books, 321 N. 10th Street (at the corner of 10th and Locust), 6:00p.m. Thursday July 23rd.

We are gaining momentum

Join us to make a difference — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:28:14 EDT

Democratic Deliberation on the issue of Poverty in St. Louis

Left Bank Books, 321 N. 10th Street (at the corner of 10th and Locust), 6:00p.m. Thursday July 23rd.

THE TIME IS NOW

Join us to make a difference — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:54:49 EDT

Living and working in St. Louis Mo. I encounter daily the social ills that is pervasive in this community, such as poverty, homelessness, a failing school system, and crime. In the past I would just ignore these huge blights in the city's landscape and would take a non-chalant attitude towards the sufferings of my neighbors. Now that I know more about my duties as a citizen of a free democracy and since I have taken the time to research why huge disparities exist in my community, I stand outraged! Therefore, I encourage other outraged activists who want to see change in our community on a grassroots level, to join us as we plan a community wide democratic deliberation on poverty in the St. Louis region.

Democratic Deliberation on Poverty in the St. Louis Region Planning session

Thurs, July 9th. 6:00 p.m.

Left Bank Books Downtown, 321 N. 10th street, at the corner of 10th and Locust.

Poverty in America

Thomas from Hyattsville, MD — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:37:58 EDT

I want to discuss poverty and its effect on our economy. I do not have all the answers but I do have a desire to initiate a dialogue on how to eradicate poverty. It is my belief that this is the perfect time to reach out and bring the people who live below the poverty level into the middle class. Our country and the world is on the verge of a great technological leap and our resources are being refocused to bridge the gaps that exist in our economy. It is imperative that we not lose this opportunity to institute a green economy and take a new and fresh approach to how we help those in need.

I am starting a non-profit in Hyattsville, Maryland that will use government resources to help those that others want to help but are apparently to busy to speak to. We must upgrade our workforce and change how we obtain energy as well as reforming our health care system. Why not use our volunteer time and government and private funds to establish businesses that train or re-train our workforce while we look at how we relate to the poor. Our law enforcement agencies are overwhelmed and our prisons are over crowed and we cannot afford to continue to fund programs that deal with the side effects of poverty and discrimination.

I am a veteran and a minority living in a wealthy state and I see homeless people and immigrants/migrants with no programs of substance to help. I have a background in social work and outreach to populations in crisis and I have decided not to take a 9-5 position and instead I will work for less money and advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Hello everyone,

winbald — Tue, 19 May 2009 20:36:47 EDT

I just create a blog on the site of Barack Obama, hoping that many of you will read me, and especially to correct me, I expect a lot from you! I am a young Senegalese also a citizen of the world, because our borders are only fictitious although in places in the world of the walls are erected, the nature wished that there were no boundaries and this benefits the birds , whales, ... hopefully!

2009 Pacific NW Microfinance Conference, part 1--Kiva Co-founder Matt Flannery

Pam — Fri, 15 May 2009 00:45:18 EDT

A crowd of 400 (there were 100 people on the waiting list) attended the first ever Pacific Northwest Microfinance Conference on May 8-9, at Seattle Pacific University. The keynote speaker Friday night was Kiva co-founder Matt Flannery. If you ever have a chance to see Matt speak, do so! Matt began by pointing out that nearly 50% of the world lives on less than $2 per day. Most of the working poor run small businesses. He was in Uganda when the idea for Kiva was hatched. At first, the idea percolated and started to take real shape in the offices of TIVO, his then employer. Then the Kiva operations moved to the neighborhood donut shop. Finally, they were doing well enough to move into the office building where Kiva is located now. Kiva was still a very small operation, when lightning struck. Bill Clinton and Oprah talked about it. The national media discovered it. It took off. They have now loaned more than $70 million. Their overhead is about $5 million on revenue of $60 million. Lenders have the opportunity to contribute to overhead if they choose each time they make a loan. Most of Kiva's clients are women. They have found that women are more likely to repay loans. While Kiva does not charge interest to the borrowers and the lenders do not get a financial return on their principal, the field partners (microfinance institutions, or MFI's) virtually all charge interest to the borrowers. This is necessary to defray the MFI's costs to, for example, visit borrowers (who often live in remote areas). In Muslim areas, where interest is forbidden, the pricing structure is different--for example, the MFI might charge a fee, rather than interest. As the organization has grown, they have learned a lot, for example, how to do due diligence on their field partners. In the early days, sometimes they would discover that an MFI wasn't what it said it was and that embezzlement was occurring. They learned that the best policy was to be honest by disclosing the problem on the website. Cultural issues have also arisen: for example, one entrepreneur's business was cockfighting; there have also been issues with taking digital photos of women borrowers, especially in Muslim countries. For Iraqi borrowers, names and faces had to be concealed for their own security. The current global economic crisis is having an impact. The borrower in Southeast Asia, for example, who weaves silk may not be able to tap as large an export market as before. Kiva also wondered whether lending would slow down. It did not. Kiva has been setting records in recent months for total amounts loaned. Matt stressed that microfinance is not the total solution to world poverty. Kiva hopes to be able to post loans to US borrowers sometime this summer. However, one of the big issues they are facing is the privacy rights of the borrowers. Kiva is a Swahili word for harmony or unity.

FROM ALL THE PAKISTANIS CHRISTAINS

THE LEGENDKILLER — Sat, 09 May 2009 02:41:27 EDT

DEAR AMERICANS WE WANT U ALL TO CALL US IN AMERICA BCAUSE WE DONOT GET OUR CIVIL RIGHTS IN PAKISTAN WE R JUST SICK OF THIS COUNTRY PLZ HELP US EVEN THE MONEY U GAVE TO PAKISTAN WE DONOT GET 1% OF IT ALL THE LEADERS EAT THAT MONEY PLS HELP WE R OUR CHRISTAINS BROTHERS AND SISTERS

The Intent of the Law or Misuse of it

Tom Awtry — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:52:02 EDT

I guess I could be wrong! I’ve always voted for candidates based on bills they have either authored or supported by their vote, and this, with me, has been true at the local state and federal levels of our government.

Now I see there are other things I should have considered besides the “Intent” of the bill introduced by the person I want in office or that person’s beliefs.

As I understand it, Lawmakers in at least eight U.S. states want recipients of food assistance, unemployment benefits or welfare to submit to random drug testing. For me this is a travesty of government, which could lead to serious repercussions. This effort comes as more Americans turn to these safety nets to ride out the recession. Poverty and civil liberties advocates fear the strategy could backfire, discouraging some people from seeking financial aid and making already desperate situations worse. Please consider reviewing this online news release by CBS News entitled: “States Consider Drug Tests For Needy”. Subtitled: “Recipients Of Food Stamps, Unemployment Benefits And Welfare Targeted By Plans In 8 States”.

We enact laws to “aid” and “protect” us for specifically defined reasons, when these laws are not used for this purpose, in my opinion we are violating the “Rule of Law”, which our country is based upon.

Suppose in my extreme example: a person is transporting a registered firearm “illegally” (in actuality basically a law bidding citizen with no criminal record) in there vehicle; and while transporting the firearm this person comes to the aid of rescuing another individual from a pending life or death situation, hence saving the person’s life! Should this “Good Samaritan” be charged with the crime of transporting a firearm illegally?

For me, to long, I have witnessed the miscarriage of justice within our country in regards to applying laws authored to service one purposed and used in another to establish the “Law of Rule” as opposed to the “Rule of Law”. Our former Bush administration is an additional example, with to many examples to site within one posting.

So, lets not deny those who need financial assistance at this troubling time in our economy when they need it the most. Especially when you consider we could be hurting innocent family members within a family more so than the person under question. Denying an individual these needed benefits could also lead this person to a more serious crime and with one in every one-hundred Americans serving prison time; our penal system is already heavily over crowded.

The following video is a prime example of the importance the Rule of Law as it applies to our American society and basically what separates our nation from developing and undeveloped nations.

Public Service, the Constitution, and the Rule of Law

Sen. Ted Kennedy delivers the keynote address at the 2006 Conference on Public Service & the Law at the University of Virginia Law School. Founded by law students seven years ago, the conference brings together students, citizens, and attorneys to discuss current public interest legal issues. A graduate UVA’s law school, Mr. Kennedy discusses ‘Public Service, the Constitution, and the Rule of Law’.

Additional postings regarding this topic and others may be found here:

OBAMA SONG-17yr old positive lyricist

Fundamental — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 20:39:43 EDT

I'm a 17yr old positive lyricist out of Richmond,VA. i wrote a rap song about OBAMA. you can hear it at myspace.com/3rdeyeup
no cursing, no negativity. real positive, creative lyrics. hope you guys check it out. peace n bless

X Kingdom faced economic crisis

sadashivan — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 07:44:41 EDT

Once upon a time some thousand years back a country X faced serious economic crisis resulting financial and banking institution failures, massive unemployment, trade crisis that slashed kingdom revenue. King and his chief minister were worried about moving economy. All solutions they brought were failed rather deepened further. Entire kingdom was sleepless. Worried King ordered the ministries “Perceiving economic down turn I decide to invite all the economists and ministers for their suggestions to overcome the deepening crisis and find solutions. Suitable idea will be rewarded”.

Our American Society’s Shameless Crime

Tom Awtry — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:48:19 EDT

Today it was disclosed 1 in 50 children, in America, live in a homeless family!

There’s “No” easy solution to this problem; children cannot be taken away from there parents and we as fellow citizens cannot easily provide homes for these families. So what’s the solution?

As I see there is no short term fix; homelessness as a whole as been avoided for almost the past thirty years by us, the American people, and at all levels of government providing only token service at best to take care (soup kitchens, old clothing and limited, space available shelter) of the homeless, but “not” to solve the problem(s) of what creates homelessness.

However, as I do see it, there is a long term solution, which complements, but extends our recently passed Stimulus Package in congress last month. After World War II our federal government provided funding for a number of nation wide housing projects to accommodate lower income family’s homes to temporally live in; until America’s economy recovered from the war effort and industry could re-gear to produce consumer related goods. A side benefit of this aforementioned program was creating jobs for returning veterans from the European and Pacific theaters of action, which it successfully accomplished.

Today, the housing industry is suffering, thus the lack of “new housing starts”, placing many of our skilled tradesmen out of work (perhaps even homeless); so the question begs to be asked “why couldn’t an extension sum of money be included in the existing Stimulus Package for Federally Funded Housing?”

By now it should be intuitively obvious I’m more or less a Democratic, “left leaning” liberal, which to some means I believe in and support unlimited “welfare assistance”, which is not the case at all. This “government housing”, I’m suggesting, must have enforceable, stick limitations for the tenants caring to reside in these proposed dwellings, suggested are a few:

Employable skills of the bread earners in the family
Employable skills available within the community
Available and meaningful vocational training within the community
Age of children within the family
Length of necessary stay by a family
Incentives for tenants to relocate to permanent, affordable housing

I’m sure there are additional limitations and conditions to consider, before commencing on such an extreme and expensive program, both these are what comes to mind, which are important to me. In other words, stated simply, this is not another endless free ride for those who are content to exist on welfare or produce offspring to gain free to low cost housing for life.

I’m not going to invoke a session of preaching within this posting, but experience should have taught us that these homeless kids, growing up on our city streets have one alternative to turn to, which is “gangs, hence crime”; causing an ever worsening condition for our society. With 1 out of 100 Americans serving prison time, I certainly don’t feel my tax payer dollars should be spent on additional confinement facilities or the expansion of existing prisons.

Below is the article which promoted this posting appearing in TIME and entitled: “Report Says 1 in 50 U.S. Kids Are Homeless”, authored by Steven Gray.

Homeless

Report Says 1 in 50 U.S. Kids Are Homeless
By Steven Gray / Chicago Tuesday, Mar. 10, 2009

Even before the financial and home foreclosure crisis hit full stride, the number of homeless children in America had reached an alarming level. The National Center on Family Homelessness released a report today that estimates that one in every 50 American children was homeless between 2005 and 2006. That totals roughly 1.5 million kids. While the center provided no previous statistic to compare against that figure, a study conducted with different measures published in 2000 put the total at 1.35 million children living in homelessness each year. The numbers are likely to get worse as the economy continues to decline. “We know the numbers are going to skyrocket,” says Ellen Bassuk, president of the Newton, Mass.-based Center and an associate professor of psychiatry at the Harvard Medical School.

Indeed, a quick survey of the country provides lots of evidence to support those fears. Chicago public school officials report the number of its 405,000 students deemed homeless soared to 11,143 last month from 9,182 in February 2006. School officials in Hillsborough County, Fla., which includes Tampa, have so far counted some 1,700 homeless students — and expect the figure to eclipse last year’s 2,020. Meanwhile, the surge in homeless families has overwhelmed Massachusetts’ shelters, forcing state officials to book motel rooms for the displaced. In January, some 4,600 homeless children were reported in the state’s shelters and motels, up from 3,411 from roughly one year earlier. (See one family’s struggle against homelessness.)

According to the new report, the states with the highest number of homeless children in the period studied were Texas (337,105), California (292,624), Louisiana (204,053), Georgia (58,397) and Florida (49,886). The states reporting the smallest populations of homeless children: Wyoming (169), Rhode Island (797), Vermont (1,174), North Dakota (1,181), and South Dakota (1,545). However, the report also ranks the states according to parameters that go beyond their share of homeless children, factoring in, among other things, incidence of such health conditions as asthma and tooth decay. With that framework, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Hawaii, Rhode Island and North Dakota were rated among states that dealt best with the problem overall. At the bottom of the list: Texas, Georgia, Arkansas, New Mexico and Louisiana.

Families with children comprise roughly one-third of the nation’s homeless population. Poverty continues to be a core reason for the crisis, though the aftermath of Hurrican Katrina combined to swell the numbers in Louisiana, Texas and Georgia. Since the 1980s, single mothers have accounted for an increasing share of the homeless population, partly because of increased divorced rates, gender and wage disparities, and the shrinking supply of affordable housing. Officials believe that the current home foreclosure crisis will be adding a new demographic to these statistics: middle-class blacks and Latinos. “It’s families that were living pretty independently, doing pretty well. And, through just one event, it was, like, a domino effect — if one part of the puzzle breaks off, then everything breaks off,” says Michael Levine, who coordinates social work programs for Hillsborough, Fla.’s 206,000-student school system. (See Cleveland’s woes amid the current foreclosure crisis.)

The nation’s states and cities are awaiting an infusion of $1.5 billion from President Obama’s stimulus package devoted to homelessness prevention programs. Those programs will provide short-term rental and mortgage assistance, as well as security deposits and utility bills. A decade ago, the Department of Housing and Urban Development spent barely $1 billion on all of its homeless programs each year.

Still, measuring homelessness is tricky, partly because of varying definitions of what constitutes homelessness. It is especially difficult to gauge homelessness among children, since many teenagers are reluctant to identify themselves as such, and evade formal counts by living independently on the streets or in vacant apartments with friends. This is compounded by the scarcity of housing options for children over age 12, particularly boys, who are typically barred from entering shelters with their mothers. So any gauge merely offers a glimpse at the problem’s severity. The report’s researchers based their analysis on a broad definition of homelessness that included, for instance, children living in shelters, on the streets, or with other relatives, a practice known as “doubling up.” The findings are no less startling: Roughly three-quarters of homeless children are of elementary school age, and 42% are below age six.

The consequences of homelessness are profound. Homeless children are twice as likely as other children to be “retained,” or held back, one academic year, or to be suspended or, ultimately, to drop out of school altogether. School districts across the country report a growing share of students who are “highly mobile” — who move multiple times within a school year. With each move, experts say, such students are at risk of falling some six months behind, or more, in their studies. Roughly one-quarter of homeless children have witnessed violence. It isn’t surprising, then, that nearly half of such children suffer from anxiety and depression.

It’s the narrative that Trisha Parker, 19, is hoping to avoid for her infant son. Parker can’t live with her mother, who receives federal housing assistance, and neither can she live with her grandmother in the Chicago suburbs much longer. Parker says she completed training to be a medical technician, but couldn’t find work in the field. She was recently hired as a security guard, earning $11 an hour. But that’s hardly enough to afford even a $600 a month studio apartment. Larger units are beyond her reach. “They want the first and last month’s security deposit” which is, she figures, about $2,000, maybe $2,500. “It really is a lot.”

Complementing this story is a YouTube video regarding a program in Massachusetts, Horizons for Homeless Children, which is a good example of what can be done for the less fortunate children in today’s America.

Horizons for Homeless Children Programs

This is a 3.5 minute piece that features Massachusetts-based Horizons for Homeless Children and the programs/services it offers to homeless children and families. For more information, visit www.horizonsforhomelesschildren.org.

Special thanks to all involved in the production of this video, including Redtree Productions, Jay Williams, Richard Klug, Soundtrack Boston, Alex Lasarenko at Tonal Sound and Mary Richardson. Thanks also to all of the children, families, volunteers and HHC staff who helped share the story.

Update 13 Mar 09:

A Tent City Near You? Tell Us About It
Arthur Delaney
Huffington Post

There are reports of tent cities popping up across the country as unemployment rises in a worsening economy. The biggest and highest-profile shantytown is in Sacramento, where hundreds of newly-homeless tent residents are cooking soup in old coffee cans.

We want to know where else this is happening.

HuffPost readers: Is there a tent city near you? Have you noticed a newly-formed community of people living together in improvised housing in a public space? Email us! Send any information you’ve got (or pictures) to submissions+homeless@huffingtonpost.com.

Sacramento’s KCRA reported this week that city officials plan to shut the tent city down:

Sacramento’s ‘Tent City’ To Be Closed

Campers in a large tent city at the north end of downtown Sacramento will be told to leave the property with their belongings within a few weeks, assistant city manager Cassandra Jennings said Wednesday.

Additional postings regarding this topic and others may be found here:

We Need Natural Food! Genetically Modified is not Proven Safe

Gramma Willi — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:49:54 EDT

The Obama-Biden administration has the power to make sure that everyone has good, clean food. Change This stewardship agreement!

http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocumentDetail&o=090000648084de39

"Technology/stewardship agreements required for the purchase of genetically modified seed explicitly prohibit research. These agreements inhibit public scientists from pursuing their mandated role on behalf of the public good unless the research is approved by industry. As a result of restricted access, no truly independent research can be legally conducted on many critical questions regarding the technology, its performance, its management implications, IRM, and its interactions with insect biology. Consequently, data flowing to an EPA
Scientific Advisory Panel from the public sector is unduly limited."

also see

"Rising Rhetoric on Genetically Modified Crops"in PR Watch, Volume 10, No. 1, 1st Quarter 2003.

"Their level of desperation appears to be increasing," says Michael Hansen, a scientist with Consumers Union in the US, who monitors the activities of the biotech industry as it lobbies for acceptance of genetically modified (GM) foods. Hansen has watched with increasing alarm as the pro-GM lobby escalates its vitriolic attacks on critics.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Rising_Rhetoric_on_Genetically_Modified_Crops

Our American Society’s Shameless Crime

Tom Awtry — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:23:04 EDT

Today it was disclosed 1 in 50 children, in America, live in a homeless family!

There’s “No” easy solution to this problem; children cannot be taken away from there parents and we as fellow citizens cannot easily provide homes for these families. So what’s the solution?

Employable skills of the bread earners in the family
Employable skills available within the community
Available and meaningful vocational training within the community
Age of children within the family
Length of necessary stay by a family
Incentives for tenants to relocate to permanent, affordable housing

Below is the article which promoted this posting appearing in TIME and entitled: “Report Says 1 in 50 U.S. Kids Are Homeless”, authored by Steven Gray.

Homeless

Report Says 1 in 50 U.S. Kids Are Homeless
By Steven Gray / Chicago Tuesday, Mar. 10, 2009

Horizons for Homeless Children Programs

This is a 3.5 minute piece that features Massachusetts-based Horizons for Homeless Children and the programs/services it offers to homeless children and families. For more information, visit www.horizonsforhomelesschildren.org.

Special thanks to all involved in the production of this video, including Redtree Productions, Jay Williams, Richard Klug, Soundtrack Boston, Alex Lasarenko at Tonal Sound and Mary Richardson. Thanks also to all of the children, families, volunteers and HHC staff who helped share the story.

Las Vegas stripped by deep recession.

sadashivan — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 22:20:08 EST

Las Vegas stripped by deep recession. Don’t believe it….! It so happened that I had to visit Las Vegas for Home furnishing trade fair (related to my business) in World Market Center. When landed the land of Las Vegas I realized the affect of recession. Empty roads and empty heavy discounted hotel rooms represented the declaration of heavy recession, confirmed by the hotel receptionist and the taxi driver. The present deserted Las Vegas looked like an age old desert land.

The "other" India

R.Alamsha — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 23:52:22 EST

We are good at winning the battle and losing the war. We forget that with 1.2 billion people to feed, whatever we are deabating is simply irrelevant for 70% of the population who have no access even to the very basics like toilet and water supply system. We all know deep inside our heart that this is a nightmare and a silent volcano and tsunami is brewing right under our arse. Even there is a silent consensus among all of us that this is the law of nature and if some has to stay, some has to go. But, we forget that the “other India” also is arriving at the same consensus as we are.

Look at our matrimonial ads. Parents from the 30% are every day seeking alliance from well settled brides / grooms in UK, US, Canada, Australia and Europe. Every one of our ruling elites, including the PM, President, nationalist party leaders and policy makers have their sons and daughters settled in these nations.

Let us look around our neighbours. While bollywood movies and Indian people are loved by everyone around the world, we pretend ignorant to the fact that there is a growing aversion towards India in the SAARC region. While the traditional hatred between India and Pakistan is well known, why India could not build a cordial relationship with any of it’s neighbours Bangladesh, Srilanka, Nepal and China?. We can not close our eyes to the fact that the entire subcontinent is gravitating towards China and very soon India may be left all alone.

The “holier than thou” attitude and unreasonable boasting of intellectual prowess by repeatedly quoting certain phrases like Einstein’s “We owe a lot to Indians who taught us how to count, without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made”, “worlds largest democracy” etc while the genocides, corrupt judiciary, quality of life, deteriorating infrastrature and weeping poverty speaks otherwise, generates a sense of hypocrisy and disillusion about India in the minds of weaker neighbours.

Dr.Manmohan Singh knows these geopolitical dynamics very well and realised that he can't have an Indo-US nuclear deal under his arms and extend the hand of friendship to China as well. Simply put, China did not buy his bluff. In this context, China is emerging as a defacto leader of the subcontinent and all our "weaker neighbours" have started signing "deals and pacts" with China. Obviously, one can not have his cake and eat it too.

Hope, we are not moving towards taking pride in glorified tragedies like “slumdog millionaire”.

Need change

sadashivan — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 05:00:11 EST

Bailout is only temporary solutions to cover what lost by financial or other industrial sectors. Bailout money is public money used to cover incurred by rich sectors. This adjustment to relieve them is may be by pruning necessary social projects or overburdening its citizens with direct or indirect taxes. More taxes mean lesser expenditure is best way to worsen economic growth. Bailout does not mean better future of these sectors due to low financial demand from loss making or reduced output of industries. Final decision of moving economy is by the final customers who already have lost to high living cost. Improving citizens buying power would yield the result. Change would need to:

Empower population with buying power, for instant relief would be to tax freedom to working population with condition to utilize in consumption. And soft loan to industries to increase production. So together can move economy.
Encourage Small and medium industrial sectors for more employment.
Nearly 40 million Americans are living in poverty. Steps needed to minimize.
Research and investments in rural economy. and agro based industries. Would be more helpful for Job creation.

A solution to end poverty, solve the economic crisis, stop global warming, and create world peace.

Chris Par — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 04:52:22 EST

    Nobody was put on this earth to be a waiter. People were not born to work, yet we have no choice. A human's right to be alive is oppressed by money. Without money to buy those necessary to survival, one would die. We are slaves to the dollar; however, freedom is imminent. My critical theory of proper progression and redirection states that certain technological advancements will liberate us from enslavement and as a result, end poverty, solve the economic crisis, stop global warming, and create world peace.
   For the purposes of this essay, I take “green” to mean environmentally friendly. Also, I take “technology which generates basic necessities” to mean a device, which will evolve from manufacturing advancing and getting smaller, that uses nanotechnology to create food, water, medicine, material, etc.
   If we re-landscaped the earth so that every residence, connected by a free green train, was converted into free green skyscraper resorts that provided free access to green technology which generates basic necessities for free, and robots took over the jobs of the working class for free, then money would lose all value and cease to exist.
   Money would no longer be a need nor would it dictate our lives and we would finally, truly be free: free from doing jobs that we don't want to do and free to pursue our passions, free to spend time with the ones we love, free to travel the world for free, free to learn for free, and free to live for free.
   In a world without money, there is no poverty. There is no economic crisis. There is no money-related crime.
   We would see a second renaissance period. The concept of building community would thrive. Exchanging of information over the internet would fluctuate—movies, music, books, lectures on video/audio, and communication would soon all be accessible and spread through the internet; this eliminates the need of physically producing such media and saves natural resources like the trees needed for paper. Innovation and education would continue through schools, universities, and the internet; our focus would be redirected towards research and getting a broader education, rather than a specialized education geared for commercial business.
   Redirection from our dependence on earth's limited natural resources to using green technology in production, housing, and transportation, will stop global warming. Because society will no longer be dependent on oil to run the very transportation that fuels each nation's economy, war for oil would end.
   Furthermore, in this technologically advanced society, war over land, money and resources in general would end. Incidentally, the only war that technology cannot solve is war over religion, but that can be solved with an education in the concept of tolerance because it eliminates hate, and the use of marijuana because it causes amotivation. All things considered, when we reach this evolution of society, we will create world peace.
   With that, I challenge everyone--world leaders, philosophers, scientists, and engineers of all sorts --to take a second to imagine, find flaws in my theory, and build on this outline of a call for action. Together, we can progress towards a brighter tomorrow and make the world a better place.

All You Need Is Love,

Chris Par

Listen to the song which sums up the same message, "I Need The World To Hear This", at www.myspace.com/WhoChrisPa

About me... and a program that works to help eliminate poverty...

Angelic — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:25:35 EST

I hope my story will help others and may give some ideas as how individuals and families can overcome poverty with help from their communities. I am not speaking of financial help, as most people know financial problems are not solved with money. I know what I have been through over the past few months has helped me, and can help others just as much. I am still receiving help and support. This program I will tell you about does work, that much has been tested and confirmed. Let me start by filling you in on some background about myself and the issues I have had to face and explain how I have started my way to overcoming poverty. I do not know how this program could be fit to a national level, however I hope that is where the President could step in and come up with some ideas.

My name is Angelic; I am a 36 year old, single mother, I have two children, both boys ages thirteen and nine. I was raised in middle to upper middle class family; my mother was divorced from my father when I was approximately 18 months old. She always worked full time, usually third shift, so I stayed with my grandparents most of the time growing up. After graduating high school, I started to go to a local business college; I ended up deciding getting married was more important to me (how wrong I was). I married young and five years later divorced. All of my life I had always worked, usually full time. I worked part time while going to high school.

In 2002, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia; after working for my last full time job for 6 years, I was abruptly terminated, this occurred in August, 2007. I drew my unemployment while looking for a new job, which never happened at that time. With having Fibromyalgia I started working with the local vocational rehabilitation counselor at the employment office. This is where my story starts to go downhill.

The first counselor I had, told me the first time she met me that “you do not look employable.” You can imagine how that would have affected me emotionally and mentally, after working all of my adult life. It was after this point in my life that I started to lose hope. The only income I had was the child support that was coming in for my boys. My home was almost in foreclosure, my vehicle had been repossessed, the only utility I had on in the home was my water, no electricity and no gas services. Everywhere I went for help I was turned away for one reason or another. I had finally had all that I could take; I did not know where to turn. The next thing I did to me was drastic, but the only option I knew I could take. I finally sat down and wrote a letter to every government official I could think of; explaining to them my situation, so I could receive some kind of advice on what I could do besides becoming homeless and losing my children. When I say every government official, I mean from the local mayor, state representatives, state senators, the Indiana governor, US congressmen and senators up to the President at the time. As I am sure you can imagine I received very few replies to my letter and my call out for help. The few people that did respond; the mayor’s office in Muncie, Indiana, State Representative Dennis Tyler, Senator Sue Errington, Evan Bayh, and Mike Pence were the only ones that contacted me. Because of the correspondence with Mr. Bayh, I was placed with a different vocational rehabilitation counselor and I am now employed, working from home for a company that only hires employees with disabilities. It is only part time, but I am working. Mr. Tyler is the one that worked with me the most; however, the best thing that happened out of that letter was the response from the mayor’s office. They referred me to a local organization called Teamwork for Quality Living. It is through this organization that I am finally finding my way back to where I need to be, I do have a long way to go yet, but this is the program I wanted to bring to your attention.

Without this program, I honestly do not know where I would be right now. The first thing that happened was I was invited to a community dinner. They occur twice a month, the first and third Thursdays; the dinners are called Overcoming Poverty Together or OPT dinners. They are open to the public and the basic motive of the dinner is to bridge people together, without the thought of financial class. You form friendships and receive support, always feel welcomed and everyone involved truly cares about each and every person that does attend. This is just the first part of this group.

The next step I took was to take a class called Getting Ahead. This class is sponsored by Teamwork for Quality Living. Each participant learns about the traps and barriers they are personally facing that are keeping them in poverty. The class is fifteen weeks long, meeting once a week for approximately 2 to 2 and a half hours each week. Some of the other things which are taught are the hidden rules of financial class, different resources that are available in the community, self assessment, and you create an action plan to better yourself and your situation. After graduation from the class you are placed in a small circle of people which include yourself or your family as the captain/leader, and allies (which are members of the community that are in a higher financial class than you are) that become your friends, to give support and advice to help you in whatever situation you need help with. Just imagine this circle can become as big as you want it to be, reaching out to the whole community and farther if you let it. The resources that can become available to you are limitless. If you have an issue where you are looking for a job and you do not know how to write a resume, one of your allies can help you, if you need help with interviewing skills; maybe one of your allies is an employer and they can coach you. Not only are these allies there to help you better yourself financially, they help emotionally and mentally. When I first started going to these dinners and starting in the classes; I was very much depressed and lonely, my self confidence was lower than ever. Now, it is much different and I am just starting with my circle! I can not imagine what benefits lay in the future for me. I do know that one of my allies has seen some of my poetry and writings and is encouraging me to take writing classes and to do something with what he calls “the gift” I possess. The other part of the circles program is the smaller dinners that are held. These are not open to everyone in the public, but are open to the captains and allies. It is a more intimate dinner, focused even more on relationships. This is the group that comes up with ideas for discussions in the larger OPT dinners. We call these Big View meetings, similar to town hall meetings.

This program brings hope when you think all hope is lost, self esteem when you have been beaten down by everyone else and friendships that will last a lifetime. Before becoming involved I honestly did not think people out there cared about other people anymore. I was at a point of losing hope in humanity. I now have more hope and determination as ever and I owe that all to this community of people that reach out to help others in their time of need. I want other people in situations similar to the one I have experienced and I am going through to know the power of a community coming together like the one I am in. I know from the bottom of my heart that this is part of the answer to eliminating poverty in our country. I also know it works, I am proof of that. I have never believed in a program so much to want to tell the world about it, until now.

I would like to personally invite anyone and their families who are in East Central Indiana (even if you are just visiting) to join us to see how this program works and how much good we are doing in Muncie, Indiana.

For more information about this program please visit the following websites:

http://www.teamworkql.org/Teamwork/index.php

http://www.movethemountain.org/

http://www.ahaprocess.com/

It's The Economy, Friend!

Janice C. from Chicago, IL — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 12:04:24 EST

The Committee For Economic Development, Obama for America, Chicago-Hyde Park endorses the “I House at a Time Project” (see below) as a national green community service model for reducing carbon footprint, saving energy, rebuilding low-income communities, helping families save money, and creating green jobs. Our committee also endorses piloting this model in Hyde Park, Chicago and surrounding communities.

26,000+ children worldwide dying needlessly per day of preventable diseases/hunger/dirty water?

Joe Hendricks, Owner of SoftwareRunners — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:42:38 EST

How I hope Obama tries addressing the root causes, instead of symptoms, of terrorism, genocide and war..

A film shot in the poorest place in the world (Payatas mountains of trash) seeks your ideas.

Gerry — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 01:07:00 EST

Hi! My name is Gerry a New York filmmaker. I recently shot a narrative film called THE MOUNTAIN THIEF in Payatas, a dumpsite community and possibly the poorest place in the world.

Please take 2 minutes of your time to view the trailer, this will give you an idea:

http://www.mountainthief.com/Site_/Trailer.html

A place where people live on top of mountains of trash. I held an acting workshop in the town for the scavenger residents and the graduates acted out the parts in the film. I hope to get a discussion on how to build an audience for the film, inspire change and touch the lives of the scavengers who acted in the film.

Our website above gives more info about the film and please add our page to your facebook account:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mountain-Thief/25443474407

The Inauguration of hope on a massive scale: OBAMA CHANGE

Unknown user — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:32:43 EST

What does Barack Obama’s Inauguration mean to you?

Implicit in Barack Obama's widely publicized vision is a world in need of change that will reverse the global economic downturn that has arisen from the widespread effects of deficient financial supervision by U.S. authorities and corruption in the U.S. real estate mortgage industry. Such change transcends the enactment in the U.S. of improved regulation and supervision in the financial industry in general, and a reappraisal of the nature and extent of regulation required in the design production and delivery of goods and services, especially when done at an industrial scale, in the context of an imperiled planet. The change demanded in today's globalized world includes the satisfaction of the loud plea for justice audible in its every corner, within the narrow confines of each nation and in the great concert of all nations, in the treatment which individuals and nations afford each other today, which determines the quality of life for all. And at the heart of change that will improve the lives of untold billions of poor and extremely poor, lives the hope for equal rights and increasing opportunity for employment for material and spiritual survival and self-improvement, which is the valid and palpable measure of real justice, and is required to unequivocally steer global society away from the tipping point to chaos at which it is. This quantum change demands in turn, as the fulcrum for the turning point to global prosperity, Top-Down North-South global economic reform spearheaded by an honest competent and agile examination of the grotesque unacceptable and self-perpetuating welfare and capitalization imbalances between OECD nations and the others. This cycle of poverty hopelessness terror and backwardness must be broken and replaced with a virtuous cycle of riches hopefulness peace and development, so help us God. This monumental challenge for change can best be met by means of a Private-Public Financial "Partnership for Development with the United States of America" led by the Private sector and backed by the pertinent Governmental and Multilateral organizations, aimed at holistic development in the Southern hemisphere harmonious and convergent with development in the Northern hemisphere and with responsible globalization. The name of this change is OBAMA CHANGE, and his inauguration means HOPE to me, and to billions like me.

***

Rochester Youth Means Change

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 15:24:00 EST

Lets get started.

Your Choice:...Food, Clothing or Shelter

Stephanie Sulger RN, MS — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 17:48:15 EST

Yesterday evening I moderated a community discussion group in Denver about Health Care Reform, the Environment and Education. The goal was to identify the biggest areas of concern within these topics and to plan service projects that would address the issues.

Needless to say those who attended became overwhelmed and quickly caught up in a haze of thoughts about where to start. Should we look for the person who started these problems? How intertwined is each issue with the next? How do ordinary citizens analyze where the corruption is and take ethical actions to help heal our country and then create new systems? It took a discussion that was sometimes very frustrating, but in the end rewarding, to realize that unless we address the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter in our communities that, among other things, medical care, the environment and education will take care of themselves – people might not survive long enough to need them.

Some of the concrete numbers of those ‘going without” are entirely frightening. An estimated 5 million seniors regularly sacrifice food to pay bills. At least 29% (almost 1/3) of Americans skip medical care to pay for basic food, clothing or shelter.

According to the US Department of Agriculture over 12 percent of Americans (36.2 million adults and children) did not have enough food to maintain active and healthy lives in 2007 and nearly two million US jobs have been lost.

The U.S. Energy Information Agency estimates that this year, heating a home with oil, will increase 33% from last year and is a 117% increase since 2004. The cost of heating a home with natural gas has gone up 30% since 2004. The cost of heating with propane, which heats homes in many rural areas across the nation, has increased 23% in the last year and 73% since 2004.

Foreclosures are up: 1.2 million. This number is a 42 percent increase from 2005. The percentage change in foreclosures is up a 700 percent from 2005 to 2006.

These numbers are not all about those you see living on the streets – they are also your neighbors. Some of them live in my nice, comfortable neighborhood in Denver – for now anyway, until they miss another mortgage payment and receive a foreclosure statement or lose their jobs and begin worrying about food and clothing and then can’t pay their mortgage or rent.

And does it really matter how it happened or who is responsible for fraudulent mortgages or overspending. Not really; not today anyway. The problem is way too big for blame.

What the community group decided last night was to begin a campaign of fund raising to help a family in danger of losing their home. One group, collecting money for one family – simple. Our goal – change. Another group we work with is doing a food drive in January - another action that doesn’t take weeks, months and years of planning, proposals, vetoes and votes. It’s just people helping people. Perhaps that’s where we went wrong way back – maybe we thought people were someone else’s responsibility.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

WEBMASTER — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 02:26:14 EST

The Pickens Plan: For those who would like to become an active participant in a solution for our nations energy needs I urge you to join with T.Boone Pickens in his quest for a cleaner planet through alternative energy.

Also see Green Wave Energy: Green Wave was founded by Mark Holmes and was formulated for viable alternative energy solutions. Green Wave Energy is promoting state-of-the-art energy-saving products and services throughout the country.

Green Wave Energy understands alternative energy technology will become “main stream” when

individuals and organizations understand that alternative energy technology exists and
when people see the economic benefits of using alternative energy technologies

Call 949.645.1701 for information on how Green Wave Energy can help you save the planet.

Alternative Energy
Source: David Apperson

url: http://veterans.barackobama.com/page/community/tag/alternative-energy

Poverty

Aasi Tahir Siddique — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:53:01 EST

Poverty is a social disease and it must be treated as global problem to find the cure. If we are serious about eliminating poverty throughout the world, it must be done as global mission with the cooperation of all governments, corporations, media, and the entertainment industry.

Poverty does not know class, race, color, religion, and nationality. Environmental issues are important but poverty must take precedent. Global poverty contributes to environmental crises on a major scale and will have devastating effect in the long run.

We can achieve real peace, prosperity, and an effective change, if and only there is end to the poverty globally.

Thanksgiving

James — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 22:51:31 EST

I have read several references to a 'tsunami,' with respect to describing the coming effects of this financial cataclysm. I sometimes wonder if those references, by mostly famous people, come from my earlier description, not that that matters. But all those references have gotten it wrong. The water is still going out! Waves are not coming in yet. Oh yes, we have banks and financial houses, even auto companies, on the brink and being 'bailed out.' I guess a good analogous description would put those efforts, the paying out of newly printed money to hold off disaster in those companies and industries, into best perspective in the following way. Our government is paying the wave to stay the hell out there. It can work for a little while. But its gotta come in eventually. That wave is a quadrillion dollar wave. Maybe a bit bigger. That's a thousand trillion dollars. We have assembled about six trillion and spent about four of that so far. We might put together another six trillion, which would make this bailout the largest expenditure of funding ever made by any government, for anything, on this planet. And still, it pales next to the quadrillion or more sitting out there.

Some people are talking about how we are going to be able to get through all this (without going through bankruptcy or cancelling our existing currency) by having a central worldwide bank and extending credit from that. A bigger version of the United States Bank, backed by our government alone, which I expounded on a few blogs back. Are we willing to sacrifice all of our sovereignty? Are we really ready for Friedman's flat earth? If we are, then being poor for a long long time will be where and how we live. Ninety percent of the world lives in some sort of poverty. Yes, that is a huge percentage. Only twenty-five percent of the planet has sufficient energy and food in order to have heating, air conditioning and eat a healthy diet. The media has shown us nothing else, really. We saw some of it marginally when Bono was on tour in Africa, but we kind of blew by it. We see just a few little swatches of the real world on newscasts about the Sahara, the Eastern Bloc and most of China, but we just let that stuff slip by. I liked to say, when I was traveling out there (which I don't do much of anymore) that the difference between a Republican and a Democrat back here was simply world travel. If you go out there, and get away from the airport and four star hotels, you see it. You begin to live it with those people. That expression applies: "If you stare into the abyss long enough, it begins to stare back at you."

In Mombasa, Kenya, the average yearly income for a family is less than a thousand dollars. I once supported a small village there, for many years, on a contribution of only two hundred and fifty a month. The world is a poor place indeed. And Kenya is not considered anywhere near the poorest! The questions posed by these facts are these: Do we live comfortably, thinking, creating and building technology to the point where all of us are lifted from poverty? Or, do we share absolutely everything we have and live in poverty with everyone else on the planet, and going nowhere? Maybe there ought to be two follow-on questions. Do we have enough generosity built into our culture to share the advances our status allows us to create and build, when we reach that point? And, do we have the kind of generosity it would take to simply distribute everything we now have to those who are not as well off as we are today, and then live with them in their circumstance?

And we ready for one central ruling body running the planet and the representatives of countries appointing those people who would make all the decisions from such an authority? Have we done that great a job with the United Nations? Have we done that great a job with our own country? If you answer no to those two questions then what idiocy would it take for us to just throw in with a financial entity that was created to make financial decisions for the world? Why trust them? Who do we trust now? Do we trust our banker? Our insurance companies? How can we? Did the people we trusted act honorably in taking this quadrillion I write about? Even if they changed and shaded the rules in order to make their thieving 'legal,' do we accept such behavior as being worthy of our trust again? If not, then why are these executives not being discharged across the land? Who's heads are rolling? None of them are losing their jobs. There is only talk of those people not being paid bonuses. Not getting the same amount of stock options. That sort of thing. But the, the wave is not really visible out there yet. But the water keeps on going out farther and farther.

It is Thanksgiving tomorrow. Whom do we thank? God? Well, thanks God. I don't understand You, but then everyone says that I am not supposed to or you would not be God. I would be. And we can't have that. So I thank God, for whatever. I have it okay. I have been given gifts. I prayed for strength so He gave me tremendous problems that I had to solve. After railing against Him about that, I finally figured out that He had also given me the gifts, if applied, to beat the problems. And I have never really figured out whether He gave me the problems, anyway. I just kind of had and have to believe. And He did not give me that gift.

So, I thank the people I am close to. I thank family and friends. I thank some of you out there who communicate with me regularly and positively, even though my rather strange life-style and opinions do not always merit such. I am sorry about the people I have hurt...and there is indeed a line of those back there, and I promise to continue to exert every effort in my being to try harder. To have a stronger sense of honor, integrity and compassion. The very things I write about in all my bodies of work. There is a happiness and bliss in my life and I wish it upon you, whoever you may be out there...on this night and on the morrow. Happy Thanksgiving.

An Idea Who's Time Has Come

jrnailon — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 14:52:25 EST

URBAN RENEWAL

Reviving America's urban areas is well within our reach and abilities. It may be amazing to some how simple my ideas are but simplicity is often a hidden blessing. No dobt congress has enacted many legislative efforts to solve the crisis of urban blight but after many millions spent and many failures we seem farther from a solution than ever before. Let me introduce to you a concept called "Privately Funded Urban Renewal". It can also be described as "bottom-up redevelopment" in the spirit of President elect Barak Obama's message that the "trickle-down" theory has failed. We must adapt his idea of the bottom-up approach which has always worked in America. After all it is the approach that worked to establish the early colonies. There were hundreds of acres of land given freely to european emigrants who had the will and ability to work it. This approach created the wealthy foundation for the American dream.

Unlike conventional redevelopment which is performed by a handful of well connected and funded people. Bottom-up redevelopment can be done by hundreds even thousands of people with small amounts of money. Unlike conventional redevelopment which profit's are shared by a handful of people, "bottom-up redevelopment" can spread profit to many Americans from any walk of life. Privately funded urban renewal can be as simple as one person buying one house in a blighted area. Renovating that house and selling it back to someone in the local community for about the same monthly payment as their rent. Or it can be a private real estate syndicate purchasing an old industrial building and converting it into a mall or building hundreds of high quality modular units to meet the pressing need for affordable housing.

Bottom-up redevelopment actully gives the middle class the power to change America's inner cities and it gives people who live in the community an opportunity to participate and profit from the redevelopment of their own community. It has to be a well coordinated effort between government, non-profit groups, private investors, churches, universities and community groups.

I represent a real estate investment company in the los angeles area and we are involved in urban renewal in East Saint Louis, Illinois. Our motto is "Profit Through Philanthropy". Our goal is to rebuild American inner cities one home at a time. One neighborhood at a time. One city at a time.

More to come. Cambridge Financial Consultants, El Monte, CA 91731. 626-618-0181

Hope and Healing: Part 2 -- From Enslaved to Entitled

Writer@40 — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 10:02:35 EST

President-Elect Barack Obama said he intends to go through the budget “line by line” and look at every expenditure and program. I would hope that our 44th President takes on this task with an eye toward fixing some fundamentals: equal access to quality education; employment that pays a living wage; and affordable housing. Addressing these fundamental issues is critical to making opportunity in America truly equal for all. Most people would not choose poverty; but absent quality education, marketable skills and employment, what’s the alternative?

But, before we go there, indulge me for a minute as I take a step back to give a bit more context on psychological healing….

What is it like to be born with the scarlet letter “N” branded onto your psyche? To be born with the historical constitutional stigma of being three-fifths of a person? What is it like to bear that legacy for over 200 years, in a country that preaches “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”, but largely practices “separate but not equal”?

And what is it like to finally rise up from beneath the weight of that legacy, to defy and discard it, and have one of you become President of the United States of America? What happens to the psyche of that 60% person, that citizen-of-sorts? What are the possibilities of affording yourself equal opportunities because, finally, you believe Yes, You Can?

Poverty: Human Compassion Attending to Hunger

Rebekah — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:29:32 EST

How is our human compassion attending to hunger in the world?

Weeks ago, while walking on my usual old path, I looked up at the waxing Gibbous moon, stunned by its quiet lingering in an indigo sky, mixing in clouds with salmon colors after sunset. I have imagined this old path I use to walk my dog to be an old Roman path in ages past. Many have walked upon this small path of mine. It is a path born from the human ages, like the moon is born from ages past. It has a history. The hunger of poverty also has a history and she gazes at me, like the gibbous moon, waxing in need. Cars passed by, but all that related to me was the path, my old dog beside me, my thoughts and the moon.

Our earth is abundant and yet people are dying of starvation. Such extreme poverty is all too often due to selfish actions or inaction of mankind, greed and jealousy, which, if unchecked, become negative forces. Poverty can be based upon a condition of deprivation as well as fear. Extreme poverty is also when the necessities to sustain life are not available or provided. Humans require food and water, shelter from harsh elements and clothing for protection. These are only basic and common needs. Furthermore, poverty mirrors a lack of generosity in mankind, based on prejudice or an absence of understanding that we are all connected on earth. In the same way, the “survival of the fittest” attitude in self-centered part of the human ego- is partly responsible for the lack of caring for others’ suffering on earth.

Poverty on earth can be transformed into well being, if those in need are also empowered to create for themselves. This requires human giving, as well as perspective. It requires the gathering of nations to create hope and well being for all -not just a limited group of individuals or a single nation. It is not just when a person is alone- or in a collective- in a state of poverty, but it is also the reflection of how individuals and nations lead impoverished lives, lacking vision to reach out with constructive care to help end poverty to enable change and growth worldwide. To empower others, one must be empowered- with a perspective to empower, realizing that we are all connected on earth.

There are many practical methods and ways to help implement change, e.g. through micro loans and direct assistance at a level that is too small for commercial banks or major donor organizations such as the United Nations or the World Bank. Small loans and grants of often only a few hundred dollars or euros can be used by individuals to invest in sewing machines, drills, saws and other basic machines and agricultural tools to start their own small self-sustaining enterprises. Similarly, inexpensive computers, musical instruments, and school utensils are needed in local communities. Such basic tools could be provided to those who can use them for a livelihood. More schools can be built, teaching mothers and fathers, teaching children, teaching the arts, core therapies, sports, eco-friendly technology, and recycling (to name a few ideas). Wind power, water power and solar power can be used more widely. In many countries, more hospitals, beds, ambulances and basic tools and medicines are also needed. Wells need to be drilled, toilets, basic plumbing and buildings. More than anything, vision and hope are needed in a world where falling stock markets will most ultimately hurt those who already suffer in extreme poverty.

We look up when the full moon fills the night sky. Today the gibbous wanes geocentric. Mankind’s nightmare is a lack of vision and a fear that there is not enough on earth to share. Yet, the opposite is true. There is enough bounty on earth to feed the world. People have grown in individuality and lead deeply solitary lives often disconnected even from their own family. This breeds a further lack of faith in the fact that mankind is a human family at large.

Rebekah Alsterberg

America - Together (post election)

Alex Karoub — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:44:40 EST

..... Contact: http://Alex.Karoub@gmail.com

WHO IS THAT GUY BARACK OBAMA? HE IS US.

We have made historic headway by together pointing our nation in the right directions. After decades, we have America focused on the issues of fundamental importance. Now, each of us acting in concert can together move our country to lead the world to the fruitfulness of moral goodness. I have no doubts about my abilities and the abilities of fellow Americans to work smart and hard to achieve these goals.

Barack Obama has the visions, leadership, and integrity for us to correct and redirect our country to once again lead the world for the fruitions of good. Let's closely listen, learn, and move forward based on that which we know deep inside is good and which we can validate with our hearts.

I hope that those who had but a few reasons to support Obama, look further into the other issues more deeply. I found the more I explored, studied, and listened to Obama the more I found us in agreement. The couple of issues that I did not have depth of knowledge of, quickly became obvious in need. This was unusual for me since I have always refused to be any kind of a follower, and still am not. I find Obama to be a deep thinker who is articulate and inspirational; and, of most fundamental importance, Obama makes excellent moral sense.

Hopefully, our country has learned lessons from the past of mistakenly following leadership blindly, as was done with Nixon and Bush. There are leaders who are simply in it for themselves and will cater to individuals or groups in order to grab for their own benefit. Corrupt and bad leaders hide at all levels. This is especially true in city government as well as county and state government. The corrupt deals of politicians need to be exposed, and those responsible need to be weeded out in the coming local elections. Others need to be investigated by law enforcement and be prosecuted for illegal dealings; for deals they often make for their hidden personal agendas. Let’s look at the bad experiences of the past as bitter medicines, let’s eliminate the need for such bad medicine in the future. Let us use what we know is good to go forward.

I believe we have chosen wisely, not by greed and not by misguided retaliatory anger. I believe this time our country has chosen with open eyes, with each of us listening and examining our choice of leadership closely, driven and validated by our hearts.

I hope we can continue to make our efforts even more inclusive (in many more ways than I touch on here). Far right republicans will be stubborn to change, but we will need to include them to change if we are to succeed. Sure a few more will leave our country, but that is not the American way. No, we really don't need their false fronts of power, money, insider knowledge, or other trappings that they have taught many to 'respect?'. Let's recruit as many as we can, that's the American way, evolving and changing together as one nation. Try to be understanding as we move forward; by better understanding each as individuals and people with various desires and needs we will find ways to reach out with friendship and have them join our causes of good.

Be on the lookout, and root out bad leadership in government and business. Do not be intimidated by those who use the false fronts of power and give a false sense of security in order to lead. Be extra leery of those who say or imply ‘Trust me’; those who give a sense that they somehow omnipotently know better. No longer will Americans be dazzled by phony displays of brilliance or baffled by baloney. There are government aristocrats and business leaders who still believe in the old adage of: “If you can’t dazzle them with brilliance, then baffle em with bullshit”. We can embrace complexity by demanding true, fundamental, and understandable explanations. We can root out falsehoods by not accepting double speak. We as Americans know how to grow ourselves by first believing in ourselves. Don’t be a follower. Don’t be a follower of followers.

However, when we find leaders who are good; a leader that thinks, speaks, and acts from their heart; one that is honest, has integrity, and leads by sincere examples; then we need to in a big way, join them, support them, and promote their causes of good. From much research, investigation, and scrutiny, I believe Barack Obama is such a person. I hope we search for and find many more who are similar, who we can add to service at all levels of government. We need to add/replace leaders in business with ones that have honesty, integrity, and show quality in leadership. We need more people in leadership roles who are moral, like Barack Obama.

Remember, we are not fighting a battle, we are the artisans and sculptors of the future for ourselves and generations to come. Rarely do societies have opportunities to make such dramatic moves forward as we now have in this opportunity of today. Take pride and practice in being inclusive as we stride forward. In moving forward, create opportunity not only for yourself, but also for all. Hope is a wonderful thing to behold; but without opportunity, hope can become but a dream never achievable. We can, will, and must, create opportunity.

In the coming year I hope that we do not lose our spiritedness, but instead continue to build and make headway. I hope we all continue our campaign for change in government and business. We will succeed in moving forward once again, it will take much effort and good oversight on the part of each of us. We will make great strides in the months and years ahead in order to achieve the fruitions of good. Let's keep our enthusiasm progressing through these coming toughest of times. Let us use the light of goodness and love to motivate us with historic momentum.

I have chosen Barack Obama because he best represents my deepest beliefs in America. Please take time to read the issues that Barack Obama has published on this website. Also, give your attention to see how he leads us to move our nation forward in the time ahead. Most importantly, be part of America's great future, participate in the greatness that together we will make. Participate!

We will each and all flourish, if we think, speak, and act, by using the love in our hearts.

Your reply is welcome. Contact: Alex.Karoub@gmail.com

it worked!

Peter Jorgensen — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 09:07:28 EST

I feel good about taking the time yesterday (Election Day) to knock on some doors of total strangers in a neighborhood to which I have never gone. I was greatly encouraged by the number of Obama supporters in this "third world" neighborhood of Tallahassee, Florida. (If you don't think Florida (and other states) have third-world neighborhoods I'll take you on a tour sometime.) Make no mistake, there is still some residual racism which we must work hard to "love out of existance." I strongly believe that an overall improvement in the condition of all Americans, especially the poor, will go a great way towards erasing the fear, anger and prejudice that still lingers here. I believe the next four years will see a good start towards that goal.

Our Work Has Just Begun

Omyword! Did I Say That? — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 06:45:16 EST

As a little girl, I followed my mother on the campaign trail for Barry Goldwater. She was the head of the Pennsylvania Republican Women, and later on in her political life, she and my father attended the inaugural ball for Richard Nixon. Three Christmas cards from Nixon are still framed and hanging proudly on her wall. Although she despises what Goldwater became, and referred to him as "that old drunk," she still somehow thinks that Nixon was framed.

My mother changed her Canadian citizenship in order to work and vote for Goldwater. Her political roots came from her father, who was a sugar broker in Detroit during the depression, and thus was able to buy a new car every year. He was a staunch Republican, and a Catholic. Meanwhile, my British grandmother, apolitical and Protestant, fed poor men who came to her back kitchen door, and I once found her hiding behind my brothers' bedroom door, sobbing at the death of our pet parakeet.

My grandmother was probably not as apolitical as she appeared. From her position on the couch, with an apple pie in the oven and crossword puzzle on her lap, she sometimes risked a strong opinion or two. She never approved of what she saw as my mother's desire for status, luxury and intellectualism. She was happiest having a simple meal at home or an inexpensive meal at Horn and Hardart's counter, versus my mother's preference for fine dining and shopping at John Wannamaker's or Saks Fifth Avenue in Philadelphia. The gifts she gave me were focused on teaching me how to make things with my hands. She was outnumbered, surrounded by Republicans, as I am now in my own family. And as my mother dismissed her own mother as childish and naive, so she does the same to me now.

I think I was born a Democrat. And I was a stranger in a strange land. But there were also things that attracted me to old-time conservatism, such as fiscal responsibility. I agreed with Republicans of the time, that our elected representatives should be cautious and wise in how they handled "our" money. But as we have seen from 8 years of Neoconservatism, if any party could be the standard bearer for fiscal waste, it would now be the Republicans. The "tax and spend" label they have slapped on Democrats, has lost its glue and just won't stick anymore. With billions poured down the drain in Iraq for an illegal, immoral and completely mismanaged war, with unbridled corruption in no-bid contracts for such behemoths as Dick Cheney's Halliburton, with corporate regulations slashed to the point that greed grew like Kudzu in Alabama, the Republicans have destroyed what once was a conservative standard for their party.

In my early observations of politics, I listened to my parents rail against welfare and so-called entitlement programs. Their vision was always of the shiftless, ignorant poor who did not deserve the elite's hard-earned money. "Get a job!" was not a joke in my family, it was an angry, resentful cry. Even though I know there are lazy human beings, and uneducated human beings the world over, I felt at the time that it was unfair to paint all those in need, with the same broad brush. Even though I had never met any poor people, I couldn't imagine that they were all, each and every one of them, so bad. There had to be people out there that through their own mistakes, or perhaps even through no mistake of their own, had fallen into dire straits. And if my parents' religion was true to its calling, we should be kind and generous to all of those in need, whatever the origin of their circumstances.

"Let the churches and charities take care of those people" was a common dismissal of my questions. And today, as then, churches and charities have played a heroic part in a war against poverty and misery. But a bigger question began to eat at me. Doesn't our government also hold some responsibility for the needy? We can argue this question on economic, philosophical or moral ground until the cows come home, but I believe, statistically, that when government aid is generously funded, and there are fewer desperate, starving or ill people, the overall economy is strengthened and crime is lessened. I don't have the stats, but I believe in my gut that this must be true. And, in my readings about the roots of terrorism, I often see that poverty, frustration and the feeling of impotence when it comes to managing their own destiny, is what makes young men and women ripe for the lure of the destructive power of terrorism.

For, as the saying goes, a hungry man is an angry man.

I have watched and commented on this campaign with intensity. If I had voted the issues, Dennis Kucinich would have been my man. But I knew, as a marketer, that Kucinich didn't have "it," all the surface image traits that Americans need in order to be comfortable with their vote. No matter how hot his wife was, he would forever be labeled as a kook, as many passionate people often are. What I don't think he could have accomplished, nor could any of the Democratic candidates for that matter, was the incredible skill that Barack Obama has for inspiration and unity. In the tiny microcosm of my own life and work, I've seen how powerful this kind of charismatic leadership can be. It has the power of shifting the consciousness, not just of this nation, but of the world.

I am thrilled that Barack Obama will soon be the president of the United States. And I am also aware that it is my continuing responsibility to stay on top of things, to bitch and blog, to hold Obama's feet to the fire. I want this consciousness shift to take root. I want it to become concrete, with legislation, foreign policy, and global results. I want to see a shift away from our debt-inducing addiction to consumerism, that focus on the never-fulfilled emptiness of the self, to a more other-centered world view. Although my grandfather, the Detroit sugar broker, would disagree with me, we don't need a new car every year. Instead, we as individuals, and we as a nation, need to be a lot more like my grandmother, Elsie McIntire Mitchell, and open up our kitchen doors, to share our bounty with others.

On this historic day, I am not finished with this thing called politics. I hope that all of you, no matter your political leanings, are not finished either. Now is not the time to relax and become complacent. Now is the time to work twice as hard, in any way that we can.

Last Chance to Vote Early!

Michael in Ohio — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 01:38:42 EST

All sources are saying there is going to be a historically humungous turnout on Tuesday. But more than a million people in Ohio have gotten the job done already by voting early. (Now they can devote their time on Election Day to getting out the vote!)

(Above cartoon is from the Kenyon Collegian)

Here are some stories from a few excited early voters:

Robyn from Fairborn: The highlight of this experience was seeing all of the young people who showed up to vote. I'm only 30 years old, however, I rarely see young people voting when I arrive at the polls. This has certainly been a moving experience.

Kollin from Columbus: I was very encouraged to see tons of enthusiastic Barack Obama supporters out in front of the veterans building where I voted. I brought my brother along and made him vote as well. Because I was so impressed with how easy it was to vote, I made calls to all my family and friends to go out and vote as well, I even figured out early vote locations and got them directions to these locations. I'm excited about our chances here in Ohio.

Jared in South Zanesville: I was so proud to be able to walk in and cast my vote for Senators Obama & Biden (along with a host of other Democrats in state and local offices). I am too young to have taken part in the civil rights movement of the 1960s, but I could not help but think I was doing something important to advance civil rights, end poverty, improve health care, expand civil liberties and make America economically strong again. I actually sat there for a moment after filling out my ballot just to be present in the moment. I then went to the local Obama headquarters and made phone calls to undecided voters for 3 hours!!!!!!

Make the pledge to vote early. Or just find your early vote location using the tool below:

Hungry for change? Why wait?

America's Place in the World

Derek — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 12:29:43 EDT

America's Place in the World

I travel internationally a great deal on business. Once, I went around the world visiting 7 countries in 14 days meeting with the financial firms leaders. I've flown 14 hours for a 12 hour meeting to immediately fly home in order to coach my sons basketball team's practice. I know what it is to be a road warrior.

Common Ground Found in India
On one trip to India, I took a weekend to travel to one of the 4 holy sights in Puri on the coast of the Bay of Bengal. There, I pursued information as to a legend told to e by Indian colleagues that Jesus spent his youth there at the temple. Many Indians there in Puri believed Christ was an incarnation of God on earth as was Krishna. I found that I had more in common with Hindu Indians than we had differences.

Additionally, the poverty I saw there was more than even that I've experienced in the back woods Louisiana where I spent my summers on my grandparent's farm. It broke my heart and forever changed my life to see a small child standing knee deep in mud naked and crying as people passed him by because he was from the untouchable cast. I grew to appreciate the upward mobility America provides its citizens. My great grandparents were born into effective slavery though the civil war had ended years prior. My great grandmother was an amazing woman stressed to my mother and myself the importance of education as the only path to freedom. I honor her in my striving for excellence and knowledge.

God has truly blessed America but do we really appreciate the gifts in this generation. I am reminded of the parable of the talents. Is the baby boomer and now GenX generation the servant given 1 talent that buried it in the ground.

The Gulf between America and Europe

As I travel throughout Europe, I am constantly facing and addressing the negative perceptions of Americans. Europeans tend to blame the average American for the policies of the Bush administration. There is a tangible contempt and loathing with an undercurrent of jealousy for the wealth and opportunity many see America squandering. In essence, we Americans must take responsibility for electing George Bush. It's not the Republican's fault. America stands and falls as a nation undivided.

Europeans also do not understand why Americans hold firm to the right to bear arms. They do not understand that Americans fear our own government more than our government fears to citizens. There is a fundamental distrust of authority. Assassinations of our best and brightest is our legacy. It is the evil that lurks in the shadows. The nail that sticks up gets hammered as they say in Japan.

At times, I wonder if Europeans consider themselves truly allies with the US. The threat of the USSR and facism have faded from the minds of most Europeans it seems as with the role America played in securing European freedom. In the end, once I show compassion for their views and explain the environment and challenges Americans face to safeguard democracy from big business and organized crime, a common ground can be found with those abroad. Once again, we have more in common than that which separates.

World Citizenship

It is clear that the efforts of the past to aid poor countries not with weapons but with education and human resources are far more effective than punitive military actions and a heavy handed foreign policy. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Teaching the world to fish will feed them for generations and build alliances into the future.

Why must America act unilaterally with military strikes? Why are we not providing greater support for regional policing of regional problems through UN sponsored commissions? Americans are citizens of the world and must use our God given gifts to lead by example rather than by dictate or mandate. Compassion and patience is the calling card of a mature state and leading nation.

Show how your plan for America on all fronts (education, military, healthcare, etc) is a template for the world. Can you UN adopt such a template to propagate to emerging nation states? If not, then there may be something lacking in the underlying principles that impairs the ability for a sustainable and repeatable solution to be adopted.

Regards,
Derek LaSalle

Why I'm for Obama/Biden

Brian — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:37:47 EDT

I beleive a blogger of politics has to have the muckraker in them do it expose great lies, get the story etc, they need to have the fire in the belly in a certain belly, and I don't have that. And I also don't like to gossp about my life, so those are two silver bullets in me. But this blog is why I'm for Obama/Biden. I'm for Obama/Biden because they have the vision to lead this country but also because John McCain doesn't know how many homes he has. Whle I don't know about getting as much legislation output, the fact is, we have not had a president or vice-presidential team attuned to poverty, and the hardship of struggle that Obama-Biden together, on their own seperate paths have faced, since the administration of Johnson-Humphrey, and that in these trying times accounts for something. I beleive Palin is using her special needs child as a prop and I don't think at that age, a down syndrome kid, or any special needs kid should be exposed to the Washington DC spotlight, because we literally eat politicians for breakfast. Newt Gingrich,Gary Hart,John Edwards,Bob Livingston, Ted Stevens, have all faced the wrath of Meet the Press,Face the Nation and George Stephnoplis's show of This Week, and as this campaign has seen, Sarah Palin has been picked apart like Stephen Fossett's body. And a down syndrome kid is fragile, and while I'm glad there's been stories on down syndrome because oh Palin being on the ticket, I think if Obama/Biden win, it would really be in the child's best interest, both in the short term and the long term.

The Working Poor

Hope4Unity — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 03:45:58 EDT

In a country as wealthy as the United States, "working poor" should be a contradiction in terms. But tens of millions of Americans fall into that category -- affecting a growing population of children.

Despite their toil, many of the working poor are broke. Frequently they lack health insurance. If a child gets sick, if they lose their job, if a spouse leaves, it can swiftly spell a financial emergency. They sometimes choose between food and rent or between medicine and heat. What's it like for people in low-paying fulltime jobs, with no savings, falling behind on their bills, sometimes lining up at food pantries, even shelters? And how does this affect the rest of society?

Documentary: http://www.humanmedia.org/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=280

Here's another story on the Working Poor Families Project:

Financial strain heightens for public assistance, social service agencies

By DIANE STAFFORDThe Kansas City Star

There is a growing financial strain on public assistance and social service agencies. Here is why:

•About 350,000 more U.S. families were deemed “low income” in 2006 than in 2002, according to Census Bureau figures.

Given higher unemployment, higher prices for food and fuel, and stagnant pay in low-wage jobs, the number is sure to be higher now.

•More than one in four working families (about 9.6 million families with children) were classified low income in 2006.

“Low income” means a family earns less than 200 percent of the poverty income threshold set by the Census Bureau. Two years ago, that label was affixed to 42 million Americans, 21 million of them children.

Then, a family of four needed income of $41,228 to have an adequate measure of economic self-sufficiency. Given the economic forces since then, the sufficiency income level is likely to be higher.

The Poverty In America

Barack Obama Supporters ADD US! — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 18:07:40 EDT

Tell us what you think of obamas actions for poverty!

Our Conscience Cannot Rest

Hope4Unity — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:11:37 EDT

“Our conscience cannot rest as long as people are called ‘working poor’ in America. If you are working, you should not be poor." --Barack Obama

2/29/08 quoted in The Brownsville Herald

HOPE, BELIEVE, CHANGE ... We Are The Change. There is a better day on the horizon. Until the day when food, shelter, clothing, medical care, education and decent work for fair pay become a right; until it's about justice not charity, then consider helping through programs such as the following:

The Hunger Site was founded to focus the power of the Internet on a specific humanitarian need: the eradication of world hunger. Since its launch in June 1999, the site has established itself as a leader in online activism, helping to feed the world's hungry. On average, over 220,000 individuals from around the world visit the site each day to click the yellow "Click Here to Give - it's FREE" button. To date, more than 300 million visitors have given more than 500 million cups of staple food.

The staple food funded by clicks at The Hunger Site is paid for by site sponsors and distributed to those in need by Mercy Corps and Feeding America (formerly America's Second Harvest) . 100% of sponsor advertising fees goes to our charitable partners. Funds are split between these organizations and go to the aid of hungry people in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and North America.

Hunger: Do You Know The Facts?

It is estimated that one billion people in the world suffer from hunger and malnutrition. That's roughly 100 times as many as those who actually die from these causes each year.

About 24,000 people die every day from hunger or hunger-related causes. This is down from 35,000 ten years ago, and 41,000 twenty years ago. Three-fourths of the deaths are children under the age of five.

Famine and wars cause about 10% of hunger deaths, although these tend to be the ones you hear about most often. The majority of hunger deaths are caused by chronic malnutrition. Families facing extreme poverty are simply unable to get enough food to eat.

The Hunger Site began on June 1, 1999. In 1999, a year marked by good economic news, 31 million Americans were food insecure, meaning they were either hungry or unsure of where their next meal would come from. Of these Americans, 12 million were children.

How You Can Help In Mere Seconds — Every Day

The Hunger Site provides a feel-good way to help promote awareness and prevent hunger deaths every day — through easy and quick online activities.

With a simple, daily click of the yellow "Click Here to Give - it's FREE" button at The Hunger Site, visitors help provide food to those in need. Visitors pay nothing. Food is paid for by the site's sponsors and distributed by Mercy Corps worldwide and by Feeding America (formerly America's Second Harvest) to food banks throughout the United States.

http://www.thehungersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces

Artisan Stories:

http://www.thehungersite.com/clickToGive/artisans.faces?siteId=1

The American Poor

Karen Kennedy — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:24:50 EDT

I'm tired of the need to hide the fact that I'm a Democrat, and a Liberal Democrat at that. I was an Assistant Public Defender, and I volunteered at the local Legal Aid office during the George W. Bush years. I was trying to help families who had no food for their children, and who couldn't get food stamps on that day, the day they had no food. And the children were right in front of me. I felt as helpless as the clients did. We are the world's bread basket but the livestock here are better fed and sheltered than are many of our own citizens and families. Our problems are not on the magnitude of the horrors seen in Africa. But, for some reason our African American children and families are usually the first victims of our abysmal Social Policies. We need Social Services for all kinds of people in the U.S.; Services that would prevent or cure most of the Social ills we now suffer.

We incarcerate more people than does any other Country in the World. When a person is convicted of a felony, that person can no longer vote. Black men are more likely to be stopped by the Police, arrested and convicted of a crime. It is extremely difficult to find a job following a criminal conviction, and even following an arrest that is nullified. This is just wrong. It is possible to regain one's right to vote, but that requires legal advice and assistance. Lawyers don't normally help people regain their voting rights. Someone should.

It has been said 'The poor shall always be among us.' That seeming to be the reality, the United States of America should invest in people who otherwise have no economic or political power. We should help the poor because that is the right thing to do.

What are the candidates doing to fight poverty? (Blog Action Day)

Graham Browne — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 10:09:26 EDT

From my blog, In It Not Of It:

So, if you didn't already know, today is Blog Action Day, where bloggers around the world are rallying together to write about poverty from thousands of different perspectives. Every post today will focus on issues related to poverty and anti-poverty initiatives in the US and abroad.

I've got a lot to say on the issue, but first let's talk about what our presidential candidates are saying about it.

As I'm sure you know, the easiest way to find out what a candidate officially affirms on an issue is to go to their website and click on their "Issues" tab. So I perused the John McCain website for about 25 minutes last night, hoping to find something on his stance on poverty. 25 minutes. Far longer than I thought it would take to eventually find NOTHING on the subject. No subheading under issues, no blurb about it somewhere else (that I could find), nothing. That makes for a pretty unfairly biased argument against John McCain's poverty plan, because he doesn't have a publicly stated one. Maybe he is opening up his 11 other homes as soup kitchens and shelters? Probably not. It blows my mind that you could run a campaign without a poverty stance! Stunning, really. So, to give him the benefit of the doubt, that maybe I was just overlooking it, I googled "McCain poverty plan" only to find the first two hits reading something along the lines of "No Poverty Plan for McCain." Ouch. While I highly doubt that any of this will come up in the debate, I hope that it gets some air time before the election.

Barack Obama, on the other hand, has a comprehensive plan to combat poverty that has measures that include ensuring the well-being of our nation's veterans as well. His plan details the routes he would take to expand the EITC, to create Promise Neighborhoods in locations with extreme poverty, create jobs in new sectors in rural and urban locales, and to make a concerted effort to revitalize and rehabilitate Urban America in particular as it has been so dearly neglected in the past 8 years. Now, I thought I was going to be able to have a comparative discussion on the issue when I started out writing this post, but the fact of the matter is, a Democratic Congress and a Democratic President seem to be the only way to make any sort of inroads in fighting poverty in the USA. This is the kind of economic policy we need; we need a plan that grows the overall pie of the economy and ensures fair(-er, everything in time) distribution of resources to our neglected underclass.

While the nuts and bolts of Obama's Economic plan (reducing taxes for 95% of working families) may not be 100% accurate, I feel that the larger picture of helping to redistribute wealth and easing the average citizen's burden can really help protect our image as a nation as well as protect the poorest among us. In the end, however, with a country with such great privilege, we should be doing more for each other to ensure equality (lofty, i know, but still true).

...But that's just my two cents. And you already know I'm all about change.

poverty and the lower class

Donegal H. — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:51:11 EDT

Am I the only one tired of hearing the candidates talk about the middle class? WHAT ABOUT THE LOWER CLASS? We're in the worst position for this economic crisis, yet we seem to be ignored! Except by McCain, perhaps, who has at least stated a plan for the mortgage problem.

I want to know what Obama plans to do to help the lower class who struggle for financial stability and are struggling even harder now.

Obama came from an average family. Let's hope he hasn't forgotten us.

"YES WE CAN!!!!!"

amanda — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:37:44 EDT

i get so emotional when i hear obama speak about his issues. i've never believed in someone as much as i believe in him. i really think that he can make a difference. having to deal with my husband getting laid off, was hard, but he got a job the next day, but it's a $400 a week pay cut. my husband got laid off 2 weeks before i had our son. that was the most stressful time of my life. my son is now 3 1/2 months old, and having to take care of him and pay the bills just isn't happening. i've tried to find a night job so my husband can take care of the baby, but no one is hiring. we had to move out of our home we had for over a year, to move back into our parents house. yes the grandparents get to see the baby everyday, but we can't live as a family that way. there is nothing affordable to rent, and if it is, there is windows broken, or it needs a new roof, or something is wrong with it. i do believe obama can get us out of this slum that we are in. having to struggle another 4 years is a nightmare i do not want to face. i am voting obama 100% and my family is voting obama 100%. i am telling everyone that i know they really need to vote for obama, he is our only hope. this is why i get so emotional when he speaks, i really want other people out there to realize the he's going to help us, and if you don't vote for him, there will be lots of families out there like mine who have reached the end. i cannot stress how important it is to just drop your gaurd and actually read what the candidates goals are, and watch the debates. obama put mccain in his place, and mccain wasn't even answering the questions, he was so off subject. we do not need him in office if he can't even pay attention. WE NEED OBAMA!!!!!

Obama - Better for Middle-Class America

Chris Casarez — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 23:48:58 EDT

TheMiddleClass.Org compiles the DMI’s (Drum Major Institute for Public Policy--a non-partisan organization) analyses of bills that affect the girdling middle-class. It then rates members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives based on how they voted on relevant legislation. As you can see, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and John McCain sore 88%, 95%, and 60% respectively.

Visit TheMiddleClass.Org.

Compelled

Anthony — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:41:38 EDT

Today, I sent the following email to many friends and family. I would like to share it here too.

Hello Friends and Family,

Only one other time in my life have I felt as certain about a decision as my decision to vote for Senator Barack Obama as the next president of the United States, and that was the decision to ask and marry Brenda.

I cannot tell you how to vote, but I can tell you why I'm voting for Barack Obama, and why I think you should consider doing the same. This might get lengthy, but please indulge me a bit and read on. If you do not want to read what I've written, please peruse the attachments that I've provided, which I think will help give you further information than just taking my word. Some of you have also made your minds up already and agree with me. Whether you do or do not agree with me, I'd love to hear your thoughts, ideas, and opinions. My story begins...

As most of you know, I grew up in a small town. Most of the people I knew led pretty comfortable lives--I never knew anyone who was particularly wealthy, but I never ran into extreme poverty either. We were all squarely middle of the road, and that was basically true for our politics as well. People wanted the best and sometimes better for their families, but isn't that true for all of us?

For the last three years I have lived in Chicago. I have witnessed folks who are in abject poverty, who fight to feed their families and have never had the luxury of a steady job. They don't live from paycheck to paycheck as others I've known have; they live by whatever means they can. And why, because they want better for their families as well. Senator Obama has also seen this plight, he and Mrs. Obama have worked directly with such individuals. Additionally, they understand what it means to form and be part of a community.

One of the largest problems that I see in this country is the inability to create bridges. We have lost our respect for the wisdom of the generations ahead of us as well as the respect for those who are coming up. We have so much to learn from one another, and we are allowing those opportunities to slip away. We can no longer believe that we can make it alone; we can only do it together. This is what Barack Obama is talking about when he says we are our brothers' and sisters' keepers. We've got to watch one another's backs and lift one another up. These are the principles upon which the gospel is built; it is what we've all been called to do.

I think you know why I'm voting for Barack Obama. He recognizes wisdom, and appreciates energy to make a difference. I hear this plea, and I'm responding by casting my vote because I too believe that together, we can and must make a difference.

Many blessings on all of you, wherever you may be.

Peace and love,

Tony

Maybe some of you will have comments as well. I have begun receiving comments, and have at least motivated folks to be serious and get in gear around the issues. Maybe others would like to try it too.

America, America, what do you see?

W for Obama — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:38:07 EDT

You are the light of the world…let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:14, 16

Election season is always a difficult period for me as a Christian because I am greatly distressed by the church that America sees.

He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
- Micah 6:8

America sees a church which champions the rights of the unborn child, but stays silent when the same child is born into poverty, when the child and his family lack health insurance, when he attends sub-standard schools, when his neighborhood is ridden with crime. Why does life only matter when it’s in the womb?

America sees a church that rails against gay marriage, but stays silent when marriages are put under tremendous strain because parents hold multiple jobs and yet cannot bring home a living wage. Are marriages threatened more by gays or by an economic system that leaves the working class an illness away from poverty, and an underfunded education system that leaves our workers unprepared for the jobs of the new century?

For the sake of abortion and gay marriage, the church has aligned itself with politicians and policies which cut billions from programs for the poor (including food stamps, Medicaid, welfare benefits and early childhood programs) in order to make up for tax cuts to the wealthiest. Can we choose to ignore the effects of our support for these politicians and call it justice and mercy?

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is
—his good, pleasing and perfect will.- Romans 12:2

I am distressed by the church’s fixation on abortion and gay marriage as the be-all and end-all of what Jesus stands for, such that millions of Christians feel compelled to vote for politicians and policies that are diametrically opposite to our duty to love our neighbor and care for the least of our brothers and sisters. It is time to renew our minds and put the actions and priorities of those in office to the test. Let us not let Jesus be hijacked by the politicians, and let us speak up for what truly is the Christian agenda – justice and mercy and walking humbly with God. Let us be the light that we want America and the world to see!

10 Reasons I'm Supporting Obama

Elana Fertig — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:11:27 EDT

1. Obama was a lecturer in constitutional law at one of the most respected law schools in the country, University of Chicago and was the president of the Harvard Law Review. Both of these positions require high grades and achievements while in law school and take a top level intellect. He has backed these positions up with 10 productive years in both local and national politics, with state and federal service.

2. Obama recognizes the important of federal ethics and public accountability. His first task as a new senator was to bring an ethics reform bill to the senate and in 1998 passed the toughest campaign finance law in Illinois history. He also reached across the aisle and with Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) passed a law to create a Google-like search engine to allow the public to track federal grants, contracts, earmarks, and loans online. Having previously worked for a government contractor, I recognize the necessity of having both public and government oversight to avoid million dollar hammers.

3. Obama is surrounding himself with experts with diverse opinions to get a broad view on all the issues. He expects and inspires a healthy and productive dialog among people with differing opinions that produces cogent, well thought out, and productive actions and policies. Moreover, his superb communication skills enable him to explain these complex ideas to the general public and inspire action in otherwise apathetic groups of people. This has been exemplified in how much he has inspired the youth of this country. Also, though a religious man , Obama recognizes the sanctity of the separation of church and state and refuses to change his principles to appeal to the religious right in his attempts to court their votes. Moreover, he refuses to let religion play a role in education, promising science-based education and more realistic sex education.

4. Even Americans like myself with insurance covered by employers are feeling the effects of rising medical costs. Obama has a carefully constructed a health care plan that would oversee insurance companies to reduce costs and provide health care for those who cannot afford it (http://www.barackobama.com/issues/healthcare/) In 2003, Barack Obama sponsored and passed legislation that expanded health care coverage to 70,000 kids and 84,000 adults. In the U.S. Senate, Obama cosponsored the Healthy Kids Act of 2007 and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization Act of 2007 to ensure that more American children have affordable health care coverage. He also understands the need for women's health care, and in Illinois and Washington and has created a task force on cervical cancer, provided greater access to breast and cervical cancer screenings, and helped improve prenatal and premature birth services.

5. Obama has first hand experience devising solutions for the less fortunate that empower them to build themselves up through work opportunities, not merely accept a check from the government. He is back ing this commitment up with ideas to support parents through reasonable health care and day care plans that would enable parents to better balance work and family. On a state level, Obama created the Illinois Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income working families in 2000 and successfully sponsored a measure to make the credit permanent in 2003. The law offered about $105 million in tax relief over three years.

6. Obama recognizes the importance of strong public education to put future generations of Americans at the same level as their international counterparts and to have opportunities in a society with increasingly fewer "blue collar" jobs. He has promised to fund all levels of education, from zero to five early education to supporting more student loans and need based assistance at the university level. He has promised to back this up by recruiting more teachers, and paying them the salaries they deserve for all the hard work that they put in. This area is one of Obama's greatest strengths politically. In the Illinois State Senate, Obama was a leader on early childhood education, helping create the state's Early Learning Council. In the U.S. Senate, Obama has been a leader in working to make college more affordable. His very first bill sought to increase the maximum Pell Grant award to $5,100. As a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee, Obama helped pass legislation to achieve that goal in the recent improvements to the Higher Education Act. Obama20has also introduced legislation to create Teacher Residency Programs and to increase federal support for summer learning opportunities.

7. Obama listens to scientists in his policies, including support for stem cell research and science based education, not biblical public education. He is also pushing for more funding for science research and education, which have historically been responsible for many of America's accomplishments and status internationally.

8. Obama has strong environmental policies, and is pushing for additional jobs and national security through funding of real alternative energy policies. His policies are based on the scientific necessities outlined in the Nobel Prize winning International Panel on Climate Change document. Though this document is controversial in the media, speaking as a PhD scientist in Numerical Weather Prediction, I can verify that this document is well accepted within the meteorology, environmental science, and broader scientific community. Because of the importance of these environmental issues, Obama has not succumbed to short-term and short-sighted bandaids like a gas tax holiday or off shore drilling.

9. In spite of the rumors to the contrary, Obama has been consistently strong on Israel, introducing the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act of 2007, co-sponsoring the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006, and publicly supporting Israel in its war against Hezbollah. Though he has been outspoken against the war in Iraq, Obama recognizes the=2 0need for force in the fight against terrorism, and is calling for our forces to be redeployed in Afghanistan, where the Taliban and Al Quada are alive and well. Moreover, he's also willing to negotiate with our enemies with much needed dialog and has no intentions of acting as a unilateral force.

10. It seems very likely that the next president will have the opportunity to appoint two supreme court judges in his next term. Obama has pledged to appoint scholars of the constitution and people not swayed by political hot issues like abortion. While I have tried to keep this positive for Obama, I must mention here that in an appeal to the religious right, McCain has pledged to appoint judges who will overturn Roe vs Wade, even in cases of rape and incest. Any moderate should think carefully about this before voting McCain and remember this is a life time appointment that has far longer lasting consequences than any actions of an individual president.

The Hip-Hop Generation Needs A Leader Like Barack Obama (part 1: Poverty)

Benjamin from New Orleans, LA — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 19:25:06 EDT

The Hip-Hop Generation Needs A Leader Like Barack Obama...

The "Hip-Hop Generation" as we have been dubbed, spans from the suburbs to the inner-cities of the United States and around the world. Despite the differences in backgrounds, races, religious preferences and experiences- we all share many common struggles.

Poverty- I live in Louisiana where poverty extends across the state, creating wide-spread problems and feeding into other issues such as education and healthcare. Poverty leads to higher rates of violence, drug abuse, and illiteracy, while also continuing to divide the greater community (often based on racial lines resulting from over a century of inadequate government responses to the end of slavery and their failure to complete the reconstruction process in a fair and just manner). We have seen the rise and fall of public housing and the "black ghetto"- and the continued segregation of different communities based on income. Hip-Hop arose out of these conditions, first in New York, and later in nearly every major American city.

Trickle down economics, as the Republican candidates continue to argue for, and as we have seen implemented by the Bush administration, simply does not work. McCain falsely portrays Obama's tax policies as wanting to raise the tax burden for the majority of everyday Americans. Perhaps this criticism could be true... but only if McCain considers everyday Americans to be wealthy elites. Perhaps McCain has, like so many Republican candidates before him, forgotten about the "underside" of American (as some call it), the vast majority of low-income and middle class families who struggle day to day just to have a chance at the American Dream.

Obama's policies and values reflect a nation in which no matter what color you are, or what area you live in, you will have equal access to things like education and healthcare. We must elect Obama if we want to remain a united, viable union in years to come.

www.geauxbama.blogspot.com

www.neworleansforobama.blogspot.com

New Orleans: The City That Won't Be Ignored

Chinni — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 23:42:11 EDT

New Orleans: The City That Won't Be Ignored
By Naomi Klein - September 3, 2008

..Gustav should have been political rat poison for the Republicans, no matter how well it was managed. Yet, as Peter Baker noted in the New York Times, "rather than run away from the hurricane and its political risks, Mr. McCain ran toward it." If this strategy worked, it was at least partly because Barack Obama has been running away from New Orleans for his entire campaign..
..There are plenty of political reasons for this, of course. Obama's campaign is pitching itself to the middle class, not the class of discarded people New Orleans represents. The problem is that by remaining virtually silent about the most dramatic domestic outrage in modern US history, Obama created a political vacuum. When Gustav hit, all McCain needed to do to fill it was show up..
..It was also the time to recall that during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the official Minerals Management Service report found more than 100 accidents leading to a total of 743,400 gallons of oil spilled throughout the region. To put that figure in perspective, 100,000 gallons is classified as a "major spill.".. ..Obama was not able to make these kinds of arguments when Gustav hit. That's because his campaign had made another "strategic" decision: to compromise on offshore oil drilling. Again a vacuum that had been opened up was rapidly filled by the Republicans, who instantly (and absurdly) linked the hurricane to the need for "energy security."..
..In moments of crisis, it is possible to speak hard truths with great force and clarity. But when the truth has gone silent, lies, boldly told, work almost as well.

Why "Trickle-Down" Economics Has Lost Favor Since Katrina...

Noetical — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 22:59:45 EDT

Hi everyone!

I've just posted another new entry on my site about OBAMA, HURRICANES, AMERICA, POVERTY, LEADERSHIP & WATER.

Please follow this link if you want to check it out:

"Why 'Trickle-Down' Economics Has Lost Favor Since Katrina..."

Enjoy!

(Out of Order) Part VII: Election "Debate" with SAT Tutor

Lisa — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:52:49 EDT

Out of Order.... Part VII: Election "Debate" with SAT Tutor

On Mon, 7/28/08, SAT Tutor wrote:
    Subject: RE: Re: American Joe for President
    Date: Monday, July 28, 2008, 12:03 PM

    Oh man talk about onslaught. Now she pulls the old the poor little "girl" card. boy do I feel crappy. NOT

    I know you are in jest, as I have been. thats kind of been the nature of our relationship any ways. I do intend to respond to all your statements. Allot of what I've emailed was serious though. but I'll go through them one by one. Please be patient, I need to read all the emails again.

    In the mean time; explain to me why BOb has been flip flopping in regards to pulling the troops out of Iraq. Initially he said within 90 days of getting into office, then when Hillary conceeded he said 18 months. Now he says when he takes office he has to look at the situation and make a judgement call at that time.

    I'm looking forward to your response to this

    Love
    SAT Tutor
---------------------------------------------------------------------
    ------- Original Message -------
    From    : Lisa Levin
    Sent    : 7/28/2008 2:02:04 PM

    First of all, Obama never said he was going to be finished removing the troops in those 90 days. He said he'd begin pulling them out. It's ridiculous to think anyone would pull troops out that quickly. Even someone that's never been in the military knows that.
    2nd of all, his time frame was not 18 months it was 16 months that he said he'd get them out. but he made sure to emphasize that we need to be as careful going out as we were careless going in.   He's said that several times. if he were to say he was a stay the course kind of guy we wouldn't want him. we want someone like Schwartzeneger who actually listens to people that know (like generals and such) and takes into consideration the experts opinions. So for him to say We will have them out come hell or high water in 16 months first would have been being bush/mccain and secondly it would be ludicrous   So if people actually would go back and look at his words, all they'll find is that he's been saying the same thing but different versions. that's not flip flopping.
    the one thing he DID flip flop on was the FISA bill. but please... he's nearly a perfect guy that no one can find any real dirt on. i think that was his first big mistake. and it's nothing compared to mccain's flip flops. mccain has been against the time table this whole time. the republicans even tried to say that Al Maliki's agreement with obama was a mistranslation.   HA   games games games. and so transparent   now somehow (i don't know how) mccain is saying he's agreeing with Al Maliki (even though he wasn't at first) but still not agreeing with obama. i don't know how that works since they're saying the same thing.
    Another good ol' flip flop was mccain saying that if the bill HE wrote came up for a vote he would not vote for it   how's that for flip flopping on positions? he also used to be prochoice and now he's saying he's really wanting to overturn roe v wade.   there are videos on youtube and myspace that you can watch with mantages of all his various flip flops. if you haven't seen them then i'd be happy to show them to you. all you have to do is type mccain and flip flop in the search on either website and you can find them yourself. you can do it for obama and see what you find.

    hope this helps.

Part VIII: Election "Debate" with SAT Tutor

Lisa — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:50:24 EDT

Part VIII: Election "Debate" with SAT Tutor

OH MY G-D!!! The news just said that BOb is losing big time to McCain. BOb has no chance what so ever!

Finally I'm getting some intelligence from you. This last response from you was great. I may not agree with all you said but, now you are showing some of your research.

First of all there is no reason to depart Iraq in one day unannounced. If we did a total holocost would occur. That would take in all the whole Arab world, like a vacuum. The world would just sit back and watch the aniilation. (I know spelling) Departing is a tool, strategy, like anything else. I don't know about the bill McCain flipped on, but I did notice you made an excuse for BOb when he flipped.

Thanks

---------------------------------------------------------------------
And here comes my third book.

What excuse? i admitted he made a big mistake. that's not an excuse. unless you mean that i don't give that one mistake much weight. what am i supposed to do? refuse to vote for him now? I acknowledged that that was a crappy thing for him to do. i've also looked into why he's saying he did it. he's saying that it wasn't the same bill that he originally said he'd filibuster. he's saying it's a better bill for national security. i still think it was a crappy thing for him to do and a terribly weak argument. i also know that he's still playing a political game. i've never denied that. (all i've said is that i don't recognize the game he's playing.) he has to look tough on national security bcs the elephants are riding him hard in that arena. he thought that this would do it, i'm sure. he can't be perfect and i know that i'm not going to agree with everything obama does and says, no one will. Even HE acknowledges that in his speeches (another fact). compared to mccain obama's a saint. and you've neglected to address any of that. did you happen to watch any of the video mantages i suggested? Here, if not... let me make it easy for you:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ioy90nF2anI&feature=related

and there's even a part II:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=GEtZlR3zp4c&feature=related

my other emails may not have been riddled with facts that were statistical but there were a lot of facts there that you're not acknowledging that were more than hypothetical (and no, those aren't hypothetical. those actually come from real experiences.)... i defended his inexperience by showing that in the past it has been shown that yrs of experience hasn't mattered (see Lincoln for further information-- that's all fact and all research). Plus you asked why I was voting for obama... and i told you truths about him-- truths are facts. i look at the kind of person he seems to be and has shown to be to indicate what he's capable of as a president (that's subjective). Another fact i put in was about his pay as you go idea as well as his pushing personal responsibility. he's doing and saying all this stuff... therefore those are facts as well. so you're still confusing me. why doesn't that stuff count as research to you? if i hear him talking and he says those things can i not use that as proof of my point? how do you think i found out the stuff in my last email? either i heard it or read it. so my last email isn't different from my other ones. if it is, i need you to show me the difference.

also, again, you're not being specific. you say you don't agree with me but don't say about what. and how about the mistakes you are making? 18 months is not the same as 16 months. you don't seem to be commenting on your own faulty research.

so you've not heard of the bill that mccain wrote and then said he wouldn't sign??? It's on immigration. have no fear well, let me show you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M34KKaczvKg

how about all the other things that i mentioned? heard of those? just in case you haven't, i found this wonderful article-- one of many: (this one was written in 2008.)

http://www.bi30.org/wordpress/flipflopper.htm

this next one was written back in 2006. at least he hasn't flipped on being a flopper:

http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/9111.html

see, this is why i'm so confused by your responses back.... how come you never say anything about these blatant points that i make? you just seem to skip over them when i mention them, but focus on something which seems rather innocuous such as making an excuse for obama. i know this can't really be all you think of my points. Please address my individual points as you said you will. i'm looking sooooo forward to seeing that response.

oh yeah, and here's an article exposing the lies and political trickery used to confuse voters and mislead them regarding the obama campaign:

http://obamattack.bi30.org/

isn't it funny how mccain was demanding that obama go to iraq? (and how did he do it? he basically taunted obama saying that he-- mccain-- could easily walk down a baghdad street-- he had the camera men shoot a closeup of him so it looked as though he were walking down any safe street in the US, all a product of the wonderfully successful war... what we didn't see was his HUGE entourage of beefed up, armored security outside the view of the cameras. (luckily we have someone like john stewart who can point these humorous faux pas out.)

ok and then what? obama goes on a BIG middle east/europe tour at mccains behest, the trip goes SPLENDIDLY well, and mccain and his cronies cry that he's playing president and getting a jesus complex. however, mccain must have just forgotten all about his trips/speeches outside the country recently (canada, mexico, and columbia)... i suppose he could have forgotten as his trips didn't get nearly as much press or attention. mccain isn't as adored as obama. People in the whole WORLD are ready for us to change Do you know how good it feels to see people in other countries waving our flag proudly??? As opposed to our travelers in other countries saying they're from Canada so people won't be mean to them. It's such a breath of fresh air

i hope you take the time to look over the articles i'm sending you. And if you want more lists of obama accomplishments try this list that Shannon found in an obama's supporter blog:

Here are just a few highlights from Barack Obama's career as a
Senator: specific pieces of legislation, what they meant and how they were passed.

The Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act Introduced by Sen. John McCain in May 2005, and cosponsored by Sen.
Edward Kennedy. Barack Obama added three amendments to this bill.

While the bill was never voted on in the Senate, the Comprehensive
Immigration Reform Acts of 2006 and 2007, respectively, drew heavily upon the wording of this bill.

The Lugar-Obama Cooperative Threat Reduction. Introduced by Sen. Barack Obama, Sen. Dick Lugar and Sen. Tom Coburn.

First introduced in November 2005 and enacted in 2007, this bill
expanded upon the successful Nunn-Lugar threat reduction, which helped secure weapons of mass destruction and related infrastructure in former Soviet Union states.

Lugar-Obama expanded this nonproliferation program to conventional weapons -- including shoulder-fired rockets and land mines. When the bill received $48 million in funding, Obama said, This funding will further strengthen our ability to detect and intercept illegal shipments of weapons and materials of mass destruction, enhancing efforts to prevent nuclear terrorism.

Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006
This act of Congress, introduced by Senators Obama and Coburn, required the full disclosure of all entities or organizations receiving federal funds in FY2007.

Despite a secret hold on this bill by Senators Ted Stevens and Robert Byrd, the act passed into law and was signed by President Bush. The act had 43 cosponsors, including John McCain.

The act created this Web site, which provides citizens with valuable information about government-funded programs.

Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy
Promotion Act. This law helped specify US policy toward the Congo, and states that the US should work with other donor nations to increase international contributions to the African nation.

The bill marked the first federal legislation to be enacted with Obama as its primary sponsor. Following this legislation's passage, Obama toured Africa, traveling to South Africa, Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Chad. He spoke forcefully against ethnic rivalries and political corruption in Kenya.

Honest Leadership and Open Government Act. In the first month of the 110th Congress, Obama worked with Sen. Russ Feingold to pass this law, which amends and strengthens the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995.

Specificially, the changes made by Obama and Feingold requires public disclosure of lobbying activity and funding, places more restrictions on gifts for members of Congress and their staff, and provides for mandatory disclosure of earmarks in expenditure bills.

The House passed the bill, 411-8, on July 31. The Senate approved it, 83-14, on Aug. 2. At the time, Obama called it the most sweeping ethics reform since Watergate.

Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act

Following the Republican-sponsored voter intimidation tactics seen in mostly black counties in Maryland during the 2006 midterm elections, Obama worked with Sen. Chuck Schumer to introduce this bill.

The bill has been referred to the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Obama said of the bill, This legislation would ensure that for the first time, these incidents are fully investigated and that those found guilty are punished.

The Obama-McCain Climate Change Reduction Bill

The Obama-McCain bill, which is co-sponsored by Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., would cut emissions by two-thirds by 2050.

Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007

Introduced by Obama, this binding act would stop the planned troop increase of 21,500 in Iraq, and would also begin a phased redeployment of troops from Iraq with the goal of removing all combat forces by March 31, 2008.

Explaining the bill, Obama said it reflects his view that the problems in Iraq do not have a military solution. Our troops have performed brilliantly in Iraq, but no amount of American soldiers can solve the political differences at the heart of somebody else's civil war, Obama said.

Amendments to the 2008 Defense Authorization Bill Obama worked with Sen. Kit Bond to limit, through this bill, the
Pentagon's use of personality disorder discharges in the FY 2008
Defense Authorization bill.

This provision would add additional safeguards to discharge procedures and require a thorough review by the Government Accountability Office. This followed news reports that the Pentagon inappropriately used these procedures to discharge service members with service-connected psychological injuries.

With thousands of American service members suffering day in and day out from the less visible wounds of war, reports that the Pentagon has improperly diagnosed and discharged service members with personality disorders are deeply disturbing, said Senator Obama. This provision will add additional safeguards to the Department of Defense's use of this discharge and mandate a comprehensive review of these policies.

The Comprehensive Nuclear Threat Reduction provision Working with Sen. Hagel and Rep. Adam Schiff, Obama authored this provision, which would require the president to develop a comprehensive plan for ensuring that all nuclear weapons and weapons-usable material at vulnerable sites around the world are secure by 2012 from the threats that terrorists have shown they can pose.

A provision from the Obama-Hagel bill was passed by Congress in
December 2007 as an amendment to the State-Foreign Operations
appropriations bill.

It is imperative that we build and sustain a truly global effort under an aggressive timeline to secure, consolidate, and reduce stockpiles of nuclear weapons and weapons-usable material to keep them out of the wrong hands. The comprehensive nuclear threat reduction plan required by this provision is an important step in that effort, Obama said of the provision.

At the end of the day, I will take Obama's good judgment over McCain's longevity in Washington any day of the week. It's more important for a politician to learn from his or her mistakes than it is for them to
present the same old failed ideas over and over and expecting a better result. It's true Obama is a relative newcomer on the politican scene, but he has already accomplished much in the areas of nuclear non-proliferation, government accountability, environmental responsibility and others.

There... this blogger did the research for me. He makes several good points at the end regarding needing a man that learns and listens rather than stays the course (you didn't address that either)... his points are reminiscent of what i've already voiced to you.

i know these are lengthy responses but you just leave the door wide open

Part VI: Election "Debate" with SAT Tutor

Lisa — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:43:53 EDT

Part VI: Election "Debate" with SAT Tutor

(Don't forget about our sarcastic relationship while reading.) This is the response I got from the SAT Tutor regarding the second book-long email I sent him.

--- On Tue, 7/29/08, SAT Tutor wrote:

Date: Tuesday, July 29, 2008, 10:20 AM

Okay Lisa keep your diaper on!I'm a gonna respond. (I'm not mocking stupid blacks I'm mocking stupod blacks)

First of all, kudo's to the lady you refer to. As you know its no easy thing to break an addiction. she does have a long road ahead. More power to her. Your mother couldn't even break her smoking habit. I understand from reliable sources that she still likes to duck out for a quick smoke. A quick story, kind of funny, A few weeks before your parents wedding I returned home to see your father being chased by your mother. He then threw me her packet of cigarettes and said get rid of them . Well i did a bad job. I ran to the back of the house, kind of scared, and threw them under the Jacobs' back porch. They had just had the steps put in and there was about qa 4 inch space between the steps and the house. The pack landed about four or five feet from the opening. I figured there was no way she could reach them and later I could retrieve them and destroy them. Your mother got down on her hands and knees and reached in and grabbed them. Mike and I were so amazed. He muttered something like she is more hooked than I thought . This is somebody that lives in a very soft world and has all the means available to her for correction, she just doesn't want to.

Lisa this is not what I wanted to talk about.

I originally asked you to suport BOb. You have said little. The nigger thing came when JJ was off camera and the mikes were still on. I read that in the South Bend Tribune. You can say what you want for that fool, but he does speak to Washington for the Black community. There may be other voices, but he's got there ear now. That may be why JJ and BOb don't get along. If BOb get elected, JJ's scam is up. BOb has stated rhetoric about how he wants to see Black's learn to take care of themselves. So how would it be if he killed welfare?

He is tall, good looking, has got charisma, and he is an unknown entity. The other things that you have said were just Rhetorical statements that you made up. Really there is nothing else.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

From : Lisa Levin

Sent : 7/28/2008 4:31:00 AM

*Please note, this response is in all seriousness.**

I'm so confused by your responses.

1st: bcs it's email I assume that the mean things you're saying are in jest, and i've taken them that way. that said, i also assume that you know the mean and haughty things i'm saying are in jest as well. but then you respond like this last one, and i can't tell if I'm really offending you. but you still continue your sarcastic cut downs. i am still assuming you're joking, but i guess i need to ask... are you?

2nd you keep claiming that i'm not saying anything of substance, I'm giving wishy washy answers, and that i've said little. this doesn't make sense to me because down below is all the proof that you need that i've said quite a lot (and i don't mean number of words). even when i specifically ask you questions and asking for clarification, you're still not substantiating your claims.

and 3rd: i beg to differ with you when you say this wasn't what you wanted to talk about. you indicated your acceptance by your engagement in the discussion and your exclamation that my first long letter was great and you needed to think about it and get back to me. your response left me disappointed bcs i was really hoping to hear your rebuttal. Unfortunately, you seemed to miss so much of what i was saying except one aside. am i wrong or is it an unwritten understanding between two people when they engage in a discussion such as this (especially one that you can take all the time you need in answering because it's on email) that you're responsibility is to defend your position and mine is to defend mine, correct? It's my responsibility to explain fully what i'm trying to communicate to you especially if you don't seem to bem understanding. in other words I'm supposed to defend my position with examples, facts, etc. i think i've done that. likewise, i think that if i was incorrect, misread, or misunderstood any of your responses, it's your obligation (for lack of a better word) to help me understand by explaining and supporting your arguments.

wasn't it you that said: In all seriousness, I am really impressed with the thought that you've been putting into this political discussion. It's obvious that you've thought it through and you're being very intelligent. I hope we can continue these exchanges and possibly learn from each other because I can promise you that I'm learning from your language. I took this as you specifically requesting to continue the conversation as it was developing. Was I incorrect?

Please help me to understand what's causing you to respond in such a way that you don't answer my questions and seem to be missing 95% of what i'm saying. Then you come back and say you don't want to talk about it.

My guess is that this conversation is scary to you. If you really take the time to ingest what i'm saying here you will find it's difficult to debate. and if you gave yourself half a chance, you could point out to me things that I'm not seeing. I am hungry for you to make me think... to see what you think about all these things i'm bringing up. i want you to challenge me on them instead of ignoring what i am saying and sounding like a politician yourself. (by that i mean not answering my specific questions, completely bypassing the actual meaning of what i'm saying, making unfounded/unsupported assertions, using political jargon with no supporting statements– such as flip-flopping -- and in essence ducking out of a tough debate instead of supporting your position.)

it's very frustrating to me because in all honesty i respect you so much and think of you as a thinking, intelligent man... but just like you were disappointed with me when you realized that i sometimes act like what you consider an emotional woman and have problems that may be illogical (this was something you said to me when i spent the summer with you) I'm disappointed bcs it seems to me you're trying to wiggle out of this conversation instead of engaging me in an debate that i too could learn from... after saying you wanted to take part in it. i guess i think i'm missing out on learning from you.

i've specifically answered all your questions blatantly (by actually putting your specific comments/questions into my emails), and you've not done the same. I would appreciate something similar if you have the inclination. I know that i write a lot and it can take you a lot of time, but i'm not asking for an immediate response. you can take as much time as you want. i don't care. i want to be challenged... please. i want you to prove to me what you're claiming.

if you accept this challenge then please let me know.

Part V: Election "Debate" with SAT Tutor

Lisa — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:42:16 EDT

Part V: Election "Debate" with SAT Tutor

--- On Thu, 7/17/08, SAT Tutor wrote:

Date: Thursday, July 17, 2008, 12:12 PM

Thanks Lisa,

Wow what letter really great.

I have to think about your letter and maybe share it with my Jew hating friend. So I'l respond later today or tomorrow. Thanks again Lisa. I really need to think about what you said.

Love

Your Uncle Sam by sending him your tax money

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Later I got:

Lisa this one is tough, i had to take this one to a pack of my Jew hating friends.

Its hard to argue the basic premise that poor Blacks have it tougher than poor whites. But, from my experience, there is easier money available to Blacks for a college education than for Whites. when people Our institutes are still extremely biased, but in reverse. So essentially if you play it smart you can learn to work with the system. You taught me that. With the right guidance these hard luck Blacks can make out a hell of a lot better that a white with the same credentials.

So back to BOb. Whats he gonna do about education? Even Jesse Jackson calls him a nigger Why? Doesn't he represent the interest of the black population?

Your loving (and smarter than you)

SAT Tutor

----------------------------------------------------------------------

--- On Tue, 7/22/08, Lisa Levin wrote:

Date: Tuesday, July 22, 2008, 7:41 AM

It's hard to argue with because you seem to be ignoring most of what i've written. i'm highly disappointed that THIS is the response you came up with. Here, let's dissect it, shall we?

Lisa this one is tough, (yes, i'm glad it stimulated thought. I didn't know that was possible from one-without-a-brain.)

i had to take this one to a pack of my Jew hating friends. (do you have 52 of them? Or do they run around in the woods together eating farmers' chickens?)

Its hard to argue the basic premise that poor Blacks have it tougher than poor whites. (Well, that's because it's true. They do. It's hard to argue reality.)

But, from my experience, there is easier money available to Blacks for a college education than for Whites. (So? What does this have to do with what I was saying? this is the part that is very disappointing to me. It seems as though you focused on one comment I made... as an aside... and disregarded the entire point of my argument. If you review my very first sentence after I define the question, I say, the problem lies more within poverty then race, i think. I then go on to acknowledge the role race plays by saying as an aside, ...race has its effect, and I'd never deny that (i.e. a poor white boy will have a less rocky road of getting out of being poor then a poor black boy because the white boy won't have to deal with the added racism that comes from merely looking black.)

With that said, I never once indicated that any of the people in my examples were black. On the contrary. My first sentence makes the point that race is not the main issue. You can picture white people, hispanic people, native american people, ANYONE in my scenarios down there and the same emotions/behaviors will most likely be the outcome. People tend to get angry and disgruntled when life seems like it's always crapping on them. And we happen to live in a society that needs someone to be at the bottom of the shit-heap, so we have many policies, laws and a poplitical/legal system that ensures these people will stay down. That's where the poor come in. And on the bottom of the poor is the poor black. Ok, let's move on to your next points.)

When people   Our institutes are still extremely biased, but in reverse. So essentially if you play it smart you can learn to work with the system. You taught me that. (How did I teach you that?) With the right guidance these hard luck Blacks can make out a hell of a lot better that a white with the same credentials.   (Oh, my head hurts. Can you see the problem with your thinking if I bold and underline your words? I want you to go back to my book and reread it keeping in mind your assertion that by playing it smart   with the right guidance poor black people can make out better than whites. If you can't see the faulty thinking then let me try to point it out. The issue is they don't have the resources to play it smart nor can they receive the right guidance. First of all, most people won't offer the right guidance to scary, angry kids that are white, black or whatever race. And those same scary, angry kids are not exactly in the right place to be receptive to that guidance. Why? Again, please reread my various scenarios down below. These kids are so filled with confusion, rage, hurt, and sadness that they can't think let alone be smart enough to maneuver a complicated adult system.
    Unfortunately, these kinds of lives aren't uncommon. I wish I could say it's the rare occasion that I hear horror stories such as the ones I listed below, but it's not. The majority of people that experience those kind of attrocities are poor. And a lot of poor people are black. Yes, as I stated before, some people have the resiliency to be able to think beyond their current situation. For example, I'm working with a woman right now... she's in her mid 40s, black. She comes from a family that contained a severely abusive father. What got her through her hell was the drugs that her parents started her on that took away a lot of the pain and made her feel as though she had friends (those that she used with). She lived in a frightfully dangerous neighborhood growing up where she had to hide under her bed or behind the couch when shootings would occur. Now, she's homeless, has HIV as well as arthritis, and she's going through cancer screening.
    This woman first came to us about four months ago after she had relapsed on cocaine. She was homeless then and we had to discharge her to a shelter in Atlanta. What I remember about her from her first admission was her determination to get clean and sober. She was proactive about finding a substance abuse/depression program to get into so that she could learn to deal with her illnesses and hopefully find a way to obtain a home/apt. (Proactive in these situations is rare becuase of the severity of the mental illnesses that accompany the addictions.)
    I did not want to send this woman to a shelter because what happens 95% of the time is they go to a shelter with their determination and addiction, and they fall prey to the attrocities at the shelter. They are surrounded by drugs/alcohol of all kinds which is nearly impossible for someone with an addiction to pass up under normal circumstances (and if you want to get into why addiction is a disease and not a choice I'd be happy to go there). This environment is hardly normal. They witness muggings, beatings, rapes, etc. No privacy, dirty, ashamed, crowded, etc. Not to mention the severe health problems this particular woman has to deal with. What I wanted to do was to get her into a government funded program so her determination wouldn't be wasted and she'd have a chance. Unfortunately, the programs that I am aware of were all full and she had to go to a shelter. This woman left our facility still determined to remain clean and sober and learn to deal with her illnesses. Now she's returned to our facility (inpatient mental health facility for those that are a danger to themselves or someone else because of a mental problem including addiction). According to her (and this is only based on what she tells us and her clean drug screen) she has succeeded in remaining sober these last four months   She still is homeless. She's learning to maneuver the homeless system but she admits it's nearly impossible for her to keep from being overwhelmed and overcome by her illnesses let alone her situation. Why is she back? She chose to come back instead of killing herself or relapsing. And she's back to being determined. She's really put a lot of wheels in motion for herself, but has to wait in the system while she moves through the various waiting lists. At this moment, she is keeping her determination to go back and continue what she's started.
    So you may be thinking, "Exactly   That's what I'm talking about   If she can do it then why can't everybody do it?"    Yes, but what you don't understand is that she is a rare gold nugget in this pil o' crap. Out of the thousands of people in similar circumstances, she's one of only a handful that can utilize her strengths to get her up and out of the streets. And I believe she will. And I believe she will become an asset to society as opposed to a drain.
    What does she have going for her to create her resiliency? She has a high school diploma for one. Somehow (probably because she's so smart and determined) she was able to make it through high school. She did not
    take advantage of any funding available to her to go to college.   College?? Are you kidding?? There wasn't even a thought of college where I came from    She had an aunt and uncle that she could role model, and although she didn't always do what they would've wanted her to do, she kept them in mind at all times. They were the ones that taught her the skill of using her determination to get what she set out for. She's also escaped being sexually abused throughout her life. That's a big plus for her self-esteem although the beatings she endured from her father took a toll on it.
    There's so much involved it's hard to keep track. Culture is involved, you know. Take for instance... Oh, I don't know... say Jews. Education is ranked 1 with Jews. It's a portable resource (as in having thought provoking discussions or carrying books) so that when Jews were chased from one place to another they could take it with them. One of the biggest Mitzvahs is to study Torah. In fact, if you can't study Torah but can help provide for someone who can study Torah... that's just as good bcs you're making Torah study possible for that one person   In my family, both my parents are college educated. My grandparents are college educated. My uncles and aunts are college educated. There was no question what happened after high school. The only question was where.
    In Shannon's family neither of his parents are college educated nor aer his grandparents. All of his brothers have dropped out of high school (that's five brothers). His mother, I believe, dropped out of high school to get married at 15. When Shannon was in high school he had no one there to push him to do well or even to care. He didn't even have a stable home life.
    It just so happens that he had a love for books. When he would skip school bcs he was embarrassed that he couldn't shower before school, he'd go to the library instead of hanging out with hoodlums. He did poorly in high school bcs he didn't care and no one taught him to care, but when he took his SATs as a senior he really excelled. Not because he studied, but because he has a naturally high IQ and he fed that IQ by reading all the time. One of the counselors at school took notice of his score and then took notice of him for the first time. She's the one that pegged him an underachiever and said he needed to go to college. That was the first time he had even considered college for himself. Because of those institutions that make it possible for people that need a leg up because they haven't been provided for in the same manner as others, Shannon was able to get into college. Granted, he didn't have the push or desire to stay in once in, but going set his life on a different course then it was originally headed. Education was not a part of his culture. It did not hold the same meaning that it did for me because of my upbringing. He did not have anyone pushing him and supporting him, going to PTA meetings, helping him with his homework... I had all that stuff. My gifts were nourished and encouraged to develop. His weren't. His saving grace was his hunger for reading and his ability to make friends when he got older. Not everyone has those graces. What if he would have had a learning disability? That one addition to his life could have completely destroyed his future. I bet no one would have taken notice of him except to comment on his ignorance. Oh, and he's not black.
    Erik, too... he benefited from the same kind of programs black people can use. The reason Erik went to college was because there was a program that could help him. When I met him, he wasn't going to go to college. Same scenario as Shannon basically. It just had no meaning in his family's life. There was a part of him that wanted to go. When he met me I was a Jr and already knew where i was applying. He hung around me and my friends who were all college-bound. He had one college going friend. It was enough to peak his interest and get him to look into these leg-up programs. Now, from what I hear, he has a master's degree and is doing quite well    Also not black. Neither Shannon nor Erik had to go through race discrimination that was an added detriment.   Anyhoo...)

So back to BOb. Whats he gonna do about education? (He's trying to change the way people view education by making it and parenting important responsibilities. That's the best thing he can do is encourage individual people to stand up and take hold of the opportunities out there for them. No Child Left Behind sure did wonders. Ask any teacher. Ask your Jew-hating friend. He probably enjoys teaching for the test, though.)

Even Jesse Jackson calls him a nigger Why? (Ugh... awful word, and I don't recall Jesse calling him that. He did say he wanted to castrate Obama for talking down to blacks which is absurd... this is exactly what I mean by politics helping to keep people at the bottom.)

Doesn't he represent the interest of the black population? (No, Jesse is not held in high regard (thank G*d) by much of the black community. (Atleast not around these parts and there seems to be one or two black people here) Now he's just making a fool of himself.)

Your loving (and smarter than you) (you wish... keep on dreaming.)

SAT Tutor

Part IV: Election "Debate" with SAT Tutor

Lisa — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:35:53 EDT

Part IV: Election "Debate" with SAT Tutor

PLEASE NOTE THERE IS A MISSING EMAIL HERE FROM SAT TUTOR THAT I CUT UP AND PUT INTO MY RESPONSE ABOVE. I WISH I WOULD HAVE KEPT THE ORIGINAL. SORRY. (Oh yeah, and don't forget that we have a sarcastic relationship to begin with.)

On Jul 16, 2008, at 4:10 PM, Lisa Levin wrote:

you asked: am I to assume that only the wealthier blacks (the "upper crust," as you say) can exhibit proper, socially responsible American attitudes?

my answer: If you did make that assumption then you're missing the point. I guess I assumed that you understood what I meant, but i can spell it out for you if i must.

the problem lies more within poverty then race, i think. race has its effect, and never deny that (i.e. a poor white boy will have a less rocky road of getting out of being poor then a poor black boy because the white boy won't have to deal with the added racism that comes from merely looking black.) when people don't have easy access to resources or don't have access to resources at all they are MORE likely to have shorter tempers, care less about formalities, experience (and participate in) more violence/aggression than people that do have easy access to resources.

I mean think about it... If I'm wondering where my next meal is coming from then i have less patience or tolerance to put into something as unimportant as school seems to be at this moment or inclination to pay attention to my grammar.

If my older brother is in prison, and I'm spending my energy trying to protect my younger siblings from our alcoholic father that was laid off two months ago then perhaps seeing other kids that are living easy lives makes me angry. Maybe i can't make my way to school on most days because i miss the bus and there's no other way for me to get there. i miss it bcs I'm doing that protection thing.

Or if my mom's abusive verbally, physical, any which way, and i try to stay away from home as much as possible then it just may be that I'm starving for affection and will look for it in all the wrong places (such as gangs-- hell if my mom tells me I'm a piece of crap then i belong with other pieces of crap, no?). All the while the unfairness and difficulty of life is making me angrier every minute of every day.

Especially after I walked in and found my cousin raping my little sister. More anger... turning to rage. My folks have all sorts of pressure because dad's laid off and mom's working 12 hr shifts at a job she hates (that is if I'm lucky enough to have a two parent family). neither of them have time or energy to put into helping me with school. hell, they don't even think school's important My dad is always telling me that he doesn't have a high school diploma. What you think your better than me, boy? We need to put food on this table That's what's important... not some blankety blank homework assignment Get outa my face with that

Now you might ask, So why are mom and dad so abusive? Well, they're angry too. first of all they're not nearly as abusive as their parents were, so they've still got that anger stored up from their childhood. And who knows better than they do that the world is an awful, hard, crappy place.

Mom had to go through sexual abuse from her father, her uncle, and one neighbor. she tried to tell her mother once, but her mother was not about to risk losing her husband and the pitiful pittance he brings home because of this sniveling brat that lies all the time anyway. mom hates her job but it's all she can do right now. she dropped out of school when she got pregnant. dad on the other hand grew up in this very same neighborhood. he started drinking at the age of 12 because his older brother showed him how to stop the feelings after being whipped with a belt repeatedly. Anger more anger... sadness, hopelessness... despair.

some people have the ability to make lemonade out of lemons. but most people that come from a heritage of crap learn to deal with things crappily. it's what they see happening around them, to them, in front of them, etc. it's not impossible that someone can rise above, but it's a lot more challenging then some people might think. if a kid gets out of high school without a diploma but also without an addiction that might be his biggest accomplishment. to him, that bucks the trend of four generations. but to someone that has easy access to education without a lot of extra stress in the background and their family can afford treatment centers or psychological help... or their culture looks at the world differently... in a more positive light... then they may look down on the kids that do have an addiction by the time they're leaving high school and not even notice the amount of effort that went into the one that didn't get addicted

Not everyone is resilient. Resiliency comes from certain factors. One of those factors is having at least ONE positive adult role model. Believe it or not some kids don't even have that. the adults in their lives are too stressed out trying to make ends meet. they can't be bothered with sunflowers and daffodils that's not life. life is a trampled on dandelion.

You asked: That the "VERY small portion" of blacks at Riley molded the prejudices you've supposedly overcome because they were from the "very poor part of South Bend." My "Jew-hating" friend agrees with me, by the way.

My answer: First of all your Jew hating friend hasn't impressed me with his knowledge thus far, so his agreeing with you or not has no weight. all i know about him is he hates Jews and Christians, he's black, and he has a chip on his shoulder.

With that said: No, I didn't say that my prejudices came because the kids were from a poor part of town. these two factors are correlated not causal. it's as ridiculous as saying the more ice cream cones sold the more crimes occur. No, the increased sale of ice cream happens in the summer and the increased number of crimes happens in the summer when the kids are out of school. it's summer that causes the ice cream sales and crimes to go up. my prejudices grew out of my associating the black kids with the negative behavior they portrayed in school. the low socioeconomic status increased the chances of things like less access to resources causing stress, anger, abuse, etc. Violence is more likely to come out of that situation.

Whew. This is a fun conversation for me. I know I've just written a book, so i guess I'll stop here. And you started your last paragraph with the phrase, In all seriousness... If that's true then thank you.

Part III: Election "Debate" with SAT Tutor

Lisa — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:34:25 EDT

Part III: Election "Debate" with SAT Tutor

Here is the SAT Tutor's response to my angry email to him. I actually was surprised that he responded as he's been known to drop people from his life. I thought I had run the risk of not only ending this discussion but offending him to a point I'd have to make ammends. Luckily, he responded differently. (Oh yeah, and don't forget that we have a sarcastic relationship to begin with.)

Hi this isn't my whole response. Right now I just want to say that your message sure doesn't seem emotional.

Love Uncle Sam by paying your taxes

----- Original Message ----
Sent    : lisa levin
            7/14/2008 5:26:24 AM
To      : SAT Tutor
Subject : RE: Re: Re: Re: American Joe for President

Having reread my message after reading your comment and noticing all my exclamation points, I realize that yes, it does seem emotional. And it was emotional. I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to be THAT emotional, but the truth is that since I lived with you that one summer (the first time you accused
me of being in my own little college-y world) that has stuck with me and bothered me. So my emotions were triggered by your last email when you stated that my "attitudes" need help (insinuating they're wrong)and you and your friend worked in the bottom of the barrel without regard or acknowledgement of what I've been doing and who I've been working with... Add to that your comments about being jaded by Riley insinuating that I've not been through what you've been through (which while i haven't been through your exact experiences, I've been through my own version. Yes, Riley hadn't changed much from your day, and I left with some deep prejudices that I've had to fight and correct all these years. but i realized most of them (hopefully all, but i doubt it), and I know how irrational they are because they were based on a VERY small portion of people it just so happens that Riley is situated around a very poor part of South Bend, so the kids that go to that school and their parents aren't exactly representing the upper crust.) So all that to say that my irritation was triggered, and it came pouring from my fingertips. So I'm sorry about the high emotion. But I hope my points are taken seriously. (I'm a bit embarrassed now.)

>------- Original Message -------
>From    : SAT Tutor
                7/16/2008 11:20:36 AM
>To        : lisa levin
>Subject : FW: RE: Re: Re: Re: American Joe for President
>
>Sweetheart,

Don't worry about the over-emotional response. I completely understand that emotions often overcompensate for lack of political savvy and that you are merely displacing your personal insecurities about your knowledge of politics onto your dear *****'s opinion of you.

Be that as it may, Lisa, am I to assume that only the wealthier blacks (the upper crust,â as you say) can exhibit proper, socially responsible American attitudes? That the VERY small portion of blacks at Riley molded the prejudices you've supposedly overcome because they were from the very poor part of South Bend. My Jew-hating friend agrees with me, by the way.

In all seriousness, I am really impressed with the thought that you've been putting into this political discussion. Itâs obvious that youâve thought it through and you're being very intelligent. I hope we can continue these exchanges and possibly learn from each other because I can promise you that I'm learning from your language.

Love yo brotha

Part II: Election "Debate" with SAT Tutor

Lisa — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:33:26 EDT

Part II: Election "Debate" with SAT Tutor

Continued debate with SAT Tutor: (I finally get around to answering his original question again-- Why do you support Obama? And don't forget that the nature of our relationship is sarcastic.)

Sent    : Lisa Levin
            7/2/2008 1:48:50 PM
To      : SAT Tutor
RE: Re: American Joe for President

why i like barack obama, by lisa ann levin

he's a nice looking guy that seems young enouff to not die, and he's not your averig run-of-the-mill white old guy candidate.

he likes things i like... like telling it like it is. he dosint seem to shy
away from hard subjex like race relashuns. he just addressis it hed on. he seems like he has a pretty cleen life. no wun has found anything that will stik to him xsept things other peepl have dun like the rev. rite.

his voting rekerd is okay. hees pretty in line with what i beleev in but i'm not so sherr about this new fathe based heeng hees tawking about. i hate politix and fathe cumeeng together. he wuz nevr 4 the war in eerack wich neether wuz i. and he is definitly a frend to israell. his wife duz kule hand bumps with him 2.

i also like that he wants to make the govermint more see-thru by putteeng stuf on see-en-en.

i also like that heez a moslem!

hope this helps.

--- On Fri, 7/4/08, SAT Tutor wrote:

Hi

I appreciate your response, but you haven't really said anything of
substance other than B.Ob is good looking and a Muslim. Even then you didn't explain why?

Also a black friend of mine says you wrote that way because you think Blacks are idiots. I defended you by saying you were just having fun.

Sent    : Lisa Levin
            7/4/2008 12:42:05PM
To      : SAT Tutor
Cc      :
Subject : RE: Re: American Joe for President

Thanks for defending me. But you shouldn't have had to. The honest-to-goodness reason that I wrote that way has two reasons: the first is that when i wrote the opening line ("Why I like Barack Obama by Lisa Ann Levin"), it struck me as a very child-like opening, and therefore I decided to write as a stupid child. The second part to this has to do with issues i have with always feeling stupid... it's my natural state, and being put to the test by having to defend my political choice to you plays on that deep-seated feeling. so by writing in a stupid manner I'm able to make a joke out of it. It makes it easier for me to express my opinion bcs even if you think what I'm saying is stupid then there's an alternative excuse for my idiocy.

I actually find myself angry that your friend would even jump to that conclusion. He probably did that because he hates Jews! (See how dumm that sounds?) First of all, I'm voting for a 1/2-black man, and little does he know we've contributed money to the campaign as well. I have no problem admitting that I have racist thoughts at times, but i recognize them and make sure to check myself and never act on them. (Anyone that says they NEVER have racist thoughts either can't identify them or is just plain lying.)

I wish you would have gotten my original message... It was worded nicely and in list form. Then no small-minded, ill-informed person could have triggered this anger in me. Ugh.

Barack is not a muslim (but even if he were I'd still vote for him). he's very pro-israel. he's anything but stupid... the man barely even looks at notes when he's speaking!! and he presents himself in a very classy light. He's playing a different game of politics then i'm used to seeing. as i said before, he doesn't shy away from tough topics but faces them head-on. Specifically the race-relations topic and the dealing-with-Iran topic. He hasn't (from what I've seen) stooped nearly as low as the other two candidates in mud slinging, and he brings the political games that the other two are playing into the light to be seen for what they are... nonsense (ie: bringing gas prices temporarily down is a smoke screen; focusing on a pin he wasn't wearing to mean he's unpatriotic; focusing on a word choice to mean he's not denouncing and/or rejecting what his pastor was saying, etc.) He's allowing people to focus on the issues at hand. that shows what kind of a president he has the potential to be, does it not?

I think the experience question is mute. supposedly we have a VERY experienced pretzeldent now and look where that's got us. Charles Barkley said it best when he pointed out how Obama is never going to be making decisions on his own. He'll have a whole team of people to give him guidance and share their wisdom developed over the ages. Lincoln was in the House of Reps for two years (1846-1848) and had experienced 7 defeats for various positions and 0 wins between his two years in congress and his presidency 12 years later. And this is a president who was involved in ending slavery and fighting a terrible war... two of the most altering events in our nations history. He had less experience then Barack!

Anyway, hopefully these are more substantive statements.

Here is SAT Tutor's response to my previous email. If you recall I was upset because I was accused of being a racist as well as not saying anything of substance in my first email. And don't forget the nature of our relationship is sarcastic.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008 12:10:03 PM SAT Tutor wrote:

Sounds good, we all have our rationale. By he way, my bud does hate Jews and christians. He says they have their priorities all screwed up. He Loves BOb.

Remember Riley bread racism. I went through a violent time at Riley, I don't know that you did. We both have taught at the bottom of the barrel. These activities leave scars. Recognizing that may help with your attitudes. I agree totally with Bill Cosby, but since I am white I'm now considered a racist bcs I agree with Bill.

Like any political discussion Your reasoning seemed a little wishy washy, but that politics.

I just Don't like BOb's flip-flopping.

_________________________________________________________________

Sent      :lisa levin
              7/11/2008 4:04:23 AM
To        : SAT Tutor
Subject : RE: Re: Re: American Joe for President

Oh right, I forgot to point out that Obama agrees with Bill Cosby, too. He's speaking out just like America's Favorite Dad did on the same issues. I guess people are just more ready to hear it now or he's saying it in a more digestible way.

And how does that make you a racist? That doesn't make sense to me.

So you and your friend have taught at the bottom of the barrel, huh??   and I have done what? Sat on my white pearly throne? I believe if we sat our bottom of the barrels next to each others, my barrel would be deeper. Noticeably deeper and consistently deeper. I have worked with the kids you CAN'T work with because they been carted off from the places you worked. I worked at their destination. And I've worked with their parents. And I work in a psych ward currently with drug addicts and homeless schizophrenics of all races creeds and nationalities! You can't get more bottom of the barrel than that. Not to mention that I've been in the south doing this work for the last three years. A little different then the Bay Area. And where have you been for the last however long? You've been tutoring kids that can afford to pay your fees. Unless you're doing some volunteer work or work you have never mentioned... to me before, or your mainly referencing experiences you had a decade or so ago then from what I know you've been out of the barrel for quite some time.

I don't know why you continue to think that my views come from some naive JAPpy place. You thought so when I lived with you for that one summer in between my Junior and Senior college years. You didn't know my experiences then and you are less informed about them now. We rarely have these conversations, you and I. And we speak to each other once every couple of months. Not even that if we look at the last few years. You and I used to speak toeach other a lot more, so at least I could give you that much that summer. Now I can honestly say that you don't know WHERE my views come from. You don't know what I've been doing. All you know is that I'm a Social Worker, and you think I'm a FAR LEFTy. Yes, I'm a Social Worker, but no, I'm not FAR left. I'm left. I have a brain and I use it. I rationalize and I look to logic. Not emotion. Emotion comes in when I see people like you asserting things that they don't truly know about. If you would really listen to Obama, you'd see that he and Bill Cosby are on the same wave length. It's obvious! When he's up there saying things like, "I am a believer in personal responsibility... The government will do it's part, sure, but you have to do your parts in your own homes... To all you brothas out there thinking that you're going to make it to the NBA, in all reality you most likely will not! You are an inflated legend in your own minds. [audience laughter] You probably can't rap that well either.

[everyone is laughing at these comments and nodding their heads]... that's why we have to keep our kids in school! Dads, you HAVE GOT TO BE IN YOUR CHILDREN'S LIVES! You have got to pay child support! And parents, TURN THE TV OFF! Sit down with your children and help them with their homework. Go to those PTA meetings... And for G*dsakes! If your child gets in trouble at school, DO NOT GO AND CUSS OUT THE TEACHER! Don't blame the teacher for something your child is not getting at home." Sound familiar? I bet Bill would recognize the sentiment.

My attitudes needs no help. I just happen to hold a different view than you do.

Part I: Election "Debate" with SAT Tutor

Lisa — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:30:07 EDT

Part I: Election "Debate" with SAT Tutor

What I'm trying to say is that Obama has already brought about a change. He's preaching personal responsibility and allowing people to come out and talk about race issues. I've been having a great conversation with a high school SAT Tutor although he is a little frustrating, as I don't think he's really responding to my responses to him. He seems to skip very important points and focus on something really innoculous. Or at least that's what I'm perceiving. I'm not finding that I'm being challenged by his perspective much. Just left having to explain myself in more and more minute detail. I'd like to share the conversation with anyone that is interested in two white, Jewish people: one upper-middle class, the other solidly middle class, discussing other people's lives. First, I'm proud of myself for actually having this conversation. I've been intimidated by this person for my whole life bcs I've viewed him as highly intelligent. After all, he makes his living taking the SAT over and over and over again. (He's tutors in San Francisco.)

I, on the other hand, historically have battled beliefs about my own intelligence. For example, I believe that anything I know everyone else must know. Therefore, others are bored with my opinion because it's so infantile. "Everyone knows that, Lisa. Tell us something we didn't know." So what happens is I don't say things that I assume people already know... which is basically everything. Therefore, I create what I'm so afraid of in the first place (which is very obvious by my first real attempt to answer this guy's questions). So the fact I engaged him in this "debate" is in essence me facing one of my biggest fears... being found to be stupid... and I'm repeatedly facing it every time I respond to him. Each time I'm waiting for his response back I'm apprehensive thinking that this time will be the time that he blows me away with his knowledge and prooves what a buffoon I really am. So far that hasn't happened, but I'm still waiting. So if anyone is still interested in the very beginning of the debate...

I started with fwding a link:

On Jun 27, 2008, at 2:10 PM, Lisa Levin wrote:
Don't you wish there was a Politician on the Horizon that was smart enough or had the Leadership skills to deal with energy issue? Who ever put this together has said it better than anyone I have heard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPch2k63uj4

SAT Tutor's response: (Please note that he and I have a very sarcastic relationship. We are constantly putting each other down and making as though one of us is the superior of the other. It's all in fun, so please don't get offended for me or for him. Of course if you don't understand somthing fully, you can ask. I will attempt to explain to the best of my ability.)

--- On Fri, 6/27/08, SAT Tutor wrote:
Stunningly stupid, why does that make me think of you? Blame your parents.

Thank you for that utube. Its allot of stuff I've thought for quite a while and some new ideas. I'll listen to it again, but he didn't say anything that I could disagree with. Thats really unusual for me to listen to someone for 9 min and not disagree on something.

Okay the truth be known, I wrote it all for Joe. Okay okay, I wrote it and he spoke it. I figured he had better camera presence than me.

Hey ss, where is that research that you did? I still haven't got any thought from you on your support of B. Ob. (should we just call him Bob?)

Love
the sound of music

(Note: This next email from me helps illustrate my internal fear. It had exhausted me to write an initial email where I listed seriously the reasons I was voting for Obama. It was nerve wrecking to press the send button, and then later I find out the email never got to him... nor did I have a copy of it to easily resend.)
On Jun 27, 2008, at 2:10 PM, Lisa Levin wrote:

I know I haven't written it again. I'm annoyed that it disappeared the first time bcs i took a while to write it out and i thought i did a good job. now my brain doesn't want to put forth the same energy. so i've been putting it off. i'll do it though.

--- On Fri, 6/27/08, SAT Tutor wrote:

yea yea I'll believe it when I see it

Love
dew and the morning sun

I'll break here and continue in my next blog. I hope you stay with me. I really would like others to engage in this debate. Since I'm challenging myself then I might as well learn from as many as I can.

The Failed War on Drugs (The War on Personal Freedom)

Joseph Atkin — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:21:26 EDT

I come from a deeply rooted American family. I am a direct descendant of William Williams, the delegate from Connecticut who was one of the signers of the Declaration of independence, and also the son-in-law of John Trumbull, George Washington's right-hand-man. As such, I am raised with complete awareness of our Civil Rights as a citizen of the United States. That being said, I would like to bring up America's Failed War on Drugs. I believe a comedian by the name of Bill Hicks said it right: "It is not a War on Drugs, it is a War on Personal Freedom."

Motivational Note

Friends of President Barack Obama — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:19:02 EDT

Even though it may not look like it or feel like it, you are making progress.

Continue working towards progress instead of perfection.

Nothing or no no one is perfect.

Just keep taking steps.

Keep making those phone calls.

Continue following your plan.

Remain focused on your goal.

Do what you have to do right now to get to the next level.

Complete every task.

Keep every promise and commitment.

Don't look back.

Stay on track.

Let no one weaken your walk of faith and determination.

Remain teachable.

Place yourself in a blessing position by associating with people on-the-grow.

Talk with teachers.

Walk with winners.

Climb with champions.

Study successful people.

Something great is about to happen for you!

Start giving thanks right now before you can even see the outward manisfestation of your prayers and desires.

Everything you do from this day forward will take you further away or closer to your potential for successful living.

-by Dr. Jewel Diamond Taylor, Motivational Speaker & Author

What’s The Good Part of the Bad News?

MoorAmerican — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 11:48:08 EDT

The 2008 derivatives market crash from the sub-prime mortgage crisis will bankrupt the US Federal Government and the Federal Reserve Banking system. There will be no more confidence in central banking concept or practice. The fundamental design of a free market economy doesn’t allow for controlling the consumption demand cash money supply of the society. Consumption derives 70% of GDP to support the general welfare of 306 million people and the jobs of 150 million workers. Central banking will only serve as a regulated infrastructure that facilitates the circulation of cash money as a functional real currency of the United States economy. Then the American people can respond to the national crisis by cashing their paychecks and buying 30 year United States Treasuries to increase their personal spending income. The cash money that is in circulation will increase – it will remain in general circulation to meet the present and future consumer demands of the American people. The national savings program of President Barack Obama – a PAYGO program for the national budget of $3 trillion.

Freeze the Federal budget at $3 trillion. Paygo and cut tax breaks for oil companies –Let them keep their windfall profits. Take away oil tax benefits – redirect it at alternative energy sources and new technologies. Encourage and inspire the American people to invest in the National Energy Independence Project and Nation Building Projects.

The national savings program will make the federal government debt-free with a Paygo national budget derived from consumption using cash money circulating and functioning as real currency: medium of exchange, unit of account, store of value, and deferred payment.

The national savings program consists of workers cashing their paychecks for United States Treasury notes: 30 years at Fed Discount Rate charged to banks that loan credit. The amount of the paychecks are in Federal Reserve Notes. That amount is put into 30 year US government treasuries at the prevailing discount rate set by the Federal Reserve Bank. The cash money – United States Treasury notes – is paid to American workers and remains in circulation. This will restore cash money in general circulation in proportion to consumption. Consumption drives consumption tax revenues. Consumption drives the labor market – it drives up employment and drives down unemployment. The cash money supply created by the people and for the people will function as a medium of exchange, unit of account, unit of deferred payment, and unit of store value, for the people. The store value will be based upon the market price of minted US coins.

Consumption drives GDP growth. The money supply to sustain consumption, growth, and maximum employment, is permanent and grows proportionate to consumption. Surplus revenues from the national savings program can be used for Nation building projects and energy independence.

Professional Project Management Capital Program Planner looking for Change!

Deborah — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 21:13:39 EDT

If I decided to put my story out there, maybe someone in Presidential Politics would want to give a care. However, I have used my opportunity of downsizing to become familiar with an America looking for change. In the midst of my some would say misfortune, I've found fortune. However I cannot give money that I do not have. I have spoken, offered my time, applied for employment, and I continue to do what I can for Obama to get him elected.

Registering first time voters, educating them and those who are apathetic has been somewhat successful, yet it's not paying my bills, finding employment for my skillset, nor is it putting food on my table. Yet I have hope, and I hope to continue to make a difference in this campaign.

I have become a Georgist, an economist, and finally an optimist. Yet I have fears about this election. I watched Bill Moyer this week and I watched Bob Herbert (NYTimes) and a famous economist discuss "POVERTY PIMPING" and the new fortune building where the rich target the poor to take what money they earn, and might use discretionally. As I am unemployed and I see for the first time in my adult life what poverty looks like, I listen to the Business Week report. I read the papers and see the folk losing homes in both the young family, first time homebuyer, renters and seniors who paid their dues and earned their savings morally getting ripped off by corporate snakes who use software to exploit the working class impoverished.

How can this go on? Is the campaign listening or has it become a democratic machine built by hedge fund profits where those who donate benefit? I hope not, but I am not in the mix so as a trained expert, I do what I do. I analyze, inquire, and wait for the signs to my answers.

Rectifying Bush's Failures: Global Warming & Katrina

David in Toronto by way of New Orleans — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:15:44 EDT

Yesterday, Obama gave a speech describing his energy plan; here's how we can work toward those goals now. A project called, Geothermal Power for Low-Income Home Owners, is up for consideration at American Express' Members Project. You can see it here: http://www.membersproject.com/project/view/CJSUUF.

National Homeless and Low Income Voter Registration Week -- September 21-27, 2008

Hope4Unity — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 03:12:10 EDT

September 21-27, 2008 is National Homeless & Low Income Voter Registration Week

Another important election year is approaching and we hope you will join us in ensuring everyone’s voice is heard. The National Coalition for the Homeless, the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, and the National Low Income Housing Coalition are honored to invite your organization to participate in National Homeless & Low Income Voter Registration Week on September 21-27, 2008 by hosting a voter registration drive or promoting voter education and participation.

We hope you will unite with us in this historic week by joining us on a national conference call on Wednesday August 6 at 3:00 pm ET to discuss the many ways you and your organization can get involved. You can access this call online (link will be available on this page on day of call) or by dialing 800-377-8846, Participant Code 03348043#. To RSVP and for further information, please RSVP to advocacy@naeh.org expressing your interest.

Homelessness in America

Hope4Unity — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 02:02:54 EDT

Homeless Veterans
The U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) says the nation's homeless veterans are mostly males (4 % are females). The vast majority are single, most come from poor, disadvantaged communities, 45% suffer from mental illness, and half have substance abuse problems. America’s homeless veterans have served in World War II, Korean War, Cold War, Vietnam War, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon, Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), Operation Iraqi Freedom, or the military’s anti-drug cultivation efforts in South America. Forty-seven percent of homeless veterans served during the Vietnam Era. More than 67% served our country for at least three years and 33% were stationed in a war zone.
Although accurate numbers are impossible to come by -- no one keeps national records on homeless veterans -- the VA estimates that nearly 200,000 veterans are homeless on any given night. And nearly 400,000 experience homelessness over the course of a year. Conservatively, one out of every three homeless men who is sleeping in a doorway, alley or box in our cities and rural communities has put on a uniform and served this country. According to the National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients (U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and the Urban Institute, 1999), veterans account for 23% of all homeless people in America.

"Counting the number of homeless veterans and determining the causes of homelessness for veterans are difficult tasks." The fact sheets at the links below provide brief overviews of the issues:

www.endhomelessness.org

http://www.nchv.org/background.cfm#questions

Sen. Obama, Are you worth voting for? A Test.

Tom Canavan — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 17:17:14 EDT

Dear Senator Obama,

I have posted a Presidential test for you on YouTube. It could cure poverty for millions. Type in search word 'anonbene' and watch the video. Give us your answer.

Tom Canavan

The Benefactor Project.com

Traveling, Hungry and Broke

Brett D. — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:58:51 EDT

I looked a little rough, coming from deep in the Cascade Mountains only an hour before. My boots were caked with mud and I had a three-day growth of beard. My sweatpants were stained to the knee, and I was wearing a shirt I had slept in. A sweat stained cap covered my matted hair. That is to say, I looked like them, this young couple and their son, except that I was on vacation, and they were in the midst of their daily lives, sitting on a corner near the Fred Meyer store.

The couple was about my age, maybe a little younger, and had a boy with them who was perhaps 7 or 8 years old. I had just finished stuffing my face (as only an American can), wolfing down a giant burrito from Taco Del Mar, and contentedly sipping my Diet Pepsi, driving out of the parking lot when I first spotted them.

Almost instantly, I was pissed off. Sure, everyone’s seen street people before, in fact, we seem to be seeing more of them all the time these days, but my emotions suddenly stirred with the appearance of this family, one of thousands that we routinely ignore, as though the mere avoidance of eye contact somehow gets us off the hook.

Lynch mob mentalities

Eomaia — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 21:38:46 EDT

I keep up with the NCCPR Child Welfare Blog http://www.nccpr.blogspot.com/ and the last few posts have dealt with the Washington DC CPS and a couple recent infant deaths, including links to Washington Post articles http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/14/AR2008071401044.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/09/AR2008070902237.html Both articles have a bunch of comments at the bottom, the majority of which are some variation on the theme of "Poor people shouldn't breed".

Now, I don't know Jesus Garcia or Morgan Herrara-El, so they might be horrible people who kick puppies and vote for George W Bush, but the people posting those comments don't know them either. However, many Post readers are more than willing to go back to Buck Vs Bell based on a few facts:

1. They have had 4 children in the last 4 years.

2. They are low income.

3. They aren't white.

4. They've had some relationship problems.

5. Their baby died of unknown causes.

Somehow, these facts jelled together into a stereotype of BAD PEOPLE WHO SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO BREED, and people have responded to Baby Isiah's death with all the sympathy of blood-crazed sharks at a feeding frenzy.

Uncontrolled arms sales fuel poverty and suffering

Inspired in Florida - a Recovering Republican — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 11:21:09 EDT

Today, arms are so prevalent, for example it is estimated that there is one gun for every 10 people on the planet – men, women, and children.

By 2020, the number of deaths and injuries from war and violence will overtake the numbers of deaths caused by killer diseases such as malaria and measles.

The arms industry is unlike any other. It operates without regulation. It suffers from widespread corruption and bribes. And it makes its profits on the back of machines designed to kill and maim human beings.

So who profits most from this murderous trade? The five permanent members of the UN Security Council – the USA, UK, France, Russia, and China. Together, they are responsible for eighty eight per cent of reported conventional arms exports.

“We can’t have it both ways. We can’t be both the world’s leading champion of peace and the world’s leading supplier of arms.” Former US President Jimmy Carter, presidential campaign, 1976

I don't got religion but I like Obama's faith-based plan

Liz — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 03:03:49 EDT

When George W Bush introduced his plan to use federal funds to back faith-based programs, I was outraged, as were many other firm believers in separation of church and state.

Obama's plan, on the other hand, does what Bush's plan pretended to do. It strengthens the partnership between church and community, to help faith-based programs combat social ills like poverty. And most importantly, Obama's plan WILL NOT give federal money to any program that has the intention to proselytize, or will use religion as a basis to hire or not hire someone.

I was, like Barack, raised without religion. My parents were brought up Lutheran, and it wasn't a pretty experience for them. So they resolved to leave religion out of the lives of their children.

I have always regarded this decision to be one of the best they made as parents. Without a church or a religion, I have always enjoyed the freedom of my mind to explore the questions of existence -- I can reject the notion of a God, or I can consider the supernatural, or I can stand back and analyze the psychological reasoning for faith.

But my experience is not the norm in America, and particularly not the norm in the most impoverished areas of the country. As a public school teacher, I've often worked in schools that serve inner city communities, and I know that the church plays an extremely important role in African-American and Mexican culture.

Many parents I've talked to over the years have made it clear that they don't trust anything that we teachers or that the government says. This distrust is the understandable product of decades of discrimination in the schools, through programs that told Mexican, and other Latino children, that it was wrong to speak Spanish, and through segregation which, despite some efforts to integrate schools, still largely exists. Look at any discussion of the achievement gap, and you'll see that the newest research shows that minority children are far behind white children in academic achievement at the same time that minority children receive far more disciplinary referrals, suspensions, and expulsions. There are many reasons, and many explanations, and many excuses, for why this gap exists. However, what is still lacking is a real effort towards a solution to lift communities from poverty and close the achievement gap.

Many in the inner city community turn to their church for support. If their child seems to have emotional needs, many parents opt to deal with it through their church community. They don't trust "counselors" or "social workers," or any other expert that comes from outside of their culture. If their child needs help with reading, then they go to Sunday school or another church club that will provide tutoring. I've seen it time and again -- a child who has needs, but his/her parents don't trust the schools to address it. The parents want to address it through the church.

Obama writes about this in The Audacity of Hope:

Out of necessity, the black church had to minister to the whole person. Out of necessity, the black church rarely had the luxury of separating individual salvation from collective salvation. It had to serve as the center of the community's political, economic, and social as well as spiritual life; it understood in an intimate way the biblical call to feed the hungry and clothe the naked and challenge powers and principalities. In the history of these struggles, I was able to see faith as more than just a comfort to the weary or a hedge against death; rather, it was an active, palpable agent in the world.

If we really want to get serious about changing our country, and eliminating the poverty and crime of our inner cities, we have to be willing to work with the churches. We can offer every kind of governmental program out there, but if people aren't willing to take the help, if they don't trust it, then it's for nothing.

Senator Obama has a deep and firm commitment to tackling problems of poverty that have plagued our country for decades. If we are truly progressives, and really want to enact change instead of doing lip-service to it, we're going to have to recognize the role of the church as a community voice. The church has been doing all it can for the past century to help the needy, without the support of the government. If we can bridge the two, while still making it clear that money from the government is to be used for secular, social programs only, then we can really hope to see progress. This is what Senator Obama is proposing.

vinay gupta on open source tech to save lives

we — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:39:13 EDT

http://www.globalswadeshi.net/forum/topic/show?id=2097821%3ATopic%3A1941

"Reykjavik Digital Freedoms Conference video (Vinay Gupta) - 20 minutes on Global Swadeshi"

This is about using free and open appropriate technology to save lives. Open source shelter, solar water purification, solar ovens. Cheap or free technology.

OUR STORY

Corinna — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:48:03 EDT

We moved into Sandyville about 10 years ago ,into a rental down the street ,this was just after we had hit a all time financial low because I had injured my back and became disabled, My husband worked and was supposed to be securely employed after 17 years ,and I finally got BWC to start paying me , we had a decent living . So we bought a home around the corner from our rental , well we really thought we where secure. his job of 22 years and my BWC income what could go wrong.

My husband had injured his back 10 years earlier but kept working because they where taking care of it, But when it started to get worse after 10 years I guess his employer didn't want to be responsible , and laid him off permanently. He continued to look for work but his doctor told him not to get his hopes up because his abilities would be limited, we didn't want to recognize what we already knew ,that he was headed down the road I had just got off of. We finally had to recognize it after he got the job of his dreams great pay and benefits and a Union , but got let go after 3 weeks because he couldn't keep up the pace.

Well now he has had to apply for SSD which he has earned he worked all his life, but they haven't approved it ,they already turned him down once , he has no other income. and workers comp wont pay because they passed a law saying they wont pay for wear and tear for a previous injury. They said they couldn't discern that his back was worse because of an injury that happened ten years earlier, which was crap because he was being treated the whole time so he could continue to work.

For the last 2 years we have been trying to keep our existence from being foreclosed on and the 3 of us feed clothed and healthy with my income only, from BWC, and they don't keep up with the cost of inflation, its just a little more than SSI ,

We filled our income tax this year because he worked 3 weeks last year and we don't even get the stimulus package because he didn't make 3000.00 dollars he was just 250.00 short , and they wont count my income in one of their disability loo polls , even though my income is the household income and 3 people have to live on it.

Well I'm not complaining to much this is going on everywhere, and at least we haven't lost our home yet ,all I'm saying is when you think whats going on in America is in the next town or state don't look that far because its happening right next door.

We need New Rules something Bill Maure would say. to prevent employers from throwing away loyal employees like old dogs.

We need to be able to still live if we become injured or disable after working all our lives, but not old enough to reach our retirement.

Both my husband and I have paid taxes for years and shouldn't be left out of this stimulus package. I was really expecting it to come in and was counting on it to pay our home Insurance and next years land taxes, until I found out yesterday after calling the IRS we didn't QUIALFY.

Whats wrong with this picture. to much of Bushes policies and Bushes inner circle of friends making all the money and decisions.

Leaving America to broke to help the people that was the backbone of this country.

Their is the war in Iraq and the war he didn't tell us about, The war on the middle class.

Obama has my vote for sure

Anyone see last week's Globe article?

fuzzymike — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 14:35:31 EDT

Did anyone see last week's big Boston Globe article on Obama? Grim proving ground for Obama's housing policy

What did you think of it? A few things troubled me: the fact that Obama claimed he didn't know what was going on in these places, and the fact that several of these (possibly corrupt) developers are contributing to or working with the campaign. Seems like a recipe for trouble.

If there's one area Obama should be solid on, it's poverty and housing in the community where he worked so long as an organizer and state senator. And it bothers me a bit that he apparently didn't follow through enough on his policies in this area.

I'm certainly not an expert on housing policy. Are these public-private partnerships a good idea? Have they worked elsewhere?

Urban housing and the poor

fuzzymike — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 14:27:44 EDT

Just wanted to jot down a few thoughts on this issue, since I've read a few things recently that related to it.

First, a good article in the recent Atlantic magazine, "American Murder Mystery." The article traces some of the problems that have arisen from tearing down high-rise urban housing projects and giving people Section 8 vouchers to move elsewhere. Unfortunately, it hasn't been as much of a success as was hoped, as former residents disperse to nearby working-class surburbs, and unfortunately often take their problems with them.

Going to Barack's office!

ccyl — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 01:36:01 EDT

YAY! I'm going to Obama's office in DC next month to talk to his aides about global poverty issues. This will be my first lobby visit and I'm really excited about it! Thankfully, I'll be at the meeting with a couple of more experienced RESULTS advocates from IL. I hope to learn a lot and let his office know how deeply I care about the eradication of extreme poverty! I'll tell you all about it after it happens!

ccyl
http://endpoverty-ccyl.blogspot.com/

an email from Barack about poverty

ccyl — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 21:26:17 EDT

An email from Barack Obama regarding a recent letter I wrote to him regarding poverty, the food crisis, and the need for more international emergency aid. -ccyl
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for taking the time to write about hunger and poverty throughout the world. I completely agree that we can and must do more to address the global food crisis.

The rising price of food is causing immense hardship for the world's poorest people. According to the World Bank, an estimated 100 million people may be pushed into deeper poverty and hunger because of soaring food prices. Press reports have described the crippling effects of the high prices and the suffering of those who are most vulnerable, especially young children. The risk of civil unrest is significant in dozens of countries, making this an important global security issue as well.

(more in the extended post text)

WFP: Thank You!

Chesco Bill — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:52:42 EDT

Dear Friends:

Your generous donations have helped the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) fulfill its mission to feed the hungry poor during the worst hunger crisis the organization has faced in its 45-year history. The combined effects of soaring food prices and the Myanmar cyclone left millions of people in desperate need of assistance.

The rising cost of food and fuel set off a global hunger crisis, leading to riots around the world. As people in Haiti began to make "mud patties" out of salt, vegetable shortening and dirt in order to curb their hunger, we asked you for help and you responded with outstanding generosity.

The hunger crisis, dubbed a "silent tsunami" by WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran, was soon followed by a devastating cyclone that struck Myanmar at the beginning of May. WFP responded to the disaster with life-saving food assistance, overcoming a variety of challenges including restrictions on access of humanitarian workers; limited ability to deliver aid; and difficulty in reaching affected populations in remote areas. Despite these obstacles, WFP has already fed over 500,000 people, and will continue to provide assistance to Myanmar cyclone victims for the next six months.

It is thanks to your dedication and generosity that the World Food Program has been able to feed millions of people who otherwise would go hungry. Thank you for joining us in our mission to end hunger - your support is vital as we continue to provide life-saving assistance to those who need it most.

Sincerely,

Karen Sendelback
President and CEO
Friends of the World Food Program

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
© 2008 Friends of the World Food Program
1819 L Street, NW | Suite 900 | Washington, D.C. 20036
Tel: 202.530.1694 | Fax: 202.530.1698 | E-mail: info@friendsofwfp.org | www.friendsofwfp.org

Friends of the World Food Program is a U.S. based non-profit organization that works to increase awareness of global hunger and raise funds to support WFP operations around the world.

ONE Vote '08

Chesco Bill — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 10:33:36 EDT

Dear Friends,

As summer heats up and the presidential campaign hits full stride, I'm proud to invite you to join an unprecedented effort, made up of ONE members right here in Pennsylvania and across the country, to give the one billion people around the world living in extreme poverty a voice in the 2008 election.

It's called ONE Vote '08 and it's a high-energy, grassroots campaign to make the fight against extreme poverty a key part of the 2008 election. Together, we can make sure that our next president, no matter if it's John McCain or Barack Obama, is committed to saving millions of lives and stopping needless suffering around the world.

Sign up below to be a ONE Vote '08 volunteer and you can be a part of our team here in Pennsylvania. From Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, we're hitting the campaign trail to rally voters and press the candidates on the incredible power of American leadership to save lives in the poorest parts of the world.

Sign up for ONE Vote '08

The Right to Life and The Right to Choose

geekconsortium — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:25:14 EDT

I am opposed to abortion and support the right of a woman to choose abortion. How do I reconcile those two seemingly opposed viewpoints?

In Memoriam - Robert F. Kennedy

Charles Penny — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:56:48 EDT

This week, we observe a solemn anniversary in which 40 years have passed since the hopes and dreams of a generation were suspended. With his very real relevancy to the remarkable candidacy of Barack Obama, I wish to recall Robert F. Kennedy, his legacy, and the promise, 40 years after his life was so tragically cut short, of a return to ideals he believed in with the Movement for Change Barack Obama inspires.

In this 40th anniversary year of the tragic end to RFK’s life, I’m sure many will remember the eulogy given by his brother, Senator Ted Kennedy, on June 8, 1968 in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, which is surely one of the finest and most touching public addresses in American history (http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/ekennedytributetorfk.html). In speaking about RFK’s ideals, his surviving brother said, “[he] saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, and saw war and tried to stop it.” These words provide a context to consider the life and legacy of Robert F. Kennedy and the potential we have now in this watershed year of 2008 for making true progress in returning to and reaching towards RFK’s ideals.

He Saw Wrong and Tried to Right It

Robert F. Kennedy became a champion for civil rights in the administration of his brother John F. Kennedy, and beyond. As Attorney General of the United States, Bobby Kennedy saw that desegregation laws correcting wrongs of the past were enforced. As Attorney General, U.S. Senator for the state of New York, and candidate for President of the United States, Kennedy worked tirelessly to see the enactment of legislation further advancing the cause of guaranteeing that all Americans be given equal rights and that human rights be recognized and respected elsewhere around the world, such as when he called for an end to apartheid with his visit to South Africa in 1966.

He Saw Suffering and Tried to Heal It

In the mid-1960s, the United States was supposed to be fighting a “War on Poverty”, but as a member of the Senate committee reviewing this effort, Robert Kennedy was disappointed by what he saw in urban areas across the country and in rural Appalachia. He made addressing poverty a focal point of his 1968 presidential campaign. Funds which could have been going to address the needs of the “disaffected”, “the impoverished” and “the excluded” Americans in Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society” had been increasingly consumed by an unpopular war of the traditional kind in a far-away land.

He Saw War and Tried to Stop It

One of the prime motivations for Robert F. Kennedy to enter the 1968 presidential race was the “perilous course” he saw the country on by persisting in fighting a far-away foreign war which was taking American lives by the thousands and draining resources from the growing needs of the country at home. The Vietnam War would cost more than 50,000 American lives and without John F. Kennedy to prevent from sending ground troops in the first place and Robert F. Kennedy to stop it, the war dragged on and was even expanded to Laos and Cambodia with little to show for it, apart from the higher death toll on all sides and a weakened America which had effectively abandoned its war on poverty and other promising initiatives.

The RFK Legacy in Barack Obama

The cause of Civil Rights which Robert F. Kennedy championed so vigorously in the 1960s has resulted in the opportunity for a Barack Obama to be on his way to being the first African-American President in American history. Obama’s very success up to now and in the months to come will take the Civil Rights Movement to the highest office in the land. Imagine how pleased RFK would be. We indeed appear to be on our way to creating “a more perfect union”, not only as represented by Barack Obama’s candidacy, but Hillary Clinton’s, too. However, issues raised by their candidacies also show the work yet to be done to assure that race and gender and the other categories for dividing people are overcome and that all Americans truly have equal rights as one people.

As Obama has traveled the country in his historic campaign, he has seen the suffering of many Americans and proposed common-sense solutions to alleviate it. Contrary to his Republican opponent, he proposes action to help Americans keep their homes in the wake of a crisis caused by lax regulation allowing lending which concealed the dangers hidden in the fine print of mortgages. He calls on supporting innovative companies which create “green jobs”, and rewarding them for tapping into American ingenuity. With a united Democratic Party which no longer depends on money from lobbyists and the influence it buys, Obama will also finally be able to deliver on the promise of health care coverage for all Americans by responding directly to that long-standing need.

Part of the cost of these initiatives will be paid for by ending “a war which should have never been authorized and should never have been waged”. Getting out of Iraq won’t be so quick and easy as the blunder that getting in was, but Obama’s very commitment to do so will allow the U.S. to refocus it’s foreign policy priorities and be the agent for peace in the world Robert F. Kennedy wanted it to be as he campaigned for the presidency in 1968 and that his brother John F. Kennedy toiled to achieve in his all-too-brief presidency with RFK at his side. Ending the war in Iraq and making the U.S. a force for peace in our increasingly complex world with tough, principled diplomacy will restore America’s moral standing in the world and also restore the kind of courage RFK demanded of himself and believed in for his country.

Barack Obama gives our nation the best chance to restore the ideals Robert F. Kennedy had 40 years ago – to end unnecessary war, to constructively address the serious economic issues of our time, and to see a commitment to a common purpose in which all Americans have the same opportunity to live the American Dream. Perhaps more like RFK than on any one issue, however, Obama inspires American people to believe in themselves and in the great potential of Americans as individuals and as a nation to create a better country and contribute to a making better world.

By his very candidacy, but more importantly, by the vision he presents now as a candidate and will provide as President, Barack Obama calls upon us all to live out the promise contained in one of Robert F. Kennedy’s favorite philosophies, as originally stated by George Bernard Shaw: some people see things as they are and ask ‘why’; I dream of things that never were and say, ‘why not’.

(This article solely reflects the opinion of its author as a supporter of the candidacy of Barack Obama. In no way does it purport to represent the official position taken by Barack Obama, the Democratic Party or the Obama campaign organization. As a blog article, I welcome any and all comments.)

LET'S REMEMBER WHAT THIS NIGHT IS ALL ABOUT

Patricia McGahan Lewis — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 01:13:55 EDT

LET'S PAUSE TO REMEMBER WHAT THIS CAMPAIGN HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT

Today is a day we will never forget. My Obama campaign signs hang on my front porch railing here in Kansas, the birthplace of Senator Obama's mother.

Though we have much to celebrate tonight, let us not forget: As mothers and fathers stand with their children in lines at food banks all across this wealthy country; as body bags are loaded onto military cargo planes, holding our nation's treasure inside; as veterans and people with severe mental illness are rolling out their mats to sleep on the sidewalks, some of them mere blocks from the White House; let us pause tonight and remember, for them, what this is all about.

Congratulations to you, Senator Obama and Michelle, and to everyone who has worked so hard on this campaign. We have something very significant to celebrate and cherish tonight: A hopeful view for the future of America, this country I love.

Patricia McGahan Lewis

Stockton, Kansas

Rooks County Precinct Captain, Obama for America

LET'S PAUSE TO REMEMBER WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT

Patricia McGahan Lewis — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 19:25:22 EDT

LET'S PAUSE TO REMEMBER WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT

Today is a day we will never forget. I have Obama signs hung on my front porch railing today, here in Kansas, the birthplace of Senator Obama's mother. People are honking and waving when they see the signs, in Kansas!

Though we have much to celebrate today, let us not forget: As mothers and fathers stand with their children in lines at food banks all across this wealthy country; as body bags are loaded onto military cargo planes, holding our nation's treasure inside; as veterans and people with severe mental illness are rolling out their mats to sleep on the sidewalks, mere blocks from the White House; let us pause tonight and remember, for them, what this is all about.

Congratulations to one and all on the Obama campaign. We have something very significant to celebrate and cherish tonight: A hopeful view for the future of America, this country I love, and her people. Today, Abraham Lincoln is smiling; Martin Luther King is smiling; and John and Robert Kennedy are smiling too.

Patricia McGahan Lewis

Stockton, Kansas

Rooks County Precinct Captain

W.W.D.D. - - Advice for President Obama

Carla — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:24:38 EDT

Allegedly, Dubya has been guided while in office by the maxim W.W.J.D. - - What Would Jesus Do. Evidently, Jesus would lie, spy on people, hold people in jail without due process, and order the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent people in Afghanistan & Iraq. Geez, that Jesus dude was hard-core.

When President Obama takes office, here's the maxim that I hope will guide his thoughts and actions - - W.W.D.D., or What Would Dickens Do. Dickens was an agitator for real change in his day, a reformer who used his pen and not his fists (or someone else's fists as proxy). He saw the plight of other Londoners and other Brits, and he brought those injustices and needs to light in an effective way that still resonates.

What would Dickens do? He'd reform the services and laws that affect those who are born into or experiencing poverty. He'd advocate for excellent services for children who are friendless or family-less. He'd allow his bad guys to learn profound lessons or be punished by natural consequences - - he wouldn't need to inflict punishment self-righteously upon them. He'd believe that even the most hardened skeptic and miser, even the most derelict of substance users, even the most slippery juvenile delinquent, can be reborn through love and belief in something greater.

Dickens sent one of his characters to the guillotine in service of the greater good. And that's what we, as a nation, have to be ready to do. We must be ready to sacrifice for the good of the planet; we must be ready to see beyond our own selfish interests. We need a president who can do the same.

Alternatively, President Obama could be guided by the maxim W.W.B.D. - - What Would Buffy Do. Now, there's a vice presidential pick......

Si se puede, mis amigos y amigas!

A New Homestead Act

John Cavanaugh — Thu, 29 May 2008 10:04:47 EDT

Tuesday, May 27, 2008 2:57 AM
I respond to the May 12 Columbus Dispatch article, "Public housing might be halved," regarding the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority's plans to tear down some of its buildings and give tenants vouchers to rent private apartments.

There is a better way.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has spent millions in an honest effort testing the feasibility of home ownership for low-income families. There are success stories right here in Columbus.

By contrast, the proposed vouchers are given for one year and must be renewed, a very insecure feeling for sure. Aside from a very few, the existing residents will be uprooted from the only security they have: their homes.

An opportunity for the residents to own and control their existing home is more than feasible, and it would be a win-win for everyone.

The cost of 1,700 vouchers will be more than $4 million per year. The tear-down will cost more millions. Like all housing authorities across the country, CMHA has become bloated with high payrolls and expenses that it cannot control.

My plan to let the tenants own the units will give them needed relief. HUD will save many millions of our tax dollars here and across the country.

The cost of operation of the structures will be minute compared to the huge expenses now funded, using our government taxes.

The residents win because they will become empowered and proud that they have a role in their own future and security.

I know from personal effort and experience that this is reality.

CHARLES L. ADRIAN
President Capital City Community Urban Redevelopment Corp.

Columbus

Week left in Obama Food Drive

ccyl — Sun, 25 May 2008 20:24:46 EDT

Just a reminder that there is one week left in the Obama Supporters Food Drive. It is hosted on-line through the Greater Chicago Food Depository, but there is an option to pick a food bank close to you if you are not local to Chicago!

Here's the link:

http://vad.aidmatrix.org/vadxml.cfm?driveid=2682

Please join us in a show of support in honor of our favorite candidate!

Note: The Greater Chicago Food Depository does not endorse any particular political candidate or party.

Learning from Jim Webb About the Scots-Irish

Adriane — Sat, 24 May 2008 15:50:30 EDT

Senator Jim Webb was on Countdown with Keith Olbermann recently. I generally enjoy listening to his perspective on things and reading what he has to say. But this time, he said something that literally thrilled me. For YEARS I have been saying that racism and cultural biases among the poor and working class only serve to minimize their politicial and economic conditions in the United States. Senator Webb didn't say exactly that, but he did say that if Appalachia and poor black America could join forces it would completely change the American political landscape. I would take it one step further and say that if poor, low-income, and working class people could come together across all racial/ethnic and cultural differences, it would completely change the American political landscape. His comments were the most insightful I have heard about what happened here during the West Virginia Democratic Primary.

I suggest that anyone wanting to give this some more thought give Senator Webb a read at:

http://www.jameswebb.com/articles/parade/bornfighting.htm

http://www.jameswebb.com/articles/wallstjrnl/joesixpack.htm

This concept of attacking economic equalty by unifying across race is not foreign in the U.S. It was the issue at the forefront of Dr. Martin Luther Kind Jr.'s agenda after the passage of the Civil Righsts Act. The Poor People's Movement was focused on this very thing. Poverty, like many other social ills, does not discriminate. But instead of attacking poverty and economic injustice in the U.S., we have decided as a nation to stereotype racial/ethnic groups and subgroups and pit them against each other. Our refusal to address the realities of social class distinction in this country allow us to focus on racial injustices--to varying degrees of seriousness--and pay no attention to the intersections of race and class. It is no surprise that low-income whites would resent an upper middle-class black person benefitting from affirmative action when that upper middle-class black person has already overcome the racial injustices the policies seek to address.

While I believe that there is still plenty of room for affirmative action, I also believe that regardless of one's race or ethnicity, poverty is a major barrier to accessing educational and workplace opportunities.

I belive Barack Obama understands this. I believe that he is interested in addressing the social inequalities that plague us. I just wish that his advisors would find a way to talk about it in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and, of course, West Virginia.

Issues for the Disabled

Tamara from Collinsville, IL — Sat, 24 May 2008 13:17:51 EDT

Throughout the campaign I have not heard any mention of disabled Americans.

I have applied for Social Security disability. I will have a decision in one to two weeks. I have no income and haven't since October.

I last worked in April, 2007, and the unemployment ran out in October.

In the mean time, I am having to BATTLE to keep receiving my food stamps, because there was some law passed effective Jan 1, 2008, that says to recieve food stamps you must be working.

Well, I am not able to work. But I have not been "officially" declared disabled.

I am also afraid of losing my Medicaid, because they are checking more medical records on that. I just started that in mid-January, and the financial and mental relief has been tremendous. To not worry about where to get money for some HUGE costing meds that I must take. The"3 months for $15" meds donot work for me. that is how I ended up in the hospital.

I was recently hospitalized for depression, bipolar and anxiety disorder. And yet, I am not eligable for food stamps anymore, I am a grown person, living with my mother. She is retired. Those food stamps help feed me.She cannot make it with me iving here and having no income. Until we received stimulus checks, the rent was 2 months behind.

That was very stressful for me and I was just out of the hospital. I thought I was going to go back in.

My mom was not eligable for any rental assistance. She makes "too much" money.

I'll be damned if I "fall through the cracks". That has happened to me too many times and this time I don't have the strength to take it.

WHO passed this work-requirment food stamp bill?? Was it hidden in some other bill? I am told it came from the federal level.

And what about people who are living in their car, or are in shelters? They are not going to be able to get food stamps either.

What the hell happened to this country...and why did no one notice this injustice against a segment of society???

Farm Bill Outcome and Poverty

ccyl — Fri, 23 May 2008 14:40:04 EDT

From the Washington Times yesterday...

"The 2008 farm bill is indeed a mixed blessing ("The minority farm-bill vote," Editorial, yesterday). For hungry Americans, it's a relief that this bill, so late in coming, finally passed. At long last and much needed, the Emergency Food Assistance Program increases will start flowing in a time of rising prices and rising need. Yet it's shameful that the legislation doesn't address some root causes of hunger and poor health.

If ever there was a tool to fight poverty on both domestic and international fronts, this was it. We missed an opportunity to limit commodity subsidies that are damaging to our own farmers of modest means and poor farmers overseas who cannot compete with our artificially cheap crops. We kept in place the subsidies that make unhealthy processed foods much cheaper than fresh vegetables.

I sincerely hope that in five years we can have this debate again and pass a bill that will limit our destructive behavior instead of just giving ourselves another Band-Aid."

"Appalachia: Listening With Our Hearts" & The Poverty Initiative

Hope4Unity — Thu, 22 May 2008 02:13:03 EDT

The newest publication from the Poverty Initiative contains reflections on issues of poverty, gender and race in Appalachia and beyond.

Traveling with the Poverty Initiative in West Virginia, Ohio, and Tennessee in January 2007, fifty participants meet with leaders of organizations of impoverished people working to overcome the economic injustice of our society—those engaged in “the plight and the fight.”

This collection of fifty-five essays and over one hundred photographs responds to those experiences.

Immersion participants included:
Union Theological Seminary students and faculty,
Columbia University School of Social Work students,
members of the Poverty Initiative’s Poverty Scholars Program, and
members of the Media Mobilizing Project.

http://www.povertyinitiative.org/index.html

The Poverty Initiative At Union Theological Seminary:

As we enter the 21st Century, we are facing a devastating and rapidly increasing polarization of the rich and the poor. It is arguably the defining social issue of our time. The Poverty Initiative believes that it is possible to end poverty – not merely manage it – and that it is not only our moral imperative to do so, but also our theological and spiritual calling, journey, and struggle. The mission of the Poverty Initiative is to “raise generations of religious and community leaders committed to building a movement, led by the poor, to end poverty.”

Hillary's senior thesis - on community organizing

Benjamin Vos, Nashville — Wed, 21 May 2008 12:19:14 EDT

To understand Hillary Clinton's vision for change, you need to read her senior thesis, written while she was at the all-women's school of Wellesley College. She wrote about community organizing, particularly the methods of Saul Alinsky, a Chicago-area boss who worked as a union agitator, organizer, and radical.

http://www.gopublius.com/HCT/HillaryClintonThesis.pdf

Here are some key quotes:

The organizer plays a significant role in precipitating and directing a community's conflict pattern. As Alinsky views this role, the organizer is

"...dedicated to changing the character of life of a particular community [and] has an initial function of serving as an abrasive agent to rub raw the resentments of the people of the community; to fan latent hostilities of many of the people to the point of overt expressions...to provide a channel into which they can pour their frustration of the past; to create a mechanism which can drain off underlying guilt for having accepted the previous situation for so long a time. When those who represent the status quo label you [i.e. the community organizer] as an 'agitator' they are completely correct, for that is, in one word, your function--to agitate to the point of conflict."

Later, she quotes Alinsky again:

"There are two roads to everything--a low road and a high one. The high road is the easiest. You just talk principles and be angelic regarding things you don't practice. The low road is the harder. It is the task of making one's self-interest behavior moral behavior. We have behaved morally in the world in the past few years because we want the people of the world on our side. When you get a good moral position, look behind it to see what is self-interest."

Hillary Rodham summarized it this way:

The Alinsky method of community organizing has two distinct elements. One, the 'Alinsky-type protest' is 'an explosive mixture of rigid discipline, brilliant showmanship, and a street fighter's instinct for ruthlessly exploiting his enemy's weakness.' The second, modeled after trade union organization methods, involves the hard work of recognizing interests, seeking out indigenous leaders, and building an organization whose power is viewed as legitimate by the larger community. It is difficult to discuss these two components separately because they are woven into the organizational pattern according to situational necessity. Some organizational situations need the polarizing effect of "rubbing raw the sores of discontent" while others with well-defined resentments need leaders. Another distinctive feature of the Alinsky method as mentioned in the previous chapter is the use of military language.

Boots on the Ground

Madama Ambi — Tue, 20 May 2008 19:34:19 EDT

I just watched Obama's interview with Blogher. I'm not a member of Blogher, although it looks like a great site and I might just join that community. I found out about the interview by being a member of one of the official supporter groups. Apparently Blogher invited Obama to interview and apparently he is the first candidate to consent to an interview.

I've watched numerous interviews with Barack and there was nothing smashingly new in the questions, except that there was. A woman who was a representative of a large body of women bloggers was asking the questions. There wasn't anything standing out in Barack's answers except that I saw the community organizer I hadn't seen in a long, long time.

No, I don't go way back with Barack. I didn't live in the poor neighborhoods of Chicago where he organized people, but I read about it in Dreams From My Father. You could say I relate, big time, because I've had jobs that were all about social change and not so much about making money, and I've worked in neighborhoods where everything around you reminds you of your essential worthlessness. I'm talking about places that every American in government should live in for a year before they are qualified to make policy for this country. I'm talking about a place that was so depressing to me that I couldn't hack it 9-5, much less live there.

I don't know how people make it out of poverty in this country, although I know that some do and some go on to do great things. Listening to Barack today, I remembered that he does know what needs to happen to end poverty, he does get the complex connectivity of good education, meaningful work, a living wage, a commitment to self and country, a belief in one's future. He talked about what needs to happen like somebody who has been there, and he has.

Barack knows what needs to change so that our kids don't grow up in poverty. He gets it from the inside out. When he answered this question, I saw a guy talking about poverty like a program director at a non-profit explaining to new hires the 5-year plan, the 10-year plan, and the 100-year plan. He was detailing steps and making connections and he wasn't spewing rhetoric anyone had written for him. I knew this guy; I knew him from his book and I knew him from years of being inside non-profits and other kinds of organizations that deliver social services to needy people.

So, I'm asking you. Who doesn't have experience? Maybe this is a hard argument to make because this culture doesn't know how to see what the alternative education movement calls "life experience." Life experience gets translated into in-depth writing on an academic subject and then it earns college credits. This has been happening for years at the B.A., M.A. and PhD. level. These colleges are regularly accredited by regionally approved institutions which send experienced academicians to personally observe the quality of instruction.

But, in this presidential campaign, people don't know what to make of Barack's life experience. They don't know what a community organizer does. They don't know the people skills one has to have to build working groups among people who have lost hope. They don't understand that living part of one's childhood in Indonesia creates cultural open-mindedness in the same spongelike way that young children learn languages. The brain of a child is so unlike that of an adult that we forget what learning something at an early age means.

It means the difference between learning to swim when you're a baby and learning to swim when you're an adult. The kid who learns as a baby has flippers for feet, a snorkel for a nose and trusts the water. It's the difference between learning French in first grade or learning it in high school. The kid who had Monsieur Mayieux come to play games in French feels actual pleasure in her brain circuitry and on her tongue when she finds herself thinking in French.

Ok, these are examples from me, my life, projected onto what I know about Barack's early life. I can't prove beyond reasonable doubt that Barack's multi-cultural, multi-racial, cross-class, cross-cultural, community organizer youth makes him a better leader than a kid who grows up in the suburbs of Illinois or on a farm in Kentucky or in a mill town in North Carolina. But, I can refer you to studies done by psychologists, neuroscientists and sociologists that will show you, again and again, that what we learn and how we learn when we are children will so powerfully shape our worldview that it will dominate for the rest of our lives.

Barack grew up among many kinds of people and he found a way to reconcile this in his own being and in his vision for America. My guess is that the process of bringing divergent cultures together into a new way, a third way, a way that incorporates and includes and creates, is the language Barack Obama learned in first grade or years earlier. I think he swims with grace and confidence in waters that most of us would not even dare to approach.

To the uninitiated, it looks like anyone could do it. But he is using life experience that you and I can only attempt to translate. Right now, in the halls of government, we don't have the language to accredit what he has already done. I'll be working on this. Please write to me if you have suggestions.

Half in 10

ccyl — Mon, 19 May 2008 01:07:09 EDT

Last week, John Edwards announced the launch of his new campaign to dramatically reduce domestic poverty. I hear Obama agreed to support this. There don't seem to be many details on line, but I'll be watching with curiosity to see where this goes.
------------------------------------
Campaign to Cut Poverty in the United States in Half in Ten Years

Half in Ten plans to reduce poverty in the United States by 50 percent within 10 years. Under the leadership of Senator John Edwards, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), the Center for American Progress Action Fund (CAPAF), the Coalition on Human Needs (CHN), and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), have joined forces on the campaign to:

(1) Elevate and sustain a focus on the situations facing the poor and middle class today

(2) Build and strengthen an effective constituency to demand legislative action on poverty and economic mobility

(3) Advance specific legislative and policy proposals that will deliver real benefits to struggling American families

For more information on how to reduce poverty in America, see From Poverty to Prosperity: A National Strategy to Cut Poverty in Half by the Center for American Progress Task Force on Poverty.

http://www.halfinten.org/

Appalachia's problem

Steven — Sat, 17 May 2008 10:38:36 EDT

There is a really interesting op-ed by Charles Blow in today's NYT:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/17/opinion/17blow.html?ref=opinion

What it suggests to me is that Obama does not have that much of a problem with "white blue-collar workers" as such--he actually did fairly well even in Indiana, and very well in Wisconsin and, of course, Illinois. In the general he will also do well, I suspect, in Michigan, New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania (where he leads McCain handily in current polls). But there is a problem for him in appealing to "white blue-collar workers", or "poor, uneducated whites" more generally, in Appalachia. This raises two questions:

1) Given Blow's point that Obama only has to win the states at the fringes of Appalachia in the general (Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, perhaps Virginia and North Carolina), without the votes of Appalachia, and can discount states such as West Virginia and Kentucky, how much effort should the Obama campaign put into such states and regions of states, compared, for instance, to the Midwest states where he does fairly well among "white blue-collar workers"?

2) Is Obama's apparent problem with "white blue-collar workers" more a problem with Appalachia and its particular political culture (see Karl Rove's recent--outrageously Know-Nothingist--remarks about what are and are not "American" values--completely identifying "Appalachian" guns'n'religion/us v. them values with "America"). And if so, given 1), is it not then more a problem, a tragically ever-recurring problem, for Appalachia than for Obama?

Poverty: A Real Person Living In That World

smffy — Wed, 14 May 2008 22:46:35 EDT

I am disabled. I have a severe mental illness. And so I live on little more than half off poverty level. I depend on food stamps, Medicare, and Medicaid.

What happens in Washington impacts my life as much as it does hard working Americans - the working poor, the middle class, the unemployed. We are all struggleing. When food prices go up, it makes it harder to stretch the $104 I get to buy a month's worth of groceries. When the Bush administration decides to save money by cutting food stamps, Medicare, and Medicaid, it threatens my very health.

Because Obama understands disability (his father in law is disabled), being poor and on food stamps when he was a boy, raising a family, and has realized the American dream in spite of it, I support him.

People like to talk about "entitlements." Many Republicans are angry about supporting someone else with their tax money. I am grateful not to be homeless and hopeless. I need "The Politics of Hope." I hope I won't be "taxed" by a president who doesn't understand the burden of poverty.

I can live with the stigma of my illness. I have learned not to care too much about what other people think. But it's hard for me not to care when I go to the grocery store, or when I have to worry if my prescriptions are going to end up costing more than I can afford.

Elections scare me because I know the outcome will affect me even more forcefully than it does most people. I depend on my government more than most people do. I have to depend on a people who care about what happens to people like me.

I trust Barack Obama does care, not just about me, about my family who are middle class, about my grandchildren who need good healthcare and a good education, about whether or not the sons and daughters of Americans get killed in an unnecessary war.

I'm voting and volunteering for Obama. Despite everything, there are things I can do. Even the way this campaign is organized helps me feel worthwhile as a person, as a voter, as a citizen. For the first time in a long time, I don't feel marginalized by the larger world. For the first time in a long time I can participate.

People with disabilities don't expect much. But we do want to live with dignity. I trust Obama to work for all of us who have been forgotten by the Bush administration. I am downright afriad of what will happen to me if McCain is elected.

Please, all of you do what you can to provide for and protect us all by working for Obama. This election matters so much.

Obama's Global Poverty Stance

ccyl — Mon, 12 May 2008 00:59:31 EDT

I was asked to provide a source for a definitive summation of Obama's stance on Global Poverty…I am bummed that I don't have a great one top of mind. Does anyone here have a good on-line place to go for that?

I have some correspondence from his office about it responding to letters I've written which clearly state his support of the Millennium Development Goals, but I didn't put those online. However, congressional record is easy to find and you can see at www.govtrack.us that he is an original co-sponsor of S. 2433, aka the Global Poverty Act. Here is a press release about it and some Obama quotes:

http://obama.senate.gov/press/071211-obama_hagel_can/

Also, here’s a handy little tool from the ONE campaign that lets you compare candidates’ statements about global poverty. http://www.onevote08.org/ontherecord/

These are rather old, they went up sometime last summer. I thought it was noteworthy that Obama and Clinton mention supporting the Millennium Development Goals while McCain did not….then again Clinton and McCain both speak of eradicating malaria and Obama doesn’t. Hard to read much into these early campaign promises. It’s much more noticeable to see that Clinton and McCain are not S 2433 sponsors because that’s a matter of Senate record.

If anyone here has a good source to recommend, please share!

ccyl

http://endpoverty-ccyl.blogspot.com/

Article links: Global Poverty importance as political issue

ccyl — Mon, 12 May 2008 00:49:45 EDT

Jeff asked for this info, but it’s good stuff for everyone. Links to articles about global poverty with quotes about why it is a growing political issue and not just a matter of charity. (Jeff, I couldn't directly reply to your message for some reason?)

Food Crisis Is Depicted As 'Silent Tsunami'

This 4/23 Washington Post article had a good quote from Gordon Brown.

"Hunger is a moral challenge to each one of us as global citizens, but it is also a threat to the political and economic stability of poor nations around the world," Brown said, adding that 25,000 people a day are dying of conditions linked to hunger.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/22/AR2008042201481.html?referrer=emailarticle

Across Globe, Empty Bellies Bring Rising Anger

This 4/18 NYT article was about the economic and political instability associated with the food crisis. It cites many areas affected including Haiti, Egypt, Thailand, Malaysia, and Sub-Saharan African countries. A quote from Jeffrey Sachs (pretty much The world poverty expert) is in there. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/18/world/americas/18food.html?_r=1&ex=1209614400&en=fad837a1acd76314&ei=5070&emc=eta1&oref=slogin

The Silent Tsunami

The 4/17 issue of the Economist had about 5 articles regarding the current crisis. Here’s a link to the main article. If you go there, it will suggest related articles and you can find the other ones in there from that date regarding Food & Poliltics in Bangledesh, possible solutions to the crisis, etc.

http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11050146

Hope that helps!

ccyl

http://endpoverty-ccyl.blogspot.com/