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Why you can't "bootstrap" yourself out of poverty By Nicole Goodkind January 17, 2014 12:12 PM Daily Ticker It’s a counterintuitive idea to say the least, but it costs a lot to be poor in the United States. When money is at its tightest, cost-saving choices are often impossible to make, digging impoverished Americans deeper and deeper into the pit of day-by-day living. A common narrative in today’s political arena is that the nation’s least fortunate only need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps – that they’re just not working hard enough. What often goes unnoticed, however, are the overwhelming barriers that those living below the poverty line face on a daily basis. A car, for example, is a necessity for many jobs but the down payment can be insurmountably high. And even after the down payment poor drivers still face monthly payments, high gas prices, and the fact that low-income car buyers pay 2% more for a car loan than affluent people. Low-income drivers can also pay up to $400 more annually than wealthier drivers to insure their cars (for a car of the same model and with the same driver risk). A lack of capital can also make it impossible to afford the security deposit on an apartment causing those in poverty to live day-to-day in expensive hotels. Chris Arnade, a friend of The Daily Ticker, has documented this phenomenon. Those in poverty who are able to rent or buy homes are also more likely to get household appliances through rent-to-own companies and end up paying more due to added interest. Even saving money is a burden for the poor, as banks often charge large fees for those who don’t have a minimum amount of capital in their accounts—this makes cash checking establishments, who charge incredibly high interest rates on pay-day loans, the only choice for many. Ben Hecht, CEO and president of Living Cities, an organization that works to revitalize impoverished areas, joined The Daily Ticker to discuss why it costs so much to be poor. “Many of us are salaried employees and many poor people, if they’re working, are hourly employees,” explains Hecht. If you’re an hourly employee who needs to apply for benefits or even see a doctor, you’re missing out on vital pay, Hecht points out. Another challenge that low-income Americans face is a lack of services. “If you walk in many neighborhoods they’ll have one store—it may even be a corner store and not a grocery store,” Hecht says. The competition that neighborhood stores typically face doesn’t exist in poorer areas, allowing them to charge more for goods. High quality food and produce is also often hard to come by. “You can’t find fresh broccoli…and if you think about it, it’s a logical, rational and economic choice for people to pick fast food in cheaper and larger quantities,” Hecht explains. This leads to obesity and other health issues that end up costing individuals more down the line. “In many cities there are food deserts where you can’t even go to get the fresh food that we’re used to everyday," Hecht says. One of the biggest disadvantages that those in poverty experience is a lack of broadband Internet. “One of the fundamentals about poverty is a lack of access to economic opportunity,” says Hecht. “And we all know that the number one factor in economic opportunity is education and we know that in today’s world much education, even in public schools, is done online.” Furthermore, the Internet provides social networks where we can exchange vital information. Hecht gives this example: “I gave a speech years ago to 500 folks who helped people get jobs and I said to them -- how many of you got your job by a reference? All of them. How many of you got your doctor by reference? All of them. The power of those networks is being shut out in these neighborhoods and without the access to those types of technology.” |
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There are many elements to this sadness.. Some people do not have the attire to wear to an interview and some have a challenges with having place to clean up to even prepare. I've seen people visit the Workforce Programs, and their need is clearly visible, the program does offer some options to get clothes, but in some cases the people can't afford a hair cut. I managed a program to support housing the homeless and other challenges which was sponsored by the stimulus program. It was very sad to see the conditions some people were in. Some area when people found they could get help, some of the slum lords were offering them dumps to live in if they could get help. Thank goodness we had to first send inspectors out and it had to meet HUD standards and many of those places did not meet the HUD standards. We found better places for them, some we connected to a multitude of programs. It is amazing how gracious some of the people were for the help. They wrote very touching letters to the case managers, Thanking them. What I don't get is, to see the GOP have such a disdain for the very challenged. I see many items that try and paint images as if these are only black people. I can assure you, we helped people and it was probably closer to 50-50 when it came people who needed help, black, Whites, Latin, Asian and other.; In some cases people wonder why kids do poorly in school.. Well we went out and photographed some areas, and the living conditions in some segments of both the city and rural areas, the living conditions were so bad, it is highly visible that it would be a dire challenges for a kid to study... and some places you can imagine when kids open the refrigerator, (if they have one), and there is nothing in there but water. maybe sandwich spread and bread. We supported many agencies that provided a great number of service options. Even when I worked with the schools, they have a program called Title I, which is to help kids with their school materials. many Church organizations helped with school uniforms and many tried to run various feeding programs. We supported another program with was aimed to reduce recidivism for ex prisoners, many of these men and women wanted to work and no one wanted to hire them. I watched a Program in Los Angeles, where some of the Ex Gang members in the Latin community wanted to be out of gangs have their tat's removed and get trained, some doctors helped with tattoo removals, and various other things... But this society is so quick to throw people away. and then attach an unjust label on them. In some areas there has been a push to challenge the Justice system, which has tagged many black and Latin young men with felonies where some of the young white kids have gotten off with far lesser charges. Today it is harder than ever, because America is full of nothing but low paying Clerk Jobs as many stores that sell nothing but a store full of foreign made products. Even Highway improvement jobs now, will only hire 10 -20 people to do jobs that it would truly take 40+ people to do in a timely manner. It's why we have cost over-runs due to delays and every other methods contractors can find to submit change order and claim time delays. This results to cost people jobs, and only a few result to benefit. These programs should allow people to earn 40 hrs at minimum wage or at least $2 above minimum wage and still get un-cut benefits for up to 18 months if its a permanent job which give benefits after 6 months or 1 yr. and if they are going to school up to 24-36 months for those going to school. ... and people. what many people don't know, is many professional people make a great deal of money because of these programs, because the organizations that provide services, generally have contracts with various professionals who get paid from government money... but this is something that is never discussed. It is amazing if the public knew how many professional people pursue various government contracts, which are designed to help people. From building housing to housing people. But rarely do the politicians want to address the fact that many government programs is the life blood of economics uplift for a great many professional people. In some cases some of these professional people simply don't provide the level of service they claim when they apply for the contract or for the grants funds. but they pay themselves very well. What we need is programs that in some ways remain managed by arms of the government and not be turned wholly over to independents, some non profits and some for profits. There are many non profits that do amazing work, and some for profits do amazing works, but there are also those that simply waste away the funds with their paper shuffles if they can get away with it until they get caught. now with the computer system of tracking, more and more of the crooked ones are being caught, fined, have to repay the money and some go to jail. It took many years to get to where we are in cleaning up Medicare,, because professional people and organizations ripped it off for years, but now, Medicare is better run and much is tracked via the computer. It will get better as time goes on, and the same with the Affordable Care Act, as time goes on it will use the data management systems to catch the criminals and the gougers .... Republicans hate it, because that means they won't be getting their kick backs. The good thing is these programs help many people... the more we can use good data systems to catch the criminals, the better all these programs will become. We need as a society to address these "for profit prisons", because they find any way they can to keep people longer, and there have been cases where the judges were in collusion and sending people to prison and getting a kick back for each one they send. Some prisons loaned out workers, as they had a special on, where these Catfish farms were staffed with prisoners, and the catfish farm paid the prison for the use of the prisoners, but barely paid the prisoners anything for doing the work. It's a shame how so much in this nation still prey on the poor... in some ways its like certain factions still are hung up on trying to get slave labor and indentured servitude labor by any collusive means they can. If you note,the Republican are hard against the new War on Poverty.... because they know it will cancel out that kick back gravy train they are use to getting... If the people wise up and stand up, and stop falling for the smoke and drama of the right wing, we can clean this country up and uplift it's people.. We need as much Nation building support as it relates to people, as we provide to many third world countries in a great many sectors of this land. Last night they showed the decline of Detroit. Its is a pure shame, and I personally blame it on the University Degree Riding Fools, who destroyed Industry and decimated cities with their greed and self elating policy games and flat out looting and selling anything so they can live a luxury life for themselves. all at the expense of the people, cities and this nation. It is not the poor and it is not the working poor who destroy companies, it is always done by the Degree Riding fools who come out with a sense of entitlement, but they don't want to work and certainly push false reports and anything else they can for a pat on the back and a bonus, until they destroy companies, and support a system where Wall Street over trades and banks support over leveraging, and the only people who profit are the degree riders, and everything else declines. Ivy League has always had a hidden agenda, and that agenda is for the wealthy to remain wealthy by the use and misuse of the poor and any other means they can conjure up to keep the wealthy in the hands of the Ivy League's Fraternal groups. ... These schools were never designed nor were they slated to allow the poor to come to them. They insure that pool is limited by the continual excessive cost structure. they treat some on grants as outcast and some on student loans, as side-liners. Only a token few make it up the ladders but generally they only get to be an understudy of someone from the elite sectors of society. Those who do make it to the top, have to be 10 times of exceptional ability to the point they can't be pushed down or ignored.
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I don't care much for expensive dining. I do agree that its crazy that we don't produce what we consume, and I will continue to blame it on the degree riding idiots who occupy the executives suites. and most of them did not build the company, they only got hired there... One day I think the new generation will realize this and not pay the goons too destroy companies while they loot them blind with over paying themselves. I'd do all I could to avoid hiring any Ivy League person to run anything I created myself. and I certainly would not over pay them, and then turn around and give them stock options. If they wanted stock, they would have to buy it just like any other employee. There should be a law, against a person being Chairman, CEO and President... those should be three separate non collusive positions. Guaranteed when they get those three titles, they are setting the company up to be sold, merged or what ever they have to do, which will allow them to cash in their chips. First on, no one is so smart that others can't be found to do these jobs, and no one is so good that someone else cannot be tasked to do any one of these jobs. The best thing the Board could do is recommended firing the first CEO who shows interest to be named Chairman, and if anyone in any of those positions try to take on a second title, it would be immediate dismissal.
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I worked extensively with Homeless Programs and studied many of the multitude of various documentations about homelessness. I also studied the Federal Guidelines as it relates to Homelessness programs. It is more comprehensive than the average person thinks, as well as Homelessness and Poverty is far more complex than the generalized assumption, that people can just rise above it by sheer will power. there are more variables involved. No one grows up dreaming of living in poverty. The society of those who are living above poverty is filled with many things from those who grandstand, to those who find ways out, but many of those who find ways out, are quick to say how they rose out of an improvished situations, but they will rarely tell of the many people who helped them, some they may have known of and some they have no awareness of knowledge of how help came to them behind the scenes by a multitude of efforts by a multitude of people. I see here in the south, a great many small business owners who have met some success, who are quick to slam the poverty challenged people, they want to call them by every dehumanizing label they can imagine, and sometimes, it is nothing more than the haughtiness of the one who has some means, trying to put others down or expect others to have access to the benefits which they have utilized, both knowing and unknown, by the efforts provided by others. One Task I had was to work with Case Managers, to COORDINATE a multitude of services, Our social problem is we don't have the functional usage of systems that can meet the efficiency of function to truly 'coordinate'... I worked tirelessly to try and get agencies to work together, but data system were 'distributed", which meant people had to go to the back of the line from one agency to the next, there are few parallel connections. They have developed a system : Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) , It is a good system, but in some ways it was regionally distributed. which means they did not always communicate across jurisdictional lines. HUD has put a great deal of effort and work to improve this system to become more national in its functional capabilities, and many Non Profits have access to the system. But there are other independent system that do various other things, such as Workforce which is comprised on multiple component like functions, Mental Health, Physical Health program some for children some for adults , and Section 8 / Title 1 and others. These are huge programs, the data is enormous and coordinating and making these system communicate is itself a big challenges. We should have learned with the Affordable Care Act program, just how complex it is to make a system that can address the massive volume of protocols of these various independent systems, then coordinate that information to various other massive systems. There are security measures which are momentous which must be properly navigated for these system to even began to communicate. But, one thing is certain. The government has learned a great deal in just developing the ACA program and its system. When they learn things they find ways to make broader usage. We saw the same things after Sept 2011, that system need to talk as well as the people within these systems. But another problem is, there are multi level of programs, some are State, some are Federal and some are expanded to the sub grantee's such as the massive volume of non profits who are tasked with the ground floor functions of some of these provisions. When all this is an aspect of the elements, then you have employers who come with every crazy criteria imaginable. some promoted by University Alumni- of criteria that is designed to be self serving of University Agenda more than the concern for the challenges of individuals. Many people are not even aware of the War Universities waged against Community Colleges, and they waged this war through politicians, The war extended to be against vocational and technical programs and their system, and then it went so far as to become made more maddening when Industrial HR programming put the University agenda ahead of the capability of the individual, to be trained and to become skilled via work training programs. I brought individual from the working world who actually do the physical work and the product and equipment makers who actually design, market and sell products, to become trainers for a group when I worked in the school system... Many of the men and women who were tasked to be Head Custodians for these "multi million dollar facilities"... had not been properly trained. we gave them information, and demonstrations and hands on applications and then we listened to them and their challenges. It proved to be not only beneficial to the work groups it enhanced the skill level and confidence level of these individuals. We went on to improve the maintenance performance, and reduce the waste and re-structured contract cost of products and overall it improved the system and made tremendous savings, but it also brought these individuals to understand they are professionals, who gained much knowledge over their working years. and not one University was involved in this. Nor was any Professors who stand behind a podium but have not done the actual work, involved in any of this. That's why I continue to say... there are many ways to learn and for a society to dupe people, that University is the only answer is a disrespect to the capability of people and the resources within the community of citizens. In the Homeless program, they hired consulting firms, who as it turned out, colluded the process with meaningless data, which resulted to confuse the organizations and stagnate the progress. I put together some streamline processing components, then the consulting firm wanted to use it, as well as the State used it, and we went on to make record performance in this program. Over all the HUD design program born of the Stimulus Based program which was good, is now the standard model for the ESG ( emergency Shelter Grant ) programming. If the congressional people better fund the program it is now capable of being far more effective and for better in performance than the previous program design which existed prior to the Stimulus Act. But the funding dropped off tremendously which is the biggest bottleneck... It needs more work to improve system coordination's.... Many Non Profits have to be monitored to a more effective degree and they must meet bench marks that deal with reality performance results and not just numbers of person who pass through the doors. We have in this nations a Right Wing Republican System which is dead set against these programs being the centerpiece, they want to pretend that private industry is the Answer. It is not, President Bush gave private industry every kind of tax break and Federal loans at "0%" interest for years, and all private industry did was loot companies, steal and hide profits and cut jobs, and sell off companies, while the executives walked away with golden parachute multi million dollars gains. they partnered with Trading Firms, Banks and Crooked Attorneys and sought out every way to over trade, steal and set up for failure anything they could get away with, as long as profit stayed at the top and the bottom received nothing. Then the credit default swaps became their security net to insure that the collude would get paid even when they drive to achieve industrial failure. This is much why the GOP ( right wingers hate government), because government is against the policies that private industry promote which destroys industries, cities, communities and individuals lives, all so executive can claim fame and fortune. No one can name one industry where a CEO making $2-3-5-10+ million a year is worthy of that money, when the people doing the actual work, some of whom are making minimum wage. I recently wrote Campbell s Soup... they want more than $1.99 at some stores for a can of soup... But the CEO made 7.4 million for one year. How many can's of soup did they need to sell just to pay this (1) CEO... not to mention all the other executives nationwide who who are making millions a year. Yet, who are the purchasers of this soup... It's people trying to feed their kids, senior citizens who are hoping to get some nutritious meal and etc. How many days and weeks of production does it take just to pay the executives in the company. How many days of production does it waste just to pay for the perks these people consume and claim as benefits. Then they reduce the workforce and put in robots and outsource many functions to any third world place they can get labor cheap... and the result is the same... only the executives and stock traders, banks and attorneys become the winners. For the consumer, the can get['s smaller and the ingredient get more fillers and other chemicals dumped into the product, then it's saturated with sodium to stimulate the taste buds.... result, is over time people become to have health problems due to the poor quality of some of these various on the market product producers products. We have to become a more thinking society, and not blinded by promoted madness of politicians and executives who pay for any study to support their collusive aims to remain in a position to enrich themselves at the expense of the people, their lives and their communities as well as the health and welfare of their children. Take HP it use to be a leader in printing products, but over the years the CEO changes and the wild payments to these non performers, has resulted to have HP make 100's of models of which some are plain cheap and limited in function, and ink has not reduced in cost since the beginning of computer printing. It is impossible to think that some companies can make units that use ink that is very low cost but prints very well. Kodak came out with a units where the ink was on $10, but it did not have the promotional capability to compete with the money of HP, so it did not take off as it could have. But if they can make ink that prints more copies for 1/3 the cost of HP cartridge, then it is evident that the production of Ink units does not have to be so high. Not one of these units should have disposable cartridges, it only waste plastic material and fill up land fills and what ever. but If you try and buy ink to refill it, HP has put a strip which links to its program, that negates the cartridge by a date script, which renders the cartridge useless after a certain date. Even the re-sellers in some cases are not able to re-set the date, because its hidden in the HP programming script that comes with the printer unit. HP make their units so if the INK goes out, nothing else works... now ask yourself a questions, what does the Ink have to do with your unit being able to 'send" a fax to another person. ( Nothing)... it does not require ink to 'Send a fax from your unit"... but with HP, if you run out of ink, you can't send a Fax... Technically it should have nothing to do with receive a fax, because the software should be able to make the fax go directly to a folder on your computer. Most of these companies now have systems on the web that do not fully answer any questions, you call a phone line and it prompts you 10 times and then goes into a loop, and then it will shut off. but who wins... is the executive. because the service they claim is now non existent. Yet when you buy the product the cost of the product is so high because it claims to offer product and service. but unless you buy a contract, you can't get service, and even with a contract the hassle to get service is so great that people simply toss the product and go and repurchase a higher priced unit. all the while the Executives pocket millions and people remain unemployed and the customer ripped off.
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I have three HP's sitting in my home office. one gave an error message, "paper jam", there is no paper jammed in it.. I had just bought new ink for it, it does not work. The fax, nothing works on it, I researched the 'error message" and other people had it with no point of resolve. The other one is older and does not match the colors properly with new operating systems. and one is a so called 3 in one, with no multi document feeder, its one page scan at a time, which in some cases is useless. I bought a Office Depot refill brand ink, two times I took them back because they did not work, they registered 'empty" and one simply would not work. I called the store, the rep. told me they did not recommend that product. I ask them why did they put their name on it. I wrote to the company to speak about the insult they do to customers and themselves, by putting their name on something they have no pride in. ( the issue is bigger than that: they can put ink in it, but they can't reset the software to accept it once the date expiration of the cartridge is triggered in the software as being obsolete. I bought Epson, its ink is less costly and one only has to buy the color that is empty, but it does not stop the rest of the machine from working if the ink is out. It has internet for cloud printing and etc, wifi and other features. HP should be ashamed of itself. !!!! but they don't care, because many offices that buy this stuff never think about any of it. Even with the drum units, it makes no sense to have these things and they are not mandatory to recycle. Its an option, but not mandatory. What a waste.
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Trusty1 At times I attempt to warn or try a conversation with someone of just about every part you noted here. They always look at me with the glazed expression as if I am the crazy one? It's better to talk with those who can see beyond the glitz and smoke of delusions, shams and pretenses. unfortunately many people don't have time to deal with these things and remain subjects of the glitz and smoke.... ____________________ I believe there is a difference between who you think is a homeless person, to those that are? this is a very broad subject.... and includes many many many things. Yes, these are some who simply are not willing to 'follow the rules" of many organizations programming for stability and uplift" As to many addicts, Once the rehab centers were in full swing, but once it cleaned up the middle class and upper middle class, they began to close down and insurers began to stop payment coverage by making it a very difficult challenge to get people certified via the insurer. After the Reagan Drug machine was busted during the Iran-Contra scandal... and it was made public and when that public outcry faded, so did the rehab clinic's... At one time, even people on SSI/ SSD ( social security) could get into programs.. but that faded, it also suffered a variety of abuses as well. Case Manager and the Team at many Non Profits who are serious about their work, can weed out the scammers quickly. We need changes in our society... Basic school should be made mandatory, with penalty if students don't attend, the penalty may well need to be enforced upon the parent, because legally the parent is responsible for the youth until they become an adult. We need programs which include, various mandatory social service duties as suits the individual situations, for people who get and live on these benefits... because sadly some use benefits their whole life without improving to become any level of independent or contributory to the over all society and civic community. We have in every city, all kinds of civic work that needs to be done. Even when it comes to crimes, some crimes ( non violent) need to be remanded to various public services, like they do to some who get traffic violations. There are many things we can do to enforce a responsibility within the nature of society... because fact is .. there is no such thing as 'free"... anything under that label.. is also affixed with 'responsibility"... of some sort and type.... the sooner we make that a wide spread truism in the minds of people.. the soon we can improve the lot of society as a whole.
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I don't know where you get the idea that 'single white men are not using public assistance and other programs".. ( maybe that was from Trusty1's post). As to section 8, it always has a waiting list: because so many people are applying for Rental Assistance. Section 8 is a more 'long term" rental assistance program, which provides an initial voucher but each person has to meet eligibility requirements. Many Senior complex have programs which have reduced rent because they are supported under these program guidelines. The rent is based on the income and the different of what a person can pay is covered by the Program. Shorter term programs is the other Government Programs, which provide short term rental assistance up to 24 months.. which can include utility assistance as well. There are separate program which also provide utility assistance. I worked in concert with all these programs during my time of working with Homelessness Prevention. It had nothing in the program that identified denial to any person who qualifies. One key elements is the anti discrimination clauses which not only are part of the documentations, they have to be signed by the Case Managers who administer services, that they vow to be non discriminating. anyone may go to HUD website and read their "anti discrimination clauses". there is also program for various groups which is designed for the conditions of the specific group, such as example "Native American" ( Descendents of American Indians, who live in Rural locations with limited access to means for economic uplift opportunity). but likewise so, the in are of the Old Coal Mining sectors of West Virginia, they have various programs that address this. There are various programs which help Immigrants in various ways. There are many many thousands of white men who utilize system benefits as same as any other persons. People with Children, whether it is man or woman, black, white or other, have even more benefits available. people also can get 'child care credit when they file their taxes, as well as Earned Income credit if their income is very low. Government programs of such only collects ethnic data for stastics to insure that services is provided effectively and efficiently to know that person in any mixed demographic areas are provided access and availability of these programs benefits. I previously posted in other blogs, some numbers, which relate to ethnic use of programs, as well as break down by % of people who not only use benefits, but those who live on social security. the general summation was more than 4 to 1 ratio, of whites to blacks and other who use benefits. 4 to 1 is a very very conservative figure. As to ethnic differences when it comes to economics, there are many variables . there are many white small business who will hire only whites, but likewise so many black small business who only hire blacks... but there are many many more white small business than there are blacks. when it comes to credit, it is far easier for lower income whites to get credit than it is for lower income blacks. This also is important when it comes down to the interest rates one may get based on these same things. It is not all about education, because there are many lowly educated whites as so there are many lowly educated blacks, but the lowly educated whites have various advantages.. some of those may come through family or friends who can connect them with jobs and other options. Many may be simple appearance, simple manner of speaking and a whole variety of variables...which will never be documented by any employer. There is a difference in what is social codes in various areas vs what the law states as being laws. When this county enacted Affirmative Actions Programs, it was to insure that those who denied others based on biases, had to have various % of ethnic employees, based on company size, once the company reached a certain size, ... but this did not equally apply in the higher position jobs in companies. Many remained white male dominated. When white women began to take advantage of some of the benefits of Civil Rights Act of 1964, then white women used these laws to challenge white men, to hire white women in these positions. What came then was again, the % of diversity questions.. What resulted was .. some companies would promote black women to higher positions, because they could count her as both a minority and a woman... so they killed two birds with one stone... What that meant is that black women were being promoted far ahead of black men. White women were promoted far ahead of black women. Now as to program and Non Profits, there are many that will help -- single women, and single women with children... but they are not readily structured to help single men, and some do not cater to single men with children.... so help for women in some sectors is far greater than it is for men in general by some Non Profits. . California has some good programs for people who need services. a 'general relief" program, which does help both single men and single women, regardless of ethnic make up. but it is a very small amount, which is structured to cover very minimal things. " The General Assistance or General Relief (GA/GR) Program is designed to provide relief and support to indigent adults who are not supported by their own means, other public funds, or assistance programs. Each county's GA/GR program is established and funded (100 percent) by its own Board of Supervisors. As the state is not involved in this program, benefits, payment levels, and eligibility requirements will vary among each of California's 58 counties" Some areas they provide 'managed cost 'Taxi" discount cards and various other things to help people with transportation needs, depending on their disability or challenge. At one point LA had such an influx from Mexico and other Latin places, who made many many babies, and each baby increased their income, this was done by whites as well as blacks in some of the very improvised areas. Trauma centers even closed down, because of various gang related injuries flooding their facilities on top of the very high immigrant usage of these facilities along with many people who did not have any type of health insurance or medical or medicare coverages, the cost of managing these facilities became very over bearing. , but that met political challenges because many people were undocumented aliens who were not registered as being legal immigrants. Through many acts were put in place, but along with that, the area SUFFERED from OUTSOURCED companies, which meant less tax revenue, more unemployed people and properties that became delinquent and no property tax being collected... so the problem simply worsened. The CRAZY part is, the Stock brokers never stopped over trading and expecting higher and higher value based on nothing but inflated stock trades, until they forced companies to crash, because they could not produce at the level to meet the debt, these banks, attorneys and brokers caused them to assume, by over borrowing based on false stock values. Aero Space and many of the other industries simply were outsourced to other countries and then other moved to other states, and unemployment soared. Before all this madness... anyone could enroll in community colleges without cost associated except books, then later came various fee's and other cost which even though they were not extreme, in a depressed economy people simply could not afford it. As I mentioned, Big Universities, attacked these community colleges, some would not allow transferable credits or what ever they could do, to try and steer more people to the University, University pushed so hard, to abolish the value of a AA degree, this meant they demeaned the value of community colleges, because many community colleges awarded AA degrees. Vocational and Technical Certifications were assaulted by University, by the same methods... until now the word "Bachelor degree and Master Degree is the only terms used. They University, attacked vocational and technical school programs, and then they discredited them by every means possible including . their attack jobs sponsored training, to discount OJT ( on the job training)... all so the University could claim it placed more people in jobs. But it was later found that these people were not being placed in jobs, they had simply attended job fair and other program events... of which the Universities purposely used to mis state the actual graduates who became employed. Result: many people ended up with dead end degree, or degrees in areas that no jobs existed, and many become under employed in areas that had nothing to do with their degree. NOW: what do we see, many of the Tech Giants, are pulling people away from the university, because many of these tech giants were started and prospered without degree people doing so. They are now showing young people, there are other ways to learn and there are capabilities and abilities within individuals to develop skills and learn things far outside of just university programming. This country is in big trouble because it allows and supports corrupt politicians who are easily bought off by private industry to take away the voice of the people and Private Industry that has professed on lie behind the next, all while it did nothing but enrich the executives at the expense of State, City, Community and Citizens. Today, we have Republican always rallying for Private Industry to be Above Government... but as long as Private Industry is fighting the government at every turn... the economy and the nation suffers. Where China beat us, is the people have enough regard for the Government until they don't fight against the government making investments to improve conditions and expand infrastructure and support programs. Here Private Industry wants to control everything and it is proven fact that an unregulated and ungoverned private industry will destroy a nation and destroy its progressive growth if it is unregulated or under-regulated... the Crash of 2008 proved that !!! as well as if one goes back and look, under every Republican Administration, this country has suffered greatly from economic shock and decline, and then is strapped with higher interest rates placed upon citizens and inflation becomes the beacon of Republican Administrations Results. AMERICAN suffer from economic struggles and challenges because we no longer produce the products we consume. Today,and looking back this nation 'rose up" on the backs of indentured servants and slaves, it was never in its history supported by being one that stood for economic equilibrium and opportunity for economic opportunity for all within any sense or act embraced to pursuing or having equilibrium in these aspects. This nation went from Slavery to Segregation, along with that came inequity codes and principles built within that design. Civil Rights Act was for Recognition of Person-hood as an equal human being. It did not go far enough to become the act for Economic Equilibrium..but that is a battle that has been fought continually. President Obama passed the Act for Equal Pay for Women, in his first term, the ongoing fight for equal pay for women and minorities is a continuing struggle in this nations, as well as removal of the glass ceiling which exist within industry that stands as a sickle to cut down many who try to crack or rise above it, if they are not of the standard WASP(M) make up, so what we see is the white male dominated executives seats of the fortune 500 companies and the thousands of other companies in this nation. President Obama, said: Let's Build this nations from the Bottom UP" with 'equality in opportunity for all, which includes economic opportunity. Soon as he said that, the ruling elite whites claim he wanted to take their money... But he said nothing about taking their money.. it means jobs are not to be reserved for white elite males only, and people and corporations pay their fair share of taxes and jobs provided to people who are qualified and those who are capable and those willing to meet the task of doing the work... without race or gender hindering any. But... Right winger who have and many who do support white male dominance, do not want white women nor minorities earning the same as he does. Unions were once supported when they basically protected white males by class and craft and pay scales with benefits,.. but when those same things were to be given and offered to both women and minorities, the move to squash the Unions became the focal point, of the Nixon and Reagan Administration to bust the Unions.. They succeeded to weaken the Unions until today, the companies can buy away the Union officials with positions and perks. until Unions no longer have the power to command benefits nor improve working conditions or pay. In the late 1960's and 1970's when many blacks began to get opportunity and their communities were gaining equity because they could fix their homes, the Insurance companies 'Red-lined" some of those areas, which made it hard to get insurance, and with the difficulty of getting insurance it forced the property value downwards. At each step when the poor began to move upwards, the system lead by twisted minded politicians and slanted private Industry and Social Bigotry, finds ways to push the people back down... This happens to minorities, poor whites and women.... During the 1980's interest rates went so high, only the well to do could buy homes. the working class became stagnated as to home-ownership or trading up, because the rates were prohibitive. When President Obama gave 19 billion to Small Business Administration, that was drained off by multi million dollars business, who were still being declared as small businesses, so the truly small business could not benefit, because the funds were quickly depleted. Then the banks got Stimulus money, and turned around and Refused to Lend money to the same citizens who's money bailed out these banks. Instead the banks paid "bonuses" to their executives, as if to compensate them for failure. When President Obama put money into Solar Power, the lenders put blocks to limit funding and were slow to enact funding programs, until the companies could not sell their products because people could not get financing, except through the government program, and the government funding was designed only as a supplemental program to support and incentivise the banks to lend in this area, But the banks refused to lend... The companies lost money and some folded over. but this was more about Republicans not wanting to see anything under the Obama Administration succeed.. People want to selectively forget that Republican Said: They would do what ever they think it takes to insure that President Obama would not succeed and would not get re-elected. So they have and they continue to fight every program he puts forth which benefits the people. China has us beat in these regards, because the State does not have to listen to such madness, it can go ahead and build and promote projects and developments for Chinese Citizens and not become stifled by the party games played in this country. Not only that, China does not have people opposition to the Government stepping in to help struggling Industries become strong again. The same was true of the Japanese. But the American greed of the private industrialist has continually blocked our growth and stood in the way of us upgrading our infrastructure unless they can first find a way to bleed the program of all it can with delays and cost over-runs.
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I like that you think in perspectives to see the constructs within system and society support and foundational programs. I do agree that there are much more for people to learn from outside universities. But I benefited from my university education, it offered me the free space and time to learn and think on my own. However I think people can eventually learn on their own using public libraries and internet resources for the theories and practice at work. My colleagues who received only 12 years of education proved me that. I think if Bill Gates and Steve Jobs had stayed in the University, it would have taken longer before we had good software for desktop computing. I feel professors would have spent too much time telling them what would not work.  I do think for some University is a good options, but not for all. I personally like gaining information, but I am not much for it being pushed in a way, as if to program clones. I wish more Chinese would realize how lucky we are to have a strong and efficient one party government. If maybe more of the world look at the 'over all system" and the volume of people it handle, many nations can learn many things from each other by respectful observations and interactions. but when we get into a base of fixed minded measurements, it become a stagnation in learning from and through one another. The system can cause corruption, but it can also change the situation in a much faster way, with people looking and supervising. I agree that the political games can slow down many processes and waste many efforts along with money. We've suffered from political gridlock on so many issues, until it become so costly that man get caught in the drama and smoke clouds until so few look beyond to gather the facts and see the construct of the whole. Us Chinese are the most contradictory human kind on earth I guess, we have always been taught that being united is the power to success, yet people can hate each other so much. This is the same for every country... the speaking of unity for success is talked of and talked about.... and in some things it does find unity, but as to people being hateful.... in a world where so much is based on material focus and external appearances.... people are competitive, envious, vindictive and many of such things in their self centered focuses. I can't imagine if there are 2 parties in China, I would rather we don't have that, fights could be very intensive just like in the 1940s. Western Democracy or the claim of Democracy is not the most ideal thing for China in my view. There are many clans that make up China and it could become clan warfare through multi party political conflicts. It also would slow down the ability for China to do what it has done, its infrastructure would be hindered in ways that would not be good for the people nor the nation. If you note, in the U.S. It is an insult to this nation to see the vitriol aimed at the President, yet we want other nations to respect our President and the Office of President. When we have party driven madness that sets itself on a path and publicize their claim to do all they can to defeat anything the President aims to achieve. It's crazy when we go about the world trying to tell other nations about human rights, when we have some of the most dominant and prominent racist activities which results to dis-enfranchise people, stagnate social programming, and drives industry to shift and move factories in its aims to insure that the poor and the minorities do not have options and avenues of uplift through the productions of what we as a society consume. We are in many ways an ignorant nation, we know industry builds Nations, but we shipped it away without a second thought, all so the wealthy can have a wide distance from the poor and minority groups on the economic levels. All of American history shows a continual cycle of repeating these ignorance's... as a result, we have become a nation of borrowers, rather than builders.
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#5 is where I stopped them. Proof of No Income? How does one do this? I asked. Replied with, Go to your employer and ask for a... I interrupted. What if there is no employer? or Self Employed? Well, she replied, then you can't qualify. We will only supply 80% of one months rent but you have to show you can pay the following month. I thanked her for her time and hung up. Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing: both components fund housing relocation and stabilization services (including rental application fees, security deposits, utility deposits or payments, last month’s rent and housing search and placement activities). Funds may also be used for short- or medium-term rental assistance for those who are at-risk of becoming homeless or transitioning to stable housing. What you may have experienced in individual agencies putting their own stuff into the program. You should report the agency who told you if you were not a minority, you would not qualify. You should also call your State or Regional HUD office, and report the agency which is requiring you to have 20% of the amount,... because if anyone does not have Work Income, State or SSI Disability, county income assistance. The the program should be coordinating one with workforce programs if they are able to work, for training program, connecting one with SSI Office or Representatives or State and County Program Services. By all means.. Call HUD directly.... you may first try calling your local Community Development as these funds are often allocated locally through these agencies. Ask them, if they imposed any pre-requisites or limitations which is less than what HUD program guidelines has set as program standards. Be sure to mention any inference of racial, ethnic, gender or other discrimination... For sure... someone will get on it right away !!
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You said from the start that you came from a poor family.... that is totally different from what I mean when I speak of Ivy League. Thank you for addressing the point. Some of the privileged in wealthy ranks, have never endured the challenges that kids from poor family have experienced, so their tour via the Ivy League will be different, as a poor kid not only do they work jobs and become very dedicated in ways that some of the privileged may not have to be. many kids from poor families don't go through school with the ability to have high accessibility to luxury and opulence while they are being students. Among the Already Wealthy, some know when they graduate, they will be placed in some firm via their family connections and etc. When the poor graduate, it is as your say, their merit which propels them and smarts and educations background gets their options opened, based on their learning performances. They don't generally have the benefactors who pull all the strings for them, the same as many of the wealthy have. You do not fit the concept of what I address when I address the ( wealthy privileged) Ivy Leaguer's... The very wealthy who produce the Trust fund rider types have often pre-set trajectories before they even enter the University Setting.... as a great many wealthy kids who have everything set and staged by their families money or their families prominence of notoriety. Prime example, G. Bush... his daddy pulled the strings, because on his own he would not have made it to nor through by any means that would promote him anywhere close to being deemed as one who is smart nor hard working based on being well educated. Therefore when I address the Ivy Leaguer's I hope you remember this distinction as I expressed it when I make inference of Ivy Leaguer's. I certainly agree that no one needs to apologize for being smart, hard working and well educated, and I would not expect anyone to apologize or even feel a need of though about an apology for being as so. I'm sure in context, you understand what I mean when I write and address Ivy leaguer's, and its no problem that you want to make aware the distinction that you were schooled at these institution. I'd say good work... you don't seem like one who would abuse nor mis-use any position you attain via your smarts, working habits, institution affiliation and educations... But... you know, as I know,... there are some that do.... and I'd say of those that do, many come from wealthy setting with pre-set connections from wealthy and or family notoriety. But there are those who may get side tracked and go for the money over principals ... in any aspect and situations of life. Hopefully that clears the perspective of context.
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don't give up... the right resolve is there....
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By HOPE YEN - AP In a first, working-age people now make up the majority in U.S. households that rely on food stamps — a switch from a few years ago, when children and the elderly were the main recipients. Some of the change is due to demographics, such as the trend toward having fewer children. But a slow economic recovery with high unemployment, stagnant wages and an increasing gulf between low-wage and high-skill jobs also plays a big role. It suggests that government spending on the $80 billion-a-year food stamp program — twice what it cost five years ago — may not subside significantly anytime soon. Food stamp participation since 1980 has grown the fastest among workers with some college training, a sign that the safety net has stretched further to cover America's former middle class, according to an analysis of government data for The Associated Press by economists at the University of Kentucky. Formally called Supplemental Nutrition Assistance, or SNAP, the program now covers 1 in 7 Americans. The findings coincide with the latest economic data showing workers' wages and salaries growing at the lowest rate relative to corporate profits in U.S. history. President Barack Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday night is expected to focus in part on reducing income inequality, such as by raising the federal minimum wage. Congress, meanwhile, is debating cuts to food stamps, with Republicans including House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., wanting a $4 billion-a-year reduction to an anti-poverty program that they say promotes dependency and abuse. Economists say having a job may no longer be enough for self-sufficiency in today's economy. ( end) -______________________________________ Again, Republican agenda is placed ahead of people, they'd prefer to see the people in crisis, for political gain, the same as they blocked the Jobs Bill, Now they attack the War on Poverty Measures. Republican will do anything including devastate the people, to purse the goal to defeat anything under a Democratic President, but it goes even further, of the Republican wanting to AGAIN, claim giving to the rich will help the poor. ( It did not work for 8 yrs of the Bush Administration, it only led to massive default, economic crisis across the nations and practically destabilize some economics of many governments around the globe. ) Not only is it that American cannot withstand another Republican Led Nation, it cannot withstand a Republican majority in congress... It is not only a detriment to the USA, but Foreign entities may well need to speak up, because they have not only the awareness but they have the dire results of challenges created by a USA Republican Administration. It simply is not good for the populations as a whole. The "Me First" mentality of Republican, crying about their tax dollars, while they are the most wasteful group imaginable, they wasted Trillions on pointless wars, attacks on American Industry, and the support of the wealthy industrialist in their aims for profit over National Stability of a Nation. Too many economies around the world, directly and indirectly still depend greatly on the buying power of American Citizens. Republican will stifle that with some vain delusion that high gains to the executives while treating the citizen population as indentured servants or share croppers. This did not work in the Old South and it does not work in the current day systems. It simply does not work period. The era when Middle Class progress, so does a nation. We see this is evident around the globe... yet,... why can't republicans see this... but first maybe the republican need to realize, the middle class is does not just start at people making 100k and upwards... today it involves households that make from 30K upwards... when it is factored across the expanse of this nation. Sad as it is, that may sometimes be two persons working low pay jobs, or one person in some cases working two low paying jobs... with a combined salary that barely exceeds 30k. So much talk today about which company sold itself for billions of dollars, and who is a millionaire and who has a multi million dollar home.. has skewed the views and reality of Republican awareness. Too many politicians live in protected environments and have too many perks and no real time awareness or even remembrance in some cases of what it is to be economically challenged.. Not only do people struggle to pay the rent or mortgage, it even challenges people on the upkeep of their homes. When people can earn, not only do their lawns and house upkeep reflect it, the whole community prospers, the churches re-open community centers for children, community programs expand and grow and people find ways to help each other. But in a despaired situations of dire challenges, people have to put everything in keeping their head above water and struggling to do so. I stopped Sunday, to buy a couple of pieces of chicken, they told me 1 wing cost $1.89 -that is purely insane. it was barely 3 inches ( 5.5 centimeters) long and practically dried up... I looked at it and thought.. absolutely no way.... Then I understood why no one was patronizing this Big Name company. They base their prices on a skewed economic paradigm.
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It is amazing how these criminals continue to get away with this, I'm sure many envelopes have been delivered to many Judges in aim to influence decisions. But the other problem we have in this country, is the segments who have a near worship like mentality when it comes to people with lots of money... EVEN when they know the person is a criminal. We've seen the morality of the nation contorted into many twisted frames of cultures, by those who use money to promote any perversion, diversion and malice laced activity. We have a system that dresses up character for marketing and commercial imagery sake, aimed at the target groups, and within the process, result to pull in many additional people under the collateral outreaches such processes support.
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I read a very good article in the Smithsonian, it was a 2013 issue. A woman from Stanford wrote and set up a program to perform the study she had interest to do. She surmised by data she collected, to state, the world community is loosing out on great talent who could benefit from some of the more costly education's and specialized field... But the problem is many of the people she surveyed, did not apply to these schools, although many had very very high scores that put them in the TOP 10% of SAT Scores. Some would get full paid tuition, if their parents made under 40K, now I think the threshold is 65K.... if the student is accepted. What they did with her program is they sent letters to some students advising them of their acceptance and qualification even though they had not applied. She also went beyond the old system of matching zip codes to the Scores as an identifier, and they did not do income listing in the initial review of SAT Scores. This allowed a sampling which fit all income categories, but it also allowed them to understand better the talent which existed in the lower income levels of society. What I got from the article is a matter that our system needs to have better counselor ratio's for students. currently it was 1:334, this is horrible... no way the counselors will be able to address the potentials and properly advise the student and parent. I was at an appointment when I read the article, so I did not get the book, nor the issue, and currently do not remember the womans name.
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It has long been said, that during the height of the drug issues in this nation that impacted many young people who indulged to sell them... A writing long ago stated, that some of those kids had the business skill level to be great corporate leaders. Sadly, they were not evaulated earlier enough to have diverted them from that pathway. But we do see things where some of the wealthy Hip Hop artist state they once sold them for survival, but they turned their life around and used their resources and minds to do legitimate things. Even those who did not sell drugs, but built their brand on their music, have resulted to be excellent business people, they know how to build contacts and coordinate with skill, and many are now into very profitable lines of consumer products. They have made very good business decisions, many have long passed the stereotype which had been placed on many minority artist... They have demonstrated in resounding business success, what they can do with Opportunity.
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I think in all cultures across all lands, there are those who will not try and there are those who will take and make the best of opportunity. I do think that some who are in many challenged situations include some who are very intelligent and smart, and in some situation they simply need a positive direction pointed to them, and some simply need a hand to lead them to the pathway.
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