From what I have heard from the news, immigration is a big problem in the U.S. According to statistics, there were 10.5 million illegal immigrants in 2005, with this number still growing. I have learned that immigrants are coming into our country and "stealing" jobs away from American citizens. However, I personally think that immigrants are willing to work low-wage jobs, which many Americans do not feel comfortable doing. They are actually boosting up the economy in my eyes. So whats the problem? Many people could claim that this dislike towards immigrants could be a form of racism or discrimination.
Before this session, I did not know the difference between racism and discrimination. In my eyes, the two derogatory terms seemed to have the same definition: dislike or hatred for someone that appears different than you. However, the main difference between the two is that discrimination is a broader term which is negative treatment based on all characteristics. While racism is negative treatment towards a race, which is usually a minority group. While many people claim that racism has been abolished in the U.S, I believe that it is still present even on our own GSU campus. I feel that these negative feelings are prominent in children that grow up in closed communities with people that look exactly like them from the same skin color to the same hair texture.
There are two arguments for illegal immigration: supportive and non supportive. People against immigration claim that they are driving down wages in America and stealing jobs. The acts of September 11 have made people even more uneasy and against immigration. People for immigration claim that illegal immigration helps employees who will work for cheap labor, which I believe helps the economy.
In my opinion, I support immigration but I also emphasize with people who are against it. I feel that the figures for illegal immigration are so high because it is extremely hard to receive citizenship. The U.S. should allow immigrants to be able to receive citizenship more easily. I have personally heard of a story of a man who has been trying to receive citizenship for over 15 years.
The video clip The Divide a Hispanic woman discusses the hardships of immigration and how she got lost in desert for 8 days with no water or food. They eventually reached Siler City. The movie continues to describe our country's history of having a society where people were accustomed to blacks and whites not associating with each other. A North Carolinian describes how Mexican people are viewed as "aliens" in which they are unwelcomed to stay in their town. The North Carolians felt attacked, as if they were giving their hard earned resources away to Mexicans that did not work hard for them. They had rallies in North Carolina for Mexicans to return back to Mexico.
This movie is very inspiring. I especially liked the author discussing how "What makeith a race?" America makes up so many races including Irish, African American, Korean, and Japanese. Mankind makes up in their head the differences in races. Which in turn could lead to the bandwagon effect. This even leads to physical and hateful actions. People are generally all the same with similar emotions and feelings. This is why I fail to see how racism and discrimination are still prominent today.
Americans still have this attitude that non-American born people are using up resources and receiving free services. Illegal aliens are not even paying for taxes or social security. But I believe that Americans should not be afraid of different people. We should adapt to change instead of being so afraid. Illegal immigrants should not be in the country but America should make it easier for hard working immigrants to receive citizenship.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Session 13
I am very pleased with the programs that the U.S. has implemented to help low-income housing. Before this class, I had no idea that the government has been so involved with housing policies. I believe that the voucher system is a great system because it does not create segregated poor areas and it also uses vacant houses in adequate neighborhoods (the system is also being resourceful!) This allows low-income families to be more dispersed which lowers crime rates and also gives more hope for children to concentrate in school and be less influenced by drugs and gangs. Hope IV program and the HOME program are similar programs that also provide low income families with affordable housing. This gives me hope that the government is actually trying to rebuild communities and that they do actually care about the poor population.
The Palm Beach and MVI in Pittsburgh are fabulous programs that provides more opportunities in urban areas. MVI is trying to re-shape Pittsburgh by providing adequate housing and provide more job opportunities to low income families. I personally believe that job opportunities are more important that finding adequate housing. After all, a job brings the money in to pay for housing. Non profit business's like MVI should be available in every city. This is a great outlook for people and I am so happy that they have been established.
These policies are very beneficial but they have also been established since the first Housing Act of 1937. The vouchers program also only provides funding for 1 in every 3 eligible families. These acts alone will not provide all families with a safe and substantial home. Perhaps more needs to be done to increase the funding for all eligible families to receive a home.
The Palm Beach and MVI in Pittsburgh are fabulous programs that provides more opportunities in urban areas. MVI is trying to re-shape Pittsburgh by providing adequate housing and provide more job opportunities to low income families. I personally believe that job opportunities are more important that finding adequate housing. After all, a job brings the money in to pay for housing. Non profit business's like MVI should be available in every city. This is a great outlook for people and I am so happy that they have been established.
These policies are very beneficial but they have also been established since the first Housing Act of 1937. The vouchers program also only provides funding for 1 in every 3 eligible families. These acts alone will not provide all families with a safe and substantial home. Perhaps more needs to be done to increase the funding for all eligible families to receive a home.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Session 12
Throughout the past years, my parents have been telling me that the government will run out of social security money by the time I'm their age. I am currently working and I think it is a problem that I am paying for people's social security. At the age of 19, I will never see any of this money. My parent's generation is bankrupting this system. This means that I will have to retire later in life to be able to still have money coming in.
I believe that social securitys benefits out weight the negatives. It provides retirees with a comfortable living and it acts like an "investment", where one earns their savings after at least 10 years of work. However, the only problem is a decrease of funds that began as early as the 1970's due to an increase in life expectancy as well as the Baby Boomers generation. Many critics believe that the only way to solve this is to increase taxes, which I believe would be beneficial only if my generation will still see this money. It is unfair to still be paying for social security if I will never recieve it. According to the AJC, if taxes went up from 12.4 % to 14.3% social security would be able to cover its 75 year shortfall.
I strongly believe that people need to learn how to save their OWN money for retirement. Many people simply do not know how to save. I think that former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neil came up with a fabulous plan of depositing $2,000 a year into a child's bank account until they reach 18 years old. At the age of 65 (a great retirement age), they would have $1,013,326, as well as gaining interest! On the plus side, this plan costs way less than social security. As long as this money is untouched until the age of 65, I believe that this plan would be beneficial.
Going back to the question, What do you think is being done about poverty?
In my inital response, I had never thought about social security. This plan helps retirees to not fall into poverty, which I believe is a great system we have established. The only problem is that there is a big cash deficit. This could be fixed by the % being taken out of your paycheck being placed into your bank account, rather than being placed into a big pot of government money.
I believe that social securitys benefits out weight the negatives. It provides retirees with a comfortable living and it acts like an "investment", where one earns their savings after at least 10 years of work. However, the only problem is a decrease of funds that began as early as the 1970's due to an increase in life expectancy as well as the Baby Boomers generation. Many critics believe that the only way to solve this is to increase taxes, which I believe would be beneficial only if my generation will still see this money. It is unfair to still be paying for social security if I will never recieve it. According to the AJC, if taxes went up from 12.4 % to 14.3% social security would be able to cover its 75 year shortfall.
I strongly believe that people need to learn how to save their OWN money for retirement. Many people simply do not know how to save. I think that former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neil came up with a fabulous plan of depositing $2,000 a year into a child's bank account until they reach 18 years old. At the age of 65 (a great retirement age), they would have $1,013,326, as well as gaining interest! On the plus side, this plan costs way less than social security. As long as this money is untouched until the age of 65, I believe that this plan would be beneficial.
Going back to the question, What do you think is being done about poverty?
In my inital response, I had never thought about social security. This plan helps retirees to not fall into poverty, which I believe is a great system we have established. The only problem is that there is a big cash deficit. This could be fixed by the % being taken out of your paycheck being placed into your bank account, rather than being placed into a big pot of government money.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Session 11
I have learned that young adults are least likely to have health insurance. (28.6% of people ages 18-24). This number is shocking. I remember talking to a 22-year-old girl about this at my work last week. She told me that she was feeling extremely sick. I replied, "You need to go see a doctor." She then told me that she does not have health insurance. Sounding very naive I replied, "Who doesn't have health insurance?" As of today, I thought that health insurance was a necessity and that it was easy to obtain. However, I was very wrong.
The uninsured are less likely to go to the doctor's for check-ups or routine care. Which leads to them being more likely to be hospitalized for a preventable illness. However, in their defense, the cost of health care has consistently risen faster than the rate of inflation. I can see many people's mentality of thinking that they can simply avoid being sick and save all that money. However, I believe that health care is very important- ESPECIALLY for children! Your health is what keeps you alive! Americans have the lowest life expectancy among 30 industrialized nations. Just think about all the preventable deaths of adults and even children that we could have saved by making health insurance more affordable.
In order to lower these figures the government must expand health care coverage and make it more easily accessable to the public. President Obama has also signed a health care law that will help poor families recieve adequate health care. According to Teegardin's article, Elements of health care law taking effect, the Patent Protection and Affordable Care Act will help give families more options. Although this act will raise taxes, it will allow parents to keep their children on their family health insurance until the age of 26. This will hopefully help to eliminate worry in families that cannot cover health insurance for their children.
Back to the question, Why you believe people are poor in the United States?
I believe that the number one answer is to this question is: lack of money. People need adequate money in order to have necessities such as health care. Minimum wage needs to be raised so that people can live comfortably as well as recieving proper health care. As a result we can lower our numbers of infant mortality as well as resolve people's illness's before they become deadly.
The uninsured are less likely to go to the doctor's for check-ups or routine care. Which leads to them being more likely to be hospitalized for a preventable illness. However, in their defense, the cost of health care has consistently risen faster than the rate of inflation. I can see many people's mentality of thinking that they can simply avoid being sick and save all that money. However, I believe that health care is very important- ESPECIALLY for children! Your health is what keeps you alive! Americans have the lowest life expectancy among 30 industrialized nations. Just think about all the preventable deaths of adults and even children that we could have saved by making health insurance more affordable.
In order to lower these figures the government must expand health care coverage and make it more easily accessable to the public. President Obama has also signed a health care law that will help poor families recieve adequate health care. According to Teegardin's article, Elements of health care law taking effect, the Patent Protection and Affordable Care Act will help give families more options. Although this act will raise taxes, it will allow parents to keep their children on their family health insurance until the age of 26. This will hopefully help to eliminate worry in families that cannot cover health insurance for their children.
Back to the question, Why you believe people are poor in the United States?
I believe that the number one answer is to this question is: lack of money. People need adequate money in order to have necessities such as health care. Minimum wage needs to be raised so that people can live comfortably as well as recieving proper health care. As a result we can lower our numbers of infant mortality as well as resolve people's illness's before they become deadly.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Session 9
After watching the film "American Dream," it is clear to me that welfare reform does not help families to get out of poverty. Single mother Angie was on welfare for 12 years working two jobs as well as working overtime. She lost her electricity, healthcare, and sometimes ran out of food. She began to go deeper in debt. Welfare reform seems to not make any significant difference because women are working jobs that cannot provide for themselves or their family. If someone does not have proper education or is well prepared for the work field, then they will not be able to make ends meet. I thought that it was crazy for Angie to be so against quitting her job and returning to school. The woman that she met got out of poverty, due to her furthering her education. I believe that if the poor population were given the chance to return to school, they should be aware of the benefits that will greatly pay off in the long run.
The article Welfare Aid Isn't Growing as Economy Drops Off was very interesting when it adressed that the welfare system is not working the way it was designed to work. With unemployment skyrocketing, we need to be focusing on creating new jobs rather than handing out food and money assistance. Food stamps are increasing in states which seems to be a help for poor families. However, critics state that food stamps as well as cash aid only increase dependency on the government. Families should learn how to be self dependent. In my opinion, this can be found in education and awareness of the opportunities that people have.
Returning to the question "How well do you think poverty is being addressed?"
I have changing my previous answer. I was unaware of Bill Clinton's "end welfare as we know it," and I was unaware that many families recieve food stamps as well as financial aid. I beleive this is a good start for aiding the poor, but if it is not helping families to stand on two feet, then we need to fix it. It is a great idea in my opiniom, however we just need to twerk it into be 100% beneficial.
The article Welfare Aid Isn't Growing as Economy Drops Off was very interesting when it adressed that the welfare system is not working the way it was designed to work. With unemployment skyrocketing, we need to be focusing on creating new jobs rather than handing out food and money assistance. Food stamps are increasing in states which seems to be a help for poor families. However, critics state that food stamps as well as cash aid only increase dependency on the government. Families should learn how to be self dependent. In my opinion, this can be found in education and awareness of the opportunities that people have.
Returning to the question "How well do you think poverty is being addressed?"
I have changing my previous answer. I was unaware of Bill Clinton's "end welfare as we know it," and I was unaware that many families recieve food stamps as well as financial aid. I beleive this is a good start for aiding the poor, but if it is not helping families to stand on two feet, then we need to fix it. It is a great idea in my opiniom, however we just need to twerk it into be 100% beneficial.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Session 7
It costs an adult $1,449 a month to live a comfortable lifestyle in Atlanta. This seems to be relatively high in my eyes. After doing the Budget Exercise, I feel way more informed on how things cost. Since I am still a college student, I was misinformed on all the extra expenses such as insurance and taxes that take a large chunk out of adult's paychecks. After learning that 63% of all hourly job in Atlanta pay a staggering $5.15 to $7.25/ hr , I was shocked. Minimum wage is not a suffient income for a family with two parents to live off of. It forces people to have to work up to 2 or even 3 jobs to be able to make ends meet. While parents are juggling their multiple jobs, they also have to pay for childcare if they have children. With childcare so expensive, they are lucky if they can save a small percentage of their paycheck.
Georgia needs to raise minimum wage to AT LEAST $10/hr to help poor families get out of poverty and be able to manage their time. While many people believe that this pay raise of minimum wage has helped over 672,000 workers, it still is not an adequate pay. According to Georgia Policy and Budget Institute, a common myth is that teenagers are the main workers who recieve minimum wage pay. With this economy, many of my teenage friends cannot even find a job due to them compeating with adults that are out of work. Many adults who have lost there 6 figure paying jobs are now working as cashiers earning minimum wage. I believe that if the government raised minimum wage even higher to $10/hr, we could cut poverty percentages in half as well as boosting our economy back up.
After watching the video clip of 9 to 5 Tip Workers, I felt sympathy for restaurant servers and tip workers. I personally have avoided working at a restaurant because I feel that many people are cheap. Plus, it is hard being a server and standing on your feet all day. My friends that are servers have told me that some days when no one comes in, their earning around $3/hr. This is ridiculously low and a complete waste of time. I feel that restaurants need to pay their workers triple this amount. A server can be a deciding factor of whether customers come back or not. Wouldn't a restaurant owner want to make their workers happy but providing them with an adequate pay?
Georgia needs to raise minimum wage to AT LEAST $10/hr to help poor families get out of poverty and be able to manage their time. While many people believe that this pay raise of minimum wage has helped over 672,000 workers, it still is not an adequate pay. According to Georgia Policy and Budget Institute, a common myth is that teenagers are the main workers who recieve minimum wage pay. With this economy, many of my teenage friends cannot even find a job due to them compeating with adults that are out of work. Many adults who have lost there 6 figure paying jobs are now working as cashiers earning minimum wage. I believe that if the government raised minimum wage even higher to $10/hr, we could cut poverty percentages in half as well as boosting our economy back up.
After watching the video clip of 9 to 5 Tip Workers, I felt sympathy for restaurant servers and tip workers. I personally have avoided working at a restaurant because I feel that many people are cheap. Plus, it is hard being a server and standing on your feet all day. My friends that are servers have told me that some days when no one comes in, their earning around $3/hr. This is ridiculously low and a complete waste of time. I feel that restaurants need to pay their workers triple this amount. A server can be a deciding factor of whether customers come back or not. Wouldn't a restaurant owner want to make their workers happy but providing them with an adequate pay?
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Session 6
After reading our powerpoint, I was really disappointed while reading that sexism in the labor market still exists. Men are paid more than women for the same work as well as recieving better jobs. Being a woman, this is upsetting. I believe that in the coporate world, women reach a glass ceiling. This is especially hard for women that are the head of their single parent families.
After watching the Pittsburgh and Westmoreland YouTube videos, I was astonished at the figures. First off, over 65,000 people in Pittsburgh live below poverty level. I thought it was interesting that the participants acted as if they were in poor families. It gives you more insight on the high stress levels that poor families have to deal with daily. I had no idea that they had to fill out so much paperwork. It was pretty funny that they were joking around about being evidicted. In both of the videos, people admitted that they frequently turned to crime to make ends meet. Maybe we are being too harsh on the poor if middle class citizens would do the same thing in their shoes? I'll have to admit, this definitely puts some fear in me that I never want to end up poor. I feel sorry that many poor people feel that they HAVE to resort to selling drugs and stealing because there is not other way out.
After watching the Pittsburgh and Westmoreland YouTube videos, I was astonished at the figures. First off, over 65,000 people in Pittsburgh live below poverty level. I thought it was interesting that the participants acted as if they were in poor families. It gives you more insight on the high stress levels that poor families have to deal with daily. I had no idea that they had to fill out so much paperwork. It was pretty funny that they were joking around about being evidicted. In both of the videos, people admitted that they frequently turned to crime to make ends meet. Maybe we are being too harsh on the poor if middle class citizens would do the same thing in their shoes? I'll have to admit, this definitely puts some fear in me that I never want to end up poor. I feel sorry that many poor people feel that they HAVE to resort to selling drugs and stealing because there is not other way out.
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