week 10

I have learned so much throughout the course of these blogs. I was shocked at what I saw in the articles on poverty and did not realize how big of an issue it really is. There is a great amount of inequality out there whether it be in the workplace, education, and even housing wise, something must be done to resolve the situation. So many people are affected economically because of the social inequality in our country. Where someone lives tremendously affects their education they will receive and the type of job they will be able to get. I will take everything I have learned and apply it into my future by helping out any community when I can.

Week 9

From America Divided the issues I chose were citizenship and education. From citizenship I found a local non profit organization located in Passaic, New Jersey called Immigration and American Citizenship Organization. They provide legal representation to low-income people coming to them. They assist in Adjustment of Status, Consular Processing, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Employment authorization, Employment-based immigrant and non-immigrant petitions, and family-based petitions. Some services they provide are help in completing forms, filings with USCIS, and representation before the Board of Immigration Appeals. This gives a voice to individuals who need one to defend themselves. For the issue of education I chose the NEA which is the National Education Association. It is the nation's largest professional employee organization and wants to commit to advancing public education by hiring qualified individuals. They have affiliate organizations in every state and over 14,000 communities. 

President's crackdown on immigrants

This article from the New York Times is about President Trump wanting to really crack down on illegal immigrants. He has already set a plan on how to crack down but this is a little different. The Department of Homeland Security announced that the they were going to make an office from families who are victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants in an effort to tackle the immigrant situation. Many people have mixed feelings about this plan, there are many Trump supporters who are for this and then there are some that will not have it. People say it is unfair and takes aim at a population that is less likely to commit crimes than American citizens. The office will be called Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement or VOICE.

Week 8

The Alice Report is a great way to find out who is struggling in our communities. It is relevant to us because this can help us to narrow the towns that need our help and we can do the best for them by providing what they need. It tells you how many families are struggling and how much it costs to have all the basic necessities. It puts into perspective who needs help the most. The economic inequality report is also very informative and states that many New Jerseyians are still in a recession today. There are many statistics and report on the economy of New Jersey.

aim to revive healthcare

Source: CNN

The republicans have a new amendment in the works that would help to "revive" healthcare. The amendment would allow insurance companies to charge enrollees in their 50s and early 60s more than younger ones. 

Obamacare however limited insurance companies from charging older enrollees more than three times younger ones although this suffered backlash from AARP. 

States would not be allowed to waive the Obamacare rule that requires insurers to cover those with pre-existing conditions and experts say the amendment would affect those who are sick or have had medical issues in the past. It would allow insurance companies to charge them more for coverage, it would make it harder for the sick to find good policies that cover their treatments. 

Week 7

In the video, social policy expert Kristin Seefeldt talks about how there is not a lot of access to jobs, schools, and housing markets for families and therefore would not help with the upward mobility. She talks about the increasing social isolation of low-income workers, mostly African Americans. This is where certain groups have limited contact in whats called "mainstream America".
If there were improvements in the school systems, I believe, that will help students in doing better in school and will give them a higher chance in finding good jobs. Once they find good jobs, they will be able to make the amount they deserve and live in a good housing market in a safe neighborhood. 

Executive Order on Education

According to a CNN article, President Donald Trump will be signing an executive order that has Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to review where the Federal Government has unlawfully overstepped state and local control in education.

The order is called: Executive Order Enforcing Statutory Prohibitions on Federal Control of Education. It outlines what Betsy DeVos advocated for before becoming the Education Secretary. This order is intended to return authority to the states and local entities.

Week 6

During the speeches, each presidential candidate thought that the people living in poverty should be helped and had ideas on how to improve things for them. Kasich was telling representative Paul Ryan that if a felon were to hand in an application, it would go straight into the trash. But he states that this should not affect your application and that during the second or third interview, there would be a chance to explain ones self because everyone deserves a chance. Rubio  said everyone would win if there was such things as a flex fund. Each candidate believe that creating jobs would help these communities tremendously. My thoughts on this are that I hope the United States can do more to help people in poverty and create a way for them to sort of get out of that situation and be able to live a life as comfortable as possible.

Fresno Shooting

Kori Ali Muhammad was a homeless man who voiced his hatred of white people and the government, and on Tuesday morning found out that he was wanted in the killing of a Motel 6 security guard in Fresno, California. Once he heard this, he decided to continue to kill.

In the late morning, Muhammad walked up to a Pacific Gas & Electric utility truck and shot a 34-year-old white employee dead in the passenger side seat and also ran down another street and fired his handgun at another white person. Thankfully for that person, he missed while shooting.

He then proceeded to go down another street and encountered a white man with a backpack and a garbage bag full of clothes and was shot at three times in the abdomen.

He continued this when he saw a white person until police finally caught up to him at the end of the street. In the back of a police car, Mr. Muhammad, yelled “Allahu akbar,” Arabic for “God is great,” the police said. Mr. Muhammad is facing four counts of murder and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and the F.B.I. is also investigating the shooting as a possible hate crime or terrorism.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/18/us/fresno-shooting-rampage-kori-ali-muhammad.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fus&action=click&contentCollection=us&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront

Week 5

"Behaviors of the poor are not the cause of their poverty, but a result of their poverty."

I believe this statement is in a way true. This is trying to say that the way poor people act is not because they are poor but because of what they had to endure through that time that leads them to behave in such ways.

While playing the game Spent, it was very hard to save money due to the amount of expenses there were trying to live a comfortable life. I ran out of money by day 15 and it was a terrible feeling. I feel for anyone going through this, it is not easy to hold down a job and live in a comfortable home while supporting a child.

Death row inmates seek attention of Supreme Court

The death penalty has its fair share of supporters and fair share of people who are against it. It has been one of the most talked about topics up for debate. In Arkansas, there are 6 death row inmates scheduled to die by lethal injection this month but have asked the Supreme Court to reverse a federal appeals court order and uphold a district court's injunction that stop the executions temporarily.

The district court found that the inmates were likely to show that the lethal injection drug protocol "entails a substantial risk of harm. In a statement, Scott Braden, the attorney for 2 of the inmates said his clients were denied access to mental health workers, even though they clearly demonstrated that mental health issues would be significant factors at their trials. One has severe and life-long schizophrenia and the other has organic brain damage and intellectual disability.

On a side note, Arkansas' supply of a drug used in lethal injections called Midazolam is set to expire at the end of this month. This drug has been used in quite a few botched injections in other states.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/19/politics/arkansas-death-row-supreme-court/index.html

Week 4

Whats killing the American middle class and why save it?

For many Americans, the middle class basically their identity and lifestyle. Unfortunately, the middle class is diminishing ever since the household income needed to be considered part of the middle class has gone up, the number of people who meet that requirement has gone down. Not only that but the gap between middle class and upper class has widened. It seems as though two-thirds of those who leave the middle class move up and progress, while one-third have dropped to a lower income group. 

The middle class is dying because of rising income inequality in America. There are many factors of income inequality such as globalization, the decline of unions, the outsourcing of jobs and technology being advanced. The middle class should be saved because the gap between class will just widen and either people will fall into upper class or fall down lower. 

Trump repealing and replacing Obamacare

The main-focus of Obamacare is to provide more Americans with access to affordable health insurance, improve their quality of health care and health insurance, regulate the health insurance industry, and to reduce health care spending in the United States. This was created so that all Americans could be covered somehow and receive the care that they can afford and need. There are many uninsured working families and others who simply cannot afford health insurance. One of the major aims of Obamacare is to help these individuals to get health insurance by expanding Medicaid eligibility and offering cost assistance through health insurance market places. Obamacare makes sure that women get equal healthcare rights and improved women’s health services.

President Trump would like to repeal and replace Obamacare. I feel as though this would take us into a downward spiral by his doing this to the people of this country. Obamacare has helped to benefit so many people and to save so many lives through affordable services and having people covered. It is a shame that Trump wants to take this away especially women’s services. This administration believes that the plan they put together now, is better than the one that exists now. Due to the new plan, premiums would be hiked for older Americans. Some people cannot afford what they already need to pay and now after the white house saying that this plan will not financially hurt people, will it not? They are also trying to put an end to Medicaid expansion. This is something that has saved many lives, including an audience member’s life during this segment. The white house claims that it does not help everyone the same way and that it is difficult, and that one out of every three physicians won't see Medicaid patients. In my opinion, doctors should not to be blamed for ot taking the insurance, the white house needs to do more about what is best for the American people, and they are doing to opposite. They said that giving individual states freedom, would help to “save money”. An audience member then asked a question on Planned Parenthood, something every woman was waiting for to be asked about. The woman said that: how low-income women could continue receiving health care services if the organization they depend on is defunded through the Republican legislation? The one statement that was said was very frustrating to hear. The white house said that the bill has tried to address widespread concerns about federal tax dollars being used to perform abortion services. That does not give them the right to defund it because of one service that women may truly be in need of it, it is not fair. They had also said that the GOP legislation would "increase money for women's health services." All that was really said about that, was they want to make certain is that they are responding to the concerns of the majority of the American people. They did not directly answer the full question. This healthcare plan will have terrible repercussions for Americans as it does not give what the people need. They are taking away more than they are giving with this new plan and it is just unfortunate.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/19/politics/tom-price-health-care/index.html