How many times do we pass through a poor or poverty stricken area and cringe? How many of us have ever really been through an area that's truly blighted with poverty? Usually when heading to our next destination those are the areas we all avoid at nearly any cost.
But how many have really taken the time to actually see those places. I don't mean just looking but looking through the surface to the cause and effect of the issue's.
We have our promising politicians, some who care very much, but as a whole do very little to work toward's a true solution. Better schools, more police, more teachers, more jobs. The retoric is reused over and over. Are those things important? A resounding yes is the answer. But where do those suggetions reach to the core.All the social benefits do no good if you can't afford to even live.
Recently some changes have been made in raising the minimum wage. And as a gesture to middle and upper america that looks great on paper. But lets do the simple math on the issue.
A 40hr. Work week at even $8 per hour will gross $320 per week. After taxes hit, your at approximately $260. So you are working with $1040 per month. Right off the top in any city a moderate housing cost will be minimum $500 and in an area like NewYork or the surrouding north east region. That's a number you can get only if extremely lucky. Add to that utility bill's of say $200. Food for just one person another $200. Transportation cost; a variable with public transport. But in a more rural or suburban setting public transport is not so available and a vehicle is a near necessity. Either way your income is gone completely and possibly in the negative by that time. Now remember that is for just one person on a wage above the now current minimum wage rate. Factor in the possibility of being a single mother or father. Caring for even just one or two children. Issues like child care and health care now become huge financial burdens.
Sadly we can't expect all businesses to take on the extra expences of higher pay, health and childcare. Some businesses just could never afford it.
But there are alternatives that lie in the laps of our leaders every day. Things like taxes, and overblown budgets of private porkbarrel projects. How many time's have we seen pay raise's turned down for the better good of the people?
Do billion dollar corporations really need multi-million dollar tax breaks for their advertising. If they are already making that much doesn't it go without saying we are already very familiar with the product!
And of course there's our extremely overblown military budget. How many billion dollar plane's are really necessary when there's nothing out there now and for years to come that can challenge what we used even 10 years ago. Or needing a more accurate guided bomb. If 15 years ago you could put it through the enemies front door. Why is there a need to spend more tax payer dollars to put it through his keyhole?! I'm fairly sure that putting it even just outside his door would get the message across very well! Don't get me wrong I believe our men on the ground deserve the very best of personal protection. But that is not where our billions go! A fair part of the reason Mr. Rumsfeld in no longer in his position is due to the pitiful conditions our ground troops were deployed with. Lack of body armor, lack of armored humvees. So obviously the fat cats aren't spending it on the people out front all the time. Where does it all go?
Without some serious efforts and forced change to the system, there will always be the impoverished and lower class. Big government and big business need them. Seen as a necessity of modern society for maintaining an elitist higherarchy. Statistics from the army in 2003 listed that 47% of all African-Americans enlisted for economic reasons. That same figure measured 35% for Latino's and dropped to only 20% for Caucasion's. If even minor but significant change's were made in the class structure of America. The translation to loss of volunteer military enlistment would equal tens of thousands each year. The poor are a huge resource to the military, and are just part of the acceptable casualty numbers. Disposable cannon fodder.
Contrary to what a large portion of middle and upper America believe's. Poverty is not always a result of poor planning and laziness. But many times is an unfortunate and unwanted birthright.
How many times do we pass through a poor or poverty stricken area and cringe? How many of us have ever really been through an area that's truly blighted with poverty? Usually when heading to our next destination those are the areas we all avoid at nearly any cost.
But how many have really taken the time to actually see those places. I don't mean just looking but looking through the surface to the cause and effect of the issue's.
We have our promising politicians, some who care very much, but as a whole do very little to work toward's a true solution. Better schools, more police, more teachers, more jobs. The retoric is reused over and over. Are those things important? A resounding yes is the answer. But where do those suggetions reach to the core.All the social benefits do no good if you can't afford to even live.
Recently some changes have been made in raising the minimum wage. And as a gesture to middle and upper america that looks great on paper. But lets do the simple math on the issue.
A 40hr. Work week at even $8 per hour will gross $320 per week. After taxes hit, your at approximately $260. So you are working with $1040 per month. Right off the top in any city a moderate housing cost will be minimum $500 and in an area like NewYork or the surrouding north east region. That's a number you can get only if extremely lucky. Add to that utility bill's of say $200. Food for just one person another $200. Transportation cost; a variable with public transport. But in a more rural or suburban setting public transport is not so available and a vehicle is a near necessity. Either way your income is gone completely and possibly in the negative by that time. Now remember that is for just one person on a wage above the now current minimum wage rate. Factor in the possibility of being a single mother or father. Caring for even just one or two children. Issues like child care and health care now become huge financial burdens.
Sadly we can't expect all businesses to take on the extra expences of higher pay, health and childcare. Some businesses just could never afford it.
But there are alternatives that lie in the laps of our leaders every day. Things like taxes, and overblown budgets of private porkbarrel projects. How many time's have we seen pay raise's turned down for the better good of the people?
Do billion dollar corporations really need multi-million dollar tax breaks for their advertising. If they are already making that much doesn't it go without saying we are already very familiar with the product!
And of course there's our extremely overblown military budget. How many billion dollar plane's are really necessary when there's nothing out there now and for years to come that can challenge what we used even 10 years ago. Or needing a more accurate guided bomb. If 15 years ago you could put it through the enemies front door. Why is there a need to spend more tax payer dollars to put it through his keyhole?! I'm fairly sure that putting it even just outside his door would get the message across very well! Don't get me wrong I believe our men on the ground deserve the very best of personal protection. But that is not where our billions go! A fair part of the reason Mr. Rumsfeld in no longer in his position is due to the pitiful conditions our ground troops were deployed with. Lack of body armor, lack of armored humvees. So obviously the fat cats aren't spending it on the people out front all the time. Where does it all go?
Without some serious efforts and forced change to the system, there will always be the impoverished and lower class. Big government and big business need them. Seen as a necessity of modern society for maintaining an elitist higherarchy. Statistics from the army in 2003 listed that 47% of all African-Americans enlisted for economic reasons. That same figure measured 35% for Latino's and dropped to only 20% for Caucasion's. If even minor but significant change's were made in the class structure of America. The translation to loss of volunteer military enlistment would equal tens of thousands each year. The poor are a huge resource to the military, and are just part of the acceptable casualty numbers. Disposable cannon fodder.
Contrary to what a large portion of middle and upper America believe's. Poverty is not always a result of poor planning and laziness. But many times is an unfortunate and unwanted birthright.
Change