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Divorce Pushes Many Families Into Poverty

2010-08-08T08:27:00.000-07:00

I am sharing this information because I believe most relationships can be saved.

Most statisticians agree that divorce rates in the United States hover somewhere around 50%. That means that approximately one in two marriages will end in divorce! Numbers like these are alarming. Besides the devastating effects on families, individuals, and any children involved, there are huge financial repercussions as well. For women in particular, divorce often leads to poverty, particularly if there are children to support. In these difficult economic times, divorce is not an easy solution to what sometimes is a simple problem. Damaged relationships can be fixed!

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Aside from the devastating economic impact of divorce on individuals and families, the emotional cost is much more costly. If problem-solving CEO’s can walk into a giant corporation that is failing, analyze what is happening, and turn the company around to become successful, who’s to say a marriage or relationship that appears to be on the rocks can’t be fixed as well?

In many cases, relationship issues stem from something as simple as a ‘failure to communicate’. As we know, this same failure to communicate has led to wars throughout history. But when you are so close to the problem, it’s often difficult to acknowledge the problem (chances are you are part of the problem) and it’s difficult to separate ourselves from the situation due to the volatile emotional state we may find ourselves in. Once communication stops, so does any chance of resolving your differences.

For some marriage counseling is helpful, but only if both parties are willing to work hard and make great efforts to make the relationship work. But counseling doesn’t work for everyone and it’s expensive.

• Are you desperate to save your marriage?
• Do you still love each other?
• What about the kids?
• Does it look like you may be headed for divorce?
• Are you the only one trying to repair the relationship?
• What if your different personalities cause you to deal differently with stressful situations?
• What if one of you just wants to run away from the problem rather than try to fix it?
• What if you can’t afford counseling but still want to repair your relationship?

If you are desperate to make your relationship whole once again but are fighting a one-sided battle to save it, DON’T GIVE UP!!! There is a solution even if your situation seems hopeless! According to T. W. Jackson, creator of The MAGIC of MAKING UP:

“Most relationships CAN be salvaged. You may find it difficult to believe that almost every break up for whatever reason…infidelity, plain old lost passion, loss of interest, a stolen heart and worse...even the worst situations you can imagine…like men serving prison sentences have salvaged their relationships. Yes, even Ex-cons have gotten back together with girlfriends and wives after being away for years!” http://d20fffw68z8sfw4hfjqewl4y7k.hop.clickbank.net/

Jackson was a military brat moving continuously throughout his childhood. This constant moving and resettling taught Jackson valuable lessons in getting along with others. By being forced to move, resettle, and make new friends around the world on a regular basis, Jackson learned to really ‘read’ people, learn what makes them tick, and learn valuable communication skills that most people never really grasp. He can teach you what he knows to help you repair your broken relationship.

It’s not your fault. This isn’t something they teach in school. But as you know, not having this valuable skill leads to miscommunication, hurt feelings, strained relationships, and sometimes breakups and divorce from the people who really mean the most to us. Jackson’s program will help you learn valuable skills that you can use in your relationship, with your family, or even at work to help you get along with others and improve the quality of all of your relationships with others.

The product comes with a money-back guarantee and costs JUST $39; less than most co-pays for one therapy visit!

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You won’t regret it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Visit his website for more information. If you want to save your marriage, Jackson can help.

Success Stories Wanted

2010-06-14T17:01:00.000-07:00

I am looking for people who have inspirational stories to tell for an upcoming book geared toward at-risk youth. Do you come from a broken home? Are you an abuse survivor? Were you able to say no to drugs, violence, or gangs? Were you a high achiever in school despite not having support at home? Did you have a substance abuse problem that you overcame? Did you get in trouble with the law and turn your life around?

What’s your story? Are you willing to share it to help benefit a kid who might not have the support he/she needs at home? This is your chance to help others by telling your story. If you are interested in sharing, please email me. (Names can be changed for privacy if you prefer.) True stories only, please.

Please be sure to put “SUCCESS STORIES” in the subject line. Please include a brief note about your story; for example: “I was a survivor of child abuse and went on to start my own business”, etc. We can go into further detail at a later point.

What's your story?

New Tax on Insurance Companies? Real Healthcare Reform!

2010-03-27T18:35:00.000-07:00

Health Care Bill Passes But Will It Help? While it's clear to many that something needed to be done to fix the healthcare system in the U.S. I have to admit I am not sure the bill that congress just approved is the answer. I am tentatively hopeful that it will help the majority of those who are currently uninsured because the situation as it stands is horrible.

As someone who has worked in the healthcare industry, I believe that regulating the insurance companies would be more effective than requiring people to buy insurance or face fines. Mandating the purchase of a product that people may or may not be able to afford seems ludicrous to me.

What I have seen from within the healthcare industry is that the doctors and hospitals are not making huge amounts of money. I have seen insurance companies pay as little as $4.00 on a $100.00 charge. The medical provider is then required to adjust the difference. Needless to say, there's no way to pay overhead such as malpractice insurance, staffing, or facility costs if the insurance companies are paying the medical provider pennies on the dollar. The provider is then forced to make up that loss elsewhere, generally by charging uninsured patients higher prices.

While some specialists may be making very large profits, I think most are not. So where is the money going? According to a report by the advocacy group Health Care for American Now (HCAN http://healthcareforamericanow.org/) the top five for-profit health insurance providers made record profits in 2009 totaling $12.2 billion!

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2007 there were 45.7 million uninsured Americans. While these numbers are up for debate with critics claiming the numbers are even higher (reportedly the Census only reports those that were uninsured for the entire year) how many of those 45.7 million could have received coverage with just a small piece of that $12.2 billion?

A better solution in my opinion would be to perhaps place mandates instead on the insurance companies where a percentage of profits would be paid into a fund to provide coverage for the uninsured. There's no doubt they would fight tooth and nail but perhaps making the big players share the wealth would work. The bill as it stands now will require taxpayer dollars to support it. Why shouldn't the companies that are profiting from this broken healthcare system be required to contribute to a solution?

Making affordable insurance available to anyone that wishes to buy into it is critical. Mandating it when many people are barely scraping by doesn't seem like a solution to me. Forcing small businesses to provide healthcare for their employees when they are struggling to survive places an unfair burden on them when most are struggling simply to survive.

I'm not a politician and I'm not an economist. But as someone who has worked in the healthcare industry I have seen how little insurance companies are allowed to pay providers for medical care. As a small business owner I am also well aware that for most small businesses having real healthcare coverage is nothing but a pipe dream. We are lucky to be able to afford major medical insurance that protects us only in the event of a catastrophic illness or injury, and then only after paying a huge out of pocket deductible.

My fear is that big business, Wall Street, and our legislators have seriously lost touch with what the majority of Americans are facing with regard to real economic living conditions. Just about everyone I know is beyond broke. Fellow business owners have admitted defeat and closed their doors or are hanging on by the skin of their teeth. Penalizing people that can't afford to buy insurance just adds salt to their wounds.

Personally I am sick and tired of being among those that continue to sacrifice so that corporate bigwigs can continue to receive their big bonuses, stock options, corporate jets, and lavish lifestyles at the expense of fellow Americans. Someone needs to stop the madness!

What Makes a Champion?

2010-03-12T02:22:00.000-08:00

"Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them-a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill." ~Muhammed Ali

Beware Credit Counseling Scams!

2010-03-09T09:13:00.001-08:00

With so many Americans currently out of work, falling behind on their bills, and losing their homes the demand for help has never been greater. But that desperation brings out the low-lifes who prey on innocent victims. Like a shark that smells blood, credit counseling scammers come out of the woodwork to prey on desperate families. Don't be one of them! Companies that require fees and money, sometimes thousands of dollars up front to help you through your financial crisis are SCAMMERS! If you had the money you wouldn't be struggling!

The Consumer Credit Counseling Service is a nationwide, non-profit service that offers FREE assistance. They can contact your creditors on your behalf and negotiate better rates, better terms, and possibly restructure loans, depending on the circumstances. You need to contact the main number to make an appointment with your local office. Appointments can be by phone or in person, but they really can help! I know people who have used the service. One person had the interest rates for two of her credit card accounts reduced from 26% & 27% to 6% & 7% respectively.

Another was able to consolidate all of her debt into one low-interest loan, received debt counseling (for free), and has worked out a payment plan to eliminate all the debt. Their phone lines are open 24 hours a day. Just be prepared to hold because demand for help is overwhelming. Trust me when I tell you the call is worth the wait! Their website is http://www.nfcc.org/ or you can call 800-388-2227.

Healthcare Reform Snafu

2010-03-07T08:14:00.000-08:00

I must say I was really surprised to learn about the latest snafu with regard to the proposed healthcare reform currently being debated by our legislators. It is my understanding that abortion may possibly be a covered expense under the plan. I mention this not to inflame anti-abortion readers but instead as an observation.

All the good intentions in the world are not going to push through a healthcare plan that includes abortion. No matter where you stand on the issue, abortion is such a divisive issue among Americans to even suggest including it in a national healthcare bill is just plain foolish. I don't believe that even if we had a plan that offered healthcare to all, at no cost to our country, curing all diseases in the world, with unlimited funding available to pay for it all, that it would get congressional approval if it also pays for abortion.

Right now we have existing plans that pay for viagra but consider treatment for port wine stains on a child's face to be elective or annual pap tests to be unnecessary. To say that the need for viagra is a medical necessity is preposterous. Those wishing to use viagra or obtain an abortion (except if the mother's life is in danger) should pay out of pocket as these are elective treatments. Just like cosmetic surgery these are optional and should be considered as such. To roll them into a national plan is just asking for a fight.

There's enough propaganda flying around already trying to convince people that the government will decide who lives and who dies under the new plan (not true, of course). Ironically enough, that's what insurance companies do now. They decide which medical procedures are allowed and which are not. It's not as if the doctor caring for his/her patient has any idea what is best for the patient, right? For those that cannot pay for necessary procedures, they go without OR THEY DIE. I regularly help people access the care they need or connect them to agencies that can help. Often, the help comes too late.

Some people are spreading rumors that Medicare will be cut. Seniors around the country are up in arms spreading this message without even attempting to learn the truth. But people believe it. I watched the Healthcare Summit. It is my understanding that only Medicare Advantage would be affected. If people want to keep the 'premium' Medicare, let them pay the difference. Otherwise, regular Medicare will still be available to all. Our country is full of gullible fools that will believe anything anyone tells them. Those that prey on the elderly to spread their lies should be ashamed of themselves.

The truth is, everyone should have access to medical care. Not just the wealthy. Not just our congressmen. Not just government or municipal workers. Not just those that work for big business. Too many people are without any healthcare and too many have minimal coverage, leading them to go without healthcare. This I know is true. Small business owners who create the majority of the jobs in our country, and therefore employ the majority of the employees in this country cannot afford healthcare for their own families, let alone for their staff. These are real people. You do the math.

I think our legislators need to rethink their proposals before spending time and taxpayer dollars on a battle that may never be won because of small details such as these. We need coverage for all. Too many American citizens do NOT receive care. How about we think these things through before we start voting on them? Just a thought.

Moral Character

2010-02-28T16:06:00.000-08:00

Moral cowardice that keeps us from speaking our minds is as dangerous to this country as irresponsible talk. The right way is not always the popular and easy way. Standing for right when it is unpopular is a true test of moral character.
~Margaret Chase Smith

New Credit Card Law Takes Effect

2010-02-22T04:43:00.000-08:00

The new credit card legislation that goes into effect today was designed to help consumers from unscrupulous business practices on the part of banks. And while the new regulations offer some improvement for consumers, as usual, it falls short of truly offering consumer protection.

One big shortfall of the new legislation: there is no interest cap. Legislators claim this was a compromise. My question is, a compromise with whom? Because banks base the interest rates on the prime rate PLUS a percentage, I would like to know why that number couldn't be capped? I suspect the compromise had to be with banks or the lobbyists. Who else could oppose a cap?

If the legislators themselves are in opposition to protecting American consumers against rate gouging, I suggest they get out of office, as it is clear they are not there on our behalf. In my opinion, there is no reason any company should be able to charge 25%, 26%, and 27% interest on consumer credit, but they do. This is tantamount to loan-sharking. And often, it's college-age kids or those with poor credit that get raped with these kinds of rates. Any consumer being charged these kinds of outrageous rates has no hope of ever paying off the balance as it continues to accrue day by day.

Banks can also start charging annual fees or non-usage fees if they want. By allowing these types of loopholes, the law simply becomes a shell game for the banks. They will just find new ways to stick it to the consumer. Long before the legislation was enacted they were working on strategies to get around the law. The economic collapse of our country can be placed squarely on the shoulders of big banks.

Yes, there are positives to the legislation. For example, starting today if you transfer a balance at a lower, introductory rate but you already have an existing balance on your account only the minimum payment will automatically be applied to the balance with the lower rate. In addition, any amount over the minimum payment will be applied to the balance with the higher interest rate. This is good news for consumers.

In the past, if you had a balance on your credit card and transferred an additional balance over to your account at a lower rate, all payments would pay down the lower rate first while the balance with the higher rate would continue to compound.

Another piece of the legislation that works in the consumers' favor is that banks can no longer raise rates within the first year the account is opened. They also cannot raise rates arbitrarily on an account just because you missed or were late on a payment on another.

Much like during and after the Depression, I think this recession is going to have lasting repercussions for big banks. Their own irresponsible, greedy, and in some case malicious behavior is going to come back to bite them. It may take some years before consumers are financially in a place for it to happen, but once consumers can get on their feet the backlash will be swift and severe.

Even after the huge taxpayer (yes, big banks, don't forget that) bailout, they went right back to business as usual, continuing to payout huge bonuses, raise rates on consumers arbitrarily, and reduce credit lines for good customers who had never been late on their payments. Essentially, they spit in the eye of every American taxpayer.

Banks that make an effort to treat their customers fairly and with respect will be the ones that survive. Big banks that have forgotten that without customers they have nothing will be the first to go. And they will have no-one to blame but themselves. When they fail, I think there will be a lot of smug taxpayers watching them go down in flames with smirks on their faces.

Enough About Tiger Already!

2010-02-21T07:30:00.001-08:00

I can't believe it but the media is still talking about Tiger and picking apart his "apology" trying to analyze whether or not he's sincere. Again, let me say for the record, NO-ONE CARES. The public doesn't care. In fact, everyone I know groans whenever his name is mentioned. Enough already! Want to make sure he is "cured"? I hear castration works pretty well. At least that's what they did back in the day before "sex addiction" clinics existed. If the media doesn't put an end to this constant drivel and ridiculous coverage, the general population will experience learned aversion to his name. I think it's starting already. Now, whenever I hear his name I feel nauseous. I dunno. Maybe that's what they're going for...

Aggressive Drivers

2010-02-19T06:41:00.000-08:00

Every morning as I drive to work, I’m reminded of just how harried our lives are nowadays. I try to allow myself extra drive time so I don’t feel the need to rush. I make a conscious effort not to drive aggressively and be courteous to others on the road. But I know how easy it is to get caught up in the aggressive culture of commuting.

You may be wondering who cares? When I am driving alone, in the off chance other drivers do something to aggravate me, it doesn’t really matter if I mutter something less than ‘G-rated’…but what about when the kids are in the car?

Are you an aggressive driver? Do you let other peoples’ rude on-road driving affect the way you drive? Do you respond aggressively or verbally? If so, keep in mind that your kids are ever mindful of your behavior. If your kids regularly see you respond in anger to a driver that inadvertently cut you off, or you pretend not to see someone desperately trying to merge, what lesson are you teaching your kids?

My kids are older. Three of four are already driving. I fully believe that our actions speak louder than words. By being a courteous driver at all times, I hope that my children will do the same when they are on the road. Occasionally, I will slip and get annoyed with other drivers, but I make a conscious effort not to respond in kind by behaving aggressively or irresponsibly. I hope you’ll do the same. This is a lesson I hope my children and yours remember every time they get behind the wheel of a car.

TIGER WOODS BREAKS HIS SILENCE

2010-02-19T04:06:00.000-08:00

Listen up, people. Tiger Woods apologizing to the public for infidelity is NOT news. In fact, I find the attention the media has given his family's very personal crisis to be disgraceful and voyeuristic. I interact with people from all walks of life on a daily basis and from a completely unscientific standpoint can attest to the fact that the average person doesn't feel the need to know who Tiger is having sex with or why. In fact, I think most people could care less about Tiger. Instead, their sympathies lie with his wife who has been forced to live out this very private, painful situation in the media.

For those who are insulted by his refusal to answer questions when he "apologizes to the public", get over it. He doesn't owe anyone but his family an apology. It's not my business, it's not your business, and it's not the media's business who, what, where, when, or why this happened. It's a personal matter between a husband and wife. Given the opportunity, the media would no doubt ask specifics that are no-one's business in an effort to get an outrageous sound bite. Did we ever need to know about Monica Lewinsky's affinity for cigars? I think not.

For those that have chosen to 'boycott' the so-called announcement, how ridiculous is that? Talk about cutting off your own nose to spite your face? For those that make their living on the coat-tails of the famous, who exactly are you hurting by refusing to attend? If you think you are making some grand statement about your integrity, think again. I don't mean to insult anyone. I just want our media to rethink the importance they place on 'non-issues' such as this. Stop jamming it down the viewers' throats with endless, repetitive coverage.

Seeing random psychologists talking about "the kind of father we want Tiger to be" and how he must actively participate in his therapy to heal is just plain stupid. Does Tiger care what kind of mother I am? Of course not. Does he care how well you do your job? Don't be ridiculous. Do I feel for his wife? I sure do. Do I care what Tiger does or doesn't do? Not even a little bit. Just because the world knows someone's name doesn't give us the right to pry in their personal (pardon the pun) affairs. I've got one word for you: NUNYA. It's 'nunya' business.

For those that feel the day he has chosen to make the announcement is a slap in the face to the players and sponsors of the current golf tournament, get real. I understand that golf is important to those that make their livings playing golf, for the sponsors of the tournaments, for the advertisers, and for the staff involved with the actual tournaments, but in the real world, there are so many issues that really are NEWS.

Like the devastation in Haiti, or the millions of Americans that are out of work, under-employed, uninsured, or have lost their homes. How about the fact that the government bailout went to big banks who continue to payout huge bonuses while our senior citizens and the dying cannot get a caregiver to be with them when they need it most because Medicare doesn't cover custodial care?

How about corporate big-wigs that freeze cost-of-living raises for poorly paid workers, using the bad economy as an excuse while at the same time gloating about record profits for the company and enjoying lavish vacations? They do this while their workers seek oil and food assistance and stuggle to pay their mortgages. What about the struggles our returning soldiers are facing emotionally, physically, and financially? How about the fact that soldiers are dying in wars around the world at the hands of terrorists? Or the mother of three who is being treated for cancer and is being hounded by bill collectors because she can't work?

What about the ever-increasing cost of college? In an effort to get an education that would allow them to support themselves as adults most students walk out of school with a $30,000-$100,000 piece of paper with no job offers on the table. This is NEWS, people. These are real issues. These are real people with real struggles in the real world. The fact that Tiger can't keep it in his pants is not news. Instead of sensationalizing his wife's very personal pain, how about we start bringing attention to the real issues? If I see any more coverage about an athlete that has "betrayed" their fans, I think I will throw up. Move on. Please.

The media is made up of professional journalists and those that make their living off of the pain and humiliation of public figures just because they can. I personally don't confuse the two. Sensationalism is not news. The paparazzi are not journalists. Their motivation is not to educate the public or to cover important issues. Their motivation is greed. Journalists cover the news. Let's get back to covering the news. Please?

Time is Fleeting. Spend it Wisely

2009-09-20T16:32:00.000-07:00

Doesn’t life just seem to race by? We all know the expression, “take time to smell the roses”. My guess is that most of us never really do, which is sad. As I get older and I watch my kids grow up, I find myself wanting to spend more time enjoying life.

I find myself longing for time. There’s just never enough time; time to read a good book or take a walk in the park… time to catch tadpoles or search for salamanders under rocks…time to sit on the beach and listen to the waves lapping at the shore and seagulls squawking overhead.

Before we know it, our kids are grown and off to college. We turn around again and they are married with kids of their own. It seems the older we get, the faster time flies. …Which makes me realize just how precious our time really is.

Kids have a tendency to grow up before our eyes. Our parents and grandparents become gray and frail. Our time is consumed by work and errands, bills and worries. But the fact is we all have 24 hours in a day. It’s up to us how we choose to spend those hours.

So my suggestion is this. Step back and take a look at your schedule. Are you spending your precious time doing what you love with the people you love? My mom used to say, I don’t want my tombstone to say ‘she kept a clean house’. Life is short. Live it. Enjoy it. Spend time with the ones you love. She was a wise woman. She died young, but she spent her days with the people that mattered.

If you find that your time is consumed by things that don’t bring you joy or satisfaction, make a conscious effort to replace those activities with ones that do. Spend time with your kids at the beach or the park. Spend an afternoon in the hammock with your spouse watching the clouds float by. Stop by your grandmother’s house for a visit and a cup of tea.

Someday, you’ll be glad you did. I promise you, the dust-bunnies will reappear. The dirty dishes will multiply in the sink. The bathrooms will always need cleaning and the laundry will always be waiting for you. But time won’t wait. It will keep on marching by, thumbing its nose at you as it passes by, but only if you let it.

“Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.”
~Carl Sandburg

Surviving Our Nation's Economic Crisis

2009-02-08T14:07:00.000-08:00

Times are tough. The economy is in a shambles. Job security is iffy. Costs are going up but salaries are not keeping pace. According to MSN Money, about 43% of Americans currently spend more than they earn each year. According to Kim Khan, author of “The Basics, How Does Your Debt Compare?” the average household carries approximately $8000.00 in credit card debt.

Our nation is currently operating within an expansionary fiscal policy in an effort to address the current recession. The Federal Reserve has enacted monetary policies to try and correct the nation’s economic hemorrhaging, but is it too little, too late?

If your family is like many, you are feeling the effects of the bad economy. Whether it’s a job loss, high consumer credit debt, or just increased costs overall, just about every family is under financial pressure. So what can we do to survive in these difficult financial times?

While it’s hard to separate the emotion from the logic, it’s important to step back and take a clear, objective look at your finances. If you don’t already have one, take the time to sit down and create a family budget. The experts suggest that you start by tracking three months of actual expenses to get an accurate picture of what you are really spending each month.

A great source of information is the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Services (AICCCA). Call 211 from your local calling area to locate the local CCCS office. Members of this organization have a variety of free budgeting tools, worksheets, and online calculators for anyone interested. These are great tools for working out a budget or finding out the most efficient way to pay down consumer debt. Budgeting is critical to your family’s financial health. By taking the time to sit down and document your income and expenses you can see where you can cut back.

If you are facing bankruptcy, or job loss and are struggling to pay your bills, falling behind, are unable to pay your rent or mortgage, CCCS counselors can offer free assistance. Counselors are available 24/7 and will help assess your personal situation to help you get out of debt or they will work with your creditors to help get more favorable terms. Don't just assume nothing can be done. This nationwide non-profit organization is available to help.

Some budget-cutting suggestions: Order take-out once a month instead of every Friday….or go to a free concert on the green instead of a night at the movies. There are lots of ways to save without living like paupers. Taking advantage of your local library is a great way to expose your kids to cultural and educational activities as well as a great way to save money! Did you know that you can take movies out at your local library? Why pay to rent? Or that most libraries offer free or discounted admission passes to local museums and tourist attractions?

By being mindful of our actions, we teach our children to conserve resources (e.g.: turning off lights and televisions when not in the room) and we save money at the same time. Using a little creativity to find free or low-cost activities helps your family’s bottom line while taking advantage of the many wonderful activities that are often overlooked right in our own communities.

World Peace and the Survival of the Human Race

2009-02-08T14:02:00.000-08:00

Humans are strange creatures. Theories abound about the origin of life and our place among all living creatures. The world’s greatest organized religions teach their followers the story of creationism. Scientists believe in the theory of evolution. Unlike animals, we humans consider ourselves to be spiritual and enlightened. And yet, collectively we have little regard for the planet on which we live.

This, of course presents an enormous problem. As our very survival depends on the planet’s ability to sustain life, it is imperative that we be accountable to the earth and all of mankind for our impact on the planet. The problems facing our planet are vast. With wanton disregard we have poisoned our waters and air, depleted our natural resources, and decimated animal populations and natural habitats. We have damaged our biosphere and watched rain forests disappear.

Despite warnings of global warming and the implications associated with it, we continue to live in the moment, not thinking about tomorrow or what we must do to save our planet; and hence ourselves. Scientists and activists plead with us to heed their warnings, but few are listening.
So what can be done to address these global issues that threaten our very survival? Can we come together as one species to save ourselves and the world we live in? If we could step back in time and trace our roots to our very beginning, perhaps we would see how closely related we all are.

People from all walks of life, from every race, culture, and creed are connected. We are all made of flesh and bones, and our blood is red. And if every person from every corner of the world could realize and accept that connection, we could create a modern mythological narrative that could save us and the planet on which we live.

“Patriotism is a lively sense of collective responsibility (Aldington, Richard)”. As one collective species, humankind must accept the fact that we need each other, we need to maintain planetary sustainability, and in spite of our differences, we all have a collective responsibility to one another.

‘Community’ is defined by Webster dictionary as “a unified body of individuals, the people with common interests living in a particular area, an interacting population of various kinds of individuals (as species) in a common location, a group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society…..”

‘Responsibility’ is defined as “the quality of state of being responsible, moral, legal, or mental accountability…” And one of the key definitions of ‘Morality’ is “conforming to ideals of right human conduct”.

When considering possible mythologies that could be accepted by all cultures around the world, it should not be difficult to imagine that everyone could embrace these ideals; patriotism and a sense of responsibility to fellow man and the planet on which we depend for our very survival; community: an understanding that we are all part of the world community and are interdependent on one another and connected by our ‘humanness’ genetically and spiritually; responsibility to one another and responsibility for our own behavior and the impact we have on each other and the planet.

In order to create a mythology that will sustain us, we must understand that humans need other humans. We must accept the fact that we are all connected no matter our race, culture, or religion. We must accept the fact that everyone has a moral responsibility to each other with regard to treating all plants, animals, and humans with respect and consideration. Should we choose to think only about the here and now, disregarding our impact on the future, we will effectively bring about our own demise.

Those that feel that it’s ok to buy products that were created with slave labor in sweat shops, or to support illegal poaching by purchasing animal products such as ivory, or even those that make a conscious decision not to conserve energy and natural resources on a personal level must all understand that their behavior impacts everyone. Responsibility starts with the individual. By choosing not to do one’s part, that person is just as guilty as the poacher that kills an elephant for its tusks.

Human survival will ultimately depend on a species-wide unification. We may not understand the importance of this until it’s too late. The polarization among religions and cultures sometimes becomes so overwhelming, people lose site of the fact that ultimately, we are all one, and we all depend on the same things for survival; food, water, air, human interaction and for many, spirituality and religious faith.

Of course, we cannot walk through life with a constant thought of doom and gloom. Part of human resilience is our ability to have hope. Even in the most difficult situations, humans’ will to survive and spirit of never-ending hope prevails. This point was clearly demonstrated in the story of Anne Frank. As many of us know, Anne Frank and her family had little to hope for, and yet their will to survive was strong, their faith was unquestionable, and their hope never died.

This, I believe will be the saving grace for humanity. It is this innate sense of hope and a desire to live that will help the human species survive. Our common mythology must include unification; not on every level, but on the most basic level, that we are all one species and we need each other. Our will to survive will help us to overcome our differences and bring about a sense of community and moral obligation to each other and the planet on which we live.

We know that we are capable of putting aside our differences and coming together as human beings, as demonstrated after September 11th, the Tsunami that killed thousands in Thailand, and Hurricane Katrina. What we saw after these catastrophic events was that human beings around the world immediately responded as one. The horrors of these events were felt world-wide and the support was over-whelming.

The ‘circling of the wagons’ is an instinctively human response. During these times people who may not even like each other pull together as one. And while it often takes a crisis, the threat of a crisis, or a catastrophe such as the examples above, we know it can be done. The next step is to make the world understand the importance of being proactive. We must work together to make sure we don’t face a catastrophic failure of our planet and annihilate ourselves and every living thing.

Worldwide adoption of the idea that we are all part of something bigger than ourselves is the answer to the global crises that we currently face. Ultimately, the human narrative does not involve material wealth. It does not involve one solitary religion or belief system. It does not involve one specific culture. Nor does it include any one race within the human species. Once people accept the fact that we all play a part, however insignificant in the well-being and survival of all world species as well as the planet itself, the option of a happy ending, so to speak will become a reality. Egos, stubbornness, and closed cultures must be put aside for the good of all. This is the mythology we must all come to accept to survive and live in peace.

Celebrity Promiscuity and the Media

2009-02-08T13:25:00.000-08:00

Every day we are bombarded by headlines in the newspaper, magazines, on television news, on the internet, and the radio. Pop and Rap music sing the praises of sex and promiscuity. Models, actors, and actresses show more skin and less clothing as time goes on. Music videos are full of ‘dirty dancing’ and blatant sexual images and innuendo. The images that we see on a daily basis are sexually charged and overwhelmingly hard to ignore.

It is this constant proliferation of sex and sexual images that has led to a desensitizing of many Americans. The constant exposure to sexual images and details of private sexual celebrity escapades has led many to simply accept this overt sexual atmosphere by which we find ourselves surrounded. But we should not have to simply accept it.

American society has changed greatly over time. Over the years, we have seen an ebb and flow of sexuality and sexual images in open society. In the early 1900’s, men and women lived very different lives from one another. Women were expected to dress and behave ‘appropriately’ for the times, which meant long sleeves, high necks, and long skirts. Skin was not to be seen. Men were known to openly frequent brothels. This double standard was widely accepted.

The roaring ‘20’s brought the jazz age, sexy women, short, short dresses, and the introduction of sexual tension into the psyche of the American conscience. This behavior receded with the Great Depression in the ‘30’s and 40’s, with the insurgence of conservative behavior, once again. Parents held their children closer and family values were back in vogue.

The ‘50’s brought us Elvis and his ‘scandalous’ hip-shaking, which shocked America’s once again, prudish sensibilities. Censors refused to film him from the waist down to ‘protect’ viewers from what they might see. Until this point in time, Americans tended to keep sexuality behind closed doors (thankfully). It wasn’t until the ‘60’s that America began to experience what many conservative Christians would call a ‘moral decline’.

The ‘60’s were a time of free love and open sexuality, multiple sex partners, drugs, and a denouncing of previously accepted marriage and family values. I believe that this was the turning point for our country’s desensitizing to ‘all things sexual’. While we still have groups of citizens who subscribe whole-heartedly to conservative views today, many more openly accept and even welcome the media’s portrayal of sex and sexuality.

And yet, the images we see in the media generally do not represent ‘real’ sexuality for most people. Instead, it glamorizes sex and brings it to the forefront of all things. Reality in life for most people is not about sex; how to get it, where to get it, or how often to get it. Average Americans are too busy trying to raise their families and make a living to be obsessing about sex and sexuality all the time. If we were to believe the media’s portrayal of reality, we would have time for little else. According to an informal survey among friends and co-workers, sex ranks low on the list of priorities for most.

So why are we constantly surrounded by sexual images and stories in the media? What is it about this topic that Hollywood finds so appealing that in 2008, vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s unwed 17-year-old daughter not only makes headlines, but receives congratulations from celebrities and even some conservative Christians, who applaud her from a ‘pro-life standpoint’?
The glorifying of unwed celebrities making babies is, in my opinion, highly irresponsible. Indeed, I would argue that it’s harmful to our impressionable young people. The practice of publicizing and glorifying unwed pregnancies is so prolific, there is even a site dedicated to it. CelebrityPregnancy.com takes pleasure in passing on ‘the good news’ about this celebrity or that and their blessed event to be. Most are not married.

However, what this reinforces is the fact that these people, that children and teenagers look up to, do not feel it is necessary to make any commitment to each other before bringing a child into the world. And many of these celebrities don’t just stop at one child. They have three and four children, often with multiple partners. What happened to commitment to one another? The idea of providing a stable, loving home to one’s children seems to have fallen by the wayside. I find this to be shameful.

But I also take issue with those that use the excuse that ‘sex sells’ to justify this type of behavior. I, for one, do not ‘buy into sex’. Nor do I read or pay attention to stories that focus on the private sex lives of celebrities and politicians. I am ashamed for them and for the members of the media who feel it’s acceptable to bring these private matters into the homes of every American, whether we want it or not. And, I am ashamed of those who, whether they admit it or not, find these types of stories to be appealing. It saddens me to know that people would stoop so low as to not only pry into the private lives of others, but to use that private information for profit.

I am not a prude. However, I believe that children should not be brought into the world unless their parents have made a commitment to one another, to provide a loving and stable family to those children. Be denouncing marriage, they clearly demonstrate that the relationship is temporary, and that is not the environment any child should be subjected to, to satisfy the selfish purposes of the adults in question. The message we are sending to our children is that no commitment is necessary to make babies.

However, the real question of ethics arises, I believe, when we take a long, hard look at how this idea has come to be so widely accepted. I believe that Hollywood and the media are to blame for this constant exposure to the new ‘ideals’ of our society. By constantly publicizing and glamorizing uncommitted (unwed) pregnancies, they are in fact condoning; even encouraging it.

It is my firm belief that Hollywood and the media have the moral responsibility to change this. I believe that they have taken an incredible power; the power to influence others, and used it to spread moral decay around our country and the world. We have gone from a time where a fully-clothed kiss in the movies was considered risqué, to hot dog venders in thongs on the streets of Miami. Hollywood and the media have brought such a proliferation of sexual images into our consciousness, that half-naked girls on the street barely raise an eyebrow today.

Every day we hear about more public figures and celebrities who are intentionally making babies, addicted to online porn, announcing their sexual relationships to the world, or releasing their private ‘sex tapes’ and then pretending to be horrified when they end up on You Tube. But who is really buying into all this?

What do religious groups have to say about this shift in moral sensitivities? Conservative Christians have historically decried out-of-wedlock pregnancies. But, some of these same conservatives would argue that an out-of-wedlock pregnancy is better than abortion. Where do religious organizations stand with regard to this overwhelming message glamorizing sex, promiscuity, and unwed pregnancies in the media?

“The Catholic church teaches that situations where sex occurs outside of marriage ‘offend against the dignity of marriage; they destroy the very idea of the family; they weaken the sense of fidelity. They are contrary to the moral law” (internet reference #1). If this is true, how can it be that many Christians have praised Sarah Palin and her daughter, Bristol (or remained silent) when it was publicly announced that she is pregnant and unmarried, at the age of 17?

ReligiousTolerance.org, a site dedicated to understanding and accepting people of all faiths, acknowledges there are many interpretations among different denominations. With regard to Christianity they demonstrate the differences when trying to define the term:

“There are also many distinct definitions of the term "Christian". Four examples are:
Most liberal Christian denominations, secularists, public opinion pollsters, and this web site define "Christian" very broadly as any person or group who sincerely believes themselves to be Christian. Thus, Fundamentalist and other Evangelical Protestants, Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox believers, Presbyterians, Methodists, Episcopalians, United Church members, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian Scientists, etc. are all considered Christian. Using this definition, Christians total about 75% of the North American adult population.
However, many Fundamentalist and other Evangelical Protestants define "Christian" more narrowly to include only those persons who have been "born again" regardless of their denomination. About 35% of the North American adult population identify themselves in this way.

Some Protestant Christian denominations, para-church groups, and individuals have assembled their own lists of cardinal Christian doctrines. Many would regard anyone who denies even one of their cardinal doctrines to be a non-Christian. Unfortunately, there is a wide diversity of belief concerning which historical Christian beliefs are cardinal.

Other denominations regard their own members to be the only true Christians in the world. Some are quite small, numbering only a few thousand followers.
Different definitions on such a fundamental topic makes dialog and debate among Christian groups very difficult. It also makes estimating the number of Christians in the U.S. quite impossible. By some definitions, 75% of Americans are Christians; by other definitions, it is a small fraction of 1%” (internet reference #2).

This in-fighting among those that claim to be Christians is a clear demonstration of why there has been little outcry regarding the issue of unwed pregnancy glorification by the media. When large segments of the population cannot agree on the interpretations of what is arguably the same material, it is impossible to come to a unified consensus on external issues facing our society.

Jacob Weisberg a contributor at Newsweek, was quoted as telling David Schuster of MSNBC, “I was shocked to see her unmarried (Palin’s) pregnant teenage daughter on stage with the Republican nominee. It seemed to me that Ronald Reagan would be rolling over in his grave if he saw the Republicans embracing unwed motherhood this way. And I think, really, the issue there is about the pro-life absolutism that has come to dominate the party” (internet reference #3).

But where was the public outcry? Where were the church leaders denouncing the
fact that the media was glorifying premarital sex and unwed pregnancy? The silence was
deafening. For those of us who have had enough, all we can do is turn off the television
to stop the flood of endless stories about sex, and the glorification of making babies
without the security of a stable, loving, committed relationship between two adults.

This leaves us to examine how other religious organizations view this mostly American phenomenon. According to Beliefnet.com, with regard to premarital sex the Jewish faith teaches “sex and other acts that may lead to sex are only allowed within the context of a marriage. Sex is not only a means of physical gratification, but an important act that ‘requires commitment and responsibility’ (internet reference # 1). Commitment and responsibility are clearly not part of the message Hollywood and the media are spreading.

Islamics have similar beliefs with regard to premarital sex. “According to the Qur’an, ‘the believers are…those who protect their sexual organs except from their spouses...” (internet reference #1). They add “Muslim scholars say this statement ‘makes it very clear that any sexual gratification outside of marriage is considered a transgression of the law of God” (internet reference #1).

One religious organization that is outspoken, specifically with regard to unwed pregnancy, is the Church of Latter Day Saints. “Mormons believe that sexual relations are permitted only with one’s spouse of legal marriage….the most common sexual sins our young people commit are necking and petting. Not only do these improper relations often lead to fornication, [unwed] pregnancy, and abortions—all ugly sing—but in and of themselves they are pernicious evils, and it is often difficult for youth to distinguish where one ends and another begins” (internet reference #1).

Very few religious organizations accept or condone blatant promiscuous sexual behavior, particularly outside of marriage or a committed relationship, and none openly support unwed pregnancies. One religion that does not view premarital sex as immoral is Buddhism. According to Beliefnet.com, “Buddhists believe that sex before marriage is not immoral if there is love and consent between the two parties involved” (internet reference #1).

Strangely enough, if the figures are correct as to the segment of the population that identifies themselves as Christian, assuming they believe the teachings of the church; why has there been no public outcry? Add to this figure those of the Jewish faith, Islamic faith, and all the others that view premarital sex (and therefore, any resulting pregnancy) as wrong, who is left? And by virtue of the behavior, if premarital sex is considered to be immoral, unwed pregnancy cannot be acceptable either. Again, assuming the figures are correct, who exactly is ‘buying into’ all this sex in the media? Who is this market to which Hollywood and the media are marketing?

Which brings us back to moral responsibility; if the majority of the population is of the belief that premarital sex is wrong, and therefore unwed pregnancy is not something for which we should strive, who is responsible for changing the message that is being spread by Hollywood and the media? My conclusion is that the people who have a moral obligation to society to put an end to the spread of this message are none other than Hollywood and the media themselves. Ultimately, the responsibility lies with them, as it is clear that the general population does not want to hear their message. And so, I rest my case.

Works Cited

Internet Reference #1, http://www.beliefnet.com/, “Religions on Premarital Sex”

Internet Reference #2, http://www.religioustolerance.org/ , “Who is a Christian?”

Internet Reference #3, http://www.newsbusters.org/ , “Slate's Weisberg to MSNBC on Palin Pregnancy: Reagan Would Be Rolling Over in His Grave” by Kerry Picket

Suffer the Little Children; The Horrors of Child Marriage

2009-02-08T13:22:00.000-08:00

The practice of older males marrying young girls is surprisingly common in many cultures around the world. Even more surprising is that the practice is still occurring here in the United States today. While most westerners find the idea of an adult male marrying and having sex with a child to be taboo, there are many who not only find the practice to be acceptable, but desirable.

Some cultures arrange marriages for their female children even before they are born. According to UNICEF “In developing countries, more than 60 million women aged 20-24 were married/in union before the age of 18. Over thirty-one million of them live in South Asia (UNICEF estimates based on MICS, DHS, and other national surveys, 1987-2006)” (Internet Reference #1).

UNICEF also notes that “Girls living in the poorest 20 per cent of households are more likely to get married at an early age than those living in the wealthiest 20 per cent” (Internet Reference #1). A direct relationship has also been noted between child marriage and lack of education. According to the article, “In Zimbabwe, 48 percent of women who had attended primary school had been married by the age of 18, compared to 87 per cent of those who had not attended school (UNICEF estimated based on DHS 1999)” (Internet Reference #1).

Another important fact worth noting is the fact that these marriages are forced on girls, and not boys. There are many reasons that parents marry off their children as well. UNICEF says that “parents choose to marry off their daughters early for a number of reasons. Poor families may regard a young girl as an economic burden and her marriage as a necessary survival strategy for her family”(Internet Reference #1).

The article continues to say that they may also feel that doing so “offers the care of a male guardian. Child marriage may also be seen as a strategy to avoid girls becoming pregnant outside marriage” (Internet Reference #1). But no matter what the reasons for these marriages which are arranged between grown men and young girls, the detrimental effects of forced marriages on children are many.

UNICEF points out that once the girls have been married, they are much less likely to attend school, will often face increased health risks such as premature pregnancies, sexually-transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS, and death during or related to childbirth. These girls are often the victims of abuse at the hands of their much older husbands or their families if they resist or refuse to marry. They may even be killed for refusing to cooperate.

In an interview with Congresswoman Betty McCollum, VOANEWS.com spoke about proposals to end child marriage. According to McCollum “It’s mostly a problem in the sub-Saharan region. We find it a problem to be in parts of the Middle East, especially the very rural, very remote parts of the Middle East. And Asia and Africa also—the southern part of Africa—also experiences child marriage” (Internet Reference #2).

These regions generally consist of Muslim communities, where the practice of forcing girls to become child-brides is wide-spread. As mentioned earlier, we see that girls from isolated, rural areas, where education is generally unavailable are much more likely to be forced into marriages at a very young age.

McCollum points out that “It’s a human-rights concern on the face of young girls, children, being forced into having sex. I mean that’s a human-rights issue. It’s forcible rape. It’s an issue for the young girls for their health” (Internet Reference #2).

She goes on to say “Women will tell you that rape is a violent act. Can you imagine being a young girl, ten, eleven, twelve, being forcibly raped? That puts that young person at great risk for a whole host of health problems, both physical and mental” (Internet Reference #2).

Children having babies are at much higher risk of complications during pregnancy and delivery. There are higher risks of health problems for the baby as well as increased risk of infant and maternal death. McCollum goes on to stress just how widespread the practice is, and the dangers associated with it. “I think most people who are really involved in this issue…meet any of these young women who are suffering from fistula due to prolonged childbirth at a young age, girls not in school, seeing a ten-year-old being wed to somebody who’s in their forties, fifties, or sixties—I mean, that tears at the heart of most people” (Internet Reference #2).

The United Nations is working to put an end to this practice around the world in cooperation with leaders of various nations and cultures. The interviewer mentions a situation not long before the interview, “And not long ago in Niger, we had an effort from tribal leaders to push for tight limits on marriage age and trying to reduce child marriage, but they ran up against religious leaders, Muslim clerics, who didn’t want those changes” (Internet Reference #2). The idea that religious leaders would fight efforts to treat young girls humanely in the name of religious beliefs is a horrifying concept.

But as I mentioned earlier, this practice occurs not just in the Muslim religion in less-developed countries, but right here in the United States. McCollum is quick to respond “I think we need to be careful when we talk about religious practices not to single out any one faith group…there are maybe some within the Muslim faith in very remote, very rural areas who haven’t seen how changing and delaying marriage will make the girl healthier…This is not just a challenge for the Muslim faith. This is also a challenge for the Christian faith” (Internet Reference #2).

McCollum is referring in this interview to Christians of various faiths in countries other than the United States, but again, the problem exists here in America such as those in small pockets of polygamous Christian communities such as the one in Utah led by leader, Warren Jeffs who was arrested and charged with child rape.

In a CNN interview, one young woman who escaped from the sect, Sara Hammon describes the horrors of living in a community of multiple wives, child marriages, isolation, and oppression of young girls and women. “Sara Hammon saw some of her sisters pulled out of school to be married to men they didn’t know” (Internet Reference #3). The sect Hammon escaped from was part of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which broke away from the Church of Jesus of Latter Day Saints, due to its disagreement over the right to have plural marriages. The Mormon Church does not condone the practice of polygamy.

What is clear to many is that the practice of polygamy leads to many abuses. Hammon “left behind 19 mothers, 74 siblings, and a father she says could never remember her name, even though he repeatedly molested her. And, she left behind a culture she says was oppressive for young women” (Internet Reference #3).

To most people the idea of having 19 mothers, 74 siblings, and a father who molests his children is disgusting and beyond dysfunctional, but because these children have known little else allows it to continue. What I find more frightening, though, is the fact that this type of generational dysfunction and abuse is allowed to continue, victimizing generation after generation of children right here on American soil in the name of religion.

“Probably the worst part of the whole theology, she said, is the treatment of women and teaching women that they are not equal to men” (Internet Reference #3). By raising children from the time they are young to believe this mantra, the religious leaders are able to brainwash their followers into obeying. Members of the community are told they will go to hell for disobedience. But the girls are not the only victims with regard to these teachings. The boys are also victimized.

Because the doctrine that is forced on the followers of these cult-like sects is designed to enforce the concept of polygamy and the marriage of adult males to many young girls, the boys in the community are pushed out. The boys are not allowed to have relationships with girls their age in their community, as the adult males are saving the girls for themselves. This is where the concept of ‘the lost boys’ comes in. The boys in these religious cults are shunned and left to fend for themselves.

“There was a tremendous amount of abuse in our home. It happened on a daily basis and there [was] all kinds: sexual, physical, emotional, mental. My brothers were sexually abusive. Some of my mothers were physically abusive” (Internet Reference #3). As a victim abuse at the hands of a step-mother, I can understand Hammon’s desire to escape. Her decision to speak out on behalf of other victims speaks to her strength and should be admired, as many victims do not have the strength to escape, nor do they have the strength to share their story.

By speaking out, Hammon does service to former and current victims as well as educating the public about the atrocities that are continuing in the name of religion. For the sake of the children, these practices must be stopped. This is not a matter of religious freedom. The idea that adults would use children who have no knowledge of sexual activity, nor the physical maturity or desire for sex clearly demonstrates that these practices are in place simply for the gratification of the adult males involved.

If this were a natural course of events for human beings, children would reach sexual maturity at the age of 9 or 10, but the fact remains that they do not. Therefore, forcing children into sexual relationships while they are just children is wrong. This is not a cultural or religious issue. It is strictly a human-rights issue. In an effort to stop the suffering of these children for the sexual pleasure of adult males in the name of religion, every nation must speak out and do what they can to put an end to this despicable practice.

The people who oppose putting an end to the practice of child marriage are doing so in their own selfish interest, and are not thinking about the needs of the children. They do not care about the suffering that these girls experience as victims. As part of the human race, we all have an obligation to stand up and speak for the victims. For more information on how you can help, visit www.unicef.org.

Works Cited

Internet Reference #1 “Child Protection from violence, exploitation and abuse” www.unicef.org/protection/index_early marriage.html?q=printme

Internet Reference #2 “On The Line: Child Marriage” www.voanews.com/uspolicy/archive/2008-01/2008-01-28-voa4.cfm?renderfor print

Internet Reference #3 “Growing up in Polygamy” http://www.cnn.com/

Recycling: It's Everyone's Responsibility

2009-02-08T13:18:00.000-08:00

Have you ever seen that commercial where the dog takes a piece of foil to the sink to wash before placing it in the recycling? Tell the truth. Do you recycle your foil? Do you recycle at all? Do you think it’s too much trouble to recycle? Maybe you think it doesn’t really make a difference…

Well, I am really good about recycling. The town I live in has an awesome recycling program. They take glass, metal, mixed paper, phone books, cardboard, plastic, tires, used motor oil, and more! We have to drag it there, but at least we know it won’t end up in a landfill somewhere!

According to the Garbage Exhibit at the Annenberg Foundation, the average American disposes of approximately 1460 pounds of garbage per year! That’s 4 pounds a day on average! Per person! Of this, less than 25% is ever recycled! Surely we can do better than that! In my family of six, we rarely have more than one can of garbage per week. Even that could be reduced by being more disciplined (composting, for example).

But as good as I am about recycling, it occurred to me one day that there are still other ways I can conserve resources. Let’s take the foil, for instance. When I prepare something for dinner…let’s say a tray of breaded chicken but I am not cooking it right away, I still need to cover it. But if I cover it with plastic wrap, once it’s been used, it must be thrown in the garbage due to contamination.

Plastic, as we know is made from fossil fuels. We also know that plastic is not exactly bio-degradable. In fact, scientists estimate that it takes approximately 500 years for plastic to break down. America’s dependence on foreign oil is a big concern, and the fact that I am depleting the earth’s resources to cover a tray of chicken for a few hours before throwing it out really bothers me.

So here’s my solution: I place a piece of waxed paper (biodegradable) over the food and cover that with foil, which I save and reuse (over and over and over…). Foil is one of those endlessly useable items. So the next time you tear off a sheet of foil with the intention of throwing it in the garbage a short time later, stop and think how you can help to do your part in saving our resources. It’s just a tiny little change, but if everyone did it, just think of what an impact it would have! Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Do it for our kids’ sakes. Want to know more? Visit the EPA website and take a look at this eye-opening information:
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/index.htm

Obama's Stimulus Plan Designed to Help Average American Families

2009-02-08T13:12:00.000-08:00

As we are all aware, our nation is in the midst of a huge economic crisis. As the director of a non-profit agency serving the needs of the Elderly, Sick, Homeless, and Needy in Connecticut, I have seen first-hand enormous increases in requests for assistance.

In 2008 we found requests for services for the most basic needs such as food and diapers up substantially, and from a wider range of clients than ever before. We are hearing from more and more formerly middle class families who are losing their jobs and their homes in record numbers. Requests for rent, utility, mortgage, and food assistance pour in daily.

We have clients whose homes are falling down around them and there are no programs to help while bank executives fly around the country in corporate jets and dine on caviar. American families are declaring bankruptcy because they cannot pay their medical bills while banks spend millions on Superbowl commercials and to put their names on new stadiums.

Our nation has not faced such widespread financial crisis since the Great Depression.
Congress saw fit to bail out Wall Street in an effort to 'save' our country's economy. What they failed to do, however, was take into account that millions of Americans are losing their jobs and their homes in record numbers. The banks cannot save our economy. Only the public can, by spending. Without money to spend, everything grinds to a halt.

People with Masters degrees are fighting for jobs at the local Walmart. The construction industry in this country has been decimated. Trucking companies have closed their doors while the oil industry announces record profits for the second year in a row. Jobs are non-existent for teenagers, filled instead with out of work adults.

American voters understand all this. American families are struggling to simply survive. This is why voters spoke loud and clear at election time. 90% of America is made up of average people, who are working just to survive. That same 90% of America is what really runs our nation’s economy. As the ‘real’ economy of the American family and small business withers and dies, Wall Street carries on as if it’s business as usual.

The reality is all of America needs a bailout. Through no fault of our own, thanks to corporate greed, America’s economy is in the toilet and our legislators have decided to turn President Obama’s proposed stimulus package into a partisan war. Despite the fact that America has spoken loud and clear during our recent election, not ONE Republican in the house voted for the stimulus package. Just three brave Republican Senators voted for the bill.

What this tells us is that they do not have the best interest of our country at heart. While there was little resistance in Congress to the bank bailout, the very idea that our new President hopes to help the rest of America is met with political stonewalling. This is absolutely disgraceful!

Our nation is suffering and our people need help. Our elected officials should be doing everything in their power to make this work. This bill has been created with the needs of our nation in mind. Some facts:

Among other things, this bill:
Creates or saves 3 million to 4 million jobs in the next two years. Our citizens NEED jobs.
Averts "literally hundreds of thousands of teacher layoffs"—and doubles funding for the Department of Education. Our children are our future.
Creates hundreds of thousands of green jobs and doubles our clean energy production. It is critical that we act now to reduce or eliminate our dependence on foreign oil.
Immediately gives unemployed folks access to affordable health care coverage. It is unfathomable that health care is not available to all Americans.

Unemployment is rising at an alarming rate in the United States. According to CNNMoney.com the average unemployment rate nationwide is expected to reach 7.5% soon. According to this same report, unemployment has risen in 98% of cities across the nation. These are staggering numbers and our legislators need to get their heads out of the clouds and do what’s right for our nation. Our citizens are suffering. It’s time our legislators from BOTH parties started to listen. The voters are watching. Do the right thing and VOTE YES for the stimulus package.

www.compassionatecommunityservices.org

For more information on the Stimulus Package Visit:

www.barackobama.com

Thoughts on Racism

2007-10-05T13:22:00.000-07:00

It’s a sad fact that racism exists at all, but the fact is that there is prejudice throughout the human race, worldwide. Personally, I don’t discriminate based on race. I have friends that are all ages, colors, religions, shapes, sizes, etc. I base my opinions on personality, attitude, and the way people present themselves. If faced with a well-dressed, clean cut black man or a raggy looking white teenager with attitude, I would be leery of the teenager.

Of course, I’m not naive enough to think racism doesn’t exist. But like I mentioned earlier, there is prejudice of all kinds; it has been shown that thin, attractive people earn more than unattractive or overweight people…

All around the world, people who are genetically very similar kill one another because they are from different tribes or factions, or believe in different religions. I agree that in many cases, it is due to jealousy and mistrust. And I believe the same applies to racism here in America. It’s hard to believe people still think like this in this day and age, but they’re out there.

When I see white supremacists, etc. it sickens me, but it is a perfect example of ignorance. The recent incident with Imus (I’m not a fan) brought to the forefront the problem of “acceptable” prejudice and lack of respect for others in hip hop and the entertainment communities.

I don’t know if it would be accurate to say racism is ignored in America. But I do think that our society is becoming desensitized to things like violence against those who believe differently than we do, or stereotyping, etc. After 9-11, many Americans are suspicious of Muslims and/or foreigners, which is purely reactionary.

I believe it’s everyone’s responsibility to speak up when racist (or hurtful) remarks of any kind are made. It is up to all of us to teach our children that we are all human. Respect is not deserved because of the color of one’s skin or their birthright. Instead it is EARNED and we all have the ability to earn respect and our place in life. As a society, we have to decide that prejudice against any segment of the population is wrong. There are those that feel racism is wrong, but will treat homosexuals like the scourge of the earth. This is wrong. Prejudice is prejudice. No amount of bible-thumping or cross-burning or hood-wearing will change that fact.

I was once at my children’s school and a group of children were picking on one girl until she cried (it wasn’t racist-just hurtful, bullying). I stopped them and spoke to them all. I asked them how they would feel if others treated them this way and that they needed to treat each other with respect and kindness. It was a lesson for all of them. I made the offenders apologize and they were all quiet afterward. Hopefully, it sent an important message. However, the teachers often ignore this type of behavior. If every adult stepped up to the plate when kids engage in this type of hurtful behavior, maybe they would grow up to be more tolerant, respectful, kind adults. We can’t change everyone’s backward thinking, but we can make a huge difference if we start with the children.

Should an anti-racism curriculum be implemented in our schools? What are your thoughts on ending racism in America?

Poverty: Does a Lack of Opportunity Lead to a Cycle of Lack of Opportunity?

2007-10-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

By Kim Chernecky, Founder & Director,
Compassionate Community Services, Inc.
www.compassionatecommunityservices.org

The Hypothesis: Lack of opportunity such as that which results from poverty, leads to a lack of opportunity, like education, which leads to low-paying jobs, which again leads to lack of opportunity, perpetuating the cycle.

According to The Center for American Progress “37 million Americans live below the official poverty line”. As one of the richest nations in the world, numbers like these are alarming. In their article entitled “The Poverty Epidemic in America, by the Numbers” they compare these staggering figures to the population of California, which is currently about 36.5 million. In the United States of America, we have 37 million people living in poverty, while millions more barely make ends meet.

This is a huge national crisis that needs addressing. The fact that millions and millions of Americans are struggling to simply survive day to day, makes many opportunities that the wealthy take for granted, virtually unattainable. Even the middle class is beginning to struggle with every day expenses, limiting their opportunities for growth as well.

It’s well known that those with higher educations are more qualified for higher-paying jobs than those with lesser educations. There are extensive studies comparing levels of educational attainment to their corresponding salaries. Recent U.S. Census Bureau studies, What It’s Worth: Field of Training and Economic Status in 2001 (Issued September 2005) show that a much higher percentage of the American population, age 18 and up are obtaining higher educations compared to data collected in 1984.

According to this study “In 2001, more people in the United States held postsecondary educational credentials than ever before”. And this trend has continued. But for those without the financial means to pursue higher education, these opportunities to improve their situations through educational attainment are almost impossible.

The failure of salaries to keep pace with the cost of inflation and the high cost of energy seem to be some of the driving forces behind the push for higher education among working adults. Many adults who have been in the work force for years are going back to school to obtain their degrees in order to survive in the workplace. A degree today is almost as necessary as a high school diploma was 20 years ago. Without a degree, families across the nation are finding it increasingly difficult to survive financially.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics’ National Household Educational Surveys of 2001, 46% of American adults participated in some sort of Continuing or formal education program between 2000 and 2001.

According to "The Poverty Epidemic in America, by the Numbers" Published by the Center for American Progress “Poor children have little chance at the American Dream…” According to their studies, “children that are born in the bottom quintile have little economic mobility.” They claim that 42% of these children will remain in poverty as adults. According to their figures, the poorest 20% of the American population earns just 3.4% of the nation’s income, while the wealthiest 1% of the American population earns a whopping 19% of our nation’s income. And this gap continues to grow.

The question we must answer is why? Why do children born into poverty have overwhelmingly high odds of remaining poor into adulthood? And what can we do to stop it?

According to this same report, 12.6% of Americans earned less than $19,971 for a family of four. Many of these citizens are what is often referred to as the “working poor” earning minimum wage, which at the time of this report was just $5.15 (adjusted for inflation, at its lowest point in 50 years). So even when employed full-time, or even working multiple jobs, these families cannot make ends meet. Overwhelmingly, these same working poor citizens have little or no education, perpetuating the cycle.

When families can barely survive financially, higher education is rarely an option. Even a $35 or $50 application fee is generally out of reach for these individuals, which, in effect, removes any chance of ever improving their financial situations. And as we have seen, a lack of higher education, whether it be trade school or a degree, definitively translates into higher salaries.
Most jobs available to the uneducated tend to fall within the restaurant, retail, and construction industries, etc. where health insurance benefits are generally not available. A lack of health care services adds additional strain to family budgets, and the overall health of the individuals. This lack of health care translates into lost time at work and school, and results in more serious health conditions. These types of jobs are also generally more labor-intensive, meaning they are working much harder for less money, draining their energy besides.

According to the World Socialist Web Site in their article entitled “A million more Americans living in poverty”(published 9/1/05) the loss of health insurance and the failure of wages to keep pace with inflation has led to increased rates of poverty in the United States for the fourth consecutive year. These same catalysts have led to a decline in standards of living for many Middle Class American citizens, as well, leading many to cut back on any unnecessary spending, affecting the entire economy.

This article addresses the absurdly low poverty rates determined by our government as well. In this article, like “The Poverty Epidemic in America” article, the author is very clear that these types of incomes are “a subsistence level”, meaning they can’t possibly survive on these types of incomes. Interestingly, the article also sites the fact that according to the Census bureau, median earnings for women dropped by another percent from 2003 to 2004. Mens’ median incomes dropped by 2.3% for the same period, which according to the author, (adjusted for inflation) is less than the median income back in 1973.

In an article entitled “Despite more jobs, US poverty rate rises” by Sara B. Miller and Amanda Paulson, staff writers of The Christian Science Monitor, the authors discuss the steadily increasing poverty rates in America, despite the fact that the number of jobs increased. In the course of the year, the number of Americans living in poverty grew from 12.5% to 12.7%.

According to the authors, politicians on both sides continue to point fingers, blaming the rising numbers on the other party’s policies, but the fact remains that an increasing number of Americans are struggling just to survive. Salaries are simply not keeping pace with the high cost of living.
There is some controversy as to how the numbers are determined, with analysts holding different views, both pessimistic, and optimistic. However, the trend is alarming, as the effects of poverty are long-reaching.

An article in The Washington Post, “Poverty Rate Up 3rd Year in a Row- More Also Lack Health Coverage” confirms the findings. Published in Aug., 2004, America was still feeling the effects of the Recession. While some analysts argue that continued increases in poverty rates are common and to be expected after rebounding from recession, others disagree.

Simply stated, “This recovery has failed to reach those in the bottom half”. Jared Bernstein, from the Economic Policy Institute feels that the recovery has not reached our most vulnerable and needy citizens.
President Bush and the Republican Party report widespread recovery and job growth, while the reality seems to be that Americans are falling deeper into debt, and higher education is becoming further and further from their reach.

What some of the analysts fail to take into consideration when counting jobs is the type of jobs and the salaries they pay. These are deciding factors as to whether or not those jobs will have a positive financial impact on workers. Job growth adds little value to the economy or to the lives of those at the bottom of the ‘financial food chain’ when those jobs are paying minimum wage with no benefits.

And who typically fills minimum wage positions? Young, inexperienced workers, and those without higher educations. And therein lies the problem. Poverty limits opportunities available to obtain a higher level of education due to the lack of time and money.

Minimum wage positions require that employees work longer and harder just to get by. This necessity limits the time and energy available to pursue an education. Other family responsibilities; e.g. such as in the case of single parents, children supporting their parents, or working to help support the family, teenagers supporting siblings or themselves, etc. limits one’s opportunities to pursue an education.

According to The Washington Post article, loss of health care benefits hits the middle class and the poor the hardest. America’s wealthiest can afford to pay any out of pocket expenses, and in most cases, have higher educations which provide health care benefits as part of their compensation packages. If for some reason they do not receive benefits as part of their compensation, they can afford to provide their own.

The poor do not have that option. In most cases, minimum-wage positions do not offer the option of health care, and if they do, the bulk of the employee’s salary would be consumed by the premiums. Due to this simple reality, many of these working poor must choose not to take the health care offered, as their salary cannot cover the cost of the benefits and still support their families. This is yet another lost opportunity, as the reality (lack of sufficient funds) does not allow the employee to take advantage of the opportunity to have health insurance coverage for their family.

Opting out of the benefit plan (again, out of necessity) creates more problems by way of untreated illnesses, no preventative care, lost school and work time, etc. This again, perpetuates the problem of poverty by adding to financial losses, which adds to the financial difficulties these people are already living with.

So what can be done to stop this endless cycle of poverty and lost opportunities? The National Association of Social Workers has addressed this issue as well. In an article entitled ”Number of Americans Living in Poverty Increases” Elizabeth Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH, the executive director of NASW isn’t surprised that the numbers of Americans living in poverty is on the rise. She sites several factors as causal, such as the loss of blue-collar jobs, decreasing wages for low-skilled workers, and increased unemployment. But Clark knows there are things that can be done to help stop this cycle of despair. “To reduce the number of families and children in poverty, better education, training, and access to resources such as child care and transportation is necessary,”

Things that many take for granted, like readily available transportation are NOT necessarily available to low-income citizens. Unavailable or unreliable transportation affects one’s ability to find and keep a job, low-paying or not. Should they find the time and means to attend school, unavailable or unreliable transportation affects one’s ability to attend class. An inability to get to class has a negative impact on one’s grades. A lack of transportation also limits the variety of jobs available to the employee, which can limit their potential for advancement once they find a job.
NASW has a legislative agenda to deal with this laundry list of problems plaguing our nation’s poorest citizens. They understand the importance of curing the cause, rather than treating the symptom. The key lies in breaking the cycle of inopportunity.

This huge body of professionals knows from first-hand experience working with the neediest, most underserved segment of the American population what types of programs can and cannot help lift people out of poverty, and how to help them stay out of poverty. In order to have lasting success, they understand that the situational impediments must be removed to allow these people to take advantage of opportunities for growth. NASW’s “Promoting Economic Security Through Social Welfare Legislation” addresses the problems that plague our nation’s poor and underserved, and offers real solutions for addressing those needs.

One of the most critical obstacles to escaping poverty is not having access to higher education. As such, making the process easier to comprehend, making funding more readily available, and addressing the real, physical needs of these individuals, by helping to provide reliable, accessible transportation is a great way to help some of our most vulnerable citizens reach for and take advantage of those opportunities that others take for granted.

Until our nation starts addressing the cause, instead of the symptoms, the endless cycle of poverty and missed opportunities will continue. In conclusion, the idea that a lack of opportunity leads to a cycle of poverty and more lack of opportunity is correct and fully supported by research. Fortunately, there are professionals (NASW) who recognize the problems and have come up with viable solutions to address and one day solve this endless cycle of poverty and inopportunity in our nation.

What can be done to break the cycle? What are your ideas for ending the cycle of poverty in the world today?

Sources:
· The Center for American Progress
· U.S. Census Bureau, “What It’s Worth: Field of Training and Economic Status in 2001”, Issued Sept. 2005
U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration
· Center for American Progress “The Poverty Epidemic in America, by the Numbers”, April, 2007
· World Socialist Web Site, www.wsws.org
“A million more Americans living in poverty”, Sept., 2005
· The Christian Science Monitor, http://www.csmonitor.com/, “Despite more jobs, US poverty rate rises
· Washingtonpost.com, “”Poverty Rate Up 3rd Year in a Row”, Aug., 2004
· National Center for Education Statistics
· U.S. Department of Education, National Household Education Surveys of 2001, “Participation in Adult Education and Lifelong Learning 2000-2001
· National Association of Social Workers (NASW), “Numbers of Americans Living in Poverty Increases”, Sept. 2003
· NASW’s “Promoting Economic Security Through Social Welfare Legislation”
· Economic Policy Institute, Research for Broadly Shared Prosperity
· Occupational Outlook Quarterly

The Widening Income Gap in America

2007-10-05T09:02:00.000-07:00

The idea that economic inequality exists in America is not new. In Paul Krugman’s article “For Richer”, he discusses the growing chasm between America’s poorest citizens and its growing elite. But more importantly, he discusses the political policies that increasingly support this widening gap. It is with these policies that middle America needs to be most concerned.

Initially reminiscing about growing up in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s, Krugman notes how the ‘American dream’ was really within reach of all Americans if they worked hard. It was in his words, a “fairly equal society”. Times had changed from the ‘20’s and ‘30’s of what he calls “the Gilded Age”, when generations of families controlled most of the country’s wealth, living lavishly in mansions, with servants and status fit for a king.

But what should concern us all is the fact that these times of ‘American Royalty’, so to speak, are upon us again, and it is getting increasingly difficult for most working Americans to achieve the American dream. The idea that hard work will pay off is no longer necessarily true. And that, sadly, is in large part due to the policies that our government makes to lift up and support our wealthiest citizens, at the expense of the poor and quickly disappearing middle class.

What has changed, though, is who is holding this wealth today. As Klugman demonstrates, roughly 60 percent of the economic gains in our country went to just to the top .05% of taxpayers. When comparing gains overall throughout the taxpayer base, the so-called middle class had economic gains of just 10% from 1979 and 1997 while America’s wealthiest rose 157% (after taxes)! These disparities are alarming. When factoring in the cost of inflation, a 10% gain over almost 20 years actually translates into a loss! And that gain includes the addition of second wage-earners in middle class families. Overall, many families are finding that their debt ratios are on the rise while their standard of living is dropping.

Today’s wealth is no longer controlled by wealthy families through inherited assets, but rather by young CEO’s who are earning sometimes 300 times what the average worker earns! Krugman asks how these salaries can be justified. His theory is that over time, unlike the ‘50’s and ‘60’s when he was growing up, society has accepted the notion that these ‘all powerful leaders’ somehow deserve these enormous salaries. The understanding is that without these types of perks and benefits, corporations will be unable to retain skilled leaders and if they aren’t willing to pay, someone else will.

This type of thinking is obviously flawed, leading to outrage amongst the rest of the working public. This shift in acceptable norms in corporate America will at some point face correction. But it will probably take a huge uprising on the part of middle America before we see any real changes.

Another question, however that Krugman raises is the idea that there was ever a sustainable “middle-class” in the first place. Historically most of the wealth has been controlled by a minority, with huge gaps in income between them and the rest of the public. It wasn’t until after the Depression that economic equality really existed here in the U.S. Krugman questions whether or not this shift back to two general economic classes; the very wealthy, and the relatively poor (or struggling) population isn’t a more normal course of events.

The fact is, the more wealth one holds, the more relative power one holds. And the more power held, the more decisions and policies they can create. And it seems only natural, that in an effort to preserve their way of living, that those policies that are created tend to lean in favor of the policy-makers and the holders of power. It is this shift in wealth that creates the power, which in turn snowballs, creating more and more wealth and more and more power for a select few, leaving the rest of our population holding the bag. Unfortunately, the limited nature of all resources means that in order for some to hold most of the wealth and power, everyone else must lose theirs. It is this sad reality that makes it so critical that these issues not be ignored in our society before we become not one united nation, but a nation divided.

Do you feel that the "Middle Class" is sustainable? Are you finding it harder to make ends meet? If you could speak with your legislators about this issue, what would you want them to know? Do you feel our legislators have lost touch with"average" Americans?

Source:
“For Richer-How the permissive capitalism of the boom destroyed American equality”- by Paul Krugman, New York Times Magazine, October 20, 2002

Joseph Stiglitz' Views on Globalization Policies

2007-10-05T08:53:00.000-07:00

In Joseph Stiglitz’ (Columbia University) article, “We Have to Make Globalization Work for All”, he addresses both the benefits and the problems associated with Globalization and the need for reforms within the system. Frankly, I was quite surprised at what I learned. Though the article was brief, Stiglitz brought to light issues that I assumed would never have even existed.

For instance, I think most Americans, or citizens of any developed country for that matter, would assume that Globalization Development policies would be designed more fairly, promoting a global economy for the betterment of all. However, as Stiglitz makes us aware this is not the case. Unfortunately, developed countries such as the United States have used their power as developed nations to get the upper hand and ultimately take advantage of developing countries in trade negotiations and policy creation.

Instead of creating policies that aid everyone involved, the policies are skewed in favor of the more powerful nations, and are crafted in such a manner as to continue to give those powerful nations an advantage across the board. This of course, is blatantly unfair. The intention of Globalization policies is to bring cohesiveness to the world as a whole, for mutual benefit of everyone involved. However, when policies are created in favor of one party over another, the benefits are no longer mutual. This, in my opinion, is highly unethical. I find it discouraging to know that our world leaders would create policies such as this.

But Stiglitz’ point is that, while acknowledging these problems and inequities within the system overall, Globalization is vital if we are to have hope of lifting “millions out of poverty.” In effect, the idea is sound; but reforms are needed to make the policies work as originally intended. To this, I would agree wholeheartedly. If we as human beings wish to assist fellow human beings in developing nations, we must impress upon our policy-makers the importance of “playing fair” and extending opportunity to everyone, equally.

Europe and the United States’ use of economic and military muscle to enact policies that give them unfair advantages is wrong, and needs to be reformed. Stiglitz’ belief is that as “the superpower with the strongest economy”, we must “be willing to play a special role”. The U.S. should be setting a positive example by creating policies that do indeed benefit all involved parties, and should not be creating policies that enable us to take advantage of less-developed countries. As a superpower, it is our responsibility to be above board and do the right thing.

Stiglitz even discusses the self-interest issue. Even if our policy-makers choose not to do the right thing for the right reasons, if only for reasons of self-interest, it still makes more sense that policies implemented benefit all parties equally, as eventually, our global-connectedness affects us all. Bad, unethical policies designed to give unfair advantages to more powerful players in the ‘globalization game’, will eventually hurt those same nations down the road. Whether policies are created out of moral obligation, or for selfish purposes, Stiglitz’ argument is that they need to be better managed and reforms must be implemented if the overall system is to be successful, for the good of all mankind.

What are your thoughts on this issue?

Globalization's Effect On America's Middle Class

2007-10-05T08:48:00.000-07:00

The world we live in today is one of global proportions. Gone are the days where retail stores were filled with products that were “made in America”. Today we are more likely to find products made in China, Taiwan, Bangladesh, or Mexico. But what does this mean to Americans? How does this shift in our nation’s economy affect the average American? How does this shift affect our Middle Class?

The answers to these questions are not simple. Advances in technology have quickly brought our nation into a fast-moving, worldwide market. While many would agree that these technological advances are good for humanity as a whole, there are those that would argue that this rapid advancement to globalizing societies comes with some very steep costs.

In “The World is Flat” by Thomas L. Friedman, a New York Times Columnist, Friedman goes through the timeline of technological development, mainly in the communications arena, and the effects this rapid advancement has had on America, in particular. What Friedman comes to realize, is that the technology that has rapidly catapulted our nation into the global market (which is a good thing) has also had a negative impact on our society.

What does he mean by this? The same advances that allow us to communicate and access the rest of the world, also makes our markets open to them, in Friedman’s words, “leveling the playing field” for less-developed nations, like India, for example. The fact that these lines of communication are now open allows these other nations to get in the game, so to speak, providing direct competition to American workers. This easy access to cheap labor has had a direct impact on American jobs, due to corporate outsourcing, which, prior to globalization was never a concern. In effect, globalization has made America vulnerable to the competition.
So how does this affect us?

There are various opinions which place all the blame on outsourcing for our “Disappearing Middle Class”. In “Global Outsourcing and the Disappearing Middle Class” by William Raynor of the State University of New York, Raynor specifically discusses the impact outsourcing has had on our economy, and the middle class here in the U.S.

While Raynor acknowledges that not all of the job losses here in America can be attributed to outsourcing, he does feel that it has had a significant, negative impact on our economy. Like Friedman, Raynor also recognizes that advances in technology also play a part in the loss of jobs, as advanced technology often translates into higher productivity with fewer workers. Ready access to cheap, educated workers in addition to these technological advances, essentially puts many American jobs on the line.

So is it true that the hardest hit is the middle class in this loss of jobs? Raynor sites some of the ways domestic employment levels have been affected. He sites the drop in the number of workers hired by American employers as well as the quality of those jobs. Quoting Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, Raynor adds “Only a few of the 116,000 private sector jobs created in October provide good incomes…the remainder…consist of temps, retail trade, telephone marketing…” (Roberts, 11/12/03) It is important to note that a decline such as this in the quality of these jobs has a huge impact on employees’ ability to survive financially. This in turn, impacts our entire economy.

Interestingly enough, there are many who believe the “middle class” that we have accepted as the norm for generations, really is an anomaly. In Paul Krugman’s Article, “For Richer; How the permissive capitalism of the boom destroyed American equality” he demonstrates how historically, there were really just two economic classes; the very rich and the poor or struggling. While it’s true that there has been a shift in wealth over the last three or four decades, the gap between rich and poor is growing and the formerly middle class appears to be losing ground.

But Krugman questions this middle class ‘reality’. He points out that in America, prior to the Depression, there was no economic equality. Prior to the Depression there was the rich and the poor or struggling. So the question of whether or not a middle class is actually sustainable in our economy is valid. But Krugman looks further at this issue and seeks to find out why this is so. His answer; as the rich get richer, they attain more power. Those with power make public policy (or influence those that do). Therefore, those policies that are created will be created with the most powerful (wealthiest) in mind. In effect, the cycle builds upon itself, creating its own cocoon of self-protection.

Of course, policies that are designed to protect one segment of society must come with a cost to those it is not designed to protect. In this case, policies that are designed to favor the wealthiest American taxpayers, in effect, hurt the rest of the taxpayers by passing along higher tax rates, broader tax policies, making less funding available for service providers, etc. As there is a limit to the ‘pie’, if one large piece goes to one segment of society, the rest must get smaller pieces.

But Krugman isn’t the only one weighing in on this idea. In “Globalism: Enemy of the Middle Class-February 2007 Phyllis Schafly Report”, the author also cites the fact that “the majority of countries in the world (e.g., Mexico) have two classes: the ruler who are very, very rich and the rest of the people who are very, very poor.” But the author points out that America is different, because we built our society with the belief that anyone can live the ‘American Dream’ and prosper if one works hard. (Disclaimer; this report may not be unbiased, but I still felt it had information worth mentioning)

But this report also goes on to point out that globalization is hurting the U.S. by providing cheap products and labor from other nations who “don’t play by the rules”. The overall sentiment is that “the effects of globalization are not equal.” While globalization is a boon to Asia and India, wages for many American workers are down substantially or have remained the same over the last five years. This direct competition with substantially cheaper labor and goods has had a direct negative impact on working Americans’ ability to provide for their families.

According to this report, the United States has lost more than three million jobs since the Bush Administration took office. The fact is America cannot compete with cheap labor from Asia and India. The fact that these workers do not have access to the same benefits as American workers makes the cost even less for companies looking to outsource. And this is an alarming trend.

Janny Scott of the New York Times and Blaine Harden of the Washington Post both make reference to the loss of middle class neighborhoods in America. Why is this significant? The loss of these neighborhoods is a clear indication of this economic class as a whole. According to Harden “middle-class neighborhoods…are shrinking at more than twice the rate of the middle class itself”…”in their place, poor and rich neighborhoods are both on the rise.” Blaine blames the decline on widening income inequality in our nation.

This brings us back to Krugman’s analysis that this economic inequality is perpetuated by policy-makers who seek to protect their wealth and power. And as mentioned earlier, much of our nation’s wealth is held now by young CEO’s who earn their wealth by taking advantage of cheap goods and labor; namely Globalization. So, while we cannot necessarily draw a direct line of cause and effect between Globalization and the Decline of America’s Middle Class, there are clear connections that need examining.

According to Evette Treewater, University of Florida International Review, just fifty years ago, India had a self-contained economic system, isolating itself from the rest of the world. Deregulation in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s opened up a whole new global market. It was just a matter of time before corporations around the world, American companies included, began to take advantage of this cheap labor market.

Treewater gives an example of computer programmer wages. In the U.S. the average wage for a computer programmer is up to $80,000 per year. In India, a programmer can expect to average just $11,000 per year. With wage differentials like this, it’s easy to see why corporations find it hard to resist outsourcing. But the instant savings for corporations are not generally passed on to the consumer. Instead, corporate profits explode, and top-heavy administrations receive excessive salaries and benefits. Ultimately, it is the average worker that suffers.

One needs only to look around to see the downturn in the U.S. economy. Rising interest rates, layoffs, cutbacks, reductions in or elimination of pensions, lost jobs, rising consumer debt, reduced housing starts, the rising cost of education…the average “middle-class” American is finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. These economic factors impact families negatively, despite working hard, many families are finding their standard of living has dropped. And it’s unlikely to improve any time soon.

So, is Globalization really to blame for the Disappearance of America’s Middle Class? Or is it an unsustainable state of being, as Klugman suggests? In the scope of mankind, historically, I would conclude that the true nature of any economy is that there are the haves and the have-nots. Those who are able to keep a balance by remaining safely in the “middle-class” are in a temporary, if precarious position.

And globalization’s impact on our economy and our standard of living cannot be ignored. There is a saying, “There but for the Grace of God go I”. What this means is that our situation is always precarious, and external forces can have a direct impact on our personal situations. And in this day and age, we live in a Global world, and what happens in India and Asia does indeed, have an impact our lives as individuals.

Those living currently in the “middle class” are usually just one illness, layoff, or divorce away from poverty. Yet presented with these same crises, the rich do not suffer the same devastation as the middle class. But globalization has made layoffs and outsourcing more common for average Americans, and our policy-makers need to take a long, hard look at the real long-term ‘costs’ to America associated with these short-term savings.

What are your thoughts on outsourcing and the policies that are affecting American workers today?

Reference Sources:
“Global Outsourcing and the Disappearing Middle Class” by William Raynor
The State University of New York

“The World is Flat” by Thomas L. Friedman (NY Times Columnist)

“For Richer-How the permissive capitalism of the boom destroyed American
Equality” by Paul Krugman, New York Times Magazine, October 20, 2002

“Globalism: Enemy of the Middle Class” The Phyllic Schafly Report, February
2007, vol. 40, no. 8

“U.S. Losing Its Middle-Class Neighborhoods” by Blaine Harden,
Washingtonpost.com, 6/22/06

“Cities Shed Middle Class, and Are Richer and Poorer for It” by Janny Scott,
The New York Times, nytimes.com

“The Invisible Man: Evaluating the Outsourcing of American Jobs to India” by
Evette Treewater, University of Florida International Review

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2007-10-05T08:34:00.000-07:00

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2007-10-05T08:28:00.000-07:00

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