I think that a pertinent current event/issue that is being debated in the United States that relates to the conditions of working poor women is healthcare reform.
I think that a lot of people are scared by the possibility of “government-run healthcare” and I honestly do not blame them. If working poor women can’t get their child-care subsidies paid on time or make too much money at their low-wage job to receive public services, how could we rely on the crazy bureaucracy to take charge of our healthcare system?
I am of the belief, however, that everyone deserves quality healthcare, especially those in the most desperate of situations. I do not think that poor working families should suffer because the system puts them down. Working families should not have to be forced to make ends meet and just get by. Just because someone works a low-wage job does not mean they are undeserving of being able to stay healthy.
Like it was said in one of the earlier videos we watched for the course, “the oops in life should not be able put you in the gutter.”
I really think that employers should provide healthcare as a benefit for their employees. Unions provide great benefits to their members and their families, but in states like Arizona who abide by the hypocritical “Right to Work” policy, the working poor are unable to fight for these benefits for fear of termination.
I really believe that universal healthcare would remedy some of the burden we have put on the working poor’s health costs, especially working poor women who already have more than others to swallow.
I think the problem is that as a country we have come to view the impoverished as lazy and non-working even with all the statistics and studies. We continue to refuse help to those that need it most, and I think extending healthcare benefits to the most needy would really held their situation.
About Me
- Kasey
- I will be graduating from Arizona State University in December. Even though I feel like I have made the most of my college career, I am scared about what the future holds for me. Graduate studies are in my future, but what I ultimately want to do with my life, well, that is in limbo. I want to make a difference. I want to be challenged and challenge other people. I am an alumni of Omega Phi Alpha, National Service Sorority. I served as president in my final year, and it was definitely a challenge. Now, I am helping to found an organization on campus called Running Start, which is a non-profit geared toward getting young women interested in running for political office.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
Post #10
For the women in Chaudry’s book, life is learning to constantly adapt to the curveballs they are thrown, balance life, and becoming as flexible as they can. This includes everything from reorganizing budgets, trying to find affordable and safe childcare, and trying to organize work schedules.
Life is filled with finding balance between work and childcare situations. “Mothers in the sample spent enormous amounts of time and energy developing strategies for work and childcare”. Some women scheduled work around childcare, others schedule childcare around work, and Chaudry points out that all of the mothers had a hard time determining which to prioritize because of the importance of each.
We know that preschools and childcare centers are the best situations to have children in. However, when the government does not step up and force all childcare centers to be certified and force caregivers to be certified teachers or social workers, the centers are become unsafe for children in multiple ways. “Quality preschool programs can serve as both a balm and a developing force for children coping with the severe stresses of their family’s poverty,” Chaudry says. Why do we continue to provide substandard services to the nation’s poor?
After finishing this book, I have come to realize that the United States does not provide adequate childcare and policies for all families. The government absolutely needs to reform our welfare system and public services so that people have a chance at improving their lives. There are so many people struggling to make ends meet and live day-to-day, paycheck-to-paycheck. Chaudry argues that the government needs to increase funding for childcare programs. The government also needs to reform their policies to make life easier for single working mothers. Chaudry argues that there should be a government-approved limit on the amount of income a person can spend on childcare. Chaudry says that a family should not have to spend more than 10% of their income on childcare. If you compare that to the 18% that most families spend, being able to save the extra 8% in income could make the difference in families’ abilities to fulfill other financial obligations.
Chaudry argues that kin care was extremely important in helping mothers keep their jobs, but it was unreliable at best. Workingwomen cannot constantly expect that their family members will be able to provide permanent care for their children.
If we look at the statistics, we find that millions of children are living in poverty. One in five children in the US are impoverished, and this needs to change. Too many families fall below the poverty line. The poverty measure itself is an inadequate method for determining who deserves help and who does not. As the National Center for Children in Poverty states, “Research consistently shows that, on average, families need an income of about twice the federal poverty level to make ends meet.” This needs to change.
When their primary form of employment did not provide enough income, some women turned to alternative forms of income, unfortunately turning to drug money and possibly prostitution. This needs to change.
Welfare policy in the United States needs to be changed to help people. If it stands the way it is, we will continue to systematically force people to stay impoverished. Not only does it need to be completely reformed, it needs to be made a much easier system for families.
Chaudry argues the following:
- There needs to be an increase in the available care options and supports for families with infants;
- There needs to be more educational investments to foster early childhood development;
- There needs to be improved access to childcare systems and continuity in care needs to be promoted;
- And all eligible families must be provided with childcare assistance.
I almost feel embarrassed that the US treats millions of people like they do not matter, like they are not worth helping. I think that Chuadry’s arguments are well-founded and something needs to be done quickly if we want to see any difference in the numbers of people in poverty. The political mentality in the United States needs to change from being one of constant subordination and no support to one that sees the working poor as people too.
Life is filled with finding balance between work and childcare situations. “Mothers in the sample spent enormous amounts of time and energy developing strategies for work and childcare”. Some women scheduled work around childcare, others schedule childcare around work, and Chaudry points out that all of the mothers had a hard time determining which to prioritize because of the importance of each.
We know that preschools and childcare centers are the best situations to have children in. However, when the government does not step up and force all childcare centers to be certified and force caregivers to be certified teachers or social workers, the centers are become unsafe for children in multiple ways. “Quality preschool programs can serve as both a balm and a developing force for children coping with the severe stresses of their family’s poverty,” Chaudry says. Why do we continue to provide substandard services to the nation’s poor?
After finishing this book, I have come to realize that the United States does not provide adequate childcare and policies for all families. The government absolutely needs to reform our welfare system and public services so that people have a chance at improving their lives. There are so many people struggling to make ends meet and live day-to-day, paycheck-to-paycheck. Chaudry argues that the government needs to increase funding for childcare programs. The government also needs to reform their policies to make life easier for single working mothers. Chaudry argues that there should be a government-approved limit on the amount of income a person can spend on childcare. Chaudry says that a family should not have to spend more than 10% of their income on childcare. If you compare that to the 18% that most families spend, being able to save the extra 8% in income could make the difference in families’ abilities to fulfill other financial obligations.
Chaudry argues that kin care was extremely important in helping mothers keep their jobs, but it was unreliable at best. Workingwomen cannot constantly expect that their family members will be able to provide permanent care for their children.
If we look at the statistics, we find that millions of children are living in poverty. One in five children in the US are impoverished, and this needs to change. Too many families fall below the poverty line. The poverty measure itself is an inadequate method for determining who deserves help and who does not. As the National Center for Children in Poverty states, “Research consistently shows that, on average, families need an income of about twice the federal poverty level to make ends meet.” This needs to change.
When their primary form of employment did not provide enough income, some women turned to alternative forms of income, unfortunately turning to drug money and possibly prostitution. This needs to change.
Welfare policy in the United States needs to be changed to help people. If it stands the way it is, we will continue to systematically force people to stay impoverished. Not only does it need to be completely reformed, it needs to be made a much easier system for families.
Chaudry argues the following:
- There needs to be an increase in the available care options and supports for families with infants;
- There needs to be more educational investments to foster early childhood development;
- There needs to be improved access to childcare systems and continuity in care needs to be promoted;
- And all eligible families must be provided with childcare assistance.
I almost feel embarrassed that the US treats millions of people like they do not matter, like they are not worth helping. I think that Chuadry’s arguments are well-founded and something needs to be done quickly if we want to see any difference in the numbers of people in poverty. The political mentality in the United States needs to change from being one of constant subordination and no support to one that sees the working poor as people too.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Post #9
Around 13 million children (18% of children) in the United States are living in families that are considered poor by the federal poverty level. Between 2000 and 2005, the number of children living in poverty increased by more than 11%. Poverty has become an intergenerational problem, and the number of children living in poverty will keep growing from year to year as long as the federal government continues to not address the problem. The situation of parents is a large indicator of the future socio-economic status of their children.
Unfortunately, the current system in the United States punishes the poor and keeps them where they are. In the 1950s, it was found that families spend about a third of their income on food. This measure has become the grounds for the current poverty measure, and is very inadequate.
Poverty is still measured by multiplying food costs by three, but in reality, food comprises much less than a third of an average family’s expenses. The National Center for Children study says, “Research consistently shows that, on average, families need an income of about twice the federal poverty level to make ends meet.” Regrettably, there is no will to change the system. The poverty measure does not vary from state-to-state or between urban and rural areas, even though the cost of living from state to state and between urban and rural areas differs.
As the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) study states, “Since research is clear that poverty is the greatest threat to children’s well being, strategies that help parents succeed in the labor force can help children.” Support needs to be granted to families.
“19% of poor children lack health insurance—this is nearly double the percent of all children who lack coverage (10%).” Workers need access to benefits like health insurance, paid leave, and the ability to leave work to care for ailing family members. According to the NCCP study, “Policies such as earned income tax credits and regular increases in the minimum wage are critical to supporting income growth for low-wage workers.”
Parents need support and they need low-cost programs that will help with the development of their children. The NCCP study says “High-quality early childhood experiences can go a long way toward closing the achievement gap between poor children and their more well-off peers.”
Children across the US are living in poverty because of their family situations, and are not receiving the level of support they need to get out of their poor situation. The conditions of urban poverty, and poverty in general, are something that cannot be escaped.
Unfortunately, the current system in the United States punishes the poor and keeps them where they are. In the 1950s, it was found that families spend about a third of their income on food. This measure has become the grounds for the current poverty measure, and is very inadequate.
Poverty is still measured by multiplying food costs by three, but in reality, food comprises much less than a third of an average family’s expenses. The National Center for Children study says, “Research consistently shows that, on average, families need an income of about twice the federal poverty level to make ends meet.” Regrettably, there is no will to change the system. The poverty measure does not vary from state-to-state or between urban and rural areas, even though the cost of living from state to state and between urban and rural areas differs.
As the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) study states, “Since research is clear that poverty is the greatest threat to children’s well being, strategies that help parents succeed in the labor force can help children.” Support needs to be granted to families.
“19% of poor children lack health insurance—this is nearly double the percent of all children who lack coverage (10%).” Workers need access to benefits like health insurance, paid leave, and the ability to leave work to care for ailing family members. According to the NCCP study, “Policies such as earned income tax credits and regular increases in the minimum wage are critical to supporting income growth for low-wage workers.”
Parents need support and they need low-cost programs that will help with the development of their children. The NCCP study says “High-quality early childhood experiences can go a long way toward closing the achievement gap between poor children and their more well-off peers.”
Children across the US are living in poverty because of their family situations, and are not receiving the level of support they need to get out of their poor situation. The conditions of urban poverty, and poverty in general, are something that cannot be escaped.
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