This week we got into some very detailed information pertaining to poverty and it's association with wages. I found it very interesting especially since we had just done our group exercises, and a lot of our research done prior really helped to tie the information together.
1/2) Who do you think is poor, both in the United States and globally?Why do you believe people are poor in the United States and globally?Why do you believe people are poor in the United States and globally?
It is easy to draw the conclusion that those paid at the minimum wage level, or very close to, would be those that were considered poor. An interesting portion of our reading this week included the self sufficiency standards that were county wide for Georgia. I compared the income that would be considered standard, in other words, would provide the basic/mandatory amount of money to pay for the necessities, in 2 counties. Since I lived in Dekalb, I looked it out and the month self sufficiency earning minimum would be $2,495 (minimum wage would need to be $14.18 to meet that monthly cost.) I compared that to Appling County (a smaller county in Southeast GA) and the self sufficiency earning minimum would be $1,843 (with minimum wage needing to be $10.47.) Now it is easy to understand why these two counties would have over a $650 difference. A metropolitan area versus a rural area will run your rent higher,child care higher, etc. But then I began wondering.....If minimum wage is a set amount state wide, what makes up that huge gap in necessary earnings? If you made minimum wage according to county, which would solve some of the blows to the counties who would need to earn more compared the overall state needs, then I think it would be very easily for companies to move to surrounding counties in order to save money by having jobs that required less pay. I think it is important for us to understand that people living solely off of minimum wage paying jobs, or other jobs such as tipped jobs (waitressing, deliveries) that offer a $2.13 hourly rate, will consistently struggle with living a life above the poverty line. Monthly expenses will typically exceed the income brought into the household, and will leave people with little (more likely no) additional money after the basic necessities are paid for.
3/4) What do you think is being done about poverty (e.g., specific policies and programs in the United States and globally) and how well do you think poverty is being addressed?What do you personally think should be done about poverty in United States and globally (e.g., specific private and government policies, programs, etc. that you would recommend)?
Some specific include the Equal Pay Act of 1963, offering Equal pay provisions prohibit sex-based wage differentials between men and women employed in the same establishment who perform jobs requiring equal effort, skill, and responsibility. The Fair Labor Standards Act is the Federal law which sets minimum wage, overtime, record keeping, and youth employment standards.
It is important to remember also that while there are some acts, laws, and support efforts that advocate the minimum wages, we have to understand what the minimum wage means to each individual family, and how easily it varies on family size, location, and regions. I really don't have an answer as to how we can help fix this common issue, other than what we have been talking about all semester so far....educate yourself on what the problems are relating to poverty, do everything in your power to avoid some of the leading causes (pursue higher education, job promotions, avoid lower paying jobs, etc.) and while of course that won't help everyone, knowledge is power and if you know some of the common causes to facing the poverty line, maybe it can help you avoid it somewhat....
Monday, February 21, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Session 5
1/2) Who/why do you think is poor, both in the United States and globally?
As we get further into our readings it is easy to begin to understand who and why some people struggle to keep their families above the poverty line, and understand why so many have fallen below. We learned this week that family structure can be associated with higher poverty rates which makes sense, such as larger families with limited job skills for the working parents, families who have to take care of extended family members (disabilities, grandparents,etc.) can also easily cause tension for a family's income. Single parent households will always face a greater disadvantage as it is one income that has to absorb an entire families needs financially. The conclusion of the impact of racial discrimination and poverty (deviant cultural response) in combination with Oscar Lewis' theory that the poor contributed to their own impoverishment makes me fear the inevitable- a perpetuating cycle that will be hard to break. Unfortunately we do not live in a discrimination free world, and the argument that the attitudes, values, and personality traits of a people, prove that it will take much more than just higher paying jobs/job availability to break this cycle.
3/4) What do you think is being done about poverty (e.g., specific policies and programs in the United States and globally) and how well do you think poverty is being addressed? What do you personally think should be done about poverty in United States and globally
In the US there are many programs in place that offer some assistance to people who are below certain income levels: food stamps, section 8 housing, unemployment, etc. I know from first hand however that some of the income restrictions on these programs are beyond asinine. So many people need help that are above these maximum requirements. I understand that of course, these wells will eventually run dry and not everyone can be helped. But maybe our government could figure our a way to offer assistance to people above these program's cut off lines for temporary periods. I know that there are many people who do not rely on aid indefinitely and they would only need it for a temporary period of time to get out of their rut.
Also, There are many programs that you can find to donate to that help children around the world with basic necessities such as food or water. There are even organizations that you can send money to sponsor children in different countries around the world. My grandmother used a private organization decades ago, and sponsored a Native American boy in the United States. Her donations were beyond appreciated, and the money that she contributed help to feed him, send him to school, etc. He grew up realizing the importance of giving, went to college, and lived a comfortable life. He always kept in touch with my grandmother and constantly thanked her for the opportunities that her donations had afforded him. Maybe if we all give just a little bit more, whether through time, donations, etc., we could see many who are struggling have a little bit more weight off their backs.
I think that poverty is, at least through the media in the U.S., is highlighted on an international level, and forced to minimize the issues that we have domestically. When there are natural disasters across the globe, we instantly come together and run to help countries that were plagued with poverty long before the devastation of mother nature. While it would be next to impossible for many countries to recover from such disasters without foreign aid, when will we stop to think what we can do to impact our homeland's issues? We donate to foreign relief funds but how many of us donate regularly to domestic programs such as Goodwill, Salvation Army, even our local soup kitchens? I do make an effort to contribute when I can and as much as I can, and am always donating things to charities. While it may not be money, the books that I donate help children learn, and offer them an opportunity to enjoy them that they might not have without donations. The clothes that I donate might not be money, but I know that another woman and her children can have clothes on their back without having to worry how they will afford them as the seasons change, or as their children grow up.
As we get further into our readings it is easy to begin to understand who and why some people struggle to keep their families above the poverty line, and understand why so many have fallen below. We learned this week that family structure can be associated with higher poverty rates which makes sense, such as larger families with limited job skills for the working parents, families who have to take care of extended family members (disabilities, grandparents,etc.) can also easily cause tension for a family's income. Single parent households will always face a greater disadvantage as it is one income that has to absorb an entire families needs financially. The conclusion of the impact of racial discrimination and poverty (deviant cultural response) in combination with Oscar Lewis' theory that the poor contributed to their own impoverishment makes me fear the inevitable- a perpetuating cycle that will be hard to break. Unfortunately we do not live in a discrimination free world, and the argument that the attitudes, values, and personality traits of a people, prove that it will take much more than just higher paying jobs/job availability to break this cycle.
3/4) What do you think is being done about poverty (e.g., specific policies and programs in the United States and globally) and how well do you think poverty is being addressed? What do you personally think should be done about poverty in United States and globally
In the US there are many programs in place that offer some assistance to people who are below certain income levels: food stamps, section 8 housing, unemployment, etc. I know from first hand however that some of the income restrictions on these programs are beyond asinine. So many people need help that are above these maximum requirements. I understand that of course, these wells will eventually run dry and not everyone can be helped. But maybe our government could figure our a way to offer assistance to people above these program's cut off lines for temporary periods. I know that there are many people who do not rely on aid indefinitely and they would only need it for a temporary period of time to get out of their rut.
Also, There are many programs that you can find to donate to that help children around the world with basic necessities such as food or water. There are even organizations that you can send money to sponsor children in different countries around the world. My grandmother used a private organization decades ago, and sponsored a Native American boy in the United States. Her donations were beyond appreciated, and the money that she contributed help to feed him, send him to school, etc. He grew up realizing the importance of giving, went to college, and lived a comfortable life. He always kept in touch with my grandmother and constantly thanked her for the opportunities that her donations had afforded him. Maybe if we all give just a little bit more, whether through time, donations, etc., we could see many who are struggling have a little bit more weight off their backs.
I think that poverty is, at least through the media in the U.S., is highlighted on an international level, and forced to minimize the issues that we have domestically. When there are natural disasters across the globe, we instantly come together and run to help countries that were plagued with poverty long before the devastation of mother nature. While it would be next to impossible for many countries to recover from such disasters without foreign aid, when will we stop to think what we can do to impact our homeland's issues? We donate to foreign relief funds but how many of us donate regularly to domestic programs such as Goodwill, Salvation Army, even our local soup kitchens? I do make an effort to contribute when I can and as much as I can, and am always donating things to charities. While it may not be money, the books that I donate help children learn, and offer them an opportunity to enjoy them that they might not have without donations. The clothes that I donate might not be money, but I know that another woman and her children can have clothes on their back without having to worry how they will afford them as the seasons change, or as their children grow up.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Session 4
Studying poverty on a broader and more globally scale, definitely showed some key ideas and facts that were, to say the least, very upsetting.
As I have discussed in my previous posts, I think that the lack of education is a direct link to who is poor in the United States. Of course not in every scenario, as there are plenty of educated people that are poor and plenty of people who did not continue their education who are NOT poor. What was interesting with the information this week was the correlation between the sex of those that were poor- women. And by poor, we aren't just talking about not being able to afford health care (a common problem in the United States.) This can include a life that is surrounded by unsanitary conditions, no place for a restroom, no clean drinking water...etc.
While countries such as Africa, Asia and Latin America have yet to experience an abundance of progress in living conditions, it is easy to understand how these living conditions can be associated with the stagnant number of mother and child deaths. In less developed countries, women and children are also the last to eat, often going hungry regularly. I think it is very important to recognize the relation to the article from our reading, Rich World Poor Women. The article reported that the largest contributor to decline among malnutrition in children was the advancement of education of women in 63 different countries. After touching on the relations last week for domestic poverty and its ties to education, now having international facts that support this theory has made it more than evident that there is indeed a strong correlation between the two, and it is a world wide issue.
I have also always struggled with the idea that globalization is a bad thing all together. I think that we all benefit from globalization, the instant access that we have to so many products, media, and knowledge. Especially in the United States, we are very free to research, learn, and are encouraged to do so! As they say, knowledge is power, and as our world continues to get smaller via globalization, we will all ultimately become a more powerful race. I can see the arguments that would suggest that globalization brings jobs overseas, also known as outsourcing. While this is maybe something that can negatively affect our economy here, understand that it is greatly aiding another country. Not to say that that is right or wrong, but I think globalization can very easily be labeled as a positive or negative thing, depending on which side of the argument you are on naturally.
The United Nations (Secretary General more specifically,) created the UN Millennium where any people came together to develop and present this projects goals: including eradicating hunger and poverty, promoting gender equality, and achieve universal primary education to name a few. As you may see, these goals can easily be linked to, maybe not a solution, but a step towards reducing the poverty levels across the globe due to issues earlier discussed.
While I appreciate the ideas of the UN Millennium, we must understand that we cannot reach out to every one across the globe. While the struggle continues for women around the world, so will the poverty levels.
As I have discussed in my previous posts, I think that the lack of education is a direct link to who is poor in the United States. Of course not in every scenario, as there are plenty of educated people that are poor and plenty of people who did not continue their education who are NOT poor. What was interesting with the information this week was the correlation between the sex of those that were poor- women. And by poor, we aren't just talking about not being able to afford health care (a common problem in the United States.) This can include a life that is surrounded by unsanitary conditions, no place for a restroom, no clean drinking water...etc.
While countries such as Africa, Asia and Latin America have yet to experience an abundance of progress in living conditions, it is easy to understand how these living conditions can be associated with the stagnant number of mother and child deaths. In less developed countries, women and children are also the last to eat, often going hungry regularly. I think it is very important to recognize the relation to the article from our reading, Rich World Poor Women. The article reported that the largest contributor to decline among malnutrition in children was the advancement of education of women in 63 different countries. After touching on the relations last week for domestic poverty and its ties to education, now having international facts that support this theory has made it more than evident that there is indeed a strong correlation between the two, and it is a world wide issue.
I have also always struggled with the idea that globalization is a bad thing all together. I think that we all benefit from globalization, the instant access that we have to so many products, media, and knowledge. Especially in the United States, we are very free to research, learn, and are encouraged to do so! As they say, knowledge is power, and as our world continues to get smaller via globalization, we will all ultimately become a more powerful race. I can see the arguments that would suggest that globalization brings jobs overseas, also known as outsourcing. While this is maybe something that can negatively affect our economy here, understand that it is greatly aiding another country. Not to say that that is right or wrong, but I think globalization can very easily be labeled as a positive or negative thing, depending on which side of the argument you are on naturally.
The United Nations (Secretary General more specifically,) created the UN Millennium where any people came together to develop and present this projects goals: including eradicating hunger and poverty, promoting gender equality, and achieve universal primary education to name a few. As you may see, these goals can easily be linked to, maybe not a solution, but a step towards reducing the poverty levels across the globe due to issues earlier discussed.
While I appreciate the ideas of the UN Millennium, we must understand that we cannot reach out to every one across the globe. While the struggle continues for women around the world, so will the poverty levels.
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