Session 5 - Povery - Global Context

I have learned that globalization can be good and bad for the United States.  Allowing import and export between the United States and various countries opens the doors to a  free market with consequences. A cheap labor work force and more people living in poverty.  Corporations begin to reap  the benefit of saving money by sending jobs overseas for lower wages and laying off people here in the United States.  Global Technology increases efficiency in the work place, but also puts people on the unemployment line.  We must not forget that for every job eliminated, the U.S. tax base decreases.  More people are placed into poverty with the loss of jobs and the people living in poverty are not provided with some of the basic necessities when the Governments tax base decreases.  I feel that the Government and Private Corporations need to invest more money into creating good paying jobs.  Increasing the minimum wage could also help to keep people from living in poverty.

Session 4 - The Geography of Poverty

Update to: What I think is being done about poverty?

The video titled "Do Neighborhoods Matter" speaks to the heart of the problem about children and families living in poor neighborhoods.  Children and family members are drastically affected by their surroundings.  Neighborhoods infested with abandoned/ rundown housing and crime affects the health and well being of all members of the community.  I agree with Professor George Galster statement "Neighborhoods should constitute a small percentage of low income families."  Improving neighborhoods could be accomplished by additional State Government Intervention.  The State and Local Government throughout the United States need to work on expanding  the "Inclussionary Zoning Policy" program.  This program mandates that builders must set aside a portion of new housing for low income families.  Neighborhoods would become more diverse and intern this would help to move more families out of poverty stricken neighborhoods. When families are afforded the opportunity to better their lives with better schools for their kids along with better neighborhoods to live in, their quality of life improves substantially.

Session 3 - Poverty In The United States

Update to who I think is poor in the United States and Globally:

After watching the video “Down and Out in America”, I have learned how poverty is affecting farmers.  I did not think much about how poverty affects rural America and the World.  This video shed some light on how agricultural corporations are taking over the farming industry by forcing small farmers out of business.   Small Farmers are not able to compete with the pricing of large corporations and are losing their homes, land and equipment due to foreclosures by banks and are being forced into poverty.  When this happens the families are not eligible for government assistance programs “Welfare, Medicare, Food stamps, etc.” 

I feel that the government should help small farmers with additional subsidies to help maintain their farm land.  I also feel that the Government should regulate the Agriculture Business by placing limitations on the purchase of farm land by Agricultural Corporations.  When companies become too large they tend to force out the competition.  This leads to Small Farmers being run out of business by the large Corporations.  Placing limits on the amount of agriculture land purchase by Big Corporations would help save farmers from losing their land and having to be forced into poverty.

Session 2 - Poverty Perspectives

Who I think is poor, both in the United States and globally!
I think people living at or below the poverty threshold are considered poor.

                                                                                                                                  Why I believe people are poor in the United States and globally
Some people live in poverty due to the lack of employment and scarcity of jobs within the job market.

                                                                                                                                  I think the following is being done about poverty?

The Government has established the following programs to help address poverty within the United States:

                                                                                                                                   WIC, TANIF, FOOD STAMPS, MEDICAID, HOUSING ASSISTANCE, and other programs.

                                                                                                                                  How well do I think poverty is being addressed currently in the United States and globally?

I  feel that poverty is not being addressed properly in the United States and globally.  The Government along with other Nations need to spend more money and resources on reducing poverty.

                                                                                                                                 What do I think should be done about poverty in the United States and globally!
                                                                                                                                 I feel that the methods used to calculate the poverty threshold values should be changed to reflect current market prices for the year that calculations are to be used, not the previous years data.  More funding from the Government and Private Sector should be used to help reduce poverty here in the United States and around the World.