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Rights, claims and capture: understanding the politics of pro-poor policy
The Budget Politics of Being Poor
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Our last Federal Bill page reflected a bill presently in front of the house that would help eliminate a portion of the corporate welfare that this country has been handing out for years. By now I am positive that my regular visitors are aware that I live in an area where the county fiscal crisis is affecting everyone.
Since November of 2004, the budget Crisis has topped the local news daily. Everywhere one goes, people are discussing the issue. Ninety percent of the county residents claim that the entire budget crisis falls on the poor who are receiving Medicaid benefits; why, because that is what the county legislators and county executive is claiming.
No one seems to understand that Medicaid costs are far from the cause, Medicaid costs are a direct result of the county’s inability to manage their fiscal responsibilities. I have yet to hear anyone complain about our part time legislators receiving a full time salary. These political representatives have never before had to truly work for the money they earn; these days they have to be in session daily, for hours and hours. For the first time since they have been elected, they seem to be earning their money [at least they are appearing at their jobs]. The norm is less than 40 hours a month for more than $50,000 a year, plus full benefits, also paid by the taxpayers. On top of this, our legislators each have rented property for an office and staff, all paid for by the taxpayers. In Erie County, NY the taxpayers are paying for corporate welfare on a national level and political welfare on a local level!
Corporate welfare of course, is a big portion of Erie County’s fiscal crisis. Each county received a huge settlement from the tobacco companies, the monies were ere marked for medical expenses of county residents; I would assume Medicaid would have been considered medical, apparently, the county legislators see things differently. The new plan seems to be to set aside millions of dollars from this fund to pay to bring a new business into town. I checked into funding for starting a business, I could not find the millions to assist me; I could not even find a hundred to help. Since I am not a big corporation, I do not qualify for welfare payments from the government.
Enough with corporate welfare, well, almost enough. Please email or write your Federal representative and urge them to pass bill S 779. It will not cut corporate welfare totally, but it is a step in the right direction.
This week I would like to inform you on bill H.R. 1050; A Living Wage, Jobs For All Act (Introduced in House) . Briefly; this bill is meant to address the following issues:
(a) FINDINGS- The Congress finds the following:
(1) UNEVEN PROGRESS- (A) In recent years the income and wealth gaps among individuals in the United States have expanded.
(B) Many individuals have become rich or richer, poor individuals have become more numerous, and many individuals depend on two jobs.
(C) Localized mass depression appears in the midst of elite opulence, unmet basic needs exist in the midst of unused labor, and there is massive insecurity in the United States despite large-scale military spending.
(D) Although unused labor exists in the United States, unmet basic needs exist in repairing and improving the infrastructure of the Nation, including private industry, farming, agriculture, public facilities, public utilities, and human services, with special emphasis on the availability of good and affordable education, quality child care, health promotion services, housing, artistic cultural activities, and basic as well as applied research and development.
(E) While some individuals enjoy the best health services in the world, many other individuals are without health care or have inadequate or overly expensive health services.
(F) While many individuals enjoy higher life and activity expectancy, poor individuals suffer lower levels of life expectancy and higher levels of infant mortality and infectious disease, factors that are aggravated by race.
(G) Some individuals live in safe neighborhoods with good housing and public facilities while many others live in bad or over-crowded housing in dangerous neighborhoods without adequate recreational, educational, library, energy, or public transportation facilities.
(H) Uncounted individuals, including children, are homeless.
(I) The entire country benefits from the education provided by many of the best universities in the world, while suffering from some of the worst high school education in the industrial world.
(J) Despite the existence of efficient technologies for improving the environment, all individuals suffer directly or indirectly from dangerous levels of air, water, and soil pollution, especially agricultural workers.
(K) Despite discrimination against immigrants and their children, the United States is still the preferred haven of refuge for victims of oppression in other countries
This is another bill I urge you to learn more about. Make it your business to know what is happening within the realm of the government you have elected to represent you. Talk to your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers; explain how important this bill is to all. Spread the word; contact your elected official and speak urge them to pass this into law.