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Archive for the ‘Government’ Category

CLOSING THE INCOME GAP

Friday, September 17th, 2010

First, the good news. Women are earning more money today than they were ten years ago. Slowly but surely, gender pay disparities are becoming a thing of the past.

Historically, women have always earned less than men. When women first went to work outside of the home, they typically took on ‘pink collar’ jobs that, for many reasons, paid a lower salary. However, as women began to become more educated and branch into different fields, even those dominated by men, they found that their salaries remained lower than that of their male counterparts…even if they were doing the same jobs.

That is changing. According to newly released statistics, women earned just less than 83 percent of the weekly wage men did in the second quarter of this year; 10 years ago, women earned around 76 percent of what men did. African American women, especially, have seen the income gap widen: the weekly salary for black women increased by nearly 9 percent, while that of black men dropped more than 2 percent.

Now, for the bad news. Women are earning more but men, typically employed in industries hit hardest by the recession, are increasingly finding themselves out of work. This is disturbing because it makes one wonder what will happen to the pay gap when the economy rebounds and the men who are currently unemployed go back to work. Will it continue to shrink or will it widen?

The fact remains that women, who make up nearly half of the workforce, earn less than their male peers at every education level. It is not a positive sign when a woman’s financial success is tied to the financial hardships of her male counterparts. The income gap should be closed not because men are being locked out of the workplace but because employers pay equal money for equal work.

Posted in Blog, Economy, Government | 1 Comment »

OBAMA FIGHTS HIV/AIDS

Friday, July 16th, 2010

In the early 80s, when AIDS first became part of the public consciousness, many of us were terrified of this new, mysterious disease. Far too many lost their lives as doctors struggled to learn more about the illness so they could develop treatments that worked. Thirty years later, we know enough about AIDS to understand how it can be transmitted, how to protect ourselves from the virus that causes it and how to treat those who have it so they can live long and relatively healthy lives.  Because of this, AIDS has become an after thought for many who think the disease is someone else’s problem, that it’s easy to treat and that their risk for infection is low.  The reality is that nearly 56,000 people become infected each year with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and more than 1.1 million Americans are living with the virus. Though AIDS deaths have decreased since the early days of the disease, more than 14,000 American still die each year from AIDS related complications.

President Obama understands what too many of us do not: HIV/AIDS is still a pressing issue in this country and that a comprehensive federal strategy is needed to combat it. To that end, the president has proposed a plan that aims to reduce this country’s HIV infection rates by 25 percent in five years.  The plan, the first national strategy of its kind, will also expand early access to medicines, improving the quality of life for those who do become infected with the virus.  Unfortunately, the money the federal government uses to fight AIDS doesn’t always make it into the communities that need it most. While the President’s plan doesn’t increase the $19 billion dollars it spends to fight HIV/AIDS, it rethinks how and where those dollars are spent and will redirect funds to those hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS epidemic: gay and bisexual men and African-Americans.

Currently, gay and bisexual men account for slightly more than half of new HIV infections while African Americans make up around 46 percent of new infections. Under the proposed plan, agencies that serve these hard hit populations will see increases in their funding. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, the President promises to work to end treatment, housing and employment discrimination issues that plague people infected with H.I.V. 

This plan is an ambitious one. But it is necessary. HIV/AIDS is still a very real threat to so many, especially our black women, who make up more than 6 percent of new HIV cases among all women and who are more than 21 times as likely to die from HIV/AIDS as white women.  We owe it to ourselves – and future generations – to not only applaud the President’s new approach but to also take it into our own hands to keep ourselves safe and healthy. For more information on HIV/AIDS prevention, visit www.greaterthan.org.

Posted in AIDS, Blog, Government, Healthcare | No Comments »

PRESIDENT PLAYS HARDBALL

Friday, June 25th, 2010

Amidst allegations that he has been less than forceful in several areas, President Obama’s decision to put pressure on BP and demand the creation of a $20 billion fund has shown real strength in light of the BP oil disaster. Money from the fund will be used to pay victims of the massive Gulf oil spill that has caused billions in damage, and jeopardized the ecosystem of communities along the Gulf Coast, putting the lives of residents in danger. With this move, the President has proven he can indeed play hardball and that, despite critic’s claims to the contrary, he is focused on managing this disaster and minimizing its impact.
It wasn’t too long after the spill that critics began to proclaim that Obama was falling short when it came to handling this disaster. He was criticizing for being too cool, for not being forceful enough and for not showing emotion. This reaction was expected from Republicans. After all, they look for any opportunity to portray the President in a negative light and, hopefully, gain momentum for their party. But Democrats joined in as well. Everyone was faulting the President for being the exact person the public elected: calm, thoughtful and intellectual in approach. Indeed, Obama is a passionate person – that comes across in his speeches. But, he thinks before he acts, he discusses the issue at hand, with everyone involved, so that he can make the best possible decision. These are the traits, among others, that got him elected.
So, it was surprising that so many jumped on the bandwagon and criticized him for being himself in the weeks immediately following the oil spill. Though he has remained true to his character, the President’s call for the fund put everyone on notice: he does hold BP accountable for the spill and expects the company to put their money where their mouths are. The move is both tough and calculated; there is no doubt that the idea for the fund was created after some thought and several conversations. It is a perfect combination of the cool intellectual we voted into office and the hardball President so many desire to see.
The Gulf Coast is suffering and we still don’t know what the long term effects of the spill will be; the public still can’t get an accurate measure of how much oil has actually been spilled. Now that the President has shown he can be the tough guy everyone wants him to be, it’s time we all put our energy into the important things: fully stopping the leak, protecting wildlife and the land areas near the spill and cleaning up the damage.

Posted in Blog, Economy, Government, NO USE | No Comments »

OBAMA’S URBAN AGENDA

Monday, April 12th, 2010

Much has been made about the debate between two of our most respected black leaders: Tavis Smiley and the Rev. Al Sharpton. The two men, both activists in their own way, disagree on whether or not President Obama should openly pursue an ‘urban agenda’.  Smiley thinks Obama should be more aggressive in pursuing a black agenda and thinks black leaders are being too soft on him.  Sharpton thinks pushing such a plan would put the President in a vulnerable position and that black leaders, not the President, should pursue a plan for urban improvement.  Rev. Sharpton is correct.

Residents of urban areas, many of whom are African American, suffer disproportionately from many issues mainstream society may not: failing schools, high dropout rates, lack of access to quality and affordable health care, poverty, high unemployment rates and increasing incarceration rates. While we certainly want those who live in these communities to receive increased attention and governmental support, it is not realistic.

America is a country with a variety of people and variety of obstacles to overcome. It is naïve to think the President would be able to push such an agenda through Congress if it is explained as something that would primarily benefit blacks. As a people, we represent just 12 percent of the population and we don’t have the votes in Congress to get such legislation through. Pursuing a black agenda would render the President ineffective and he would not succeed.

But let’s be clear: residents in urban areas are benefiting from the President’s efforts. What Obama is doing with his employment and training legislation and what he did with healthcare and education will undoubtedly affect African Americans. While these agendas support the entire nation, they will disproportionately benefit urban residents.

Many of our leaders are quick to dismiss the President’s efforts as not being ‘black enough’. They should open their eyes and realize that he is delivering to the masses what he promised while also affecting changes in our community. And he’s doing it while trying to work across both political aisles. Although the urban agenda isn’t obvious, the urban benefits are clear. We should applaud and support the President as he works and recognize that he is, in fact, President of the entire United States of America.

Posted in Blog, Government | 5 Comments »

HEALTHCARE INSURANCE COSTS SOARS

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

17 percent of the nation’s economy goes toward healthcare costs; far more than in any other industrialized nation. Yet, 50 million Americans are currently without health insurance. For those fortunate enough to be covered, the high premiums and deductibles make a serious dent in their household budget. Companies are paying less for employee healthcare while workers are coming out of pocket more often, sometimes for fewer services. A medical emergency can often leave a family financially drained. In fact, a large percentage of those who  file bankruptcy do so because of mounting healthcare bills.  There is a clear and urgent need for healthcare reform.  The system is broken.  It is time that it is fixed.

According to a recent study by the Kaiser Foundation, healthcare insurance premiums for families have increased 113 percent over the last ten years.  The group, a private non-profit that focuses its work on the major health care issues facing the U.S., also found that the general inflation rate increased by only 28 percent over the same period.  The average cost of a family policy offered by employers rose 5 percent while the average wage only increased 3 percent.  Some companies are eliminating health benefits to its employee’s altogether; between 2000 and 2008, the total percentage of U.S. companies offering health insurance to its workers dropped 6 percent. Small businesses, which drive the nation’s economy, are most likely to drop coverage, citing rising insurance costs.

In 1993, President Bill Clinton and then First Lady Hillary Clinton tried to reform America’s healthcare system. Then, America spent more than $900 million each year on health care.  That reform never came to pass and the country continued on with the same ineffective system. Thanks to government’s inaction, we are spending more on healthcare –an expected $2.6 trillion this year – and more people are finding themselves uninsured.

When there is no competition, health insurance companies have free reign to increase prices, hurting millions of people, most of whom earn modest incomes, in the process. Those days are over.

Healthcare companies should be required to compete with a public insurance company or co-op to ensure both companies that provide insurance to workers and the workers themselves are getting the best possible prices. As we gear up for the fall, and Congress considers sweeping healthcare legislation, there will be many more public debates on the pros and cons of healthcare reform. It is important to remember that, for far too long, Americans have been falling into debt to pay their medical bills while insurance companies continue to fatten their bottom line. We all deserve better.

Posted in Blog, Government, Healthcare | 5 Comments »

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