Question by Voyageur: Would these methods help reduce poverty in the US?
Please read them all. I know it’s a lot. Would these methods help reduce poverty in the US? Why or why not?
1. Start teaching economics in 5th grade in high poverty/working class schools.
2. Make sure schools spend the $ on students not superfluous things such as giant pools, extended parking lots, new administration buildings (while school itself is in horrible condition), private jets for superintendents, and staff meetings in Orlando in luxurious hotels.
3. Make sure all high poverty schools have at least 2 counselors.
4. Crack down on drug addicts in the middle-upper class suburbs. Majority of meth, crack, and heroin users are middle-upper class Whites, but instead of prisons focus on counseling.
5. Spend more money on education for the poor than on prisons. More $ means less dropouts, and less drug dealers. It really isn’t about more $ actually, but re-designing the school system, using the $ already there in a better way.
6. Copy Finland’s policy. Any student who does not go to college or military is mandated to do 2 years of trade school. They can do 2 years of electrical work or 1 yr. of beauty school, 1 yr. of electrical work, etc. In Finland this has created an extremely low unemployment rate, an almost non-existent crime rate, and plenty of plumbers, electricians, carpenters, etc. who can support a family.
7. Crack down on unequal housing. Real estate companies who charge Black and Hispanic families more for a house than Whites.
8. Give cities grants to knock down abandoned buildings/homes and place in green areas, gardens, playgrounds, etc. Up to community to upkeep the grounds.
9. Teach in all schools about environmentalism and how to save energy (saves $).
10. Crack down on loan sharks.
11. Start paying back African-Americans reparations. Let the Black community decide how to use the money.
12. Start paying back women reparations, more going to Black women as they are paid the least in unequal pay. Since 1984-2005 due to unequal pay women are owed 0 billion dollars.
13. Sign the 1923 Equal Employment act and crack down on businesses who give unequal pay to women.
14. Start paying more attention to rural poverty.
#6 gives a lot of gang members and drug dealers a choice then
11. Stuff didn’t end in 1965 my friend.
Interesting reply to #12. Yes, perhaps we need to crack down on the businesses not make the avg. Joe suffer for it. Good call!
I forgot to mention any reparations would not be payed by tax payers. Also, the US govt has given reparations to Asian Americans and Native Americans. Why not African Americans and Women?
true Rabbi, and well said. As for reparations to Blacks I didn’t just mean slavery but the lynching and Jim Crow era as well, and the corrupt police who introduced cocaine in the 1970s into Black neighborhoods to pay for the Nicaraguan arms trade. But anyway, what you said, you’re absolutely right.
Meagan: No worries, and I respect your opinion. The thing is how easy is it for us women to “get over it” if we are 300 billion dollars behind, then we will always remain behind. But like a good chap said in another forum, capitalism is all about high output with little input- aka paying ppl peanuts to get the work done, hence why companies have taken their business to China and India to pay people pennies for work.
Nata: Yes, sadly many people abuse the system, and others who wouldn’t can’t even get their names on the list.
Best answer:
Answer by Silver_bacon
6. It is a person’s choice on what to do, no one should force anyone to do other then what they want.
9. Many times this costs more money in the end.
11. & 12. I do not get what you mean by this. Pay back reparations for what? For what happened during the 60′s and before? While I believe what happened during this time was wrong, I do not want my tax money going toward any one group, for things that happened 40+ years ago. I was not alive during the 60′s and before, therefore I am not in any way responsible for that, and I will not pay for what I did not do. I am not racist, but this policy seems racist.
As far as number 12, and women in general, again does not make sense, because I am not the employer whom made this decision, so I do not want my tax dollars going towards something that I am again not responsible for.
While some of these are good enough ideas, especially with educating (although we need to totally redo our education system) I believe this issue is far more complex, and will take more action, and different means of action.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
