Poverty, unemployment, depression are all on our minds these days. It is almost a breath of fresh air to return to the good ol’ days of 2007 when poverty was off our national radar screen. Of course, that didn’t mean it wasn’t there. It was. In 2007, 37.3 million people, or 12.5 % of Americans, lived at or below the official poverty level. And, believe it or not, many of those people were able to be poor while also working. In fact, 7.5 million of us were in the ranks of the working poor.
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Category Archives:
While waiting for the decision on Prop.8 . . .
There are continuing efforts to provide equity for same-sex couples. The Human Rights Campaign website includes information on a number of those initiatives on its website.
Unemployed and Uninsured in America
For more and more of us, health insurance and access to good healthcare is a vanishing dream. By tying health coverage to having a job – unless you have the great (mis)fortune to be poor or old – health as jobs go south, health coverage is just unavailable.
A new report, Unemployed and Uninsured in America tells a grim story for those who are now losing their jobs, and their health coverage.
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Republicans Crippling the Middle Class – Dems Fighting for a Strong Middle Class
One of the cool changes announced yesterday was the new Middle Class Task Force headed by VP Joe Biden. It even has its own webpage, of course, which adds “strong” to middle class.
What Are Your Plans for National Sanctity of Human Life Day?
No doubt, you already have your festive plans for observing National Sanctity of Life Day, Sunday, January 18? And far be it from me to rain on your parade, but I do think you should at least give some consideration to Dear Leader’s views on this important issue. After all, what was sanctity of life before his reign?
‘Virginity pledges’ fail among conservative teens, new study shows
Abstinence-only education takes another hit in a new study that finds that not only do teens who vow chastity until marriage have premarital sex on par with non-pledgers but that they’re much less likely to use condoms or other forms of contraception.
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Hey, Biden: It’s a Parking Lot Out There
Just announced a few days ago – VP-elect Biden is heading up the White House Task Force on Working Families.
Hey, Joe. Sitting in cushy conference rooms will tell you almost nothing about the plight of working families. Listen! Everything your committee needs to know, they can learn by hanging out in our nation’s parking lots.
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Giving Thanks and Gratitude
[This gracious essay by shirah was published at unbossed on Thanksgiving three years ago. In that long ago time I wasn't even aware of 'Fort Ancient', and perhaps some of you still have never seen this thoughtful tribute to the people who made us who we are.]
Some may call me a self-made person. They’ll tell me I should be proud I pulled myself up by my bootstraps. And maybe I could feel that way about myself, but I’d be a liar, if I did. The only way I could feel that way would be if I were blind.
I am a conservative, and that’s why I am voting Democratic
When it comes to traditional conservative values, I top the charts. I am fiscally conservative. I am concerned about my community and involved in its improvement. I care for my family, and I take care of my family. I attend my house of worship regularly and read and study the Bible. I am also a strong supporter of a culture of life. For all these reasons I support the Democratic Party. If you also subscribe to these values, I hope you will too.
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Now You Can Be Heard – How You and Your Family are Faring?
The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support held a hearing September 11 on The Challenges Facing American Workers.
The hearing record on how regular Americans are handling is still open for anyone to submit your own story. But the deadline to submit your story is Thursday, September 25, 2008. Details below.
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