Ending Hunger in Illinois

An Effort to End Hunger in Illinois 

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 1,532,238 people, including 500,000 children, now live in poverty in Illinois. Living in poverty means that in many cases, a major concern for families is how to provide sufficient amounts of food for survival. There are currently 8 food banks located throughout Illinois that serve an estimated 1 million people a year. In the past two years, there has been a 50 percent increase in the amount of people that require emergency hunger relief help. In an effort to help with this growing problem, Senate Bill 3158 created and sponsored by Senator Don Harmon establishes a Commission to End Hunger. In early March 2011, Governor Pat Quinn announced that 22 individuals will be appointed to the commission.

The individuals appointed come from a wide variety of not-for-profit programs. There are both Democratic and Republican representatives who have agreed to work together for the greater good of Illinoisans. There are representatives that range from different food pantries to minority groups to AIDS foundations and even a representative from Kraft foods. Since hunger is not limited to one group of people, it makes sense that so many programs are interested in helping to fight the problem that affects so many people in Illinois.

With Illinois being in a heated debate over how to cut funds to rectify the extreme debt the state is in, this program is a breath of fresh air in that it will focus on helping the needy without using anymore state funds. An article published by Don Harmon’s staff on his website states that “an amendment explicitly states that DHS [Department of Health Services] and the State of Illinois will not incur any costs because meeting coordination, reports, and other duties will be completed by a food bank representative who will serve as co-chair of the Commission” (Harmon staff).  In fact, one goal of the program is to research how to receive an estimated 42 million dollars in federal funds from the government to avoid putting the state in any more debt.

Although there are already programs in place that are focused on providing food for children, the focal point of the Commission to End Hunger revolves around educating individuals on what programs are available to them. In addition, the commission will spend time coordinating opportunities for individuals to participate in programs available to them. A final responsibility for individuals working with the commission will be to research what other sources are available to fund programs that are fighting hunger.

Senator Harmon is focused on making sure that this is not another program that is established and then forgotten. In his proposal, he states that the members of the commission will gather approximately every two years to reevaluate the progress made or determine what changes need to be made.

This program could potentially help the 1,532,238 people mentioned at the start of this article. If all goes as planned, with the help of Senator Harmon’s proposal, we will be on our way to having an exceptionally less hungry state. 

Student reaction paper on health care reform

            Over the past several weeks of class, there has been a significant amount of focus on health care and the reform. I found a new interest in finding out what would happen with the reform because so many other students in the class seemed to have an opinion on the subject. I was curious as to what other programs could be affected. After doing some research, and after a twenty minute segment where President Obama explained what his program would offer, I realized that I really needed to make more of an effort to understand policies that are going to affect me.  In fact, I recently studied a woman named Bertha Capen Reynolds, who stated that social workers needed to show their concern through political activity and that particular writing assignment just reinforced it. I am frustrated that I keep coming across topics in this class and I say, “wow, I need to focus more energy into really finding out what is going with various policies and bills that are being passed,” and I never actually make the effort.

Although I was happy to learn about all the money that was going towards prevention programs, I was really impressed to find out that the healthcare reform will allow for an extension of dependent coverage for adult children up to the age of 26. If it had not been for this class, I would not have gone out of my way to see this new resource that is available for me. I know that a huge reason why policy class is important in our social work education is because it focuses on empowering our clients and I agree with an article I read along the lines that talks about how the reform will increase American’s access to medical services which will in fact empower people who previously faced barriers to medical resources.

With it being the end of the semester, I have more and more work due so I feel overwhelmed at times with all the required readings. I feel like I can never really be caught up because there are always more resource links being put up to look at. I actually really liked this past week's discussion board posts because I felt like I could post my opinion and everyone wasn’t looking at me. It was really nice to read everyone’s personal stories about how they were affected by health care. I always wish I had more of an opinion on some of our topics we cover in class but I constantly feel like I am not educated enough on the subjects to be putting my opinion out in the open for the class to judge. 

Civil Unions

A paper on civil unions.

Civil Unions

           

Legislators in Illinois passed a law that will forever change history and the structure of family as we legally know it.

Against many opponents, civil unions passed both legislative houses with just 1 and 2 votes to spare.

This bill hit the Governor’s desk for signature and it was signed into law shortly thereafter.

      

There are only a few other states in the nation that have taken an active stance on civil unions, allowing same sex couple to unite and secure some of the very same rights that a heterosexual married couples now have.

Once the law goes into effect, Illinois will be the sixth state in the U.S. to allow homosexual couples to legally unite.

Whether a person believes that such a law should exist, its passage is another milestone in the 150 year progression of civil rights in the United States of America.

           

The issue of gay marriage has raised so many social and moral issues, that when Vermont, the first state to successfully adopt such a law, began the quest to legalize gay marriage, the term “civil union” was coined.

So what are the major differences between marriage and civil unions?

Marriage is defined in the United States Constitution as a legal contract or social union between one man and one woman that forms a lawful kinship. This legal arrangement is honored across state lines, throughout religions of all denomination and in every country across the globe.

  

Civil unions are described as a legal contract or joining of two people, there is no clear distinction of gender matching or opposites, however civil unions are not recognized by the federal government, preventing same sex couples from taking advantage of some of the benefits married couples are eligible to receive. Also, most religious organizations are against civil union and do not recognize it as part of their religious doctrine.

  

           

Though unionized couples miss out on some of the benefits and recognition that heterosexual marriage has to offer, they still have many protections that were once not available to them.

  

           

As a unionized couple living in a state that recognizes their legal merger, couples are eligible for insurance benefits, to take part in medical decisions of their partner, and take advantage of joint filing of taxes at the state level.

Opponents of civil union argue that all legal rights and protections can be obtained by drawing up a legal document with one’s attorney and having it notarized by the courts to achieve a legal agreement that will recognize the protections granted in marriage.

However the stark reality of the issues is that same sex couples not joined in civil union can only secure a small number of rights such as power of attorney or executor of estate, and even those may be challenged by a blood family member who happens to be next of kin.

           

Legalization of civil unions in Illinois is a step in the right direction to stabilizing families and creating a lasting bond that will impress upon children the importance of family and taking care of those we love.

Nearly 25% of all gay or lesbian couples in the United States are currently raising children and reside in states where it is illegal to marry their partner.

           

I personally believe that the enactment of this law is a good thing, and that it should be enacted in other states as well.

As I mentioned above, I believe that marriage brings stability to couples and families and all should have that right.

There were many great men and women who lived before our time who pushed for all races to be created equal, and I believe that this is no different.

You can argue that one is not born gay, it is a decision that one makes when they reach sexual maturity, but it is no different than religion.

We can be born one religion because that is what our family believes, but once we establish our lifestyles we can chose a completely different one and that is okay.

In America you cannot be legally discriminated against because of your religious practices, so why should someone be treated differently because they like boys instead of girls or girls instead of boys. Civil unions are the right decision for the people of Illinois and the people of America. It may take a little bit of getting used to, but in 50 years it will be a blip in the past just like colored only drinking fountains.

How we treat welfare recipients

A student paper here about how we treat those who receive assistance.  This reminds me of the lyrics of a song by the Clash from their Combat Rock album (Know Your Rights) in which Joe Strummer sings, “You have the right to food money, provided of course you don’t mind a little investigation, humiliation, and if you cross your fingers—rehabilitation.”

Policy Evaluation

     Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the 32^nd President of the United States of America. Under his direction the United States Congress enacted a series of economic programs that are known as the New Deal. The focus of these programs were referred to as the three R’s: Relief, Recovery, and Reform. Relief was for the unemployed and the poor. One law designed to establish programs for relief was the Social Security Act. Under this act the Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program was born. This program provided financial assistance to families with children whose income was low or non-existent. Many people felt that this program was a gratuity provided by the government rather than an obligation of society to care for the poor. This mentality has led to the government imposing many restrictions onto those who receive benefits. Today, the AFDC program has evolved into the more restrictive program now known as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

     Few people would dispute the fact that rules and regulations need to exist in order to determine the extent of a need and/or the eligibility of those who are seeking services. Those rules and regulations should not violate the rights of those in need; nor should the recipients be made to feel that they are criminals. People who apply for TANF benefits should have the same rights to privacy that other citizens do. Some of the regulations that have been put into place impose a standard of moral behavior on the beneficiaries of these programs. If passed, Illinois House Bill 0011 will mandate the Department of Human Services to conduct random drug tests on TANF recipients. The fourth amendment of our constitution protects us against unreasonable search and seizure. Mandatory drug testing is considered a search. Employers who impose mandatory drug testing can do so when it is deemed that their employee would put the general public at risk if he or she were using drugs. Receiving TANF benefits does not put the general public at risk. Have you ever asked your child, grandchild, or neighbor to pick up a few groceries for you?  If passed, Illinois House Bill 161 will put an end to such niceties for TANF recipients. If this bill is passed TANF recipients who receive food stamp benefits will have to have their photograph placed on the card; barring anyone but that person from using the card. Adult recipients of TANF must sign and follow a “Responsibility and Service Plan.” Recipients cannot have countable assets greater than $2,000.00 or an automobile with value greater than $8,500.00. A family of four would receive approximately $470.00 per month in TANF. This benefit is reduced by $1.00 for every $3.00 the recipient earns from employment. Even with these limited resources the recipient is expected to devise and complete a plan to work their way out of poverty within five years. Elementary schools are given the names of those children whose families receive TANF benefits. These schools are to monitor and report any irregular attendance of the children to the Department of Human Services. What agency is monitoring your child’s school attendance? Recipients are required to work with state agencies to enforce child support. In other words, recipients must identify and help pursue the father of their children in order to receive child support assistance. Failure to comply with these regulations could result in the loss of benefits.    

     The Heartland Alliance reports that the Illinois poverty rate was 13.3% in 2008 and the extreme poverty rate was 6.0%. In October 2008 the Department of Human Services reported that there were 26,675 TANF households in Illinois totaling 62,117 persons. The current Illinois unemployment rate is 9.4%; somewhat greater than the national unemployment rate. It is time for Americans to stop allowing stereotypes and fear to shape the rules and regulations of our social policies. The number of people in need is growing. One of those people could be your parent, sibling, child, or friend. How would you like them to be treated? 

Reduce incarceration. It's too expensive.

Here is a student's paper on incarceration.

The amount of people incarcerated in this country truly astounds me.  In America we currently have more than 2 million people in jails and prisons.  Countless inmates are serving time for minor drug offenses.  I believe that instead of pursuing the “War on Drugs”, which has led to many of these lockups without a doubt, our country should be putting more time, effort, and focus into alternative incarceration programs.  Diversion programs for first time, non-violent offenders have been proven to work well.   

These types of programs not only cost less than jail and prison, but they also help create a job base for social workers.  I believe that if we implemented more programs like these we could alleviate the growing problem of over populated jails and prisons in the U.S., and save taxpayers money as well.  Alternative incarceration programs allow an offender to receive treatment, employment, and even education and training under the supervision of law enforcement officers.  The offender can either be successful and become a reformed member of our society, or the offender can be unsuccessful, and a judge can simply send him back into the prison system.

Just to give an example of the amount of money that could be saved by creating programs like these, I looked up some statistics.  In New York it costs about $62,595 to house an inmate yearly.  The average cost to put that same inmate through an alternative program would be about $1,400 to $13,000 according to eHow.com.  That’s a minimum savings of $49,595!  In our current economic downturn taxpayers could really use a break like this.  It’s not a dollar amount to be laughed at by most Americans.  I don’t know a person who would say "no" if asked if they wanted to save $50,000. 

Some other benefits of alternative incarceration can be seen within communities.  Because offenders are trying to be a valued part of our society, foster care, shelter, welfare, and child support costs can be managed easier.  Alternative programs also have a significant effect on felon’s illegal drug usage.  It typically falls from 80% to 42% in those participating in the programs.  This is because the social and financial burdens of rehab are now placed back onto the family and community.  [see this 2.6 MB pdf file for more information]

To lend even more support to these programs is the fact that a study conducted by the New York Criminal Justice Agency found that offenders participating in programs like these were less likely to be arrested a second time than offenders who were put in a traditional jail or prison.  This suggests that programs like these are producing results of less crime and fewer repeat offenders.       

Overall, the benefits of alternative incarceration programs can clearly be seen.  Not only do they save money, but they also help reduce crime and repeat offenders as well.  If all states could follow New York’s example, America could regain control over our maxed out capacity jails and prisons, and at the same time fight crime and greatly reduce the enormous cost of housing inmates.  

G.I. Bill Improvement

(Here is one student's policy suggestion.)

After a person leaves active military duty they have many resources available, especially when it comes to college. The VA will pay tuition and books, and even offers a minimum of $1,300 a month stipend from the GI bill. But the GI bill is only available to veterans for 10 years after they end active duty. It's my belief that if a veteran is planning on going to school part time, they should be able to get the GI bill no matter how long they've been out of active duty. Many times other factors get in the way and keep a person from going to college right away. Even if a person is aged 60 and fought in a war decades and decades ago (or even if they did't fight in an actual war), they should have that GI bill available to them if they're willing to become enrolled in college full time.

Typically, I'm not supportive of people getting to go to school for free, just based on the fact that I can't go to school for free, so I'm negatively biased towards the whole thing. And while I don't support the war we're in now or some of the wars we've been in in the past, I do believe that if someone is willing to put their life on the line for our country's safety they should be allowed to go to college for free and get that stipend regardless of how long ago they were enlisted in active duty.

Medicaid

Here is a student editorial in support of Medicaid.

I am writing today in regards to our Medicaid program.  People who are qualified to receive Medicaid include, but are not limited to:  Mothers with children 18 or younger, children under the age of 18, foster children, and some non-U.S. citizens.  The program was added to the Social Security Act in 1965, but is run through state governments.  There are many requirements in order to become eligible for Medicaid.  

The main requirement for eligibility is the family’s income.  This varies based on the children’s age.  For example, for children under the age of one, the family’s income must not exceed 200% of the federal poverty level.  For children 18 and younger, the family’s income must not exceed 133% of the federal poverty level.  For foster children, the child is automatically covered under the state until the child reaches the age of 18.  

Medicaid not only provides health care for at-risk families, but also helps to provide food and assists mothers with collection of child support.  This is a wonderful program that is designed to help our women and children in poverty.  The program will not allow people to live their lives in luxury, but rather help to provide some basic necessities of life.  

I am a full supporter of women and children who need to use this resource.  I believe that not enough people take advantage of this program.  Our society places a negative feeling regarding Medicaid.  Our nation was designed to help out those who are less fortunate, but people do not respond well to others who are utilizing this resource.  I think that our schools and media should educate people on what Medicaid is and what the qualifications are to receive benefits.  I believe that if our society was more informed on this criteria, they would not cast judgment on the people who need to use the program.

Medicaid is an important part of the current national health care policy. It covers medical care for disabled persons such as the blind as well as non-disabled poor persons. Both of my sons were born under Medicaid coverage. Over 50 million Americans and  residents of the USA are insured though Medicaid. Medicaid costs are scary.  If you check out the Federal Budget (see table S-3 in this big pdf from the White House) you can marvel at the rising costs: $201 billion in 2008, $262 billion in 2009, and $290 billion in 2010. 

Student asks governor to legalize same sex marriage

One of our class assignments was to write a paper describing a policy to a government person, either an elected representative or executive, or else to an agency head or administrator. Many students wrote advocacy letters.  This is an example of a student writing to the new governor asking him to support same-sex marriage in Illinois.

I am a social work major at University of Illinois at Springfield.  I am writing to you today regarding an important matter that needs your attention.  I am urging you to implement a policy regarding same-sex marriage.  Currently, there are five states which have this policy already in place.  I would propose to you that this is not a matter of personal belief, but rather a matter of a basic civil right.

In Loving vs. Virginia in 1967, the Supreme Court ruled that interracial marriages must be allowed.  Today, we, as a society, would find it unbelievable that people, of different ethnic backgrounds, were unable to marry.  However, we still do not allow people of the same sex to marry.  Because gays are not allowed to marry, they are not subject to many of the amenities that heterosexual couples get to enjoy.  Among these are the right to inherit property, tax benefits, medical benefits, and retirement benefits.

If this policy is implemented, there will be many people who oppose it.  For example, many church organizations believe that being gay goes against God. They argue that it is in the Bible that man should not marry man, but man should marry woman.  I would like to remind you that similar arguments were made by the church when Americans sought to create equal rights for African Americans.  The Bible is frequently quoted when it comes to civil rights.  Another argument presented by the Church is that legalizing same-sex marriage will ruin the institution of marriage.  They propose that legalizing this type of marriage will eventually lead to legalizing marrying animals.  This is a weak claim, and clearly they are grasping for straws.

I firmly believe that the proponents outweigh the opposition.  If this policy is presented as a matter of civil rights, most Illinois residents will be in favor.  Not only are most Illinois residents compassionate, but also reasonable.  I do not believe that they would oppose this policy if presented in the correct manner.  Thank you for your time and consideration.

Student suggests regulations for SSDI recipients

Here is a student's suggestion for a policy related to SSDI.

The policy that I would like to be implemented would be to put regulations on SSDI recipients.  This is especially important, as many SSDI people are going without their medications.  In this policy, SSDI recipients would be assigned a social worker to help them manage their medications, money, etc. I feel that this is especially important because there are many people who receive SSDI that are homeless.  This policy would help to ensure the mental health of these people.  Many people who are currently receiving SSDI are doing so because of mental health reasons.  

Through this policy, I believe that homelessness will decrease.  It is essential for these people to be taken care of.  They have been diagnosed by a doctor in order to receive SSDI, but are not closely monitored to make sure that they are staying current with doctor visits and medications.   

labeling theory, an anecdote and reaction

In a couple classes we talked about labeling and how people might conform to expectations or roles.  This is relevant in issues of crime and deviance, and also in the process of illness and mental illness. Here is a student’s reflection on her own family’s experience with labeling, and my comments follow the anecdote in this purple font.

For the second reaction paper, I’m going to write about the labeling theory.  When we talked about this in class, I was very interested and wanted to know more.  I have always thought that my brother was a product of labeling.  He was always labeled as a problem child.  

Growing up, my brother was always overweight.  My father constantly made references to his weight problem.  My parents would chastise him for eating too much at dinner and would compare him to me.  I tended to be very small and I know it bothered him that he wasn’t thinner.  Not only did he have a weight problem, but he also had problems in school.  This led to yet another comparison between him and I because I always excelled in academics.

In school, my brother was always labeled as the slacker who ran with the wrong crowd.  He never received good grades and felt that his teachers labeled him as someone who was never going to amount to anything.  He claimed that his teachers knew about him before he was even their student.  Because he felt this way, my parents took him out of Mt. Zion schools and paid out of area tuition to send him to Macon schools.

While attending Macon, my brother once again felt that his teachers singled him out and didn’t like him.  He never felt that his grades were the ones that he deserved but rather, punishments for his teachers’ dislike.  He was frequently absent and our parents stated that he was just not trying hard enough.  They got into many fights over his lack of achievement which later led to him transferring to yet another school.  He attended this school, but was kicked out for lack of attendance.  Eventually, he received his GED on his first try without classes.

My brother got into drugs heavily and we later found out that it started when he was 13.  My parents struggled to help him overcome his addiction and often wondered where they went wrong with their parenting.  In fact, they bickered so much about him and his well-being that they eventually divorced.

I firmly believe that my brother became his label.  Growing up, my parents made constant references to his weight.  This did not encourage him to lose weight, but actually discouraged him.  To this day, he remains overweight.  He was also labeled a problem child early on.  These labels became a stigma to him.  He never felt like he was smart enough, thin enough, or good enough.

My brother and I are very different people.  I would argue that I am also a product of labeling.  I am several years younger than my brother.  I saw the problems that labeling caused my brother, so I became everything opposite.  I never had a weight problem, always excelled at school, and chose not to do drugs.  I didn’t want my parents to be disappointed in me the way they were with my brother.

As a social worker, I believe that it is our duty to help end this cycle.  We need to teach our youth self-confidence. It should also be taught that it is okay to make mistakes.  We need not dwell on them, but find a way to make sure that we learn from them.  High expectations from parents are a fact of life.  However, there is a point when they are not expectations, but stigmas placed on them.

Your personal story brings to mind a few critical ideas I want to comment upon.

First, if we see something bad going on, it’s important to describe it as a specific situation in a specific context, and help people see how the situation or context was involved with the problem behavior or failure. For example, a parent might say, “You ate a tremendous amount of food today, you must have been feeling really hungry today. I’ll try to serve you less food tomorrow so you won’t overeat, do you think that would help you?” This would be better than saying, “You always overeat, and you’re getting fat. A fat person like you shouldn’t eat so much.”  In the first example, the parent is commenting on the overeating as a specific one-time event, and is also suggesting a solution, and is offering to be part of the solution (by serving less food).  The parent is also asking the child to be engaged in the change in behavior by asking, “do you think that would help you?”  It might be even better to just ask an open-ended question to let the child say something about their eating behavior on that specific day and what might help change behaviors at future meals.

Second, your story reminds me of the importance of holding high expectations of everyone while at the same time having a realistic understanding that people won’t reach your expectations. If teachers have low expectations and assume the worst of their students, the students will be “allowed” by the teacher’s expectations to perform at the level the teacher had signaled them to perform to. If a teacher holds all students to high expectations, students will attempt to achieve those higher expectations. Yet, when holding high expectations, I think it’s important to allow failure, and let students know that high expectations must be coupled with patience, support, and a high tolerance for people not achieving the highest marks. When we have high expectations and show too much disappointment or displeasure when people can’t achieve what we asked of them, then we will tend to encourage frustration and discouragement. The correct way to apply high expectations is to keep up an optimistic and accepting attitude.  “Oh well, you didn’t quite reach the mark this time, but you came pretty far toward it and you tried hard. Let’s see what you can do next time, and what I can do to help you get closer to the mark we’re striving to reach. I’m confident you’ll eventually get it.” 

When we’re disappointed with ourselves, or with our spouse or a child, we can communicate our disappointment, but we need to make the feeling related to a specific instance of behavior, and not raise issues of a person “always” doing something we don’t like, or “being” the wrong type of person. In the present instant of time we can’t do something about a problem that is “always” going on, can we?  We can only modify what we are doing in the present instant.  And, it’s hardly fair to blame us for being wrong. We can only control what we do, not what we are.

Student believes global warming is a hoax.

This is an example of a lengthy opinion article written by a student.  It has something to do with social welfare policies if you read through toward the end. I commented in purple font in some places. 

    Global warming is a theory - not fact.  It is not even well-substantiated when you consider the research errors that form the weak foundation of this theory that warming of the earth is caused by man. The charts showing the history of climates have been proven false by scientists.  A few key points were omitted such as a thousand years ago the warming period followed by the small ice age.  Another misinformation is that the warmest year on the planet was 1998.  While that sounds ominous, the truth is that the warmest year in history was 1934.    Doesn't sound so scary now, does it?  If the warmest year was 1934 then the planet is not heating up - in fact, it has cooled.  

These are some important claims to make if you are arguing against global warming, but it would be helpful to offer citations or references to support the claims. Also, there is a logical flaw in the claim that if the hottest year on record was 1934 there is not presently a warming trend.  A “trend” would depend upon on more than a single year’s temperature. So the 1998 or 1934 dates aren’t convincing unless they are shown to be part of a trend involving multiple years.  There is also a logical flaw with the proposition that since in the past there have been warming periods followed by rapid cooling, the current warming trend is not in fact a warming trend.  The two facts aren’t really connected. Warming and cooling trends are part of the planet’s climate history. Warming and cooling trends always follow each other, or else our planet would keep warming or cooling until it became a Venus-like furnace or a frigid ice ball.

     So how can scientists be so wrong?  Global warming is a controversial topic.  Billions of dollars and political agenda hang in the balance if this is not true.  Let's rephrase that - now we are looking at trillions of dollars with "green" everything from cars to soap.  Scientists on both sides of the issue weigh in.  For every article written by a scientist propagating the theory of global warming, there is an article by a scientist with facts disproving it.  In the 1970s scientists said that we were headed for an ice age. If you take 

the time to research it, the information is easily accessed on the internet.  The scare was that falling temperatures could lead to another ice age and that snow would advance all the way to the equator.  That obviously didn't happen either.  Scientists need to receive grants for research.  So now if the grant for millions of dollars is to promote global warming then that is the push. The fact is that the earth has heating and cooling trends.  The hype and hysteria that the planet is going to burn up because of global warming is to push policies through more quickly.       

It is not factually accurate to say that for every article published to provide evidence supporting a claim that we are now in a period of global warming there is an article with counter-evidence against that claim. Counts of published articles show that there is no quantitative approximation. You have made another factual error (mischaracterization) when you write that in the 1970s scientists claimed that we were in a cooling trend headed toward an ice age (although given the historical oscillation between thaws and ice ages, it is probably correct that we always assumed, and still assume, that an ice age will reoccur someday in the future.) In fact, researchers have gone back over articles published in the 1960s and 1970s and found no significant trend in articles claiming trends toward cooling among scientific articles.  Please see http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/10/killing-the-myth-of-the-1970s-global-cooling-scientific-consensus/ 

You also claim that climate science is driven by an economic agenda of selling policies and products that will reduce the human contribution to increasing concentrations of greenhouse gasses. Could you support this claim with any evidence?  As a scientist involved in the community of peer-reviewed scientific publishing and grant proposal writing I find a plausible half-truth in your claim. Yes, if referees and grant proposal reviewers  are convinced of global warming, they will be biased against research that counters that consensus. But scientists who do climate research are not typically motivated by hope of making financial gains in the shift to an economy that produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions. 

     In a recent poll by Habitat Heroes, "one out of three children aged 6 to 11 fears that the earth will not exist when they grow up.  More than half - 56 percent - worry that the planet will be a blasted heath, or at least a very unpleasant place to live.  On this survey of 500 American preteens - 250 males and 250 females - minority kids have it worst; 75 percent of black children and 65 percent of Hispanic children believe that the planet will be irrevocably damaged by the time they reach adulthood."  What are we doing to our children?  They are vexing over the state of the planet, obsessing over recycling and conserving water and electricity.  They fear that animals such as polar bears and penguins will become extinct.  The poll states that girls worry more than boys.  Children as young as 6 to 8 years old worry that the earth will not be a good place to live when they are adults.  Is that giving our children hope?  Children don't come from the womb worried about the planet.  They are taught this erroneous theory in their schools, and their parents are bombarded with the propaganda on television news and programs, newspapers and magazines.  

Sometimes it is important to face facts and deal with truth so that problems can be solved.  Positive illusions and unrealistic hope can be toxic if they make a society ignore real problems that loom in the future. 

     The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research published a report on April 18, 2009 in Sydney, Australia.  The report noted that the South Pole had shown significant cooling in recent decades.  Dr. Allison, a scientist quoted in the report, states that "ice is actually expanding in a large portion of the continent.  Ice core drilling by the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Co-Operative Research Centre shows that last year, the ice had a maximum thickness of 1.89m, its densest in 10 years. The average thickness of the ice 

since the 1950s is 1.67m. A paper is soon to be published by the British Antarctic Survey in the journal Geophysical Research Letters that is expected to confirm that over the past 30 years, the area of sea ice around the continent has expanded."  So what about these photo ops of polar bears floating on melting icebergs?  Once again, it is political.  If the polar bear can be listed as an endangered species we cannot drill for oil. 

As to the cooling trends, please examine the graphics of the data for yourself.  They are available at http://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/. It is not political.  The scientists who study polar bears are motivated by the scientific quest for accurate information. My sister (a biologist) works with some of these scientists  at the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York, and I can assure you that she and her colleagues are not motivated in their scientific work by political desires to achieve some sort of alternative energy regime or political success for particular ideologies.  At academic and research conferences she attends the scientists are presenting peer-reviewed studies showing significant threats to polar bear populations.  There is a real possibility that polar bears face an imminent population crash as sea ice melts earlier or forms further from land. 

     Dr. Steven Hayward, a scientist with Pacific Research Institute, states in his documentary that the earth is warming, but his explanation exposes the fallacy of the global warming theory, and there will be no catastrophe.  The computer tables are only estimated calculations, not scientific.  This is a new phenomenon to be researched and to declare global warming as fact and "Case closed" is premature.  Did your daddy ever tell you about hastily buying a car without checking under the hood?  We know what we think of a salesman who says, "I looked under the hood for you.  It's all good.  Trust me.  Hurry, just sign here."  The theory of global warming is being shoved at us riddled with gaps and I'm not buying it.

     Let's look logically at the perpetrator of global warming - Al Gore - and we will see many inconsistencies between his theory and how he lives his life.  Jetting around the world pushing his theory of global warming so he has a legacy, he had to cancel several speeches because of the weather - not that it was too hot and everyone would be burning up as he spoke about global warming - no, he had to cancel because of record-breaking freezing temperatures. How do you give a speech on global warming when the city is having close to the coldest weather in history?  This happened in Boston on October 22, 2008.  The temperature in the Boston area was a low of 31 degrees.  The record low 

temperature in 1883 was 28 degrees - almost 125-year record-breaking low temperatures.  And it's happening all over the world.  Gore spoke in Italy during "rare" cold and snow.  In November 2006, Gore flew to Australia. Cold and snow came with him, despite that the country was nearing its summer months. The British House of Commons held a marathon debate on global warming during London's first October snowfall since 1922.  Bicyclists raising awareness of global warming had to bike through ice and snow in New York October 22, 2008. And the list goes on of global warming rallies in the snow.    

     We will see the language change from global warming to climate changes.  As more data is substantiated, global warming is being revealed as the hoax it is.  But who can deny that the theory has been lucrative for Al Gore?  He's made millions off his movie An Inconvenient Truth, his lectures, his books, and his self-propagated legacy.  

     The politicians have their motives for pushing global warming.  We will see more and more American factories closing and unemployment rise because this administration has a political agenda.  During his campaign Barack Obama said we are 5% of the world's population and consume 25% of the world's energy, and he is going to do something about it.  Well, he is.

     Al Gore and Barack Obama have double standards.  We the peons are to recycle, ride our bikes, turn our thermostats down in winter and up in summer.  We are to conserve fuel. It's obvious they don't believe in the theory of global warming any more than I do.  If they believed it their lifestyles would change.  The Tennessee Center for Policy Research on June 17, 2008 revealed that "In the past year, Gore’s home burned through 213,210 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity, enough to power 232 average American households for a month." After his extreme energy misuse was made public, he began renovations to go "green" with solar panels, geothermal installation, more efficient light bulbs, and he now consumes 10% more energy than before the renovations, according to public records at the Nashville Electric Service.

 

     During a campaign event in Oregon in May, Barack Obama said we have to "lead by example." He said, "We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all time." During the extremely cold winter of 2008-2009 where ice storms cut power to millions in the country, Obama's Oval Office thermostat was set so high his own Chief of Staff, David Axelrod, told the New York Times, "You could grow orchids in there."  But I guess it doesn't matter to him since the American taxpayers pay his heating bill.

     Business that could more easily be done at the White House he is jetting all over the country and the world, still campaigning.  He flew to the White House a pizza maker from St. Louis he had met on the campaign trail to make pizza for 140 during the Somali pirate hostage incident.  That's round trip, 860 miles each way.  Mark Knoller, a CBS White House correspondent, reported that on Earth Day Barack Obama flew to and from Iowa using 9600 gallons of fuel, two flights on Air Force One and four on Marine One, not counting the presidential vehicles that drove him - all this to make a speech in front of a wind turbine calling for a “new era of energy exploration in America.” (AP, April 22, 2009). His carbon footprint is all over the globe.  Instead of getting our own oil we are subservient to Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.  Scaring everyone with the global warming theory, environmentalists have blocked us from drilling for our own oil.  Nancy Pelosi and others who have invested financially in T. Boone Pickens' wind farms have an interest in seeing prices of oil go up so that Americans will be more open to other sources of energy - like wind.  Thus the jetting of Barack Obama for a photo op in front of a wind turbine on Earth Day. 

     I am pragmatic and want to know the truth. We need to take care of the planet, but the truth is this planet was here long before any of us and will be here long after we are gone.  One-third of American children are afraid the earth will not be here when they grow up, so in their naivete they will do whatever they are told to do to preserve the earth.  Scaring children into thinking there is not a bright future for the sake of promoting a political agenda is unconscionable.

Student wants fewer Americans incarcerated.

This is a student-written editorial, and I'm sharing it on the blog without my comments.

I am writing about our prison system and the need for reform.   

Senator Jim Webb from Virginia is on a crusade to do just that.  He cites that the United States, with only 5% of the world's population, is housing 25% of the world's reported criminals.  The numbers of people incarcerated for drug related crimes have soared 1200% since 1980 when Ronald Reagan declared a war on drugs.  However, a significant number of people incarcerated for drug offenses have no history of violence or high-level drug activity.  He also goes on to state that there are four times as many mentally ill people are in prisons than in mental health hospitals.  Our prisons are overcrowded, but not with the people that should be in our penal system.  

The United States spends about 68 billion dollars a year on corrections. It would be prudent for us to consider whether that money could be better spent on treatment for substance abuse and mental illness.   Certainly the correctional facilities are not equipped to address the needs of those addicted to drugs and/or alcohol or those suffering with mental illness.  We need to move these people out of the prisons and provide them with services that would allow them the opportunity to become productive members of society.  

There was a time when we addressed substance abuse as a health issue. Now we decided these people are criminals and that they should be punished for "breaking the rules".  Then what? They are released after serving their sentence and return to society with the same issues that landed them in the penal system in the first place.    How is it that a person suffering with mental illness can find rehabilitation in the confines of a prison?  While none of us approve of those that break the rules of society, our energy and resources would be better directed at reducing the number of people incarcerated for minor substance abuse violations and non-violent crimes in order to make room for the people that we built prisons for, those that we need protection from.

Student asks for legal benefits and recognition of same-sex marriage.

This is a student-written editorial, and my comments follow it in this purple font face.

According to Dayna K. Shah, there are 1,138 benefits, rights, and protections provided on the basis of marital status in federal law.  Since the United States government doesn’t allow lesbian and gay couples to marry, lesbian and gay couples are excluded from the benefits and advantages provided by these laws.  Recent data shows that at least 1 million children are being raised by same-sex couples in the United States.  These children are being disadvantaged because their parents don’t qualify for the same tax benefits as heterosexual couples.

First of all, eligibility for the earned income tax credit (EITC) is based in part upon the number of “qualifying” children in the taxpayer’s household.  The definition of qualifying child under this provision includes only a child who is the taxpayer’s (a) biological child or descendent; (b) stepchild of the taxpayer; or (c) adopted child.  Certain children of lesbian and gay couples are disadvantaged by this provision. For example, a gay or lesbian couple are jointly raising one partner’s biological child. The taxpayer works full-time and the child’s legal parent stays home to care for the child. The state in which the taxpayer resides does not permit them to adopt through second-parent adoption or to marry the partner and become the child’s step-parent. This working family is therefore ineligible for an adjustment of the EITC, and therefore has decreased the resources to devote to the child’s care.  The EITC covers single parents with children, but since with this couple the biological parent isn’t earning the household income, she can’t get any EITC.

Secondly, heads of household are eligible for an increased standard deduction that, among other things, provides taxpayers with increased funds to care for their dependents.  The “limitations” section of this provision explicitly denies the benefit of head-of-household status to taxpayers supporting non-biological, non-adopted children. Therefore, a gay or lesbian taxpayer who supports his or her partner’s child (and who is ineligible to adopt the child) has fewer post-tax dollars to support the child. This same exclusion also denies help to kin or close family friends who have informally adopted children by caring for them without any specific legal arrangement while the biological parents are absent or incapable. 

Lastly, taxpayers meeting income eligibility requirements are entitled to a child tax credit for qualifying children in their households. This provision limits the child tax credit to children who meet the relationship test set fourth in the earned income tax provisions. As set forth above, this does not include children of a taxpayer’s domestic partner if the children are not related to the taxpayer biologically or through adoption.

All three of these inequities have the effect of penalizing families who choose to have one parent in the work force and the other caring for the children full-time.  In addition, they disadvantage such couples and their children by limiting the choice of which parent will be a full-time caregiver.  Although similarly situated married couples may choose which parent will fulfill that role without consequence, lesbian and gay couples, as well as other unmarried couples, face negative tax consequences for the same decision.

My comments:

I’m all for continuing to restrict benefits to parents who are in some way officially “married” (in the sense that they have a legal commitment to each other).  The public have an interest in encouraging couples to enter into legal agreements of mutual support, as this reduces their dependence on public support and replaces public obligations with private mutual care.  But this editorial makes a good case that same-sex couples deserve the same incentives to establish long-term legal relationships, or at least receive the same benefits that different-sex couples enjoy. I notice that opposition to the "gay lifestyle" is usually mixed in with perceptions that persons in homosexual relationships tend to have more  difficulty sustaining long-term committed relationships. Until same-sex couples are allowed to aspire to marriage and try marriage, it's difficult to know if this perception has any basis in fact.  Even such heterosexual biases against homosexual couples have any grounding in statistical facts, this would still be a weak reason for denying people the same benefits and legal protections that heterosexual couples enjoy. Equal protection under the law and no establishment of a state religion, you know.

Student supports CHIPRA

This is a student's editorial, and I'm providing it here without my comments.

Recently the CHIPRA became law again.  CHIPRA is the children’s health insurance protection reauthorization act.  This act gives insurance to many children.  The child’s parents can make up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level.  Many say that this is a waste of tax dollars.  Also, some believe that since we are in a financial bind we should not be supporting more expenses.  The bill has a twist; this program will be funded by a $0.62 cent federal tax on tobacco.  This is a great idea; I’m sure that if you asked citizens whether they would be willing to pay 62 cents more on anything so long as it helped give more children medical benefits most would be more than willing.  The health of our children should be our top priority.  

This policy according to Families USA’s webpage will give 4 million more children health insurance.  That means that there will be 4 million more children with the resources to obtain medicine when they are sick.  This in turn means they will be less likely to spread their illness to other children.  

This bill will also provide them with dental and mental health insurance.  Now legal immigrant children and pregnant women will no longer have to wait on a list to receive this coverage.  Also, this will reduce individual medical bills that before may not have been paid.  This will relieve some stress off the parents, and they will no longer have to choose between buying groceries that week and taking their child to the doctor.  For an extra 62 cents I think this policy is definitely worth it. If you would like to learn more about this policy visit the Families USA website at http://www.familiesusa.org/.

Student supports child advocacy plan

This is a student's editorial, and I'm offering it here without my comments.

I would like to argue for Barack Obama's child advocacy plan, and in particular I’m writing to support the aspects of this plan that are related to health. It is astonishing to me that politicians could have such a sensible and useful plan. It was my impression that politicians usually just kissed babies or shook hands with children, and did very little else to help them, since babies and children don’t vote. And yet, here is this child advocacy plan, and it is in the best interest of children throughout America. 

Barack Obama and Joe Biden are devoted promoters for children advocacy. At the www.barackobama.com website you can read: 

"They will make sure that every child has health insurance, expand educational opportunities for low-income children, extend resources for low-income families, support and supplement our struggling foster care system, and protect children from violence and neglect." 

The health part of their plan is awe-inspiring. It is my favorite part of the plan because children are my passion and providing decent healthcare for children is a very imperative cause. Obama and Biden make it a goal to protect every child with health insurance and health care. At the www.barackobama.com website we are reminded that, "as a state senator, Obama sponsored and helped pass legislation that expands Illinois’ KidCare program, which provided coverage to 150,000 parents and their children."  The president and vice president are asking Congress to enlarge Medicaid and SCHIP benefits to more children. 

I think that it is extraordinary that Obama and Biden are in favor of supporting healthy lifestyles. This is something that we really need in our society today; fast food restaurants are on every corner in America, and this is not good in a society that is obese. Their website explains:

 "nearly one-third of Americans live in neighborhoods without sidewalks, and less than half of our country’s children have a playground within walking distance of their homes. This lack of a safe place to walk and play is a major contributor to the growing numbers of overweight children." 

Obama makes a great point here, and I believe that if he carries out all of the expectations shown in his health part of the child advocacy plan, America's children will be by far more healthy, which will lead to healthier generations to come.

Student editorial on mental illness in corrections.

A student wrote this editorial on the topic of mental illness and prisons.  I'm sharing it here without comments:

I recently caught the last half hour of a documentary on PBS (The Released, by Karen O’Connor and Miri Navasky), which followed mentally ill prison inmates after they were released back into the community. The program caught my interest especially because of our recent class discussions about Criminal Justice and Mental Health in relation to Social Work. We learned the most common institutionalized settings in which mentally ill individuals live are jails and prisons. According to NAMI, at least 16 percent of the prison population can be classified as severely mentally ill. The particular program I watched examined the high rates of recidivism among mentally ill offenders.

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 81 percent of mentally ill inmates currently in state prison have prior convictions. Sixty percent of released prisoners are likely to be rearrested within 18 months, but mentally ill offenders are likely to be rearrested at even higher rates. The program I watched allowed me to realize the reasons for this are the lack of community services available to mentally ill offenders as well as the general attitude of the American public. There are individuals who don’t see this issue as a priority because they feel like mentally ill offenders are just a drain on society. Alphonse Gerhardstein, president of the Prison Reform Advocacy Center, believes we should care about what happens to these people because “As long as their heart’s beating, they have a right to life and liberty.”

It is extremely difficult for mentally ill ex-offenders to obtain public housing because most housing subsidies are only available to applicants who have federal income tax forms (the working poor). Public housing authorities and Section 8 providers are also allowed to deny housing to individuals with criminal histories. To make the situation even more troublesome, most ex-offenders who are mentally ill are released from prison with little money. Even if they do find housing, lack of support services makes it difficult for them to sustain their housing.

The Council of States Governments has created the Consensus Project in order to address the recidivism rates of mentally ill offenders. They recently (in 2002) released a report which recommends planning for post-release services from the very first day mentally ill offenders arrive in the justice system. They suggest community-based agencies need to join together to access housing funding for mentally ill offenders. The report also states treatment for substance abuse and mental illness should be integrated and individuals with mental illness should be able to access all government entitlements they are eligible for such as Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplementary Security Income. 

I think this report has valuable suggestions which community leaders need to be aware of. Especially considering our current economic situation, it is necessary for everyday citizens to weigh the costs of keep mentally ill offenders incarcerated rather than working to help them successfully re-enter the community.