Alex Gonzalez

Laura Govoni

English 1302

05 December 2014

Stefan

“Experience without theory is blind, but theory without experience is mere intellectual play” (Kant). An affluent policymaker who lives a lavish jet-setter worthy lifestyle is absolutely the perfect person to decide how the unfortunate and impoverished should be helped. The unaccommodating life style high-end service and luxury-hotels provide must be unimaginably difficult. I mean come on, which steak house they decide to eat at for lunch defines harsh living. So why are these policy makers involved with poverty reform? This morning my classically trained Welsh butler Stefan served me cold crab cakes with my eggs benedict--which is why I clearly empathize with people starving in Detroit. The blind leading the blind best describes the correlation between current policy makers and those they impact. The massive disconnect between political decisions, the people that make them, and the people they impact is unfortunate. The current blueprint reformist use to fight poverty has had an insignificant impact. The ineffective approach simply increases spending year after year and the amount of spending is thirteen times greater than when aid programs were initiated in 1964. (Merriam) Far from pragmatic, the approach reformist have taken to create policies for the poor is idiotic.  Power must be given to communities; firsthand experience, those who were born into poverty, and those who refuse to remain dependent on government assistance is key. But what do I know; Stefan serves cold crab cakes for breakfast.

Works Cited

Kant, Immanuel. BrainyQuote.com. Xplore Inc, 2014. 5 December 2014. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/i/immanuel_kant.html

Merriam, Ida C. "Social Welfare Expeditures." Monthly Labor Review 89.1 (1996): 79-82. Social Security Administration. Web. 5 Dec. 2014.

Alex Gonzalez

Laura Govoni

English 1302

November 26, 2014

Poor Children Aren’t Happy

The socioeconomic status a child is born into will greatly impact his or her development. “Several ways of measuring SES have been proposed, but most include some quantification of family income, parental education, and occupational status”(Bradley). Poverty and low living standards are formidable factors that have clearly been show to negatively influence child development. While children face challenges imposed by social resources and stress-induced factors brought on by family and neighborhood, the impact poverty has on a child can clearly be seen. (Bradley) One common thread which links troubled kids is poverty. It has been established economically disadvantaged children perform poorly in school, which creates a chain-reaction that continues onto adulthood. Essentially, poor children grow up to become poor unhappy adults. Unfortunately this cycle perpetuates and as the poor child grows up to be the poor adult, the poor adult gives birth to another generation of disadvantaged children. As the trend continues many other components begin to take hold. Health, obesity, academic achievement, and the ability to rise above poverty are factors that drown poverty stricken families. (Jensen) Unfortunately when viewed through a social lens those whom fall below and are considered the lowest common denominator remain in that unfortunate position generation after generation.

Works Cited

Bradley, Robert H., and Robert F. Corwyn. "Socioeconomic Status and Child Development." Annual Review of Psychology Vol. 53.Iss. 1 (2002): Pp. 371-399. Web. 26 Nov. 2014.

Jensen, Eric. Teaching with Poverty in Mind What Being Poor Does to Kids' Brains and What Schools Can Do about It. Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2009. Print.

Alejandro Gonzalez

Laura Govoni

English 1302

November 21, 2014

Poor Parent

As the level of poverty rises in the United States many columnist and reporters are quick to point to unemployment rates and low wages. Much has been done in the form of government programs to help the less fortunate. Child health care, adult health care, supplemental food assistance, and housing programs were created as temporary fixes. Unfortunately, these quick fixes haven’t helped and I ask, why are we still struggling with poverty? I feel a majority of the issue lies with single mothers being left to fend for themselves while raising a child. Instead of addressing individual needs of the less fortunate, I believe the solution for poverty lies elsewhere and can substantially be changed overtime.

The correlation between poverty and divorce hasn’t been determined. As single-parent households continue to rise, the rate of poverty continues to follow suite. “Between 1967 and 1984, the proportion of single-parent families increased from 10 to 21 percent”(Health). This sharp increase in family structure also gave rise to a significant difference in poverty level. A significant shift in the poverty level was reported in 1973, a few short years after the rise in single-parent households.  “Changes of family structure are by far the major cause of initial spells of poverty among female-headed household.” Over time 99 percent of white female households studied and 97 percent of black female households continued with spells of poverty over time”(Health).

While mothers tend to the needs of their children they must take care of themselves but also their household. Economic stress and deprivation are bound to happen as the financial strains burden single mothers. The variable I have failed to mention is the father. I feel reform must be put in place other than child support and alimony. Many times the equation for determining such expense is outdated and fluctuates radically as the child gets older. I also feel divorce laws should be substantially changed.

Your initial impression when you hear the word family is the thought of man, woman, and child. Unfortunately, the landscape that best defines family within modern culture is mother and child. Government aid was created to help but unfortunately the problem with poverty persists. While we point at low wages and unemployment, state government is clearly helping in all the wrong ways.

Works Cited

Health, Julia A. "Determinants of Spells of Poverty Following Divorce." Review of Social Economy Vol. 50.Iss. 3 (2006): Pp. 305-315. Taylor & Francis Online. Routeledge Taylor and Francis Group. Web. 20 Nov. 2014. <http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/758537075?journalCode=rrse20#.VG_tEYdbu2y

Alejandro Gonzalez
  
Laura Govoni

English 1302

November 14, 2014

School For The Poor

          The correlation between education and poverty has statistically been proven. “Family income is now a better predictor of children’s success in school than race” (Reardon). As the United States faces a growing dropout epidemic. Dropouts face a bleak life when compared to peers whom have graduated. Less job opportunity, lower paying jobs, and suffer a variety of adverse health outcomes (Rumberger). Dropout rates of 16 to 24-years-old students who come from low income families are seven times more likely to drop out than those from families with higher incomes. (“11 Facts About Education”).  High-income families are increasingly focusing their resources — their money, time and knowledge of what it takes to be successful in school. “The economists Richard Murnane and Greg Duncan report that from 1972 to 2006 high-income families increased the amount they spent on enrichment activities for their children by 150 percent”(Reardon).  The poor also tend to engage in crime related activities that trickles down to taxpayers paying the bottom line.

Unfortunately, the United States seems to be one of the few powerful nations to be suffering from this discrepancy. While Korea, Russia, Vietnam, and Finland rank better in Math and Science, their levels of poverty are far worse than the United States (Chappell). As the global economy progresses and the United States falls farther and farther behind in school what are we to do? Who can we blame? What is the solution?

Works Cited

Reardon, Sean. “No Rich Child Left Behind.” NYTimes . 27 Apr. 2013. Web. 15 Nov. 2014. 

"11 Facts About Education and Poverty in America." DoSomething.org. Web. 7 Nov. 2014.

Rumberger, Russell. "SES Indicator: May 2013." Http://www.apa.org. 7 Nov 2014. Web. 7

Chappell, Bill. "U.S. Students Slide In Global Ranking On Math, Reading, Science." NPR. NPR, 3 Dec. 2013. Web. 7 Nov. 2014.

Alejandro Gonzalez

Laura Govoni

English 1302

October 31, 2014

Money Buys Happiness

How fair is the Sixth Amendment when it comes to court appointed attorneys? The Sixth Amendment states “in all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense (U.S. Constitution).”

Gideon v. Wainwright set the precedent and established that any person who is accused of a crime will be provided legal counsel if they cannot provide their own. Many of the ill-fated accused are unable to acquire the available resources to hire a private attorney. Although the state or county provides legal counsel you are at an unfortunate disadvantage. A majority of the time a court appointed attorney takes on dozens of cases weekly, is fresh out of law school, and is severely underpaid. In retrospect, compare the potential advantages of being defended by a private attorney with endless resources. Not quiet fare after all; a fair comparison would be a fully grown man competing against a prepubescent child.

It is said money does not buy happiness, but it does buy freedom. Many people would be much happier in the comfort of their own home instead of reenacting scenes from Orange Is the New Black.

Works Cited

“U.S. Constitution: Sixth Amendment.” law.cornell.edu.30 October 2014.

<http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/sixth_amendment.>