Colin Powell's Comments
Colin Powell made a recent observation that he believed that Sarah Palin is a person who is one of the more polarizing figures on the political stage and exemplifies the growing polarization of and in the Republican Party. Interesting to note, in recent polling data, her approval rating across the nation is in the 30's and amongst the Republican base is in the 70's.
Closer to home, many readers may have missed a comment contributed by Rev. Manzo early last week when we considered the top stories of 2008.
The biggest local story is a story that is being played out elsewhere as well. In this past year the poverty level in downtown has grown exponentially. If our Soup Kitchen is a barometer we have pretty much
doubled the number of people we serve each week. There are also significantly more children at this. This is the untold story of our fair city, I'm afraid.
Has anyone noticed that people like my uncouncilman, Steve Price, are perpetually willing to exploit poverty as the reason why nothing should be done to help expand the economic pie, while finding no justification for providing assistance (i.e., Haven House funding) to those stricken by poverty, and completing the trifecta, remaining utterly bereft of any plan or strategy to address the situation in such a manner that might suggest a modicum of comprehension?
I thought Republicans were the ones attributing poverty to the inadequacies of the poor. Perhaps my councilman should consider switching parties.
The plight of the increasing need for assistance in our esteemed community is not to be taken lightly.
ReplyDeleteWe are adding as many as 12 to 20 new patients at the clinic every week, where that would be the norm for a month or more.
I salute Mr. Manzo for the good he and his church are doing for the local community and hope we can "join forces" with the Family health Center of Floyd County to ensure that after food and clothing, we can partner to bring health care to anyone who needs it should Mr. Manzo become aware of such circumstances.
Steve Price's presence on the council is a poverty.
ReplyDeleteIf things are as bad for him as he claims, why doesn't he just get a job?
According to him, he's living off his council salary. Given his level of engagement in the community and his meeting proclivities, that makes him New Albany's only professional doodler.
Doodler, diddler ...something about the "damage done."
ReplyDelete(twang twang twang)
Our applications at the Division of Family Resources for food stamps and Medicaid have gone way up over the last couple of months, to the point of having up to 30 new appoinments in the office every single day and expedite food stamp appointments pushed out for nearly 2 weeks because we have nothing available. Of course, part of this is due to the privatization from Your Man Mitch. We're already working mandatory overtime every week, we're still 6 weeks behind in trying to get cases authorized AND...we were told this week that we will get no raise of any kind. Not told just one time, but 3 seperate emails from the governors office (as if they just wanted to rub it in a little).
ReplyDeletePoint of all this is...public assistance is a mess thanks to the governor's big idea of saving money, people are needlessly losing benefits left and right thanks to this new system and morale among DFR employees is at an all time low...thanks Mitch!
To make matters worse, Mitch's privatization schemes export money from Indiana's economy.
ReplyDeleteHis contract to automate unemployment payment delivery via debit cards removes at least $9 million a year from the state via merchant fees that all go to a company in Texas.
If just 20% percent of those fees were recaptured by the state in the form of income taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, etc., we'd generate more revenue than the $1.5 million he claims we're "saving" owing to his decision.
Bayernfan,
ReplyDeleteMy deepest sympathies for the loss of potential raises.
I often try to remind our clients applying for medicaid to please remain as patient as possible as the fiscal ideologies of our lovely governor has placed profit over people, and that you good folks are doing all you can with slashed resources, staffing and funding.
I listened with extreme reservations that when he announced increased budget cuts of up to 3% on top of the previously announced 7%, yet he promised to NOT take away from human services.
Here we sit reading your posting getting multiple emails stating no raises.
We have all ready starting strategic planning for cuts in grant monies this upcoming fiscal year at all of our locations!
The raises aren't a gigantic issue, we expected it in this climate and money isn't why we work in this field to begin with. It's just that this has been the hardest year I can remember working for the DFR, more and more is expected all the time (mandatory OT, etc...) and yet we're not given the tools we need to make this successful nor are we rewarded in any way for the hard work that all of our DFR employees are putting in.
ReplyDeleteThe new company, ACS, is what's killing us and keeping our clients from getting the help they need. I admit to being a cynic about quite a number of the people I see each day, but it's the elderly, disabled and the folks who are TRULY trying to save their families after being laid off that I worry about and that I get frustrated about. Unemployment claims are running 10 weeks behind last I heard. It's an unbelievable mess and yet, I just heard this past week, that a new region is going to be thrown into this catastrophe next month. The region includes Gary, East Chicago, South Bend and Lafayette. We're bringing in another 33% increase of public assistance clients, yet we can't handle the load we have now. Mitch and his administration couldn't care less. They're just happy to be saving money so people like Daniel can be happy that his taxes have stayed so low.
Mitch's motto seems to be (along with an awful lot of Republicans), in the words of "History of the World, Pt.1"..."F--- the poor!" We're so damned worried about nudie bars, we're forgetting that there are people starving in this community. An absolute travesty...
(/soapbox)
Oh, by the way, I read that the state legislature got a raise for the upcoming year. Will our local state officials be accepting that raise or will they pass it up to help out?
ReplyDelete