Critical Look At Poverty In U.S.A.

Because of the leftist bias of most newspapers and TV news programs. I tend to get my news from various sites on the Internet. I use domestic as well as foreign sites to gather knowledge of what is happening today.

This has been a reliable source of balanced reporting for me, but today when I logged on, the MSN home page featured an article that caught my eyes.

The article is about 41 million people in the United States not having the basic necessities of life.The article is the product of Professor Donna Haig Friedman and others who are feminist activists that teach at The University of Mass.in Boston, and are leaders of the Center For Social Policy.

In their report they stated that 41 million persons could not afford the basic necessities of shelter and medical care.

Yet in a June 2005 report, she and her collaborators reported that in homeless people they studied for their report. The number one medical problem for 78% of those interviewed was substance abuse!!

To give you an inkling of this professors political sympaties I offer the following quote from her report on the recruitment of PHD candidates at UMass.

"Again this year, we were contacted by the Open Society Institute about a program that is funded by the Soros Foundation Network and USAID that brings Palestinian doctoral students to a limited number of American universities. Although this year’s candidates were better matched to a program in public administration rather than public policy, we are definitely interested in future collaboration".

This gives us a slight inkling what their political positions are. Could it be Socialism?

Before I list some statistics that were released by the Census Bureau. I have to point out that their article says nothing about the impact on poverty by the illegal aliens in this Country. If these women want to write about poverty they could look to the Sudan, Bangladesh or some parts of Communist China!

Homeland Security's Office of Immigration Studies released a report August 31 that estimates the number of illegal aliens residing in the U.S. is between 8 and 12 million. But the group Californians for Population Stabilization, or CAPS, has unveiled a report estimating the illegal population is actually between 20 and 38 million.
Four experts, all of whom contributed to the study prepared by CAPS, discussed their findings at a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington Wednesday. James Walsh, a former associate general counsel of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, said he is "appalled" that the Bush administration, lawyers on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and every Democratic presidential candidate, with the exception of Joe Biden, have no problem with sanctuary cities for illegal aliens.

As our nation prepares to ring in the new year, the U.S. Census Bureau today projected the Jan. 1, 2008, population will be 303,146,284 -- up 2,842,103 or 0.9 percent from New Year’s Day 2007.
In January, the United States is expected to register one birth every eight seconds and one death every 11 seconds.
Meanwhile, net international migration is expected to add one person every 30 seconds. The result is an increase in the total U.S. population of one person every 13 seconds.

There is no disputing that there is poverty in the United States, but overstating the problem in the middle of an election campaign is demagogic and the connection of professor Friedman's UMass. doctorate program indicates where her motivation comes from.

Much of her article concentrates on the plight of the children, but how many children live without at least one parent? If the Census Bureau statistics are true, perhaps the reason children don't have adequate health care is the parents confusion between NEEDs and WANTs!

The census Bureau released the following data in 2003:

Of those considered below the poverty line($20,650 for a family of four), 97% had color TV, 46% owned their own houses,73% owned microwave ovens, 76% lived in air conditioned dwellings, 75% own cars and 30% own two cars.

The average living space for a family of four, below the poverty line, in the United States is larger than the average non-poor person living in Athens, London, Vienna and Paris.

The Census Bureau also reported Tuesday that 36.5 million Americans, or 12.3 percent — were living in poverty last year. That’s down from 12.6 percent in 2005.
The median household income for all families was $48,200, a slight increase from the previous year. But the number of people without health insurance also increased, to 47 million..

If we believe the figures quoted by Profesor Friedman, then only six million people above the poverty line are without health coverage. Not bad for a Country with 20-30 million illegals and a total population over 300 million. But then negative reports always seem to be the Lefts long suit.

Sports At All Levels Deny Free Speech

Bobby Knight was reprimanded by the big 12 Conference for derogatory remarks he made about the officials after a game. What he said follows and does not seem to be deogatory, What he said was his opinion:

"I thought it was a horrendous call," Knight said after the game.
Knight's comment violated the Big 12's sportsmanship code, which prohibits public comments about officiating, the conference said in a statement.

This is as good an illustration of the Gag rule that appears to exist in College and especially in professional football. A rule against anyone involved in the playing of games, from the players and coaches to the television announcers, not to make any negative comments about the officiating or any official in particular.

Bill Carollo, an NFL official for 29 years, who officiated two Super Bowls, had this to say about officials. "We make three or four mistakes a game. Most aren't known to the public. Just like the players, everyone is human, and no one's perfect. We're graded on every single play of every single game. The players get better, and the coaching schemes get better. You're scrutinized more because of the media. You can't ever get too comfortable. We have one-year contracts. You make one bad call, you could be out."

If that is true, then why are players and coaches fined and suspended from games for criticizing officials calls during crucial moments in the games?

During the Ravens and patriots game an official allegedly insulted a player repeatedly.Raven's player, Rolle's accused head linesman Phil McKinnely of repeatedly calling him "boy" at one point in the game. This provoked a semi-violent response from the player toward the referee

McAlister had more critical words about the referees and singled out a late holding call on rookie safety Jaimaine Winborne.
"It's hard to go out there and play the Patriots and the refs at the same time," McAlister said. "They put the crown on top of them, they want them to win. They won."

The NFL reacted severely, and four Ravens players were fined for violating league rules prohibiting the "abuse" of game officials. Speaking your mind is now equated as abuse!
Linebacker Bart Scott was fined $25,000 for verbally abusing game officials and throwing an officials flag into the stands during Monday night's game against New England.
Cornerbacks Samari Rolle and Chris McAlister and wide receiver Derrick Mason were fined $15,000 each for publicly questioning the integrity of the officiating in the game.
"This is about the importance of sportsmanship and respecting the integrity of our game," Ray Anderson, the NFL's executive vice president of football operations, said in a statement. "We do not tolerate inappropriate conduct between teams and game officials. This includes reminding game officials that they are to conduct themselves at all times as professionals in their dealings with players, coaches, and other club personnel."

Or is it more about preventing anything that would question the integrity of the biggest "Cash Cow" in professional sports? In a Country where free speech is being reduced daily by PC and diversity rules and decisions. You would think a violent sport like football could stand some criticism of all those involved in the game. Including the officials!

From Folly To Corruption

In 1924 the World had just experienced the killing of tens of millions of men that resulted from the assassination of the Arch Duke of Austria. One gun man killed the Arch-duke. No nations invaded another, but things escalated to the point where in two battles, Verdun and Somme, during six weeks of battle the Allies lost 350,000 men!

During the course of World War One, eleven percent (11%) of France's entire population were killed or wounded! Eight percent (8%) of Great Britain's population were killed or wounded, and nine percent (9%) of Germany's pre-war population were killed or wounded! The United States, which did not enter the land war in strength until 1918, suffered one-third of one percent (0.37%) of its population killed or wounded.

Because of this carnage the victorious Nations decide to form the League Of Nations in hopes of ending war for all our times.

The League Charter had 26 Articles of which I will quote only the preamble and the last, to illustrate where we have come since 1924.

"THE HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES, In order to promote international co-operation and to achieve international peace and security by the acceptance of obligations not to resort to war, by the prescription of open, just and honourable relations between nations, by the firm establishment of the understandings of international law as the actual rule of conduct among Governments, and by the maintenance of justice and a scrupulous respect for all treaty obligations in the dealings of organised peoples with one another, Agree to this Covenant of the League of Nations".

ARTICLE 26. "Amendments to this Covenant will take effect when ratified by the Members of the League whose Representatives compose the Council and by a majority of the Members of the League whose Representatives compose the Assembly. No such amendments shall bind any Member of the League which signifies its dissent therefrom, but in that case it shall cease to be a Member of the League".

History shows that this grand attempt to establish World Peace failed miserably. The Sino-Japanese War raged from 1937 to 1945, and then the World experienced the killing of an estimated 60 million soldiers, airmen, naval, marines and civilians during World War II(1939-45). It has been estimated that close to 30 million military personal lost their lives in WWII!

Then the victorious Nations got the grand idea that they could prevent war by forming the United Nations. So, in 1945 in the City of San Francisco, they gathered and began the United Nations. The Charter is quoted below, and it like the League of Nations has also failed in it's stated purpose--prevent War!

Since June 26, 1945, when the UN Charter was drawn up and implemented in October of the same year, there have been many wars. Some were euphemistically called "peace keeping" missions, for political reasons, like Korea, but there were hot wars in Vietnam, Bosnia, Nicaragua, Angola, Darfur, The Sudan and the Greek Civil war to name but a few that the UN did not prevent or help to win.

In the African Continent waring tribes of Muslims are killing thousands of people today, but the UN seems more preoccupied with getting a Carbon-Tax passed that will help them with, what this blogger believes has evolved into their primary function. The redistribution of wealth, and the control over the productivity and way of life of US in the United States!

I have a suggestion that would help with the national debt. Since the League of Nations was rightly located in a neutral Country, Switzerland. Lets start a movement to relocate the UN to Geneva, and when it is gone we can tear the buildings down and sell the bricks and pieces of concrete to those who bought the "pet rock" and pieces of the Berlin Wall!

We could turn the valuable land, United States property, into a money making endeavor by leasing or selling the land in "Turtle Bay" for hundreds of millions of dollars!

At least that way we would remove from our sight an organisation that was formed in 1945 with good intentions, but has evolved over the years since 1945, into an adversary of our sovereign Country. Just think of the unpaid tickets and citations that the New York police would not have to file in the "round file" on the floor!

A Christmas Commentary From A Loyal Reader

The Lord must be about ready to make a second appearance, because of the almost total denial of decency and the lack of caring for Our fellow Man, in this world.

He has passively watched from above as greed, arrogance, self love, desecration and destruction of art and places built in his honor(Churches and Synagogues) by insensitive "goons" called humans.

The elitists of the world thinking they can emulate our Dear Savior by pretending they can produce beings such as humans and other animals from nothing.

God gave man a brain and a free will to "piddle" around in his miserably short life to keep him occupied. He provided all the ingredients necessary for pompous fools to take matter already created by God, and use these God created materials to make crude replicas of animals,man,etc.

These so called Frankenstein thinkers are creating nothing that was not already available to them by God.

Stupid and arrogant people don't know that matter cannot be created or destroyed but it may only be altered. Yes, for over 6,000 years man has continuously plundered, murdered and enslaved their enemies, and 2,000+ years ago God sent his only Son to this little "blob" in space to prove his love for man, by allowing him to die for man's sins.

And what does God receive as thanks for this miracle beyond the understanding of the feeble human mind, disbelief and worldwide chaos, and hate.

How insignificant we are on this exiled planet spinning in a galaxy of billions of God made stars, which more arrogant minds refuse to accept this Truth.

Their feeble minds can spend a lifetime trying to deny their "half cocked" non-creationist (Big Bang) beliefs.

A few brilliant scientists did own up to being honest and admitting he had accomplished little in a lifelong pursuit in a particular science and there has to be a Creator who put this puzzle in place.

The same creator has the power and the promise that he is going to undo a part of that puzzle, and set things right for all the arrogance, pride,and worldwide hate.

Let the "snakes, and grasshoppers" fiddle their way into Hell, and those of faith in God be prepared for the promise of his coming. When He will gather up those who believed and were humble of heart to Heaven and scatter the proud and the mighty to the bowels of Hell.

Merry Christmas to all!

No Peace On Earth And No Good Will At Christmas

Although the secular humanists have done their best to remove Christ from Christmas, and even the Christmas tree is now referred to as the holiday tree.

We can all be thankful that those of us who believe that God's only begotten son was born in Bethlehem so He could save Us from the original sin of Adam and Eve. Can go to our chosen churches in safety.

The people in Christ's birth place, and many places in Indonesia, are not so fortunate.

Bethlehem, the place where the bible tells us that Christ was born, maybe not exactly on the 25th of December, is no longer populated by Christians. The Muslims have moved in, Christians moved out, and now those who remain are threatened and intimidated, as are the Christian pilgrims who want to visit the place of Christ's birth.

Bethlehem's dwindling Christian population, has reportedly been the target of rampant Islamic intimidation and persecution.

Bethlehem consisted of up to 80 percent Christians when Israel was founded in 1948, but immediately after the Palestinian Authority took over in 1995 in line with the U.S.-backed Oslo Accords, the Christian population quickly declined to about 23 percent, with a large majority of Muslims. The 23 percent Christian statistic is considered generous since it includes the satellite towns of Beit Sahour and Beit Jala. Some estimates place Bethlehem's actual Christian population as low as 12 percent, with hundreds of Christians emigrating every year.

Christian leaders and residents, most of whom spoke on condition of anonymity during recent interviews, said they face an atmosphere of regular hostility. They said Palestinian armed groups stir tension by holding militant demonstrations and marches in the streets. They spoke of instances in which Christian shopkeepers' stores were ransacked and Christian homes attacked by Palestinian Muslims.Source: World NetDaily.

This is not as horrible as what the Bali police forces are afraid will happen to the minority Christian population that plans to go to Church services on Christmas. More than 17,000 police and soldiers have been deployed in the Indonesian capital to guard against a repeat of Christmas Eve attacks seven years ago, when Christian churches in the mainly(85%) Muslim nation were bombed.

The Main Stream Media would have you believe that it is the Jews that are intimidating and impeding Christian pilgrims in the quest to worship at Christ's birth place. Not so!

The facts show that Bethlehem is not surrounded by any wall. Israel built a fence, in 2002, in the area where northern Bethlehem interfaces with Jerusalem. A tiny segment of that barrier, facing a major Israeli roadway, is a concrete wall that Israel says is meant to prevent gunmen from shooting at Israeli motorists.

The fence was constructed after the outbreak of the Palestinian inifada, or terror war, launched after late PLO Leader Yasser Arafat turned down an Israeli offer of a Palestinian state, returning to the Middle East to liberate Palestine with violence.
Scores of deadly suicide bombings and shooting attacks against Israelis were planned in Bethlehem and carried out by Bethlehem-area terrorists, including Eita and his ilk.
At one point during the period of just 30 days in 2002, at least 14 shootings were perpetuated by Bethlehem cells of Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terrorists, killing two Israelis and wounding six.

Many times Muslim gunmen in the Bethlehem area reportedly took positions in civilian homes in the hilltops of Christian Beit Jala, which straddles Bethlehem. Beit Jala afforded the terrorists a clear firing line at southern sections of Jerusalem and at a major Israeli highway down below, drawing Israeli military raids and the eventual building of the security barrier there.
Is this barrier causing Bethlehem's Christians to flee, as the mainstream media claim?
Simple demographic facts will answer this question. Israel built the barrier five years ago. But Bethlehem's Christian population started to drastically decline in 1995, the very year Arafat's Palestinian Authority took over the holy Christian city in line with the Clinton, U.S.-backed Oslo Accords.

Yet we still give millions of dollars each year to the Palestinians who are controlled by Christian and Jew hating thugs. Go figure!

Merry Christmas, and thank God Almighty that we still live in a Country that has freedom to worship or not worship as your conscience dictates!