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Sunday Evening Reads

A Mishmash Of Recommended Readings and Viewings

Joan DeMartin

Mar 14

For this evening, I thought I’d list just a few articles, Tweets and TV interviews that caught my attention recently. Most relate to the general themes I’ve been discussing on Crime and Punishment, and maybe a few roam off the path.

Hope you enjoy!

— First up, this Tweet from Robert Reich (RobertReich.substack.com)

Robert Reich @RBReich

The people of Ukraine are also reminding us that democracy is the single most important legacy we have inherited from previous generations who strengthened it and who risked their lives to preserve it.

— This article from ProPublica rightly touts the positive effects of its investigative reporting concerning the onerous welfare laws and policies prevalent in the Southwestern states. Note: This type of playing around with mostly federal money to shortchange the poor is prevalent in more states than just the Southwest. Ohio is another.

“Alyssa Davis told ProPublica that New Mexico’s Human Services Department hassled her for information about her children’s father so that the state could go after him for child support. In many cases, that support money is then pocketed by the state as repayment for providing moms like her with public assistance. Under a new reform, New Mexico will make sure that more of the child support money goes to kids.”

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— A piece from Poverty.org discusses what many who aren’t familiar with the U.S. poverty guidelines don’t know:

“The Census Bureau has an alternative measure of poverty, the Supplemental Poverty Measure, which improves the current federal poverty measure in many respects. But even this approach puts the poverty line at about $25,000 to $26,000 for a family of four—and that’s still too low.”

Let me give you an example of the practical ramifications of living at or near the poverty level set by the federal government. In Ohio, a single person can make up to $18,075 a year and qualify for Medicaid, which is health insurance for poor people. Say I earned 19, 075 last year. I would not qualify for Medicaid, and if I wanted health insurance and I am not yet 65, I would have to purchase it on the ObamaCare health insurance exchange. Although I would receive a federal subsidy, the premiums would not be zero, and I would pay co-pays, prescription drug prices and have a hefty deductible.

How could I possibly pay rent, utilities, car payments, rental and car insurance, food and health insurance premiums on just under $20,000 a year? I couldn’t. Do you see the absurdity and cruelty of these numbers?

— Finally for this evening, here’s a 60 Minutes interview with Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg. The segment outlines how the recently passed infrastructure bill will be implemented and how much money is directed where. Although other government agencies will have a part in distributing the funds, the Department of Transportation doles out most of the money to communities to repair and upgrade their roads, bridges, high speed internet and electrical grids.

Just click on the Link in the Tweet below to watch the full interview.