END POVERTY 2008 2.d
Share A Little, Improve Plenty
This book is loaded with valuable ideas, and should start good discussions in school classes,clubs,
legislature or over coffee.
IT’S A CALL FOR CIVIL RIGHTS FOR THE POOR OF ALL SKIN TONES.
Class, Race and Poverty are interwoven. “Being underpaid, is like recovering from a
class 2 hurricane.”
The employers of 80% of Americans are the invisible hurricane.
I personally agree with some guy called John Stuart Mills who said "
No great improvements are possible until a great change takes
place in the fundamental constitution of their modes of thought."
By - John Stuart Mill (1806 - 1873) In other words Poverty is but a wrong thought,
held by the non-poor
One copy of this booklet is FREE. If you want to help our voice join the Choir
donations can be sent to Hospitality House Inc. PO Box 62 Hinckley ME.
094944. USA
For a speaker on poverty, phone 1-800-438-3890
The Front page shows a broken grey van, with
weeds overtaking the unused mode of
transportation.
Then a photo with the question \How do you get
to NYC, with a broken vehicle?
Many will say you CAN’T use a
broken car to drive anywhere.
Those of us who make less than the cost of their rent, knows it can be done. You
have to Fix the vehicle. Then when you can not pay your rent you must find a method to cover the vehicles costs, as taxes and registration.
Some of the underpaid, will exchange their skills, in a bartering stance.
Example: When I could not pay to have my dog spayed The Vet took a painting instead of cash. Some people can not paint, or after a deal as this the vets or car mechanics they require more paintings, more work. The working poior comprose 65% of all of the USA
lacking cash, and are the easiest to exploit.
Poverty is like bicycling uphill both ways, from PA to NYC- on the back roads which takes more curves and stop lights.
Yes there are a few people who would love taking the back roads more than a super high-way. But no person in there right mind, sets back and enjoys their loved ones being sick, or dying prematurely-due to their inability to afford medical treatment. Poverty is Caused not by weakness of spirit of the sick individual, its caused by employers inadequate pay.
So even if you can get there from Here it’s a rocky road, of classism Which hold the
poor of all skin tones in their own yards with the van overgrown with weeds
INTRODUCTION –
Today, poverty prevails as the gravest human rights challenge in the world. Combating poverty, deprivation
and exclusion is not a matter of charity, and it does not depend on how rich a country is.
By tackling poverty as a matter of human rights obligation, the world will have a better chance of abolishing this scourge in our lifetime...
Poverty eradication is an achievable goal.
Louise Arbour UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
What is poverty?
It’s the mindset. IT’S THE MATH, its not paying a decent wage.
The Solution is - Pay 110% to 100% to all persons !
Ask what the poor needs. And Share a Little to Improve Plenty
3000 years ago Plato said:
“He who spends rightly acquired fortune in good deeds, may never become exceedingly rich,
but also he will never be a poor man.”
This is the attitude, the solution to ending poverty. It’s nothing new,
just not yet applied.
Poverty is nothing more than our ingrained attitude’s. We blame poor
for their own lack. We do this so we can believe this violence of poverty,
will not happen to us. We imagine ourselves to be good people so this
lack of resources would not happen to us. Society has been so busy
blaming those lacking enough income to pay rent, they avoid the
solvable math problem caused with destitution.
Anyone who has driven on America’s remarkable series of connecting
interstate ramps and bridges, should be impressed with whom ever designed
the American’s Highway system. Or be amazed at America’s tunnels, or
our dams. Rarely do we envision this type of engineering to
be the solution to poverty.
The Majority of Americans would rather build a war machine then to end poverty.
Our silience against President Bushes Policy said so.
But the same technology used to build missals, and bigger guns could
easily remove the 4 headed monster of poverty. We have the Math, many
caring people, and enough resources to wipe out poverty by 2008.
Poverty is mired only by our mindset.
When American focus upon the correct question, the solutions are
simply give 110% of the earthly need to 100% those in need. Pay our
workers a wage which covers lives costs in a powerful 1st world country.
Not paying those, who work as hard as they can, the price food, rent,
and transportation cost in Mexico.
Few sane people would build a highway system from Florida to NYC
yet stop the construction within the borders of Penn. The Math of
getting people from point A to point C by ceasing the job at point B
would not add up. It would not make sense to expect travelers to make
their way from Penn, to NYC - without a highway.
This is how humanity has dealt with poverty since day one-
We used this illogical format against human lack. Filling 40% of the need
for 20% of those in need has been the solution, since before mankind
discovered fire.
The one thing the Holland Tunnel in NYC or the Chesapeake Bay series
of tunnels and bridges, has in common with the absence of poverty -
is once person-kind, decided the math behind the mighty project can be
accomplished “that miracle comes to life.” Be it a Bridge or a dam.
In the 1930’s When Hoover dam was humanly doable, and so it was done!
Like building a bridge, Society needs to wipe out poverty ONCE.
The bridge out of human lack might require repair from time to time,
yet the strong structure will be there.
Ending the nightmare of lack, does not take programs providing goods
to ¼ of those in need. It takes the Biblical challenge of giving 100%
of the need to 100% of those who are penniless.
These are people who lack income, merely because they are “underpaid.”
The Challenge is-To Stop Paying People LESS, Than It Costs To Live.
And keep profits reasonable.
This society must decide it’s wrong to pay the cost of a loaf of bread,
and transportation cost, in an hour’s wage. Yet overlook a wage which
includes the rent. It’s wrong to pay any workers barely enough to keep
the worker alive. While the laborer is producing a sizable profit for their
employer. The worker should not be paid a slave wage, of less then
it costs to survive, is inhumane. Society must begin the structure of
curing poverty by, paying workers enough for people to thrive.
That is pay pancake, and burger flippers all the costs of living, with
enough wages for savings and the cost of a vacation. If some shop
owner cannot afford the full cost of wages the Government should
supplement that pay scale.
Here is the Math
If you have a nation consisting of 68 people, including two millionaires
whose income is $6.7 and $4.3, a year. Then, 6 people who make
$150,000 a year,10 people earn $55,000 a year each and 50 persons
at $6,000, You might have the basic make-up of the income strata of
the USA. If my simple math is correct, that’s a total of 11 mil
(800, 550,000, 300,000) =1,650,000 or $12,650,000, a year
Raising the 50 at 6,000 or less to a rate where rent food medical,
utilities can be paid 50 X 30,000 means the lowest get 1,500,000 a
year and the 6 55,000’s contribute $1,000 of their income 10 people at
=54o,ooo. the 150’s donate $3,000 of their income, and they get
147,000. And the two millionaires only make 6.6 and 4.2 millions.
In Japan CEO’s earns less than say-25 times of the lowest person
working on the line. In USA a CEO is paid 380 million a year. Two hours a
week at that pay and you and I would be able to pay our bills
This booklet is designed to challenge your ideas, and beliefs.
I ask you open your minds and your hearts, as reading these pages. I
endeavor to give you a fuller outlook on the horrors of being underpaid.
This societal Nightmare not only impacts the persons, and families
who are intentionally paid an inadequate wage. This unacceptable condition-
diminishes the rights and dignity of people of all classes.
Ways to End Poverty
1) Attitudes must change. We must honor those who pay
a livable wage, with modest profits. We must believe poverty can end.
2) Us underpaid, formerly called the poor, We must ourselves speak out.
Our words heeded. We need to tell society the barriers of poverty.
It’s essential we of the proud underpaid provide suggestions UNFILTERED
by the unconscious bias of the upper middle-class. (End Our Imposed Silence)
3) End all wrongful denial of governmental aid, or civil rights.
As the right to a full hearing before Maine and Federal Courts, if bringing or
defending case without a lawyer. (Practice Our Civil Rights)
4) Try something never before attempted. Believe we have enough
resources for everyone to be fed and have a bed. Plus Society has the
skill and the math to end poverty.
5) Expose the “Myths” about the underpaid.
They are poor are hard working. Because they are not paid
enough to cover the rent, they are lacking human needs.
Attitudes
We have to believe everyone is capable of greatness, and give them
the opportunity to shine.
It’s our “Fear of being poor”, which causes us to place false blame on
those who are lacking enough income to cover even modest bills.
If we do not blame those who lack resources, then any of us could
be grabbed by the dark tentacles of destitution, and brought into poverty.
Early this spring, alone I stopped at my local Wendy’s and ate inside.
A guy whose wife had asked him to sit back down and “talk to her”
went on about Wendy’s being a dive. Then for what ever reason he
went on a rant to no one in particular he loudly proclaimed- Only 1% of those
on Disability needs it the rest are slackers looking for an easy way out.
I wanted to tell him he is the 50% percent holding poverty firm by blaming the
poor. But then I realized he was mired in the disabled 1% he imagined
required aid to survive. He needed to blame the blameless.
He did this so he could avoid the fact that he did not live up to his potential.
Blaming employers for inadequate pay, means blaming those with more power
than him self. Also it would mean he would be blaming someone
he wants to emulate.
\
His attitude was set in stone. I also wondered what would happen
when he went to account for his deeds upon this earth, and he said
I refused to admit life for some was harder then I would give them
credit for enduring and in a few cases thriving in.
He seems like the kind of person who needed to get the word straight from an angel of god. If not directly from his creators lips himself. He is “Blaming others for his lot.” His math does not add up. Even with millions on $300 -$620 a month incomes, and 55,+ million working poor the CEO’s are paid 350 times the average income. The math does not add up. Those with the least cannot harm those caught in the middle.
Ending the nightmare, of poverty is nothing new. it’s just an untried idea. Since the caveman, writers and philosophers spoke about ending poverty.
It is as simple as applying a simple biblical phrase-“To give to the poor, according to their needs”. This implies we Listen to the poor to tell us how much pay they need. When rents are up to $650 a month, paying minimum wage to a single parent, means they can barely pay their own rent. Never mind the underpaid worker being able to afford to pay heat, diapers, health care etc.
Today, to give according to the need, we would need to pay workers, welfare families, and the disabled the real cost of paying for life’s essentials. Plus pay an amount to cover a small savings, recreation and the cost of a yearly vacation. The shame of poverty should be attached to the owners who pay inadequate wages. Not to the workers who toil as hard as they can for less than a fair wage.
As a society, we need to toss aside failed ideas from eons ago. Replacing them with 2007 math of un-doing poverty by paying workers, our disabled, and our single parent families a full wage to cover rent, food medication and allow for a modest savings for emergencies, or a vacation.
This would not harm millionaires. Our world would have many millionaires. Just that they would become Billionaires only after all the rest are fed and all has a bed.
But what about the small businesses, as a two person store, who cannot afford to pay $17 an hour? Plus keep profit as low as today or lower? This is a valid concern. The government would subsidize the worker. In doing this the government would design and apply compassionate realistic aid. All who need, will qualify; and all who qualify will be fully assisted up to the total amount of the need.
We must look for the “Human Radiance” in all people. To lift society to its potential, we have an obligation to treat everyone as if they were as important as a prince or princess. We must treat every person with the respect, as if he or she were from the clergy.
Speak for ourselves
Since Dorothy Day’s day, it’s the publics conception that if a system needs fixing-the media will inform us. This is why our trusted media enjoys first amendment rights. That right entitles news to carry the hard cutting news.
Many people have interesting stories, when you have one famous person say the millionaire who was once homeless, thousands of others has such an enticing & important story. The News enjoy their freedom of the press so it can also carry issues. But the media, is more skilled at telling personal stories.
The Media is always telling us about a war, a car accident, a house fire. In the 1600’s posted news bill or criers told crowds of horse and buggy accidents of lords and kings. Much has not changed. As in the medieval days, leaders send are finest young people off to war, yet those who remain in the fields, and factories were the backbone of that countries wealth. These are the forgotten people-you and I. We are the people on the bottom of the economic ladder, and we should not be ashamed, but should speak out.
If we are willing to take the reigns, we can make life better for most persons not just the underpaid. When we take the reigns we must remember the rich are just people as our the underpaid. It us whom society quietly depends upon to produce the riches, the owners enjoy. It is the lower middle classes making under $70,000 a year and us slave wagers of minimum wages who must compassionately yet effectively speak out.
What today’s powerful editors, and media does not inform the workers of is, that the American system of freedom, is broken. Or paying less than even 100% of slum rents prices, is an unthinkable deed, as is yanking food from an infants mouth. Before Thanksgiving time the local newspapers will run one of two pieces on a family who “Fell there the Cracks”. Its rarely mentions the bigger problem of low income people being deliberate pushed the intentional gaps of help. From the number of people who help when there is fire, or a family in need
Once the news of the system being broken gets out, enlightened Americans will wonder why the masses were not informed earlier of our societies inhumane treatment of its poor. There will be an outcry for justice.
Still today most media carry words not of those who produce wealth, except as one family fell through the safety net. When Mainers are unaware that yearly in this state alone 5,000-12,000 individuals or families our pushed through the net; this incredible tragedy of inhumane portions, will cease.
In the name of profit, ex president Bush H is off to dine and accept hospitality with the Arabs this country attacked. While his son, makes Americans scared of Arabs. How many American and Iraqis deaths will it take until the media tells us-Yes greater profits was the incentive of our leaders to increase human suffering.
Yet instead of informing about the USA suffering pointing out ways to end the war, rather than covering the ISSUES, our media will tell us how many Americans have died. The Newspapers and TV News carry words to inflame the average American, against the Arabs, but they fail to mention how a second world South America nation, Venezuela has come to the aid of the poor in the richest nation of the world.
It’s time those who stay home to produce food and the clothes we wear, and the products our life would not be complete without ,yell for the Media to tell their story in-depth. Its time the full issues of being underpaid are exposed in the news.
Its time us the underpaid stop bickering amongst ourselves, like dogs, and tell the media we want the FULL truth covered. We want to learn if 2/3 of those in need, who qualify for aid are wrongfully turned away. We want to learn that our homeless, and women’s abuse shelters are over-filled and has been for nearly a decade. Tell us what is broken at the lowest level of life,-So we can fix the standard of living for all life for each American.
UNDERPAID
The financial poor, do not mis-spent their money, they merely are not paid enough to cover the cost of living.
65% of the poor are the working poor. This shows us that over half of the those hurting mired in hopeless poverty are working as hard as they can, or should work. They are kept poor by unthinkable means, of not sharing better in the wealth they create.
Confucius 550-479 BC “Poverty and low estates are what men dislike; but if they are brought to such condition by improper ways, they should not feel shame for it”
In other-words - being underpaid is shameful ONLY for the employer
There is a simple assumption, which has yet to be applied, pay each worker the true cost of paying for lives necessaries, plus enough to save , recreation, and a small vacation. For what ever reason it seems to be thought that paying a burger flipper enough to cover their bills, diminishes the great amount we pay Physicians and CEO’s.
I say it’s the opposite. I say it’s the employers who underpays, the worker which should be ashamed. “Calling the Poor the Underpaid” not only creates a bigger group of people to rally, against the low-paid workmen mentality. It calls for advancement in most pay’s.
As a advocate of 20 years, someone who spent 50 of 55 years in poverty I say The “Work of 40 hours” should cover all needs, the electric, rent, food, and medical, transportation, with enough to save and go on a vacation. TANF and disability payments should cover the real costs of life.
Those who work 20 hours should be paid half of all needs, plus half of medical coverage. For every 10 hours worked, ¼ of a full wage should be paid.
For centuries, employers have made people exchange their lives and health “To Produce a Profit for the Owners”. Working in a coal mine, even in the year 2006, is a gamble with life and health. Cleaning the houses of the properly paid, means a women exchanges her good hands, and a solid back for early arthritis.
Even a nursing job takes the physical toll upon ones body. Or the auto mechanic who blows his knees due to years of hard work-who is without health nor injury insurance. All of them get paid less than the full survival rate.
As I have said in the introduction, America accepted a minimum wage in the 1960’s. It was based upon groceries not rent. In the 1960’s rents were reasonable. Certainly rent of the 60’s were cheap, when compared to the 2007 $700. to $1,000 a month when workers are lucky if they earn $800 a month. Our Disabled get less than that-its around $400 to $625 a month. And Welfare Families in Maine with three Children receive about $475 a month. It does not take a genius mathematical to see the out-go is too high for the inadequate incomes.
Here is the Math, again.
If you have a nation consisting of 68 people, including two millionaires whose income is $6.7 and $4.3, a year. Then, 6 people who make $150,000 a year,10 people earn $55,000 a year each and 50 persons at $6,000, You might have the basic make-up of the income strata of the USA. If my simple math is correct, that’s a total of 11 mil (800, 550,000, 300,000) =1,650,000 or $12,650,000, a year
Raising the 50 at 6,000 or less to a rate where rent food medical, utilities can be paid 50 X 30,000 means the lowest get 1,500,000 a year and the 6 55,000’s contribute $1,000 of their income 10 people at=54o,ooo. the 150’s donate $3,000 of their income, and they get 147,000. And the two millionaires only make 6.6 and 4.2 millions.
Its time our societies attitudes, calls for a full rate of pay, with modest profits. Rather than bowing down to the pittance of lords or employers who pay us barely enough to survive. So we can produce profit for the employers. We must honor those employers, who pay enough to cover all reasonable bills of their workers.
Sharing a Little Improves Plenty
The public has always been generous. Look at the amount of aid which flowed into the hurricane Katrina relief. Yet big charities as the Salvation - Army has hundred of millions to lend to financial companies, such as banks. But only gives those in need 25% of their massive income.
If this were not true, I could be sued by the Salvation Army. Read their yearly report to learn how much income provides direct aid. Here in Maine, the Salvation Army tells nearly everyone they are without funds. And as for any charity, it’s legal to only spend 10% of their donations on the poor.
The trick of undoing poverty is getting the need to those in need. A few of the Hurricane victims called our Homeless Crisis Hotline saying they waited in line all day for their $750 credit card. Only to be handed a $200 check saying take it or leave it. Sign here!
So the problem is not in the public-But it’s in the long standing massive charities who pays CEO’s $350,000 to $600,000 a year. People should be paid for their efforts, but not so much as they get YACTH RICH off of donations intended for the poor.
The problem is with the public who blindly believes at least 75% of their dollar will go to the poor. Ask to see the yearly report. Some of the people in need are too proud to ask for your help. This are the people, smaller charities help.
Helping smaller Charities, means assisting the people who usually are not aided, along which the usual suspects. Aiding those with inadequate incomes, aids those who are too proud to ask. Aid in the Paycheck means self-respect, which translates into respect for other lives. This respect is accomplished through “Sharing a little, and listening a lot.” Share a little Love, time, and caring- and it bounces back 10 fold. It returns in a form of you not having to debase another person, to feel good about yourself.
Taking the children of the Poor.
States are quick to yank children from the weakest of all parents. Those parent’s who are already on federal aid to children, or are experiencing difficulty in paying rent. Homeless kids are removed, from loving parents, then the states give the children to strangers called foster parents. This is far from a cost saving move, because the foster parent are paid not $437 for three children. They are given, around $450 a month for each child. That is $1,350 a month given to a stranger
If the compassion idea worked in this area, all parents with 3 kids encountering an economic hardship should be given up to $1,350 themselves once or twice a year to avoid displacement. Compassion saves taxpayers funds. For $1,350-$2,700 a year the family is kept intact. Otherwise if those 3 kids are in the foster system it will cost the tax payer 16,200 a year.
This is one area of states un-thoughtful acts, which needs to be addressed, by the upcoming Civil Rights Actions. We must wonder why parents are not given the resources they require to hold families together. Is that not the must compassionate deed a society could perform. And it’s also the most cost-effective action. 110% need to 100% of those in need.
GRANTING OF CIVIL RIGHTS, & AID
Civil Rights simply denotes, Our Creator grants each person, free-will and liberty of choice. No government, nor any societal classes should attempt to steal this from any other class. People process only those rights which they are free to defend.
The mid 1950 to early 1970’s Civil Rights, Progress, was aimed at both the poor, and those in poverty. Yet many whites saw the Civil Rights Action, only as a racial movement. Poverty is an equal opportunity disaster, which denies hope to people of all skin tones.
Voting rights, and schooling were the focus of the racial/poverty movement
Racial and Human rights of the poor were fought for in the mid 1950’s to early 1970’s. In this 2008 movement, dignity is the reignited embers sought. But the issues will be the Right to have all the facts of any case heard. As well as better pay. No more wrongful denial of aid from our government. Plus the Right to address every injury inflicted upon us.
If a person brings or defends the legal issue themselves, without the benefit of a lawyer justice will be the answer. Currently there is a great block right out side the courts doors. No matter what their income range, it’s the self representing party right to have the issues of cases heard- rather than dismissed before trial. The right to equal justice is but a myth.
When human rights, are denied one group of people, those rights are denied to all. This is what US Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, said two nearly centuries ago. This learned man proclaimed to the effect of “If any person is not allowed to enjoy their freedoms, than all persons are lessened.” When us financially poor, law biding finically poor can not utilize the power of their courts to assert our constitutional rights, or to settle everyday disputes, then all the other classes of America’s are on the brink of being less than free. When an underpaid Law biding person cannot have the facts of his or cases heard, we are a nation of bullies. We Americans are no longer a nation of laws.
DOORS ARE CLOSED
Civil Rights are not self-enforcing. Often the poor must go to court to implement their human rights. But since the 1980’s if not before Access into a hearing of the facts of cases has been denied the underpaid, who cannot afford lawyers have cases thrown out purely on filing difficulties. When case laws holds the self-representing person to the same, or greater standards then a bar certified lawyer upon rules of procedure Meaningful access to Courts are denied.
After butting my head against the courts doors, I say Pro-se is Latin for loser. This Latin Pro-Se term actually means self representing, without benefit of a lawyer.
The transposing of laws results in all cases being ejected out of court without a trial of the facts of the case. If the person is defending against an insurance company whose client pulled out into the defendants driving lane-without making sure it was safe, the power of the courts would be brought against the underpaid person.
Overly high hurdles, keeps those who cannot afford lawyers from justice in Our Courts. I answered all paperwork. As in my case-became sick on the date of the pretrial hearing. Such an excuse would be an acceptable reason to reassign the case, if a lawyer presented illness as a reason. But this leniency is withheld from a Pro-se litigant. It’s an insurmountable hurdle. That promotes INJUSTICE
As service people fight and die in the name of liberty In Iraq, Liberty is lost here in the states. A court system which bars two third of its citizens from obtaining a fair decision, based upon facts, is corrupt.
Good Laws made bad, Bad laws made worst
The Poor who live from pay check to pay check, are the very people who need either bigger pay checks, or aid. Today Maine has brilliant General Aid laws. They were designed by those who know the hurdles of the underpaid.
Legal aid and a group called MAIN combined to have bad law passed in 1993 modified. The income limit was an amount which would totally cover the needs of a 1950 family. It does NOT cover the 1994 living costs. These groups fought to add an emergency provision. So the added piece of law in this emergency revision, would prevent families from being homelessness, or being heatless.
The legislature passed an “Emergency Law”. It provided If a person child or adult, is or is about to be without shelter or one or more of lives basics, REGARDLESS OF INCOME, they should be helped.
The added law also said the towns applying the aid, must take an application of someone facing the cold streets, within 24 hours.
In 1995 Bangor ME., decided that 24 hour law does not apply to them. They are making people being evicted or couch surfing, (Sleeping on the couches of Friends) wait a week, or two. Cities and towns are starting to put off the “Emergency” until after the person pulled out of requiring the towns help.
When facing an eviction on February 20th,2007 the city offered to take an application for an individual, by making the appointment on March 1st. How is an individual or family suppose to survive ten days? It costs taxpayers more to place a family, in a new apartment, then to pay the month or so of rent that they are behind.
Yet most towns feel free to avoid the law which gives them up to 48 hours to take and act upon an emergency. Why? Municipalities feel free to ignore laws, because, no buddy oversees the actions of the state, which oversee the cities. Everyone believes the system is working well. And they refuse to listen to the contrary viewpoint. The state gives permission to save costs in the short run. It cost taxpayer MORE in the long run, to turn away those who qualify.
The media says if there is a problem, the state or town themselves will tell the press!-So the public is kept in blissful ignorance. Thus the public will not cry out for change of the status – quo. With little checks and balances, Our Government is free to abuse your rights.
In the late 1990’s while answering the Crisis Hotline phone calls, the staff of Hospitality House Inc., realized that people needs do not fall neatly into 9 A to 3 PM. A law was made and enacted to have towns posts 24/7 hours
By the year 2000 towns no longer care about posting the emergency phone number, an the outside of the their buildings. They know the state which over-sees the towns actions in allocating General assistance aid, don’t care if emergency's laws in any form are followed.
An advocate attempted to bring legal action, against the state in 2006 only demonstrated how entrenched was the unlawful acts of the government. The courts threw out the case, because it was not brought by a lawyer, and as far as this advocate feels, denial of court action is to protect the status quo.
It is a grave loss of human rights, when citizens are only allowed to enjoy those rights which we are allowed to defend and the courts lock their doors to us. This is almost enough to make a women pacifist pickup a gun.
DAVID vs Goliath - The Courts Hands David
A Badly Torn, and Empty Slingshot.
Denial of "Meaningful Access to American Courts" means, Americans are less Free, than they thought. In Civil actions, representing your self without a lawyer (Pro-Se) is repeatedly likened to a battle of David vs.Goliath proportions. After being brutally beaten by the Courts, seeing others so torn to shreds instead of receiving fairness at the hands of the
courts, I not only call a Pro-Se vs lawyer, a David vs Goliath crusade.
I call it a skirmish in which David the self-reporting party, is devoid any ammo. As if that is not enough of a disadvantage the Davids are also not just devoid of stones, they are given a broken sling shot.
Civil matters can cost thousands of dollars. Being unable to pay rent because you are repaying 3 times the amount owed, or what you do not owe, can be worst then being in jail.
In my car accident a young driver pulled out in to my travel lane, and WITHOUT TRIAL, I owe the better part of a years income. Civil actions often amount to uncivilized acts against the underpaid (Formally poor) and the lower middle-classes. When Rules and Procedures of the courts, are used against people who have little choice then to represent themselves against fancy lawyers, meaningful access to the
Courts, or having a third uninterested party listen to the facts. In other words Justice, is all but an illusion.
Let us talk about a Court system, which protects the “Livelihood of Lawyers” over the 6th amendment right to represent yourself, at trial. Self-representation is based back in colonial times, when one person could bring or defend against another in court, AND HAVE THE FACTS OF THE CASE HEARD. It called protecting the Status Quo.
The 6th amendment constitutional right to effective counsel, is the heart of “Freedom” as America advertises it in jr. high and high school civic classes. Yet since the 1980’s if not before, Courts have felt free to announce that Pro-Se’s or those representing themselves without lawyers will be held to the written standard which lawyers are held. Only in practice Lawyers are held to a typically more lenient to attorneys then courts are to the self representer’s.
Making a living at the law, the Court Grants lawyers all kinds of leniency not granted to a Pro-Se person. Judges are reluctant to finalize a case if the lawyer has a good reason for missing a court date. -I was ill. This is one excusable reason for someone who passed the bar. Not in the Case of a Pro-Se litigant.- In cases where, the self-representer was sick, say on the pre- trial hearing, the case is permanently closed in favor of the Plaintiffs insurance company. As it was in my car accident case. Yet this is an excusable reason for a lawyer to reinstate the case. This practice amounts to two tiers of justice. That is as unjust as was the black and white segregation of the 1890’s to the 1950’s.
With a lawyer who depends on Law for his source of income such a reason would be “an excusable reason.” And the case would be added back on the docket, as soon as the attorney made a motion for such.
Another reason people not willing to be on the streets to pay a lawyer are deprived of justice of trial is the Judges 1) do not want to take time to read the plain English complaints, and other filings. 2) they wish to clear their dockets.
This holding Pro-Se’s to a higher standard as any lawyer, is couched in seemly fair language. Saying the Pro-Se should not benefit by their absence of a lawyer, seems fair on its face. When this impartial sounding phrase, is used only upon technicalities it’s UNFAIR.
And yes I wholly agree, if there is no legal basis for a case, the case should be dismissed before trial. But in the UNFAIR application of “Not benefiting by self-representing status,” Holding Pro-se’s to an impossible criterion, as to eject from 55% to 98% of the cases on Rules and Procedures alone, is to deny Americans their American Rights.
In fact the people most likely to be forced to utilize this method of defense, or what the courts call the indigent. By Law federal Courts are charged with PROTECTING minority rights of the indigent (underpaid). When I asked the Department of Justice how many cases, are thrown out without trial, they said they do not keep court records on that account. So How does Federal Court Protect the Rights of the indigent?
In order to judge how valid the premature dismissals are, the numbers of cases lacking the hearing of facts by a impartial person, should be calculated. This is the best means to tell if self representing parties are handed a torn & empty slingshot.
For Americans to enjoy a highest standard of freedom, Pro-Se's should be given fair trials. Instead, in 2007 just the illusion of fairness, prevails.
LEGAL ASSISTANCE
As an advocate bringing legal action against the improper application of town welfare, General assistance, or relief was thrown out of court in the fall of 2006. The court decided “In other words LightfootLane has no standing to complain-simply that their government is violating the law.” This is an Un-American stance. But when judges feel free to utter or print fascist ideology, then the poor are less than free. The New complaint to be filed May 1st 2008, will hold the idea that every American has a right, no a duty to point out when government fails its citizens.
This will be again presented to the Federal Court on May day Which happens to be law day in Maine.. The intentional Mis-Application of law is an uncontested constitutional issue impacting on our 5th an 14th amendment right to have law fairly applied.
General lack of civil rights.
In general, when the working poor cannot afford to pay a lawyer, they cannot stand up to protect the use of their civil rights. Civil Rights do not enforce themselves. People must stand up and fight for them. Freedom of Speech is involved with pan handling. The right to reside where-ever one wishes, is the American free will. If one leaves a job to relocate they can be illegally disallowed aid for a certain amount of time, Or until they find another job.
The numbers of civil rights violations are endless. They could be the town requiring bad land use laws on those who own a small house, but lack a big income. They can have a daily impact.
Without the weight of the court hearing the facts Employer’s can immorally declare that at will worker’s without contracts must do the work of 3 people. and be so arbitrary that say a trained nurse can be let go if she puts in overtime, or fails to document a patients progress, or fails to do perform patient care. Of course documenting takes away from patient care. So its dam if you do, dammed if you do not. Car mechanics and most professions or job have the same caught 22. The business can improper dismiss an employee, and without funds to hire a lawyer you cannot effectively stand up to the business-even when it violates its own rules in the employee handbooks.
In a so called “Land of the Laws” the people caught in the tentacles of poverty can not get into the front doors of the courts, to have the facts of the case decided. Only an estimated 98% of the time, the doors to a meaningful trial, where facts of the cases are heard are barred if you have not hired a lawyer. This premature ejection from the court system is contrary to the Idea of protecting the rights of the indigent.
While there are accident lawyers who will handle a case if great monetary funds can be sought for bodily harm. Few lawyers will handle a car crash were only auto damages occurred, There is no profit in the later. Civil Rights seem to be something the poor are looked on as not having. As they lack the funds to bring life into their promised rights.
The federal Courts are charged with protecting the rights of the indigent, meaning people who are underpaid. But there is a barrier to the use of the courts. Impressible doors are erected to keep out the poor, on technicalities ALONE. They are held to a standing in the pleadings which one would have to be a lawyer, or read and comprehend, and skillfully apply the Complex Rules of the Courts. To either bringing a case or defending against one.
Not dotting the I and crossing the t’s are the only reasons 98% of all civil cases are thrown out of this nations courts. Since the 1980’s if not before, Self-representing people, without the benefit of an attorney are held to a higher standard then a fallible lawyer. Now there is case law, when used primarily with the rules of courts which sounds fair but denies use of the Courts to the poor.
When the underpaid have the same rights as the properly paid, then freedom will ring. As free access to the courts, is a key to wiping out poverty. Today, 150 million of true underpaid persons, in the USA are placated with merely an illusion of being able to use the courts. This is done to pacify them, to a point of being controlled. Happy voiceless workers, is all society has been after, since the dawn of person-kind.
MYTHS
For eons Societies attitude has been the poor rather then their employees have been doing something wrong, to cause their poverty This emotional false conception protects the properly paid from happening to think but for the Grace of God go I.
By blaming the poor for their own poverty, the other 75% of us provides the illusion being penniless can not happen to themselves. Person-kind builds, bigger and better war machines, but fail to understand all that technolgy, could just as easily use that math to cure poverty.
Fact is THERE IS ENOUGH RESOURCES so no one need to be hungry. So there not be any war. Nor the violence of POVERTY be inflicted upon one single person. We count the Homeless in millions. At any time there are more than 10,000 in poverty through-out the world-Shame on those who have the power.
Violence of many different kinds, as family violence will be a haunting of the past once we treat all people as if they are valuable. The bread winner will not be picked upon by his or her boss, when we treat all people as valuable children of the creator. So they will not beat upon their child or spouse. In fact the family dog might get kicked less.
The USA is the leader in fighting poverty.
No!!!!! the reverse Is true. The USA has the highest numbers of people in poverty than any 1st world –industrialized country. Yes Africa and India has a greater number of the poor, but countries these are considered third world countries. Italy is a second world country.
The American Poor, are expected to survive upon less than the average third World country citizen lives upon. At industrialized incomes. who is the most greatly deprived should not enter the question. Comparing those divest income groups of 1st world which cost $2,700 a month, to break even; to a third world country where making $500 a month buys luxury items, is like comparing apples to pineapples
The South American Country, Venezuela is the country ACTING on Poverty It acts upon American Poverty. Bush wanted to Barricade that oil aid from flowing across America’s borders This also should tell you even America Polticans know not what the poor needs. And that a Second world Country is trying harder to wipe out American poverty then the USA try’s.
Those with ample cash should hang their heads in shame. That a country of lesser statues should come to the aid of the American poor-before, the land of plenty aids its own citizens
The poor do not have all kinds of government benefits
People seem to think the say the welfare mother and the disabled have all kinds of benefits going for them. When either by design or by bad application 2/3 of those who qualify for aid are denied such.
HUD has rules to keep sons, parents or other loved ones out of subsidized apartments. This is an illogical, uncaring action to annihilate poverty.
When by HUD’s own standards they only have ¼ of the people who qualify for rental assistance, getting such aid. This is bad design. Warring President Bush has inflicted vast cuts on housing subsidies, to pay for the illegal action to end his daddies also based upon a lie war.
Yet most Americans believe aid flows like the river of milk and honey to all in need. Those who do not get onto a program are thought of as them, not the red tape mongers being wrong.
On this myth this math does not live up to societies ideals.
Some states pay better than other states, still most states only pay up to 2/3 the cost of the lives basics. This means families on welfare, might be able to pay most of the seven hundred dollar, ($700) a month rent, out of their $450 to $670 income.
Yes this is tax-payers money common resources. So why not give those in need the proper amount required? For the same reason
Workers are underpaid-to keep the masses depended upon their employers. We would the full amount needed, to strengthen the status-quo.
Judge Judy has repeated averred to her belief that the government gives enough money to cover all needs. Isn’t that the reasonable thing, the compassionate thing to do? Like TV judges, so many of us simply believe such compassion is ALREADY HAPPENING. We penalize not the broken system. Instead, as a nation - we penalize those whom are deliberately underpaid.
We believe that the system would not build a highway out of poverty from Florida, to NYC, having the highway stopping at or before PA . We think the Government is wiser than giving only 2/3 of the actual cost of living, to welfare families. Because it’s the compassionate, and the right thing to do, we imagine our government is giving 110% of the need, to 100% of those in need.
This does not happen. Government programs are purposely flawed in their design, or their application. They are designed to take those in poverty 2/3 of the way of the basic amount needed to survive. Then society calls the mothers Lair’s and cheats when they gather that other 1/3, required to pay the rent, or survive.
We know ¾ of those who qualifies for low rental assistance do not receive rental assistance. This affects welfare families, as much as the population of the working poor, and the disabled, or USA’s elderly.
So the welfare mother has modest bills amounting $900 a month, often $600 to $700 of that in rent. And she is lucky to be paid $500 a month to support her and two children. You do the math-Can you stretch $500 into paying $900 of bills?
Underpaid welfare mothers must gather a few hundred more dollars in income each month - to pay the remainder of the rent, the heat, food.
Similar to employers, our government programs are notorious for not paying the full cost of the need. By design or by application government programs gives 1/4 of the people who qualify only up to 2/3 of the amount of the realistic need.
As a caring society, we need to bring the real helpful level up to the imagined compassionate level. We must spread the word that aid is not overflowing, but it is as a trickle.
The old idea of minimum wage is a fallacy
Minimum wage is a concept, which was formed in the feudal days of the 1500’s. Many farm workers had their rent included with their job, so the lords were concerned that their peons could produce a good day of work.
The Lords raised the rate of pay to the amount required for a loaf of bread a day. This rate was so the workers could work harder producing more profit for the lords. But the rate was never enough so the third class citizen could become a owner.
Employee relationship has remained at paying the workers enough to survive. As in the 1500’s minimum wage of 2007, primary concern is that workers produce a good profit for the owners. It was to pay workers enough to survive, but never pay them enough to thrive.
This is the attitude which is essential to modify to 110% of the wages needed. It is just as wrong for many to toil, for the profit of the ruling classes today as it was wrong in the 1200’s.
America accepted a minimum wage in the 1960’s. It was based upon groceries not rent. In the 1960’s rents were reasonable. Certainly rent of the 60’s were cheap, when compared to the 2007 $700. to $1,000 a month when workers are lucky if they earn $800 a month. Our Disabled get less than that-it’s around $400 to $625 a month. And Welfare Families in Maine with three Children receive about $475 a month. It does not take a genius mathematical to see the out-go is too high for the inadequate incomes
If the underpaid worked harder, Or they had a better education they could pull themselves out of poverty.
Only, this mindset has been with us forever, and has not achieved any better standard of humanity. To keep workers in the place this myth provides cheap labor. It places BLAME on the poor for being underpaid. This myth will do nothing to eradicate the quagmire of poverty.
Even the poor THEMSELVES buy into this misconception. They blame themselve’s, or others with less, for their own lack. Instead of blaming government for abuse in applying General Assistance-the working poor will blame the underpaid and the latest wave of refugees. Remember, Confucius said to the effect of “it’s the person paying inadequate wages which should be ashamed.”
Not, “Blame those just one rang above you on the ladder.” We are not wild animals fighting for food. Or we should not act like that.
Pointing fingers at who takes the poor 2/3 of the way out of dismal life style of lack, is not the style, of any class. Blaming those, who builds the highway to Penn, then expects the underpaid to travel to New York, does not seem an option. For one day the underpaid wish to be among the properly paid.
There is great class hatred which the properly paid seems blissfully unaware. But blaming those with less for the inadequately paid, seems to be the MO of the poor, and all incomes. Primarily because those with less them can not take anything away. Anyhow pointing at the driver’s instead of the Highway builders is not going to get that highway Out of Poverty built to NYC.
To eradicate human lack society will be required to examine assumption held fast for thousands of years. So takes these thoughts and mull them over. The worlds Society has been back and forth on a pendulum of blaming the underpaid. Law of 1600 century England state some of the poor are the “Deserving Poor”-While others are thieves. This is also the mind set of today.
But there can be person’s of-kind thoughts, when the poor are paid a decent wage. There will be not dearth of objects to support life. The kind thought’s are akin to saying even millionaires are fine. But the creation of millionaires happens only when everyone has a bed and is fed. Such an idea is off the swinging beaten path of societies range of caring.
When all jobs from flipping burgers to Chamber maids-pays an honest wage then, and only then will poverty end. We must go a bit left or right of the pendulums path.
From A Yankee in Kings Arthur’s Court - by Mark Twain, 1835-1910
“There were two “Reigns of Terror” the one wrought murder in hot passion, the other in heartless cold blood.” Poverty is the cold-blooded murder.
How many of you say the heartless cold blood reign of terror is with us in 2007? It’s in the form of inadequate pay!
The Poor are trash- or low class
No matter the amount in the bank account of a person, they are created with the same potential as the rich. Neither God nor his son ordained poverty must be a way of life. The creators have seen into the heart of mankind, and seen their greed. Gods did not create poverty, people did.
There are enough resources upon this earth, that every person alive can be housed, and fed receive required medical care, have recreation. Only person-kind do not share and play well with others.
The poor has the same feelings as someone in a $600 pair of shoes. But often those who work as hard as they can toil, cannot afford even a $600 car. Because the poor often are treated like animals, they act as such.
Grant Allen, an English essayist and naturalist 1848-1899, over a hundred year ago said.
“…And I believe that even those craven fears and narrow prejudices are wholly mistaken: that everybody, including the rich themselves, would be infinitely happier in a world where no poverty existed.”
So some people before our time envisioned a world where ever human could pay their rent, buy food, pay all their bills. A place where everyone would be better for wiping out today’s form of destitution. The idea is not new idea just an untried idea.
Out of sight
It’s a feeling if poverty is out of sight, the un-poor will not be affected by the impact of lack. But such does not happen. All classes are diminished when Poverty, hatred, violence war, destruction of our planet occurs. It’s poverty, real and perceived which allows wars to unfold. It’s the land owner’s greed, which transposes green valleys into stinky ugly strip mining sites.
As when Atlanta GA hosted the summer Olympics, the Homeless are rounded up before a great event and shipped to the other side of town. This was done to gentrify the immediate area where visitors from all over the world would see US Citizens. This falls to address the main reasons of homelessness-Poverty.
THE SHELTERS ARE FULLED
Women who go to coed shelters end up raped and degraded. Men can end up beaten, and intimidated, and losing their few belongings. So shelters are NOT the best answers. Since 1994 there is a waiting list of sorts to get into many of our homeless shelters. Shelters have been operating at over capacity soon after Federal Aid to Child, was revamped with the upper middle-class sensibilities in mind. Numbers of homeless families and individuals have nearly doubled.
HOUSING FIRST
Out in the mid west a state is attempting an experiment. They no longer require the homeless take care of their addictions to alcohol or drugs. Nor have their mental problems in check, before finding housing for the homeless. Guess What? its working. When they no lack one of life’s basics, the people who needed daily amounts of mind altering substance, improve.
With life raised back to the lowest human standards, the need for mind altering substance lessens. When a person feels in control of their life, they no longer need to batter another human-being.
Ask any homeless person since the dawn of person-kind, they will tell you the additional problems may not evaporate, but the need is HOUSING First. Living on the streets, or even couch surfing at friends and strangers apartments tears the emotions apart.
Meaner Streets
On a grander scale then in the 1950’s Homeless people are targets of physical abuse. Those once housed people- Who in reality are just like you and I, are sought out for beatings, being lighted on fire, never mind the verbal abuse.
Societies invisible Pendulum of right and wrong, has swung into the grey area of Official and semi sanctioned abuse. It seems nearly PC to attack the homeless.
Laws punishing the homeless, and even those wishing to assist the poor and homeless has sprung up in this past decade. In the 1950’s it was illegal to be poor, and it is again illegal to be homeless and hungry.
NEVER BEFORE ATTEMPTED
The real tool, to end poverty, is the belief such can be
accomplished.
Up onto now human-kind has been to afraid to attempt a massive change as paying workers enough to thrive. We throw some funds at a few of the people. Luckless worker’s who are improperly paid. Some of the underpaid are given scrapes. But the funds and the method of providing those funds fall’s, radically short of being 100% of the need to 100% of the people. Society must recognize our mistake, then rectify it, by paying the full costs of human necessities in wages, and supplements to all in need.
This idea is not new, just never before attempted. When Christ walked the earth, he was asked “ How much money do we give the poor” The answer was to the effect of ask them “how much you need?” Then “give them the full amount of that need.” Different religions have similar sayings. To the affect of acknowledge the real need, and fill it.
I am not a scholar of religions. So I do not know the exact quote-but its like what the Beatles wrote, “All you Need Is Love !” When we love people enough that even ½ of society responds to the plaintive cries of our unrelated brothers and sisters we Will apply the Golden Rule of treating others as we which to be treated.
Do you wish to be paid less than the price of even the lowest-rents? Of course not! You wish your job pays you enough to pay all your bills and save, as well as having a vacation. That’s why I, and many thur out history say all jobs must pay a decent wage. Also profits be ignored, when it comes to uplifting of humanity
In the 1600’s in what is the United Kingdom of today, we hear people talking about the deserving poor, and the criminals of the poor. That is the talk of the past 57 years from criminalizing of being poor in the 1950’s to criminalizing being hungry and homeless of 2007.
In fact in 2006 we made criminals of those who feed the hungry in public. But we have NEVER Given 100% of the Need to 100% of those in need. The national rate of the homeless being killed by beating, or set on fire, is alarming the highest it has ever been. Events for the underpaid, are nearly as bad, or in some ways worst then in 1954.
As a society, we overlook the Math, of underpaying 1/4 of all workers and blame the inadequately paid for their own lack. Burger flippers do not deserve wages so low that they must do without needs. And some times a burger flipper IS the best job with their talents one can find. When we are hungry a burger flipper is needed. That is why fast food, gomuote foods, workers-should be paid enough to live upon. That should be a starting point for all workers.
As a society, looking to unlock our promise, we must venture further then creating good/cheap workers. For their to be a higher achieving of human potential it’s necessity to pay all workers enough to unlock their own potential within.
Employers must do something never done before. They must pay all workers enough to thrive. Workers vets, disabled, and mothers must be paid enough so they not only can workers pay all of their basic needs but so they can experience joy and contribute to their up-most, to their society. Worker’s who build a better life for those who can afford such, must be free to become employers, rather then just employees. Not only do they build the fancy swimming pools for millionaires, but they should be free to swim in the same type of elegant pools.
We must ACKNOWLEDGE both the need, and the person. As US Congressman Tom Allen staff gave out pillows and blankets to the protesters who had taken over his Portland office; They acknowledged
that the anti-war protesters had a right to speak out. And be treated with respect.
When we see the radiance within each being, who knows societies could drastically reduce the need for military. When liberty for all is a reality the forests will abound with glorious green. The Ice caps will regain the think-ness they lost, in the ages of the end of the oppression of the poor.
Wars are fought because people wish to be heard. People with no feeling of power over their lives-can become physical abusers, and child molesters. Each Human wants to be heard
The Math to overcome poverty is simply. The formula is:
Pay wages cover essentials plus saving, and
a vacation
Respecting workers.
To learn more, or to add your opinion, or to contribute, or ask for a speaker write: Hospitality House Inc.
PO Box 62
Hinckley ME. 04944 USA.
I would rather tell important new- badly, then to leave it unsaid.
Other sites
http://www.angelfire.com/in4/lightfootlane/
http:/hospitalityhouseofmaine.org
We, and millions of people around the world … believe another world is possible, a world free from war, poverty and hunger
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTPOVERTY/0,,menuPK:336998~pagePK:149018~piPK:149093~theSitePK:336992,00.html
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12324a.htm
http://webclipper.handsnet.org/mt-static/index.php
Please remember these sites; Are NOT the Voice’s of the Poor. But of middle-classes who really care, or make themselves feel better. Or truly believes they can end poverty by holding out scrapes to the poor.
Remember, 110% of the need to 100% of those in need.
Expect hidden treasures from the poor.
Help unlock others, and your own greatness.
It is time for those who pay less than the amount of rent, food, utilities. Medical, transportation, to be ashamed
A small shift in our thinking about poverty can END the continuous invisible hurricane which brings nothing but ruins lives and debris
Ask the underpaid what they, the poor needs.
To Be Paid a Decent Wage,
will be the top response.
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