'Bamboozle' A Golden Rule for Some
Published July 31, 2009 @ 05:19AM PT
I'm a naysayer, a contrarian. I've always been that way. It comes in handy, especially when sorting out the abundant tomfoolery hoisted upon us by "them that have the gold," the Tarnished Golden Rule of Politics. An abundance of news, opinions and blogs about poverty-related issues illustrate how this rule works.
Recent news accounts of Wall Street's audacious behavior and self-interested medical providers illustrate the power of money in guiding (mis) behavior. Follow the money and you'll figure out this nation's and world's woes. Many in Congress and most corporations tend to follow the bucks which gets them in trouble.
This tarnished Golden Rule also affects the employment dependent worker-bees, reliant on The Corporation. Look at companies you deal with as a consumer. Do they mold people into lemmings forced to comply with inane corporate policies to enrich the owners/stock holders? Are people forced to go along with corporate mentality because of employment (and health insurance) insecurity? Former mortgage industry employees, just one example, have lately been spilling their toxic guts about corporate practices that contributed mightily to our nation/world's meltdown.
Author Chris Hedges explores the "happiness mentality" in a provocative column sure to disturb the
corporate workers torn between paychecks and integrity of self. Hedges offers
The driving ideology of corporate culture is a blind faith in the power and virtue of the corporate collective. All quotas can be met. All things are possible. Profits can always be raised. It is only a question of the right attitude. The highest form of personal happiness, we are told, is when the corporation thrives.
He identifies the promoters of the corporate culture as retired military officers, professional athletes, billionaires and self-help gurus. HELLO!!??!! Some may be fine specimens of leadership, but the military/athlete mentality tends to center on "win at any cost." I'm ready to try Dr. Seuss!
To reiterate the excellent point made by my PIA (ok, how many are thinking 'Pain in the A*s?!) blogger NYCweboy,
Unless and until we have politicians who can speak, frankly and directly, about the need to help people in poverty, it's unlikely we will see progress on poverty issues.
I think you could safely say POVERTY issues have been far from the fruitful discussion table. Among the poverty issues getting little to no attention: health care, mental health, nutrition, affordable housing, homelessness, child care, fair wages, criminal justice, substance abuse treatment and education. And I'd take the leap to say the corporate culture (for the most part) and the "win at any cost" mentality, seemingly imbedded in partisan politics steering Congress, is, um, perhaps not the best model to guide our poverty policies.
Recently I found myself ranting at a Change.org guest blogger for extolling her version of virtues of the (abysmal) federal approach to homelessness, the McKinney-Vento Act. What set me off, perhaps more than her points, was that she works for a national "advocacy" group that has been horrendously at odds with me and my colleagues who want to realistically expand, rather than deceptively reduce, HUD's definition of "homeless."
A recent report, although filled with bad news about the predominance of homelessness experienced by children, points to what some of us know is true--numbers of homeless families and teens are much higher than HUD recently reported to Congress, and their plight far worse than most people realize.
Seems to me it's time for POTUS to appoint a new Secretary of Contrariness. It would be a refreshing change to the delusional reports of great progress in the poverty and homelessness arenas.
photos by the author
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Comments (9)
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Author
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Diane Nilan, founder and president of HEAR US Inc., has over 23 years experience working impoverished and homeless families. Since 2005, Nilan’s cross-country journey to non-urban communities has focused on poverty and homelessness, particularly as it affects invisible families and teens. She filmed the award-winning series of documentaries, My Own Four Walls, children and youth sharing how homelessness affects their lives and their education. Her reader-friendly book, “Crossing the Line: Taking Steps to End Homelessness,” gives unique insights into homelessness. Her latest production, “REACH” empowers incarcerated parents to advocate for their homeless children’s educational rights.
Featured Poverty in America Actions
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Repeal the Hyde Amendment!
88 People
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Repeal the Hyde Amendment!
(I thought you had actually found out where all the money went.)
Our government needs to stop giving hand-outs. Instead, they need to give people a way out.
Posted by L.S. hope on 07/31/2009 @ 12:44AM PT
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The way out, for people mired in poverty, would be a welcome relief. It seems that them that have the gold have been a little hesitant on that front.
Posted by HEAR US on 07/31/2009 @ 03:37AM PT
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grassroots mentors, someone to show the way, rather than passing out money ~ that's the way.
the most needed resource to help those to get out of poverty is the time and energy of those who would show the way out rather than sitting in judgement and doing nothing
Posted by DIANE PICCIUOLO on 08/01/2009 @ 11:31AM PT
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You are right (Diane's tend to be right!!) on an individual basis. Mentors are invaluable!
But we sure have to figure out how to get some funding to build and maintain decent housing for people, and to make sure to increase services designed to move people from or keep them from falling into homelessness.
Posted by HEAR US on 08/01/2009 @ 11:56AM PT
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Pay the actual cost need will eliminate homelessness. The Homeless and abuse shelters having waiting list. And we need HOMES.
Obama got to the office saying he would take care of the poor and the middle-classed. Speaking to the cause of poverty has not been the politicians strength. They use us to get elected, then forget about us.
So far this is true of Obama. Big deal. He plans for a $2.00 increase in minimum wage in 2011. Rents are sky high. $9.40 on hour will not pay rents starting at $15.64 on hour. He should be pushing for the poverty level to be staighted out. The wages meet with the costs.
This big I AM Accessible - is just bull jam. The only time I had a reply from our president STAFF, was when I wrote in on Bushes, old email box. I started writing the second he was President. 3-4 a week down to 1 a week. In July just one email a month.
Some how we must reach this guy through his staff or whatever and tell him to make good on his promise.
Posted by jan Lightfootlane on 08/01/2009 @ 04:10PM PT
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It's a multi-pronged problem really. First off, since those at the top - whether acting as individuals or as businesses/corporations clearly aren't willing to do it voluntarily, we're obviously going to have to enact laws that force them to quit taking advantage of their workers and most particularly of the poor, to specifically define what this means and then to very strictly enforce these laws. This is something that's been going on for as long as this nation has existed. Terms change, like we've "evolved" from slavery and involuntary servitude to wage slavery and adulterated products and cheating the intent of labor laws but the out come is still that we're working people to slow and painful deaths and the deaths are faster and more painful the closer to poverty the people are - and society and government that COULD do something due to indifference or stigma or whatever still isn't doing anything voluntarily to help protect the workers (and never mind those in poverty).
Next we need to quit buying into these ideas of help the corporations and the rich and we "help everyone" or help the corporations and it's "good for America" fantasies. If a corporation can't keep afloat while slowly killing the souls of its workers and doing quite a number on many more, there's no excuse and it's certainly not deserving of any help. Irresponsibility - and particularly not such open irresponsibility that involves taking gross advantage of others - shouldn't be rewarded.
Last but not least, Jan is right. We need to start holding politicians responsible. These are PEOPLE. At least I know I am and I'm definitely in poverty. I'm not a mere talking point to be taken advantage of for the purpose of tugging at heartstrings and winning votes and to them be ignored until the next election. Dagnabit, how badly this nation treats its poor is approaching human rights violations if it's not violating them already. We should be ashamed - or at least our leaders should be. This has to stop and we HAVE to do something to help our poor besides judge them and then blame them for their situations when the inadequate and dysfunctional programs fail to help anyone.
Posted by Danetta Amschler on 08/02/2009 @ 12:12AM PT
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I think you're right on target, Danetta. So is Jan.
We need a seismic paradigm shift in how people without money are valued. It will take time. Both the "haves" and the "have-nots" will need to change.
But if not now, when? It would be such a welcome change to at least begin moving in that direction.
Posted by HEAR US on 08/02/2009 @ 07:34PM PT
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I think you're right on target, Danetta. So is Jan.
We need a seismic paradigm shift in how people without money are valued. It will take time. Both the "haves" and the "have-nots" will need to change.
But if not now, when? It would be such a welcome change to at least begin moving in that direction.
Posted by HEAR US on 08/02/2009 @ 07:34PM PT
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Thanks. There is a movement calling for Human rights NOW! Its ran by the Poor Peoples Economic Human Rights campaign. in Minn.
It is run by the hand of many, who are fierce enough to continue the action, if anything happens to any of its leader. It has open doors for all
Posted by jan Lightfootlane on 08/03/2009 @ 05:24PM PT
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