Ending Poverty in Minnesota by 2020

The Legislative Commission to End Poverty in Minnesota starting holding meetings after several bridges collapsed, leaving many homeless due to houses being destroyed. The Commission asserts that "all people are [to be] provided those things that protect human dignity and make for healthy life: adequate food and shelter, meaningful work, safe communities, health care, and education." The question is: how are they going to do that? 

Minnesota plans to drastically rebuild their economy that restores work and ends poverty. An economy that invests time in occupational skills, and one that values every single person, regardless of illness, age, race, disability, or crisis. Although this is a long-term goal, the commission is confident in completely its mission by using all sectors of the economy - business, the faith community, government and nonprofits. 

They are taking many steps right now, although they expect it to be a 12-year process, there are necessary steps to take to start. There is an emergency jobs program being created, which uses wage subsides to help bail out businesses and employ the unemployed Minnesotans. They also plan to use federal infrastructure money for transportation, so isolated people can be reached, especially in the rural parts of Minnesota where much affordable transportation is needed. They are also trying to keep the prices down on goods in some broken communities. 

Minnesota wants to establish a federal and state partnership to restore work and bring them out of poverty. They would like to be able to provide more income tax credit to the poor and destitute families to aid them out of poverty, and fully fund child care assistance and early childhood education programs.  Another huge factor to ending poverty is health care, and Minnesota wants to greatly address that along with the government. They want to repair their broken health care system that is putting people farther and farther in debt. Minnesota needs affordable or free health care to all their people (Universal Health Care/Obamacare), so the rates of health care don't continue to rapidly increase. They are tired of the system that leaves many unable to afford health care, when the system should be able to offer full access to medical care for every citizen.

Minnesota's efforts to end poverty in their state have been great and selfless. They are planning to rebuild their economy to make it stable for all, so no one is left behind. If all people contribute to the common good, they believe, then Minnesota will become a stronger and more prosperous state.

How do we apply Minnesota's passionate efforts to the rest of our nation?

http://www.commissions.leg.state.mn.us/lcep/LCEP_Final_Report_SinglePgs.pdf

What are Microfinance Institutions currently working on?

As I already established in my previous blog post, Microfinance Institutions are one of the leading solutions in ending poverty. The question is, how will they improve, and what are they currently working on?

Kiva, a MFI, states that other microfinance institutions, such as AMK, are currently working on many things to improve their service and assistance to their clients. The main three things they are working on are savings, life insurance, and non-financial products.

AMK is doing a lot of work in Cambodia, and is currently in the process of obtaining their savings license from the National Bank of Cambodia. Once they obtain that license, they will be able to further promote savings in every village they work in.

Life insurance may be harder though. Currently, AMK is looking into providing life insurance to their clients, so they can be significantly assisted if a family member dies. Their policy right now is that if a client dies, their existing loan is written off. They are trying to improve that policy.

The next huge factor is non-financial products in developing countries, and our own. Especially in developing countries and third-world countries, we need these products such as clean drinking water, water filters, and more sanitation processes. All these things will greatly improve the lives of the clients and the nation as a whole. AMK is trying to eradicate kerosine lamps and replace them with solar lamps, which will help countries drastically develop environmentally.

If they went even further after establishing all those things, they aspire to use their network to do so much more. They would like to establish and promote better health care, cheaper secondary school education, business development, and providing clients with access to larger markets.

The increasingly large numbers of networks that microfinance institutions have are an extremely valuable asset in ending poverty, or at least decreasing it. As MFI's use their networks sustainably, they are obtaining the tools they need to eradicate poverty completely.

http://pages.kiva.org/fellowsblog/2010/02/09/microfinance-will-not-end-poverty-microfinance-institutions-will

Microfinance Institutions

It has been believed that microfinance was the solution to ending poverty. Microfinance is the provision of financial services to low-income clients, including consumers and the self-employed, who traditionally lack access to banking and related services. This however, is not the answer to solving poverty.

Yes, microfinance will help alleviate poverty, but microfinance alone can't end it. Microfinance institutions can help though. Microfinance institutions provide a lower credit rate than local money lenders, give people opportunities to make large purchases, help borrowers through rough times, and are not just a "handout."

Microfinance institutions may be the biggest players in the war on poverty. MFI's are constantly reaching to more and more clients, service many more people, so their business can flourish. MFI's have made very valuable networks due to this, which are sustainable networks. AMK currently has operations in 50% of Cambodian villages, and are continuing to grow.

Now AMK and other MFI's (Microfinance institutions) are working on new ways to use their networks to do even more. What more can they do to alleviate poverty in these struggling nations?

http://pages.kiva.org/fellowsblog/2010/02/09/microfinance-will-not-end-poverty-microfinance-institutions-will

Causes of Poverty in America

Americans cannot determine what the truest causes of poverty our in this nation. They constantly argue over this issue. Some claim that the poor aren't doing enough or working hard enough to help themselves out of poverty, while others say that poverty is set on by circumstances out of their control.

Many people name drug abuse, homelessness, too few jobs (or jobless), single parents, too many immigrants, and medical bills as the main causes of poverty. The poor claim that drug abuse is one of the largest causes of poverty, but the non-poor say it is the poor-quality public schools that cause to poverty. Both groups agreed that poverty and schooling go hand in hand though.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/business/kaiser.pdf

Poverty Reduction in Thailand

We tend to believe that most countries are in ruin, as we are in an economic crisis, but Thailand has proved differently. Thailand has remarkably flourished in globalization, growth, and poverty reduction over the past years.

When regarding the reduction of poverty, Thailand came up with multiple new ways of thinking and methods. First, they have learned how to accurately measure poverty. They learned not to measure poverty solely on income, but on other factors too. Next, they compared the measurements of poverty over different years and found trends and comparisons. They also learned to neglect personal opinion from measurements of poverty. Over time, Thailand's poverty measurements have decreased immensely.

How to we apply this poverty reduction example of Thailand to America?

http://www.jstor.org

Globalization, Growth, and Poverty Reduction in Thailand

Peter Warr

ASEAN Economic Bulletin , Vol. 21, No. 1, Thailand: Economic Challenges and the Road Ahead (April 2004), pp. 1-18

Published by: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS)

Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25773799

Synthesis & Plan

Poverty

The main topics I've been researching are what causes poverty, how to end it, and if really can ever end it. So far I have found articles about charitable organizations, and found that donating money doesn't always help. When we throw money at an organization, we believe we're doing the right thing and the best thing we can to help those in poverty. In reality, a lot of the money doesn't go to the cause and if resources are sent and provided, the countries don't have the ability to maintain them. I also learned that the lowest class is pushed to the side the most, for example in the election. The middle class was addressed as the "struggling" class, which is true (they are struggling), but the poor have forever been struggling.
I plan to find more ways in which poverty can be prevented and ended.

Who will speak for the poor during the 2012 election?

With all the focus on the middle class this 2012 election, politicians have failed to address the poor and how the well-being of the lowest class. We all heard Mitt Romney's infamous statement, "I'm not concerned about the very poor," Of course, he only was made this statement because he was trying to keep focus on the , but middle class and improving the economy, but it does show how little attention has been paid to the poor throughout this election.

One could argue that the middle class needs to be the focus of the election, due to the economic crisis we're in and that effects them the most. I agree with that, but the the statistics are still alarming that there are tens of millions of Americans living without basic needs, which seems to be ignored by politicians. The serious deprivations are mainly among children, who are obviously not to blame. Today's children are who will be shaping our future though. Serious attention, education, and resources need to be provided to these destitute children and Americans we fail to address. 

Addressing the middle class will most likely help reduce poverty also. One of the best solutions to poverty is an established and good economy. The best way to improve the lives of the poor is jobs and working, which can only be achieved through education, health, and the infrastructure of economic and social life. In addition to improved employment, we need to focus on keeping kids in school and not giving up.

How will the candidates plan to address the issue of poverty in America? 

Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context

Do donations really help?

Whenever there's a new crisis somewhere in the world, Americans whip out their wallets and throw donations at the cause. Does this really help? Do you ever stop to wonder where that money is going and how it is actually going to help end the problem?

As Americans, we have a tendency to demand fast solutions and instantaneous change. However, this is extremely unrealistic. Change is gradual and throwing money at a cause isn't going to speed the process up. Poverty has existed for centuries, which means it will take an unknown amount of time to end. Donations and money will help, but resources, time, work and education are the key assets.

                                                                                                                          detroitareadiaperbank.org

In the Wilson Quarterly, Ed Jesteadt shares his experiences working to end poverty in rural villages in South Africa. He states, "Giving poor people valuable assets without their having done anything to earn them does not make a viable program. People must earn what they receive. A microloan program that requires payback, for example, gives people dignity and self-respect and empowers them to take control of their own destinies." This provides an example of how to help impoverished areas succeed, but with dignity. He goes on to say, "And donated assets such as equipment, vehicles, and buildings often go to waste because poor people lack the resources to maintain them. Or worse, they will trade goods they are given for something else they would rather have--sometimes good, other times alcohol or drugs."

http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/MagazinesDetailsPage/MagazinesDetailsWindow?failOverType=&query=&prodId=OVIC&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Magazines&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&source=&sortBy=&displayGroups=&search_within_results=&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CA166821512

We want to help end poverty in poor countries, while looking out for the best interest of the people in those nations. Poor people may not necessarily benefit from donations. Then again, a lot of people do benefit from organizations to reduce poverty. World Vision raises money to dig fresh water wells in many countries in Africa. This has drastically improved the living conditions in these poor countries. So donations to organizations, such as World Vision, do help. But then, what determines if a donation helps or not? How can you trust an organization to do the best thing possible with your money?

kabarnes.wordpress.com

How can we end poverty?

I'm passionate about this because I've always had a desire to help people. I have a passion for human rights and peacemaking, and consider myself a caring person. The wealth gap between countries makes me very angry and I don't think we should have certain "first-world" countries as super-powers, while others can't even find clean water.

I know that poverty is a very difficult thing to end because of the massive wealth gap. There's a huge debate on whether or not the government should assist poorer countries and to what extent. There's also a debate on how we can end poverty and help out other countries without invading and demolishing their cultures.