I'd love to see the U.S. Govt. invest in 21st century industries that could provide a fair wage for an honest day's work for the next generation of Americans: For example, 30 years of work in a steel, coal, or auto industry. (airlines, shipping, trucking as well) Perhaps - the U.S. Govt. could invest a few trillion dollars (as they did for COVID) into Wind, Solar, and Geothermal energy industries? This one investment could put a damper on poverty; furthermore, when author/educator Dr. Ruby Payne talks about "generational poverty" in education - I believe planned parenting alone would nearly extinguish poverty completely. Young students and children are trapped in vicious cycles of poverty because of their lack of access to affordable contraceptives. If the U.S. Govt. invested in 100% FREE birth control - no questions asked - on the counter of EVERY pharmacy (CVS, Walgreen's, and Rite-Aid) and on the counter of every public school's library or handed out by school nurses - a whole slew of problems brought on by poverty would be eliminated or drastically reduced: 1. Teen pregnancies 2. High School dropouts 3. STDs 4. Crime 5. Incarceration and the list goes on according to Father Absence Statistics.
If we can mandate the COVID vaccine - why can't we mandate a Hormonal Implant (borth control) that lasts for 3 years on 15 year old girls?
Of course, we do not need to acquire 0% teenage pregnancies in order to eliminate poverty; we can seriously reduce poverty though by simply delaying teenagers and those without established careers from having children.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment, Zin. There are so many ways we can reduce and even eliminate poverty in our country, but somehow we have failed to take the actions that work. I certainly agree that free birth control should be required of all insurance companies or provided by the government separately!
Great articles Joan!
I'd love to see the U.S. Govt. invest in 21st century industries that could provide a fair wage for an honest day's work for the next generation of Americans: For example, 30 years of work in a steel, coal, or auto industry. (airlines, shipping, trucking as well) Perhaps - the U.S. Govt. could invest a few trillion dollars (as they did for COVID) into Wind, Solar, and Geothermal energy industries? This one investment could put a damper on poverty; furthermore, when author/educator Dr. Ruby Payne talks about "generational poverty" in education - I believe planned parenting alone would nearly extinguish poverty completely. Young students and children are trapped in vicious cycles of poverty because of their lack of access to affordable contraceptives. If the U.S. Govt. invested in 100% FREE birth control - no questions asked - on the counter of EVERY pharmacy (CVS, Walgreen's, and Rite-Aid) and on the counter of every public school's library or handed out by school nurses - a whole slew of problems brought on by poverty would be eliminated or drastically reduced: 1. Teen pregnancies 2. High School dropouts 3. STDs 4. Crime 5. Incarceration and the list goes on according to Father Absence Statistics.
If we can mandate the COVID vaccine - why can't we mandate a Hormonal Implant (borth control) that lasts for 3 years on 15 year old girls?
Of course, we do not need to acquire 0% teenage pregnancies in order to eliminate poverty; we can seriously reduce poverty though by simply delaying teenagers and those without established careers from having children.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment, Zin. There are so many ways we can reduce and even eliminate poverty in our country, but somehow we have failed to take the actions that work. I certainly agree that free birth control should be required of all insurance companies or provided by the government separately!