When the movie The Help opens this week, hundreds of thousands of viewers will get swept up in the story of domestic workers who are struggling for dignity and respect in Civil Rights-era Mississippi. What those viewers might be surprised to learn is that across America, modern domestic workers are living out that struggle today.
Tag Archives: Alliance for a Just Society
Debt Deal Puts a Bull’s Eye on Medicaid
As I write, the U.S. Senate has just passed the debt deal that was negotiated with the President over the weekend. It got 269 votes in the House yesterday and 74 votes in the Senate today. It was opposed by both the most progressive and most conservative members. The immediate effect is a cap onContinue reading “Debt Deal Puts a Bull’s Eye on Medicaid”
Medicaid Makes a Difference Report
Congress is locked in a budget battle that’s grabbed round-the-clock media attention. Lost in the coverage are the real stakes in the debate, including the lives of the more than 50 million people covered by Medicaid, which is now in the budget-cutting cross-hairs. More than half of these 50 million are people of color. RacialContinue reading “Medicaid Makes a Difference Report”
Hispanics are the Hardest Hit of the Economic Recession
A recent study released by the Pew Research Center brought to light the fact that Hispanics have been the hardest hit during this economic recession. According to this study, the decline in the housing market in 2006 and the economic recession from 2007 to 2009 were enormously felt in communities of color. For instance, theContinue reading “Hispanics are the Hardest Hit of the Economic Recession”
Let’s Not Get Fracked!
If you listen regularly to public radio’s “This American Life” (TAL), you probably weren’t surprised by their recent, in-depth examination of fracking in Pennsylvania, where natural gas companies are now ripping through the Marcellus Shale. The radio program has made a real niche in dissecting the way power works across our country, and fracking –Continue reading “Let’s Not Get Fracked!”
Insurance Companies Weaken Language Access Regulations while Getting Wealthier
A few weeks ago, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a regulation stipulating that insurance companies only have to provide language services to a person with Limited English Proficiency if 10% of people in their county speak their same language. This is a high bar – only 177 out of 3,143 counties inContinue reading “Insurance Companies Weaken Language Access Regulations while Getting Wealthier”
Homeowners Present New Bottom Line to Attorneys General
Forty homeowners and clergy members traveled across the country on Tuesday to Chicago’s Drake Hotel to welcome and urge the nation’s states’ Attorneys General to stand firm for a strong settlement agreement with the big banks. While the Attorneys General gathered for their NAAG summer meeting, members of the New Bottom Line brought along “welcomeContinue reading “Homeowners Present New Bottom Line to Attorneys General”
Medicaid Matters across Generations
On July 12th, over 250 people joined with Senators Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Al Franken of Minnesota and Claire McCaskill of Missouri to highlight the important role Medicaid plays for seniors, kids, families and America and to decry recently proposed cuts to the critical program. The Alliance for a Just Society worked with CaringContinue reading “Medicaid Matters across Generations”
Medicaid Makes a Difference
Alliance Executive Director LeeAnn Hall had a commentary published in Truthout about the importance of defending the nation’s Medicaid program. LeeAnn wrote: “With wrenching unemployment and the housing market still in the tank, this may be the worst possible time to think about gutting Medicaid. Yet, the program still faces a slew of threats… “WithContinue reading “Medicaid Makes a Difference”
Direct from Main Street: Maine Small Business Views on Credit and Lending
This report shares the findings of a survey of Maine small businesses, focusing on their experiences with credit and their reactions to one current proposal to support small business and economic growth: the creation of a state bank. This report contributes to the discussion of such a proposal by sharing the perspectives of Maine’s MainContinue reading “Direct from Main Street: Maine Small Business Views on Credit and Lending”