This post first appeared on Tallahassee Democrat. The Senate began its month-long recess on August 13 without a completed deal on legislation that could help the millions of Americans still struggling with the economic effects of the pandemic. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Florida’s unemployment rate was 11.3% in July, more than four…
Tag: poverty
Teaching Spotlight: How Should and Can We Help the poor? A Course on Global Development & Giving
In the Fall 2019 semester I launched a new undergraduate course titled Global Development & Giving (PUP 4931), which was supported by FSU’s Council of Research and Creativity. I have been visiting poor countries, predominantly in South East Asia, once or twice annually since 2014. These countries include Cambodia, Myanmar, Tibet (China), and, foremost, Laos….
Aging Today: Can We Count on Having Social Security in the Future?
This piece originally aired during WFSU’s Aging Today segment. Social Security has been very successful in reducing poverty among older Americans. But the increasing number of recipients raises the specter that the system cannot be sustained. Economists estimate that without changing in financing, the average benefit will decrease 20% by 2030. Surveys report that at…
Aging Today: Why Do Women Tend to Outlive Men?
This piece originally aired during WFSU’s Aging Today segment. American women can expect to live to age 81, compared with 76 years of age for men. Evidence of women’s biological advantage is found at the very outset of life, with male mortality in their first year exceeding that of females. But women’s greater longevity also…
Social Science Scholar: City Service Mission (CSM) San Francisco
Without the Social Science Scholars program and guidance, I would not have had the opportunity to discover my career passions and how I want to translate the in-class learning I receive to my practical real-world applications. This summer I learned how nonprofits work on a deeper level, how my own identities shape the work I want to do in the future, and how social issues like homelessness are being addressed in cities across the nation.
What Does Fixing Social Security Mean?
Fixing Social Security is not rocket science. There is money available to fix it. Consider the $1.3 trillion of annual tax expenditures that are made each year. While some of these benefit low income households, it is estimated that over half benefit higher income households. Annual expenditures on Social Security are about $946 billion, so taking a knife to tax expenditures that favor the wealthy has promise.
Wicked Problems, Wicked Solutions 