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| Inequality Matters: •the “American Dream” p5: VCRs/TVs are cheap, but cost of higher education, health care, public transportation, drugs, housing, and cars have risen faster then the average family income. This makes the “American Dream” unattainable. Checks and balances used to ensure that things are equal. Now it is “winner takes all”. Political elite now have control and that contributes substantially to the economic pressures on the average household. Upward mobility•Demos p17: a think-and-action tank committed to the pursuit of broader economic opportunity ans a more robust democracy, and it was cosponsored by United for a Fair Economy, the AFL-CIO, ACORN, etc. •de-regulation vs. re-regulation p.23:in the past 25yrs, tax-rates and rules have changed to favor corporations, financiers, and the wealthy. This has been evident in Reagan and Bush tax cuts and economic policies w/effects on the distribution of income and wealth. This has been called “deregulation” but it is really “re-regulation”: designed to benefit few at the expense of many •the Gini coefficient p.27: a number that falls in the range between 0 (where everyone’s income is the same) to 1 (where all the income goes to a single person). From 1968-1992, the Gini coefficient (named after the Italian that invented it) has gone up from 0.38 to 0.434–an increase of 12% and it’s getting higher. •wealth; income; negative wealth p.36 Wealth= the result of accumulated savings over time Income=earned wages and assets. Negative wealth= when debt is more than what you can make. •Nickel and Dimed p.41 A social experiment Barbara Ehrenreich did which consisted of trying to get by in America at minimum wage jobs. Turned it into a book with the name. •Personal Responsibility Act of 1994 p.47 A measure introduced by Clinton which primarily affected women by pushing them into jobs paying subsistence wages. Aiming at ending welfare, but ultimately conveys public and social problems onto individuals. •separate but equal p.54 Even though we don’t have “white/colored” water fountains anymore, there is still segregation in quality between classes/races. i.e. public school funding in Harlem vs. high-cost private school. •a “hidden curriculum”p.58 the idea that children provide important social learning to their peers. A more affluent child will positively contribute more to its peers (on the playground/in the classroom) than a child not as affluent. •No Child Left Behind p62 Bush Administration model of reform which strongly emphasizes testing. If scored of a school do not progress after 4 consecutive years, they could be forced to get new teachers or change the curriculum. Parents can be notified of the scores, causing parents to choose “better” schools instead. Enables children to fall through the cracks. •wealth and whiteness p.70 Dunkin Donuts story: Asian women knew she would be expected to work harder than her white peers due to her race even though she will be paid equal-to-less •the retirement contract p.77Bush’s SS reforms are making it harder, if not impossible, for those to retire. The retirement contract, which was at it’s prime after WW2, is not slowing disappearing with the Bush Administration. Ppl cant save enough in their working lives on their modest incomes to be able to retire later. •“the growing college gap” p.89 the fed. Govt does not factor that more people are going to college now then ever before and tuition is 2x more than 1980, therefore adequate relief is not being given. Having a 4-yr degree is the norm so now more people have to get their masters in order to compete. G.I. bill was very successful during its run. •access to health care; health care industry •McCain-Feingold Act p.124 a law that was created to control the amount of individual donations to certain campaigns. It prevents the control over elections to be completely in the hands of corporations. Started in Watergate but not officially instated until 2002. •Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) p132 A study that was done gathering data since the 70's to examine the economies of major nations (Britain, U.S., Canada, France, Germany, and Sweden). The data shows that U.S. is the more unequal country and still is today, while Sweden is the most equal. • the middle class p138 The middle-class is suffering because gains on top are imposing on the middle class. This class is the largest so it is expected to make up for both the lower and upper classes. •the commons; the “vanishing commons” p150 the commons were an essential part of our country’s beginning years. Private rights yielded to needs of subsistence meaning that you could trespass on another’s land if it was intended to hunt, fish, gather food, or meet any other basic need. They are now vanishing since privatization has become stressed. When one person takes, others suffer. •“the great tax shift” p167 U.S. adopted income tax in 1913. Between 1970-2000, economic productivity went up along with taxes so people never benefitted from their wages. • “civic reorganization” p179: In the beginning of the country’s history, everyone helped each other out and we were a larger community. Now things have shifted to where everything is of the extremes between individualization and large corporations. Technology and legal rights changed which ultimately made the communities around the country obsolete. •privatization and “corporations unbound” p.189 Corporations are synonymous to wealth and to gain it is by any means necessary. Government gives the “for-profit” corporations control that were once widely known as public control, causing the upperhand shift to privatization.•ACORN Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now: The country's largest grassroots organization working for the empowerment of low and moderate income people. Major issues include housing, jobs, living wages and banking.•a “moral economy” p247 An economy that serves people and society first, the material basis for civilization instead of overwhelming society and people with destructive consequences. •a “prophetic politics” p260 The integral between personal ethics and social justice, and it appeals to the people who refuse to make the false choice between the two. The potential to build new alliances and coalitions that will break the political deadlock that recent polls/elections have shown our country to be in.
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| I miss Jeff and it's only been like 5 hours. So lame. His computer that he built kicks ass though!  Hmm, yup.
YS, TOJ
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| *edited for the 6546684615646544651th time*
To my imaginary friends:
I am writing on behalf of...myself. I am a fantastic
person because I am not immature and I think I am better than everyone
else. Other than you guys, I only have two real friends. I don't think
they even count because one is a slut and the other one I am fucking on
a regular basis. I feel that I am a good person, but I'm not such a
great driver. My car is always in the shop because I try to show off to
make myself look cooler than I really am. When it isn't in the shop, I
like to drive to In-N-Out and the Winchester Mystery House by myself
and wait for hours for imaginary people to arrive. Naturally, I listen
to Green Day all the time when I drive around and I even go to their
concerts because I am a poser who pretends to like them.
All two of my friends say I am a great person and
that I shine like a bright light in their lives. I love it when they
come to my new place because if they didn't then I would be super
lonely because I am a loner. I used to have more friends but I am a
dick and screwed them over just like my favorite teacher does to little
girls. Now I only have you guys and the other two.
Well, I hope I don't become a loser in life. High school was real hard
for me, so I hope that clown, I mean sound, school wont be as hard.
Wish me luck!
Your friend,
Geoff Birmanda
*Note that this is not based on anyone in real life. Any correlation is merely a coincidence*
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|  *sigh* I'm the best girlfriend EVER  ... | | |
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