As the 113th Congress lurches to a post-election close, known as a lame duck session, some positive results might be in the making amid the budget drama and some notable failures.
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The relationships between the native inhabitants and European settlers eventually deteriorated with shameful and tragic results that cannot be overlooked. However, the snapshot of the period between the Pilgrims’ landing and that harvest feast is a story that teaches the value of partnership.
Lawmakers briefly returned to Washington, DC, to wrap up lingering issues before the 114th Congress convenes in early January. The new Congress will not only bring new faces and changes to the country’s leadership, but a different set of priorities. As Goodwill® prepares to begin new relationships and strengthen old contacts, it is important that we focus on what our own priorities should be.
The reference to a lame duck Congress gives the impression of being powerless, yet in reality the current Congress still holds the power and the duty to act on areas that will impact Goodwill and the people we serve.
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The 2014 mid-term elections are behind us, and even the most respected pollsters and pundits are surprised – not that the Republican party made gains, but by how much. Now the big question in Washington is whether the new Congress can abandon the politics of gridlock in order to move forward and govern. I admit it, I’m cynical. Control of Congress has flip-flopped numerous times over the past 20 years; yet, these breath-taking political moments have failed to establish the kind of transformational change that voters demand when they vote to throw incumbents out of Congress.
READ MORE from Changing the Impact Game: It’s Time for a Forward Pass
The 2014 mid-term elections are behind us, and even the most respected pollsters and pundits are surprised – not that the Republican party made gains, but by how much. Now the big question in Washington is whether the new Congress can abandon the politics of gridlock in order to move forward and govern. I admit it, I’m cynical. Control of Congress has flip-flopped numerous times over the past 20 years; yet, these breath-taking political moments have failed to establish the kind of transformational change that voters demand when they vote to throw incumbents out of Congress.
READ MORE from Changing the Impact Game: It's Time for a Forward Pass
“All politics is local” is a common phrase associated with former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill, and it couldn’t have been truer in my hometown. My parents were very politically active and I remember spending many election days in the firehouse-turned-polling-station checking off names of people who would come in and vote. Those lists
READ MORE from Amid Politics as Usual, Every Vote Still Matters
Much has been written about the Great Recession and the impact it continues to have on our economy. It’s been seven years since the housing bubble began to collapse, triggering the worst stock market collapse since the Great Depression and a loss of an estimated $10 to $12 trillion in wealth in both the housing
READ MORE from Nonprofits Are Creating Jobs Even in Tough Times
Recent economic news has been brighter as of late with consumer confidence starting to move upward, and monthly unemployment rates and jobless claims declining. But every silver lining has a cloud, and that cloud are people who have been out of work for a long time. Nearly a third of Americans who were unemployed last month have been without a job for 26 or more weeks, double the rate recorded before the recession began late in 2007. Those out of work for extended periods of time are often less likely to be hired than those unemployed for shorter stretches. The result is a more devastating impact to household savings and long-term earning potential for those job seekers.
There’s a famous proverb about poverty and charity that says, “Give a man a fish and he eats for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” I’ve always thought this saying needed to be updated by adding, “…but teach a man to catch a lot of fish, to sell them at the market and to save his money to buy more boats, and pretty soon he catches enough fish for everyone.” Okay, it needs a little work, but you get my point. The challenge of course isn’t teaching the man to fish, or even to catch a lot of fish; the challenge is getting him to save his money. That challenge has never been greater than it is today.
This week, representatives from numerous national human services groups in the United States, including Goodwill®, participated in a discussion about a complex challenge that Americans have struggled to address for generations – how do we improve opportunities for people who have economic disadvantages? While the language we have used over the years has evolved from “poverty reduction and safety nets” to “economic mobility and opportunities,” such conversations inside the Beltway often visit and revisit the following two persistent challenges and implicated federal- level policy recommendations. 1) Programs and resources are fragmented, often overlap, and operate in silos; therefore, policymakers should enact legislation that fosters increased collaboration. 2) Public funding is limited and dwindling for programs that aim to lift people and families out of poverty; therefore, policymakers should protect funding for these programs. Let’s set the politics aside for a moment to look at Congress from a systemic perspective in order to examine why it enacts laws that perpetuate an underfunded and fragmented poverty-reduction system.
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National Employ Older Workers Week, held annually the last full week of September, recognizes the vital role of older workers in the workforce. It also showcases the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), which provides on-the-job skills training to individuals 55 or older with limited financial resources. Since its inception in 1965, SCSEP has helped more than one million older Americans enter the workforce.Goodwill agencies in 14 states are providing services under the SCSEP program, and last year they helped more than 2,700 seniors put their years of experience and reliability to work in today’s workforce.
READ MORE from Goodwill® Celebrates the Contributions of Older Workers
