Issues In The News

The Huffington Post, February 3, 2012: (Op-Ed) The 'Holeist' of Holes in the Safety Net

"A key in fixing holes is being able to see and find them. Significantly, it turns out that Romney appreciates that the safety net has holes. As Politico reported, after his CNN interview, the candidate explained to a plane-load of media that 'he is 'sure' there are holes in the safety net and that 'finding those places is one of the things that is the responsibility of government.'"

The New York Times, February 3, 2012: (Op-Ed) Romney Isn’t Concerned

"Faced with criticism, the candidate has claimed that he didn’t mean what he seemed to mean, and that his words were taken out of context. But he quite clearly did mean what he said. And the more context you give to his statement, the worse it gets. "

USA TODAY, February 3, 2012: Komen says grant cuts 'mischaracterized'

"Three of the 19 affected Planned Parenthood programs (northern Colorado, Orange County, Calif., and Waco, Texas) will continue to be funded because they are the only services for low-income women in their communities, Brinker says. The other programs will be funded through the end of the year. 'There will be no gap in services to these low-income women,' she said."

Orlando Sentinel, February 3, 2012: (Blog) Mom, children call motel home -- DCF hopes Facebook post helps them

"Their family of three is being featured in the debut edition of a DCF Facebook campaign called 'Homeless 2 Home' -- created after staffer Carrie Hoeppner triggered an outpouring of help when she posted on her personal Facebook page about a homeless family facing Christmas without food. "

The News Tribune, February 3, 2012: (Op-Ed) Poor? What poor? U.S. politics play to middle class

"Mitt Romney doesn’t care about 'the very poor'? He’s not alone. Romney’s point – as he hurried to emphasize Wednesday after his awkward phrase popped out on CNN – was that the poorest Americans have a safety net while middle-class Americans are 'struggling.'"

Rueters, February 3, 2012: Komen defends funding move; Charity denies it bowed to political pressure on Planned Parenthood

"The Komen foundation, known for its pink ribbon symbol, has collected more than $1.9 billion for breast cancer research and programs. Planned Parenthood provides abortion, birth control, pap smears and other health services to women. It had received about $700,000 annually from Komen to provide mammograms for low-income women."

The New Republic, February 3, 2012: It’s Not the Very Poor That Romney Doesn’t Care About, It’s the Working Poor

"Let’s give Mitt Romney the benefit of the doubt: He didn’t really mean it when he said, 'I’m not concerned about the very poor.' Or, let’s just say he cares about them no less than he cares about the rest of us."

Newsday, February 3, 2012: East End homeless find refuge at new daytime drop-in-center (Subscription Required)

"A new initiative by a Riverhead homeless-services organization has turned an ordinary two-story house into a daytime drop-in center for the East End. The nonprofit Maureen's Haven, which operates a winter shelter network for the homeless among more than a dozen East End houses of worship, celebrated the opening of its daytime center yesterday."

The News & Observer, February 3, 2012: (Op-Ed) Making friends of the homeless

"Under a morning sky, these words from Isaiah 58 wash over a group of Cross Point Community Church workers as they hold hands during a departure prayer. Nearly 20 people have gathered at a Knightdale meeting spot bearing breakfast food and work gloves. A homeless camp in South Raleigh is the caravan's destination."

Denver Business Journal, February 3, 2012: Proposal would discount hospital care in Colorado to poorer residents

"SB 134 would require hospitals to offer discounts to uninsured patients who have family incomes at or below 400 percent of the federal poverty level - $92,200 for a family of four. It also would mandate that hospitals offer to screen each patient for the discount program."

Chico Enterprise-Record, February 3, 2012: Board approves housing project for young adults at risk of homelessness

"A Youth for Change project that could prevent grown foster kids from becoming homeless has its permits and can move forward, if it gets funding. The Chico Architectural Review and Historic Preservation Board approved Valley View Apartments' design Wednesday with a 4-0 vote, with board member Mike Borzage abstaining, associate planner Greg Redeker said. Borzage had concerns about the noise already in the area."

The Montgomery Advertiser, February 3, 2012: Recovery program works to help those struggling with addiction

"The veterans group is new and growing. The first meeting was Dec. 6, said Paul Dickerson, a certified addiction professional in charge of the veterans group. Many of the people who show up to the meetings are homeless, Dickerson said, and the group works to connect those people with the resources available to them."

The Desert Sun, February 3, 2012: Outpouring of support for 'tent city' host

""I can't kick them out. I just can't. They just need to know there is someone for them," said Dervishi, 56. Over the past couple of years, homeless people began to gather behind his store. So he installed a shower and bathroom for them to use. In recent months, dozens of brightly colored tents popped up in the empty lot behind the store - drawing ire from the Indio Police Department and some neighborhood businesses."

The Bradenton Herald, February 3, 2012: Manatee County hoping to jump-start help for homeless

"County commissioners Thursday decided to direct county staffers to join with their Bradenton counterparts and local civic activists in an effort to more effectively deal with the homeless."

NPR, February 2, 2012: Obama, Perhaps Tweaking Romney, Emphasizes Duty To Poor In Speech

"Later, Obama made a number of statements grounded in the religious imperative to help the poor. It's not surprising that he would make such observations at a prayer breakfast. But there did appear to be more of an emphasis on society's obligation to the poor in Thursday's version of the prayer breakfast speech than in the past."

The Washington Post, February 2, 2012: Romney’s timely proposal to raise and index the minimum wage

"His recent remarks have suggested callousness. But amid the kerfuffle, he offered one good idea: specifically, he told the Associated Press on Wednesday that he backs indexing the federal minimum wage to inflation, just as he did when running for governor of Massachusetts a decade ago."

NY Daily News, February 1, 2012: A hike in the state’s minimum wage will boost the economy and benefit everyone

"Over one million New Yorkers who barely survive now on minimum wage, could soon catch a breather. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Assembly Labor Committee Chairman Keith Wright, both Democrats, introduced legislation Monday to raise the minimum wage in New York State to $8.50 next in January."

The San Francisco Chronicle, February 2, 2012: Condo left to S.F. to aid homeless

"Never married, with no children and no close relatives, she decided that after she died she wanted her home to be used as a homeless shelter. Or if that wasn't feasible, she added, she wanted her property used 'where the need is greatest for the City and County of San Francisco, as determined by the Board of Supervisors,' according to her will."

Kalamazoo Gazette, February 2, 2012: Childhood poverty is an old story, we should all hope that in the future it is a non-story

"While it is important to feed, clothe and provide shelter for Kalamazoo children and families living in poverty, local community and government organizations said today the focus needs to be on how to prevent poverty."

The Desert Sun, February 2, 2012: Haven for the homeless draws ire of authorities

"He thought he was simplifying things when he installed a shower and bathroom behind the shop for the homeless to use. He even built a porch and planted a garden and decorative landscaping to keep it attractive."

Detroit Free Press, February 2, 2012: Number of kids in poverty points to a cruel, troubling future

"More than half a million of the state's children live in families whose annual incomes do not rise above the national poverty level, which is $22,000 for a family of four and $17,000 for a single-parent family of three. Even more troubling, the percentage of children living in families with income below half the poverty level ($900 per month for a family of four) more than doubled over the decade -- from 5% of children to 11%."

Chicago Sun-Times, February 2, 2012: Don't quit: Hope doesn't have to die in the 'hood

"I was born a son of the ghetto, joint heir to poverty, the firstborn of a 17-year-old black mother married to a black male, sometimes mechanic, 22. My father was an alcoholic. This was how he lived. It was the way he died."

The Huffington Post, February 2, 2012: Mitt Romney Not Concerned About People Living In Poverty -- But He Should Be

"Mitt Romney told CNN this morning that 'I'm not concerned with the very poor. We have a safety net there.' He'll probably want to bet $10,000 to prove me wrong, but we aren't doing enough to fight poverty and Romney's proposed economic agenda -- a mirror image of the policies of George W. Bush that caused poverty to skyrocket -- will hurt our nation. "

The Dallas Morning News, February 2, 2012: DMN Charities campaign breaks $1 million mark for 12th time

"'We are thrilled by the more than 1,800 donors in this year's campaign,' said Bob Mong, editor of The Dallas Morning News and chairman of the DMN Charities board. 'Big gifts or modest, they added up to raise more than $1 million for the homeless in our community.'"

The Washington Post, February 2, 2012: Mitt Romney says he ‘misspoke’ about lack of concern for poor

"Mitt Romney said in an interview set to air Thursday evening that he 'misspoke' when he said that he was 'not concerned about the very poor.'"