All Education Matters

Why America Is Losing the War On Poverty

2012-01-27T10:49:00.002-05:00

Here's a snippet from my latest article, "Why America Is Losing the War on Poverty," at The Loop21.com:

Recent figures about poverty in America paint a grim picture about the living conditions of a large majority of Americans. Not only is poverty spreading rapidly, but the chances of escaping it are becoming more difficult, if not impossible. For instance, Timothy Smeeding wrote a recent New York Times article entitled, “Living the American Dream (in Canada),” in which he stated, “Of all the consequences of rising economic inequality, none is more worrisome than the possibility that a growing gap will make it harder for children of low-income and middle-class families to climb the economic ladder.” Smeeding’s argument about children is especially troubling. In 2010 the U. S. Census reported that one in five children now live in poverty in the U.S. Overall, the increased number of Americans living in poverty is at an all-time high.

Click here to read the entire article.

On a final note, I visit Linh Dinh's State of the Union on a regular basis. The photography on this site is sobering, and paints a devastating picture of how poverty is rapidly spreading across the U.S. The most recent batch of photographs were of a city I know very well: Washington, D.C. The poverty and homelessness there should make each and every politician on the Hill, and in the White House, ashamed and embarrassed. And yet, they can all so easily turn a blind eye, can't they? Perhaps that is why I am not there, because I am outraged and won't compromise when I see and know that millions of Americans are suffering, homeless, and lack proper medical care. Even worse, more Americans are slipping into poverty.

Dinh's pictures also made me recall a trip I took home from Howard University (when I worked for a publishing company, I spent quite a bit of time at Howard). It was a bright, crisp day in winter a few years ago. I had just finished up a lively conversation with an amazing professor of political science. He was an older gentleman who wore a French beret, and we discussed all kinds of things. He was particularly fond of dancing, so as we wrapped up our talk, he told me about his moves. We then said our good-byes, and I got in my car to head back to Northern Virginia where I lived at the time.

As I approached the U.S. Capitol, I was awestruck and angry. I was struck by the size and sheer beauty of the building - in my view, the Capitol is most exquisite looking on cold, sunny days. Its white marble glistened under a large, winter sun. But my admiration for such fine architectural design quickly faded, as my gaze turned away from the sparkling, mammoth structure to the street I was driving down. Poverty was everywhere. Several people were pushing grocery carts. Many of the buildings were condemned, blackened, falling apart. I recall thinking, "How dare these leaders of the 'free world' claim they are doing good things in that hallowed space! Why don't they take a closer look at the streets right outside their offices?" Oh, who am I kidding? I'm forgetting that, save for Bernie Sanders, politicians never use the 'p' word. Poor? Huh? What are you talking about? And they wouldn't dare talk about the working-poor, that army of laborers who have increased dramatically over the last decade.

If things aren't changed and bold policies aren't implemented, Detroit will soon be your backyard. That is, if it isn't already. I urge you to share Dinh's pictures with your friends and family. Actively seek out opportunities to discuss poverty, the working poor, the dreadful and ever-growing gap between the rich and the poor, and other related issues. Once we all begin to acknowledge the crisis, we can begin to discuss ways in which to solve the problem.

Photo courtesy of Messay Photography

10 Student Loan Reform Leaders: #1 President Obama, Three Others, Then . . Me?

2012-01-24T23:20:00.000-05:00

Check out my reaction to being named a leader by OnlineCollege.org in the fight for student loan reform over at my column, "Seriously Subversive," at Hypervocal. (I'm number 5; the President is no. 1). What a day, and what a surprise! And my editor's note of congratulations - at the end of my short piece at Hyper - made me blush! Such kindness.

Here's the full list on OnlineCollege.org's piece about student loan reformers.

It's an honor to be listed. It means a lot to me, because I've been waging this battle for many years now - and guess what? The fight continues on behalf of the indentured educated class this coming year. Much, much more needs to be done to help distressed borrowers and those who have defaulted on their loans. There is not one solution to the problem. The crisis needs a multi-solution approach, something I've shared with numerous Congressional leaders and their staffers on my many visits to DC.

AEM In 2012!

2012-01-19T19:07:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone, thanks for your patience while AEM was down. I was regrouping, and needed to change things a bit. Rest assured, AEM is still here and stronger than ever. I also look forward to sharing new, exciting developments that have taken place, and that will take place in the near future.

On that note, 2012 looks promising for AEM and my work as an investigative journalist. I also have a great announcement to make - it just happened this week. Not only do I have a literary agent who is actively shopping my book to publishers, but Kathy Horn is now my publicist! This means that I have a team of people helping me raise further awareness about the student lending crisis. That also means the call for change will only get louder. (If you would like to interview me (radio, TV, etc.), please contact her for details. She can be reached at kathy@roadrunnertalent.com. Her twitter handle is @roadrunnertalen).

2012 will be a better year for all of us - at least that is my goal. We've all come a long way, and I am amazed at the community of student loan debtors. Each and everyone of you own this cause and have become activists. It is comforting to know that I am not on the battlefield alone. All of you are so supportive of one another and me. I know that many of you find comfort in these groups, and I appreciate hearing that feedback. Without your involvement, they would not be thriving, so please allow me to express my gratitude for your continued commitment to the cause. Indeed, the fight continues, and I am refreshed and eager to push for change more than ever!

Finally, you can read more of my work at the following outlets:

The Loop 21

-Incidentally, my latest piece there is entitled, "Why America is Losing the War on Poverty"

Hypervocal.com

Yahoo!

My work will be appearing in more outlets soon, so stay tuned for those announcements!

* [UPDATE 1/20/2012]*

I'm pleased to announce that I will be a contributing writer for Marcello Rollando's website, The Reasonable Voice. I look forward to working with Marcello this coming year!

Yahoo! It's Time For a Debt Jubilee

2011-12-23T12:42:00.000-05:00

Here's my latest piece over at Yahoo! I am now a contributing writer there.

Letter to Santa from a Warrior of the Indentured Educated Class

2011-12-21T14:28:00.001-05:00

Here's my latest piece at Hypervocal.com. It's my letter to Santa Claus.

All I want for Christmas is a Congressman (or Congresswoman)

Dear Mr. Claus:

For kids who celebrate Christmas and who still believe in you, this time of year is very special. First, they go to some nearby mall and meet a bunch of impersonating Santas. They sit on the laps of the faux Santas and ask for a bunch of things. Now that the times have gotten economically tougher – if not devastating – for many Americans families, a lot of kids are now asking for simple things. Like, 'I want my mommy to have a job,' 'Help us put food on the table,' and 'Don’t let my dad lose his job.' Kids are damned intuitive, aren’t they, Santa? You are certainly a candidate to know the answer to that question.

On Christmas Eve, all these little children – if their families can still afford to splurge on such things – put out special treats for you. Then the little ones dash off to bed and anxiously wait for your arrival. In their dreams, they watch your sleek red sleigh land on their rooftops – if they are lucky enough to still have one over their head – and follow your every move.

Read the rest of my letter here.

Norman Rockwell's Santa

Is Occupy Wall Street The New Civil Rights Movement?

2011-12-20T15:44:00.000-05:00

Here's my latest piece over at The Loop21.com. I interviewed three great people who discussed the similarities and differences between OWS and the civil rights movement - Barbara Ehrenreich, Michael McCray, and Kalamu ya Salaam.

Cryn Johannsen's Question From All Education Matters

2011-12-14T23:40:00.000-05:00

When you think about the student lending crisis and your current financial situation as an indentured educated citizen, are you hopeful that things will eventually change for the better, or do you think things will only get worse? If you think they're going to get better, tell me why you think that (also how will it get better). Same goes for those of you who think it will get worse. (Perhaps some of you just think it will stay the same, and you'll continue to 'get by,' so to speak).

PLEASE READ AT ALL EDUCATION MATTERS - ORIGINAL CONTENT BY CRYN JOHANNSEN - American Horror Story: Student Loan Debt and Suicide Over Wilted Pancakes

2011-12-13T20:07:00.000-05:00

If you have found this on an aggregated site, they have stolen my work and have republished it without my consent. PLEASE DO NOT READ IT THERE. Despite what people think, this activity HURTS struggling writers when people/bots aggregate original work. It does not HELP.

This piece was originally published over at Hypervocal on November 8th.

Several weeks ago I visited Austin, Texas to report on the #Occupy movement there. The mood was festive, friendly, uplifting. Occupy Wall Street had already turned ugly on several occasions, especially the pepper-spraying incident involving an NYPD white shirt and several young women, but protesters elsewhere had yet to see such instances of violence (the police brutality in Oakland had yet to shock). That’s perhaps one of the reasons why things felt so comfortable and laid back in Austin.

The weekend after I was in Austin, I ventured to Tulsa, Oklahoma. There I met four smart and highly engaged protesters at a local IHOP. We received wilted pancakes and burnt bacon, scorched coffee and sickeningly sweet “juice” very early in the morning. One of the protesters said apologetically, “Sorry that we met here. We have to go across the street to protest Target.”

Read the rest of the article here.

USA Today - Illnesses or Injury Can Ruin Student Loan Debtors

2011-12-12T17:52:00.001-05:00

I wrote this article in June for USA Today. Since there are so many new followers here, I thought I'd repost it - the piece is called "Illness or injury can cause 'ruinous' consequences for those with student loan debt." These stories remind me of why I continue to fight on behalf of the indentured educated class. We deserve a better world. We don't deserve this sort of punishment.

My Work is Being Stolen and Aggregated Without My Permission

2011-12-11T21:02:00.000-05:00

Here are the reasons it is wrong to be reading my work somewhere else that is aggregating it. This writer explains 8 reasons for why it's not right. Here's the most important one:

2. Stealing

A lot of times autoblogging is flat out content theft. Most autoblogging systems are not pulling content from sites that have given permission. In fact, most people do not even realize that their content has been reused until they stumble upon it.

Some argue that publishing an RSS feed gives people the right to republish. This is not actually the case. When you post original content on your site, you automatically have a copyright. People do not have the right to republish without your consent.

As much as I enjoy writing on AEM, and it is a hub for visitors from the White House, the House, the Senate, the SEC, DHS, Wells Fargo, Sallie Mae, Universities, etc., etc., I feel compelled to stop writing here because my work is being stolen. As a writer and activist who is struggling to make ends meet, this is an outrage to me. So, if you are reading my work somewhere else, please think about that long and hard. It's unethical and wrong. As a reader, I urge you to go to my site instead. At the moment, however, my energies are drained and I tired of seeing my stuff taken without my permission.

And It's A Big Win For the For-Profits Who Are Great Friends With Obama, Pelosi, And Others

2011-12-10T17:59:00.001-05:00

Note: If you found this on a site that is aggregating my work, please do not read my content there. That is theft of my work, and illegal.

Here is yet another example of how our system is broken, and how politicians on both sides of the aisle have been bought off by this pernicious industry (and it's just one of many industries that have done so). It is worth mentioning, however, that Senator Harkin (D-IA) is one of the few who stood up for students and questioned the for-profits. As a result, he received threats from someone within the for-profit industry.

Eric Lichtblau's article in the NYT illustrates how the for-profits won a big victory at the expense of low-income students, soldiers, and taxpayers. But hey . . . c'est la vie in D.C., right? This is precisely why it is critical that we - the 99% - join, support, and help OWS. It is our only hope for solving this systemic problem. Those on the Hill won't do it for us. Harkin is, as I said, one of the few who is invested in solving the problem, but none of the offices are willing to take on the student lending crisis entirely. That is why more and more people are joining the ranks of the indentured educated class. That is also why OWS is growing each day. Don't be fooled when you hear that the camps have been closed down. That's was only phase I. OWS is moving on to phase II.

Since I have spent the majority of my time in D.C. and have developed relationships with people on the Hill and elsewhere (and face-to-face), I have met a lot of the individuals who are waging this battle with all of us. I appreciate that they are on our side. Sadly, I know of several who have left this arena, and I can't blame them. I suspect they left because of how overwhelmed they felt when facing these powerful thugs. We are, at this juncture, fighting an uphill battle.

Here's a snippet from the piece.

NYT article by Eric Lichtblau

With Lobbying Blitz, For-Profit Colleges Diluted New Rules

WASHINGTON — Last year, the Obama administration vowed to stop for-profit colleges from luring students with false promises. In an opening volley that shook the $30 billion industry, officials proposed new restrictions to cut off the huge flow of federal aid to unfit programs.

But after a ferocious response that administration officials called one of the most intense they had seen, the Education Department produced a much-weakened final plan that almost certainly will have far less impact as it goes into effect next year.

The story of how the for-profit colleges survived the threat of a major federal crackdown offers a case study in Washington power brokering. Rattled by the administration’s tough talk, the colleges spent more than $16 million on an all-star list of prominent figures, particularly Democrats with close ties to the White House [my emphasis], to plot strategy, mend their battered image and plead their case.

Read the article in its entirety here.

Mr. Lichtblau listed a number of all-star figures, and I'll go ahead and list my favorite ones as well. Here are a few of the players who are committed to making money off of stealing the hope of others. They are, like the student lenders, thieves of hope. The spin on 'gainful employment' is galling to say the least.

- Anita Dunn (who is a very good friend to Obama) - Dunn worked for the White House and for Kaplan University. Woohoo! We all know that Kaplan NEVER screws over students or the people who work for them!

- The Democratic Lobbyists - Richard Gephardt, John Breaux, and - my own personal favorite - Tony Podesta

- The shameless Donald Graham. Adhering to "journalistic integrity," Graham is the chief executive of the previously respected newspaper, The Washington Post. The Post owns Kaplan, so when the paper writers about student loan debt issues, I am sure is never a conflict of interest and the stories are surely straightforward when it comes to discussing for-profits, the student lending industry, etc.

Those are just a few worth mentioning. You can read about the rest of 'em in Lichtblau's article.

So, great job! The Administration, Arne Duncan, and the for-profits have done a superb job of screwing more students in the future. These students tend to be the most vulnerable too, so that warms my heart even more. Here's that change we all voted for, right?!?

Related Links

"From the Best to the Worst: For-Profits Are An Ivy-League Created Scam," AEM (August 31, 2011)

to go to a for-profit . . . I am helping fund the most pernicious, rip-off schools around . . . so go now! Go to a lousy for-profit school!

Hypervocal: Read Public Statement of No Confidence in Chancellor Katehi by UC Davis Faculty

2011-12-09T17:43:00.001-05:00

Here is my most recent piece about the strong disapproval of Chancellor Katehi's refusal to leave her position at UC Davis, and faculty members calling for her immediately resignation. The article includes a public statement of no confidence over at Hypervocal.com.

Here's a snippet:

While there are some UC Davis faculty members and students who do not believe Chancellor Linda Katehi should step down after Lt. John Pike pepper-sprayed peaceful student protesters on November 18th, many on campus want her to resign immediately. The English Department condemned the police brutality almost immediately after the incident. Shortly thereafter, as first reported here at HyperVocal, members of the Physics Department also released a statement calling for her resignation.

Pike’s unwarranted and shameful pepper-spraying “party” has now become a meme. After a number of unnerving news reports of both police and civilians using pepper spray recklessly on Black Friday on shoppers (yes, shoppers, not occupiers), my editor here even suggested that pepper spray be named TIME magazine’s “Person of the Year.”

Read the article in its entirety here.

Public Statement

2011-12-06T22:37:00.000-05:00

It has come to my attention that Robert Applebaum has been saying negative things about me. We worked together and parted ways 2 years ago. Although he writes ill of me, I wish him success. No more of my life will I give to this subject.