Category: Pro American Party Info

The Catch-22 Between Employment and Criminality

catch 22The relationship between criminality and employment is a “catch-22” situation. Communities known as high crime areas are also high in criminality. So employment would help lower the crime rate. But at the same time these communities are unattractive to investors because they are high crime areas, so no jobs will be created. And so the cycle continues.

This reciprocal relationship presents a difficult problem. Potential businesses are wary of such areas because both their property and personnel are at risk. Goods are likely to be stolen, the property may be damaged, employees could be assaulted and customers intimidated. If business is to be attracted to the area these conditions must be mitigated.

Business also has another concern, the potential pool of employees. This same geographic area may be filled with unemployed people, but do those same people have the skill-set to get and keep attractive jobs? You know, the type of jobs that pay well above minimum wage, offer a chance at promotion and provide a sense of purpose or accomplishment?

This is where the Pro American Party comes in: Tenet #12. “In areas of combined high crime and high unemployment the PAP believes there is a beneficial role for the Department Of Labor to assist that will be in the best interests of all Americans. The DOL will limit the risk to investors who create businesses in high crime areas by providing low cost insurance against theft and/or damage to their property or product. The DOL will also work with the business to determine the skill-set needed to be a successful employee and provide needed training to individuals living in the area.”

supply and demandThis type of intervention is necessary if we are to eliminate historically high crime areas and allow them to be transformed into cohesive neighborhoods where it is safe for both business and people to work and live.

This program will make supply-side economists happy because job training improves the attractiveness of individuals to employers. It will also be attractive to demand-side economists because it reduces the costs of employment borne by the employer.

The Pro American Party believes the strategy outlined above is a much stronger and less expensive option designed to increase employment than previously tried programs.  Back in 1992, HUD provided $168 million to fund ‘Moving to Opportunity;’ a test program to reduce unemployment and crime. With this idea HUD thought they would move residents in high crime areas out of the area and near areas where jobs existed. HUD did not expect (but I’d bet you already have)that this program met significant opposition from suburban residents afraid of the impact of poor minority families on their communities. Further, it was also a failure for the families that it wanted to move because they felt completely out of their element in new and unfamiliar neighborhoods.

poverty experience.pngMarrying economic opportunity to high crime areas, when accomplished, eliminates the isolation of high poverty neighborhoods from the legitimate job market. For the youth in the neighborhood, knowing legitimate jobs are available will increase their motivation to go to school. Once they can see a real connection between education and financial success high school becomes more attractive.  And of course, more attractive jobs means less crime.

A double win-win for them, their community, the businesses involved and the entire country.

The Pro American Party Honors Our Military With Action, Not Just Words – Tenet #11

Soldiers w RiflesThose citizens who have chosen to enter the military will have exposed themselves to the dangers and horrors of war; perhaps the most meaningful way possible to honor our country.

This service will be recognized in three ways.  First, honorably discharged military members who served during peacetime who transition to non-military government jobs will receive one dollar an hour over the hourly fee of their cohorts for the rest of  their lives.

mil dog at funeralSecond, honorably discharged military members who served during a time of war who transition to non-military government jobs will receive three dollars an hour more than their cohorts, for the rest of their lives.

These extra payments are a meaningful way for a grateful nation to express its gratitude.

VAThe VA will continue to exist and will focus on finding ways to help veterans with PTSD and other service-related physical and mental injuries.

Veterans with combat-related injuries are free to use the VA or any other qualified medical or psychological professionals, based on preference or availability.

Monthly survivors benefits (Dependency Indemnity Compensation) will remain as currently provided.  However, as the third way to honor our veterans, a surviving spouse or dependent will now be authorized a $50,000 lump sum payment that will be remitted within 30 days of the date of death.

 

Who Should Pay for Corporate Pollution? – Tenet #10

pollution

Tenet #10 reads as follows:

“Businesses whose operations pollute the environment will be taxed at a higher rate to provide a fund available to the government to mitigate the effects of the pollution. The goal of the government shall be to ensure the quality of the air, water and land to sustain future generations of citizens. If a business provides and implements a plan that fully mitigates all negative environmental effects, no additional tax will be necessary. When determining the rate of this punitive tax, long-term environmental and public health risks will be, at minimum, a part of the factors to be considered.”

Do you think any CEO of a polluting corporation lives in the pollution zone?   The answer is no.  Okay, so we know CEOs don’t live in the areas where their corporations pollute.  Given that, can you guess what one demographic best determines who DOES live in that zone?   Okay two guesses.   Race is the best predictor and poverty is next.  Surprised?

water pollution

Given that the Pro American Party is being created to protect all Americans, including non-white and poor Americans, this is simply unacceptable.

If you study this issue, you will be sad to learn that there is a term used to describe this problem … Environmental Racism.   The problem of Environmental Racism exists for two  reasons.   First, poor, non-white communities simply cannot fight corporations inside our legal system.   They do not have the resources.   Second, they also can’t move away from the pollution as families of more means would do.   They are stuck when corporations, whose executives live miles away, decide their neighborhood would be a good place to send their pollution.

This is another example showing why the Pro American Party so strongly believes our government has a duty that is more than just providing a military.   Sometimes the enemy is within, and all Americans, and our environment, deserve to be protected from them.

For more information please look at the following article by Bryce Covert: http://www.thenation.com/article/race-best-predicts-whether-you-live-near-pollution/

 

 

Making Math Meaningful – Really?? Tenet #9

 

sexy math

The Pro American Party presents Tenet #9:

“The Congress shall create a committee that surveys all U.S. businesses on a yearly basis for the purpose of determining the educational and technical skill needs within their work forces. These needs will be broadcast to all secondary and higher level schools, including private and technical schools so that programs can be created to meet those needs.”

We seek to answer the age old question: “Why do I need math?”

There are two primary goals for this tenet. First, we want to make sure schools are teaching those classes that will result in jobs for Americans. Second, we want to help parents when they have that inevitable discussion about why it is important for their children to learn math, history, geography, etc.

Let’s use math as an example.  The following is a copy of an article written by in Math Learning on August 14th, 2013

Lots of children dream big and we love that about them! Kids want to be sculptors, veterinarians, zoo keepers, pilots, baseball players, dancers — they are only limited by their imaginations. As parents and teachers, our job is to give kids the tools they need to realize these dreams. Math learning is one of those tools, as shown by our list of 7 cool jobs that require math.

Looking for ways to motivate your dreamer in math? You can encourage your child by talking about how a [insert dream job here] needs math in their job. Here are a few ideas to get you started!

These 7 cool jobs all require math learning

1. Animator

In animation, math and art go together like peanut butter and marshmallow fluff. Trigonometry helps rotate and move characters, while algebra creates the special effects to make images shine. Even artists have to pay attention in math class!

2. Game Designer

Designing board or video games is a cool job. Who wouldn’t want to playtest Candyland, Monopoly, or Clue? Every game designer needs to have a good grasp of game theory – a branch of applied mathematics. Aspiring video game programmers should also study trigonometry, physics, and calculus. Chances are, board game designers will need to know probability, even if they won’t be designing math games.

3. Robotics Engineer

Robotics engineers design, test, and maintain robots! It’s a growing industry and the employment outlook is sunny. Before you quit your day job and run off to design a house-cleaning robot, hit the math books. Most Robotics Engineers have a master’s or doctorate. According to the article, “Learn About Robots” robotics may be the most inter-disciplinary of engineering endeavors.

4. Roller Coaster Designer

Roller Coaster

As you ride a roller coaster through loops, dives, and dips, you’re busy wondering if you’re going to lose your lunch, not calculating velocity. But there are many different curves in a coaster and roller coaster engineers need to understand the mathematical properties of these curves, as well as physics, kinematics, and material strength. Like all cool jobs, roller coaster design is competitive — there are only 100 roller coaster design companies in the U.S.!

5. Jet Fighter Pilot

The thrilling life of a jet fighter pilot seems worlds away from the math classroom. Movies like “Top Gun,” show pilots streaking through the sky in futuristic birds, not calculating how much fuel they have left or figuring out the direction and speed of the wind. But pilots have to complete major math problems on the fly, and when they’re zipping through the air at 700 mph, math skills are life saving.

6. Sports Announcer

What is his batting average? How many bases has he stolen? When those sports personalities give the play-by-play, they have to pay attention to the numbers: percentages, player stats, the clock. And sports casting is done live, which means there’s no room for errors.

7. Professional Photographer

We think of shutterbugs as artists, not mathematicians. But professional photographers need mad math skills. They have to calculate depth of field, determine the correct film speed, shutter speed, aperture, and exposure — and more. And to capture the moment, they need to do it all in a matter of minutes. Who knew so much math went into one photograph?

– See more at: http://www.dreambox.com/blog/7-dream-jobs-that-require-math#sthash.44NV0J8Z.dpuf

 

For even more math-related jobs that kids will love, click on the following url: http://startingwright.cs.wright.edu/Teacher/ingut/21-seriously-cool-careers.pdf

 

 

 

Congress – Please Tell Us The Truth – Tenet #8

 

Congress McConnell

The Pro American Party – Tenet #8

The Congress shall not pass any law with a title that does not include the actual purpose of the law. Duplicitous language shall not be allowed. The first paragraph of each law shall outline in direct language the intent of the law. (It would be illegal, for example, to title something as “The Clean Air Act” if it actually reduced protections against pollution.)

non partisan

The Congress will create a non-partisan group to examine the law prior to its being voted upon and publish an impact statement easily available to the public that outlines how the law will affect citizens, government and/or the environment. The public will have at least 15 days to review and comment to their representatives before any law can be enacted.

This requirement can be suspended only in the course of a national emergency.   In such a case the Congress needs to specifically invoke this exception and in that case the law will be reviewed when the emergency has ended.

Service to Country – It’s About Time – Tenet #7

old soldier-young soldier

The Pro American Party believes in service to our country. All American citizens MUST provide a minimum of two years of service to their country when they become of legal age. This shall begin at the age of 18 if not in school or if high school has been completed. Otherwise it will begin the summer after they graduate from high school.

washington service to country

This service can be in the military or any other community, county, state or federal position. Once this requirement has been met each citizen is entitled to two years of free college or technical school. Those who complete their AA or similar degree within two years with at least a C average are then entitled to an additional two years of free higher education or approved technical school at no additional expense. Exceptions to the 2-year service requirement shall only be made in the case of severe disability. Such persons, by definition, shall not be eligible for free education benefits.

In an earlier post we mentioned the idea of American Teenage Ambassadors.   As part of their service to country requirement any teenager can take part in a service assignment to a foreign country.    The type of service will be negotiated between the State Department and the host country.   Each assignment will be a minimum of 4 months in duration, although an individual can serve on multiple assignments if desired and the project is not completed.   We envision that the type of assignment will vary greatly based on the needs in the host country.   This service will allow our ambassadors to learn in detail about the peoples and cultures worldwide.   Given the great spirit of American youth, it is our belief that this service will reap long and sustainable rewards for generations.

Kennedy quote

Tenet#6

The Pro American Party believes our military needs to be the best in the world. In a world that does not respect anything but power,  we cannot afford to have anything less. However our foreign policy should be weighted in favor of providing non-military assistance as a primary component of our policy. The use of our military should be a last resort and only for clear and limited purpose that is the best interests of the vast majority of citizens and not of the elite or special interests. Educational and cultural exchange opportunities should be encouraged for citizens and at all levels of government. The Pro American Party believes that cartons of food that say “USA” show more good will than military options and should be pursued when advantageous. When American goods are sent to a foreign country it is incumbent upon the State Department to devise a method for ensuring those goods are actually delivered to the people of the country and not simply to those in power.

Should it be necessary for the military to engage in war the Congress is authorized to collect an additional tax to pay for this expense.  The immediate negative view of an extra tax will, by itself, ensure that all Americans are involved in the decision to go to war.   Politicians will have to be able to explain why a war is in our best interests.

If I Had The Power is comprised largely of veterans who have great respect for our military.  We want our military reserved as a last resort, not a first option.    Future tenets will further enhance the status of our veterans, to create a better path for them once they return home from their military duty.

Tenet #5

The budget of the United States shall be established in five year increments. The budget of the United States shall be balanced. Persons making less than $25,000 per year shall not be subject to federal income tax. (Note:  the same Social Security formula  mentioned in previous tenets will be used to determine the total amount a citizen will be allowed to make before paying taxes.   In essence, as the cost of living goes up, the more money that can be made before taxes kick in.)  Taxes for citizens making more than $25,000 a year shall be taxed at a progressively higher rate as their income rises. Tax rates will rise in taxable increments of $25,000.   Congress will set the tax rate based on their five year budget and the rate will include a 7% emergency fund over the agreed upon budget. If, at the end of five years, the fund goes unused, 20 % of the surplus will be returned to the citizenry each year that the fund goes unused in the same percentage as they were taxed.

There are three fundamental differences between this budget method and the current budget method.  First, the budget must be balanced.  Second, although the tax rate will increase as income increases, it will be the same, incrementally,  for everyone as they go through the various tax brackets.  It follows below:

0 – $25K  =  no tax

25K – 50K =  15 percent – but only on the amount over 25K (the first 25K is not taxed)

50K – 75K = mixed – no tax on first 25K, 15 percent for 2nd increment, 17 percent for 3rd increment

In essence the tax rate will rise 2 percent every 25K until it reaches a maximum rate of 50 percent.

This is different from the current method because currently the brackets are designed completely differently and once you are in a particular bracket you pay a tax based on the entire amount you make,  not the incremental approach taken here.

Third, because the budget must be balanced the tax rate will be flexible.  When the 5 year budget is determined, the tax rate for those 5 years will be based on that budget.   This will certainly put pressure on lawmakers to limit the size of the budget, but requirements from other tenets will prevent lawmakers from harming the poor in order to save the rich money.

If unexpected emergencies require expenditures beyond the ability of the emergency fund,  a temporary surplus tax will be necessary to again balance the budget.

One of the other expectations of this style of budget is that it will greatly limit the number of wars we engage in because we will all pay for it in real time.   The current method of ‘borrowing’ money for wars allow us to ignore the reality that sooner or later the bill comes due.

 

 

Tenet #4

The Pro American Party believes it is in our national interest to be able to produce, in-country, all goods currently imported into the United States. Any product sold in the U.S. for which over 50% of the product component is imported is eligible to be designated as a product of national importance. Once such a designation is made, low cost loans shall be made available by the government to certified businesses and entrepreneurs to produce the designated product in the United States so that U.S. production capability is increased to a minimum of 50% of total sales. Certification in particular areas would be granted by meeting required qualification standards for the industry in question. In certain circumstances this may be impossible. In such instances the Congress is authorized to make exceptions as necessary.
Tariffs, if necessary, shall be imposed by the Congress on all imported goods to ensure American made products are competitive. When determining the amount of the tariff the Congress should review the work standards and wages of the country of origin as part of the tariff determination process.

It is our hope and belief that this tenet will open the door to bringing manufacturing back to the United States.   In the past manufacturing jobs were responsible for creating much of the middle class.   The last several trade agreements have not been in the best interests of Americans, and as a result we lost millions of manufacturing jobs.  We intend to bring them back!

Tenet #3

While recognizing that there is room for legitimate debate among subject matter experts, this party believes in the scientific method as the most appropriate way to determine the facts in any area of dispute.

The scientific method is a process for experimentation that is used to explore observations and answer questions. Scientists use the scientific method to search for cause and effect relationships in nature. In other words, they design an experiment so that changes to one item cause something else to vary in a predictable way.

The following comes from Science Buddies dot org:

 

  • The scientific method is a way to ask and answer scientific questions by making observations and doing experiments.
  • The steps of the scientific method are to:
    • Ask a Question
    • Do Background Research
    • Construct a Hypothesis
    • Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment
    • Analyze Your Data and Draw a Conclusion
    • Communicate Your Results

It is important for your experiment to be a fair test. A “fair test” occurs when you change only one factor (variable) and keep all other conditions the same.

At If I Had The Power we reject the idea that the conclusions people make are equally valid regardless of how those conclusions were reached.  We don’t want those that yell the loudest to win the contest, we prefer facts and a way to validate those facts.