Social Problems and the Elections
...ive ones. They've spent all their lives working, voting, trying, suffering. All of the effort has gotten them a house they don't own, a house that's falling apart around them, a house that needs repairs they cannot afford, and all of the rent is due, or it's time to pack up the last seventeen years. But what I can relate to, isn't even the worst. Nearly 65 million low income people—24% of the entire U.S. population—are experiencing housing problems including cost burdens, substandard conditions, overcrowding, or homelessness. With the cost of living increasing, and wages remaining static, finding and keeping housing is an increasingly difficult problem for many people. There is not one metropolitan area in the country where a minimum wage earner can afford to pay the rent for a two-bedroom apartment. It is estimated that 840,000 people are homeless at some point in the year.(1) Immigrants are often taken advantage of by land lords. They tolerate high prices for properties that don't meet housing regulations. Many, unaware of laws that set standards for apartment conditions – and intimidated by landlords, go without heat or hot water for months on end, still paying obscene amounts for rent. They may also be taken advantage of because of a language barrier as well. Children make up 29% of all low income people, 32% of the low income people with housing problems are children. Inadequate, crowded, or costly housing can pose serious problems to children's physical, psychological, or material well-being.(2) Affordable housing promotes more stable families, healthier children, better educational outcomes, and increased economic self-sufficiency for low-income families working to transition off of public assistance and improve their lives. Housing problems only get more severe as they are left unattended to in this society, and housing problems contribute to a majority of other problems such as crime, unemployment, educational issues and health problems. When people get evicted, their families suffer, they may lose their job as it's harder to operate at a successful level without a home to return to. If they face an eviction, or just cannot afford stable housing, they may move in with a friend or family member, putting strain on another household. On issues of housing and mortgages, there are clear differences between George W. Bush and John Kerry. Bush pushes homeownership, especially among minorities. Kerry emphasizes providing decent and affordable rental housing. In terms of campaign contributions, Bush is overwhelmingly the favorite candidate of real estate agents, mortgage bankers and brokers, and home builders.(3) While Bush's policy proposals have been friendly to people who can afford monthly mortgage payments, they haven't been so generous to the poor. The Bush Administration cut critical federal programs that help Americans find affordable housing. The President's 2005 budget seeks to cut the Section 8 voucher program by more than $1.6 billion, cutting approximately 250,000 families who currently receive assistance from the program. John Kerry, however, shaped the first significant rewrite of the public housing program in over 20 years. The public housing reform legislation targeted portable rental vouchers to those most in need, while authorizing a program to use those vouchers for homeownership. It gave local public housing authorities more flexibility to manage public housing. Overall, Kerry focuses mostly on programs for low-income renters, with little mention of policies to help middle-class homeowners. If Kerry had been elected, we would have seen a lot of progress within his four years in office. Looking back on Kerry's voting record, one can clearly see where he stands on issues that closely affect housing problems. He voted to raise the minimum wage this year. The cost of living has increased, but not wages. Earning more money would ensure that less people struggle with affording housing. He also voted yes on welfare overhaul in '95. He also is for more federal funding for health care. This is important, as the health of this nation's people dictates the direction of the economy. Healthy people are more likely to be able to work. People...