Miguel has tried twice to get the COVID-19 vaccination. So far, he’s 0 for 2. As an undocumented construction worker living in crowded conditions outside of Miami, Miguel is a prime example of someone who needs the COVID-19 vaccination – as well as representative of a population public health officials acutely want to see vaccinated. But like millions of people living in the U.S., Miguel lacks state-issued identification.
Archives: Voices
Small business owners praise Biden proposals, bemoan pro-corporate tilt of America’s tax code
Rosalind McCallard lives in Portland, Oregon. Along with her husband, she owns Snackrilege Vegan Foods, which she cheerfully describes as the “only wholesale heavy metal-themed sandwich company in the world – at least in the U.S., but probably the world!” McCallard and her husband favor President Biden’s plan to more progressively tax corporations and the wealthiest Americans to pay for the proposed American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan.
The Big Tax Day choice: Invest in America, or let corporations and the rich off the hook
Human needs advocates, grassroots organizers, key public officials, and tax policy and other experts came together this week to promote President Biden’s plans to bring fairness and equity to the nation’s tax code. Officially, the “Tax Fairness Day” event, which was live-streamed on Facebook, marked the May 17 deadline for Americans to file their taxes (moved back, courtesy of COVID-19). Unofficially, speakers came together to praise Biden’s proposed American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan, and the means to pay for them.
CHN’s COVID-19 Watch: Tracking Hardship May 14, 2021
The where-are-the-good-jobs edition. The economy is growing in fits and starts. More than one million combined jobs were added during the months of March and April — although the April jobs report was nothing to write home about. But evidence is emerging that many of the jobs that are returning are not good jobs; they pay low wages, have few benefits, or fall short in other measures of job quality. That contradicts the narrative of governors in 12 states terminating federal unemployment benefits. These governors claim that the extra unemployment benefits, that may exceed wages in low-paying jobs, are discouraging workers from returning to work.
Ten key provisions in the American Families Plan for people with low incomes
On April 28, President Biden announced his latest legislative proposal, The American Families Plan (AFP). It’s a bold and transformative effort to help the country recover from the coronavirus and recession. The AFP would target resources to many of those who need them most: people with low incomes, communities of color, and children who have been disproportionately harmed by the coronavirus, recession, and years of underinvestment. The plan would directly impact people with low incomes in many ways, here’s a summary of our top-10 provisions.
CHN’s Podcast Trailer: Welcome to Voices for Human Needs
We at the Coalition on Human Needs advocate for ending poverty and alleviating social and economic hardship for people with low-incomes and other vulnerable populations through federal policies, but we know we can’t do it alone. That is why we are introducing our new project: the Voices for Human Needs Podcast. This podcast will serve as a go-to resource for both new and experienced activists in their journey fighting alongside organizers, communities, and policy advocates.
As activists gather, state legislators continue to advance attacks on voting
On Saturday, voting rights advocates will gather, in-person or online, in more than 100 communities throughout the country to mark the “National John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Action Day.” The actions could not be more timely. Across the country, state legislatures continue to advance barriers to voting, spurred in part by what many are calling the “Big Lie” — the oft-refuted notion that the November 2020 elections were replete with error and fraud.
Help Wanted: Four Million-plus Workers to Care for an Aging America
Fact: the U.S. birth rate is declining. If the birth rate in 2008 had held steady through today, we would have an additional 5.8 million children in our country. Fact: by 2034, for the first time in U.S. history, Americans over 65 years old will outnumber Americans under 18. This will accelerate the need for people to take care of this aging population. Fact: an acute shortage of home care workers already exists, and without aggressive intervention by federal and state governments as well as the corporate sector, it will get much worse. Fact: the average hourly wage for a home care worker is about $12 per hour, and one in six lives in poverty.
CHN’s COVID-19 Watch: Tracking Hardship, April 30, 2021
The lifting up families and children edition. Fourteen weeks into his term in office, President Biden told the American public Wednesday evening that the twin battles to beat the pandemic and improve the economy are succeeding. “Now — after just 100 days – I can report to the nation: America is on the move again,” Biden said. “Turning peril into possibility. Crisis into opportunity. Setbacks into strength.” But Biden and his team know this is not the time to settle for a return to the pre-pandemic status quo.
CHN: President Biden’s Historic Investments to Secure Our Future
Over the years, anti-poverty advocates have often been disappointed when political candidates or officials failed to mention the problem of poverty in America in speeches or debates. Last night was different. President Biden, in his first address to a joint session of Congress, said ‘And, maybe most importantly, thanks to the American Rescue Plan, we are on track to cut child poverty in America in half this year.’
CHN members praise verdict in George Floyd murder trial but warn that our work is not done
CHN member organizations had a lot to say in the aftermath of the George Floyd murder trial. Here is a sampling of their comments.
Join SAVE for All and fight for our human needs agenda
The Coalition on Human Needs is asking local, state, and national groups as well as individuals to become a part of the SAVE for All Campaign. SAVE stands for Strengthening America’s Values and Economy for All. SAVE for All is a campaign of thousands of national, state, and local organizations working to protect important services from harmful federal budget cuts and to save the federal capacity to spur economic recovery and progress for the benefit of all.