Health Care Reform for Some
Blurb
<p>In June, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act [ACA]. In the decision, however, the Court invited a major new political battle at the state level</p>
Governors play politics with health of low-income citizens
By Fr. Fred Kammer, S.J.
Probation fees mulitiply as companies profit
Blurb
<p>As the recession and Federal and state cutbacks hit localities, there is an increasing turn to close local budget gaps by jailing and adding fees on poor people for minor infractions.</p>
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As the recession and Federal and state cutbacks hit localities, there is an increasing turn to close local budget gaps by jailing and adding fees on poor people for minor infractions. </p>
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As the recession and Federal and state cutbacks hit localities, there is an increasing turn to close local budget gaps by jailing and adding fees on poor people for minor infractions. </p>
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As the recession and Federal and state cutbacks hit localities, there is an increasing turn to close local budget gaps by jailing and adding fees on poor people for minor infractions. As a recent New York Times article explains, this turn to private probation companies and Courts is having an impact on the poor in Alabama, Florida, and Texas, among other states.
Immigration Enforcement Bill Fails to Pass in Mississippi
Blurb
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At the beginning of this year’s state legislative sessions in Mississippi and Louisiana the odds that immigration enforcement bills would be passed in both statehouses looked likely, especially in Mississippi. Republican Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana had been re-elected by a wide margin, and the newly elected Republican governor of Mississippi, Phil Bryant, had made immigration enforcement a major component of his election strategy.</p>
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<p>At the beginning of this year's state legislative sessions in Mississippi and Louisiana the odds that immigration enforcement bills would be passed in both statehouses looked likely, especially in Mississippi. Republican Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana had been re-elected by a wide margin, and the newly elected Republican governor of Mississippi, Phil Bryant, had made immigration enforcement a major component of his election strategy.</p>
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At the beginning of this year’s state legislative sessions in Mississippi and Louisiana the odds that immigration enforcement bills would be passed in both statehouses looked likely, especially in Mississippi. Republican Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana had been re-elected by a wide margin, and the newly elected Republican governor of Mississippi, Phil Bryant, had made immigration enforcement a major component of his election strategy.</p>
</p>
--></p>
<p>At the beginning of this year's state legislative sessions in Mississippi and Louisiana the odds that immigration enforcement bills would be passed in both statehouses looked likely, especially in Mississippi. Republican Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana had been re-elected by a wide margin, and the newly elected Republican governor of Mississippi, Phil Bryant, had made immigration enforcement a major component of his election strategy.</p>
None Proposed in Louisiana Legislature
by Sue Weishar Ph.D.
Flawed Study Masks Continued Housing Segregation
Blurb
<p>Flawed study of housing segregation by Manhatten Institute draws multiple criticisms and masks important demographic and economic trends.</p>
A recent study by the Manhattan Institute that heralded the “the end of residential segregation”—a claim that was widely celebrated in mainstream press, has also been found to mask important demographic and economic trends. The study is entitled “The End of the Segregated Century: Racial Separation in America’s Neighborhoods 1890-2010.”
No Relief in Sight
Blurb
<p><span>The stock market surged a bit on the encouraging government jobs report released February 3, 2012 </span><span>As Robert Reich notes, “under ordinary circumstances January’s unemployment rate of 8.3 percent would be terrible” </span><span>However, compared to September’s 9.1 percent, the trend line seems headed in the right direction—9 percent in October, 8.6 percent in November, 8.5 percent in December and 8.3 percent in January.<span> </span></span><span><span>While these numbers seem encouraging, a closer look at the numbers in terms of geography and race tells another story.<span> </span></span><br />
</span></p>
<p> </p>
</span></p>
<p> </p>
Persistent High Unemployment for African Americans and Latinos in Gulf South States
by: Alex Mikulich, Ph.D.
Imprisoned, Forgotten, and Deported
Blurb
<p>On October 13 and 14, JSRI joined six other organizations in presenting an in-depth<br />
look at the realities and character of immigration detention in the United States, particularly in the South. The goal of the conference was to increase public awareness of the detention system and its impact on families and communities, show how faith communities are ministering to detained immigrants and their families, and explore how more progressive and just policies towards immigrants and detention can emerge. The detention of immigrants in the U.S. is a dire human rights issue that calls out to people of faith and other people of good will for a just response.</p>
look at the realities and character of immigration detention in the United States, particularly in the South. The goal of the conference was to increase public awareness of the detention system and its impact on families and communities, show how faith communities are ministering to detained immigrants and their families, and explore how more progressive and just policies towards immigrants and detention can emerge. The detention of immigrants in the U.S. is a dire human rights issue that calls out to people of faith and other people of good will for a just response.</p>
Immigration Detention, Advocacy, and the Faith Community
By Fred Kammer, S.J.
The Audacity of Eucharistic Hope and the Legacy of Lynching
Blurb
<p>James Cone confronts U.S. white Christians and theologians with our forgetfulness of the scandal of the cross, of lynching, and of ourselves. Jesus died like a lynched black victim in torment, on the tree of shame. Do we hear the echoes of Sam Hose’s cry? The legacy of lynching presents a bind for white U.S. Christians, for it concerns our failure to honestly contend with our role in the material history and spiritual wounds of lynching.<br />
</p>
</p>
By Alex Mikulich, Ph.D.
All Gulf South States in the "Top Fifteen" for Child Hunger
Blurb
<p>The Food Research and Action Center reports on food hardship in America 2010.</p>
by Fred Kammer, S.J.
A new report from the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) puts all five Gulf South states in the “top fifteen” of food hardship for households with children during 2009-2010. Mississippi at 32.5% of households is “number one” among the fifty states (the District of Columbia at 37.4% exceeds all fifty states). Alabama (32.0%) and Florida (30.0%0 follow immediately at “number two” and “number three” among the states while Louisiana (29.0%) and Texas (27.9%) are tied for 6th and 12th, respectively.
Kids don't count much!
Blurb
<p class="rteleft">Fr. Fred Kammer, SJ, discusses how the <em>2011 KIDS COUNT</em> reports reflect Gulf South's failure to care enough about the well-being of our children.</p>
by Fred Kammer, S.J.
This month, the Annie E. Casey Foundation has released its new rankings for the KIDS COUNT indicators for the year 2011. At the bottom of the 50 states are Mississippi (50th), Louisiana (49th), and Alabama (48th). Texas (35th) and Florida (36th) again ranked in the bottom third of states.
How anti-immigrant is the Gulf South?
Blurb
<p>JSRI Migration Specialist Dr. Sue Weishar reviews the outcome of state anti-immigration legislation in the Gulf South in 2011.</p>
Fate of 2011 Gulf South States' Anti-Immigrant Legislation
By Dr. Sue Weishar, Migration Specialist