Home of the Brave and Land of Opportunity (Black and Poor need not apply)

Again, Abecedarian took 111 preschoolers and basically took over their upbringing. That is far different than simply taking money from “rich” districts and spending it in “poor” districts. I don’t oppose equal funding per student on its face, I oppose taking additional money out of my pocket and spending it on something that doesn’t appear to make a difference in the long-run. It would be great if money could solve the problem, but the Abbott districts suggest that it doesn’t.

Generally maternity benefits are covered through unemployment premiums in most jursidctions, not by an employer. In Canada maternity leave benefits are roughly 50% of salary up to $50k/year for 52 weeks. Our unemployment insurance scheme costs employees 1.78% of wages and employers 1.4x that (up to an income cap of about $50k). I believe that is less than the American UI deductions. Its hardly expensive to extend such benefits. I do find the knee jerk American reaction quite funny though, as most countries with mat leaves show less gender inequality in earnings.

^And probably less earnings, although that’s just a guess.

You don’t have to imagine it. I think pretty much every state offers child care subsidies for baby mommas. A quick Google search shows that Michigan offers this. And WIC for free food. And Section 8 housing for free or huge discounts.

Makes a huge difference, doesn’t it?

Some do, some don’t. Depends on the country. Not correlated with mat leave.

Michigan doesn’t pay assistance to a single parent + 1 child if income is over $20k/year. Hardly all encompassing. And even then, its partial assistance a and likely poor quality care.

I do not necessarily disagree with geo regarding early childhood education. However, my (perhaps much more cynical view) is that policy does not have nearly as great of an effect on child development as parenting and culture. Day care facilities for disadvantaged children do exist; my sister worked in one for many years. However, ultimately, the success of these programs depends on the openness of parents to make decisions that are the best for their children, and parents who have such inclination probably won’t raise problem kids under most circumstances anyway. So, as before, my sentiment is that policy can only do so much, but solving inequality problems in the US must be done through total cultural transformation, and this is much harder to achieve. Compare this to healthcare, where policy can only have limited effect in a country of people that compulsively eats super size cheeseburgers.

All-encompasing? WTF? I thought you were talking about the “poor”, here…

^ All encompassing of poor people then. $20k with a kid is certainly below poverty lines.

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrpMtlTEDUk]

??? The median household income in Detroit is $25k. This covers almost half the population there… Of course the point is that you believe that day care would do a lot to put them on equal footing. They have free day care and subsidies through a myriad of other programs. You’re wrong. Free shit doesn’t do shit.

Can someone explain what this thread is about in one sentence…

Lots of poor people in the USA?

Cops kills people and do not select randomly?

…I’m drinking coffee, it just isn’t coming together for me though.

If some people are so unhappy with the USA and how things are, then just leave. No one is holding you hostage here. See how it is like elsewhere.

It seems like most of the people complaining don’t live here and never have.

Yeah.

It seems like all my American friends post on FB is; “cops are killing people”, “guns guns guns”, “the govt, stop the govt!”, “please save the environment!”, “fat people are lazy, eat less exercise more”, “love your body!”, “science is right you dumb creationists!”, argument argument…and of course “ice bucket challange”. What a zoo.

Seriously it’s not going to change guys. It’s only going to get worse. Just enjoy it, or move.

^Maybe you should un-friend anybody named Barack and Michelle. That’d be a start.

People always say that, but until you try… it’s shockingly difficult to move to another country legally and work and live there.

It was easy for me.

And my ancestors left Germany before things got bad, just make shit happen.

Have you tried in the last few to 10 years?

I don’t understand the question. I did it 4 years ago.

Basically just an airplane ticket, assuming you have marketable skills, get a job, permanent residency, done.