In the next few months, it will be my job to tell people about a recent Nebraska Appleseed “win.” This year, Nebraska Appleseed, along with Senator Harms from Scottsbluff and numerous advocates and supporters, worked to pass LB 458, legislation that allows families that participate in the Aid to Dependent Children (ADC) program to pursue […]
“The arc of history is long, but it bends towards justice.” MLK Jr. Read More »
Congress took two big steps closer to health reform in the last two days. Tuesday, the House of Representatives released a health care reform bill which is the result of a joint effort between three committees: Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means, and Education and Labor. Then on Wednesday, the Health, Education, Labor, and
Movement on Reform . . . We Must Not Wait Read More »
Nebraska newspapers recently reported that our state has the lowest unemployment rate in the nation at 4.4%. Certainly, this is a positive sign for Nebraska’s economy – and it’s good that we are not seeing the record breaking unemployment rates of over 10% in Nevada, Oregon, Michigan, and California. However, in our role as an
Hidden Heartache in Nebraska’s Unemployment Numbers Read More »
What does a good public assistance program look like? From the Appleseed point of view, basic principles would apply: Folks would have all the information they need to make good decisions, clients would have opportunities for choice and self-determination, and all people would be treated with dignity and respect. Our legal and public policy reform efforts continually
Visionary. Strategic. Innovative. These are a few of the words I would use to describe the folks that attended our Town Hall meeting in Scottsbluff, Nebraska http://www.wehavejobs.net/ last week. Scottsbluff may be considered a small community by some, but the leaders I spoke with had big ideas for their community and for the state. The
I Left My Heart in Scottsbluff County Read More »
I’m writing this blog entry while watching President Obama’s interview on health care with ABC news and a room full of advocates, providers, economists, businesses, and everyday Americans. It is remarkable to me, and very encouraging, that so many people are engaged and that we are having this kind of public dialogue on this critical
Giving Nebraskans a Choice Read More »
One in ten Nebraska adults does not have a High School Diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED). Startling, isn’t it? In our evolving, knowledge-based, technology-driving economy, the lack of basic skills is a real barrier – not only for workers in need of jobs that pay family supporting wages, but also for employers in need
That’s right. I said the Purple Bus Lady. She’s not an official super hero, but she has shown an extraordinary dedication to health care reform and all those who are struggling to access the health care they need. Her name is Kathie McClure and she really does drive a purple bus. Kathie is a mother
The Purple Bus Lady comes to Nebraska… Read More »
Every day, meatpacking workers in the U.S. face brutal working conditions in one of the most dangerous jobs in America. Injury rates are startlingly high – more than double that of U.S. manufacturing as a whole – and a 2005 GAO report found that even these government statistics undercount true injury rates. The industry’s massive
Safe Food Comes from a Safe Workplace Read More »
This apparently simple question is deceptively complicated. Families everywhere grapple with “the dinner question” on a daily basis. What’s in the fridge? When is Mom getting home from work? Can the vegetable hating seven-year-old be convinced to eat something with tomato sauce? And, increasingly, is there enough money in the checking account to stop at
What’s for dinner? Read More »