Not Good Enough, Bernie

[nadinbrzezinski]

198. I am a fan of facts

pesky things they are


Citing Crisis in Ferguson, Sanders to Propose Youth Jobs Bill
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
BURLINGTON, Vt., Aug. 20 – In the wake of continuing unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said today that he will introduce legislation to address the national crisis of black youth unemployment.

In a letter to Senate colleagues, Sanders called for a thorough federal investigation of the Aug. 9 death of an unarmed black teenager who was shot by a police officer in the St. Louis suburb. “All of us have a responsibility to make sure that what happened in Ferguson never happens again,” Sanders said.

“We also must recognize, however, that there is an economic crisis facing our nation’s youth, particularly young African-Americans,” Sanders added. In the St. Louis metro area, almost half of young African-American men are unemployed, Sanders said. Nationwide, the youth unemployment rate today is more than 20 percent and African-American youth unemployment is nearly 35 percent.

“If we are going to address the issue of crime in low-income areas and in African-American communities, it might be a good idea that instead of putting military style equipment into police departments in those areas, we start investing in jobs for the young people there who desperately need them.”

The legislation would provide $5.5 billion in immediate funding to states and localities to employ 1 million young Americans between the ages of 16 and 24.

Under the bill, the U.S. Department of Labor would provide $4 billion to states and local governments to provide summer and year-round employment opportunities for economically disadvantaged youth. The measure also would award $1.5 billion in competitive grants to provide work-based training to low- and moderate-income youth and disadvantaged young adults.

“If we are going to reduce youth violence and instill hope and a bright future for the young people in this country, we have got to provide them with the jobs and the skills they need to move up the economic ladder,” Sanders said.

To read Sanders’ letter, click here.

http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/citing-crisis-in-ferguson-sanders-to-propose-youth-jobs-bill

The Senator was one of the first, if not the first out if the gate in the Senate with a statement on Ferguson, and the first with an actual attempt at doing something at a policy level.

By the way, $5.5 billion is pocket change, even worst, pennies in the trillion plus budget. I live these numbers. And no, I am not pulling this out of thin air.

And here is the letter seeking co-Sponsors.

http://www.sanders.senate.gov/download/dear-colleague-youth-jobs?inline=file

I am not going to look for actual discussions on policy here...this site is not the place to do it. But what Sanders did was an actual policy proposal to try to solve this crisis, a very real crisis.

And with that, I s'pise my best option is to hide, trash, whatever you want to call it this thread. It is ugly and far from reality, or my personal interest, deep policy. Ah yes, tomorrow the California revised May budget...fun stuff!!!

I can't wait for the trillion plus Federal budget.