Public Policy Homelessness

The US government has been trying to fight the problem of homelessness but in vain. This is mainly because of lack of clear policymaking processes. This paper analyses previous policies made by the state and how they were applied.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Public Policy: Homelessness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Importance of the Topic Many people in the US are dispossessed to an extent of lacking basic commodities such as food, shelter, education and clothing. Confirmed reports suggest that some individuals practically compete with rodents for food in streets, which give stakeholders and government a great responsibility of formulating policies to end the ugly situation. Homelessness is a very important concept because of several reasons. One is that shelter is a basic need and turns up to be a human right. Any government that fails to protect its citizens against hazardous conditions should cease to exist. The major role of any government is to provide security, safety and create opportunities for self-fulfillment in the society. Even though the government cannot offer shelter to its citizens directly, it must come up with well-placed policies that guarantee individual development (Kusmer, 2003). A good regime must cater for people’s needs since it exists to serve citizens. Public servants are people’s employees because they earn their living through public money. They have a responsibility of assisting citizens to sustain their lives by providing better policies. This topic is important because many governments have failed or tumbled due to negligence. People cannot be suffering while they pay taxes to the government. Homelessness creates a bad picture to the state’s image abroad. A state cannot achieve its interests abroad because of the poor status of its citizens. In other words, solving the problem of homelessness puts the state in an advantaged po sition both within and abroad. Key Stakeholders The major stakeholder in the issue of homelessness is the government. The government encounters many problems including rising cases of crime and difficulty in planning. Resources cannot be allocated adequately because of the unknown people who stay in the streets. Resources such as education, health services and security are not utilized or allocated efficiently.Advertising Looking for assessment on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Homeless individuals are susceptible to diseases and natural catastrophes such as hunger. The government from time to time is forced to relocate resources from other places to assist street children and the elderly who cannot provide for themselves. Furthermore, the issue of security is of concern to the government. The homeless have no stable jobs, which forces them sometimes to engage in illegal businesses to sustain themselves (Baumohl, 1996). Another stakeholder is the society in general that is, societal institutions involved in correction of behavior, childcare, street programs and rehabilitation. Such organizations are very important because homeless individuals are more willing to reveal their problems to non-government officials. Others risk deportation in case they engage a public officer in a housing debate. The government alone cannot solve the problem of homelessness. Public officials must realize this and engage private/charitable organizations in solving the matter. Some institutions have stood firm to help the homeless even without government help. Charitable organizations adopt street children and promise to provide everything to them, including quality education and health care. Fight against homeless demands the action of the whole society not specific institutions or individuals. Mental problems and other factors related to communal living are the leading causes of homelessness. The poli cy makers in government should acknowledge this and move forward to consult community based organizations in order to arrive at sound policies. Evaluated Policies The US need to address the problem of homelessness by reviewing the existing policies. Some of the policies are not favorable to the homeless. For instance, the rate of taxation is too high in that the low wage laborers cannot manage to pay as well as sustain themselves. The government should subsidize the cost of housing for the poor and come up with incentives to encourage them to develop their own homes. The US economy is purely capitalistic, which does not make it easy for the poor to own property.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Public Policy: Homelessness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The rich become too rich while the poor continue languishing in great poverty. Unless the government comes up with measures to check on this, no substantial achievements can be made (Kraft, Furlong, 2010). Lending institutions do not entertain the poor or rather the homeless hence they cannot access funds to construct houses for themselves. The requirements for mortgage qualification are too many, most of which are out of reach for the poor. The policy makers must come up with suitable strategies to force lending institutions to accept the pledges of the poor. The government needs to collaborate with private lending institutions to assist the homeless. Literature Review Ever since 1980s, the US government has been active and willing to help the homeless. In 1985, the government increased funding to homeless services even though correct policies were not put in place. In 1987, the government stepped up to eradicate homelessness by endorsing McKinney Homeless Assistance bill. The bill was one of the major congressional actions aimed at doing away with poverty. The bill did little because of its tenets. It required local states to match federal dollars with a particular fraction. The bill only created an opportunity for funding but had no affirmative action. The houses built through McKinney funding were temporary since they never belonged to the homeless. The department of Housing and Urban Development brought in some major changes in 1995 since it allowed the homeless to own houses for some time. The new program advocated for continuity and provision of coordinated services such as admission of the homeless and evaluation of their lives, offering shelter on either temporary or permanent basis, as well as recognizing the rights of the homeless by providing recreational facilities.Advertising Looking for assessment on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There was another affirmative action in 1990 where the government attempted to uplift the lives of the poor. In 1995, the Rural Economic and Community Development department was put in place by the ministry of agriculture to advance the lives of the rural poor. Important Legislations The intention of homelessness legislation is to facilitate eradication of homelessness and reduce the load that lead to homelessness. For instance, the â€Å"No Child Left behind Act†, which was approved in 2001 ensures that schools do not discriminate homeless children by coming up separate classes. In fact, it is a criminal offence to exercise discrimination against homelessness. Besides, one of the key aims of the McKinney-Vento Homelessness Assistance Act was to put off schools from keeping out learners who could not provide contacts of their houses. The Chronic Homelessness Initiative Act created by Bush aimed at ending persistent homelessness by the year 2012. To help in realizing this obje ctive, the head of state collaborated with the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to form a plan that helps homeless persons obtain shelter and employment in quite a few communities. Instrument Problems Unfortunately, nothing substantial has been achieved as far as homelessness is concerned. The policies formulated by the legislature and the executive never succeeded mainly because they never complied with the policymaking processes. The need was there, the policy was made and implemented but proper evaluation of the same policy was never undertaken. Policy making process involves some important processes that must not be neglected. They include agenda building, formulation and adoption, implementation and finally evaluation and termination. Evaluation implies identifying how well a strategy is functioning and it is not a simple job. Individuals in government normally employ cost-benefit scrutiny in attempting to unearth the problem. The government needs to discover whether the resources being spent in resettlement of homeless are worth the process (Smith, 2002). Government policies have failed simply because of neglecting one process of policymaking, that is, evaluation. Conclusion The problem of homelessness should be addressed immediately because it causes many problems. The state spends a lot of money in treating the homeless people, as well offering security to the victims of homelessness. The society is not safe at all. More legislative action is required to reinforce other existing policies in solving the problem. Again, the state must reach out to other stakeholders in order to gain more insight as regards to the problem. More importantly, policy makers must always abide by the processes of policymaking and follow them to the later in case they are to succeed in solving the problem. Solving homelessness is inevitable since it is a human right. It is laughable for citizens of the great nation to stay in t he cold. It taints the image of the superpower and lowers the dignity of Americans who should be enjoying good life. The US cannot be providing aid to the third world countries yet its own people spend their nights in the cold. References Baumohl, J. (1996). Homelessness in America. Phoenix: Oryx Press. Kraft, M., Furlong, R. (2010). Public Policy: Politics, Analysis, and Alternatives (3rd ed.). New York, NY: CQ Press. Kusmer, K. (2003). Down and Out, On the Road: The Homeless in American History. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Smith, K. (2002). â€Å"Typologies, Taxonomies, and the Benefits of Policy Classification†. Policy Studies Journal, 30(3). This assessment on Public Policy: Homelessness was written and submitted by user Kailynn Salas to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Many Types of Drop-In Fuels

Many Types of Drop-In Fuels These days, it’s hard to find an organic material that isn’t being positioned as the next great alternative energy source. Rising to the top of the list are biofuels known as so-called â€Å"drop in† fuels – those renewable sources that can be used without major investment in infrastructure in the U.S. where storage and distribution has long catered to petroleum. That current investment in infrastructure isn’t small potatoes. There is about $7 billion in pipeline expenditures alone each and every year. Defining Drop-in Fuels What defines a drop-in fuel? The alternative fuels industry itself isn’t exactly clear, with some defining it broadly to mean any renewable fuel making use of at least some of the costly existing petroleum infrastructure. Others have taken a more narrowed approach. One of the most popular definitions is that drop-in fuels are those renewable fuels which can be blended with petroleum products, such as gasoline, and utilized in the current infrastructure of pumps, pipelines and other existing equipment.    Under such a definition, a biofuel would require some percentage of gasoline blender , derived from unique gasoline stocks, to form the fuel’s base. Examples of drop-in fuels defined in this way include the terpenes, butanol and isoprene, among other. Often, the technology is applied to diesel fuel, forming a biodiesel, rather than to gasoline. There are even some next-generation biofuels proponents who are developing mixtures of chemicals to form a biofuel without the gasoline or diesel base. Algae Most Common Drop-in Fuel With well over 50 companies investing in the development of algae as a biofuel, the little green plant reigns supreme among drop-in fuels. Yet, despite this general interest, most biofuels experts agree that at least another decade of research and technological breakthroughs will be necessary before this drop-in fuel is deemed commercially viable. That’s a long- and costly- trail ahead. As with most drop-in fuels, the challenges come in moving the technology from the lab to full-scale commercial production. An additional challenge with algae specifically has been the wide variance among algae and the extensive processing necessary. Butanol Also Sees Growth But algae isn’t the only show in town. Last year, a leading biobutanol company, Gevo, announced plans to acquire ethanol facilities in the Midwest and convert them to commercial production of the drop-in fuel isobutanol, also known as isobutyl alcohol.    The move was seen by industry players as a step forward in the development of butanol as an alternative drop-in fuel, with the company hoping to begin isobutanol production by 2012. Although able to make use of existing infrastructure, unlike algae, there is some concern over potential safety threats. Vapors can travel long distances and collect in low-lying areas to form an explosion hazard. However, its proponents are quick to point out the biofuel’s many fuel and chemical applications make it an attractive venture. Big player DuPont has also tested the waters of biobutanol as a drop-in fuel and plans to likewise rely on existing under-utilized ethanol capacity and conventional feedstocks as it gets its operations off the ground. The investment to retrofit existing ethanol facilities is more economical than building new structures and require only minor changes to the fermentation and distillation processes. Broadening Portfolios DuPont says it plans to follow a multi-step approach to drop-in fuel development, first focusing on n-butyl alcohol and conventional feedstocks before moving on to other drop-in fuels like isobutanol as well as non-feed crops, such as cellulosic feedstocks.    Yet another company, ButylFuel, LLC, has gone on record as having said it has now developed fermentation-derived biobutanol at a cost that is competitive with petroleum products. Its drop-in fuel can be blended at a variety of percentages with gasoline or diesel fuels. How competitive? The company claims it can produce its drop-in fuel from corn for about $1.20 per gallon. Like algae players who are benefiting not only from algae as a drop-in fuel, but from the many byproducts as well, research and development in other drop-in fuels sectors are looking at diverse portfolios of products, causing some to characterize this next generation of alternative fuels as a means to produce hydrocarbon blend stock that can have a multitude of applications.

The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act 2002 Essay

The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act 2002 - Essay Example The act replaced the Immigration Act of 1976 based on the need to eliminate discrimination and include refugees in the provisions of the act. The great depression, the ageing Canadian population, low levels of immigrants and economic benefits of immigrants are among the key reasons leading to the development of the act (Arakelian, 2008, pp.67-68). The transformation of the act to the new immigration and refugee protection act stems from the need to stamp out discrimination, encourage population growth and the need for skilled workers. The act has contributed immensely to economic development of Canada as well as promoting population growth and its use should be continuously supported (Beach, Green, & Reitz, 2003, p.167). This paper is going to look at the historical background of the act in terms of its development and values and ideologies that guide the legislation. It will provide statistics and global trends contributing to the act as well as other researches that have been done and which support and are in contrary of the act.it will then conduct a critical analysis of the legislation in terms of how well it serves the population, its strengths and any gaps that exist in service before finishing off with a conclusion that will provide a summary of what was discussed. Historical Background The first immigration act was passed in 1869 and this marked the foundation of Canada’s immigration policy. ... Immediately after the war, the nation experienced a number of setbacks and once again revised the act to a more exclusionary immigration policy aimed at encouraging harmony and control; although certain religions as well as ethnicities were barred from immigrating to Canada. This was followed by a further amendment in 1919 of section 38 prohibiting entry of certain races and nationalities (Westhues, 2006, p.20). After the Second World War, there was a change in attitudes as well as unprecedented economic growth. The senate in 1951 recommended the return of the open door policy stance on immigration which led to a new act in 1952 that did not include much of the proposed changes and continued to discriminate against races and people on economic grounds. A more inclusive policy was arrived at in 1967 that eliminated racial discrimination. 1969 saw the inclusion of refugees into the policy widening increasing chances of people who could immigrate to Canada. Amendments continued until 20 02 when the immigration and refugee protection act was established (Kelley & Trebilcock, 2010, p.11-13). Westhues (2006, p.23) argues that the rationale and ideologies at this time was to attract an influx of immigrants in order to boost the economic growth of the nation. Coming up with the immigration policy was seen as a way of increasing the country’s demand for domestic products and stimulate the nation’s manufacturing sector. At this time also, there were large tracts of land that were unoccupied and thus the need to fill this land with people. The idea of filling up the unoccupied land was as a result of the need to ensure sovereignty of the nation which was an important factor at this time. Therefore it is only through a

Minority Leadership in the military Research Paper

Minority Leadership in the military - Research Paper Example Minorities are often subjected to stereotypes and they are usually not expected to acquire higher positions. They are always looked upon with suspicious eyes and their ability is almost always questioned. In the same way females are also looked down upon in professions like military. In this paper we will look into the minority representation in army and whether it represents the minority representation in the society at large. The educational and financial background of minorities will also be considered and their impact on leadership style will be analyzed. The main question we would like to answer here is whether race or gender has an impact on leadership or management decisions in military or not. It is important to understand the dynamics of minorities in a society in order to better understand how minorities feel and how the society feels about them. Minorities in a society are characterized by cohesion and close relationships. This is because they feel threatened by other majority groups in the society. Minority groups also try to differentiate themselves from ‘others’ and this is done to protect their identity. There are united because they have no place to go and they feel compelled to remain a part of their social group. Society in general feels negatively about minorities which in turn increases the cohesion in minorities. Military profession is seen as a patriotic profession and the job is to defend the country. This is why tensions between majority and minority groups is common in military. Majority group is always suspicious of the patriotism of the minority groups and therefore their representation is always low in military. An example would be in the United States of America when African Americans were not allowed to serve in the army before the Civil War. It was only when it was inevitable that they were allowed to serve in the military. Majority group in most cases feels suspicious of the minority group because they believe minorities

Monna Giovanni and Wife of Bath Essay Example for Free

Monna Giovanni and Wife of Bath Essay The personas crafted by Boccaccio and Chaucer are different. Chaucer’s Wife of Bath receives its recognition from her smart characterization that portrays her as unconventional and eccentric woman with certain strident elements whereas Boccaccio’s Monna is described as a creature of elegance and of high moral stature. Both these women are manifestation of two different faces and facets of the same age. One manifestation of the age is conventional i. e. Monna Giovanni who is utterly loyal and faithful whereas other illustration is unconventional that does take into consideration the conformist norms and values of the contemporary era. Both Wife of Bath and Monna Giovanni hail from higher social stratum. Wife of Bath’s attitude toward men is domineering and she advises other women to do so. She considers them lecherous and mean due to their indifferent attitude toward women. She refers to them as suspicious and lusty-fellows. (234-378) Her own attitude toward men is paradoxical. She is offensive toward them and considers it a good practice to get best out of men. But she expects patience from men in anger and urges them to emulate the well-known tolerance of Job. She expects fidelity from them e. g. she hates the infidelity of her fourth husband but never assure them her own fidelity. In contrast to Wife of Bath’s thoughts toward men, Monna’s attitude toward men is in conformity with the socio-cultural standards. Wife of Bath is does not behave in conformity with the social norms and traditions of the contemporary era. She does not meet the expectations of proper manners of a wife. She married to three aged but well-off husbands in her youth and inherited their wealth. She is of dominant nature and tried to override her fourth husband who was of her age. She had a bad experience with her fifth husband. All of them are now dead but Wife’s hopes are alive to marry anew. Through the summary of her married life (459-462), Chaucer portrays her as clever and selfish woman who unlike the common woman of her age does not marry due to matrimonial and ethical purposes but it was her materialistic desires that make her to marry old husbands. But again her attitude toward marriage is paradoxical as she loves her fifth and last husband due to his expertise in sexual relationship. Wife of Bath has had extramarital relationships as well (lines 461, 467, 476). Unlike Wife of Bath, Monna Giovanni is an epitome of chastity and virtuous. She did not notice the temptations of sentiments and paid no heed to the instigations of her lovers. Boccaccio says in this regard; â€Å"However the lady, no less virtuous than fair, cared not a jot for what he (Federigo) did for her sake, nor yet for him. † She marries and remains faithful to her husband till his death. Furthermore, Wife of Bath takes love and marriage in term of economic benefits and thus equalizes it to prostitution. She uses the economic terminology to denote to the marriage and matrimonial relationships. In contrast to Wife of Bath, Monna considers marriage socio-cultural obligations and takes pride in matrimonial bliss. Her faithfulness to her husband is a result of matrimonial accord. After her husband’s death, she does not usurp his inheritance but forward it to their only son. The only similarity between these characters is their stylish and trendy life. Wife of Bath is a fashionable lady adorned with the grace of the contemporary costumes and ornaments. But Chaucer provides certain references where she seems over-dressed. Monna Giovanni was â€Å"in her day held rank among the fairest and most elegant ladies of Florence†. But we do not find her snobbish and over-dressed. There is a feeling of superficiality about the Wife whereas Monna’s character carries elegance and grace with it.

Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

When I was younger, I would often return home to a familiar question: So, what did you learn today? My answer would always be "nothing" or "stuff." As I look back, I never lied, yet, I never told the whole truth. Many people think that you don't know anything with only 18 years of experience; I think they're wrong. I've learned a lot about myself and others from the relationships I have built throughout the years. I believe my most important lessons were "people" lessons. Those are the ones which could never be taught out of a book or in a lecture; you have to go out and experience them for yourself. I have learned that you'll never know the answer if you don't ask the question. People like you for who your are, even if you wear watermelons on your head at homecoming, tight black leather pants for a fashion show, or get decked out in your parent's old polyester clothes for Disco Day. Everything is a give and take situation and we can never give enough. If you want to be heard, first you must listen. We are all different, yet very much the same. Everything I have just said can be ...

Empowerment of the Girl Child Essay

I. Introduction In a seminal article in 1990, Amartya Sen suggested that worldwide, particularly in Asia, millions of women were missing from the population totals of many countries. He also noted the alarming fact that the sex ratio for female children in China, India and South Korea is actually deteriorating while the overall sex ratio for females in those countries has marginally improved. Sen argued that the number of women missing in any population could be estimated by calculating the numbers of extra women who would have survived in that society. This would have been so if it had the same ratio of women to men as in other regions of the world where both sexes receive similar care. Given the low ratio of 0.94 women to men in South Asia, West Asia and China indicating a deficit of 6 percent, he surmised that since in countries where women and men receive similar care the ratio is about 1.05, the real deficit is about 11percent of their women. These numbers tell, †quietly a terrible story of inequality and neglect leading to excess mortality of women† (Sen, 1990). In India, the widening gap in the ratio of girls to boys is clearly brought to light in the Census of 2001, confirming a trend that has been in place since 1901. This is most pronounced in the youngest age group, 0-6, thus indicating the scale of injustice as well as the long-term social and economic consequences implied. Ansley Coale (1991) also drew attention to unusually high sex ratios at birth and high female mortality rates relative to males, especially in the early years of life and for daughters with elder sisters. To give a rough approximation of the numerical impact of excessive female mortality, he also estimated the ratio of males to females in selected populations that would exist in the absence of discriminatory treatment of females, and thus the total number of ’missing’ females. For the populations of China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, West Asia, and Egypt, he calculated the total number of missing females to be about 60 million, a figure lower than.