Much like every vote will matter, so will every dollar. And every dollar doesn’t only help Wendy Davis in her run, but the energy she creates will be passed down to the rest of the Democratic ballot.

Let’s give what you can, and let’s do it often. You’d be surprised how it adds up–pretty much like the votes will add up for Wendy next November.

Click on the link below to show your support.

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Let’s face it, stepping forward isn’t always so easy or feel so comfortable. At times it seems we live in the Tower of Babel, where there’s little way any of us can change the course of things. But we can. We need to go beyond saying “be the change” and realize that organizations, all levels of government, and other social structures are fundamentally based on a set of agreements, usually implicit, to which we as individuals, usually unconsciously, give our consent.

So many of us believe we donate money, volunteer an hour, or sign a petition in times of need we did our part. Before you do this, ask yourself, are you doing this because you think it “should” happen or you truly willing to do them. Taking action based on “should” thinking often breed resentment or burnout. I am more and more able to accept having things not happen rather than having them done without true willingness. the words of Thomas Merton: “To allow oneself to be carried away by a multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender to too many demands, to commit oneself to too many projects, to want to help everyone in everything is to succumb to violence.”

We need to organize and act with others to create shifts. For that, we need concrete practices to bring our consciousness to go beyond the personal, inner work. When we turn toward others we set a different tone in our own life and in our community, and restore a belief that we can get things done, together. You don’t need to take on the world, only to start in small ways and build from there. What counts is how we choose to show up in each other’s lives. Here, then, are four practical New Year’s resolutions I plan to make real in 2013.

• I will join a small, local effort. In this New Year, join with others to address a local challenge where, together, you set goals, produce results, and celebrate your good efforts. When you work with others you show what’s possible.
• I will cross boundaries. The divisions in our communities make us feel people will never come together to get things done. In this New Year, go out and find one or two people who are different from yourself, and talk with them about their aspirations for their own lives and the community. When you do this you break down barriers and increase people’s confidence to step forward themselves.
• I will be a champion of the common good. Our common challenges require us to go beyond the endless push of instant gratification that shapes so much of what we do and think nowadays. In this New Year, ask yourself and others when talking about a tough challenge: What do we need for our common good, and not just our own good. Then you can help get things moving forward.
• I will be more open and humble in my conversations. In many discussions we somehow believe we alone know the right answer, and everyone else is wrong! I also know I am not alone in nursing the fantasy that if I only got the “right” people in some “right” configuration, we would essentially have no significant conflict. From personal relationships to organizations, conflict is an integral part of life. In this New Year, stop yourself from going down this path again and engage in more give-and-take with others. Then you can help us all find better solutions.

Choosing to turn outward toward others in these ways will make a real difference in your community and in your life. You can get started right away. Then we can restore our belief about what is possible.

“The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.” – Baudelaire, “Le Joueur généreux,” 1864.

Now that the election is over, it is time for this country to do some deep soul searching. During the presidential race poverty was barely mentioned, which is a concern.

In the United States, we like to think this country as the very embodiment of meritocracy: a country where people are judged on their individual abilities rather than their family connections. From the outset, Americans have believed people achieve success and rewards through hard work, education, risk taking, and even a little luck.

“The road to fortune, like the public turnpike, is open alike to the children of the beggar, and the descendants of kings.” —A.C. McCurdy, Win Who Will, 1872

“If you don’t have a job and you’re not rich, blame yourself.” — Hermain Cain, former GOP presidential candidate

Despite the monstrous setbacks by two devastating recessions of the last decade, we still believe if “pull yourself up by the bootstraps” you will succeed despite any odds set against you. The fault lines are very clear and there is not much room for gray. This is reinforced through subtle messages such as Forbes 400 Wealthiest Americans list that reminds us “that the American dream is still very much alive.”

To have or to have not
As I mentioned previously, poverty considered to be relative. When Americans hear the words “poor” or “poverty” they will conjure up images like those on the right. One reason defining “poverty” in this country is vague and allusive, it is often falls in one of two categories: utter penury, of the sort experienced by the billion or so souls who subsist on $1 a day or less; and one that is defined in terms of income levels, official poverty line that is carried out year by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Granted, the poor in America do not starve, the problem with relative poverty it oversimplifies the situation and deceives almost everyone, including even those who suffer by it. As a result, it allows us to make social comparisons among social groups. How often have we consoled ourself by thinking how someone else is much worse off than us?

If poverty is considered to be relative, is wealth the opposite to poverty?

During the presidential debates, both candidates talked about the middle class. Which begs the question, what constitutes the middle class?

It is easy to define middle class if you are content with being simplistic: is a group of people who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class. A persistent source of confusion surrounding the term “middle class” derives predominantly from there being no set criteria for such a definition. From an economic perspective, members of the middle class do not necessarily fall in the middle of a society’s income distribution.

“Middle class” is one of those terms that is universally familiar and devilishly elusive. Half of the American public considers itself middle class. According to Chrystia Freeland of Reuters, Mark Gallogly, co-founder of the private equity and credit investment firm Centerbridge Partners and one of President Obama’s economic advisors, the “president’s overriding concern, was with the workers who make $24,000 a year.” Yet, earlier this year World Bank reported a single person earning $34,000 a year after taxes is considered “among the richest 1% in the world.”

However, the official measure of poverty has a number of limitations, some of which stem from the fact that there are no commonly accepted standards of need. For example, U.S. Census Bureau defines a four-person family unit with two children, the 2010 poverty threshold is $22,113. For one- or two-person family units, the poverty thresholds differ by age; the 2010 threshold for one individual under age 65 is $11,344, whereas for an individual 65 or over it is $10,458.

Who are we kidding? No wonder this country is disconnected. We are all accustomed to measuring our worth in terms of money. It is not easy to see relationships always in terms of real goods and real welfare, but if we have any understanding at all of what goes on around us, we soon see how issues such as inflation, the financial crisis, unemployment, immigration reform, taxation, the war on terror, the war on drugs, and more are all tied to the fundamental ideas of economics.

No one will argue it takes the money we have to spend. The economic conditions of the country affect our income whether it is earned or whether it is an income which comes to us from invested capital. What we are able to do in our home depends on the cost of the various things which we buy. As an individual you face the problem of having only limited resources with which to fulfill your wants and needs, as a result, you must make certain choices with your money. You’ll probably spend part of your money on rent, electricity and food. Then you might use the rest to go to the movies and/or buy a new pair of jeans.

The Chain Reaction of Losses
Poverty will not feel the same in different cultures. There is a difference between living on a meager income, and being both broke and unemployed. So there is a continuum. I can only speak from my own experience.

I was born into what you might describe as the lower-upper-middle class. The upper-middle class, which had its heyday in the eighties and nineties. Both of my parents have an advanced degree, however, that didn’t mean you were debt free. Rent, mortgages, and clothes and school-bills were an unending nightmare, and every luxury, even a glass of beer, is an unwarrantable extravagance. Practically as my family’s income went, so did the cost did the cost keep up with Jones. It is obvious that people of this kind are in an anomalous position, and one might ‘be tempted to write them off as mere exceptions and therefore unimportant.

Although I may have graduate degree and worked in white collar jobs, I continue to hang on economically by my fingertips. Whether living paycheck to paycheck or being unemployed, poverty is always on your mind — it is the thing you fear most. Nobody wakes up one day with the scarlet letter of poverty. It is complicated, for many, it comes in waves; like the proverbial boiling frog.

Poverty is a chain reaction of losses. There are ways to illustrate how not having money causes a chain reaction. Here is a recent example how a $60 utility bill doubled. My average gas bill cost $10 month, after six months, I received a notice my gas service would be disconnected if payment was not received immediately. Naturally, I paid online without running into any problems. Two months later, I received a notice my service was disconnected. To reconnect, not only did I have to pay the amount due, but also over $100 in additional fees. In the end, I had to pay $180 to reconnect, adding more stress.

That is the most obvious. Less obvious are the ripple effects from past and present economic policy when it comes to college education. By understanding what goes on around us, we soon see how outside influences affect our own existence. It was well known a college education was needed to reach the American dream and maintain a middle class lifestyle. By the time I graduated from high school there wasn’t that many options to for college, federal financial aid was based on need-based to qualify. When I went to the University of Texas in 1992, Congress made it easier to qualify for a federal student loan, however, I still did not qualify because of my parents income level. I had to options, I could declare myself independent or apply for a private loan. Because my parents careers where just taking off, they pleaded with me not to declare myself as an independent so they could take advantage of the child tax credit. But to qualify for a private loan I needed a co-signer, which they did. Unbeknown to us these loans have higher and variable interest rates and cannot be discharged in bankruptcy. As a result, we are wedded to this loan. Since graduating graduate school this loan has brought about tensions with my family during period financial difficulty to the point I now equate a call from my mother as a call from the debt collector.

It is expensive to be poor. There is always some notice at the end of the month. Once you go down that path, it seems like I can never catch up. Always behind. Something is disconnected every goddamn month. Paying the cable/Internet bill and the cell phone is always at the 11th hour. You get late fee’d and penalized and overdraft fined to death. I know I have painted myself into a corner that I can’t get out of.

You wear things as many times as you can before they smell to cut down on costs of washing clothes. You no longer buy the brands that are the most environmentally sound, or non-toxic. You do your best, but inevitably, your detergents, shampoos, soaps, deodorants and light bulbs simply become what you can afford. Vacations are put on hold; upgrading the computer will have to wait; seeing a local band is now replaced with television re-runs. Gone are the days of the shampoo and body washes that make you feel better. Gone are the sharp razors. No more full fridge and kitchen cabinets. Goodbye snacks, hello leftovers.

Each day you try avoiding, humiliating situations that rob you of your chance to eat. You go to a store to buy food, as you walk up to the cashier you find out the place does not accept the only credit card you can use that month. You slink out of the place, never to go there again. Or you go to the grocery store thinking you had money in your account only to find out you are short when your debt card is declined. There’s always an anxious moment when I walk into any store or place to eat. Will my card be declined today?

One day, I had a conversation with a friend about her recent mental break down at the bank. Having thought she had made a payment on her car, she was immediately informed they did not receive it. She went to say she nearly had a mental break at the thought that the mistake could not be fixed. She was panic stricken at the thought she would have to ask her farther for a loan.

That feeling never goes away. All these raw emotions and feelings build on themselves. You feel out of breath with the constant hustle, because, when you are poor, the hustle never ends. The need to make do never ends. The nagging feelings of feeling like a loser is ever-present. You know it’s a losing game, and you know it’s fixed. But who wants to lose, even when the game is fixed?

From Apathy to Entropy
The great recession is causing us to check our big dreams at the door. There’s just no room for error anymore as insecurity becomes dread.

As the emotional thorny patch grows thicker, the feelings and thoughts that are a result of your situation begin to entangle with each other. You can no longer tell where they end and you begin. Self-pity becomes the norm, you forget misery is not necessarily part of life. You lose yourself in your thoughts because the insecurity caused by a lack of finances begin to bleed over to your self image and emotional experience. You are insecure about many things: your cash, your ability to pay rent, the ability to keep your refrigerator full, or to respond rationally to any foreseen event.

Soon after funding dried up for Somos Tejanos, my parents began covering some of my expenses so I didn’t go through my savings quickly. Last year after I was in a minor accident, I was not concerned if sustained any injuries, irrationally, my first thought was the additional financial burden I would put on my parents. The stress was so intense, when my mother called to check up I broke down apologizing for my currently living situation. In reality, it was an apology for committing society’s social taboos – being dependent on my parents. Each time I have to borrow, those thoughts drag behind them bags weighted with shame; with fear; with worry and insecurity; with anger. Being full of those feelings all the time erodes your health.

Everywhere you turn, you are confronted with a panoply of rules, taboos, and penalties. Apathy, which is inseparable from poverty, slowly turns into entropy. When you have nothing to do and, underfed, nothing interests you. Entropy is a fact of life, however, when you have disposable cash, the glass always seems half full. You can easily replace, broken items. Make an appointment with a doctor when you feel sick. You don’t worry about the price of parking or admission to some dive bar. If a certain card is not accepted, whipping out your debt card is not an issue. Your clothes and shoes don’t look worn-out and faded; you send your clothes to the dry cleaners, pay a little more for a better laundry detergent. When you have extra cash, you feel rejuvenated and refreshed to function and be effective in the material world.

When you are unemployed and without money, everything seems out of reach. The ever present hand of entropy colors your overall perception of life and self. People are wrong when they think being unemployed our only concern is about losing our income; on the contrary, a sense of purpose outweigh the need for money. Idleness is one of the worst evils of poverty. When there are no means of filling up time it can feel as miserable as a dog on the chain. George Orwell once wrote: “it is such nonsense to pretend that those who have ‘come down in the world’ are to be pitied above all others. The man who really merits pity is the man who has been down from the start, and faces poverty with a blank, resourceless mind.”

No amount of anti-depressants can counter it because the energy needed to fight back the nothingness engulfs you is the same amount that keeps you at a loss. The wear on peace of mind cannot compare to the constant scramble to bridge another gap, another finger in a dam that is constantly crumbling.

Like a Cancer, Anger Inside You
It’s no wonder you end up feeling so exhausted. Perversely, a life of poverty is a life in which you need to run even faster. Because being low on cash marks you. It marks you like criminal; ignorant, lazy, drunken, and dishonest. As you struggle to pay your bills, collection agencies become relentless in collecting their money. Late fees, disconnection fees, early cancellation fees, overdraft fees, bounced checks, low balance fees, higher interest rates, poorer terms for the poor…there is a network of vampiric thorns in place designed to trip up, puncture, and suck the life from those who cannot afford to stay sufficiently solvent.

Since the start of 2010, judges have signed off on more than 5,000 arrest warrants since in nine counties alone. Beverly Yang, a legal aid attorney, says many debtor’s — and judges — don’t know debtor’s rights, which results in the accused being intimidated into a pay agreement. She’s seen judges interrogate debtors about why they can’t pay more and whether they are trying hard enough to find a job.

Universal innocence also gives rise to universal failure to act. It won’t happen to you? It will all blow over? The upper middle class feel they are immune to the financial crisis. That is what former “CSI” star Gary Dourdan thought before he threw in the towel and filed for Chapter 11.

The troubled actor filed papers on August 30th — and according to the docs, has a little over $1.8 mil in assets … but is in the hole to his creditors to the tune of $1.73 mil.

A large chunk of that debt — $1,689,704 million — is owed to various banks, including Union Bank, which apparently holds the mortgage on his home that may be in default.

As for his assets — $200 cash, $3k in a bank account, $4k in furniture, $200 worth of books, $1,500 in clothes, $500 in watches … oh and a 2006 Dodge Charger worth $7,000.

Here’s the kicker … Gary says his disposable income is only $321 a month … claiming his bills ($14,562 a month) eat up just about all of the $14,883 he pulls in on average.

The majority sit quietly and dare to hope. In fact, some believe they are immune to the Great Recession. As long as you play by the rules, how can it happen to you?

It’s only a matter of time. You grow resentful; afraid of what the next penalty will be; their is a state of terror when you check your mail or answer the phone. You avoid it. You don’t empty the mailbox for a week or a month. You screening your calls more frequently. What do you care? There will only be more news about how much you owe. A recipe of penalty. Another mouthful of dread. Life suddenly feels like a condemned building and that the wrecking ball was coming swinging.

There is always this pushing upon you. This force pushing down upon you. It is entropy. Resisting it is painful, and gets harder the less money you have. Somehow, you believe in yourself. It’s a rough patch. the whole nation is suffering. And then you think Well…most of us. There are those who are not.

It is inevitable that living in these conditions long enough an anger will grow in you. An anger that in this whole dumb lottery of chance, you drew the short straw. Not because you deserve it, but because that’s the luck of the damn draw. The well-coiffed sons of privilege laughing as they duck to get into their Porsches or slide into their Senatorial seats are not inherently more worthy souls, or righteous beings.

No matter what the movies and advertisements try to tell us, you know they got lucky by birth or other circumstance. At worst, they were blessed by an institutional corruption that favors them. Why should they get bailed out of every scrape and set back on the path of good fortune, while you end up running yourself ragged and broke over ten bucks? Why should there be such different worlds, and some born to hardship from the start? What makes them so special as to be given such carefree lives? Why shouldn’t your worries also be theirs?

The anger poisons you. Poisons your heart. You try to talk yourself back to the generous soul that you know yourself to be. You are careful not to cultivate self-pity. You focus on the good. But…you still live in the U.S.A. You “should” have it all figured out by now. You “should” be comfortable. You “should” have an IRA and savings, and a new car, and be spending money. You should have some security for tomorrow.

And despite your best efforts, the bitterness grows. And before long, you have a hard time feeling good for other peoples’ good fortune. You live in a vicious competitive environment, and you are losing out. Each tip of the personal coffers signifies your own moral worth and competence as a human being. It’s no wonder your emotions run high; it’s no wonder you feel worn out. And you feel disappointed in yourself, as well. Even for having such thoughts and feelings. You know you are not a cynical person. But maybe you are not.

It’s very easy to call yourself kind when you are not worrying about tomorrow. Let the resources run dry for too long and you may find yourself to be quite another sort of person. Either way, you can’t help it. You don’t need a handout or a hand up, just a way out, that’s all. You can’t think and you just need a goddamn break, already.

Time is Never On Your Side
It’s true! When you are always lacking cash, you end up stressed out: about deadlines, schedules, closing times, bank holidays, end of the month, first of the month, bus schedules. You are very aware of time. And it is not your friend. Penalties await. Last chances await. Bounced checks await. Overdrafted accounts await. Shutoff notices await. And you better stay sharp on all of it.

Among middle-class people, another common example of scarcity is time.

“When people are facing a deadline, they become much more focused on that task, and they may even ‘borrow’ by asking for an extension, which means they might end up leaving themselves less time for future tasks,” he said.

When money is not a worry, it’s as if the whole world slows down. It literally feels that way—that the world is turning slower. You don’t need to rush to meet a deadline. You don’t need worry about overdue notice because you’ve already paid your bill! In fact, you paid it as soon as it arrived instead of racing against a shut-off notice. You don’t need to rush for much of anything. You can wander and muse. Because your life is not a constant battle to stay alive. Because having money means having leisure time.

And just as with cash you feel empowered, belonging, and able to tap into the society machine at will; when you are broke you feel like an outcast. You don’t belong. At no point in the chain of societal nodes can you take command. At no point can you enter. At no point can you negotiate anything, unless it is by the good graces of another. You best not loiter. You will be okay if your clothes are new and look more middle class; if not, you are an arrest or police harassment waiting to happen.

When Backed Into a Corner…Watch Out
Do you note the narrow focus of this writing? How it all becomes about your own self, your own mind, your own body, your own future? Even reading through it feels like being stuffed into a hole all alone with your rancid mind. And that’s what these situations do to a person. That’s part of that isolation; the survival instinct, which is running on overdrive. There’s nothing more selfish than the instinct to survive, after all. And living in that place for too long can make you bitter. And it can make you ugly. These fears and feelings distort a person. I’ve seen it up close in the faces of people in my life; people stressed out about paying their share of the rent or buying a simple Xmas present. People who are living with all the feelings have kind and beautiful souls, but after years of living this way, those qualities become harder to see…because poverty can twist you out of shape.

And all the emotions that poverty breeds do this; you forget what it is like to view things differently. And you feel there is no salvation for you. You easily begin to burn inside with the injustice that is all around you, the injustice that is reaching into your home; the injustice that is mocking your manhood, and degrading your personhood. It doesn’t take too much to bring you to the point where you feel you are ready to blow. Being poor doesn’t mean you are stupid or that you can’t see how everything is failing and divided unfairly. For you its pain—for others, its pure pleasure.

When we are talking about a “divide,” we are not talking about how one person has a BMW and used car. The divide is much more significant and dangerous. We are talking about a divide that led me to write this series; its about the overall peace of mind. A divide in the feelings of self-worth that some have and some lack. A divide between ideas like “I belong here and I deserve to be happy” versus “I am tolled and there is no way out for me.” A divide between “I want this society to work out and I’ll do what I can to perpetuate its success” and “If this thing topples, let all those who benefit from it, scream their way down.” We should not underestimate the volatile nature of a public—or even one person—who feels s/he has nothing left to lose; that the deck is stacked against; that nobody is listening, and nothing will change.

Last year after being denied food stamps a desperate mother shot her two children and then committed suicide at a state welfare office. Naturally the first reaction is to disappointingly smug, and not just a little nâïve: I wrote that he obviously had other issues if losing his job caused him to become violent in such a jarring way. Desperation is the great unspoken truth of modern life. I hope this writing has helped illustrate, in my opinion and experience, prolonged poverty and unemployment are big enough factors in and of themselves to destabilize a person. You don’t really need much more than that to send you off the edge. And the fact that despite my upbringing, it is easy to be oblivious but it should have us worried that the conditions that pushed the mother toward destruction are common today, and only growing more ubiquitous.

Europe’s leaders should recognize the full magnitude of yesterday’s European mobilisation. Some 50 trade union organisations from 28 countries participated actively in this day of action. It is impossible to pursue the path of austerity, which is a total failure. According to a recent report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the austerity measures implemented in Greece are leading to violations of fundamental rights. We need to change course immediately. The social situation is urgent.

Currently copyrighted material is proving to be a big problem. I have been blogging on and off for about 4 years now. Recently I decided to go for it full-time. I knew copyright was going to be a grey cloud hovering over my head. Let’s face it learning about copyright law is not fun. Also consider the fact that in the digital age where making copies is stupid easy, copyright is completely ignored by most. People want to make copies of stuff and they want to share it for the most part. I have no problem with that but I struggled to ensure copyright was respected in this reality.

After some time thinking about it and discussing it with friends. I realized the only way to respect copyright is to simply allow people to copy your stuff. Now I know your heads must be spinning right now so let me explain in detail what I mean. First, if you post something online there is a 99.9% chance it will get copied. So deal with it! Your stuff will get copied by someone else if you post it online! You may be asking yourself right now, “what do we do about it and how do we stop it?” Well you can’t stop it and you shouldn’t either. What you can do about it is to simply reach out and ask that you are given credit for the work. If you want some monetary compensation then ask for it. Ask people to help fund your work through donations or to buy it and give it as a gift. This way you can still feed yourself or your family.

Copyright was meant to create a monopoly over a “product”. But that breaks down in our digital age. The idea of a monopoly created by copyright has to be re-imagined. My re-imagination is to create a monopoly of influence over your “product”. For example, if you state your case clearly enough for why you deserve for people to buy or donate to get a copyrighted copy of your work. Then you deserve a chance to have a successful product. It’s not a hard concept to understand and as a matter of fact the Hollywood film industry already does it! Hollywood films are heavily advertised. Think of the last big Hollywood film you saw and now think of how many previews or ads you saw for it. You probably saw a significant amount adverstising not just on T.V but online, in print, and radio. Hollywood spends a significant amount of time and money to ensure that you go watch a film. Isn’t that Hollywood influencing you on how to spend your money and time? I think it is and I think if they are able to get me to go watch a film then they stated their case clearly enough.

It has been said in various ways and by many people that musicians can make a profit by selling concert tickets even if they give away their music for free. Filmmakers can also make a living by selling their works in various formats that are DRM-free even when their works are pirated. Writers can make a living even if their books end up online. Several of the Harry Potter books ended up online before the actual release but J.K Rowling still made money from them. Why? Simple, because at the end of the day when we shut-down our computers we are all people. People will always chose to do the right thing(at least in my opinion) and they will buy a product if they feel it’s worth it. Take the idea of crowdfunding a project or a startup. People can view your idea and decide if it’s worth donating too. The projects that don’t receive their funding are naturally the ones that didn’t properly convey their idea.

These are simply my ideas, imagine what else can be imagined if more of us put some time into it. Imagine how many great films can be produced if Hollywood listened to consumers instead of following their own agenda. The beautiful thing about the Internet is its ability to create ideas in an organic fashion. Sure it may take a little longer to do it but the result is always democratic. So copyright can be re-imagined for the digital age we just have to actually do it.

At the root of America’s economic crisis lies a moral crisis: the decline of civic virtue among America’s political and economic elite. Jobs and the economy remain Americans’ number one concern. While President Obama and Mitt Romney have promised to create millions of jobs if they are elected President, it is not enough if the rich and powerful fail to behave with respect, honesty, and compassion toward the rest of society and toward the world.

Like many Latino/a, I looked to Barack Obama and the Latino leadership as the hope for a breakthrough. Change was on the way, or so they told us; yet there has been far more continuity than change. Unlike the squeaky wheel that has adopted instant gratification in lieu of the sober judgment, I also know President Obama can’t do it alone.

We should never lose sight of the challenges: to fully recover from the current economic crisis remains a long and uphill journey; various difficulties confront the President’s effort to make all his changes; and there exist serious resource and capacity shortfalls regarding legislation and institutional development.

We live in a complex, divided society. We are divided by wealth, income, education, housing, race, gender, ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation. These divisions are discussed; but rarely do we devoted time examining the growing income divide. We know it is there, we feel it everyday when we enter a grocery store, go to the mall, drive downtown, or at an intersection.

The Crazy Uncle Syndrome
And I am/Whatever you say I am/If I wasn’t, then why would I say I am?/In the papers, the news, everyday I am — Eminem, The Way I Am

We all have heard the metaphor how every family has that crazy uncle in the family who is seen as the black sheep of the family. Some family members act like they are not part of the family while others tolerate him. When it comes to poverty you can’t help but feel like the crazy uncle desperately clutching to the last vestiges of hope and aspiration.

I have experienced several bouts of poverty in my life. Each one occurred at different points from my life. The first time you experience poverty as an adult you quickly discover the secrecy attached to it. Poverty slowly sucks your own power. But of course you do not admit it — you pretend everything is still normal. Like a fly caught in a web of lies, each lie you tell yourself entangles even more. You begin avoiding friends who are not in the same situation because don’t want others to know you are struggling with money. Regardless that over 15% are also struggling, societal and cultural norms still dictate how we judge people and not “making it” makes you look like a failure.

When you are down and out, you learn quickly there are a panoply of rules, taboos, and penalties. Without thinking, you are isolating yourself from people. This happens when you run into them online or offline; you avoid eye contact or you mumble some excuse, either way, they think you aloof and no longer interested being their friend. Sure some of them understand, but there is a constant nagging feeling that you are taking advantage of them or as Rep Paul Ryan a “moocher.”

It is hard to deny that we live in a world where being part of a powerful, exclusive group gives you power, whether that group is educational or professional. At some point friends and family members advise you not to talk about your situation because it will make others uncomfortable. There’s that sense that you might jinx others by concentrating and admitting the desperateness of the situation, you will perpetuate the momentum of your bad luck. And why not, aren’t we told to succeed in life and to be happy, you cut the negative people in our life.

All around us we are bombarded with these messages that drives people around like a roller-coaster, while for us, the messages does nothing but keep us up all night; and steal your friends and peace of mind. You try to find a balance by keeping your troubles to yourself when you are suffering. They are your troubles, after all! No need to tell other people your struggle.

We hush up for other reasons. Men are told women will write us off if we financially stable; just go to any dating site. It is true this is not limited to women, but those social norms are ingrained in what MEN and WOMEN need to bring to the party to be viable mates.

Then again, when was the last time you tried to pay the rent with love?

Poverty feels like a rot. You can see and smell it block away. When Mitt Romney talks about the 47%, we know he and people like him view us and than willing to use other labels for us – Those People, The Dregs of Society, The Underclass. We are the very people they try to avoid at their own peril. When they are confronted by it, they are threaten by it. Powerless in the face of it. That’s how strongly we are indoctrinated with this social rule.

Then the question arises, Why are the 47% despised? — in truth, they are despised, universally; one side tends to be open about it. It is for the simple reason that we fail to earn a decent living. In practice nobody cares whether work is useful or useless; as long as it is profitable. In our current capitalist system, the end game is simple, “Make money and make a lot of it.” Money has become a product of virtue. By this test the 47% fail, and for this they are despised.

The isolation poverty pushes you into is painful. The last thing you need is isolation. We are social creatures. we need community. You need a shoulder, an ear, another human to remind you that you are not contagious, or catastrophic. And that your problems don’t make you a bad person, but that they are part of a larger network of faultlines. And that you are not alone.

Texans want something more – and different – from you. And you’re running out of time. They want you to occupy a certain space in our political discourse which is wide open, if only you will seize it. It’s there for the taking. People will revere and respect you for doing so this state will be better off.

The time allotted for a true discussion of the propositions that are on the ballot is not only inexcusable but disingenuous to the democratic process. I tuned in by chance while channel surfing, Having watched several primetime lineups during the week, not once did I hear or see any announcement about last nights televised Townhall meeting. Yet, you had no problem airing ad how KXAN reports the news that matter to us. Here is my question to KXAN after noticing that the two moderators looked unprepared and uninterested. Why wasn’t last night’s Townhall as important to you as it is to me?

One of the issues that were asked why there was a low voter turnout in Texas. Your answer revealed how out of touch you are with the Texas voter. When people say, we want more from our political leaders, it doesn’t mean creating more volume or being more contentious or exhibiting more bravado. Last night, near the end of the night what began as swipes at one another, turned into a brawl. All it proves both of you can throw a good punch. So what!

But what if as a political party both your platform and party membership is no longer in tune with the majority of the country?

As I watched the debate Friday night, I wondered if audience were people off the street or friends of the panel. If they were off the street, I wondered if their questions were truly being answered, assuming KXAN asked for their input prior before the Townhall started. Yet, the panelist seemed to looked right past them, like a school child sitting at the edge of their seat waiting for the school bell to go off.

The Texas Democrat Party love to point out how Republican party has a Latino problem. Once Democratic consultant Jason Staford saw his opportunity remind former GOP Chair Tom Pauken, we were off to the races with the typical denial. There are several reasons for the complacency. This is Texas, Pauken has the typical “conservative” attitude of the stereotyped southerner regarding race relations. The word “conservative” here follows the literal dictionary definition, meaning “disposed to maintain existing institutions or views; opposed to change.” What follows from this attitude is a situation which sees no real concern in problems comes to race or situation. The general attitude toward these matters is that the situations of which we complain are normal and natural and should be expected to exist as long as long as we continue to believe we are “victims.”

Nor should one be led to interpret the absence of open racial conflict in the Texas Democrat Party as an indication that Jason is correct all that is needed was more funding to the Democratic Party — as if these actions alone will meet people’s true desire to reengage and reconnect. Sure may very well enable some individuals, and other interested groups to win an election, a policy debate, or appeal to more new members or supporters for their cause. They may result in greater attention for one point-of-view or another.

Question: As one of the state’s top consultant and part of the party’s inner circle, how was it that you could not see that the state budget cuts affected your child’s education? Were there no discusses between the elected officials and you and other campaign? I have no quarrel with you, but with all the moaning and groaning about how voters skip down ballot candidates, somewhere along the way, we no long mattered, you were in it for the prize. It seems this time around, your daughter’s education future became collateral damage. I hope you will reflect on this and do some soul searching because it wasn’t your daughter’s education you jeopardized, it was all of Texas.

On the same topic, Tom Pauken, last night you mention you are part of a collation to end the high stake testing. Does this collation know you took an indirect role implementing Texas’ current model of mandatory testing that was put into place when George W. Bush when you were chairman of the Republican Party of Texas. At that time it was teaching to pass the TAAS. Using HISD’s rising TAAS scores under Rod Paige as a model of good policy, Bush was able to pass No Child Left Behind, regardless of the warning from educators and parents that policy is a diversion from real learning. As this policy under your watch, this is what Barbara Bush had to say in her OpEd plea to save our schools:

“We rank 36th in the nation in high school graduation rates. … We rank 49th in verbal SAT scores, 47th in literacy, and 46th in average math SAT scores.”

Why the low voter turnout? Because the 100 politicians who came before you abused our trust, stole our time and disrespected my attention.

Why the low voter turnout? Perhaps I’m not buying from you because the last time someone like you earned my trust, they wounded us.

Unfortunately advancing the happiness of humanity is so far from being properly improved given the current path we are heading. Lulled by the siren songs of power and domination, the states political elite into the means of obtaining their nefarious ends.

Your task is to lower the noise and prove me and who also feel this way wrong and help people gain a sense of possibility and hope about a way out – and a way forward. It is to engage people in what they can do, together, not just what you promise you’ll do for them.

We can’t afford a 47% write-off. We must not give up on restoring our humanity.

Hispanic Heritage Month has come and gone again like past years and depending where you live you would hardly know it. This year is to be different. After seeing the Castro brothers at the Democratic National Convention, as a Hispanic, seeing them take center stage, our moment as a community has finally turned a corner.

The creation myths in America often provide a glimpse into a circumstantial account of people and events during a historical event. Our judgments concerning these myths, big or little, depend on the feelings the things arouse in us. How we judge a myth depends how we frame it, this is only because the myth is associated already with a feeling. We are bound to these narratives because they describe our existence in this country.

Given this this considered the Decade of the Hispanic, it is no surprise after the convention the Latino community were abuzz there was excitement as the Castro brothers became the convention’s darlings and overnight media sensation.

However, we are also limited how we view the world. The impact of associative connections on personal perception tended to overestimate the correlation between things when they are not. Hence the stupidity of our opinions and judgments on the value of other persons’ conditions or ideals.

Short of genius a rich man cannot even imagine poverty. — Charles Peguy

This was quickly demonstrated once Mitt Romney’s secretly recorded video was made public. During a May 17 fundraiser the GOP presidential nominee told attendees that 47% of Americans—those who back President Obama—are “victims” who are “dependent upon government” and “pay no income tax.”

“There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it. That that’s an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what…These are people who pay no income tax.”

With the U.S. facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, communities of color are suffering a major set back. Mitt Romney is not only disingenuous, but after reading the full transcript flies in the face of pure logic – irrational, illogical and counter-intuitive. He argues he doesn’t need them to win, and the country doesn’t need them in order to succeed. I take issue because I fall in that 47%. What that message comes across to me, we can be discarded like trash.

Romney also went on to address his audience that he would have a better chance of winning if his parents were from south of the border. I will addressed in a future post.

We often hear from pundits and experts about what poverty is and how to fix it, but rarely do we hear from those who are experiencing poverty themselves.

In many ways, my story isn’t unique. I’ve met so many folks that have gone through a near-bankruptcy, business betrayal, and divorce. It matters little if it was all in a span of a year or three or ten. I think what’s important is not so much the turning points themselves, but the aftermath. How we learn, digest, integrate, rebuild in that in-between time to use the lessons and wake-up calls fruitfully.

Since the I started blogging, I’ve always wanted my writing to matter, to be relevant. I’m not entirely motivated to speak about the past. The beauty and freedom of blogging is writing about the here and now in the here and now.

Looking back, I was fortunate enough to have so much go so wrong. As I look back and see exactly where it started, it wasn’t one exact event, it happened in waves. I was stripped of everything I thought significant and I was stripped of being a know-it-all.

Like it or not, we are all affected by our environment. Poverty is an unhappy scene; and we’re not talking about the presence or absence of one or two niceties. Living hand to mouth is much more complex and all-encompassing than not being able to afford one or two amenities that might make life a bit more enjoyable.

A SUDDENLY ELUSIVE LIFE
For my short time here in Austin, I was bringing home a very average paycheck, but it was a salary. It was not minimum wage. It was pretty okay. Floyd Mayweather Jr. called money “nothing but comfort,” and it is true. For that period of time I can honestly say was the most comfortable of my life. I actually had money that I could do something with — go out, buy clothes, buy gifts, save…live. Absent is the constant fear and shame and worry and self-loathing that can potentially accompany a lower income lifestyle.

Friend: How’s your spouse?

Economist: Relative to what? –An Unknown Pundit

This quip reflects the tendency economists use to measure almost everything. That’s an important part of what I’m writing here. That must always be considered: the context of our culture. After all, poverty, which is a “lack of wealth or material comfort,” is a relative standard. Relative to what others have, to what is required to do or acquire certain things; relative to how others see poverty; relative to what it means to live and survive without having money.

Everyone might agree that any one without the physical means to sustain normal life is absolutely impoverished, but in this country rhetoric and our value system is to demonize the poor and worship the affluent—it is very hard to be poor.

When you are beset by these wrongs…well, you barely admit to yourself, let alone anyone else. When you’re in the thick of it, you don’t stop too long to marvel at the misery of it. That’s not sensible. You do what you have to do. From moment to moment, and from day-to-day. That’s all there is to do. You try not to become so weary that you think of giving up as more comfortable than continuing to fight. Nevertheless, you keep your eyes focused on the next step, and you don’t give yourself time to wallow.

After all, inspiration doesn’t pay the bills.

We’re excited about the the road ahead. We are hoping to relaunch to relaunch our site the first week of October. We hope you’ll stay tuned and be ready to join in. It’s going to be fun.

Please continue to follow us on:
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Our previous website was functional, but it didn’t do a great job answering the number one question when it comes to a website: “Who are you and why should I care?” This works the same way for all types of businesses and organizations. All organizations must sell and how they go about it will differ. An organizations success depends on the people associated with it, both formal and informal. People often forget their every action is either constructing or deconstructing the organizations brand and reputation. Every thought, every action, every policy, every marketing promotion has the effect of either inspiring or deterring brand loyalty in whoever is exposed to it.

Most people still haven’t figured out the distinct line between work and play. I have oftentimes run into people, both friends and family, who feel is definite line between work and play and conversation comes to a complete halt until the next day. Unfortunately, this is not true. Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, explains:

For example, if you happen to meet an employee of Company X at a bar, even if the employee isn’t working, how you perceive your interaction with that employee will affect how you perceive Company X, and therefore Company X’s brand. It can be a positive influence, or a negative influence. Every employee can affect your company’s brand, not just the front line employees that are paid to talk to your customers.

Whether you’re a nonprofit, for-profit, or a political candidate, you will never be truly social if you silo social activity within a consultant or a staff manager. The internet is a connection machine. Each person has to play part within the Internet’s ecosystem. A brand are judged by the value they generate through their ecosystem, not by the value their platforms directly capture.

It was evident when a majority people felt Somos Tejanos of a group blog instead of an organization with a mission to increase civic participation. People knew who we were but nobody had any clue what we are supposed to be accomplishing — a digital hub for people to communicate, get information and share information.

In today’s connection economy, it is all about connecting. So when we go live, don’t call it a comeback we never left.

So as we begin our next journey, we would like to hear from you making this site better.