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Colin Powell on Welfare & Poverty
Secretary of State (Pres. Bush Cabinet)
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America's Promise helped 15M disadvantaged kids
America's Promise, founded by General Colin L. Powell (U.S. Ret.) and his wife, Alma, offers an interesting model for people seeking to advance a cause with multiple programs in which many people are already involved. The mission of
America's Promise is to give all children what they need to succeed by keeping five promises to them: the involvement of caring adults, access to safe places, a healthy start, a good education, and opportunities to help others. In its el
America's Promise has alliances with more than 105 partners from businesses, NGOs, communities, and policy-makers.
Its goal is to deliver more promises to 15 million disadvantaged young people over the next five years.
Source: Giving, by Bill Clinton, p.132-133
, Sep 4, 2007
Promise Five: Opportunities for community service
Even though youth are more likely to volunteer than adults, fewer than half of all youth consistently serve others. A result is that they miss this powerful opportunity for growth. Giving children and adolescents opportunities to serve others
is an important strategy in shaping America’s future. Besides school-based community service, youth can contribute via: - Religious congregations
- Neighborhood teams
- Service clubs
- Family volunteering
- Youth organizations
- Schools
Service-learning experiences enhance self-esteem, a sense of personal competence and efficacy, engagement with school, and social responsibility for others. Youth are much less likely to volunteer if they are not asked. Powell
says, “I believe to the depth of my heart that a teenager who has spent a few hours a week helping a younger child learn to read, or spent a few hours at a hospice helping an older person reach the end of their life in dignity, is a changed person.”
Source: America’s Promise Web Page
, Jan 8, 2001
Teach kids volunteerism while young
As we are giving [the] necessities to our children, let’s ask them to also give something back to the community of which they are a part. Early in life, help them learn of the joy that comes from giving to others, help them learn that through service to
others, service to community, they will put virtues in their heart that will make them absolutely beautiful adults when they grow up; and that what’s important in life is giving to others, not whether your sneakers cost more than someone else’s sneakers.
Source: Speech at the Republican convention
, Jul 30, 2000
Reform the entitlement state, not just the welfare state
It is the entitlement state that must be reformed, and not just the welfare state. The good jobs needed to sustain families come from a faster-growing economy where the free enterprise system is unleashed to create wealth. Wealth which produces new
industries which produce more good jobs. In this richest nation on earth, we still have not solved the problems of poverty which tear away at the roots of strong families. And for which government assistance is a poor substitute for good jobs.
Source: Speech to the Republican National Convention
, Aug 12, 1996
Promote energy security with more LIHEAP spending.
Powell adopted the National Energy Policy Development Group report:
The National Energy Policy seeks to lessen the impact on Americans of energy price volatility and supply uncertainty. Such uncertainty increases as we reduce America ’s dependence on foreign sources of energy. At the same time, however, we recognize that a significant percentage of our resources will come from overseas. Energy security must be a priority of US trade and foreign policy. We must look beyond our borders and restore America ’s credibility with overseas suppliers. In addition, we must build strong relationships with energy-producing nations in our own hemisphere, improving the outlook for trade, investment, and reliable supplies. Energy security also requires preparing our nation for supply emergencies, and assisting low-income Americans who are most vulnerable in times of supply disruption, price spikes, and extreme weather.
To ensure energy security for our nation and its families, our report includes these recommendations: - Dedicate new funds to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program by funneling a portion of oil and gas royalty payments to LIHEAP when oil and natural gas prices exceed a certain amount.
- Double funding for the Department of Energy ’s Weatherization Assistance Program, increasing funding by $1. 4 billion over 10 years.
- Direct the Federal Emergency Management Administration to prepare for potential energy-related emergencies.
- Support a North American Energy Framework to expand and accelerate cross-border energy investment, oil and gas pipelines, and electricity grid connections by streamlining and expediting permitting procedures with Mexico and Canada. Direct federal agencies to expedite necessary permits for a gas pipeline route from Alaska to the lower 48 states.
Source: National Energy Policy report 01-NEPD4 on May 2, 2001
Page last updated: Mar 13, 2021