Center for American Progress (CAP) holds discussion on popular book about the lack of class mobility

Today at CAP, a discussion was held on “All Things Being Equal,” a new book composed of eight original essays well versed in class mobility that is “half critique, half road-map-for-the-future.” Featured panelists were Jared Bernstein, Senior Economist at the Economic Policy Institute; Brian Smedley, Research Dierctor and a co-founder of The Opportunity Agenda; and Margery Turner, Director of the Metropolitan Housing and Communities Center, all of whom contributed to the book.

The discussion centered mainly on health care disparity issues between people of different race and gender. One of the more important points was noted in the discussion by Mr. Bernstein, which was that inequality in health care is a barrier to opportunity for many Americans. This inequality occurs even when insurance status among people are the same. The most interesting point made was that African-Americans, Latino-Americans, and Native Americans, are less likely to receive relatively routine treatments, “such as beta-blockers following a heart attack,” than their white counterparts of similar class status. In addition to this, minorities are more likely to receive negative treatments, “such as amputation of a limb.” What is quite important to note is that all of these studies control for differences such as insurance status and income. Therefore, all of these disparities are due solely to race.

Senate Committee on the Judiciary Discusses Reforming Crack/Cocaine Laws

This afternoon a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Federal Cocaine Sentencing Laws; Reforming the 100:1 Crack Powder Disparity” met to discuss updating what Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) called, “arbitrary, unnecessary, and unjust” crack/cocaine legislation.

The hearing, chaired by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) discussed crack/cocaine laws with a panel of five experts on the issues. The Committee concluded that while the drug that makes crack and cocaine have an affect on the mind and body was the same, the circumstances that affect the user for each drug were not.

Crack, the Committee discussed, was detrimental to more than just individuals, but to communities as well. Proper sentencing for drug users was a hot issue discussed, and Biden urged the need to help addicts recover. Hopefully, by aiding addicts in their recovery, we can lessen the dependency many in our nation have on both crack and cocaine.