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Mind Map #1 - Coggle Diagram
Mind Map #1
What was the authors purpose?
Dr. Atheendar S.
Venkataramani
To bring awareness about how Life Expectancy in the United States is declining
What are the main points of the texts?
Underlying Drivers of Declining Life Expectancy, Social Policy as Health Policy, Opportunities for the Biden-Harris Administration, The Way Forward
The Way Forward
Addressing these trends will not be easy and will require a deep and unwavering commitment to pursuing a broad range of social and economic policies. While partisanship and polarization present real challenges, there is enough consensus already for the new presidential administration to promote proven policies that can begin to reverse the declining life expectancy in the US.
What are the steps of the argument?
To start, he opens the article by looking at the life expectancy in the US through a 40-year health population status. He states that social and economic forces will make or break your chances of living longer, whether you are lower to higher class or through racial identification.
There are three underlying drivers of declining health expectancy
Economic circumstances
Wages and earning distribution have not kept up with inflation
job market availability
Residential segregation and the incarceration system make it hard for Black Americans and other racial minorities to progress the economic ladder
social safety
The majority of social welfare goes to the working class only. Those who have retired or need monetary help without a job are in dire need.
Social Policy as Health Policy
Socioeconomic gaps in mortality have narrowed for children--> young adults. In contrast, they have widened for working-class adults.
WIC, EITC, and similar programs are supposed to be supplemental for children, but more investment is being given to working individuals.
State-level policies from differing state governments decide your life expectancy. "If you are born in this state, that sucks for you."- Andrew Seman
Life expectancy at birth in Connecticut is 3 times better than the state of Oklahoma
Opportunities for the Biden-Harris Administration
Increase the federal minimum wage to match inflation and expand Earned Income Tax Credit
Both red and blue states have public support on raising minimum wage. If the EITC can be raised, children will experience better morbidity and mortality while under working class parents.
Expand existing and proven cash assistance and training programs
Increase access to college and vocational jobs for low-income individuals to generate new employment opportunities.
Revamping the federal sentencing and prison reform could mitigate economic loss
Push the 2018 First Step Act that had bipartisan support that reduced federal mandatory minimum sentences
Revamp Welfare
Prioritize poverty status over employment status, determining eligibility for funds. Needs to be modernized=matching inflation
Do I agree with the author?
I agree that the trends won't be easy to pursue the policies in question. Reform of the entire system must be met before the actual change comes to America's citizens. Partisan is, and always will continue to be, the downfall of its people. There is too much misinformation and distrust between the people of both parties, making coming together much more difficult.