I probably work with as many low income people as anyone.   Detroit has the highest unemployment rate in the coutry (over 15%) and has anywhere from 35% to 67% living at or under the poverty level (depending on which report you read)

Last year I did over 50 presentation helping people save money on their energy bills. I would say that 30 of them were to seniors or low income groups.   I work with United Way, (trained all their 211 phone reps), THAW (trained all their reps), Salvation Army, Human Services Agency (trained all their field workers), AARP, Legal Aid Society, UAW (spoke to over 2,000 UAW workers in 15 locations), and numerous blocks clubs.   Don't tell me I haven't been there or don't know the poor.   The problem is I know them too well.

The position that many of them take is that there are no jobs and it is up to government to provide them with money.   If government doesn't provide them with hand outs they will find a politician who will.   That is their only issue.    Absolutely pathetic.

Last August I had a minor heart attack and had two stents put in my heart.   Fortunately everhthing went well and there were no complications.   I was treated at Henry Ford Hospital in downtown Detroit.   I discovered that over 50% of the nurses were Canadians.

Now I love the Candadian nurses.   We talked about Cape Bretain bands on the operating table and I sang Leslie is Different to the head nurse named Leslie.   They were great.   My point is why in the city with the highest unemployment rate in the country do we have to bring in hundreds of nurses from Canada?   The answer I was told is that we don't have enough qualified nurses in Detroit.   

I than think back to these block clubs and meetings where leaders tell everyone there are no jobs.   LEARN HOW TO BE A NURSE.   That is a very honorable job.   And there are lots of jobs that some very lovely ladies could find back in Windsor.

Instead we blame the government.   Oh yeah-because of my great health insurance I only paid about $300 for my $10,000 bill.   I now have one of the best cardioligists in Michigan who I pay a $15 co pay when I see him.   Two Stents in my heart, I feel great.   Flawless procedure.   No side effects.   And I was the keynote speaker for a THAW (the heat and warmth fund-they pay peoples energy bill when they are shut off) power breakfast to 70 African American Detroit Clergy just two days after my second stent. (best crowd I spoke too all year) Isn't american health care great.