Look to the Internet to Fight Poverty

[babylonsister]

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/11/29-2

Look to the Internet to Fight Poverty

by Elaine Kamarck


AS PRESIDENT-ELECT Barack Obama begins to put together his government, one question reigns supreme. How can he possibly deal with the economic crisis and the war in Iraq, and still have anything left over for the social justice initiatives that are so dear to many of the Democrats who elected him?

The challenge is tough but not impossible. In the past decade, information technology has begun to transform anti-poverty efforts and bring to the poverty world some of the increases in productivity that have been common in the private sector. If Obama can expand on this, the chances for him to make good on a broad social justice agenda will increase in spite of the other challenges he faces.

In the past two decades, electronic database and Internet technologies have driven down the cost of government overhead while significantly elevating the productivity of the nation's anti-poverty programs. Fraud has been reduced while the needs of the economically distressed are addressed in a more timely manner. This has freed up money for other pressing anti-poverty needs.

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In the developing world, where anti-poverty programs are either small or nonexistent, the Internet has allowed non-government organizations to bridge the social, economic, and physical isolation of the poor. In countries like El Salvador and India, the Internet has helped to more effectively link farmers with markets, getting rid of costly and sometimes corrupt middlemen. One program in India provides Internet access to farmers via solar panels and satellites, allowing them up-to-the-minute information about weather, soil testing, and other factors that will increase productivity. And the Internet is becoming a critical tool for health workers who often work in remote areas far from doctors and specialists. Armed with PDAs, these workers can offer better medical care than ever before.

Internet innovation has transformed business, entertainment, and even government. In an Obama administration, it can transform approaches to poverty at home and abroad. The government's efforts should be focused on expanding access to Internet and other technologies for as many Americans as possible while continuing to develop our national broadband capacity. An expanded technological infrastructure will help Obama make good on a broad social justice agenda as he confronts the myriad problems he has inherited.

[azul]

1. Time for total war on poverty.

Pull the plug on the wasteful and destructive war of blunders and put some of that funding into a good war. A war on poverty where people of conscience can participate and actively do some real damage to violence and ignorance.

The internet is a great tool to report on areas of need and organize responses. Direct people to jobs where work is needed with matching funds to support the jobs until the project is done or self-sustaining. Like schools, clinics, water and ag projects.

Like an expanded Peace Corp with a defense dept budget. Thirty-thousand children dying daily from poverty causes is the real atrocity of this imbecilic war for oil grabbing all the headlines and resources.

[jwirr]

2. Programs like KIVA have worked wonders using computers.