PRESIDENT OBAMA PAVES THE WAY TO FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT FOR EX-OFFENDERS
There are a number of changes that need to be made in employment laws to get American citizens back to work. The country underwent one of the worst economic disasters in the modern era that took center stage around 2008. The economic debacle had been a volcanic eruption just waiting to happen and then we saw the explosion around the country and across the globe.
The ailing economy left many citizens out of work for long periods of time, many people lost their homes and had their lives turned up-side-down. Their credit was ruined and for most employment, a bad credit evaluation means no job in the United States. It is an oxymoron that makes as much sense as saying you are pregnant but you cannot have the baby until the new maternity ward is renovated. Guess what – baby is on its way right about now – like it or not. Well bad credit or not, people still need to eat, provide a roof over their family’s head and go about living.
We haven’t heard much about a push to correct that bad policy call but the President did decide that ex-offenders who had paid their debt to society need not continue to be punished by being denied employment. It makes perfect sense because why let the prisoner out of prison located at a certain address when his society becomes his prison, judge and jury – a sort of government sanctioned double jeopardy.  No matter how hard I try  I cannot get a job because I have a record and without a job I cannot pay for a place to live or put food on the table. Might this scenario be the reason for the high incidence of recidivism?
I applaud the President’s courageous stand to ask the Federal government to ease the door open for ex-offenders who have paid their debt to society according to the laws of our land and be hired as members of the Federal workforce. Mr. President could you ask the Federal government to leave some room in the doorway to allow individuals with not good credit to get hired in the Federal service so that they can rebuild their lives? After all, Timothy Geithner owed income taxes when he was hired as Secretary of Treasury, a position he held from 2009-2013 and credit didn’t seem to get in his way of having a great Federal job. Then G. Gordon Liddy who served 52 months in prison – an ex-offender had a number of great paying jobs including Radio Talk Show Host from approximately 1992- 2013.
Given those facts, just as an illustration, I think it would be a grand idea to give just common folks a second chance.
P. S. Always Remember to Share What You Know.
Dianna Tafazoli
