(NNPA)—As we prepare to advocate for universal health care in the United States Senate one issue that impacts people’s health is the quality of food available to them.

Wealthy people tend to have better health in part due to their diet of quality foods. Conversely, poor peoples’ poor health is usually predicated on their choices in food.

One reality for poor people of all pigments is that they have less choices of good food in their neighborhoods. Unlike well-to-do neighborhoods with gourmet grocers and organic options, poor people must, in many cases, use convenience stores to purchase produce and meats. For most poor people of color high quality meats and produce is virtually non-existent.

(NNPA)—One of the biggest decisions of the young administration of President Barack Obama will be made a few days after this is written on the strategy of the war in Afghanistan. A CNN poll has just come out that suggests the decision will be confronted by a public—of which I am one—that opposes the war by 62 percent and that support for his new strategy to send more troops is split 50-49 percent.

While the split decision may not stay that way due to what CNN calls the “rally effect” of a president’s ability to mount a campaign, still it tells us that the margin for error in this decision will be slight going forward.

(NNPA)—Two years ago, residents in much of the Southeast underwent an utter revamping of their lifestyle. Instead of blindly showering water across their lawns and leaving faucets running on end, they were forced to self-ration their own usage, and in many cases eliminate certain activities.

In North Carolina, Gov. Michael Easley urged his constituents to cease using water for all purposes not essential to public health and safety while the nearly five million inhabitants of the Atlanta metropolitan area faced fines upwards in the thousands for violating certain water restrictions.

(NNPA)—As Congress and the nation focus on the passage of comprehensive health care reform, the latest jobs numbers show that our economy also remains in bad health. And while overall unemployment is now at 10.2 percent, African-American joblessness has reached a 28-year high of 15.7 percent, compared with 13.1 percent for Latinos and 9.5 percent for Whites.

Black unemployment has risen to over 20 percent in states like Michigan and South Carolina. There are now more than 15.7 million Americans out of work and virtually every sector, from construction to retail, is hemorrhaging jobs.