An America that is great for ALL!
Born or Reduced to Poverty in America?
For a rich country like America, continued poverty among large numbers of Americans is very sad and inexcusable. By some estimates, 43 to 49 million Americans worry about getting quality food daily and live in poverty.
The data below from Dr. Algernon Austin, Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Global Policy Solutions, should shame us all. The data is subject to various interpretation’s, therefore let’s just concentrate on United States.
One of the major problems in America today is our leaders (or leaders to be…). 2016 Presidential election has been depressing to say the least and the fault belongs to both candidates and political parties. The concentration by both candidates on promoting self over policy solutions, that talk directly to people, are sadly missing. The egotism of our political parties is indeed astonishing. Both parties and candidates exhort that they are greater than USA – and we accept that!
38 years ago, the Indian Prime minister candidate Indira Gandhi and her party came up with the Slogan ‘Indira is India and India is Indira. American editorials and others made fun of the slogan. Well we have come a full circle and now our political system exhorts the candidates as being bigger than America. Mr. Trump just takes it to next level by openly saying that all American institutions without him are useless and in decay and he alone can cure all. So, guess Presidential candidates and parties are greater than America!
Most candidates pay lip service on reducing poverty among our Veterans. Poverty levels among our veterans are disgraceful. There are numerous studies and articles on the subject. A comment from LIFELINE FOR VETS (http://nvf.org/veteran-poverty-united-states/) captures it best:
“Although veterans have a lower poverty rate than other Americans……………….as of 2012 the simple fact that almost 1.5 million veterans live in poverty in the United States is reprehensible. The veteran poverty rate for vets between 18 and 34 years old is higher than all other age groups. This group, of course, means that the veterans of the Gulf War and Afghanistan have higher poverty rates than other veterans “.
At a minimum why not have a WAR TAX designed ONLY to benefit veterans and their families by providing better health care and a social security safety net. But that would mean that we the rich would have to forgo our weekend binge partying and drinking.
Of course, all political leaders want to spend more on capital equipment for US Army since that helps defense contractors and makes the rich – richer.
Investment in infrastructure, health care for all, investment in better schools and children day care centers, etc. benefits poor quickest. All those programs in capitalistic society will also add wealth for the rich – in reverse trickle up.
Republican (and to some degree) Democratic principle of trickle down takes years / decades to trickle down to the most vulnerable. Rich get richer in the immediate future. But trickle down is subject to global events out of our control which can eliminate the potential benefit for the poor.
Also, it is important to realize that poverty not only shames us all but also hurts us with a poor quality of daily life. What kind of perspective are you giving your kids when you walk down city streets and see bums, beggars and homeless everywhere?
America - This is our country and we all need to play a part in making it great for ALL!
