"Out of the Spotlight" Posting for January 28, 2010
Last
night, the President delivered his
first State of the Union address to a nation that is struggling. He spoke
directly to the millions of Americans without a job, and outlined plans to help the middle-class get back on its
feet.
Near
the beginning of his address, the President acknowledged that “for those who'd already known poverty, life
has become that much harder.”
That
reference to poverty was welcome. And for those of us who are working to
alleviate poverty, the President’s campaign agenda offered
some important and inspiring goals, such as halving the number
of poor in 10 years. These aspirations have not been altogether absent
during President Obama’s first year in office. The American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act includes several measures to help low-income Americans, such
as expanded food assistance, extended unemployment insurance, and support for Medicaid, among others.
But
some critics say that the President doesn’t talk about poverty enough. That’s
why we at OOTS think it’s a good thing when those working to reduce poverty ask the President to keep a focus on low-income
Americans as he works to bring our country out of this recession.
In
yesterday’s Huffington Post, Coalition on Human Needs
Executive Director Deborah Weinstein did
just that. She agreed that
strengthening the middle-class is important, but also insisted that “our nation cannot achieve a truly
sustainable recovery without targeting assistance to low-income people who
aspire to join the middle class.” The piece is worth a read.
Those
concerned with low-income workers
and poverty must continue to ask the President to work on this issue, even as
he tries to help all Americans who are experiencing economic hardship.
Posted
by Mike
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Here at Out of the Spotlight, we offer a behind-the-scenes look at the latest
news and information essential to anyone working to fight poverty. From key
political appointees to clashes over policy, we cover the news that doesn’t
always make the evening news. Check out Out of the Spotlight for our take on
the twists and turns of the latest political developments and its impact on
poverty reduction. Topics and ideas are welcome! Just contact mlaracy@aecf.org or watersboots@hotmail.com