Issues

Economic Opportunity

At the center of the American ethos – the “American Dream” – is the ideal that all Americans should have the opportunity to succeed and prosper. In the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, lawmakers wrote that it is “the policy of the United States to eliminate the paradox of poverty in the midst of plenty in this Nation by opening to everyone the opportunity for education and training, the opportunity to work, and the opportunity to live in decency and dignity.” Economic opportunity encompasses everything from quality jobs and job preparation to health care and infrastructure – in other words, the factors that give every individual the chance to achieve their potential. This section of the Spotlight website gathers the latest research, news and opinion on economic opportunity.