What would it take to get rid of poverty in the U.S.?

Question

What would it take to get rid of poverty in the U.S.?

Answer 1

This is a Utopian like question. Poverty has been around since tine immemorial. It's like saying when will there be no wars.

Answer 2

It would take a "robin hood" government.

If the wealthiest 10% subsidised the poorest 20% through a system of tax and tax credits they'd all still be better off than the remaining 70%.

Answer 3

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That's a good question lancer.  To tell you the truth, I don't think we can get rid of poverty completely.  We can spend a lot of money and get ourselves into a very high deficit and perhaps still be stuck with it.

Nevertheless, it is possible to reduce poverty.

First of all, we can provide tax cuts to the poor.  That is a start.  It won't lift that many people out of poverty.  However, it would help reduce some burden so it would be a good beginning.

The EITC can also be increased.  Earned income tax credit.  It gives tax credits (mainly to those who are poor) for each child a father and/or mother has.  In 2004, millions of families recieved $36 billion from the EITC.  It has helped many [5 million] families increase their income and get past the poverty line [wiki article about it says that)  So, increasing the EITC (not too much though or else we'll go into huge and/or bigger deficit) could help out quite a bit.

We also MUST evaluate our education in this nation.  Our educational programs must be examined.  Each state should have an independent, non-profit organization perform studies on their schools and how effective they are, how efficient their programs are, and where money is not being used well.  Much focus should be on schools that are in poor, low-income areas and/or schools that haven't performed so well.  The organizations, after their studies are finished, should present their recommendations to each state and the states should follow them.  Some believe that the way to fix schools is to give more money, but that doesn't solve all the problems.  We need to examine the problems and the areas where schools are succeeding.  In addition, the studies should examine successful school programs.

Also create partnerships to help improve school performance and college courses.  I suggest taking a look at Mark Warner's ideas.  He was governor of Virginia and during his years there, he helped the educational system improve.  http://markwarner2008.com/virginiarecord...    His ideas deserve some, if not a lot, of examination.

Give teachers more incentives to work in bad schools.  Also improve teacher training, etc.

An education is important.  It can help ensure that children have better jobs in the future.

I think there also needs to be partnerships with businesses, etc. We should increase vocational training with students.  Get them working skills, etc. that would help them be prepared for the real world.  This would be good because those that won't go to college will have great skills that they could use and jobs available.  There should also be partnerships with technical schools.

I also support innovative partnerships in the community between community centers, churches, citizens, and the police.  (As well as business).  I am not an expert, but I think something like this would work.  Businesses could offer job training and jobs to those who are poor.  Community centers (and after school programs) could offer places for kids to go to in order to be safe and away from crime (not only keeping them safe but also more likely to be away from drugs, etc) .  The police can use community policing, where they help form close and trusting partnerships and good relationships with the community.  They also should patrol neighborhoods more and well with more trust, people would be more willing to call the police and report crime and help reduce it.  Now why am I mentioning crime? To reduce the lure of gangs and drugs, etc.  That would be important in keeping kids more focused on education.

In addition, there should be more work on reform of drug laws/sentences.  I'm not calling for legalization of drugs.  Nevertheless, I am not calling for harsh sentences either.  Drug use can destroy families and keep parents away from their kids.  Drug use and the market of drugs has also led to many deaths and tragedies.  There needs to be more drug courts.  Also there should be more usage of rehab clinics and other places that would help people get off drugs.  This way, kids would not have to worry about parents being in jail and many social problems that involve drugs (including crime and less focus on education) could be reduced.  Incarceration alone does not help reduce drug problems.  The distinction between crack and cocaine should be changed too...people who are caught and possessing just a few grams of one drug could be sentenced just as harsh as those with more (current law).  That needs to be changed.  Drug laws must be reformed.

Taxes should be raised on the rich.  Tax cuts to the rich don't benefit the economy and hurt it.  It just causes less money left to be used.  The money gained from tax increase should be first used to pay down the budget deficits (which would help the economy and leave more money left for other items).  Some of it can also be used to fund EITC and partnerships.

I also agree with raising wages to an extent.  If they are to be raised, some benefits or incentives should be given to businesses.  They- especially small business- should get tax cuts.  That would help cut down on the costs that an increase in wage would cause.

Lastly, I think that economists (of all political spectrums), academic faculty (professors, etc), politicans, experts, and the General Accounting Office should get together and review poverty programs.  Analyze what's going well with certain ones and what's not.  Look at what's having good effects and which ones are harming people.  After that, they should work together on deciding what to do.  They should issue solutions to help reduce poverty.  And lawmakers should take a look at them and implement them.

CONCLUSION::

I suggested a lot and sorry for putting so much.  I'm not an expert on poverty but I believe my solutions could help cut down on the problem.  I believe in innovative approaches and a deep examination of what works and what doesn't do anything to benefit others.  I believe on a focus in reducing crime, increasing community cooperation, creating better schools and improving the educational system, and making a better tax system.  I support the EITC and tax cuts to be balanced out and helped by tax increases on the rich.  I lastly believe that different sectors and groups- conservatives, liberals, businesses, churches, community members and leaders, schools, economists, academia, courts, etc.- all have good ideas and they should all work together to find solutions for the social problems.  Too often, Democrats and Republicans, economists and more liberal professors, police officers and activists, others will argue and say that the others are biased and have fiscally irresponisble plans (and other mean insults).  Thing is, they all have good contributions and together, they can work to improve our country.  I sound idealistic, but I think its the best way to go and it would bring an open-minded, creative approach towards helping the US. Thanks for reading and I'm so sorry if I wrote excessive info.

Answer 4

Well, we could start by deporting all of the homeless, the jobless, the welfare people, and all those that do not have a few thousand in the bank and a full time job.

  Now, on a serious note, I doubt if this idea of eliminating poverty will ever happen, not only here in the states, but anywhere in the world.

If our country. among others would find a way to get along in the world, and stop these needless wars, then maybe some of that money wasted on killing could be put to good use feeding the hungry, helping the homeless, moving people away from welfare and into productive citizens, and looking for some badly needed cures for sickness, this would be great start to the elimination of poverty and improving the lifestyle of many.

  But, we all know this is but a dream, or at least it seems that way.  I would love to go into one of our stores tomorrow  and not be able to find one "made in China" label, that would also be a great start ot the elimination of poverty, and to just see American made auto's on our streets.  Yep, just dreaming.

Answer 5

Indentured servitude would do the trick...otherwise just alot of money and a bunch of inflation.

Answer 6

Fisrt and foremost we  must work independently instead of depends on welfare, waiting for a paycheck every month. Educate yourself go to school or trade school.

Answer 7

The basics are already in place.  Education is available to all but some do not take advantage.

Answer 8

It really depends on how you look at poverty.  Because we have a capitalistic economy, it's said that there is no way to truly end poverty, because capitalism requires that some people hold the wealth and others do not.

If you want to get into a completely Marxist point of view, it would take a total economy overhaul, changing the way our economy is structured, and providing housing, jobs, and healthcare to the people, but Marxism really only looks good on paper, so that likely wouldn't be ideal either.

In my opinion, focusing on affordable housing and programs through the government, to give people the skills they need to work (and make more than minimum wage), would the be the best first steps.

And (at least) changing the way our economy works in the sense that 2% of the population doesn't posses 80% of the wealth.

Answer 9

Unfortunately there is no formula or guideline to end poverty in the U.S. or any country for that matter.  As long as men continue to rule and fight each other there will never be an equal distribution of goods.  All forms of governments/rulerships, even those with good intentions, are influence by greed, ego, selfishness and wanting to rule above everyone else.   As two wise men have said in the past (Gandhi and Jesus) not until men learn to live by the principals of the sermon on the Mount will there be peace and harmony.

Answer 10

You can NEVER get rid of poverty in a Capitalist Society. It is impossible, the market forces prevent it from happening. All you can do is minimize poverty as much as possible. But only a socialist society can rid itself of poverty. But the downside is the possible collapse of your nation and/or a very poor standard of living for everybody...  

Its a no win situation.  I'll take Capitalism with a few poor people  any day.

Answer 11

a currency with a stable value backed by a real asset such as gold would have far reaching effects on poverty.

Answer 12

stop spending billions on unnecessary wars and suspend all foreign aid, until our own people are back on their feet.

of course this will never happen because it takes common sense and commitment on the part of our leaders.