Comments (add 5): In some ways, the result of all the tax money and charity that has been funneled into the aim at eliminating poverty is baffling. As we continue the conversation, it will become less so.
As a beginning, consider that people in the U.S. have moved out of that deep poverty, yet there are still many who fall into the federal guidelines of the poverty rate while they have cars, air conditioners, widescreen televisions, and other things that most of us do not put into the same category as food, shelter, and clothing.
Class,
What do you think could be some of the reasons for this?
Response one PADM-01
Programs such as SNAP and Section 8 Housing definitely assist low income families financially, but I don’t believe these programs are working effectively to reduce the poverty rate. With the exception of countries like Mexico and Turkey, the United States is one of the highest ranking poverty rates in the entire world.
Poverty cannot be completely eliminated. However, there are several ways to reduce and improve it. One way is by developing and implementing rapid and sustained economic growth policies and programs, in areas such as health, education, nutrition and sanitation. Then, allowing the poor to participate and contribute to the growth. Another is to allow the impoverished to empowering themselves by involving them in the development and implementation of plans and programs to reduce and eradicate poverty. Their involvement ensures that programs reflect those things that are important to them. Creating and improving access to jobs and income, developing entrepreneurial talent, and providing access to technology/innovation are steps that can be taken toward reducing poverty in the world. The key to reducing poverty is education. Given the strong connection between educational success and economic disadvantage, we might expect education policy to focus on ways to overcome the effects of poverty. The primary question lingering with me is “should alleviating poverty be the primary purpose of our public schools?” I just can’t come up with a clear answer. Yes, poor people absolutely need more education and skill training, but they also need an economic context wherein they can realize the economic returns from their improved human capital. Over the past few decades, the set of institutions and norms that historically maintained the link between skills and incomes have been diminished, particularly for non-college-educated workers. Restoring their strength and status is essential if we want the poor to reap the benefits they deserve from educational advancement.
With that said, I believe the TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) needs a considerable overhaul. States’ primary performance measure under TANF, the work participation rate, discourages states from assisting families in the greatest need. States are more likely to meet the rate if they assist families that already have some education, skills, and/or work experience and have the best chance of either securing employment or participating in a narrowly defined set of work activities. States can identify such families in various ways, and many states do so. As a result, the families that mostly need assistance are the least likely to have access to it. So in essence, I consider the effectiveness of TANF and other social service programs, like SNAP, EITC and Section 8 Housing, to have a minimal to moderate effect. It is imperative that people and governments work together to implement these ideas and others so it’s possible to end poverty once and for all.
References
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