Moral Side

Time to Change Strategy in a Failing War - the War on Poverty

The 2010 statistics on poverty in America reveals a .8% (from 14.3% to 15.1%) jump in Americans living in poverty - an increase of 2.4 million people.

It is time that American people and political leadership recognize that our strategy in the forty-six year long War on Poverty has failed. The problem is not one of the worthiness of the goal of alleviating and eliminating poverty and its effects. There is both collective unity and will in America to do so.

Informed and caring people, however, should recognize that what we have done as a nation for the last forty-six years to prosecute this war has failed. The policies may have made us feel better about ourselves and fooled us into thinking that our efforts were successful, but these policies have been unsuccessful - especially for significant portions of our population.

In examining the data (see chart) one can easily see the failure of the strategies - big and costly programs from the federal government.

President Lyndon Johnson declared "War on Poverty" in 1964 and the initial programs in the war took effect in 1965 at the earliest. The data clearly points to the failure of the strategy. The data shows"

1. Both the number of persons in poverty and the percentage of the population in poverty were dramatically declining in the years (1959-1964) BEFORE President Johnson's "declaration of war."
2. The initial phase of programs (1964-1979) brought progress against povetry to a stnadstill.
3. As the initial strategy continued with more and increased spending (1980-2010) the number of persons in poverty has increased.
4. Though it is too early to say conclusively, the dramatic and historic increase in federal expenitures in 2009 and 2010 may have resluted in a numerical and percentage growth in poverty.

The War on Poverty is a war worth fighting. Before we surrender, let us change strategies.

American Morale - Confidence in the Future and in Government Lacking

From Rasmussen Reports.

Most Americans continue to believe today’s children will not be better off than their parents, but they are a bit more optimistic about the possibility of someone working their way out of poverty.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 18% of American Adults believe today’s children will be better off than their parents. That’s down six points from the previous survey in June and is just a point higher than the lowest level measured to date. Sixty-seven percent (67%) don’t believe that today’s youth will be better off than their parents, while 15% are not sure.

Thirty-two percent (32%) think it’s still possible for anyone in the United States to work hard and get rich. A majority (55%) disagrees with that assessment, and another 13% are undecided. These findings have shown little change since January 2009.

Just under half (49%) say it’s possible for anyone in the United States to work their way out of poverty, the highest level measured since May of last year. Thirty-five percent (35%) don’t believe this to be true. Sixteen percent (16%) are not sure.

Americans remain divided on the possibility of someone finding work. Forty percent (40%) think it’s possible for anyone who wants to work to find a job, while 46% disagree. Fourteen percent (14%) are not sure. Adults have been closely divided on this question since March 2009.

Adults under the age of 30 are more confident in the future of today’s children than their elders. Younger adults are also more optimistic in the possibility of anyone finding a job.

Twenty percent (20%) of Americans with children at home say today’s youth will be better off than their parents, a view shared by 15% of those without children at home.

Fifty-five percent (55%) of men say it’s possible for anyone in the United State to work their way out of poverty, while 43% of women say the same.

Americans are more pessimistic than ever that the Americaan economy will improve during the next year. Consumer confidence fell in August for the third straight month, as the Discover U.S. Spending Monitor(SM) dropped to its lowest level since March 2009.

The Rasmussen Employment Index that measures workers’ perceptions of the labor market each month, slipped a point in August to the lowest level measured in one year.

A majority of voters nationwide like the idea of state governments offering jobs instead of welfare payments to those seeking work.

71% Say Too Many People Get Welfare Who Shouldn't

From Rasmussen Reports

Americans overwhelmingly believe that the bigger problem with the welfare system in the United States is that there are too many overqualified recipients rather than not enough. Most also think legal immigrants should have to wait at least three years before being eligible for welfare benefits.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 71% of American Adults say the bigger problem with welfare programs in the United States is that too many people get welfare who should not be getting it. Just 18% say the bigger issue is that too many people who should receive welfare do not get it, while another 11% are not sure.

Republicans (91%) and adults not affiliated with either political party (70%) believe much more strongly than Democrats (51%) that the bigger problem with welfare is that too many ineligible people are on it.

Fifty-nine percent (59%) of all Americans think immigrants who follow the law and enter the United States legally should have to wait three years or more before collecting welfare benefits, including 31% who believe they should wait more than five years. Seventeen percent (17%) think three years is enough, while 11% prefer a five-year waiting period.

Fourteen percent (14%) think one year is an appropriate waiting period for legal immigrants to be eligible for welfare, but 16% believe there should be no wait at all. Eleven percent (11%) are undecided.

Editors Note:  Since the 1960s when the "War on Poverty" was announced the percentage of Americans in defined as living in poverty has increased .3%.  With the increase in total population this means that not only has there been statistically no effect of the billions of dollars government dollars spent, but the number of persons considered to be in poverty has increased dramatically.