The Great Society programs of LBJ worked for us and failed us. One of its many benefits is the decrease in the number of elderly living in poverty. Food Stamps and welfare helped feed millions of people who would have gone hungry. But for about 20 years now, we have been embarassed to talk about poverty. It has been en vogue to complain “why am I being taxed to help those people?” We have become so embarassed that we stand silent when a few keep the government from doing what it can to lend assist the poorest of the poor.
Some argue that private charities can and should pick up where the government leaves off. All the charities need are tax incentives or cuts to mak it easier for them to help. But reality has shown that private charities can only go so far. Could a private charity or a conglomerate of them help start the middle class as the GI bill did? Could private charities even come close to organizing and implementing Welfare to Work programs on such a scale as the national government? The reality is that it is the duty of a civilized society and our government to assist in providing for the least of us. FDR did this would Social Security and the Public Works Administration to great success. And yes, revisionist history aside, Social Security has been a success and can continue to be so with the proper funding.
Tax cuts are not what this country needs to survive. The $300 hundred bucks many of us received after Bush could have been better served on the poor. Yes, there are times when the government knows what to do with our money better than we do. Governnment officials knew the levies in New Orleans needed to be fixerd but funds were withdrawn. Social Security could have been fixed for less thanthe cost of the tax cuts of the recent years. How did those tax cuts help the people of New Orleans or are standing in the world?
The State Of . . . Poverty has been neglected for too long. We are taxed, among other reasons, because not everyone can help themselves. This is one of the roles of government. We should be proud that it does so.
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