GLOBAL BLOG ACTION DAY 2008

Today, bloggers everywhere are uniting to discuss the problem of poverty in our world. In politics, the BBC reports today that poverty isn’t a very sexy issue. If a politician in America focuses on poverty, Americans see visions of entitlement programs and a welfare state similar to the Great Society under President Lyndon Johnson. Senator Obama worked for three years on the South Side of Chicago with the poor and described it as the best education he ever had. However, poverty is not a vote-winning issue in the U.S.

For a time, poverty became a hot topic. After Hurricane Katrina. Poverty became visible and the U.S. became concerned. The victims of Katrina are no longer on the news every day and that tragedy, and what we learned about poverty, has conveniently faded from our collective minds.

Now we have the economic crisis. As a result, we have the “new poor.” The old middle class who lived in nice homes and had good jobs who are now living in their cars or RVs. The retired people who have retirement funds that have disappeared during the crash of the stock market and are moving back in with their grown children or disappearing into the masses on the streets.  The 90 year old lady who shot herself after the authorities foreclosed on her home is only an example of many others.

Whichever candidate becomes President on November 4 has a great challenge regarding poverty in the U.S. The religious right are often the most vehemently against any entitlement or social programs, though faith-based programs simply are not enough to fix the poverty problem. A new class of poor people is being created by the new financial crisis. Obama seems to understand the issues of the “old” poor as well as the “new” poor. Does John McCain? Which candidate can best deal with poverty in our country?