“Poverty: The Conversation We’re Not Having” @ Huffington Post

Posted on August 30, 2012

Sid Mohn — August 29, 2012: “This year, we’re about to begin again one of the most sacred acts of a democratic country — the election of our next president. Ads are sprouting up, the familiar posturing is once again on our screens, billboards, newspapers and websites. The last time we performed this ritual, we were a country swept up in the idea of hope and change — the idea that when all seemed grey, there was a light. As the old adage says, though, the more things change, the more they stay the same. It turns out that’s especially true if you’re one of the 20.5 million Americans in poverty right now.

Even more, this year UNICEF released a report stating that the U.S. had the second-highest level of child poverty in the developed world. Only Romania ranks higher. The second highest in the developed world! If anything, this shows us that, just as some of us lost nothing in the recession, some of us gained nothing in coming out of it — namely the poor.

Nevertheless, this isn’t a topic we’re used to hearing much about, especially from the candidates. Visit Romney’s campaign site and you’ll notice his focus on spending, immigration and defense. Visit Obama’s campaign website to review the issues and you’ll find his priorities around job creation, taxes and reviving the auto industry. No mention of plans to reverse course on the epidemic of poverty that dug its teeth deeper during the recession and won’t let go…………………………………….”

Read more at Huffington Post.

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