Thread by @J_Shackelford

Night 3 of our Racial Equity legislative focus week! Tonight’s topic will be all about addressing the poverty crisis.

All opinions and perspectives are welcomed.

I will be referencing the following article in this thread. #RacialEquity
americanprogress.org/issues/poverty…

1. Create Jobs - “The best pathway out of poverty is a well-paying job.”

“To kick-start job growth, the federal government should invest in job-creation strategies such as rebuilding our infrastructure; developing renewable energy sources; renovating abandoned housing...”

“and making other common-sense investments that create jobs, revitalize neighborhoods, and boost our national economy.

In addition, the extension of federal unemployment insurance. Every $1 in benefits that flows to jobless workers yields more than $1.50 in economic activity.”

2. Raise the Minimum Wage - “In the late 1960s, a full-time worker earning the minimum wage could lift a family of three out of poverty.”

“Raising the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour and indexing it to inflation would lift more than 4 million Americans out of poverty.”

“Nearly one in five children would see their parent get a raise. Recent action taken by cities and states—such as Seattle, Washington; California; Connecticut; and New Jersey—shows that boosting the minimum wage reduces poverty and increases wages.”

3. Increase the Earned Income Tax Credit for childless workers.

“One of our nation’s most effective anti-poverty tools, the Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC, helped more than 6.5 million Americans—including 3.3 million children—avoid poverty in 2012.”

“Childless workers largely miss out on the benefit, as the maximum EITC for these workers is less than one-tenth that awarded to workers with two children.”

“This policy change should be combined with a hike in the minimum wage; one is not a substitute for the other.”

Other ways we can address the poverty crisis include supporting and improving pay equity, providing paid leave and paid sick days, and establishing work schedules that actually work.

Further, we can invest in affordable, high-quality child care and early education, expand Medicaid, and reform the criminal justice system and enact policies that support successful re-entry.

“It is possible for America to dramatically cut poverty. There is nothing inevitable about poverty. We just need to build the political will to enact the policies that will increase economic security, expand opportunities, and grow the middle class.”

Poverty is a crisis that needs to be addressed immediately, we just need the public servants who are ready and willing to do so.

I’m ready and willing my fellow Missourians. Let’s do this. #JamesforMO #Flip16
jamesformissouri.com