War on Poverty
by Lorine Parks
Next month marks the fiftieth anniversary of the passage of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s bill to end the war on poverty. LBJ signed the landmark Economic Opportunity Act, known as The War on Poverty, on August 20, 1964. But despite efforts to reduce poverty and hunger, we as a nation still have a long way to go.
“Very often,” said LBJ, “a lack of jobs and money is not the cause of poverty, but the symptom. The causes lie deeper … in our need to give our fellow citizens a fair chance to develop their own capacities. The causes lie in a lack of education and training, in a lack of medical care and housing, in a lack of decent communities in which to live and bring up their children.”
The words “a fair chance” are key to insight on this problem, according to our speaker, Joel Kasparian of Deseret Industries. According to him, poverty can be eliminated by a careful program of comprehensive life modification. It takes a uniquely supported atmosphere, where, first of all, gainful employment can be offered. Then, with counsel, mentoring, and the time and safety for recovery guaranteed, the downward cycle of poverty’s destructive blight can be eliminated.
In Southern California 3.2 million people currently live in poverty, nearly double the number from 1990. Among children, one in four live below the poverty line. Although most of these children are not living on the streets or without food, many still lack a bed of their own and too many will never finish high school.
45.5 million Americans live below the poverty line, and this costs over $15 trillion annually, more than three times what all the wars we have fought have cost. Expenses include positive costs of welfare programs as well as the calculated losses in productivity.
Behavior cannot be legislated, but to alleviate poverty, Joel listed these attitudes which need to be encouraged: competitive and independent way of living; willingness to take personal responsibility, cooperative effort; goal orientation.
A desirable goal is for individuals to earn enough to have a self-sustaining life style; access to education; good physical health; schooling in financial management and good mental health.
How can this be achieved? Joel suggests that if 870,000 companies each sponsored one single person (head of family) it would save $46 billion a year. If 1,400,000 companies complied, well, one can do the math and see the advantages.
Savings in the general welfare budget would come from: less persons on welfare payments; lower drop-out rate in schools; lower out-of-wedlock birth rate; fewer children born into and living in poverty; a stronger and more competitive United States.
It’s important that we remind ourselves of this situation, because over the next few weeks we are going to hear more about the continuing war on poverty. On August 20, the actual anniversary of the signing of the Economic Opportunity Act, the Southern California Association of Governments will conduct a summit in Los Angeles on where to go from here.
Leaders will gather, from government, business, education and not-for-profit organizations. Discussions will focus on partnerships and collaboration - how to work together in developing practical solutions, empowering today’s youth to build a brighter tomorrow for themselves and future generations. Thanks to Joel’s heads-up, we will be more responsive when we follow the news.