On Jan. 8, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson, in his state of the union address, declared a “War on Poverty.” At the time the poverty rate in the United States was 19 percent. Today that number is 15 percent; however, those two numbers do not tell the complete story.
If you were to listen to the right-wing noise machine you would think the War on Poverty was an abject failure. April 11, 2012, and I am sure many times before and after that date, the CATO institute published an article that concluded with, "[O]ur current $1 trillion War on Poverty is a failure."
The only reason that the CATO institute is able to say those words is because of self-fulfilling prophecy. Prior to Ronald Reagan coming to office the poverty rate in the United States was 11.4 percent. Under his guidance the poverty rate climbed to 15 percent after a State of the Union address in which he said:
In the welfare culture, the breakdown of the family, the most basic support system, has reached crisis proportions — in female and child poverty, child abandonment, horrible crimes and deteriorating schools. After hundreds of billions of dollars in poverty programs, the plight of the poor grows more painful. But the waste in dollars and cents pales before the most tragic loss — the sinful waste of human spirit and potential.
With his Welfare Cadillac meme and his absolute lies about poverty in America Ronald Reagan began dismantling the safety net – a safety net that saves children from starvation, a safety net that gives hope of a better tomorrow. How can we expect children to learn if they go to school hungry? How can we expect teachers to teach children who spent last night in the backseat of a car? How can we expect those who are living in poverty to get out when we take away the one thing they desperately need – hope. Public assistance gives hope and without hope the cycle of poverty will continue.
More on the War on Poverty below the fold.
Since Reagan we have seen the War on Poverty turn into the Counteroffensive on the War on Poverty. Funding has been cut to vital programs; we have seen requirements on programs change, like raising the retirement age on my generation before we had a voice in the electorate. Voting repeatedly to reduce SNAP benefits. Putting in work requirements for welfare recipients and not extending unemployment benefits during the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.
Sun Tzu, in The Art of War, stated:
“So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak.”
The GOP has taken this advice to heart is seems. Instead of going after moneyed interests they have consistently attacked the weak. They attack those who are poor, those who cannot defend themselves, those who do not have the money to lobby for their interests, those who are voiceless.
The War on Poverty has not been a failure. It is a cause worth fighting for. I would rather see the money we are spending on new fighter jets, new ships and old bombers go to new teachers, new schools and a stronger safety net. Those who do not think this, those who think the War on Poverty is a failure or a waste of money have never lived in poverty, have never been hungry, have never felt the despair of having no hope for a better life.
As LBJ said in his 1964 state of the union address, "[Y]ou never forget what poverty and hatred can do when you see its scars on a hopeful young face." We must never forget the hopes and dreams of those in poverty. Think of the human potential we have lost because of poverty—the artists, writers, musicians, scientists and doctors. All lost because someone felt that saving a couple of tax dollars was more important than the life of someone living without hope.