Who Is Responsible for Poverty? Is the War on Poverty Successful? Gina Dabruzzi 4/23/2015

Who Is Responsible?

Who’s Responsible? Individuals Government/Policies Partly a side effect of Capitalism “An economic and political system in which a country’s trade and industry are controlled my private owners for profit, rather than by the state” Built on supply&demand – increase profits, lower costs Connects to the distribution of wealth graph

Distribution of Wealth

So is the War on Povery Successful?

Johnson’s “War on Poverty” "Our aim is not only to relieve the symptoms of poverty, but to cure it and, above all, to prevent it.” Social Security Amendments of 1965 Created Medicare and Medicaid Expanded Social Security benefits Food Stamp Act of 1964 Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 Established Job Corps, Vista Program, Federal Work-Study Program Elementary and Secondary Education Act Established Title I program-subsidizes school districts with a large share of impoverished students  No Child Left Behind Act

What is being done today? Obamacare

What do these programs do? Assist people in difficult financial situations Increase Mobility  More Opportunities Those in low pay jobs who fear taking the risk to apply for higher paid jobs because they do not want to lose health insurance

What else could/should be done? Raise minimum wage Offer a more sustainable living Companies and Government work together Attract more business in the U.S. Decrease number of businesses based out in places such as China Bring more job opportunities to U.S. citizens

The End