Obama: 1 (month), Poverty: 0 (mentions)

[balantz]

Obama: 1 (month), Poverty: 0 (mentions)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elizabeth-rigby/obama-1-month-poverty-0-m_b_148792.html

Huffington Post
Elizabeth Rigby
Posted December 5, 2008 | 02:20 PM (EST)

In his first month as President-elect, Barack Obama has remained silent on the issue of poverty. Across more than 30 public statements since election night, Obama has made no direct references to the plight of the poor (defined as use of the term: poor, poverty, or low-income).

This lack of attention is surprising from a President-elect whose campaign put out a position paper entitled, Fighting Poverty, which described Obama as a "lifelong advocate for the poor." Citing Obama's work as a community organizer, as well as his legislative advocacy for anti-poverty programs such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, the position paper promised: "As president, Barack Obama will continue to fight for meaningful opportunities for low-income Americans to join the middle class."

And it is true that, as a candidate, Obama brought up issues of poverty in about 20 percent of his speeches. This attention to poverty peaked in January 2008 (the final month of John Edwards poverty-focused push for the Democratic nomination). But, it then declined.


A smaller up-tick occurred in late spring during the final throes of the Democratic primary battle between Obama and Clinton, and then again in July as Edwards once again advanced this issue by undertaking a nation-wide poverty tour. On the day Edwards completed his poverty tour, Obama gave a high-profile speech on poverty in Anacostia in which he stated: "This kind of poverty is not an issue I just discovered for the purpose of a campaign. It is the cause that led me to a life of public service almost 25 years ago."

~Snip~

More troubling, this silence stands in stark contrast to a near-constant stream of new policy reports - each highlighting another reason to be concerned about how the poor will possibly weather this financial crisis. The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities projects dramatic increases in the number of poor Americans - including a prediction that nearly 2 million additional children will be living in families in deep poverty (less than 50 percent of our already meager poverty line). The Department of Agriculture reports record-setting Food Stamp rolls of more than 30 million Americans. A joint study by the Federal Reserve and the Brookings Institution documents the spreading of poverty into the suburbs where new pockets of concentrated poverty are clustering. And finally - this week - we received an official acknowledgment of the recession we knew we were experiencing.

~Snip~

[mwei924]

1. Probably because half the country's near poverty now.

[mucifer]

2. so talking about fighting unemployment wont have an impact on the poor?

I don't think he uses the word poor or poverty for political reasons. But, job creation and helping the veterans very much relates to poverty.

[babylonsister]

3. Yesterday, Obama pledged his commitment to the biggest investment in our nation's infrastructure...

to help everyone get back on their feet. No, poverty wasn't mentioned, but this country is going further down before it goes back up.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=7961698&mesg_id=7961698

It's entitled optimism in case you missed it.

[doc03]

4. Poverty is a codeword to Repugs for

black people on welfare. That's why they jumped all over Obama when he said we should spread the wealth around, to a Repug that means you are taking their money and giving it to welfare bums. Obama says he is going to have an economic stimulus plan to create 2 1/2 million jobs. Isn't a job the best way to fight poverty?

[babylonsister]

6. Poverty is a code word? I had no idea!

I think you are right. The problems are so massive they encompass so many people. To concentrate on people in 'poverty' would dismiss those about to be there, or next in line, or....
Obama is trying to find a solution to help everyone, I'm thinking.

[doc03]

7. It seems that way in my redneck corner of Ohio

The Repug assholes are still repeating the "spreading the wealth around" line, to them that's what it means to give their money to the blacks. If someone would mention poverty the picture they see is the old Reagan "Welfare Queen" picking up her check in a Cadillac.

[babylonsister]

8. Then they haven't been laid off yet. I've had a few in my family

laid off. Maybe this little recession lesson will edumicate some brain dead people.

[madmom]

16. Hi doc03, just curious which "corner" is that? We may be neighbors!

[madeline_con]

10. Yes, it's a code word to Repukes.

You should have seen all the whining and absurdity posted on the local newspaper forum with titles that always included "spreading wealth" when that meme went around. :eyes:

[Gman2]

13. Precisely. He will use stealth, to circumvent the class massacre, if they

get a clue. No need to rub noses in anything. Get it done. Learn from Bu$h. Clear skies, describing a system designed to pollute more. I think Obama should use only big words. The idiot right will complain about elitism, while not having a fucking clue what's up! Start using a left language, that frames the issues in our perspective, and dissallows as crass, or impertinent, any attempt to paint the poor as anything but persons in need of help. Have repugs unable to spout their hate, without significant stigma. It is time. When you put together a panel, and have one person blind, and all others claim the sky is green, you will agree soon enough. This is war for good. Perfect honesty be damned.

[Tarheel_Dem]

5. Sorry Elizabeth, but this article could just have easily been written by

a Naderite, or Ralph himself. Now Obama's taking heat for what he doesn't say? I'm really starting to rethink why I'm a member of this party. Everyone's already nipping at his heels, and the man still has over a month to go before he even takes the oath of office. Please explain to me how creating jobs doesn't address the issue of poverty?

[tonycinla]

11. Hard Core Poor

Most of the "hard core poor" do not work because of age,illness ,drug addition or just a lifestyle where they live off government assistance and/or their relatives.Florida is full of these people.

[waiting for hope]

12. Creating jobs doesn't address the whole problem -

There is health care, finding housing, adequate and affordable day care, education and transportation. Just giving someone a job doesn't do it. An 8.00 an hour job doesn't cover it all.

[Tarheel_Dem]

14. So he has to say exactly what you want to hear in every speech? You

guys give me a major pain in the nether regions. The more I listen to the whining here, and on the "liberal" blogs, I have to say it's making me seriously rethink why I'm a Democrat. PE Obama will have to be very careful that he's not overwhelmed by the far left, because we now see what happens to a party that's taken over by idealogues, just ask the Republican party as it tries to reincarnate itself.

I have no doubt that PE Obama intends to address every issue you laid out, but I hope he won't allow you and the author of this hit piece to put words in his mouth.

[waiting for hope]

15. Oh Good Gawd -

Let me give you something to chew on -

Obama's Victory Speech

And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.

Barack Obama Monday, June 30th 2008

To make a point about how Americans can disagree with their government without being unpatriotic, the senator quoted Mark Twain, who famously said, "Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it."

When laws or leaders in government fail to live up to the ideals of America, Obama said, the dissent of ordinary Americans "may prove to be one of the truest expression of patriotism."

I wonder what a Democrat is as well for the sheer lack of compassion and understanding of what it means to be in poverty - All I see here is an honest assessment of the fact what Obama hasn't said by a woman who has the credentials to back it up:

Elizabeth Rigby, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Houston and a Research Affiliate at the National Center for Children and Families at Columbia University.

Her work examines the politics of poverty and inequality across a range of child and family programs, including Food Stamps, child care, and Medicaid/SCHIP.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elizabeth-rigby

The knee jerk whining responses here are basically - "Hey, throw a job at the poor, that will solve the problem" instead of a discussion of what needs to happen. The blind acceptance of what Obama is going or not going to do is in line with the republicans that blindly followed Bush. Obama is welcoming our dissent and it does him a disservice not to speak up. And to call every piece of journalism that is critical a hit piece, than maybe you need to really see where your pain is located.

[Tarheel_Dem]

17. Oops! I found that pain you speak of. I'll let you guess it's exact location.

:eyes:

[waiting for hope]

18. Did you even read the article?

I know that Obama and his transition team are hard at work crafting a solution for our financial mess. And that - of course - is an essential component of any effort to minimize poverty. But, facing the reality of our deep economic crisis also requires expanding the political discourse, pushing the issue of poverty back on our nation's agenda, and actually talking about those who are suffering the most.

As for guessing, no thank you. I already know.

[FrenchieCat]

9. Most people that think they are middle class are really poor,

and Obama's planned policies are good for at all Americans which includes them.

When Obama was at the food kitchen the day before Thanksgiving feeding the hungry, should he had talked about the poor, or the fact that he was actually doing something about the hungry count?

When he talks about rebuilding crumbling schools, does he need to point out that most are the crumbling schools is where the children of the poor get their education? Would that have made some PC word police feel better?

When he talks about extending unemployment insurance, aren't those people who need that done most likely poor?

Is it possible that the people that were foreclosed on and kicked out of their homes considered poor? does he need to shout it from a rooftop?

The criticism is so dumb until these are the times that I'm ashamed that anyone writing this kind of drivel considers themselves progressive as opposed to just plain stupid.