by Frederick A. Babb

Created on: April 06, 2011

There exist as many ideas to reduce poverty in the USA as are theories for its existence. None will find success until the mindset of blame can be eliminated. We cannot look forward to a prosperous future until we can release a darkened past in our present day life. Anything less will dampened an already bleak outlook on the country.

To make a factual, yet unpopular statement, I would say it is safe to state the concept that poverty is a “chicanery of the upper class” is counterproductive at best. No socialist ideas will reduce poverty and accepting that those with wealth should personally sacrifice their earnings to those without any income in their household is a hallow dream with no potential triumph guaranteed.

In order to reduce poverty translates into creating income. Government handouts such as welfare and extended unemployment benefits do nothing to eliminate poverty, only postpone the inevitable. The expression “give a man a fish and he eats today, teach a man to fish and he eats every day,” was never truer than in the times we live in. Once that has been achieved, the USA will be on the road to recovery from an economy that has caused tremendous suffering, which some may argue it to be an unjustified misery.

Poverty, by a simple definition, is having more expenses than income. Getting a positive money flow into those enduring poverty is the only way to reduce it. To achieve this concept, now is the moment where the country’s wealth must step forward and take the lead. Having government imposed taxes on this class will only send their money and profits overseas. They must be encouraged to open industry for such fields as green energy and significant infrastructure renovation. These two areas alone will not only create employment, they will also contribute to improving the environment and saving lives with safer highways, rail systems etc.

The USA is a capitalist economic system that has proven to be fruitful when guided correctly. Corruption, greed and pork barrel politics must be reduced. I state “reduced” because elimination is far from reality and I seek real solutions in a real world versus imaginary solutions for the non-existent “perfect world”. Flat taxing all workers and industry would go far in to reducing such measures. An example of a 10% tax across the board would set a level field for rich and poor the same. The current system encourages false tax breaks as the middle class and upper class seek ways to use loopholes in the taxation of their income to prevent paying what is owed.

While these two solutions won’t eliminate poverty, I feel they will be strides in the correct direction to reduce poverty. Any person who values their self-worth is really seeking an opportunity for an honest day’s labor for an honest day’s wages. This basic concept is really the simplest solution to our current economic woes.

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