Extreme Poverty in America Affects Civil Rights

If people cannot meet basic needs, have healthcare, and put food on the table how can they take part in politics, go and vote, or engage in the pursuit of happiness?

Forty-one million Americans live in poverty according to the U.S. Census Bureau.  The growing inequality and changes in domestic policies have an impact on America’s most vulnerable citizens’ civil and political rights.

In its 2016 state of the nation review, the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality placed the US rank at the bottom of the table of 10 well-off countries, in terms of the extent of its income and wealth inequality.

The main causes of poverty in American are the shrinking middle class and income inequality.  In the last decade, income for the top upper twenty percent of Americans has grown; whereas the income of the bottom twenty percent has dropped significantly; and the mid-west has seen no significant economic growth. There has also been a decline in industrial jobs for blue-collar workers with millions of manufacturing jobs lost to outsourcing and technology. The state of California has the sixth largest economy in the world, yet it has the highest poverty rate in the U.S., and the third highest rate of homelessness caused by housing costs which exceed twice the national average.

Women, African-Americans, Hispanics, children and seniors are the most vulnerable in terms of earning potential, being able to afford basic necessities, and building a secure future.

Republicans in Washington are restricting safety-net programs: According to the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality and the Federal Reserve Board’s triennial Survey of Consumer Finances, the U.S. does very little to help struggling low-income families lift themselves out of poverty.  And in the Deep South, where the Republicans have re-segregated the south, and racial gerrymandering has turned swing states into GOP bastions, there is very little assistance provided to the poor and unemployed. The Trump administration’s tightening eligibility for subsidies makes it more difficult for people to receive help.

In the depressed coal mining state of West Virgina where Trump was backed by 69% of the population, the poverty rate has remained unchanged since the Great Recession.  Trump promised to revitalize predominately rural and small town industries across America claiming that “small farms are the backbone of this country,” and that, “coal is coming back,” but his agenda will harm his supporters in rural and small-town America.  According to the Center for American Progress, Trump’s budget agenda will devastate many programs that are critical to rural and small-town communities because his budget cuts will threaten job prospects, health, basic living standards, and the safety of the voters who elected him.

There is no benchmark for measuring poverty except for a sixty year old food consumption survey that determines a subsistence diet and budget. Poverty in the U.S. cannot be as easily understood as in other parts of the world, and most Americans do not identify with what is defined as poverty, but consider that lacking nutritious food, housing and clothing is the definition of poverty.  So in order to advance our understanding of poverty, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau for Labor Statistics have developed a method which accounts for the regional cost of living, the value of non-cash assistance such as food stamps, transportation, and out of pocket medical expenses.

In one of the world’s richest countries and a leading democracy, how can we accept extreme poverty in an environment of extreme wealth?

As a populist, Trump’s agenda has been antagonistic to human rights.  His campaign slogan “Make America Great Again.” is a total lie given Trump’s lack of economic support and huge cuts in subsidies for the most vulnerable Americans and communities in need.  Half of Puerto Rico still lives without electricity and cannot provide its citizens with basic needs. Trump’s aspiration to abolish Obama care would leave millions of low-income families without healthcare. And his new tax-reform, benefits the super rich.  All of this demonstrates that Trump fails to understand the social and economic rights of people.

Trump needs to be reminded that American foreign policy has always emphasized human rights. But how can he speak about other countries’ human rights, if he does not advocate for them in the U.S?

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights was signed by the United States in 1966, and says in part:

“…in accordance with the principles proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations, recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world…

“…Recognizing that, in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the ideal of free human beings enjoying civil and political freedom and freedom from fear and want can only be achieved if conditions are created whereby everyone may enjoy his civil and political rights, as well as his economic, social and cultural rights…”

Trump sold himself as the leader of the party of Lincoln, but, through his agenda, he clearly is not showing the world that he believes that all men were created equal.  Trump’s lack of interest in the struggles of the average American family, or what is going on in the world, make his ignorance apparent. He has no in-depth knowledge of the facts, and he is not interested in knowing them. He simply does not encourage human rights, a founding principle of American identity.

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