Oh Those Nasty Safety Net Programs.

       There continues to be a push to curtail safety net programs of the federal government. The latest attack on safety nets is the suggestion that we are losing the war on poverty. The idea follows that in the 1970s there were just over 11% of the population listed as poor. But today that figure is about 15%. If that isn't a losing strategy, I don't know what is.
       What that figure doesn't take into consideration, though, is that safety net programs like food stamps (SNAP) and earned income tax credits actually raise nearly ten million out of poverty. It also doesn't take into consideration the tremendous growth in inequality in this country. Corporate profits add to the economic growth of our country substantially, but that growth does not trickle down to the poor as was expected. In fact, while rich Americans see double and triple digit growth in wealth, poor and lower middle class citizens see no growth or are even losing ground.
       So here's the thing, if we were to allow these safety net programs to go away, while the listed numbers on the rolls of the poor would remain unchanged, the true numbers of poor and hungry would increase by that same ten million. Just because some bureaucrat in accounting is instructed to use certain measures to determine percentages, doesn't mean that it is the truest and best picture of life in America.
       So what's my point? The point is that if you want to save the government money and beat poverty, then keep the safety net programs and start taxing the wealthy for the benefits they've been receiving over the last three or four decades. You know what benefits I'm talking about. Like  increased income tens of millions and more while allowing their fellow Americans to wallow around in poverty. Their increased wealth may look good on paper for America, but it doesn't help the average American one bit. If all the profits go to a few, than the many don't get to enjoy any of it. Then take that increased revenue and invest in our infrastructure and education and research.
       We hear a lot about class warfare from those few wealthy about the 99%, but don't you think the real class warfare has been about the few wealthy conspiring to take everything and leave nothing for the rest?