U.S. and World Poverty: Incurable Problems?

In the United States, the official poverty rate is 13.5 percent (U.S. Census Bureau 2015). The 2015 studies show an estimated 43.1 million Americans lived in poverty, a rate of 14.3 percent of the population. While the percentage of Americans in poverty fell from 15 percent in 2012, the biggest such decline since the year 2000 poverty is still an issue.

Left to Right (on platform): Timothy Bray, PhD and Brad Lips, PhD

Global Poverty Studies

Globally, based on a poverty line of $1.90 a day, World Bank projections suggest global poverty may have reached 700 million, or 9.6 percent of global population, in 2015. Globally, 1.2 billion people (22 percent) live on less than $1.25 a day.

Joining us on McCuistion to explore the solutions to global poverty:

• Timothy Bray, Ph.D: Director of the Institute for Urban Policy Research, UT Dallas
• Brad Lips, PhD: CEO, Atlas Network
• Robert Rector: Heritage Foundation, Senior Research Fellow

Brad Lips says, “Should we be focused on the causes of poverty or should we reframe our thinking to use free enterprise to get obstacles out of the way so that people can create wealth which is the lasting way to alleviate poverty”? Atlas Network has a partnership with 460 organizations in 98 countries, one third of which are in the U.S.

Tim Bray, on Mayor Rawlings task force on poverty says, “Quality of life issues need to be examined- that prevent access to better employment, education and health care”.

And Robert Rector asks that we consider that “in calculating poverty the census ignores almost all the entire welfare state.” The census defines a family of four as poor if its income falls below a specified point- $24,036, yet does not count welfare benefits.

Can we alleviate global poverty? Yes. However, can we resolve the issue of global poverty once and for all?

Tune in Sunday to hear the experts on this issue.

The McCuistion Program, a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization does not receive any KERA pledge dollars, PBS funds or government grants, so thank you for your continued support.

Thanks for joining us,

Niki McCuistion
Co-Founder, Executive Producer, Producer
Business Consultant / Executive Coach, specializing in Organizational Culture Change, Governance and Strategic Planning
(214) 394-6794
www.nikimccuistion.com
nikin@nikimccuistion.com

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04.23.2017 – 2324